A Rose By Any Other Name

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! *Ducks flying keyboards* I know I know!! I said this would be out a lot sooner… but Celesta-chan has been quite busy these past few weeks! I’ll try to be better at it, really I will! If more of you guys could drop a note in my e-mail once in a while to kic tha that would really help too! Well, I’m just going to do a general thank you this time to everyone who’s reviewed… THANK YOU! And now I’ll just get on with the fic. Thank you all really, for keeping with me and reviewing. I love you guys! Namarie! Enjoy!

~~~A Rose By Any Other Name~~~
Chapter Sixteen

That night turned out to be an… interesting… affair. Ascadholiel tenderly helped Legolas change into something a little more suited to the occasion. The material was still of a cream color to match her gown, only now there was gold embroidery tooled around the sleeves, shoulders and hem of the long sleeved, light shirt. His leggings, which she picked out, were such a dark green they were almost black.

Ascadholiel smiled as she looked him over. She tilted her head coyly and walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist to rest her palms on the small of his back, looking up at him. “These leggings look very good on you my love. They emphasize…” her hands moved down and grasped the firm globes of his toned ass. “…just the right details. It’s quite a nice view.”

Legolas grinned down at her and cupped her face delicately in his hands, his thumbs running over her cheekbones, his blue eyes looking deeply, lovingly into hers. He spoke softly as he leaned his head down a little bit. “It is a view only for your eyes my beloved wife.” And he placed a deep kiss to her more than willing lips.

Ascadholiel’s eyes fluttered shut and she savored the feeling and taste before he just as gently broke the kiss. They smiled at each o for for a moment before a knock came at the door and broke them out of their trance. Legolas moved out of her arms a little reluctantly and opened the door.

Rumil’s smiling face was revealed. He nodded at Legolas. “Legolas.” Then he looked further into the room at the woman standing there. “*Lady Ascadholiel, might I say once again how lovely you look.*”

Ascadholiel blushed and playfully shook a finger at him as she stepped up beside Legolas. “*You sir, are a charmer. Though not like my Legolas.*” She smiled up at her husband and took one of his hands in both of hers.

He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently, a smile in his sparkling eyes.

Rumil was all smiles as well as he said, “*As much as I truly do loath to interrupt this touching scene, the Lord and Lady await your presence for supper. I will escort you both. This way please.*”

Ascadholiel wrapped her hand lightly around Legolas’ arm again as they walked out of throomrooms, closing the door behind them. They followed Rumil down a flight of stairs then through more winding paths, and Ascadholiel was struck again by the true beauty of these woods.

After a time, Rumil stopped at the top of naturally formed steps and motioned for them to go down. “*Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel await you in the grove below.*”

They nodded and thanked him, then walked on down the stone steps without him. At the bottom Galadriel sat on the edge of a sparkling fountain, Celeborn standing at her side as they waited patiently for the two to join them.

Celeborn stepped forward with a smile, his hands held out. “Welcome.” Then he took Ascadholiel’s free hand and pressed a kiss to it. “You look lovely tonight Princess.”

Ascadholiel blushed yet again. “Are all elves such charmers?”

Galadriel was the one that spoke up. “Usually. Come, sit. The food will be here shortly.”

So they did, Legolas assisting Ascadholiel to fold herself down on the blanket, then settling himself down beside her. They chatted about inconsequential things, Ascadholiel’s nervousness drifting away after a while as she got to know the two elven rulers. She found that she rather liked Celeborn. He had a quick wit and a rather dry sense of humor, not unlike her own. Galadriel was ever and soon her knowing gaze didn’t seem quite so piercing. Ascadholiel found that she liked both of their company very much.

After they had eaten though, the mood changed. Legolas became quiet and not just a little reserved.

Ascadholiel noticed this and reached over, putting a gentle hand on his arm. “Legolas? Are you all right?”

Legolas looked up at Galadriel, and the Lady nodded. Legolas shifted to his knees beside Ascadholiel and took both of her hand into his. “Melamin, I don’t know an easy way of saying this…”

Ascadholiel freed one of her hands and reached up, cupping her love’s smooth cheek. “Legolas, melme, you can just tell me plain and simple. You can always just be blunt with me when you feel there is no other way. It’s truly okay.”

