THE FORGOTTEN
Uno a Noss
Uno and Family
Author's note: The chapter in which – Lothril teaches the elves how to play Uno and Linnrien and Cîlwen volunteer information. So, this is end of August/early September. Before September 12th… because that's when the harvest moon was in 1943… I swear this makes sense… Also, sorry about the lame chapter title, but I really
Summer turned into autumn almost without Lothril noticing it. After Midsummer it seemed like nearly every week had something fun going on at least one night. Strawberries gave way to cherries which came in only just before blueberries which seemed to be in season for weeks and weeks on end! Smack in the middle of it was the blueberry festival, which had been, as promised, blueberry everything! Blueberry mead, wine, beer, jam, cakes, muffins, pie… everybody even wore blue and purple to celebrate. Lothril had never been wild blueberry picking before, and was excited to learn there were insane amounts of wild blueberry bushes around the palace and the river. She was also happy to learn that there were blueberries growing near Legolas' little tree house, though they didn't climb up in it. Instead they found themselves by the edge of the quiet little pool, half under some blueberry bushes.
That was fun and all, but she enjoyed the quieter evenings more; particularly game nights as they tended to have two or three of those a week and watching Elrond and Thranduil play pool was not a thing to be missed. The card games were fun too, especially after she introduced one she could actually win.
"What shall we play this evening?" Legolas asked as he began shuffling the deck.
"Are there any card games that don't involve bluffing or gambling?" Lothril asked.
"Are you tired of losing at poker?" Glorfindel teased.
"Well, the first couple times wasn't bad, but I reckon if chips were coins, I lost my weight in gold over the last few months."
Actually it was more like Thranduil's weight in gold, but no one had the heart to tell her that.
"Yes, but none that will accommodate seven players," Legolas answered.
She frowned, then she smiled. "I have a game. I will be right back."
Legolas frowned in thought as he absentmindedly shuffled the deck in his hands. Where was she going and for what? Surely not her Dutch Blitz deck… that game only allowed up to four players.
She returned shortly with a very thick deck of black backed cards bound in a rubber band with a single three letter word written on the back. "Ellyn, the name of the game is Uno," she said as she settled down in her chair and took the rubber band off the cards. "The rules are simple - everyone gets dealt eight cards, person to the right of the dealer goes first, match the color or the symbol on the card on top of the discard pile. Certain cards are just numbers, others are things you must do like draw two, reverse the order of play, or skip a player," she said, drawing examples of each out of the deck. "And then we have the wild cards. If you play one of these you get to change the color of the cards being put down. There's also a draw four wild which means the next person has to draw four and then can either play or draw another card. Now the object of the game is to get rid of all your cards and when you get down to your last card, you must declare Uno or else if someone catches you, you have to draw another card."
"Is there not some score keeping also?" Legolas asked, remembering her grandpa with a notebook at the end of each game.
"Yes, but let's worry about that later. Are we game?"
"Shuffle and deal," said Thranduil.
Legolas shook his head… they had no idea what was coming…
The first round was basically a tutorial round as Lothril helped them identify the cards and such. By the end of it they all felt fairly confident they could distinguish between the strange characters and so the next round the game began in earnest.
About halfway through the hand, Lothril got a draw two, courtesy of a smirking Elladan. Lothril played a reverse and the next hand she played a skip. Then a draw two. Then another skip. Then another reverse. By the time Elladan could play again, she was down to two cards and a confident smirk. The card up was a red 4 and he changed it to a blue 4. She slapped down a wild and immediately declared "Uno! And I change the color to green," Legolas put down a green 8, Elrohir a green skip, which meant it jumped over Elrond to Glorfindel. There was a reverse from Glorfindel and another skip from Elrohir which meant Lothril had another turn and she promptly set down another wild.
"I win!" she declared.
"Lothril, I dare say we are seeing a side of you we have not seen before," Elrond said.
"Indeed!" Thranduil chimed in as he began shuffling the deck. "You are actually being aggressive and competitive at cards!"
"What can I say?" She replied with a cocky grin. "This and Dutch Blitz are my games."
Legolas' eyes practically glowed as he looked at her. By the stars, if he didn't find her cocky confidence sexy!
