Blurry

Blurry
by Darkness Faerie

E-Mail: WWFJessi@HotMail.CoM
URL: http://www.realmofjessi.com

Pairing: Legolas/Drianna
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Graphic adult situations, slight AU; some would also say that Drianna is the Mary-Sue of my Residual Self-Image. Whatever.
Summary: Legolas meets Drianna @ the Last Homely House and feels something he never felt before... (cameo appearances by Aragorn & others)
Author's Notes: My first fic, please lemme know what you think. (I re-wrote the book a bit: It's set in Rivendell before the three books took place, but I made Faramir and Eowyn's wedding a helluva lot sooner so that she could crank out Drianna in time for this story. Sue me.) Elvish translations are at the very bottom. Beta shout-outs go to Mistress G & the High Council!!
Disclaimer: Proud owner of Lady Drianna, and the story itself. Setting, other characters and all that garb are property of J.R.R. Tolkien from his epic tale the Lord of the Rings, recently re-claimed by Peter Jackson in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.
Feedback: Would be graciously appreciated (see email addy above).
Archive: I'd love ya forever - just please lemme know first. *wink*

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"You could be my someone,
you could be my sea..."

Puddle of Mudd - Blurry

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The moon had barely risen in Rivendell, yet Legolas felt he had been lying in his bed for years tossing and turning, trying to ease his troubled mind. Finally giving up, he decided that a walk through the trees may help to clear his head. He stood, making way for the door to his chamber with haste. Yet before he had reached the hall, he turned and fetched his bow and quiver. All other times he was not at ease at night, he found a certain comfort in a bit of target practice. And so he set out, amidst the trees and stars into the forests of Rivendell.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After walking a bit more than a furlong into the woodland, he stopped and readied his bow. The uniform repetition of archery was a comfort to him when all else was nothing less than confusing. Fit the arrow to the string. Pull the end back past one's ear. Take aim, and release.

Repeat.

He thought of what was troubling him on this night.

The end of the time his people once had.

The journey he must inevitably take across the sea.

The lack of feeling and emotion that comes with an immortal life.

The lack of love that comes from being so cold.

He paused. Was he truly without feeling or emotion? He had thought so. He had been proud of it. He was a mighty warrior, the Prince of Mirkwood. Whether he spent the days slaying Orcs with his trusty bow or carrying messages between his father and Elrond, by night he was alone in his bed. And that was how he had wanted it.

Was it?

Of course it was! No one to cla hoa hold on you, no one to restrict you in any way. No one else to worry about when deciding any sort of thing, between whether or not you should ride off to war or what you decide to cook for dinner. Independence is power.

Yet, as he had found out recently, solitude is misery.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was little more than a fortnight ago when he first saw her. In the Last Homely House, prior to dinner, she entered the room. At first glance he thought she must be Elven in lineage. Yet despite all else, he immediately felt something in his heart which he had not felt in his entire life, as long as it had been.

"Lord Elrond."

"Yes, Legolas?"

"Who is that fair maiden standing yonder, near the door?"

"My young elf, that is the woman whose valor and fortitude have earned her a place in the songs of all Middle Earth. The woman who fights alongside men, and has many a time been the heroine of sucles.les. She is the Lady Drianna of Gondor, daughter of Faramir and Eowyn. Why do you ask?"

But Legolas did not respond. He simply gazed in wonder at the woman known as Drianna. Could a mortal woman make him feel this way? Nay, it couldn't be possible.

Could it?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And now, he stands in the woods, unable to rest. The question of whether or not he could feel this way about a woman has been answered by he himself - an emphatic yes. Since he first saw her, he had watched her closely. He was, however, too shy - or scared? - to even walk up to her and say hello. She didn't know him from an albino Orc, and at times Legolas preferred it that way. He silently gazed upon her at all hours of the day and night, trying to convince himself that he didn't feel the way he thought he felt. To be in love is to lose control. And yet, and yet...

To simply look upon her is bliss. To smell her fragrance is to be welcomed into heaven. Despite all of his decisions otherwise, he could not help but fantasize about being hers. About allowing her to claim his heart, about holding her close in his arms. He never thought he could feel this way about anyone. He never thought he would want to. Yet as he stood there in that clearing, he immediately realized that he did want to feel this way about someone. He wanted to feel this way about her. He wanted to feel....

"What troubles you in this late hour?"

He tur sta startled at both her presence and the mere fact that he, with his keen Elven hearing, had not heard her approach. His eyes held her gaze for a moment or so, but then he directed them back towards his target. It felt almost painful to look at her, for he had never seen such beauty in all his long years.

She was tall for her kind, around five foot eight. Her build was somehow both delicate and strong. She was lean, with soft curves unmistakeably declaring her femininity; however she also bore strong muscle on fra frame, sculpted like that of a true warrior - yet not unattractively so. Her skin was smooth and soft, its fairness almost mirroring his own. Her hair hung loose and straight, as it so often did, with one side held at bay behind her ear. It was darker than the feathers of a raven, yet sparkled and shimmered in the starlight. Her voice was a sonnet accentuated with the tinkling of bells, her movements flowing with an almost feline grace. Yet despite all that, her eyes were what made her herself. More unique than any that had been seen on Middle-Earth in many a long age, a deep amethyst with tiny flecks of silver shining through. It was these eyes that were focused on Legolas, looking him over from head to toe, feeling as if they bore a hole straight through him and viewed his most secret thoughts...

Such as his undying love for her.

He snapped back to reality, though forgetting the question.

"Beg pardon, my lady?"

"I asked you what is troubling your mind in this late hour."

"What makes you think my mind is troubled, my lady?"

