Dear Readers: You have been so supportive of my story and you waited so patiently for Legolas and Ellie to make up, that I wanted to offer you one perfectly happy, utterly blissful, mushy chapter before all the troubles and travails start again--i.e. before Legolas leaves Lorien and Sauron comes into the picture! I hope you enjoy this little interlude between Legolas and Ellie. It is short, but sweet. Thank you for reading my story! I will address all individual reviewers from the last two chapters at the end of this chapter. Please continue reviewing!
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: FULFILLMENT
"Ellie?" Legolas' voice was a soft caress, low and seductive. To Ellie it seemed but an extension of the beautiful hands that stroked her body so lovingly as she sat, still undressed, tucked between the Elf's legs and with her back against his chest. They were facing the stream, and the water rushing by made such a sweet and melodious sound that it--coupled with Legolas' gentle touch--had nearly lulled the girl to sleep.
A cricket chirped happily from a nearby thicket, and she lazily turned her head toward the sound before murmuring, "Hmmm?" in response to the Elf.
"You made your decision before I ever laid a hand on you, did you not?" he asked her. Ellie's cheek now lay against his heart, and as she rubbed her face against him, the strong steady beat picked up its pace, startling a smile out of her.
"Yes, Legolas." Ellie pressed her ear closer to the Elf's indomitable heartbeat. To think, that she owned the love of such a magnificent being! That his body would soon become one with her body! She sighed in contentment, closed her eyes, and breathed in deeply his Elven scent now mingled with her own scent, and the pungent smell of the damp earth and cloistered woods. Ellie had never been happier in her life.
Legolas shared her happiness, but the Elf was still troubled by his earlier behavior. He had been so angry. He could have easily hurt her, and the thought preyed heavily on his mind. "Why did you not say something?" he now asked, wanting to talk matters over, to clear his mind of all lingering guilt. "Why did you not tell me from the first?"
The girl straightened, turned and raised her head to look at him. "Because you were in that strange, angry mood." She lifted a hand to caress his smooth brow, and remembered the scowl that had furrowed it earlier when his stony mask slipped for a moment. "And do not bother to deny it. I know."
Legolas had the grace to look chagrined. "Yes, yes I was…" He carefully brushed her hair back from her face, taking care not to pull the strands that curled around his elegant fingers. "I know I frightened you, sweetling, and I regret it." He raised a lock to his mouth and kissed it, inhaled the floral fragrance. "The truth is…I frightened even myself." No one but Ellie had ever evoked such strong emotions within him, and the Elf freely admitted it to her. "Where you are concerned, my heart and my feelings, know no bounds. I had no right, no right at all to blame you for reacting as you did to my mistake…And I regret it, deeply," he repeated.
She shook her head. Don't…Her heart constricted to think he would regret anything from this night.
But before she could speak the words, he lowered his lips to her cheek and trailed petal-soft kisses from her temple to her lips to the tip of her nose, even as his hands tightened around her small body. I am so sorry, Ellie! Legolas longed to lay with her again and finish what they had started, but this time without the urgency and desperation. Without the anger and heartbreak he had felt when he thought he might lose her.
A slow, simmering heat enveloped them both, and she twisted her body so that she was half-facing and leaning into him. As he tenderly kissed her face and hair, the Elf ran his hands up and down her back, tracing the delicate bones of her spine, and slipping his finger in the crevice between her buttocks, while his other arm embraced her shoulders and held the thick fall of her hair away from her body. She loved being petted by him. She loved being cocooned within his strong arms, where she felt cherished and safe and well loved.
"Regret nothing, Legolas," Ellie breathed against his mouth at last, before returning a kiss. She cupped his face with both hands, and earnestly gazed into his eyes. "There is naught to regret. What happened between us was beautiful. I loved everything you did to me, even when you kissed me in anger. I love you--truly, madly, without reason and for countless reasons. Never in my wildest imaginings could I have dreamt feeling this way. Never would I have expected such love to come to me--me, of all people."
