The dawn of our wedding day was damp and bright – the rain from the night before had left puddles of sparkling water on the ground and droplets on leaves that glistened and made the forest seem more magical than usual.

I had chosen a grove full of blooming shell-flowers for our vows. All those that lived in the forest were attending, and the meadow was so crowded that many took refuge in trees, that they might still catch sight of the bridal couple. I did not see through their eyes, but I thought that Thranduil was extremely handsome and magnificent in a spring green cape over silver robes, and crowed for the occasion with a silver coronet decorated with emeralds. Perhaps arrogantly, I thought that my own cream gown was highly fetching and festive, draping over my shoulders and falling to the ground and trailing for a several meters, spread wide to set the image of a beautiful bride. I was not yet crowned – Thranduil would not coronate me for several weeks yet – but still flowers were woven into my hair for decoration.

And so we stood in the midst of smiling elves, repeating the traditional vows that had been spoken by brides and grooms for ages, first in the language that only Thranduil and I spoke – an intimacy that I felt melded our hearts together better than the common language we used for the benefit of the crowd. Golden rings were exchanged, replaced the silver ones we were to represent our betrothal.

The warmth that sparked from Thranduil's eyes at me, and the flow of energy through our clasped hands made me giddy, as if I had had too much wine. He smiled as he spoke his vows and listened intently to my own, and I decided that he probably was not even aware that we were not alone. I could not stop my happiness from showing on my own face – I felt as if I would burst with love, joy, hope.

We sealed our vows with a kiss, which lasted far too long for a proper wedding, but I enjoyed being wrapped in my new husband's arms far too much to care. We left the glade arm in arm, accepting congratulations and being sprinkled with herbs and dried flowers – hyacinth for fertility, chamomile for patience, lavender for devotion, and heliotrope for eternal love. I was touched by the thoughtfulness of our guests, for I believed that blessings of such virtues would be needed as a gift more than gold or jewels.

The wedding feast was unlike any I had attended – for once, I was a guest of honor rather than a common celebrator, and as the king's wife, I could set my chair as close to him as I would like. He whispered into my ear as we ate, making me blush with the audacity of his words. I was thankful for his quietness – I could not bear the thought of another overhearing! His eyes glittered at me after each comment, and I became so embarrassed that I begged for him to cease.

"Very well," he took a sip of wine, still gazing at me. "Perhaps I should speak to you instead of politics. Would that suit your temperament better?"

I laughed at his teasing, and at the very thought of discussing politics at our own wedding. "No, thank you, my king. But you might speak to me of the wine, or the roast lamb. That would be far more appropriate, as we are not alone."

Thranduil snorted. "You wish to speak of wine? I wonder what common elf has taken the place of the woman I thought I was marrying!"

I glared at him. "I would hope that you would have noticed sooner if another had replaced me."

"Of course, my sweet," he patted my hand. "For a woman that is never incapacitated by emotion, you are sure to never take a joke for the light humor it is meant to be."

I was not placated – but for the sake of this our wedding day, I conceded my annoyance. To jest of marrying another! Thranduil did not stop wooing me, although he did so more properly for a public setting, and I grew happy and eager once more and forgot his offensive comment.

The elves grew merry, and as the moon rose the hall emptied. Once we were only in the company of sleeping or otherwise unaware elves, Thranduil squeezed my hand and we escaped into the night. He did not lead me into the palace – as I supposed his would.

"Where are we going?" I asked in surprise.

"It is a secret," he turned to wink at me as I saw the stables ahead of us. "A gift for my wife."

We rode together on his horse. I carried my train across my lap as I rode in front of my husband, him holding tightly to me as if I was in danger of disappearing at any moment. We did not stop until we were closer to the edge of the forest than Amon Lanc. I had not been here before, and my curiosity grew as Thranduil dismounted and lifted me down.

"Are we to spend our night on the forest floor?" I asked suspiciously.

He laughed at my question and took my hand, leading me farther into the forest. I cursed my gown as it got snagged on several branches at once.

"Wait," I said, yanking my hand back to pick the branches from my train.

"No need," Thranduil said, matter of fact. He came to my side and within a few moments of deft ripping, the train was disconnected from the rest of the dress, floating in the dim light like a cloud come to earth. I gasped at his audacity.

