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Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings, any of J.R.R. Tolkien's recognizable universe, or characters.

Ch 15 Bonded

Boromir gripped his drink in abject misery. Chrystyne had been worse than he anticipated.

After he had stopped her flirtations, she had filled his ear with all the gossip of court events occurring during his journey with the Fellowship. When his reaction to some 'shocking' events was too mild, she proceeded to explain in detail why the events were so shocking; by giving the history of all parties involved. Going back generations. How did she remember it all?

He signaled for a refill.

Aragorn leaned over to speak with Faramir. "Your brother looks like he could use a rescue."

Faramir looked over.

Chrystyne was latched onto him, her breasts pressed into his arm. With the plunging cut of her dress, he probably had a view down it to her belly button. However his eyes never strayed down, but sought the exits instead.

He never spoke, merely grunting in response when forced. The chatterbox beside him seemed to be conveying words of importance, her intensity and passion driving away all interruptions.

"I'll see what I can do." he replied with a grin.

"Brother, will you not introduce me to your charming date?" Faramir asked.

"Faramir, this is Chrystyne, daughter of Hamir." Boromir replied.

Faramir smiled at the very young lady, now tongue-tied between them. "If I may steal your date for a dance brother?" he questioned.

Shyly she nodded, as the current steward swept her onto the dance floor. Boromir sighed in relief, sending a look of gratitude to Aragorn.

Thranduil led Tabatha back into the hall. "Lle merna salk?" (Sindarin: Do you want to dance?)

Tabatha shook her head. "I don't know these types of dances."

Thranduil's eyebrow rose at her response. "But you will learn, won't you? Starting tonight." he affirmed.

Meeting the challenge in his eyes, she mischievously replied "Only if you disavow injuries to your feet in the morning."

Eowyn shook her head as she surveyed the damage. Apparently the hobbits had led a raid into the pantry, collecting a large quantity of alcohol, before stealing Gandalf's fireworks again. They were caught by the wizard, firing them off the watch tower during the party.

At least she had additional 'volunteers' now to help with the cleanup. The hobbits and their dates were joined by the normal cleaning staff. All would be needed to make a dent in this mess she sighed.

"My lady, sorry to trouble you." a servant curtsied to Eowyn. "I found this in the hall." she reported.

"Where?" Eowyn growled, recognizing the petticoat instantly.

"Behind the statue of the Yavanna, Valier of Fertility."

She snorted, before taking the garment and stalking off to find Tabatha.

Resigned, Haldir organized the sex education class. Public knowledge of the bet ensured he found himself cornered frequently for invites to the event over the coming days. He cursed himself for falling into Tabatha's trap, and for allowing knowledge of their bet to be made public.

He was not surprised that both Legolas and King Thranduil had demanded to be included; the former to prevent his ignorance from showing during their bonding, and the latter to acquire firsthand knowledge of her 'education'.

He was surprised when Lady Galandriel announced she wanted to be part of the class. She passed it off as wanting to acquire knowledge to better advise her people, but her eyes strayed to her husband during the speech. His ears were faintly colored red at the tips as Celeborn expressed his wish to accompany her. He respected both too much to deny them, but felt deeply uneasy about being in the same room as a co-ed sex class, especially with his Lord and Lady.

Despite his embarrassment, Lord Elrond had asked to join as head healer of Imladris. Elrond's sons, Elladan and Elrohir, had asked to join to cause him mischief. Glorfindel had asked to join to relieve his boredom.

He was coercing his brothers to come. They had carried out their threat to both summon and fund Nimloth, but the purse ran too high. Since then, she remained in the city seeking to finally attain his affections; but he would rather kiss an Orc. Aside from her grating voice, she had no care of him, only for the prestige of his position.

He winced when Tabatha suggested inviting Erdolliel and Tolandiel as students. After their experience in her Truth and Dare game, he was sure both would refuse. Apparently not, as the game had broken their ennui, a hard thing to do at their age. Resigned, he added their names to the list. It was complete.

"So, do you know who Haldir will have at the class you've forced him to organize?" Eowyn asked her.