The corners of her mouth curved upwards as she smiled slightly, never taking her gaze off of Legolas. The effect it had on him was astounding - he returned his eyes to hers yet again, and felt himself drowning in a violet sea. His heart raced, approaching an alarming pace. A thin film of sweat sheened across his brow. A slight hint of pink ran through his cheekbones. His vision slowly darkened, and his mind became denser than the air in his beloved Mirkwood. He felt as if he would pass out, yet found it all but impossible to tear his eyes from the one he loves. With a great struggle, he finally directed his gaze down towards the ground, acting as if fascinated with a particular leaf near his right boot.

She, however, began walking a slow and wide circle around the blng eng elf. Legolas slightly raised his gaze, not enough to meet her eyes but enough to at least see her body. Yet even this proved to be his undoing. She was not dressed in a typical gown given to the females of Middle-Earth. On the contrary, her dress was not unlike that of Legolas himself. She wore black boots, of a sturdy material that shone brightly in the moonlight. Silver leggings which faintly sparkled with the stars. A black tunic, fitted to her shape in all the right places, with long bell sleeves and a lower-than-usual neckline. Over this she wore a wide silver belt, and around her neck was the violet pendant of a dragon - a passion of hers ever since her early childhood.

She paused in her strides, but kept looking him over. Her gaze was piercing, yet somehow never seemed to stop moving. She leaned against a tree, on the opposite side of the clearing from where Legolas' arrows had been shot to.

"Why do I disturb you so?"

Legolas' cheeks flamed with red.

"Whatever do you mean?"

Drianna sighed. "I see the way you avoid me in this house. How your gaze drops everever I approach... just as it has now."

His breathing momentarily halted.

"Have I done something to offend you, Legolas?"

"Of course not, my lady."

She straightened up away from the tree. Her plea sounded sincere. "Then what is it?" She walked slowly towards him, facing his right side. "It is obvious that I bring some sort of negativity to you whenever we are near." She was mere inches away from him now, her gaze upon what she could see of his face as he still stared down at the ground.

"I would never intentionally do anything to harm a being so fair and pure as yourself..."

Legolas drew in a sharp breath. She continued.

"Please," she gently laid her hand upon his shoulder. "Talk to me."

He barely heard a word of this last request, as his every attention was on his shoulder. A gentle heat radiated from it, as comforting as would feel if one stood near a roaring fireplace. Yet his every nerve ending was alive with feeling, and he could barely stand the tension. He raised his gaze to her hand; pale and unmarked, with long slender fingers and clear, shapely fingernails. Then, suddenly and unintentionally, he looked into her eyes. The deep pool of unnaturally beautiful colour held him, and he longed more than ever to take her into his arms. Yet somehow, right then, he was not as uncomfortable as he was a slight bit earlier. The tension in his shoulder had subsided, and was left only with the warm comfort radiating from there throughout his body. In her eyes, he found peace. The type of peace which he had longed to find whilst tossing and turning in his bed that night. He had finally found it, and it was in her.

Her delicate features bore a look of pure concern.

His heart began to pound in his chest.

He wanted to tell her. He needed to tell her.

He opened his mouth to speak.

"Drianna!"

They both looked towards the edge of the clearing. There stood Elrond, facing the daughter of Eowyn. She removed her hand from Legolas' shoulder. It felt to him as ice lay there when the radiating heat had left him.

"A messenger has come bearing news from Gondor. Will you hear it?"

Legolas may have imagined it, but he thought a strong look of disappointment briefly flashed across her face.

"Yes, I shall come."

Elrond nodded, and gestured for Drianna to come with him. She began to walk from Legolas' side, longing to hear news from her father and mother. However, just before she was away from the archer, she whispered something into his ear:

"Should you wish, my chamber doors are always open to you."

If you asked her then, she couldn't explain why she did what she did next. Yet the fact remains that she did it anyway, and neither of them regretted it afterwards. Her soft lips gently grazed the Elf's high cheekbone, lingering just long enough to grant the faintest of butterfly kisses to the fair Prince.

She smiled at him, and was off.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

How ironic that Legolas now lay exactly where he started - in his bed, unable to find rest. He returned to his chamber soon after Drianna left the clearing with Elrond, and lay down on his bed. He neither tossed nor turned, yet still found no sleep would come to him. His long, slender fingers were lightly dancing over his cheek. He could not even believe what had happened.

The Lady Drianna. The one being he desired. The one woman who haunted his every fantasy, the one woman who held the key to his heart.

She had kissed him.

She had kissed him!

He must have been dreaming. That's it, he must have been. Though he knew all too well that it had really happened.

Drianna had kissed him.

No matter how many times he ran over that sentence, he still could not get over that simple fact. It made his heart flutter in his chest, like a butterfly cupped in one's hands. And this was not the only effect it had on him...

He found himself now, having briefly tasted the feeling of Drianna's flesh on his, straying from the dreams of holding her in his arms. His fantasies now consisted more of what would happen *after* merely holding her in his arms...

No! He berated himself for even thinking such things. To dream of this woman in such an impure fashion is nothing less than disrespectful. He could not, he *would* not allow his mind to stray to such things. It was futile to do so, anyways. He could never have her, and the more he dreamed about it the more he would be deluding himself. Besides which, he had no way of knowing how she would behave at the time, nor how she would look, or smell, or feel...

Oh, but to only imagine....

Looking into her eyes, yet feeling confident and seductive as opposed to self-conscious and exposed. Cupping her face in his hands as they kissed, their tongues intertwining, their breath becoming one. Feeling her beneath him, feeling her warmth, both radiating off of her perfect body and from being inside her.......

His leggings suddenly felt VERY uncomfortable. He could not continue thinking like this, it was beginning to pain him. He turned onto his side and tried to forget about what had put him in such a predicament, but it did nothing to ease the stiffness he felt in one of his most vital..... organs. He began thinking to himself.

'Okay Legolas, don't let this get to you so. Think of something calming. Anything.'

'A gentle stream, running through the trees of Mirkwood, bubbling slightly as it flows...'

'...Drianna, bathing in the stream, stripped of all but her smooth skin. Her hands roam her mesmerizing curves as she cleanses herself, eliciting slight gasps of pleasure as they run down, down...'

