Chapter 20: A Message From The Past

The next day…

Lailomeiel was woken up by the sweet songs of the birds and by the ardent smell of the roses beside her. Yesterday was like a tempest, first it was all-raging and then it was calm. The memory of the day that had passed was now bleak for things had happened so fast. For so many times she thought that it was all a dream but it was not. When Isendor was being taken away, both Arwen and Thranduil brought her to her room to rest for they understood the stupor brought about by what happened. At that night, it was Legolas who brought her dinner (which he was really not allowed to but in some way managed to get away with it by talking it out to the maid-servant who was supposed to bring the food.) The sound of the tray being brought down to the table woke her up and was surprised to see Legolas sitting at the foot of her bed, with that she stood and threw herself at him. For that day since morning she missed him and the things that just happened made her ache for his touch for so long.

Flashback

"Oh what happened back there Legs?" She said as the memory of what had transpired stirred her senses as her lover was cradling her in his arms.

"Apparently, some impostor tried to steal the most important thing in my life but did not succeed in doing so for I promised to that thing that I would come back for it, and that I love that thing more than my whole life only to pine away and die…" He said in a comical business like manner although his face was stamped by pain as he kissed her on her temple. He almost lost her, and the reality of it never fails to make him feel heavy for even trying to leave her.

Lailomeiel burrowed closer to him as she toyed his hair on her long fingers. "I know you would come for me, and you did. Awhile ago I thought I was never going to see you again and I don't want that to happen, I was about to run away and follow you but Isendor already took my hand and led me…" She looked up at him, her eyes threatening to well up with tears. "I tried to run Legs, but I can't."

He held her closer to him as he shushed her. It was true, they both almost came close to losing one another for all eternity. And if he loses her again, he couldn't even imagine the idea.

End of Flashback

She knew that he never let her go that night and was definitely sure that he was the one who left the fresh bouquet of roses beside her. She lifted up the bouquet and a note fell on her lap. The note came from Legolas and it said: Goodmorn' dearest. I have prepared something special for your breakfast so why not come here… (You know exactly where love) I'll be waiting for you there then. Love you. Folding the note back, she prepared herself for their meeting. She took a scented bath and decided to wear the purple velvet gown Arwen had given her the week before. Taking one last look at the mirror, she decided on wearing her hair down and wore the silver butterfly necklace that she owned for more than ages.

When Lailomeiel reached their surreptitious refuge she was surprised to see a complete breakfast menu laid down on a carpet with flowers abundantly laid on the forest floor surrounding the whole area. Once again, there was another bouquet of flowers and a note on it. Enjoy your breakfast love, sorry I can't be there right now… changed my mind on the last moment… thought that you deserve something more than this so… meet me at the north falls this afternoon… no not lunch… this afternoon when the sun is already setting I should see you there love, and no sneaking. I have some people to guard it so don't waste your energy love. Will be waiting for you there for real. The letter was signed with his name on it. Lailomeiel frowned; he can't keep his promises, that oaf. She thought as she smiled and sat down on the flower-strewed carpet. She ate her breakfast of sweet cakes, apricot halves and milk with tea on it. Legolas still remembers what her favorites for breakfast were. She was at the middle of her thoughts when she heard a twig cracked. "Thanks for the breakfast love." She said loudly, thinking it was Legolas whom she heard. "Leggy, it's not funny sneaking up on me you know. So if you want to sneak on me or anything couldn't you be quieter? One can hear your movements… makes me wonder though, how'd you survived the war with that carelessness of you love." She said mockingly, still smiling.

She didn't turn around when she felt the elf walk behind her.

"Lailomeiel, I am not your former brother so if I were you I would not mistake this elf for him." Nathaniel said as Lailomeiel turned around and stood up. Next thing he knows Lailomeiel was hugging him.

"Oh Nathan it's been so long! I'm so sorry I wasn't able to talk to you yesterday! You help that oaf save my life! Thank you so much! Oh Nathan I have so many things to tell you, did you see that jerk coz if you did can you tell me what his up to? Nathan, did you see him when I was gone? And who's this girl everybody told me that you're going to marry huh? Nathan you have so many, and I mean, and I say too many things to tell me, I don't want to miss out on your life you know that… because it's unfair because I never let you miss out on my life too and you know….." Lailomeiel was supposed to tell him so many things but Nathaniel wasn't able to understand what she was talking about because she was speaking too fast.

