"When is it you leave for the honeymoon?" Princess Sigrid asked.
They were standing on the balcony of the queen's suites in Erebor. It was a fine spring day. The sun was shining. Warm breezes carried a scent of flowers on the air.
Today was Tauriel's bridal shower. As the dowager queen, or so she was titled, as Thorin had no wife, his sister Dis occupied these rooms and had spent some days setting up what had been, so far, a nice party.
"What do you think you'd like for your shower, dear?" she'd asked Tauriel weeks ago.
"Something small, not a lot of women, I think. Some good food and cake. Just a simple, fun, party."
Dis had smiled. She knew her daughter-in-law to be, what the past year had been like. "Of course.
As the future wife of a prince of Erebor, Tauriel had had the right to a large and public, extravagant shower and wedding. It was custom, so some had said. But she and Kili were simply tired of stress and exhaustion and adventure.
An inter-kingdom scandal had been started over a year ago when the dwarves attempted travel through Mirkwood to get to Erebor, without proper papers or governmental leave. They'd been locked up by the dictator Thranduil, and had a dramatic escape. Orcs, with a contract on the head of Thorin Oakenshield, had been tracking them for weeks and caught them up at the river bordering Mirkwood and Laketown. A skirmish had occurred, leaving Orcs and Elves dead.
Tauriel had been falsely accused of aiding the escape and charged with treason. She'd been warned in enough time to flee the kingdom with her life and little else.
In neighboring Laketown she'd caught up with the dwarves and tended to an injured Kili. Kili, the young and wild one who'd charmed her with his saucy ways and sweet smile in the Mirkwood prison. He'd almost died from a poisoned Orc arrow. Then they all almost died from Smaug's last breath. Then a small flood, and a wild battle for Erebor. So much death and carnage.
Once Erebor was functioning, she'd applied for political asylum, and then citizenship. There'd been some protests at the palace for this, once the media got wind of it. "No Mirkwoodians here," the protestors had shouted. Once they knew she was exiled from her kingdom, and would never return, things had calmed down some. The dwarves against her asylum had also been quite embarrassed by Bard of Dale's public statement that he would be "esctatic to offer such a brave woman asylum and citizenship in Dale." There had been no more protests.
So much drama and sorrow and pain. It was no wonder that she and Kili did not want pomp and circumstance in the most important day of their lives.
"The ceremony is in three days, and we leave the day after," Tauriel replied to Sigrid's question. She sipped a class of champagne. "We are driving to the Shire, Bilbo has graciously allowed us to use his guest hole for a couple weeks. I'm very excited to see him again." She picked up a petit four from her dessert plate and bit off a little piece. Orange buttercream and dark chocolate. Delicious.
Sigrid smiled at her. "I so enjoyed Mr. Bilbo when he was here. He is so funny, what a storyteller! I felt like I went on the adventure, too, just listening to him. I wish Da would let me travel, so I could see the Shire. And other places."
Tauriel patted her hand. Sigrid was plenty old enough to be traveling on her own, but King Bard was quite protective. Too much so, Tauriel thought. "Just wait until we get settled in Gondor, and you can come stay with Kili and me."
"And we'll go all over?"
Tauriel winked at her. "Maybe."
They were headed to Gondor for Kili to take up the newly created post of Erebor's Ambassdor to the United Kingdoms of Middle Earth. The UKME was being hosted in Gondor for the present. The council would work on interkingdom matters – trade agreements, justice and criminal cases, security issues. Tauriel was surprised when Kili said he wanted to take the post. She hadn't seen him as a diplomat type of person. But she supported Kili's willingness to help his people and those of Middle Earth. So to Gondor they would move, at least for a few years. It would be, as Kili said, an adventure.
Dis suddenly popped her head through the open door."Ladies, it's present time! And Lady Galadriel has just come up from the meeting to join us."
"Oooo, presents!" Sigrid squealed. "Let's go see what they got you!" She took Tauriel's hand and pulled her into the sitting room.
A small pile of presents sat on Dis's coffee table. Edible treats were arranged on small tables around the sitting area. Fresh fruits, petit fours, crackers and dips, deviled eggs. More champagne. Dis had put several vases of fresh flowers all around the room. It smelled like a riot of spring.
"Here, dear, you take this seat in the middle." Dis led Tauriel to a chair in front of the table of presents, and sat down next to her.
Tauriel looked around her at the women in the room. There was Sigrid, seated next to Dis's sister Marin on the couch. Tuliva, Prince Fili's girlfriend, was also there.
"Sorry I'm late, that meeting downstairs went a little long." Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien walked over, carrying an elegant silver. She set it down on the table. "Could I trouble someone for a glass of champagne?"
Dis rose to pour her a glass. "Here you go," she said, handing her the flute. "Unless you want the whole bottle now? I know how meetings with my brother can go."
Laughter filled the room. Galadriel grinned. "No, it was fine. I really stopped in on the way home from Rivendell to meet Prince Kili ahead of the first UK meeting. And," she continued, looking at Tauriel, "I also wanted to meet his bride to be. So you'll know one more friendly face in Gondor, in addition to Kili."
