Chapter 15: Faithless Affairs

"My Lady, I brought thee a letter." Ilweth said as she clutched a sealed letter for the lady.

"Come in then." The voice said from the inside.

"Oh Ilweth! I'm so busy I didn't recognized your voice... I am terribly sorry." Lailomé said as she tied her dress while walking to where Ilweth was standing.

"Oh my Lady, it's alright, anyway, here's a letter." She said as she handed it to Lailomé.

Lailomé looked around the envelope, but there was no 'from' in the front, she noticed that the envelope has Rivendell's seal on it, smiling, she opened the envelope and began to read the letter, only to her dismay, it was from Isendor.

Dear Lady Lailomeiel,

I would like to let you know that arrangements had already been made regarding our wedding. Your Father, King Thranduil of Mirkwood, your Guardian, Lord Briarvale Eversborrow, Elrond, Lord of Rivendell & my parents had arranged our exchange of hands centuries ago, bounded by the elder elves, the only way to break this engagement is through death in which I will not concede. I also wanted to talk to you personally since written words don't explain everything. I would like to meet you, if it is okay, for you to have a talk with me in the study this afternoon at four o' clock sharp, then we will settle what is supposed to be settled.

Sincerely,

Lord Isendor Windspell

Lailomé folded back the letter and asked Ilweth to dispose of it.

"What does it say my Lady?" Ilweth asked curiously.

"Lord Isendor wanted to talk to me."

"You will go? Pardon me, but do you like him?"

"The truth is Ilweth, I don't."

Lailomé knocked on the wooden doors of the study, her stomach felt twisted and that thoughts raced through her mind. Isendor opened the door and looked at his tern looking fiancé, a wry smile curled from his lips.

"I thought you wouldn't want to talk to me."

"You know what Isendor, I don't like elves who make me wait, now go straight to the point." She snapped.

"Tsk...tsk... tsk... you really don't like me, don't you?" He said as he sauntered to where she was standing.

"Yes, not even a chance of liking you." She said stoically as she looked directly to Isendor's cold green eyes.

"Oh!" he said briskly, as if what she said was a mere joke. "But I'm sure you'll like me after this." He said hoarsely as he swooped down and kissed her, pressing her lips hard with his teeth. Lailomé didn't know what to do, she tried to wriggle out her body from Isendor's grasp but he was holding her head and her hands so tight! When Isendor stopped doing this, he looked at her with an evil smile, in which she returned with a slap on his left cheek.

"How dare you!" She snarled at Isendor who was holding his cheek. Isendor was still wearing that smile that now infuriated Lailomé.

"How dare you! You coward... you son of a bitch!" She cried out as she tried to slap Isendor but Isendor caught her hand and threw it back at her side, he reached for her arms and shoved her to the nearest wooden pillar and trapped her there, she tried her best to wriggle her way out but in vain...

"Listen to me my dear soon to be wife! If you don't like me, fine, you cannot move away from this, because if you do, something bad will happen to both Mirkwood and the Great Lands and you don't like it to happen don't you? So if I were you my lady, do what I wish!" he said with a malicious tone.

"Oh and one more thing my lady, I am not stupid as what you might think, if I were you, I would stop thinking of that Legolas or I would rather let you look at him in a glass coffin –"with this, Lailomé managed to let her right hand loose from his grasp and that she intently left another slap, now on his right cheek.

"Lay your hands off him Isendor, slighting me would only mean that it is time for you to know your fiancée." She said as anger evident in her voice, she doesn't want either Thranduil or Legolas to be in peril all because of her.

"Oh, I'm afraid." Isendor sardonically replied as he let go of her.

Lailomé was now really pissed off with what Isendor said but just remained calm and collected. "I'm warning you Isendor."

"Oh by the way, our wedding will be in 10 days, I will personally announce it in dinner tonight." He said as he stepped into the doorway, giving her a look that made Lailomé shrink.

"Oh and you should now start your guest list." Isendor said as he closed the door, leaving Lailomé with a downcast heart and a heavy mind.