"Leigh, hahah! I can't believe your talking so fast! Anyway, that lout sent me to make sure that you would go to the falls this afternoon." Nathaniel said as he put down his best friend and laughed.

"Indeed. I thought you were that oaf awhile ago trying to sneak up on me." She said as she frowned.

"Oh well, let's get going then Leigh, he told me to watch out for you…"

"Watch out for what?"

"For you sneaking…"

"Sneaking…?" Lailomeiel said as she faced Nathaniel and arched her eyebrow.

"Legolas's decision… he'll cream me into butter if I let you spoil his surprise." Nathaniel remarked.

"Well then, I guess you'll be creamed then." She said as she started to run.

"Lailomeiel!" Nathaniel yelled back at her with a horribly scared face that made Lailome laugh her guts out as she stop on her tracks and turned back on him.

"Oh Nathan, still haven't changed have we my friend!" She said in between laughter.

"Haha funny." Nathaniel retorted.

Lailomeiel continued on walking beside her friend, traipsing along the way. "So Nate, being serious now who is the lucky girl?" She said, her eyes teasing.

Nathaniel stepped in front of her to answer all her questions formally. He was about to speak when he saw Legolas lift a finger on his lips telling him to keep quiet.

"What? You're supposed to--- Aaah!" Lailomeiel screamed as a spider fell in front of her. She tried to run but her foot was caught in a branch and she fell with a loud thud on the dried leaves strewn forest floor. She was on the process of removing the leaves on her hair when she heard Legolas and Nathaniel laughing.

"You should have seen your face love. You were so scared!" Legolas said as he laughed joyously at her.

"Take that you ill mannered lout!" She said as she threw leaves at him.

Nathaniel was laughing his heart out too when he felt the sharp edges of dried out foliage on his face.

Lailomeiel ran after Legolas and started kicking his sides with her foot. "You crude ill mannered knave! You lout! You stupid stupid dumb elf!" She yelled angrily at the laughing elf she was trying to chase. She was about to punch him on his arm when he caught it and pulled her to his arms. Looking fiercely at her, he stooped down and kissed her. At first Lailomé tried to pull him away but only after a few moments for she wrapped her arms around him and returned his vigor with passionate kisses.

"Did you love the breakfast love?" Legolas whispered to her ear as he reached it. His breath tickling her. Lailomeiel let out a soft giggle.

"Yes, I love it. So that spider and all the trouble for this?" She asked teasingly.

"I guess so…" He said as he returned to her lips again.

"Oh so the lovebirds decided to play the game let's leave Nathaniel without a partner eh?" He said sarcastically as he stood there with his arms crossed. Lailomeiel and Legolas stopped making out and hand in hand strode over to Nathaniel. Lailomeiel then reached for him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Let's go back to the Palace." Legolas said as he winked at him.

"Oh alright then…" Nathaniel said bluntly as he watched his two friends walk in front of him.

"Hey guys… I missed you." Nathaniel blurted out as both Lailomé and Legolas stopped their walking and looked at him, smiles on their faces.

"We missed you too buddy. Tis been so long since we've last been together… all three of us." Legolas said as Lailomé reached for his arm and dragged him to his side. Draping her right arm on his neck and her left to Legolas, she reached up to kiss them both on their cheeks.

"Let's go home now guys." She said as they began to their walk up to the house of Rivendell.

That Afternoon…

The afternoon sun already turned golden orange when Nathaniel knocked on Lailomeiel's door. Him, Lailomeiel and Legolas all parted ways a while ago. Legolas already instructed him and told him that everything goes out according to his plan. Lailomeiel wasn't able to sneak up in the falls to see what was going on for he talked with Arwen and explained the plan to her so she too fell into the task of diverting Lailomeiel's attention away from the falls.

"Just a moment!" A voice said as Nathan concluded to be Arwen's. Arwen also volunteered in helping Lailomeiel dress up for the night since Lailomeiel never failed to have trouble in coming up with the right outfits for some very important occasions, such as this.

Lailomeiel was about to crane her neck towards the door when Arwen stopped her.

"Leigh, just a moment, or else I might accidentally stitch this on you." Arwen said as she sewed some loose flaps in Lailomeiel's gown.

Lailomeiel frowned. Her body already felt numb from standing and not moving for hours. "Is this really necessary Arwen? Why can't I just walk out of here with one of my old gowns?" She said as she arched her eyebrows.

