Here it is, lovelies. Chapter 12! The flashback was a request from bettsam0731. I hope I made it to your expectations! Enjoy!

BOLD is Elvish. ITALICS is for thoughts/memories/flashbacks

"Tonight, we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country! Hail the victorious dead!"

"Hail!"

King Theoden stood in front of the mass gathering of people who had come for the feast in the Golden Hall. Each held a goblet filled with wine which was raised in respect for their fallen people. At the king's toast, everyone drank in silence. It was only after this display of respect that the musicians began to play and food and drink were passed around. The hall became lively with voices. Gimli had roped Legolas into some sort of game. Eomer began to pour ale into two tankards.

"No pauses. No spills," he said, handing one to Gimli and one to Legolas.

Anolindë quirked an eyebrow at Legolas as he peered into his tankard. Eomer handed her a full tankard as well.

"I am not participating in this game," she told the king's nephew.

"But Legolas is?" Eomer asked.

"Legolas has never backed from a challenge," she replied, nodding. "Especially from a Dwarf."

"And no regurgitation," Gimli added to Eomer's first statement.

"So, it's a drinking game," Legolas stated, looking up to Anolindë.

The people around them confirmed his statement with a resounding AYE!

"Last one standing wins!" Gimli announced.

Anolindë laughed as Legolas looked to her, almost pleadingly. She raised her hands in a way that said there was nothing she could do.

"Show them how well we Elves drink!" she called to him.

"Let's drink to victory!" the Men shouted.

Gimli immediately began to chug the ale in his tankard while Legolas raised his to his lips and tentatively took a sip. As each tankard was finished, another one was placed before them. Anolindë watched in amazement as the piles of empty tankards grew rapidly.

"It's the Dwarves that go swimming with little hairy women!" Gimli shouted.

"I feel something" Legolas said, holding up his hands. "A slight tingle in my finger. I think it's affecting me."

Anolindë snaked her fingers around his.

"It is nothing, meleth nîn," she assured him, finishing off her own ale.

"What did I say?" Gimli slurred, pointing at the Elf, completely inebriated. "He can't hold his liquor."

The Dwarf froze in this position. His eyes crossed and with a large thud, slid off the bench and hit the floor. Anolindë couldn't contain her laughter as she went over to the fallen Dwarf.

"Game over," Legolas said victoriously, going over to help Anolindë remove their fallen friend from the hall.

Together, the two Elves carried a snoring Gimli to his bedroll in a room not far from the hall. Anolindë pulled the covers up around his shoulders before turning to Legolas.

"And you? How do you fare?" she asked.

"The tingle is gone," he replied, observing his hand. "You were worried?"

"Meleth nîn, I always worry for you," she said, taking his hand into hers and kissing the tips of his fingers. "But never as much as that time you were injured whilst on patrol."

~:✿:~

"Make way!" someone cried as a group of Elves pushed their way through the crowd that had gathered.

Legolas and his command had come back from their weeklong patrol of the forest. Neither Anolindë nor Tauriel had accompanied him and now they both waited for his return. They stood not far from each other. Tauriel had never been the same after Kili, the Dwarf she had come to care for, was killed in the battle of Erebor. She was no longer the captain of the guard as Thranduil had seen her as weak now. Anolindë barely even noticed that Tauriel was hovering nearby. Though it was only a week, she had missed her prince. Someone had been injured but nothing prepared her for the sight of Legolas himself on the stretcher. Her hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened. His eyes were closed and his skin was deathly pale. A bandage was wrapped around his shoulder, soaked with blood. He wasn't moving.

"Move you fools! To the healers!"

Thranduil had arrived and was frantically ushering the Elves that carried his son's stretcher towards the healers. Anolindë kept her distance as she followed them. Thranduil had told her that she and Legolas were to remain friends and nothing more.

"Tauriel, as captain of the guard, I would like you to find out what happened!" Thranduil commanded as he escorted the Elves away.

Upon reaching the healers, Anolindë remained outside as the door swung shut behind the stretcher. Thranduil did not even notice the elleth that had followed them. Anolindë paced the hallway nervously, staring at the floor.

"Anolindë?" a voice called.

She looked up to see her father, Daeron, hurrying towards her.

"Ada!" she cried, falling into his arms.

"My daughter," he soothed, stroking her hair as sobs began to wrack her body.

He moved them to a stone bench, not once releasing his hold on his daughter. He was aware of the bond that she and Legolas shared. He was also aware of Thranduil's position regarding the two and though he did not agree with it, there was nothing he could say or do. He remained silent as he continued to stroke Anolindë's hair, her sobs becoming weaker and weaker until they stopped completely. After what seemed like years, the door to the healers opened and Thranduil appeared. Anolindë lifted her head from her father's embrace.

"Let me know how he fares," Thranduil said.

"Yes my lord," replied the healer that had followed him.

Thranduil turned to leave, not noticing Daeron or his daughter in the corner. The healer however did notice them. He smiled at Anolindë.

