The Lost City Of Cirus
Author's Note:
Well I'm back from my holiday and it was a most enjoyable one. Took a short trip to Sydney to catch up with friends, see The Lion King Musical and visited the Lord Of The Rings exhibition at the Powerhouse museum, which was just fantastic!
Enjoy and review!
Twenty-four
Rest Easy
Her eyes opened fully again with much effort on her part.
"That way."
She pointed to a smaller hall, which branched off from the main one. Legolas followed it until Aquila told him to turn down another corridor. And so they continued through the maze of passageways, far more elaborate than any of Mirkwood's palace, until Legolas found himself carrying a barely conscious Aquila up a spiraling walkway who's walls were interspersed with windows.
The only door that appeared along the entire corridor was the one at its end, which the Elf could only assume led to Aquila's sleeping quarters. Carefully he opened it and found that his assumptions were correct.
He walked over to her large bed, neatly made as it hadn't been used for many days now, and laid Aquila gently upon it.
She shifted and murmured quietly as she struggled to open her eyes. Legolas sat beside her on the bed and carefully brushed her hair back from her face.
"Shhhh, you need to sleep."
"No."
She sat up with some effort and pushed herself up from the bed till she was standing on legs almost too tired to hold her up.
"I want to bathe before I rest."
Legolas smiled from the bed but as he got up to help her to her adjoining bathroom, she waved him back into his previous seated position.
"I'll be fine. Unless…you want to join me?" She lifted a suggestive eyebrow and Legolas couldn't help smiling as he gave her a mock stern look.
"You are supposed to be resting not thinking of me naked in your bath tub. Now go wash and then we shall get you to sleep."
Aquila sighed and made it the rest of the way to the bathroom without collapsing. She was about to shut the bathroom door behind her when she thought it pointless, so she left it ajar as she made it to the tub and began to fill it with steaming water.
Legolas stretched himself out along her bed as he heard her begin to fill the bath. He laid his head back on a crisp white pillow and folded his arms over his stomach. He eyes opened as he remembered the ring, safely embedded in his tunic pocket. Now was probably a good time to give it to her.
He slipped his hand into the pocket and fished the jeweled ring out. Twirling it briefly between his fingers he then placed it carefully on the white sheets covering the bed. He began to slowly undress, in no real hurry, particularly because he found his muscles too were stiff from sitting in virtually the same position for six days. He sighed heavily at the thought of how exhausted Aquila must be.
Once he'd rid himself of all of his clothing Legolas picked the silver ring up off the bed and crept quietly towards the bathroom. He strolled in to find Aquila with her back pressed up against the baths edge and water up to her breasts, fast asleep.
He paused in the doorway and smiled lovingly down at her. He couldn't believe she'd agreed to be his wife, he'd never felt such a profound sense of happiness, and his father and hers approved of it all. It was almost too perfect and he wasn't about to let anything happen to ruin it. He'd never been so sure about something as he was about his feelings for her.
He carefully slipped into the large bathtub in front of her and lent forward to grasp her shoulders. He shook her gently until her eyes fluttered open.
"Oh, I must have fallen asleep."
She rubbed her eyes before giving Legolas a questioning look as her eyes roamed over his naked body.
"I thought you said I needed to rest."
She maneuvered her body in between his thighs and looped her arms around his neck, draping herself along his chest.
"That I did and you do need to rest but there was something I wanted to give you."
"What?" She whispered huskily as her tongue slipped out to wet her lips.
"This." He chuckled quietly and held up the silver, jeweled ring before her eyes.
She pulled back slightly and looked into Legolas' smiling blue eyes. He took her left hand in his and slipped the ring onto her ring finger. She lent forward and brushed her lips softly against his before reaching between their bodies and pulling his hands up in hers.
She took the silver ring he wore on his right ring finger and moved it to his left. She then brought his hand up to her lips and kissed the ring on his finger. He watched her lips as they brushed over the length of his finger before she slipped the digit between her lips.
When she released his finger she bent her head and trailed her tongue across his neck. She closed her lips over the spot on his neck where she could feel his pulse beating through the skin and began to alternate between sucking and nipping at the smooth flesh.
Legolas let his head fall back before he lifted it again and he took Aquila's head in his hands and removed her from his neck. She gave him a confused look and he stroked a finger lovingly down her cheek.
"You need to rest."
"No I don't, I need you."
She pressed her body harder up against his to illustrate her point and Legolas had to choke back a moan as fire shot straight to his groin and set his nerves alight.
