A/N: Deepest apologies for not posting last Friday. I was so busy finishing up Halloween costumes that I didn't have time to sit down and finish this chapter. But here it is! There will be an epilogue after this to bring the story to its conclusion. I hope you enjoy!

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Tibblets: Good to hear from you! And yes, it was certainly time!

Blondiez: Yes, they finally got through to each other. I'm glad you enjoyed Falvi's bit at the end. That part appeared out of no where and I liked it so much I left it. :)

Petal: Well, that leaves us here! Hope you enjoy!

scott: Thanks!

Sparky: Thank you! I'm glad you liked how I did that; I was hoping it seemed right. :) And Thorin can always be counted on, can't he?

kaia: Yup! I finally ended their needless suffering.

MissCalla: Indeed he is! I've found dwarves usually are.

Marie: This is the last chapter and then there will be an epilogue.

Rohirrim: Probably been waiting as long as I've been waiting to write it. :)

Queen: Thank you!

Peregrine: When you get to this chapter, thank you for your review. I'm glad you liked those conversations. As for Kíli I have left it up to the reader's imagination. :)

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Middle Earth and its denizens are all Tolkien's. Who I picture in each role belongs to the fabulous actors and Peter Jackson. Everything else is mine. :)


As soon as they tumbled into his chamber and he'd kicked the door closed behind them Boromir felt her loosening his belt. Tearing his lips from hers he grabbed her hands, holding them against his chest. Shae looked up at him puzzled.

"I want to make sure you are okay with this."

"I wouldn't be in here if I wasn't." Pulling her hands free she kicked off her boots and released her belt, letting it fall to the floor. He tried not to gape. She quickly unlaced her leather jerkin and it joined her belt. Before she could remove anything else he took her hands again, pulling her close to him, wanting to feel her lips under his again. She pressed close and the difference the removal of her leather jerkin made was immediately apparent. Running his hands down her sides he could feel her curves, the enticing dip of her waist down to her hips, the surprisingly full swell of her breasts. It was like lightning shot through him, igniting something that had lain quiet for some time, and he was suddenly impatient to strip the rest of her clothing from her in order to see what had been hiding under those layers for all these months.

Shae was no less impatient. She had not forgotten that tantalizing eyeful she'd gotten at the bathing pool in Lothlorien. As cloth and leather fell away she was not disappointed. This was a man whose body had been honed and hardened over a lifetime of battle. Her breathed hitched at the sight of him and she was suddenly quite impatient. Almost as if he could read her mind, Boromir lifted her into his arms and carried her quickly to the bed, placing her gently on the thick blankets. His weight upon her, the sensation of skin on skin, caused a fire to flare inside her, the flames racing through her veins. She had never felt anything like it before and was eager to feel even more. He seemed to be hesitating and the thought that he was still giving her the opportunity to change her mind melted her heart even further. Reaching up she ran a hand along the side of his face.

"Don't stop. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't what I wanted." She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him all the way down on top of her. When she did she became very aware of what was now pressed against her thigh. With a gleam in her eye that surprised him, she wrapped her legs around his waist, causing a soft groan to escape his lips. "Show me, Boromir. Show me what we've been missing all these months."

He needed no further encouragement.


Boromir carefully slid back under the blankets hoping his movement wouldn't wake the woman sleeping beside him. Gathering her back against his chest he lay in the golden glow of the fire he'd just lit, extremely content ... happy. He honestly couldn't remember a time when he had felt so. When Shae had walked through his door, that small smirk on her lips, he had been completely blindsided. Never would he have expected King Thorin to appoint his daughter to oversee the soldiers and workers sent to Annuminas or, despite her intelligence, to serve as an ambassador. He strongly suspected it was Rhaella that had been the major factor in bringing that decision about - and he blessed her for it. As he lay there his thoughts meandered back to what had happened on the balcony. Ever since her arrival he had been trying to recapture the friendship, the feeling of closeness they had formed in their time together in Lothlorien. The antagonism that had surrounded their early relationship did not reappear but she kept herself rather aloof; always friendly, never shirked her duties, but nothing that could tell him if she still felt anything for him. The fact that she seemed to keep her distance had spoken volumes, though. For weeks he'd wondered where Shae managed to hide herself. After her small accommodations had been completed off the dwarves' hall he had been able to find her there but that had only lasted a couple of weeks and despite the passage of several months' time he had been unable to discover where she was disappearing to. It was only a stroke of luck that he'd overheard one of the dwarves talking about their princess spending time on the balcony.

