A/N: So although I was hoping to get this up sooner than a month and didn't manage it, I still got it finished within a month so I think I'm doing pretty good! I didn't get as far in Rivendell as I wanted, but I blame that on Alison and Fili lol. Anyway, they're going to be in Rivendell for a week, unlike the one night or so it seems to be in the movie, so the next chapter will be featuring more original stuff of the characters all interacting around Rivendell, and not just our two mains. So hopefully you'll all enjoy! Oh, and the last part of the chapter is pretty much all shameless smut. You've been warned ;). If that's not your thing, just skip the rest of the chapter after Fili finds her in the gardens and it'll be back to regular plot next chapter :). Also, extra nerd points to anyone who can tell me the two Hugo Weaving movies referenced in this chapter ;).
Thanks to everyone who's read, favorited, and followed - I'm glad you're all enjoying my labor of love!
And extra special thanks of course to my awesome reviewers: Moira Starsong, Fictional Quintessence, amberrfrazier , amrawo and StuckinTomorrowsDreams. I always love hearing what you guys think!
PLEASE REVIEW EVERYONE - MORE REVIEWING MEANS MORE CHAPTERS!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or any characters or dialogue you recognize, just mine and the rest of the story.
Chapter 6: Rivendell
Gandalf nodded, smiling down at Bilbo. "Yes, here lies the Last Homely House East of the Sea."
Alison sighed as Thorin went storming up to the Wizard angrily. "This was your plan all along. To seek refuge with our enemy." And before Gandalf could reply, he whirled and glared at Lily. "And you. You said we were on the right path, while all along you were bringing us to the elves with your Wizard friend!"
Lily tossed her head and glared right back at him. "I said that because we are on the right path. In spite of how you feel about the elves, this is where we need to be. I had a vision of a dark-haired elf with a silver circlet, looking at your map beneath the light of the moon." Alison could hear Gandalf murmur something in a language she didn't understand, before he went on excitedly, "Moon runes! Of course!" No one else appeared to be listening, however, for Lily went on, "Sometimes, in order to accomplish your goals, you'll have to do things you don't like. Surely staying among elves for a little while is worth it if you win Erebor back in the end, isn't it?"
Thorin was still glaring at her, though it looked like his fury was winding down as he considered her words, while Alison was quite proud of her little cousin for not only standing up to Thorin, but delivering her words with such wisdom. Before Thorin could open his mouth in reply, however, Gandalf turned to him. "Miss Lily is quite right. We have questions that need answers, and if the map does indeed have moon runes on it, Lord Elrond will be able to read it for you, and give us the answers we seek. The rest of it matters not."
Thorin sighed, the last of his anger looking as if it had drained away, before he gave a brief nod, in spite of the rumbling of protest from the other dwarves. "Very well. We will enter the valley, and see if our seer's claims are true. You had best be right about this," he added sternly to Lily.
Lily squared her shoulders, facing him straight on. "I am. I was right about the trolls, wasn't I?"
Thorin gave a brief, reluctant nod. Gandalf beamed. "Excellent. Now, if we are to be successful, this will need to be handled with tact. And respect. And no small degree of charm. Which is why you will leave the talking to me." And with that said, making Alison grin at the Wizard's utter lack of modesty, Gandalf marched towards the winding path leading down the side of the mountain they were on, which led to a narrow stone bridge over rushing water. Thorin went after him, and the other dwarves all fell in behind. Alison went close to last, Kili and Lily just ahead of her, though Fili insisted on going last of all.
"Did you know we were coming here?" Fili murmured to her from behind as they trailed along behind the others.
Alison wondered what was going through that brain of his, even as she admitted, "Yes, I did. Or I suspected, anyway, after Lily told me about her vision. I knew that elves were in Rivendell, and she saw an elf, so it seemed logical, if nothing happened to stop us, anyway."
"So Lily told you about her vision before this, and that's how you knew?" Fili asked.
She tossed a brief glance over her shoulder, frowning as she saw that calculating look on his face again. "Yes, why?" She nearly stumbled, since she was no longer watching where she was going, and Fili steadied her with a quick hand at her waist.
"Keep going," he urged her softly, and she turned and kept walking, watching the mountain path more closely as he went on, "What about Gandalf, then? How did you know he was looking for a way out, before he found that tunnel?"
Alison frowned, trying to recall how she'd phrased it before mentally cursing when she remembered how emphatically she'd stated that Gandalf hadn't left them. "I didn't know for sure. I just knew Gandalf wouldn't leave us, that's all, so he had to be looking for a way out." There, she'd covered that fairly nicely.
