THE FORGOTTEN
Lhing na Fuin
Webs of Darkness
Author's note: The chapter in which - the two demi-gods among elves go poking around a spider's nest and everyone kind of freaks out. …Re/reading dates – April 7th. If you are interested, I listened to "The Blood of Kings" from the album "In Elven Lands" for the battle scenes. The after-party was "Canticle to Elbereth Gilthóniel".
The welcoming feast had gone rather as Lothril had come to expect from Thranduil, king of the party. The next morning at breakfast, Glorfindel, whom Lothril officially declared her adopted uncle, was looking almost excited. Serious and sober, but still excited.
"When can we head out?" Glorfindel asked.
"Full light beneath the trees will be reached in an hour. We can head out immediately after breakfast," Legolas answered.
"Excellent," Glorfindel said. "I brought my sword, but I will want to borrow armor, as we wore but light stuff for travel."
"Certainly," Thranduil said. "My armory is open to you."
"Thank you."
"I am slightly surprised that all of you are fine with Lothril doing this," Elrohir said.
"You try telling her no," Thranduil said with a hint of a smile towards Lothril.
"Elrond, are you certain she is not your kin by blood?" Glorfindel teased.
Elrond swallowed his sip of tea, and said, "Actually, she could be, but remotely. One of the sons of Olwë disappeared during a hunting trip and no trace of him was found. The time and supposed location of his disappearance correlates with what my best guess is for when captives taken could have survived to be potentially liberated."
"Could be. I suppose I really ought to have asked Elbereth for the names of everyone who was captured. At the time though, I did not think to," Lothril said.
"Perfectly understandable under the circumstances," Elrond replied.
"Now remind me, how are you related to Olwë again?" Lothril asked.
"Olwë is the brother of Elu Thingol," Elrond answered.
"So if that is the case, then we would be some sort of distant cousin, correct?"
"Correct."
"Wasn't he one of the kings of the Teleri?" she asked.
"Very good!" Elrond replied.
"To be honest, I am surprised I remembered that," Lothril admitted with a half grin. "That is a bit of an interesting thought though…" she trailed off as she took a couple thoughtful bites. "Alright, I am trying to sort it out, if I am some long lost granddaughter of Olwë, that would make me, what?"
"Assuming the claim were proven, you would be a lady of Tol Eressëa and Alqualondë and a princess of the Falmari," Elrond answered.
"Imagine that! Little ol' me a princess by birth!" she joked.
"I can imagine it, my queen," Legolas said with ósanwe.
The only response he got was a subtle eye roll.
-⸙ - ⸙-
After breakfast and everyone admonishing her to be careful, Lothril, Legolas, and Glorfindel all donned armor and weapons and joined the company that was going out to penetrate the darkness on the borders of the Woodland Realm. Being daylight, marching out was significantly quicker, and for what it was worth, it seemed like a beautiful day! Glimpses of blue could be seen through the thick canopy in places, but otherwise the mottled living emerald sea above them gently swayed and sang of a beautiful windy day. Down below the wind was not to be felt except for a light stirring of the air here and there when the wind gusted heartily. However, as they drew near the edge of Thranduil's protected land, they went gradually downhill and the air grew still. It began to remind Lothril of how it was nearly two years ago. The shadow at very first seemed like it was perhaps a place of thicker canopy, but it felt unsettling. As they went along it rapidly got darker and the air seemed thick and disorienting.
Raven looked at Legolas who gave a nod then signaled to Lothril to start singing. Glorfindel kept his eyes on the forest and watched and listened as she seemed to be pushing the darkness back on itself. He could immediately see why this was effective, but it also ran the risk of making it denser later on. Glorfindel reached out his mind to her and gave her a suggestion on altering the song to dissipate the darkness. She immediately changed it and the darkness she had pushed back began to almost ooze back towards them until it started to slowly dissipate. To Lothril it went from feeling like pushing back a heavy curtain to trying to sweep up molasses. She was still doing fine, she still felt like she wasn't straining, but it was getting harder. Glorfindel drew his sword slowly from its sheath. Raven and Legolas did the same. They felt like they were being watched.
Lothril tried pushing out the circumference of the area she was clearing. Lighter forest was left behind her, spreading out like the wake of a boat, but it made the darkness ahead seem that much darker and hope that much more forsaken ahead. The feeling of being watched grew as they kept going. After a while they started catching glints of eyes, but too far away to do anything about them. The order was given to be ready, but not attack yet unless something was decidedly too close. Deeper they went, more eyes, but no challenge. This was peculiar.
Suddenly Raven hissed, "It's a trap!"
Lothril looked around and realized that the entire darkness surrounding them was thick with spiders.
"Pilĺn! (Arrows!)" Raven commanded.
"Lothril, gail! (bright light!)" Legolas ordered.
They had planned for this sort of thing, but she hadn't actually done it before, and it took her a breath to reach out and find that strain of music and – a bright flash of light flew up from her hand, immediately halting the advancing spiders and giving the archers marks beyond the ones they could already see. A horrible hissing, rattling screech went up from the pierced spiders, and a chilling clicking and scurrying sound was heard all about. She had been told not to worry about fighting, to focus on singing and keeping the darkness pushed back. And she did. But she couldn't help but notice in the midst of the sounds of battle, such as they were in this instance, there was a certain rhythmic hissing and clicking that she heard that chilled her to her bones, especially as she slowly realized it was pressing back against her. It was pressing back against her with force. Glorfindel could feel it and he began to sing also, pushing back the darkness abruptly to see if the source of the resistance could be found.
They glimpsed a shadowy form. It looked like one of the spiders, but bigger. The sight of it chilled them.
Raven, Legolas, and Glorfindel looked ready to attack, but Lothril began to buckle beneath the weight of the darkness. They had seen the spider, and it had seen them and was bringing its darkness to bear on the elves.
Legolas felt Lothril's mind brush against his and there was a measure of fear and panic in it. For a split second he weighed their options and not knowing if the darkness would snap back if Lothril left, he told Raven to call a regroup and retreat.
"Take her, I will hold the rear," Glorfindel said before starting to sing.
Legolas pulled her out and as soon as they were beyond the edges of the darkness and in safety she slumped down against a tree.
