A/N: More of the movie here.
Jebb: Yes, Legolas is just now beginning to understand her fears. It's a good thing he's a patient elf!
Steff7 – Yes!
Spidergirl130 – Welcome! I'm glad you are enjoying this! I'm very impressed that you've caught up to us!
Iwishchan – Yes, it's always easier when there is someone to lean on. Especially someone like Legolas!
Manson – Welcome! Another new reader! I'm glad you're enjoying the story and have caught up with us!
It was well past midnight when Legolas and Annowe finally arrived at Minas Tirith. Annowe immediately wanted to find Deka and Legolas was anxious to see that Gimli and Aragorn knew he had returned safely.
Following the sounds of the on-going celebration, they walked thru the quiet city and entered into the Great Hall where their senses were assaulted by the noise of hundreds of voices raised in song or laughter and the smell of food. It seemed that every man, woman, child in the area had brought whatever they could find to the Great Hall to share in celebration – be it water, wine, bread, meat or makeshift musical instrument.
Annowe laughed in delight at the scene. The two small hobbits had commandeered a table for a dance floor while several of the men watched them in amusement. Deka and several of the dryads had formed a dancing circle and were moving in their hypnotic way as the rest of her sisters sang a tune and one melodically beat on a helm to keep time.
Gimli was sitting at a table exchanging laughs with several of the Rohirrim while Gandalf and Aragorn stood apart from the others merely watching the celebration without participating.
Legolas laughed at Annowe's excitement and squeezed her hand. She grinned up at him and immediately ran to Deka who shouted in recognition and began good-naturedly scolding the wayward nymph.
With a quiet smile, Legolas made his way to Gimli who did not scold him nearly as badly as Deka certainly would. Somehow the dwarf seemed to know it was pointless.
"Well, lad, I see you've found the lass," Gimli chuckled and thrust his tankard into Legolas' hand. The elf refused the ale, preferring the lighter taste of wine. He would find some – eventually.
"Yes, I did," Legolas acknowledged. "It is good to be back."
Gimli looked at him curiously but did not press the issue. The elf was looking a bit, well, tired. Without a word, he leaned back and snagged a wine bottle from an adjoining table and handed it Legolas.
"What? No glass?" Legolas teased.
The Rohirrim looked to Gimli unsure if the elf were joking or if he truly desired a glass to drink from. Gimli fairly roared with laughter as he clapped his friend on the back. Relieved, the Rohirrim quickly joined in. Legolas raised the bottle in a toast and tipped it to his lips.
After a mild scolding, Deka grabbed Annowe by the arm and led her outside, anxious to speak to her cousin in private.
"What happened to you?" The dryad demanded anxiously.
Annowe sighed and looked dejected. Deka was the last person she wanted to confess to. "I had a bit of – er – an accident," she said awkwardly.
Deka's dark eyes narrowed suspiciously but she strangely did not press the issue. Instead she gave her cousin a quick hug.
"I am thankful that you," she stopped mid-sentence and looked curiously at the naiad.
"What? What is it?" Annowe looked at her in puzzlement.
Deka grabbed her cousin and hugged her tightly for a few moments. Stunned, Annowe patted her on the back, unsure what to say or do. This was highly unusual and Annowe feared that Deka may have lost her mind.
"Deka, what is it?" Annowe demanded, becoming frightened at her cousin's strange behavior. "What happened?"
"You've mated with him, haven't you?" The dryad asked softly, finally pulling away.
The look of complete shock on Annowe's face confirmed Deka's suspicions.
"Who told you that?" The startled nymph demanded warily, trying desperately not to sound guilty.
"No one had to tell me," Deka sighed. "I can feel him in you."
"What?" Annowe said in disbelief. "I don't believe it!"
The dryad sighed again and shook her head in mock sorrow. "He is our prince. His life force runs through Mirkwood. I can feel it. It is a part of me. So when he or any of his royal kin find a mate I know it. I can feel it."
Annowe looked at her cousin in horror, fearing the consequences to Legolas. She drew herself up, ready to defend him. She knew Deka would certainly give him an earful unless she put a stop to it immediately. She did not take perceived threats to the elf's well-being lightly.
"Whatever you are going to say to him you need to say it to me first. I'll not have you scolding him like an errant elfling," Annowe warned. "It was all my idea in the first place so don't you blame him."
Much to her surprise, Deka grinned. "Somehow I don't believe it was all your idea," she mused.
"Well, it was!" Annowe asserted. "All my idea. He had nothing to do with it. So whatever you were going to say to him, you'd better say it to me because it is my fault."
"You forced yourself on him, did you?" Deka stifled a laugh and raised a questioning eyebrow.
Annowe fumed silently, angry that Deka was teasing her and threatening to scold Legolas. She would not allow that to happen.
