The next chapter is up!
WARNING: Explicit Sexual Content in this chapter!
Enjoy!
All the girls were getting ready on stage off to the side.
Mia and Aerin were back there with them, helping them get ready. The curtains were still closed, and they could hear the crowd of people through them.
"Ok everyone, just leave your bags off to the side here by the changing room door. You all know when both the group dances are and the pair and solo ones are. We have put them in order so that you have time in between the dances to come back here and change into another outfit.
Also make sure your water bottles are out and ready by your bags for when you need to grab some water. I know all of you will do a great job. You have been practicing hard all year for this and I'm very proud of each and every one of you.
And just remember, to be yourselves and have fun. After all, that is what a recital is for, fun. So, even if mistakes are made, it's ok. They will not be held against you at all. You just go out there and do your best.
I know either way, your parents are very proud of you all and cannot wait to see how much you have grown and learned within this past year. Believe me, when I say, you all certainly have come very far and continue to improve with each year that goes by. So, go out there, show them what you got, and I said, have fun." Mia told them.
The girls were all smiles and couldn't wait to start.
They all got into two lines of four at the side of the stage and waited. While Mia got ready to have the curtains pulled back and went out to address the audience.
While the kids waited, Aerin did notice one of the girls seemed fidgety and wasn't smiling like the rest of them, and her head was tilting down to the floor.
He approached the small girl and knelt to a knee next to her.
"Evelyn, what's wrong?" He asks.
The girl somewhat averted her gaze from the floor to him. She was silent for a few moments and didn't answer him right away.
"It's just…a lot of people to dance in front of. I'm…nervous. I don't want to mess up in front of mommy, daddy, and my little sisters." She muttered.
He gave her a soft smile.
"It's alright to be nervous and worry about such things. But I've seen you all dance. And every one of you has done a phenomenal job each time. I happen to believe that you will do just fine. And if by chance, you do mess up a dance move, it is alright. Not everyone always does everything perfectly. We all make some mistakes occasionally. Even adults." He assured her.
That's when the girl really looked at him.
"Really? Adults make a lot of mistakes too?" She asked.
His smile widened a little.
"Yes, we do. I can recall plenty of times I have made mistakes in the past. Mostly in the very beginning with making speeches to others or directing them to the wrong areas. In some of my earliest speeches, my heart would race a little and my palms would sweat, making me clench them closed." He admitted.
Which was true.
In some of his very early years of trying to lead the Uruks, there were times he got nervous when he had to stand before all of them and speak out while addressing them all. Then there were times, he would try to lead them down certain passages, only to make a wrong turn here and there and they would end up in another destination.
This was when he was first released by Morgoth and was tasked to lead the first army of Uruks. A good portion of the army were his own children that he sired with captive she-elves.
"And how did you stop yourself from being nervous?" Evelyn asked.
"I would just tell myself that no matter how many mistakes I have made, I know they would still watch and listen to what I had to say. And I would learn from each mistake I have made. So, I could do better next time. After all, life is just one big learning process. No matter what age you are, you never stop learning or getting better." Aerin tells her.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"Either way, your family is very proud of you. As long as you hang onto that thought, you can do anything." He added.
Mia, who was lingering off to the side of the girls, heard every word he said to the small girl.
She couldn't help the warm smile that appeared on her face, and she could see how he was undoubtedly an excellent father in the past. He knew how to comfort a child, as well as give them words of encouragement and confidence.
He can also be funny, playful, and very patient. That's why the kids would sometimes gravitate to him.
Evelyn eventually smiled back and nodded. He gently patted her back with a small smile, before standing up. She then wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a brief hug. Aerin lightly draped one arm around the small girl in a tiny hug.
Then she pulled back and stood in line, seemingly less nervous now than she was before.
Someone then pressed the button to pull the curtains back and Mia went walking out to center stage with a wireless mike.
When she got there, she stopped and stood in front of the small audience with a bright smile.
"Good afternoon, everyone! Thank you all for joining us here today at West Cape May Elementary School for the Annual End of the Year Ballet Recital! As you know, the kids spent a good bulk of the year practicing hard for this special day!" She announced proudly.
