disclaimer: don't own it if you recognize it. no suing allowed. you won't get much.

Jenn: thanks for reading and reviewing! here's the update. read away.

Maren L P: glad you like it. much more to come.

Alora: thanks for the review! i try to work in description because i don't like reading stories that don't have very much description. it leaves me at kind of a loss of what to think about. and constructive criticism is always welcome and i appreciate it…it helps me know what to do with the story. i use phrases like that for Linilya/Elenayave because she is technically from our world and she will use words and expressions that are familiar to us because she was one of us at one point. they will decrease as time goes by and she adjusts more, but they will interject every now and then.

Chapter 8

"What is going on here?" Elenayave (Linilya had finally agreed to the name) exclaimed, the confusion clearly apparent on her face.

"King Thranduil has asked that we move all your belongings back into your room, my lady," Elaren answered without hesitation, carrying several sets of clothes out of the healing room.

"For what?"

"Because the rooms are needed by others, and seeing as you're feeling better, you should be staying with the Prince again."

Elenayave's mouth dropped open. First, she had agreed to let everyone call her Elenayave and not Linilya. Then, she had agreed to wear a gown to the ball for the previous evening. Now, they wanted her to move in with Legolas?

"I can't move in with him!"

"Why not, my lady? He is your husband," Elaren stated with a firm nod of her head.

"Oh no, no, no," Elenayave grabbed the clothes out of Elaren's grasp and started to head in the other direction.

"My lady! What are you doing?" Elaren cried out.

"Taking these back to where I'm staying!" Elenayave shouted down the hall. "And that is not in the Prince's room!" Elenayave turned the corner in the corridor, almost to the door of her room.

"But my Princess, why ever not?" a sickly sweet voice crooned from in front of her. "Have you gained displeasure with the Prince? Does he no longer care for you?"

"Who the hell are you?" Elenayave snapped, slightly perturbed with her sudden interruption.

"Oh, you poor thing!" she tsked, shaking her head. "You must have lost more than blood when you were taken if you don't remember us," the woman intoned in a sing song voice that Elenayave noticed immediately was phony. Over her shoulder, she could see three other elleths, poorly attempting to veil snide laughter.

She gazed at the woman, taking in her appearance. The intruder was a she-Elf, and a beautiful one at that. Her long curly blond hair tumbled down her back in perfect ringlets. Sapphire eyes blazed back at her with a hint of anger, and a counterfeit smile adorned her pretty features. Her skin was cream colored and smooth and her features soft, but her nose looked slightly…crooked, would be the best word for it. She was tall and slender with a graceful figure, and her voice was probably the most annoying thing Elenayave had ever heard, half-way between sickly sweet and sarcasm. Her friends all seemed equally beautiful, making Elenayave feel out of place among such ethereal creatures, but she could sense the insincerity radiating from them in waves.

"It must be hard not remembering anything," came the nauseating voice again. "Since you must be reminded, your highness, I am the Lady Alaninwen, daughter of the king's personal guard. I live here in the palace, along with you and the Prince. I have since I was born, much longer than yourself, I might add."

Just the way she said it made Elenayave cringe. She had the feeling that she and Alaninwen hadn't been the best of friends before her accident.

"What do you want, Lady Alaninwen?" she questioned, sighing.

"Nothing you could give me," she snapped. "It just seems odd, the Princess insisting she sleep elsewhere…anywhere her husband is not…especially when her husband is the Prince of Mirkwood. Or have the two of you had a falling out?" Alaninwen queried, sarcasm and hope dripping from every word.

Elenayave stiffened. They hadn't had a falling out. In fact, they were getting along perfectly. It had been two weeks since she had spoken with Gandalf, and Legolas was helping her to readjust to the Great Wood. He had been nothing short of fantastic. Though, she could sense how desperately he wished to be with her. It was in his every touch, his every word. His eyes silently begged her to submit each time she looked at him.

"Oh..." Alaninwen gasped. "You haven't, have you? How terrible!"

Suddenly, recognition of Alaninwen came streaming into her system. It was as if she had just remembered who Alaninwen was. Several recollections flashed before her eyes, and her anger mounted. Alaninwen was one of those particularly tasteless and insipid elleths Legolas had mentioned in her dream. She only cared for herself and her cronies, and had been tenacious in her pursuit of Legolas for centuries, wishing for him to finally give up and marry her. She put others down mercilessly and taunted and teased those who were too weak to defend themselves. Immediately, Elenayave wanted nothing more than to prove Alaninwen wrong.

"Of course we haven't," she replied, sugaring her voice. "In fact, Legolas and I are staying together in his room."

"We are?" Legolas's voice called out from behind her. He stepped beside her and gazed questioningly at her.

"Of course we are! Why wouldn't we be?" Elenayave asked, glaring at Alaninwen with steely eyes.

