True to her promise, they had spent days naked and wrapped in each others love. There had been the occasional knock on the door, possibly more than either of them had noticed. They'd eventually made their way back to the bath chamber, after Legolas had caught the attention of a rather embarrassed, but polite, chamber maid and requested a fresh bath drawn. He was well aware she would have run straight to her friends, telling them of what she'd seen. Of the sheets strewn across the room. Of the damage to the cabinet. Of the half naked Elf at the door and the only partially hidden elf in the bed. How when she'd returned with water, they had been distracted in each others arms.

He'd sank into the hot water first, letting it flood his senses. Then, he offered a hand in support for his naked wife. Not being able to resist, Legolas let his hands caress Norin's bare flesh as she lowered herself into the water before he pulled her into his chest. She chuckled as she relaxed into him. He'd barely wrapped his arms around her fully and begun to nuzzle her hair when a loud rapping began at the door.

"Ignore it," Legolas purred in his lithe wife's ear. She hummed her agreement but the knocking continued.

"I know you're there, Laddie." came the gruff, muffled voice of the dwarf. Legolas's sigh was audible as he let his head drop back away from Norin's flame like hair.

"You know you're going to have to answer him," she chuckled, adjusting herself to give him room to move. "Before he-"

"I'll break down this door if you don't answer me this time, Laddie." She laughed quietly as Legolas gave in to the demands. As much as it pained him to leave her, he'd rather the dwarf didn't find them in the bath tub together. He'd never hear the end of it. He quickly and roughly tied a robe around himself and took a moment for one lingering look over the beautiful creature he was leaving behind. "Right, that's it."

Legolas opened the door just as the dwarf swung the axe over his shoulder, preparing for a mighty swing to break open the heavy wooden door. The two men stood for a moment, frozen to their spots, looking each other up and down. Legolas noticed that the dwarf was clean, his beard rebraided and he was wearing new clothes. He watched as the smaller man's eyes inspected the sight before them. Legolas knew he wasn't what Gimli had expected to find. He was also clean, but his hair free of braiding. It was obvious he had been interrupted whilst bathing from the robe he was wearing that was loosely tied at his waist.

"So you're alive then?" Gilmi muttered roughly regaining his composure.

"Aye," Legolas replied softly. The dwarf nodded before pushing his way into the room. This made Legolas uncomfortable. It wasn't fair to expect Norin to stay quiet and motionless in the bath chamber while the dwarf got whatever this was out of his system. But part of him also held a small fear that Norin would play to this situation. She enjoyed testing a person. She enjoyed toeing the line between societal norms and self indulgence.

"Now look here," Gimli had reached the small table beside the fireplace that held two plates of breakfast, long since cold. " I know you're all beat up. But even you elves can't live on fresh air!" He jabbed a hand at the plates. "Two days and no breakfast? What would those hobbits say!" Legolas smiled as his heart beat calmed. His friend assumed both plates were his, that he hadn't partaken in the last couple of days. Gimli lifted himself onto one of the plush chairs by the fire, looking out towards the windows. He nodded to the other, his axe discarded at his side.

"You're staying, I see." Legolas hummed in amusement and the dwarf nodded. "Do you mind if I make myself more presentable?"

"Not at all," Gimli huffed and sat himself back in the chair. Legolas's long legs made short work of the distance between his place at the door way and where his clothes lay in the bath chamber. He risked a glance at Norin, who was still lounging in the bath, while he dressed. Before he left the room, he planted a kiss firmly on her forehead. Their eyes met. Legolas hoped he conveyed his urgency that she stay put. However the glint in her eyes as he left the room didn't spark much hope. She would bore soon and the dwarf looked as though he was making himself comfortable. He sighed as he sat himself in the chair opposite Gimli. The chair with the doorway to the bath chamber in it's sights.

"You're looking well." Gimli offered weakly. The elf nodded. He felt well. Better than he ever had. But that was because he knew a truth the dwarf didn't. "All things considering." There was an awkward silence between them.

"The city," Legolas started. "I hear they have begun to rebuild?"

"Aye." Gimli nodded. "The other two hobbits have returned, too." His face soured. "As have... " he coughed. "Your lassie's remaining brothers."

Legolas nodded and dropped his eyes to his lap. "All of them?"