Mia only said a few more inspirational words, before leaving the stage.
Then she went backstage to let the one operating the music to let him know they were ready to start and to start the first song. Afterwards, her and Aerin walked down a few steps off to the side, exiting the stage.
She spotted her brother and his family, sitting right up front. He had reserved a couple seats just for her and Aerin. So, the pair took their seats next to them right up front.
The girls knew the routines of these dances so well that she didn't have to stand a the bottom of the stage and give them any ques or instruct them.
So, because of this, her and Aerin just took a seat in the audience to watch with the rest of them.
Not a few moments later, the music started up, filtering in through the large speakers. Then the girls came bounding out and took their positions center stage.
Not long after, they began to dance in synchronization to the song.
They did a splendid job and seemed to be remembering each que and move as they went. Then spun around and made leaps in correlation to the part in the song like they were supposed to.
Her brother John had his iPhone up, recording the whole thing as his daughter and her friends danced along nicely to the music. While his wife and son sat next to him, watching the whole dance with bright smiles.
Everyone in the audience had a pamphlet in hand, so they knew what dances were being performed and by who because as Mia said earlier, some were group dances, while others were pair and solo ones. The names of each girl were next to the songs they were to be performing.
Her niece, Robin, was one of the girls that had her own solo song.
Despite being one of the younger girls in the group, she was very good at doing her own thing without having to follow any of the other girls' movements during the routines.
But then, she was one of Mia's first students and had started teaching Robin ballet when she was only three and a half years old. Now, at the age of seven and a half, she was turning out to be quite the little ballerina.
Unlike her other students who mainly just did Contemporary Ballet, Robin had done training in Pointe Ballet, which can be a little more challenging.
The solo she was doing was in Pointe. Which meant she would have to switch out her ballet flats for pointe shoes.
Mia would occasionally pull out her iPhone and take short video recordings of each dance routine. While Aerin sat next to her just watching.
They really were doing a great job. If there were any mistakes, they were so minute that they would be hard to spot.
The recital didn't last too long. Only about forty to forty-five minutes.
In the end, the families applauded them for their lovely performance. They really did end up doing a phenomenal job just as Mia knew they would. She was among many that stood up at the end while applauding them. Aerin joined her and did the same.
While there was dancing in Middle Earth, he rarely ever saw it and the very few he did manage to observe were mainly done by adults, not children. These girls have proven that they could dance just as well as any adult could from his world.
Afterwards, Mia got up from her seat and went around the side to go up on stage.
She was handed the wireless mike and went back out there to join the girls. They hugged her as she came out and stood there on center stage with them in front of the families.
"Well, I hope everyone enjoyed the recital! The girls did an amazing job today! And this wraps up the 2025 Ballet Recital!" She announced.
Everyone applauded, even after the girls and their teacher left the stage.
Then they all walked down the stairs to the side together off the stage. When they got to the front row, the families started getting up to retrieve their child. Each one was met by a big hug from their parents and siblings.
Quite a few of them also provided gifts for the girls, like a small bouquet of flowers or a stuffed animal for their amazing performance and to show that they were proud of them.
Mia smiled when a couple of the girls came over and handed her a big bouquet of flowers as well.
Aerin smiled, when they presented her the lovely flowers and gave her a big hug afterwards. Though he was rather surprised when at least two of the girls gave him a tiny bouquet of flowers also, before giving him a hug.
"Thank you, girls. They are lovely." He says.
"You're welcome!" Dylan and Jordyn told him.
While his bouquet was significantly smaller than Mia's, he still appreciated it, nonetheless. Especially, since he wasn't expecting to get anything.
Mia got a bouquet of flowers that could easily fill a vase. While he got about three long-stemmed red roses.
Her brother and sister-in-law gave her a small hug, thanking her for all she has done with the kids, especially Robin.
The seven-and-a-half-year old's solo performance was quite top notch. But then her aunt was a professional pointe ballerina for the better part of the last couple decades. So, she had the privilege of learning from the best.
