Thank you all very much for your reviews and for your patience with me! I hope you like this chapter, and I do believe the next chapter shall bring the conclusion of this story. Let me know what you think!

PLEASE READ: There are adult situations in this chapter in the middle section. If you do not enjoy reading those types of activities, please skip over the middle section.

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 45

"I cannot do this," Carita whispered as she looked at herself in the mirror and as Iril settled the circlet into her hair that was piled high onto her head with a few curls framing her face.

"What?" Iril asked surprised at Carita's words and the Maiar sighed quietly as she looked at her friend's reflection.

"Do not think that I do not love him," Carita said. "I love him more than anything in this entire world."

"Then why do you feel you cannot go through the ceremony?" Iril asked and Carita sighed once more before she turned slightly and looked at Iril.

"I am nervous," Carita told her. "I may be millennia older than you Iril, but . . . I do not feel it. I think that your people only see me as what I am, and I fear that I shall disappoint them."

"Carita, you will not disappoint anyone," Iril told her with a smile.

"What if-," Iril interrupted her.

"Carita," she said firmly, silencing any argument Carita was about to make. "No arguments whatsoever. Prince Legolas loves you and you love him that should be the only things that matters this day." Carita smiled and took a deep breath.

"It does matter, but I worry all the same."

"Don't," Iril said as she put her hand on Carita's cheek. "Today is your wedding day and the most trying part of this day is the long walk you must take to his side." Carita sighed and embraced Iril tightly.

"Thank you, my friend," Carita said as she embraced the blonde haired elleth. Iril laughed quietly and returned her embrace.

"You are more than welcome," Iril said as she pulled away from Carita. "Now come, we do not want to keep them waiting." Iril lifted the lace vale that was to cover Carita's face and pinned it in its place in her hair before she pulled the sheer lace over Carita's face. "Beautiful," Iril said with a smile before the two of them slowly walked through the deserted corridor towards the thrown room. As they reached the closed double doors the two guards smiled and bowed their heads to Carita. Iril smiled at her before she slipped away and entered the hall by one of the servants' doors.

Carita heard the music start to play and the guards moved forward and opened the doors. The elves in the hall stood and Carita took a deep breath as she walked into the hall. Over the music she heard the sighs and the gasps as well as the comments on how lovely she looked. However, her eyes moved to the front of the hall where Thranduil stood and just as she wondered where Legolas was, he stepped before his father dressed in silver and white with his hair braided back as usual and his circlet upon his head. Tears came to her eyes as she felt his surprise and his love flood her.

Her nerves vanished as she drew closer to him, her hands were clasped in front of her and she looked at nothing save for his eyes. Time seemed to slow as she finally reached him. The music stopped and he stepped forward, lifting the vale from her face revealing her tear filled eyes to his smiling ones. Legolas' breath caught as her gaze met his and he slowly smiled. She had told him that Arwen and Aragorn had sent her, her old circlet and necklace that Arwen had found stuffed away, but he did not know that they were that beautiful and he did not know that they would make her look as they did. She seemed to glow a whole new light, but in truth he did not know if was because of the jewels she wore or if it was because she was happy.

"Please be seated," Thranduil said and the elves, Gandalf and Gimli took their seats. Carita and Legolas tore their eyes away from each other and turned to the king. "Prince Legolas and Carita Daughter of Varda have pledged their souls to each other and asked to be bound before the eyes of the people of Middle Earth. Today is the day of that union, and a day that will forever be in all of our hearts." He smiled warmly at Carita and then at Legolas. "Like their meeting their union shall be unique and their ceremony no different. They have chosen to speak their own vows before us." Legolas and Carita looked at each other and Carita felt her face flush and smiled at him. "Legolas," Thranduil said quietly and Legolas smiled before he took a deep breath.

"Carita, at the parting of our first meeting, you told me it is not nice to stare," he said with a smile and Carita chuckled along with several of the elves, but she heard Gandalf and Gimli over them. "But I know that I can not help it when it comes to you. I never imagined that as I set off for war that I would find what I did in you along the way. From the moment you said you love me my life has never been the same. Every smile, every laugh, and every touch sends my heart racing. And this day I will always remember as the day I found myself in your eyes. You have shown me that even in the darkest of places that hope can always grow." Carita squeezed his hand tightly as he spoke and fought back her tears that continued to threaten to fall.

"Carita," Thranduil said quietly obviously moved by the words his son had shared for Carita. Clearing her throat to push away the lump she smiled at Legolas.

"Never in all of my life, not even in my youth, have I ever been as happy as when I am with you," Carita said, blushing as her voice shook. Legolas gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and she continued. "Today I stand before you not as the Daughter of Varda, not as a member of the fellowship, not as a warrior, but I stand before you as a woman who wholly gives you her heart, mind, body, and soul for all eternity," she finished quietly and Legolas smiled at her. He wanted to kiss her right then and there at her words, but he had to wait until his father formalized their bond.

"There is nothing that brings our peoples together more than union of a couple promising their bond," Thranduil said drawing Legolas and Carita's attention from each other to him. "Though today our ceremony is short," Thranduil said as he sent a look to Legolas, "the celebration of this union shall be long. I present to you, my people and friends, the Prince and Princess of Mirkwood." Cheers erupted and Carita looked at Legolas who smiled brightly at her before he pulled her flush against him. She gasped in surprise, but before she could move his lips came crashing down up hers and a feverish kiss making the cheers grow louder. Carita laughed quietly and pulled her lips from his.

