The weeks pass and the forest sank deeper into the autumn. Eomer and his Rohirrim had arrived. The time for preparation had come and gone. The time for action was at hand. Soon the largest army since the last alliance would march across middle earth and into the east. The elves would return to the land of their awakening.

Their departure was at hand and Thranduil wished to do something special for his Queen. They had not been able to reurn to their spring in some time. He had the area scouted and guards posted around it. A small cozy tent had been erected for them to stay in. Elthian had been allowed to stay in the fortress. The fact that he would be in great discomfort was the cause.

Thranduil was being a bit greedy with his time with her. He knew they would be separated in the middle of their journey. He wanted his time with her. As much as he could get. He planned to spend time with Elthian as well in the last days before they left but this was for himself and his wife. They would spend a few days here. While their bond had always been strong he felt a great need to make it even stronger. As if his fea demanded it.

They had reached the spring in the evening. A warm inviting fire burned in a ring of stone next to the tent. Warm blankets lay near by. She was wrapped in his cloak. He slides from Memna's back and pulls her along with him. The night was very chilled but the fire was warm and the spring would be very warm. She wiggled away from him and plopped on the warm blankets and pulled one over herself.

He was pulling the saddle bags from the back of Memna and when he turned he saw her in the glow of the fire. Wrapped in the blanket . Her eyes watching the flames. She smiled widely and he felt her joy. 'Weather be damned' he thought looking at her. When they returned he did not care if it were the middle of winter. He would make more time for them to come here. It was one of her favorite places in their Kingdom.

He thought of the elf he was when Hannibal summoned him to his woods. It felt so long ago though it had been but a few years that had passed. He had been rather cold then. Though no where near as cold as he had been prior to the battle of five armies. He still had frost around his heart and now, now he felt more alive than he had in centuries and He wanted to do better for her.

She looked to him. The fire reflected in her eyes .

She smiled for him. "Will you join me hervenn or will you just stare at me from afar?"

He whispered to Memna and the elk took off. "I see nothing wrong with looking hervess nin." He finally began to approach her. The bags dropped near the tent before he joined her beside the fire. "Are you hungry?" he asked. She shook her head and leaned against his arm.

He thought of her back then now. She had learned so much in those years. Matured to a point, yet she still maintained that innocent and pure quality about herself. That was just her. His gorgeous fae with a fiery heart. The cause of his joy. The one that made his family grow in more ways than one. "Are you afraid?" He asked her. She seems a bit confused by his question.

"Of spending the night with you at our spring? That's a silly question Melamin." She responding with a small laugh.

He shook his head. "No I mean afraid of what we will soon face. "

There was no hesitation in her reply. "No. I am not afraid. I am not happy about it but I have no fear."

He leaned back and looked at her and she looked to him. "Are you afraid?" She asked then and he nodded. "I am. It does not mean I am a coward. It means I know what war brings and that fear is a healthy fear. How is it you have none?"

She smiled to him and leaned in closer once more. "I believe in Minol." She said simply. He scoffs and now she leaned back and looked at him.

"I know its hard for you to really believe everything he eludes to and what he has said up front. I believe we will survive this. I believe we will have a happy future. Just like he wants for us. I mean seriously Thranduil. He has been at this since before your own father was born. I have seen into his heart Melamin and I believe him. You may not but I have enough belief for us both. "

He saw this in her. This comfort she had in knowing in the end her future included him and he wished he could believe as she did. She bounced up and tossed the blanket to the side and reached for his hand. "You and I will have many more nights beside this spring." She said brightly and he took her hand and rose. "We will have many children and I see several of them conceived right here." She nodded. Then turned towards the spring and tugged him along.

"Oh, are you speaking prophecy now Melamin?" He said with a smile and a touch of humor to his voice.

"Maybe I am. " She said with a giggle. "Maybe I have a bit of foresight myself." She let go of his hand and the next thing he knew her dress was hitting him in the face and she was bounding off for the spring.

