~ Wynne has a very pleasant morning, and learns a shocking truth about Gimli. ~

51. Love and Desire

Waking up next to a warm, sleeping elf was just as wonderful as Wynne had dreamed. Despite the slight urgency to get up before her maid came in she lingered in bed, reveling in the memories of yesterday night.

Thranduil had left the feast early and with him away Wynne and Legolas had felt free, unchecked by his constant disapproval. They had stolen several kisses under the honeysuckle, talked, danced, and enjoyed much amusing banter with their friends. In the small hours Legolas had followed her to her room, more than a little drunk.

"This is not my room," he had observed, gaze somewhat unsteady when she pushed him onto her bed.

"No it's mine."

"Oh. This smells nice." He sniffed her pillow, drawing in her scent just like that time when she borrowed his tent.

"You smell nice." She rubbed her nose against his collarbone, feeling the enchanting scent of him, mingled with the aroma of his herbal hair oil and a hint of wine. When she kissed him she tasted it as well, sweet and fruity on his mouth and tongue.

Their kisses that night had been the most passionate they had yet shared; neither of them stopping to think, just allowing instinct to take over. Their hands had roamed each other's bodies at will as their lips moved in unison, closer and more intense than ever, leaving them breathless and flustered every time they surfaced for air.

Legolas had then brushed over her neck with his lips, trailing light pecks down to her decolletage and buried his face in the cleft between her breasts. His lips sent currents of heat through her and she wriggled beneath him.

While he was occupied with her cleavage she had combed through his hair with her fingers and continued to his ear, pinching it.

He drew in a sharp breath. "If you keep doing that I shall pull up your dress and take you here and now," he threatened.

She let his ear go. He wouldn't really do it, though… would he? Warmth surged through her body when she pictured it.

"Naughty elf… Speaking so daringly to a lady!" She loved it.

"Well, if you were a gentleman I wouldn't be interested in doing that, so…"

His words had made them both through a fit of laughing, breaking the tension.

Shortly afterwards they had fallen asleep, tired from all the wine and laughter. That was probably for the better; every time they were together like this they went further, and it became increasingly harder to resist the point of no turning back.

Now it was before sunrise judging by the pale light. Wynne stretched herself, a little stiff after sleeping in her uncomfortable dress.

Today they would leave Osgiliath and travel to Minas Tirith for a meeting with Aragorn to show him the peace treaty. She ought to wake Legolas up but couldn't bring herself to disturb him. Instead she admired his relaxed, sleeping face.

He looked so innocent with his long, dark lashes resting peacefully on his cheeks and his lips slightly parted. She couldn't resist touching their upturned corners.

His lashes fluttered open. "Good morning," he mumbled.

"Morning."

Then for a long time they just lay there, gazing at one another in silence.

"Your eyes are so beautiful," she said at last.

"Your braids are messed up." He pulled out a curl and let it bounce back.

"Here I was being romantic and all you can think of is hair care." She shoved him playfully in the chest.

"I can redo them," he offered, but didn't move.

Then Wynne remembered something she had planned to do for a long time. Her fingers darted out and this time she caught him by surprise despite his elvish reflexes and warrior training, and she had the huge satisfaction of seeing him laugh and trying to push her off.

"I knew you were ticklish!" She sat on his chest, locking his arms with her legs. "Pinned you!"

But now he was prepared and didn't even twitch when she tried to tickle him again. A smug smile settled on his lips. Damn that elf's self-control!

He tried to free himself but to no avail. She was a horsewoman after all and only squeezed her strong legs harder around him.

"Pinned you again," she whispered, bending forward to kiss him, gradually releasing her hold and sinking down on top of him.

He raised his hands to her thighs, pulling her close. "You have impressive legs," he murmured, moving his fingers slowly upwards, sending sparks and shivers through her as he neared a forbidden area.

There was a polite knock. "M'lady, are you up?" The maid's voice was blunted by the closed door.

Wynne jumped off Legolas, brushing out the wrinkles of her dress. "I won't need you today, Sadoreth. Thank you."

"Are you sure, m'lady? I was coming for the chamber pot…"

"Not now! You can come later. Thanks!"

"Uh, alright…"

Wynne fell back on the bed, trying to hold in her giggles.

"Is she gone?" she whispered, knowing Legolas could hear the retreating footfalls better than her.

"She is, but I probably ought to sneak back to my own room anyway…"

"Sadly, yes." Wynne carefully peered through the door before letting him out. "All clear."