After that, the games got more intense and competitive and Legolas adored the fact she didn't spare him. He was torn between wanting her to win every hand wanting to bury her under a pile of draw two and draw four wild. Either way he was burying her in kisses later.
Lothril was too preoccupied to notice Legolas. Thranduil noticed though and smirked. Elrond recognized the dynamic of blissfully unaware Lothril and very attentive Legolas. He had seen that daily in Imladris. The twins knew those two were crazy for each other and focused on the cards Thranduil was dealing and glancing at each other to confirm they were in agreement that Lothril must go down. Glorfindel just observed the table and tried not to laugh. He really had to spend more time with everyone…
Thranduil finished dealing and drew a card from the remaining deck. "What is this number again, Lothril?"
"Five," Lothril answered.
"The number is five, the card is yellow," Thranduil declared.
Elladan started out with a reverse. Lothril raised a brow. Alright, open war it is! When it reached Elrohir's turn he reversed again, meaning Legolas and Lothril were now the only two players who hadn't played yet while everyone else was enjoying a second turn.
Legolas also realized what was going on and as he was usually happy to trounce the twins in a card game, he became Lothril's silent partner. Elladan skipped Lothril and Legolas slapped down a draw four wild for Elrohir and changed the card color to blue.
In an attempt to distract the pair, Elladan decided to drum up some conversation. "You know Lothril, it is Iavas and Enderi is soon and then your wedding. I am surprised you are spending so much time with us."
Elrond looked like he was about to reprimand his son, but Thranduil caught his eye and subtly shook his head.
Lothril, not picking up at what Elladan was getting at, replied distractedly, "Why? It's not like I have much to do. I think there's a small army of servants assigned to wedding preparations, which leaves me with naught but showing up and looking pretty." All she had in her hand was numbers! Not even a normal wild. And she had a veritable rainbow so she really couldn't even draw and hope for better. Oh well… at least she would have something to play.
"I supposed you would be looking to spend your days with your betrothed, is all. Betrothed couples usually seem pretty keen on that," Elladan replied.
She tossed a matching blue three onto the pile, but it was her last blue card. "I am as well, but it seems silly to forfeit time with Ada who shall be gone come spring to spend time with Legolas whom I am marrying soon, as you pointed out. And it isn't as if I don't see him at night."
"Surely the couple hours between supper and bed in the company of others is not sufficient," Elladan retorted as Legolas played a card followed by Elrohir then Elrond as Thranduil carefully observed the table. Not so much as a blink from any of them.
Lothril suddenly looked at him with knit brows. "What are you driving at?" she asked as Glorfindel considered both the conversation and his cards before putting down a draw two which earned him side eye from Thranduil.
"Just making conversation," he replied.
"Ah," Lothril said, suddenly realizing he was trying to distract her. She could play that game. "Well, it is proving very distracting."
"Perhaps that is my point," he said with a smile.
"To distract yourself from your turn?" She quipped.
Elladan suddenly realized it was his turn and hastily threw down a card. Everyone had a pretty good chuckle at that.
"But truly, gwathel," Elrohir said, "how go wedding preparations? Who have you chosen for your attendants?"
"What do you mean?" She asked as she played a card.
"For your wedding day," he prompted. "I know it is early, but perhaps you have some names in mind?"
She stared at him blankly for a second before looking at Legolas and said, "Translate."
"Hmm… the closest thing you would know to it is a bridesmaid, I think, but they do not stand up with you at the wedding and they can be either sex. They help you get ready before the feast," he answered.
"Usually it is kin or very close friends," Elrond added. "Did you have readying traditions where you were from?"
"Some," Lothril answered. "Brides would have others help with hair and makeup, help them dress, help distract them from their nerves, help set up things and field questions, and so forth. Whatever the bride wants, if they didn't hire it all done. Some people do that to avoid the hassle the day of."
"Doesn't sound very ceremonial," Elladan said as a reverse from Elrond was laid down.
She shrugged as she observed the blue six Legolas put on top of the green six. She was out of blue. She was down to green. She drew a card and grinned as she immediately set it on the pile. "Draw four, Elladan! And green!"
He gave a squinting glare before he drew four cards, none of them green or helpful.