"You all really did such a phenomenal job. I'm so proud of all of you." She told them as they stood by their families.
For the next several minutes, words were exchanged between her and the parents. A few of them even chatted up Aerin. Something he didn't mind in the least, because he has met them all at least once whenever they came by to pick up the girls from lessons.
Afterwards, everyone dispersed to go home.
Mia exchanged one more hug with her family, before they left. Then her and Aerin got into her car and started heading home.
He held both her bouquet and his small one as he sat next to her in the passenger seat.
She grinned in amusement at the fact that he got some flowers too. But then, she had an idea why.
"I told you that you had some secret admires in class that had a crush on you." Mia teased, as she drove them home.
Aerin rolled his eyes, at that.
"I still say you're exaggerating. I'm sure it was because they just enjoyed the support, I provided for them during the times I was there for lessons. Nothing more." He stated.
"Right." She says, still in disbelief.
He just shakes his head with a small smile.
It was hot in the car, so the windows were down the entire time. Even then, it was mainly blowing in the warm early summer air. But they enjoyed it, nonetheless.
They made it home within the next fifteen to twenty minutes, only to be greeted by an over excited Tundra. Something that was amusing because they weren't really gone all that long.
"Yeah, I know you missed us, you big furry baby." Mia says, as she pets his head.
At least the house was nice and cool, seeing as they had central air.
"May as well put these in water while we can, before they dry out." Aerin said, as he held up the flowers.
"Definitely, and I have just the right size vase for them." She replied.
She headed for the kitchen, he followed close behind her, while still carrying the flowers.
He knew she kept a couple glass vases beneath the kitchen sink in a cabinet. Mia went in and pulled out a medium size one and filled it with water. Then she placed it on the kitchen table, and he stuck them in the glass vase filled with water.
Afterwards, she pushed the vase to the center of the kitchen table and smiled.
"They look nice there." He said.
"Yeah, it's not often I get something nice to put in the center of the kitchen table. They really brighten the place up." She says.
Afterwards, they retreated to the living room and took a seat on the couch.
They sat there relaxing in the air conditioning that was filtering around the house. Then eventually, he turned to face her.
A warm smile appeared on his face as he reached up to caress her cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut, as she reached up to lightly caress his hand with a small smile.
"You have done an amazing job with them and setting the recital up. It was quite a show." He told her.
"Thanks, and thank you for the support you gave them. I know they really appreciated it. Especially, when at least one of them was experiencing stage fright at first." She told him.
"Of course. While I may never have performed in front of others, I did have to stand before many and address them about many important things. In the beginning, it was both overwhelming and nerve-wracking to say the least." He tells her.
Mia was silent for a moment before speaking.
"It also sounds like; you may have had to have these types of conversations before in the past with kids." She ascertained.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"You're not wrong. I have. Many of times with my own past children." He admitted.
Why not? Growing up in a place as dreadful as Utumno's dungeons would have been distressing and traumatic enough for anyone. Especially, a small child that didn't fully understand the reasoning of their conception to begin with. Only to be molded into a ruthless warrior later in life as they grew.
This was the kind of life many of his previous children had.
Morgoth and Sauron wanted to breed a race of warriors, and they got have. It was a very painful fact that this army consisted of both his offspring and that of the other Moriondor.
Though he cannot say that the other Moriondor cared for their offspring nearly as much as he did. For their desires rested in other various types of power. Different from his own.
"And I'm sure, they really appreciated it." She assured him.
He was silent for a moment, before answering.
"Yes, I like to think so. After all, a parent could only do so much to bring up their children in such a volatile and atrocious environment. Still, I and their mother's have done our best in doing so." Aerin says.
It saddened Mia to see that despite living a second chance of life and being happy, he still carried the grief and sorrow of the ones he had lost and left behind.
Perhaps, he always will, for as long as he lives.
The only thing she can continue to do is be there for him and support him. Just as he was for her during her turbulent times in life.
Mia leaned in and lightly wrapped her arms around his waist, while pressing her front to his in a soft embrace.
Aerin wrapped his arms around her, embracing her back. He then knelt his head down and placed a small kiss atop of her head.