Ten days? Lailomé thought. So I only have ten more days to live? She looked at the door where Isendor just passed, breathing heavily, she gathered herself and pushed herself to her own room where she let herself fall on the sweet confines of her bed. Lailomé does not know what to think anymore. It was more than enough that she was betrothed to the one she does not love and that she is certain that she would never love. She let her thoughts ran through her mind until there was a soft knock on the door.

"Lailomé are you in there?" Said a familiar voice. At this point, Lailomé couldn't remember anything but the fear in her heart that Isendor caused.

The knocking continued. "Lailomé, it's me Arwen..."

Lailomé lazily got up and opened the door. "Lailomé, I saw what he did to you at the study..."

Unknown to Lailomé, Arwen was walking in search of Aragorn that time when she heard her cursing Isendor in the study and decided to hide and watch.

Arwen gathered her friend in her arms; she was like her sister, as Elrond treated her as one of his own daughters. Lailomé cried in her arms. Father should know this, Arwen said softly.

"No he must not, Lailomé pleaded. If he does, Legolas would be in danger, I have accepted it that way Arwen, this is my fate then... to be always away from those I love."

Arwen put her right arm to her back so that shush her but to no avail. "Are you going to dinner tonight?" She asked.

"I'm afraid not."

Legolas was in his usual refuge in Rivendell when he heard his beloved's voice calling him. He jumped from his hiding place and following his senses; he found her fumbling around some bushes calling his name. Years of being apart from Lailomé still did not hinder Legolas from recognizing the shaky voice that she emits whenever she goes on her daily life not minding anything but a problem. An ear-to-ear grin came to his face when he realized that she, apart from her sharp elven senses, could not hear him coming from behind her, this he thought was the perfect time to startle her. He, without delay held her from her back, one arm wrapped around her waist and the other on her mouth as to prevent her screaming. Lailomé, started to scream but her mouth was covered by a strong hand, something from inside her tells her that she need not to panic but panic was already in her, she kicked and her hand, one trying put away the hand clasped on her mouth and the other searching for something to grab hold to...her lose hand tried to search, she waved her hand to and fro which gave Legolas quite a hard time but he did not say a word, he's enjoying the fright he is giving her for such an unknown reason when her lose hand suddenly hit his wound and blood came out.

"AWW!" Legolas blurted out as he dropped Lailomé to the grass and started to tend to his again-opened wound.

Lailomé, returned to her senses was even more shock to see the elf in front of her who gave her a fright. "Why you brute!" She started but when she saw the blood, her anger turned to worry, oh Gods, she said warily. Legolas you creep, she muttered in between hushes as Legolas tried to wriggle away his arm from her hands that tried to mend his arm's wounds.

"Stop wiggling, you'll going to drain yourself dry!" She yelled at him, her face flushed with worry as she treated his wound. Legolas sat up, letting Lailomé tend his arm while caressing her face.

"Lailomé." He whispered; Lailomé stopped, looking directly at his eyes, her emotions welled up last, she buried herself in her hands and wept, giving Legolas the impression that she was weeping for him because he's dead.

"Lailomé, Lailomé my dear sweet Lailomé is it my fault why your tears fall from your eyes?" He said as he gently pulled her hands away from her face and gathering her frame closer to him, feeling her warmth. But Lailomé did not answer; she went on crying but this time, silently, no longer could Legolas hear her heartrending sobs for she was now just letting her tears fall, Legolas felt her warm tears drop on his coat. He let her weep as he held her, saying reassurances as he comforts her, he felt her shiver, with this Legolas removed his coat and put it around Lailomé's cold body. "Legolas..." she whispered sorely. Hearing her whisper his name, and pulled her chin tenderly to face him while she was still in his arms. She looked directly at his eyes; he felt that she was searching for something inside him when at last she spoke, looking directly through his eyes. "For too long, have I given myself for duty Legolas, but Isendor I cannot take, for I love thee, and marrying him would be my death..." she held his arms tightly, as if she was begging for help. Legolas answered: "Lailomé, you know very well that I would do anything for you, and you know my answer, run away, run away with me." Legolas said this with no remorse. He did not feel bad about saying it because he meant it from the bottom of his heart. He loved her and he would do anything to keep her for himself, as selfish as it may sound, he already lost her once and there is no way he is going to lose her again. But Lailomé broke away from their gazes and from his arms, regretting that she had just sought comfort from the person that she knew she should keep safe, "Legolas, I cannot, she said, tears starting to fall from her eyes again, I cannot. I have my duties, damned duties that I wanted to get away from but my conscience would not let me. I cannot do this Legolas as much as my heart tells me to."

