Something Evil This Way Comes.

Disclaimer/Author's Notes: I own nothing but the Original Characters and their adventures. Everything else belongs to JRR Tolkien, the Tolkien Estate, New Line Cinema/Peter Jackson, et. al. This was done purely for entertainment and as an exercise in creativity.

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“What is she doing?”

Legolas and Orophin glanced at Erestor as he joined the group of Elves watching the figure making its way up the side of the sheer vertical rock rising above the forested valley where the Elves of Ithilien dwelt.

“Climbing the cliff,” Saelbeth replied. It was obvious.

The black-haired Elf fixed his blonde friend with a disdainful glare. “I can see that. Why is she climbing the cliff?”

“You did not ask that,” Saelbeth shot back.

“The question still stands.”

“Because she wants to,” Orophin answered.

“Ah.” Erestor seated himself next to Saelbeth and the Elves resumed their silent observation of Legolas’ mortal wife’s odd behavior. Once her strength returned following her fever, she’d had a series of spikes and a hammer made by the smiths, Morhir and Balewith, who watched along with the lady’s husband and friends. She’d also gathered a large quantity of Elven rope and announced her intention to climb the cliff that lay several miles from the colony. She set out the evening before with Legolas, Orophin, Haldir, the smiths and Saelbeth, and before the first rays of dawn, had begun her climb.

The Elves had watched with interest as she’d begun climbing the face of the rock. It was an interesting concept, but not one any of the Elves would have thought to do. They would simply have used one of the paths over the mountain. Alexandra, however, rolled her eyes in disdain when that route was suggested.

“I want to climb the cliff, not walk up the mountain,” she’d said in a tone that suggested they did not understand and she was not going to explain.

“But, my love, you could fall and injure yourself.” Legolas thought the argument quite reasonable.

Alex gave him a flat stare. “Yes. That’s the point.”

He was taken aback. He looked over to where Orophin and Saelbeth were playing chess. His Counselor and friend shook his head and studied the board intently. Orophin shrugged and watched the couple, interested in how the argument---discussion; Legolas and Alexandra never argued---would play out.

Moving to stand next to his wife, the Elf said softly, “Are you depressed, my sweet? Do you wish to die? Are your dreams troubling?”

She dropped the bag she was packing and sighed loudly. “No, my prince. I simply want the challenge of climbing the cliff. I want to do it just to see if I can.”

And so, Legolas found himself sitting with his friends, a few bottles of wine, some food---it was a veritable picnic, as Alex suggested---watching his wife attempt to do something that would kill her if she failed, and would gain nothing but a sense of accomplishment if she succeeded.

Erestor and Golradir were returning from Minas Tirith where they had been assisting the Gondorian diplomats wade through volumes of the treaty being negotiated with the Haradrim. There was always one sort of treaty or another to be written and the Elves’ millennia of experience was invaluable to Aragorn and his ministers. They all knew the Elves would be gone in a few years, so all were anxious that as much knowledge be passed along as possible before the end.

They met Balglin as he was returning to the main part of the colony, and he told them of Alexandra’s quest for the day. As they were in no real hurry, they followed his directions and found the lady’s audience lounging on a grassy knoll with a full view of her efforts.

Golradir accepted a handful of grapes from Haldir and seated himself near the two smiths. Morhir and Balewith were confident in the equipment they had made for their friend, but still felt a twinge of concern every time she moved up another few feet.

“She has made good progress,” Haldir commented, taking a sip of wine. “I still think she could have taken one of the paths and gotten there much quicker.”

“That was not the object of this little exercise,” Orophin explained patiently to his brother. “Anyone can walk the path. No one has taken this route, to my knowledge. I believe she called it … trailblazing?” He looked at Legolas, who nodded.

“Something about ‘boldly going where no one else has gone’ or something similar,” her husband muttered. If she wanted to explore, there were plenty of places in Middle Earth he could take her that he’d never seen, and so they were certainly unfamiliar to her.

