Here's your next free chapter and enjoy! But I should warn you not to get your hopes too far up....they haven't got there just yet!
Servant Rule Number Ten:- Personal hygiene is of importance, make sure you clean and wash frequently everyday. This sets a good example to others as well as your master.
Night has fallen upon the realm of Mirkwood as Isil silently washed the last of the dishes and set the plate aside for it to dry. She shook her hands free of the soapy water and dried them on a nearby towel.
She didn't have to do this chore, it wasn't her turn but she volunteered out of trying to conceal her worries for Legolas as he fought the forest fires. She was beginning to regret volunteering for the chore as the current topic was indeed focused on the one thing she had tried to forget.
"I've heard that Mablung has perished in the fires." Said one maid, telling the supposed gossip of a well loved elf known for his divine voice. He would often entertain the palace guests with songs so sweet that they involuntarily brought tears to one's eyes.
"Hush, don't speak of things unfounded." Chided the kitchen cook who waved a spoon in a threatening manner.
"Have you seen the injuries? The smell......"
".....only it would rain, this threat of fire will surely perish......"
"....they'll be there all night at this rate......."
".....i've heard the prince has been injured. A tree fell and his horse reared, throwing him to the ground........"
Isil closed her eyes and forced herself to shut out the sounds of the gossipers around her. She walked from the kitchen and hurried to her room where she closed the door and leaned against it. Her forehead took in the warmth of the wood and she sighed. To hears gossip like that doesn't help one's mind at all.
She turned to gather her things for a bath, but halted when she spied a figure lying slumped on her bed.
When her heart calmed down at the prospect of an intruder, it fluttered with nervous anticipation, especially when she looked upon his face and lips.
A halo of white-blonde hair framed his face that looked so calm and relaxed despite the flush of his skin from the heat of the fires and the smudges of dirt and coal. His heavenly blue eyes were gazed over in the realm of sleep as he laid like a fallen angel on her bed with his arms outstretched as if caught in a gesture of tiredness. Her eyes fell to his boots that laid scrawled on the floor caked in mud and his cloak deposited on a nearby chair. He had loosened the ties on his shirt before sleeping to expose a deep v of creamy white skin, that beckoned her to touch and find out if it was as soft as it looked.
"Legolas?" she softly whispered, reluctant to wake him from his sleep.
His eyes sharpened and blinked away any traces of tiredness from his gaze and they rolled over to her and took in her form.
"I hope you don't mind me taking refuge here. I needed to get away from my father and my comrades who were adamant on discussing various things that held no importance. I just needed to find somewhere that I wont be disturbed and I thought of here." He smiled and looked up at her as she sat on the edge of the bed and pressed her cool fingertips to his rosy red cheeks. They were burning, telling her he had been standing very close to the fires.
"You can come here whenever you want........" she caught the look in his eyes and corrected him, "When times are practical. Did you succeed in putting the fires out?"
"It was a tough call to make at times, the wind wasn't helping and elves kept getting trapped when trees gave way under their own weight. We didn't suffer much casualties but it'll be a long time for homes to be built and trees to re-grow."
Legolas rolled on his side to watch Isil light up the fire he ignored in his desperation to seek some rest and peace. Before long the flames were cackling in a seducing dance, throwing moving shadows upon everything and warming up the air that held a chill. Isil picked up his boots and positioned them by the fire for the heat to dry the mud in order to make cleaning a bit easier. Legolas had fallen into a light slumber but awoken when Isil lit a bright lamp on a dresser and drew out for him some clean clothes from a laundered pile.
"You need a bath. There's a wash tub in the next room for reasons unknown to me as I use the bathroom down the corridor." Isil spoke of the public bathing rooms where up to five maids at a time can occupy a large room where tubs were arranged in cubicles for privacy. "I could draw some hot water, for you and leave you be." She smiled.
"Now that would be heaven sent." Moaned Legolas as he blissfully stretched on the bed, dislodging Estel who slept by his side. The kitten meowed his protest and found a new spot on the warm tiles by the fire. Isil went into the adjoining room and came back with a tin bath tub that she placed by the fire in its direct warmth.
"Start undressing and I'll get the water." Isil said as she picked up a pail and headed down to the wash chambers where servants could collect hot, spring water for private uses.
