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Return to The Lonely Mountain	By : skon Category: -Multi-Age > Slash - Male/Male Views: 4043 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings (and associated) book series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Title: Return to The Lonely Mountain
Chapter 3.
Author: Sarah
Pairing: Legolas/Gimli
Rating: PG this chapter.
Beta, helpful suggestions and wonderful encouragement: Vinni. Thank you! Any mistakes left are mine.
Disclaimer: Tolkien owns them. I make no money. The Legolas and Gimli I write belong to Tolkien. They are not related to the movie characters.
Archive: Axe and Bow. Others please ask.
Feedback: Please.
Thank you to Love to be Anon for the review! I try to show the characters as I think Tolkien envisioned them and I love them so I am glad that shows!
takkycat-thank you! I'm glad you like the descriptions. I worked hard on them as I wanted people to see Gimli's home.
Jasmine-I'm not sure about major angst but things will be tougher in Erebor than they were in Eryn Lasgalen.Thank you for the review!
Min, thank you! Legolas and Gimli are dreading the meeting with Gloin so you are looking forward to it more than they are! :) I like Bimur, too.
Thank you Jen! This story will be mostly from Legolas' POV. I'm happy that you enjoyed the chapter. I so wanted people to see and enjoy Gimli's city.

Thank you to everyone who brightened my day by reviewing!

They embraced for a moment, and then Gimli sighed and pulled back. �We should bathe and eat� separately.�

�I have to eat alone, too?� Legolas teased, knowing very well that Gimli only meant bathing apart.

Gimli grinned. �Might be safer that way. I cannot deprive myself of your presence for any longer than bathing will take, though.�

Legolas recalled what Gimli had told him shortly after leaving Eryn Lasgalen. The warrior had stated �If I do not visit my father within a few hours of my arrival home, he will probably come to me.�

Gimli had not said it as a threat, but Legolas did not like the notion that they might be loving, and Gloin would arrive at their door wishing to see Gimli. It was clear that Gimli did not find the idea appealing, either. Besides, Gimli must be eager to see his relatives again.

Now that he was at Gimli�s home, Legolas deduced that any noise from the two of them during love-making would probably not be heard with the exception of screaming or keening. Legolas was unsure if that would be detected or not. Much depended on the location of the bed chamber.

Legolas wondered if there would be water and food in the house. Gimli had been gone from his home for a long while. He glanced around the room which had marble pegs for cloaks and a lamp in one corner. The lamp was lit, so Legolas assumed that Bimur had told his mother of their arrival, and she had seen to it that all was in readiness. The light sat on top of a burgundy chest of side by side drawers. Painted on them were green leaves and under the leaves there was a raised area outlined in black. Inside this area on each side was the painting of an eagle.

Gimli went through an oval archway that opened into a huge inner chamber. Legolas followed and his gaze flitted over things, not knowing where to alight first. The fireplace with the little carved figures upon the mantle was noteworthy, but Legolas� focus stopped on a tall rectangular clock suspended from the ceiling by thin silver wires. One side of the timepiece had the hour numbers, each with its own small round glass sphere or globe, and the other side had the minutes by ten with notches for the in-between numbers. The ten-minute marks too had their own small orbs, but here they were oblong shaped. Underneath the clock was a globe of coloured blue fluid with a glass pipe leading to other glass tubes that went up and down the device. The clock had a black square base. Eleven of the orbs on the hour side were filled and on the minutes' side the oblong notches went just past the forty mark.

�It�s beautiful, Gimli.�

Legolas tore his gaze from this work of art and walked to the mantelpiece. The carved figures of a deer and her fawn were set before a small blue stone pond. Legolas reached for the deer and then jerked his hand back. The figures looked fragile, and Gimli might not appreciate having them handled. Legolas felt Gimli�s hand against his back.

Gimli took the doe and opened Legolas� hand. He placed the animal on Legolas� palm. �There�s nothing in our home that my elf cannot touch.�

Legolas carefully examined the animal turning it in his hands gently.

