A/N: A big, big, BIG thank you to the following for your words of encouragement and for leaving such wonderful reviews: doda, Raider-K, 01Katie, Cricklewood16, durinsdaughter2469btw, Blue1258, stubs1101, d'elfe, Amalie Petersen, leward1992, Cat2k10, WickedGreene13, CygnusRift, DarkLordofMemes and MikailaAnn225. You guys are the absolute best :D
Here is the next chapter - I hope you enjoy it :)
A sense of contentedness settled deep into his very being, seeping into his dreams like a misty light as he slept soundly.
Thranduil's eyes fluttered open as his senses came to life, a brief sense of disorientation seizing him like an iron fist before he relaxed when he realised where he was. With the last remnants of sleep dissipating came the memories of what had transpired last night between him and Charlotte, and a rare smile graced his features. When was the last time he had experienced such serenity? Too long.
He attention turned to the sight of a blissfully sleeping Charlotte curled against his side, her head nestled against his chest and her arm flung across his waist. Her breaths came out in even warm huffs, fluttering against his skin. She looked so at peace like this and that warm feeling enveloped his heart again, as it always seemed to do when his thoughts turned to her. Thranduil raised a hand and gently brushed a strand of unruly hair from her face, his touch eliciting as breathy sigh from her lips.
As he stared at her, his thoughts drifted to last night, which had been beyond anything he had ever experienced before, not even with Calemir. They had crested the waves of emotions that been born between them as they made love, which mingled with the voracious passion that had almost been enough for him to lose control.
Thranduil closed his eyes as the memory flooding his senses with such force that the air stole from his lungs.
Their hands entwined together as they moved in a sensual dance, their lovemaking bearing them to new heights of ecstasy under the cover of darkness. The symphony of their finely attuned bodies was reaching its crescendo, and Charlotte cried out his name as she shattered beneath him.
Thranduil slowly opened his eyes. He had almost bonded with Charlotte. The urge had been overwhelming, like a siren's call that urged him to complete the most sacred of unions.
There was no doubt in his mind that Charlotte was the one; the one whom he wanted to bond with and share his life with. His fëa mate. But Charlotte knew little to nothing of elvish customs and it would be cruel to thrust this onto her without any warning, not until she fully understood the implications of committing to such a union.
He knew that he would have to broach the subject with care, for the bond went well beyond the mere ceremony of marriage - it was a binding of fëas. Essentially, this was akin to a term he had learned whilst perusing the many books in the study: soulmates. Admittedly, the concept had been foreign to him, as with everything else in this world, but the more he read, the more enchanted he became with the term. It was, indeed, fitting.
Charlotte stirred, breaking Thranduil from his inner musings, and he revelled in the delicious feel of her warm, naked body snuggling closer to him. Would he ever get his fill of her? he thought to himself as he shifted and drew her pliant body against his.
His hand glided down her back, eliciting a shiver through her petite body.
"Five more minutes," she murmured drowsily, her eyes still closed.
Thranduil nuzzled her neck, grinning wickedly to himself. Charlotte was clearly exhausted, and he couldn't help but feel smug that he had reduced her to such a state.
"And waste this opportunity to wake you up in such a delicious manner?"
Charlotte's eyes fluttered open and she gasped as Thranduil nipped the sensitive spot on her neck. Sleep was quickly being chased away as reawakened desire coursed through her body.
Thranduil captured her lips and Charlotte quickly concluded that sleep was overrated, especially when one had the opportunity of being awoken quite nicely by the Elvenking himself. Really, there was no better way to start the day.
ooOoo
Charlotte stood under the shower, the warm spray easing the pleasant ache in her body. She sighed in a sense of contentment, feeling thoroughly sated. Thranduil was a generous lover and he certainly wasn't lacking any skills in the bedroom department.
Her eyes skimmed over the bruises on her thighs and hips that were the perfect match of the Elvenking's fingertips, an exquisite reminder of what had happened between them last night.
Charlotte's thoughts turned sombre, and she wondered if the enchanting elf was regretting his actions? She shook her head, knowing these thoughts were very out of place and wrong. Thranduil had made his intentions, as well as his feelings, very clear and she had felt nothing but honesty and sincerity in both his actions and words. Thranduil, an elf, was not like men of the human variety. He took his vows seriously, and if what he said was true, then he most certainly considered their union sacred and not to be defiled in any way. No, she was confident that Thranduil had no regrets, especially after they had wiled away the morning making love, his caresses and kisses expressing freely the love that he harbored for her.