It took her five trips before the tub was filled with hot water with steam rising from it's tempting surface. And every time she re-entered the room, Legolas wore one less garment.
On this last and final trip he was shirtless and in only his breeches. A look of pain was on his face as he rubbed his injured shoulder. Isil unwrapped the bandages to reveal the wound which had partly reopened due to overexertion.
"I'll clean it after your bath." She said as she recovered it for the moment. She left the room to give him some privacy, she only re-entered when she heard the disturbance of the water and a sigh of pleasure from the prince as he sat back in the tub.
"I'll leave you be." She averted her eyes from his reclining form and headed to the door.
"Don't go." He called out, she halted mid reach for the door handle, "What do you what me to do?" she asked, still averting her eyes.
"Turn around." Came his husky reply.
Isil slowly did, lowering her eyes as she did so.
"Look at me."
She forced herself to comply to see Legolas looking back at her with his seducing eyes that flickered with the flames of the fire. The light illuminated the droplets of water upon his naked skin and already his damp hair was starting to curl in heat of the water that lapped at his midriff.
"Lock the door." Came his next softly spoken instruction.
She fumbled behind her to draw the bolt across. The click of it sliding home echoed ominously in the small room and the sound registered in both of their minds. Nothing could disturb them now.
"Slip off your shoes." His eyes lowered to her feet and she did so, using the toes as a temporary shoe horn till her shoes laid abandoned by the door.
"Take your dress off."
"Legolas....." came her barely audible objection but he over rode it by repeating his order again. She didn't miss his stares of desire as he took in one creamy shoulder then another as she loosened the ties at the back and let it slide to the floor where it pooled at her feet. She wore a thin slip that did very little to preserve her modesty and Legolas took advantage of that as he whispered, "Valar! You are beautiful." As his eyes took in her lithe form and admired the subtle curves that enhanced her body.
"Take....take it off." He hoarsely said as he tried to battle his inner lust that spiralled out of control. His heart echoed in his body and only grew faster in tempo as she reached up and slid the flimsy garment over her head.
If before he had difficulty talking when she wore very little, he now couldn't speak as she stood before him naked.
He whispered "Join me." As soon as he regain some strength to speak.
She took one step forward then halted if contemplating her fate from this moment on.
She looked at the water in the tub then back at him and resumed her pace, aware of his eyes admiring her pert breasts and her buttocks as she dipped one foot in the still warm water. He drew his knees against the side of the tub to give her room as his kneecaps becoming twin islands in the water that concealed his arousal. She stepped in then drew her other foot in the water and shuddered at the luxurious heat of the water.
She bent down and slowly lowered herself to sit in the water, softly sighing as the stress and worries of the day faded away with the heat and steam.
She sat down, her legs and hips cradled by his long limbs as she peered over her back to look at him.
He smiled and reached out with one hand to wash her back. His smooth fingers caressing her skin and massaging any remaining doubts away. He gently pushed aside her hair and placed a kiss on the back of her neck, feeling the water vibrate as she shuddered.
She felt emboldened by the act and moved back against him as she leaned her back against his chest so they both reclined in the tub.
Once she got over the smooth and nerve thrilling contact with his body, her mind started registering the small things that made her smile in content.
Like the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed and the warm air exhaled over her bare shoulder caused her to shudder as it disturbed droplets of water.
How his fingers burned a path as he stroked and caressed every inch of bare flesh he could touch.
The way his muscles tensed then relaxed as he twitched or moved to accommodate her in the tub.
How her back rolled against his shaft of arousal that made it clear what he desired.
Her nerves jumped when he bent his head to press his lips to her nape, then to her surprise his tongue swirled and caressed her cool skin, making it burn as she drew in a short breath when his teeth nipped her skin, alerting her senses that were somewhat dulled by his contact.
Under the water's surface her fingers found a taunt hip and slowly traced their way up till they submerged when they reached his knee.
His arms slid round her waist as he nibbled her ear, aware of her sudden spasm which disturbed the tranquil water. It lapped noisily against the tub's side but he couldn't hear the commotion, only the soft groan from Isil's lips registered as he traced with his tongue the shell of her ear.
Not content with drawing pleasure from her one way, he greedily snaked his hand round to fondle a breast and smiled when a louder groan came from her lips as she closed her eyes in some unspeakable bliss. He rolled her nipple then pinched it, drawing a sharp gasp.
