This feeling of early morning disorientation is getting far too common. Next time I wake up, I wanna know where the hell I am, right NOW, dammit.

...And who I'm in bed with.

Last nights memories come rushing back, and I resist the urge to squeal or do something equally girlie and embarrassing. Instead I peek over my shoulder at the Elf -- still sleeping, you can tell because his eyes are glazed, and yes, it is creepy to sleep next to someone who sleeps with their eyes open -- and start to climb out of bed. He grabs my arm and pulls me back down. "Kayli, go back to sleep. 'Tis still a good hour 'til dawn."

I don't ask how he knows that. It's weird enough to wake up in his bed. With him. I really don't need to know about his Super Duper Elf Powers. Denial? Who, me?

I sit back up and push my hair out of my face. "Look, I have to get back to my own rooms. As much as this reminds me of when I was sneaking out my bedroom window while my parents were asleep, I have to get back and take away Boromir's sword."

He glares at me. "Who were you sneaking out of your bedroom window to meet?"

I roll my eyes. Trust a guy to fixate on the fact that sometime, maybe, there might have been someone else. It's good to know that some things overstep the bounds of little things like species and immortality. "Some friends. SO not the point of the spiel, love. The point was Boromir. Older brother. Very portective. Big sword. Remember him?"

"Yes, I remember him. What I fail to see is why you're bringing him up this early in the morning."

Have I mentioned that Legolas is not a morning Elf? Most Elves like mornings. Hell, most Elves like the entire day with all it's parts. Not Legolas. He hates mornings. If it were up to him, mornings wouldn't exist. Of course, I hate them too. I'm a very firm believer that morning is just there to keep afternoon and night from bumping into each other. But that's not the point, really. The point is, you wake Legolas up before noon without very good reason, he gets crabby. Like now. "Because of the big sword. Besides, he's probably noticed I'm not there, and I want to get to him before he's completely awake. He's easier to talk to and far more reasonable when he's not concious. I KNOW he's going to overreact."

Legolas sighs and tugs on the ends of my hair. "He's not, really. He loves you and he does not want to see you hurt or dishonored."

I snort. Every time I make that noise, Iariel has an attack. I think it's building up to a stroke or something. "Dishonored? Faramir and Eowyn do this all the time! Do you know how many times I've had to help her sneak back to her room in the mornings so Eomer doesn't kill my other brother?"

"Faramir and Eowyn are to be married," he points out.

I rake my hands through my hair and groan. "I can do whatever the hell I want with whoever I want, and it's none of anybody's damn business. I just want to keep Boromir from killing you. Or himself. Or me, naturally."

"There is a way to prevent," he says calmly, still playing with my hair. What is it with Elves and hair?

"Yeah?" I ask. I'm a little dubious about this, actually. I honestly don't think there's anything that will keep Boromir from flipping his lid entirely. "What's that?"

"We could get married," he suggests.

Remember when I said it was pretty much impossible to shock me into silence? Well, proposing is one way to do it.

"What? I'm sorry, I don't think I heard that right."

"Marry me," he repeats, still perfectly calm. Like he's saying something like 'good morning,' or 'looks like rain,' not like he's proposing MARRIAGE. To ME.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to pick my jaw up off the floor.

"You want to marry me," I repeat.

"Yes."

"You want to MARRY me?"

"Yes."

"YOU want to marry ME?"

"Why do you keep repeating the question?"

Sanity makes some attempt to take up residence again. "I'm checking to see if you've lost your mind!"

He seems to think about that for a moment. "Possibly," he admits. "But, yes, I do want to marry you."

Once more, curiousity wins out. "Why?"

He sits up and gently cradles my face in his hand. "Kayli, I would not be here if I did not love you. I want to marry you. I want you to spend your life with me."

I turn my face away and fiddle with the sheet. "I have a whole list of reasons it wouldn't work."

Legolas goes very still next to me and his hands tighten on my face. His face is very calm, but his eyes are very angry. Oooh, now he's pissed. "Really?" he says, and his voice is low. Another way to tell he's pissed. "That didn't seem to stop you lost night."

Ouch. Is it just me, or was that a low blow? Deserved, but a low blow. "I'm not trying to be nasty about it. It's just..." Why is it when I really need to say something, I can never find the right words, but at any other time I can just say whatever pops into my head? "You have your duties and I...my family's here. I just found them. I can't leave that now."

"I would not ask you to," he says gently. "I am not returning to Lasgalen."

"What?" I ask. "You're staying here?"

Legolas nods and pulls me close to him. "Aragorn has asked me to remain, and rebuild Southern Ithilien."

I frown and snuggle my head into his shoulder. "I thought Ithilien was going to Faramir."

"How do you know these things?" he asks. "Never mind. Yes, most of it is. But I've spoken to Ada, and to Aragorn. There are some of my kin who won't want to sail over the sea yet. Ithilien will offer them a place to go, much like Imladris or Lasgalen." He kisses my hair. "You will have duties to your King as well, Kayli."

