Title: Tradition

parts: I have it as one continuous story, can't remember how many parts I

posted it as, probably like 16

Fandom: Lord of the Rings

Rating:NC-17 for smut, light slash, group sex, voyeurism

Note on era/etc: this is an AU, so it really doesn't matter how it relates

to the real story, it's just for fun and guilty pleasure, mwahaha

Disclaimer:I own nothing except the chick, Legolas and Middle earth belong

to Tolkein, the way we all think of that stuff belongs to Mr. Jackson..

Summary: Every so often, the elves of mirkwood must take a human bride

into their midst to ensure satisfactory dealings with the nearby human

village. This time it is Legolas' turn and his chosen bride is less than

pleased.

**********

            Amelia sighed as she glanced out of the window of her family's cottage,

taking care to make her supposedly last look at her village and the

farmland around it a good one that missed nothing. She would miss the

hay-making in fall, and the cider and village dances, though she rarely

caught the eye of anyone worthwhile. And the lazy days of summer, when the

sun just hung in the sky, emphasizing every aspect of life with it's heat

until one succumbed to it and stripped down for a swim. And helping her

mother at market, and gossiping with her younger sisters while sewing...it

just wasn't right to take her away from everything she knew and had come

to love, to throw her into something completely unknown.

            But her village and the parts around it had a terribly strange tradition

that dated back to the beginnings of time, it seemed. It sat a few miles

from the Elven territory of Mirkwood, and the two peoples liked to at

least try to stay on good terms. Therefore, it had been decreed long, long

ago, that every human lifetime a mortal girl would be taken from the

village to wed a chosen Elf, usually one of influence. She would act as

sort of an ambassador from the village, which would raise the interests of

both communties to keep on good terms, since they each had an equal stake

in the affair. At the end of her life and a suitable period of mourning

for both areas, another maiden would be chosen for either the same or

another Elf lord, and the circle would begin anew. Many local girls would

give anything for the chance, and the competition was usually very high,

though it was the Elf lord in question that usually made the choice.

            She narrowed her eyes and grumbled to herself as she glanced round the

familiar room again. She just had to be the lucky one. True, she was the

most likely choice; her father's farm was the most prosperous in the area,

and he had much influence over the village doings, but still...She would

never forget the day she went out to gather water and wood and nearly ran

head long into an elvish procession heading from Mirkwood. It took her a

moment to remember that the grieving period for the village's beloved

Muriel was over and it was time for the most fought over position in the

village to be up for grabs yet again. She hadn't thought anything of

murmuring her respects and apologies and escorting the group into town

before heading back to the farm. Though she noted all to well the elvish

men and their exquisite beauty and grace, and perfection. Something she

would never live up to or know how to deal with. Thankfully, she wouldn't

have to. That relief propelled her on her way back to her home in time for

chores and dinner preparation.

            Her head was in the clouds all throughout the evening meal, wondering

what it would be like to have such a coveted position, to be the object of

such adoration. She had heard many of Muriel's stories during her

occassional visits to the village, and from what the spry woman had said,

there were many, many high points. Though it was much safer to fantasize,

this she realized. She would never be able to handle the politics

required...though deep in her heart she knew that it was more because she

held such a strange fear of what would be required. Though she was able to

push such thoughts aside while clearing the table...until the knock of the

door. Her father answered it and spoke to the visitor in a low voice

before instructing her to go upstairs and let her sisters finish cleaning

up. She was slightly suspicious, but put it out of her mind, figuring that

perhaps Orcs had been sighted nearby. Though if that were the case, all of

the women in the family would have been excused. She had shrugged it off,

though, sewing needlepoint by candlelight until her father's voice had

called her downstairs.

            And her life had been changed in less than an hour.

            Her mouth had dropped open slightly upon seeing none other than the

prince of Mirkwood, himself, seated before the fire, in deep discussion

with her father while two others were posted at the door. She had been

called to her father's chair at once, and was barely able to look at the

tall, handsome elf as he rose, and it was explained that it was his turn

to pick the female liason between Mirkwood and the village. And

apparently, somehow, she had captured his interest in the way she handled

her duty, along with her apparent beauty and grace - things she didn't

even think she remotely possessed - and had convinced him that she should

be the young woman in question.

            Of course, her father was more than embarrassed, and the young prince

quickly surprised when instead of breaking down in tears of delight, her

eyes became wide, horrified spheres and she gave a sudden, piercing,

terrified scream, and ran for her life up the stairs to her room, locking

the door.

            That little gesture had been brushed off as shock and delight that wasn't

polite enough to express in the presence of his highness. Of course, her

parents read her the book once she was dragged down the stairs by her

younger two sisters, who were somehow as strong as oxen for all their

loveliness.

            "I can't, I won't, I'm too important to you here on the farm!!!" she had

argued, but her father would have none of it. If she had been selected,

she would go and make the village proud. She had had to cry herself to

sleep that night before the fear would leave her worried heart.

********

Part 2

            She was given a month to prepare herself, and in that time the village

gathered the finest fruits of their labor to take in offering. She had bid

a tearful good-bye to her family and had been escorted off the farm, her

father's shouts of "Heirs...I want to see you produce lots of heirs!!!" in

her ears.

            That haunted her until the border of the village. The thought of actually

coupling with an elf...and royalty!!! He was more beautiful than any man

she had ever seen, and by far more pleasant to be around than any of the

village men. Therefore, the rightful conclusion was that she just couldn't

let him anywhere near her. "I'm a mortal, and far from the best offering

in our town...he just didn't get a decent eyeful...he'll come to know me,

be disappointed, and I will disgrace the village when I'm sent back in

shame," she murmured to herself fretfully. They were about halfway across

the distance between the known and unknown when she suddenly grabbed the

reins of her horse and sent it into a mad gallop away from the wagon

bearing the tribute, and the village men that had been sent to escort her.

            She had meant to hide out in the woods and then to go on to a neighboring

village to spend her days, when apparently a young boy who was out hunting

with his father, saw her. From there the village officials were notified,

as was her father, and it was only a matter of time until she was

overtaken and dragged back to the village.

            Her father had been furious, and had apparently come under much scrutiny

from the other village elders. For that incident she had been dragged out

to the woodshed and suffered the sting of the birch branch, a first in her

life. Though from what she heard, she would have loved to have seen the

reaction of the waiting party of elves when the escort turned up empty

handed, and just as confused as they.

            The elves met with the village elders and assured them that no offense

was taken, and that Prince Legolas was still very much intent on having

her for his own. So one week later it was attempted again, this time she

was to walk beside the escort on horseback so that there would be no

chance for her to outrun them. When they came to a flowing river, she was

allowed to slip onto a horse behind a rider so that she wouldn't get wet

and spoil her appearance and make a worse impression on the elves than she

already had. None of them, however, could have expected the first horse in

the little caravan to accidentally step on a hornet nest while exiting the

river, sending everyone into a lather, giving her the perfect chance to

slip off the horse's back she was on and go straight into the water,

something none of the men had expected. Hitching up her skirts, Amelia ran

for her life back the way she had come, and had once again, ended up on

her father's doorstep by nightfall, this time soaked to the bone.

            By this time the entire village was buzzing with fury at her insolence,

and for her protection she was to stay in the house, though for her own

good she stayed in her room, far away from her father. A desperate apology

was sent to Mirkwood with the understanding that Legolas should choose

another bride...any other bride. Again, hopes were raised then suddenly

dashed when instead of being angry, it was found that the elves were

actually highly amused. They found her behaviour quite astounding and

somehow this made her that much more beloved to the prince.

            Though the village would make sure that the next time, she would get to

where she was going.

            All of this flew through Amelia's brain quickly as she took yet another

final glance at the farm, the trees that she had climbed, the livestock

she had help to raise. Her mind whirled with anxiety, her stomach

fluttered, and her back burned from the switching she had had all the way

down to her ankles. All too soon there was the dreadful knock at the door,

and her younger sister poked her head in.

            "You look lovely," she encouraged, nodding to her pale green travelling

dress and the way her hair had been done up by their mother. It wasn't

quite as fancy as the first two times, since it seemed unlikely that the

prince would ever see her in such a state, anyway.

            "I shan't go...I'll turn right around and come back, just like the other

times," she replied willfully, her fingers twisting, betraying her fear.

            "Then father will just whip you all the more, and the family will be

disgraced...do it for us if you won't do it for any other reason. For

heaven's sakes...any other girl would kill to be in your shoes! You shall

have the most perfect of men!"

            Amelia turned and gave a bitter smile. "Which is why I shouldn't be

matched with him...I am far from the most perfect of women! He shall be

disappointed as soon as he meets me!"

            "I'm surprised he hasn't been disappointed already...the elves must be

gluttons for punishment, is all I can say," her younger sister had sighed

before finally coaxing her down the stairs and out of the cottage.

            "Maybe if I pretend to be mad and curse like a dwarf he'll let me go,"

she murmured to herself.

            Her father overheard her and became immediately enraged. "You will not do

any such thing! You are going to Mirkwood, you will marry the prince, lay

flat on your back for him, and produce young like you are meant to! You

will do your duty and bring our village honor!" And with that and a quick

good-bye to her mother and sisters, she was given to the caravan once

more.

            Though this time it would be very different. She screeched as soon as the

door closed when her hands and ankles were immediately bound together. And

she did curse like a dwarf when she was unceremoniously thrown in front of

 one of the riders before they started on their way.

            She tried to wriggle away, she tried yelling her most spiteful curses at

the men, but although they were taken aback, they kept plodding ahead.

Soon they reached the edge of the villlage, then the river. The sun slowly

crawled to the peak of the sky then started its descent by time they had

reached the borders of Mirkwood.

            Amelia's entire body trembled when she saw the forest edge, though there

was to be no respite for her this time. She knew elves could quite blend

in to their surroundings, but she still saw no one waiting for their

arrival.

            "Well, where are they?" she muttered, her voice quite hoarse by this time

from her wailing and ranting.

            "Amazing that you haven't frightened them off," the man on her horse

muttered. They'll be here presently...do you really think you deserve to

be met right away after what you've pulled?" he muttered, and she squeaked

as she was pulled down from her mount and tied with yet more rope, hands

above her head, to a nearby tree. In this position she was forced to watch

while the others took their evening meal and dozed in the sunshine while

waiting for the other party.

            Her arms began to throb from the position they were bent in, the bark of

the tree rubbed painfully against the cuts from the switch, and she was

already sore from the horse ride. After a while though, she lapsed into

her quiet fears, and was left to silently ponder what was to become of

her. A quiet change in the brush was the only thing that alerted her as to

any approach, and sure enough, soon came the arrival of the very elf

procession that had started the whole thing.

*********

Part 3

            All of the struggle had gone out of her as soon as they came into view,

and her tongue seemed to be too big for her mouth. Quiet as a whisper, the

prince came to the front of the group, and upon seeing her turned to the

village men, his eyes flashing quietly. This was it, she was sure...this

would be the moment he realized what a fool he had been and sent her back

in shame...

            "Why have you taken it upon yourselves to do such a thing to my

betrothed?" he murmured quietly, and she instinctively shivered. It was

the first time she had heard him speak, and his voice was like melting

icicles on her spine.

            "Beg pardon, Your Highness, but it was the best way we could think of to

keep her in one place," one of the men replied respectfully as a member of

the elvish escort produced a dagger and carefully cut her bonds. Still

unable to speak, she nodded her thanks.

            "If she is as difficult as you claim, then I'm glad you're leaving her in

our hands," the prince replied, and she didn't even want to think about

what that could mean. The village men laughed.

            "Not as glad as we are, Highness...her father sent word to tell you that

she is most respectful when the birch branch is used against her

backside," he added with a smug grin, and the prince as well as the other

elves said nothing. "Good luck to you breaking that one!" the village man

called before her last connection to human life turned and made its

lumbering way back towards the village without so much as a good-bye,

though she supposed she had brought that upon herself.

            She was so caught up in watching the men of the village leave her, men

that she barely even knew, that she was taken by surprise when cool

fingers clasped her chin gently and she was made to look up into the

fathomless blue eyes of the prince. She trembled and did her best to

suppress a whimper as he simply looked at her, his eyes searching as if

they could see through her, right into her mind. After a moment he smiled

slightly, then turned back towards the way he had come, his escort guiding

her to follow him.

            Amelia glanced this way and that, barely taking in the passing trees and

plant life. .The forest was lovely, but she missed the familiarity of her

village. And she could feel the stares of her escort openly looking at her

with a curiosity that she had never had directed at her before. She knew

she wasn't much, far from the prettiest offering of her town, but they

didn't have to look so shocked about it so openly. The young woman glanced

sideways, trying to see an opening she could break through, but she didn't

dare attempt it out in the open, especially amid those that could easily

outrun and track her down. She'd just have to wait for a more opportune

time.

            She wasn't aware of it, but somewhere along the line she must have sighed

or looked more forlorn than she thought, because suddenly the prince

paused and took her chin in his hand again, giving her another gentle

smile. "Don't look so unhappy, my little one..such a cloudy countenance

has no place on a happy day like today...your new life will be far from

what you endured in the village, and you shall want for nothing," he

assured her, as if this was the root of her anxiety.

            "Thank you for your generosity, Highness," she murmured, her eyes cast to

the ground as she once again followed him deeper into the woods.

            She frowned as a large, stately cabin came into view through the clusters

of trees. It was hardly what she had expected, though it was elegant

enough, but there were no other signs of other habitants nearby. Confused,

she looked up silently at the prince for explanation.

            "My parents want to be sure that our bond will be a strong one, and they

do have their doubts after display of your keen ability to seemingly slip

through our fingers. This is to be our home, and we are to stay here until

our bond is consummated, then you will be introduced to all of Mirkwood in

the proper ceremony and celebration."

            Amelia's heart sank, wondering how anyone could have endured such

treatment...to be carted off from the village like some animal, to be

sentenced to marriage for no other reason than it was needed, and to have

to consent to...to...when she hardly knew him, had barely ever spoken to

him up until now! "But...before the ceremony?" she whispered, wondering

what her parents would say.

            She received reassuring smiles from the elves around her and wondered if

it pleased them to see her so miserable in her position. "It is the custom

of my people...the bonding is what shows a couple is joined, the ceremony

means very little," the prince explained and she chewed her lip, wondering

what had happened to the customs of her people. But they were far away

from her now, as was everything she could relate to. He turned then to the

others and murmured something in elvish, which was totally alien to her

ears. The realization that she didn't even know the language made her feel

even more lost. She would have to depend on him as her only link to this

new life...that or find a way back to the old one. At his command the

escort nodded and disappeared into the foilage. She may not have been able

to see where they were headed, but she knew that after the events that had

taken place, they'd be posted as guards around the house to ensure she

wouldn't try any more escape attempts. So this was it then...

            Somberly she followed the stately elf up towards the cottage, and upon

entering was at least partially relieved to see hints of things that had

been sent from the village around the house. At least she wouldn't be

totally alone if she had reminders of her past existence.

            Her eyes were wide as she took in the spacious rooms that were decorated

just as elegantly as the outside of the house. She was so intent on her

inspection that she gasped when she turned and found Legolas right behind

her. She hadn't even heard him approach. "I hope this is to your liking,"

he murmured, a bit of nervousness betrayed through his eyes as he gently

took her hands. "I know this has not been an easy change for you, and if

there's anything I can do for you..." She wanted to scream at him to let

her go home, to release her, but somehow she just couldn't bring herself

to raise her voice to such a delicate creature. Delicate looking, perhaps,

but she knew he was much stronger than she, and that fueled her

inhibitions even more. Instead, she nodded politely.

            "Thank you for your hospitality, Highness...my people appreciate it,

surely," she whispered and the smile on his lips disappeared slightly.

            "You have no reason to be so formal with me...I'm your betrothed and you

are mine, Amelia...we have to know each other sometime," he murmured, and

brought his hand up to her face in a soothing gesture. She tensed and

stepped back, out of his reach.

            "Do we," she stammered before turning and walking away, blushing when she

realized she had meandered into the bedroom. She turned at the hand on her

shoulder and found him looking at her with that strange expression of

blatant curiosity and cherishing amusement, something she was completely

unused to having directed at her...it certainly couldn't prove to be good,

of that she was sure.

            He raised a hand again and gently fingered a strand of her hair that had

fallen down from it's arrangement. "You're so lovely, Amelia...so lovely,"

he murmured and she shivered, a warmth and light-headedness taking her

over that she had never felt before. She looked up into his eyes and

nearly lost herself in the delicate shade of blue.

            Taking in a shaky breath, she quickly took a step back upon finding her

resolve, as common sense took hold.. "I...I..." she floundered, almost at

a loss for words. Such a gentle, loving expression....such soft fingers,

and his eyes....so unlike anything she had ever seen. "I...I most

certainly am not!!!!" she sputtered, quickly backing into the bedchamber

and pushing the door closed in his royal face. She took shallow,

desperate breaths as she fought to clear her mind. "Elven magic...that's

all it is..." she told herself, wringing her hands as she walked to the

bed. "Elven magic...he's just trying to confuse you so you'll let down

your guard and he'll leap at the opportunity to ravish you and make you

his willing slave..."

            True, she hadn't heard the specifics of Muriel's experiences, only vague

allusions that were met with a knowing wink and a twinkle of an eye. But

once she had been chosen every village girl was quick to come up to her

and tell her of some of the dreadful things that elves could do to

unknowing young maidens. Now, she did realize that it could be jealousy

driving what they said, but still...it was true there was powerful magic

at work in the forest; she could feel it. And she had heard tales of the

ferocious sexual appetites of the elvish race..."Am I to be at his mercy

then...he'll wear me down until I have no choice but to let him use me,

then he'll dispense with the pleasantries and show his true colors," she

murmured. That she had seen as typical male behaviour among a good

percentage of married couples in the village. She had the romantic dreams

of youth, but she knew all too well the other side of the coin. "He'll use

you, then be disgusted and disappointed with you and throw you back..."

she whispered to herself, curling up on the downy mattress, her knees

tucked under her chin on the bed, her chin trembling as tears made their

way down her cheeks.

            On the other side of the door the prince of Mirkwood sighed heavily. He

had known this wouldn't be easy, but she seemed determined to thwart him

at every turn. But he couldn't be upset with her...there was so much

anxiety and insecurity in her heart, fears that he was determined to rid

her of if she would only let him. He would have to be patient, though a

bit of cleverness wouldn't hurt either. One thing at a time, he thought to

himself. True, he would do it to uphold his duty, but he couldn't ignore

his fascination and quiet delight with the girl. She was so different,

so...mortal, yet there was more than that. He just couldn't seem to take

his eyes off her, or pull his thoughts away from her since the day he

had come to the village and spied her quietly going about her mundane

tasks. It had seemed that the essence of life had sparked in her eyes and

that same spark had most definitely captured him.

            He had been told that it was always like this at first, though this woman

seemed much more vehement than the others, as far as anyone could

remember. They were always terrified and unsure at first, but once they

were made to understand, it was a completely different story. Legolas

sighed and nodded to himself, a fingertip skimming over the face of the

wooden door before he left her to her tears. He would make her see and

forget the fears that the village had placed in her.