�It is one of the first animals I created. I was�� Gimli paused, trying to remember. ��a small child. My father had taken me outside to a meadow. I saw a doe and her fawn for the first time. The legs on the doe are wrong. Too stiff.�

Legolas smiled. �Have you studied deer, lover?�

Gimli chuckled. �No.�

�If your deer was walking or running, then yes, the legs are too rigid. But�� Legolas sat the doe down by her fawn again. �This is a mother who is holding herself very still listening for danger in order to keep her little one safe. It is possible this is what you saw. An animal alert for any threat to her baby.� He wrapped an arm around Gimli. �I like it.�

�Thank you, my treasure.�

Legolas continued to gaze around the room settling on a painting of an eagle�s head and upper body with a background of clear, blue sky. The art had a proud place above the mantelpiece. The drawing had a glass case on each side of it, each containing two eagle feathers. �Gimli, I did not know you liked eagles.�

�Aye, my favourite bird.�

�I thought you never noticed birds! Once in Lothlorien, I spent quite a few words on telling you about them. Why did you not ask me to be quiet?�

�I was too enthralled with the being that was speaking to care. Besides, you do know far more about the subject than I do, and your words were interesting. I�m sure you recall that I questioned you several times on eagles. You were giving me your knowledge of something I love and telling me about your memories. I enjoyed the conversation a great deal. I certainly would not have told you to be quiet when I was so happy with the discussion!�

Legolas smiled. Legolas remembered sharing with Gimli the time he had climbed a tall tree and discovered an eagle�s eyrie with two eagles. He had spoken with the birds and had received information that had greatly aided him in fighting the Shadow. Legolas recalled Gimli�s many enquiries about the memory, and the dwarf�s: �Eagles are magnificent birds!�

Legolas was fond of that time in Lothlorien, and was glad that Gimli was, too. Now he glanced up, spying a chandelier of wrought black iron lit with tapers. The archer resolved not to stretch in this room. Four chairs with black steel frames and thick, soft beige cushions were placed around the fireplace. The chairs and their matching footstools made a semi-circle around the hearth. In the middle of the circle was a rectangular table made of light brown stone. It had four drawers underneath it and a brown bowl containing apples had been placed on top of it. The floor was covered with a rug that had squares of light blue, grey and brown. The window Legolas had seen from the outside was in this room, just past the clock. It was draped with velvet curtains of burgundy.

They walked down a hallway, and Legolas paused to study one of the several golden candle brackets, with their design of grape clusters, upon the walls. �This is not your work is it, Gimli?�

�No. These were here when I moved in. Very skilled craftsmanship, and I left them. How did you know?�

Legolas was glad that he had guessed correctly. The discovery that Gimli loved eagles had shaken him somewhat. Now he realised that while there were things he might not know about Gimli, there was far more that he did knew about his dwarf. �Grapes are not your favourite food.�

Gimli laughed.

They walked past two round doors. One door was shut, the other open. As they walked past the room with the open door, Legolas glanced inside and saw a white stone floor, and table set with food.

The hallway ended with three closed doors, one to the right, another to the left and the last straight ahead. Gimli opened the one to the left, went a few steps into the room, and then with a gasp, halted abruptly. With a swift step to the side, Legolas managed to avoid bumping into his dwarf.

Legolas looked into the chamber beyond. A small bed,* but not too small* Legolas thought with satisfaction. The bed was made up with pillows with chestnut coloured covers and spread with a quilt. That item was the cause of Gimli�s gasp, Legolas speculated. The blanket�s design was one of two interlocking blue circles on a white background. Inside one ring was a blue mountain, and within the other was a beech tree.

Legolas placed his hand on Gimli�s shoulder.

Gimli said softly, �Aalin would have made the quilt. She must have worked hard in order to finish it before we got here. And it means she is willing to try to accept us, for that type of bedcover is made and given to those that have found their one. Two joined circles with a symbol for each individual person inside it. How Aalin knew to select a beech for you, I do not know. But I am glad for her gift!�

"So am I!"

Gimli moved into the room now. �Bed is a gift, too. Bigger than mine was.�

�I am happy for it! I can rest easily in this one, Gimli. I did not fancy dragging a bed from the guest rooms far above us to your chambers. I understood the necessity of it and that you wanted it to show our relationship, but I�m grateful it�s been done for us.�

�Aye, I understand. Now I�m in Erebor, I think your presence in our home rather than the guest chambers makes the point very well for us.� As he talked, Gimli went to the fireplace. He grabbed a small black box with matches and a white bottle of lamp oil. He soon had the room bright with light. Gimli asked, �Do you want to bathe first or last?�

�Last, I think. I want to wander all over and see our home.�

Gimli smiled. �Love you, mir n�n.� He went to their packs that had been placed on top of a black chest of drawers with brass handles.