"Tell you what my handsome Elf, I promise to sleep for the rest of the day and tonight if you allow yourself to just give in and let me have my way with you."
The Elf responded by crushing his lips to hers and kissing her into thoughtless bliss as he maneuvered their bodies so that her back was pressed up against the baths edge and he was nestled between her thighs.
His lips left hers to trail hot kisses down her neck until he reached her breasts. Taking a nipple into his mouth he sucked and flicked his tongue over the hardened bud. He brought his hand up to kneed her other breast and pinch its nipple between his fingers.
He trailed his tongue down between her breasts, as his hands continued their pleasurable exploration of her mounds, and briefly dipped his tongue into her navel before kissing his way back up to her other breast.
Soon she was writhing beneath him, her moans growing in volume and her breathing heavy. He slid his hand down her flat stomach and cupped her nether regions before slipping two fingers into her and bringing her further pleasure as his thumb rubbed over her clit.
"Legolas! Yes……..oh………please, please……"
He smirked, loving that he could bring her so much pleasure and cause her to become totally unhinged, warranting her helpless beneath him.
"Please what?" He whispered huskily into her ear.
Aquila barely heard him, she was uncomfortably hot from her heated flesh being immersed in the hot bath water and she had to consciously slow her breathing before she could answer.
"Make love to me Legolas, please just take me!"
He slipped a hand beneath her rump and lifted her slightly before entering her. He groaned loudly and used his other hand to maneuver her leg to wrap about his waist, allowing him deeper penetration. She arched up against him and moaned as she let her head fall to the side, exposing more of her neck to his teeth, which grazed over the sensitive flesh.
He withdrew almost all the way before thrusting back in, burring himself as deeply as possible within her. She moved her hips up to meet his thrusts and the two fell into a frantic rhythm, as both were now desperate for release, drawing closer to the edge with every thrust.
"Oh…..Legolas!"
She clung tighter to him as she felt her climax crash over her, drawing her up to new heights of pleasure as her inner walls clamped down on him and she felt Legolas climax with her, sinking his teeth into her neck.
Legolas lay above her, panting heavily, for a while as his breathing slowed to normal again. He then lifted Aquila into his arms and stood, water flowing off their naked bodies in tiny rivulets.
Water pooled about the floor, having been sloshed out of the bath during their fevered lovemaking, and Legolas had to be careful not to slip on the wet tiles as he stepped out of the bath.
He put Aquila down on her feet, his own legs shaky at best, and reached over to retrieve a towel to wrap around her. After he was sure her legs could support her weight he released his hold on her to wrap a towel about himself.
Aquila meanwhile had begun drying herself and when Legolas turned back to her she was gone.
He stepped from the bathroom into her bedroom and found her pulling a delicate white sleeping gown over her head, the towel polled about her feet.
He strode over to her and as she tugged the gown down the rest of her body he stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms tightly about her waist. He rested his head on her shoulder and planted butterfly kisses upon her cheek and down to her neck.
"I'm sorry I have nothing for you to wear to sleep in." She said, turning in his arms to face him.
"No matter." He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "I'll be fine sleeping in my leggings, I can change again when we return to Minas Tirith."
She nodded and Legolas could see it was taking all her remaining strength just to stay awake.
"It is time you slept Princess." He said as he guided her to the bed and forced her to lie down.
No sooner had her head hit the pillow did her eyelids finally fall closed. Legolas kissed her forehead softly before he got up from the bed to retrieve his leggings. He found them where he'd left them upon the floor and scooped them up. Tossing his towel over the back of a chair he pulled the leggings on and made his way back to the bed.
He climbed in next to his lover and laid his head on the pillow next to hers. She shifted towards him and he welcomed her into his arms. He wasn't really all that tired and supposed he wouldn't sleep until night but she was, and if his presence in her bed bestowed upon her a sense of calmness and security then he was happy to oblige.
He wasn't sure when he'd finally drifted off but the fact that he'd fallen asleep was quickly brought to his attention by a sharp rapping on the door.
The Elf blinked several times and tried to sit up. Finding one arm trapped beneath Aquila Legolas rolled her carefully to the side, enough to remove his arm from under her but not so much as to wake her. He seemed to have temporarily lost feeling in that particular arm and so began to rub it with his good hand to try and stimulate the blood flow. All the while the knocking at the door continued.
Finally the door simply swung open and Legolas lent over to get a better look at whom it was that had been knocking.
A kindly looking female Roc in her Half form stepped into the room. About her waist was a dull red scarf, hanging from it a single long bladed knife as well as a collection of small bags. Clutched in her arms were a pile of white sheets and towels.