Part 4

          Though it wasn't her will, Amelia could only spend so much time

feeling sorry for herself. She always had been one of action, which

usually meant she got in or out of trouble very quickly. She sat up,

looking around the room slowly, a slow smile spreading over her features

before she rubbed at her eyes with the back of a hand, picked up her

waiting needlework from a bedside table, settled herself into a chair, and

began to work innocently. After a while there came a soft knock at the

door and it opened slowly, revealing the figure of her intended. "I'm

going hunting, if you don't mind being left alone for a while," he

murmured, raising his bow to her line of vision.

        "Whatever pleases you...husband," she murmured softly, averting

her eyes as a slight blush came in to her cheeks at the elf's

caught-off-guard expression. He nodded softly, his eyes drawn to her work.

He suddenly knelt at her side, causing her to stay stone still as he

looked over the scene of leaves and flowers she was embroidering. "How

beautiful..."

       "Surely his highness has seen embroidery before," she murmured, the

corners of her mouth upturning slightly.

      "Here and there, but still, it is quite remarkable," he replied,

giving her another smile as he stood, his hand barely brushing over hers.

Amelia inhaled quickly at the spark that seemed to jump from his skin to

hers, trying to reassure herself that it was just more of his magic and

trickery. "I'll be back before nightfall," he assured her, and as quickly

as he had entered, he took his leave.

      She continued her work, though inside she was quickly counting down

the passing minutes, her hand shaking as they passed. Finally, satisfied

with things, she put aside her work and stood, crossing to the window. She

carefully pushed the shutters open and looked out at the forest around the

cottage. She knew there would be guard posted in the sight of each door,

but perhaps she could bide more time if she escaped through the window.

True, she hadn't climbed trees since she had been a little girl, but since

the situation presented itself so temptingly...

     Carefully she hiked up her skirts and eased a leg over the windowsill

and onto a branch of the tree directly next to the house. Holding her

breath and clenching her teeth, she quietly and slowly worked herself out

onto the branch, thanking the powers above that it was sturdy. It proved

harder than she had anticipated to keep track of her skirts and inch her

way towards the tree trunk, and more than once she became tangled in the

mess of leaves and twigs that sprouted over the branch. She gave a sigh of

relief as she finally got close enough to grasp the wide trunk, then

frowned as her dress stretched taut. Turning her head slowly, she cursed

under her breath as she discovered that it was caught on a small branch

that jutted out of the one she was on. Though it wasn't too terribly out

of reach...Steading her weight, Amelia carefull reached out a hand,

stretching her fingers as much as she could and moving her torso to

increase her reach. A thrill went through her as her fingers brushed the

fabric, and she grinned when she grasped the end of her skirt in her hand

and gave it a fierce tug.

    A tug that threw off her balance and sent her plummeting to the ground

with a startled shriek. She winced as pain flew up her behind and throbbed

dully through her body, and slowly sat up with a groan, plucking leaves

from her mussed hair and frowning over the scratches that covered her arms

and neck.

    "Taking a closer look at the flora so that you may better capture it

in your lovely sewing?" an amused voice asked and with horror she looked

up to find Legolas standing directly in front of her, leaning casually

against the tree's trunk, two rabbits dangling from his hand.

   "I...I was..." she stammered, finally sighing when she knew she

couldn't come up with any reasonable explanation for falling out of a tree

like some village idiot. He chuckled and promptly knelt beside her, his

fingertips brushing back the wisps of her hair that had come into

disarray.

    "Are you hurt at all?" he asked, his brow furrowing as he looked over

her with concern.

    "I'm fine," she murmured, trying to brush his hands away; she hadn't

been coddled over when she was wounded since was little. But somehow he

was able to dodge her arms, instead raising her to her feet and guiding

her back into the cottage, an arm wrapped securely round her waist. She

was only able to watch in quiet fascination as he sat her in a chair, and

setting down his kill, brought forth a damp rag and began to dab at her

scrapes and bruises.

      "I'm fine, really," she insisted, trying to squirm out of his reach,

wincing as the cloth touched a sore spot on her arm.

       "You're hurt," he replied with just as much resolve as she had,

gently grabbing her shoulder and holding her still.

       "It's nothing bad!" she grumbled, ducking under his arm as he tried

to wipe at a bruise on her cheek.

     "They should be cleaned!" he argued, pushing her back in the chair

with slightly more force this time.

     "You don't have to mother me!" she hissed back, standing up defiantly

and glaring directly into those deep blue eyes.

     He set his mouth in a firm line and pushed her back into the chair.

"I'd like to help you," he told her in a no-nonsense tone before abruptly

sinking to his knees and raising her skirt up to her thighs, reaching for

her knee with the cloth.

       "How dare you!!!" she stammered, grabbing the skirt and pushing it

back down to her ankles, a strange tingling racing through her body at the

sight of him kneeling before her, so caring, so eager to be of

assistance...

        He sighed and raised an eyebrow, smirking softly. "You're

determined to make things hard for me, aren't you?" She furrowed her brow

and said nothing. "I suppose it's a good thing that I like a challenge,

then," he laughed, gently taking the ends of her skirt and raising them

again.

      "You will take your hands off my garment sir, and stop being so

inappropriate," she growled and he laughed outright.

    "Inappropriate? We're betrothed!"

    "Only by tradition and the wills of our peoples...I do this for duty's

sake and duty alone!" She jumped to her feet and sidestepped around him

angrily. "I will be your wife, sir, but you will not have me, try as you

might with your Elvish magic and trickery." She paused, pursing her lips,

waiting for the tirade that was sure to follow. If she had talked to her

father like that she would have been taken promptly back out to the

woodshed...

    There was a quiet silence, and then he was behind her, gently pressing

against her backside. "Elvish magic?" he sang in her ear. "Lovely one, if

I was trying to use all my resources to seduce you, you'd be flat on your

back moaning by now." She whirled, her eyes narrowed, her cheeks crimson.

     "Is that so?"

     He gave an unapologetic grin. "It is, though I would rather do the

honorable thing and wait for you to come around in your own time," he

added, secretly loving the chance to watch her fire blaze beneath the

surface of her composure.

     "You will have to wait a good time for that, I'm afraid...I'd rather

lay with a dwarf," she spat before stalking over to where he had left the

rabbits, taking them up and crossing to the pantry.

    He watched her, his eyes sparkling wickedly. "I could arrange that

with a close friend of mine-"

    "Get out!" she spat, whirling again, the rabbits swaying dangerously

in her grasp. "Go smoke a pipe or brag to your friends or something while

I prepare the evening meal!"

    "Elves don't smoke, and the point of us being here is to spend time

with you," he replied, deadpan, though his eyes glittered. At the

expression on her face, he laughed to himself and decided it was safest to

duck out of the cottage for a while and quickly retreated, grinning as

Amelia grumbled to herself while savagely digging through the pantry.

     Even under the circumstances, this was bound to at least be

interesting.

********

Part 5

     Dinner passed without incident, and when he received a look that

promised he could very well lose an arm if he offered to help clear the

table, Legolas retired to the common room, taking quiet delight in

watching his bride go about her business through the doorway.

     For her part, Amelia tried to do her after dinner chores as slowly as

possible, not wanting to think about the stretch of time before bed, and

then what that would entail. She thought about what her family was doing

at this moment, and how the sun would be sending its parting rays down

over the houses. Yet her thoughts kept straying to the prince and why she

was acting so strangely around him if he wasn't using any trickery on her.

For all her anger about the situation, she somehow loved to look into

those eyes, and every time he gave her a smile she trembled. Even now, she

knew his eyes were on her, and that thrilled her in some way that glances

from village men never had. And yet, she was still resolved to listen to

her anxieties, to have her way.

    When there was no work left to be done, she retrieved her needlework

and took it to the common room, trying not to glance at the blond lord in

the chair opposite her. He seemed not to notice her troubles and worked

diligently, carving something that she couldn't identify, for it was far

from its final stages. She busied herself with her sewing, though she

seemed to be too easily distracted with glancing up and seeing what the

elf was doing every few moments. For his part, he pretended not to notice,

and went about his business as innocently as he could.

     Sometime later, as she sat working by a lighted lamp as the evening's

light faded, she paused upon hearing something that she had never heard

before. Glancing up, she noticed that her betrothed wasn't in the room

anymore, and she vaguely wondered how he had gotten up without her even

realizing it. She set aside her embroidery and turned towards the stairs

when she heard it again, and curious, she followed the sound to the

doorway. Upon opening the door, she stood mesmerized upon hearing what

sounded like...singing. Yes, singing, set to the music of the twilight as

it's only instrument. It was so different than the shanties and tunes she

heard coming from the taverns and the lullabies her mother had sung to her

when she was little. Something so pure, so beautiful, especially when

heard while viewing the lingering twilight and the magical surroundings of

Mirkwood.

       She jumped slightly at a soft breath by her ear, and glancing to

the side saw the prince behind her before turning back to the evening

scenery. So entranced was she, that she barely noticed when he gently

wrapped his arms round her waist, his hands draped over each other at her

navel. "What is it?" she whispered, as if the sound of her voice would

somehow destroy the fantasy.

     "A celebration of your arrival...of our first night together," he

murmured and she felt her cheeks heat and suddenly became aware of how

close the prince was.

    "Oh...it's lovely...I've never heard anything like it," she replied

quietly.

    He chuckled quietly behind her, and she closed her eyes, her muscles

tensing when she discovered she could feel the movement of his chest

against her back. "It's only so lovely because it's about you," he purred,

drawing her even more flush against him and her eyes immediately shot

open, her body stiffening.

     "Now that's silly," she managed, her mind spinning. "I-I'm just a

human, a simple village girl," she stammered, pulling away from him

quickly and heading back into the house.

    "Well, for a simple village girl, you've captured my attention easily

enough," he continued, and she licked her lips nervously upon noticing the

distinctive glimmer in his eye. Quickly she made her way up the stairs in

an attempt to escape from his line of attack.

      "Then you must be ill or desperate," she muttered, the statement

coming out nowhere as angrily as she had hoped.

     "Or curious and in love," he murmured, his fingertips flicking over

the back of her neck. How did he move so fast?!!? Shuddering and beyond

flustered, she quickly threw open the door to the bedroom and stopped in

her tracks. The covers she had laid on earlier had been replaced by a

verdant green coverlet, much nicer than anything she had seen in her

previous life, and was adorned with a scattering of colorful flower

petals. Her voice caught in her throat. She had never witnessed such a

beautiful act from such a strange, yet amazing man.

        She nervously glanced down at her hands and tried to control her

voice and breathing. "I...I...what I mean is..." Somehow, she couldn't

find the words she was looking for, and the only other thing that would

come out was "What a silly use for perfectly good flowers." She blinked,

surprised by the harshness of her words and inwardly winced as she turned

around to gauge his reaction. Her eyes nearly fell out of her head as she

realized that not only was he not disturbed in the least, but he was

slowly removing his shirt, revealing the most muscular yet beautifully

sculpted pale chest she had ever seen. Her mouth went dry and she backed

away, her calves bumping against the bed. "What are you doing?!" she

squeaked.

       "Getting ready for bed," he laughed, folding the shirt over a

nearby chair before reaching for the closure of his breeches.

       "You can't....I won't...I..." she sputtered and he grinned.

      "You've already made it clear that you won't accept any of my

'inappropriate' acts," he teased, "but I would like to be able to sleep in

my own bed."

    She frowned, talking before she thought. "Elves sleep?"

     He laughed. "Actually, no not usually...but it might be nice to just

be near you...Don't you? " he added, his voice somehow becoming even more

silken.

    Finally finding a hint of composure, she narrowed her eyes to slits.

"Not with you beside me," she spat, crossing to the wardrobe and finding a

long, lovely shift of a nightgown after a few moments of inspection.

Turning, she regarded him then looked at the piece of clothing in her

arms. "Go away," she ordered and he raised an eyebrow.

   "Whatever for?" he asked innocently, causing her cheeks to flush.

   "I should like to change and I won't do it with you here in the room,"

she replied firmly.

             "Come now, you cannot be so modest with your intended," he teased,

and she shook silently with anger before marching to the wardrobe, opening

the door, and retreating behind it smugly. He had to admit, it was more

than a little painful watching her dress slide to the floor and not

knowing the secrets it hid, but he didn't want to frighten her or incite

her wrath any more than he already had, if such a thing was possible.

                         Smirking as she came back around, fully dressed in the nightgown, Amelia

took up a brush, and sitting on the bed, began to run it through her

released long chestnut tresses before carefully braiding it in a tail

behind her. Legolas watched her, entranced by the simplicity of such an

action, captivated by the fast, graceful movements of her fingers. His

eyes slid lower and he had to strain to keep himself in check upon seeing

how the shift covered everything, but clung invitingly to her breasts and

hips, the pale white showing just the slightest hint of rosy nipples and

the darker triangle between her legs. It wouldn't do at all to lose

control now, but he was no longer sure of how much longer he could hold

out.

     Unable to take his unwavering gaze, Amelia stood, setting aside the

brush, picked up a dagger that was sitting on the table, and quickly

brushed the petals from the coverlet to the floor with broad swipes of her

hand, looking at him pointedly before sliding underneath. He gave yet

another damnable mysterious smile and her eyes widened and she

instinctively pressed her face against the pillow as he undid the

fastenings of his leggings as if he didn't have an audience. Amelia's face

began to heat and she couldn't resist opening an eye halfway to gaze

through her lashes at this new spectacle. She gave a soft gasp as the

garment fell to the floor, but the prince gave no notice, picking it up

and laying it aside neatly before coming back to the bedside and pulling

back the covers.

      "You're not sleeping here," she told him firmly, desperately trying

to keep her eyes on his face. He was beautiful...a marble god, yet there

was no denying the size of his prowess, and the thought of that slipping

into her both excited and terrified her beyond belief.

     He raised his eyebrows. "This is as much my bed as it is yours...as I

said before, I would never force you, but I would like to sleep in my own

bed," he reminded her before raising a leg onto the mattress, bringing the

object of her quiet distress closer into view.

            She quickly sat up. "I won't let you!"

    "You won't let me sleep? I thought you weren't interested in the

other," he chuckled and she glared at him.

    "I won't let you!"

    He smiled and folded his arms over his chest. "And how do you suppose

you'll do that?"

      "I'll kick you...and I'll bite, and...and pull your hair out, so all

the other elves will laugh at your bald appearance!!" she huffed, her ego

deflating some when he burst into another round of musical laughter.

        "Is that the type of foreplay you mortals engage in? No wonder you

weren't satisfied with romantic gestures!" She growled low in her throat

and hefted the dagger, setting it exactly in the center of the mattress.

            “If you come past that dagger to my side, I swear I’ll give you a haircut

you’ll never forget,” she hissed as he quickly slid between the covers and

extinguished the lamp, settling down just by the boundary she had set up.

So he was going to test her. Steadying herself, she quickly pressed her

hands flat against his shoulder and began pushing with all her strength.

The damnable elf didn't even budge. So it was true, they were stronger

than they looked. He chuckled quietly in the dark. Not to be outdone, she

drew her leg back to kick at him when he suddenly rolled over and drew her

arms up over her head, his knees pinning her legs to the mattress. "Now

then, my little one...you must be careful with that behavior lest you

excite me," he murmured with a wink. Before she could breathe, he leaned

in and gently pressed his lips against her soft cheek, stunning her into

silence. "Good night, beloved," he breathed before rolling off of her and

retreating to his side of the mattress.

    Amelia lay there a long time, her cheek tingling softly as she

pondered her distressed thoughts while the immortal beside her slept

quietly.

********

Part 6

            Soft morning light filtered through the shutters into the bedroom,

bathing the wood of the walls and floor in a soft, warm, friendly glow.

Amelia sighed softly as she woke, years of having to be up before dawn to

do farm work ingrained into her body's memory. At first she was

disoriented upon waking in such strange surroundings, but she quickly

remembered where she was, and the anxieties that had subsided during sleep

came tumbling back. Though she had to admit, the bed was softer than

anything she had ever laid in, and the covers were deliciously warm.

Smiling drowsily, she stretched gently before trying to roll from her side

to her back, the sudden hindrance of her movements making her realize that

warmth spreading through her body wasn't just because of the covers .

            She had purposefully slept as close to the edge of the bed as possible;

she had been amazed that she actually didn't fall off upon waking, for she

found herself exactly on the edge of the mattress. But that wasn't the

disconcerting thing. The source of her sudden lack of breath was the

prince of Mirkwood, who had somehow crossed the halfway point to sidle up

right behind her. Her cheeks began to flush when she glanced down to see

his arm wrapped low round her waist, his leg drawn over her hip so that

she was pressed against his front. She gave a quiet whimper at the sudden

realization of a warm, hard presence against her lower back which was not

made any better when she connected that feeling to the endowment she had

seen the night before. She could barely see the faint traces of blond

wisps of hair dangling across her shoulder, and as she became more alert

she could distinctly feel his soft breath against the nape of her neck.

Forget elvish magic, this was just plain torture.

            Though a most exquisite torture that almost made her curious about other

things he could do to her...

            Her cheeks went scarlet and she scolded herself at that wayward thought.

That was NOT what she needed to have her mind on! At this point, it was a

matter of survival...she couldn't let him get close to her and by staying

she was just prolonging his inevitable disappointment. Steeling herself,

she slowly tried to wriggle out of his grasp, gasping slightly as he only

pulled her tighter against him, one hand unconsciously running down her

hip to stroke her thigh, his soft lips gently kissing against the back of

her neck. She froze, her eyes wide at the tantilizing sensations that

washed through her. He obviously wasn't awake and fully in his right mind

yet.

            "Legolas," she murmured, wriggling again in an attempt to get away,

jumping slightly when the only good that did was to make him even harder.

"Legolas," she tried again, just a little bit louder.

            "Mmm?" he murmured and she trembled almost violently as his tongue pushed

out to flick against her hairline over to the shell of her ear.

            "S-Shouldn't...shouldn't we be getting up?" she stammered, blushing when

she became even more aware that he was already quite up.

            "There are no duties for us to attend to except the strengthening of our

bond," he purred, his voice low and slightly rough from sleep, which made

her body heat even more than his mouth and the slow circles of his

fingertips against her leg did.

            "Let me up!" she squeaked, her struggles against his iron grip useless.

            "Whatever for?" he breathed and she thought she'd fly out of her body.

            "I...you...you crossed over the line!!!" she snapped, trying to find a

spark of anger somewhere.

            "You haven't killed me in my sleep, I noticed," he teased, the tip of his

tongue darting briefly into the shell of her ear. No matter how hard she

pursed her lips, the gasp still came out.

            "I'm getting angry," she warned and he chuckled.

            "Good, you're so fascinating when you're ire is raised," he replied, his

hand slowly moving up her thigh, towards more personal territory.

            "I MUST get up!!!" she squealed, tearing herself from his grasp, in the

process rolling straight off the bed and onto the floor. She landed with a

thud and a grunt and when she looked up at the sprawled prince, he was

raised onto one elbow, grinning charmingly.

            "Is this how you start every morning?"

            Amelia shot him a withering glare. "I start the morning by attending to

certain situations that I'd rather do in private!" she snarled, relieved

to see the chamber pot that had frequented her room at home sitting in a

corner. "Or are you that fascinated by human behavior that you want to

watch that up close and personal, too?"

