~A year has passed and Legolas returns to his home. Gimli tries to educate him about what to expect on the wedding night.~

~♕~

"Of course I like you.
It's because I like you
I don't want to be with you.
It's a complicated emotion."

– Marlin, Finding Nemo

~♕~

9. Prepared

The journey back to Greenwood went slowly, but by now Legolas was used to traveling with a dwarf. Gimli needed breaks to stretch his legs, and nightly stops to sleep, and he had to eat at least twice a day. When Legolas first joined the Fellowship of the Ring it had been both annoying and amusing how sluggishly they progressed, but at least then they had had a wizard with them to hurry them on. Now there were only Gimli and himself, and he didn't have the heart to deny his friend the rest he asked for.

As he rode, he thought – as he did nearly all the time – about Ithilien, and as usual he felt a gnawing worry over how his people and Faramir would manage on their own in this precarious phase of the reforestation. During the past year, Legolas had not progressed nearly as far as he had hoped with the tree planting. First he had needed to build houses for himself and the elves who went with him, and next chart out the area and plan which type of tree would thrive where. When he was finally ready to begin, many of the saplings he brought from his home had died, and thus only few had been planted before he had to leave. Would his people be able to help the young trees survive the autumn rains? Legolas was afraid not, and felt a desperate urge to hurry back as soon as possible.

The preferred option would be if he hadn't been obliged to leave Ithilien at all, of course, but there was this wedding he had agreed to in a weak moment and for his father's sake he must follow through.

Besides, he had attended several social visits in Minas Tirith and it appeared everybody who was anybody in the city had a wife with them on such occasions. It was not that Legolas felt left out as the only single male in the company, it was more the way the others' wives looked at him that made him uncomfortable, and it was clear their husbands didn't like it one bit. If Legolas could bring a wife of his own, the wives would leave him alone and the lords warm up to him, he figured, and he really needed them to. Aragorn's money wasn't enough to pay for all Legolas' expenses in Ithilien, so he was desperate for financial aid from the city's wealthy lords and merchants to make ends meet.

"Uh-oh," muttered Gimli behind him.

"What is wrong?"

"I knew I shouldn't have accepted the cherry wine in Lothlórien."

"Are you feeling unwell? Please do not throw up on Arod."

"No, no. Just need to pee. Stop the horse."

Sighing, Legolas obeyed. "At this pace I am going to miss my own wedding."

"I'm sure they won't begin without you."

~♕~

At last they neared his home and began to pass familiar trees and other landmarks. Legolas urged Arod on until he was running, but Gimli didn't complain about the bumpy ride; he probably longed for the comforts of the palace too and wished to be there as soon as possible.

Outside the palace Legolas noticed several changes. Where there had been a copse of birches and grass covered in brambles there now grew an abundance of bushes and various flowering plants, and a row of young cedars lined the road on either side. It looked neat, though it lacked the natural charm of the wilderness.

Inside there were more changes. Very soon after their arrival, Thranduil proudly showed Legolas and Gimli the improved feast hall. It had living trees in huge pots and lavish indoor flower beds between the tables, and on the wall behind the high table hung a tapestry with the same flowers and trees embroidered in fine silk. The chairs had been fitted with matching cushions of forest green velvet. Warm afternoon light spilled through the shafts in the ceiling, giving the impression they stood in a forest glade on a late summer afternoon rather than in a cave hall in the autumn.

Legolas had to admit he was impressed. "You certainly have been busy while I was away. This is beautiful!"

"I merely helped," said Thranduil modestly. "My dear mellon Thuriniel designed most of it."

The way his face softened when speaking her name warmed Legolas' heart. He had been so worried over his father's loneliness that he even agreed to get married, and this was proof it was working already! Thranduil had made a new friend for the first time in ages, and soon there would be the additional blessing of the grandchildren to come.

"Well, enough looking at a room," said Thranduil. "I am sure you wish to be reunited with your bride after such a long time apart."

Legolas glanced at the fading light through the ceiling shaft. "It is getting late and Gimli must be exhausted after our long journey. There will be plenty of time to talk tomorrow at the wedding – and after it, naturally."

He did not stay to listen to his father's protests.

"Nervous, eh?" said Gimli with a knowing look when they came out in the corridor.

They had not talked about the wedding during the ride – Legolas had managed to change the topic whenever it came up – and his friend clearly suspected why.

"Not at all," Legolas lied. "It will be fun."

He led the way to the palace kitchen and ordered food and wine to be brought to his suite.

"We will eat in my room," he told Gimli. "I am not in the mood for a more formal supper today. If that is alright with you?"

"Sounds great." He never said no to a hot meal and a drink, though he probably would have preferred ale over wine.

A long while later, both of them pleasantly full and relaxed, Gimli again addressed the oliphaunt in the room. "You have been quiet tonight. Are you worried about the wedding?"