Legolas' heart quietly exulted. He did not doubt the sincerity of her words. He saw the wonder shining brightly within her eyes, and thought himself the luckiest Elf in Middle-Earth. "Such love came to your mother, did it not? Why should you be any different?" he told her.
"My mother…" Ellie's smile immediately faded away, much to the Elf's dismay, and she sat up once more. "Oh, Legolas, she made a terrible mistake all those years ago! She should never have left my father! You have no idea…Do you know, he kept everything, everything that was hers. Even this dress…" Ellie paused, seeming to realize for the first time that she was still nude. She turned her head and spotted the small pile that was her gown a few paces away, and jumped to her feet to fetch it. But before she could take a step, Legolas grabbed her hand.
"Where are you going?"
She looked down at him. "To get my dress."
"You will not need it for a while yet," he said gently, lifting his other hand to her hip, cradling it, and stroking the soft skin with his long fingers. Ellie's breath caught in her throat. She shivered delicately at the suggestive gleam in Legolas' eyes.
"Oh…" Ellie looked momentarily flustered. She blushed from head to toe, the pink color deepening to bright crimson as the Elf continued to eye her with amusement and a smile. A tender, seductive smile that left her feeling winded and weak-kneed. Ellie dropped down again between Legolas' legs, and he instantly pulled her close, his chin coming to rest on the top of her head. She could feel the hardening ridge of his groin against her bare bottom.
"After my mother ran away," she told him in a slightly breathless voice, "my father kept all of her things exactly as she had left them. All these years he has cared for her things. They are pristine, Legolas! He never let anyone enter his home. He never sat on her couch. My dress was meant as a gift for her, only he never had the chance to give it!"
Legolas frowned and tightened his hold around Ellie's midriff as she covered his silk-clad arms with hers. I am not Haldir! I will never let you go! he silently vowed, before replying. "I did not realize his grief ran so deep, although it does not surprise me. Do not be fooled by our cool facades, sweetling. Elves feel so much more intensely than humans do." The girl turned her head and looked up at him with curious eyes. "If not for you," Legolas now said, "Haldir might have died from his grief. Somewhere, in a distant corner of his heart, or in the far reaches of his soul, he must have sensed you, Ellie. The bond between parent and child is eternal, and as strong as that of soul-mates."
"What do you mean 'die from grief'?" she asked, truly shocked. "Elves can be killed in battle, this I know. But to die from grief? Surely, you jest!"
"No, Ellie. We can and we do die from grief."
She stared at Legolas for a long moment, the implications of his words almost too horrible to consider. If she had not chosen him, would he have succumbed? Ellie could not bear the thought. She raised a trembling hand and caressed his beloved face.
Legolas answered the unspoken question in her eyes. "I am strong--I would not have died. But I would have mourned your loss for all eternity."
"I am so sorry…" She whispered, and kissed his chin before burying her face in his neck.
"For what? You have spared me that, little one." And then, because the night was waning and he was ready to take her now that his guilt had been assuaged, Legolas lowered his hand to her mound and gently parted her. "Tell me, are you still hurting?"
Ellie gasped at the feel of his burrowing fingers and arched her hips as liquid heat instantly pooled between her legs. "No, Legolas! I have healed. My body has healed itself."
She had meant to reassure him with her words, but for a moment, Legolas felt a frisson of alarm and stilled his hand. "Do you mean that your maiden's barrier is intact again?" Oh gods…
The Elf could not quite keep the dismay from his voice and Ellie laughed, pulling his hands from her body so that she could turn and kneel before him. "No. That is done with. I just don't feel any discomfort anymore."
Thank the Valar for that! Legolas sighed, and lifted his hands to cup her bottom then sensuously began tracing circles on her soft flesh, drawing her closer to him. His fingers were like velvet kisses, slow and seductive, wooing every nerve, every inch of skin they touched.
"Shall we try once more?" he asked, as one wayward finger sought and found her entry. Ellie was more than willing. In fact, she was ecstatic. This time Legolas would gift her his seed!