And yet Fili's voice still sounded sceptical as he replied, "You sounded very certain of it."
"Because I was," she replied impatiently, wondering what in the hell he was imagining was going on, since he couldn't possibly dream up anything as insane as the truth. "I know Gandalf, and I know he wouldn't abandon us during a crisis."
"I suppose you're right," he said finally, and she breathed an inward sigh of relief. "Why didn't you tell me we were coming here, if you knew?"
"I thought you might feel the same way about elves that your uncle does," Alison replied, truthfully enough. She honestly wasn't sure how Fili felt about elves, as they'd never discussed it, but she knew it would probably be hard to grow up with his uncle's hatred and stories and not feel the same way, at least until he'd met some elves for himself. "And I thought you'd feel like you had to tell him, and he'd make sure we never got here. I didn't think I could take that chance, since like Lily said, we need to be here if you want the quest to succeed."
He was quiet for a moment, and she wondered if he was mad before he finally said, "Will you tell me next time she tells you about a vision, if I promise not to tell anyone else?"
God, now she felt guilty, because she could hear the worry in his voice, and knew he was thinking about the Azog vision, or possibly a vision about Kili being in danger. And here she knew all the answers to that, and couldn't tell him because she'd promised Gandalf. Still, she didn't want him to worry, so she replied, "If Lily thinks it's a vision I can share, I will. Some of them are too dangerous to share."
"Thank you." She was relieved that he'd accepted that answer, but she knew she needed to do something to distract him from digging deeper into this whole vision thing. Fortunately, she knew exactly what would work.
"Anyway, it's good we're here in Rivendell, because you're going to enjoy it here," she informed him, unable to keep a grin off her face. Fortunately, she wasn't looking at him, but rather at the long stone bridge they were finally starting to cross that led over the rushing waterfalls towards the stone pavilion and Rivendell in the distance.
"Why in Mahal's name would I enjoy myself in a valley full of elves?" he demanded, confirming her suspicions that he shared his uncle's view on at least this matter.
"I would have thought it was obvious." She dropped her voice low as she went on, "We'll be able to find somewhere private here, where the others won't be able to hear all the noises you're going to make when I have you alone."
She heard his sharp intake of breath behind her at those words, which made her grin broadly at the thought of all the things she planned to do to him. This was followed by a shiver down her spine as he suddenly murmured very close to her ear, "All the noise I'm going to make? What about when I make you scream for me? And I will, I promise you that."
"Oh, I hope so," she muttered sincerely, quite sure that he would be able to make good on his promise based on the lust already simmering through her body. "Though I suppose we'll have to see who makes the most noise."
"Aye, we will," he growled, his mouth still very close to her ear, making her shudder. Fuck, was it ever hot when his voice got all deep and growly like that. It made her wish she could jump him right now, but she knew she couldn't, as she could see that some of the others had already arrived at the pavilion, and they would soon be there too.
"Later," she promised him in a soft voice, gesturing up ahead. "And I'll thank you properly for my thoughtful gift."
"I look forward to finding out how, lass." Distraction complete, she thought with a grin, though she was good and distracted herself now as he went on, "I am certain I will feel properly thanked."
"Oh, you will, believe me." By this point they'd reached the pavilion, however, so she shut her mouth and tried to push all thoughts of a naked Fili out of her mind as she joined the crowd of dwarves, Gandalf, Bilbo, and Lily, who were all crowded at the edge of the stone pavilion, looking up to a set of stairs beyond where two elves stood guard.
Bilbo and Lily were both looking around in awe and astonishment at the beauty of the valley and the incredible structures built into the rocky wall, surrounded by flowing waterfalls and stunning greenery. The dwarves, however, were looking around in suspicion, hands on their weapons, as though waiting for armed elves to leap out of every corner, Alison thought. She shared Lily's awe, though, for Rivendell far surpassed the beauty of any other place she'd ever been.
"Mithrandir!" A voice called out, and Alison looked up past the others to see a dark-haired elf in long, flowing robes of a plum color descending the stairs across the way. Alison had never thought him particularly attractive in the movies, in spite of the renowned beauty of the elves, and in person it was no different; there was just something too . . . pinched about his face for her. He was no Legolas, she thought with a wry grin as the elf reached them.
"Ah! Lindir," Gandalf turned to look at the elf with a smile.
Lindir put his hand to his heart and dipped his head in acknowledgment, greeting Gandalf in Sindarin, which Alison had never bothered to learn, unlike others of the Tolkien fandom. She couldn't quite remember what the subtitles had read, either, not that she supposed it mattered. She knew it was just a generic greeting.