'Ok, bad idea. No more thinking for you.'

Try as he might, his mind was being consistently invaded by thoughts that were anything but pure. This did not help the condition he was in. Not by a long shot.

He thought for a moment what a Man would do in such a situation. He shuddered. Despite finally allowing himself to think such impure thoughts, he would NOT let himself sink as low as performing such a crude act. And yet, oh, how his body called out to him. His aching member, screaming for release...

Alas, he gave in. Just this once.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The sun shone down on the house of Elrond, its radiant beams cascading through the windows of its walls. Legolas walked the halls aimlessly, his mind in a frenzy. Why was this woman affecting him so? Sure, she was perfect in every way. Her beauty puts that of a goddess to shame, and her mannerisms are enough to make a stoic man wilt with desire. But was she all the hell that great?

The ridiculous nature of this thought made even Legolas chuckle out loud.

And so he walked, his thoughts travelling farther than he. He soon found himself walking among the trees outside, not quite remembering how he got there. Alas, the side effects of a wandering mind. However, he soon heard a voice up ahead that made him stop in his tracks.

"...yes, I understand. Yet I could never imagine coming forth with the truth! The risks are too great in my mind."

It was Drianna.

The person she was conversing with spoke next, and Legolas clearly recognized this voice as well: Aragorn.

"I know how you must feel now, trust me - I felt the same way. But 'tis a risk worth taking! Can you really hide the truth much longer?"

Drianna sighed. "I don't know, it's not the same as it was in your case."

Legolas hastily wondered what they could possibly be talking about, and if he was allowed to and/or wanted to hear any more. Surely some sort of plan involving Gondor, something involving the secrets kept within. Aragorn was trying to convince her to expose these secrets, but why? He kept listening, though taking a few steps to his left in order to see them clearly. Drianna was sitting on a fallen tree trunk, and Aragorn was standing in front of her. She looked distraught, yet he looked confident. What was going on?

He suddenly knelt before her and took her hand, looking deeper into her eyes than Legolas could ever imagine to.

Before Aragorn even spoke again, Legolas suddenly felt a wave of jealousy rush through him. This, *Man* had just recently acquired the love of the much-desired Arwen, daughter of Elrond. What was he doing here with Drianna?? Why was he capable of romancing her so when Legolas could barely work up the courage to say hello to her? It simply wasn't fair! Legolas clenched his fists at his sides as Aragorn opened his mouth to speak, still clutching her hand.

"True, it isn't the same, but the similarities are quite sobering. There was a subtle understanding between us that I only now see when looking back on it. And now, I see that same understanding yet again."

Drianna hesitated for a moment, as Legolas felt his face flush with anger.

"I just don't kno-"

Aragorn gently put a finger to her lips, his other hand still clutching hers in her lap. He looked even deeper into her eyes, and moved the hand that was on her lips to cup her cheek. Legolas was fuming.

"I know you're scared, maybe confused as well. But Drianna, you can't hide the love in your eyes. Even if you could hide it from everyone else in this house, you cannot hide it from me. I know you far too well."

Legolas was shaking with his anger, yet he dared not move from that spot - he could not risk being seen, and letting them know he'd heard their conversation. Not yet. He could wait...

Drianna slowly smiled a shy smile.

Aragorn smiled confidently back.

They both began to stand, and he spoke again. "I'm just asking you to think about it - what's the worst that could happen?"

Drianna widened her smile. "True..."

They smiled at each other a bit more, then suddenly leaned into a hug. Not a typical friendly hug, a long one - a long, tight hug. Legolas clenched his fists tighter and felt his nails digging into his palm. For a moment it felt as if he broke the skin, but he didn't care - he was seeing red, staring straight ahead at Drianna and Aragorn.

They finally broke the hug, smiled back at each other one last time, and walked back to the House of Elrond with Aragorn's arm around Drianna's shoulders.

Legolas stood their for several minutes until he finally regained his composure. He then headed back towards the house, walking with a purpose; he had some business to discuss with the son of Arathorn.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"YOU DISGUSTING, PERVERTED EXCUSE FOR A LIVING CREATURE!"

It was near dusk, and Legolas had marched hastily towards Aragorn's chamber doors. Lady Arwen was tending to something with her father Lord Elrond, though Legolas had no idea what it was, so he knew Aragorn was alone in his chambers. Rather, he *should* be alone. Legolas had thrown the door open, and shouted the first thing that came to his mind. Ok, maybe it wasn't very tactful - at least he hadn't leapt into the room and skewered the ranger with an arrow.

To say that Aragorn was startled was an understatement - he damn near leapt out of his boots.

"Legolas? Wha-, what in Middle-Earth are you doing??"

Legolas was seething, as he slowly entered the room and crossed towards Aragorn. "You lecherous toad... I saw you with her! Must you snatch up every young female that comes your way?!?!"

Aragorn stammered, not in guilt but confusion. "Legolas, wha- how- who? Saw me with who? When? Where?"

"Oh, don't act innocent with me you lascivious... MA" E" Evidently, Legolas was running out of insults. "Today, in the forest with the Lady Drianna. In the forest, even! Ugh! You disgust me, you swine."

Legolas wanted to strike Aragorn, and would've if he weren't so paralyzed with anger. He thought the ranger would continue to play dumb, or even admit to his guilt. Aragorn, however, did nothing of the sort. Quite the contrary, actually - he broke into hysterical laughter.

"You think," more laughter, "that me, and, and..." Aragorn could barely speak, he was laughing so hard, "me and Drianna?!?"

Legolas was beyond confused. "Dare I ask what you find to be so amusing?"

Aragorn continued laughing, though after a few moments he regained his composure and was able to speak again. "Dare I ask what you were doing eavesdropping, my NOBLE prince?"