"No idea." Tabatha cheerfully replied. "It doesn't really matter; anyone he finds will still make him embarrassed. He'll be delightfully red for days."

Eowyn just shook her head.

She opened the door, to find the top elven leadership of three realms waiting inside. She raised an eyebrow at Haldir standing at the front of the class, who smirked in challenge. Narrowing her eyes at him, Tabatha stepped into the room to face her class.

Legolas closed his eyes in torment. This had been a bad idea. Her voice washed over him, explaining the purpose to different types of sex toys. He previously had no idea such things were possible, but now images of Tabatha using such things tormented his mind.

He wished he dared ask to borrow the cock-ring for the remainder of the class.

His erection, hard as Mithril, taunted him relieve the pressure, even as he fought not to spill from her words alone. He would not embarrass himself. He wouldn't.

Glancing around the room, he discovered his state echoed in the conditions of his kin. He swallowed as he saw the grief and loss in the eyes of his ada (Sindarin, father), even as his robes hid his hardness. Only as his son, could he spot the unnatural stillness of his posture, held rigidly upright in the chair.

Saddened, but able to focus once again, he turned back to watch Tabatha, listening to her voice torment him further. This had been a bad idea.

Tabatha bent down to give each of the hobbits a hug and a cheek kiss. Ears red, Pippin cried out "We're going to miss you Tabatha."

"No worries Pippin. I'll pop by the Shire sometime and catch up. After all, you have to confirm if you really like flavors best." she smirked at him.

Puzzled, he looked at her. "Flavors?" he questioned.

Merry poked him in the side. "By the falls Pip. When you were talking about lube." he whispered quietly.

Gimli crowed with laughter as Pippin flushed red.

The rest of the Fellowship hid their smiles, recalling the many times all of them had been equally embarrassed over the last year. Their final goodbye was bittersweet, but the memories made would never be forgotten.

Legolas stood, framed in the doorway of her room. His blood raced through his veins, pooling in his groin as she bent over, packing another garment into her bag.

"Tabatha" he called.

Turning to spot him, her face broke into a grin as ran across the room to take a flying leap into his arms.

Smiling, he caught her, feeling her slide down the length of his body.

She smirked as she felt his hardening elfhood press against her. "I guess you're happy to see me." she chortled, her lips seeking his.

Breathless, minutes later, they parted.

"What are you doing here? she asked.

"I wanted to speak with you, before we left the city." he responded.

Smiling at him, she asked, "What did you want to talk about?"

"Come, join me in the King's garden." he asked.

"Of course." She slipped her hand into his, as he led her away.

"This garden is beautiful." she sighed, sitting beside him on a stone bench.

He faced her, running his fingers slowly down the side of her face, gazing deeply into her eyes. "Lle naa vanima." (Sindarin: You are beautiful)

"I came to give you this." he replied, holding out a closed fist.

Her eyes searched his in puzzlement, before she held out her hand, gasping when she saw the silver ring he set resting in her palm.

"It is customary among my people to exchange rings to lay claim to our chosen mate. You are mine. Will you wear it, accept me and all that I am?" he asked, voice tight with nervous tension.

"You already have my heart, as I have yours. Le melin (Sindarin, I love you.) she said, fingers caressing his face in a soothing path from temple to jaw, before stretching forward for the sweetest kiss yet. "Of course I'll accept it." she whispered into his ear.

Smiling at her reaction, he reached out to grasp it again. "Allow me." he pleaded, fingers unsteady with emotion, fumbling with the ring.

Nodding, she held her breath as he slid the ring down her finger.

He smiled as she immediately touched the ring, confirming it was really there, that she wasn't dreaming. His hands ran over her arms to squeeze her hands, before gently pulling her closer into an embrace.

Unsatisfied, her hands reached around his neck, pulling him down for a series of heated kisses. Her teeth nipped at his neck, alternately biting and licking a heated path.

Her body pressed against his, she danced her hips in a slow grind against his straining arousal.