"Stay sharp," she heard Thorin whisper to Dwalin, even as Gandalf replied to Lindir in Westron (was it really the same as English, or had Gandalf somehow gifted them with a built-in translator? She had never thought to ask), "I must speak with Lord Elrond."
"My Lord Elrond is not here," Lindir replied.
Gandalf frowned, looking disappointed. "Not here? Where is he?"
A horn sounded from behind them before the elf could reply, and Alison turned to look with the others in reflex, even though she knew it was Elrond with apparently stunning timing. Sure enough, a contingent of elves rode down the path towards them on horseback, thundering in with no signs of slowing down, so Alison couldn't blame Thorin for shouting out, "Close ranks!"
The dwarves instantly banded together in a tight circle facing outwards, weapons at the ready, but not before making sure that Bilbo, Lily, and Alison were on the inside of the circle, Fili turning a deaf ear to Alison's protests, even trying to keep himself in front of Kili, she noted. Similarly, Dori was trying to keep Ori behind him as the elves came galloping around them in a circle, riding the horses far too closely around them.
Alison frowned as she watched them go around. She'd never thought of it while watching the movies, but this was very intimidating; most of the horses were a good sixteen hands high, putting them well above the dwarves and making this an incredibly threatening move. What in the hell was Elrond thinking? She clenched her fists, but caught Lily's eye as she did so; her cousin gave a minute shake of her head.
Alison sighed, nodding in agreement that she wouldn't give Elrond a piece of her mind just now as she unclenched her fists, even as the elves finally halted around them. Elrond himself, clad in deep red and silver armor, another circlet around his dark brown hair, called out, "Gandalf," in a pleased tone from atop his horse.
Gandalf smiled. "Lord Elrond." He moved towards Elrond's horse, greeting him in Sindarin as well, the elf responding as he swung down from his horse and embraced Gandalf.
"Mr. Anderson," Alison drawled in a low tone to Lily, seeing just how much Elrond did indeed resemble his Earthen counterpart of Hugo Weaving.
Lily snorted and laughed, murmuring back, "Or, 'what makes you so special, Captain'?"
Alison couldn't help laughing in return, causing Fili and Kili to look back at them with raised brows as they were unable to stifle their laughter. Alison shrugged helplessly at Fili, trying to bring her laughter under control as Elrond finished talking to Gandalf about the Orcs, and Thorin moved slowly forward, still clutching his weapon.
Elrond dipped his head in acknowledgement, though not before casting a curious glance at Alison and Lily. "Welcome, Thorin, son of Thrain."
"I do not believe we have met," Thorin replied in an almost civil tone.
Elrond smiled. "You have your grandfather's bearing. I knew Thror when he ruled Under the Mountain."
"Indeed? He made no mention of you," Thorin drawled, and this time the scorn in his voice was unmistakable.
Alison watched, having finally got her laughter under control, as Elrond said something in Elvish, never breaking Thorin's gaze.
"What is he saying?" Gloin snapped, still holding his weapon also. "Does he offer us insult?"
The other dwarves all started shouting at this, but Gandalf interrupted them, clearly exasperated. "No, Master Gloin, he's offering you food."
Alison couldn't help but be amused again as all the dwarves perked up at the mention of food, and it even caused Thorin to break his intense staring contest, turning to speak to Dwalin as the older dwarves muttered amongst themselves. It was Gloin, though, who finally declared, "Well, in that case, lead on."
Elrond smiled, his gaze sliding to Alison and Lily again. "Perhaps the ladies with you might wish to take advantage of a bath before they dine?"
"Oh, God yes," Alison said fervently, as Lily added in agreement, "Yes, please." It had been a good four days since they'd been near enough to a stream to bathe, and between that, the trolls and the running, Alison had never felt quite so gross before. With that in mind, she moved forward towards an elf Elrond had gestured to, but Fili grabbed her arm before she could get very far.
"What are you doing?" she hissed at him. "I've never needed a bath so badly in my life!"
"You can't go off alone with them." Fili cast a mistrustful gaze back at the elves. "It might be dangerous."
She raised her eyebrows at Fili, even as she could hear Lily and Kili having a similar whispered argument. "Are you kidding? Nothing's going to happen to me here." Fili frowned, not looking reassured, and she sighed. "Look, whatever you think of elves, do you really think Gandalf would have brought us here if he thought they would attack us? I'll be fine, and I'll be back before you know it."
