The Lost City Of Cirus
Author's Note:
Thank you once again for your reviews, they are truly wonderful to read. I'll try and get the next chapter out as soon as possible because it will be the last.
Please review when you are done reading.
Thirty-Seven
Celebrations
Legolas and Aquila found themselves being herded from one group to another for most of the afternoon as everyone present wished to impart upon them some wisdom or well wishes. The two were more than happy to spend time with each discussing this or that but soon both were eager to continue celebrations with their families and close friends.
Finally Legolas managed to excuse them both from a conversation with one of his father's advisers and his wife, who would not stop commenting on how dark Aquila's hair was and whether or not their children would inherit such hair colouring or be fair haired like their Prince, and pull his Princess into the shadows of a nearby tree to steal a kiss.
He pressed her up against the tree's trunk and his tongue hungrily sought entrance to her mouth. She eagerly granted him what he wished and tangled her fingers in his flaxen hair as she massaged his tongue with her own.
His hand fell upon her thigh and gripped her dress, drawing it slowly up her leg till his hand slid beneath the soft fabric and around to grasp her rear. In response Aquila drew her free hand up the inside of Legolas' thigh and pressed her palm gently against his groin.
He kissed her harder but both drew back and sighed in disappointment as they could hear their father's calling for them.
Legolas nuzzled his nose lovingly against her cheek before breathing softly into her ear.
"I suppose we should join in our own celebrations again. Don't worry though, once the sun had set it is almost expected that we will retire to our bedchambers early."
Aquila laughed quietly and felt Legolas shudder against her as her warm breath caressed his sensitive ear.
"I fear it is you who will have more trouble waiting than I Legolas."
Her tongue flicked out to trace the shell of his ear and he had to bite down on his lower lip to keep from gasping at her action.
"I must warn you though Aquila." He held her arms tightly and his voice took on a more serious tone. "The Elves will make a rather big fuss over me taking you to my chambers tonight. You see they will be expecting an heir in the near future and a couple's wedding night is almost a public acknowledgement of that duty."
Aquila kissed him quickly before laying her head upon his shoulder.
"I know this Legolas, I am familiar with Mirkwoods customs and I do not care that your kingdom know what you will be doing with me in your bedchamber."
He ran his hands gently through her hair, looking up from her as his father stepped up to them, followed closely by King Audax.
"We're not interrupting anything thing are we son?" Thranduil questioned with a sly smirk, which Legolas strained not to roll his eyes at.
"No father you are not. We were merely trying to escape the condescending comments of Lady Mirgaleneth."
Thranduil laughed at this, knowing the mouth on that woman had a habit of running off and she adored nothing more than looking down upon those she deemed beneath her
"Well I'm afraid you have many more well wishers to attend to." Audax added.
"Surely we have spoken to them all by now." Aquila grumbled in mild irritation, which her father proceeded to laugh at.
"All but your family and closest friends." Audax feigned a wounded look before Thranduil cut in.
"We have barely heard from you since Elrond united you and I believe you have a few friends who feel much the same way."
"We were merely entertaining our other guests before we joined our most important ones for dinner."
"Well then you wont mind coming with us will you? We've all been waiting at the table for sometime and we promised the others we'd bring you two back with us."
Aquila discreetly slipped a hand behind Legolas and gently squeezed his rear, a silent promise they would pick up where they had been interrupted later. He smiled sideways at her before he slipped her arm through his and nodded to both their fathers that they would indeed be joining them for dinner.
"There they are!" Sphenurus stood from his seat and held his arms out to the approaching couple.
Aquila had to bite gently down on her lower lip to stop herself from laughing as the Roc had clearly had too much to drink already and, unlike the Elves, Rocs were not too good at holding their liquor.
Someone had already fashioned a patch for his damaged eye, which did make him look rather handsome, in a sort of wounded solider kind of way. That and it helped to hide his rather terrifying looking eye, damaged beyond use by the blade that inflicted the dark scar now running down the side of his face.
"Yes we've come to dine with you all tonight." Aquila smiled as she hugged Sphenurus.
She then encouraged him to sit back down and her and Legolas seated themselves near the head of the table, at which sat King Thranduil. He then rose to toast the newly wed couple to which Aragorn promptly added.
"And many thanks from us to them for finding time in their already demanding schedule to dine with us before they retire to Legolas' chambers where he will undoubtedly show Aquila all the pleasures of being a married woman."
All laughed, especially Arwen who also playfully hit Aragorn's arm before dragging him back down into his seat. The King of Gondor too had clearly also had more to drink than perhaps he should have.
"On that note I think we need a kiss from the newly weds and then, we eat!" Gimli roared, grinning from ear to ear.
All called in favour of the motion and Legolas was never to deny those he loved dearly what they wanted. He slipped an arm quickly about Aquila's waist and dipped her back and beneath him as he lent down to press his lips to hers in a hungry, lustful kiss.
As he tipped her back she threw her arms around his neck to regain some of her balance but before she could think further his lips were upon hers and then noting else mattered but kissing him back with all the fevered passion he was kissing her with.
