And here's the finale!

The three days of journey back to Ithilien was the most nerve-racking period in Legolas' life.

Keldarion and Aislinn sent longing gazes at each other the entire time. Thranduil, meanwhile, had been repeatedly caught beaming like a proud parent every time his gaze fell upon the two lovebirds. Beregund and the rest of the elven warriors tried to remain as impassive and stoic as ever, but even they could not help grinning with delight to see their crown prince—and his future wife—so deliriously happy in love.

Legolas resisted the urge to snort in disgust when he saw Keldarion reached over for Aislinn's hand and brought it to his lips, whispering affectionate words to her and sending her seductive gazes. The woman was heard sighing in reply—which sounded more like oohing and aahing to Legolas' ears—as if she was quickly melting on the spot on top of her mount.

Good Lord! Talk about slick charm! Kel really has the moves!

Thoroughly annoyed, Legolas stopped himself just in time from sticking a finger down his throat when the two lovers were heard saying 'I Love You' to each other. He was glad to see the two so happy but—Ai!—this was downright sickening! Now he felt more like a blasted chaperon in this entourage, watching over the couple closely so that they would not fall into any holes or tripped against any ruts whenever they took a walk together during brief stops between the long ride, gaga eyes fixed upon each other all the time.

Their drunk-with-love state of mind was starting to grate on Legolas' nerves, reminding him that his relationship with his own wife was not looking as chipper as the lovers' right now. He began to grow deeply anxious with his impending reunion with Narasene. She was a gentle-bred lady, but very much like a cat. Quiet and docile one minute, hissing and spitting the next when she was peeved.

Oh, he had peeved her, all right. And he had peeved her bad this time. Legolas knew he had to do a bit of crawling and groveling at his wife's feet to woo her back. And that may not prove to be a successful feat because Narasene could be as stubborn as he was!

"I love you," Aislinn was heard whispering to Keldarion.

"I love you too, darling."

"But I love you more." Aislinn giggled.

"No. I love you more."

More giggling. "Na-ah. I love you more."

"I love you more and more and—"

"Oh, put a sock on it!" Legolas finally snapped, glaring at them both. "She loves you, and you love her, so there! Everybody knows it."

The couple just blinked stupidly back at him.

With a roll of his eyes, Legolas threw up his hands in the air before he urged his mount into a quick trot. The rest of the party watched him sped away in silence, a little flabbergasted by his sudden outburst. Keldarion and Aislinn then turned to Thranduil, who was trying his damnedest to hold back his laughter.

"What the blazes is the matter with him?" Keldarion wondered out loud. "Did he wake up from the wrong side of blanket this morning?"

That did it. The king burst out laughing.

Keldarion frowned. "I can't see anything funny in all this. What is making Legolas so angry?"

"Oh, my son," Thranduil wheezed, still laughing. Beregund and the other warriors were trying very hard to keep a straight face. "Your brother is not angry, not really. He is just scared, that's all."

"Scared?" Aislinn looked puzzled. "Of what?"

"Of his wife," Thranduil replied with a grin. "If you would stop gawking at each other for a minute and watch him closely, you will see that he is very nervous. When he gets home, his wife is going to lit into him real good, mark my words. I've never seen Narasene so furious before when she showed me the note he left her. To escape her wrath, I wasted no time in forming a search troop on that same noon of my arrival."

"Legolas at the receiving end of his gentle wife's explosion?" Keldarion could not stop himself from chuckling. "That is certainly the most interesting event not to be missed."

The troop finally reached the great gate of Ithilien keep at dusk. Legolas had already arrived there ahead of them about several minutes ago, but he was yet to enter and make known of his presence to his wife and people. He was waiting in a shadowed corner near the gate, obviously delaying his entrance.

Keldarion stopped his mount next to his brother's. "Aren't you coming inside?"

Legolas flicked his hand in a lazy wave. "You all go on without me. I'll be right behind."

"Are you sure?" Keldarion grinned knowingly.

Legolas gave his brother a murderous glare. "Yes, I am."

"Are you really, really sure?"

"Keldarion?" Legolas' voice was as cold as ice.

"Yes, brother?"

"Shut up."

With a laugh, Keldarion shrugged and returned to Aislinn's side. As they rode through the gate, he began to point out to her the wonderful looking building that loomed majestically in front of them.