Finnola sat in the dim light of the atrium. She missed Glorfindel so much it hurt sometimes. Though she could feel him. Even at this distance she could feel him. This was the nature of the bond they now shared. She wondered if he felt her in the same way. "He does. "

She looked towards the voice that spoke to her and saw Legolas standing there. Her eyes narrow at him and she rises and turned to leave. "Please wait. " He stepped closer then and she paused her departure.

"What do you want?" She asked flatly. Truly she had little to say to him and in fact only tolerated him for the sake of the Queen.

"Finnola I am sorry." She knew him well enough to know when he was being sincere. Turning she looked down on him. "You did not deserve what I did to you. You did not deserve my careless words." He stepped closer and sat down on the bench. "I was always so worried about the darkness in my Adar's heart that I ignored the darkness in my own. " He was looking at his hands and she did not feel the need to flee.

"I have no excuses and I am deeply sorry. I do not deserve your forgiveness but I hope to earn it someday." She sat down now as well . Which surprised him.

"What was going through your mind?" She asked softly. "Had I ever really given you any reason to feel such a way about me?"

He shook his head when she spoke. "No you had not. Truly Finnola it was all in my own mind. Yes, I knew full well what your hopes and dreams were. You never wished to be tied down to a traditional marriage. You wanted adventure. You wanted to be who you are. That is what attracted me to you. Your strength. Your will. The fact you knew who you were and you were going to do what you wanted and you wanted to do that with me. It was my own insecurities that in the end ruined what I had."

She looked at him . Really looked at him for the first time in a very long time.

"In the end Finnola, Glorfindel is the better mate for you. It took me a while to understand that. One thing he will never do is box you in or try and put you into a mold that you will never fit into. Nor will he insult you like I did." He winced recalling his words to her. "Anyway, that's all I wished to say."

He rose then and turned to leave.

"I think I can forgive you." She said behind him. "If you never listen into to my thoughts again." She chuckled.

He looked back to her. "I swear I will not do that again. "He said gently.

"Then it will be an honor to fight by your side once more." She said with a grin. "I hear our dear friend Gimli has broken his leg in the pursuit of showing off for his woman." She said and rose following him from the atrium.

"Oh indeed he did. It takes a lot to break a dwarf bone and a lot to heal one. I fear to know what foolish thing he was doing to impress his lady." Legolas said with a grin.

"I think its sweet in a way. I am happy for him. Maybe he will make you an uncle soon." She grinned and Legolas now bore a look of terror. "Please Finnola you are a Lady now don't make me think of him doing... that. "

She laughed loudly. "Oh what's that? Your best friend getting lucky and making babies..." He cut her off. "No please don't."

Bynsarda had settled into her routine. She had begun to understand the nature of the being she served. He loathed his master. Truly he did. Yet he was so good at masking it sometimes she even began to think otherwise. Yet when he was alone and away from those who's eyed might see the truth, his hatred was obvious.

She was getting quite the education as well. Learning of all the ploys and schemes from both sides. His and his masters. Why he was making her privy to such sensitive information was still unknown. She had a feeling her part to play in all of this was coming up.

When they were alone within his chambers he had become rather kind to her mostly. It was when she refused him that things could get a bit dicey. After all she was still his slave. Even then, even when she saw violence in his eyes he would not strike her. Publicly he would in a heartbeat yet when he tended her wounds he often apologized for it.

She found herself often willingly comforting him. She found herself also caring for him. Making sure he ate and took care of himself. Which he would forget to do. On the outside he was beautiful and powerful. On the inside he seemed like a hurt and scared child.

He lay with her. Their naked bodies pressed against one another. Her head resting against his chest as he gently caressed her hair. She wondered how he had found himself in his circumstances. She wondered how he had become the slave to the great evil. So she asked. "If you do not wish to answer I understand." She began. "How is it you find yourself here? How is it you have come under the power of Him?"

Drannor was silent as he mused over the idea of sharing that with her. His tongue smoothing over his teeth. What could it hurt to endear himself to her with the truth? "Why do you wish to know?" He asked softly and shifted. His fingers pressing under her chin to guide her head up . His gold colored eyes searching hers.

She moved so she was on her belly and she slides over him so her lower half rested between his legs and her torso was against his belly. Her hands pressed over his heart. The curve of her chin lay against her knuckles. "Call me curious." Was her answer. His lips curled into a gentle smile.