"It's so kind for you to take the time, my lady," Tauriel said, smiling.
"It gets so tiring being a head of state sometimes. I'm really going to enjoy this gathering of women. Which present do you want first?"
"The one on the top," Tauriel said, accepting it from Galadriel. She unwrapped it carefully, not knowing if it was breakable.
"It's from Princess Tilda," Princess Sigrid said.
In her lap was a small wooden box. Giving Sigrid a smile, Tauriel lifted the lid. Inside were three small lavender colored bags, tied with lavender ribbon. She lifted one out, and sniffed. "Lavender sachets? Did Tilda make these herself?"
"Yes. She grew the lavender in her windowsill, and then dried it and crushed it. Do you like it?"
"It's lovely, thank you so much. I love that she made it herself. Tell Tilda that Prince Kili's clothes will smell very nice now." The rest of the ladies laughed. Tauriel grinned at Sigrid and gave her a saucy wink.
Tauriel handed the box to Dis, and took the next present Galadriel gave her. It was in a square box. "That's from me," Marin called out.
Tauriel opened the box, and pulled out something heavy wrapped in tissue paper. "Oh, how beautiful!" A solid silver picture frame. Flowers and leaves were engraved around its edges. She turned it on its back, looking for the signature of the maker in silver. Around the back side, she saw the engraved words and read out loud: "To Kili and Tauriel, may your future be filled with happiness. Love, Auntie Marin."
"Did you make that?" Sigrid asked Marin in awe.
"Yes, I did. I learned to work with silver when I was younger than your sister Tilda."
Tauriel passed the picture frame around so it could be admired. "It is wonderful."
"Here, my dear." Galadriel handed her a silver box. "That is from the King of Dale."
"Let's see what we have." Tauriel opened the lid and carefully pulled out two crystal wine glasses. "Oh, Sigrid!" She held one up to the light to see rainbow prisms dancing through it. "I can't wait to drink out of them."
"In the old days, the kings of Dale had people who worked with crystal, and they gave crystal items as gifts to other dignitaries. We found several of these packed away in the king's cellars. Not a scratch on them," said Sigrid.
"No, there isn't. They were well taken care of. Thank you!" She put them back into the box and handed it to Dis to oooh and aaah over
"This is from the elves of Lothlorien." Galadriel handed her the bag. It was heavier than the silver frame. Tauriel pulled out one bottle of wine, then another. "White and red. Is this elven wine then?"
"Yes, and this year it should be perfectly aged."
Tauriel smiled at her. "That will be delicious. The wine and the glasses will definitely be going on the honeymoon."
Galadriel passed her a long box wrapped in pink paper. "That is my gift,"said Tuliva. "Hopefully it can go with the wine and the glasses."
Tauriel opened it and stood up. She held a long black satin robe up to her body. "How elegant! This satin is just beautiful. I'll have to pack it carefully so it doesn't crush. Thank you." She laid it back in the box and passed it to Sigrid.
"You're welcome." Tuliva said, with a sassy grin.
"This last gift is from me." Dis said, standing up. "Now, before you open it, I want to say two things."
Oh boy, Tauriel thought to herself. Her mother in law was a bold, blunt woman. Tough and sassy. And that was when she was sober. When she was tipsy and in private with friends and family, well, anything could happen. What two things could she possibly have to say now? How much champagne had she drunk?
"The first. I always liked elves. Like most dwarves do. But it never crossed my mind that my baby boy would fall in love with one, and want to marry an elf. I was quite surprised, let me tell you ladies, when he told me what he had planned. But I've gotten to know you." She turned to Tauriel. "You make Kili happier than I've ever seen him, or ever imagined he'd be. I'm very, very happy for you."
Sniffles could be heard in the room. Tauriel herself felt a little misty-eyed. "Thank you, Dis, that's lovely!"
"Don't get all teary, girl, I'm not done yet. Now," she said, looking around the room, "I heard Kili and Tauriel the other day. They were a little loud. And they weren't talking, either.
"Dis!" Tauriel and Marin exclaimed at the same time. Tuliva and Galadriel chuckled. Sigrid blushed but laughed along with them.
"But they weren't loud enough. So I thought this present might help with that. You'd better make good use of it, honey, or I'll be disappointed in you both."
Tauriel gaped at her. Should she laugh, or blush more red than any beet? That Dis! Then she shrieked with laughter along with the rest of the ladies. "What have you done now?" she gasped, laughing, as she opened the last gift.
Inside the box, on a bed of cream colored velvet, laid black lace and satin. Tauriel plucked at fabric and pulled it out of the box. "That looks like a corset. And this," she said, pulling out another piece, "looks like panties. Wow, it's the whole uniform! Garters and stockings too."
"Can I make a suggestion for this gift?" Galadriel asked.
"I suppose so . . . " Tauriel said weakly.