"Uno," Glorfindel said casually as he tossed his second to last card on the pile.
"I take it wedding attendants here are more ceremonial?"
"Yes, and I will have Linnrien or Nethel-nan Cîlwenexplain it to you soon," Legolas replied.
-⸙ - ⸙—
When Legolas had said he was going to have Linnrien or Cîlwen explain wedding attendants, she had been curious. When she asked him why later he explained that ellyn and ellith have slightly different traditions and an ellon attending a bride is only allowed to do a couple things and they are only told those traditions, if they accept, when asked.
Lothril started to get an comfortable churning feeling in her stomach. If there was anything that she didn't like, it was people getting weird over normal things. So far as she was concerned, wedding though it might be, she was essentially just doing her hair and getting dressed. Normal, right? Right?
As Lothril was seemingly less than enthusiastic about the idea suddenly, he quietly asked Linnrien at lunch the next day to explain the traditions to Lothril. Linnrien happily agreed and after lunch, invited her and her mother by marriage Cîlwen over to her place.
Once Lothril was settled in a chair, Linnrien said, "Legolas said you do not know about our customs for wedding attendants?"
"No, it seems not. And they were apparently different enough where I am from that Legolas thought it needs explaining," Lothril answered.
Linnrien nodded. "I see. Well, to sort of start with the very basics, your attendants are close family and friends you choose to help you get ready on your wedding day. They can be male or female, and the only rules governing who you choose is those whom you are close to and wish to have help you."
"Legolas said something about ellyn only being allowed to do a couple things…?"
Linnrien and Cîlwen looked at each other. Clearly she had no clue.
"Well, it isn't so much a hard and fast rule as it is natural modesty not wishing an ellon around," Cîlwen answered.
Lothril's eyes grew wide. "Come again?"
"Hmm, what say you, Nan Cîlwen? How ought we explain things?"
"I think in order they occur," Cîlwen answered.
"In that case, Lothril, the hours before your wedding feast are used for getting you ready. So a bath, scenting and oiling your skin and hair, trimming nails, and so forth. After that a massage to help you relax, then we help you dress, braid your hair, put on jewels, and so forth," Linnrien said.
"I can see why ellyn wouldn't be wanted for all of it. At the same time, I am sure I cannot imagine what differences there are between what he will do and I will," Lothril said half to herself. This sounded pretty straight forward to her…
"Well," Cîlwen looked at Linnrien then back at Lothril, "There are usually gifts a mother imparts to her daughter, family heirlooms and the like, along with certain pieces of wisdom and any favored songs or techniques that have been figured out or passed along, and it occurs in the middle of readying."
"What do you mean songs or tech- Ooh! Oh…guess I am skipping that part," she said quietly.
"Not to be presumptuous," Linnrien began, "but Cîlwen and I are prepared to do everything but give you heirlooms, even if you decide not to have us as attendants."
"Oh, of course you two. You both and Mindonith were the first names that came to mind when I was told about them. Do I have to do some sort of formal invitation or…?"
"No, you simply ask," Linnrien said.
"And we accept!" Cîlwen added. "And since you asked us so far out, and since you have been sundered from your own mother for a year now and have missed a whole year of her giving you wisdom about puith, we shall do so starting now."
"And feel free to start practicing!" Linnrien added with a wink.
…if they only knew… She wasn't telling!
"Thank you," she said a little awkwardly. This was going to be interesting...
"No need to be shy, pen mell," Cîlwen said. "We are both related to Thranduil and Lauríel!" Cilwen and Linnrien both laughed.
"Were they such exhibitionists as all that?" Lothril asked, not even sure how she felt or why she asked.
"Oh goodness, no! They were terribly discreet, but we were also quite close to both of them," Cîlwen said.
Lothril sat there feeling stupid as she couldn't figure out how that made a difference.
Linnrien noticed the blank confusion on her face and asked, "Did no one speak of their love lives where you are from?"
"Well… No, not really," Lothril answered, realizing she might not know because she wasn't married when she left, but she was also literally everywhere with her parents and an accomplished eavesdropper when she had a mind to be, so she reckoned probably not.