He leaned down for a kiss in passing. "I need one more to keep me through the day. Who knows how we will sleep in Minas Tirith. Maybe, the Valar forbid, Aragorn will make me share with my snoring father."

Just then Gimli came tiptoeing into the corridor, carrying his boots and tunic in one hand. When he caught sight of them he grinned widely. "Laddie! Slept well tonight?"

"Very." He looked both embarrassed and satisfied at the same time when he hurried away on soundless feet.

"I'm happy for the laddie and ye," Gimli said when he was gone.

The dwarf needed to turn up his head to meet her gaze, now that he wasn't wearing high-soled boots, but instead it lingered on her cleavage.

Mother knew what she did when she packed that dress for her.

"You look like you didn't sleep much at all," Wynne remarked, pointedly crossing her arms to cover her chest while taking in his half-dressed state and tired face.

"Nay." He chuckled. "My lassie dinnae tire so soon."

"You really do… that with her?" She was curious despite herself.

He shrugged noncommittally.

"But… what if she gets with child? It would be a scandal."

"Ach, lassie, ye are so young. There are methods to hinder that, but ye'd blush if I told ye how." He sniggered.

"If you're so intimate with her, why do you flirt with everyone else? That's not very nice," she accused, secretly wishing he would tell more about those methods. "Don't you love her?"

Gimli's deep set eyes became flinty, his jovial air gone. "That's nae yer business, is it?"

"Sorry." But she was not sorry, not really. He was treating his friend badly and someone ought to tell him.

"Cheery kens what she gets with me, take it or leave it. I cannae love her – or anyone." He hesitated, then shrugged again. "Ma heart belongs to someone else."

Wynne suspected she knew who, but said nothing. He was right, it was not her business.

His rough features softened. "Dinnae ken why I show ye this, but…" He pulled out a chain from under his shirt, uncovering a golden pendant inlaid with white diamonds. Behind the glass was a tuft of blond hair. "She ne'er belonged to me… another's wife, she was. And I shallnae see her again. She's left Middle-earth." Gimli stroked the pendant's surface with a rough thumb, eyes becoming misty. "I guess we've got that in common, ye and I. Both fancying an elf, huh." He grinned at her but his rumbling voice was full of bitterness.

Before she could answer he had gone into his room and shut the door behind him.

Wynne returned to her own room, feeling ambivalent. So, Gimli had loved Galadriel… That was not a surprise, even the ballad hinted it, and she was sorry for his unrequited love, she really was. Still… she couldn't see why he needed to trifle with everyone wearing a skirt just because of that. It sounded like a bad excuse in her ears.

Then again, if Cheery knew about it and had entered into the relationship with open eyes, it was really up to her. She was a grown dwarf and could probably take care of herself.

While she packed her things, Wynne remained thoughtful. The fact that Gimli could love one person and desire another (or several others, more correctly) was disturbing somehow. Was Thranduil right when he claimed those emotions to be separate things?

She knew she loved Legolas but what if he merely desired her in return?

But no… the way he always cared for her wellbeing and how he had confided in her, trusted her with his worst memories; that was proof it was more than physical.

oOo

After lunch it was time to fetch the horses and leave Faramir and Éowyn's welcoming home for Minas Tirith and the meeting with the king. It would only be a short journey this time, a few hours at the most.

Wynne met Éowyn in the large and well kept stables where she was assigning horses to her own family.

"Oh, you're coming too?"

"Yes, my husband wants to be there when the peace treaty is presented. We have a feeling this will be important. Something to tell the grandchildren." She smiled. "And for my part I want to spend more time with my new friend Sidra and her dear sons."

Wynne felt a twinge of jealousy at that. Sidra was her friend first… But she realized it was bound to happen; Sidra and Éowyn were almost the same age, and both mothers.

But still...

Then Éowyn asked about Wynne's family and their horse breeding and she forgot her jealousy in the interesting conversation that followed that lasted well until they were all gathered in the plaza outside the mansion, ready to mount and be on their way.

Wynne looked forward to seeing Minas Tirith, the white city, home of her relative and his half-elven wife.

Only to think, she would be exploring Arda's most famous city with the elf she loved. And then there was the prospect of peace too. Freedom at last for the orcs of Emyn Muil.

If only Thranduil could cease his silent treatment everything would be perfect…

A/N:

Who else has fancying elves in common with Gimli? ;) I hope I didn't ruin him for any of you dwarf fans, by the way…