Chapter 18: Elverquisst

"Perhaps we should cancel the wedding, as far as I can see, Prince Legolas and Lady Lailomé loved each other very much, I cannot be wrong, for I see Queen Eldarin's same actions in her." Briarvale said to Thranduil as he reached for the balcony rails in Elrond's study.

"I pity my son, so do I pity my daughter, Alas, I am torn in two." Thranduil murmured, rubbing his forehead. "I never thought that Lailomé and Legolas would fall in love despite the fact that they have known each other as mere siblings."

"Half their lifetimes apart change their feelings towards each other. To think of it that they haven't seen each other since Lailomé first left for the Great Lands." Briavale interceded.

"I agree with Briarvale, Thranduil. Half a lifetime, if my memory serves me right, 1,500 years is that precise?" Elrond said.

"Yes. A thousand years, and five hundred centuries."

Legolas ran the cool glass of wine on his forehead as he listened to the running water that surrounded Rivendell. The faces of the elf maidens that long ago captured his heart made their way back in his thoughts. None of them can ever compare to his Lailomé. He thought. All the women that he had will give up everything for him, but Lailomé didn't. She wanted to, but duty came first to her list. "I understand dear, I understand very well what you are being put through, but what I want to know is that will I ever see you? Will I ever have you as I badly as I want now?" he said to himself, hoping that she could hear him. "Oh love, forever not touching you will make me go mad." He murmured as he took a sip from his wineglass.

Lailomé paced back and forth in her room, she couldn't think of anything else, all her thoughts were of him and nothing more, her heart screaming his name over and over again. She couldn't understand what she was feeling, she wanted to cry but it seems that she had ran out of tears to shed. There is a dark cloud gathering all around her and she feels like there was a bomb inside her that could explode any moment. The more she thinks about it, the more she wanted to hurl herself off a cliff. "How can I do this? Why am I depriving myself of your love dearest? I love you dear but I cannot shame Father Thranduil, he's been like a real father to me and now, tomorrow, I will be married to a man that I do not even like..." She said to herself but a searing pain in her head cut off her thoughts, but it only affected her for a moment. Legolas would be going back to Mirkwood tomorrow... and she will never see him again. She needed Legolas, she needed him, and she wanted him badly. How she craved his touch, his comfort, and his warmth... She needs to see him, and with that, she went out of her room and headed straight to Legolas's chamber.

Lailomé knocked on Legolas's door. Thoughts flooded her mind and what if's stormed in. What her life would be the next few days with Isendor and how she could live without the man she loved constricted her chest, her thoughts were broken when she heard him say enter. Lailomé pushed the door open, the room smelled of roses and she saw him standing in the balcony. He didn't looked at her or even stir when she entered instead he continued to look on the waterfalls, the mountains and the stars ahead. He felt her come closer to him.

"I don't want to look at you." He said callously.

Lailomé smiled, this was her Legolas talking and she knew very well how stubborn he could be when saying goodbyes, although she wished this wasn't goodbye.

"And why is that? Am I that hideous already? Do I look horrible compared to your other women?" She chided him, biting back the hints of pain that she might emit.

Legolas tried to restrain himself but to no avail. "No, cause if I do..." Legolas said as he slowly turned to Lailomé and was struck with how she looked like. Lailomé wore a loose robe, her slender body perfectly outlined by the moonlight, the moon and the stars reflected on her soft dark brown hair and her eyes! Oh how beautiful her gray eyes were. Also, it was the first time in Legolas entire life that her eyes weren't really gray at all! They were light blue, blue gray to be exact, the color of her eyes perfectly blended with her complexion. Lailomé sat on the balcony rails, her hair waves with the chilly night breeze. Legolas can tell that she was listening to the running water below his balcony. He poured on another glass of wine and handed it to her.

"Drunkard." She teased. Her eyes glinting in the darkness.