"The Ithilien palace, my brother's home. Have I told you that he owns this keep?"

Aislinn's jaw had dropped almost to her knees as she took in her magnificent surroundings. She stared in amazement at the grandeur of the palace, the beauty of the stone-paved courtyard, the grace of its people, the gleam of the tower dome in the eastern wall. "What is your brother anyway? A king?"

Thranduil laughed out loud behind them.

Keldarion smiled. "Well, almost. Legolas is the lord and founder of this elven colony. He governs this place and the surrounding territory. A valuable aid and faithful vassal to Aragorn, the king of Gondor."

"King of Gondor!" Aislinn gasped. "The king of Gondor?"

"There's only one king of Gondor the last time I checked."

Then Keldarion frowned as something else struck his mind. "Aislinn, have I told you about who I really am?"

"What do you mean?" She started to get nervous now, gazing back at him uncertainly as if bracing herself for more surprises.

"Did I tell you that our father here has a realm of his own in Mirkwood?"

Aislinn blinked.

"He has his own realm?" she asked breathlessly with a quick glance at Thranduil.

"Yes, Aislinn. Our father is a king," Keldarion gently told her, somehow afraid that she would bolt after hearing the entire truth. "His is the only elven kingdom that still remains on Middle-earth."

It might sound impossible, but Aislinn's already white face grew even whiter. "If he is a king, then you are…a…a…"

"A prince, yes." He nodded. "In fact, I am the crown prince of the realm."

Aislinn grew more and more overwhelmed by the second. "This means, you are next in line to the throne. You will become king. And married to you, I will become…Oh, lord. I think I'm going to faint."

And she did just that.

Keldarion quickly snatched her into his arms before she could drop off her mount onto the ground. Thranduil came near, gazing worriedly at Aislinn's pale face.

"I see that she is completely taken by surprise," he commented.

The prince smiled, securing his arms around the unconscious woman. "Surprise is an understatement. I think she is terrified!"

They dismounted at the receiving terrace. Narasene, the lady of the keep, was already waiting there with a warm smile.

"My lord," she greeted as she hugged her father-in-law. "You are well and unharmed."

Thranduil beamed. "Well, of course, my dear. Not even a scratch on me."

Narasene turned to Keldarion next, and raised her eyebrows to see the stirring woman in his arms.

"Now this is interesting. Since when did you start stealing a maid from her sleeping bed?" she asked with a teasing smile.

Keldarion grinned and leaned down to kiss Narasene's cheek. "Hello, dear sister."

"Hello, dear brother. You are well, I trust?"

"I'm happy. Is that enough?" he replied, looking down at the woman he was cradling, love shining in his eyes.

Throwing demeanor into the wind, Narasene squealed and flung her arms around him, kissing his cheek. "Then I'm so happy for you!"

Aislinn's eyes fluttered open to stare in wonder at the beautiful elven lady with hair as black as midnight who was hugging them tight. Embarrassed, she weakly gestured for Keldarion to put her down.

"I'm fine, really," she assured him.

Standing now, she bowed slightly to the elven lady. "A pleasure to meet you, my lady. I'm Aislinn."

Narasene took the woman's hands and squeezed.

"The pleasure is all mine," she said with a kind smile, understanding Aislinn's slight discomfort. "Come, you must be tired from all that riding. There are refreshments inside. Later on, I'll show you your chamber."

"M…my chamber?" Aislinn looked amazed. "In the palace?"

"Well, of course." Narasene nodded, assured that she and Aislinn would get on famously. "You are family now, I believe. So you shall have your own chamber here. And then we can…"

Narasene's voice trailed off as Legolas finally appeared at the receiving terrace on his mount. The elven lady ran a cursory glance all over her husband's person. She gave a little sigh of relief to see that he was in one piece, every limb still attached. Then, without saying a word to Legolas, Narasene turned her back on him and focused all her attention on her guests.

"Come, Aislinn, my lords," she said, quickly steering the dazed woman into the palace. "Let's get you rested and sated."

Keldarion and Thranduil watched in amusement as Legolas' dismounted, noticing the stricken expression on the younger prince's face. The two royalties exchanged rueful grins.

"There's going to be fireworks," Keldarion whispered through the corner of his mouth to his father.

"I just can't wait," Thranduil whispered in reply.