After Gimli had retrieved fresh clothes and departed, Legolas studied the room. The bed was set in one corner against the wall. On the one side of the bed was a dressing stand with an oak chair and an oval mirror. In front of the mirror was a hair brush with a comb placed in it. Next to the stand was the chest of drawers.

Lamps stood in three corners of the room, and Legolas walked over to examine one. They were made with a base and long slender stand of steel. The lights had shades of triangular glass panels, the point facing downward, and set inside were thick white candles.

The room�s pale rose stone fireplace was oval and shared its hearth with the room on the other side of the wall. The fireplace had four built-in shelves. Legolas was curious about the books in them, but something else was far more important to see.

Above the fireplace hung a small portrait of Gloin and a woman. She had long red hair, very light blue eyes and a small beard the same colour of Gimli�s hair. Legolas studied her features and sorrowed over Gimli�s loss of his mother. �I love him,� Legolas said quietly to the woman. �I�ll never cause him hurt. Your son�s heart is safe with me.�

Sighing softly, Legolas bent down and pulled the top two books from the first shelf. As he had expected, they were written in the common language. Both were what Legolas� people called art books: they contained pages of intricately painted drawings. One was of waterfalls and the other was of eagles. Legolas smiled and carefully put the books back.

Glancing around the chamber, Legolas concluded that passionate yells would not be heard outside their house especially not with the bed room door shut. He was uncertain if his lover�s grandmother would discern such cries through the walls but judging by Gimli�s range of hearing and knowing the rooms did not share a wall, Legolas guessed that noise would not carry that far. He sighed happily.

Legolas wandered into the hallway taking the matches and lamp oil with him. He could hear water being poured behind the door at the end. Quickly closing his mind to the vision of Gimli bathing, he returned to the entry before the bedroom.

This room was clearly Gimli�s study. The oval fireplace that shared its hearth with the bedroom graced one wall, and a bookcase covered another. The contents of the case were behind glass doors that opened outward. A chair with brown cushions flecked with gold, complete with a matching footstool, sat by the fireplace. A chaise lounge upholstered in light yellow with a cushion of the same shade was against the far wall, facing the fireplace. A folded light green blanket rested on the back of the chaise.

Legolas continued examining the chamber. The room had a navy blue rug with eagles in different poses around the border. Lamps stood in each corner, but here the glass shades were shaped like tulips with candles inside them. They were not lit, but light spilled in from the hallway. Next to one lamp was a writing desk with a brown inkstand. A relief map of Middle-earth hung above the desk. It was made of iron and metal and had a gold finish. Legolas scrutinised it for a moment thinking of the places he and Gimli had been together.

Next to the desk was the most interesting table Legolas had ever beheld. It had a glass top like many tables in Legolas� home, but what was fascinating to the elf was the fact that the top was supported on a statue of an eagle. Legolas crouched down and studied the fowl. Gimli definitely loves eagles, Legolas thought. On the table was a brown bowl holding a pipe, and a lamp. The lamp�s holder was made of grey stone in the shape of a square.

Legolas wondered where Gimli kept his pipeweed; perhaps in one of the two brown boxes occupying shelves of fireplace's built-in bookcase.

Standing up, Legolas glanced at the ceiling. He was searching for a chandelier, but the room was meant to be brightened by lamps. Instead of the chandelier, he found a sky blue ceiling with painted soaring eagles.

Legolas laughed now. He could be happy with seeing these birds everywhere if that pleased Gimli. Maybe eagles in beech trees, Legolas thought, and he laughed again.

Legolas left the room, and glanced into the kitchen. Blazing candles sat in a brown dish in the middle of the table. Four chairs with white cushions were placed around the table.

Conscious of the time, Legolas hastened back to the chamber with the clock. As the hour arrived, blue liquid raced through all the glass pipes, rushing down to fill the globe at the bottom. After a moment only the hour orb contained fluid. Legolas watched, enchanted by the display. He wondered if it would be possible to transport this item without damaging it when Gimli made a new home in Aglarond.

