Thank you guys for your updates and so forth. Just a note to the readers of my other story, "The Immortal's Portrait" that it will be updated soon but there has been two main problems. One is that my floppy disk with the story saved on is damaged and I'm trying my best to restore it. And the other is......well.....my muse gave up on me and left me floundering for a while but not to worry as I have resumed the story and will aim to have the chapter up soon.

This chapter shows from now on how things will heat up......and boy is it going to get hot!

Laebeth – That was a very nice chapter. But I'm confused on a certain point. Is Legolas not aware of the contracts the Maids sign with their own blood? If he were, would he be so careless as to plan to bed his maid? I don't think he would...but if he comes to the realisation that he loves her, what will he do?

Thank you reviewer for making a good point. This is a brief explanation regarding the dissention ritual. I cannot give away too much as in forthcoming chapters it'll play a major role in the character's lives.

The dissention ritual was introduced as a means to prevent servants from complicating things. We had it in previous forms in history such as the Victorians where it was frowned upon for servants to copulate with one another and being friendly with their masters. To go one step further and have sexual intercourse with your masters, lets just say things wouldn't turn out nice for you. In the forth coming chapter (in two chapters time.) the basics of the ritual will be explained but it'll leave a lot of things uncovered including a dark side and a loophole that Isil will discover. This loophole Legolas knows about and so do the many elves that part take in such social events concerning this loophole and therefore they break the rules of the dissention ritual safely.

Readers, Legolas does know about the dissention ritual but views it in a naïve way. He's not aware of the drastic consequences for those servants found guilty. He knows it's a rule NOT to sleep with servants but like all of us, he is going to see how far he can stretch that rule and break it. After all 'rules are made to be broken'? He's to find out, like all of us, the hard way of making a mistake.

I don't owe anything to do with Tolkien or LOTR, neither Peter Jackson's films.

Servant Rule Number Six:-Servants are to make sure their master's every desire is fulfilled.

"Keay, get a move on, you haven't plaited your hair!" Rowan exclaimed and pulled the young maid aside to righting the wonky plait that did itself no justice.

"Isil, you'll be in charge of the drinks then you may retire." Rowan shouted out to Isil who sped past to the great hall where already the music was flowing and the general chatter of the guests could be heard.

Isil made a sign she had heard Rowan and headed to the side doors that lead into the hall discreetly. She waited in line with a few other elleths chosen for this task, clad in a red velvet dress with a casual scoop neckline and her hair in a simple plait. The only accessory she wore was a gold belt tied loosely round her waist, and even that was part of tonight's uniform.

"Stay calm tonight, when you run out of glasses to hand out, head back to the tables on the left of this door as you'll go out." An elf instructed and the door opened to reveal bright lights, fabulous dressed elves dances and chatting and the music which was so divine!

Isil hurried out and picked up a tray laden with glasses filled with Dorwinion.

Turning, she eyed the tray cautiously as it rattled when another elf got too close but calmed her nerves when she flattened her fingers against the tray's bottom. She scanned the room and mentally plotted her journey and took a deep breath to calm her nerves and prayed a silent pray to Eru for no embarrassing incidents for that night.

Taking one step forward, she was swept up into the atmosphere of the party, mingling with the guests who smiled at her, accepted a glass here and there and politely asking if she know where the prince was. She would shake her head and carry on with her rounds, before long the tray was empty and she headed back to the table to reload, only to see two maids standing there. These two had a tendency to gossip and right now, they were indulging in it, talking of the prince.

"Have you seen him tonight? He looks..."

"I know! He's over by his father the last time I saw him. Valar! How I wish I could get close to him for one dance!" crooned the other maid who swooned. Isil rolled her eyes at Arkle who was pouring Dorwinion into her glasses, the elf chuckled then turned his attention to a lady wearing a glorious dress who inquired for a glass of wine.

Feeling more confident than when she first started, she returned back into the sea of beautiful elves, some how wishing she was truly among them.

Dancing, not serving.

Laughing not cowering.

Her eyes feel upon Legolas.

Being honest not lying? Her mind snickered.

What?

There's something there, isn't there Isil? Her mind teased her as her eyes took in Legolas who was smiling at his father at some private joke.

Turning away from them, her heart jumped when Thranduil called out her name, "Isil is it not?"

She turned to see Thranduil smiling before her, his eyes looking at her tray full of glasses.

"May I?" he reached for a glass with a smile as Isil curtsied somewhat awkwardly with the tray.