            At that Legolas leaned back his head and laughed outright. She scowled,

taking only little amusement in the fact that at least his hair was

somewhat mussed from sleep and not as perfect as it, or all of him,

usually looked. "That I am quite familiar with and have no need to

observe," he drawled, rolling so that his back was facing her, though she

had to grit her teeth to get over the sight of the coverlet laying low on

his waist, presenting a lovely view of pale flesh. She did her business

quickly and discreetly as she could, the thought of doing it loud enough

to offend his delicate elf ears quickly tampered by common decency. Upon

finishing she quietly smoothed her nightgown and picked up the ceramic

item and headed towards the door.

            "Where are you going?"

            "I'd like to empty this outside, if you don't mind..."

            "Just let it wait and come back to bed," he purred, the invitation

obvious in his tone of voice. She paused, considering her options, her

stomach fluttering as she found that her resolve was slowly weakening.

Though he hadn't broken her yet.

            "I would hate for it to sit by and offend his highness...it will only

take a moment," she retorted before heading down the stairs. She exited

the house and walked a few yards away, glancing around carefully as she

disposed with the chamber pot's contents, pushing down the tightening in

her stomach as she felt herself being watched. She straightened up slowly,

and sure enough, met the eyes of another tall, blond elf from her escort

who was watching her very carefully. She put on her best look of

consternation.

            "Exuse you Sir, but do you mind?? I'd like to have a little privacy in

such matters," she growled, walking right up to him, hands on her hips. He

blinked, obviously caught by surprise and her audacity.

            "I-I'm sorry but I've been ordered to-"

            "To what, peep on the prince's intended?? Really!!!" she huffed, right

before whacking him upside the head with the chamber pot. She was a bit

surprised to see that it actually met its target, shattering on contact;

apparently elves didn't think women bearing ceramic houseware were much of

a threat. Not taking any time to see what damage she had done, Amelia took

off as fast as she could run into the woods. She had no idea where she was

heading, but any place had to be better than alone with Legolas.

            She wasn't sure how much time was passing or how far she had gotten. She

was only concerned about putting distance between herself and that

cottage. Though she hadn't been particularly smart about it. The breeze

reached her skin easily through the thin shift, and the forest floor

seemed to bite at her bare feet every time she took a step. Branches

caught on her braid, bare arms, and dress, and more than once she had to

stop to untangle herself or to catch her breath. Sweat began to bead on

her forehead and the trees seemed to close in around her. Panting, she

paused to try to find her way, and found that nothing looked familiar.

Cursing to herself, she plunged ahead anyway, pushing through some dense

foilage, her head craned behind her in a flash of paranoia, causing her to

completely miss seeing the fallen log that blocked her path until she fell

right over it, tumbling head first onto the forest floor. She hissed

through her teeth, aware of nothing but the moving of her chest as she

tried to slow her breathing, until a pair of familiar looking boots came

into her vision.

            "Do you always fall about this much or only when you're excited?" a

silken voice chuckled and she groaned in defeat upon looking up into the

eyes of the prince of Mirkwood.

************

Part 7

            Legolas did his best to hide his amusement as he followed Amelia back to

the cottage, her muttering under her breath the entire way. She knew words

that he was sure most females of any race, let alone mortals, didn't.

Though she used them with such flair that somehow it just made her all the

more endearing. It was an odd thing, him falling for someone who was very

much unlike everything he'd ever been taught to look for in a mate, though

somehow, he was very happy.

            If only he could keep her from running away...

************

Amelia muttered under her breath as she stalked back the way she had came,

torn between seeking another alternative of escape and just plain begging

for mercy. Maybe he'd think she was pathetic enough and decide not to

couple with her. Though truthfully, she admitted bitterly to herself, she

wasn't that far from pathetic at the moment. Her tanned skin was covered

with hairline scratches from the wayward tree branches, the nightgown was

smudged with dirt spots and the hem was torn, and her hair was half coming

loose from its braid, leaves adorning it in random places. Wrinkling her

nose, she tried to pick the debris from her long mane, yanking her braid

away when the prince made an attempt to help.

            "Don't touch me," she snapped, turning to glare at him before turning on

her heel and continuing back towards the cottage, screeching when she

accidentally ran right into a spider's web. Even more enraged, she quickly

drove her hands through it and plucked the silver threads as best she

could from her person, not bothering to hide the obscenities she spouted

from the nobility behind her. She gave an exasperated sigh as she saw his

hand raising to assist her once more in the corner of her eye. "If you

even think about touching me I will bite your fingers off," she growled,

plunging ahead at a renewed pace.

            "I'm only trying to help," he said quietly and she groaned.

            "Well stop it...I haven't asked for your help, I haven't asked for any of

this..."

            "Is that why you're so feisty?"

            She snarled and whirled to face him. "You probably haven't had much

experience with human emotions, so allow me to educate you," she growled,

advancing on the stunned prince. "This is not feisty," she continued,

jabbing a finger at herself. "This is ANGRY...this is ENRAGED...this is

FURIOUS!!!!!"

            "It still makes you look attractive," he teased and unable to take it any

longer she stamped her foot in fury.

            "Will you STOP THAT???"

            "Stop what?" he asked, growing serious and frowning in confusion.

            "This whole 'I'm going to humor her so that she can bear my children'

thing...this 'I'm so perfect and noble and will spare no expense at

accomodating her because she's just a human and I must do it for the sake

of our people,' routine...this WHOLE DAMN BLOODY THING!!!!" she shrieked

before turning and driving her foot into a stump, forgetting that she

wasn't wearing shoes. Pain shot through her foot and she howled, twirling

to take a seat on the stump, her head in her hands. Legolas, for his part,

was looking her in astonishment, apparently not having seen a full blown

temper tantrum in his lifetime. He watched silently, unsure what to do and

how to exactly be of assistance, caught by surprise once more when the

young woman covered her face with her palms and began to sob loudly, her

shoulders hitching violently. "Just release me...I beg you...release me

and let me go...I'm not suitable for any of this," she stammered between

sobs.

            Immediately he was at her side, a hand outstretched as if to place itself

on her back, but he paused, remembering her previous reactions to such

things. "Why do you say such things?" he asked her, his blue eyes clouding

at her violent change of emotions. To his unending surprise, she raised

her head back and laughed bitterly. The sunlight that filtered through the

trees shone on her tears, making her face gleam momentarily before she

brought a hand up to wipe at her eyes.

            "In case you haven't noticed, Highness, I am highly unworthy of such an

honor...I am not the person you need at all...You deserve splendor and

grace, a woman who would stand beside you through anything, and one with a

sweet disposition who would serve you and cater to your whims, one who is

stunningly beautiful, at least for a mortal woman...In case you haven't

realized by now, I AM NONE OF THESE THINGS!!!!! You could and should have

your pick of any of the female elves in Mirkwood, or any of the human

beauties in my village, and you pick the most contrary, short-tempered,

fierce, frightened, homely looking woman who has no idea about

strengthening elf/human relations, all because she happened to catch your

eye in a moment of good humor for a split second!!" He started to open his

mouth, but wasn't able to get out a single syllable before she went on.

            "Who cares about you being an elf and my being a mortal, there are far

more other reasons why this is ridiculous!!! You are more beautiful than

any other man alive, I am just a homely village girl! You are royalty, I

am a farmer's daughter! You are perfection incarnate, I am nothing!! You

may break down my defenses, but once you understand and discover all of

this for yourself you will be disappointed beyond belief and send me back

to the village in shame and disgrace and I could not bear to face the

village after that, but more than that, I could not bear to be so close to

you then lose you forever!!!" She rattled all of this out at breakneck

speed, barely aware of the tumult of emotion pouring out of her, her pitch

and volume raising until Legolas was sure that all of Mirkwood would be

aware of the situation by now. At this point, she had to pause to gasp for

air, her chest heaving violently, her shoulders hitching, her hands

tugging at her fingertips as if she might succeed in pulling them off of

her hands.

             She waited, her eyes clenched shut, as if she was waiting for him to

shrug and walk off, or yell at her and send her back in the state she was

in, or one of a hundred such images. Instead, he silently knelt in front

of her, a hand gently cupping the foot she had stubbed, his fingertips

running over the arch of her foot gently. "How can you say such things

about yourself...that village has done much harm to you, and I will see it

undone," he murmured, looking up into her tearstained face. "You are

everything that I want and need, and if you weren't I wouldn't have

selected you. You don't have to excell at politics or village

relations...we'll figure that out together...and if the village finds you

contrary and everything that you say you are, I find it a delightful

change from the passive women I am used to meeting. I have no doubt that

you would stand firm with anyone that you believe in, and I hope to be

counted as such."

            Slowly his hand wound round the back of her ankle and it began to whisper

up the back of her calf as he reached up to take one of her hands. "I

would not want another elf, one that I view every waking moment. It is

just like you take no interest in your rough village men, that I can tell.

If you find me such an anomaly, such perfection in a sea of vulgarness, I

can assure you that I see you that same way. I've never met anyone like

you...you have passion, and fire...and excite me more than I have been in

years," he admitted, grinning slightly as his thumb brushed over her

fingertips.

            "I would never, ever send you back in shame and disgrace because I could

never be disappointed in you...if you truly want it that badly, I would

send you back, but I would much rather keep you for myself and soothe away

all of your pain from your past way of life. You have no idea the way you

would be taken care of...I'd shelter you from all harm, you would be my

life, my light...my own personal flame..." he murmured, relaxing as her

eyes slowly met his, and he could see the longing to trust him mixed with

her fear and insecurity in the brown depths.

            "And I want to hear nothing of you being homely...a stone in a river's

bed is something very precious to my people, more so than diamonds,

because it is a gift that reflects where it came from, and every one is

unique...it has all of the warmth and intricate beauty that cold diamonds

in piles with their copies could never possess. And the river stones don’t

sit round, their only purpose to be delightful to the eye...they keep the

river on course, they have a purpose...That is how you are to me,

Amelia...how could I ever find fault with one that has delighted me from

the moment I saw you?" he added, slowly, deliberately raising her palm to

his lips, gently pressing soft, feathery kisses in its center. She sat

there, stone still, mouth slightly agape, eyes wide as she tried to find

her tongue.

            When she did, it came out little more than a soft rasp of a whisper.

"I...I don't know what to say," she admitted, her cheeks turning a soft

pink that made her more pleasing to his eye than she already was.

            He smiled and gently tugged on her hand until she leaned forward and

timidly let him pull her into his lap, one arm wrapped securely round her

waist, the other stroking over her face to wipe away her remaining tears.

"You don't have to," he murmured, his eyes focusing solely on her mouth as

he slowly tilted her face and closed the distance between them, his lips

meeting hers delicately in a gentle, chaste kiss. He could feel the shiver

go through her and smiled against her mouth, sucking softly on her lower

lip as his fingers wound themselves into her hair. She began to experiment

on her own, nibbling along his lips, and he used the opportunity to gently

touch the tip of his tongue to hers. She whimpered and relaxed as he

slanted his mouth over hers, exploring the velvet depths of her mouth

slowly and leisurely, barely aware that her arms were now wrapped tightly

around his neck, preventing him from pulling away even if he wanted to.

            A low heat began to unspiral from the depths of Amelia's belly to the

rest of her body as his fingertips drummed up and down the small of her

back, the tip of his tongue dragging deliciously against the roof of her

mouth. Each new sensation caught her by surprise and nearly drove her out

of her mind, and the only thing she wanted was for it to keep going. Both

of their breaths seemed to grow shorter as they drew from each other's

mouths and lips, and finally with a soft gasp Legolas drew back an inch.

"As tempting as it is to have you here...I think it would be better for

you to experience all my inappropriate acts that I want to do to you in

the comfort of our bed," he purrred in her ear, his tongue flicking

teasingly over the lobe. She moaned and managed a weak nod. Grinning

wickedly, he quickly stood, and plucking her from the ground so she

wouldn't damage her tender feet any more than they had been, quickly

headed straight for the cottage as fast as they could manage.

Tradition: Part 8

            Amelia gasped as Legolas tore through the forest with her in his arms,

too busy hanging on for dear life that she was barely aware when they

reached the cottage. Craning her neck, she could see the remains of the

shattered chamber pot, but the elf she had hit was nowhere in sight.

            "He's fine...though he'll probably come up with some excuse not to attend

the bonding ceremony now," Legolas chuckled, and without stopping he

nearly tore the door to the house open, plunged inside, and raced up the

stairs. She hadn't been exerting herself at all and her breath was

nonexistant, so she couldn't believe that he looked completely unaffected

when he set her down. Taking a second look at his darkened eyes and

obvious arousal, she smiled slightly, realizing that maybe he was

affected, after all, though not from the running. Blushing, she found

herself backing up as he slowly advanced on her, his eyes never leaving

hers.

            "Forgive me, 'Melia...I don't know if I can keep myself under control

much longer..." he groaned, and she paused, licking her suddenly dry lips,

her breath caught fast in her throat, trying not to be overcome by the

heat she felt radiating from his gaze.

            "I know....it's alright Legolas...I trust you," she admitted, her cheeks

coloring. "Though I love you that much and more," she added in a whisper,

her gaze dropping to the floor. With a groan he was suddenly on her, and

she found herself stumbling backwards until her back bumped against the

wall gently. Amelia shrunk down slightly as the tall elf pressed against

her, her eyes flickering as she felt his arousal against the inside of her

thigh. He braced his arms on the wall on either side of her head, staring

at her hungrily until she began to tremble and sink from his gaze.

            "'Melia," he whispered before his hands caught her by the hips, lifting

her up against the wall, his mouth crushing against hers in a searing

kiss. She shuddered violently against his chest, her hands desperately

cupping his face as she did her best to meet the thrusts of his tongue

with her inexperienced one. She gasped as she was suddenly gathered up in

his arms again and gently deposited on the bed, Legolas stretching out,

almost catlike, beside her. She chuckled at his open gaze and rolled to

face him, gently lifting her hand to softly caress his cheek, her thumb

swiping softly over his lower lip before he grasped her hand, softly

nibbling at the fingertips, all the while looking deep into her eyes. The

very tip of his tongue slowly circled in the center of her palm before he

leaned up to claim her mouth again. She let herself relax into the rhythm

he set for them, let his tongue slowly glide against her own, content to

have him explore every corner of her mouth before slowly pulling away to

feather kisses over her nose, teeth nipping at her lips before they went

to her jawline, then lower to her neck.

            Her eyes widened as his mouth began to work delicious magic over her

skin, his tongue wickedly circling below her ear before he took her

earlobe into his velvet mouth, sucking softly. Moaning, she began to grow

bolder, and slowly ran her hand over his shoulder and around to his back,

where she dragged her fingertips down the expanse slowly, hesitating

briefly before going lower to squeeze his buttocks teasingly. He groaned

into the curve of her neck and she shivered, tangling her other hand in

his unbelievably soft hair. Anxiety still fluttered in the pit of her

stomach, but now it was given a good kick in the head by the desire

coursing through her body. Unable to resist, she moved her hand between

them, cautiously brushing the back of her hand over his straining

erection. He stiffened and groaned, and she used that moment to push him

to his back, rolling herself on top of him. He gasped when she began

nipping curiously at his lips, her hands tangling in his hair. He started

to speak but she quickly placed her fingers over his lips.

            "Hush now...let me have my fun," she cooed in his ear before slowly

running the tip of her tongue over it's shell, delicately suckling the

point until he shuddered almost as violently as she had. She laughed

softly and moved her lips to suckle his pulse point, her hands gliding

down to the closures of his shirt, which seemed to be half-heartedly done,

most likely due to his hurry to catch up with her in her attempt to

escape. Her breath became ragged at the sight of such lovely pale skin,

and her tan fingers immediately began to explore, eagerly pushing his

blouse over his shoulders and onto the bed behind him. Her mouth softly

began at his shoulder, nipping and sucking softly, her fingers tickling

down his chest, pausing at his pale pink nipples. Her eyes marvelled as

she teased them into hard peaks before leaning down to take one in her

mouth, her tongue flicking and swirling round it softly as she looked up

at her beloved wickedly.

            His lips were parted, his face flushed, and his lids were drooped over

his eyelids, giving him a most sensual look. Shivering, she slowly drew

her fingers down his torso, pausing to dip her tongue into his navel,

giggling as he gave a sharp intake of breath. She absently bit her lip as

she prepared herself for what was to come, her fingers gently undoing the

fastenings of his trousers before hooking into the waistband. Exhaling

slowly, she tugged the fabric from his skin, her eyes widening again as

she was reintroduced to the source of her dual excitement and nervousness,

now hard and at the ready. His fingertips slid down and grasped her chin

again, turning her face up to his where he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Do nothing that you are not comfortable with..." he reassured her. "It's

alright...it won't hurt you," he added as she glanced from him to his

erect cock, nodding silently. She couldn't hide her growing curiosity, and

gently took him in her hand, amazed at how warm he was, how he was like

steel covered in velvet. The fingers of her other hand gently stroked up

and down his length, and he purred like a great cat. Her lips turning up

in a pleased smile, she gripped him a little firmer, letting instinct

guide her as she drew her closed hand up and down his shaft, her other

hand circling over the inside of his thigh.

            Legolas gave a raspy moan and she chuckled softly as she continued to

touch him, her thumb swirling over his head before dipping into the slit

at his tip, rubbing their very softly until he began to shudder. Before

she knew what was really happening, he had her under the arms and rolled

until she was underneath him. It was his turn to look overly pleased with

himself as he slowly let his eyes travel the length of her body before

diving down for a slow, senuous kiss, his fingers stroking down her neck

to clasp the sleeves of her nightgown. She trembled slightly and he pulled

away, looking her straight in the eyes as he gently guided the sleeves off

her shoulders and arms, and ever so slowly dragged it away from her body

until it slid off her legs and puddled on the floor. He paused to kick off

his boots and the remainder of his pants before positioning himself above

her again, his hands clasping hers immediately as she tried to cover

herself. "No...let me see you," he whispered, smiling slightly as her

cheeks reddened and she turned her face away. He gently released one of

her hands to guide her eyes back to his, his hand stroking her face gently

as he lowered his eyes.

            He had never been with a human before, and it was somewhat different than

what he was used to seeing...but she was still most attractive to his

eyes, and somehow, the small differences excited him even more. His

fingertips found the lines at her neck and arms where the skin went from

tan from exposure to creamy white from being hidden...Without his eyes

wavering from her gaze, he bent to kiss her wrists, lapped at the hollow

of her throat before sucking on the collar bone, his hands and eyes

straying to her breasts. They were slightly larger than those of she

elves, and he became enamored of how they quivered slightly under his

touch. She whimpered in the back of her throat as he gently took them in

his hands, stroking tenderly with his fingers before bending his mouth to

taste them. He smiled at her gasp when his lips brushed against the dark

pink peak of her nipple. His mouth opened and he slowly swirled his tongue

around it, marvelling how it changed so quickly under his ministrations.

            She squirmed under his seeking tongue and maddening fingertips that

glided stealthily up and down her sides, resting softly at her hips. His

hair rained down on her skin, tickling her so softly, nearly driving her

out of her mind. When his fingers circled over her knee she felt her

breath catch as they slowly came back up her inner thigh. He looked up

into her stunned face and winked playfully before his fingertips barely

brushed over her mound, one diving between her folds to touch her

intimately. Her eyes flickered closed and she moaned, her back arching up

off the bed. Purring, he raised up to seal his mouth over hers, his

fingertips slowly stroking her heat, his thumb exploring until he found

her jewel and began to circle it intently. She gasped into his mouth, her

hands wrapping around his neck when he slowly pressed a long finger into

where no other man had been before.