Legolas continued down the hallway to the door on the right and opened it. This was clearly Gimli�s work area. A series of four shelves ran around the chamber walls with breaks for a fireplace and brass candle sconces. Legolas lit a few and then glanced around the room.

Boxes of light green sat on the shelves, along with rows of tools. Legolas had no idea what these tools were, or what they might be used for. Some of them had very sharp points, and Legolas decided not to touch anything. Above the shelves on one wall hung a collection of axes. Legolas gazed upon these, and wondered if Gimli had every type ever made. Glancing back at the tools, Legolas grinned. *I am not the only one who is dangerous. The axes are deadly, and some of the tools could kill.*

The white stone fireplace in this room was to the right of the worktable and bench. Above it was suspended a tapestry depicting the Blue Mountains in the summer.

A long worktable was placed in the centre of the room, and a chandelier hung low over it. An oak box of medium size sat on it. This appeared to be the creation that Gimli was working on before he had departed for Rivendell. Despite his resolve not to touch, Legolas was curious and opened the lid of the box. Soft music danced into the room, and Legolas gazed at it in happiness. The top was covered in navy blue velvety fabric. The bottom was oak wood tinted green, and within there were two metal wires that rose from it. It was not a finished project, but Legolas did not care. The tune was lovely, though unknown to him. Legolas put out the candles he had set aglow. Shutting the lid of the music box and picking up the item along with the box of matches and oil, Legolas went back to the bedroom.

Once there, he placed the music box on the bed and the other items back in their original place. He kicked off his light shoes, and stretched his toes into the rug with its blue and yellow bands of colour. Then he peeled off his tunics, and tossed them onto the stand. Lastly, Legolas removed his braids, letting his hair fall freely around his shoulders. Opening the box again, he began to dance to the music�s beat. He was still swaying when he heard the bathroom door open.
Once Gimli came to the door, Legolas danced up to him, placing a kiss on his lover�s forehead. �I love the music box, Gimli!�
Gimli answered, �What a beautiful vision you are! When I started that project, I had no notion of the love I would soon find to share it with.�
Legolas looked at Gimli fondly. The dwarf had on an undershirt. His hair and beard were still damp, and Gimli had a towel wrapped around his shoulders.

They walked over to the box. �What do you think, my elf? I can put stars here,� Gimli pointed to the blue top. �And a deer and her fawn will stand upon the wires. I have always wanted to try again with those two, and I have your eyes to help me now. The deer are to walk around a lake. Would you like to put a beech tree or two around the lake? You�ll have to advise me on them as I have never tried to fashion a tree.�

Legolas comprehended that Gimli was including him in the dwarf�s task, making the music box not just the warrior�s but theirs. Gimli was also beginning to make Legolas a part of his normal life, the way it was before the War.

Legolas caressed Gimli�s arm to express his love and replied, �Yes, I think a beech or two would be perfect. I would like an eagle in one of them. I want to aid you with this. Thank you.�

Gimli glanced up at Legolas. �I did not enjoy the war itself, but I shall miss being a warrior. I am very glad for your love. Without it, the adjustment back to my life before would be extremely difficult. With you, I look forward to the future and find great happiness in the present.� He closed the box gently.

�I understand. This is the first time in my life that I�ve felt I could leave my home for any length of time. I always wanted to stay and protect it. Now I am free. I�d be lost without you.� Legolas sat on the bed and hugged Gimli. �Oft I longed for peace for my land, and now it is here I shall miss the battles. We will always be warriors, though. The training and instincts will not vanish.� Legolas stroked Gimli�s damp hair marvelling at its thickness and beauty.

�Aye, you are right. Yet I won�t pine for the past as long as I have you.� Gimli rested his head on Legolas� chest and let the elf�s long fingers comb through his hair.

�I will always be yours, and I feel the same.�

They held each other for a short time and then Gimli said, �I have everything ready for your bath. I will show you the way.�

Legolas was certain he could find it, but perhaps Gimli desired to know his opinion of it. So he nodded and said, �Thank you. You can go ahead and eat while I cleanse if you wish.� After choosing fresh clothes, Legolas followed Gimli into the corridor.

Gimli opened the door to the bath chamber and headed down a flight of stone steps. Once onto the sandy floor, Legolas glanced around, happiness lighting his features at what he viewed.

