Legolas rose before dawn and got me out of bed as well. A solemn quiet hung over Erebor as we—and many others—prepared for the journey ahead of us. As the first rays of light shone purple in the inky sky, a massive procession met at the border of Mirkwood, and we began our journey south-east.

Legolas and I rode side by side, holding hands. Rather tired from last night's shenanigans, I kept nodding off, only for Legolas to squeeze my hand and give me an amused, but adoring smile.

King Thranduil, on Legolas's other side, glanced at us with a slightly amused, but primarily uncomfortable expression.

We ignored him.

At noon, we stopped for rest and a midday meal. Deciding I wanted a nap, I tied my horse's reins to Legolas's saddle and mounted his horse in front of him, facing backwards. I wrapped my arms and legs around him, buried my face in his neck, and dozed. As sound a sleep anyone in my position could possibly hope for.

At one point around mid-afternoon, the hushed voices of Legolas and Thranduil roused me. Curious what warrented such private behavior, I pretended to be asleep and listened.

"...still haven't sensed any sign of an Elven bond?"

Legolas shook his head, neck shifting against my cheek. "No."

A pause. "What's really bothering you, ion?" Thranduil's tone dropped with concern.

Another pause. "When we bond...it's..." Legolas swallowed. "Well, it's very...sexual."

Oh Eru—they were talking about our...married couple moments!?

Thranduil took an amused tone. "If I had to guess, that would be helpful, given the situation."

Legolas cleared his throat. "It's not that, exactly. I just wonder—and don't misunderstand, I love Eda very much and I would do anything for her—but I wonder, when we're bonding, if I'm not being too...selfish?"

Thranduil calmly absorbed Legolas's fragmented thoughts until they ran out. Then he said, "You're concerned that you've been too absorbed in the physical pleasure to somehow do what's required to establish the Elven bond."

Legolas hesitated. "Yeah. Pretty much."

"Legolas, the point of an Elven bond is to create the intimacy necessary for a marriage to last the indefinite duration of the participants' lifespans. Given your wife's current position, I'm going to presume intimacy isn't an issue for you."

Legolas's arms shifted, and one hand rested on my lower back in a very affectionate manner. When he spoke, his voice was smiling. "I suppose being intimate wasn't nearly what I'd expected."

"What did you expect?"

"I don't know...a spiritual epiphany, perhaps?"

Thranduil chuckled. "I suspect a noticeable Elven bond will form when the need arises. Until then, cease this needless fretting and enjoy the company of your wife."

The words, 'while you still can' hung in the air between us, unspoken, but heard by all three of us.

* * *

We kept riding until long after the sun had set, and we found a fairly defensible place to camp, in case of orcs. Elves and Dwarves worked semi-together to picket the horses and distribute supper, bickering here and there, but not angrily. Almost everyone gathered in groups to chat and eat together; a few people even started small campfires. Thranduil, Legolas and I formed one of these groups, and Legolas deftly started our own fire.

Several people volunteered to take first night shift, including Thranduil. After wishing us a good night, and leveling a silent warning at Legolas, he strode out to the edge of the camp and leaned against a tree, one hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

Legolas and I stretched out together on a blanket, and I pillowed my head on his shoulder. Hardly five minutes had passed before he'd fallen asleep, whereas I squirmed and fidgeted, still rested from my nap earlier. Eventually, I rose and quietly padded over to Thranduil's post.

His ice blue eyes locked onto me, not unkind, but calculating. Then he returned to skimming the surrounding land.

We kept this companionable silence for a couple of minutes, and then I spoke. "I would like to apologize."

Thranduil glanced at me. "For?" There was no question in his eyes. He knew what. He just wanted me to say it.

"For deceiving you. About the marriage alliance." I held his gaze.

He nodded once and looked away. "I forgive you. Perhaps I wouldn't forgive you, except Legolas is happier than I've ever seen him."

I remembered Legolas, when I first met him. Cold. Angry. Bitter. "There have been a lot of hard feelings between you two?" I guessed.

"Eda..." Thranduil sighed heavily. "The past is past. I see no reason to dredge up old offenses."

Crossing my arms, I leaned against a nearby tree and stared into the darkness. "To the contrary, I think I ought to know. I married your son, after all. Plus, this is a chance for you to tell your side of whatever this story is before Legolas tells me."

Thranduil sent me an unappreciative glance. "I've made mistakes—I'm not perfect. Oh, I know, it's hard to believe." His tone took an edge, and I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic. "I've hurt Legolas, more than almost anyone else. He's by far taken it the hardest." Thranduil sighed heavily. "Not so very long ago, we couldn't even hold a decent conversation."

I mulled over that in silence. I didn't know what to say, or if I should even speak. So I remained quiet.

Thranduil cleared his throat. "When Legolas returned, during your visit, he'd changed. He still spoke to me the same way, but merely by force of habit."

My eyebrows went up. "Do you think I changed him?"

He shook his head. "No...change happens from within, not without. Rather, Legolas had grown into a new, unspoiled role, from which he could view the world—and me—differently."

I smiled.

"Don't think that this excuses your deceit in any way," Thranduil hurried to add. "If this sort of thing transpires again, we will have a problem."

Forcing back my smile, I said, "Yes sir."

Thranduil turned to look at me for a moment, and a wry smile twisted his lips. "I am glad for you to join the family, Eda."

My heart warmed, and a different smile stretched across my face. Feelings of acceptance rushed over me, a bit overwhelming.