Legolas quickly caught on and grinned. "I don't know. I don't have a clue what I was thinking. Conversations with Father tend to do that to one's mind. Oh, hello Alaninwen," he said sweetly. "How are you this evening?"

"Fine," she huffed, stomping away, her friends not far behind her. "Good evening!"

Legolas and Elenayave watched her go, smiles spread across their faces. Legolas snaked his arm around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Are you really moving in?" he asked hopefully.

Elenayave thought for a moment and sighed. "I don't see how it could hurt to try," she replied. Legolas beamed and she quickly added, "I am making no promises, Legolas."

"That's all right," he stated. "It'll be enough to have you in my arms again."

Elenayave smiled warmly. "Thank you, Legolas. Where exactly is your room?"

Legolas laughed and spun her around. "Not that way." He took her hand and led her down the hall until Elaren came into sight again. "Second door from here on the right, love."

"Oh, and Legolas?"

"Yes, mela?"

"What happened to Alaninwen's nose? It looked, slightly crooked," she intoned.

Legolas seemed unable to stop the smile from spreading across his features. "You struck her."

"Oh. I think I might remember that," she replied giggling.

Elenayave followed his previous instruction and entered the room. She stopped short, Legolas almost running into her from behind. She gasped at what she saw. Her room had been nothing compared to his. The rich wooden furniture and wooden floors were polished to a shine. A large bookcase stood on the far end of the room, filled with books and scrolls. An ornately carved desk sat next to it, several papers and quills spread over its surface. An oversized bed was in the middle of the room, its head against the closest wall. It was carved from luxuriant maple wood, and leaf and branch patterns were on the sides. Four tall canopy posts held up the light silk covering that almost hid the bed behind it. Soft, plush pillows and velvet, satin, and silk bedclothes were made up neatly, making the divan appear extremely comfortable. Two nightstands were next to the bed, one on each side. Each held several candles and some papers, along with some other small objects. There was a vanity in the corner with a mirror, the solid gold frame wrought into the shape of many flowers. An entrance way led to what appeared to be a balcony, and the breeze blew gently into the room, rustling the gauzy curtains.

The room had four doors. The first, which she had come through, led in and out of the room. The second, a larger door, opened into a great closet, containing many clothes. On one side, there were robes of various materials, pair after pair of leggings and riding pants, and tunics of every color. Below them were several pairs of boots: riding boots, hunting boots, everyday boots, dancing boots. On the other side, there were pants and tunics and boots, but there were also gowns and dresses and skirts. Some were silk and satin, some were velvet, and some were material she'd never seen before. There were also shoes for every occasion, some for dancing and some for riding.

The third door was actually a set of double glass doors that led to a bathing chamber. A large sunken tub was in the middle of the room, filled with steaming water, bubbles, and rose petals. Plush, cuddly towels hung from a metal rack next to the bath, and a sink was mounted on the wall of the room. A small lavatory was tucked away in the corner out of sight, and a petite cabinet hung on the wall, filled with scented oils and soaps.

The fourth door was elaborately decorated with pictures of a woodland scene carved into it. It opened into what seemed to be a nursery. A mural was painted along the walls, making the room appear to be in the out of doors. Shelves lined one wall, filled with books, and toys, and everything else a child could possibly want. Two matching cribs stood off in one corner, adorned with lavish blankets and small pillows. Next to them were two little cradles, also matching in their appearance. In another corner, there was a small changing and washing area with little cabinets to keep clothes and cloth diapers in. Near that, two rocking chairs stood motionless, sticking out in the vibrant room. A small balcony led outside, but the edges were guarded by an intricate lattice work.

Overall, the room, or she should she deem them, rooms, were spectacular. It was absolutely breathtaking. She stood there a moment, taking it all in. "It's beautiful," she finally managed to say. "Absolutely gorgeous."

Legolas moved in behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders. He brought his cheek down next to hers and nuzzled her gently. "That's what you said when you came in here the first time, the night of our wedding," he whispered, sharing the piece of information with her. He took the clothes from her arms and handed them off to Elaren as she bustled about the room, setting things in order. "Do you like it?"

"I love it, but right now, I really want to try out that bed. It looks so much more comfortable than the one I had at home," she stated, moving away from him. She lightly pushed the canopy aside and flopped over onto the bed. She immediately sank into the posh coverings and the soft material caressed and warmed her body. Elenayave sighed contentedly in enjoyment. "This is really nice. I love this bed!"

"It's one of the best in the palace," Legolas explained. "Feather-topped with down. I've had it for a while now. Extremely comfortable," he stated, joining her. "Perfect for tickling on."

