O
môr henion i dhûr
Ely siriar, êl síla
Ai! Aníron...
Tiro! Êl eria e môr
I’lîr en êl luitha ‘uren
Ai! Aníron...
From
darkness, I understand the night
Dreams
flow, a star shines
Ah! I desire…
Look!
A star rises out of the darkness
The
song of the star that enchants my heart
Ah! I desire…
-
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of
the Ring
What had once been a formidable company of
eleven was not reduced to a mere five; Aragorn, Jason, Gimli, Legolas, and
Katie. Things were suitably solemn
among them as a result. Although they
feared for Frodo and Sam, they knew that they could no longer aid them. Merry and Pippin were the more pressing
matter now. They had hope that the two
hobbits were still alive, for they had not found any corpses, not had they
found anything else except for Pip’s brooch.
Night fell quickly, the sun hiding her face
from the tragedies she had witnessed.
Still, Aragorn urged them on, following the trail of flattened brush
that was the orcs’ trail. It was past
midnight by Kate’s figuring when Aragorn finally relented and agreed to stop
until dawn for some rest. After
Gandalf’s death and the more recent loss of Boromir, they all wanted to remain
keen and ready for anything.
“Should we build a fire?” Kate asked wishing
for a good flashlight. “Or would that
be too dangerous?”
Aragorn sighed. “We are following the orcs, not the other way around… but there
are likely to be other unsavory creatures around this close to Mordor.
Legolas lifted his face to the moonlight,
concentrating. “I do not feel any
immediate threats… and a fire would be preferable to this chill air.”
Aragorn nodded. “A small one then. And I
want no one wandering off tonight.”
“Yes, mommy.” Jason mumbled out of sarcastic
habit.
Legolas and Aragorn volunteered to go
searching for firewood, leaving the other three to wait in a small
clearing. Kate cuddled against Jason,
shivering in the night air. Absently,
he responded with an arm across her shoulders.
“You okay?” she asked softly.
He shook his head. “No… I’m not okay… but I’ll live.”
“Jay… you know what I mean.”
He sighed.
“Yeah, I know… I just… God… I never expected this to happen. I mean, I knew this was a dangerous quest…
but I guess… I still had a healthy immortality complex.”
Kate smiled gently. “Meanwhile, I’m redefining the term.”
“Yeah… but at least now you’re out of
excuses.”
“Excuses for what?” she asked.
“For not being with Legolas.”
“I am with Legolas… he’s right over there…
somewhere.”
“You know what I mean, Katie. You’ve been attracted to him since you met
him and your only argument against pursuing it was that he was an
immortal. Now, you are too.”
“I know, I know…” Kate sighed.
“So do something about it… you never know…
what might happen… tomorrow.”
“Please… don’t say it. I’ve already thought of it.” Kate shivered.
“I’m telling you, Katie… things being what
they are… this is no time to be hesitant.”
She took a deep breath. “I know… you’re right. I… I’ll try, I guess.”
“Tonight?”
“No time like the present, right?”
“That’s my girl.”
Once Aragorn and Legolas returned and the fire
was started, Kate discreetly made her way to Legolas’ side, desperately trying
to think of a way to open this particular Pandora’s box. How on earth did one seduce an elf
anyway? After a brief period of
wrestling with herself, she chickened out and retreated to her pallet sulkily. Gimli, Jason, and Aragorn had already
claimed their pallets and were out cold, by the sounds of soft snores. Kate tossed restlessly, frustrated by her
own cowardice.
“Can you not rest, Katyrial?” Legolas’ soft
comment made her twist around sharply.
He was kneeling to her side, his fair face concerned.
“No… thinking.” She sat up, resting her elbows
on her knees, noting vaguely that the silvery under-tunic he wore made him look
younger.
“What troubles you?” he asked, placing two
slender finger under her chin gently.
“A shorter answer would be what isn’t
troubling me.” She sighed, meeting his ancient eyes warily.
“Yet there is something specific that disturbs
your rest this night. What is it?” he
insisted.
“Just… something Jason said.” She mumbled,
looking away.
“And what did your philosophic cousin say?”
“In a nutshell… that I should beware of taking
certain things for-granted… especially with things being as dangerous as they
are for us right now.”
His grey eyes flicked to the ground
briefly. “Meaning… that either… any of
us may perish in the coming days. That
we must savor what we have.”
“More or less.” She nodded, swallowing. “Although he meant… you and me… in
particular.”
A moment of brooding silence. “Then… you have
thought of it as well?”
“Depends on what it is.”