The small group, which was really rather large and filled the entire length of the table, clapped and cheered in approval of Legolas' action before the Prince brought his bride back to her feet and nudged his nose gently against hers.
She smiled up at him, his eyes bright and filled with adoration. She couldn't wait to begin her life with him and yet they had this dinner to get through. Which in itself was odd, she had never resented the idea of having to dine with so many friend but at this moment she desired to be with only him and yet for now she would have to be content to share both herself and her Prince.
They ate and drank and chatted and laughed for hours, even as the sun disappeared from the sky lanterns were lit so that celebrations could continue. Aquila had begun to feel lightheaded from Mirkwoods potent wines long ago and at one point, when she had tried to stand to walk to the other end of the table to speak with someone, she had fallen back down in Legolas strong arms, giggling at her own lack of balance. Legolas had merely sat her in his lap and laughed, telling her she would have to learn to drink more sensibly if he was to have her by his side at important dinners.
Since then she had passed her drinks onto her brother, not wanting to offend the King of Mirkwood, though really he would have taken none. Pandion was not much better, especially as he still hadn't really gotten his weight and muscle tone back up to where it used to be. But he had Elrond to keep an eye on him and tonight it really didn't matter if he made a fool of himself, all eyes were on his sister and her new husband.
Aquila sat curled up in Legolas' lap laughing with him as well as Aragorn and Arwen when Thranduil rose from his seat and called for silence. All eyes turned to him, even if they were secretly having trouble focusing on the form of the King.
"I can only assume that by now my son and his bride feel they have been politely tolerant of us all for tonight and are probably eager to excuse themselves."
Legolas opened his mouth to interject but Thranduil held up a large hand for silence and his son shut his mouth obediently, allowing the King to continue.
"So allow me to send them off with a toast." Everyone rose his or her glasses to join in the toast with Mirkwoods King. "To the Prince and new Princess of Mirkwood and the family they will be beginning together!"
A 'hurrah' went up from those gathered and Legolas, caught up in the moment, stood with Aquila slung in his arms, her arms clasped around his neck, and left the table. He turned his back on them and carried his prized bride off towards the entrance to Mirkwoods palace. Behind him he could still hear cheers and hoots and he lent down to press his lips close to Aquila's ear.
"Forgive me for this indignity my love."
Aquila giggled and nuzzled her face against his neck.
"No forgiveness is needed Legolas, not from you."
Then as he carried her, his pace quickening as his footfalls fell silently over the stone floors of the cavernous palace, Aquila closed her lips over his ear lobe and proceeded to nibble it before tracing her tongue up the shell of his ear and flicking over its sensitive tip.
Legolas shuddered violently but managed not to miss a step as he finally entered the long corridors that lead to the royal families bedchambers. By the time he reached the door to his room Aquila was planting fiery kisses over his neck, across his jaw and every time their lips met their kiss would be a deep and passionate one.
He growled in frustration as he yanked at the door's handle but couldn't get it open. Finally he had to place Aquila on her feet so that he could freely use his hand to click the lock open and pull on the handle.
As soon as he had the door open he wrapped his hands about Aquila's slim waist and backed her into the room as he bent to capture her lips in a passionate open-mouthed kiss.
He kicked the door shut with one foot, his lips never leaving hers and he moved one hand up to tangle in her dark hair. Aquila ran both her hands up his clothed torso as she returned his fevered kisses.
She wasted no time in putting her nimble fingers to work on the delicate gold clasps of his silver tunic as he back her towards his bed. He gathered the skirts of her dress up in his hands and slowly slid them up her thighs. She shuddered against him and paused momentarily in her undressing of him to drink in the sight of his bared chest though his parted tunic.
She bent to trail her tongue over his hard stomach, following the lines of defined muscles, dipping briefly into his navel before kissing up his chest to flick her tongue over a nipple as she pushed his tunic off his shoulders.
He pulled back slightly to let the garment fall down his back and allow his arms to slip free. Legolas then pulled Aquila to him again and lowered his lips to her throat to trail hot kisses there and down along her collarbone. She gasped softly as his teeth closed gently over her pulse point on her neck and he pulled her closer to him, hitched her skirts up over her hips so she could better feel his arousal pressing against her through the fabric of his breeches.
She slipped her hands in between him and felt Legolas growl softly against her throat as she tugged at the ties on the front of his grey breeches. Aquila pulled tantalizingly slowly at the ties until a firm squeeze of her naked bottom encouraged her to hurry along.
She smiled against his lips as she pulled the front of his breeches open and tugged them down just passed his rear, finally freeing his hot arousal. He pressed himself to her and backed her up until the backs of her calves hit the bed's edge and she lost her balance, falling back onto the cushioned softness of the bed, bringing Legolas down on top of her.
The Elven Prince slid one hand tantalizingly slowly up her inner thigh, beneath her skirts, as the other began to knead her breast through the soft fabric of her dress. As he lay atop her she could feel his stiffened length pressing into her thigh as he slipped a finger into her moist opening. A second digit easily joined the first and soon he had Aquila moaning and writhing beneath him.