"Now, go back to bed, before Legolas realizes you're gone," Thranduil said.

I nodded. "Good night. And thank you...Ada." At his slightly shocked expression, my face flushed with embarrassment, and I hurried back towards Legolas before I could say anything else stupid. But before I'd gotten too far, Thranduil's reply drifted after me.

"Rest well, iel nin."

* * *

The next several days passed with little interest, stopping for the night after dark, and starting again before dawn. No one particularly enjoyed the rigorous schedule, but the Dwarves refused to complain or show weakness in front of the Elves, and vice versa.

When the WhiteCity first came in view, the first feeling to go through my tired brain was relief. And then anxiety. I could only hope Denethor had forgotten all about our last meeting.

"Legolas," I whispered as we approached the city on the horizon, "do me a favor...call me Amariel."

He glanced at me with one eyebrow raised. "Is this for the rest of our lives, or for a set period of time?"

I fiddled with my reins. "Just around lord Denethor. I failed a job he hired me to do, and I never reported back."

Legolas sighed, wearing a mildly amused smile. "All right, Amariel. I'm too young to be a widower."

The stench of death assaulted us as we drew closer, and we entered a battlefield of orcs, men, oliphants, and horses. Women picked through the carnage with stretchers, lifting the screaming wounded.

"Adar?" Legolas twisted in his saddle to look behind us. At the edge of the piled bodies, Thranduil had stopped his horse. His pale eyes swept across the scene, face slack with horror.

I reached over and squeezed Legolas's arm. "Go to him...I'm going to look for Aragorn."

Legolas nodded and spun his horse to backtrack.

Sighing, I faced forward to give them a little privacy. I tried not to let my eyes rest on any faces on the ground...in truth, I feared finding Aragorn among their ranks. Instead, I focused like everyone else on finding a safe path for my horse to get through.

The bodies had piled up the worst at the crumbling walls and around the broken portcullis. A few bloodied men worked to clear a path around the front, including...

"Boromir?" I exclaimed, kicking my horse into a trot the last few strides and dismounting in front of...not Boromir. But he could've been his twin.

The man winced and stepped back. "Boromir is my brother. If you wish to speak with him, he is in the throne room with my father." He looked away. "If you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

"I'm sorry," I said, catching his arm. "I meant no offense...Boromir was in the Fellowship I was part of, and I'm eager to reconnect."

He paused. When he met my gaze, something almost hopeful lit in his eyes. "The Fellowhsip of the Ring?"

"Yes!"

He grabbed my shoulders. "Are you close to him? Could you sway a decision of madness?"

I tensed, but remained calm. "A decision regarding what?"

The man glanced at his companions, who watched us with narowed eyes. He motioned that they go about their business. To me, he said, "The city is about to go to war with itself. Despite the great victory we just won, my father is stirring up hatred toward your Fellowship...particularly against the one they call Aragorn. My brother...he is attempting to bridge the gap, but he sides with my father."

My stomach sank. "And the Fellowship? How are they faring?"

He glanced over his shoulder. "They're in hiding. I know not where. The fewer people that know, the better."

I rubbed my forehead. "All right. I brought an army of Elves and Dwarves to help you subdue any attacks from Mordor. But for now, I think it wise we unify the men."

The man blinked and craned his neck, looking past me at the hundreds of Elves and Dwarves. "Isildur," he swore under his breath, expression awestruck.

Clearing my throat, I said, "If we don't know where the Fellowship is hiding, perhaps I should speak with Boromir..." I glanced back toward Legolas, who walked beside Thranduil through the battlefield. "Legolas!" I called, waving.

Legolas looked up, said something to his father and handed him his horse's reins, then jogged toward me. "Yes?" His eyes flicked over the man beside me. "You carry a strong resemblance to Boromir."

The man dipped his head. "I am Faramir, his younger brother."

I put my hand on Legolas's chest. "A civil war is about to break out, and the Fellowship is in hiding. I'm going to talk to Boromir."

Legolas's brow furrowed, but he reluctantly nodded. "Use caution. I will search for Aragorn and the others. If Gimli is with them, finding them won't be hard...I'm so used to Dwarf scent by now, I believe I could track him in a snowstorm."

Smiling, I went up on tiptoes to try and kiss my husband. But I was still short, and he was still tall. I put hands on hips. "I demand you kiss me this instant."

Legolas rolled his eyes and obeyed. "I'm serious Eda, be sensible. I'll find you once I've found the others."

I nodded and looked at Faramir, who watched us with a shocked expression. "Would you be so kind as to take me to your father and brother?"

He motioned for me to follow him, and we started up the stone path winding through Gondor. We walked in silence, side by side, for several minutes, until he finally said, "Are you human?"

I hid a smile. "No."

He glanced at me out the corner of his eye, but didn't inquire further.

Several long minutes passed, during which we climbed the many stairs scattered through the path, leading up to the massive plateau at the top of Gondor, and the little courtyard housing the famous, but slightly decrepit white tree. Faramir led me past it to a pair of massive white-wood doors. Grabbing the handle of one, he hauled it open. And there, behind one of the massive statues lining the hall, stood Boromir and Èowyn.

Kissing.

***Author's Note***

Teeheehee well what'd you think!?

I am tentatively hoping to get on a more regular update schedule. Crazy huh? I will probably be late and mess up a few times, but bear with me...I'm going to try and update every Monday.

If you wanna help...you can remind me. :P Friday or Saturday would be ideal, just leave me a private message or a comment...if you want to.

I hope you guys have a fantabulous week. <3