"Forgive me, I didn't mean to sour the mood. After all, this was meant to be a joyous time." He says.
"You didn't. I'm just sorry you must carry around this sadness and grief of something you lost that you held dear to you." She admits.
He slowly pulls back and gently cups her chin, tilting her head back a little so he can meet her gaze.
"While it is true that I'll always hold the memories of the children I lost in my heart, it doesn't mean that I don't look forward to what this new life has to offer me. It already has offered me so much when it put you in my path and for that, I will always be eternally grateful." Aerin told her.
Mia couldn't help but smile back.
"Just as I feel nothing short of fortunate and lucky that you were put in my path." She replied.
It wasn't long after the words left her, he slowly leaned in and captured her lips in a searing kiss.
Her arms automatically wound around his neck, pulling him closer and deepened the kiss. As always, it took their breath away, as they shared it.
He started lightly dragging his hands up and down her back, eliciting a sigh from her.
This is when she leaned in and started placing soft kisses down the side of his neck, drawing a gasp from him as she went.
Though as good as it felt, he may have to stop her, because the longer she kept this up, the odds are it will start stirring problems for him. Particularly below the waist.
Aerin opened his mouth to say something, only for a small groan to leave his lips instead when she closed her lips around that one sensitive spot on his neck right above where his neck met his shoulder.
It made him tighten his arms around her as she continued mouthing the sensitive spot and teasing her lips over it, while she lightly ran her hands up and around his sides.
"Mia…you must…stop. It's…starting to cause…issues down below." He got out.
The young woman pulled back.
As her gaze met his, she reached up and lightly cupped his cheeks. Then she gave him a smile, filled with emotion.
"It's ok, Aerin. I'm not afraid…anymore. With you, I never was. I never felt anything but comfort and happiness with you. I'm ready and I want this." She softly says, while still maintaining eye contact with him.
He didn't say anything. His blue-grey eyes peered deeply into hers, while studying her face. As if he were looking for any trace of doubt or hesitation.
But he had found none.
"Are you certain…Wilwarin?" He asks.
Mia gave him a soft smile.
"Yes, I am. How can I not be? When you brought joy and happiness back into my life. When you make me feel more alive than I ever felt. No one has ever made me feel as you have. You understand me, just as I understand you. And that is what makes you so special to me, Aerin." She confessed.
He felt his heart leap at her words.
Ever since he found himself here in this strange, new world with this new lease on life, he has come to know true happiness again and found it with Mia.
Aerin wasn't blind or oblivious, he knew what it was he had been feeling all along for her, and now, he wanted nothing more than to finally tell her what he felt.
"I love you, Mia." He softly says.
He saw a bright, genuine smile slowly appear on her face, making it appear as if it was glowing and her eyes glistened.
"I love you too, Aerin." She replied.
He reached up and caressed her cheek, brushing his thumb over the soft skin.
Then he leaned in once more and placed his lips over hers, grabbing another kiss. This ne was filled with even more emotion, as they poured every ounce of love into it.
They stayed connected in their kiss for as long as they could until it felt like they were becoming lightheaded and dazed.
By the time they pulled back, they were huffing and puffing, while trying to catch their breath.
Aerin then leaned back in and started placing light kisses down the side of her neck, drawing a gasp from her.
When he got to her shoulder, he brushed the spaghetti strap of her tank top and bra strap down her shoulder until they drooped down over her bicep and hung there.
"Our room." She huffed out.
They stood up from the couch and started to leave the area.
Once they cleared the couch and coffee table, he surprised her by scooping her up into his arms, making a small gasp followed by a chuckle to leave her.
He smiled as he carried her across the rest of the living room then down the hall to their bedroom.
Tundra didn't bother following the pair this time. Instead, he stayed where he was, lying comfortably on the recliner chair off to the right side of the couch against the side wall.
Once Aerin carried her through the bedroom door, he lifted his foot and used it to push the bedroom door shut. Then he approached their bed and carefully laid her down upon it.
They shared a brief kiss, before pulling back again.
