Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings, J.R.R Tolkien does!

A/N: So sorry this has taken me longer than usual to get this chapter up, Uni was winding up and I had heaps of stuff due, you now how it is. And I know the title is a Limp Bizkit song, the chapter has nothing to do with it however, just like the wording for the title. Anyway on with the tale!

Chapter 12: Behind Blue Eyes

The next morning had been as if in a dream for Aranel, Legolas had woken her bright and early, and despite Aranel's good natured complaining they had managed to steal away for an early breakfast to watch the sun rise.

"I did want to talk to you about this Aranel," Legolas had begun, gently entwining his deft fingers with hers.

"You want to keep this quite." Aranel answered, before Legolas could finish. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes…how did you know?" Legolas had queried, smiling and raising an eyebrow in her direction. Aranel had just shrugged in reply, determined not to look at him but smiling into the rising sun.

"Just did." Was all she said after a moment, and so it was decided that, for now, their relationship would remain behind the scenes until they were ready to face the world with it.

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Three weeks later they had managed to still keep their relationship a secret. Aranel was finally completely satisfied in her life, her relationship with Legolas was growing ever stronger, she had progressed quite far into her studies; she had managed to pick up on skills a lot easier than she had in the past, things were finally becoming natural to her, and Evandar appeared, for now at least, to have given her a brake from his constant badgering about Legolas.

Aranel lay now, on the grassy banks of a lake not far from the palace and read a rather large book on the defence magic she had been learning recently, Evandar thinking she may need to use it for some reason in the near future. She looked up when a shadow crossed the pages to find Legolas standing above her smiling as he watched her.

"Can I help you sir?" Aranel asked playfully, smiling back as he knelt beside her.

"Indeed, I believe you can. I've been searching for a young maiden I met once who had promised to meet me for lunch and upon waiting for her she, alas, failed to come. Ah how my heart aches for her! You wouldn't by chance know of her would you?" he answered, closing Aranel's book for her and raising his eyebrows in question.

"Oh God! Legolas, I'm sorry! I completely forgot with all this work. Can you forgive me?" She answered, feeling horribly guilty for standing him up and pouting slightly as she asked for forgiveness.

Legolas chuckled slightly before answering. "You could get away with murder with a face like that my sweet." He brushed his lips over hers gently as she lay there, before deepening his kiss as her hands snaked their way over his chest to the back of his neck to pull him closer. Aranel could feel him smile against her lips before they finally broke apart.

"A girl could get use to that." She whispered, sitting up slowly.

"I intend you to." Was Legolas's reply as he ran his hand gently through her hair.

They were silent for a moment before Legolas voiced something that had been pestering him for days know. "Evandar has been giving you an unusual amount of work recently do you not think."

"Yes, he seems to think as my skill grows stronger he needs to push me harder."

Legolas nodded to her reply, still not satisfied though. "You do not think it has anything to do with us?" he asked, though it could have been taken as statement rather than a question.

"How could it? He can't possibly know, I haven't said anything to him, if anything I've distanced myself from him."

Legolas only nodded again as he stared off into the distance as he often did when in thought, Aranel bringing him back as her hand gently brushed his cheek. "Why have you been distancing yourself? He's the only Fay you have left here at the moment, I would have thought that would bring you closer." Legolas finally asked at her questioning gaze.

"You'd rather I was closer to him?"

"You know how I feel about Evandar, Aranel. I can not pretend I like the amount of time he spends with you but he is your friend and I do not wish to come between any link you have with your own kind."

Aranel nodded her understanding, she know of Legolas's jealousy towards the Sky Lord, but also knew that until her father returned he would respect Illindor's decision in his choice as Evandar for her guardian, even if it was just to keep the peace.

"I just don't trust him like I use to, that's all." Aranel finally replied.

"Why's that, has he done something to hurt-"

"No, he hasn't done anything, there's just something that doesn't feel right with him." Aranel cut him off.

"You'd tell me if-"

"Yes Legolas, you'd be the first to know if he harmed me. Like I could hide it from you anyway." Aranel said, cutting him off yet again and nudging him playfully, earning a small smile in return.

"That's true," Legolas conceded, standing and offering a hand to Aranel. "Walk with me?"

"I should study you know."

"And I should be doing many other things as well but this is much more fun." He answered as he pulled her up.

They headed round the lake, Aranel with book in one hand and Legolas's hand entwined in the other, lost in conversation as they so often were.

Aranel came to a halt by the bank, slipping her shoes off and dipping her toes into the cool water, seeking relief from the hot summer sun.

"Need cooling off lirimaer?" Legolas asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"You wouldn't…"

"Wouldn't I?" Legolas replied, stripping of his top layer and boots to leave him in a lite tunic and leggings, advancing on Aranel slowly.