Charlotte hopped out of the shower and after wrapping a towel securely around her, she made her way to her bedroom, noting that the power had been restored sometime during the morning when they had otherwise been occupied. The storm had now passed, though thick fluffy flakes fell in a continuous curtain of white, painting the lands in a crisp cleanliness that only new fallen snow seemed to possess.
Charlotte slipped on a pair of black leggings and a cream-colored long-sleeved top. She ran a brush through her thick waves and huffed in defeat. She sincerely hoped that when they went back to Middle Earth that the elves had something magical to tame hair such as hers. It really wasn't fair that the elves were perfect in every way, from long lustrous hair to flawlessly smooth and unblemished skin. Not to mention bodies like sculpted marble. Thranduil naked had certainly been a sight to behold.
She wondered, not for the first time, what Thranduil saw in her? Then the thought hit her: maybe it was because elves were physically perfect and surrounded by constant beauty that they overlooked the physical aspect and, rather, focused on the inner beauty and qualities of others. It would certainly make sense that elves placed higher value on personality rather that outer beauty.
Her thoughts drifted to the words Thranduil had spoken in reverence last night, both in Sindarin and English. Thranduil had meant everything he had uttered, and Charlotte knew in her heart that he did, indeed, love her with every fibre of his being.
A wide grin bloomed on her face and Charlotte had to restrain herself from skipping out of the room to find her pointy-eared King.
ooOoo
Charlotte entered the kitchen and found it empty of Thranduil's elfy presence. The cloak missing from the coat rack alerted her to the fact that he must have gone outside. She peered out the window, her eyes widening at how much snow had fallen last night. The lands were blanketed in thick downy white and the artic wind had caused a rippling effect over the surface of the snow, and the branches of the trees struggled under the weight resting on their barren branches. Her eyes scanned the picturesque scenery, but there was no sign of Thranduil.
Charlotte decided to make herself a cup of tea and smiled to herself when her gaze came to rest on the forgotten dinner still laid out on the table. It was a waste, but she was unable to muster any guilt, especially considering what they had foregone dinner for.
She leaned back against the counter, sipping happily at her hot tea. The sound of the door opening broke her from her musings, and she turned to see Thranduil enter the kitchen, flakes of snow dusting his cloak and blending in with the white of his hair. His electric gaze found hers and he gave her a beatific smile that warmed her right down to her toes.
He closed the door behind him and came to stand in front of her, his hands resting on her hips with familiar custom. He ducked his head and brushed his lips against hers in a tender caress that sent her heart fluttering before pulling away, his eyes glimmering with an inner light that made them shine even brighter than before. There was a subtle difference in his demeanor that she could not put her finger on. It was almost as though sometime during the night he had lost the tension warring within him, and now in its place stood a lighter, more carefree ellon.
"Good morning," he murmured against her lips.
"I think you already gave me a good morning," she replied cheekily.
"Yes, that I did." He grinned humorously at Charlotte and pressed a featherlight kiss on the tip of her nose before straightening. "But before you tempt me into whiling away the day encumbered in the warmth of your bed, there's something I would like for you to see."
Charlotte raised a brow. "I doubt anybody could tempt you to do something you don't want to do."
Thranduil's features softened and he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You have more power over me than you realise, little one."
Charlotte could have melted into a puddle. He really knew how to be eloquently charming when he wanted to be. "I think it goes both ways, Thranduil." Charlotte inwardly cringed. She, on the other hand, did not possess Thranduil's ability to spout poetic verses.
Thranduil, though, didn't seem to mind her lack of finesse and merely smiled warmly at her words. Taking a step back, his hands clasped behind his back, he stated, "Dress warmly. What I want to show you is outside."
Charlotte glanced behind at the decidedly frosty scene outside, and every ounce of her body rebelled at the thought of stepping out into the chill that would surely numb her to her bones. She glanced back at Thranduil, noting the restrained excitement lurking in those cerulean depths, and found she could not refuse him.
"Alright then. But if I get hypothermia, you're warming me up," she stated as she grabbed her jacket from the coat rack and slipped it on, along with her winter's boots.
"It would be my pleasure," he murmured from behind her, his warm breath ghosting against the nape of her neck and causing Charlotte to shiver at the promise lacing those words. "Now stop tempting me, woman, and get ready."
"Stop distracting me and I will," she fired back, unable to stop the grin that now graced her face. She enjoyed moments likes these with him when they playfully bantered. Theirs was proving to be such a natural and easy-going relationship, something she had never experienced before in the past.