Mia slowly sat up and pulled her slides off her feet and dropped them on the floor beside the bed. Then she reached for the bottom of her knee length, stretchy maxi dress and started to pull it up her body.
He watched with darkening eyes as more of her body was revealed to him.
When she pulled it off completely, she tossed it aside as well. Now all she had to pull off, were her bra and undies.
During this time, Aerin kicked off his slip-on sneakers and started pulling off his shorts, boxers, and t-shirt.
Mia watched on with her heart pounding in her chest as he swiftly removed each article of clothing. Not a few moments later, he was just as bare as she was.
As he stood there, lightly huffing and puffing, she noted he was already sporting a hefty erection. It bobbed up and down a little with each deep breath he took.
Instead of feeling scared or nervous, she felt her pussy tingle in anticipation.
The cool air-conditioned air hit their bodies causing some goosebumps to pebble on their skin. Her light pink nipples tightened and puckered both from the cool air and her growing arousal.
Seeing her lying there before him, with her chest heaving, and waiting there in anticipation, made his erection grow harder. She looked so beautiful lying here before him like this.
Then he finally got onto the bed to join her.
Aerin lay beside her, peering down at her flushed face. Then he leaned in and began to kiss her once more.
Mia let out a small, muffled moan as they shared the kiss and his warm, solid body started rubbing up against hers. It was both amazing and a relief, that she wasn't freaking out, panicking, or having flashbacks of her rape during this time.
She knew well enough that with many rape victims like herself, it was a struggle becoming intimate with another man again afterwards. Yet, here she was, and she didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable or scared.
Probably because it had to do with the fact that she loved and trusted Aerin, as well as feeling safe with him.
Deep down, she knew he would never hurt her.
All this was why she was willing to take this next step in their relationship with him,
Every moment that went by, they were getting more and more amped up, especially with the kiss spurring them on.
They began pawing at each other as the kiss intensified. Until they had to pull back for air once more.
Aerin took the advantage to start placing slow and gentle kisses down the column of her neck over her collarbone. Then he brushed his lips over the top of her chest.
Mia began panting as he drew lower with his warm mouth.
Then her eyes shot open, and she pushed her head back into the pillow with a soft moan as he captured a nipple between his lips and teased it.
He reached up and cupped the other breast in his hand, before tracing the pad of his thumb over the other nipple, until it puckered beneath his touch.
She felt moisture starting to pool around her opening as he teased her.
Mia ran her hands through his long, dark hair, lightly scratching his scalp with her fingernails, making him groan, as he continued teasing her nipples. Drawing some more moans from her.
He then switched his mouth to the other breast to give it attention, closing his mouth over the little stiff bud and suckling it.
She could feel heat pooling in her lower abdomen, as her pussy started to flutter.
When he finally pulled away and shifted back up, he could see her pupils blown wide, and she gripped the back of his neck and pulled him back down to smash her lips to his in another passion-filled kiss.
He gladly returned the kiss, their tongues battling for dominance as they continued rubbing themselves against one another.
She could feel his hot and heavy erection, throbbing against the top of her thigh.
Mia reached down and wrapped her hand around his hard length. Aerin pulled back with a loud gasp, that turned into another groan as she began to lazily pump it.
A small bead of precum leaked from the tiny slit as she worked his length in her hand.
Then a sharp intake of air left him and his hips twitched as she ran the pad of her thumb over the head of his cock, smearing the little bit of precum there.
He could only take the teasing for so long, before he shifted and got on top of her.
Aerin hovered over Mia, with his elbows resting on either side of her as he held himself up a little, so not to put his full weight onto her. She spread her thighs until they were nestled on either side of his narrow hips.
"Are you sure?" He asks her one more time, to be sure.
She nodded without hesitation, "Yes."
He gave her a soft smile and placed a small, brief kiss on her lips.
Then he gripped his length and positioned it in front of her damp opening and tilted his hips forward. He went as slowly and gently as he could, as he entered her tight, warm inviting heat.
Mia's eyes closed, and she threw her head back into the pillow again with a moan as he slowly entered her, stretching her inner walls as he went.
Aerin groaned at the amazing feeling as he slowly sunk into her core.