"If I am a drunkard, then what do you call yourself dearest?" He shot back, a grin forming in his lips.

"Social drinker love." She smirked as she took the glass from his hands, their fingertips brushed.

There was a long silence between them, each one thinking of what to say.

Legolas put down his glass on the table; the sound of the glass meeting the wooden table broke Lailome's thoughts. She have to speak, for their time together is running out... their time together was running out. This thought drained all the color on her face, which was left unnoticed by Legolas.

"Is something the matter?" He asked worriedly as he reached for her forehead.

"Are you tired? I will bring you to your chamber to rest..." he said as Lailomé cut him off. Looking to his eyes, she asked the question that the answer she already know but dreaded to hear. "You're going tomorrow?"

Legolas sighed. "Yes, at dawn."

Lailomé nodded.

"Is there, by any chance, that you would stay longer?" She asked painfully as she shivered from the cold night air.

Legolas gently took her arm and led her to sit on his bed by the fire. "I will leave tomorrow at dawn. Nay, there is no chance."

Lailomé looked down and stared at her hands instead, trying to suppress her tears.

"Come with me." Came from a soft whisper in her ear. She looked at him with helpless eyes.

"Come with me, tomorrow, we will leave together!" He said again, staring right back at her.

"Where would we go?" She whispered after a moment of silence.

"Somewhere... anywhere... that we could be together." He replied. Lailomé noticed that sincerity was evident in his voice. She smiled at the thought. The two of them together, they would be happy, but for how long? How long can she ignore her building conscience... that fact that they are running away from their duties, she cannot live with that.

Lailomé felt his gaze upon her. The cold wind blowing the curtains that shade them from the view outside gently touches the wooden carvings of the ceiling. She felt the wind sounds as she unconsciously entwined her fingers with his. "Leigh, you know I would do anything for you."

"I know Legs, and I would do the same."

Legolas took her chin and faced her to him. "If I cannot stop you from marrying him, I assure you Leigh, that I would be there to get you back."

Lailomé looked at him again. This time, she let herself drown in the deepness of his gaze. "Do you love me?" She whispered to him, not intending for him to hear.

"More so than you know love, I love you more than anything I can care for, Leigh, you are becoming all to me." He replied, gazing right back at her. This time he couldn't take it anymore. There is something inside him that needs to be let out, and his intense longing for her is deepening faster than he could breathe. He wiped the stray wisps of hair from hair face and gently laid her to his bed. To his disclosure, she didn't protest. It was as if she expected his actions. He laid her on his bed and gently caressed her face; he traced the contours of the sides of her face, to her neck, down to her arms. "Legolas..." Lailomé whimpered as he untied the robe that she was wearing. "... Legolas, look at me." She said as she freed her arms from his grasp and faced him to her. "Legolas, I would never, ever give myself to anybody else except for the man I love." Legolas was stunned. At that moment thoughts overcame his mind. Is he that person or not? She said this with such truth and sincerity. The statement Legolas just heard came from the deepest recesses of her heart, her soul, and this revelation caused her eyes to well up with tears. "And that man, is you."

Legolas's heart soared. "Oh my love, my beloved Lailomé!" he exclaimed as he reached down to wipe the first tear that trickled down her exotic face. "I swear to you, it would be worth it."