Gasping her name, his hands sought to still her movements, even as she stoked his passion higher. "Tabatha, we cannot. It is custom to wait for the night of bonding to consummate our love."

Grinning, she smirked up at him. "Well, when can we bond? Is next week too late?"

His head dropped to rest against her forehead. "One year."

"What?" she asked in disbelief.

"One year. It's customary to be engaged for at least one year before bonding."

"You expect me to be satisfied with Herbert for one year?" she asked, volume rising.

"One year is nothing in the lifelines of our people." He responded. "It is common for engagements to last much longer, decades even."

"No way in hell am I waiting that long. What do I have to do to change that deadline?" she demanded.

"Speak to my Ada" (Sindarin, father) he replied.

She sighed. "Of course, it's talk to your father."

"Now you must leave me." Legolas pleaded, kissing her tenderly "before my strength fails…" came the almost inaudible finish.

Unrepentantly, she leaned forward to steal one more kiss, before slipping away into the night. She had a king to find.

The argument with Thranduil had grown heated, with the elven king alternately lauding the purposes of tradition and deriding the short lives of man.

Finally Tabatha had enough, exploding. "You, who flayed me verbally for the short lives of men, would deny your own son time with me? We already have a partial bond; he fades without me." She invaded his space, nose nearly pressed to his. "Why do you seek to cause him pain?"

He sneered at her. "It should not have happened."

"But it did." she retorted, before demanding. "So when are you going to get your head out of your ass, and allow your son to be happy?"

Growling at her, he furiously spat "Your vulgarity has no place in my court."

"Well, we don't exactly have to live in your court, now do we?" she told him scornfully.

Eyes flaying her he finally caved. "One month. I demand one month to prepare my people for this union."

Bowing her head mockingly at him, she replied "So glad we had this conversation."

1 month later

"Now you must leave me." Legolas pleaded, kissing her tenderly "before my strength fails…" came the almost inaudible finish.

"You'll see me in the morning a'maelamin. (Sindarin, beloved)" she replied.

"Arwenamin." (Sindarin, my lady) he breathed, forcefully tearing himself out of her presence. She would be his bond mate tomorrow.

Boromir knocked on her door. It was time.

"It's open." Tabatha called.

She stalked towards him, kicking the hem of her dress out of her way. A roguish grin broke over his face as he spotted her disgruntled expression.

"Perhaps the dress would not bother you so if you had proper undergarments on." he smirked, having heard the tale of last public disrobing from Haldir.

She growled at his humor, even as she accepted his arm. Boromir, as the member of the Fellowship she was closest to, and a representative of the world of man, had been asked to stand in the place of her family.

She smiled as she was led to the bonding grove. Only the hobbits were missing, the rest of the Fellowship was present. Even Gimli had endured the frosty welcome of the elves to witness their joining.

Galandriel selected a multi-colored woven cord and bound Legolas's and Tabatha's hands together. "As you place this ring upon the finger of your chosen love speak the words that shall bind you to each other mind, body, and soul in the Unity of the Life bond."

Gazing deeply into her eyes, Legolas spoke freely "I, Legolas Greenleaf, take thee, Tabatha Baker, to my hand, heart, and my spirit, at the setting of the sun, and the rising of the stars. Nor shall death part us, for in the fullness of time, we shall be born again, at the same time, and in the same place as each other, and we shall meet and know and remember and love again."

"I, Tabatha Baker, take thee, Legolas Greenleaf, to my hand, heart, and my spirit, at the setting of the sun, and the rising of the stars. Nor shall death part us, for in the fullness of time, we shall be born again, at the same time, and in the same place as each other, and we shall meet and know and remember and love again."

He met her eyes filled with churning emotions of love, lust and anticipation. Legolas allowed his small secretive smile to blossom.

"As the grass of the fields and the trees of the woods bend together under the pressures of the storm, so too must you both bend when the wind blows strong. But know that as quickly as the storm comes, so equally quickly may it leave. Yet as you both stand strong in each other's strength, so shall you receive strength. Together you are one; apart you are nothing.

