I was worried about the children but more about Frodo. He was so tense that he was rigid. He'd watch them sleep for almost two hours before I could get him to leave them for our bed. I recognized the quiet despair that I'd hoped we'd left behind in Mordor. He came with me quietly but I could tell that he wasn't really with me, if you catch my drift.

The fire in our room was dying but I quick tossed a couple of fresh logs on so we'd have some light and warmth. Poor Frodo was shivering as if he had the ague and I could see the shock taking hold right before my eyes. So I kissed him . . . kissed him good and hard until he knew it was me right enough.

"Frodo, my love," I said once we had to breathe. "Nothing bad is going to happen to our babies. Pharin and Glimmer came out of it all right and so will our little Elanor and Bilbo if they get tested. Gandalf won't let any harm come to any of us. We've got most of the Fellowship right here and there's no shadow-thing going to win against the likes of us."

Tears shimmered in those beautiful eyes of his but he tried to smile for me. It was pretty pale but it was better than nothing. "Dear Sam, I'm so glad that you love me."

I chuckled and warmed his back with both hands. "I figure we're both real lucky, my own Frodo. I love you so much that I just can't get my mind around what you mean to me."

"My own Samwise, I love you more every day and you gave me the most beautiful babies that I can hardly believe possible." He leaned against me, tucking his head into my shoulder. "Why is there always something lying in wait for us?"

"Don't know," I shrugged and held him closer, wondering how I could get him stripped and into bed. "But challenges don't come when you call them like Farmer Maggot's dog does. I expect that's some kind of universal law or something."

His shoulders shook a little but before I could get concerned, he lifted a suddenly laughing face to me. "I haven't thought about Farmer Maggot in years. Oh Sam, you are such a treasure. I do love you so much."

I grinned in relief. "Then let's go to bed so we can remember what it was like to make the twins a year ago."

He chuckled and slowly let go. We were both still worried but it wasn't the icy kind of fear that freezes you and makes you a target for the Dark. I helped him undress, making a kind of game of it and he lightened up a little more. Holding him under the nice blue and yellow quilt that had been my mother's and that Dad had brought with him when he visited, I cuddled him real close and kissed him all over.

I'd been kind of afraid that my rough old hands would make his silky skin all red and scratched but he kept telling me that he loved every callus. And the Shire only knew how much I loved touching him. He's like a flame that lights up my whole world and everybody else's, too.

"Dearest Sam, make love to me tonight." He held my face between his hands and gazed into my eyes with so much love, I wanted to cry. "Remind me that together we are stronger than anything."

"We are, Frodo. I love you so much." I smothered his face with kisses while he chuckled and handed me the oil that we keep by the bed. I got him ready real gentle-like and slid inside him slowly. He's always so hot and tight that I just have to stop once I'm in and think about it.

"So good, Sam," his legs were tight around my waist, "it always feels so good when you're inside me. I can feel your heart beat in two places, one here," his hand rested on my chest. "And deep inside of me, you're beating there, too." His inner muscles squeezed around me and I shivered, it felt so good. "Move, Sam, let me feel all of you."

I leaned down to kiss him first, sliding my tongue alongside of his and tasting that sweetness that is his alone. Nobody tastes as good as my Frodo no matter what he'd been eating. Then I started moving, slow at first then gradually going faster until the whole bed was shaking with my thrusts. He took them all and kept encouraging me to go harder but I just couldn't go no deeper, no matter how much he wanted me to.

He got that shining look in his eyes when he was real close and I got a good grip on his pretty cock, knowing what was coming. Then he gasped my name real quiet and exploded in my hand while I flooded him with all my seed. It had been a couple of days since we'd made love, what with all the visitors and garden work, so I had plenty to give him.

"Oh Sam, thank you," he smiled up at me, his hands stroking my cheeks with the soft caresses that I liked so much. "That was exactly what I needed. I'm so very lucky that you love me."

"I'm the lucky one, Frodo." I kissed the tip of his nose when he wrinkled it at me. "You might have turned me away when I got so bold and above my station."

"Pooh! Your station is right here, inside of me, Samwise Gamgee, and don't you forget it." His eyes got to flashing and I chuckled when he pulled both my ears.

********* Perri *********

I was worried sick at what my love might have to face on the morrow. He was puttering around our bedroom, stripping away his robes and stroking the small mound that was growing in front of him. I'd braided his hair back this morning and it still hung in a thick silver rope down his back. His posture was upright and I couldn't help but smile at his broad shoulders tapering down to what had been a trim waist.

"I know, I know, beloved. I am getting fat." He said ruefully and smiled at me.

"That is not what I was thinking, my dear Gandalf." I rose from the hearth and crossed to hug him close. "Our child is growing so fast that I worry that this battle to come will harm you and him both."

