Between Friends - The Scouting Mission

“We learn only from those we love.” – Goethe

~~~~

Legolas awoke soon after the sun rose above the horizon and turned his head to locate Annowe.

She was naked and lying on her back staring up at the sky, half submerged in the water with her head resting on her arms and her legs crossed at the knees. He could see the swell of her breasts and pink nipples above the water line and he shifted uncomfortably. He knew she didn’t wear clothes when she was in her element but he was not prepared to see her naked body first thing in the morning.

She seemed unaware that he had awakened and he watched her for a few moments before finally clearing his throat and catching her attention.

“Put your clothes on,” he scolded and made a show of turning his head so that he could no longer see her. He willed himself not to peek as he heard her stand.

“Sorry. You know I normally don’t wear clothes if I don’t have to,” she replied as she quickly slipped into her tunic and leggings.

“Yes, I know. I remember when you’d run naked through Mirkwood to the Long Lake just to annoy my father,” he said, grinning at the memory.

She laughed. “I was young and foolish then and it amused me.”

“That was only two winters ago,” he playfully reminded her and both of them laughed.

*******

They continued south, zigzagging from the mountains across the Great River to the edge of Mirkwood. Other than the initial contact with the Orcs, they saw no other signs of the Enemy or his minions and for this she was grateful. However, Legolas seemed to find it more disturbing than comforting.

“It is not like them to be this silent,” he would mutter and cast his dark eyes about.

“Normally, no, I would agree with you. But if The Ring has been found, don’t you think that they would be planning and scouting just like we are?” She asked him.

He did not find her line of thought comforting and disagreed. “No, Sauron would want to strike as quickly as possible to recover it. Assuming that it has been found.”

“Legs, my friend, the Dark Lord is much more crafty than you give him credit for. Why would he take it by force when he could grab it by stealth? He has used that ploy before,” she reminded him.

He frowned at her mention of Sauron’s initial creation of the Rings of Power. He did not like being reminded that it was the elves that had made the rings in the first place.

“Now don’t go scowling like that. I’m just pointing out the facts. Not blaming elves and you know better than to start that with me,” she scolded mildly.

“I know,” he sighed. “It just bothers me. None of this would have happened if the rings had never been made,” he brooded.

Sometimes she just wanted to strangle him for being so thick headed. “A lot of other things wouldn’t have happened, either. Like Rivendell or Lothlorien,” she snapped at him, frustrated by his melancholia.

She had a point but he was not about to concede it to her. He felt terribly guilty at times knowing that his people had made the rings, and felt responsible for the destruction and misery that had followed. She sighed in frustration. He would brood and mope until he finally realized that she was right.

They continued on in silence, with Annowe stealing longing glances at his lithe form in front of her. The temptation to squeeze his firm bottom was almost overwhelming but somehow she managed to resist. They walked until well into the night when they stopped near the edge of Mirkwood to rest.

“Legs,” she said softly as she spread out her blanket and sat down on it. “I wish you wouldn’t hold the elves accountable for the rings. If it hadn’t been rings, it would have been something else.”

He sat down next to her. “Do you really believe that?” he asked.

“Yes, I do. You know the Dark Lord hated the Firstborn and would have done anything to subjugate you,” she patted him comfortingly on the back, feeling his lean muscles through his tunic.

He sighed heavily and gently rested his head against hers as he ruminated on her words. She certainly knew how to put things into perspective that much was certain. He knew she spoke the truth – the Dark Lord had always tried to establish dominion over the elves and he would not so easily be thwarted. He wondered if this would ever end and peace return to his people and Middle Earth.

Sensing his anxiety, she beckoned him to sit in front of her by patting the ground.

“Come sit here,” she motioned.

He obligingly sat in front of her, facing her and she smiled. “Turn around,” she laughed.

He did and she slowly gathered his luminous hair and tossed it over his shoulder so that it fell down his chest. It felt like the finest silk in her hands and she closed her eyes to will her thoughts elsewhere.

Then he felt her small hands massaging his neck and shoulders. He moaned in pleasure as her hands found every ache and tension spot on his back and neck. He grew relaxed and drowsy under her skillful touch as she moved from his shoulders to his shoulder blades and upper back.

Annowe shivered at his soft moans and bit her bottom lip against the sound. How she longed to hear him make such sounds under different circumstances.

As an elf, he was accustomed to be less aware of his physical being than other creatures were. With Annowe, he greatly enjoyed the physical side of his being and desired to experience more of his physical nature with her.

After a few more quiet moments of massaging him to his soft moans, she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him from behind and resting her chin on his shoulder. He was well aware of her firm breasts pressing on his back.

“Did you like that?” She asked softly, her breath warm on his neck.

He shivered involuntarily. “Yes,” he admitted.

“Good,” she said brightly and kissed him on the neck before standing up and returning to her blanket to lie down for the evening.

Legolas watched her for a few moments, his body tingling. He knew there would be no way he could continue to remain this close to her without either taking her or going mad with desire.

~~~~~