He smiled softly at her response. “The two of us… together… meeting as river
and stream to become one.”
She shivered at the tone his voice had taken,
deeper than his normal timbre. “Yes,
I’ve… thought of it.”
“And so have I.” He leaned forward, brushing
his lips over hers in a heated rush of moist air. At her small sound of encouragement, his mouth met hers more
fully. It was like no kiss Kate had
ever experienced before and her lips tingled with electric anticipation. She could recall no kiss as soft, or as
intense. She could feel his heartbeat
in that simple gesture, know his fears.
She drew back slowly, stunned, her fingertips
drifting over Legolas’ lips in an almost reverent caress. He mumbled something in his native tongue
and kissed her fingertips.
“Legolas…” she sighed, reluctant to play
sensible and bring this sweetness to an end.
“We can’t… the others…”
“Will not wake to see us… nor shall they hear
us…” he assured her, pulling her up into a standing position. “Come with me…”
“But… Aragorn said not to…” she protested
half-heartedly.
“We will not go far, I promise.” He
whispered. “What we have to share, I
would not let any but Nature witness.”
She followed him silently, secretly thrilled
by the suddenness of it, by the idea of making love outdoors… with
Legolas. They chose a spot where they
could still see the fire and would hear if anyone called for them. Under an ancient oak tree, the leaves had
fallen in such a thick blanket upon the ground that it was virtually a bed.
Kate hesitated, her practical side banging
against the cage that her Elvish heart had banished it to. She swallowed… this would be the point of no
return, would it not? Once she’d laid
her body and heart open to the elf at her side, there was no retrieving either. Legolas sensed her caution and turned
towards her, taking her hands in his.
“Katyrial… if you do not wish this, only tell
me.” He breathed.
“I do wish it… but…” she bit her lip.
He smiled gently. “You wonder at my intentions perhaps?”
“Since when do elves read minds?”
“We cannot.
But at this moment, the expression in your eyes is telling enough.”
“Well… maybe… a little.” She admitted.
“Then allow me to declare them.” He said,
kneeling among the leaves with her hands still in his. He took a deep breath and looked up at her,
his grey eyes shining. “I have never
encountered another like you, Katyrial… human or elf. You make my heart soar, despite the grave quest we are on. You already know that I would gladly give my
life for you… now know that I have lost my heart to you as well. That I would bind myself to you eagerly,
make you a princess and someday the queen of Mirkwood.”
Kate gasped.
“Legolas… are you serious?”
He nodded.
“In matters of love, I am always serious, Katyrial.”
“Love?” she repeated in a bare whisper, her
heart suddenly trembling.
“Love… I love you, Katyrial… with all of my
immortal heart.” He nodded, bending his head to rest against her hands in a
reverent gesture.
She swallowed again, only this time it was in
an attempt to hold back tears of joy.
“I… I love you as well, Legolas.”
He let out the breath he’d been holding,
smiling softly. “You would be my
princess then?”
Kate feigned a grimace. “Eh… I know even less about being a princess
than I do about being an elf… let alone an Elvish princess.”
“A minor complication. You need not worry overmuch about it.” He
leaned forward on his knees, his brow against her stomach in an embrace. “Come… lie down with me.”
She did as he asked, settling against the soft
leaves and laying her weapons aside.
Still on his knees, Legolas looked down at her, his grey eyes alight and
a small smile on his lips. With
deliberate slowness, he leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, a gentle
almost beseeching kiss. She responded
in kind, drawing in a breath and letting one of her hands slide up his arm and
neck to rest against his cheek.
There were very few men she felt she could
aptly apply the term beautiful to… Legolas was one of them. The smooth texture of his skin, the
silkiness of his hair… on anyone else it would have been overpoweringly girlish…
on him it was a wonder. Not for the
first time, she was thankful for her new Elvish form… she would have felt
ungainly, almost severe next to him.
Human skin was rougher… Elvish skin against its like was…seductive even
in the most casual touch, like silk against satin. Her breath caught in her throat every time their flesh met.
As if reading her mind, Legolas covered her
hand with his, pressing a worshipful kiss to her palm, smiling when her eyes
flicked in distraction. “My beauty… do
you find my touch so delightful?”
“Yes…” she managed in a soft whimper. “Don’t tease me, Legolas… it’s not fair.”
“Ah, but I am not teasing. I fully intend to act upon these small
gestures with the full measure of my love, rest assured.” He murmured against
her hand, his breath hot.