"Oh Legolas!" She incoherently moaned as he bruised her lips with his, his hands clutching her breasts. Her lips tasted like honey and wine. Then he parted from her. He stood and climbed out of the bed, taking Lailomé's hand; he helped her stand before him. Then he kissed her, passionately, deeply. He trailed kisses to the nook of her neck up to her ear. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded as she pulled away from him and took a step back. This time, looking directly at his eyes, she took off the robe that Legolas untied a while ago. She let the light garment slide from the contours of her body. Legolas drank the sight of her. Her slender body whose contours are caressed by the moonlight and the starlight. He could smell her scent, of roses and jasmines in bloom. He could feel her shivers; her nightgown was made of a translucent silk, which complemented her beauty. Oh how lovely she looked! Not tearing their eye contact, she slowly removed the fabric, letting it slide down to her body as her robe. Completely naked now, she stood before him, ready to offer herself to him. Legolas drank the sight of her, she was so beautiful, and now, there she is, the woman he love the most, will be his, she belongs to him. The night breeze entered the room and stray wisps of her lush brown hair followed the waves of the wind. He removed his robe, they were both naked now, and Legolas could feel her fear. It was her first time, and her boldness aroused him. Lailomé, on the other hand, was immensely nervous. She knows that she wasn't supposed to do this, but her love for him is greater than her honor. She didn't care anymore. All she cared about is that moment was being with him, even for the last time. She was lost in her own thoughts when she felt Legolas's warmth enveloped her. He was holding her in his arms, gently kissing her with so much love that he was coaxing her mouth to open. Lailomé responded to his actions with the same passion that he was feeling. Never had she felt something like this before. This was such a new experience for her. She was letting all her emotions take over control over her body, surprisingly though, her own body seem to be acting out of it's own will. Legolas's hands gently caressed her back, going down, he carried her to his bed and climbed in with her, not tearing away their ardent contact, he lavished her with so much attention that she began to moan. His touch seemed to make her writhe with desire. From her lips he began his journey through her body. He trailed kisses from her ear to her neck down to her breasts. Gently but harshly, he began to mould her breasts as he journeyed deeper. This action seemed to give her so much pleasure that she moaned with intense desire, trying to have support by grasping anything that her fingers can touch. Legolas smiled inwardly, this was her, his Lailomé, and now she's his, slowly now he teased her. He ran his tongue, trailing butterfly kisses from her navel and down... down to where all desire was centered. So sweet was her taste that Legolas ran his tongue in a circular motion, he heard Lailomé gasp and felt her legs tighten around his neck, her hands at his hair.

"Oh Legolas!" She exclaimed, as he tasted her with so much love. "Oh Legolas please... I can't take it anymore..."

Legolas, hearing her pleas weren't half-finished. He teased her so much that now, he couldn't even take it anymore either. He moved upwards, kneaded her breasts as she kissed her collarbone and to her aching lips once more. Stopping awhile to breathe, he looked at her flushed face. Seeing this, he became more aroused than ever. Lailomé, feeling his hardness press between her thighs, was nervous.

"It would hurt for awhile..." He whispered. Then Lailomé nodded, this was it, the moment she promised herself long ago. To give herself to the man she love.

Legolas position himself on top of her, easing her back so that she can relax, she lifted her legs and bended it, then slowly, he began to enter her. Slowly he penetrated her, fearful that he might break her too much as he caressed the back of her legs and whispering reassurances to her. He pierced her when at last, the barrier was broken, and when he looked down at his beloved's face, he saw her face stamped with pain, fear and love, then she smiled up at him. "I'm okay Legs." She said, reassuringly.

Then they began their dance. He started slow, and then Lailomé, a fast learner, began to follow his take. She received him inside of her as he began the rhythm. They met each other, each trying to give pleasure to the other and themselves. Then their pace quickened when at last Lailomé came to her release, and afterwards, he too, with one blinding thrust he felt her body tremble.

Legolas removed himself off her and rolled to her side, gathering her in his arms as they both gasped for breath. It was quite awhile when Lailomé looked up at him and saw Legolas looking down at her. "Did I hurt you too much love?" He asked concerningly. Lailomé shooked her head and rested her head on his muscled chest, tracing the outline of the moonlight on his skin.

"I wish that this would never end, that the dawn would never come, and you would not leave, I wouldn't marry Isendor, and that were going to stay here...for as long as we want, lying here in bed, listening to each other breathe—"Then she stopped herself, the pain was again reemerging from her heart.