"That was not one of the other spiders. That was the mother. That was… It must be like Shelob's sister or something, except I do not think Shelob could weave darkness like that. I do think the light hurt her though, so there is that," Lothril said. "I am tired!"
"Tired? We must get you back immediately! Be still and-"
She shot him annoyed look. "Legolas, I am tired, not dying. Also, I learned some rather interesting things in there."
"Such as?"
"I would rather wait until Glorfindel and Raven get here."
"I knew it, you are more tired than you are letting on," he said sternly.
"Yes, Legolas. It must be that, because you know I loooove repeating myself three times oh, so very much," she replied, rolling her eyes.
Everyone was out and regrouped and Raven and Glorfindel came over to join them, both having overheard her withering sarcasm and admirably hiding their smirks. Oh yes, she would fit right in with the royal family!
"Ernil Legolas," Raven said with a bow, "I have the report. We lost none, but twenty seven sustained injuries, none major or life threatening, all but two still fit to fight."
"And the two?" Legolas asked.
"Hand bitten, but damage mostly from the gauntlet being driven into his flesh, which includes broken skin, bruising, and possibly crushed or broken bones. The other was stung in the shoulder in a gap in the armor between two pieces. We suspect by a younger spider given the size. He is being treated for poisoning and related wounds," Raven answered.
"How fares the lady?" Glorfindel asked, kneeling down.
"I am tired," she answered.
"I am not surprised. When I took over I felt at once what you were fighting against. She feels old and strong," Glorfindel replied.
Lothril nodded. "Very. However, I think she has a massive weakness in light. Shelob, whom Sam fought, was driven back by the light of Earendil, and I doubt anything less would do it. This one though… did you notice how she recoiled at the daylight? And I get this odd feeling we, or at least you, could take her, and easily if she were forced into sunlight. And what happened with the darkness after you left?"
"It is still pushed back. I suspect it will take her time to reclaim it," Glorfindel said.
"So," Lothril said looking at Legolas and Raven, "What is the plan?"
"If Lord Glorfindel is correct, then going back in as soon as possible would be my vote," Raven said.
"How many do we think we killed and how many do we think are left?" Legolas asked.
"It is nearly impossible to say, as we could not stay to count, but my reckoning is that it surpasses our single largest attack by a wide margin," Raven replied. "As for how many are left… it is also difficult to say for certain, but my best guess would be four score, give or take. Just judging by how thick the eyes were around us."
Legolas' brows shot up. "That would easily make this our largest nest. It shall be midday in two hours, and if your guess is right, then perhaps going back in now would be best, save that Lothril is still tired."
"How are we set for lights?" Lothril asked.
"Lights?" Raven asked. "We have some, but as we marched out in daylight we do not have many."
"Are they those lovely little lanterns that throw silver light?" she asked.
"They are," Raven answered.
"Can we make torches?" she asked.
"We could, but why?" Legolas replied.
She smiled. "I have a plan!"
"And that is?" Legolas asked.
"Gideon."
-⸙⸙-
They had to admit, the plan was pretty good. Of course, Legolas was the only one who knew who Gideon was, but when Lothril explained it, they all had to agree, it was a stroke of genius. A messenger on horseback flew back to the palace to request two score of horses and riders, all the signalers of the army, as many lanterns and lights as could be gathered in haste, and bafflingly enough, drums. Thranduil had been found in the company of Elrond and his sons when the request came. Thranduil immediately granted it, as the messenger had explained the request was endorsed by Legolas, Raven, and Glorfindel, but he also wondered quite a bit about it.
The twins looked at each other then Elrohir said, "Suddenly we regret not asking to go with them."
"So do I," Thranduil said.
Within an hour, per message instructions, riders with light armor and weapons carrying drums, on horses with no armor, set out at a brisk pace followed by every bugler in Thranduil's army marching in double time. They caught up with the prince and company at just about midday. Everyone was arranged and given their orders and then set out for the darkness.
Lothril had gotten her second wind and in large part thanks to the miruvor Glorfindel had given her. After some serious debate among the four of them they decided it really would be best to have her go along, because the plan could arguably work with just Glorfindel, but they all agreed it would be best with both of them. She had shrunk the darkness from the estimated eight acres down to five, but that still stretched their given forces a bit thin when it came to fully encircling the darkness. This is where the horses, drums, and horns came in. The horses needed no reins and so the riders had free both hands. One for a light and one for a drum hung at their sides. Each bugler had his horn and a drum also and lights and improvised torches were scattered thickly amongst the soldiers. The torches were lit before they went in, but the lanterns remained shuttered. Lothril could easily see the wedge she had created in the darkness as they skirted a little to the left of it to cut in another wedge.
Lothril started off singing by herself as they marched in, lights shuttered, torches scattered. As they marched in, the darkness dissolving as they went, the midday sun making its way through the leafy branches in undulating shafts of light. The eyes were there again, but far fewer than before. As they drew closer to the center, Lothril felt more resistance and sent a quick thought to Legolas and then Glorfindel. The rhythmic hissing and clicking started again. It began to get harder to keep the darkness at bay. Lothril held on though, because she was sure they weren't near enough yet. Not yet. Per the plan, soldiers with shuttered lanterns began sneaking into the edges of the darkness and creating a perimeter inside the darkness just as the horses and buglers were outside it. Suddenly there were sounds of battle in the dark.
"Thî! (Now!)" Cried Legolas, echoed by Raven and two other commanders.
Suddenly the darkness was ablaze with torches and lanterns that cast off silver light in bright beams. From beyond the darkness, the sound of shouts, horns, and drums mixed with the hoof beats of heavy war horses filled the air. The spiders, which had hitherto been relying on stealth suddenly thought themselves surrounded. Webs being made and ones already spun were being cut down by sharp elvish blades as spiders scurried about in confusion in the light and the din. A bright shaft of sun fell upon Lothril as the scattering darkness revealed the trees there largely dead or sick and the canopy thin. She could feel confusion rolling off the head spider, causing its clicking and hissing to falter. Lothril seized on this and pushed back even harder than before.