"Oh, yes!" she exclaimed. Ellie shuffled forward until her knees came to rest against his bulging groin. She fervently kissed his cheeks and mouth, chin and nose and forehead, entwined her hands with his long blonde hair. He will give me his seed! He will give me his daughter!
But unlike my mother, I will not run away!
"Thank you, Legolas, thank you," she told him in between kisses. Her heart was pounding so furiously, she was certain it would soon burst out of her chest. We will be a family!
The Elf pulled back a little to look down at her. "Do you have any idea what you do to me, Ellie? What I am about to do to you? Do not thank me yet! This time, there will be no holding back!" he warned her with a grim smile. He meant to possess every single inch of her. To bury himself so deep inside of her, that nary a breath of space would remain between them.
Ellie understood.
A tremor of excitement mixed with apprehension shook her small body as Legolas lowered his face to her neck, kissed and sucked on the tender skin, and shoved her hips against his hard body. Then he traced her fragile collarbone with his tongue, pressed his lips to the pulse beating wildly at the base of her throat, and bit down softly. Ellie gasped at the feel of his teeth, and clung frantically to his shoulders as her knees gave way beneath her. A searing heat coiled and settled deep inside her belly. Just like before, she thought desperately. Her skin caught fire, raged out of control, and consumed Legolas.
"Too hot," she mumbled, her voice and breathing ragged.
"Too hot, indeed," the Elf agreed.
His hands rose to her breasts and caressed the tender mounds, before his fingers ruthlessly squeezed the rosy tips, drawing another gasp from Ellie. He lifted her by the waist, bringing her body closer to his hungry lips. He took first one and then the other nipple deep in his mouth, suckling and laving and nipping, imagining what her breasts would be like when she was swollen with his child. Ellie moaned--loudly--the pleasure so intense it approached pain.
"Legolas," she pleaded, clutching one of his hands, trying to get him to lower it to her privates as she rapidly drew near to her release.
But the Elf shook his head in consternation, and refused. Not this time, Ellie, he vowed. This time you will wait for me!
He raised dangerous, amused eyes to her face, then took her mouth captive, swallowing her protest. His lips were teasing, warm and moist, making her body quiver with delight. Legolas too was trembling, tight in every muscle. And before too long, his kiss deepened into something darker, more demanding as he ravaged her soft lips and plundered the inside of her mouth with his tongue. Ellie raised her hands, burying her fingers in his scalp while she passionately kissed him back.
She didn't stop kissing him even when he lowered them both to the soft, damp ground. By now she had been reduced to an almost-mindless, throbbing lump of flesh, and her slender hips arched brazenly toward him without her even being aware of it. Legolas felt a sudden wetness against his cheek and started. What is this? He grabbed her shoulders and moved back to look at her. Ellie had begun to cry, was nearly sobbing with need. You cannot wait…and I cannot enter you so quickly…the Elf realized and relented, deciding to give her the release that only he could give.
Legolas smiled tenderly and met her startled gaze as he gently cupped her moist crotch. Ellie felt as if a lightning bolt had struck her insides. She immediately leaned into his hands. He had barely begun to rub her back and forth, his fingers probing, when Ellie exploded, throwing her arm around him and shuddering violently against his body. Legolas held her tightly until her tremors subsided. Then he gently kissed her mouth and stood up.
At first she couldn't utter a word, couldn't even move, for she felt wonderfully warm and weak and languid from her release, her senses reeling from the intense pleasure he had given her once again. Now his blazing eyes bore into hers as he quickly undid the clasps of his long shirt and removed it, dropping it on the ground next to her dress.
He was beautiful to look at. Breathtakingly, heartbreakingly beautiful--and Ellie was mesmerized. She could watch him disrobe a million times, and the girl knew she would still feel the same.