"Lailomé, please." Legolas pleaded, he cannot take the burden Lailomé is inflicting upon herself, and "I promise if we are together, you won't feel any pain from you conscience." But she just smiled at his predicament, as if what he just said sincerely came from his heart, was just some kind of nonsense that they both know would never come true. Lailomeiel stopped her tears and looked at Legolas again, this time Legolas could not take it anymore, he grabbed her shoulders, pulling her closer, and he kissed her on her lips. Never have he felt a woman's lips on his before. Lailomeiel's taste of honey and wine so soft and supple that when he kissed her, he felt some sort of sensations linger to his skin. Lailomeiel too, although startled, have not been kissed by anyone before, this kiss was both their first. It was sweet, and enchanting, the moment she felt Legolas's lips on hers she felt as though she was lifted off the air, it was as if all her burden vanished into thin air. Legolas thought that Lailomeiel would not give in to him but he was wrong, she received him with little restraint, he coaxed her mouth to open, flicking his tongue with hers, savoring the sensuous movements that they both make, he moved his hands to her back and gathered her closer to him, how long their kiss lasted they do not know, Lailomé was the first one to let go, out of breath, looking at Legolas, she met his gaze, and suddenly, realizing that she is putting him to danger, removed herself from Legolas's grasp but he was too strong for her. "What is wrong?" Legolas asked? "Amin caint auta tri in sen." She said softly.

"Lailomeiel." He said softly while holding her hands in his, clutching it as to never let go, I love you, therefore I will not force you, rather I would give you time. Lailomeiel looked up at him, a frown started to form on her beautiful face. "What do you mean?" Legolas took a deep breath, as if what he was going to say is very hard for him, true enough, it was for what he is going to say to her, might just change everything. "I am going to give you time Lailomé to think, if you want, stay with me, do not marry Isendor, and I promise you that we would keep everything away from harm, we will live together as happily and fully as we could. And---"He was cut off by Lailomé, "Legolas, I came here to tell you that Isendor told me that our wedding was in ten days...---"As Legolas was about to protest, Lailomé put her right index finger to his lips, "He gave me quite a fright this morning, I... I... --- Lailomé faltered as she recalled the horrible incidents that occurred earlier. --- Received a letter this morning that tells me to meet him in the study and there he was, he threatened me Legolas, he said that he would hurt those I love, and Mirkwood and the Great Lands would be in danger... Oh Legolas, Sut amin del ho! Legolas eyes went wild; nobody hurts his Lailomé, even if that person was her fiancé. "Did he hurt you?" He said, angrily. "He did bruised me, but please Legolas, I'm fine he didn't hurt me that much...Legolas stood up, afraid that something might happen, Lailomé gathered herself up just as Legolas already took long strides towards the House of Rivendell. "Legolas... she gasped as she ran after him, grabbing his arm she faced him to her. "You promised!" She fired at him. "Yes I did, but I also said that it depends on the matter." He said stubbornly. He was about to start his march to killing Isendor when Lailomé again stopped him, this time she slumped herself to him as she wrapped her arms around him. "Please don't." She said, her voice giving of a hint of fear. Legolas softened; his anger toward Isendor was pacified. Legolas wrapped her in his arms again, this time, he held her tighter. "Amin delle ten' lle... I will not let you go my love." "I love you too.." She said to herself. "He said that our wedding would be in ten days... and he is announcing it right now." She repeated softly to the elf that was holding her. Legolas only closed his eyes, savoring the few moments that Lailomé would be his. He felt her tears again; Legolas called her name and made her look at him directly in the eyes. "Then we will make the best of our days then..." He said, as he tried to smile at her in which she did not smiled back but only nodded.

Amin caint auta tri in sen. – I can't go through with this.

Sut amin del ho – How I fear him.

Amin delle ten' lle. – I am worried about you.