The Great Sacrifice

Becoming One

A/N: This chapter contains mature content.

Ari peeled the wet dress off her body and wound a towel around her waist. The light from the fireplace flickered over her damp skin as she leisurely moved across her bedroom, relishing the soothing warmth of the lush carpet under her bare feet. She started to comb her wet hair and walked over to the mirror. Looking into it, she gasped at the reflection of the king who was watching her. She dropped the comb, her fingers numb with shock. Ari blushed deeply and instantly covered her breasts with her slender hands.

Thranduil smirked at her, amused by her embarrassment. "You do not need to be ashamed that I've seen you naked. I will soon be your husband and I will have every right to admire your soft, feminine curves whenever I want."

Shocked by his words, Ari turned abruptly. "W... what?"

"Soon I will be your husband," Thranduil repeated patiently, enjoying the sight of her reddened cheeks adorned with strands of her wet hair.

"Who said you are going to be my husband?" Ari asked with an indignant tone in her voice.

"I said that," said Thranduil smugly. "You heard me."

"No," Ari shook her head. "You will not be my husband."

"This is the nature of our bond," he interrupted.

Ari looked totally confused. "The nature of our... bond..." she repeated in a doubtful voice.

"Yes," confirmed Thranduil. "Such bonds as the one that we share exist only between a husband and a wife."

"No," Ari replied, shaking her head with conviction.

"Oh, yes. This is a fact."

"It should not be so," said Ari, still deeply convinced.

"And why not?" Thranduil took a confident step toward her.

"Because I say so," Ari said with a little less conviction.

"And who will listen to you?" He arched an elegant eyebrow and began to approach her slowly.

Was his gesture a challenge? Ari could not tell. Her heart pounded as he approached her. "You... will... listen to... me," said Ari, hoping to sound convincing. However, her words sounded like a hesitant question.

Thranduil stopped right in front of her and leaned down to her. His breath was hot as it brushed her face, his voice suddenly husky. Ari's knees grew weak and she began to tremble slightly as she seemed to be losing herself in the depths of his eyes.

"Let me enlighten you. You, will listen to me. And you will be the one who will fulfill all my desires. You will give me everything, whenever and wherever I want it. You are mine. You will always be mine." His last words were almost but a whisper, his lower lip quivering for reasons Ari could not understand.

"My lady..." Thranduil's voice trembled with desire.

He gently grabbed her upper arms and held them with his long, slender fingers to prevent her from moving. The sensation of his large warm hands on her cool moist skin left them both trembling.

Ari was instantly hit by waves of uncontrolled lust which made her knees buckle under the weight of her body. They seemed to be slaughtering her innocence. Thranduil's lust for her pulsed through her entire being like a fever storm which dominated her will and made her breath tremble. Thranduil observed her half-closed eyes, her slightly parted lips, inviting and begging for his attention, and her trembling body he still held firmly in his hands. He knew that she sensed his deep desire for her. She was slowly but surely devoured by it. It affected her more deeply than he had expected. The seed of desire he had recently planted in her womb, already bore fruit. She was devoted to him and he would use this opportunity to make her his own. His wife.