The archers had easy marks and spider after spider fell from elven arrows. Some managed to turn and charge only to be met by a thicket of elven spears. Either the source of the darkness or another cleverer spider realized Lothril was the reason their beautiful darkness was being pierced by hideous light and she became the object of their attacks, only to be blindsided by Glorfindel the balrog slayer. In his unveiled wrath towards the spawn of Ungoliant, who killed the trees and brought so much pain upon the world, was shining in their eyes like the noonday sun. He began singing also as he fought with his ancient blade, pushing back the darkness to greater and greater effect as the knot of torches and lanterns closed in, as did the banging of drums and sounding of horns draw closer and closer, instilling madness in the ones that remained.
At last, the only darkness left was a pitch black, concentrated knot in the middle. In it was the thickest congregation of spiders, but whether out of loyalty to their queen or fear of the light, it was hard to say. The light that shone did not pierce that darkness, and the only thing to escape it was the hissing, clicking of the source and thin wailing hissing screams of spiders. The archers shot blindly into the shadows, hearing rather than seeing their targets. They knew they were hitting some, as the odd curled up spider would come rolling out of the edge of it, but it was impossible to tell what was going on in the darkness.
They stopped and quickly held council. Do they plunge blindly into this darkness or try harder to dissolve it? As the military minds quickly debated, Lothril looked around at the shredded webs and back into the darkness. There was probably less than half an acre of it left. She had a thought.
She walked away from the commanders and through the ranks until she reached the front line which was a thicket of spears pointed at the darkness. She wasn't attacking, as such… she was just poking at it with a stick, so to speak. She figured she could just quickly test her idea and then report back and plan around it. Still well within the shields and spears, she began to sing, hands held out, singing a different song than any she had tried so far, singing the song that turned wooden practice dummies to dust. At first she couldn't tell if it was doing anything and was about to quit but then she noticed the top melting away to reveal a hideous head with many eyes, covered in a black like a black widow spider, venom dripping from its maw as it hissed and clicked and shrieked in the mottled light. It didn't seem like it was in a tree, so best she could reckon is that this monstrosity was simply that huge – at least nine feet high. The face quickly dropped down into the dissolving blackness. This was working! The only problem was now such deep and bitter hatred pushing back in a desperate effort against her, she was convinced if she stopped singing, she would die. And she couldn't spare enough mental energy to use ósanwe at this distance. This at least confirmed this darkness was a tangible thing… hopefully a soldier next to her figured out what was happening… what were the odds of that?
As the head was exposed, the commanders heard the shrieking and quickly turned to see the monster revealed.
"Ai! Elbereth!" Raven breathed, eyes wide in terror. This was far and away the biggest and most devilish looking spider they had ever encountered. And those eyes… He and Legolas both recognized them. They had seen them as they drifted in out and poison induced delirium.
With a desperate, enraged shriek spiders began pouring out of the darkness and towards Lothril, crashing on the thicket of spears.
"FALL BACK, LOTHRIL!" Legolas commanded with a great shout.
She wanted to, but she could not move. The monster she was fighting would not let her. It was winding spells around her that would not let her move from her spot. Lothril was terrified if she stopped singing the darkness would consume her and was only being kept at bay by her song. And if the darkness overtook her, she would be dead. Of that she had no doubt, and so she sang.
"FALL BACK!" Legolas cried.
Glorfindel figured it out first. "She cannot!" he cried and charged forward, sword drawn, singing as he ran.
"Go! I will take things," Raven said and began issuing orders as Legolas took off towards the front, his own sword drawn.
Glorfindel and Legolas reached her, Raven called for a charge and into the darkness first plunged Glorfindel, shining in the darkness like a star come to earth, but illuminating nothing of the darkness. Behind him went spearmen and swordsmen, taking care of the lesser minions of darkness as Glorfindel sought the queen. Legolas stood beside Lothril as her personal guard as the ranks of elves went forward. Slowly, Lothril went forward also, as if drawn. Legolas tried reaching out to her mind but it was locked tight against all. As she reached the darkness she drew her sword and in the inky, swirling blackness they saw Glorfindel, fighting some creature of darkness.
The silver lanterns came in along with many torches and at last the darkness began to lessen just enough to make out faint shapes and outlines. Glorfindel was fighting a massive spider with barbed legs that was weaving darkness around itself, hoping to ensnare him. Lothril kept singing her song, the darkness ever so slightly lessening as she did. There were precious few spiders left, all of them drawing towards Glorfindel and Lothril as the source of their despair, and being cut down by the elves that surrounded them. The hardest part of this was that this wretched creature was putting its many legs to good use and making things difficult for the elves attacking it. Then the moment came and it was overwhelmed and stopped hissing and clicking. Lothril kept singing and joined the fray and suddenly Legolas saw the golden opportunity they needed. He lightly leapt up the creature's back and before the thing could fully register what was going on, he drove his sword through its head. Glorfindel and Lothril leapt out of the way as it fell and Glorfindel cut off its head.
Lothril stopped singing immediately and the darkness began to dissipate like smoke. Everyone stopped and looked around. The spiders were all dead. The darkness was gone and gold and green light filtered down onto the mottled forest floor. All at once a great cheer went up and the next thing Lothril knew, she, Legolas, and Glorfindel were being hoisted on the shoulders of the soldiers and carried back amidst cheers and singing and music from the horns and drums. Lothril vaguely became aware that they were singing their praises and making up songs about the slaying of the last of the great spiders.
In a way, she was in shock. Her plan had worked. It had worked rather well. And it had all ended so quickly… she felt ever so slightly lightheaded and shaky from the exertion, but somewhere in some corner of her mind she was very happy, but mostly she felt tired and wound up and relieved and excited all at once. It reminded her somewhat of after the battle at Grandma Sue's house how she felt so wound up and almost jittery afterwards, but more so. It was very much like that now, but with that shaky exhausted feeling that almost makes one giddy. They were set upon horses and returned to the palace in the late afternoon to great fanfare and celebration. Thranduil came out to meet them and immediately guessed the news and so called for a celebration to begin immediately.
Elrond, Elrohir, and Elladan followed Thranduil out and gave congratulations all around. Everyone wanted to hear the story that was being sung and accompanied by horns and drums and stringed instruments and Lothril's only reply was, "After I have a minute I will tell all!" She dismounted and was met by Elrond who gave her a big hug and held her hand.
"I am very proud of you!" Elrond said. "It sounds like it was your plan that drove off the darkness."
She nodded. "It was, but boy, what I wouldn't give for something to eat and drink right now! I feel very…" she held up her other hand and showed how shaky it was.
