The Teacher

Chap 36


"Milord," Penda said quietly as they made their way down to the
kitchen, "when will my lessons with weaponry begin?"

"I thought perhaps we would start after your hands are completely
healed," Elrond replied as he opened a door, revealing a large
kitchen.

Guiding Penda to a table, he had her sit down while he prepared
something for them to eat. Penda sat quietly, watching him move about
for a few moments before speaking again.

"I appreciate that, Elrond, but I really want to get started soon. I
am not used to sitting about idly for long periods of time."

"That is understandable," Elrond replied as he set two plates of food
and a pot of tea down on the table. "How are your hands feeling now?"

"They feel fine," she replied. "Some stiffness, but otherwise fine."
To prove a point, she lifted the pot and poured each of them a cup of
tea. "You see," she said, setting the pot down, "the pain is gone."

Taking her hands in his, he turned them, inspecting the burns that
she had received.

"Allow me to think about it," he replied as he released her hands.

They ate in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Together, when
they were finished, they washed and put away the dishes they had used
and then headed back upstairs.

Stopping in front of her bedroom door, Elrond turned Penda to face
him. Looking down at her he spoke. "I will speak with Glorfindel in
the morning; perhaps he would be willing to teach you to use a sword."

Penda's face lit up. As she opened her mouth to speak, Elrond put his
hand up, silencing her.

"My sons have already agreed to help you with the bow and arrows;
and, when you have the spare time, I will teach you to use the long
knives. Tomorrow, after the noon meal, come to my private study. We
will go over a lesson plan for you."

"Oh, thank you," Penda exclaimed as she clapped her hands twice.
Rising up on the tips of her toes, she put her hands on his
shoulders, pulling him down closer. As she did, she gave him a quick
kiss on the cheek, and then released him. Turning, she rushed into
her room, closing the door behind her.

Elrond stood there in shock. No one had ever done that before. Yes,
his wife and daughter had both kissed him on the cheek when they were
happy about something he had said or done, but never with such
exuberance. Shaking his head, he was about to turn away when the door
opened again. Penda stepped out.

Stepping up closer to him again, she placed her hands on his chest,
and rose up to her toes. Automatically, his hands went to her small
waist, to steady her, as she kissed him on the cheek again, softer
this time, her lips lingering on his skin for a few seconds.

"Good night, Elrond," she said quietly as she slipped from his hands
then turned and stepped back into her room.

"Good night, Penda," he responded as she closed the door. Looking at
her one last time he suddenly realized that she had removed her robe,
that the only thing between his hands and her skin, had been her
sheer night gown.

Rubbing his thumbs across his fingers he could still feel the warmth
from her skin. Turning, he went to his room, trying to calm his body
down.
~~~~~
Closing the door behind her, Penda could not believe what she had
just done. She could still feel the warmth of his hands on her waist
when he had held her. Turning off the lamps, she stepped out onto the
balcony. She walked along its length several times, then stopped and
leaned back against the wall.
Looking up into the night sky she watched as clouds slowly moved
across the moon.

She wondered to herself how it would feel to be wrapped in his arms
as he made slow, passionate love to her. She knew of his wife,
Celebrian, and that she waited for him across the sea. Her uncle had
told her the story of Celebrian. Penda knew that there could never be
a binding between herself and Elrond, knew that there could be no
children, but she was willing to sacrifice those things for the time
they could spend together here. "He probably does not feel the same
way," she said to herself. Who was she kidding? But the thought of
him as he…Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she heard a light
sound coming from his balcony. Turning her head, she saw him standing
there, dressed only in a pair of loose fitting leggings, his hair
unbound, falling down to his waist. She watched as he crossed the
balcony, and leaning over, rested his fore-arms on the railing.
Turning, she moved across her balcony towards his.


Elrond looked up into the night sky. "What am I going to do about
her," he said to himself. His feelings for Penda were growing. He
thought of his wife, Celebrian, who was waiting for him in the
Undying lands; of the sheer loneliness that he felt in his life,
since she had sailed west. He knew Penda could fill his lonely hours,
but, he thought, would she. Would she come to him willingly, knowing
that one day, he too would sail west to join his wife. Would she do
it knowing there could never be a binding between them, never any
children between them? Perhaps she would, but did he dare ask her to
make such sacrifices? She had given and lost so much already for one
so young.

Hearing a sound coming from her balcony, he turned to see her
standing there in the moonlight, her hair blowing lightly in the soft
breeze.

"Elrond, I want…" she said softly.

"Penda," he said, interrupting her, "go to bed."

"But I…"

"Please, Penda," he said, more gently, "go to bed. I will see you
tomorrow."

Turning, Penda quickly went back into her room, closing the balcony
doors behind her. Crawling into bed she thought of the kiss outside
her door, how his hands had gone around her waist, as if they
belonged there. No, she thought to herself, she wasn't sorry for
kissing him, not really. She had enjoyed the time they had spent
together, alone, and had hoped they would do it again. Closing her
eyes she drifted off to a sleep filled with dreams of a dark haired
elf lord.

Stepping back into his room, Elrond knew there was only one thing he
could do. Loosening the tie on his leggings, he tugged them down,
releasing his painfully hard member. Going into his bathing room, he
drew a bath. A few minutes later, he climbed into the tub, completely
submerging himself in the cold water. After the water did what it was
intended to do, he climbed out, and grabbing a drying cloth, wrapped
it around his waist, thanking the Valar that the next time he saw
her, she would be properly dressed. He poured himself a glass of wine
and drank it down in one slow sip. When he was finished he dropped
the cloth from his waist and crawled into bed. Slowly he drifted into
a deep reverie, where he dreamed of a young half elf, with long
silken red hair.