"There!" Arwen said, smiling as she pushed Lailome to the large wooden mirror. Arwen came up behind Lailomeiel and smiled like a child who's just proud of how she dressed up her favorite doll.

Lailomeiel stared at the person in front of Arwen in the mirror. She couldn't believe it was her reflection that she was staring at. She no longer wore her loose gowns but now she was wearing fitted ones that stressed her features. Her hair was half loose. Those in braids are entwined with thin translucent lace and the middle of it accented a white lily. The gown that she was wearing was made of some silk like material, velvet and lace. The color was that of the lightest shade of pink. Making her glow and more radiant than ever in the late afternoon light.

"I am very sure that he would not regret this." Arwen giggled.

As if something snapped from behind her, Lailomeiel turned on her sly friend. "Regret what?" Seeing Arwen's reaction, she said: "You guys are planning something alright." She said as she looked back at the mirror when she heard Nathan knocking again.

"Coming." Arwen yelled as she led Lailomeiel to the door. Looking at her friend, she let out one last giggle and hugged her. "Enjoy yourself tonight my friend."

"I'll try. As long as your jokes are not that rotten." Lailomeiel replied as she opened the door and saw Nathan gaping at her. It was his first time to see his best female friend in such beauty before. "What is it with you guys?" Lailomeiel said. Gods what are with those people? Damn, you are planning something against me I know it. Lailomeiel thought as she took Nathan's arm. "I'm going to escort you my lady to a place you will soon love." Nathan said, slyly. Lailomeiel looked at him and sighed. What Nathan said just confirmed her suspicion was something was amiss aside from dinner.

At the hall, all the servants were lined up and all have the unusual smiles in their faces. Lailomeiel blushed. Something was indeed amiss alright and she doesn't even have a clue. It was an agonizing walk when she saw Legolas waiting for them at the end of the hall and to the great oak doors that leads to the falls. When she saw Legolas, Lailomeiel wanted to berate him for making her feel stupid but when she saw the gentle look in his eyes, all her questions fluttered out of the window. "Legolas… what's happening…---" Was all she was able to say when Legolas blindfolded her with a fragrant silk cloth. "Shh, it's okay love. I have a surprise for you." He said as he took her by the hands and led her outside. Lailomeiel felt him order Nathan to open the doors. Even though blindfolded, the afternoon light still stunned her eyes. Legolas was leading her closer and closer to the falls for she was hearing the roar louder and louder. She clutched Legolas's hand for support. Legolas felt her tighten her grip on his hands. He knew that she was nervous and absolutely have no idea what is going on… or what would go on. He smiled knowingly as he whispered reassurances to her as he led her along the way. She looked so utterly beautiful. He thought as he looked at her again. The light blush on her cheeks made her more divinely looking. He bit his lower lip to suppress the grin that was forming in his face for he remembered the night before yesterday. The night when they made love, when she gave herself to him. He looked at her lovingly as he led her along the way. It was true that he had a hard time making himself concentrate on the road for his eyes couldn't stop staring at the woman beside him when at last his efforts proved their worth for they reach the falls when he painstakingly managed the whole setting. The late afternoon was Lailomeiel's favorite time of the day. The falls was the backdrop as he put a table before the banks as he had asked lots of servants to scatter lighted floating candles in the river. He had roses and lilies and amaranths everywhere as an elf playing a violin, and a servant were the only ones standing a few meters before the table. Legolas positioned Lailomeiel as he moved behind her and gently removed her blindfold.

Slowly, Lailomeiel opened her eyes, as it was still hazy from the blindfold when her focus slowly became steady as she gasped at what Legolas had laid in front of her.

Coming up behind her and wrapping her in his arms, he bent down and whispered to huskily whispered to her ear: "This is my surprise to you love." He said as he kissed her.

Lailomeiel was stunned. She did not expected Legolas to this for her. She turned to him, "You shouldn't have bothered!" She said softly. But Legolas only smiled and led her to sit on the table. He pulled out a chair for her and went to his own place. "I love it!" Lailomeiel said as she looked around. She really did. The beauty and the effect of what Legolas did almost made her cry. Never before had she felt so special in her whole life. Legolas watched as happy emotions take turns on Lailomeiel's face. He knew that she loved everything and he never expected that what he did will invoke that kind of appreciation for what little thing he did. Most of the girls he knew would just look at him and demand for things and not minding the effort. Lailomeiel wasn't' like that. She appreciated little, simple things than what riches he could offer. Legolas reached for Lailomeiel's hand as he lifted it to his lips and kissed it. Lailomeiel looked at him and smiled at him. "Legolas, you went all the trouble to give me this! You know you shouldn't have bothered… this is too much already." She said to him as she took his hands.