Fili sighed before he gave a reluctant nod. "If you're certain."
"I am," she promised him. "I'll see you later."
He nodded, letting go of her arm as she and Lily went to follow the elf Elrond had instructed to take them to the bath house.
Alison grinned as she looked at herself in the mirror in the room the elves had given her. She had asked for a separate room from Lily, claiming that she snored terribly and didn't want to disturb her sister, ignoring the eye-roll Lily was giving her, and the elves had happily obliged, stating they had several guest rooms and the dwarves had refused to take any, preferring to stay together on the balcony outside, so it wouldn't be a problem.
They had been shown to their rooms after the bath house, which Alison had been overjoyed to find out had heated water somehow, and a homemade version of shampoo as well as soap. She felt cleaner than she had in weeks, and the elves had also offered her and Lily clothing to wear to the dinner, as well as additional clothes for later, as their own outfits were a complete mess by now. Though Alison had gotten them to agree to bring more practical outfits later, for right now, she was happy enough to wear the dress they'd given her.
She was normally a jeans and T-shirt kind of a girl, but she didn't mind wearing dresses on special occasions, especially if they looked good and weren't full of ruffles and bows. This dress, she was happy to find, had neither. It was a dark blue dress with silver threaded through it, reminding her of the night sky, and had a simple, off-the-shoulder design with long, belled sleeves, which dipped low in front, showing off a good deal of cleavage. It also clung tightly to her waist before flaring out over her hips in a simple skirt, which she had been pleased to find had a slit partway up the side, showing flashes of her left leg as she moved. She loved it, and she had a sneaking suspicion that Fili would too.
She checked herself out one more time in the mirror, fluffing out her hair a bit. She'd left it loose to tumble over her shoulders and down her back, rather than tying it up in a ponytail, bun, or simple braid as she'd been doing the last two weeks ever since she'd found a bit of string to tie it with. She preferred to wear it loose when it wasn't going to be in her way, however, and was happy to see that it finally looked decent with the help of the elven shampoo, instead of greasy and gross, like it usually did lately.
A knock came at her door as she turned this way and that, checking to make sure the finished effect looked as good as possible, and Lily shouted from the other side, "Are you coming or what? I'm hungry!"
"Yeah, yeah, be right there!" Alison went over to the door, pulling it open to see Lily on the other side, wearing a nearly identical dress of a deep, wine-red color, her dark brown curls hanging loose as well. "Looking hot, Lil."
Lily laughed. "You too. Poor Fili."
Alison grinned. "Don't you mean poor Kili?"
"Shut up," Lily retorted, rolling her eyes. "Now come on, we're probably already late." She nodded at the elf waiting several feet down the airy hallway to escort them to dinner.
Alison nodded, and the two of them hurried down the hallway towards the blonde elf, following him through the maze of hallways until they finally reached a balcony set with numerous tables, open to the evening air around it, showcasing an incredible view of a setting sun through swirling archways. Elves were playing harps in the background, and Alison could see that Gandalf was just sitting down at the head table with Elrond, Thorin, Bilbo and Balin. The remaining dwarves were seated at a long table a few feet away, and Alison headed over there with Lily, seeing that there would be space to squeeze in by their favourite brothers.
The dwarves' scornful conversation about the food and lack of meat ground to a halt as they approached, every one of the dwarves staring with wide eyes in seeming shock. Alison was looking for one reaction in particular, though, and was pleased to see the heated lust in Fili's eyes as he looked her over, though he seemed as tongue-tied as the rest of them. It was surprisingly Ori who spoke first, as he blurted out, "You look like girls!"
Alison couldn't help but laugh at that, even as Dori whacked his younger brother in the back of the head. "I thought we were girls all along?" she asked Lily, who grinned. "I thought so, too."
"What Ori means to say is that you lasses look very lovely," Bofur said, giving them a charming grin. "Don't they, lads?"
This was followed by a chorus of agreement from the other dwarves, and Lily dipped in a curtsy, saying sweetly, "Thank you, kind sirs," though Alison noted that she was blushing again.
"Come on, Lil, I'm hungry too," Alison told her, grabbing her hand and dragging Lily over to the side of the table where Fili and Kili were. The brothers quite happily made room as she and Lily gathered their skirts and stepped over the bench to sit down on either side of them, before pulling plates towards them and piling them high with food.
Alison devoted most of her attention to eating for the next few minutes, for the salad and rolls were delicious, even if she did wish there was some chicken or fish available to eat too. She mostly tuned out the sound of the dwarves complaining about the lack of meat (and everything else really), instead devoting her attention to her plate, until she noticed Dwalin glaring at Kili. She smiled slightly as she realized he must have caught Kili staring at one of the female elves around them; there was a particularly pretty one playing the harp.