Legolas was lean and sinewy, and his fair skin seemed as smooth as the silk shirt he had just discarded. Ellie stood up on shaky legs, for she couldn't resist touching him, and he shuddered at the feel of her small hot hands softly exploring his bare chest. She stood on her tippy-toes and took his flat, hard nipples into her mouth, drawing circles around them with her tongue, and he shuddered again. Finally, she found her voice. "Legolas, you are perfect," Ellie whispered in awe, "and…I want to see all of you now."
The Elf was more than happy to oblige, for he was so painfully aroused, that he did not think he could endure much longer without burying himself inside the girl's body.
Legolas bent over to unlace his boots and Ellie went down on her knees to help him. As she pulled first one and then the other boot from his feet, he unfastened his pants, and for the first time, she came face to face with his full erection. Ellie sat back, mouth agape, and for a moment had second thoughts about the whole affair. As Legolas stepped out of his pants, she raised slightly panicky eyes to his face.
"Legolas, this isn't going to work. We will never fit…"
He chuckled and knelt down in front of her. "You can take me, Ellie," he reassured her, as he cupped her cheek and rubbed his thumb over her lip. "This time we will fit perfectly." And then he tenderly kissed her. He lay her back on the ground and started to woo her again with his warm lips and his knowing, roving hands and his beautiful body. Desired sparked anew inside of Ellie, and quickly spiraled. She opened her legs wide, and ran her hand up and down his engorged shaft, marveling once again at its life-giving power, marveling at its size.
Legolas swept an arm outward, grabbed his pants and shirt, and bundled the garments beneath her hips to lift her. "You can take me," he repeated, as he gently parted her slick folds with his fingers.
Ellie wanted to believe him, she wanted him inside of her, but when his tip nudged her delicate passage, her body instinctively stiffened at the intrusion.
Legolas paused and smiled down at her. "We will fit. Trust me, Ellie."
And she did. Little by little, and ever so slowly the Elf's shaft entered the girl's narrow passage, while he continued to mumble endearments and encouragement and pressed kisses to the top of her head. Legolas patiently pushed his way in and Ellie's body yielded inch by inch. She moaned and whimpered, panted with the struggle to accommodate him, and dug her fingers into his back. Until at last she knew the exquisite pain and rapture of having Legolas sheathed deep inside of her.
"I am a part of you now, Ellie!" Legolas exclaimed, his voice joyful and triumphant, mirroring her own heart's delight.
Then the Elf began his rhythmic dance. He withdrew from her slowly and thrust deeply, over and over again, filling every inch of her, stirring nerve endings she never knew existed. Waves of hot, mindless pleasure spread out from Ellie's core. As the magic grew within her, the pain receded, until it was nothing more than a faint memory. She wound her arms around Legolas' neck then wildly arched her hips off the ground to bring him even deeper into her--if that was at all possible--and keep him there. "So close," she muttered gasping for breath, so close to her peak, certain that she would die in the conflagration that once again consumed her.
"Easy, love," Legolas urged her, his own breath coming in short, ragged gasps. So close…He was so close too. Then he lowered a hand to her mound, sought and stroked a finger over her taut nub. "Is this what you want?" he mumbled, rubbing her roughly, and watched fascinated as her lovely face twisted and contorted with lust. His own face was tight, beaded with perspiration, his body so tense it seemed to be made of steel.
"I want…I want…" she panted.
But Legolas no longer heard her. His release was at hand, and he closed his eyes and let his senses take him. Fierce and violent, his climax suddenly burst upon him, tearing Ellie's name from his lips in a stark, primitive cry. A cry that was instantly met by Ellie's own wild scream as she convulsed beneath him. Wave after wave of fiery sensation swept over them, and through them, as savage tremors mercilessly shook their bodies time after time.
And through it all, Ellie exulted at the feel of his hot seed spilling deep inside of her, at the feel of his hard body shuddering against hers.