Legolas paused for a moment, realizing just then the ridiculousness of his argument. He had no right to listen in on a conversation between Aragorn and Drianna, especially one personal enough to be taken out into the middle of the forest. To add to his humiliation, when looking back on the conversation without the fury he felt at the time, anything which he had seen could truly be interpreted as nothing more than a platonic conversation between friends. Passionate, yes, but platonic nonetheless. And the icing on the cake, the fact that one would only take it out of context if he had a reason to be jealous of Drianna being with another man in the first place. This was a reason that Legolas did have - his (up until now) hidden feelings for her - which he had just made abundantly clear to someone obviously close enough friends with the Lady of Gondor that he would be speaking with her again.

The Elven Archer felt ready to cross the sea right then. Yes, sailing off right NOW, away from here; far, FAR away from here, where he had just embarrassed himself more in one instance than he had thought possible over his entire immortal lifetime.

He suddenly got much quieter than he had been when speaking before. "I, umm... yes, I apologize. I forgot myself for a moment, I can't imagine what came over me, I'm sorry. I'd better go, again I'm truly sorry for bursting in here, and I'm even more regretful for eavesdropping on your conversation with Drianna in the forest today, however unintentional it started out as being... again, I'm sorry Aragorn."

Legolas made a bee-line for the door, desperate to exit the room as soon as possible. Yet before he could reach it, Aragorn rushed behind him and grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around to face the Ranger.

"I have one question th wou would like for you to answer, first. Will you?"

Legolas looked at Aragorn doubtfully. Aragorn smirked.

"Please do remember, you were the one who originally bursted in on me only a few minutes ago."

Legolas dropped his gaze, remembering all too well the events that had just occurred, the insults he had thrown at Aragorn, the overstepping of boundaries that are not meant to be crossed.

"..... yes. Yes, I will answer it."

Aragorn walked briskly towards the door and closed it, then turned to face Legolas again.

"What made you so upset about seeing me in the forest with Drianna this afternoon?"

Legolas immediately regretted agreeing to answer Aragorn's question. His eyes widened for a fraction of a moment before he caught himself and regained his emotionless Elven mask. "I'm not sure I understand the question."

Aragorn sighed, taking a few steps toward Legolas so they were little more than two feet apart. He held his hands up in front of him in a gesture resembling that of surrender.

"Please be honest with me Legolas, trust that I have my reasons for asking. And you have my word, nothing that you say will leave this room unless you were to wish it to."

Legolas dropped his gaze while pondering this. Ever since they had first met in Mirkwood many years ago, Aragorn had been a just and noble person as far as Legolas knew. True, they did not know each other as well as time may have allowed, but they were comrades in battle and often in peace as well. And to be perfectly frank, Legolas felt he needed to tell SOMEONE before his heart ended up exploding, even if it wasn't Drianna whom he told at first.

Aragorn bent his knees to stoop a bit as he regained eye contact with the Elf, then slowly stood back up, bring Legolas' gaze with him.

Legolas took a very deep breath.

"The reason for my inexcusable behaviour is....." Legolas looked at Aragorn again, and finally decided that he should trust the Ranger. ".....the nature of my feelings towards the Lady Drianna."

Legolas was unsure why, but he could have sworn that Aragorn looked almost relieved.

"May I safely assume that these feelings consist of a bit more than friendship, then?"

Legolas took another deep breath, and nodded.

Aragorn then grinned from ear to ear.

"Is it the nature of all Men to be so easily amused??" Legolas was growing impatient with Aragorn's somewhat odd reactions to their conversation.

"No."

Legolas just stood there, staring at the Ranger in a mixture of curiosity and mild disbelief. Aragorn seemed to be acting very strangely... He continued grinning, although he soon said something that Legolas needed to run a million times over in his mind before he believed that Aragorn had said it.

"You should tell her."

Legolas' shock at the moment exactly mirrored Aragorn's reaction to how the conversation began. In fact, he was so shocked that his usual professionalism, consisting of "Excuse Me"'s, "I'm Sorry"'s and "Beg Pardon"'s had been thrown completely out the window.

"Eh?"

The Ranger's smile widened, and he continued. "You should tell her. You need to tell her. You, need to, uh...... be honest with your feelings! There ya go, that's it. Be honest with your feelings, whatever, but TELL HER!!"

Legolas merely raised both eyebrows, adding to the questioning/shocked expression on his face. Aragorn seemed to be getting very frustrated.

"Look Elf, I know you speak the Common Tongue. I'm telling you to go up to Drianna and confess how you feel. Don't just contemplate it... do it. Run - don't walk - RUN over to her chamber and let her know.......... Right now would be a great time."

"Aragorn, I appreciate your offer of advice... I think... but I don't believe that it is such a good idea to let her know."

Aragorn's expression turned a bit more serious, shadowed with the concern one would expect from an age-old friend. "Why?"

Legolas sighed. "Surely she would never bear the same feelings for me... There could be no gain from such an act-"

"Why do you feel that she would not return your affection?" Aragorn's tone was very comforting, moreso than Legolas thought he really deserved considering that he had never gone out of his way to get to know the Man all that well.

"Aragorn, despite the fact that your heart is held by Arwen, your eyes may still see other beauty in this world. The Lady Drianna is nothing less than amazing in all that she does and says. And her beauty, by Elbereth... She is more incredible than any other being I have ever known of...." Legolas realized then that he was rambling on about the keeper of his heart. "I'm sorry, I.." Legolas looked up to see Aragorn smiling again. Not the cheshire grin he bore before, but a gentle smile that was full of compassion and friendship.

"You have no need to apologize. It is no crime to love another, in fact it fills my heart with joy to know that feelings as strong as yours for Drianna may still exist in this world."

Legolas smiled, finally knowing that Aragorn understood him, but even more so he was elated to know that he could communicate with someone about even his deepest secrets and not be berated or have his trust betrayed. He also wondered why it had taken so long for him to find Aragorn as a true friend as opposed to being a simple acquaintance.