Beregund who stood nearby was smart enough not to comment, but he had to bite on his lip to keep himself from grinning. To distract himself from the interesting family scene, he got busy by summoning the servants to lead away the horses.

Fuming silently, Legolas strode pass his father and brother up the short flight of stairs and went inside in search of his wife. He knew Narasene was deliberately giving him the cold shoulder, and he didn't like it one bit.

Wait till I get my hands on her, he vowed. I know she's angry at me, but I'm still her husband, and deserve to get at least a hug from her, or a kiss or a…a…Hot blast! Even a smile is more than enough!

He found her in the parlor where she was entertaining Aislinn. The serving maids were moving about in the room, preparing refreshments for the weary travelers. The woman's eyes widened when she saw him swiftly approaching—his fists clenching and his face an unreadable mask.

Without warning, Legolas reached down and grabbed his wife's arm, yanking her out of her seat. "Nara, we need to talk."

Narasene stopped in mid-sentence with a yelp. She whirled around to give him a killing glare. But then she schooled her features, gave him a bright smile, and said sweetly, "Hello, dear husband."

Or maybe a little too sweet.

Legolas gritted his teeth. "Oh, cut the crap, my dear wife. I know you are mad at me."

Narasene tilted her head to the side, gazing mockingly back at him. "Am I, really?"

Sighing, Legolas released her arm and ran a hand through his already mussed hair. He noticed that Aislinn was glancing frantically between them, back and forth. The servants were pretending not to hear or see anything. Thranduil and Keldarion, who had just walked in, seemed to be greatly fascinated by the dishes of delicacies on the side table. But Legolas knew their pointed ears were strained to the limit, actively picking up his conversation with his wife.

"Look, Nara, can we talk somewhere private?" he asked his wife, almost pleading.

Narasene stared at him for a long moment before she reluctantly acquiesced. Saying nothing, she started walking towards the door. Scowling at his brother and father—who were hiding their smiles behind the cakes they were devouring—Legolas also left the parlor, striding fast to catch up with his wife.

They did not speak all the way to their bedchamber. Legolas glanced at her lovely face, and could see nothing but serenity and composure there. Yet, he knew that she was simmering inside, like a silent volcano just waiting to explode.

Reaching their chamber, they found their two sons already awoke from their afternoon nap. The twins rolled about in the crib, gurgling and blabbering at each other. Smiling for the first time that day, Legolas rushed forward and plucked them both into his arms.

"Hello, my little warriors," he crooned, planting kisses on their heads. "Have you been good while I was gone?"

"A lot better than their father, I would say," Narasene muttered as she turned to tug the bell cord to call for the nannies.

Legolas scowled at her.

She ignored him.

When the nannies came to take their sons away, the two still had not directly spoken a word to each other. And when they were finally left alone, Legolas came up behind his wife and gently clasped her shoulders.

"Nara," he started. "I'm very sorry for taking off like that without telling you personally. Forgive me?"

Narasene was smiling as she turned to face him. "You are forgiven."

Legolas blinked.

That's it? I'm forgiven? No how-could-you-worried-me-this-way tirade and such? No screaming or hair-pulling like I expected?

"Are…are you sure? I mean…" He gulped anxiously. "You are not mad at me anymore?"

She smiled even wider. "Of course, I'm not mad at you. How could I be mad? You're home. That's all that matters."

"Oh. Well…uh… that's good." Legolas still felt uneasy, because it was all too…well, easy.

"Yes, dear. I'm so glad you are home, safe and sound." Nara went to the bed to grab a pillow before tossing it to her husband. "Here."

Legolas stared, dumbfounded, at the pillow in his hands. "What's this?"

"A pillow."

"Cute." Legolas rolled his eyes. "I know it's a pillow but what is it for?"

"To place it under your head while you sleep," she replied as she placed a blanket on the long couch in front of the hearth.

"Blast it, Nara! Don't play games with me." Legolas frowned. "What on earth are you doing?"

"I'm preparing your bed."

"But we already have a bed over there!" He pointed at the big bed they shared which stood in the middle of the vast chamber.

Narasene straightened and faced him, her hands on her hips, her eyes flashing. "No, that's my bed. Tonight, you sleep on the couch."

"WHAT?!"

"I'm going to see to my guests," she announced and strode out of the room.