"The circumstances of my conception had to be horrible to my mother. Whoever she was. I can not imagine any elf would willingly lay with my father and elves tend to just give up and die when they are raped. I imagine it was very dark magic that kept her alive the year it took her to bring me to full term. I imagine she died shortly after."

Bynsarda listened to him. Her brows knit slightly and he ran a finger very gently over them.

"I was raised by my father and in part by Minogos' father as well. The only kindness I can recall was from him. Though much like you and I the only time that happened was out of the sight of my father. He tried to teach me things my father wouldn't want me to know. Like kindness. Decency and love. Yet I could not practice those things before my father or his minions so I saw little merit in such things. He also taught me magic and the way of the sword. My father taught me pain and how to inflict it. "

He sighed then. "Then one day there was only father and then one day there was only father and master. " His eyes closed and she could see his lips tremble. He pursed them together and forced them to stop. "Master taught me pain and submission. He taught me I was only to serve him in the ways he wished. "

She could read between the lines. She barely breathed as he spoke of his Master and his treatment. "He tortured me to get his satisfaction. He raped me on a whim. Whenever he wished. To survive I lied to myself. I told myself I liked it. I too started to get my satisfaction from it. Deep down I hated every time he touched me. I became nothing more than a weapon and a plaything for him. "

"Then he was gone. He had been cast into the void and I rejoiced in my fea. Not for long though because there was always father and father was just as cruel. " She gasp then and lifted her head. Her eyes wide. "Who was your father?" She asked . Her voice shook with the question.

He looked her in the eyes. Her heart was breaking for him. Her pity for him both angered him and shocked him though he did not show it. "My father? " He chuckled. "He was Sauron." She gasped. The tears began to freely flow from her eyes. She crawled over him. Straddling his body and she pulled him up into her arms. Holding him and sobbing. Any anger he had was now gone. She held him and cried for him when he could not cry for himself.

His arms wrapped around her. Embracing her and he buried his face against her shoulder. This was a wholly new experience for him. Not once since Minol had left had anyone shown the slightest bit of care for him. Let alone try to comfort him. She leaned back just a bit . Just enough so she could see his face. He would not look to her.

Her soft hands cradle his cheeks and she spoke softly. "Please look at me." He found himself looking into her kind green eyes. "You are not your father and you are deserving of love and compassion. Never let them take that from you. You deserve better than you have received. It matters not who your sire was or who calls themselves your master. The seed of goodness is within you. It grows very slowly in this darkness. Yet when you come into the light it will blossom. "

His gaze widened and he looked utterly shocked. No one had ever said such things to him. Him the product of rape. Him, Morgoth's slave. He who has done horrible things in service of his master. His heart began to beat so viciously . A tear then another and another fell from his eyes. He pulled her into a kiss as he embraced her. He never wanted to let this woman go. Yet he knew he would. He knew she was not his. For now though he would hold her as if she were and feel something besides hate for the first time in a very long time.

Juniper was wrapped in a thick towel. Thranduil hurried from the spring with her. The night was chilled and she was feeling it far more now that they were out of the warmth of the spring. The tent was warm inside The floor of it strewn with warm blankets and pillows. He sat down with her and pulled the towel away and replaced it with a dry thick blanket. He dried her hair with the towel making her giggle.

"I do love to hear you laugh Melamin." He said softly. His lips lowered to press a tender kiss against the shell of her pointed ear. This brought out a delightful shiver from her small form.

"I think you like to hear me do more than laugh." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Thranduil's brows lifted and he began to grin. "Oh yes my pixie I indeed do ." With that she suddenly found herself laying back on the pile of blankets and pillows. His body covering hers as he pulls the blanket over him. Careful to not crush her as His hands cradle her small head and he gazes deeply into this purple hued eyes. "I love it when you simply speak." His kissed her forehead tenderly. "I love it when you sigh." He then kissed one of her cheeks. "I think I love it the most when you moan." His lips met hers then in a sweet kiss.

"You don't say." She whispers against his lips.