Almost without her conscious effort, Kate’s
hands slipped to the fastenings of his tunic, parting the silvery cloth
eagerly. With a small growl of
frustration that made Legolas laugh gently, she undid a few buttons clumsily
and pushed the garment to the forest floor.
“A little anxious, my sweet?” he asked, his
own eyes alight with longing, not a hint of discomfort.
She blushed, but nodded. “For this?
Most certainly.” She pulled him
down slowly by his shoulders, whispering in his ear with deliberate
breathiness. “I have loved you for some
time… and desired you for somewhat longer.”
He drew in a long, shaky breath. “Have you?”
She smiled, triumphing in her small
victory. “Since Ocean City… when we
frolicked in the surf. You were by far the
‘prettiest piece of flesh[1]’
on that beach.”
He returned her blazing look. “I know not… I was occupied. There was a certain fair human distracting
me.”
“I knew you liked that blonde in the pink
bikini.” She teased, feigning an injury to her pride.
“Not in the least…” he breathed before
lowering his head next to hers so that his mouth was against her ear. Slowly, at first only his searing breath
caressed her flesh, but his lips and tongue swiftly followed. Kate nearly bolted upright at the wave of
sensual electricity that shot through her at the contact, setting her veins on
fire.
“Legolas!” she gasped, one hand splayed
against his naked back, the other combing through his hair.
“Hush, Katyrial…what is it?” he whispered,
holding her.
“I… what… how…?” she panted. “I didn’t think my ears were that…
sensitive.”
He sighed with a smile. “It is a common sweet spot among Elves… our
ears are very keen… and very responsive to touch.”
“So I discover…” she blinked, her breathing
shaky.
Legolas pushed away from the ground, once
again kneeling above her, the moonlight gleaming on his pale skin and hair,
making him look as though he were made of liquid silver. Kate took a deep draught of air and sat up,
her hands running shyly over his lithe chest and arms. Slender though he was, there was not one
sign of weakness in his form… every well-defined muscle was taut as a
bowstring. His heart thundered a triple
beat under her fingertips as his eyes closed, a soft sound of pleasure purring
in his throat.
“Two can play at this game.” She batted her
eyelashes at him seductively.
“But this is no game, young Katyrial.” He
smiled, his nimble fingers unlacing her tunic to expose the thin, almost
transparent garment she wore underneath. His breath visibly caught. Yes, he had seen her scarcely clothed on the
beach in Ocean City and his memory had not failed him yet, but the sight of her
as such made his heart leap and hammer.
She gasped at the feel of chill night air on
her warmed skin, even as she slid her boots and leggings off, leaving her only
with the slip-like shirt of light blue.
Legolas’ eyes were liquid mithril as he watched her, filled with
desire. He grasped her hands gently and
led them back to his chest, pulling her up against him in the process. Even through their last layers of clothing,
she could still feel the burning heat of him… could still feel his blood
coursing through his veins, singing with passion. His hands wandered possessively over her back and down the backs
of her legs, playing at the hem of her tunic meaningfully.
“Katyrial…” he whispered as his fingers
slipped under and began to drag the cloth upwards, leaning his head forward to
kiss her neck gently, his lips and tongue toying at her pulse. Without conscious thought to anything other
than the male elf in her arms, Kate lifted her arms up obediently, letting him
lift the tunic off of her.
Her eyes locked with his, electrifying the air
between them. Slowly, almost as though
he believed her to be more dream than reality, Legolas ran his palms up her
arms, tenderly pulling her to rest flush against him, her breasts pressed
against his chest. She moaned softly at
the contact as Legolas tilted his head back, a low groan in his throat.
Elves generally did not make love completely
unclothed, although they took delight in each other’s naked bodies. Elvish skin on Elvish skin was an intimate
and often intensely pleasurable experience, and one not to be taken
lightly. To be naked was to be
vulnerable and to be vulnerable was both frightening and exciting.
“Katyrial… ai… such a sweet feeling…”
he panted, shivering lightly. “My skin
to yours… I might lose myself too soon if we are not careful.”
She nodded, unable to speak and barely able to
breathe as she let her head fall back helplessly. The sensation of his lean, heaving chest pressed so warmly to her
soft body was intoxicating… her blood sang and her entire body ached with the
need for her elf to make love to her.
All thought of the quest was forgotten, disappearing with the span of two
Elvish bodies in harmony.
With amazing swiftness, Legolas shed off his
own boots and leggings, his body barely leaving the heat of hers. Kate gasped aloud when he lowered her down
onto her back and covered her body with his.