Once he was fully seated inside of her to the point their hips were touching, he remained there for a few moments, letting her adjust to him being inside of her.
He didn't want to rush this or be rough with her at all. Especially when he knew she was taken very violently and roughly in the past by that bastard of an ex.
No, with her, he will be as gentle as possible and show her how much he loves and treasures her.
He slowly pulled his length back with a shaky exhale, until only the tip was inside of her. Then he gently but firmly thrusted back in.
Mia wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled her cheek to his as she lightly draped her legs around his waist and slowly rocked her hips into his, meeting his slow, languid thrusts.
They kept this pace up for some time, enjoying the amazing sensations it brought out of them as well as the strong, deep, intimate connection they shared.
Until they eventually wanted to change the pace a bit.
She tilted the side of her face more into his, until her lips were all but brushing against his ear.
"Aerin, it's ok to go faster. You do not have to keep it slow like this the whole time. I'm fine." Mia softly assures him.
He pulled his head back a little to meet her gaze.
She gave him a soft smile, before leaning in to place a small kiss on his lips.
"While I love that you're so gentle and considerate with me, that doesn't mean you have to hold back completely. Please…let go." She says.
He tilts his head down, pressing his forehead against hers.
"Alright." He breathed out.
Then he gradually started picking up the pace.
Mia gasped and tightened her hold around his neck once more as he started to fluidly thrust his hips into hers.
A few moans lefts her as he rolled his hips into her at a fast and smooth pace, making her body jerk up and down a little beneath his. He groaned as the change of pace created a delicious friction of her smooth, inner walls rubbing against his swelling cock.
Soon, the whole bedroom was filled with a chorus of moans and the sound of skin slapping against skin as he continued thrusting his hips into hers repeatedly at a fast and swift pace, all while still not being too rough.
Aerin did his best to keep his thrusts smooth and soft, rather than hard and fast.
It made no difference to him, for he has done both versions before as well as various positions. In other words, he was flexible as far as sex goes.
Mia started feeling that coil in her lower abdomen begin to tighten and knew she was close.
He started to feel her inner walls begin to flutter around his swollen cock. His balls began to tighten as his own release drew near.
Then he slowed down his thrusts and shifted to grinding his pelvis into hers. The coarse hair surrounding his privates created some lovely friction against her engorged clit and he was pushing himself even deeper into her core, until the head of his prick was rubbing up against her g-spot.
Not a few moments later, her back bowed off the bed, and a loud shaky moan left her as her body tensed up and her pussy spasmed and clenched around his swollen shaft repeatedly.
Aerin grits his teeth, then he lifted his head and let out a loud groan as his release washed over him.
Mia gasped and fluttered around him as she felt him spilling his warm release deep inside of her. Each contraction of her inner muscles pulled out another load, flooding her with his seed.
He hovered above her on shaky limbs, panting as he finished emptying himself inside of her.
Then he pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead and nuzzled his cheek against the side of her face. Mia couldn't help but smile as she leaned in and pressed a small kiss to his cheek.
It took him several moments to gain enough energy to move.
Afterwards, he retracted his softening length from her weeping opening with a shaky sigh, then he dropped down on the bed beside her.
Mia continued laying there on her back for a few more moments, before she lazily turned onto her side to face him.
Aerin wrapped an arm around her and held her close. While she draped an arm over the side of his waist.
"How are you feeling?" He asks.
"I feel great." She replied with a bright smile.
"Good." He says, relieved that she didn't become afraid at some point during their lovemaking.
"How about you?" She inquired.
"Feel amazing." He said.
Several seconds of silence passed between them before either one of them spoke again.
"I love you." Mia told him.
He reached up and carded a hand through her long dark hair, brushing it back with a soft smile on his face.
"I love you too." Aerin replied.
The pair continued laying there relaxing and basking in the aftermath of their lovemaking.
Taking this next step made them feel closer than ever, and they were more than happy to continue experiencing it more.
Most of all, they looked forward to what the future may bring for them now. It certainly appears to be getting brighter for them as the days go on.
Until Next Time!