They had been fulfilled. It was like nothing either had experienced before. There had been fire, yes--a raging inferno that now left them utterly spent, basking drowsily in the sweet warmth of the afterglow--and there had been pleasure beyond compare, and deep satisfaction. But, above all else, their coupling gave Ellie and Legolas a sense of utter belonging, the knowledge that they were exactly where they were supposed to be. From that moment on, they were no longer two separate beings, but rather two halves of a whole forever joined together. And their souls rejoiced.
"I love you, Legolas," she told him later when their bodies had calmed and she lay quietly nestled in his arms, both of them still naked, next to the stream in the deep woods. Her little lamp had long gone out, but the sky had just begun to lighten with the approach of a new day.
Legolas' hand rested against Ellie's stomach, his fingers splayed, as if to embrace the life that might soon be growing inside of her.
She smiled. "In a day or two, Legolas, your seed will have traveled far enough to create our daughter."
He was touched by her innocence, her unwavering faith. "But, Ellie, you must understand, you probably will not conceive," he told her gently. "Such a thing does not happen every time." Of course, now that she had bound herself to him, the Elf had every intention of coupling with her as often as he could before departing from Lothlorien. He might well leave Ellie with child.
The girl covered his hand with her own, and rolled onto her back to face him. She smiled again--a sweet, knowing smile that did funny things to his heart. "With your seed inside of me, I can make it happen, any time we lay together. I may be an Elf, Legolas, but I am also Ilissan. This night you have given me a daughter, and I thank you for her."
"Any time? Each and every time?" he asked incredulously, and she promptly nodded.
Legolas was aghast. Good gods! He and Ellie were immortal, and she did not believe in preventing conception. They might ostensibly end up with…hundreds of children! Impossible! I will not allow it! She had given up her Ilissan faith for him--she would have to give up such foolish notions too. Legolas would have to find a way to convince her, for he was not about to stop coupling with her. Each and every time!…
And then, at last, her final words sunk in. The Elf stared at Ellie in wide-eyed wonder.
"Our daughter will be born of this night," he whispered in awe. And his heart suddenly swelled with fierce pride and elation.
"Yes!" Ellie exclaimed with a laugh, turning and sliding over to him. She draped an arm and a leg over his body and Legolas immediately pushed her hard against him, wrapping her in a tight embrace. Legolas never wanted to let go of her.
"You have made me very happy, Ellie," he said, his voice thick and choked with emotion. "You would make me even happier if you agree to become my wife."
It was to be expected that he would want to marry her. It should not have come as a surprise.
But it did.
Ellie's eyes grew huge, filled with tears of happiness, and tears of quiet pride, as she gazed into his beautiful face. Married…to him… She moved her hand to his cheek, reverently traced the elegant bones, before sliding to his lips. Legolas kissed her fingers, gently licked and suckled them, as she continued to stare at him in silent awe. Married…
"Ellie?" he prompted, after several minutes had passed and she still said nothing. "Will you marry me?" She would, of course. It was a given. The Elf no longer had doubts, but he wanted to hear her say the words. And Ellie finally obliged.
"Yes, Legolas, I will marry you."
*************************************************************************
Author's Note: For those of you who may be wondering, Nev is not completely out of the picture yet. And even though Ellie has chosen Legolas over her faith, there are still issues the two of them need to resolve regarding her Ilissan heritage. These will be addressed in the next few chapters. Thank you once again for reading my story.
To Nimthoron, Ellen, YumeNarikoRyu3, Beth, loveroflegolas, Lady Vendea, Crecy and Lara: Thank you so much for your encouraging reviews! I will try to keep updating as soon as possible, but I have entered a very busy time in my life. I do promise, however, to try to update at least every two weeks, and possibly sooner.
To Wicklowe: Most of my readers also did not realize that Ellie was dreaming of Haldir and Naia until the end. I like being sneaky every now and then! And this was the second time I got away with it! Ha,ha (The first was Nev's recollection of her last day with Legolas in Mirkwood).
To Andrea: I actually HAVE considered writing a Haldir-Naia prequel to this story, but I also have another Legomance brewing in my mind. Too many choices, too little time!