He stilled and said gruffly. "I would never do anything to harm our little boy, Perri."

"I know you wouldn't, beloved, but Basteal is a different matter." I listened to the strong heart under my ear and shivered. "Whatever has him held fast means all of us harm."

"True," his big hands stroked my back. "But that test is for tomorrow, tonight is ours to prepare and what I need most is you, sweet Perri."

Smiling into his chest, I licked a handy nipple into peaking for me. "Then you shall have me as often as you like."

It was his turn to shiver and we slowly stripped each other bare before taking to our large bed. His back was aching a bit with the growth of our son so once he was on his side I gave him a warm oil massage to relax him. But all too soon he was demanding that I come inside of him and I was happy to oblige his craving, for it was my craving, too. We made love so frequently that I just slid inside slowly until I could go no farther.

Kissing across his warm skin to that hot spot just at the join of neck and shoulder, I licked him into a shudder. Chuckling, I waited for his body to tell me that he was ready for me to move. "Now, sweet Gandalf?"

"Yes," he pushed back before picking up my right hand and beginning to lick each finger like it was a delicacy that he was determined to savor.

I set a slow pace, feeling the love and contentment that was ours. Little Jerdal had begun sparking to us a week ago and now every time we made love he sent us warm tingles. I accidentally bit my love one day when he'd squeezed around me and our son had sent what could only be a giggle into our minds. That was a happy memory to replace the fear that my Gandalf might meet with harm on the morrow.

"Do not worry, beloved." He nestled a kiss into my palm. "I have a feeling that this creature has no idea what he is going up against. The power shining in the children of Friendly is truly astonishing. This fight is not going to be like the one I had with his counterpart. Like our amazing children, I think it will be unlike anything Middle-earth has ever seen."

I thrust in a little harder and felt my shaft begin to burn. "You will come to no harm, Gandalf. I will protect you and Jer with all my heart and soul."

"Oh there, Perri, right there," he wiggled a little and dropped my hand down to his rock hard shaft. "I know you will, my love, the same way I will protect both of you."

I released at almost the same moment he convulsed in my hand. We rocked together for a while until his body pushed me from my tight haven and I got up to bring back a warm wet cloth to clean us. He fell asleep almost instantly while I settled in to watch over him through the dark hours of the night.

The morning dawned bright and clear. I felt the sun rise over the horizon with a sense of resolve. No matter what, I would be with Gandalf. If it took my life to protect my bonded and our son, then that is what I would give. I stroked lovingly the small bulge that was the baby our love had created. Sending him my love and hope for a future, I received in return a small flame of love that warmed me from head to toe.

"He loves you very much, Perri, as his mother does." The graveled tones of my bonded flowed over me like honey. "Neither of us wishes for anything to happen to you."

I went very still but my mind-reading lover continued. "You are a warrior by training and inclination, much like your Prince. Knives and bows have a place in this battle but the main weapons will be the elements themselves. I will be most displeased if you allow yourself to get hurt."

Damn. "I will not let anything happen to you, Gandalf. You carry our future inside of you and he is more important."

"He is important, that's true." He pulled me closer and warm fingers raised my chin so I looked straight into the stormy blue eyes that so captivated me. "But so is his father and we need him to make our family complete. No heroics, please or I shall have to chastise you most severely."

For some reason that warning made me tingle in places that should have been satiated. My gaze must have turned sultry because his warmed in a heartbeat. "I promise to guard your back and keep you both from harm. But right now, I think we must make love again to armor us against what comes."

He chuckled but agreed, pulling me down to his lips and kissing me so sweetly that I almost forgot what was to come.

********* Basteal *********

I burped and said excuse me to the dwarf named Balik. The cooks here were excellent and this body appreciated their efforts. True nourishment came from the minerals of this world but even I could occasionally enjoy some of this chocolate stuff that we had once a week. Carbon compounds were my mainstay and I remembered the tasty seam of coal I'd discovered and devoured early this morning.

It was time to make sure that the dark lord and old wizard couldn't really take everything I could control. Walking towards the mountains that towered over the valley, I stopped near the cottage that the twin Elves and their mate lived in. A field of spring grasses was knee-high bordering the beds of herbs. Beasts of burden grazed in a nearby meadow and the stacks of hay would provide the tinder that I needed.

I told Balik that I would come a little later to the mountain. He grunted once and kept on walking over the stone bridge that crossed the river. Waiting until he'd gone far enough away to not notice anything, I dug deep into my true nature. Summoning the fire that was a part of each Dynast warrior, a gift from our red star, I planted ten sparks where they would do the most good.