Let the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and these our brothers and sisters bear witness that Legolas Greenleaf and Tabatha Baker, have been joined together. And may they bless them, as we do ourselves, and so shall the two be conjoined as one mind, one heart, and one soul together in peace and love through the union of Life Bond now and forever."

King Thranduil turned to announce to his people "This is Tabatha Baker, brought to Arda by the will of the Valar. She joins our family as soul-match to my son, Legolas Greenleaf. Welcome to the family." he said, placing his right hand on her left shoulder.

"I thank you for this welcome." she replied, placing her right hand on his left shoulder in return.

He released her shoulder to pin a family jewel to her collar.

Wedding night

She moved forward into the room. Glancing over her shoulder at her new husband, she smiled seductively, asking "Can you help me from my gown?"

His nose tickled her ear, breathing in her scent. "As you request, arwenamin." (Sindarin, my lady) His hands trailed up her arms, reaching the row of tiny buttons over her spine. Slowly, too slowly, he released each button, pausing to place a kiss as each new button exposed more skin.

By the time he'd reached the bottom of her shoulder blades, she was panting with need. "Legolas" she moaned. "Sometime today please."

"Patience my love." he replied with a smirk, continuing his slow torture. Finally, he reached the end.

She allowed the dress to fall, skimming over her skin like a kiss.

Enraptured, his eyes drank in her glorious body. She twisted around, capturing his lips hungrily. Her hands reached for his clothes, even as he held her wrists to prevent her. "Slowly my love. I want to savor every inch of you." he breathed.

Nodding in understanding, she fought to control her passion. Her breathing evened. Her hands once again reached for his clothes, removing each piece with matching methodical slowness.

He shivered under her light touch. No one, other than his parents, nannies or healers had ever touched his body, except her. Her fingers traced the pattern of muscles and bone as each was exposed, running her lips and tongue over each new area revealed.

She knelt before him, eyes in line with his twitching hardened member. Her fingers deliberately grazed him as she removed the ties to his leggings. Her hands ran down both sides of his legs, slipping his them into a pool at his feet.

Her eyes met his with a mischievous smirk, before she leaned forward, to blow a heated stream of air on his elfhood. He groaned in response. Precum beaded at the tip, glistening in the light. Her tongue darted forward to capture the first drop. It jumped at her touch. Eyes blown wide with desire, he called her name.

This time a delicate hand reached out to fondle his balls. She rolled them around, mapping the feel of them, even as her other hand continued to stroke his leg. Her mouth moved forward to close around him, her lips sinking over him in a heady caress.

Retreating, she focused on kitten licks to his head, with the occasional swipe along the underside of the cap. Her thumb explored the vein on the underside. An eternity later, she again sank over him. Her tongue was now tracing his length, even as her throat swallowed around him.

Breathing erratic, he pleaded an endless confused babble of requests for more, as his saner side begged her to stop. With one final kiss to the tip, she rose to her feet.

Unfocused, his eyes cleared to watch her turn her back to him, bending over straight legged as her current tong was removed. His eyes followed the movement of the tiny scrap, darting back for a glimpse of her hidden secrets.

Her fingers unlatched her bra. She allowed it to slide off, using her hands to still hide her breasts from his view as she faced him again. His tongue darted out to wet his suddenly dry lips.

Slowly, she revealed herself, using her hands to caress herself, following the path of his exploring eyes. Her eyes glinted in humor as her movements tore a moan from his throat.

"Lle naa vanima" (Sindarin: You are beautiful) he breathed, finally seeing her entirety. Unbidden, his hand reached for her, delicately touching her. "I've dreamed of this moment, a time I might see all of you. Thoughts of you have tormented me this past year."

She smiled, placing her hand over his to coax him further. "Touch me. Explore what you see. Learn my body, even as I learn yours." she pleaded.

Another moan was choked off in his throat. Tentatively his hands mapped her body, feeling the silkiness of her skin, the muscles flexing beneath. He leaned forward tasting her with his tongue. It darted out of his mouth for a quick flick at her nipple. Receiving a shuddering moan in return, he tried again, finally latching his lips around her. She bucked under his tender ministrations.