Aragorn stepped forward, placing his hand on the archer's shoulder. "Legolas, do you trust me?"

The Elf's standard reaction of caution surfaced for a moment, but it soon dissolved as he realized the true answer to that question.

"Yes, I do."

Aragorn smiled.

"You should tell her how you feel."

Legolas looked unsure for a moment, but then looked back up into the eyes of his newfound friend and saw the warmth and trustworthiness that lay there.

The Elf smiled again.

"Then I shall."

If Legolas thought Aragorn looked relieved earlier, then there were no words to describe how he looked now. He removed his hand from Legolas' shoulder and smiled.

"If I may ask a question of you, Aragorn?"

The Ranger looked up questioningl"Yo"You may."

Legolas hesitated, but his curiosity could not be extinguished. "Why are you so insistent that I reveal to Drianna how I feel?"

Aragorn tensed at the question he hoped he would not hear. After gaining Legolas' nearly unattainable trust, this certainly could not help matters. But, alas, he could not tell Legolas his real reason. Not yet.

"I have my reasons."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Legolas was nearly trembling, staring at the carved oak doors in front of him. True, it was not they which intimidated him so, but what lay behind them...

A rich, dark midnight velvet blanketed the sky in the time since he had first opened Aragorn's chamber doors, though there was still a brilliant purple tint on the westward horizon. After the somewhat ambiguous end to his conversation with Aragorn, he aimlessly wandered the halls of the Last Homely House, trying to muster up the courage to do what he had sworn to both Aragorn and himself that he would do. After he had, or at least tried to until he thought no more courage could be worked up, he walked stealthily to the chamber doors containing the Lady Drianna.

And now, he stood in front of those same doors, realizing how incredibly heavy his arm had become when he tried to raise it and knock on her door. He finally admitted it to himself - he was petrified.

At that moment, however, he convinced himself to return to his usual, logic-based way of thinking. In the most basic aspect of it, there were two possible outcomes for this conversation: she feels the same as he does, or not. If she does not, then how different would that make his life? He already had little to no interaction with her, what would it really change? And if she did return his feelings...

He heard a knock echo throughout the hallway before even realizing it was he who was knocking.

He heard footsteps within the chamber. His breath caught in his throat.

He suddenly wanted to run.

He didn't though. Instead, he took the proud posture of the Elves and waited for the door to open.

And when it did, his again felt his breath catch in his throat.

She wore different clothes than when he had seen her in the forest earlier that day, though they were similar to those she had worn the night before. Her skin was practically glowing, sparkling with aan san shimmer that was breathtaking. Her hair was damp, that along with the wonderful condition of her skin showing that she had just recently bathed. She smelled slightly ovendvender, and moreso of something else that could not be identified as anything other than Drianna. When she saw him, her face seemed almost to brighten - Legolas attributed it to the lighting.

"Legolas! Well, this is a pleasant surprise."

He felt his knees go weak when she smiled at him, though he summoned more control than he thought he had in him to keep a cool, relaxed appearance. He gently smiled back.

"So, what brings you here?" she inquired.

Legolas wondered what he should say. He did intend to tell her, but he doubted saying 'I love you' right then would be the wisest course of action.

"You said that your chamber doors would always be open to me."

Drianna's calm expression seemed to falter for a moment; Legolas assumed that he had just imagined it.

"That I did." Another smile graced her soft lips. "Would you like to come in?"

Legolas caught himself in the knick of time before saying yes and opening himself up to an incredibly awkward situation; he had (what he thought was) a better idea.

"Actually, would you like to come out?" Drianna's brow lowered a bit in confusion. Legolas explained, "I was going to treat myself to a walk through the beauty of Imladris, would you care to join me?"

Her expression was one of vague surprise, followed by a soft chuckle. "I would love to."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And so they walked, through the trees and flowers of Rivendell, underneath a moonlit sky. At first their conversation was sparse and awkward, but they began to open up to each other more as they walked. Legolas felt more comfortable with each step they took, talking more enthusiastically the farther they got. He found out that they had much in common - both were the youngest of r sir siblings (and hated it), and their interests overlapped in every area from food to battle strategies. Legolas had not been able to talk with anyone this well, especially when he had first gotten to know them. Even his prior conversation with Aragorn had not gone this smoothly.

They traveled across the ground as the moon traveled in the sky, and before long they realized that dawn was merely three hours away. Startled by the rapid passage of time, they laughed together as Legolas walked Drianna back to her bedroom. He would say goodnight to her there and get what little rest he could after returning to his own chamber. True, that would leave his original objective un-achieved, but the evening turned-into-morning had gone much better than he could have predicted, and there would be time later.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Legolas sighed inwardly. The night had been so wonderful, and he didn't want it to end. But alas, all good things must come to an end... eventually.

"Well, my lady, I am grateful for the time we've spent together, but if I am to return to my chambers I must now bid you good night."

He turned towards the door, but abruptly stopped as he heard Drianna speak:

"What if you did not return to your chambers?"

His breathing momentarily halted. She didn't just offer what he thought she did...

"Beg pardon, my lady?"

He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, turning him around to face her. They mer mere inches away from one another when she spoke.

"Do you really want this night to end?"

He tht fot for a moment - should he tell her the truth?

"Please Legolas, be honest with me."

".... No, my lady."

"Then stay wit." ."

Legolas couldn't believe his ears. Surely she wasn't insinuating that she wanted to... do..... THAT, with him. He couldn't be hearing her right. Even if he heard the words correctly, he must be misinterpreting her.

"My lady, I do not believe I properly understan-" She pressed her index finger to his lips, silencing him.

"Legolas, I am inviting you to spend the night in here... with me."

He simply stared at her, his eyes full of shock. This had to be a dream. Oh, but what a dream it would be...

She dropped her hand back down to her side, and a look of confusion came across her face. "That is, if... if you would have me..."