            His other hand clasped her breast, kneading it between his fingers as he

kissed her wetly, slowly slipping another finger into her, thrusting them

in and out of her velvet channel slowly before scissoring them. She moaned

and clung to him tightly, her hips writhing against his hand as his thumb

rubbed her clit with maddening speed. "Legolas...I...oh...I..." she

gasped, pulling away from his mouth, her eyes clenching suddenly as her

mouth opened in a silent moan, her body trembling and tensing in one swift

moment. When the tremors subsided and her eyes opened he was there above

her, his eyes dark with desire and gentle with love. Her expression one of

wonder and awe, she slowly spread her legs and nodded.

            "I'm ready," she whispered against his lips, her tongue darting out to

glide between them.

            "I don't want to hurt you," he groaned, shifting himself so that he was

next to her opening.

            "You won't..." she murmured, her eyes full of love as she stroked his

face, her hands roaming down his shoulder to his hand, which she clasped

and pressed to her lips. "I trust you," she reminded him and he nodded.

Swallowing hard, he began to rub himself against her slit, his eyes

momentarily rolling back in his head at how wet she was. She purred and

arched up to meet him, and slowly he pressed into her until he met with

resistance. He frowned, the want to hurt her the last thing he wanted. He

looked up into her eyes and she nodded at his silent question. Pressing

his lips against hers tenderly he thrust the rest of the way in, gasping

at how tight she was, and immediately brought back by her gasp of pain.

            "Are you alright?" he asked, his brow furrowed in worry as he looked in

her eyes for any sign of pain. She nodded, her eyes searching as she grew

accustomed to the new sensations. As she relaxed, he began to thrust

again, slowly, his lips pressing loving kisses all over her face. Soon her

hips were arching up to meet his thrusts and he shivered as one of her

hands drew up the back of his spine and stroked the tip of his ear

teasingly. Gasping, he lost what little control he had had, arching his

hips and thrusting into her with abandon, his hand delving down to circle

her jewel once more. Amelia groaned and gasped his name, then suddenly

clenched around him, her arms wound tightly around his back, squeezing

them together. Her climax triggered his own and he shouted out, riding the

waves of passion with her until when spent, he slumped over her prone

form, breathing shallowly.

            She moaned softly beneath him and he turned his face so he could look at

her lovely eyes once more. "I love you, Amelia," he whispered, his mouth

pressing against her forehead, the tip of her nose, then her lips.

            "And I you," she echoed, softly meeting his lips drowsily. He smiled and

slowly rolled onto his back, his arms tight around her, drawing the

coverlet up around them. She dozed, her head pillowed against his chest,

the beat of his heart lulling her to sleep as he held her, stroking her

hair, marvelling at how she seemed even more angellic and perfect in her

slumber.

*****************

Part 9

            They spent that day lazily wound around each other, sometimes caught up

in playful discovery, while at other times they simply were together in

presence and in conversation. And it was enough, more than enough for both

of them. As the bright morning light shifted and afternoon shadows fell,

Legolas went down to the kitchen to retrieve nourishment for them both,

still gloriously naked. Amelia paused to admire the view on the way out,

then turned her attention to the sheets. Wincing at the obvious stains,

she quickly got up, and after searching through the wardrobe, brought out

clean bedding and began to busy herself with that task.

            Upon re-entering the bedroom, the blond elf chuckled softly at his

bondmate busily tucking in the corners of a clean sheet, not wearing a

thing but the skin she was born in. His eyes drank her in and he quickly

decided he wouldn't have it any other way. "You're not supposed to be

working," he teased, coming up behind her and kissing her gently on the

head.

            "I'm not, I'm just busying myself until my husband comes back from where

I sent him to do the real chores," she retorted with a sweet smile and he

grinned broadly.

            "If you say so...now sit, you need to replenish yourself," he ordered,

pushing her to sit back on the bed before taking a seat beside her,

offering her a tray with a selection of fruits and breads.She browsed over

the selection, taking up a slice of fruit and pushing it against his lips.

He eagerly bit into it, eating it out of her hand until, clasping her

wrist gently, he softly licked the remaining juice off of her fingers.

Winding one arm around her, using it to tug her ever-closer, Legolas

selected bits off of the tray and fed them to Amelia. His eyes began to

darken as he watched her full lips slowly surround the tips of his fingers

to take whatever treat he offered her, her soft pink tongue reaching out

to timidly swipe the traces of juices and crumbs from his fingers. She

glanced up at him and laughed.

            "What?" she murmured, giggling at his unabashed stare.

            "Hmm?" he asked, shaking his head to try and focus on her. She lay in his

arms, one eyebrow arched, her eyes sparkling softly in the afternoon

light. Her rich brown locks were spread out lazily on the pillow behind

her, and her skin had a golden cast to it. She laughed again at his dazed

expression, taking up a piece of his golden hair and tugging lightly.

            "Are you alright?" she teased, running a finger over his shoulder slowly.

He shivered and nodded.

            "I just can't get over you," he murmured, chuckling as she blushed.

"You're beautiful...firey...adorable," he purred, leaning close to softly

brush his lips against hers. She pulled back and grinned.

            "I've been called many things, but I don't think adorable is one of

them," Amelia laughed, delighted when Legolas joined in with his own soft

chuckle.

            "Well, you should be...there just don't seem to be enough ways to let you

know how precious you truly are," he breathed, settling back down beside

her, frowning slightly as his eyes drew inwards in thought.

            "Well I should be the one to talk...I'm practically bonded with a god,"

she sighed, looking at him fondly, shaking her head slightly when she saw

that his mind had wandered to some unknown tangent. "What is it now?" she

asked, leaning up to press a soft kiss to his cheek. "You can tell me,"

she urged after he continued to look unsure of how to say whatever it was

he was thinking.

            He turned his face so he could look into those deep brown eyes of hers,

eyes that were quietly worried for him. "It's nothing dire," he assured

her, smiling slightly. "I just...I want to do something for you...but I

don't know if you will be offended by what I suggest," he said slowly. "I

know mortal customs are different from those of elves..."

            Amelia frowned, the pit of her stomach twisting, slightly uneasy. What

could this new obstacle be? "I'll try to keep an open mind," she said

quietly. This seemed to relax him and he plunged ahead, his fingers softly

stroking the ends of her hair as if it helped to calm him.

            "Every time there is a merger between a Mirkwood elf and a village woman,

there is a certain custom that we engage in, though only at the woman's

consent, fully aware that her traditions and ways of life are different

than our own."

            She nodded, still unsure of what he was getting at. "Go on..."

            To her growing amazement, a soft pink tint began to appear on Legolas'

cheeks. "If she agrees to engage in this tradition, two other elf lords

are allowed to join with the newly bonded couple for a short duration

before the ceremony...they wouldn't be from Mirkwood so that there

wouldn't be any future entanglements do to their presence..." Her trailed

off softly, looking at her closely to gauge her reaction. Amelia's cheeks

flushed bright crimson and her mouth hung slightly slack..

            "But...what about monogamy?!"

            "The couple is purely true to each other for all of their

relationship...this just helps to educate the woman about elf relations

somewhat, and to show her how welcome she is...and the woman isn't used at

all...she's not their to service the others, but to be a part of them..."

            "And would you in turn dally with a group of human women?" she asked

warily.

            "No! No, of course not...the only agreement is that sometime in the

future I may or may not be called to participate in the christening of

such a bond, like the other two elf lords would be you....nothing would be

done outside of the group...I would never leave your side," he reassured

her. "And you don't have to...I know according with your town's traditions

it is controversial....but I assure you when there are bonds like ours, it

happens more than you might think."

            She nodded absently. "I've only heard of such a grouping tried by women

who were rather loose regarding themselves," she sighed. "I suppose I

don't understand why such a thing even takes place..."

            He shrugged, pulling her closer, his fingertips brushing softly over her

arms. "Origianlly it was to help educate the females of such unions about

the particulars of intimate lives with their husbands, since most of the

women that come to us from the village have never had a man. And it was

said to be easier for her to learn certain things by being submerged in

such an atmosphere, and to have other men guide her that weren't her

husband so that she would not feel the embarrassment that she might about

learning certain things from her bondmate. Also, if something were to

happen to me...you'd be entitled to have those two as visitors and be able

to have intimate relations with them without anyone objecting...Sometimes

during festivals or other jovial times, the groups get together in an

intimate celebration...it begins and ends where you want it to, really,

though it is strictly up to you. Sometimes the tradition is upheld, others

it is not...it is purely your choice, but I wanted to make sure that you

knew about it." 

            Amelia nodded, her mind buzzing with the new information, struggling to

take it in. "I...it's a lot to take in all at once...I...I really don't

know what to say," she admitted and he gave an understanding smile.

            "I know...just remember that you'll always be mine," he reassured her,

his lips softy rubbing over hers. "This is for your enjoyment and pleasure

should you want it."

            She sighed, trying to digest what he had just told her so

matter-of-factly...And it didn't help that his lips were teasingly running

over the side of her neck and up to her ear, either. Giving him a look,

she tried to turn on her side, away from him, but all he did was clasp her

round the waist and pull her to him, that damnable mouth of his breathing

hotly over the back of her neck. Laughing slightly, she glanced over at

him. "I'm trying to make up my mind!" she said, only half-joking with him.

He grinned and kissed her softly.

            "But it's so much fun trying to distract you," he replied, looking at her

with large, innocent eyes.

            "There's no trying about it with you," she retorted wryly and he grinned.

            "Don't worry about it...you can make the decision later," he purred, his

tongue sneaking deftly into the shell of her ear.

            "I know, I know!" she squealed, trying to wriggle away from him, which

was quite impossible. It was amazing how he could be the pinnacle of elfin

royalty until she was alone in the bedroom with him, and suddenly he

became all hands. And mouth....and a few other things, she began to

realize as he slowly lured her under his spell again.

            He was loving and patient with her, and all she could have ever asked

for...She became lost in his eyes, and the soft caresses of his hair

falling over her body, the sudden wet heat as his mouth would touch her in

sudden nips and licks. He could always search out her pleasure spots,

instantly finding them even though she tried to slip from his grasp.

And at some point when he had claimed her body with his again, when he was

on her, bringing her swiftly to the point of no reeturn, a spot way in the

recesses of her mind realized that she did have much to learn...and that

though it was highly unlike her village customs, there was something

terribly appealing and overpowering about being with a multiple number of

these amazing and sensuous creatures gathered only for her benefit. Her

parents would have never approved...her sisters, her friends...the village

would have been appalled...

            But somehow, looking into those crystal blue eyes, she found a whole new

sense of trust and acceptance. Long after Legolas had catapulted her to

the height of her pleasure, she lay wound round him, idly stroking the

shell of his ear. "Legolas?" she murmured, smiling when he took her hand

and pressed it to his lips.

            "Yes, Precious?"

            "I think...I think if you're to be with me...I'll do it," she murmured.

He was silent a moment, but it was a comfortable silence.

            "Only if you are sure."

            She rolled to her side to face him, and smiled into his eyes until he

relaxed slightly. "I'm sure," she whispered before leaning towards him and

drinking from his lucious mouth again.

**********

Part 10:

            Amelia darted round the small kitchen space, busying herself with

finishing dinner preparations. Chopping, stirring, kneading, baking,

simmering, tasting...she was almost glad that Legolas had excused himself

to formally go to greet his friends that would be arriving at his father's

abode that very morning. Apparently they were of some high standing and

were requested to meet with the king of Mirkwood before she would have the

privilege of meeting them. It had been a little over a week since he had

first proposed this Elfin custom, and though it had seemed so right when

she had initially agreed, with every passing day more and more doubt

tugged at the corners of her mind.

            There was a part of her that wanted very much to partake of what was

offered, that did trust her husband completely. And yet, the voices from

her past life that had haunted her every day she was in the village were

fresh in her mind still, as if she had never left at all. There, women who

did anything of that sort were whores or adultresses and not fit to

deserve any kind of respect, let alone love. And if she'd have done

anything like this there, and been caught at it, the consequence would

have been much worse than any whipping by a birch branch, and that would

also mean complete dishonor for her entire family.

            She shivered as her thoughts became darker, and nearly put the wrong kind

of herbs in the stew she was preparing. What if...What if Legolas really

was disappointed in her, and this was his way to get out of their bond?

What if after they had coupled for the first time, he truly HAD been let

down, and all this talk of this elf tradition was really a way to make an

adultress out of her? That way, he could easily turn his back on her and

send her back to the village in shame with no harm coming to him at all!

She had heard stories of men doing this from her father's conversation

with his friends, though it was a rare occurance. But it was a way of

dealing with something indirectly and without any consequence to the man.

            She wanted to trust him so badly...to believe that he wouldn't be capable

of doing anything like that...but somehow, her inferiority and anxiousness

didn't seem to go away, even after their first night together. It was as

if she was living a dream, and just waiting for it to turn to a nightmare,

just waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the road to suddenly turn

down a trecherous path.

            In the midst of these dark thoughts, she suddenly realized that she was

very close to beating the life out of her bread, and quickly scooped up

her dough and put it in a pan to be baked before hurrying to clean up the

kitchen. With every step, though, her mannerisms and actions became just a

tad more savage, a tad more troubled. When the kitchen, pantry, and dining

area had been cleaned and swept, she turned her attention to her

appearance. Her hair was mussed, her clothes covered with flour and

cooking stains, and she had a slightly tired cast around her eyes. It was

tempting to stay exactly as she was to meet the guests....that way surely

they'd take one look and turn right around without a second thought. She

looked down again and wrinkled her nose. On the other hand, she did have

her pride...

            With an exasperated sigh she trudged up the steps to the bedroom and

began digging through her clothes, finally settling on a firey red gown

with golden trim and full sleeves. If she had worn something like that in

the village, she would have been delivered to her father for proper

punishment, surely. She smirked slightly, thinking perhaps the visiting

elves would see her dressed in such a wanton color and think better of

their visit. Humming to herself, she knelt by a trunk that had been sent

from the town, looking for one of her thin shifts that she could use as a

slip. Finding what she needed, she began to take it out, only to have her

hand bump slightly against a small glass bottle. Frowning, quite certain

that she hadn't included any such thing while she was packing, she took it

out gently, thoughtfully regarding the amber liquid inside.

            It took her a few minutes, but her memory slowly wound its way around the

object, back to a time when she was younger and her mother was starting to

educate her on the ways of men, as well as she could, at any rate. She had

explained that while a woman shouldn't be seductive and wanton, there were

things she could do that would please a husband. According to the older

woman, the scent could be worn anywhere and would never fail to ensnare a

man's senses, causing him to usually engage in what her mother called a

more grown up version of hide and seek, to find where exactly the woman

had put the scent.

            Amelia carefully popped the stopper and inhaled slowly, smiling as she

breathed in a deep, heady, spicy scent. It reminded her of baking in some

ways...and in others it was completely sexual. It was reminiscent of home

yet sent her mind adrift to foreign lands. She started to cap the bottle

back up and paused, smiling slightly. Even if Legolas was planning to set

her up, she didn't have to make it easy on him...and if he was truthful,

well, it could only have desirable consequences then, as well. The only

thing was that she wasn't sure how it would work on elves...The prince

seemed to have the same particulars as any man, yet she wasn't sure of

what he would think of such a fragrance that didn't bring up images of

cool breezes and forest streams.

            Thinking once again of how this all could be a ruse, she steeled herself

and tipped the bottle against her fingertips before gently applying it to

the pulse of her neck and wrists. She attempted to cap it again, and

paused. The whole point of the gift was to be more daring with

it...chewing her lip slightly, she listened to make sure that no one was

in the house. An absurd gesture, but it seemed to calm her to hear

nothing. She quickly stripped out of her stained dress before tipping the

bottle once again. Quietly, carefully, half afraid that she was doing

something almost unnatural, she rubbed her fingertips over each nipple,

quietly amazed when she found that the substance didn't bother the

sensitive skin at all. Taking a shaky breath and glancing around the room,

she wet her fingers with the liquid again before dotting the inside of

each thigh with the scent. She paused again before smirking slightly and

shrugging. Why shouldn't she do what she could...with her luck maybe it

would even have a repulsive effect on elves...

            Quickly, briskly, as if she was determined not to think about what she

was doing, she coated her fingers with the substance and gently glided

them over her netherlips and the jewel hidden within them before slowly

parting herself and sliding her fingertips as deep inside her as she could

get them. She waited momentarily, pleased when she found no adverse

effects on such a tender area, and then began to dress. She made quick

work of the front lacings on the dress and began to braid and wind her

hair in a knot at the back of her head when she heard the door downstairs

open.

            "Amelia? Are you at home? I've brought our guests," Legolas' voice called

from down below. She smiled slightly at the warmth that it held before

wondering if it was indeed truly heartfelt.

            "I'll be down presently, husband," she called, wondering if he noticed

any difference in her tone. As she neared the door she could pick out

other voices besides Legolas.' They were just as soft and melodical as

his, though in some ways they were quite different. Slowly, with a fair

amount of trepidation, she opened the door and descended the stairs.

**********

Part 11:

            Legolas smiled as Amelia called down to them, slightly concerned as her

voice seemed to show more of her old anxieties than it had at late.

Celeborn frowned as he noticed the Mirkwood elf's reaction. "Problems?" he

enquired, to which Legolas smiled slightly.

            "Not really...some apprehensions, is more like it," he replied carefully.

The older man smiled knowingly; he had been through times like these

before, which was one of the reasons Legolas had been so keen to send for

him as one he would share his wife with.

            "At any rate, I've heard that your bride is most amusing," Haldir

remarked from behind the other lord of Lothlorien. "Those that keep

company with your father seem to think she's a most fitting foil for you.

I can't wait to find out just how true some of these tales are," he

chuckled, smirkling slightly as Legolas sighed.

            "It's been a bit of an uphill battle, but I think we've started to reach

the other side," he murmured, frowning and following Celeborn's gaze as he

noticed that the elf lord's breath had caught in his throat.

            Despite all of his experiences in his many years, it still took

everything the prince had not to rush up to his bondmate, catch her in his

arms, and haul her back to their bedroom upon seeing her. At any rate, his

eyes widened in surprise, and he was sure other parts of him would have

reacted if he hadn't been straining to keep himself under control. The

dress was obviously a gift from his people, and if she had only worn her

hair down, it would have been hard to see that she was truly from the

village. She grinned slightly at his expression, her body seemingly

gliding down the stairs and over to the more than slightly surprised elf

lords.

            "I trust that you had a pleasant excursion and are not too exhausted,"

she chuckled slightly as she approached him, wrapping her arms round his

neck immediately as she held her chin up for a kiss. He held her tight as

his lips melded against hers briefly, and he shivered as he caught an

unfamiliar, yet extremely enticing scent from her. He must have looked

somewhat startled as she pulled away, because she searched his face

warily, as if she was looking for something that was being very well

concealed.

            "It was a most enjoyable visit," he finally was able to say. "My father

looks forward to seeing you," he added, trying to tear his mind from the

way the dress fell against her curves, or the softness of her fingertips.