Grinning at her responsiveness, he finally sank to his knees to explore the area between her thighs. She spread her legs, allowing him access to both see and feel her. His nose captured the scent of her arousal.

He blew across her. She jumped, fluid leaking down her thigh. Entranced, his finger caught a drop, bring it to his mouth to suck on.

His fingers explored the unfamiliar region. He discovered her clit, smirking as she jumped at first touch. He reached back, trailing his fingers to split her folds, revealing her center to his eyes.

Tentatively, he leaned forward to touch his tongue to her sex. Her enthusiastic moan encouraged him to continue. "Legolas" she cried, no longer steady on her feet. She was forced to grip his head, fingers slipping through his silky locks as she fought for balance.

Rising swiftly, he swept her into his arms. He lay her across their bed, gazing deeply into her eyes. "Tabatha, I will not last much longer. Will you…" he asked hesitantly.

She smiled at him, before rolling him over onto his back. Her knees beside his hips braced her upright as she slid herself teasingly up and down his length, before finally, finally sinking down on his cock.

Leaning forward to brace on her hands, she sent a heated breath over his ear. Helplessly he bucked underneath her, groaning as her wet heat gripped his hardness. The sensations were overwhelming; he lost himself in their tidal wave, losing all awareness of his surroundings for the first time since he was an elfling.

"Tut, tut Legolas. I'm in control here." she chided him. Her feet slipped over his thighs, allowing her to maintain a position just over the cap, with occasional slides down the entirety of his elfhood. Within minutes, he was a wreck, incoherent with need.

Finally, he moaned in despair. "Please, Tabatha. Please…I need you. Don't torment me any longer. Please my love. Bind with me." he begged.

She relented with a sigh, sinking fully over him, capturing his mouth for a kiss. She lay against him, setting a staccato rhythm punctuated with breaths racing over his ear.

His hands gripped her hips, supporting her movement as he matched her furious pace. He felt her clutch his cock tighter; a rising urgency rose within him. When her tongue traced the outline of his ear, nibbling at the point, he exploded.

Seed shot into her body as she milked him for every drop. Blackness descended.

Breathless, exhausted, she collapsed on top of him, burying her face into his neck. Her eyes flickered closed.

Waking, his eyes captured hers for a tender moment. "You are mine as I am yours, to the end of our days and beyond. May our lives together be blessed."

She ran her fingers through his hair in response. "Always my love, always."

Epilogue

Tabatha cursed her sore feet, as she dropped into a nearby chair. Legolas smiled at her, kneeling to remove her shoes and massage the tension from them.

"Do not worry arwenamin. (Sindarin, my lady) Soon your feet will no longer ache when our children arrive." His eyes traveled her length, skimming with pleasure over her very pregnant belly. "The Valar have blessed us again with twins; my joy is boundless."

"Blessed my ass. They should try carrying them." she snorted tiredly.

Smiling at her venom, he moved to sit behind her, coaxing her forward to allow his hands access to massage her back.

She let out a heartfelt moan, allowing her head to drop on his shoulder. "Le melin" (Sindarin, I love you.) she sighed.

"Le melin. Always my love." he replied.

Her hair was darker now, hips widened with multiple births and her breasts dropped by gravity; yet she remained the love of his life, his most beautiful mate. Always.

AN

This is it, the end to Tabatha's and Legolas's story. She may appear as a match-making troublemaker to the remaining single males in spin-offs.

Thank you all so much for the views and visitors. From the start of the story in January, to June, there have been 29, 001 views of pages in this story. Your support, especially in the early stages of the story, was overwhelming. Enough so that I'm working starting my own creations now.

I believe in strong women, who aren't ashamed of their bodies. We all have fears, areas that aren't perfect, but why should we allow these fears to take over our lives, to make us small? Live large, and go for what you want. You deserve it.

NB - Elven wedding rite from: angelfire com / rpg2 / vortexshadow / ritual . html – I had to skip the traditional one year engagement. Both Legolas and I could not wait that long. ;-)