Her fingers did some touching and fondling of her own.
Caressing his legs...thighs.......hips...........ooooooh.......the thought didn't register on his mind as she touched him right there......she cradled him in her hand and slowly stroked, her face watching his own as he closed his eyes and dryly swallowed.
The water swirled in rhythm, with her every stroke Legolas couldn't help but softly groan, as he felt the tides of complete desire ebb closer and closer. His knuckles clenched the side of the tub and his forehead wrinkled with the urgency of combating her administrations in order to tell her to.....
".........stop." He hoarsely whispered, his eyes opened and Isil saw they shone on the brink of achieving the very objective she aimed for. "Please stop......" he whispered, not caring if he exposed a weakness for her to act on in future.
She obeyed and watched him regain the little mind he had before reaching out for a towel and stepping out from the tub. He followed as well and Isil saw his naked body that caused her to shudder again at the thoughts that assailed her mind. He wrapped a towel round his waist then kissed her, forcing her to forget everything but him and his hands that tugged away her towel and lowered her to her bed.
"Lie with me tonight for all I wish is to sleep with you by my side." He whispered as she removed his towel from his waist.
And lie with him she did, they didn't consummate but only touched and caressed. They didn't lie together as one but as two individuals who whispered and smiled.
Not lost on the throes of desire, they shared Isil's small bed with the sheets twisted
around them as they fell asleep in each other's arms.
Morning came, its weak rays of light trickled in at first through the window then brightened in strength as the sun slowly crept over the canopy of trees within the forest. Outside a bird sang and from the courtyard below, the sounds of horses being lead to be saddled and the hushed talk of elves.
The room held a chill to it as the fire died down in the early hours of the night, Isil wakened to feel the comfortable weight and warmth of Legolas's arm round her waist. She rolled her head over to see he was still asleep.
He laid on his stomach, curled against her as he buried his head in the crook of her neck. The sheets have twisted themselves around his waist, exposing a bare leg here and from where she laid, the seductive curve of his buttock. She sighed and smiled when she felt him stir.
Though they didn't act upon their lust last night nor carried out an act humans so loved to call.......fucking........, it has been unforgettable.
He stretched lazily then fell asleep again, prompting Isil to smile as she watched him twitch in his sleep. How she'd love to lie there and watch him all day and watch how the sun play upon his naked torso but as her mind drew deeper into sinful thoughts, a knock on the door pulled them both from their blissful dreams.
Isil exchanged a look of horror with Legolas who stared at the door as if he could see who it was on the other side, his eyes locked with her own and he inclined his head to the door as he whispered, "Get rid of them."
She climbed out the bed and yanked away the sheet, leaving Legolas to scramble to his feet naked and hide behind the door. She opened it ajar to see Keay looking at her with a worried face.
"DoyouknowwhereLegolasisashisfatherisgoingcrazy?" Keay exhaled her sentence in one line and Isil frowned, "Say what?"
"Legolas? Have you seen him?" Keay's vice gaining a higher pitch as she waved her hands about in frantic motion.
"Legolas have ordered me to keep his present location quiet for he desires peace. I'll find him for you and send him to his father." Isil gave her friend a smile and closed the door before Keay could react. She heard her friend walk away muttering and looked at Legolas who was doing up the last ties on his breeches.
"Close call." He simply said as he reached out for his shirt.
"It was....." Isil slumped against the door as her knees turned to jelly at the wild notions of them being discovered. They haven't even done anything forbidden apart from sharing the same bed but that wouldn't prevent speculation and rumours.
He caught her eyes and knew she was troubled, "Ai! Isil, it troubles me to see you look so down." He took her in his arms and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I wish to see you again soon......" he whispered and at those words she shuddered. All thoughts of being discovered and humiliated faded away as she smiled and nodded, "I'd like that."
The verbal contract was sealed by a kiss then Legolas popped his head out to see of the way was clear to him. "I'll see you soon." He whispered to her and with a smile he was gone.
She inhaled the sheet that wrapped around her to smile at his scent that remained there, her heart fluttering with the joyful notions of lust and desire as she watched his powerful, lithe frame walked down the corridor, provoking a bow or a curtsy from the servants he pasted.
"He's mine......." Her heart sang and her logic for once didn't argue.