Her gaze dropped as a look of sudden realization was present on her face. She misunderstood his incredulity for rejection. There were no words to tell her how much he wanted this, but for once he didn't want words nor did he need them; for once, he would let his heart and body do the talking for him.

He leaned forward and kissed her.

It was a gentle kiss, no part of their bodies were touching except their lips. But in his heart, Legolas could feel fireworks going off. He hoped she was feeling them, too. His heart threatened to leap out of his chest as she returned the kiss, both of them keeping their mouths closed - a first kiss should tell of love, not perversion.

After a minute or so they hesitantly broke the kiss, each searching the other's eyes for a reaction. Legolas lost himself in her violet orbs, realizing then just how much he truly loved her. He would not let his systematic, logic-based way of thought get in the way of his heart - not this time, not tonight.

"I would like nothing more than to spend this night with you, Drianna."

The words left his mouth before he had even known it, shocking him with his first use of her proper name. But when she smiled at him, he smiled back - they would need no more words tonight.

They leaned into each other once again, though this time their kiss was one of passion and desire. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her slender waist. They parted their lips simultaneously, and their tongues hesitantly met before they began exploring the uncharted territory of each other's mouths. Legolas felt a growing heat stirring deep within him. His hands roamed all over the fabric of her tunic, before he slipped them underneath and felt the smooth flesh of her back. The energy of the kiss heightened as she ran her fingers through his fair blond locks. She took a few small steps backward, and Legolas initially thought she was breaking the kiss. However, he realized she was pulling him along with her - towards the bed in the middle of the room.

Her hands left the tangle of his hair and travelled over his shoulders and down past his throat to the top button of his shirt. She hastily began unbuttoning the garment, her usually precise fingers now struggling clumsily with the shimmering fabric. As she did this he took the opportunity to trail a line of kisses along her jawline, slowly ending up underneath her ear. He gently nibbled on the lobe, eliciting a slight gasp from her followed by a low purr. His mouth then ran down the muscle on the side of her neck, alternately kissing/sucking on the flesh and trailing his tongue along it. She moaned audibly at this gesture, tilting her head back and exposing her throat. Legolas dragged his teeth along her collarbone, then stopped to lap at the hollow of her throat.

As he did this, she finally unbuttoned the last button of his shirt. She flattened her palms against the flat pane of his lower abdomen and ran her hands up his stomach, past his chest, over his shoulders and down his arms, removing his shirt in one fluid motion. Their lips met again, their tongues sliding about one another, each boldly staking a claim on the other's mouth. Legolas felt a fire burning below his stomach as he pulled Drianna closer to him, crushing their bodies together until there was no room for air between them. His arms encircled her shoulders and his fingers tangled in her ebony locks, while she lightly grazed her nails all over the taut muscles of his back. She ran her tongue along his jawline, up the crease behind his ear, inside the front of the exaggerated tip and nipped at the top of the point. Legolas felt he was losing himself in a red wave of passion, her touch acting like a drug on his senses. He heard himself make almost kitten-like noises, gasping and moaning with her every movement.

Longing to see the full extent of her beauty, he dropped his hands to the belt fastened around her tunic and deftly removed it. She raised her arms to help him as he slowly pulled the garment over her head and dropped it on the floor beside them.

Her skin was smooth, the muscles beneath her flesh taut and firm, yet it was soft and warm, quite the opposite of the porcelain it resembled at first glance. It was pure and unmarred in all but one place - a faint scar above her left hipbone where she had been hit with an orc arrow in battle little over a year ago. Still, the most amazing thing about her body was its fairness, appearing to give off a milky white glow in the moonlight streaming in through the window of her chamber.

"By Elbereth," his voice was low and breathy, his face awash in awe. "You are beautiful..."

He cupped her face in his hands as they kissed again, his hands slowly moving down to rest atop her shoulders. His lips strayed from her own down the front of her throat, where he could feel her vocal cords vibrate as her moans of desire became more frequent. Her eyes shut tightly to better feel him on her skin as his hands ran farther down her chest, lightly teasing contact with the sides of her breasts as they traveled down her abs and around to the small of her back. His mouth worked its magic from her throat down the center of her chest before lightly skimming his lips across the undersides of her breasts. She groaned loudly and arched her back as his mouth moved to cover one of her nipples, teasing it to its full extent before treating the other with the same care. He suddenly felt her hands pulling his head up before her lips were on his again, hungry for his unique taste. When they parted again, breathing clearly audible, her expression was dripping with need, her eyes filled with lust.

"Aníra ne," she stated simply.

He held her face in his hands as their foreheads pressed together and he took in the emotion radiating from her eyes.

"A ne geritha enni, melethril."

Their lips met again in an almost painful display of passion and need. Legolas laid her down on the bed, slowly removing the remnants of her clothing before instantaneously discarding his and crawling onto the bed. She widened her legs to accommodate him as he lowered himself atop her and their lips met again, his heart pounding in his ears all the while. When the sensitive head of his cock tantalizingly brushed against her entrance, a shiver ran through his body as he fully realized what was about to come to pass between them.

"Melethril..."

Drianna sighed indulgently at being referred to in such a way, and though Legolas did relish this response, he needed a different one.

"Melethril."

Drianna opened her eyes and looked into the Elf's questioningly.

"I must ask you, are you sure that you wish for this?"

Drianna couldn't help but smile as she saw the compassion in her soon-to-be lover's eyes. "Yes, melethron-nín. I wish for nothing more."

Legolas sighed gently, smiling back at the keeper of his heart. "As you wish."

He tasted her mouth yet again, though this time he also slowly merged their bodies into one.
golagolas almost lost himself at that moment, feeling himself surrounded by velvet heat. To be inside this woman was sheer nirvana and once fully sheathed he had to still himself lest he should finish before he truly gets started. They stayed there for a few moments, running their hands gently over each other's skin, cherishing the connection they had. Legolas sought out his beloved's lips once more, before she found his gaze and held it a few moments longer.