"Come in, my child," he said, motioning for her. "He goes in and out of consciousness but he asks for you."

Anolindë hurried inside. Legolas lay on a bed, the bandage on his shoulder changed and clean. He was half conscious, murmuring words she could not understand. His eyes were still closed.

"A poisonous spider bite," the healer said sadly.

"Will he live?" she asked, eyes never leaving the prince.

At the sound of her voice, Legolas' eyes flew open.

"Yes my lady, he will live," the healer replied before leaving the two alone.

"Anolindë?" Legolas' asked in a whisper.

She ran to his side, kneeling and grasping his hand.

"Yes my love. I am here," she said quietly.

Slowly he turned his head to look at her.

"I did not hear the creature as it came up on me," he began but Anolindë placed a finger on his lips.

"Hush my love. You must rest," she said.

"Only if you lay with me," Legolas whispered hoarsely.

Carefully, she laid herself next to his uninjured side, curling up into him and making sure not to jostle him. His uninjured arm wrapped itself around her, pulling her even closer as he shut his eyes. Together, they drifted off into sleep, the first sleep Anolindë had experienced in a long time. And that is how the healers had found them, nestled together in the bed.

"She will be the reason for his recovery," the healers whispered to each other.

~:✿:~

As the days progressed, his condition improved greatly. Anolindë never left his side and the healers never bothered her about being there. Instead they did their work with her in the room, even allowing her to clean and wrap his shoulder wound herself. On the seventh day, Legolas was already up and moving, much to the healers amazement.

"Never before has someone recovered from a spider bite this quickly," the head healer, Belothien, said. "Anolindë, you work wonders on our prince."

If Elves could blush, Anolindë's face would have been bright red.

"Are you two bonded?" Belothien asked.

Both Legolas and Anolindë's faces dropped at the elleth's question.

"My father would like to keep the bloodline royal, though Pandir has said we were to be bonded," Legolas replied.

"Forgive me my lord," Belothien said, bowing.

"Come my love," Anolindë said, desperately trying to change the subject. "Let us go for a walk in the gardens."

~:✿:~

"It was because of you, meleth nîn, that I recovered so quickly," Legolas said, wrapping his arms around Anolindë. They stood together in silence, enjoying each other's presence. The only sound was Gimli's snoring.

"Meleth nîn," Legolas whispered several minutes later. "Let us bond."

Anolindë withdrew from his embrace, staring up at him.

"But your father…" she began.

"Pandir has told us many times that the Valar wish for us to be bonded," Legolas said. "No one can go against their wishes."

"Then let us be bonded," Anolindë whispered shyly.

Smiling, the Elf prince lifted her into his arms and carried her to their room and laid her on the bed. Clothes were tossed every which way until they were both bare, kissing each other passionately as Legolas positioned himself at her entrance. He broke their kiss, wanting to see Anolindë's face as he entered her.

"Meleth nîn, do no tease me so," she whispered, pulling at his hips.

Slowly, Legolas slid himself inside of her, watching her face twist in pleasure. His thrusts were slow, only gaining speed as she begged for him. Their bodies moved as one, each enjoying the feel of bare skin against skin. A heat began to build in Anolindë's core.

"You must say it before your release," Legolas groaned, enjoying the feel of her around him.

Her muscles began to clench around him.

"I bind myself to you for eternity," she managed to say in between sharp breaths.

"And I bind myself to you for eternity," Legolas moaned as his thrusts became shorter and rougher.

Together they came, both crying out in ecstasy. The two were enveloped in an eerie white glow as the Valar accepted their bond. As quickly as it came, it dissipated. Legolas rolled off of Anolindë and the two lay side by side as they came down from their release. Something felt different. Anolindë knew that their souls, their fëa, had just bonded but this feeling she felt, she couldn't describe. Something in her belly was telling her something. Her eyes widened as realization hit her. She sat up quickly.

"What is it?" Legolas asked, looking up at her.

"I am with child!" she exclaimed.

Legolas sat up almost as quickly and placed his hand upon her abdomen. There he felt something. A third fëa was fluttering inside of her.

"And children?"

Anolindë's voice broke the quietness in the room.

"Yes meleth nîn," Legolas replied, stroking her hair and placing a gentle kiss on her temple. "As you were tending to the young ones in the hall, I could not help but imagine you carrying my child."

There. He had said it. Now he waited with baited breath for her reply. She tilted her head upwards to look at him. A sly grin tugged at her lips.

"And that would make you proud?" she asked, heat filling her core. "Filling me with your seed, creating our child? Having me stand by your side, belly swollen with your heir?"

Legolas felt his own heat grow between his legs as he looked down into his love's lust-filled eyes. A low growl emitted from his chest as he rolled onto her, propping himself up.

"Yes," he hissed, reining in the erotic emotions that threatened to overpower him.

"My love, you shall have an heir!"

Oh boy! Like it? Don't like? Please review!