"How many did she have?!" Gimli spat out. "Let me think now... so Thawon is here - Tadion fought with us...Lugon arrived with a small group of elves and then Rimon." He counted them off his hands. "I quite like Rimon. He knows how to hold his drink, unlike you." He made a pitiful jab at their failed drinking game weeks before. Legolas chuckled.

"You're missing three," Came a voice from the joining chamber. Legolas's heart stopped. He knew she'd show herself eventually and he wasn't trying to hide her. However, he is a prince! He isn't supposed to allow himself to join in a field marriage without blessings from his father and the council. Also, he hoped she'd dressed. Gimli's face paled at the sound of her voice. Of course it would - he presumed she was dead. Legolas didn't respond. He continued to look straight ahead at his friend.

When bare foot, Norin could move almost silently. Even to Legolas's sensitive ears. The combination of elf and nymph was, indeed, a dangerous one. But he didn't need to hear her approach, even with his eyes trained on Gimli, he could feel her nearing. He reached his hand for her, impulsively, and her long, thin fingers slid into his open palm. The flow of energy instantly renewed at the contact. She stepped closer still, Legolas's eyes still on his friend's, placing her hand on his chest as she moved to stand behind him. She hadn't dressed. She'd wrapped herself in one of the robes. Legolas suspected it was the robe he had been wearing.

"She's alive?" The worlds fell from Gimli's disbelieving face. "You're alive!" It was a statement this time as the dwarf jumped from his chair. "Laddie, look! She's alive!" Legolas smiled as Norin let the dwarf hug her. "You're ney dressed?" His sudden realisation brought a giggle from Norin. Gimli turned his head and covered his eyes with his hand. "Laddie, owe the lady some privacy!" Legolas chuckled as he stood, taking Norin in his arms and pulling her against his chest.

"Unfortunately, my wife enjoys making others uncomfortable."

"Wife?" choked out the dwarf.

"Yes," Legolas hummed. He wished for that the dwarf would leave them. The kiss he wished to place on her blushing lips was not an appropriate one for company.

"Well... Well I..." The dwarf seemed to run through a number of emotions. He'd entered the room believing Norin to be dead and Legolas grieving. Only to find that she is, in fact, alive and that the elves had been using the past days locked away otherwise occupied.

"Go, dress." Legolas murmured in Norin's fine hair, burying his nose in her scent. "It appears we have run out of time." She gave him one last longing look before turning out of his grip and leaving the two men alone.

"Who knew you had it in you!" Gimli shook his head, laughing to himself.

"I'm sorry?"

"You two have danced around this since Rivendell." He nodded, sitting himself back down on the chair he had once occupied. "But I thought she was already wedded?"

"Her marriage to Far was never complete." Legolas said simply. He loathed to think about what he would have done if that was anything but the truth. "Our marriage would not have been impossible had they consummated their vows."

"Does anyone else know?" The dwarf's eyes were wide.

"Only those in this room." Legolas confirmed slowly.

"I understand." Gimli nodded. "I shall... leave you two to get ready, shall I?" Legolas shot a look at his friend, who was busy grinning and wiggling his rather bushy eyebrows. The dwarf hopped off his chair and made his way to the door in his usual uneven gait. "We will be seeing you both downstairs today, won't we, Laddie?" Legolas felt a blush running to his cheeks. But he nodded and quickly looked back towards the bath chamber , where Norin was getting ready.

The tavern had mostly survived the battle. One crumbled wall was the only difference from the last time Legolas had walked into it's darkened hall. He could hear her brother's chattering loudly in a mixture of elvish and the common tongue of men. He felt his chest constrict. How would they take the news? It was proper to ask a family for their approval before joining, not that many families objected a love match. However, they would be asked their approval after the matter. Meaning it was pointless to ask. Legolas was confused.

A warmth filled his palm. He looked down to see Norin's fingers wrapping around his, their palms pressed together. A rush of confidence filled Legolas, it was a foreign confidence, not belong to his body. But his fae did not object. His wife was pushing her love and pride into him, through their bond, urging him to take that first step towards her kin. As they approached the table, the four brothers stopped their chatter with their friends to look at the pair. Thawon stood his eyes quickly darting from Norin, to their joined hands, then to Legolas and back again. Another brother stood, his hand on Thawon's shoulder. The third brother remained sitting, though his drink halted by his mouth. Tadion was the only brother who continued as though the pair had not entered the room.