Charlotte zipped up her jacket and pulled on her knitted hat and gloves before stepping out the door, the chill hitting her square in the face and causing her to gasp. She involuntarily shivered and ducked her head to stave off the cold.
"Is it far?" she asked, yearning to retreat into the house as quickly as possible as the chill bit into her exposed flesh.
Thranduil glanced down at her, a slight frown marring his porcelain features. "I forget how fragile the human body is, especially against the natural elements."
"Compared to your superior biology, yeah, us humans are a fragile bunch. So, what did you want to show me?"
Thranduil turned his attention forward and whistled a low musical call that echoed in the silent terrain. Charlotte peered closely at the trees that surrounded the property, waiting, but there was no sign of anything, magical or otherwise.
She opened her mouth to say something, but Thranduil held up his hand, causing her to halt with the question on the tip of her tongue. His keen eyes were focused intently ahead, and Charlotte followed his line of sight. She was starting to think that nothing was going to happen, but then a dark form stepped out from the shadows of the trees.
Charlotte gaped as her mind made sense of what it was: a moose. It was the biggest bull she had ever seen, taller than Thranduil even. As the moose ambled closer, Charlotte could make out the deep, rich chocolate brown of its coat flecked with a light dusting of snow. Its dark soulful eyes stared back at them with guarded curiosity, though Charlotte marvelled that there was not a hint of fear in those deep pools. She had to wonder if this had something to do with Thranduil's presence? The antlers were massive in her eyes, and Charlotte was now distinctly aware that if this creature had a mind to, it could kill her with one charge.
She edged closer to Thranduil, but he was already making his way towards the formidable creature, his cloak flapping around his ankles with the movement. He was talking softly in that musical dialect of his, his strange words floating on the air in a soothing and calming tone.
Charlotte held her breath as the moose eyed Thranduil's cautious approach, his hand outstretched as he continued talking to the animal in his poetic language. Thranduil halted, and after what felt like eternity, the moose took a tentative step forward and bowed his large head to the King, clearly having been won over by the elf and his pillow-talk.
It was in this moment that Charlotte truly glimpsed the sacred bond that Thranduil had with the land and the animals that inhabited it; this relationship only fuelling the fact that Thranduil was an otherworldly being. As he stood before the majestic animal, stroking the fur on its elongated nose, Thranduil appeared every bit in his element.
Thranduil glanced over his shoulder at her. "Come here, Charlotte."
Her eyes widened and she shook her head in refusal. "No way! He's freaking huge!"
"And he is gentle in nature."
Charlotte swallowed hard. She knew Thranduil would not put her in harms way and she was going to have to trust that his instincts were correct with this animal. But, Goddammit, it didn't mean she wasn't scared out of her wits! She made her way to the duo, her legs feeling like jelly and her heart pounding in her chest.
She paused as a dawning realisation hit her: Thranduil's footprints were barely imprinted in the snow. How was that possible? She had personally dragged him into the house the day he showed up here, and she could vouch that he was no lightweight. In fact, if it weren't for the adrenaline, she was sure she would have been wheezing in the corner after that exertion. Charlotte recalled reading the part about Legolas virtually gliding over the snow, light-footed and weightless. Maybe is was from years of practise, or maybe it was something in their genetics. Or maybe it was magic. Thranduil was adamant that there was no such thing as magic, but Charlotte was calling bullshit on that notion. Everything about him was magical. But maybe it was the fact that magic was the norm for elves that they could not comprehend that it was anything else but normal. So, when humans did suggest that it was magic, the notion was incomprehensible to them.
Charlotte shook her head. There was still so much she had to get used to when it came to Thranduil. The moose raised his head at her approach and Charlotte instantly stilled as its beady eyes stared at her, and she could not stop the frantic beating of her heart.
"It's alright. He will not harm you," Thranduil assured, reaching out his hand to her. Charlotte nervously took it and let Thranduil draw her to his side. "Trust me," he whispered against her ear.
"I do, but he's just so…big." Terrifying was the word she wanted to use.
"He's smaller than what Bethril was." A sudden melancholy overcame him, and Charlotte suddenly realised that Bethril must have been his beloved elk that had been slain not too long ago. She squeezed his hand.
"I'm sorry."
"He was a loyal friend and will be missed dearly."
She watched as Thranduil smoothed the rough fur between the moose's eyes all the way down it's bulbous nose. With what little courage she had, Charlotte took off her glove and tentatively recached out, resting her hand against the velvety soft muzzle. She let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding when the moose did not react and simply accepted their affectionate touches.