It was a cavern with three huge white columns rising to a stone roof from which hung pale rose stalactites. What brought Legolas a special delight was the pool of steaming water bubbling up from the ground. He was eager to stretch within the depths of the marble bath. �This is wonderful, Gimli!�

Legolas� attention was brought back to Gimli, as the dwarf went up to what appeared to be a solid rock wall and pressed a section of it. From what seemed to be only rock, a door slowly came to be.

Legolas came to Gimli�s side. Two iron boxes and a tiny oak one stood on the two shelves inside the safe. The oak box was painted with pink roses, and Gimli handed it to Legolas. �This was my mother�s. Open it, my one.�

When the box was opened, unfamiliar but sweet music flowed into the room. Legolas smiled. A thought came to him, and he placed his hand on Gimli�s shoulder. �Perhaps that is why Aule did not create dwarves to hear the music of Arda. Maybe he wanted your people to make their own unique melodies uninfluenced by the rest of us and therefore give beauty instead of receiving it. It makes sense, for did you not tell me that he fashioned dwarves to bear burdens? It is clear that he wanted your race to be an aid to Middle-earth. Only elves hear the song of Arda, and maybe that is so each race will contribute its own special melodies.�

Gimli�s eyes filled, and he brushed a hand across his face. �Aye, Legolas. I believe you are right.� He turned and lovingly lifted one iron box with grey owls in bas relief on the lid. �This has been mine since my birth.

Gimli pressed a spot on the container and the top slowly opened. In the interior was a velvety brown cloth and resting on it were a plethora of gems and jewellery: ruby buttons, a ring with a diamond, silver star earrings, a mithril floral bracelet, peridot feather brooches, a mithril pendant with a blue topaz, an anklet with emeralds. There were amethysts, sapphires, diamonds, topazes and other gems.

�These are what were bestowed upon me to give to my one. They are yours.� Gimli reached for an emerald that had not been crafted into an ornament. �This is the twin to my birth stone which is in the other box. It comes from the same place in the same mine.�

�Oh, Gimli!� Legolas fingered several pieces, his hands lingering on a few: the emerald, a set of mithril leaf pins, a fancy sapphire bangle, gold streamers and white stars for the hair, a sapphire that seemed to change colour as it was moved into the light, aquamarine gems in the shape of stars designed to be worn on the belt, a green alexandrite stone, a green sapphire pendant, a moonstone, and a black sapphire pin crafted into the form of a horse.

Legolas� eyes filled with tears of joy. �I am honoured, Gimli, and so happy to be your one! Thank you!� He pulled Gimli into a hug. �Later, I have something to give to you, too.�

Gimli glanced up at Legolas in surprise and the archer leaned down to place a swift kiss on the dwarf�s lips. �I love you.�

�I love you, too, my elf.� He glanced toward the hot springs.

�I expect you to join me next time.� Legolas said, guessing Gimli�s longing.

�Aye, tonight.� Gimli shut the hidden door, and taking the two boxes, departed from the bathroom.

There was a tall bronze rack with pegs for holding garments, and Legolas draped his clean ones there. A white rectangular hamper stood upright next to one of the columns. Gimli�s dirty tunic was hanging out of the top, so Legolas understood it was for soiled clothes.

Once seated in the hot, soothing water, Legolas began to examine something that puzzled him. The bathtub had an attached marble basin, and Legolas could not decipher the reason for it.

Legolas could stretch his legs out but the water was not high on the elf and, while he would have liked the tub to give him a deeper soak, he remembered well one of their first baths together in Eryn Lasgalen. The servants had filled the tub with so much water that it had come up to Gimli�s chin. Gimli had declared �They are attempting to drown me!� and had refused to stay in until Legolas had assured him that he could remain on the top step.

Legolas began to clean while glancing around the room. There were three black stone blocks in a semi-circle facing the centre of the figure eight shaped pool. The first two had folded towels and cloths on top of them. The last one held a round bottle, three dishes of soap, and three brown jugs for rinsing off. The first bar of soap was white with a grainy texture. Legolas believed it to be an after-hard-work soap. The second soap was the one Gimli had brought from Eryn Lasgalen as it was Legolas� favourite. Legolas reached for it, and then stopped to inspect the last one. It was a pale green and carried the spicy scent of his dwarf. Legolas commenced to rub a great deal of it over every inch of his body, while continuing to study the room. In several places, upon the cavern�s walls hung golden, swirled shaped candelabra.