To Briamber: Glad you appreciated all the Naia info I've been throwing at you! LOL! And thank you for the rave review on the love scene. I feel so honored that you stayed up to read it! To be honest, I was a bit wary about how my readers would receive it. But I wanted to be realistic about it. First encounters seldom go as planned!
To Dragonfly: Regarding Nev, her fate is open to question. You say she should be Orc lunch. I say…quite possibly!
To nap-003: What a relief, huh? They finally made up! I hope you enjoyed all the mushiness in this chapter too!
To woozlepuppy29: Ooooh! You cheated! But I have a confession--I'm the kind of reader who likes to read the ending of books before I ever get to the first page! :-)
To Demonic Pyro Freak: Oh my goodness! You changed your nickname and what a mouthful it now is! I love imaginative nicknames. That sounds like some crossover story you wrote! How did you keep all the characters straight? By the way, I'm going to need a detailed description of your katana at some point. For Sauron, you understand…
To Selayawen: Your praise is going to my head! (just kidding) Actually, you are one of my favorite reviewers. Thank you so much!
To anon-101-6: My source of inspiration for hot love scenes! Glad to know you liked what I wrote, but in truth, it had me squirming a little. Good grief!
To Nevasaiel: The dream DID freak Ellie out, but it served a good purpose--it got Ellie to high-tail it out of that talan and into Legolas' waiting arms! ;-)
To sweetazzhoney: Rumil and Orophin are coming up in the next chappie. So you wanna be in my story, huh? Let me see what I can do…
To anonymous: I'm sorry for subjecting you to such a long chapter (ie IN THE DEEP WOODS), but I hope the love scenes between Legolas and Ellie got rid of some of that "dragging" feel to the story. Mark my words--there will be PLENTY of adventure coming up in the latter part of ELLIE'S CHOICE.
To Kwannom: I was biting my fingernails waiting for your review of the love scene and I am SO RELIEVED that you approved of it! I am, believe it or not, somewhat shy and prudish, so it was not easy for me to write all that mushy stuff. Also, I want to thank you for your suggestions regarding Haldir. I used one of them in this chapter!
To macgyver70: I hope you were pleased with the length of my previous chapter and I hope you didn't mind the brevity of this one!
To Silmarwen: WOW! What can I say? What a wonderful review! To be favorably judged by an English Lit major is indeed an honor for me. Did you receive my email regarding the questions you had? If not, let me know and I will address them again.
To maybe tonight: I was really nervous about the previous chapter and your review did much to allay my concerns. Thank you for letting me know that you found the chapter "real" and "realistic." I was striving for realism here, especially with regard to Ellie's "first time." By the way, do NOT count Nev out of the picture yet!
To ilovelegolas: Glad you survived the wait! ;-)
To CalypsoAntigone: WOWEE! So I'm an honorary member of the Long Lost Hopeless Romantics! I feel like I've been awarded an honorary doctorate degree at a university or something! HONEST. If there ever was a long lost hopeless romantic in the world, it's ME! I don't just cry in sad, romantic movies--I SOB. I sob when I read sad, romantic novels too! And if I am seeing the movie or reading the book for a second time, I start to sob before the heartbreaking scenes arrive! Pretty hopeless, huh? Anyway, thank you so much for your incredible review. It not only made my day--it made my entire week!
To Kittynip9: Nev defeated? No, I think not! She won't be a major role player anymore, but she still has one more dastardly deed to carry out! Bwahahahaha…
To elvenprincess92: Thank you for thinking the make-up scene was worth the wait! Hope you enjoyed the after-the-make-up scene as well! ;-)
To cymoria: With just a few words, your review has inspired me and humbled me and made me feel---elated. Thank you. You are a writer's dream!
To the last fallen angel: Ellie will not be leaving with the Fellowship, but their paths will cross again before all is said and done. Thank you so much for your review!
I apologize if I have inadvertently left anyone out. Blessings and best regards to all!