At her enquiring look towards the other two elves he quickly remembered

himself. "Allow me to introduce our guests...Haldir, Guardian of Lorien,

and Celeborn, Lord of Lorien," he murmured as he gestured to each. She

replied with a charming smile, though by looking closely he could tell

that she was hiding her nervousness.

            She bowed to each in turn before speaking. "Gentlemen, it is an honor and

a pleasure to have you in our home. "Please feel free to ask if there is

anything that I may do to make you feel welcome," she added before daring

a glance up at them.

            Celeborn nodded and took up her hand. "Indeed, we will feel welcomed

here, and I do believe the pleasure and the honor is entirely ours," he

replied before pressing his lips against the back of her hand. Her face

flushed slightly, and Legolas could see Celeborn's slightly startled

expression as he drew close to her skin, the same reaction he had had when

he had embraced her.

            For his part, Haldir nodded a similar greeting to her. "Indeed, it is a

very rare type of bond that you and our friend are engaged in. It will be

interesting to see how well it fares," he remarked, and Legolas braced

himself slightly for Amelia's reply. He had forgotten that Haldir could be

a bit...brash for those who weren't used to them, but for her part, the

young woman simply raised an eyebrow.

            "I see...yes, I'm sure it would be most fascinating for you," was all

that she said before composing herself. "If you will follow me, gentlemen,

I've taken the liberty of preparing the evening meal," she said as she

headed towards the table. Legolas tried to shoot a look at the tall,

arrogant elf, but he seemed more interested in discreetly viewing Amelia's

backside. He threw a look to Celebron whose expression echoed his. This

would be an interesting evening, for sure.

            They sat round the table, feasting contentedly on the meal that Amelia

had prepared, she playing the gracious host to the fullest. Legolas smiled

slightly as he saw hints of the girl he had seen the day he and his

entourage came to the village. She was poised and had a certain type of

rustic grace about her. Even though he knew she thought herself far from

beautiful, he couldn't take his eyes off her whenever she was around. And

somehow knowing that beneath the outer charm lay a razor sharp wit and a

keen sense of humor only endeared her to him even more. If only he could

make her see such things about herself instead of the inferiorities she

kept getting caught up in.

            Things were quiet around the table, until Celebron delicately began to

ask innocent questions about her previous way of life. She slowly began to

relax and soon they were engaged in quiet conversation. Haldir took the

opportunity to nudge the prince, though his eyes were still very much

fixed at the other end of the table.

            "So I see you're eating well...is she treating you all right then?" he

murmured quietly, speaking in Elvish.

            Legolas paused, glancing up towards Amelia before answering in like

tongue. "It's been a challenge, but most rewarding as well..."

            "I don't know how you've accepted it...she seems lovely enough...but a

human?" the guardian murmured skeptically. "Surely it must be a trying

experience."

            "Not as much as you may think...there aren't many differences, though I

do wish that I could make her see the value within herself more," Legolas

admitted before taking a bite of warm, crusty bread, realizing too late

that their conversation was attracting Amelia's attention. Though she

wouldn't be able to understand what they were discussing, she was

understandably enough a bit put out being partially excluded by the

foreign tongue. Haldir seemed not to notice, and kept on chatting.

            "Yes, I suppose that would be especially cumbersome...but it surprises me

that you, of all of Mirkwood would be selected for this little

ritual...you are, after all, royalty," he trailed off.

            "We each must do our part," Legolas murmured, switching back to the basic

speech his betrothed was most familiar with. She blinked at the phrase and

he winced upon seeing her cheeks redden and her eyes spark slightly,

probably on misunderstanding what he had actually meant.

            "True, though I suppose if you weren't happy with her you could certainly

do something about it..." Haldir went on in Elvish, slowing to a halt at

Amelia's clearing of her throat.

            "Forgive me, my lord, for my interruption, but I should think that it

would be no grievance to expect you to please use a language I am familiar

with when in my company," she said cooly, directing one of her sharper

stares towards him.

            "I didn't mean to offend, child...I merely wanted to discuss some

pressing issues of concern while we enjoy the fruits of your

labor...things you needn't concern yourself with," he replied in an

attempt to brush her off. Her brown eyes narrowed slightly, causing

Celeborn to back away out of her range.

            "I see...well my apologies, but even if it is in another tongue, I can

still feel my ears burning, and would appreciate out of courtesy for me

that you would speak in a way that I can understand."

            Haldir sighed and gave her a patronizing smile, Legolas bracing himself

the entire while. "Do not worry, young lovely one....as soon as we finish

our dinner and discussion, perhaps you can amuse us with a song...and then

we can turn other attentions towards you," he replied and Legolas winced

as she slammed her spoon onto the table with a loud thump.

            "Excuse me, sir, but I was not under the impression that I was here to be

your entertainment, let alone your canary-" she growled. Haldir raised his

eyebrows, slightly surprised at such forward behaviour by a human woman,

and Celeborn gently reached out to touch her arm.

            "He didn't mean it, milady...he is just-"

            "You need not say a word, my lord," she murmured, pulling her hand

swiftly away from his. "I have come to realize that one does not have to

be a man to have the manners of a pig," she went on, rising as she glared

daggers at the elf sitting next to her husband. Legolas didn't even try to

hide a smirk at Haldir's reaction to THAT.

            "My lady-" he began, his voice losing the warmth he had originally kept.

Haldir was arrogant, of course, but he wasn't used to being challenged.

Amazingly, she walked right up to him, staring him down every step of the

way.

            "I can quite imagine what you are discussing, and I find it quite

appalling, this whole business of whatever ruse you have concocted," she

hissed, grabbing up the bowl of food in front of him. "I will not make a

cuckold out of my husband, sir, no matter how tempting the offer...I am

willing to feed and shelter you, though if you insist on making a mockery

under my own nose, then I think I will revoke my hospitatity towards you,"

she snarled, throwing open the door and tossing the contents of the bowl

out onto the grass. "If you behave like an animal in my house, you'll eat

off the ground the way they do!" she bellowed, slamming his bowl back on

the table in front of Haldir. "Now if you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I don't

think I wish to be a party to this game any longer," she muttered before

practically flying up the stairs.

            The three elves looked at each other with different variations of

surprise on their faces. "THIS is the wench you willingly chose for a

mate?" Haldir asked, his eyebrows nearly reaching the line of his hair.

            Legolas chuckled and couldn't help but grin with pride even as he headed

for the stairs. "Yes, it is, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

            "Didn't you explain the ritual to her?" Celeborn asked, frowning in

concern.

            "I did, but I'm afraid with all the time she had to think of ulterior

motives, her nerves and imagination has run away with her again," Legolas

sighed before running up to the bedroom. Moments later he was running back

down. "She's escaped out the window again," he sighed. "And it looks like

she's made it deeper into the forest, come on," he added as the other two

rose and followed him to the door.

            "Is she aware of what lies in the forest at night?" Celeborn asked,

quickening his pace as Legolas shook his head

            "Is this how your relationship always is?" Haldir asked as he grabbed his

bow and quiver of arrows, following the other two out into the night.

            "Not really...this is more how our foreplay always is," Legolas replied

with a teasing grin before the three set out in search of the young woman.

***********

Part 12:

            Amelia plunged ahead into the dark forest, cursing her lack of a light as

her surroundings got more and more pitch black around her. She had gone

the opposite way she had the last time, and after actually having

successfully made it down the tree, she had been quite confident of her

ability to make a clean escape. Not that she would go back to the

village...not now. She wasn't quite sure where she was headed, but she

just had to get away. Away from the patronizing arrogance of those two

elves....why in the world had Legolas chosen THEM as his partners in

crime, anyways? And Legolas actually consulting with one of them in Elvish

while she sat there and watched...probably fine tuning what they thought

would be a perfect plan to set him free. Well, she'd just save them the

trouble and take away the enjoyment.

            She paused as she found that nothing looked familiar. It was completely

black in this section of the forest, black except for the hundreds of

glowing eyes that seemed to gleam around her. Eyes of predators, of

prey...and the reddish bulging eyes of insects that would flicker in one

spot briefly, and then disappear to suddenly be found a good deal closer.

Shuddering, she wrapped her arms around herself and continued on her way,

slower this time. The last thing she needed was to take another fall.

            She tried to look and feel for some sort of a path, for she had heard of

such a thing in stories her people had told about Mirkwood forest, but

there was nothing. Nothing but the tree branches that tried to catch her

dress and sting her arms, the ground that would try to trip her or swallow

her up, and the heavy, maddening presence of the dark with all its eyes

and foreign noises. Deep growls, whispering winds, twitching of branches,

the pad of footsteps, the clickclacking of insect mandibles and legs...she

heard every one keenly and it only served to make her the more anxious to

be away.

            She paused again to try to get a grip on where she was in the scheme of

things, though finding that was quite impossible. Sighing, she leaned up

against a tree to try and collect her wits and sort what she could out,

though she had no idea how long she had been running and in what direction

she had actually headed. She must have been daydreaming or in deep

concentration, because it took her a few minutes to realize that some sort

of thick, sticky string was being draped over her legs.

            Starting slightly at the strange, foreign texture, she looked down to see

that more of the rope was being lassoed round her ankles. Without

thinking, she grabbed the long end of the stuff and gave a hard yank,

shrieking as a enormous brown spider came flying over her head and landed

with a flabby thump on the forest floor. It nearly came up to her knees

and its hairy legs twitched angrily at being caught at its attempt at a

meal. Amelia felt her heart thud through her chest as she tried to wipe

the substance off on the skirt of her dress, only to find that it nearly

tangled her hands together. She gasped and sidestepped quickly as the

thing lunged at her again, its mandibles clacking eagerly, attempting to

get at a piece of flesh to inject its sedative poison. It landed on the

tree she had been resting on, and regarded her with its strange ruby eyes.

            "The more you move, the more woven in my web you will become, little

fly," it hissed in a scratchy whisper of a voice. Her eyes widened at

finding it a thinking, talking being, and she gave another scream as it

suddenly swiped a leg at her ankle, knocking her off balance. Amelia

grunted as she hit the ground hard, immediately thrusting up her foot and

pushing the thing away a few inches as it began to advance on her. Relying

on impulse, she rolled and her hand brushed against a large fallen branch

that had long since been left to rot. Jumping to her feet, she hefted the

thing like a club as the spider slowly began to circle his prey.

            "I can promise you a beeootiful sleep if you give up now...you won't feel

a thing..." it purred, and she shuddered, the voice like the scraping of

bones to her ears.

            "Never," she growled, and bracing herself as the spider launched itself

at her again, she swung with all of her force. Her shoulders and arms

seemed to rattle in their sockets as beast collided with her makeshift

weapon. She heard it hit the ground a few feet away, and determined not to

let any advantage go to waste, followed the eyes to where the insect lay.

Raising the branch above her head, she struck hard, repeating blows at the

thing until its legs slowly sunk to the ground in defeat. Hesitantly she

reached out the club and poked at the body warily, her whole body relaxing

when it didn't move. Still hefting the branch, she turned to try to

compose herself and find a way from the horrid spot. She whirled at an

angry hissing behind her, and screamed in terror as the injured spider

used its last bit of strength to hurl itself directly at her head. Her

arms went up to block her face, but at the last possible minute the air

hummed and as the insect was inches from her head, tensed and suddenly

fell to the ground, an arrow embedded deeply in its flesh.

            Amelia looked up, astonished, to see Haldir standing over the dead

assailant, another arrow trained on it carefully. His eyes alone could

have withered the beast, she was sure, the way he was glaring hatefully at

it. Slowly the cerulean orbs raised to regard her, their expression

softening slightly, and much to her chagrin she felt her knees go slightly

weak.

            "Are you all right?" he murmured, kicking the corpse lightly with his

boot, lowering his bow when it still didn't move.

            "Yes...thank you," she murmured, stepping back away from the spider,

unwilling to get close to it again. He nodded briefly as he put his bow

and arrow away, before looking up at her, his blue eyes narrowing

accusingly.

            "So are you trying to act childish or is this just a passing talent?" he

muttered, and her gratitude immediately caught flame in her raging temper.

            "I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of using me," she hissed

back, bristling as he rolled his eyes.

            "How typically human...you come to abrupt conclusions and act

irrationally...but it's apalling behaviour nevertheless, even for a human

at your age," he added, and giving inter her burning anger she hefted the

branch which he had passed off as a walking stick, and swiftly delivered a

clean blow to the side of Haldir's head. Caught by total surprise, the elf

was knocked clean off his feet, and she smirked as he hit the ground with

a dull thud. Before he could even catch his breath, she made a quarter

turn and headed off in a new direction of the forest, not daring to go

further on the course she had been heading on.

            Fed by her anger and pride, Amelia strode on at a fast walk that turned

into something of a jog, ignoring Haldir's bellows for her to stop at

once. When she was confident that she had put a good enough distance

between her and the elf, she slowed again, smirking when she suddenly came

to a path. She could barely make it out in the darkness, but it was

obvious that the trees had been cleared away in a direct path through the

forest. Chuckling in her throat, she headed down it, though she hadn't

come very far when she suddenly came to a black, fast-running river. It

was almost as dark as the night and she wondered if there was enough of a

current to warrant her not crossing it. It wasn't terribly wide, but there

didn't seem to be a bridge or stepping stones or any way to go but to wade

directly through it.

            She still hadn't made up her mind when the trees to her right parted

abruptly and Haldir came striding towards her, his expression making it

quite known that he was not in the best of moods. Squaring her shoulders,

she promptly ignored his calls to turn around at once and not go into the

river. She took up her skirt all the way to her waist and walked right

into the water which was colder than any stream she had ever felt. The

cold seemed to run through her entire body at once, and she had only gone

a few steps into the river when the cold was replaced by a fuzzy warmth

that quickly began to fog her mind. An incredible sleepiness filled her,

and her legs became so heavy that she couldn't lift them at all. Almost as

if she were caught in a swoon, she wobbled on her feet, and was vaguely

aware of being caught abruptly in Haldir's arms before sleep claimed her

completely.

******

Part 13:

            She was having the most wonderful dream...it was as if she was looking at

a living scene from one of the stories the old village widows used to tell

about the faerie folk. Bright red flames crackled on torches, forming a

circle. Within this ring, scores of elves sat at tables and on the grass,

feasting on the most fine of foods, talking and laughing, and dancing

merrily. Wine was liberally poured and she saw a few couples here and

there in the outer edges of the ring pressing against each other, mouths

engaged in soft, playful kisses as bodies wound round each other and limbs

were entangled. It was the decent thing to look away, but somehow Amelia

couldn't seem to avert her eyes, or find the desire to.

            Everyone was clothed in elvish finery, and on a regal thrown sat the

king, Legolas' father, she dimly realized. He was elegance and handsome

stateliness combined, and he wore a crown of leaves trimmed in gold. Heady

music was playing and the scent of the food and drink was almost more than

she could bear. It was so wonderful, it almost made her never want to

wake, and yet, with each passing moment the scene seemed to grow less

clear, the noise less distinct, until it was as if she was viewing it

through a very thick fog. She tried to chase after the group, but she

couldn't move fast enough to keep up with the fading ring.

            As her mind began to slowly right itself, she became aware of other

sounds, other voices, familiar voices.

            "I cannot believe she actually struck me!!!" came the smooth voice of

Haldir, though he was still quite ruffled.

            "You deserved it," Celeborn's amused voice replied, laughing at Haldir's

sputtering reaction. "You can be a bit blunt, and you are not used to

coming across one as ready to pounce as yourself...Besides, Legolas did

tell us that this could be a challenge...that was what I think talked you

into it, was it not?" There was a brief silence before her husband's voice

joined in with the other elf lord's laughter.

            "She always assumes the worst about herself...I wish there was a sure way

to make her realize that I am true in my love for her, a way for her to

forget about those horrible people from the village...they've almost

ruined her...if she had stayed there, I would hate to imagine what could

have happened..."

            "It's a fate many human women endure...and their mates would say that

there are worse things than being wrongly or unappreciated," Celebron

replied softly. There was another brief pause before Legolas spoke again.

            "They beat her...she doesn't think that I noticed the marks on her back,

but I know it to be true...when she ran away from the fear they induced,

they robbed their trees of their branches and struck her with them...she

still has the scars," he whispered, and she was vaguely surprised at how

heavy his voice sounded when he said this, as if this small thing somehow

broke his heart.

            "Humans have many strange customs..." Haldir replied, his anger slowly

subsiding. "You know that you will never fully convert her...there will

always be some of the village in her, always be that fear in her to some

extent," he pointed out.

            "That doesn't mean I give up, or love her any less," Legolas said firmly.

            "It is a good match," Celeborn murmured. "And you were right to call upon

us for this ritual...your father is very pleased, though he is somewhat

more amused by her antics thus far...you suit each other, you belong

together..."

            "If only I could make her see that," her mate whispered softly.

            "Her love for you is very strong," the Lorien lord murmured thoughtfully.

"But her fear of being left alone and neglected, of being shamed and

ridiculed, is nearly just as strong."

            As the conversation was going on, she slowly began to grow more aware,

the dream fading to the back of her mind where it would stay until needed

in the wistful moments of daydreams during hard times. It slowly all came

back to her...how she had run out, the dark of the forest, the spider, the

fight with Haldir, the river...She groaned softly as she stretched feebly,

telling herself that she would never try to cross another river so deep

within elf territory on her own ever again.

            Warm fingers brushed her cheek gently, and she knew by their feel that

they had to belong to her husband. She leaned into his touch, and her eyes

slowly flickered open, her spirit drawn to wakefullness by his loving,

insistant touches. She blinked a few times as her eyes wandered, trying to

put a name to this strange new place. She knew it couldn't be too close to

the house or she would have seen it by now...but it didn't match the gloom

of the forest she had been immersed in earlier at all.

            It seemed that she was in a secluded bower in some unknown part of the

forest, or unknown to her, at any rate. The trees surrounded the small

clearing, their branches stretching gracefully over their heads, the

leaves forming a quiet, lovely roof just as the trunks of the trees formed

suitable walls. The grass was soft, softer than any grass that she had

rolled in or gardened in in the village. She slowly sat up with Legolas'

help, and craning her head, spied a small pool filled with crystal clear

water that seemed to come from a small bubbling stream. The rippling water

provided a lovely natural rhythm, accented by soft owl cries and the

musical chirp of crickets. And flowers were everywhere...somehow, though

it was still night, scores of blooms in soft blues, lavendars, whites, and

pinks were growing everywhere she looked. Soft green moss covered the few

large rocks that lay along the edges of the secluded area, and though it

was the deep of night, the whole place shone with the soft glow of

moonlight filtered through the leaves.

            "It...it's beautiful," she whispered, looking around continuously with

wide eyes before regarding her smiling husband. "Where are we?"

            He chuckled softly before leaning in to press a soft kiss to her

forehead. "Mirkwood holds many secrets...some terrifying, some quite

lovely," he replied, taking her hand slowly. He squeezed her palm gently

as he took a slow breath before looking straight into her eyes that still

hadn't been cleared of the murky troubles that clouded them.

