Never Realizing

Chapter 6 : Maybe Later

“Elfaer was at the archery range this morning,” Fanya said to Legolas with a sly and knowing smile.

“Oh?” Legolas said. He poured tea into two cups and handed one to Fanya. He kissed her forehead and sat down at the table with his own cup. He took a sip and then glanced at his wife, oblivious to the smirk that graced her face. “What?” he asked, once he saw her expression.

“Just ‘oh’? You don’t want to know anything else?” Fanya asked, not really believing her husband’s passé attitude.

“Of course I want to know. I just know that it is very likely that you will tell me anyway and that you will gain more pleasure from speaking more and pretending that you are irritated with me,” Legolas said with a gleam in his eye.

“What if I do not know anything else?” Fanya countered.

“Of course you know something else. You are a mother. You know everything,” Legolas replied casually, taking another sip of tea. Fanya glowed with smug pride. Legolas knew he had said the right thing and tried not to smile too widely.

Fanya continued. “Elfaer was at the archery range this morning because he was confused. I think he has as thick of a head as his father does.” Fanya pointedly stared at Legolas. “And he cannot see what is right in front of him.”

Legolas mulled this over. “Why can’t my children be more normal?” he finally came out with, shaking his head in mock bewilderment.

“My children are perfectly normal, Elf,” Fanya snapped in reply. “Just because he is young and inexperienced and very like his father,” Fanya emphasized, “does not mean that he is strange.” She crossed her arms across her chest and leveled a stare at her husband.

Legolas knew that he had crossed some sort of line, though how serious he was not sure. “I know, my love,” he soothed. “I was merely trying to provoke you.” He rose and stood behind her chair.

“It won’t help, Legolas,” Fanya said stiffly as Legolas bent down and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “Don’t distract me, I am trying to drink my tea,” Fanya said, raising the cup to her lips. When she set it down, Legolas kissed her lips gently. Fanya promptly sank into his embrace, quickly giving up her irritated mien.

“Let’s make a normal child,” Legolas smirked and nuzzled into the nape of her neck. He pulled her up out of her chair backed her against the wall and started kissing her.

“Legolas, you are terrible. We have three perfectly normal children.” Fanya indulged herself in a good lip-locking with her husband for a time, and then gently slipped out of his embrace and said, “Maybe later,” she purred and slipped out of the house.

“Maybe later?” called Legolas. A pause. “Fanya, don’t leave me like this!”