Bearded

Chapter 6

Gimli walked slowly through the streets from Gudrun's house and by the time he returned home, Gloin had already left the house. As it was still early, he climbed back into bed where Legolas was waiting.

They lay with their heads close together on the pillow.

"Gudrun saw us last night, as you know from the note. She thinks you have cast a spell on me, and she kissed me to try and break it."

Anger flared up in Legolas' breast and he sat up with a jolt.

Gimli steadied me and held me as I sank into the bed.

"Gently," He said softly, his beard brushing against my face as he spoke. "Breathe slowly. It will help."

I growled and began to speak. "That -,"

"Peace." Gimli cut me off. "I stopped it and it went no further. I asked her to keep silent, but I know not if she will."

Legolas tried to push down his anger. He knew a kiss did not mean the same thing to her. He knew she was not challenging his marriage. She did not even know of it. But it hurt, that Gimli was not also furious. Gimli just seemed resigned.

Legolas feared his anger would flare up again.

"Just follow my breathing, love. Breathe slowly."

Gimli held me close, slowing his own breathing gently and finally feeling me following along, my shudders dampening until I finally relaxed in his arms, my limbs still tangled with his.

"I'm yours, he murmured into my cheek," his beard still tickling mine.

I moved and took his face between my hands. I gently pressed my forehead to his. I stroked his beard.

With a sigh he spoke. "I swear to you by all the Valar, by anything I hold dear on Middle earth, I will never leave you. And I have forsaken all others."

He raised his rough hand to my face again and his fingers traced my eyebrows, my lips, my jaw. His hand slipped over my ears.

I shivered at the touch.

I pressed my hand on his chest, stroking the hair that covered it.

He growled, low in his throat.

I knew he did not want me to worry.

I made a small sound of pleasure. We did not have any official engagements today so we could stay here as long as we wanted.

_______________

By the time Gimli groggily rolled out of bed he knew it was early in the afternoon. He walked into the kitchen and saw that Legolas was seated at the table with a bowl of fruit cut up and drizzled with honey and lemon water to stop them browning. Surprised Gimli caught his mother's eye. Fresh fruit was expensive and difficult to come by. They normally ate it dried when they ate it at all. She had made a special effort to find this for Legolas. She squeezed his hand then continued polishing the glass she was working on.

Legolas did not speak when in the common areas of the house. He did not wish to enflame the situation. He knew how quickly it could descend into violence and did not want bloodshed, either in Gimli's home or anywhere under the mountain.

Gloin was now old, and his reflexes were not as quick as Gimli's. Unless Gloin acted dishonourably, he would not be able to kill him, and Gloin was not one for poison or hiring others to do foul deeds, that much he knew. Still, if Gloin took a weapon to him Legolas could not guarantee he could disarm him without injury. If Gloin were killed at his hand or even just injured how could they continue? Thus, when Gloin ignored him he did not try to engage. Gimli's mother seemed to be thinking along the same lines and hoping to avoid a flare up of tempers. She was not a meek woman, to be cowed into following her husband, but at the same time, she knew Gloin's mind could not be changed by force and he was not willing to reason, so when Mili did Legolas small acts of kindness, with a nod of his head he acknowledged the kindness of her gestures, but did not actively engage with either of Gimli's parents, in order not to break Gloin's unspoken rule.

Exacerbating the tension by prolonging contact seemed unwise. It was not only in Gimli's home that I was not welcome. In public, tension also seemed high and with my sensitive hearing I noted many Westron slurs and oaths directed at me and some in Khudzul which I could not understand but whose tone was clear. Thus, I spent much of the time in Gimli's bedroom.

From the kitchen door Gimli gestured with his hands. Come here.

I brought the bowl of fruit with me and Gimli led me back to his large bed. He must have had it specially commissioned by letter before our arrival.

Slowly he wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me carefully like something fragile and precious. I let my hand stray up and down his spine. We stayed like that for several minutes then lay back down on the bed just holding each other.