Looking directly at his eyes, he kissed her hands again. "You are worth more than anything else, my love. And I would do anything to make you happy." He said as he put down her hands and called for the servant to bring them their food.

Lailomeiel ate quietly and did not say a word as she ate. Looking at her from across the table, Legolas pondered at how beautiful she looked at and how she blended perfectly at the romantic setting he procured. He could tell by how her long fingers move that she was nervous. Both of them finished eating at the same time, only coming to that conclusion after they both heard the clinging sound of cutlery on golden plates. "Don't tell me you are the one who cooked this." She said, smiling as she drank her elverquisst. "Madam, if I cooked that, you wouldn't be eating those fine meals but just burnt potatoes." He said with a flustered look on his face. Lailomeiel laughed. Her laughter seemed to be music to Legolas's ears for he stared lovingly back at her. He signaled the elfin musician to play some of his songs and as if on impulse, the musician played a slow loving song. Standing up and walking over to where Lailomeiel was sitting, he offered his hand. "Will the fair lady honor me with this dance?"

Lailomeiel stood up and bowed to him. Looking back at him, she smiled and gave him her hand. "If that would give you pleasure my lord." She said as she looked at him lovingly. The warm glow of the setting sun created a tender and memorable atmosphere. As if in some dream only seen by children first learned about love from adults, they danced as if they are the only beings in the universe. Dusk was already falling and slowly, the last ray of the setting sun slowly disappears. Legolas gathered her into his arms as she clung to him. Nuzzling her ear, he held her tighter as he faced her to him. Looking up at him and losing herself once again at his gaze, she traced the contours of his face as she smiled, tenderly, dreamily. Legolas looked at her with the same intensity as she did, knowing that now is the perfect time, he drew a deep breath and kneeled before her. "My love, will you ever consider… to marry me?" The words came out fluently as he never expected them to be. Lailomeiel was shocked at first, but then she pulled his hand up as he stood before her again. Looking back at his deep blue eyes, she reached up to him as they kissed passionately. "Yes, mellamin. I would like to spend eternity with you." She said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Legolas's heart soared. Lailomeiel accepted his proposal and this was the best answer he had in his entire life. At last, he and his beloved would never lose each other again. Releasing her from his hold, he told her to look up at the starry night sky. "Look there my love." He whispered to her ear as he pointed eastward. "A shooting star!" Lailomeiel said as she looked at the shimmering streak of blue and white light making its journey across the night sky. She enjoyed following the light with her eyes when suddenly, a great number of shooting stars came into view. The stardust even fell to them as soft glitters and they would form butterflies that fluttered around them and dolphins leaping from the waves. She then knew that those weren't natural shooting stars but enchanted fireworks. She turned around and saw Legolas grinning. "I knew you like them and that you dream of dolphins… so I asked the old man to do me a little favor." He said as he grinned at his fiancée. Reaching down to his pocket, he fished a small box in it and handed it to her. "Go on, take it." He encouraged as she took it from his hand and opened it. She gasped at what was inside. "Legolas… this is…" She said softly as she couldn't believe her eyes. "… Legs, this is…" She trailed off as she looked at the ring she was holding between her fingers. It was a simple but very elegant ring. It was made of curving gold and crystal bands that support a large diamond that shimmers as little light touches it. Around it were several tiny blue diamonds that gave it a more regal look. Legolas took the ring from her and slipped it to her finger. "Leggy, you shouldn't give me this… this means so much to you and your family." "You mean more than that to me Leigh." He said softly as he faced her to him. Tears ran down Lailomeiel's eyes. She knew that this ring is the symbol of Mirkwood's royal family and that this ring was a very important reminder of Legolas's mother and him giving this to her, what had transpired as she met him again rushed into her like raging water. Legolas smiled and gathered her again into his arms, feeling her snuggle closer to him. "Are you crying because you don't like the ring?" He said as he laughed. Lailomeiel sniffed and looked up at him. "I'm just so happy Legolas, I never thought that somebody would really love someone like me… and I never thought, that that someone, would be you." Looking down on her, he wiped away her tears. She was sincere, if not he would know, but she doesn't lie to him. She never did on such serious matters. "Lailomeiel, you are all to me. I never want to part with you again, I do not want to feel what I have felt that day I left you ever again, do you understand that dearest? You are the reason why I am alive and beyond that. You are the most wonderful person I know, you know me better than I know myself and I to you… so tell me my love, why would I not love you and ask you to not marry me while you are the only person I can spend eternity with, for with you I am complete and everything is perfect." He said as he bent down and kissed her deeply.