Elrond nodded. That's what he thought. "I understand. That was hard work."
The throng surged towards one of the outdoor dining halls where food was quickly being brought in to supplement what was already there. Before Lothril could properly sort out what was going on, she found herself being helped out of her plate armor and then sitting down at a table and having food heaped on a plate and a cup filled with wine. There was music and talking and laughter as the hall crammed full and soldiers started eating and celebrating. She heard her name mentioned more than she was strictly comfortable with because she had really just shown up for the kill, and even at that, she hadn't actually killed the creature. She just helped distract it while Legolas and Glorfindel killed it. To her approval though, Glorfindel and Legolas fighting and killing it was being mentioned quite liberally and with glowing praises. Good! Maybe he and the legendary balrog slayer could get all the accolades they well deserved and she could just sit quietly at the table and drink some wine. She really hated that after-battle out of sorts thing, and she really did not feel like partying. She felt like having two glasses of wine, a massage, and some quiet music with a nap. Didn't look like that was going to happen.
The twins appeared next to her through the celebrating crowd and pressed her for details.
"Tell us! Tell us your plan that worked so well!" Elladan said enthusiastically.
She waved a hand vaguely. "Everyone is singing it, go listen to them."
"No wonder you flew away on an eagle after the Ring was destroyed," Elladan teased.
"You ought to be ecstatic, gwathel!" Elrohir said. "That was your first time creating and executing a battle plan, and soldiers all say you lost none and the injuries were minimal. Do you have any idea how incredibly rare that is?"
"I am sure I have no idea, but I am also sure it mostly had to do with Thranduil sending out so many soldiers and everyone else knowing what they were doing far more so than my little plan, clever though it may have been. And I may even go so far as to say it was clever, but I will certainly go no further."
"But Lothril, it was rather ingenious!" Elladan insisted.
"Give yourself some credit, Lothril. It was very clever, especially for someone who only held a sword for the first time a year and a half ago. However did you come up with it?"
"Gideon," she replied and took another bite of what she was guessing was freshly fried trout. She really had to remember to eat out here more…
"Gideon? What does that mean?" Elrohir asked.
She swallowed. "Gideon was a man in my world from ancient times who had to lead his people against a foe who was much larger and fiercer than they. The Name told him to gather up all the men and then start whittling them away. He had Gideon send them home for all sorts of reasons, most of them somewhat arbitrary, but it was all done to get them down to a very small and impossible number. Well, when Gideon was down to three hundred men, the Name told him to give them all torches, pots, and horns and surround the camp of the enemy. And so they did. In the middle of the night they circled the camp, broke the pots to reveal the torches, and blew on the horns. The enemy awoke from a sound sleep and reckoned that each torch and horn represented a great number of soldiers, and so panic broke out and in their fear and terror, they ended up slaying each other and Gideon and his men had to do basically nothing. And so, even though I supposed the spiders wouldn't attack each other because men look like men, but spiders do not look like elves, I did suppose they might panic and lose focus and thus be easier to pick off. I also supposed that if we flooded the place with light, they would be blinded for a moment, which would also give us an advantage. So in short, I borrowed an idea and it was executed by capable soldiers."
"And to crown it she is humble!" Elladan said with a smile, teasing her slightly.
"I am not humble, I am realistic. And according to Legolas and Thranduil I am not realistic but horribly self-abasing," she retorted.
"That you are. Even if you did borrow the idea, it was a good one to borrow, you adapted it well to your situation, and most importantly, you thought to borrow it at all," Elladan replied.
"You ought to celebrate your part in all this and take pleasure in your victory," Elrohir added.
"I would rather take a glass of wine, take a bath, have a massage, and take a celebratory nap," she said.
Elrohir and Elladan smiled. "That is fair," said Elrohir.
"That is also not going to happen. Not if the soldiers have any say about it," Elladan added.
She emptied her cup, set it down and knocked on the table for the servant to come fill it again. "And so I reckoned when they hoisted me on their shoulders," she said. "Hence the wine."
Some wine, some food, and the minstrels singing improved her mood and for an hour or two and she made merry with the rest of them as best as her tired and scattered mind could, and repeated her story to Elrond, Thranduil, an official royal minstrel, and Elbereth only knows who else until around twilight when she decided she was done and sneaked away back into the palace, ordering a bath on her way up. Thranduil had found his way to her as she was making her way back towards the palace and told her that come morning there was going to be a proper celebration of the forest being completely cleansed and whole, the death of the last giant spiders in the forest, and a celebration of her, Glorfindel, and Legolas slaying what was rapidly being called "Ungoliant's Spawn". He also told her he was going to award her a military medal and she would be required to wear it for certain official functions going forward. She was far too wound up and scattered feeling to process this properly, so she nodded, thanked him for telling her, and continued on.
Privately, she would have preferred a celebratory pizza over a party and she was still low key wanting a massage, but maybe she could get one tomorrow morning before the celebration… or right after her bath maybe? It wasn't horribly late yet… she decided to ask a servant when the healers usually call it a day… The last few hours of hearing everyone sing and talk about the whole thing had at least served to convince her she had at least earned some accolades, as part of the general buzz had been how utterly impenetrable they had hitherto found the darkness and how "easily" she had pushed it back. It might have looked easy, but it certainly hadn't felt easy!
She climbed the last set of stairs, missing escalators profoundly at the moment, and made her way down the passage which led to the hall their rooms were on. All she wanted was a bath. She felt absolutely disgusting after spending the last few hours in a crowded hall in a thick gambeson and chainmail and all. To say nothing of her aching muscles.
She honestly did not expect to see Legolas for a while as the dining hall had been crowded and they had barely seen each other since they had arrived back at the palace grounds, and so reckoned if she was quick with her bath, she might be able to sneak in the massage before he noticed she was gone.
She had just gotten in her room and was pushing shut the door behind her when she felt it being pushed back against her hand. She reflexively turned her head to see Legolas, hair still in a braid but all his armor gone. Before she could comprehend much else, he was holding her and kissing her and what a riot of feelings!