"He is beautiful," Charlotte conceded, feeling braver as she scratched lightly under the beast's chin. The moose stretched it neck, allowing her to get better access and she had the smile to herself at how remarkably gentle it was, especially for its size. Or maybe it had something to do with Thranduil's connection to the bull.
"He is quite magnificent in his own right," Thranduil agreed.
Charlotte glanced over her shoulder to see that Thranduil had taken a step back and was now watching the two of them interact, an enigmatic smile playing on his lips. There was something else in his eyes, and it took her a moment to realise that it was wistfulness.
Rolling her eyes good-naturedly, Charlotte said, "You want to keep him as a pet, don't you?" That's all fine and dandy, just as long as he doesn't try to bring it into the house…
"If we were back in Middle Earth, I would highly consider it. He is a good-natured animal and has a pleasant temperament. He would be loyal to a fault, but I think our paths are meant to travel in different directions. Though I do wonder if he would allow me to ride him…"
Charlotte's head snapped in his direction. He wasn't serious, was he?
But Thranduil was, indeed serious. He strode forward, speaking softly in his musical language, and Charlotte's jaw hit the ground when he gracefully leapt onto the bull's back, the movement so quick and effortless that it almost seemed as though he had flown through the air. Thranduil stared down at her from his high perch, looking every inch the regal Elevnking he was, and he extended his hand.
Her eyes widened as she realised that he wanted her to join him. Charlotte hastily stepped back, shaking her head. No way! Nope! Big double nope!
"I assure you, Charlotte, that you will be perfectly safe," Thranduil intoned. "I will allow no harm to come to you." Thranduil paused as a thought occurred to him. "Have you ever ridden before."
"Certainly not a moose!"
Thranduil grinned down at her. "Yes, I can imagine you haven't. And what about a horse?"
Charlotte shook her head. After being bitten at a petting zoo as a child, she had a rather healthy fear of the creatures.
Thranduil studied her for a moment with that eerie unblinking gaze and finally murmured something in Sindarin. The moose snorted and then to Charlotte's disbelief, it knelt down, its spindly legs folding under it.
"Trust me, little one," Thranduil said softly, his voice breaking through her fear and astonishment, and she glanced up to see that his slender hand was still extended, waiting patiently for her consent.
As she stared at Thranduil, Charlotte knew in her heart that he would protect her. She did trust him, inexplicably.
Swallowing hard, Charlotte took his hand and climbed rather clumsily in front of him. The moose immediately rose on its long legs and Thranduil wrapped his arm around her waist drawing her close to him. His scent washed over her senses, calming her racing heart as his body molded and conformed behind her, becoming one with her. Charlotte realised she had nothing to hold on to and decided to clutch tightly at Thranduil's arm like a lifeline.
"Do not fear. Tallagor will keep the pace slow."
"Tallagor?"
"That is his name," Thranduil said simply as the moose started to walk with slow and deliberate strides in the clearing. "It means Swift Foot."
"You've already named him?" Charlotte couldn't help the chuckle that rose to the forefront. "Yeah, you've most certainly made him your pet. No bringing him in the house, though."
"I wouldn't dream of it." His tone, though, implied that the thought had crossed his mind.
They went around at a leisurely pace, Charlotte slowly getting comfortable on the moose's back and the tension leaving her as both beast and elf endeavoured to calm her nerves. Finally, they neared the house and Thranduil spoke to Tallagor again in his language. The moose knelt down in obedience, allowing its occupants to dismount.
Thranduil leapt off first and turned to help Charlotte dismount. The moose rose to its feet and they both watched as he sauntered off, disappearing into the outcropping of trees.
"That was quite the experience," Charlotte stated in wonder.
"I would have preferred an elk, but a moose will do, I suppose." Thranduil glanced down at the awe-struck woman at his side. "When we get back to Middle Earth, you are going to receive riding lessons."
"On an elk or a horse?" Charlotte clarified as they entered the house.
"Both," was his answer.
The ringing of the phone cut off any argument Charlotte may have presented, and she rushed to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Charlotte," Carl's voice sounded on the other end. Charlotte instantly stilled, the tone in his voice sounding very serious, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Thranduil draw nearer to listen.
"What's wrong, Carl?"
Carl, true to his nature, cut straight to the chase. "There's been a new development. Lucy was in a car accident last night. They had to do an emergency deliver of the baby, and both are in critical condition. The outlook is not very good."