And then he'd found her.

Going up there he truly had had no idea why he was going or what he intended on saying when he got there. All he had been able to manage at first had been pointless small talk that seemed to go no where. However to hear her say that she'd written to her parents in the hopes that they would recall her to Erebor called up all the feelings he'd been struggling to hide until he'd become sure of her own. They burst to the surface in a speech that even he was surprised could have come out of his mouth. But every bit of it had been true. Those months in Minas Tirith had almost caused him to go mad; thinking he caught glimpses of her out of the corner of his eye or heard her laughter as he was walking down a street ... it would have been enough to drive anyone out of their mind. It had all come pouring out, including his belief that Thorin would have arranged a marriage for her. As soon as he'd blurted those feelings out he'd been instantly afraid she would bolt from him ... but she hadn't. Boromir didn't think he would ever forget the way the look of complete shock on her face quickly morphed to beaming happiness. To hear her say that she wasn't married and that he didn't even have to work to win her love had knocked down the last defense he'd had. He wasn't even sure how they had made it back to his small home but they had and she had willingly given herself to him. He had been her first and he was determined that he would be her only.

"What has you so serious this morning?"

He grinned, giving her a light kiss. "The sun is not up yet."

"Oh?" She stretched, almost reminding him of a cat, and the feeling of her naked body sliding against his had him fighting not to roll over on top of her again. "Good. I'm quite content where I am."

"I am glad to hear you say so."

Shae settled herself against his side with her head resting on his shoulder. The glow of the fire allowed her to see the hard, flat planes of his chest and stomach, the skin only marred where the orc arrows had struck him. She ran her fingers gently over each one, trying not to remember the terror she'd felt as he'd slipped into unconsciousness or the fear she'd experienced when she'd realized she wouldn't be able to row him back up the river to Lothlorien. She had been so stupid, so blind. Looking back it was painfully obvious she had been willfully ignoring what was right in front of her. Even then, when she'd been so afraid of losing him, she had been unable to admit what she was feeling. Why had she been so stubborn? It would have saved her a lot of anguish and tears.

Riding away from him had been the hardest thing she'd ever done. That alone should have been enough to point her in the right direction but, again, she'd been too stubborn to admit it. She had been shocked when she'd returned from her trip to the Iron Hills and heard Boromir had been there. A hope that he had come to see her bubbled up inside though it was quickly dashed when her father explained the purpose of his visit. Throughout the next couple of weeks she'd had to endure the teasing of her brothers whenever Boromir's name happened to come up in conversation. When they accidentally told her what they'd done to him she had flown into a rage and challenged them both to a match in the sparring rings. Rho had been wise enough to decline but Durin had accepted and then had to live with his bruised ego afterward. And then had come the news that not only was she to be placed in command of the soldiers traveling to Annuminas to protect the workers that would be helping to rebuild the ancient city but she would also be staying to serve as an ambassador for Erebor. She had wondered then at her father's decision considering there was no need for such a position in a city just in the beginning stages of reconstruction but now Shae could see her mother's influence in the whole business. When she'd first arrived here - slightly surprised at all the Gondorians had been able to accomplish - she had cursed Rhae's interference but now ... now she couldn't thank her mother enough. The things he'd said and the things he'd done to her made her heartbeat quicken even now.

She returned her attention to the man next to her. "I almost lost you then," she said softly, flattening the palm of her hand over the arrow scar on his shoulder. "I was so afraid ... "

"Then you know some of what I felt before the gate of Mordor when I saw you lying on the ground with a pool of blood under you." His own hand moved and covered the jagged scar on her side protectively. "I sat by your side for days, hoping that you'd open your eyes and argue with me over something, anything."