            "Listen to me," he whispered earnestly, his fingertips rubbing softly

over hers. "Listen to what I say, and don't try to tangle things

around...just believe that what I'm going to tell you is the absolute

truth," he added, catching her chin in his fingers when she tried to turn

her head, slowly bringing her gaze back to his patient blue eyes. "Yes,

when I was chosen to make this bond, I went to the village out of duty to

my people...but all of that changed when I saw you, 'Melia...everything

changed when I saw you...I knew you weren't the type of woman that the

village officials would try to give to me...but it was you that I wanted.

You...you were kind even though you had no idea why we were there...you

didn't gape or ignore us, you talked to us, laughed with us...and I saw

the fire dancing in your eyes. Fire that they would try to put out, and I

just couldn't let them.

            . I may have been acting selfishly, but I knew then that it had to be

you...and every time you tried to run away, outsmarted the other villagers

and even my escort just by being who you are...that made me love you even

more. I know you have so many fears and inhibitions...you'll find no need

for them here...it's you that I've fallen in love with, you that I want to

bind my soul, my body, my life with not just for however long you are with

me, but forever...I would never, ever make an adultress out of you, and I

will never send you back to the village...that would be like sentencing

you to death, and I would never do that. Time and again you've proven

yourself worthy, more than worthy to be with me...you're a good

woman...pure and strong, humorous and loving...This custom isn't to cheat

you out of a life you deserve...it's for me to prove the extent of my

love, and to show you how sweet, how pleasurable life can be," he added,

quieting at the tears that looked ready to fall from her eyes.

            She nodded slowly, then lifted a hand to gently brush his cheek with her

fingers. "I know...I've always known in some quiet way...I'm just so

afraid that I'll be made to go back," she admitted.

            "You belong here now," he replied, pulling her close enough so he could

kiss away her tears.

            "I don't want to be alone," she added, shivering at his reverence.

            "Never...never again," he assured her, his hands skimming through her

hair as she wound an arm around his neck.

            "I want to be yours, only yours," she whispered as the tears skimmed over

her cheeks, her lips pressing quickly over his jaw to his ear.

            "And you are, just as I belong only to you," he assured her, clutching

her tightly to his chest as she buried her face in his neck, sobbing

quietly. He held her for a time, each being aware only of the other until

she finally pulled away.

            "I've been such a fool," she sighed, wiping distractedly at her eyes.

            Legolas smiled and shook his head. "You've been only what you

are...human...and it's all part of why I love you...I wouldn't want you

any other way. You keep things interesting," he added, his eyes sparkling

teasingly and she laughed softly.

            "I'll agree to that," another voice muttered behind them, and Amelia

turned in her beloved's arms to view Haldir sitting on a rock a few yards

away, rubbing at his head occassionally, his expression wandering from

amused to mildly irritated. Celeborn, who sat next to the guardian, leaned

back his head and laughed.

            "Come now, surely a blow from a woman is not enough to take you out of

commission," he taunted, his laughter growing louder at the other elf's

indignant expression.

            "You wouldn't be laughing if it had been you at the end of her club...no

wonder the spider only needed one arrow to die," he grudgingly admitted.

Amelia felt her cheeks heat slightly as she looked over to him guiltily.

Haldir smirked and shrugged.

            "I suppose I deserved it, after all...I did not realize Legolas had a

partner as strong and sharp-willed as she is beautiful," he added, the

corners of his mouth tugging upwards as her cheeks reddened even more.

            "I-"

            "Don't deny it, because you are...I may be arrogant at times, but I'm far

from blind," he remarked, chuckling slightly at her flustered reaction.

"Now, if I am not mistaken, we were invited to Mirkwood for a specific

custom," he added, glancing to Legolas.

            The Mirkwood prince nodded and turned Amelia to face him. "Only if you

still want to," he reminded her quietly. She smiled slightly, her fingers

reaching up to wind in his soft hair. She did her best to calm the harsh

beating of her heart, and relaxed when she looked right into his eyes.

            "Yes," she murmured softly before gently pressing her lips to her

beloved's.

********

Part 14:

            She sighed softly as her lips melted against her husband's, silk on silk,

velvet on velvet. She belonged here, with him; she was sure of that now.

Her arms slowly wound round his neck as his hands fell to her waist, his

mouth slanting over hers as his tongue stealthily pressed into her mouth.

She shivered with delight as she leaned closer against his chest, then

started slightly at the feel of another hand on her back.

            "Fear not, lovely one," Celeborn whispered into her ear. "I'm only trying

to relax you," he purred, his hands slowly carressing up and down the

length of her back, fingertips drumming over her spine. Slowly those

skillful hands began to massage the knots out of her shoulders and neck,

and she almost purrred as she felt Legolas' hands slowly stray to the

lacing at the front of her dress. His lips slowly travelled to her jaw and

to her neck, where he shuddered with a soft groan as his mouth nestled

against her pulse.

            "What is this...this enchanting scent that you wear? I was ready to have

you as soon as I came home because of it," he growled and she gasped as

his teeth softly scraped over her smooth skin before his kisses became

more frantic.

            "A gift, from my m-mother," she whimpered as Celeborn gently drew his

face to the other side of her neck, purring deep in his throat as he

inhaled the spicy smell deeply. "A woman can wear it anywhere and it..."

she paused, shuddering as both elves discovered the sensitive spots right

under her ears, circling at each with a skillfull tongue. "It...can be

worn anywhere, and is said to ensare a man's senses instantly," she

finished feebly, nearly melting between them.

            "From what I see, it works even better on elves," Haldir laughed from his

place to their side. Before she could move to even turn to reply to him,

Celeborn's arms were wrapped around her, helping her husband quickly

remove the lace on her front, parting the two sides of the lacing easily,

exposing her breasts covered in the thin white silk of her shift. A

whimper was torn from her as those skilled fingers slowly cupped her

breasts, offering them up to Legolas, who leaned down eagerly to kiss them

through the thin cloth. He nuzzled them lovingly, breathing deep before

his eyes opened suddenly in recognition. She felt her cheeks heat as his

eyes darkened slowly.

            "You wear it here, too?" he whispered, his voice slightly strangled.

Celeborn's fingers had long grown tired of just holding her breasts, and

were now slowly circling her nipples, tugging at the hardening peaks

gently, making it impossible to speak. She nodded quickly before her head

fell back against the shoulder of the elf lord behind her. She was barely

aware of him standing, slowly pulling her off Legolas' lap to stand

between them. Legolas looked up and shivered at her wanton expression,

trying not to let his hand dive into his trousers as Celeborn slowly

pulled the sleeves from her arms and let the dress pool on the grass at

her feet. She looked magnificent in nothing but the shift with the

moonlight nearly making her glow.

            "I wonder where else you wear this wonderous fragrance," he purred as he

looked up at her adoringly, his admiration increasing as the Lord of

Lorien slowly released her hair from the coils they had pinned up in. It

fell around her face in waves, and Legolas could not stand to not be

touching her for a minute longer. Standing, he took a step towards her,

caging her in between he and the other elf once more. His eyes intently

watched hers as his fingertips traced the neckline of the slip before they

lowered to drink in her form.

            "You'll have to look to find out," she breathed, trembling at how

delicate his fingers were on her. Celeborn laughed softly behind her, and

suddenly his mouth was against her ear, whispering hotly.

            "It is not wise, my lady, to tease us so...you run the risk of being

devoured..." he purred, his hands gently stroking over her hips. Her eyes

closed from overload and she moaned softly. Her husband's fingers were on

her shoulders now, slowly pulling the shift down her body until it too,

was at her feet. She felt her cheeks redden, and she tried to look away,

but when she turned her head her eyes were immediately captured by

Celeborn's quiet, entranced stare.

            "Do not be troubled....you are so beautiful precious one...never doubt

that," he whispered seriously, his fingertips brushing lightly over her

lower lip before his mouth gently met hers. His kiss was so much different

than Legolas,' but most pleasant, just the same. He nibbled at her lips

gently before his tongue met hers, and his rhythm lulled her into a

comfortable, dream-like feeling.

            She gasped against his mouth softly as she was suddenly scooped up

against him, and his mouth never left hers as he carried her to a

sprawling bed of delicate flower blossoms. Amelia was gently deposited

among the blooms, and she immediately looked over to Legolas, who had

taken the opportunity to remove his shirt. The moonlight made him seem

like a living sculpture, something out of a far-off dream. But he was

real, and he was hers, and she his.

            He came to her side instantly, his mouth meeting hers in a deep kiss as

her hands worked to free him of his pants. She heard a quiet rustling a

few yards away, and raised her head to take a look. Her mouth gaped open

slightly and it seemed her whole body tightened when she saw Haldir and

Celeborn slowly divesting each other of their clothes, exchanging teasing,

affectionate kisses as they did so. She quickly looked to Legolas, who

smiled softly, his hand gently stroking her long hair. In his eyes she

could see that it was all right, and she had to admit that it was a most

engaging scene that was playing out before her very eyes. She was so

deeply intent on watching them, that it barely registered when they

parted, Haldir slowly stalking towards her, his entire body gleaming in

the dim moonlight. Before she could think about moving away, he was there

at her side, his hand cupping the back of her head, his mouth claiming

hers in a searing kiss that made her arms and legs tense and shudder. When

they finally parted for air, she looked up at him, slightly startled and

very much aroused. Chuckling softly, he leaned in again, nipping her lower

lip teasingly before his mouth slid to her throat, sucking and licking

down it leisurely. Hands deftly pushed her hair up and away, and another

mouth pressed soft, delicate kisses along the nape of her neck, slowly

moving to suck along her shoulder.

            "You are going to feel the peaks of pleasure tonight," Celeborn growled

in her ear before his mouth slid down her spine, causing her to push up

against Haldir's warm, strong frame. Soft hands began slowly caressing her

legs in familiar touches, and she looked up to see Legolas there, smiling

warmly at her, though it was very easy to tell that he was very aroused by

the scene. She squeaked when Haldir leaned down and took her nipple

between his teeth, tugging it playfully, causing her to turn her shocked

gaze back to him. His fierce blue eyes sparkled wickedly at her, and her

mouth slid open as his tongue slowly reached out and began to circle her

nipple, occassionally flicking the tip before he began to suck almost

desperately on it. She groaned, pressing herself into his mouth, gasping

as Celeborn's hand wound round her, taking up her other breast and

kneading it with his dexterous fingertips.

            She was dimly aware of Legolas' hands gliding up towards her thighs, then

slowly retreating, making her whine in the back of her throat with

frustration.

            "You'll be satisfied more than enough tonight, little one," Haldir purred

around her breast, the vibrations of his voice shooting to her center

almost immediately. She thought she would jump through her skin when his

hand slowly ran down her stomach, his deft fingers working between her

thighs to her sex, which he stroked in a slow, agonizing rhythm. She

writhed between him and the other elf from Lorien, gasping as Celeborn

reached down and began to rub her rear, squeezing it affectionately. She

felt herself growing very warm, a slow spiral from her very core unwinding

and tightening and she was sure she would fall apart, when suddenly they

pulled away, grinning mischeviously at her. She couldn't bring herself to

talk, but the flash in her eyes promised certain death if they didn't

continue.

            "Are you pleased thus far, milady?" Celeborn purred and she looked at him

as if it was the dumbest question he had ever asked.

            "I would think that that would be obvious, my lord," she growled, causing

him to laugh warmly.

            "To our people, when done in love, like it is here, pleasure is never

wrong," Legolas explained, his hands smoothing up and down her ankles and

calves teasingly. "It is a hard concept for some to grasp, but it seems

you are taking to it quite well," he observed, winking slyly.

            "True...but I may need some further instruction," she muttered, pouting

slightly.

            "Of course you do," Haldir purred, moving over to a slight incline,

resting his back against it as he motioned for her to follow him. She

crawled over to where he waited, and immediately was taken into his arms

with another mind-numbing kiss. She was slowly turned around so that her

back was against his chest, and she shivered when she realized that she

could feel his erection pressing against the small of her back. He spread

his legs out, and gently draped one of her legs over each of his as he

took her wrists and guided her arms up and back to encircle his neck. "Now

all you have to do is lay here...relax....and enjoy," he breathed into her

ear, and she quickly pressed her ear to her shoulder, overwhelmed by the

feel of his breath. He just chuckled, and turned her head so he could kiss

her again.

            Amelia was suddenly startled by soft, wet heat on her breasts, and her

eyes widened impossibly as she looked down to see Celeborn and Legolas

each mouthing a breast, driven on as they breathed in the heady scent of

her perfume. She gasped and pushed up against them, whimpering as Legolas

slowly moved his mouth lower, his tongue tracing gently over each of her

ribs as the other contentedly suckled at her nipple. Haldir's tongue

pressed deep into her mouth and she felt herself reach some new level of

pleasure as his fingers reached around to cup and tease her other breast.

Legolas slowly kept moving south, his fingertips tickling over her inner

thighs, making her legs spasm, but not leave their perch on Haldir's legs.

His hair brushed enticingly over her sex when he caught the spicy smell on

her navel, his tongue flicking out to press into the indentation, his eyes

sparkling wickedly up at hers when Haldir released her mouth to suck up

and down her neck. She squirmed when her husband's mouth pressed against

her thighs, his tongue circling slowly, slowly over the skin there, though

it was clear that his control was quickly diminishing.

            She frowned though, as he lay between her open legs, shivering as he

looked intently into her most private place. Amelia felt herself grow

instantly bashful and tried to close her legs, but Haldir's hands were on

them immediately, holding them against his. "No, young one...he merely

wants to look at you...at your essence, your flower..." she gasped,

bucking slightly as Legolas slid a single fingertip over her pouting lower

lips, gently dipping it into her sex and shuddering as he found the scent

there, as well. "He wants to worship you fully...you need not be afraid,"

the guardian continued softly. "He will make you feel so nice...nicer than

you have ever felt before," he purred, and breath left her as Legolas

slowly raised his desire-filled eyes up to hers. She trembled as he licked

his lips, his breath dancing over her sex as he slowly moved

closer...closer...

            When his velvet tongue gently brushed over her netherlips, she thought

she'd die. Her body spasmed slightly, and he chuckled before his tongue

gently pressed itself deeper, searching out every crevice and line between

her legs. "'Melia," he groaned, pushing himself closer against her as her

hips circled against his face. "So sweet...so very sweet," he groaned, his

tongue circling her jewel when it found it, causing her to nearly vault

out of Haldir's embrace. Legolas chuckled, then grasping her hips, slowly

sealed his mouth over her sex, his tongue sliding into her slowly, as if

he was kissing her lips. She squealed, hips tilting up towards him in

offering as he slowly, passionately, deeply made love to her with his

mouth.

            "Legolas...Leeegolaaaas," she groaned, her head falling back on Haldir's

shoulder, her eyes clenching tightly as his lips found her hidded bud and

sucked on it as his tongue curled and twined within her. Heat began to

radiate from deep within her, and she screamed as her body tensed under

the hands and mouths, as invisible flames seem to ensnare her and toss her

within some kind of maelstrom. Still Legolas kept his mouth on her, not

letting up even when she mewled desperately when her body seemed to

explode all at once.

            When she could finally breathe peacefully, she opened her eyes and smiled

drowsily at her beloved. "Legolas...I..." she purred, stretching lazily,

causing him to laugh.

            "Did you enjoy it?" he murmured, his mouth sucking her earlobe softly. "I

couldn't stop...you're addicting, my love."

            "Oh yes...I...I've never.." she trailed off, and her husband smiled

lovingly at her, his fingers tracing her cheek.

            "There is more to learn...but you need to rest now...." he told her.

            "But what about you?" she asked, trying to sit up, but her body wouldn't

obey. It was as if the life had been sucked out of her. Legolas smiled and

fingered her hair.

            "I can wait...sleep now my beautiful 'Melia," he whispered, his lips

pressing against her forehead as she wrapped her body around him, easily

falling into sleep's embrace.

***************

Part 15:

            Amelia purred softly at the flutter of fingertips over her back, and

wriggled against the hard body under her. Her husband’s stifled moan was

soft and breathy, as if he did not want to wake her just yet. A smile

tugged across her lips as she opened her eyes to look at his face in quiet

wonder. He was studying her, she realized, his blue eyes taking in every

detail of her naked body, yet those eyes seemed to go deeper, into her

very spirit.

            “What are you thinking of?” she murmured, leaning her face down lazily to

press a kiss into his chest. He shivered, and his hand carded through her

mussed hair softly.

            “Of how perfect this is...of how perfect you are, even if you won’t admit

it,” he added hastily, smirking as he ruined any attempt of an argument

from her. “I don’t want it to end...” he trailed off, his eyes clouding.

            “But one day it will,” she realized softly, her fingertips idly circling

one of his nipples. Legolas tried his best to ignore it, but she could

feel him grow hard underneath her hips.

            “Yes...that will be a great day of sadness for me,” he admitted quietly

before his head bent to kiss her deeply, lingeringly.

            “What will you do when it ends?” she murmured against his mouth and he

sighed, and she could taste his breath on her lips. “Will...will you take

another?” she finally asked, pulling away to look up into his eyes. He

slowly shook his head.

            “I cannot...not when my heart is bound to you,” he whispered, and she

could feel her heart melt as his fingers, rough from all their use of the

bow and sword, gently brushed over her round human cheek. “I will go west,

to the Undying Lands...or I will stay where you will lay and wait for the

end to come.”

            “You will go West, then...I cannot have you rotting away to nothing

because of your love...love should blossom and be remembered fondly, not

be a burden,” she murmured quietly, reaching her lips up to kiss his chin.

“Go West to the Undying Lands, and remember me...”

            “Always,” he promised, rolling suddenly over her, his mouth slanting

deeply along hers. She whimpered as his tongue sought out the tender

places of her mouth, his hands gently cradling her head against his face.

“But now is not the time for such heavy discussion...it is a happy time, a

time of celebration,” he purred, his eyes glinting wickedly down at her.

            “Aye...for a new couple you two talk more than anyone I’ve ever seen,” a

low, bemused voice commented from a small distance from them. The two

lovers looked up, and Amelia’s insides twitched as she spied Celeborn

reclined in the shallow pool, water dripping in teasing rivulets down his

marble skin when he suddenly stood. She could feel her cheeks flush in

appreciation and scowled at his knowing smile.

            “Yes, most new lovers would be rolling about in a lather upon

waking...especially when one is the notoriously over-passionate Prince of

Mirkwood,” Haldir added, rising from the rock in the pool that he had been

laying on to wade over to the Lord of Lorien. She glanced at Legolas with

a raised eyebrow, and he blushed slightly.

            “Youthful experiences all left behind me, I can assure you,” he murmured,

casting a glare at the other two elves.

            Haldir tsked. “If that is the case, that you seek to leave passion behind

you, then I’d consider annulling that bond as quickly as possible,” the

warden whispered loudly to Amelia with a sly wink.

            “And who would take care of my wantonness then? You?” she scoffed

playfully as Legolas rolled off of her. Smirking, she rose and waded out

to meet the other two.

            “I would if I thought for certain that you could handle me,” Haldir said

simply, scowling when she burst into laughter.

            “By the looks of that knot on your head I’d say she can handle you

splendidly,” Celeborn laughed, reaching an arm around the other to tug at

his long hair gently. “The real question is if you could handle her.” At

this Haldir’s grin was downright evil.

