CHAPTER FOUR

ILFRITH'S JOURNAL – ENTRY #3

I was about to fall asleep last night, being exhausted from the day's events, when I heard a rustling sound. I was alone in my tent. Prior to Elladan's discovery that I am female I shared shelter with Penlod, my brother, and our friend Bethos. But it has been declared by Elladan that this is no longer proper and he demanded that a separate tent be pitched for me every night when we stop to make camp. I think that this new rule is ridiculous because Penlod and I have been sleeping together up until now with Bethos, and no impropriety has occurred. Now Bethos has been unceremoniously kicked out of the tent and must share with Gilfanon of all people! Penlod is sharing with Tifil, which is not bad because Tifil is nice, at least. A new guard is to be posted outside every evening and that makes me feel better. But poor Bethos!

I suspected that it was the guard who was making the rustling noise outside my tent and so I closed my eyes and prepared to drift off to sleep. But I was fully awakened by the touch of something against my lips. My eyes flew open because I was startled by the sensation.

"Shhh," whispered a voice. "Do not cry out lest you disturb Penlod and Tifil in the next tent." It was Elladan, and he held his finger to my lips.

"What do you want?" I asked. I strained my eyes to see him in the darkness. I felt a little thrill in my belly because of the image of his naked form that was imprinted in my mind. I could not shake it loose even if I wanted to. I noticed that my heart was pounding.

"Ilfrith—" Elladan's voice was soft. He caressed me with his throaty voice as if it were his hands roaming over my body. "You know what I want and I believe you want it also. Let me lie with you", he purred.

"Elladan," I whispered, and I did not stop him. I let him stay in my tent and I welcomed him into my arms. We made love to each other tenderly and slowly. As big as he is, he was very gentle with our first kiss. I smelled his musky scent and breathed it in deeply, my arms wrapped about his neck and my face buried into the flesh below his shoulder. His skin felt smooth and warm as I ran my hands over his shoulders and back, and down the deliciously hard muscles of his arms. He planted his pliant lips upon mine and began to kiss me, first tenderly, then more passionately, until our kisses became feverish and frantic.

I helped him to remove his clothing. "Oh, Ilfrith," he moaned against my hair and I could feel his warm breath whisper along the tip of my ear.

"Elladan…" I breathed. I turned my face toward him again and felt his hand on my neck, caressing it just below my chin. I sank into his warm touch and shivered with anticipation as his smooth hands stroked my skin from the base of my neck to my chest. I lifted slightly to let his fingers find the hooks on my shirt and slide them undone. I reached into his caresses, longing for his touch.

I moaned and he ground his body against mine. In the dark I imagined him as I remembered seeing him in his naked glory—his toffee-colored skin, tanned and virile, his proud nakedness exposed and displayed before me. I anticipated and cherished the thought of making love to him.

"Ai! Elladan, I beseech you!" I cried when we completed the act, peaking in waves of pleasure that crashed over me like the foamy seawater against the shore.

After he had brought me to climax he moved to lie beside me once again and took my hand in his. His scent was musky and his skin was warm and damp as I felt it alongside mine. He lay in my arms until the early morning, before the first light of dawn began to rise.

Every few minutes we kissed each other again but we did not repeat the act of sex for fear of waking the others. No one woke, a fact that surprised me for I felt our cries of passion would surely have reached as far as Mandos' Halls in Valinor. I wanted to speak to him of love for I surely felt it. "Elladan –," I started to say, but he took my hand and kissed it. "Ilfrith –" he said in return and I heard amusement in his voice when he stopped me from speaking.

"How are we – what should we –" I tried to voice my thoughts but they were jumbled and I could not successfully ask him what I wanted to know.

He sighed and sat up, stretching his lithe body. "Ilfrith, we will talk again of this thing between us," he said tenderly, and turned his beautiful face to look at me. I saw sincerity in his deep grey eyes. His dark lashes fluttered and my heart leapt a little with hope that he loved me in return. He lifted my hand to his desirable lips and kissed it again before letting it go and rising to his feet. I gazed once more at his splendid form and smiled at him, expectation and hope mingling in my heart as he turned and disappeared through the tent flap.

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