Legolas nodded and closed his eyes, breathing deeply to collect himself, what he was going to say obviously hard for him. When he opened his eyes again though, there was a stern light to them. “Ascadholiel, when the fellowship leaves again on the quest, I want you to stay here in Lothlorien. Galadriel, Celeborn, and I have talked it over. We all feel it would be for the best.”

Ascadholiel’s eyes widened and she shook her head, drawing her hand back, then reaching out and clutching at his cream-colored sleeve. “No! No Legolas, I want to stay with you! I belong at your side!”

Legolas hushed her gently with his fingers against her lips. “Shh… You have to understand melamin. I want you by my side as well, I need you by my side, and it will pain me greatly when I leave you here, but I can, knowing that I leave you in the best hands. The fellowship needs me, and the quest will be far more dangerous now. You will be safe here, and I will fight much better, and be more focused knowing that. My attention, as well as the rest of the fellowship’s attention won’t be divided wandering if one of the enemy got another lucky shot at you.”

Legolas put a hand lightly to the bandages on her chest, making emphasis, a sad look in his eyes, his voice a little softer now. “It came to close last time. I almost lost you. A little deeper and…” He closed his eyes and bowed his head in pain at the thought and swallowed to keep his emotions down, making her act instinctively and placed her hand against his cheek again, his silken hair falling forward and brushing the back of her hand.

Legolas took another breath, and looked up again, his eyes still a little scared, and his voice trembling just a hint. “I would die if I lost you when I could have kept you here where you would be safe.”

Ascadholiel knew that when Legolas said he would die, he was not exaggerating. She closed her eyes as the tears began to fall and she nodded. Her voice was shaky and a little rough as she whispered, “All right. I submit. I will stay here as you wish, unless directed by Lady Galadriel or Lord Celeborn.”

Legolas smiled a little tearfully as well. He took her into his arms and rocked her gently, comforting both of them as she cried. “I would have it no other way my love. I will Come back to you. Then with the Valar’s blessings, we will not have to be parted for the rest of our lives.”

Ascadholiel nodded, but still could not help the tears that flowed down her face. Legolas just took her shaking form into his arms again and held her tightly in comfort as she cried against his chest.

Galadriel’s deep voice spoke up softly. “Take heart Lady Ascadholiel. You have not just a few days here still with your bonded before he must continue on the quest. Spend it together with joy so that the memories you build in this time will sustain you until the of yof you are brought together again.”

Ascadholiel nodded, but whispered instead to Legolas, not opening her eyes or pulling away from him. “If you do not come back Legolas, I will follow you.”

Legolas buried his face against her hair and spoke softly but firmly. “Only death would stop me from coming back to you.”

Then Ascadholiel held him even tighter. “I know. Even then, I will still follow you, just as you would me.” Those last words stopped Legolas from protesting even before he started.

They sat there, still holding each other, neither really noticing when the Lord and Lady got up and departed, not disturbing the couple, who very much needed to be alone right then.

After a few minutes, Ascadholiel stopped crying and they sat there in each other’s arms in silence. Legolas lightly threaded his fingers through Ascadholiel’s hair, not disturbing the braids, caressing her scalp lovingly. “What are you thinking melamin?”

The human sighed shakily. “I’m thinking how much I want to ask you to stay. To not go. To not leave me. Thinking how very wrong of me that would be. And so I won’t. It is your duty. You were sworn to it before I even came to this word. I would not have you break your sworn oath. It would go against everything I love about you. So I will see you off with love when the time comes. Then I will welcome you back with open arms, bursting with pride and more love when you return.”

Legolas pulled back, only so he could kiss her firmly. He pulled back again and cupped her face in his hands. “The race of man is so young, yet you show so much wisdom. I am proud of you. You are truly any elves equal.. at least in my eyes, and my heart.”

Ascadholiel smiled, her eyes still a little teary, but a real smile non the less. She laid her head back on Legolas’ chest and he ablidged, wrapping his arms around her again. “I know you will come back to me beloved. You are a brave and excellent fighter. Just watch your back my love. I would much prefer to have you back in one piece.”

Legolas chuckled from over her head. “You and I both melamin.”