He lifts his head so he could look at her smiling face. "I swear to you. " He began and kissed her once more. "When this is all over with and we are back here in our home. I will bring you here as often as you wish and we will create life as often as you wish. We can repopulate the entire kingdom with our children. Our line will be the largest and greatest. I do rather enjoy you when you are round and swollen with child."

She made a face at him then laughed. "You just like it because my breast are large and filled with milk."

His eyes widened and he shrugged. "I see no issue with that." She rolled her eyes at him and he now kissed her collarbone. His tone was now more serious. "When you are filled with new life you are even more alluring. I am already drawn to you but during that time it is a struggle to not desire you every second of every day. A struggle that is most wonderful."

His lips were now kissing down over her breast. His warm tongue teasing the pink buds that adorn each perky mound. "When you are not with child the yearning to give you one is difficult to over come."

Now his lips traveled down to her belly. Placing a trail of kisses down over her navel. "When this is all over my wish is for you to never drink that blasted tea every again." His eyes lifted looking to her. Her lips were parted with her quickening breaths. "How do you feel?" He asked with a slight rising of his brows.

Her lips trembled gently before she smiled. "I desire the same." Now it was his turn to feel his heart beat faster and his breaths come quicker. His eyes lowered and he disappeared under the blanket.

His lips finding the flesh of her inner knee. Kissing there softly. Then moving up to press another kiss to her inner thigh. It delighted him when she began to squirm.

Her lashes fluttered and her eyes rolled back slightly before closing. Her fingers curled into his silken hair . His breath was hot against her skin. His tongue snakes out and delves between pink folds. Teasing over her center of pleasure and eliciting soft moans and the quivering of her tender thighs.

He was surrounded by her beguiling scent. Wild flowers and fertile earth. Her taste like honey on his tongue. Which now sank deeper into her core. His arms curled around her thighs and his hands pressed to the supple flesh. Holding her in place no matter how much she squirmed.

Her fingers loosen from his hair and fall beside her. Each breath a sensuous cry. Longing to experience her climax over and over until she was frenzied with lust. His fea being caressed by hers . Drawing him deeper into her and everything she was. The more pleasure she felt the more aroused he became . Then finally as her legs begin to shake again he withdrew his lips and tongue and reappeared from under the blanket.

His lips crushed against hers. Her arms draped around him . Returning the kiss with fervor she moaned against his lips. Her body lifting to urge him for more until he could no longer hold himself back. His eyes met hers once more. He lifting up on one arm. The other hand slides down over her belly and finally to his rigid flesh.

His gaze never leaving hers. The bulbous flesh of his manhood pressed against her. Finding the moist heat too enticing to tease her any longer. With a deep groaning cry he entered her trembling sex and found the sensation excruciatingly wonderful. Drawn deeper and deeper until he could go no further.

The pleasure building to sheer rapture with each long stroke. Until he began to see the glow of her spirit and felt his own fea swirling with hers. Her legs lifted and wrapped around him. Her hips rising to meet his. The scenery of the tent faded and all there was were he and she. Drifting in a sea of stars and color.

Time no longer held any meaning for him and he lowered his lips to hers. His arms wrapping around her and he felt himself floating with her. Her form rocking in time with his thrusts and they were one being cradled in the hands of the creator. Blessed by their union as they reached their zenith together.

In the aftermath they lay together. He whispered softly to her until she returned to him and he bask in the afterglow with her. Their bond never waivered but only strengthened.

Minol perched himself high on a crag of the mountain from which Thranduil's fortress was built. He stared out towards the east. A grin curled on his lips. He felt the bonding of her and her king growing stronger. "You will fall." His hissed towards the east. "The moment you sought to have her was the moment of your downfall." Shaken from his moment of gloating by the call of Galion. His beloved searching for him. He sighs softly and with a mighty beat of his wings he was off into the night sky. He spiraled down until he was near the gates. Galion stood there waiting on him.

Relief shown in Galion's eyes when he saw the dark figure drifting down towards him and he felt the wind from his wings. Before Galion could speak Minol's lips were upon his and he was pushing him back towards the entrance. He broke then kiss to growl lowly into Galion's ear. "Lets seek the bed my beloved. " Galion gave no protest.