Another World

Chapter 25

A sense of contentedness settled deep into his very being, seeping into his dreams like a misty light as he slept soundly.

Thranduil's eyes fluttered open as his senses came to life, a brief sense of disorientation seizing him like an iron fist before he relaxed when he realised where he was. With the last remnants of sleep dissipating came the memories of what had transpired last night between him and Charlotte, and a rare smile graced his features. When was the last time he had experienced such serenity? Too long.

He attention turned to the sight of a blissfully sleeping Charlotte curled against his side, her head nestled against his chest and her arm flung across his waist. Her breaths came out in even warm huffs, fluttering against his skin. She looked so at peace like this and that warm feeling enveloped his heart again, as it always seemed to do when his thoughts turned to her. Thranduil raised a hand and gently brushed a strand of unruly hair from her face, his touch eliciting as breathy sigh from her lips.

As he stared at her, his thoughts drifted to last night, which had been beyond anything he had ever experienced before, not even with Calemir. They had crested the waves of emotions that been born between them as they made love, which mingled with the voracious passion that had almost been enough for him to lose control.

Thranduil closed his eyes as the memory flooding his senses with such force that the air stole from his lungs.

Their hands entwined together as they moved in a sensual dance, their lovemaking bearing them to new heights of ecstasy under the cover of darkness. The symphony of their finely attuned bodies was reaching its crescendo, and Charlotte cried out his name as she shattered beneath him.

Thranduil slowly opened his eyes. He had almost bonded with Charlotte. The urge had been overwhelming, like a siren's call that urged him to complete the most sacred of unions.

There was no doubt in his mind that Charlotte was the one; the one whom he wanted to bond with and share his life with. His fëa mate. But Charlotte knew little to nothing of elvish customs and it would be cruel to thrust this onto her without any warning, not until she fully understood the implications of committing to such a union.

He knew that he would have to broach the subject with care, for the bond went well beyond the mere ceremony of marriage - it was a binding of fëas. Essentially, this was akin to a term he had learned whilst perusing the many books in the study: soulmates. Admittedly, the concept had been foreign to him, as with everything else in this world, but the more he read, the more enchanted he became with the term. It was, indeed, fitting.

Charlotte stirred, breaking Thranduil from his inner musings, and he revelled in the delicious feel of her warm, naked body snuggling closer to him. Would he ever get his fill of her? he thought to himself as he shifted and drew her pliant body against his.

His hand glided down her back, eliciting a shiver through her petite body.

"Five more minutes," she murmured drowsily, her eyes still closed.

Thranduil nuzzled her neck, grinning wickedly to himself. Charlotte was clearly exhausted, and he couldn't help but feel smug that he had reduced her to such a state.

"And waste this opportunity to wake you up in such a delicious manner?"

Charlotte's eyes fluttered open and she gasped as Thranduil nipped the sensitive spot on her neck. Sleep was quickly being chased away as reawakened desire coursed through her body.

Thranduil captured her lips and Charlotte quickly concluded that sleep was overrated, especially when one had the opportunity of being awoken quite nicely by the Elvenking himself. Really, there was no better way to start the day.