"Oh," Linnrien replied. It was starting to sink in just how different their worlds were. Lothril had fallen in so easily with their world, she had supposed they mustn't have been too different, but clearly this was not quite the case. "Well it is certainly not our habit to discuss things explicitly, but it was made plain to us that they enjoyed a very healthy, long, and robust love life."
"Lauríel was frequently giving me ideas to try with Istelion," Cîlwen added. "And since it was not a custom where you are from, shall we start with the basics? Obviously you two have kissing sorted."
"Oh, um, I am not entirely sure we need to go over the basics. During my training with Elrond I got a fairly decent tutorial of the basics," Lothril replied. "Actually, can we go back to the before the wedding feast traditions?"
"Certainly," they both said.
"The bathing and grooming and what not - is it ritualistic in that it must be done a certain way with certain things in a certain place or is it practical and the attendants are there to make it easier?"
"It is not very ritualistic, I don't think," Linnrien said and looked at Cîlwen for confirmation.
"No, well… outside of general cleanliness, the purpose is to help the bride relax and make her feel more confident about wedding, knowing she is clean and neat and smells very nice," Cîlwen said. "It is also to celebrate the bride and the love between her and her attendants. And though there is not a dedicated place for you to get ready, it is common for it to be at the dwelling of an attendant so the bride and her family are not inconvenienced."
"And as we suppose you will be moving into Legolas' rooms that day, I am prepared to offer up my place for it. Elior will be attending Legolas, so we shall be undisturbed," Linnrien said. "As well, I have the bigger bath and it is lovely for soaking."
Lothril smiled. "Sounds good to me, thank you, Linnrien!"
"You are very welcome," she replied with a smile and a hug.
-⸙ - ⸙-
Lothril thought a good deal about who she wanted as attendants. Linnrien and Cîlwen because they felt like family, Mindonith because they were such good friends, and Estelneth maybe because she was a dear friend and Lothril quite decided if she was going to be bathed by someone else, it was going to be the one she was used to. No, Estelneth was going to be busy. And who did she want to give her a massage though?
She wanted Legolas, but that obviously was out of the question. She really liked, loved even, Linnrien and Cîlwen but she was certain they would try chatting to her the whole time and she would rather have silence… or music being played… and it felt very rude to ask someone to do something like that and then demand they be silent. And for that reason, Mindonith was out too. Estelneth would, no doubt, but the wedding day was going to be chaos enough for her as the means agreed upon by her and the king for getting her to attend the wedding as a guest without inciting jealousy was to say she was the wedding coordinator. And she would be with Marion until the wedding feast started, then he would take over. Maybe she should just skip it. A massage shouldn't be stressful and this was giving her a headache.
She shoved these thoughts out of her head as she was heading out for a ride with Elrond and the twins. They were taking a trail that skirted down the river all the way to the lake, though they were only going to go a few miles. They were barely out of the palace grounds when Elrohir rode up beside her.
"Have you picked wedding attendants yet?" he asked.
"Well, sort of. Why?" she answered.
"Have you asked any yet?" he asked.
"Are you hoping to be one?" she teased.
"Actually, yes. We have been through so much together that Elladan and I very much want to be with you and help you ready to marry."
That caught her off guard. "And here I thought Elladan asking me during Uno was a distraction," she commented.
"The question was genuine, the timing was a distraction," Elladan interjected from behind.
Lothril could have sworn his horse laughed at him. "Alright, you both can, but you will have to fight Linnrien and Cîlwen about who gets to do what. I'm afraid I barely have a grasp on what is involved and I have little opinion about who does what, by and large."
Elrohir caught the look on her face when she said that. "But I suspect you have some opinion on something?"
"Well I am certainly not going to let either of you bathe me, as that seems to be a thing, but other than that…" A thought occurred to her, but it felt very awkward and caused a thoughtful frown.
"Speak, gwathel and tell us your thoughts that make you frown."
"Just thinking," Lothril replied.
"About?" Elrohir pressed.
"Remember, I'm new here, but - apparently it's tradition for the bride-to-be to get a massage to help her relax, but if I'm being perfectly honest, I love Linnrien like a sister and Cîlwen like a mother, and Mindonith is one of my closest friends, but all three will try talking to me and I would greatly prefer quiet. Actually, I would prefer music, but-"
"Say no more!" Elrohir said with a smile. "Elladan and I shall attend you."