After all the wine he had consumed, Legolas was more inclined than usual to be honest. "A bit," he admitted. "Mostly about... afterwards." He felt blood rush to his face.

"Aye, them ladies are hard to please bedding-wise. Or so I've heard."

"Hm. Uh, what else have you heard about... that?"

"There is not much to tell. The pointy end goes into the–"

"I know that, thank you." His face must be beet red by now. The Valar help him, this was so humiliating.

"Then I shan't be of help, sadly. I don't know any lady dwarves. Or... at least I think so."

"You think so?"

"Well you don't expect me to go undress everyone to find out, do you? That would be awfully rude."

"Of course not, but are there no clues? Different face shape, fairer voice, uh, curvier body? That sort of thing should give them away, no?"

He shook his head. "No, there is no way to tell. Makes courtship quite fun, they say. Step one is to figure out what gender your lover has, step two undress them to see if they lied, step three we put the pointy end in the–"

"Gimli!"

"Alright, alright." He smirked. "Sorry for making you blush."

Later that night in his bath, Legolas' thoughts returned to the upcoming wedding night and he tried to imagine what it would be like. He had read that ellith were fragile and that an ellon must be very careful the first time not to hurt them. He also knew it could take many times to beget an elfling, especially for elves because they were not as fertile as humans or dwarves, but with luck both parties enjoyed the act and that would make the task less troublesome.

Something was stirring within him at the thought. He was fairly certain he would like it. After all, he knew what it felt like to touch himself and the caress of an elleth's... parts would probably be even better. Soft, warm...

A mental image of Lasriel suddenly appeared, the way she had looked after she fell into the pond. He snaked his hand down into the warm water; he ought to practice a bit before tomorrow. Just making sure everything worked the way it should.

~♕~

"He didn't come." Lasriel dejectedly regarded the closed door on which nobody had knocked that evening.

"He was probably just tired after the journey," Thuriniel soothed, looking up from the flowers she was tying together for Lasriel's bouquet. "And talking of tired; you have a long day ahead of you tomorrow. You should get some rest as well."

Lasriel did what her mother suggested. Trying to swallow her disappointment she went to bed, but of course no sleep came to her that night. She was far too nervous and worked up to be able to relax.

In the morning she went up early but despite the lack of sleep she didn't feel tired. Today was the day, AT LAST! How she had longed, and pined, and waited, and thought about every detail of this day so many times.

Her mother had laid out the wedding dress for her, a silky, lavender gown with a wide skirt that was fun to twirl in. She had tried it on many times before, but today it felt very special as she secured the many pearl buttons down the front.

Thuriniel was up early as well and looked like she had not slept either. "The flowers are done, and the dress, and Thranduil has the rings... But I feel I have forgotten something." She nervously rubbed her hands together.

"You haven't forgotten anything. I trust you." Lasriel took a seat at the breakfast table. "Can you braid my hair while I eat? To save time."

Soon she felt her mother's fingers in her hair, and after a while it seemed she was beginning to relax. "I cannot believe today is the day," Thuriniel murmured. "Only to think, my daughter is getting married!" Her movements stilled. "That reminds me... I ought to tell you a little about what will happen tonight."

"I know the basics." Lasriel was grateful her back was turned.

"Of course you do; I forget how much you read. Well, it will feel a bit strange and awkward but just try to relax and it will be over before you know it." She resumed the plaiting. "I hope you take after me – I became pregnant already in the second year."

Thuriniel's words didn't scare Lasriel. Like her mother said, she had read about the act and knew how it was done, and in addition she knew every detail about conception and the stages of pregnancy. Learning the facts about something always made her feel better about it; she liked to be prepared.

She recalled how it had felt to hold Legolas' hand and how it felt to stand close when they danced. His pleasant scent and attractive face... The kiss. As always, her thoughts returned to the brief kiss that had filled her with so much longing. She wanted more, and tonight she would get it.

So much had she thought about this night that she could visualize in great detail how she lay below him, his arms around her when he made love to her. It would be romantic and beautiful, and a bond would be forged between them that could not be broken. After tonight neither of them would be the same elf anymore.

But of course it was not just the physical part she looked forward to. From this day onwards she would be forever at Legolas' side. They would wake up together, eat their meals together, work together in the forest. They would be best friends – with benefits!

"There," said Thuriniel, kissing her head. "All done."

Lasriel put on the veil and took the bouquet in her hands, making a small twirl in her lovely dress. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful." Her mother wiped her eyes. "A beautiful bride on her wedding day."

A/N:

The next chapter will be all about the wedding. Who's excited?

About dwarves and gender: I've borrowed the idea from Terry Pratchett (the world's best author btw) that dwarves can't even tell themselves whether another dwarf is male or female. All dwarves are referred to as 'he', 'son', 'father' etc and have male names regardless of gender. It's such a fun idea, and not contradicting Tolkien canon either so I use it in all my fics. :)