Will of the Valar.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the original characters and their adventures. The Tolkien Estate and New Line Cinema own Middle Earth and its regular denizens.

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The Eastern forces had been silent for over a week after Legolas, Faramir and their troops had ridden north. Aragorn, Eomer and their commanders thought it may be another one of the inexplicable lulls the war had taken consistently since it began.

“I am ashamed to say, our vigilance became lax.” Eomer was angry with himself for not maintaining a closer eye on the enemy.

“We could not have anticipated the Corsairs would bring fresh troops from the sea,” Aragorn replied. The day before Legolas and his people had arrived back in southern Gondor, a host of Eastern Alliance soldiers had attacked from the southwest as the other forces had charged from the east and northeast, and the men of the west had been caught by surprise.

“If the Elves had not been so alert to the attack from the east, we would have all been slaughtered,” Eomer said. “Our losses were bad enough: they managed to make it far past our lines, coming from both sides. But in the northeastern part of the front, where the Elves were, there was no penetration at all.”

Legolas nodded. He expected no less from his brethren. Unlike Men, the Elves were not as easily lulled by the quiet. Their senses were always more alert than their mortal friends, so their reaction time was quicker. Besides, most of the force was made up of Elves who had been guardians of their realms since long before many of these men’s ancestors were born. They had millennia of experience in watching and war.

“How heavy were our losses?” he asked quietly.

“Of your people, I do not know, but I do not think you have lost anyone except for some minor injuries. Gondor has lost over 150, plus several hundred more were injured enough to take them out of the battle for a while. Rohan lost over 100 men with another 200 injured.” The young king of Rohan sighed. “It is the heaviest loss we have suffered thus far.”

Legolas glanced at his captains. Though they showed no emotion, he could tell they were unhappy. If the Elves had not been there to protect the Men, this battle could have ended with much worse loss of life, possibly the loss of the war itself. What would Men do when all of the Elves had crossed over the sea?

Aragorn seemed to share that opinion. “We must find a way to bring an end to this madness,” he said quietly. Lord Kahmron, one of Gondor’s powerful southern lords, had lost one of his sons in the fighting and the anguish in the man’s eyes had torn at the king’s heart. “Our enemy no longer wishes to engage us simply on the field of battle, but to attack our people in their homes. I do not know how to fight such an enemy.”

Turning to Alex, he asked, “What can you tell us of the Rhunians, my lady? Did they give any hint of their motives?” He knew Legolas’ wife had been a warrior among her people, but he still had trouble seeing past her sex. Women were to be cherished and protected, and although the Elves were accustomed to females among their ranks, for Men, the role was still unfamiliar.

Alex repeated what she had told Legolas, omitting the details about her or the baby’s treatment. Again, she presented it as she would an after-action report to her captain. The men were impressed by her calm, objective manner, while the Elves were surprised that she understood such a dishonorable concept without apparent difficulty. Like Legolas, they could not relate to the tactics used by the Rhunians.

“How does one defeat such an enemy?” Eomer wondered aloud. “We cannot remain on constant vigil---the people will grow weary and we will be defeated from within.”

“That’s their plan,” Alex answered. “These tactics are designed just to irritate and frighten and wear down an enemy.”

“How did your people deal with them?” Glorfindel asked.

Alex thought how best to answer. “Well, one of the ancient Emperors built a Great Wall that sealed his empire from the invaders coming from the west. It was a stone wall like the Deeping Wall at Helm’s Deep. It was manned day and night.”

“A Deeping Wall the length of Middle Earth?” Aragorn shook his head. “Impossible.”

“It worked for several thousand years,” she replied. “Others … answered their attacks with superior firepower.” The term was lost on those present, and she clarified. “Better, more powerful weapons.”

But these people were not advanced enough to start a serious arms race. Plus, they seemed reluctant to embrace new technology, as evidenced by their dislike of the kinds of weapons used by the Orcs and Uruk-Hai during the War of the Ring. Legolas and the other Elves had told her of the kinds of weapons they encountered in different battles around Middle Earth during that war and she saw the wisdom of their enemy’s tactics. But then, she came from a far more advanced world where even the weapons of Sauron and Saruman were considered grossly primitive.

“Some fought back with similar tactics. It is a problem we still faced when I left and came here. There will always be those who feel they have nothing left to lose, so they attack in the only way they know to accomplish their goals. They know they are not as powerful on the field as Gondor and Rohan, especially with the Elves against them. So, they use what they know they excel in: stealth, fear, quickness. It undermines your kingdoms from the inside out and you are at risk of crumbling.”

It was a harsh assessment, but none could argue the logic. Still …

“There is no honor in their type of warfare,” Aragorn sighed.

She bit back a sarcastic comment on how honor didn’t matter if you were being slaughtered. She loved the ideals of her husband and his friends---in theory. But in practice, they were sometimes too noble for their own good. One couldn’t continuously worry about protecting honor and dignity when your people were being killed, your lands invaded and your sovereignty eroded.