"You… were… magnificent… today! Absolutely… brilliant! I have been beside myself all afternoon wanting to show you how proud I am of you!" As if to make up for not punctuating every word of that last sentence with a kiss, he gave her an extraordinarily long one as he loosened her braid and buried his fingers in her hair. "Your intelligence and confidence are attractive enough... but then to lead us to final victory against so long a foe... and to do it so cleverly! I beg you, melethril nîn... bereth nîn...(my queen) Let me show you how I feel!" He was lighting her world on fire one kiss at a time. "Let me tend you. Dismiss the servants and let me minister to you."
The thought thrilled her to the bone even as her scattered mind reeled from the onslaught of his emotional state, but for as tempting as his proposal was, she knew that wasn't entirely possible. "Mellothon, I would love to, but I was planning on a bath and a massage."
"Bathe then let me tend you," he pleaded.
"My word, you are desperate!"
"Beyond belief!"
"Well… If you like."
He frowned slightly. "If you do not wish me to, merely say-"
"No, I am just tired, is all. Pushing back the darkness like that was tiring."
"Then meleth, you must let me attend you all the more! Tell Estelneth – who am I kidding - Estelneth!"
The servant appeared promptly. "What may I do for you, my prince?"
"Milady has had a very long and exhausting day. Give her a bath and do not let her lift a finger then dress her in her night clothes. Also send for the yllas sĺdheb* (chamomile andmint tea* see note.)and have it waiting when the bath is done. Afterwards you may go," Legolas said.
"Athon, (I will)" she replied and hurried off.
"Off you go, Bereth Lothril," he said with a grin and kiss.
"Why do I have the feeling you have given her other orders that are hidden in those orders?"
He wrapped her in his arms and leaned his head down to say in her ear, "Because I have given her explicit and detailed instructions on how I wish to have you tended until I can tend to you myself. And believe me when I say, I plan on making sure you are the happiest, most relaxed, and most pleasured elf in the kingdom once we are married."
She shuddered ever so slightly. "Why did you tell me that?"
"Because I want you thinking about it until we are wed," he answered and then gave her a kiss and left the room.
She stood there for a second trying to sort herself out and figure out what to do with the feelings running riot through her. Was he trying to drive her mad? Was he trying to arouse her? What was she reasonably supposed to do with these feelings? Especially with someone else in the room... Surely he knew what he was doing to her… Just to be sure, she decided to have words with the rather impish elf.
"Milady, your bath is ready."
"Thank you, Estelneth," she said reflexively and gathered herself and went into the bath.
Without even blinking or even paying much attention, she mulled over what he said, what she was planning to say, and what she supposed Legolas was going to want to do to help her unwind and relax as Estelneth helped her remove her clothes down to the last under layer then discreetly disappeared to the other side of the screen. Lothril noticed a cup of wine on the tall, narrow table that was usually found behind the screen and functioned solely as a convenient place to set things that would be needed in a moment. And was that wine needed! Lothril took a drink then stripped down the rest of the way and was carefully lowering herself into her bath with the wine cup in one hand before the thought flitted across her mind that she had officially grown accustomed to having someone with her while she bathed . She glanced over at Estelneth who had her back turned and was arranging things on a tray on a rolling table. As soon as she heard the water stop sloshing she turned and pushed the table over to beside the bath and took her customary seat at Lothril's head so she could wash her hair.
"What is in the bath today? Is this the blend we have been working on?" Lothril asked as she set the half emptied cup on the cart.
"It is. I added rose oil to it since we used it last," Estelneth said as she began gently combing her hair before washing it.
Lothril sniffed. "I like it, but I will let you know if the prince agrees," Lothril replied and closed her eyes.
"Milady, may I speak?"
"Of course, Estelneth," Lothril replied, eyes still shut as he leaned back.
"I heard about your victory today and I wish to thank you personally for ridding the forest of the spiders. They have been a great trouble to us for so very long and … I lost a cousin to them a long time ago, but I have not forgotten it. I feel now that he is avenged and I must thank you," Estelneth said.
Lothril's eyes opened, and she really wasn't sure what to do or say to that… especially as she was naked in a bath and the only thing keeping her modesty was some soap bubbles and rose petals… With all sincerity she said, "You are welcome. I am glad that I could aid in clearing the forest once and for all."
"As soon as I heard rumor of the celebrations tomorrow, I set aside your clothes for the morning so you and the prince need not worry about my presence, though I will be near if you ring for me," Estelneth said.
"Thank you, Estelneth," Lothril said, closing her eyes again. A fleeting thought about the fact she now was comfortable with Estelneth knowing her and the prince were sharing a bed nearly every night and that it was virtually a given now crossed her mind as she sank another inch or so into the water. Legolas' words from just before her bath flitted across her mind as Estelneth began massaging soap into her hair. Darn that elf!
After the bath she dried and dressed in a nightshirt she had asked Filegon to make for warmer weather. The palace was always cool, but it felt wrong to wear long sleeves and leggings in summer. So she had him make her a nightshirt that came to a few inches above the knee, had tall slits on the side, and had elbow length loose sleeves and buttons that could close or open up the low notched neckline. This was definitely the shirt she would have picked. However, she would have paired leggings or the shorts she had made to go with it and not the nothing Estelneth had picked.
"Estelneth, where are my leggings?"
"He asks you to wear these," she answered, producing a pair of grey shorts that went nicely with her green nightshirt. They were also quite short looking. "But I have your leggings here also if you would rather those."
"When did he do that?"
"Almost as soon as he arrived back this afternoon. He had a list of orders he gave me to be executed upon your return to the room. He merely repeated some of them for your benefit."
That elf!
As soon as she was dressed, Lothril thanked and dismissed Estelneth and she disappeared out a side door. Lothril went over to the mirror and gave herself a once over. You couldn't see the shorts at all while she was standing there, as the shorts just reached the heel of her hand as she stood with her arms at her sides. So… barely longer than her amethyst swim shorts… "Curiosity killed the cat," Lothril muttered to herself and shook her head. "But satisfaction brought it back," she added as she went to her bedroom door. In she went and there was Legolas sitting cross-legged on her bed, looking freshly bathed himself as his hair still looked damp in his braid. He smiled.
"How do you feel?" he asked, holding out a hand for her as she drew near.
"How do you think I feel with those parting comments and then a bath that teetered between relaxing and aphrodisiac then finding out you want me in these shorts?" she replied with a raised brow as she came to stand next to her bed and took his hand.