"That's allowed?" She asked, turning to glance back at Elrond who nodded.
"It is, gwathel," Elrohir said.
She smiled. "Well, then I suppose that settles that!"
—⸙⸙—
On the way back from their ride, Elrond asked the twins to ride on ahead so he could speak to Lothril privately. Elrohir and Elladan bid Lothril farewell by kissing her on the cheeks at the same time and then riding off ahead. She laughed and shook her head.
"They love you very much, you know," Elrond said as they watched them disappear around a bend.
She grinned. "So I gathered. I am still amazed at how quickly you and the twins and Arwen took me in; and I am incredibly grateful."
"I wish you could have come to us sooner so we could have spent more time all together, but I think in the end all things have worked out as they should," Elrond said with a slightly wistful smile. "So, how goes your exploration?"
"Well, I haven't managed to get myself to reach farthannen yet, but I do feel like I am getting a better grasp of what really arouses me," she answered without hesitation. "And I am still torn between feeling awkward and relieved that anyone knows what I'm doing and fully supports it, but Legolas especially. But then again, I am almost certain he is just happy I am embracing my sexuality at all."
"Can you blame him?"
"Not at all, and mostly because I am still giddy at the realization I can and I should be doing this. I think… actually, I have a question."
"Ask it."
"In the years you have known Legolas, have you known him to be more decisive or contemplative about decisions?"
Elrond thought about it a moment then looked at her and considered the question again. "Why do you ask?"
"I proposed a rule change after Midsummer and he said he been contemplating the same since my birthday but still has not seemed to have made a decision about it," she answered.
"What was your proposed rule change?"
"Basically, the rule is that neither of us look at unclothed or touch anything covered by our swimming clothes. I proposed we allow touching through clothes, but he has not made up his mind yet."
"That is a very bold suggestion on your part."
"Maybe too bold. I almost wonder if I have gotten ahead of him, but then he said he was thinking about it since my birthday and I cannot help but wonder at the delay," she said with a slight frown.
"Perhaps he is not done with enjoying where you are, and so even though he wants more and will likely give you more, he wishes to savor this moment a little longer. These days are fleeting and once you move on from them, they never return. There is a sweetness to waiting sometimes," Elrond answered.
"I suppose," she replied.
"Or another reason might be is that he is debating the need of moving on as you seem almost cured," Elrond said with a smile.
"Well, I don't know about cured… and to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure why I want to go that far except that I do."
"That is a sign you are developing a normal and healthy desire for puith."
She grinned. "I suppose I am at that."
"Regardless, you should ask him what he is thinking. If naught else, it will give you insight into him."
She gave a nod. "I think I will." They rode in silence for a minute or two before Lothril spoke again. "Elrond, do elves have a habit of discussing their love lives?"
A bit random of a question, but it is her… "If someone has a very close friend or family member, yes. Not in explicit detail, but we do share things."
"Why?"
He thought a moment then answered, "Love making is a joy, and for the years of our love making it is a very large and active part of our lives. Even though we do not share details about our spouses, we do share things we think might be helpful or bring joy to others."
"Such as?"
"Things we have learned that made love making better, whether it was a position, a way of pleasuring, a game, or something else," he answered. "I take it this was not a practice with your people?"
"Truth to tell, I cannot say with certainty, but I have a very strong suspicion it wasn't. At least in the circles I grew up in. Puith was spoken about like it was either a profanity or some great mystery shrouded in shame."
"What do you think of our practice of talking about it?" he asked.
"Truth to tell- awkward and liberating. Linnrien and Cîlwen are, I think, just waiting for our vows to be exchanged so they can tell me all sorts of things," Lothril answered.
Elrond smiled. "Likely. From what I have observed, they consider you family. And I am very glad of it. You need ellith like that. Even if you never tell them about your past, you need them to talk about your present and future."
-⸙ - ⸙-
While Lothril was out for a ride with Elrond, Elladan, and Elrohir, Thranduil was with Legolas in their private drawing room.
"Something to drink?" Thranduil asked his son.
He gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "I am fine."
Thranduil opened up the liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of wine and two wine cups and then turned and came back to the couch where Legolas sat.