They were content to stay there in that glade, basking in each other’s closeness, until Ascadholiel fell asleep. Legolas sighed and gently picked her up again, careful of both, her wounds, and of waking her. He knew the toll this news had to be taking in her, because he knew how it was affecting himself, though she was also still healing. He looked down at her sleeping face as he stepped silently up the stairs and out of the glade with the grace befitting his race, his burden tucked gently and safely in his arms.

The folds of her gown draped over his arms and swayed slightly with each light step he took through the woods. He held her a little closer to him as a slight breeze passed by, not wanting her to get chilled as humans often did. As he walked he heard a voice call out from behind him.

“Legolas? Wait up friend.”

Legolas turned to see Boromir hurrying to catch up to him.

Boromir caught up to him and saw what it was the elf was carrying and looked down in the other human’s sleeping face. “Is Lady Asca ?”
?”

Legolas nodded and whispered so as not to wake her. “Ai. She merely sleeps.”

Boromir reached out slowly, in case Legolas did not approve of or wish him touching his wife, and brushed a few strands of hair off the woman’s slightly flushed cheek. He whispered, “It looks as though she has been weeping.”

Legolas’ voice was equally soft. “She has.old old her of my wish for her to stay here when the fellowship moved on.”

Boromir looked up sharply. The elf had told the rest of the fellowship of his wishes, and the supported him in it. “And what was her reply?”

Legolas took a deep breath and sighed gently and began walking again, Boromir falling into step beside him. “She has agreed, though not without many painful tears. I know when it comes time that there will be many more, only this time, I will not be there to hold and soothe her, for I will have left her.”

Boromir put a hand on the elf’s shoulder as they walked, knowing a little how much this had to be effecting his companion. This woman had very quickly become Legolas’ reason for breathing. “You will have left her in safety. You are a strong and skilled warrior Legolas. I do not doubt you will return to her alive and well.”

Legolas stopped and smiled just slightly at the man. “Thank you my friend.”

Boromir returned the slight smiled and looked at the set of stair before them that wound around the huge tree. “This is where we part. I return to our fellows. Take care of her.”

Legolas nodded and held his wife a little closer. “Always. Rest well Boromir, son of Denethor.”

Boromir nodded. “The same to you Legolas of Mirkwood.”

And they went their separate ways, Boromir along the forest floor, and Legolas ascending into the treetops.

It was a few minutes later that Legolas toed the door to their talan open and smiled as he saw the bed covers already turned down for them. He laid his wife down gently and then turned and wet a cloth in the basin of fresh water.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and began to gently clean the tear tracks from her sleeping face. He watched as her eyes fluttered open and he smiled down at her, his voice just above a whisper. “You fell asleep in the glade. I thought it better that you sleep in a bed, so I brought you back to our talan.”

Ascadholiel didn’t move her head, but her eyes moved around the room at his words. “So I see.”

Legolas chuckled and lightly flicked the end of her nose with his finger. “Ever joking around melamin.”

Ascadholiel cocked her head to the side and smiled. “Someone has to, what with you being so serious all the damned time.”

Legolas shook his head a little. “Well I can see now while you get along so well with Pippin. You’re just as immature as he is.”

Ascadholiel swatted him lightly on the arm. “Hey! No dissing on the hobbit! Beside…” She pretended to pout. “…he’s older than I am.”

Legolas leaned down and kissed her, catching her pouting lip gently between his teeth.

Ascadholiel moaned lowly and pushed her head up towards his, returning the kiss, which soon became rather passionate. Once they broke the kiss, Ascadholiel’s sparkling eyes met Legolas’ own. “Me thinks you’re endeavoring to start something my love.”

Legolas grinned at her, stretching his long body out beside her on the bed. “Are you well enough for my attentions, such as they are?”

Ascadholiel smirked back coyly, running her hand slowly down his lithe frame. “I’m up for it if…” She smirked wider when he gasped as her hand pressed against his covered erection. “…you are.”

**********

A.N.: Sorry if this chapter seems to have ended rather abruptly, but this was the only place I could really find to stop it before it got too horribly long. I have to pace myself now that I’m still in the writing process of the next few chapters, and nee time to type them out. Thank you once again for sticking with me guys! Lemon in the next chapter! So much loves ne?! Namaarie!

~Celesta Hellewise Harman