"How have you been? I hope my son haven't been driving you to an early grave." Thranduil smiled and Isil had to smile at the thought of that. "Nay though he is effective at getting the most out of people milord."

Thranduil chuckled at this then turned as if he remembered his son who was behind him, "Wine Legolas?"

Legolas nodded and took a glass from Isil's tray, his eyes held her own for a moment then lowered to the floor, hooded and silent as if he knew something that she did not.

"Good evening Isil." He softly said.

"Legolas." She curtsied again, this time to her charge.

"What do you think?" he indicated to the bustling party and Isil looked around, "Very impressive, though I doubt I will have a birth year quite like this."

"When is your birth year?" The prince tilted his head and regarded her with interest, such a difference from the silent form he was a mere few seconds ago!

"In a few days, well in two days to be more accurate." Isil replied, Legolas smiled, "You didn't mention anything to me."

"Why should I?" Isil shrugged, "It's not as if anyone going to celebrate it is it?"

"I could have arranged something." Legolas sipped his wine but Isil shook her head, "I don't like the fuss."

"That makes two of us. You have to permit me to do something for your birth year." Legolas asked, Isil bit her lip then nodded, "Aye, if you must but nothing too grand or embarrassing."

"That I promise I will hold to." Legolas smiled, silently aware that his mind was gleefully forming a plan. His desire for this maid was getting more aggressive and confident. So confident he thought he'll make the first move. He bowed his head and whispered to her ears alone, "The next time you bathe in the river, make sure you're alone."

There was a stunned silence and Isil looked at him in horror, "You saw me?" she squeaked.

"That I did." He smiled.

She regarded him for a moment, trying to work him out, "What?" not liking his grin or his merry eyes that entertained themselves for a moment. "What did you see?"

"I saw a sight I will never forget Isil." He whispered back, sending a slight chill up her back at the thought of the prince seeing her naked. She bit her tongue as a retort came to mind then decided two can play the game he was playing.

"When you get back, are you going to draw what you have seen from your memories? For your eyes alone?"

The prince paused halfway through the act of sipping his wine and his eyes flicked over her for a stunned moment, "Its seems we're both harbouring secrets doesn't it Isil?"

He stepped up to her so close and bowed his head so he was directly speaking to her ear, "And I pray that one day we'll reveal them all." And in a sudden act that stunned both parties, Legolas took the tip of her ear in his mouth and gentle bit it, causing her to gasp and the tray to dangerously wobble.

He pulled away, knowing that he provoked some feelings as elven ears are sensitive and are often associated with sexual foreplay.

Her eyes were closed and her breath was strangled, she opened her eyes to see the prince watching her with curiosity in his eyes as to how she would react to such a intimate thing! And there was something else, something that tipped her over the edge and made her mumble some feeble excuse that she must return to the tables.

She hurriedly escaped through the crowd and out of the hall where she placed the tray on the table and clutched her still burning ear that caused the rest of her body to throb.

"Hey Isil! Some of the others are heading of for a merrymaking party, you want to go? Is there something wrong with your ear?" Keay stopped smiling and a look of concern spread over her face as Isil exhaled, trying to push the prince from her mind, "No, come on lets go." She replied, anything would be better than being alone with her thoughts right now.

The merrymaking was gathered in the woods where a huge bonfire was lit and already there was rowdy elves laughing and dancing to the fiddle and drum. Isil took a hearty swig of some wine that was passed around and laughed at Arkle who was dancing semi-naked in just his breeches.

Like all elves, Isil soon found herself with her dress ties loosened so her dress was slipping down her shoulders, with her skirts hitched up as she was dancing over the fire as the flames cackled and teased her as they danced upwards, trying to claim her in its fiery embrace. She looked around to see some of the elves were very amorous indeed, especially Arkle who was sitting by a tree with a brunette elleth who was undoing his breeches ties.

Ignoring such shows of lusts, she continued dancing with another blonde haired elf who grabbed her arm and pulled her close. She went to push him away but was saved by another elleth who took him in her embrace and pulled him off somewhere where soon, a series of groans and grunts was heard.

"Ah! Leaf! welcome to our circle!" an elf called out to four semi-naked elves who walked up to the fire, Isil paused her dancing to see it was Legolas and spat a curse.

Was it too much just to be left alone?

He hadn't know she was here and so far haven't seen her so she took this moment to admire his bare torso much to her mind's objections. Her ear began throbbing with the faint memory of being bitten and she groaned, this was becoming too much.