Legolas raised a brow. He knew full well his father saw and heard his decline.
Thranduil sat down and looked like he was bracing himself. "Do you remember a little over fifty years ago when we were in Dale and you walked into my tent to find Bard naked and tied up in my bed?" Thranduil asked, speaking far more quickly than normal.
Legolas immediately reached for the wine.
"I see you remember it well. Do you also recall how as we waited for that healer to tell us Bard's condition that you said you could not imagine how I distracted him so he did not notice me tying him up and that I would tell you if you ever got betrothed?"
"I do," Legolas said slowly, the wine cup pausing halfway to his lips..
"You are betrothed, so I will tell you now," he said and continued on without waiting for a reply. "It is about focus. Get her to focus on one thing and once she is fully focused on that one thing, you can start doing something else also. By the time she notices what you are up to, she is yours and so far gone with her pleasure that she will beg you do whatever you wish because she will be certain whatever you wish will be exactly what she wants. Depending on your objective, what that first thing you have her focus on may vary. I have found my voice to be the easiest. It allows the most flexibility."
Legolas took a sip of wine. "I think I can see how, but that does not explain the knots."
Thranduil shot him a look that fell between murderous and annoyed. "You might see dimly and I shall explain it more, but let me address the knots before you get any ideas."
"Ada, I have been trying not to have ideas about that for the last fifty years."
Thranduil took a drink then said, "My extensive knowledge of knot tying started with my mother back in Doriath. She used to have me help her hang garlic, onions, herbs, and flowers for drying without bruising the delicate plants or dropping the heavy onions. A few thousand years and plenty of practice later, I got to a point where I could have Lauríel half way to farthannen with just my voice and then tie her wrists with one hand while kissing her."
Legolas took another drink. "But why?"
"Why what?"
"Why would you want to tie her up?"
"It's fun and adds a little variety, though, I admit I was a bit surprised when she asked the first time."
"She? Nane asked to be tied up the first time?"
Thranduil nodded. "Oh, yes. I had her blindfolded and suddenly she asked me to tie her hands to the headboard. I did as she asked and, suffice it to say, we both enjoyed it. And every so often we would switch and she would bind me."
Legolas raised a brow.
"You may be as skeptical as you wish, but don't write it off until you have tried it," Thranduil replied with a smirk.
He still couldn't wrap his head around why you'd do this and what the appeal would be.
"You still don't get it," Thranduil stated, observing his son's face. "And it may or may not be your taste, that is fine. It needn't be, but I would ask Lothril her thoughts first."
"Why do you say that?" Legolas asked.
"Because I may be wrong, but I am fairly certain if you put tying you up and blindfolding you on the table, so to speak, she would have you bound and blindfolded in a minute," Thranduil replied, almost certain of his speculation.
"What makes you say that?"
"Because the handful of times she had discussed things with me, the theme has been her feeling far more adventurous than she thought she was allowed to. That and I have noticed a certain tension between you two since Midsummer and correct me if I am mistaken, but she is waiting for an answer from you, isn't she?"
Sometimes his father was annoyingly perceptive and he almost wanted to hit him. He sighed and answered, "Yes, she is."
"Why haven't you answered her? We are halfway through Iavas."
Sometimes his father was also annoyingly direct. "Because though I know she is ready and desirous, I am unsure of my own feelings on the matter. May I speak with you plainly?"
"Legolas, I just told you your mother and I used to take turns tying each other to headboard while one of us had our way with the other. I think you can speak plainly."
He had to give a soft chuckle at himself over that. "To date the rule has been we do not touch or look at uncovered anything covered by our swimming clothes and she asked if we can perhaps change it to perhaps touching through clothes."
"Well, I know it is not fear of my opinion keeping you from doing so. I rather supposed that was already a thing between the two of you. So what is stopping you? Do you want to?"
He emptied his wine cup and set it down on the table. "Well, yes. I initially told her I would not before the wedding but I have some reconsidered. However, I am still worried it is too far out from the wedding."