I actually laugh at that. "Like what?" I demand. "I'm not a warrior, Legolas, and I'm not a scholar, and I can't play noblewoman. Well, I could, but I won't. I'm pretty much useless."

You do not give yourself enough credit for the things you have done, Kayli. You're a fine warrior."

"Yeah, I'm OK, but we're talking about something like following Boromir or Faramir, right?" I muse, turning it over in my twisted little mind. "Because the Men will never follow me."

He tilts his head in that insufferable little way all Elves have. "Why?" he asks curiously. "You have proven yourself time and time again."

"Yeah, to you. Trust me on this, Legolas. The Men of Gondor will never trust me."

He frowns. "I still do not see why, melisse."

I roll my eyes. He seriously doesn't remember? "Because I have breasts."

He makes a face. "I had forgotten the views of Men on this. 'Tis a foolish thing."

"Oh, yeah." I pull away from him and start to get dressed. "I gotta go find Boromir before he freaks."

"You didn't answer my question," he says softly.

Oh, yeah. That Question. The Big Question. I sigh and finish tying back my hair. "Look, I would love to. It's just....sort of a shock, you know." I lean down and kiss him. "I have to think. I love you."

"I love you, too."

I smile slightly. "Why do you want to marry me, anyway? I don't understand why you would want to marry someone if you're duties are going to keep you apart."

He laughs suddenly. "My reasons are purely selfish, I assure you," he says. "If I have you, no one else can."

I roll my eyes. Males. "I figured it was something like that."

111

I get back to my rooms, take a bath, and settle down at the table in my room to pick at my breakfast. Iariel is chattering about something, but what, couldn't tell you. I'm a little distracted. Duh.

Boromir's glaring at me from the doorway. I can feel his eyes drilling into my back. I ignore him and push my eggs around my plate.

"You weren't here last night, little sister."

I ignore him. He has this absolute talent for stating the obvious.

"You were with the Elf."

I keep ignoring him and pick up my plate. Oddly enough, I'm really not hugrny.

"You didn't answer the question," Boromir snaps.

"Didn't know it was a question, brother," I snap back. "But, since you've asked so nicely, yeah, I was with Legolas." I walk out hand my plate to Iariel. She gives me one concerned look, takes one terrified look at Boromir's face, then quickly curtsies and bolts.

Boromir storms out of my room. "You should not have done so," he bellows. "It brings dishonor!"

The fuse on my temper is even shorter than usual, and he lit it when he came into my room. Now it explodes. I spin around to face him and plant my hands on my hips. "Yeah? Really?" I storm over to his bedroom and slam open the door. Edana, who's not only there, but naked and apparently still asleep, jerks awake and clutches at the blankets. "Good morning, Edana."

Boromir glares at me. "That's different," he mutters. He's blushing, and seems to have a sudden interest in his boots.

I slam the door shut. "Really?" I snap back. "At least I know Legolas loves me! I know he wants me! Did you offer that to Edana? Did you worry about HER honor? Or do you just want a quick toss between the sheets?" I walk -- OK, storm might be slightly more accurate, but still -- back over to him. "Did you worry about that, or were you more interested in some gratification?"

He glares at me. "One night, and you're an expert?"

"More of an expert than you!" I yell back. "You wouldn't know love if it walked up and bit you on the a--"

"What's going on here?" Eowyn demands. She's standing in the doorway to Faramir's room, wearing his robe, her hands on her hips and with a very severe case of bedhead. "Your shouting is going to wake the whole damn palace."

"She spent the night with the Elf!" Boromir shouts, pointing at me.

There's a long moment of silence. No one really looks shocked. Faramir yawns.

"And?" Eowyn says.

Boromir turns and looks at Faramir, who holds up his hands defensively. "I have nothing to say." He shrugs. "As you can see --" he points at Eowyn -- "I CAN say nothing, brother. And even if I could, Kayli has a point. If she is happy, if she loves him, then leave them to their happiness."

I grin and hug him. "I knew you were my favorite brother."

Boromir sighs. I turn around and glare at him. "You, on the other hand, are NOT my favorite brother."

He touches my hair. "I do not wish to see you hurt, Kayli," he says gently. "Not in battle, and not in this. I know the Elf cares for you, but--" He stops and shrugs.

"But I'm mortal," I finish. "Legolas and I have had this discussion, brother. He's almost as worried about him hurting me as you are."

Faramir wraps his arms around Eowyn and holds her close. "What did he suggest?"

I shrug. "He proposed."

There's another moment of silence, and now everyone DOES look shocked. Eowyn lets out a girlie squeal and throws her arms aorund me. "Oh, that's wonderful!"

Edana hugs me from the other side. I didn't even see her come out of Boromir's room. "I was worried about you two!"

I roll my eyes. "Relax, everybody. I haven't accepted."

"Why the hell not?" Boromir demands.

You know, back in my world, they call that bipolar disorder. And they make medication for it.

I roll my eyes at him. "Can't make up you rmind, can you?"

TBC...