"You never came to see me once I did wake."

He frowned. "Another instance of my foolish pride getting the better of me."

"I'm afraid we both have too many of those moments throughout the course of our relationship." She glanced up at him. "You haven't answered my question, though."

"What question was that?"

"I wanted to know why you were looking so serious when I woke up." To her surprise she thought a slight flush brushed across his cheeks and her curiosity sprung up instantly. She sat up, the blanket pooling around her waist, and met his gaze. "Boromir?"

His eyes dropped momentarily to what had been revealed when the blanket had fallen away then he leaned over and pulled something from the drawer in the table next to the bed. She tried to wait patiently. He seemed to contemplate what he was holding for a bit longer before again meeting her gaze. When he spoke his words came out haltingly as if he were unsure of what he was saying.

"You willingly came with me last night, willingly laid with me even though ..."

"Even though it soon became clear I'd never been with a man before?"

"Yes ... no ... I mean I realized it was your first time but it didn't take you long to ... confound it, I'm making a complete mess of this and an arse of myself."

Shae couldn't help giggling - he looked so frustrated - though she did have some idea of what he was trying to say. She quickly moved from his side, settling herself in his lap and wrapping her legs comfortably around his middle. His reaction was instantly noticeable underneath her which was perfectly fine in her way of thinking. He had loved her well during the night, twice, and she was quite ready for him to do it again.

"I am a quick learner," she murmured, leaning in to brush her lips across his.

"You are indeed," he replied, his customary smirk crossing his face. After a deep kiss he pulled back slightly and took her hands in his. "I'm not one for making speeches. What I was trying to say was that I want to be the only one you share such moments with." She tilted her head to the side just a bit, puzzled over why he would say such a thing. She was not one to be loose with her body; her parents had taught her better than that. "I'm doing everything in the wrong order but there's no changing it now. Shae, I'm asking you to marry me." He held up what was in his hand: a sparkling diamond ring, the stone so clear it was almost like ice. Her years in the mountain told her just how exquisite a gem this was and she stared at him in amazement.

She had wondered what would happened once she'd given in and let him bed her. If she was honest with herself she probably had expected things to just stay like that: friends during the day, lovers at night. Only in her most private dreams had she ever imagined hearing those words from him. Now that he had actually said them, new thoughts began crowding in. He was the Steward of Arnor, Annuminas would be his home. If they were married she would have to leave Erebor, her family, everything she'd ever known, and it would be some time before she would be able to see them again. Trekking across the Misty Mountains was not something done every few months. But besides her family what was there for her in the Lonely Mountain? Shae met his earnest gaze and had her answer. There was nothing for her there. Her heart, her future were right here. She didn't know why Mahal saw fit to place her here but if he had there was a reason for it.

"Yes, I will marry you, Boromir."

Joy like she'd never seen before filled his eyes and he carefully took her hand, slipping the ring on her finger. Somehow it fit perfectly.

"It was my mother's. Before I left for Erebor I searched through her rooms and then father's before I found it. I had no way of knowing if you felt the same way I did but when I finally realized just how stubborn and blind I'd been I knew I had to take the chance."

"So you carried it with you all this time."

He nodded. "You weren't in Erebor when I was there and I thought my chance would never come. Then you showed up here though for a while it seemed like there was no hope for me. You kept your distance." Now it was her turn to blush and he titled her chin up. "What is it?"

She rolled her eyes at her own foolishness. "I'm embarrassed to admit it but I thought that your feelings had changed and that you had a wife that would be joining you here."

"You thought I was married?" His incredulousness was clear in his voice.

"Well, that's no worse than you thinking my father would have arranged a marriage for me."

He began to laugh and pulled her against him. "What ridiculous fools we have been, Shae."

"Aye, we have indeed." She pressed herself down on him, enjoying how his arms tightened around her and his eyes darkened. "I think we should make up for lost time."