Two months later…

"Your thoughts are running deep love." Lailomeiel said as she began to braid a thin lock of his hair with her long fingers. Legolas shifted as to face her and gathered her closely to him. "I thought you were asleep."

"I felt you… is something the matter?" She asked as she looked up at him.

"Nothing love, you should go back to sleep." He replied as he nuzzled her. Lailomeiel laughed as Legolas nuzzled the crook of her neck, he knew that she was very ticklish at that place. "Leggie, oh my…!" She gasped as Legolas ran his fingers inside her. Legolas grinned devilishly at her as he faced her, then softly, the look on his face turned into that of concern. Legolas thought that she wouldn't notice but he was wrong. She cupped his face into her hands and made her look straight at her. Looking into the deep pools of his eyes, she exactly knew what was wrong. She smiled back, not the smile she usually gives him, but a very stirring one, the smile she rarely gives, and Legolas nodded. "You can do it Leggy, I know you would." She said consolingly as she brought his head down at her and kissed his temple. His hair spilled down on her making a sheer curtain at their faces. Legolas looked at his beloved's face, tracing the features of her face with his fingers, he settled on tracing the shape of her lips as he answered her. "Leigh, this… this new responsibility… I don't know if I can do this, Mirkwood and the Great Lands, what if… what if something bad happened, what if I was not fit for this responsibility, what if…" Legolas was broken by Lailomeiel's hushes. She firmly cupped his face in her hands. "Oh stop your what ifs and your whining love…" She teased as Legolas rolled over to her side and stared at the ceiling instead. His face has a very worried look on it. She shifted her position and looked down on him. "Oh c'mon Legolas, I was just kidding." She said teasingly as she nudged him on his shoulder. Sensing that his mood was turned to awfully serious that moment, she stopped teasing him and settled by resting her head on his chest, running her hand in a circle, feeling the softness of his skin and the hardness of his muscle that stretched at his torso. Kissing the place where his heart was beating. "You need not to be afraid, I am here love." She whispered. Legolas looked at her head, which was resting on his chest. He caressed her back as stared back up at the ceiling. "You think I can do it?" He asked absentmindedly.

"Yes, you can, I have faith in you dear." She replied as she kissed his chest again. Legolas lifted her as if she weighed nothing and propped her on his lap as he sat. Letting her head slink at the crook of his neck. "What if I fail love? Would you leave me?" His tone was like that of a child's that Lailomeiel looked up at him and faced him to her by holding his chin. "You WILL not fail love and… leave you? Legolas, no matter what would happen I would not leave you. So if I were you I'll go and get some sleep for tomorrow… you would be officially the King of Mirkwood… and of the Great Lands." She said confidently as she kissed him squarely in the mouth. "Tell you a secret hun, I truly believe that you will be a great King, and I know you can do it, I have faith in you, so I don't want to see you skulking there… I love you Leggy." She said as she kissed him again. She was about to lie on her back beside him but he tightened his grip on her, he meant to not let her go. "Lailomeiel?"

"Legolas?"

"I love you." He said dreamily as he kissed her ear.

Lailomeiel closed her eyes as she snuggled closer to him. They were there in his room back in Mirkwood. The room where she used to sneak around when they were kids. Lailomeiel relished the memories as she breathed Legolas scent. It was a boy's room before, but half a millennium did not change the aura that radiated from the room. Then she remembered something that made her back straighten. "Leggie?"

"Hmm?"