Legolas rinsed, and fetching the round bottle he poured some of its contents into his hand. As he reached for one of the brown jugs to wet his hair, insight came to him, and he smiled. The marble basin was for cleansing the beard. By washing it separately the water was kept cleaner in the springs. It would work marvellously for hair, too.
Once cleansed and dried, Legolas joined Gimli in the kitchen. Gimli was completely dressed now and was munching on some bread that had been dipped in olive oil. The rest of the food was untouched, and Legolas perceived that the dwarf had waited for him.

Taking a seat, Legolas helped himself to the chicken, some cheese, and a slice of bread. The table was much closer to the floor than the ones in Eryn Lasgalen. It took Legolas a moment or two to get comfortable in the chair. He tried several positions, finally curling his legs to rest against Gimli�s under the table.

Gimli ceased snacking to watch Legolas� endeavours for comfort. �Love those long legs of yours,� he said.

�Which does not aid them in fitting under the table.� Legolas replied.

�I could get some pillows or a footstool for you to sit on.�

�Yes, and have all your kin speculating on why I am not capable of sitting in a chair. One of the myths our elven people�� Legolas grinned at Gimli�s taken back countenance. ��have of dwarves is that they are an unimaginative race. I am not suffering from that illusion. I realise very well what they would think! And you can stop smirking! It is bad for the digestion to gloat through a meal.�

Gimli laughed now. �Aye, but I am sure our dwarven people would understand that you were only trying to be comfortable!� He laughed again.

Legolas reached for his goblet and discovered that Gimli had already poured him some wine. �Thank you for the drink.� Taking a cautious sip, he discovered to his delight, that it was the same vintage that the dwarves had brought to Minas Tirith. He took a much bigger gulp, aware that Gimli was watching him closely. Wiping his mouth with one of the brown napkins, Legolas said, �You can stop being anxious. I won�t drink too much. I love this wine, though.� He took a bite of the chicken and when that was eaten, added �When the wine was first offered to me I worried that there might be ground rock in it.�

Legolas relished the surprised expression on Gimli�s face.

�Dwarves do not eat rock, Legolas!�

Legolas grinned at him. �I know that�now.�

Gimli muttered �Crazed elf.� He reached across the table to cup one of Legolas� hands in his own.

Legolas studied the table while they dined. It kept his eyes away from his dwarf. The table top was created from beautifully coloured marble with swirls of grey and blue and tinges of yellow.

Eagles were given a place here too, for the dishes and serving utensils were all adorned with the figure of an eagle perching on top of an evergreen tree. Behind the table was an oval arch crafted of iron. Hanging from it was a grey potholder, and two different sized cutting boards. Two racks stood within the arch, containing bottles of mead, several grey jugs holding water, and covered pitchers of beer. Beneath the racks was a black sideboard with two top drawers, wine racks holding wine bottles on one side, a door in the middle, and two shelves on the other side. A basket piled with striped grey, blue, and white cloths sat on one shelf and plates were stacked on the one under it. Roosting on top of the arch was the figure of an eagle. There was a round door to the left of the iron arch.

Noticing Legolas� gaze at the door, Gimli said, �It leads to a pantry. There�s a well down there. Water comes from the same source as the lake, not the springs. Not much else stored there because I often dined at one of my relatives� homes.�

Legolas nodded and continued to gaze around the room. There were several wall shelves with jams, spices, and preserved vegetables in glass jars. Brown mugs hung from hooks attached to the bottom of the shelves. A hutch beside an oval fireplace held pans. White candles sat in a row on the mantle piece. Above the fireplace was a framed picture of roses. It had an odd texture to it, and taking a piece of bread with him, Legolas got up to look at it closely. Coming closer to the depiction of three pink roses did not help Legolas understand why it had an unusual texture. It had a glitter to it that no paint could have created.

Gimli said �My mother made that type of art. The design is drawn and then sand that has been coloured is added to it and a picture is created.�

�It is lovely.� Legolas replied with admiration.