            “That is why we would have to live with my brothers...at least to

outnumber her and give me a fair advantage. Besides, she couldn’t fight if

she was bound to the bed,” he growled, casting a sultry gaze at her, and

she felt her entire body go red. If she could have thought straight she

would have come back with a caustic reply, but instead she did the only

thing she could think of: she reached down and hit the water with the full

force of her arm, causing a wave that effectively drenched the arrogant

elf, and unfortunately the one behind him, as well. Legolas burst into

fits of laughter from his viewpoint.

            “Did I not tell you? She couldn’t do those things if she was tied up,”

Haldir growled, sputtering water and wiping his long hair from his eyes in

disdain before lunging after Amelia. She shrieked and turned to run,

tripping over her own feet and landing with a gigantic splash of her own

face-first in the pond. She came up cursing, trying to see through the

mane of her hair that was tangled over her eyes. “See? A nice bath ties

her tongue and cools her off,” the warden added, coming after her again,

and she could only manage to crawl away from him.

            “Enough of your flirting, Haldir...you’ll frighten the poor girl and we

haven’t even gotten to her next lesson yet,” Celeborn chided, his smile

full of humor as he scooped her up in his arms and took her to where

Legolas lay.

            “And why didn’t you defend my honor?” she hissed at him as she was set on

the ground, her lip pouting out.

            “When you cease to enjoy it, then I’ll defend you,” Legolas replied

easily, leaning over to capture that tempting lip between his own. She

ceased in her purring only to yank hard on his hair in response to his

comments.

            “Careful, he tends to like things like that once in a while,” Haldir

snickered as he lay beside them, smiling as Celeborn soon joined their

gathering.

            She looked from Haldir to her prince skeptically. “Well...I will do what

I can to make him happy,” she admitted, suddenly nearly regretting that

sentence at the near-predatory looks it gained her.

            “Then it is indeed time for the next lesson...you have learned to feel

exquisite pleasure, lovely one...now wouldn’t you like to give those

feelings to your husband?” Celeborn asked, reaching over Haldir to finger

her hair softly. Her nod was immediate as she licked her lips, looking

down eagerly at the lovely form of the elf she was bound to. He groaned

softly at the gleam in her eye, and she delighted in his repressed

shudder.

            “More than anything...” she breathed.

            “Then start with the ears,” the lord instructed, smiling at her confused

frown.

            “Ears?” she repeated doubtfully.

            “You’d be surprised what areas bring one pleasure...especially to elves,”

he explained, smiling slightly. “Though the same can prove true to humans

if done right...” he added, nodding to Haldir. Before she could breathe a

word his hot breath was over the shell of her ear, and her eyes flickered

closed at the soft, erotic words he breathed, even though she could not

understand them. Slowly, the tip of his tongue flicked over the tip of her

ear and down, followed by his fingers on her neck. She leaned in to him as

his skilled lips reached her earlobe and he began to nibble and suckle

softly before slowly pulling away. The sensations left her wanton and

eager for more treatment, but if that was that pleasing to her...

            She looked over at Legolas and smiled slyly, her fingers gingerly

smoothing over his forehead and down his nose, and she smiled as they

pressed against his lips, pausing to let him kiss softly at her fingerpads

before moving over his jaw and up his neck. Slowly, she traced her index

finger over the shell of his ear, her eyes reflecting her pleasure and awe

as his eyes shut hard, and his body shuddered suddenly. Her smile grew,

and she repeated the motion lazily as her mouth grew closer to his body.

“Dear, dear husband,” she purred, her lips brushing his ear as she spoke.

“Legolas, you are very fine to me...I love you more than words can

say...let me show you,” she purred before her lips softly pressed tender

kisses to the very tip of his ear. He gasped, spasming slightly, his hands

clenching in and out of fists at his sides. She chuckled and began to

bathe the shell of the pointed ridge with her tongue, dragging it along

his ear as Haldir had done to her, before pausing to nip at the lobe.

“Melia, a'maelamin!!! By the Valar, you have to stop or you’ll undo me!”

he gasped, pushing her away quickly, his body still shivering violently.

            “She learns well,” Celeborn commented, his eyes having gone dark at

watching the display.

            “What else will please you?” she whispered to the blond beside her, her

hand softly stroking the side of Legolas’ neck. “What more can I do?”

            “Many things that you found pleasing will be nice for him, as well,”

Haldir explained, his hand gliding idly down her back as he watched her

plot her course of action. Amelia slowly rubbed her lips over Legolas,’

nipping at his mouth before plunging her tongue deep inside of his mouth.

It was odd for her to be the one in control, but he was there to rescue

her, showing her what he liked, guiding her in a pleasing rhythm. His

mouth was so warm to her, and it was filled with secret places that she

could rub with her tongue that would make him gasp or press up into her.

And his taste...he tasted of the wild, of the forest, and of her.

            She slowly tore away from his lips to nibble over his chin, suddenly

realizing how pleasing it was to have a man without stubble or facial

hair. He was smooth, gentle, and strangely beautiful in a way that no

village man could ever match. And his skin was so soft against hers...

            Legolas moaned, his head leaning back as her soft tongue flicked over the

underside of his chin, and she gently sucked at the bend in his neck, her

fingertips slowly gaining curiosity and starting their own exploration of

his chest. He was an angel, a god...her god of mercy...and she would

please him. Amelia chewed her lip as she traced the lines of his chest

with a fingertip, slowly giving that up to use her tongue. He moaned and

tangled his fingers in her hair, and she was silently urged on by Haldir’s

large and encouraging hand working over her back. A soft swell of pride

went through her as Legolas jumped when she licked at his nipples, sucking

them gently as he had done her until they became impossibly hard pebbles

under his skin. Her long fingers smoothed over his stomach, and her eyes

glinted with mischief as she dipped her tongue into the indentation of his

navel, marvelling at how that seemed to get such a response from him.

            “Melia...oh, I cannot stand it,” he groaned as her hands rubbed over his

thighs, tickling over the soft, golden mass of curls between his legs. She

licked her lips and contemplated this new area, her expression soon

darkening.

            “I...what do I do?” she asked finally, her voice trembling as she

realized that she had no clue how to continue.

            “Shhh...it’s alright child...we’ll teach you,” Celeborn cooed, coming to

her rescue while pushing Haldir on his back beside the other two lovers.

“Take him in your hands gently, for he will be very, very sensitive...” he

advised, and she nodded as she slowly curled a hand around Legolas’ shaft,

marvelling at the feel of hot, velvety steel that pulsed from it.

“Good...you can use your other hand to cup underneath him, like this, if

you wish,” the elf lord went on, and she glanced to where his free hand

had reached under Haldir’s organ to fondle his testicles. She timidly

duplicated the gesture on Legolas, hoping she would not cause him pain. He

hissed softly as she involuntarily squeezed and she quickly took her hands

away.

            “No, little one...that is alright..he will tell you if it hurts him,”

Celeborn chuckled, smiling in understanding. “But he will also let you

know, loudly in fact, if you bring him pleasure...” he added, nodding to

the prone warden as his hand slowly slicked up and down his engorged

shaft. Haldir gasped loudly, groaning as his eyes clenched shut and he

muttered Elvish curses from between his lips. She smiled in sudden

comprehension, and her hand mimicked the elf lord’s pumping on her

husband, her cheeks flushing as he began to moan softly, and his staff

began to harden even more in her hands.

            “Touch underneath him...he will love that,” Celeborn purred, dragging his

finger up along the vein on the underside of Haldir’s cock, chuckling as

he bucked against his hand. “Isn’t that right, my lovely one?” he growled,

leaning down to capture the march warden’s mouth in a brutal kiss. Her

mouth dropped open slightly, and she almost stopped her ministrations on

Legolas as she watched the two. She had never in her life seen two men in

such a relationship together, though it was rumors that soldiers sometimes

took their pleasure with each other when away from home. But it was a

beautiful, painfully arousing sight, and she found herself wanting to see

more of it. But not until she had reached her goal...

            Glancing down ferally at her beloved, she ran her fingertips over his

underside, and began exploring on her own, softly rubbing around the head

with her thumb, sometimes gently brushing it over the slit at his tip. The

long organ jerked slightly in her hand, and he groaned loudly, his hips

fighting to pump up against her. She gasped as a small drop of liquidy dew

appeared on his tip and her insides twisted when she realized that she had

done something wrong...

            “My lord...my lord help,” she gasped, her control quickly dissolving as

the utter sense of helplessness began to take over again. Celeborn quickly

peeled himself off his lover and leaned over her, smiling slightly at her

predicament.

            “It’s all right, lirimaer...that is natural...it shows that he likes what

you are doing...look at him, all hard and weeping because of you...because

of how good you are, and how much he loves you and is captivated by you,”

he murmured, his mouth softly pressed against the crook of her neck,

pressing soft, comforting kisses there with his words. “Taste him...taste

him as he tasted you,” he urged, and slowly finding her confidence again,

she leaned down and brushed her tongue over his glistening tip, jumping

back when his hips bucked and he cried out loudly.

            “Legolas, control yourself until she learns,” Celeborn chided, reaching

with his other hand to attend to Haldir. “Go on, lick him.” Nodding, she

leaned back over Legolas’ groin, shivering as she breathed in the scent

there. He was even more wild there, even more male...and she could not

keep from extending her tongue and lapping softly all along his length.

            Legolas cried out constantly, his hips writhing against the ground as his

hands clenched at the grass. “You undo me woman..your mouth is so hot, so

sweet...” he groaned, his voice so tight it sounded like he was in pain.

            “Suck him, take him in your mouth as much as you can,” Celeborn purred,

slowly leaning down to take Haldir in his mouth. Amelia watched on,

entranced, as the silver-haired elf lord’s head slowly bobbed over the

other’s shaft, at the was Haldir was moaning in complete ecstacy, of the

way they were perfectly in tune to each other. She doubted she could take

Legolas in as deeply, but she would try if it would bring him that much

pleasure....

            She blinked in surprise as Haldir’s entire body seemed to tighten, and he

suddenly seemed to erupt into the other’s mouth, for she saw Celeborn

swallow deeply around him, making the elf on his back whimper softly as he

came down from the heavens and lay spent on the ground.

            Celeborn smiled as he released the now-soft organ and looked at her

kindly. “Try, melamin, try and see how much you will give to him,” he

urged, and without further encouragement Amelia took his head into her

mouth, sucking softly. Legolas gasped and jumped as she alternated her

sucking with soft licks from her tongue, then grew more daring and slowly

took more of him in. She swallowed around him until he hit the back of her

throat, and she felt she might choke if she continued.

            “That’s enough then...now move along him, careful not to hit him with

your teeth,” Celeborn was whispering to her, his fingers carding through

her hair and over her back as she knelt over her husband, slowly pulling

her lips down towards the head before moving back up. Legolas moved as if

he was on fire underneath her, a string of rapid Elvish on his lips as his

hips began to rise to meet her mouth. “Gentle Legolas, do not hurt her,”

the Lorien elf advised, and she continued her actions, slowly gaining

speed and then slowing suddenly until Legolas was growling and gasping

under her. She nearly gasped as she felt him grow hotter in her mouth,

tighten until he spasmed, and a sudden salty liquid pulsed between her

lips. If his skin tasted like the wild forests and adventures and utter

maleness, this was that times ten. She drank it down as she had seen

Celeborn do, and slowly released him, pressing ginger kisses and licks

along his length before looking up at him meekly.

            “Are you alright?” she whispered, suddenly shy. “Was that nice for you?”

            “Woman, you give me so much pleasure...your mouth is magic,” he groaned

weakly. “And when I can move I will show you just how sweet that was...”

            “Rest, my friend...we can handle her for a time,” Haldir purred, his arms

suddenly snaking around her waist, hauling her into his lap. His lips were

fire on hers, his kiss far more demanding than Legolas’, but she soon gave

in, her insides becoming liquid heat in his arms.

            “Lle ume quel,” Celeborn praised from behind her, his mouth slowly

running over her shoulder blades. “Vanimle sila tiri...” he purred, his

lips feathering torturous little kisses over the nape of her neck as his

hands went round to knead her breasts.

            “Oio naa elealla alasse'“ Haldir agreed, and she groaned as she felt him

harden against her leg. “Even if you are a hellcat,” he growled, those

sensual lips quirking up in a wicked grin against her neck. She growled

and reached down between his legs, squeezing him just enough to make him

gasp in surprise. Laughing at his reaction, she jumped from his arms and

backed away.

            “I may be a hellcat in heat, but I doubt very much that you are the one

to tame me,” she teased, her hair flouncing over her shoulder as she

turned to stalk to the other side of the bower.

            “I do so love a challenge,” Haldir growled, and she gasped as her arms

were immediately pinned at her sides and she was lifted off the ground. “A

little surrender would do you good, vixen...” he decided as he took her

over to the intricate grouping of tree roots. Celeborn was instantly at

his side with something in his hands, and she growled in dismay as her

wrists were quickly bound together to a curve in the root system.

            “What are you doing???” she gasped, half with anger and half with shock

and fear.

            “Relax, little one...sometimes this can be most enjoyable...you deserve

to try it,” Celeborn purred as he leaned over her, suddenly pressing his

lips deeply over hers. She initially tried to pull away, but his mouth was

too warm, too inviting, too sweet...She soon found herself giving into

him, letting him stroke her tongue with his until he left her gasping and

needy.

            His tongue slowly dragged over the curve of her neck, pausing to swirl in

the hollow of her throat, and she gasped as she felt Haldir suddenly grab

her by the knees and spread her legs wide. She tried to sit up, but all

that gained her was pain in her wrists where the cords dug into her skin.

Celeborn tsked, his mouth dropping to kiss softly over the swell of her

breasts. “Relax, rwalaer, my little lusty one....he will have you mewling

in heat in no time,” he purred, as he lowered his mouth to suck on a

hardened nipple. She found her back arching up at the rhythm of the lord’s

attentions, the draw of his mouth seeming to reach all the way to the tips

of her toes, the ends of his hair tickling softly over her stomach as his

fingers stroked over her hips. Haldir settled between her legs, his large,

experienced hands stroking firmly up and down her thighs, his thumbs

gliding over the crease where they met her pelvis in a whisper as he

leaned down, pressing his forehead against her stomach. She could feel her

stomach twist as he slid her knees over his shoulders, silently gazing at

her core, his tongue just trailing over his lower lip. He was close enough

so she could feel his breath on her, warm and insistent, and his hair

danced over the over-sensitive skin of her thighs. Absently, he ran a

fingertip through her curls, chuckling at her whine of need.

            And still Celeborn’s mouth drew on her breasts, wet and insistent, hot

and doting.

            “Be happy you’re safe with your husband here, little one...if you were in

Lorien you’d have a line of waiting admirers waiting to seduce you and bed

you all the time,” Haldir growled against her sex, and she gasped at his

words, the fire in his voice as well as the heat that shot right into her

channel. “You’d never get any sleep,” he continued playfully, the tip of

his tongue sneaking out to flick over her clit lazily. “The wardens alone

would be waiting at your door after their patrols ended each season,” he

went on between slow licks over her lower lips. She gasped as he tugged on

one lightly with his teeth, before sucking it into his mouth, rolling it

in his lips. “And you have no idea how lusty a man can be after he’s been

alone for weeks on end, without anyone, especially a wanton lass to take

comfort in,” he purred, moving his mouth up to her jewel, sucking on it

insistently, almost as hard as Celeborn’s attentions on her nipples. She

mewed softly, her hips gyrating with a life of their own as she slowly

forgot to struggle against her restraints. Chuckling with bemusement,

Haldir slid a long finger into her, smiling as her legs spread wider as he

slowly drew it in and out of her tight body.

            “Even then, you should pray that you would not be sent to Lord Celeborn’s

chambers if he and his Lady had one of their notorious cool periods...he

would never let you see the light of day again,” Haldir added before

gliding his tongue deep into her beside his seeking finger. She squealed,

her hips bucking against him as he stoked the fire within her. She had

been so wrapped up in his attentions that she had completely missed

Celeborn’s mouth moving further south until she felt his breath on her

thigh.

            “Aye, you’d be a prisoner of my bed for many moons,” the elf lord

breathed, and Amelia’s eyes rolled back in her head as his tongue slicked

through her folds and rubbed against her jewel as Haldir continued his

ministrations. Her voice was full of ragged pleadings as the two fought

for space between her legs, fire shooting through her limbs as her body

went taut with the force of her climax. When she could open her eyes, she

looked through a haze at the two pleased elf lords leaning above her,

whimpering weakly.

            “Well you two can stay with your soldier friends and seduce your Lorien

maidens, because my beloved will never set foot in that forest without

me,” Legolas said, his humorous tone tinted slightly by a jealous edge as

he shooed them away, relaxing as his eyes ran over her prone form, making

sure that no harm had come to her.

The other two made some sort of retort that was probably obscene regarding

her prince’s parentage before stumbling towards the pool again, hands

groping at each other’s erections. She watched the scene dazedly, still

amazed that such a union took place. Legolas chuckled as his hands ran

over her breasts, his mouth whispering over her ear.

            “Beautiful, are they not?” She nodded silently.

            “But I’d rather be with you,” she admitted, smiling with genuine love as

she turned her gaze back to his. His beaming smile was more than enough

for her, and she purred as his lips brushed over hers.

            “As would I...though I worry about them sometimes...Haldir is too used to

being unopposed...his mind is forever on battle and the forest...and their

is no finer Elven woman than Galadriel, but she lets her husband have his

trysts too often...if he is to take another with her, it should be one

that pleases his soul as well as his loins,” he sighed, shaking his head

sadly. Amelia struggled to adjust to this new way of thinking, thinking so

different than what she had been born to.

            “They will find their way eventually,” she soothed, wriggling under him,

her expression darkening. “And if I ever hear of you taking another, I’ll

cut off your ears and use them for jewelry,” she growled, smirking at his

musical laugh. His hands cupped her sex, stroking her back to fire before

he straddled her, smiling at her predicament as she arched against her

bonds.

            “My poor little one...all tied up and willing and ready for me..if I had

known this was a way to get your attention easily, I would have done this

the night I brought you to Mirkwood,” he teased, sliding into her slowly

before she could retort. She moaned, her hips arching up against his as

his eyes flickered closed at her exquisite tightness.

            They moaned and whispered things together as they made love in the

flowers, barely aware of the two taking their pleasure in the shallow

waters of the pool.

***************

part 16

            She thought she would be terrified of meeting Legolas’ father. She had

assumed that she would be running for dear life the day of the bonding

ceremony, yet she was walking calmly beside her husband, more composed

than she had ever been in her life. She knew this was what she wanted more

than anything, and the village could cease to exist for all she cared.

Legolas had assured her that if she ever went back to visit, she would be

well-accompanied. Yet she was still making up her mind if she even wanted

to go back. Muriel must have been fearless, was all she could fathom. Yet,

as she looked at her prince, she knew where her new strength came from,

and hoped that it would continue to grow, just as her love and passion for

him did. Maybe that’s why she wasn’t afraid.

            It could as well have had something to do with the fact that they had

spent all of the night before chasing each other round the house, then

rolling about in mindless passion. She was surprised she could walk and

even stay awake at this point.

            Celeborn and Haldir had taken their leave days before, and she would miss

them, yet in her mind she had most definitely gotten the best man of the

three. If she had been hijacked by Haldir, she would have ended up

murdering him in his sleep, she was sure, and she was not yet sure what to

make of Celeborn. So tender and caring, yet so fond of trysts for a bonded

man.