His smile widened. "I see my plan worked."
"If it was to make me aroused and frustrated then yes, it worked brilliantly."
"And yet you are wearing the shorts. You could have said no. I was very clear with Estelneth on that point," he said with a grin.
"Yes, she mentioned that, but unfortunately, when my impish betrothed makes comments about pleasuring me after we are married, then orders such a luxurious bath for me, then requests I wear shorts shorter than my tunic, what else am I supposed to do but wear them and find out why. Also, what am I reasonably supposed to do with these feelings when I get no alone time?"
He went to reply then realized exactly what she was getting at. His eyes widened slightly and he couldn't help the smile that tugged on the corner of his lips. "I had not realized my little plan would arouse you to that degree, but the fact I did thrills me! However, I am not wholly unprepared to help you relieve some of that tension and keep within our bounds. And as an aside, I have no problem with you releasing that pressure (thang) yourself until we are wed."
Her eyes grew wide with shock at that statement. "Are you serious?"
"Quite serious."
"I honestly have no idea if I will or not, but thank you for telling me."
"Then you have not this entire time?"
She shook her head. "Not since I dreamed of you."
"May I ask why not?"
She looked down at the edge of the bed, searching her memories. "Well, I cannot say exactly, but I had this funny feeling like… almost some form of respect for you when I dreamed of you and the desire to just wasn't there. Then after we met and up until Elrond and I talked about it, everything had been far too chaotic and crazy to even have my thoughts wander there, but… well," she blushed and looked up at him, "as we discussed puith and how my past might affect it, he would make the odd comment about my 'future husband' and every time he did, I reflexively thought of you, though I tried very hard not to. And I could not bring myself to do it because we were just dear friends and I did not want to risk my thoughts wandering to you while I did. I had entirely too much respect for you. Mind, I never did think about anyone before, but I had a funny feeling I might think of you if I did after that. And then after we were betrothed and I had an inch of privacy, well… being with you was enough."
She didn't know the word that slipped from his lips (though, she guessed it was Silvan and she guessed it was as close to a swear word as elves got) before his lips pressed to hers and he drew her onto his lap. This elleth! "You choose to love me… you choose to stay with me…you rid our kingdom of spiders… you honor me and my love even before I declare it to you… you… are… perfect!"
"I don't know about perf-"
He cut her off with a kiss. "You are perfect," he said definitively and then picked her up and laid her down on the bed and kissed her again and asked, "Would you still like a massage?"
"I would, I ache almost everywhere. That was very tiring work. I should have left the merry making sooner, but I supposed the soldiers would riot if I did."
"Nay, they would have understood. They all marveled you stayed, but they were very glad you did and it went far to endear yourself to them further," he replied as he picked up one of her hands and starting massaging at her fingertips. "But let us put those thoughts aside now. What will help you relax?"
There was a knock at the door.
"Enter," Lothril said as she sat up.
A servant came in with tea and set it down on the table near the fireplace.
"Will there be anything else, milady?"
"I would like a pizza with extra sauce, pepperoni, sausage, ham, onion, tomato, and green olives if you have any. But as they don't exist here, I am fine with my tea."
The servant glanced at Legolas then said, "I will see what I can do."
"No, it is fine, really. Thank you all the same," Lothril said.
The servant's eyes darted back to Legolas then she bowed and left.
Lothril watched the servant leave and stared at the closed door a second. "I just told a servant to come in while I am wearing shorts shorter than my tunic and both of us on my bed in pajamas and you holding my hand."
"I was surprised, myself."
"Pardon me while I die of embarrassment after the fact," she said as she covered her face with her hands.
He gave an amused grin as he replied, "I have never heard of an elf that died of embarrassment."
"No, I reckon not. I am not that lucky," she said, dropping her hands. She took a deep breath and added, "I think I need that tea."
"You most certainly do. Sit back on the bed and I will bring it to you."
As he fetched a cup for her, she sat back and got comfortable she said, "Now tell me, besides a massage, what other little plans for tonight are rolling around in that head of yours?"
He grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know!"
"You are not going to tell me, are you," she stated flatly.
"I am going to make you forget you even asked," he replied as he handed her the cup and saucer.
"That is a bold statement, even for you."
"I think I can manage it."
She raised a brow as she brought up the tea cup to her lips and took a tentative test sip.
"You may give me doubtful looks, so long as you also give me your hand."
She took another sip then set down the cup and saucer on her nightstand and held out her hand to him, which he promptly held and began massaging again.
There was a knock at the door.
"What in the world?" she asked.
"You relax," Legolas said and hopped off the bed and went to her bedroom door.
There was a brief exchange she did not quite hear as he was talking quietly and outside the door, but a rather odd smell hit her nose… one that was familiar but…
He came back in and she could see it at once.
"A pizza?!"
"With pepperoni, sausage, ham, onion, and tomato. We will not have olives until later this year," he answered. He set the large tray holding a small pizza and a plate, napkin, fork, and knife down in front of her on the bed.
"Holy Toledo, it is a pizza!" she exclaimed, utterly surprised as she scooched forward and sat cross-legged. She went straight for a pepperoni and popped it in her mouth. "This is like one of those really good, expensive ones we would only buy when they were on sale at a specialty grocer," she said with a smile. "How much research did you do?!"
He chuckled quietly at 'holy Toledo' and smiled as he said, "Quite a bit. Your mother and the internet were both very helpful. And I am very glad it turned out, because I have not had a chance to taste the pepperoni yet and I was worried I might not have gotten the spices quite right."
"Melethel, it is perfect! Have a slice! Pizza is no fun alone."
"I think I will at that," he said and picked up a slice. "I was going to attempt to bring a pop back with me too, but it simply was not feasible."
She nodded as she chewed. "Mm!" She swallowed. "That's just as well. With how rich the flavor of this is, I think beer would go with it better anyway."
"You, suggesting a beer pairing?" He looked down at the slice he was eating. "The kitchen did do a good job!"
"Especially for something none of them have had before. And as for the beer, I do really like that beer we had with the meatloaf. I think I still prefer mead and fruit wine, but it was proper nice."
He nodded in agreement. "Either that beer or a nice red wine. My little teetotaler – you have changed so since we met! And before you ask, decidedly for the better."