Legolas felt her warm tears as they fell to his bare skin. Then the truth dawned on him. He would have to leave at the first light of dawn. Only a few more hours and he would have to say goodbye to her. He held her in his arms, as he thought of words that would console her, but she cried silently and Legolas decided to keep silent.

He spent the whole night looking at her sleep beside him. As if time stood still, he laid there, watching her sleep when at last the first light of dawn made its presence felt to him. He looked at her and tried to wake her up but he hesitated. She looked so peaceful in her slumber that he decided to not wake her. He stroked her face and kissed her, he then climbed out of the bed and picked up her robe, gently now, careful not to wake her, and he clothed her. As he was putting her robe back on her he happened to glance down and saw some of the sheets stained with drops of deep red velvet, her blood. She was a virgin when they made love, completing her promise to herself. He touched the stains agonizingly, she belonged to him now, but she wants him to give her away. Legolas looked back at her with a sudden surge of hate, but only for a moment. Why would not she go with him? Go with him so that they could be together, love each other for all eternity and lose themselves every time they want to? He suppressed as gasp as he tied back her robe, she snuggled, searching for his warmth, quickly, as for her not to notice, he stuffed a pillow to the place he used to lay so that she held the pillow and not him. Legolas felt a twinge of jealousy at the pillow. It gets to feel her, share her warmth... it gets to stay with her longer. His thoughts were broken by a soft knock on the door. He hurried and opened the heavy wood only an inch as he tried to block the view of whoever it is outside and was stunned to see a servant boy.

The boy looked up at the elder elf looming above him. His green eyes met Legolas's blue ones. "I have come to wake you up sir." The boy said, wiping haze from his eyes. Legolas looked back at the sleeping Lailomé on his bed and then back at the boy.

"Will you do me a favor boy?"

The boy gave him a quizzical look. "Hmm... what isit?" He said, sleepily.

Legolas bent down so that his face became leveled with the boy's. "Will you pick me three yellow roses from the garden?"

"How many...?"

"Three yellow roses?"

"Yes, and please hurry."

"Alrighty." The boy grinned as he ran towards the garden.

Legolas locked the door behind him and changed to his traveling clothes. Painfully, it took him a great deal of effort not to look at Lailomé's direction although a glance at her sleeping form was more than welcome.

He was fast on the process of fastening his boots when he heard an impatient knock. "The boy." Legolas thought as he opened his drawer and fished a sweet and ran to get the door.

"Three yellow roses fresh from Rivendell's ever protected gardens." The boy impishly said, stressing the word protected as he handed Legolas the flowers and him the sweet.

"Thank you." Legolas said as he patted the boy's head.

"My pleasure, oh by the way, they are waiting for you at the Ford." The boy said as he bowed and gaily traipsed off to the direction of the halls.

Legolas drew a deep breath and locked the door behind him. He saw Lailomé stir in her sleep so he hurried besides her, holding her loose hand. He looked at the stems of the roses to see if there are any thorns and seeing that that boy already spared him from getting them off the stems. He laid the roses beside her so that she would find them when she wakes up. Legolas bent down and kissed her.

"Namaarie, A'maelamin. Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au'. Quel kaima. Tenna' san. Amin mella lle."

He whispered to her ear as he kissed her again. Trying to remember her scent. He touched her face, with great difficulty, he stood from the bed. Never would he be able to see her again. Soon she would be married and belong to somebody else and not to him. She would pledge her life, her love and her soul to someone she doesn't even love. She belonged to him and not to him and this thought constricted his chest. She was all to him now, but she is gone. He have to leave... he have to leave now or else... it would be much more painful, to him, and to her. Wiping the tears that fell from his eyes, he walked away from her, closing the door behind him, and with it, everything else.

"Namaarie, A'maelamin. Cormamin niuve tenna' ta elea lle au'. Quel kaima. Tenna' san. Amin mella lle." – Farewell my beloved. My heart shall weep until it sees thee again. Sleep well. Until then, I love you.