"Yes," the naiad said and drew herself up as she became more sure of her story. "Yes, I did. He had no choice." She nodded her head to emphasize the point.
This time Deka could not hold back her laugh. "Somehow, Annowe, I find it very difficult to believe that he was an unwilling participant."
Now Annowe was completely confused and becoming more agitated by the moment. Had Deka gone mad? Had the Rohirrim done something to her mind? She seemed completely unhinged. The nymph scowled darkly in confusion.
"What has gotten into you, cousin? Are you ill?" Annowe asked in concern.
Deka shook her head and sighed. "Oh, no. Perhaps I've just come to my senses," she admitted.
Annowe frowned deeply but said nothing so the dryad continued. "I know the two of you have been pining for each other for years and I admit that I feared for the future of Mirkwood if Legolas did not mate with an elf."
Annowe nodded her understanding. "Yes, go on," she said. This much was ancient history between the three of them.
"It would seem that I should have been more worried about a much larger threat to Mirkwood than you," Deka admitted quietly, her eyes urging Annowe to understand.
With a flash of realization, the naiad's eyes cleared and she understood. "Ah," she said, nodding in understanding. It was as close as Deka would ever come to admitting she was wrong and Annowe knew she must accept her cousin's admission of guilt.
"So you're not going to scold him?" Annowe questioned, wanting to ensure that Legolas would not have to endure such torture.
Deka smiled. "No. Although I might congratulate him."
"Don't," the naiad begged, grabbing her cousin's arm. "Please don't. He will think I told you and would never forgive me."
As if on cue, the elf in question strode out into the moonlight in search of his mate. He turned to see the two nymphs in deep conversation before they became aware of his presence. The three of them stood gazing at each other in silence. Annowe dropped Deka's arm and held her breath, unsure if Deka would honor her wishes to remain silent.
Legolas slowly looked from Deka back to Annowe, puzzled by the scene. They did not appear to be fighting and that in its self was quite unusual.
"What are you two doing out here?" He wondered.
Deka grinned and Annowe seemingly blushed. That was very strange indeed, he thought.
"Nothing," the naiad volunteered, taking a tentative step toward him but glancing over her shoulder to her cousin.
"We were just discussing the battle," Deka concurred brightly.
Legolas looked suspiciously from one to the other and back again. Their faces looked too innocent some how and he doubted that they had only been discussing the battle. He grunted. Would he be scolded later in private? He wondered.
The three of them stood there in a tense silence until Deka spoke. "Well, I think I shall return to the hall," she said, quickly slipping past the elf and toward the doorway.
Legolas watched her go and then turned back to Annowe with a questioning look.
Annowe shrugged and stepped into his arms. "Don't ask," she murmured against his chest.
He rested his cheek against her head and squeezed her tightly in his arms. "I don't want to know?" He smiled. "Perhaps I do. Just this once. So tell me, Annowe, what were the two of you discussing?"
The nymph tried not to laugh at the thought of Deka knowing about their mating but failed miserably. She buried her face into Legolas' tunic, smelling his scent and trying to stifle her guilty giggles.
Legolas shook her gently. "Out with it!" He demanded softly. If she was laughing it could not be that bad, he reasoned.
"She knows," Annowe managed to blurt out between suppressed giggles.
"Knows what?" Legolas was confused.
His confusion caused Annowe to laugh even harder in embarrassment. She would have to spell it out for him.
"She knows about US," the nymph replied and squeezed his firm bottom so he would completely understand the gravity of the situation.
Legolas felt the color rush to the tips of his ears. "Oh," he answered. Deka knew? She knew and she hadn't lectured him on his "duty"? She hadn't fought with Annowe about it. Very strange indeed!
"How?" He finally managed to ask after a slight pause to gather his thoughts.
"I didn't tell her!" Annowe mumbled defensively. "She said she could feel you in me when she hugged me."
Then Legolas laughed. "I should have known," he said ruefully. He thought of other confessions he wanted to make and concerns he wanted to voice but he only sighed instead. They were all safe for now and Legolas wanted to live in this moment forever.
He leaned over and brushed Annowe's hair aside to kiss her neck, his thoughts turning elsewhere.
She sighed and relaxed in his arms as she grasped a handful of his flaxen hair. He understood how Deka knew! He wasn't upset! Deka wasn't upset! Annowe's thoughts raced as Legolas' soft lips kissed up her neck to her earlobe.
"She said she could feel me in you?" Legolas whispered seductively into her ear.
Annowe shivered at the feel of his warm breath on her neck and nodded. "Yes, that's what she said," she agreed softly.
"Mmm," Legolas murmured, his soft lips brushing over her ear. "I've almost forgotten what it is like . . ." He purred seductively.
The nymph giggled. "Why don't I remind you?" She grinned before she pressed her eager lips to his.