Chapter Four.
After they had eaten dinner, Artemis showed Mulch to a specially made room for him in the cellar, for he would also be staying the night.
It was designed to accommodate a dwarf, with the walls covered by a two-foot layer of dirt, thriving with insect life, and instead of floor, there was open dirt that the dwarf could tunnel in and out at his own convenience.
"Ahh" said Mulch. "Nothing like the taste of pure Irish soil"
Artemis left the Dwarf to enjoy his new room in peace, and went to check on Holly.
When he walked into her room, she was lying on her front, on her oversized bed, writing in a small green book, which she tossed ungracefully under the bed as soon as he walked in.
"What was…?
"Nothing." She answered, rather hurriedly.
They both stared at each other for a moment, before Artemis backed out the door, and closed it behind him, with a confused look on his face.
Holly was writing in her diary, which she had done faithfully every day for the past few decades.
It was a bit childish, she knew, to keep a diary on her deep down feelings and such, but it was a present from her mother, when she was little.
No one was actually aware that Holly kept a diary, and she didn't much feel like revealing it to anyone wen Artemis walked into the room.
She let out a small gasp, and quickly tossed it away.
"What was..?" He began.
"Nothing." She said, before he could finish, slightly embarrassed about the things she had been writing in it.
New boyfriend or not, she wasn't going to let Artemis know what she felt deep down.
Artemis backed out of the room, looking quite puzzled.
When the door was closed again, she let out a sigh, and retrieved the small book from under the bed.
It was past eleven o'clock, and the manor was silent, when there was a creak at Artemis' door.
He sat bolt upright to see a small figure standing in the doorway.
"Mind if I sleep with you?" Holly said nervously.
The dark couldn't hide Artemis' smile. The boy had been smiling an awful lot recently.
"Not at all." He replied, pulling the covers back, as the elf crawled into his huge bed.
Holly turned to face him, and Artemis placed his hand lightly on her small cheek.
'I love you Holly."
"I love you too Artemis."
She put her arms around his neck, and drew herself in.
The kiss was soft and light at first, but then got more and more intimate.
Holly ran her hands through his soft, raven black hair, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her closer still, until she could feel his strong heart beat on her chest.
After what felt like a lifetime, they drew apart.
'You're getting quite good at this you know." Holly remarked.
Artemis grinned. "You're not too bad yourself." He said, giving her a light kiss on the neck.
Their lips met once more, less passionate, but just as wonderful.
When they broke apart, Holly said "We should probably get some sleep sometime soon."
Holly turned back over, and Artemis put his arms around her once again.
His warmth and closeness felt good to Holly, and eventually, the rhythmic beating of his heart on her back sent her into a deep sleep.
Butler was walking hurriedly down the hallway, in the early hours of the morning.
He was worried, for when he had gone to check Holly's room; he had found the bed empty was empty.
When he reached Artemis' room at the end of the hallway, he entered without knocking.
"Artemis, Holly is…"
He stopped there when he saw his missing elf asleep in his master's arms.
Butler was smiling when he walked back out of the bedroom.
About time too.
The End