He smiled against her neck as he removed his fingers from her to grip her thighs and spread her legs, allowing him to lie between them. He then trailed his tongue up her neck, slowly, before finally reaching her succulent lips, where he traced his tongue over her lower lip before she drew it into her mouth and a fiery kiss was initiated.
Their lips never parted as Legolas pushed her dress skirts up passed her hips and entered her in one fluid motion. She gasped and arched her back up towards him, thrusting her hips up to meet his.
He gripped her hips with one hand and thrust deeply within her as he used his other hand to tug the top of her dress down so that he could take a taut nipple into his mouth. Aquila moaned and fisted her hands in Legolas' long flaxen hair, his braids slowly being worked loose by her delicate fingers.
Both felt their climax quickly approaching and knew this copulation would be a short but vehement one. They had a whole lifetime for long passionate bouts of lovemaking that stretch long into the night but for now both simply needed to find release in the others arms.
Legolas traced a hand up the underside of one of her legs, raising it to hook over his shoulder, allowing him to penetrate her more deeply with each thrust of his hips. Aquila tossed her head back and moaned loudly, gasping for air as her new husband moved within her.
Their pace quickened and Legolas became more frantic in his thrusting, pushing deeper within her. Hands roamed purposefully over heated flesh, arousing with each fluttering touch. Aquila's hands ghosted over Legolas' smooth, muscled chest sending bolts of fire to his groin as her fingertips brushed over his nipples. He responded by thrusting harder into her and lowering his lips again to the hardened bud at the peak of her breast.
Legolas felt her inner walls clench around his engorged member as her climax washed over her in a wave of pleasure like none she'd felt before. She clung desperately to him as she threw her head back and cried out him name.
"Legolas!"
"Aquila!"
Legolas' cry joined her own as he spilt himself within her and rode out the waves of pleasure of his own climax. So intense it was that dots of white light appeared behind his eyelids as he squeezed them tightly shut, before collapsing atop Aquila.
She lay panting beneath him and smiled lovingly up at him as he opened his eyes. He smiled back at her and nuzzled his nose against the side of her neck before he rolled himself off her and immediately turned on his side to face her.
Aquila sat up and slipped her dress off over her head and then casually tossed it to the floor. Legolas smiled as she slid her now naked body back down onto the bed to lie beside him. She raised an eyebrow and gestured towards Legolas' breeches, which were still only pulled halfway down his legs, with her eyes. Legolas smirked at her before he rid himself of the offending garment.
He then pulled her into his arms and as their limbs tangled and Aquila let herself be lulled to sleep by the slowing rhythm of his beating heart, the side of her face pressed close to his chest, Legolas could only think about how wonderful tomorrow would be.
"Now that my son and his bride have retired for the night"
The King of Mirkwood was cut off by a roar of approval from the drunken males present at the table, and had to silence them before he could continue.
"There is an announcement I would like to make."
All suddenly fell silent; the King of Mirkwood wore an expression of serious contemplation and a sense of some distant sadness. They all waited for him to continue and finally, after taking a deep breath King Thranduil continued.
"Now that my son has united with his chosen bride I will be retiring my crown to him and setting sail from the Grey Havens with Galadriel, Mithrandir and Elrond as soon as they are ready."
Conversation broke out immediately at the table, some congratulating Thranduil on ruling Mirkwood for so long and how well they thought Legolas would follow in his example, others suggesting it was time he retired and took some time for himself, while others still couldn't believe he was leaving Middle Earth.
There was only one face at the table that bore an expression of shocked sadness and he went mostly unnoticed as others chattered around him. Electric blue eyes dulled as tears threatened to well up within them and he fought to keep them at bay.
Elrond looked over at his suddenly silent lover and caught the Roc's expression in his own eyes of grey and had to immediately look away or risk his heart breaking in two.
To be continued…
Author's Note 2:
In response to a review I received I thought I'd clear up some things about my Rocs.
The myth of the Roc actually originated long before the tales of Sinbad were written and some believe may have even been based on an actual bird (most popular theory being Aepyornis). As the Roc is a mythical creature that predates 'Sinbad the Sailor' I must put nothing in my disclaimer, as it is not owned by anyone or under copyright. Yes it was used in 'Sinbad the Sailor' but this is not where the Roc originates from and therefore does not need to be referred to in any disclaimer. Please try to get your facts straight before you start telling me to put things in my disclaimer.
The myth of the Roc is open to interpretation and while I'm aware the Roc of our world was simply described as an enormous bird of prey the Rocs I have created for Middle Earth are utterly different (though the idea for their Eagle form and their name did originate from the myth).
Middle Earth is a fantastical world entirely separate from our own reality. Mortal Men exist in middle Earth but they are unlike the Humans who exist in our world (though modeled on them). My Rocs are simply what I believe that legend/myth could have been in the setting of Middle Earth rather than our own Earth.