The delicious contrast between cold air and fevered skin nearly made her
cry out. Legolas groaned deep in his
throat, his eyes drifting shut and his brow furrowing as though he were in
pain. Kate drew her shaking hands over
his long sides and back, relishing the smoothness of his skin under her
questing hands.
Together, they lay still for a few moment,
luxuriating in the experience of making love in the middle of the wilderness,
even though danger lay both behind and ahead of them. The Ring, despite its extensive subliminal powers, could not
intrude upon the love blossoming nearby.
Kate kissed Legolas’ jaw-line gently, her
breath rushing against his ear and making him shiver. He reciprocated, nuzzling her head to side so that he could pay
proper homage to her pale neck, kissing along her pulse and giving little licks
and nips just hard enough to make her whimper.
With a sigh, he raised himself back off of her despite her small whine
of protest. With gentle hands, he
spread her legs and positioned himself between them. She met his eyes shyly, her cheeks flaming in sudden
modesty. He understood and ran one hand
down between her breasts and over her stomach in a reverent caress, his eyes
adoring.
Slowly, he lowered himself back down, sliding
his head over her body, kissing whatever flesh he passed and rubbing his cheek
against her like a cat marking his territory.
His silken lips played at the underside of her breasts, making her twist
under him in an attempt to guide him to the aching tips. He smiled playfully before closing his mouth
over one pink tip, suckling with infinite gentleness. She cried out sharply, her hands combing through his hair to urge
him on.
He spent only a passing minute on each breast
before he slid along her fully, pressing a passionate kiss to her lips,
exploring with his tongue in response to her writhing whimpers. His hands cupped her breasts instead, his
long fingers playing over them with soft demand. Unable to help herself, Kate opened her legs wider, unconsciously
rubbing her wetness against Legolas’ erect member. He broke away with a shivering moan that was almost a growl,
thrusting forward slightly so that he was poised at her entrance but did not
push within just yet.
“Katyrial…vanimelda[2]…”
he whispered between kisses.
“Please... Legolas...” she panted, tilting her
hips against him encouragingly.
Her whispered entry undid him and he entered
her in quick thrust, sheathing himself within her tight body with a hiss of
exhaled breath. Kate gave a small cry,
clinging to him and kissing his neck with quiet, but burning passion. Slowly, together they struck up a rhythm,
sliding their bodies in aching progression, their hearts beating as one in a
frantic beat.
Sweat broke out on both of their bodies
despite the cool night, each of them clutching the other as though every breath
depended on remaining joined. Legolas
gritted his teeth in concentration, desperate to keep from losing all control
until Katyrial had reached her own satisfaction. But the sensation of her hot, fluid flesh so tight around his
arousal was nearly too much… the knowledge that she loved him as much as he
loved her, while simple in its purity, was too intense for him to keep his
control for long.
Kate wrapped her legs around his waist, urging
him deeper, her back arched off of the ground as she cried out with each
thrust, her voice sweet on the night breeze.
Making love had never felt like this before. Certainly it had been pleasurable, even intense on occasion… but
this was more passionate and fulfilling than anything else she had ever
experienced. She and Legolas were no
longer two separate entities united only by race…they were one in body, heart,
and soul.
Her cries grew louder and her body tensed
under his as lightning flashed through her body in repeated strikes. Her passage tightened around him in fevered
pulses, sending him over the edge in a heartbeat. Impassioned, Legolas sat up, pulling her body within his so that
she straddled his lap tightly. A
hoarse, musical cry ripped itself from his throat as he poured himself into
her, burning fluid binding their bodies together in a passionate embrace.
Together, as one, they rode on wave after wave
of pleasure, each one decreasing slightly until only mild shocks ran through
their blood. They clung together still,
Legolas’ head resting against Kate’s breastbone, listening to her gradually
slowing heartbeat. Kate ran her fingers
lightly over the sweaty skin of Legolas’ back, quietly admiring the shine of
the moonlight on his skin.
“Katyrial…” he whispered at last. “My sweet love…”
She sighed, a smile on her lips. “Legolas…” she replied in answer.
“We are one now…bound together through more
than just our bodies.” He said softly, meeting her eyes keenly through the
darkness. “I will warn you, Katyrial…
Elves do not bind easily. This is no
mortal’s game. You are an immortal now…
do you think that you can enjoy an eternity as mine?”
“I might ask the same question of you, my
prince.” She smiled.
“With you?
I could happily live a thousand eternities with you.” He said in a soft
voice, his eyes alight with a smile.
“It’s the same for me.” She whispered, kissing
his forehead gently.
On to Chapter
Twenty-One (not yet available)