"Make love to me, Legolas."

His heart threatened to leap out of his chest at hearing her plea. He slowly withdrew himself almost completely, then thrust back tha that same exquisite tightness. He soon set a rhythm of long, deep thrusts which she tried her best to return. He closed his eyes to better feel her and saw stars behind his eyelids. He increased his pace and force as Drianna began mumbling incoherently beneath him.

"Oh, Legolas, oh my God, yes... oh Legolas, yes, my God yes, oh... yes Legolas, yes......."

Hearing his name pour from her mouth only fueled the fire that was burning in his blood. He drove harder,ter,ter, almost mimicking his heartbeat throbbing in his head. He soon began muttering his own inane babble, and together their collective volume only rose.

Louder. Harder. Faster. Deeper. The passion they were creating knew no bounds, and they both climbed the mountain of pleasure steadily and hastily. Higher and higher they went, until all that existed in their minds was each other. The air was saturated with the heavy odor of sex. They were both flushed and sweagrabgrabbing onto each other as if clinging for dear life. Drianna's nails were gently scratching Legolas' upper back as she neared her peak, her lover not far behind.

The Elven prince lowered his hand to where they were coming together and began rubbing his fingertips back and forth across her clit. Any capability for rational thought went flying out of her mind at that instance as she lost complete and utter control. They rose higher, faster, with each passing second, neither one of them saying anything of substance but both were loudly attempting to voice the pleasure racking their bodies in this primal game of cat and mouse.

"Legolas, my God, oh yes... ai, Ai!, LEEEEGOOOLAAAAAAAASS!!!!!!!!!"

Her body finally gave way to the sensations he was instilling in her. Her cry was louder than any she had ever made in battle as she screamed his name to the Valar. She arched her back off the silken sheets while simultaneously rasping her nails in a red trail of fire down Legolas' bare skin. The pure emotion of her orgasm combined with the feeling of her nails tearing along his back sent him careening over the edge. The stars he was seeing had exploded in a sudden rush of colour as he threw his head back and arched his spine. He made a long, drawn-out sound resembling that of a roar as his Elfhood gushed its silvery essence deep within Drianna. The heat of their combined passion took almost a full minute to fade, and left their bodies with little to no energy or strength. Legolas' sight darkened as he felt himself fall forward. He braced his arms in an attempt to stop his fall, but this only slowed him a bit before he found himself laying on top of Drianna.

They were both left panting heavily for several minutes after their ml cll climax, during which time Drianna lightly grazed her palms over Legolas' newly wounded back. She finally ceased her movements and was content in simply holding him near to her, not wanting to let go.

They lay there like that for some time, their breathing patterns slowly returning to normal. A slew of emotions ran through Legolas' mind. He and Drianna... he couldn't believe it. He was so afraid that this was simply aam ham he would soon awake from. If it was, however, he wasn't too sure he wanted to wake up at all. He embraced the beautiful woman beneath him, but then he remembered vow vow he had taken at dusk. With all that had passed between them, he no longer wanted to wait. The words that flowed from his mouth were soft, they might have gone unnoticed if his mouth were not so close to her ear.

"I love you, Drianna."

He raised her head to look in her eyes, and she met his gaze with one of pure shock. He continued. "Ever since the first moment I saw you, I could not keep my eyes off of you. You are so beautiful, in every way, and I would thank the Valar that they bestowed upon this Earth a being such as you. I do, I love you. With all my heart, and with all my soul. Always and forever."

He felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. She continued to stare at him, lips parted slightly. She blinked.

A single tear ran down her cheek.

"I love you too, Legolas. I've loved you just as much, for just as long."

Legolas forgot to breathe.

".... you have?"

Another tear. "Aye. I would watch you from afar, praying that one day I could work up the courage to tell you how I felt." Legolas gasped as she said this, the grim irony of their situation seemingly taunting him. Yet now that they had finally confessed their feelings for each other, he simply thought that grim irony to be more like a frustrating barrier between them - eventually overcome and in hindsight merely a laugh or two. He could not help but smile while his own eyes began to ten ten with supressed tears; the odd mix of emotions was altogether new to him.

"Yet another thing we have in common, my love."

She smiled back at him, as he leaned forward to taste her lips. Their hunger for each other now sated for at least a little while, their kisses were slow and sweet. They embraced, each of them silently crying soft tears of joy into the other's hair. Some time later Drianna chuckled lightly, causing Legolas to again lift his head.

"What is amusing?"

She hesitated, then explained. "Darling, my love for you was nearly consuming me, and I did not know how much longer I could conceal such strong feelings. So, I confided in one of my dearest friends how I felt. He tried so desperately to convince me to tell you, but I was afraid. He said he could tell from your words and actions that you would return my affection, but I refused to believe him." She laughed again. "I guess I should have..."

Legolas' eyes widened in anticipation. "May I ask who this friend is whom you speak of?"

Drianna hesitated yet again. "May I first ask why you wish to know his name?"

Legolas stifled a laugh. The coincidence would be too great, surely it wasn't...

"I, too, confided in a friend when I felt my heart would burst from concealing my love. This friend strongly encouraged me to tell you, but when I asked him why he was so insistent he merely stated that he 'had his reasons'."

Drianna's eyes now widened at the thought of... but surely it couldn't be......

They both lay there reading each other's eyes, almost searching in the other's face for the answer to their questions. Then suddenly, they both exclaimed the name of this mystery man they spoke of, for the name was the same on both lips:

"ARAGORN!?!?!?!?!?!"

They burst into laughter, completely losing themselves to the further irony of their situation. During this time, Legolas (partly due to how hard he was laughing) rolled over next to Drianna, realizing he had crushed the poor woman for a bit too long.

Drianna was first to regain enough composure to speak, though her sentences were badly jumbled with her ringing laughter. "By the Valar, and I thought this whole situation was frustrating for the two of us! I can only imagine how that man must have felt during all of this!!"