“Perhaps it has something to do with being mortal,” Balewith reflected, pouring himself another goblet of the wine.

“How so?” asked Golradir, popping another grape into his mouth.

“Well, it appears to me, the lady wishes to test herself. And mortals can truly die, unlike our kind who simply move on to Mandos’ Halls and then, usually, on to Valinor. Perhaps every time they attempt something that is potentially deadly to them, and succeed without being killed, they feel they have achieved a victory over death. Eventually, it will come to them all; but until that final moment, they have the chance of success. Just an idea.” He shrugged.

Legolas nodded. “I understand what you are saying, my friend. They know they will ultimately die, so every challenge and victory until then is attractive to them.”

“Hmm.” Erestor pondered his young friends’ words. Still, it was strange. “Mortals,” he said shaking his head.

There were a few sharp breaths as Alex negotiated outcroppings and slipped from the occasional foothold. They noticed she did not use the spikes to make a stair up the cliff, but used them only when it seemed she could find no additional handhold. Then, once she’d moved up to the next foothold, she would lean down and pull out the spike she’d just used to climb up.

She reached the top just as the sun was setting in the west. Her companions breathed a collective sigh of relief. They could see exhilaration on her face as she surveyed the valley below her, and when she looked at her husband, he was struck by the satisfaction and happiness in her eyes. He wondered what it felt like, this daring death and winning. It was something his kind did not---could not---understand.

“Well, that was interesting,” Golradir said, rising and heading to his mount. “I do not understand mortals and, likely, never will. Still, I am impressed with her accomplishment. She is … quite strong.”

“Why has she not started down?” Erestor asked. Indeed, Alexandra was still atop the summit, doing something with the ropes.

“It will take her several hours to get back down the mountain,” Morhir said. “Should we go to meet her?”

Before Legolas could answer, they saw her drop rope over the side of the mountain, turn her back to them and push off. The Elves let out a collective gasp as Alex quickly descended the cliff, pushing against the rock ever so often, but nonetheless, rapidly sliding down the rope. Orophin and Haldir smiled, remembering the way they would slip down from the Mallorn trees in Lothlorien, sliding silently down the rope. Alex, however, was descending much further, much quicker and both felt the urge to try it.

Legolas held his breath until she landed safely on the ground, then forced himself to walk calmly over to where she was extricating herself from the rope.

“Welcome back,” he said with a serenity he did not feel. “I trust you enjoyed yourself.”

“It was great,” she laughed. “You should try it. I felt so free and … just great. Now, I want to try it on some of the mountains between here and Dol Amoth; maybe even some in Mordor …”

“We will go wherever you wish, my love,” Legolas said with a smile. He pulled her into his embrace and held her close. “But for now, I would have you safely in my arms.”

She smiled and kissed him. “I could feel your arms around me the entire time I was climbing up and rappelling down. You are always with me, my love.”

He lifted her onto Arod as the other Elves mounted their horses, and the party returned to the colony proper. Glorfindel had also recently returned, having been off on one of his mysterious “hunting” trips. It did not escape the other Elves that he never seemed to bring back any game from these hunts. The speculation was that he did not hunt for anything that could be displayed.

He raised a brow in askance and the others filled him in on Alexandra’s little quest.

“I regret that I missed it. However, it sounds as though something quite enjoyable.”

She laughed. “You should try it sometime. That feeling, that adrenaline rush---there’s nothing like it.” They looked at her blankly and she sighed inwardly. “You know, that feeling you get that makes you kind of tingly, gets your heart to beating fast, makes your breathing speed up---like when you’re about to have an orgasm? That’s an adrenaline rush and my people often do things that give us that same feeling.”

The looks on their faces when she mentioned rock climbing and sex in the same context was priceless. She shook her head. They could never understand.

“You are saying climbing the rock face gives you the same sensation as---“

“No,” she cut Legolas off. “I’m saying doing dangerous things causes the same sort of reaction in your body and brain; it stimulates the pleasure centers causing endorphins---oh, forget it.” There was no way to explain it to them. “It’s a thrill, that’s all.”