Legolas threw down the pillow and chased after her. "Nara, tell me you are not serious about this."

Narasene walked faster. "Oh, I'm very serious, my lord."

"But you're my wife!"

"I'm so happy you still think so," she dryly replied, almost running down the steps as she tried to get away from him.

"What do you mean by that?"

She abruptly spun in the middle of the hallway and jabbed a finger against his chest. "If I'm your wife, you should have at least told me what you were up to! You should have taken your escorts for protection after letting me know where you were going!"

"That's the whole problem!" Legolas tried to defend himself. "I wasn't sure where I was going! I was tracking Keldarion and I didn't know where he would lead me to."

"Stay your brother out of this! Do not blame him for your irresponsible conduct!"

"My irresponsible conduct? Look, Nara, I left you a note."

"That is not an excuse!" She started to leave but Legolas quickly grabbed her and held her still.

"Nara, I'm terribly sorry for what I did—or rather, what I didn't do." Legolas' voice turned soft as he explained. "Yes, I should have told you personally before taking off like that. And yes, I should have taken my escorts with me. But there was no time and you know I'm much faster riding by myself. I had to quickly follow after Kel while his tracks were still warm. I cannot bear to lose him again, Nara. He is my brother."

He gently cupped her cheeks, gazing straight into her jade-green eyes. "I know I've been such a cad, worrying you like this. I'm sorry. But trust me, my love, it was never my intention to give you distress. Kel was suffering a dark period of his life and I had to be there for him to make sure he comes out of it unscathed. You would hate me if I let anything happen to him, would you?"

Narasene's temper gradually cooled down. She bit her lower lip and nodded, her eyes starting to well over. Zooming in for the kill, Legolas let loose his most lethal weapon—his dimpled smile.

Narasene didn't even stand a chance.

"Oh, Legolas…" She sighed, melting into his arms.

He leaned down to kiss her temple. "Forgive me?"

"I forgive you," she responded, moaning slightly as his lips touched her nose.

"Are you still mad at me?" He kissed the corner of her mouth, his hands gently caressing the nape of her neck.

"Oh, yes," she said breathlessly, clutching at his tunic. "I'm mad with wanting you. I've missed you so much, my love."

"I missed you too." Legolas grinned before he claimed her lips, groaning with pleasure as she leaned fully into him, totally absorbed in the kiss. He pushed until her back was against the wall, never taking his lips off hers. She wrapped a fist around his hair, as he clutched a fistful of her skirt, lifting it little by little until one creamy thigh was exposed.

And that was how Thranduil found them.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" the king exclaimed, blushing himself. "Get a room, will you?!"

The two lovers instantly sprang away from the wall. Their faces reddening with embarrassment, they gave the elven king a weak smile before they ran off—hand in hand—towards their chamber, giggling and sniggering like a pair of naughty children.

Thranduil shook his head and couldn't stop himself from chuckling. "Silly elflings," he muttered before he went in search of his grandsons. Knowing that now would not be such a good idea to look for the twins inside the crib in their parents' bedchamber, Thranduil changed direction and headed for the solarium where the nannies usually took the babies to play.

He did find Linden and Hadrian in the solarium. Keldarion was also there. The prince was showing off his nephews to Aislinn.

And—holding a baby each—the two lovers were kissing!

What's the matter with young people these days?

Thranduil rolled his eyes before he loudly cleared his throat. Keldarion and Aislinn quickly pulled apart and ducked their heads, smiling sheepishly. Seeing their grandfather, Linden and Hadrian instantly broke into toothless grin, waving their arms gaily about.

"Give them to me before you drop them," Thranduil ordered, reaching for the twins.

When the two babies were happily settled in his arms, the king arched his eyebrows at the two lovebirds. "All right, then. Carry on."

Keldarion laughed out loud, while Aislinn blushed deep red. Grinning, Thranduil turned and walked out of the solarium.

"Did you miss me, little ones?" He was heard talking to his grandchildren. "You do? That's good. I missed you both too. Now I have a wonderful story to tell. It's about two princes, and two very fine ladies whom they've fallen in love with…"

As their grandfather talked, the twins drooled and gurgled happily, already being told of the story about theirparents.

Nevertheless, it was indeed a very interesting story to hear all over again.

THE END

Thank you for reading, everyone! See you all in a new story of Legolas-and-the-gang very soon!