"I can't say I fancy Elf maids myself," Kili said hastily from the other side of Fili in response to Dwalin's glare, "too thin." Dwalin raised his eyebrows as Kili prattled on, "They're all high cheekbones and creamy skin. Not enough facial hair for me."
Lily, who sat on the other side of Kili down the table, chose that moment to interrupt him. "So you don't think that women who lack facial hair are attractive? Is that what you're saying?"
Alison grinned to herself, knowing that Lily had said that partially to save Kili from the embarrassment of calling a male elf attractive, but also knowing that Lily was probably at least a little jealous that he'd been looking at another woman. She leaned forward a little bit to see the shocked expression on Kili's face as he backpedalled. "No, no, that's not what I meant – I – "
"Really?" Lily said mercilessly. "Because that's what you said."
"I – I – only meant elven women – I didn't mean you . . ."
Poor Kili. Alison couldn't help but take the opportunity Lily had offered, though. She turned to Fili next to her. "What do you think? Do you think a lack of facial hair is unattractive?"
He turned towards her, smiling as his eyes swept over her before he lifted her hand gently in his, pressing a kiss to the back of it. "I think . . . facial hair or no facial hair . . . you're still the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."
Holy shit. She could feel a blush starting up on her face at the sincere conviction in his voice, even as the dwarves who'd overheard him whistled and cat-called and told Kili to take lessons from his brother. Damn, did Fili ever know what he was doing, she thought as she smiled. "Thank you, Fili, that was very sweet."
"You're welcome." He let go of her hand, reluctantly, she thought, before he added, "What do you think of facial hair, lass? Do you prefer the look of the elves?"
She shook her head. "Not at all. I prefer my men a little more . . . rugged. And I'm starting to find facial hair very attractive." She flicked his moustache braid lightly, giving him a heated look.
"Well, that's very good to know, lass," he drawled lightly, his eyes starting to blaze.
"Though I do hope you know," she dropped her voice so low only he could hear, "I don't find the smell of troll cave very attractive. So if you're hoping to touch me tonight, you'd better bath first."
"Aye, lass, whatever you wish," he murmured, giving her one last heated look before he turned back to the table as Nori called out, "Change the tune, why don't you? I feel like I'm at a funeral."
"Did somebody die?" Oin added loudly, stuffing a napkin into his ear horn.
"All right, lads," Bofur declared, getting up. "There's only one thing for it." He climbed up on the table as Alison watched, amused. He began to sing a loud and boisterous song as he stomped his feet in the middle of the table, while the other dwarves cheered and clapped along, banging their utensils on the table. They started throwing rolls around too, and Alison was struck by a sudden and overwhelming impulse.
"Food fight!" she bellowed, before launching a spoonful of mashed potatoes into Nori's face across the table.
He looked at her wide-eyed for a moment before he broke into a grin, picking up a handful of potatoes, and she shrieked and dove under the table just in time as the potatoes splatted against a pillar behind her.
It was complete and utter pandemonium among their table after that, as the dwarves gleefully launched into the food fight following her and Nori's examples, potatoes, lettuce, rolls, and cheese flying every which way. Alison periodically popped back up over the side of the table to join in, not wanting to ruin her dress, though she did end up with some potatoes on her face anyway, and even Lily was participating, though only after she'd called out an apology to Elrond and a promise to help clean up later.
The food fight eventually calmed down when Gandalf put his foot down and told them to stop, as Thorin had apparently wandered off before the start of it. Not that Alison thought he would have minded if the dwarves had made a mess.
"Sorry, Gandalf, Lord Elrond," Alison said sheepishly as the Wizard frowned at all of them, hands on his hips. "I just always wanted to do that. We'll help clean up."
"We will," Lily added hastily.
"That is not necessary," Elrond said smoothly, though he looked a little pained. "You are our guests, after all. Please, enjoy yourselves. Gandalf and I have some business to attend to now, I believe."
"Yes," Gandalf agreed. "Balin, will you find Thorin and bring him to see us? Bilbo, you should come along as well. As for the rest of you," he glared at them all again, "do try not to destroy anything while we're gone."
The dwarves grumbled out reluctant agreements, while Alison and Lily fervently assured him they wouldn't let anything happen, and Gandalf and Elrond marched off along with Bilbo and Balin, presumably to look at the map.