Legolas replied once he had calmed himself a bit, "No wonder he acted so strangely throughout our conversation." A realization suddenly hit him like a hard slap to the face. He quickly sat upright and looked down at his beloved. "Is that what the two of you were talking about this afternoon in the forest!?!?" Drianna cocked one eyebrow at the question. Legolas felt his face flush with heat. "I happened to come across the two of you talking, though I only overheard the tail end of your conversation. It truly was an accident, I assure you!" He began to stammer in defence of his actions, but a comforting smile from Drianna told him he had no need to explain.

"Yes it was, my Princeling." But then Drianna suddenly sat up as Legolas had just before. "What did you think we were talking about?"

Legolas blushed more vividly, looking down in such a demure and innocent fashion that Drianna nearly gasped. Though just after that, she realized what it was that Legolas had assumed, and fell back down on the mattress laughing so hard she nearly passed out from lack of air. Legolas couldn't help but laugh himself, being reminded of the embarrassing-turned-comforting conversation with Aragorn that had began in a similar fashion.

"That's almost exactly how he reacted when I confronted him about it."

Drianna stopped laughing abruptly, then started up again even moreso than before. "You did what??"

Legolas giggled, feeling so comfortable around this woman that he couldn't even be embarrassed around her. "Aye, that must have been one of the worst moments of my life." He laughed harder, "I had never been that mortified before."

They laughed together for a little while longer, no longer having inhiinhibitions around one another. The kiss they shared began sweetly, but slowly escalated into something much more intense.

As they took comfort in the warmth of each other's bodies, shades of pink and orange slowly began to illuminate the eastern horizon. Neither of them would get any sleep on this night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The sun shone brightly over Imladris, and the sky was cerulean with colorless clouds*. Drianna and Aragorn stood in a small clearing near the house of Elrond, both practicing their fencing skills with one another.

"... So, my dear Ranger, how fared your night?"

Aragorn chuckled softly at the joking endearment. "'Twas well, how fared yours?"

Drianna smiled. "Mine went nicely as well. I was treated to a visit by the fair Legolas."

Anduril faltered for a moment under Aragorn's command. "Really?" He tried to sound surprised; the last thing he wanted was to betray the trust of either of his friends. "And how did things go?"

Drianna forced herself to hesitate. "... they went well."

Aragorn lowered his sword, his face genuinely compassionate as it so often was around her. "I do not mean to pry, but I have a question on my mind."

Drianna looked cautious, "you may ask."

The question which Aragorn had really wanted to ask was whether or not Legolas had confessed his feelings for her. However, this question was the least tactful one he could ask - also the most betraying to Legolas' trust. Instead, he asked the reverse as gently as he could, which could also accomplish the same objective. "Did you confess to him your feelings?"

Drianna fidgeted, looking somewhat uncomfortable. Inside, however, she was loudly congratulating herself on her knowledge of the Man - she predicted he would ask this question. She cleared her throat loudly, and looked back up at him. "I, well.... I.......... maybe."

Aragorn sighed. He felt trapped. If he let either one of them know that their affections would be returned, then he would be betraying the trust of the other. Yet they were both too afraid of rejection to confess their feelings. He would have tired of this long ago had he not cared so deeply about both of them.

He was about to speak again, when he suddenly noticed Legolas enter the clearing out of sight of Drianna.

"Legolas! So good to see you, how are you faring?" Drianna turned at hearing the name.

Legolas smiled at the greeting from Aragorn. "I am well, thank you. And yourself?"

"I am fine."

Drianna smiled at Legolas, who widened his smile at her. She greeted him as well. "Hello, sweetheart."

"Good afternoon, darling" came the reply before they exchanged a deliberately long kiss.

*CLANG* They smiled against each other's mouths at the sound of a sword dropping to the ground near them. When they broke the kiss, neither could contain a small laugh when they saw Aragorn's face. His mouth was wide open, jaw opening and closing noiselessly. His brow furrowed questioningly as he pointed at the two of them (still in each other's arms, looking back at him), seemingly trying to say something.

"You... but, when? I, but, wait, you two... this, how? Where, I... when? You, huh????"

Drianna laughed a bit harder, and decided to take their little prank slightly farther. She turned back to Legolas. "Gracious, I'm hungry. I think I'll go back to the house for a while." She kissed Legolas again, hearing the continued stammers of the Man in the clearing. As she walked away, she turned to her Elf one last time.

"By the way, you were incredible last night. Can't wait to do it again."

Aragorn's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates at the comment. Well, at least the gibberish stopped.

Legolas smiled, barely being able to contain his laughter at their game. She winked at him, and disappeared into the trees.

Legolas nonchalantly looked back at Aragorn, who was quite an amusing sight to behold: both eyes and jaw were wide open, his finger still raised and pointing at Legolas.

"You know, Aragorn, it's not polite to point."

Legolas laughed gently, and followed the path Drianna had taken back to the house.

Aragorn was left alone in the clearing, mouth finally closed and eyes normal again, both hands at his sides. Suddenly, he smiled. As he picked Anduril up from the ground and sheathed it, his smile turned to a soft, genuine laugh. They did let each other know how they felt. They realized that they had nothing to fear in the first place. Judging by the harmless joke they had played on him, they were not in the least bit upset with him for any of his actions. He hadn't betrayed the trust of either of them, and despite his pre-existing friendship with Drianna, he had found a new friend in Legolas. Most important of all, though, Legolas and Drianna were happy.

And so was he.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

THE END

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**** Elvish Translations ****

Aníra ne --> I want you.
A ne geritha enni --> Then you shall have me.
Melethril --> Lover (feminine).
Melethron-nîn --> My lover. (masculine)

* "the sky was cerulean with colorless clouds" - line #3 of The Beffanie's own "Crappy Poem 1" (http://www.geocities.com/frostsgoddess/poems.html)