"I was not going to ask. I decided at Methor it was for the better. I kinda hate how I was," she said then took another bite. "My word, this is good!"
He nodded then swallowed a bite. "There is a benefit to taking time each year to look backwards and forwards. I am not sure though that you ought to hate how you were. There was simply a good deal of room for improvement. In any event, I hope though that next Methor sees naught but joyful recollections."
She took a bite of the crust. "Very diplomatic of you," she said after she swallowed.
"Well, I am a prince," he quipped.
"Haha! I think next Methor has pretty good odds of joyful recollections, especially after enderi. Enderi… we are marrying right after enderi…"
"We could marry before it, if you like. Ada received word from Lord Celeborn that they expect to arrive here when the first apples come ripe," Legolas said.
She shuddered. "Tempting beyond belief, but I really want to celebrate enderi with everyone."
"We are wedding, not going into exile," Legolas teased.
"Well, if you would rather your new wife spend our wedding night thinking about enderi dresses…."
"We can wed after," he said hastily. "The absolute last thing I want is for your mind to find extra things to distract itself with. Speaking of distractions, did Estelneth leave out your clothes for the morning?" He asked.
"She did. I take it that was also your doing?"
"No, but I suspected she may. Are you done?"
"Yes, I want to save that last piece for the morning."
He shook his head slightly as he scooched off the bed and grabbed the tray and set it on the coffee table in front of the fireplace.
"Now," he said as he sat back down on the bed, "where were we before the pizza showed up?"
"As I recall, I was giving you sassy looks and my hand."
"Yes, you were," he said with a grin as he took her hand.
He massaged her hand and before moving to her forearm, he brushed it lightly with his fingers. He massaged her forearm and before moving to her upper arm, he brushed her skin lightly with his fingers then left a string of soft kisses. Oh mercy, the chills that sent through her! As he began working on her upper arm she said quietly, "I like it when you give me chills like that. Your touch feels sensual and… wholesome? Healthy? Hmm… I am not sure what word to use, but can I pair either of those with 'sensual'? It feels odd, but true. Do you have any idea how nice it is to feel such a touch but feel better because of it and not sick to your stomach and dirty?"
He was quiet a moment but kept working steadily before he finally answered her. "I do, but without the contrast. Your touch is like sparks of fire that ignite my senses and it feels good because it is good. I consider this nearly sacred between us."
"Good, wholesome, sacred sensuality," she said with a funny little smile. "Almost feels like a contradiction, but I think I am starting to turn my way of thinking. Or you are with those warm hands on my arm. Mmm... That feels good!" She said, her voice hinting at a moan at the end.
"It is no contradiction. We are betrothed and pledged to be married and marriage is sacred. I honor and respect you by listening to you and heeding you and seeing you are taken care of in every way. What I am doing now, this moment, is seeing to your body and therefore your fëa as well and helping you care for yourself after such an exhausting day. I am lifting some of that responsibility from you to allow you to relax. The fact that my duties as a hervenn and even simply as your betrothed encompass things that feel good and are sensual is just part of it all." He finished her other arm. "Are you comfortable?"
"Very comfortable."
"Do you want me to massage your legs also?"
This was new and the thrill that ripped through her at the thought was borderline intoxicating. "At the risk of sounding overeager- YES!" She answered emphatically, half sitting forward.
He smiled. "Then lean back and relax. If there is anything I do that you do not like, tell me, please."
"Athon (I will)."
She settled back and got comfortable and as soon as she seemed settled, he started massaging her feet. She really hadn't realized how tired her feet were after wearing the heavier and thick boots all day, but the moment he began rubbing her feet, it felt so good she gave a loud moan that sounded borderline obscene. She instantly blushed and covered her mouth.
Legolas smiled and gave a chuckle. "I understand. The boots and armor are heavy and your feet carry it all. At the same time, if you feel the need to make such pleasing sounds, do not feel embarrassed or apologize for it. I am your betrothed and I will be your hervenn. Those sounds are for me to enjoy and cherish."
"I don't... Mmmmm... That feels good," she said with a smile as his hands began working up her calf. She relaxed into the bed.
He finished with her first calf and ran his fingers lightly over her skin, drawing a string of shudders and very pleased sounds. "May I kiss your legs also?" He asked as he lightly traced around her knee, front and back.
Her body was all but screaming "YES! YES! YES!" while her heart pounded and brain all but short circuited at the thought, leaving her mouth agape, breathing forgotten, as she stared at him wide eyed looking nearly dazed.
To help draw her from her stupor he leaned forward, his knee between her legs, and gave her a slow kiss.
"May I kiss your legs also?" He repeated with a smile.
"Ohpleaseyes!" She said in a rush, sounding like she was trying to catch her breath.
He resumed his seat and lightly dragged his fingers up and down her shin and calf once more before leaning down and leaving a string of soft kisses going up her leg and stopping at the top of her knee.
She groaned quietly and before she could become self-conscious about it, he began working his way up her thigh with his hands. She was breathing heavily and moaning quietly the entire time he worked his way just up to the hem of her shorts no further, eliciting a nearly moaned, "Oh Legolas!"
He kept his ministrations to the top and outside of her thigh at first until she seemed to relax to his touch, then he slowly let his touch creep inwards but only to mid-thigh on the inside. But that was enough. The sounds she made were intoxicating! He leaned down slowly and placed a single soft kiss a few inches above her knee. He could feel her muscles tense beneath his lips.
He paused and sat up to study her face, she looked almost pained with her eyes tightly shut. "Should I stop?"
Her eyes flew open as she sat up to look at him. "Are you kidding me? No! This is amazing! It's all I can do to keep myself in check!"
"What are you keeping in check?" He asked, softly resuming his touch on her thigh.
"I don't even know..." She said with a sigh as his fingers wandered a little higher up her inner thigh.
He came up and kissed her very slowly, his hand still on her inner thigh, then whispered against her lips, "Release it and let us find out together." As he spoke he slowly and lightly dragged his hand another inch up her leg. He felt and heard her moan softly as she pulled him closer for a kiss. He felt her shift and squirm a little in response to his touch. When he leaned back she felt more pliant as he rubbed her inner thigh a little more before gently kissing a little line of kisses up her inner thigh.
The long, low moan that escaped her as she opened herself up more to him was gorgeous enough, but then the way her body shifted - how her hips pressed down into the mattress and her back arched slightly...