"I'm going to go get cleaned up, Ali," Fili murmured to her as the other dwarves began to move away, too, some going to explore the grounds, others going to find the balcony they'd claimed for their own. "Shall I come find you when I'm done?"
"Of course," she whispered back. "I do have a room of my own that you can join me in tonight."
He gave a low groan at her words. "Are you sure we can't go there right now?"
She laughed softly, shaking her head in spite of the temptation she felt. "Bath first," she told him firmly. "I'll probably be out here looking at the gardens with Lily for a while, anyway."
"Then I will be back soon," he vowed, before he hurried off.
I hope so, Alison thought as she went with Lily down to the gardens. She'd waited long enough; she did not want to wait too much longer to hop in bed with the very sexy dwarf prince.
Fili found her a short while later, wandering the grounds alone beneath the light of the moon. Though he'd bathed quickly, he had made sure to be thorough, not wanting to disappoint his One, especially not when she looked so exquisitely beautiful tonight.
He had always thought her beautiful, from the first moment he'd seen her, but seeing her in that dress had stunned him anew. Somehow, even though he had once seen her completely nude, something about that dress had been equally enticing, perhaps because it hid as much as it showed. In any case, he'd been swamped with a wave of desire upon seeing her, nearly speechless from the sight of her, and it had taken every ounce of his will to keep a tight leash on his control during the meal, with her so near.
It had been especially difficult concerning her promises earlier on their way into Rivendell, which he could not get out of his mind. How did she plan to thank him? He certainly knew what he'd like to do to her, not that he could get all of that accomplished in one night. But, as he'd heard from Kili on his way to find her in the gardens, they would be here for a week until the moon was at the correct position to read Uncle's map, which meant he had an entire week of nights alone with his One. He scarcely knew where to begin, but he knew he could no longer wait.
She was standing facing away from him, her head tipped back to look up at the night sky and the stars, and no one else was around that Fili could see, so he gave in to impulse and snuck up on her, slipping his arms around her waist and pulling her back against him. "I found you," he murmured by her ear, loving the way she shivered every time he did that. "Where is your sister?"
She'd jumped a little at his initial touch, but had relaxed as soon as he'd pulled her against him; now she turned in his arms, looking up at him with that wicked grin he so adored. "Lily's gone to bed already; she was tired. And just what do you plan on doing with me, now that you've found me?"
"So many things," he growled, feeling how his body ached for her already, "that I do not know where to start."
She slipped her arms around his neck, threading a hand in the hair at the base of his neck as she said, "A kiss would be a good place," before she pulled his mouth down to hers.
He went willingly, as he was starving for the taste of her once more, and she was happy enough to part her lips for him as he swept his tongue deeply in her mouth, seeking out that sweet, heady taste. He crushed her to him, one hand tangling in the waves of her hair to keep her mouth in place, the other sweeping down to her luscious rear and squeezing it. He felt the moan she gave in his mouth as he did so, and he growled, hitching her up more tightly against him, needing the friction of her hips against his aching arousal. He was wearing only a tunic and breeches, having left his coat and weapons behind with Kili, and so he was able to feel more of the warmth and softness of her body pressed to his, which only fired his blood further.
As before, she was giving as good as she got, her tongue matching his stroke for stroke, one hand fisted in his hair and the other digging tightly into his shoulder while she arched her body against his. Before he could even think to push her hips against him once more, she did it herself, making him groan deeply at the spike of lust that rose through him. He pulled his mouth away from hers finally, trailing his lips down her neck, wanting more of the sweet taste of her. She tilted her head back, murmuring his name in encouragement and using her hand on the back of his head to push him down further, until he reached the top of her breasts.
He was all too happy to lick and suck at the flesh laid bare by her dress; the skin there was so soft it was like silk, and he swept his hand down from her hair to cup the underside of her breast. "God, Fili," she moaned out as he kneaded the softness beneath both of his hands. It was when he nuzzled further down, trying to push the edge of the dress out of his way, that she tugged on his hair, pulling him up.
Her eyes were dark with desire as they met his, her lips swollen from his kiss as she murmured, "I thought the plan here was to do this in private? We should maybe move before we get too carried away."
He blinked at her for a moment, trying to think through the haze of lust in his brain. "Your room, yes," he managed at last, remembering his promise to make her scream. It would not do to have her scream out here, in the gardens. "We should go there, quickly."
"Yes, very quickly," she agreed, "but you'll need to let me go first."
He very reluctantly released her from his grasp, reminding himself that as soon as they reached her room, he would have her back again. She tugged up her dress before taking one of his hands in hers, and pulling him back in the direction of the nearest door.