"I'm sorry for just bursting in here like this my Lady but you didn't answer and so I thought…….."
"Shhhhh" Legolas whispered kindly as he placed a finger over his lips and indicated towards the sleeping form of Aquila.
"Oh my!"
Her eyes widened and she took a worried step back as Legolas slid to the end of the bed, intending to get up and help her with the pile of laundry she held. He stopped though when he realized he'd startled her.
He got up from the bed and advance towards her, grinning widely.
"It is good to see you again Elanus."
This seemed to only confuse and frighten her more and she took another step back and clutched tighter at the sheets in her arms.
"Who are you and what are you doing in the Princess' room?"
"You don't remember me?"
Legolas sounded almost hurt before Elanus dropped the stack of laundry and brought her hands up to her gapping mouth.
"Legolas?"
He nodded and held his arms out to her.
She hugged him fiercely, like she would her child had they been returning from a long journey away from home. She stepped back again and swept her eyes up Legolas' lithe physic. Muscular
"Oh little Prince of Mirkwood! How you've grown my boy and not just in height, I don't ever remember you having muscles of any sort."
Legolas blushed slightly at her praises before he busied himself picking up her dropped laundry.
"Oh silly me, look what I've gone and done." She fussed as she took the laundry from Legolas.
"You look well Elanus. I almost worried Aquila would have a new nurse maid."
"Oh no, she wont get rid of me that easily."
Legolas smiled at her and she placed the newly folded pile of sheets and towels on a nearby chair. Legolas then indicated fro her to join him over the other side of the room so that their conversing wouldn't wake Aquila, Legolas really wanted for her to sleep through till dawn.
"I must say Legolas dear you startled me, I didn't really expect to find you in here……………what exactly are you doing here anyway? And in such a state of undress."
Legolas suddenly realized that he was naked from the waist up and shifted uncomfortably, casting his eyes about for a robe of some sort.
"I can't imagine Audax has eased up his laws on letting outsiders into the city. Especially seeing as you've come to take her from us……"
Elanus broke into a wide smile and embraced the stunned Elf.
"You silly thing, you didn't think I was the only one in the whole city left out of the gossip loop did you?"
"The whole city knows?"
"Well news of this caliber would certainly warrant the city's attention, not to mention the fact that you're an Elf from outside and also the other reason you came has helped caused quite a stir."
"Yes, I suppose when I inform my father of my decision the whole of Mirkwood will know of my marriage proposals in a matter of minutes."
"You haven't told your father? I was under the impression that both King Audax and King Thranduil approved of the union."
"He does approve, I just haven't told him in so many words that I've actually proposed and she's accepted. You see when he gave his approval I hadn't even made up my mind whether or not I wanted to marry her yet."
"Oh I see, another easily overcome situation complicated by royalty."
The blond Elf nodded, the corners of his mouth turned up in a warm smile.
"Well then dear I best let you get back to it."
She motioned at the bed with a tip of her head and Legolas tried desperately to fight off the blush rising in his cheeks.
He nodded simply and escorted her to the door. Before she disappeared out into the gathering darkness of the hall she pulled Legolas' head down and planted a swift kiss on his cheek.
"Oh dear sweet Legolas. A fine Prince you have become and a wonderful King you will make, I know you'll take good care of our Princess and your Queen."
With that she disappeared off down the hall and Legolas shut the door quietly before returning to the bed.
After long hours of tossing and turning to no avail he carefully got up and meandered his way over to a small bookshelf on one side of the room. Two chairs were arranged, one to either side, about a small table just to the side.
Legolas scanned the books until one, written by a Roc who had lost his family to the tide of slaughters by Men and telling his tale of the journey to the new Cirus, caught his eye.
So much had happened since the Rocs had left and although he realized Aquila was still missing vast parts of historical knowledge concerning Middle Earth, their only updates coming from passing birds kind enough to tell them the news, he knew nothing of the new life the Rocs had made for themselves.
Before sitting in the plush chair he took the lantern from a smaller table beside the chair and lit it from one of the softly glowing lamps in the room. Settling down in the chair he opened the book and began to read under the soft glowing light.
To be continued…
Author's Note 2:
Meadowsweet1363 Thanks for being such a wonderful and reliable reviewer, it makes all the difference, it really does. In regards to your question about their (possible) children and their being ½ Rocs, etc I can assure you the answer will be reviled to you but for the moment I don't want to say too much. I can tell you though that I have thought the idea/problem through thoroughly and do have an answer/solution. All will be reviled in time, keep reading and you will find out.