Gripping her tightly he flipped them over so he was on top of her again. She arched up against him, loving the feeling. "I think that is a perfect idea," he growled and a low moan tore from her as he slowly took her again.


"Your Majesties, there is a message for you from the Princess." The raven master handed Thorin the small piece of paper then left the room with a bow. He didn't open it, handing it to Rhae.

"She's probably asking to come home again. It seems you were wrong in your belief that sending Shae there would bring her and the Gondorian together." He bent back over the expansion plans for the forges and so he didn't see the expression on his wife's face as she read their daughter's message. Her amused giggle, however, did pull his attention from the parchment on the table. She was watching him with clear amusement in her eyes. "You are obviously dying to tell me something."

"Aye, indeed I am. It seems I was correct in my assumptions." She held the paper out to him. "Shae and Boromir are to be married."

"What?!"

Rhae tried to hold in her merriment as he read Shae's few lines then sank into his chair. He was silent for some time, staring out the window, his free hand clinching and unclinching. Finally he looked up at her and she knew he was going to try to act angry.

"This is all your doing. If you hadn't convinced me to send her to Annuminas this would not have happened."

"Our daughter becoming engaged to be married is so horrible? I don't recall you acting in such a way when Durin and Rhoin were in similar situations."

"That was different. They married dwarrowdams."

Her eyes flashed as she put her hands on her hips and Thorin cringed slightly. "So you're saying Boromir, descended from the Numenoreans just as I am, is not good enough for Shae?"

"That is not what I meant."
"Isn't it?"

"No, of course not. I have nothing against Boromir. It's just ... "

"What?" Rhae knew full well what he was thinking and didn't fault him for it but it was still amusing to watch him squirm when he thought he had put his foot in his mouth.

"It's Shae ... isn't she too young for this?"

At the despondency in his voice she dropped her act and sat down in his lap, putting her arms around his neck. "She will always be your little girl, Thorin, but Shae grew up a long time ago. You can't control her actions just as you can't control who she, or anyone else, falls in love with."

His shoulders slumped and he rested his forehead against hers. "I knew this day would eventually come. I just didn't think it would take my girl so far away." He sighed. "When will actually be married?"

"I thought you read the letter?"

"No. I couldn't get past the first two lines."

Rhae laughed. "You will be pleased to hear that they have decided to wait until the rebuilding had progressed enough that they feel comfortable leaving the city for a few months. She said more details will follow but to expect the ceremony to take place next year in Minas Tirith."

"Minas Tirith? Why not here? Is Erebor not good enough?"

"Calm your ruffled feathers, Thorin. You know Shae would never think such a thing. She has to take into consideration Boromir's family, not to mention the new King will be attending along with Fíli and his family. The White City is much easier to get to than Erebor."

He lapsed into silence again and Rhae nestled her head on his shoulder, waiting for when he was ready to talk again. She was quite pleased her plan had worked and if she wasn't positive Shae had already notified him she would have instantly sent a raven to Fíli in the Blue Mountains. As soon as she got Thorin calmed down she would call their sons in to let them in on the news.

"I suppose there's nothing I can do to stop it," he finally said with another sigh.

"Not a thing and I would smack you upside the head with Orcrist if you did try to do something."

"Don't worry. I'm not that addle-brained." There was a twinkle of amusement in his eyes now.

"I should hope not."

"Oh no. I learned long ago that your swing can be lethal."

She leaned in close. "My hands can be quite gentle, too, my husband."

For a moment he didn't answer then he stood, carefully helping her to her feet, marched over to the door and slid the bolt in place, locking them behind its solid oak panels. She couldn't keep the grin from her lips as he turned and stalked towards her. He still reminded her of a predator sometimes when he speared her with those blue eyes.

"How about you refresh my memory?" He had backed her up until the backs of her legs hit his desk and her pulse raced at the thought of what he had in mind.

"It would be my pleasure," she purred as he lifted her to sit on the smooth, wooden surface. "As long as you promise to refresh my memory on a few things as well."

"Your wish is my command."