“We shall discuss our options on the morrow,” Aragorn said after much discussion had yielded nothing but frustration. He and Eomer departed, looking as though they were condemned men.

Legolas asked if the healers among the Elves were assisting the Gondorian and Rohirrim wounded. Rumil said they had begun caring for the wounded as soon as the Elves had been able to spare them from the lines.

“None of our people were killed,” Elladan said. “They did not get close enough to the Elven lines to engage us in close combat. The men, however, were overrun quickly.”

“Perhaps we should have more archers spread throughout the perimeter to bolster their defenses,” the prince said after some consideration. “It would leave the eastern flank without as much protection, but would not let the southern side be as vulnerable.”

“We will divide the archers among the lines,” Elrohir said. “When Haldir and Saelbeth return, that will give us back 150 warriors that will help fill in the gaps.” He shook his head. “This war is hard on the mortals. If we had not chosen to remain in Middle Earth …” He let his words trail off. They all were thinking the same thing. The free people of the West would have been defeated by now.

“Thank you, my friends, for your service. Let us rest and take on this problem anew with the rising sun.” The other Elves bid Legolas and his lady good night and, when the last of them had departed, the prince tied the tent-flaps closed. Turning to his wife, he smiled.

“Now, where did we leave off?”

She returned his smile and walked over to him. Pressing herself against him, she let her tongue trace the point of his ear before kissing his earlobe.

“I think you were going to remove your armor,” she whispered as he nuzzled her neck. She closed her eyes, running her hands over the sharp, hard plates. It felt so powerful and, she briefly thought about asking him to keep it on. But, practically, it wasn’t conducive to lovemaking. It was built to protect the vulnerable parts of the body, so access was not that easy.

He moved to her lips and kissed her deeply, his need conveyed by how his mouth took control of hers. She felt herself go weak at his touch---God, but she loved him so! When he finally released her lips, they began quickly unlacing and removing the Elven armor. She loosened the fastenings of his tunic and pushed it back, off of his shoulders and it fell to the ground. She ran her hands over the smooth, hard muscles of his chest and shoulders as his strong arms encircled her, pulling her body against his. She had missed him so much and couldn’t wait to feel his body next to hers without the barriers of clothing.

Legolas’ arousal was already full. He tried to control himself as his tongue entwined with that of his wife and her fingers brushed over his nipples to grip his arms. He wrapped one hand in her braids and pressed her hips against his with the other while he used his mouth to drive her insane with desire.

Once the kiss ended, he pulled back and sought her need in her eyes. She smiled in invitation and he reached down and slowly pulled her tunic over her head, tossing it across the small space in the tent. She didn’t move and waited for him to unlace her leggings and stepped out of them when they fell.

For the first time since he had left Ithilien, his wife stood before him without shame or fear. He ran his hands over her smooth skin and cupped her breasts, kissing each one tenderly.

“You are beautiful, my love,” he whispered before kissing her again, holding her naked body against him. His desire was obvious and pressed against her lower belly with only the fabric of his leggings separating him from her. He picked her up and carried her over to the pallet, laying her gently on the covering blankets. Sitting next to her, he pulled off his boots and quickly peeled off his leggings. He turned and knelt over her leaning down to kiss her again as he carefully covered her body with his.

Sweet Eru, but she felt so good! He fought his body’s insistent demand that he join with her immediately. He ached with desire, but knew he still needed to wait for her to take the initiative. He could not simply thrust into her without knowing she was ready.

They kissed and stroked each other for ages, pausing every so often to laugh softly, or just gaze at one another in wordless devotion. He kissed her tenderly, then moved down to take one rosy nipple in his mouth as his fingers gently stroked and rolled the other.

He was driving her mad with desire. She loved that Legolas was a thorough and patient lover. He would build her passion to its maximum and either keep her there for hours, balanced on a razor’s edge, or would bring her to wave after wave of ecstasy, one crisis coming as soon as the last one ended; so either way, she was in a state of perpetual bliss when making love to her husband.

When his mouth moved from her breasts to her lower belly, she felt the first beginnings of fear. Her passion still overwhelmed her, but nagging in the back of her mind was that voice asking her if he truly wished to go where the Rhunian had been. She must have tensed involuntarily, as Legolas looked up from kissing the smooth skin of her mound.

“What is it my love,” he asked softly. “Do I hurt you?”

“No, sweetheart. It’s just …” She couldn’t say it.

He heard the fear in her voice and rose up so he could look her directly in the eye.

“Tell me what you fear, my princess.” His eyes held nothing but understanding and unconditional love.

Taking a deep breath, she whispered, “Are you sure you wish to … kiss me where … HE has been?” She hated bringing Goroth into their bed, but he haunted her, and would as long as he lived.