            They soon arrived at Thranduil’s palace that was carved in the bowels of

a cave system. It looked deceptively simple outside, yet inside it was

more ornate than anything Amelia had ever seen. She found her jaw dropping

slightly at the hanging tapestries and the jewels that seemed planted

right into the cave walls. Legolas caught her amazed look and smiled

slightly.

            “My father is very fond of treasure,” he admitted, shrugging.

            “And he’s letting you marry me, when I have no dowry but livestock?” she

blurted, her cheeks coloring slightly.

            His smile became more genuine and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “He

would see me happy, and he cannot ignore the importance of the trade that

our bond to your village brings...and he was much amused by your antics in

the beginning. We don’t get that kind of behavior here, and he was

inspired by the entertainment you brought,” he teased, grinning at her

glare. He immediately drew his laughter into check though as they

approached a stately looking elf dressed in ornate robes covered with

summer blooms. His long hair flowed down his back, and similar blossoms of

that woven onto his robes were entwined with the gold of his crown. She

realized then that it was the same elf she had seen in her dream when she

had fallen into the black river. Immediately she remembered the manners

she had been brought up with, and she curtsied low to the ground.

            “My lord, it is an honor,” she murmured, her head downcast until a gentle

hand tilted her chin up to meet her father-in-law’s twinkling eyes. He was

far less fearsome up close than she had thought, though she could see that

he possessed a shrewd stateliness that she would not want to have to go up

against.

            “Elen sila lumenn omentilmo,” he proclaimed as he helped her to her feet.

He smiled at her questioning gaze. “A star shines brightly at the hour of

our meeting...I am glad that we may meet at last,” he added, embracing her

gently. “It gives my heart gladness that Legolas will be bonded with one

that will bring our people many benefits, as well as provide him with a

challenge,” he added, and at her sideways glance her husband reached over

and squeezed her hand. “Come, Mirkwood’s people are waiting,” he

announced, gliding past them and out to the surrounding gardens of the

palace.

            “I should have warned you...he thinks mainly in terms of gaining

possessions...it is not a slight on you,” Legolas apologized and she

smiled slightly.

            “He’d get on well with my father,” she admitted.

            “Nay, I think even he would be strained by a meeting with him for very

long,” Legolas chuckled. “It was all I could do to get through the hours

that it took to arrange making you mine,” he added, laughing as she hit

him lightly.

            They were escorted to an elaborate garden that sported many flowers

Amelia had never seen before. Blossoms of bursting color were in every

corner, as well as woven into an arch in the center of the grounds. Sheer

silken tapestries hung from the trees to the arch and overhead, forming a

thin tent through which one could see the shadows of the leaves. She was

surprised at the number of people gathered, and that they looked genuinely

excited to be there. The prince saw her confusion and kissed her wrist

cherishingly. “I told you...many are happy of this union...you are

welcomed here...this is your home now.” A low warmth flowed through her as

she realized that she belonged here more than she ever had at her previous

life.

            They were shown to the arch and he took her hands in his, his eyes and

face suddenly serious and heartfelt. “I bind myself to you, in spirit and

body...you are my flame, my existence, and your life is mine,” he

proclaimed, and she could feel the pull of tears at her eyes as she

realized how much he meant his words. “No harm shall come to you now that

I am yours and you are mine. You shall know happiness, and love, and our

peoples are at peace,” he added, smiling wryly as he added in the required

comment about the political side of their union. She watched as he removed

a pendant from his tunic. Little pebbles from the bottom of some unknown

river had been set together to form a flower in the center of the cord.

“You are my cherished one,” he whispered to her as he hung it round her

neck. She looked up at him, unable to talk at first, but urged on by the

kindness in his eyes.

            “I belonged to you since I left my former existence...you are my life

now, and I turn to you to see me through the newness of it. You have shown

me the truth of love, and you are the only one I ever want to be with.

Though I will pass one day, my love for you will never die...I bind myself

to you and will see that you are taken care of as long as I am living. You

shall know happiness, devotion, and shall see children in your household,”

she murmured, and she nearly choked at the amusement in his eyes at that

last bit. “Our peoples shall prosper together, and we shall be well,” she

added, tugging a ring off her slim finger and threading a cord through it.

It had been her grandmother’s wedding trinket, the only thing of true

value she owned. She smiled shyly as he had to lean down so she could

drape it round his neck, gently tugging his hair out from under it,

marvelling at the silkiness of it yet again.

            “This union is well met, both in the relations it will bring between

peoples, the children it will bear, and the love it will blossom. May you

have a long and happy life together, and may you both thrive under the

influence of the other,” Thranduil proclaimed, his hands clasping theirs

together gently. She beamed, vaguely aware of a ghost of sadness, like a

memory in the elf king’s eyes. She wondered if he was thinking about his

wife, and realized that she never knew what happened to her. She would ask

Legolas when the time was right.

            But now wasn’t the time for that. Her face was turned, and she purred as

Legolas’ lips pressed against her own, his arms lifting her nearly off her

feet as their kiss sealed the blessing in front of the people of Mirkwood.

Cheers went up and music began to play, and she laughed as she trotted

beside her husband down to where torches were lit in a brilliant circle,

and flowers were scattered on the grass. Tables of food were set up, and

everyone began to dance and sing and take their leisure.

            To her surprise Tranduil insisted on dancing with her, and she

entertained several other elf lords before returning to her husband’s

side. They ate and drank their fill, and she wasn’t surprised to find the

Elven wine going to her head so quickly. Soon Legolas was taking her hand,

giggling with her as they snuck from the faerie ring towards the palace

rooms that had been designated for their stay there.

            She ran into the prince as he paused, smiling broadly at an approaching

figure. Amelia frowned through the evening shadows, vaguely recognizing

him as human and a ranger. Legolas greeted him warmly and they clasped

hands as they spoke. She was surprised that the human knew elvish and

seemed completely at ease in the forest, or had been allowed entry in the

first place.

            “Amelia...this is Aragorn, a dear friend of mine...he’s grown up around

the elves of Imaldris and is aware of our customs,” he explained and she

relaxed. He wasn’t beautiful in the Elfin way, but he was decidedly more

handsome than most of the men in her village. His eyes held a somberness

as well as sparkling humor, and he raised an eyebrow slightly as he looked

from the prince to her.

            “You have already been bonded?” he asked after nodding a quick greeting

to her. It seemed he had pressing business to attend to.

            “Yes, just a few hours ago,” she replied, chewing her lip slightly as she

looked up at Legolas, trying to get him to read her mind that she wanted

to be in bed underneath him. Aragorn’s brow furrowed as he cursed.

            “What is it?” the prince asked, sombering.

            “I was passing through your lady’s village and I was asked by the elders

to come to see you.”

            “We’ve already been bonded...I’m not giving her up,” the prince declared

harshly, immediately snaking a strong arm round her waist, pulling her to

him protectively. Aragorn smiled wryly and held his hands up in a gesture

of peace.

            “They want no such thing..they wanted me to be witness to the ceremony so

they know that their daughter has done her duty,” he sighed. “I am not to

return until I have some proof.”

            “We have no contracts...is not our word good enough?” Legolas asked,

perplexed.

            “They trust you, but they think that she might use her influence to get

you to lie for her...apparently you’ve caused quite a stir among those

rustics,” he chuckled, smiling bitterly. “Though they offered one

alternative,” he sighed apprehensively.

            “What is that?” Amelia queried, not quite sure that she wanted to know.

            “I am supposed to go with you to your bedchamber and watch you consumate

your relationship,” he sighed, nodding in understanding at their choked

expressions.

            “But we’ve already-”

            “They don’t realize that...you must remember, friend, that their morals

and traditions are much different than your own...” he explained,

shrugging.

            “What more can we do?” she whispered, looking up at Legolas.

            “Would you agree to this? He can be trusted, I know this...”

            “After the things you have had me experience, I’m sure I can get through

it, beloved,” she chuckled, the corners of her mouth quirking up slyly.

Aragorn raised an eyebrow as he watched their discussion, finding it hard

to believe that this was the same burden that the village had warned him

about.

            “Then you are welcome to join us, my friend,” Legolas offered as they

headed towards the couple’s bedchamber. He paused, and looked the human

over. “The village treated you well?”

            “I am a man and I was doing them a favor...yes, they fed me and gave me

shelter for a few nights...”

            “As well as a bath...you’re cleaner than you usually are,” Legolas

chuckled as he swept past his friend.

***********

            It had taken a few moments to disperse with Amelia’s tension at having

this new friend’s gaze trained on her, but as Legolas moved his mouth

softly along the curve of her neck, she began to relax into his grip. He

hissed as she ground against him, his erection hardening impossibly

through his trousers. He had finally convinced her to wear her hair free

and it had been tempting his fingers all evening. Now, he finally got to

tangle his hands in her tresses as he regarded Aragorn over her shoulder.

He sat reclined in a chair in a darkened corner, but Legolas’ keen eyes

could make out the darkening of his eyes and the slight bulge in his

pants.

            “Is she not beautiful, my friend?” he purred, lifting her breasts up

towards the ranger, his thumbs rubbing them until her nipples jutted

against the fabric.

            “Indeed,” he rasped softly and Legolas smiled at his attempt to disguise

his appreciation. He continued to move his mouth over her neck, purring as

he nibbled over her ear.

            “Is he not handsome, beloved?” he purred and she turned to look at him,

the frown on her face as if it was the question that would decide her

fate.

            “Yes,” she whispered, her cheeks coloring slightly. He smiled and rubbed

against her behind.

            “Do you desire him?”

            “Not as much as I need you,” she moaned, shivering both at her admission,

at the voyeur, and at Legolas’ hands kneading her breasts.

            “Good...you belong to me and I to you, in the end,” he agreed, leaning

into her raised lips to grant the kiss she sought, the tip of his tongue

tracing the shape of her lips before demanding entry. She leaned against

him, twisted in his grip, and he reluctantly pulled his mouth from hers.

            “Would you like to see more of her?” he teased his friend, smiling as

Aragorn nodded slowly. The prince of Mirkwood’s fingers stealthily worked

over the closures of the emerald gown she wore, until it slid from her

body and onto the floor, leaving her in a pale, nearly translucent shift.

He moaned as she reached a hand back to smooth his hair, then trace the

line of his ear, nearly driving him mad. He thought about his next course

of action as he tugged her hair to the side of her neck, his tongue

tickling the hairline there, which made her wriggle in his arms. “I think

our friend likes what he sees,” the prince purred, nodding over to where

Aragorn lay, his hand clenched on his thigh, trying not to touch himself

at the display. He could see her blush on the back of her neck and smiled

at how pretty it was, knowing that she indeed turned that shade everywhere

when she blushed like that.

            “Would you like to help him with his discomfort?” he whispered, and she

turned to look at him with wide eyes.

            “You can’t let me do this every time I see one who I deem attractive,”

she murmured, concern written over her features. Aragorn, as well, was

wearing a mask of slight shock and worry at the turn this was taking.

            “I won’t...believe me, after this you are mine...but you should know that

not all humans are barbarians...and he has come such a long way, and

looking at him in his condition makes me wince,” he went on, his voice

slightly louder. “And he has such a long way to go...go to him, relieve

him with that sweet mouth of yours,” he growled, his hand running between

them to rub her ass softly as she whimpered. Slowly she went forward on

unstable legs, looking back over her shoulder meekly at her husband before

continuing. If she had ever been intimidated by elves, now it was the

opposite. Elves were her safety, the ones she trusted. It was human men

that put fear into her.

            “You do not have to do this,” Aragorn soothed her, smiling tightly. “And

I can assure you that I will not harm you...” he added, his fingertips

brushing against hers as she drew near. She stood before him, felt her

cheeks burn as his eyes slowly ran the length of her body, his face

reflecting his appreciation. She gasped as he tugged at her hand, drawing

her to stand between his parted legs. His eyes never left hers as he drew

her hand up to his mouth, his lips brushing softly over the skin of her

palm, and she marvelled that his facial hair wasn’t as unpleasant as she

had thought it would be. He slowly sucked her index finger between his

lips, his tongue curling round it lazily as the fingers of his other hand

ran up and down her arm. She felt herself slowly sink to her knees when

she found that they wouldn’t hold her anymore, and gasped at the heat that

came from him when she rested her cheek and palm against his thigh.

            He groaned, and began to whisper in elvish to her, and she felt herself

flush at what she could make out. Amelia chewed her lip to distract

herself from his voice, her hands slowly running over his legs until they

reached his waist, gently working to free him from the confines of his

pants. She shivered at how different he was from her husband, but he was

not unpleasant. Slowly her hand curled round him, and she stroked him

gently, her thumb running circles over his head and underside until he

began to writhe in the chair.

            She smiled to herself as she gently ran her tongue over him, amazed at

his salty taste...he was more of the earth than Legolas. He groaned and

thrust against her, and she quickly took him into her mouth, knowing that

he would not last long. He must have been on the road for a long time. He

cried out suddenly as he spasmed, his jaw tight as he pumped into her

mouth, and she purred as she drank him down, licking her lips as she

backed away.

            “Do you feel better, my lord?” she asked, smiling up at him softly. He

growled, instantly drawing her up against him, his mouth rubbing against

hers needily. The hair on his face tickled against her mouth, and she

sighed as he kissed her, his taste reminding her of fields and horses and

the harvest.

            “Aragorn, you would have a better vantage point of our coupling from the

bed,” Legolas drawled, smirking at their breathless reactions as they

turned towards his sprawled form. “And you can help show my lovely one

that not all men are horrid creatures,” he added.

            “Only if the lady wishes it,” he replied, smiling softly at her as he

stroked her back.

            “It would please me greatly, my lord,” she murmured, gasping when he

suddenly swung her into his arms and laid her on the bed next to the

prince. She shivered as the bed dipped as Aragorn slid up next to her his

fingertips running over the curve of her neck as she leaned in to press

her mouth against the lips of her husband. She sighed happily, her hand

running idly over his thigh as his mouth worked against hers. Legolas

gasped as she suddenly slid herself over him, straddling his thighs as she

gazed down at him lovingly. Her hair trailed over his cheekbones gently,

and she shivered as his hand glided down her back to cup her ass.

            “Cold, my love?” he whispered knowingly, his eyes sparkling as he

suddenly rolled out from underneath her, pinning her once more between him

and the ranger.

            “I wouldn’t doubt it in that slip of nothing,” Aragorn growled, his eyes

locked intensely onto hers, his hand smoothing over her jaw before tracing

over the low neckline of the shift. He traced her collarbone with a single

fingertip, his eyes moving up to meet Legolas’ momentarily, and at a nod

from the elf, his hand suddenly grasped the thin material and jerked,

tearing it down the middle. Her eyes widened in momentary fear; none of

her elven lovers had been this bestial with her, but the shock soon gave

way to a low burn of arousal. She could feel his eyes burn her skin as

they took in the sight of her breasts, then slid down to look at the curls

that just peeked over the bottom of the rendered fabric. Legolas was

nibbling on her ear, his hands cupping her breasts again, offering them up

to the human.

            “Taste her, my friend...taste how sweet she is,” he suggested, and she

found herself backing up into her husband’s hard erection. Aragorn smiled

at her predicament, his large hands gently cupping her face as his

forehead pressed against hers. She relaxed as she focused on the gentle

puff of his breath on her face, barely aware when his lips slid over hers,

his teeth worrying her lower lip before that mouth slid to her neck. She

squirmed in Legolas’ grip at the feel of those whiskers on her soft skin,

and squealed when her husband’s mouth began to travel on the other side of

her throat. The Ranger’s large hands joined her husbands in gently

squeezing her breasts, and she gave a low moan as she was gently pushed

back into the pillows on the bed.

            Her heart nearly beat through her chest as two mouths began to attend to

her breasts. Legolas was patient, his lips ghosting over her flesh in a

chaste kiss before his tongue joined the dance, while Aragorn’s open mouth

was lush and hot, and as needy of that of a dying man. Her hand clenched

so hard that her nails left imprints as their hands began to wander south,

ripping the rest of the cloth away before stroking apart her thighs. She

groaned as Aragorn’s mouth kissed down her stomach, as Legolas slowly

entered her with a finger, gently curling it inside before retreating. The

lustful eyes of the ranger were above her now, and she bit her lip as she

felt his thumb slick between her folds, finding her jewel and circling it

intently. “Relax,” he urged, smiling as Legolas’ mouth returned to her

breasts, drawing her attention partially away from the human. “I need you

to relax if I am to show you something, little one...” he breathed, slowly

sliding a finger into her. She mewed softly, her hips circling against his

hand as he thrust it gently in and out of her, and when he was convinced

that she was ready, he slowly added another finger. His mouth came down on

her neck, hot and insistent as those fingers that were thicker than her

husband’s scissored carefully, stretching and working her until he could

add a third. “That’s right...you’re doing so well,” he cooed, tugging at

her nipple softly as Legolas nibbled at her hip. Her eyes began to widen

and her breath caught as he slid a fourth finger into her, his hand gently

rotating, and he was alert and careful not to hurt her.

            “What are you doing to me?” she moaned softly, her hips pushing against

his hand, her wetness slicking his palm.

            “You’ll be surprised at how good it feels, my lovely...consider it a

wedding present,” he growled, and she hissed as he pushed his thumb in,

gently using his arm to piston his hand in and out of her, his fingers

softly seeking for her fire spot within her silky depths. He chuckled as

his friend’s eyes sparked with mischief, and the blond head bent over her

sex, his tongue softly licking over her clit as Aragorn’s hands curled

sharply in her. Her entire body tensed, and the ragged scream that ripped

from her throat was more beautiful at that moment than any Elven song

Legolas could name.

            The Ranger was astounded that it didn’t take long for the girl to

recover, though he knew that her love for her husband, as well as a good

Elvish wine were excellent aphrodesiacs. He watched through glazed eyes as

Legolas took her from behind, and her mouth pleasured him again. As the

fire tightened and exploded through his body, he couldn’t help but see

another wanton face before him, the dark-haired, lush-lipped face of his

eternal beloved.

***********

            The Ranger was gone in the morning, and Legolas assured her that he would

breathe not a word of the nature of how he knew they had fulfilled their

bond to her former people. “He doesn’t hold most men in very high

regards...you can trust him,” he murmured, his hands leisurely tangling in

her hair as he nuzzled her shoulder. She smiled and wrapped around him,

smiling slightly as she kissed his nose.

            “I trust you,” she breathed, grinning at his smiling eyes. “And I love

you so completely...I never would have guessed that life could be this

sweet,” she admitted, wrinkling her nose as he tugged at her hair

playfully.

            “Aye...to think that my existence was boring until you came along,” he

chuckled, kissing her sweetly. “Though I knew it was a good match when I

first laid eyes on you,” he purred, stroking her neck as she curled up

beside him.

            “And I finally believe you,” she purred drowsily, smiling against his

shoulder. “It will be a wonderful life,” she realized, curling against

him, purring as his arms wound round her.

            “Yes, even if it will be too short for my tastes,” he sighed.

            “Then we’ll have to make the most of it,” she murmured, glancing up into

his eyes, smiling as he leaned down for a kiss.

            “Aye, that we will...that we will.”

End