He kept his other hand clenched tightly in a fist as they made their way through the maze of hallways; it was the only way to keep it off of her. He was filled with an aching need to rip that dress right off her, to study her body in a way he had not allowed himself to before, but he knew he needed to wait.
Soon enough, she halted at a door, pushing it open and pulling him inside before she closed the door and locked it behind them. It appeared to be a bright, cheerfully decorated room from the light of the candles burning on the tabletops and the fire blazing in the hearth, but Fili could only see the large bed in the middle of it, beckoning to him.
He scooped Alison up, and she gave a surprised shriek of laughter as he carried her over to the bed, laying her down gently in the middle, slipping down between her legs to push her skirt up.
"No, wait!" she exclaimed, sitting up quickly and pulling her legs away from him.
He froze. "You haven't changed your mind, have you, lass?"
She snorted. "Of course not. But I wanted to thank you, remember? So it's my turn first. Get your clothes off." She pointed at him imperiously.
He grinned, appreciating her boldness and realizing he should have known better than to think she'd suddenly become shy. "Only if you do too," he bargained with her.
"Yes, fine," she waved at him impatiently as she tugged off the slippers on her feet, dropping them beside the bed. "It's still my turn first."
He smiled, tugging off his own boots before standing beside the bed, pulling the tunic off over his head and tossing it aside. It was quickly followed by his breeches and smallclothes, leaving him completely nude.
"Thank you, Jesus," he heard his One fervently declare as he straightened up, and he looked up to meet her hungry gaze sweeping over his body. It sent sparks of lust shooting all through him, and he could feel his cock swell as her gaze swept over it.
"You're still dressed," he pointed out hoarsely, struggling to keep from jumping back on the bed and completely ignoring her talk of turns.
She tore her gaze from his body, looking up to meet his eyes and nodding in agreement. "So I am." She hopped off the bed, turning her back with the laces that kept the dress closed, towards him. "Undo me?"
"Gladly," he murmured, stepping closer to her and quickly unlacing the back of the dress, scowling when he saw that there was a corset beneath with yet more laces. He wished briefly for a dagger to make his work easier before he managed to unlace the corset as well, his fingers fumbling a few times in his haste. She shrugged the dress off, letting it pool at her feet before she let the corset drop, also.
He stared in awe at the creamy skin, lightly dotted with freckles before him, the curve of her waist, the dip of her spine, and the rounded globes of her buttocks. Mahal had indeed favoured him, to grant him the opportunity to view such beauty. "So perfect," he growled, unable to resist the urge to cup her rear once more, squeezing the soft flesh in his hands as he pressed a kiss to her shoulder.
"Fili," she gasped, leaning back into his touch for a brief second before she wrenched away. "No, it's my turn. Back on the bed," she pointed again.
He was temporarily frozen at his second viewing of her full breasts and rosy nipples, and every lovely curve of the front of her body before he managed to nod. "As my lady wishes."
He went and laid down on the bed, intrigued as she crawled onto it after him, staying off to the side for the moment. "Don't interfere until I'm done," she warned him, bundling her hair up with a ribbon, and he nodded again, beyond curious and fully aroused now.
He was frankly astonished, however, when she slid down to kneel between his legs and wrapped one soft hand around his cock, lowering her head. "Ali," he gasped, moving to sit up at the white-hot jolt of lust from both the touch of her hand and the realization of what she meant to do.
"Hey," she said, pushing him back down with her other hand, "what did I just say? It's my turn, so you stay there and let me thank you, okay?"
"You don't have to –" he began, but then all words fled his brain as her mouth closed over him. He gripped the covers tightly in both hands, trying to manage the electric lust stampeding through his body and coiling tight in his gut as she moved her mouth over him, alternating between swirling her tongue around him and sucking hard. Her hands cupped and teased him as her mouth tormented him, and his hips began to buck involuntarily as the lust in his body wound tighter.
"Mahal," he ground out, feeling his eyes nearly crossing in pleasure as she hummed around him, the vibration incredibly pleasant. He'd only ever had two women willing to do this, and neither of them had been as skilled at it as his One was. Or perhaps it was that the attraction between them was so much more intense that made it more pleasurable? He didn't know, but he didn't want to spill himself in her mouth – not this time, anyway. "Lass, have mercy," he gasped as she sucked at his sensitive tip, while he struggled to contain his desire.
She lifted her head at that, as he'd hoped she would, and gave him a wicked grin. "No mercy."