Legolas felt a sharp nudge in his spirit that clearly stated that something was bothering Gimli. �Is it difficult to talk of her, meleth?�

�Sometimes.�

That was not what was causing Gimli trouble. Legolas went back to the table.

When Legolas was seated again, Gimli said, �I owe you an apology, my treasure, for I failed you. Your appreciation of our home here has opened my eyes to my self-centeredness when we arrived at yours. I surrendered to my volatile emotions. I should have told you what I liked in your home. Should have been reassuring. I knew you were nervous, but now I really understand.

�And when I remember my complaints about the bed and the mirror�� Gimli groaned. �I am sorry!�

Legolas was finished eating also, and he reached across the table to hold Gimli�s hands within his own. �You could not know what it felt like until you experienced it.� He smiled. �The next time we do something new, I�ll let you go first.�

Legolas gripped Gimli�s hands tightly. �As for the bed, you did not like the idea of me having other lovers there. You also felt that one of those imagined elves should have pleasured me by moving the bed so it was aligned with the mirror. The fact that no one had done this upset you, since it was obvious to you that I had not been treated with love. As soon as you were aware that no one had shared that bed with me, the complaints stopped. I realised what your reasons were then.� Legolas tugged at Gimli�s hands and said �Come here, love.�

Gimli got up and came around to Legolas. Parting his legs, Legolas welcomed Gimli between them. When Gimli�s head was resting against his shoulder, Legolas brushed silken locks off his dwarf�s ear. �Yes, I was anxious and could have used some reassurance from you. But our homecoming circumstances are different. You were angry, and I feel that was justified. I do not care if Thorin was bad-mannered, my Lord could have reacted better. I love my father, but I wish that situation had been dealt with in a politer fashion. �

Legolas rubbed Gimli�s back. �I must take some blame too, my dwarf.�

Gimli�s dark eyes met Legolas� and the dwarf shook his head. �No, love, I was selfish.�

Legolas replied �My King advised me not to expect you to guess my needs, and he is very correct. At any time, I could have said, �I need your comfort!�, and we both know you would have provided it instantly. You would have told me what you liked, if I had requested it. So I do have some responsibility in this matter, and I forgive any lack on your part.�

Legolas nuzzled into Gimli�s hair. �I realise I am not very good at just stating what I want, but I am going to try, Gimli. I promise you that.�

�And I shall attempt to be more aware of how you might feel, instead of letting my own emotions rule.�

�Then we shall do well. Is everything all right now, my heart?� Yet Legolas was already certain it was, for the unsettling sensation that something was wrong had disappeared.

Gimli smiled up at Legolas. �Aye, thank you for your kindness.�

Reluctant to move, Legolas said, �I like your height, my one. You fit perfectly against my chest. I am fond of being able to enjoy your hair like this.�

�It does have its advantages.� Gimli sniffed at Legolas� shoulder. �You smell different.�

�I used your soap. Generously.�

Gimli laughed. �Aye, you did. I recognise it now.�

Legolas smiled. �I�ll help you put away the food and dishes. Do we leave afterwards?�

�*We* do not go anywhere. I should deal with my father alone. We agreed to this in Minas Tirith. It will not be a pleasant talk.�

�I�m prepared for that. Yes, we made plans in Gondor, but we did not keep to them in Eryn Lasgalen. I really feel I should go with you. Your father will only gain another reason to dislike me if I do not. We are lovers. That is liable to be more a source of contention to him than our friendship. This involves both of us.� Legolas� hands strayed to Gimli�s shoulders, and he said quietly �I want to go with you. I desire to show that I stand by your side. In every circumstance.�

�Then you shall. We will clean up here and...� Gimli�s fingers played with the soft tresses of Legolas� hair. �If you would like I�ll put the jewels that show you are my one in your hair, before we leave.�

�I would like that.� Legolas thought of his own gifts safely hidden in one of his packs. He was eager to give them to Gimli.

Gimli brought a deep white basin up from the pantry and they put the dirty dishes into it to clean.

Legolas got a jug of water to pour over the dishes and said, �Please teach me the songs that the music boxes play, Gimli.�

Gimli began to sing, and Legolas� heart danced with happiness. He was anxious over the visit with Gloin. Yet no matter what happened, Legolas was determined that his joy in their love would not be lessened.

Tbc
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