Thranduil raised a brow as he shot a sidelong glance at his son. "Legolas, you marry in sixty days. She is still getting comfortable with her own body and the fact she desires you. Knowing her past and seeing now how slowly you two have been moving, I think it might be best if you get her as acclimated to as much of you and your touch as possible before you wed just so she is not negatively overwhelmed long before she reaches farthannen. If you are going to make love to her, you better touch her and arouse her within an inch of her sanity, not send her to a fearful and upset state of mind."
"Oh, I quite agree, and that is why I reconsidered. However, I am not entirely certain I am ready to be touched like that and it would be unfair of me to say, 'I can touch you, but you cannot touch me,' That is what I have been struggling with."
"Well, there's a turn!" Thranduil said, surprised. "Why are you feeling unready?"
"In truth, I am afraid of she does I will lose my will and get carried away and press to see her," Legolas admitted.
Thranduil nodded. "For what it is worth, I do not think you will. However, so what if you do? As long as she is agreeable-"
Legolas shook his head. "No, Ada. I cannot. I promised her I would not until our wedding night. That was…" He trailed off. "That ogron (wicked person) robbed Lothril of her self-worth and she has been viewing herself as broken and cheap ever since. If she had asked it of me when we were there, I would have forsaken this world for her, even though I love you and our family and our people… the hardest part of all our relationship and her healing is getting her to see she is still valuable and precious. She sees her value to me and through me, but not herself."
"I understand, and I have noticed that about her," his father replied. He was certain he would never forget the utterly broken look on her face as she told him. Even though she had understood and accepted it, he could still see how it left her feeling un-valuable. "I also understand your fear, and if you truly do not think you will be able to keep yourself from pushing further if you allow touch, then do not do it. However, I think for how much you love her, you will stop yourself. If you love her so much you would have forsaken this world for her, then I think you love her enough to stay your own hand to prove to her she is valuable and worthy of your patience." He leaned in and kissed his son's temple. "Do not underestimate yourself either."
Legolas smiled. "Thank you, Ada." He poured a little more wine in his cup, took a drink then asked, "Why did you give us our bed so early?"
"It was taking up too much room in my workshop. And I supposed Lothril might do better with a chance to get used to it before wedding."
Legolas nodded. "I think she is, at that."
-⸙ - ⸙-
They spent the better part of that day apart from each other, but they did find themselves alone together in her room just before dinner.
"Shall we go?" Lothril asked with a smile as she stood up from her vanity to face him.
"Yes, but first," he looked at Estelneth and before he could say a word, she whisked out of the closet, shutting the door behind her. "I apologize for making you wait for an answer, but I have made up my mind about your proposed rule change. If you are still wanting it, I am willing. As long as we both agree to stop immediately if the other asks."
"Of course," she replied with a smile. "And I know you would stop if I asked."
He gave a slightly guilty looking smile. "I confess, that is the very thing I doubted." He took her hands in his and looked her in the eyes. "I remember my words to you outside the walls of Minas Tirith and I will honor them and you, and I did not want to risk doing something that might prove me faithless. You deserve better than that."
"Well- thank you," she replied. She had had half a notion to say it's fine if he didn't, but then she decided that she actually preferred him making sure of himself first.
He had more than half expected her to say it wouldn't have mattered if he did break his word, but then he saw the genuine gratitude in her 'thank you'. That was more than a little encouraging. He gave her a brief little kiss, quickly followed by a second that was followed by a third that was long, slow, and deep. He broke the kiss then whispered in her ear, "When we go to bed tonight. Until then-" He gently sucked on this one particular point on her neck that always made her shudder and her breath hitch. It was hidden fairly well by her hair, but he was careful to never leave a mark that wouldn't fade by the time they reached the end of the passage. As he kissed her he brought up one hand to bury in the hair at the back of her neck and the other he brought up to her side and let his fingers trace down the side of her rib cage near her breast. Her moan as she kissed him was music to his ears.
Supper was interesting as every time he held her hand she somehow managed to gently rub small circles on the inside of his wrist. When they weren't holding hands, her hand seemed to find its way onto his thigh and creep up from knee to nearly the joint. By the time they reached the main course, he was returning the favor and tracing the line where her thigh met her hip. He had to give her credit for her poker face though; her face didn't betray a thing…unlike when she played poker… Every so often when his fingers drew closer to her inner thigh, she would part her legs slightly and shoot him a look practically daring him to try it, but he didn't.