Legolas’ anger at the Rhunian washed over him, but he still managed to smile and, reaching up, caressed her cheek.

“Let me wipe him away; let my seed wash him and the memory of what he did from your body and from your mind. You are my wife---there is no part of your body I do not willingly worship.” With his last word, he returned to his place between her thighs, parting them gently and lightly touching her with his tongue.

It was as though an electric shock raced through her body. Every nerve tingled and she cried out softly---she could not endure such pleasure. She bit her lip and tried not to scream---after all, they were surrounded by Elves with extraordinary hearing. He smiled at her dilemma as he nipped, touched, licked, sucked and nibbled her to a long and fierce orgasm; or, more correctly, series of them. She finally gave in and moaned in her native language words he did not understand, but managed to catch his name several times.

When he finally removed his mouth from her sweetly tormented center, she was breathing heavily, her eyes closed and a fine sheen of sweat covered her body so that it glistened in the dim light. He lay atop her and kissed her. She opened her mouth to his and eagerly sucked her taste from his tongue. He could not hold back any longer and took her hand, placing it on his aching member.

“Guide me, my love,” he murmured against her lips. He would not enter her without her willing, active participation. It was important that she know she was in control. She raised her knees, opening herself wider and, grasping the familiar firmness, placed him just inside her moist, warm entrance.

He pushed himself up so he could look at her. “Do you want this?” he asked. He did not know what he would do if she suddenly backed out. His craving could not be denied.

She met his passion-filled eyes with her own and nodded.

“Say it,” he demanded with a small smile.

“I want you inside of me, Legolas,” she whispered. “I want you in me, making love to me.”

“As my princess commands,” he replied entering her slowly and smoothly as he brought his mouth back down to hers. She sighed and wrapped her legs around his waist so she could take him deeper. As his length filled her, she felt as though he was indeed sweeping away all that had been done to her. With her husband inside of her, there was no room for anything else, not even the memory of her abuse.

She made small gentle sounds of satisfaction as Legolas moved within her. Even he was surprised at his self-restraint. Had this not been the first time since her return to him, he would likely have surrendered to his hunger and brought them both to a tumultuous climax almost immediately. But he did not want to give in to the desire to take their pleasure fast and hard. She deserved to have him make love to her with all the tenderness he could; and he was going to give her what she needed.

She felt another climax building and sighed her pleasure into his mouth. He kissed her closed eyelids and nuzzled her neck as he paused in his motions, feeling her internal muscles clenching him as she came. When she opened her eyes to meet his, he saw in them bliss that he’d been afraid was gone forever. Letting his tongue drift over her lips before dipping between them to lightly caress her own, he sat up, pulling her with him so she sat on his lap, legs wrapped around him.

The movement caused tiny jolts of pleasure and she soon began moving her hips against him, riding him, taking control of the pace. They looked into each other’s eyes and both were rewarded by the desire and pure passion they saw there. She opened her mouth and extended her tongue, meeting his as their lips barely touched. His hands gripped her hips and he squeezed the firm flesh. She smiled at him and moved her legs so her knees were bent on either side and gently pushed him onto his back.

He watched her as she moved on him, rising at times almost to the point where he was just at her entrance, then sinking back down so that his entire length was engulfed inside her. She would sometimes pause and grind her hips against his while he was fully sheathed in her warmth, and at others, when he was barely inside, making the sensitive tip of his shaft sent bolts of pleasure throughout his body.

She leaned over him and whispered, “Come inside me, my love.” She was breathless and he could tell by the color rising on her cheeks she was about to let go. “Now Legolas! Please!” She did not scream the words, but their urgency was apparent nonetheless. He grasped her hips and thrust his own up to meet hers, looking into her eyes as his seed shot deep inside of her. Her eyes widened at the sensation and she held his gaze as her own crisis erupted.

Neither of them worried about holding back their cries of ecstasy, muffling them only when their mouths met during the last few seconds of delight. She relaxed atop him and he stroked her back lazily as their tongues moved slowly together. Neither wanted to break their embrace, wanting their bodies to remain joined as long as possible.

He closed his eyes, enjoying the warm feel of her body atop his. She stretched out her legs so they could entwine even more. If he were to be told pass into Valinor at this very moment, he would not go---his happiness and pleasure were unsurpassed and surely, nothing in the Undying Lands could compare to the feelings of love and satisfaction brought by making love to his wife. He knew she had answered a yearning in his heart that only she could, and he thanked the Valar for bringing them together.

Alex nuzzled his neck, finally resting her head on his shoulder, her fingers tracing slowly over his firm muscles. She felt as though she were made whole again. She understood what was meant by some of the religious leaders of her people when they said that when a couple married “the two shall be as one.” With the Elven concept of “binding”, that phrase was even more appropriate. They were joined physically and spiritually. Her husband was what made her a complete being and she wanted never to be apart from him again. She thanked God for giving her the chance to know this kind of love