Legolas looked around the Great Hall. He could not see Merenwen anywhere. Nor could he find Fëaelen, either.

"Gimli, have you seen Merenwen?"

Gimli turned away from the elf maiden he was conversing with cheekily. The maid bowed her head to the prince and he responded in kind but quickly turned back to his business.

"No, I have not. Why do you ask? Are you afraid she will be getting into trouble?"

"Nay. I do not worry about her here."

"Then why are you asking?"

"You shall see. I am sorry to have disturbed your conversation, Master Dwarf," Legolas said, bowing slightly.

Gimli made an aggravated noise and went back to speaking with the she-elf, apologizing for the interruption.

Legolas turned away and walked out of the hall, trying to think of where Merenwen might be. When he finally did find her, he was not surprised to find her still with Fëaelen, hidden in a niche of a hallway and speaking in soft tones.

"There you are. And what, pray tell, have you two been discussing?"

Fëaelen and Merenwen looked up into the amused eyes of Eryn Lasgalen's prince. Fëaelen inclined her head, while Merenwen smiled brightly.

"Legolas. How good it is to see you again."

"Suilannad, greetings, Fëaelen. What trouble are you planning on getting Merenwen into now?"

The she-elf smiled mysteriously. "No more than you could get her into, your highness."

Merenwen snickered and turned a positively innocent face to Legolas when he looked at her.

"If you'll excuse me, I think I will take my leave," Fëaelen said, rising and smoothing her dress. She reached out and took Merenwen's hand. "Merenwen, we shall speak again soon?"

Merenwen smiled and nodded, patting her friend's hand. "Of course, Fëa. You know we will. I do not plan on going anywhere."

Fëaelen smiled. Looking pointedly at Legolas, she raised an eyebrow and left.

Legolas smiled and offered his hand to Merenwen, who took it before rising.

"What was Fëa trying to convince you of now, meleth?"

"It's none of your concern, Legolas. We were just catching up."

"I am glad to hear that. However, the nature of your conversations concerns me at times."

"Worry not. We do not form any plots or would harm you in any way."

He smiled at her knowingly. "I doubt that. For you do without noticing it."

Merenwen looked up at him. "How is this so?"

He took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply.

She was surprised at his boldness of kissing her so in a main hallway, but that feeling did not last for long. Her hands went instinctively to his shoulders before sliding down his chest and gathering the fabric of his tunic in bunches. She could tell he desired her; she felt it in his presence and in the strained control of his body.

He let go of her face and let his hands wander to her hips instead. She was perfect. He had such a strong desire to take her to the first empty room he could find and claim her as his.

She looked up into his eyes and had no trouble reading the look in them. Hunger. But it was not an animal lust. It was rooted in deep love.

"You know not how long I've wanted to do that," he breathed, pressing closer to her.

"Legolas, what has come over you?"

"You. You intoxicate me." He paused, and ran the tips of his fingers across her bare skin where her necklace rested. "Aníron le. I desire you."

Merenwen looked up at him and he looked back earnestly. He was not hiding his feelings for her – he never had.

"Legolas, al si, meleth. I mereth. Not now, love. The feast."

"An Valar ah mereth! To the Valar with the feast!"

Merenwen backed away from him. "What are you saying? Your favor relations to quench a lust over a feast the king – your father – arranged for your return home?"

Legolas cast her an offended look. "Do you really think that would be the case? That I would rather satisfy a "lust," a desire to satisfy myself over a celebration my father holds?"

"Yes, for I was not the one who responded so condemningly when the feast was brought up."

He took her hand and she pulled away. He gave her a pleading look and took her hands in his. This time she did not pull away. "Merenwen, melon le. I love you; more than you know. I did not mean to offend you, nor would I insult my father." He brought her hands to rest at his heart. "I love you both more than anything. Can I help that you bewitch me when I am with you? When all I want to do is hold you to me and make ourselves one? It is only then I truly feel at peace…" He looked away slightly. "You have seen the sea-longing has taken me."

She looked up at him with the start of tears in her eyes. "Yes."

He wrapped his arms around her and held her, stroking her hair to comfort her. "Do not cry, Mer. You know how I hate it."

Merenwen stilled and listened to his heartbeat.

"So you know that I will not be leaving any time soon."

"Yes. For Aragorn."

Legolas felt a stab of pain, but he ignored it for the time. "Yes, for him. But also for you."

Merenwen looked up at him.

He smiled sadly. "Of course, I would not leave without you. You said so in Lorien. Have you listened naught to what I have been saying? You cannot rid yourself of me so easily."

She laughed slightly. "Of course not. I would miss you."

"As it should be," he said before kissing her forehead. "Please understand that sometimes the illness causes me to say odd things."

She nodded.

"Then, if you will, please do not take to heart such things. 'Tis not the way I truly feel."

"I shall."

"Thank you," Legolas said before taking her hand again. "Come. We should return to the hall. I would not want my father to entertain the thought that we slipped away somewhere during a celebration in my honor. I think he would find that most undignified."

Merenwen smiled. "You are right, he would. Though, I shudder to think of what he would think of me."

Legolas smirked. "You should wonder what I would think of you if you came with me, as was the original idea."

"Somehow, I have an idea of what those ideas were going through your mind, Legolas," she said before dropping her voice to a whisper. "And if I know you well enough, you will be very eager to try some of those ideas later."

He grinned evilly. "You do know me well enough, meleth nín. However, I would not undertake such actions without your consent first."

"Your affectionate concern is most appreciated, milord."

Legolas favored her with a soft smile. When it came to showing affection, he was always considerate. Even if it was playful, he would never intentionally hurt her. He kissed her lightly.

"Come." He nodded toward the hallway before he led her by the hand back to the Great Hall.