The Mystery of Love

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Chapter Thirty-Nine

Pain Revealed

~~~POV-REYNA LINDELE~~~

Night had fallen by the time anyone approached me again. I had quickly retreated to my bedroom in embarrassment.

Arwen knocked softly on my door, "Reyna? May I come in?"

I rolled over in my queen-sized bed. The covers were rippling over my body. I was still in my tunic and leggings but just waking up. My voice was groggy and distorted, "Suit yourself."

With hardly a sound, she opened the door and crept in. "What is bothering you?"

Sitting up lazily, I smiled at her. "Nothing." My façade could have used some work, much to my dismay.

"Liar." There was no hesitation in her tone; she was not going to leave until I explained my absence from dinner.

I laughed, "Well, I kissed Legolas on the lips." I wanted to explain how awkward I had felt when he had not said anything, but I remained silent.

Arwen's merry laughter echoed softly, "Are you feigning?" She thought this was a joke, how horrible I felt!

"I wish I were." A heavy sigh escaped me. Part of me did wish that I could erase the last five hours and start over, but it was not to be. The first kiss we would ever share was ruined by my stupidity.

She smiled, "I am sure you don't. What was it like?" Pink hues captured my cheeks.

I shrugged, "Not much to it. I stood on my tiptoes, gave him a kiss, and ran off embarrassed." Another lie, there was much more to the tale then that. So much more, that I was positive that Arwen would never believe me. I was wrong.

Arwen smiled, "You are so cute. That's not a real kiss." I felt like I had been slapped. Not a real kiss? It felt like one to me. I felt sparks fly and all those other clichés held true.

"Then what is?"

Before Arwen could reply, Legolas walked in and smiled. Arwen immediately stood and departed. I made a mental note to yell at her later.

Legolas's eyes were filled with trouble. "Reyna, why did you kiss me?"

I wanted to cry, "I know it was foolish, but I love you Legolas!"

"How can you love me if you will bed your enemy but not me! I am not saying I was to make love to you, but I want to know how you can do that with him and then be too shy to even kiss me with passion!"

I was taken aback by his words. "With passion? I was so terrified and nervous that I was about to faint! How was I to know you felt this way? I did what I did with Rauko because it was the only way to keep him from enchanting me and to make him an easy target."

"All is fair in love and war...is that what you are saying?"

"Not all is fair in love but yes, all is fair in war."

He sighed exasperatedly. "Look, do you love me or not?"

I climbed out of my bed and walked out onto the balcony. A soft drizzle was falling and clinging to my robe. The satin red robe I was wearing soon grew heavy. "Legolas..."

He approached me and put his arms around my waist. Silently, he placed a kiss on my throat. "Mani melamin?" {What my love?}

A fire was stirring in my soul. "I love you." The words were simple, but true.

He turned me around to face him. Dewdrops clung to his hair and eyebrows. He slipped something onto my finger. I looked down to see a ring on my finger. There was a emerald cut ruby in the center of the sterling silver ring. I held it up to look at it more closely. There was a flame in the center. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

He unwrapped my arms and looked me in the eye. "Reyna, that is the ring I am supposed to give to my Other."

I paused and stared deep into his eyes. No matter how hard I searched, I found only love. I grinned goofily, "Thank you!"

Legolas smiled, "Cathelle, are you saying you think you are my Other?"

With a quick shake of my head I smiled. "I know I am your Other."

Hope filled his eyes, "Will you marry me?"

I stepped back, "Legolas, one step at a time. I will wear this ring as a sign of our love but I will not bond with you until I am positive that we are close enough. Until then, I wear this to show others that we are courting."

He nodded without hesitation, "That is enough for me. Far more then I had hoped."

A blush covered my cheeks, "I told Arwen I kissed you and she said that wasn't a real kiss. Do you think, perhaps, that now it is time?"

Legolas shook his head, "Not quite. I will kiss you when I feel the time is right."

I nodded, "I will be waiting."

"As I will be waiting for you to bond with me."

He took my hand, "Dinner has passed but I am sure we can pester the cooks into something."

I laughed merrily, "Ok. First, let me change." I stepped behind my dressing screen and pulled on a pale blue slip. Over it I wore a transparent periwinkle colored cloak. I looked in the mirror and gasped. Legolas was peering around the corner of the screen at me.

I turned, "How long were you there?"

He put his hands in the air in forfeit, "I dare only look after I heard you slip on the slip all the way."

A blush covered my lips, "What do you think?"

He kissed my hand as he took it, "Lovely." Legolas walked with me out the door and down the hall towards the kitchen.

~~~POV CHANGE-LEGOLAS THRANDULLION~~~

Without a word being spoken I led Reyna back to her room. We had shared a small meal and she had told me she was tired. As we reached her door, I stopped. "Quel du." {Good Night.}

She didn't answer back, and she didn't let go of my hand. "I can still feel his touch on me, let me feel yours instead."

My heart was racing with desire. I did not know what to do. I followed her into her chambers and she slipped off her cloak. I turned before she removed her slip. I heard the sound of clothing falling to the ground. Suddenly, her fingers brushed mine. I was afraid to open my eyes. She whispered in Fae, "Yar tem wera." {It is ok.} Her voice was but a breath. It was mystifying.

I opened my eyes to see her in a small breast band and underwear. A gasp caught in my throat, it was not right for me to see her like this. I was frozen. She began to unbutton my tunic and remove it. I felt it slip from my body.

She walked me over to the bed and sat me down. Without a word, she removed my boots. Reyna climbed onto the bed and lay down, "Are you going to join me?" Again, her voice was but a whisper.

Desire swelling within me, I lay down next to her. Much to my confusion, she rested her head on my chest.

Before I could sort my words into a sentence, she was sleeping. I ran my fingers through her hair. She smelled of sweet cinnamon and roses. I kissed the tips of her hair as I combed them. "Quel du, melamin." {Good night, my love.}

I began to hum the elvish lullaby to her as I too drifted into a joyous slumber.

~~~To Be Continued~~~

R&R plz.