"Legolas don't you dare!" Aranel warned, backing off slowly. Legolas's smile only broadened as he moved to the side, blocking her between the lake and himself, cutting off any escape.

"I'll scream." Aranel threatened hopelessly.

"Indeed."

"Legolas…"

"Aranel…" Legolas said, using her tone of voice, still advancing ever closer. "There is no escape lirimaer, surrender now and I shall be merciful."

"No you wont." Aranel replied laughing as she felt the water lap at the hem of her dress.

"Ah, you know me to well."

"I can't get wet in this dress Legolas, there's nothing of it as it is!" Aranel pleaded, thinking of the thin fabric of the summer dress she wore as Legolas reached her, wrapping his arms securely around her, preventing much movement.

"I know, that just makes things a little more interesting, wouldn't you say?"

"Legolas!" But before Aranel could get much more out he had scooped her up into his arms, silencing her with his lips as he charged deeper into the water and suddenly dunked both of them into it.

Aranel fought frantically to free herself, finally managing and swimming deeper into the lake, turning to see Legolas's torso as he surfaced. She watched as he spun this way and that looking for her as he called out. Finally the need for oxygen overcame her and she surfaced, gulping in the fresh air as Legolas spun towards her.

"Aranel! I thought you…" Legolas trailed off as he saw the wicked grin cross her face and realised that she had had every intention of making him think she had disappeared. "Why you-"
"Serves you right for dunking me in a lake!" she cut him off, laughing.

"I see, if that how you're going to be then." Legolas asked indignantly.

"Yes it is." Aranel replied matter-o-factually.

"Well then, if that's the case…" He replied, and with that splashed her before quickly swimming backwards away from her.

"Oh you'll pay for that Elfy!" she called, giving chase.

"Elfty? Really Aranel, how very immature of you!" he called back to her as she splashed at the back of his head.

"Immature? Me? You just threw me in a lake!"

"I hardly threw you Aranel, I merely lost my footing and slipped." Legolas replied, turning to splash her again.

"Yeah right, an Elf loosing his footing."

"Tis true lirimaer, unfortunately it does happen to the best of us, though not very often I must admit."

"How very modest of you."

"I know, it's in my nature." Legolas replied laughter in his voice as he finally let Aranel catch him. She tried her hardest to try and push him under the water, pressing firmly on his shoulder but only succeeding in pushing herself out of it, Legolas holding her waist firmly and watching the lite fabric of her dress cling to her delicate frame.

Upon realising this Aranel dropped herself back into the water, Legolas pulling her into his arms as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Pervert." She murmured playfully under her breath.

"Guilty as charged." Legolas murmured back, capturing her lips, as they slowly made their way back to the bank.

Once reaching the bank Legolas lowered Aranel gently to her feet, moving away to pick up his various items of clothing.

"Well, it's okay for you but what am I going to do Legolas? How am I supposed to explain this?" Aranel pointed out, indicating to her wet clothes and trying not to laugh at her situation.

"You could where this." Legolas replied holding out his tunic.

"And how do I explain that?" Aranel answered, hands on hips.

Legolas wondered back over to her, letting his hand run down her side, lightly tracing her curves, "Don't explain." He said suddenly, looking very serious.

"Legolas… we can't, not yet. You're father would probably have me hung or something."

"He's not that heartless." Legolas replied, a little shocked

"I know, but you know what I mean. Besides, I don't think the best way to announce our relationship is by rocking up to the palace looking like drowned rats."

"I look like a drowned rat?" Legolas asked in mock worry, running a hand quickly through his hair.

Aranel laughed quietly at his antics, hitting him palyfully, "Of course you don't, but I do and I don't think your father would appreciate it much."

'You don't look like a drowned rat lirimaer, you look as beautiful as always." Legolas said, cupping her cheek and smiling warmly at her.

"Oh stop it, you'll make me blush. But seriously Legolas, can we leave it for a little longer?"

Legolas sighed looking back up at the palace. "Okay lirimaer, we'll wait, but when your father returns we can't put it off for much longer."
"Okay, deal, we wait until my father returns and then think about telling them."

Legolas only smiled as Aranel sealed their deal with a kiss.

Neither of them could know in that moment that Aranel's father would return far sooner than either could have anticipated, or that the blue eyes that had been watching them for sometime now from one of the palace windows were forming a plan the would pull them apart for good.

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Translations

Lirimaer : Lovely one.

Finished! (Not the story, the chapter) like I said before I'm so sorry this took forever, uni and exams and stuff are done now so I will try and update more regularly. And sorry about the little cliff hanger, I thought the chapter was a bit boring, just had to have a chapter on how close the two are becoming, so I wanted to through some interest in.

Anyway, as always please please please review, they really do keep me going!