"That was my wedding gown!" I hissed at him.

"Well," he smirked at me, and lifted me into his arms, presumably to prevent any further delay or damage. "You do not wear a wedding dress more than once, and besides, you will not be wearing yours for very much longer."

I did not fully appreciate his humor, but I knew that he was right about the usefulness of my gown quickly diminishing. To show him an apology for my mistake, I nuzzled his neck, pleased to notice the goose pimples spreading across his skin.

Soon we arrived at a waterfall – a sound that I had heard for the past few miles on horseback, but I had not known what it was.

"It's gorgeous," I said – and indeed it was, the light from the moon and stars made the setting ethereal.

Thranduil set me down. "I found this place long ago," he said, almost shyly. "When we would fight, I would come here to mope. But the spirit of this place does not encourage anger to fester, and my irritation with you began to turn into admiration over the years, until I finally came here with thoughts of you that made me smile and laugh, and I longed for you to return my affection."

"Oh, you romantic fool," I sighed, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him close for a kiss. His touches were tender, almost holy – and not at all as urgent as they had been of late.

"That's enough for now," Thranduil cleared his throat as he tore himself away from me, and led me to – a hut? A house? "I also built this – at first to avoid you, and by the time I finished I knew I wanted to bring you here to share it."

It was a small structure, undoubtedly not large enough to live in permanently. It was surrounded by lilac bushes, and a huge honeysuckle shrub that towered over the roof and wafted its sweet scent into the house. I stepped in slowly, and was surprised to see it fitted for living – well, sleeping, at least.

"I thought it would be a sentimental, private place to have our honeymoon," Thranduil stood in the doorway as I explored, and I was shocked to see that he was nervous!

"I do love it," I smiled. "No one has ever done something so nice for me before. Even if you originally did this out of spite."

I saw relief cross his face, and he stepped in to embrace me once more. "You have so many flowers in your hair," he laughed into my ear, and I felt him pick several out.

I closed my eyes, annoyance threatening. "I did not wish to spend time freeing my hair of flowers on this night."

"I will do it," my husband said, and he sat me on a short stool and worked his fingers into my scalp, and I relaxed at his touch. The pile of wilted flowers by my side grew, and my eyes were closing in the quiet peace before he whispered in my ear that he was done. I was nearly too lethargic to respond, and his arms snaked behind my knees and behind my back, and I was carried to the small bed that stood in the farthest corner of the hut.

"Lle naa vanima, Caradel," the breathy words from Thranduil tickled my neck as he undid my bodice while pressing his lips against mine, and my contentedness became desire as my own fingers went to the fastening of his robes. The air between us grew in temperature, and our heated and naked bodies finally met, our kisses turning frantic. I felt as if I was seared in each place on my body that his lips touched, moaning in the new sensations that flowed like hot water across my skin. "Ci sui 'lî erin lam nîn," Thranduil's husky whisper hardly registered in my mind and I grew unable to focus on nearly anything beside his weight upon me, and his dark eyes that burned into mine, communicating his desire to me, of me, as only a husband - my husband, could.

Our movements became desperate and hurried, and shortly the quiet of the night was broken with our simultaneous cries. Although there was a roof overhead, I saw stars – the moon – the sun – and nearly all beneath it. We lie side by side, still locked in each other's embrace and gaze, and with the bonding of our bodies, I felt our souls become melted together, and I knew Thranduil was feeling similarly awed at what we had just experienced. The purity of the moment was felt in every corner of my body, and I could not stop myself from clenching tighter to my husband.

"So eager," his voice was deeper than normal as he chuckled at my actions. I saw the change in his demeanor as I studied his face with interest.

"You look more like a grown-elf now," I said.

"Of course I do," he kissed my forehead. "You have made me age several years this night by sharing your body with mine."

I rested my head on his bare chest, sighing serenely. Soon the only sounds reaching the corner of our marriage bed were the rushing falls and the croaking of night insects, and I fell into dreaming.

…

I hope that this hormone-filled chapter will warrant some reviews :) I aim to please.

…

Lle naa vanima – You are beautiful

Ci sui 'lî erin lam nîn – You taste like honey on my tongue