She squealed in surprise, however, when he launched up, grabbed her by the shoulders, and rolled her beneath him, pressing his body to hers to keep her still for a moment. He groaned softly at the feel of her skin against his, and willed his desire down. He was far from done with her.
"Fili, what are you doing?" she demanded, looking surprised and curious.
"I want to be inside you, the first time," he explained. "So as much as I loved that, I needed you to stop. Besides, I think it's my turn now. So stay still."
She looked both amused and intrigued now, but she nodded as he pushed himself up. He thought about moving straight to his destination, but when he saw her breasts, he couldn't help himself. He leaned down, taking one pert nipple in his mouth and sucking it, giving it deep pulls with his mouth as he cupped her other breast, rolling the nipple in his fingers. When she was moaning beneath him, arching her back and gripping his head to keep it in place, he gently pried her hands away before he slid down her body, pushing her legs apart.
Instead of diving right in, as he ached to do, he slid his hands up the inside of her thighs, slowly, while he pressed a kiss just above the nest of flaming curls. "Fili," she growled, moving to sit up, but he put an arm across her hips, pinning her down. "Nay, lass, stay still," he reminded her.
"Then hurry up – oh," she moaned out as he found her nub with his mouth, suckling gently. He slid one finger in her, crooking it deeply as he continued to torment her with his mouth and tongue, sometimes sucking, sometimes licking with broad strokes of his tongue, sometimes sliding his tongue in with his finger. Soon, she was writhing beneath him, moaning and gasping, and he raised his head briefly to meet her lust-filled gaze. "Scream for me, âzyungâl," he growled before he dipped his head back down, sliding another finger in and curling them both deeply within her while he sucked hard on her nub once more.
That, it seemed, was the final straw, for she came apart beneath him, screaming his name as he'd asked, her back arching off the bed with the force of her release. As soon as she'd collapsed limply to the bed, eyes closed, he slipped his fingers out and moved up, bracing himself above her as he brushed her entrance with the head of his cock, shuddering at the wet heat.
Her eyes popped open. "What are you waiting for?" she demanded, though she still sounded breathless.
At the words, he sheathed himself in her with one thrust, freezing for a moment at the sensation. "Oh, Ali, amrâlimê," he moaned out. He had never felt so incredible, so utterly complete and whole, as he did now with her slick heat wrapped around him; it seemed it truly was better with his One.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, gripping his shoulders, and pushed herself up as much as she could as she whispered in his ear, "Don't stop now."
He didn't need to be told twice; he was soon thrusting in and out while she matched his rhythm, and though he tried to be slow and gentle at first, she wouldn't let him. She pushed him to go harder, faster, her legs locking around him, her nails scraping his back and his buttocks, her teeth sinking into his shoulder or his chest, each flash of pain only heightening the pleasure, sending electric shocks through him, until they were crashing together with reckless abandon.
He tried to hold back, to wait until she'd hit her peak a second time, but he'd been too wound up from the start, and he could feel his body starting to coil tight, ready to explode as the pleasure crashed through it. He reached between their bodies, finding her nub once more, and rubbed it hard and fast with his thumb, causing her to cry out and spasm around him. He leaned down to kiss her deeply, aching for the taste of her once more, the pleasure bursting through him as he spilled deeply within her.
He collapsed on top of her, panting for breath, feeling drained and incredibly satisfied, barely able to form a coherent thought. As soon as he could, he realized he must be crushing her, so he slid out of her and rolled to the side, pulling her with him. He didn't want to let go of her just yet.
She seemed content enough to lie across his chest, however, as they both recovered their breath. After a few moments, during which he stroked her skin and she traced circles on his chest, she propped her head up with one hand and gave him a lazy grin. "Do you feel properly thanked?"
"Oh, thoroughly so," he assured her, unable to contain a smile at the happiness bursting through him. And neither could he help adding, a trifle smugly, "I told you I'd make you scream for me."
She laughed softly. "I don't recall disagreeing with you. But I made you beg for mercy first."
"So you did," he agreed, squeezing her lightly. "Do you want to try it again?"
She raised her eyebrows at him. "You're not ready to go again, are you?"
He grinned. "Well, not just yet, but give me a few more minutes and I will be."
"Well, then, as soon as you're ready – and I'm ready," she added with a soft laugh, "we'll try that again. You'd better not interrupt me next time."
"I promise, lass," he vowed fervently, and as she gifted him with that wicked grin, he knew he was never going to be able to let her go, especially not now that he'd had a taste of her and how it could be between them. He could only hope that he would be able to convince her to stay.