"Dance with me Isil!" Keay called and at her name, Legolas's head snapped over to where she told by the fire with her skirt hitched up and her neckline of the dress slipping down over her shoulders. "I just watched you dance the dance of fire!" Keay spoke of Isil's previous dance where she have to attempt some very high vaults over the fire without missing a beat to the drum.

"I have to see that! How come I missed that!" Arkle loudly shouted and stood up, pulling his partner to watch Isil protest weakly, before long the elves were chanting at her to encourage her and she reluctantly agreed.

The drummer played a slow beat at first where her every vault was greeted with a roar of approval, she gained speed with the drum. She got to the point where as soon as she landed from one vault over the fire, she had little time to pause before she had to vault again, aware that the drum was getting faster and faster till at one such vault she missed her footing and caused her to miss her next vault. The elves cheered their approval and Keay shouted, "A forfeit!"

"What forfeit?" Isil snapped her head up to look at her supposed friend who grinned, "A kiss, you ninny!" Keay eyed the line-up of elves and her eyes settled on the perfect one, grabbing his hand she pulled him out to face the cheering crowd who started shouting lewd things.

"Happy birth year Legolas!" Keay smiled and pushed him towards Isil who stared at the prince with wide eyes and a gaping mouth.

"Go on, show her what you're made of!" Horthe yelled as Legolas smiled at Isil,

"Your forfeit my lady." And before she could object, his lips came down and claimed her own. It was gentle at first then his warm tongue coaxed apart her mouth to start a dance that whirled Isil off her feet as she clutched him tightly, feeling his warm skin beneath her own. Somewhere she heard him groan and pull her into him tighter, where to her surprise, she felt the hard protruding sign of his arousal prodding her in the corners of her thighs. And this completely disarmed her as she felt a warm fire burn in the deepest pit of her stomach.

Her fingers ran through his hair so soft and silky then framed his face as she nibbled on his lower lip, causing him to sign and gently buck against her, wanting her to know what it is he wanted. Alarm bells started ringing in her head as her mother's words came to mind as so did words uttered at her dissention ritual.

"I can't." she moaned against his lips.

"Isil?" Legolas broke the kiss and pulled back, his eyes regarded her with hope and worry as she stepped back, muttering, "I can't. we all know what happens at merrymaking and if we did sleep together, things would become awkward and....I can't!" she turned and fled the circle into the darkness of the forest, leaving Legolas to stare after her with mind confused and dazed.

She slammed her bedroom door and collapsed on her bed, tears stinging her eyes. She just proved herself a failure and a disgrace to her family line. But how she so wanted it!

How she wanted to take him in her arms and let him guide her as any lover would do.

She closed her eyes to try and will herself to shut away the events of today but all she could see was his face so open and beautiful. She stared at the ceiling for ages, hearing outside her door the revellers returning from the merrymaking all noisy and giggling.

For a while after it was silent and she turned on her side to try and get some sleep, not caring she was still in her clothes from the party. She heard faint footsteps and her door opened with a soft click.

Probably Keay checking on her.

She didn't move, making it clear to her friend that she didn't want to talk. But she was surprised when she heard Legolas's soft voice, "I'm sorry Isil. I guess I should knew better. I know all about the things they expect not to do." She heard him sigh and sit on the bed, "You're probably asleep and so you should be. You be beside yourself if you see me in here with you at this time of night."

She listened to him softly talk to her as if she was sitting there engaging a conversation with him. She felt his fingertips undo her plait and comb out her hair softly, "So beautiful."

She forced her to keep her eyes open to feign sleep as he bent down and pressed a kiss on her cheek. "I'm sorry Isil, I guess I was hoping for too much. I still do." There was a pause, "I guess this all lies in your hands, I know that I want you but it's a matter of whether you want me. I only hope that someday you'll tell me and we can just take it from there."

Her heart hammered so loudly in her head that she prayed Legolas wouldn't hear it, he gave no sign if he knew she was awake and slowly raised to his feet, and whispered, "Good night Isil. Sleep well." He covered her with a blanket and blew the candle out that gave the room its light, before threading from the room silently then closed the door.

Isil rolled over to stare at the wooden door illuminated by the moonlight from the window, fighting the urge to race after him. Her eyes were caught by something left for her on her bedside table and she reached out to pick up a starling white rose that glowed in the moon.

She fingered its soft petals and slowly turned it between her thumb, admiring its graceful beauty. The rose's name caused her stomach to curl with delight yet anxiety, "Secret lover." She whispered as she inhaled it's heady scent. She recalled the prince's words, it all came down to her.

Isil never got to sleep that night.

And neither did Legolas as he laid on his bed staring at the ceiling.