"You remember Bajoohiliggan?" She said as she moved away from him. Legolas quirked an eyebrow. "Yabajoohiliggan? Yes love, but the night is already old, come back to me." He said as he patted the space she came from. Bajoohiliggan was their old invented game. It was when one hides something in the most blatant hiding place. The catch was that to ignore it until the finder forgets everything about it and thinks that it's just an ordinary ornament… but then again, it contains some hidden message. Lailomeiel stood up from the bed fluidly, letting the sheets cling to her body as they can't reach it anymore and fell to the floor. Naked now, Legolas watched her move around his room as the light from the moon heightens her features. Legolas felt the build ups of his arousal. She never was so shy of him. "If I remember correctly… I placed it right under…" Legolas got up from the bed and went behind Lailomeiel. He too was naked. She was fumbling behind the corbel of the fireplace. Finally, she succeeded in removing the ornamental stone as she fished a small bottle; inside it folded a brittle parchment, yellowed from age. "What the…? When did you put this?" Legolas said as he unrolled the parchment. The light of the moon caused the ink to shimmer, for the ink she used was that rare ink that mithrandir's use for only specific people to see the message written using that ink. The message was from Lailomeiel.

"A message from the past love." She grinned as she swathed her arm to his waist. Reading her message a thousand years ago from behind his shoulder. It read: Leggy Leggie Lego Legs, You dumb yob, I know you would never find this… so yeah, you owe me one. But if you did, well, your such a great dork and I know that I will owe you one so, whatever. Anyway, I love you Leggie, and I know that one day, you would be a great great King and I, a Queen too but not as great as you would be… for even though you are stupid and is low in picking up things… you have a big heart that I think is the best thing a person can have… and people with big, golden hearts such as yours are rare. So if you feel really bad about something, say this: "I'm Legolas, and I can do it." So ink's running low now so yeah, until next time Leggie. Love, Lailomeiel.

Legolas let out a diminutive chortle for the letter was written in Lailomeiel's old scrawny and hen-scratched handwriting. It was full of scribbles and x's that Legolas really found amusing. "Do you still write like this today love?" He said, amused as he grinned and lifted her in his arms. Lailomeiel grinned back at him "No, not anymore… maybe you do, yours is much worse." She said, accusingly. Legolas smirked at what she said. "I think love, that you went against a little rule." He said as he face her, still smirking. Lailomeiel frowned. "What rule?" "Rule number 1, let the finder know where it is hidden." Lailomeiel blanched. She did forget that rule, but there is no way she's going to back down so she thought that a little white lie can help. "I did tell you." She said defiantly. Still with his smirk, Legolas raised an eyebrow. "Really, and when is that?" Lailomeiel rolled her eyes; he is going to win in this little game. She knew it but she decided to fight until the end. "When… when I said goodbye to you."

Legolas grinned menacingly, which made Lailomeiel squirm. Her punishment… she doesn't even want to think about it. For if one makes a mistake about this game, that person would have to do what the other person wished--- with no qualms. You object… double the punishment. Oh she knows this alright, for she was the one who invented the game and the random title that goes with it. "Really… but you never said anything about it love… and don't tell me one of your little white lies anymore darling because I still remember that day you left…" Propping her on his bed, relishing the sight of her nakedness, he bent down and whispered to her ear: "And I guess that you have to be punished for that my love… but don't fret my sweet, for I will personally see to it that you would love the sentence." He whispered huskily to her ear as he started to trail butterfly kisses down her breasts.

"Leggie…" She moaned as Legolas went lower. "Leggie, tomorrow would be our… our coronation love." She managed to say, as she was writhing by the pleasure cause none other than her fiancé. Legolas moved up to face her, making his weight slightly heavier for Lailomeiel. "So?" He leered at her. Lailomeiel rolled her eyes. "So… so what would they think of us then?" Legolas beamed at her lithely. "Are you sure that is what you want me to do?" He teased as he swooped down to lick her ears. Lailomeiel suppressed her laughter because she was very ticklish at that place! "Tell me love, do you really want me to stop?" He mocked at her as he teased her with his hardness while he lavished attention to her neck then down to her breasts. "I guess I don't want to." She said as she bit her lower lip. She had never been so forward. Legolas went back upwards and watched her, slowly, with much love radiating from his eyes, he gathered her tightly to his arms and slowly went down to kiss her sweet lips.

The day of the coronation…

All the rulers of all the elven lands in Middle-Earth as well as friends from different races came that day. The coronation would be held at the West Gardens of the great palace of Mirkwood in the afternoon. Since early that morning, even before the first light of dawn filters down to canopies of the trees, the Mirkwood elves, as well from those of the Great Lands that the Lady Lailomeiel rules are full of activity with all the preparations that have to be done during today's event. Gandalf, Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel are the ones who would be crowning the future rulers that day. As everyone was busy with all the work, the two lovers were still lying in their bed.