Elenayave didn't realize the meaning of his statement until it was too late. Legolas's fingers had descended to her belly where her shirt had ridden up, baring her skin to him. Elenayave squealed and wriggled, trying to get away from his skilled hands, but to no avail. She started giggling uncontrollably, giving up on escaping. She sat up and pushed against him, but he pulled her into him and quickly wrapped his arms around her. She glanced up at him and he pressed his forehead against hers, making her look directly into his eyes.

"Nin mel lle," he whispered before bringing his lips softly down on hers. They were soft and inviting, and Elenayave found her composure wavering before her. He gently sucked on her bottom lip, occasionally nipping on it with his teeth. He was toying with her, she realized, and she started to giggle again. He pulled away and smiled warmly. He quirked his brow in question, but she pulled herself closer to him and hugged him. Then, surprising herself, she softly pressed a kiss to his lips.

"I love you too, I think," she whispered.

"You think?"

"I had a dream the other night. About our wedding. I seemed so happy and so in love, so I figured there must be something about you," she stated, grinning. "I must've loved you a lot to decide to marry you, you silly Elf."

Legolas grinned and nuzzled against her cheek. Elenayave could hear the strong beating of his heart in the silence that followed. She allowed her body to move with the gentle rise and fall created by his deep breathing. Finally, he broke the silence.

"Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien says that we have one of the strongest bonds there is in all of Middle Earth," he stated quietly, softly caressing her cheek with his palm.

"Really now? Tell me, Legolas, what exactly is a bond?" Elenayave questioned, leaning further into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her and held her there, captive against the hard, yet supple form of his body. He breathed in deeply and sighed before starting.

"A bond is something that two people, two Elves, share that connects them in every way: mentally, emotionally and spiritually. When the two Elves are wed, or even sometimes before, they decide to make their bond. Bonds are only made when the two know for a fact that the other person is their true mate. Otherwise, the bond will not be valid, but cannot be broken."

"So, if two Elves bond that don't really love each other, they can't be with someone else because they're still committed to the first one?"

"Exactly. So the time for bonding is carefully determined by both Elves to make sure it is what they truly want. Unless, of course, the two know right away that they were meant to be together, which does occasionally happen. Once the bond is decided on, it is carried out in the traditional way…" Legolas trailed off.

"Which is…?" Elenayave pursued.

"The male would take the lady into his bed," Legolas stated, pausing for a moment at the look on her face. "You have to understand that even though the Elves can have a close relationship outside of a bond, a bond must be made in order for the couple to truly be able to express their feeling. Through a bond, neither Elf must hold anything back from the other; they are completely open and unguarded. It is the highest level of intimacy and confidence two people can share.

"Once the two are bound, they can communicate telepathically, with or without words. They can feel any emotion or experience that the other is feeling or going through. They know when the other is in danger or is not safe. Their ultimate purpose is to protect and cherish each other for the rest of eternity."

"How is the bond made, though? Not just from getting it on, right?"

Legolas looked at her questioningly, but seemed to understand her expression. "No. Among the Elves, when two people join bodies, it is taken very seriously. Bonding is a slow experience, not because of inability, but because of the need to preserve the intimacy and passion of the act itself." At this statement, a faint blush spread over his cheeks, and he paused for a moment. "The male would take his time to please his lady before ever thinking of his own release, much unlike Men. Personally, I never understood why humans had to rush everything, but…"

"Legolas…"

"Yes, anyway. It is at the final point of climax, when the two lovers' bodies are completely joined together at the point where one does not end or begin, that their souls meet and interweave. The two would then pledge their bond and it would be complete. Once the bond is forged, there is no turning back. If either person should die, the other would fade slowly, unless otherwise held to the earth. Grief and despair would claim them, and their life would ebb until eventually they left this world and passed into Mandos to be with their love."

"Like your father. He lives because of you," Elenayave said softly.

"Aye, he does. He promised Naneth he would stay, if anything happened…"

"I think I understand," she whispered, letting the information seep in. She lay back on the bed and inhaled deeply, smelling his familiar scent through her nostrils. He smelled of the woods, she decided, right after a short rain, and all the flowers were opening, and the grass was still dewy. She smiled up at him, and he grinned back, then joined her on his side, lying next to her. She shifted into his arms and rested her head against his chest, feeling his soft breathing with every rise and fall.

"Do you want me to sleep in here with you tonight? Or would you have me stay in the nursery?" he asked softly.

"There's no bed in the nursery, Legolas," she stated simply. "Unless you plan to sleep in the crib. But I think you're a little big for that. You're not a little boy anymore."

He pulled her closer and sighed, suddenly bringing his mouth down to nibble on her ear. She shrieked in surprise and pulled away, giggling. "Though it doesn't keep you from acting like one!"

"I never really grew up, you know," he affirmed.

"I see that."

"So it doesn't bother you if I sleep in here?"

"It's your bed. Besides, it's big enough. We can share."

"Good," he whispered softly, hugging her tightly. "One more question."

"What?"

"May I have another kiss?"

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