"Wear it to those boring ambassadorial parties and you will be whisked home by Kili as early as he can leave without breaching decorum. Just make sure he sees you put it on under your dress."
Tauriel smiled. "I assume we will we see you and Lord Celeborn leaving those same parties at the same time we do."
"Of course, my dear."
"Do you make it all the way home?" The naughty atmosphere of the party was getting to her.
Galadriel looked at Tauriel in surprise. "Of course not. What do you think the backseat of a limo is for?"
"Now I know I'll get a lot of use out of this. She looked at Dis and smirked a little. "Thanks for not getting me thong panties."
"You're welcome. And I meant what I said. You weren't loud enough."
Not loud enough, Tauriel thought as she stood naked in the walk-in closet. Such a gutsy mother in law Dis was! She was not ever going to tell Kili about that. Ever.
She fiddled with the lingerie. Better try it on now to see it if fits right, Tauriel thought. She slid on the satin panties, then thigh high black lace stockings. The corset, sheer black lace, was a little more challenging, with its many hooks up the front. She clipped the garters to the tops of the stockings.
Tauriel studied herself in the full length mirror. She'd never worn any lingerie like this. Had never owned any before. When life was upside down, when you were running for your life, sexy underwear to seduce your man was not a priority.
She posed this way and that, trying out sexy, pouty looks. She slid her hands slowly between her thighs, and thought of the one person who could do that so much better than she did. And she knew right where to find him. Carefully she put on the black robe from Tuliva, and left the closet.
He was in the soaking tub. Tauriel had heard Kili come in earlier and draw a bath. Now she studied him. He lay with his arms spread, head thrown back, eyes closed, relaxing. Bubbles and soap frothed up to his muscular chest. Her hands began to feel itchy for him. All the sex talk today was making her start to throb for him.
"I know you're there," he said slowly, his eyes still closed. "Why don't you come in and sit by me?"
Tauriel pulled her robe tightly, and walked over to the tub. She sat on the edge of it, and leaned down to kiss his lips gently.
Kili opened his eyes. He frowned slightly at her, looking her up and down. "Did you get that robe at the party today?"
"Yes," she said, standing up so he could see all of it. "What do you think?"
"Very nice. How was the party?"
"Nice, and small. Princess Tilda made us lavendar sachets. I'll be putting them in your underwear drawer."
He flicked a little water at her and laughed lightly. "No way."
"We have some lovely wine from Lothlorien, which will be drunk on the honeymoon, out of beautiful old crystal wine glasses from Dain."
He raised a brow. "That's impressive. I didn't know anything like that had survived Smaug."
"They did, and they are very lovely, especially in the light."
"Just like you, then." He looked at her and licked his lips slowly. "Would there be anything on underneath that robe?" He gave her a rakish smile.
"There might be." She returned the smile.
"What do I have to do to see it?"
"Close your eyes," Tauriel whispered.
He closed his eyes. "Keep them closed," she said, untying the robe and hanging it carefully on the back of the door. "You can look now," she said, striking a sexy pose against the wall.
He opened his eyes. And then his mouth dropped open in surprise. She heard the sharp intake of breath. "Did you get that today, too?" he whispered hoarsely.
"Yes." Tauriel slowly walked toward him, slim hips swinging back and forth.
Kili said nothing for a long moment. She saw his hands clench into fists. He groaned and dropped his head, breathing hard. Then he stood, in glorious aroused nakedness, and got out of the tub. His eyes, dark with desire, looked into hers. Tauriel trembled in anticipation of his touch, feeling her nipples contract under the corset.
He pulled her roughly to his wet body, hot mouth ravaging hers while his hands unhooked the corset. Rough fingers unclipped the garter from the stockings, sliding the garter and panties down her silk-clad legs. Tauriel heard herself moan as she saw Kili kneel before her, lifting one of her legs, then the other, to remove her underwear. "We aren't going to make it to the bed," he whispered roughly as he pushed her back to the wall, and lifted her legs to wrap them around his waist.
Three hours later, they had finally made it to the bed. They had finally, or so Tauriel thought, worn each other out completely. Kili lay on his back in their bed, sweaty and mussed and breathing hard. She lay sprawled next him, her head resting on his stomach, her hair a tangled mess spread all around her. Her body was still humming and pulsing. She would be sore tomorrow, but she didn't care.
He had had her against the wall in the bathroom. Then they'd melted to the floor, taking each other on the soft white plush rug. He'd slowly, oh so achingly slowly, pulled the stockings from her legs. Then had taken her ruthlessly in the steam shower, warm water teasing their bodies. Kili had dried her off after the shower and carried her to the bed, where he'd taken his time with her, slower paced but still intense.
The tile walls of the bathroom had amplified the sounds of her cries and his groans. Her own screams of desire still echoed in her ears. She shuddered a little with pleasure as she recalled Kili's hot breath moaning her name into her ear, feeling the pulse of him inside her as he came.
Tauriel sighed contentedly and smiled. She said a silent prayer of thanks for the wisdom of mothers-in-law, and wondered if Dis thought they had been loud enough this time.