By dessert Elrond suspected there was some sort of game afoot between those two as noticed a faint flush creeping up just over the edge of Lothril's neckline and she wasn't saying much. He and Celebrían used to play subtle little games like that… then he noticed how Legolas' arm disappeared under the table. Alright, so they played games more like Thranduil and Lauríel. He made a mental note on another wedding gift to give them, possibly the morning of…
After dinner there was talk of music but somewhere between the dining room and the large family music room, Legolas and Lothril disappeared. Thranduil noticed this and kept his smirk to a small, subtle quirk of the lips.
As soon as they got back to Legolas' bedroom, he picked her up and threw her on the bed, crawling on top of her, kissing her. "You mischievous elleth!... what were you trying to do at supper?... drive me mad?!"
"Yup!" she admitted with a grin.
He groaned as he leaned down to kiss her again, his tongue begging entrance to her mouth and she gladly granting it. She skimmed her hands from chest to shoulder to neck and cradled the back of his head, gently drawing him in closer and sending sparks flying through him.
"Is tonight how you are going to behave in public when we are married?" He demanded.
"Whenever I can get away with it," she answered, her smile taking on a cocky look and her eyes glittering.
His eyes practically burned blue as a he beheld how his mischievous melethril looked so sexy he could barely stand it. No, he couldn't stand it, nor should he! Without a word he crushed his mouth to hers again and felt her hands slowly making their way down his torso till they were low on his hip then stopped… so teasingly close…
He pulled her upright into a sitting position and she was basically on his lap. He looked down and noticed red flush on her chest blossoming up over the neckline of her dress. He slowly brought his hand up to her neck and traced the line down to her collar bone, then the divot between them, then slowly down her sternum till he reached the neckline of her dress.
She didn't move, she tried to breathe… why did it feel so good when he touched her? He traced the skin along neckline of her dress and looked at her before slowly moving his fingers to the outside edge of her breast and tracing the curve of it. Gently, softly, through the fabric of her dress she could barely feel it but it thrilled her all the same.
"You amaze me. You are as strong as I am, stronger even, sometimes I wonder if you are not forged of steel, but then I touch you and you are so soft and warm… how is it you can be so strong and yet so soft? And then when I think surely no part of you can be softer than what I have already explored, I touch your breast and it is softer still," he said quietly, all the while very carefully tracing the outside curve of her breast.
Lothril knew full well, it might take him days, weeks to move past the outside curve, and boy, was she ever regretting this decision… this was driving her up the ever loving wall with arousal and she knew two things with absolute certainty - she couldn't tell him to move faster because he wouldn't, and she couldn't tell him to stop because he would. His fingers moved a hairsbreadth and she gave the most desperate and relieved sighing moan he had ever heard and he smiled. He pulled his hand away and she groaned in disappointment then decided to heck with it and launched herself into him, kissing him as she knocked him backwards on the bed and pressing her body as close to his as she could.
"Are we feeling impatient?"
"You, Prince I-take-my-sweet-time, are going to tease me within an inch of my life!"
"Tease? Nay, I am worshiping you and showing you proper adoration!" He rolled over with her so he was on top. "…You …deserve… my…adoration!" He punctuated each word with a kiss to her neck as he let his hand run up and down her side.
"For once, I won't argue."
Author's note: I know I split an infinitive. English infinitive rules are borrowed from Latin which has a proper infinitive form. English has our silly little construct that honestly doesn't make any sense, especially as oftentimes splitting the infinitive creates a better word flow and picture of what you want to say. So yeah, I split an infinitive! And I'll do it again! Okay, so this is 100% me and my linguistic choices, given I do not have the wit to create Sindarin words from whole cloth. So, I have decided "farthannen" (satisfaction) is used when referring to an individual reaching climax through non-penetrative sex... by whatever means that may be. Crannthennas (completion, perfection), I have decided, is used to refer to a couple reaching climax together through penetrative sex (and not necessarily simultaneously, but that they are having penetrative sex when they both climax, if that makes sense). I don't know why, but in my head this just feels like a distinction they would make. Aaaaaand given the wedding is in four or so chapters, I figured this was a great time to give you my logic on this.