"My heart, mind, body, and soul are yours Carita," he whispered as he moved his hands to her face. "For eternity," he said and Carita smiled at him before he kissed her once more. At that moment, Carita knew that her life would only get better from there.

Carita laughed quietly as Legolas pulled her into what was now their chamber. Legolas closed the door behind her and pressed her against the door before his lips fell onto hers. "Legolas," she whispered as she pulled her lips away from his only to have his lips settle on her neck, right above her necklace. "Legolas, the ceremony is not yet over," she whispered. "Your father will . . .," she trailed off and sighed heavily as he nibbled on her ear.

"My father will not care," he said his voice husky in her ear before he raised his hands to her hair and pulled the pins that held her vale in her hair and tossed the lace to the floor. His hands moved to her waist once more and gripped her hips tightly as he pulled her against him once again assailing her lips with heated kisses. Carita moaned against him as his hands roamed her body, his right hand brushed her breast as he held her neck. He moved his kisses to her neck again.

"Please, do not tease me," she whimpered unable to control her sudden desire for him. She pushed him away and moved to the dresser where she removed her circlet and her necklace before she pulled the pins from her hair sending her black waves falling down her back in waves. She turned around and looked at Legolas with dark eyes as she started to unlace the sides of her dress.

"You tease me, Carita," he said deeply as he too removed his circlet from his head.

"I tease you not," she said as he dress loosened around her body and she removed the soft fabric only to stand before him in her thin lace shift Iril had made for her. She tossed her dress onto the chair and stepped from her slippers as she walked to Legolas. "I am yours," she said as she ran her hands up his tunic clad chest. He tossed his circlet onto same chair she had tossed her dress and pulled her close after grasping her hips once more. She kissed his chin. "For always," she whispered and Legolas sighed heavily before he lifted her from the ground and laid her on top of their bed. Carita arched her back and put her hands above her head while she looked up at him. He stepped from his boots and removed his tunic before he covered his body with hers.

"You may be mine," he said before he kissed her briefly, "but you still tease me." Carita grinned at him as his hands pulled at the lace shift and soon he reddened the thin material from her body. His hands were like fire across her skin. Her senses were on overload from the strong wine they had at dinner and the pure ecstasy Legolas stirred within her. His lips descended onto her chests and she let out a startled gasp.

"Legolas," she whimpered before she sat up, moving him to his knees and forcing his lips from her chest. She pulled his lips back down to hers before her hands moved down his chest and stomach. She made quick work of the lacing of his leggings and took him into her hands. It was Legolas' turn to let out a startled gasp as he tore his lips from hers and looked up at the ceiling. Carita smiled as she toyed with him and his face looked as though he had no control of his body, and that was what she wanted.

Pushing him, she forced him to the bed and straddled his legs. Legolas looked up at her with surprise clear on his fair face, but she only smiled at him as she kissed him as she removed her hands from him and pushed his leggings down. With his leggings gone, Carita moved up his body her center hovering above his stomach as she looked down at him. Legolas moved his hands to her thighs and his eyes met hers.

"I love you," he said and she smiled.

"I love you," she said and he moved his right hand up her thigh and teased her. Much like Legolas did, she tilted her head back and sighed. However, unlike Legolas she did not lose control. She pulled her hips away from his skilled hands and grasped his length. Her eyes were dark and laced with unrelenting desire and as she met Legolas' eyes they mirrored hers.

"Carita," he groaned and she slowly guided him in, both moaning and sighing at the feel. As her hips met his, her hands moved to his chest and Legolas' hands moved to her hips. They stayed still for a moment before he urged her to move. Carita slowly started to rock her hips against his and with each thrust the rate increased her body wanting more of him. She put her hands above his shoulders and leaned down to his lips. They kissed and he touched her as they moved together.

The other times they made love paled in comparison to the experience they shared that moment. It was different because now the world knew of their bond, and as they cried out their climaxes time for the pair did stop and Carita collapsed her body on top of him. Legolas was panting as he wrapped his arms around her. They remained locked together and Legolas kissed her temple that was damp with sweat. She raised her head and looked up at him with a smile on her face. Legolas gave her a grin and laughed.

"I think I will let you tease me more often," he said and she laughed before she kissed him and she couldn't have agreed more.

"Look, lass," Gimli said as they rode their horses towards Helms Deep and Carita looked up as Gimli pointed around Legolas' shoulder and at the keep. After a brief visit with Éomer, he gave them leave to tour the Glittering Caves of Helms Deep and Carita, Legolas, and Gimli stopped at a distance from the fortress.

"It is so hard to believe that nearly two years has passed since we stood on that wall," Carita said quietly as she looked to her husband of six months. After their ceremony Gimli remained in Mirkwood for a month and then as they promised each other they wanted to set out on their journey across the now free lands of Middle Earth. Carita was not about to be left behind, so, she joined them in their travels.

They had journeyed to Edoras and visited with Éomer and Carita was not the least bit surprised to hear from Éowyn that she was set to marry Faramir in seven months. And Carita promised her that she, Legolas, and Gimli would make the journey to Ithlien for the ceremony.

"It is isn't it?" Legolas asked. "The fortress still bares the scars of the battle," he said as his eyes settled on the still broken wall. However, there were men there that were slowly rebuilding the wall.

"Come, let's explore the caves," Carita said as she urged her horse on and Legolas smiled as he watched his wife ride away. His heart swelled at the thought. She truly was his and the nights they shared were magic.

"Aren't we going to follow, lad?" Gimli asked a smile to his voice and Legolas shook himself from his thoughts and smiled a small smile at Gimli before he urged Arod forward. There was exploring to be had.