They let the subject drop, but each privately pondered her words. Not a few of them decided to test her theory in one way or another.

Later, in bed, Alex became aware of Legolas’ eyes on her.

“What?” she asked.

“I am still thinking about what you said about rock climbing giving you an orgasm.”

She sighed. “I didn’t say that.”

“Yes, you did. You mean when we make love, you get the same feeling from climbing the rock?”

“No.” She turned to face him and caressed his cheek. He was so beautiful, she almost cried. “There are two parts to the reaction to sex: a physical reaction and an emotional one. The physical one is great and it’s caused by things in the body, doing things to the body. That’s the part that can be similar to doing something exciting or thrilling. But,” she smiled and kissed him gently. “The emotional part of making love is something that can’t be recreated anywhere else. It’s something that comes only from sharing intimacy with the one you love. There is nothing like making love to you, Legolas. No matter how thrilling or exciting something is, it never could come even close to the happiness and satisfaction I get just from knowing you love me.”

He smiled at his wife. Her fingers were caressing his face, his ear. His hands moved idly over the curve of her hip to stroke her thigh and rounded bottom.

“So, you will not forsake our bed for more cliffs?” he gently teased.

“I would never forsake our bed for anything, my love,” she murmured as he leaned over and kissed her softly, then with increasing passion. They had made love a few times since both had recovered, though their intimacy had been, for them, somewhat tentative. Today, though, Alex had proven she was completely whole again and strong and the desire he had held back now came rushing to the fore.

“Tell me what you want,” she whispered as he nibbled on her neck before lowering his head to her breast. Pulling her chemise down to expose her flesh, he grasped the firm globe and lightly bit her rosy nipple. She cried out and he raised his head long enough to answer her.

“I want you. I want to bury myself in you forever.”

“Oh yes, my love,” she sighed. “Use my body for your pleasure, Legolas.”

“What of your pleasure, my sweet?” His lips moved back to capture hers.

“Your pleasure is my pleasure,” she answered, her tongue entwining with his as his hands moved over her body.

He freed her from her loose clothing and tossed the thin garment aside. He was already naked and ready. A part of him longed to bury himself inside of her and take his satisfaction hard and fast. However, he wanted to hear her cry out her own ecstasy, so he knew he must restrain his need somewhat. Still, with her desire and willingness so obvious, he could not resist the urge to take her.

Alex liked it when Legolas took control of her body and their lovemaking. She was happy to surrender to him; he was an expert lover. There was nothing known to either of them that they had not tried together at least once, and, frankly, nothing they did not enjoy as long as they were doing it together; so she never worried where he would lead her.

He grasped her wrists and pulled her arms over her head, holding them there as he entered her. She wrapped her legs around him and matched his thrusts, enjoying the slightly helpless feeling of being gently restrained by her lover. His mouth ravished her as his body did and she cried out as the first wave of pleasure broke over her.

He did not relent and continued to thrust into her body mercilessly, driving her wild with desire. Holding her wrists with one hand, he caressed her breasts with the other, lightly pinching her nipples and smoothing his hands over her flat belly. He could feel her tensing as another crisis approached and he decided to let go with his own. His hand moved up to grasp her chin and hold her head steady.

“Look at me,” he commanded.

She focused her eyes on his and smiled.

“I want us to see each other as we reach our peak,” he said, is voice rough with passion.

“Oh, yes, Legolas!” she cried and he felt her muscles begin to contract.

“Alexandra, my love!” he groaned as the dam burst and he erupted into her, pouring out his desire along with his seed into the body of his wife. He held her gaze and he saw love and passion in her eyes. They did not look away until the last tremors of their shared crisis had faded.

He released her wrists and held her head gently between his hands as he lowered himself against her body and kissed her deeply. She wrapped her arms around him and returned his kiss. When he finally withdrew and rolled onto his side, he pulled her into his embrace and they fell asleep in each others’ arms.