Hello there lovelies! I present to you, chapter 20. Enjoy!

Anolindë fidgeted nervously as the gates of Mirkwood appeared before the small group of Elves.

"Fear not, meleth nîn," Legolas said quietly from behind her.

His arms wrapped around her more tightly, carefully avoiding the bump in her belly. It had grown in size over the past month as they traveled back to their home. Thranduil was expecting them. He had not seen his son since he had sent him to Imladris to inform Aragorn of Gollum's escape from their dungeons. Anolindë stayed silent, wrapping her fingers around his wrist. The gates began to creak open and they were met by several guards.

"Legolas! Mellon nîn!" a voice called to them.

"Herion!" Legolas recognized the guard approaching them.

Herion had been one of Legolas' only friends in Mirkwood. When he was not spending time with Anolindë, he had been with Herion, either training together or out on patrol. Swiftly, Legolas dismounted Arod. Éomer had insisted that the Elves keep the horse since they had grown so attached to him.

"It cannot be!" Herion continued, his eyes meeting those of the elleth still seated on the horse. "Anolindë!"

Legolas helped his mate dismount. She greeted the ellon with a quick bow of her head.

"Herion, it is a pleasure to see you well," she said with a smile.

"And it pleasures me to see you uninjuried. And with child nonetheless!" Herion replied, eyeing the bump in her belly.

"Yes," Anolindë laughed softly. "Legolas will make a wonderful-"

"Legolas!"

Anolindë's words were cut short by the icy voice of King Thranduil. She lowered her gaze as he approached them, keeping her eyes trained on the stone path before her. Legolas moved to stand in front of her.

"Ada," he greeted the king.

Thranduil did not say a word. Even with her eyes downcast, she could feel the king's gaze boring into her.

"Come, ion nîn. I wish to speak to you," Thranduil said finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of silence. "Anolindë, your father awaits you in his study."

Anolindë lifted her head at the mention of her father. Thranduil's eyes met hers and for a moment, they softened. But it was only a fleeting moment. They grew hard and angry again almost instantly. With a swish of his robe, Thranduil turned to leave. Legolas looked to Anolindë.

"Go meleth nîn, see your father," he whispered, swiftly placing a kiss to her lips before following his father up the steps.

Anolindë watched them go, wondering how furious the Elvenking would be. Herion patted her shoulder gently.

"Do not fret Anolindë," he reassured her. "Legolas can handle the king."

~:✿:~

Anolindë found her father exactly where Thranduil said he would be.

"Ada!" she screamed.

Daeron dropped the book he was reading at the sound of his daughter's voice. She ran into his outstretched arms.

"Ada!" she exclaimed over and over, practically sobbing tears of joy.

"My daughter, my beautiful daughter," Daeron said as he stroked her hair. "You have returned to me. Let me look at you!"

He held her at arms length, looking her up and down.

"I am to be a grandfather?" he asked in disbelief as he saw the bump.

"Yes Ada!" Anolindë replied happily.

"I could only hope that Legolas is the father," Daeron said, quirking an eyebrow in mock anger.

"Of course he is," Anolindë laughed.

"Come, sit with me. You must tell me all that has happened," Daeron insisted, gesturing to a small couch near the fireplace. "I was in shock when word was returned from Imladris that you had joined a fellowship."

They sat on the couch together for quite some time, Anolindë telling him about all that had happened. She had just gotten to Aragorn's coronation when there was a knock on the door. Daeron rose to answer it. There in the doorway stood Legolas and Thranduil. The Elvenking promptly entered the room, greeting his friend and closest advisor before sitting on a rather large armchair.

"Daeron, mellon nîn, we have much to discuss," he said breezily, looking to Anolindë.

Legolas went to sit beside her on the couch while Daeron chose to stand. Anolindë felt Legolas take her hand and squeeze it gently.

"Despite my wishes that they remain only friends, it seems that our offspring have bonded," Thranduil stated simply.

The two fathers looked to their children, sitting together on the couch. The two warriors stared back with a fierce determination.

"Although I had hoped that Legolas would keep the bloodline royal," Thranduil paused for a moment. "Even I cannot overturn the will of the Valar. Indeed do they work in mysterious ways. I have decided to give them my blessing, as king…and as an Ada."

The breath Anolindë did not know she was holding in was released. She almost wept with joy. The king's softened gaze met hers. She bowed her head.

"No Anolindë," he said sternly, rising to walk over to her. "You do not bow to me anymore in private situations."

He took both her hands in his and pulled her from her seat.

"You are to be my daughter. I will not have any child of mine bow to me in private, especially the one carrying my grandchild."

"Thank you, my lord," Anolindë whispered.

"Now off! Both of you. Daeron and I have things to discuss," he said, gesturing to the door. "I want a proper ceremony."

Legolas stood and pulled Anolindë into the hallway, closing the door behind him.

"It is finally happening, meleth nîn!" Anolindë whispered, grasping his face in her hands and pulling his lips to hers.

Legolas swept the elleth into his arms and proceeded to carry her to his chambers, ignoring the whispers and the stares of the Elves around them. He reached his chambers quickly, wanting nothing more than to ravish his soon to be wife. The door slammed shut behind him as he laid Anolindë onto his bed. He almost tore off her clothes, eager to feel her bare skin against his. As he removed her garments, she fumbled with his. She had only managed to remove his tunic before she lay completely bare under him. Legolas pushed himself up to look at her. The scar on her shoulder from when she had been pierced with an arrow was still slightly puffed up. Her other injuries had healed completely. His hands ran down her thigh and to her ankle. Grasping it, he lifted her leg and rested it on his shoulder, placing kisses on the smooth skin. Slowly he kissed his way further up her leg, not stopping until he had reached her inner thigh. A soft moan broke through her lips. With a feral grin, he looked up at her before he resumed kissing the skin of her inner thigh while his fingers slipped in between her folds. Anolindë's back arched slightly as his fingers entered her and she moaned again. The sound drove him mad with desire as he began to kiss his way up her body, his fingers never leaving her. As their lips met, her legs went around his waist as he positioned himself at her entrance. With a low growl, he drove himself in. Anolindë gasped at the sensation. He began to thrust into her, slowly at first, but picking up speed. He was absolutely relentless and Anolindë did not mind. She was most definitely sure that the guards outside of Legolas' chambers could hear as the couple inside reached their joined release.

~:✿:~

True to his word, Thranduil had gotten a formal joining ceremony where he had not only pronounced Legolas and Anolindë as husband and wife, but also announced that Anolindë's title was now officially Princess. The newly joined couple stood before their king as the hundreds of gathered Elves clapped and cheered.

"Turn," Thranduil whispered to them. "Turn and greet your subjects. One day you shall rule them in my stead."

With a deep breath, Anolindë grasped Legolas' hand and together, they turned around to look upon the smiling faces of their kingdom.

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