He started in on her other leg, going from foot to thigh without pause with his hands, then giving an unbroken line of kisses all the way up. Those sounds! The way she squirmed beneath him... Love making was going to be ecstasy!
"You are lucky I am an elf now and not a human!" Lothril said, her voice taking on a soft and lilting quality to it he hadn't heard from her before, but immediately decided it was his life's mission to elicit it as much as possible.
"Why is that?"
"I can keep my desires right here with ease and without guilting myself or turning myself off."
He smiled. "I am always most grateful for your elvenness, but especially right now. How are you feeling?" he asked as he took up her hand again and kissed it.
"Wonderful!"
"Would you like me to continue?"
"Am I greedy if I say I do?"
"No."
"Please continue!"
"Lay down on your belly."
She immediately scooched down a ways and rolled over, rearranging the pillow beneath her so it was under her head and chest and she could comfortably have her face off to the side. He worked up the back of her legs, leaving them with a trail of kisses that left her squirming and giggling because they tickled and she loved it, then he moved to her shoulders and began working his way down.
"I am eager for the day I can feel your hands on my bare back," she muttered.
"If you truly wish it, I will oblige," he replied quietly. "At least for the lower part of your back."
"Okay," she replied, sounding almost sleepy.
He gingerly pulled up her tunic as far as it would go with her laying on it, revealing the fact she had rolled down the waist on her shorts when she put them on and displaying the small of her back, her waist, and about six inches above it to him. He had seen this all before, but that did nothing to diminish the beauty of it. As soon as his warm hands touched her skin she moaned quietly and smiled. He loved, adored seeing her relaxed smile, even if it was a little squished into the pillow. That actually made it adorable, but he wasn't about to say anything.
He tended her for a while more then laid down beside her and asked, "How do you feel now?"
"Wonderful!" she drawled. "I just feel bad I feel too melted to return the favor."
"Good! That is what I want. May I lay beside you tonight?"
"Ab-so-lute-ly!" she said, drawing out the word with a smile.
She went to rearrange the pillow but he put a hand on her and said, "If you are comfortable, leave it. It is not as if you do not have three more pillows on this bed."
He grabbed one for himself. As soon as he was settled, she rolled onto her side and adjusted her pillow then curled up beside him.
"How wild is tomorrow's celebration going to be?"
Legolas chuckled. "I love how that is always your first question. How wild do you think it is going to be?"
"Well, given the spiders have been a hated curse upon the forest for a very long time, I am assuming drunk elves hanging from the branches and lots of reports of drunk elves and their wives from the border guard," she replied.
He laughed. "More or less. And likely for a few days, but to be honest, it shall be a continuation of today with a pause to award medals."
She took a deep breath and sighed. "Well, understandable. Do I have to be around for all of it?"
"Only for the ceremony and parts I am not stealing you away for to show you privately how ecstatic I am that my beloved was instrumental in ridding us of them. But I do promise to let you find time to celebrate with your kin also. I admit, at first I was less than enthusiastic at the thought of you going-"
She propped herself up to look at him with a raised brow.
"I know, but I have thought I was in grave danger of losing you how many times now? And you have not fought such creatures before. I had been fighting them for centuries when I was overwhelmed by them and captured. Fear made me wish to keep you here and keep you safe and I nearly yielded to it. That was wrong of me and I beg your forgiveness for my fear and doubt. You are a very capable fighter and I am very glad you were there for I do not think it would have ended so well if you were not. Thinking back over the final battle, I truly think it was you and Glorfindel beating it down that allowed me to even make a dent in its hide."
"You are forgiven," Lothril said and gave him a little kiss. "But tell me truly, have you always been such a worrier or is this new since the boar hunt?"
"Since Thuringwen gave you food poisoning," he corrected.
She laid back down with her head on his shoulder. "You have been a bit edgy since then, at that. But why?"
He began slowly stroking his hand up and down her arm. "Well," he answered slowly, "because you should have been untouchable and you were being attacked and with me beside you, completely blind to their coming and unable to thwart it. I have never felt so helpless and…" he took a deep breath. It almost hurt to admit it, but he would be honest with her no matter what. "...vulnerable. I am ill used to feeling vulnerable in any situation, nevermind in my own kingdom, in my own palace, in my own room!"
"This is my room," she said, sounding puzzled.
"It used to be mine, remember? And until you showed up, I still used some of these rooms on occasion for various things."
"Oh, that's right," she said quietly. "I can see how that would be unsettling."
He nodded slightly. "Very unsettling. Everything about this end of the palace is designed to keep us set apart and give us privacy and safety and she managed to ruin it all."
"Well, to be fair, I am not sure anyone would ever think to plan a palace against a petty jealous woman. An assassin, yes. An army, yes, but a jealous woman looking to humiliate someone? And you notice after that she focused at things outside the palace, so clearly the defenses set in place worked against a more deadly attack."
His hand stopped its rhythmic stroking. He honestly hadn't viewed it like that before. It make him feel a little better. His hand resumed stroking her arm.
"Feel better?"
"A little, actually."
"Good!" She took a deep breath and sighed. "Thank you again for tending to me. I feel much better now."
"I am glad to hear it," he said with a smile. "I am eager for us to be wed. Being with you here like this perfect enough, but I long to for these moments with the marriage bond between us. Do you also?"
"To be honest, I haven't. With my weird gift I find I'm very aware of your emotional state and humans don't have such a bond, so I have very little anticipation of it."
He nodded. "That is understandable. You have not grown up around it like I have. Can you tell if elves are married or not yet?"
"Not really. I think I am sometimes a little bit, but I still cannot tell with any certainty."
"You will in time."
"I reckon I'm in the running to be there first elf to be married and unable to tell by looking in the mirror," Lothril said with a frown.
"That would certainly ensure your place in obscure lore."
"Add it to the list."
Legolas gave a soft chuckle that she could hear and feel in his chest. She let her arm slide across his chest and gave him a sort of hug which he returned by squeezing her arm and pulling her a little closer. She slid her leg over his and he smiled as he felt her press against him. He gave a contented hum.
A/N: *it means "peaceful tea", which… I wanted chamomile tea, but couldn't find the word for chamomile so went with that. Also, I've decided it's a chamomile mint blend.