"Legolas, I think I have to go back to my room now." Lailomeiel said as she shifted and kissed Legolas in the temple before softly chucking the tip of his nose. "I love you." She whispered to his ear as she tried to sit and pick up her brocade robe that Legolas had had her remove it before him last night. She was about to bend down when a pair of strong arms brought her back to bed. "Leggy, it's already late in the morning… if they see me here, it would be a scandal."

"You're my fiancé." He said defiantly.

Lailomeiel giggled as he kissed the bone between her breasts. "I know love but some people can be rude asses sometimes." Legolas chuckled at her predicament. She would be crowned as Queen that day and that tongue of hers would soon spark some rumors and gossips.

Legolas stood from the bed and helped her up. Picking up her robe, he put it on her and kissed her swiftly. Holding her with his arm and while the other was caressing her face, he looked at her lustfully and said, "and I can't wait to get your dress off your body later my love." Legolas felt a blow in his abdomen then he heard her laughter. "You and your lasciviousness." She said as she bit her lip and moved her hand down to his member, and began stroking it, but when she felt that he was already aroused, she stopped. "Why you!" Legolas said as she pried away from him as she headed for the door. "See you later loser." She teased him playfully as she closed the door. "We'll see whose the loser later my lady." Legolas whispered to himself as his smile spread between his two ears.

Every one of the invited guests came and all those present in the event were even more than they expected. They were all buzzing with excitement as the coronation march began. The first one to enter was Gandalf, followed by Celeborn and Galadriel, then Elrond and Thranduil, and Briarvale and then followed by Legolas and Lailomeiel. Gandalf was the one who first went on the dais while the elves sat on their respective seats.

"Good afternoon, my dear friends. What we will be having today is a special event. And indeed a very special one. But before that, I want to tell you that before there were great rulers---" Legolas wasn't able to follow what Gandalf was saying because he was very nervous. Although he managed to make himself not look like one, the beautiful elf beside him knows as he felt her hand tenderly squeezing his. Legolas looked at her, her gaze was directed at all the people, he tried to look around too but he found it hard to take his eyes away from her. Damn, every day she becomes more and more beautiful. She was wearing her hair in a bun fixed by the elven maids, something which was rare to see because she loved wearing her hair down or just tied in a simple fashion and not as elegantly sophisticated as she was now. She was wearing a light silver blue dress entwined with tiny crystals, which brought her beauty to heights. She was looking around the façade when she caught his gaze. She looked up at him and smiled. Legolas smiled back.

"---and now, my friends, the King of Mirkwood, Lord Thranduil, will speak." Gandalf bellowed as he parted to make for King Thranduil to deliver his speech. Both Legolas and Lailomeiel looked up at him to listen with what he was going to say. "This is a special day indeed as my good friend Mithrandir here just said. For today, not only will two young royals will become rightful rulers, but also, one good land will join another. For all of you knows, that my son, Legolas and Lailomeiel, the daughter of Arcilleon and Eldarin Silverwind, the future Queen of the Great Lands, will become one family in a matter of months, so that would leave us into two lands fused into one. Now, this land, Greenwood, which became Mirkwood when darkness has fallen but is now gone, and the Great Lands, a land which is full of promise and bounty. No borders will our people know for all the barriers would be gone. Greatwood, is now born!" With this the crowd cheered. Legolas watched his beloved as she looked around and up to him again, then he nodded reassuringly at her. Lailomeiel knew his message… everything would be all right. They were both lost in their gazes as Thranduil ushered them to be crowned together. "Legolas, Lailomé, are you ready?" Gandalf whispered to the two elves kneeling before him. The two nodded as Gandalf said the usual formalities. And when the crowns have been laid on the two of them, Legolas stood up and helped Lailomeiel as they bowed before all those that they would rule.

"In two weeks time, the joining of the two lands would be official." Mused Elrond as he played with his wine glass.

"There should be a great celebration for unions like these happens rarely." Said Galadriel.

"I agree with you. But do not fret my friends for my children will eventually get a celebration they deserve." Thranduil said as he looked around for his son and daughter. "And speaking of which… where are they?"

Everyone looked around the Great Hall of Mirkwood as elders craned their heads around in search of the two new rulers. Gandalf let out a small laugh as he put down his goblet.

"I would leave them alone if I were you."