Feeling the warmth begin to grow, I walked over the bridge to stand on a boulder to summon the wind. It wasn't the clean crisp air of the higher elevations but it was adequate for my test. Fire needs air to grow and the beasts in the fields suddenly noticed the flames that were licking at their grasses. Snorting and whinnying, they tried to out run the danger but I'd placed the sparks carefully.

I'd noticed how foolish these creatures were about their beasts. This should bring them on the double to try and save them. I chuckled and steered the wind towards the flickering red flames. They raced through the grass finally out of control, the sound of crackling growing ever louder. I've always loved a good fire and this one looked to be a beauty.

A horn blew clear in the morning air and I shaded my eyes to see who was first on the scene. One of the small ones, the mate of the cook, was blowing on a silver horn that looked quite tasty from where I sat. I directed the wind from the north to goose one of the fires that were 'this' close to being uncontrollable even by me. I laughed at the antics of the puny creatures who were trying to save their beasts.

The elderly wizard suddenly appeared, calling out in a loud voice, "Shadowfax! Here to me."

A large white beast wheeled away from a burning hay stack, followed by a smaller gray. The wizard gestured with his staff and a break appeared in the ring of fire. The beasts thundered through the gap and the others made to follow them but I veered the wind to cut them off, laughing at the look of dismay on the old man's face. Others had joined him with paltry buckets of water.

They scurried around like the drones they were and I watched in satisfaction while they tried futilely to put out the fire. Long moments later and several more of the large beasts were saved even while the small creatures of the grasses died and the birds squawked in dismay at the loss of their nests.

"Bad Bast'l, not nice," a chiding voice came from behind me.

I spun around to see the Princes of this place with their small ones clinging to the backs of two of their retainers. But the voice was the girl-child's. I jumped off the stone and let go the boundaries that held me to this form, swelling to my natural shape. The adult's eyes went wide but the children never even blinked. The Elf's bow was aimed directly at me while his mate's axe was held at the ready.

"Naughty, Bast'l," her brother said and shook his tiny finger at me.

I laughed and pushed wind at them but it never arrived. The Halflings and their children had joined us and the brown haired Halfling boy threw out his hands and stopped it cold. I blinked then watched his blond sister point at the fire and say, "Stop."

Casting a quick look at the fields, I saw the fires sputter out. It wasn't the adults but the children of this place who were my adversaries. I snarled and gathered all the elements together to blast these small foes. Whirling fire arose in a funnel and headed for them while the earth trembled beneath their feet. Water rose from the river into cold air from the north and turned to stinging needles of sleet that cut and burned.

Arrows passed harmlessly through me while the axe wielding Dwarf charged me only to find himself flat on his back, his axe broken in two. His mate darted to stand between us, giving him time to scramble up. Others were joining the battle but I was full of energy and honed my weapons with soaring joy. This was the good part of being a member of the Dynast.

War and conquest followed by harvesting was why my people existed.

I felt a few blows from their puny weapons but they had nothing that could stop me.

********* Pharin *********

Basteal was strong. But he hurt Dada and was about to hurt Mama when I searched and found the water-part of him. I thought to Glimmer and he nodded when he got hold of the earth-part of the big warrior.

********* Glimmer *********

I called to Bilbo and linked with him while he found the air-part and got ready to grab it. His sister called back that she had the fire-part and we waited for baby Blue to find the doorway to send him home. Her parents didn't want her to be in danger but we needed her to open the door between our worlds.

********* Bluebird *********

Mama and Papa were scared for me but while they were saving the big horses, I floated onto Shadowfax's back and urged him towards the cold music that was the bad warrior. He carried me there with a loud neigh and I heard Dalf call out to him but I needed him to get me across the river so he kept on going.

Papa blew the pretty horn again and I giggled at the sweet sound. It was much better than the cold clatter-chatter of the bad warrior. Shadowfax was a bright voice like the scent of one of Uncle Sam's roses. The others greeted me with determination and I floated off of the horse so I could listen for the door that the cold warrior came through. It jangled like bad sounds just overhead and I reached out to grab it with all my strength.

'Now,' I called to them silently.

And just like that, they pulled each of his elements apart. He cried out with agonizing loudness that vibrated through the air like a blow. I put my hands over my ears and threw open the door to the cold space he called home. The others pushed their bits of him through the pulsing point of space and time while I said sternly, "Don't come back, bad Dynast."

Then I shut the door behind him with a kind of slam, the way that Mama always said not to do while the others sealed it shut with each of their elements. They wouldn't be coming through to our world ever again through that doorway.

"Bluebird!" Mama was crying and I let myself float over to his beautiful music so he could hold me close. "Are you all right? Did he hurt you?"

"No, Mama, all gone." I told her then turned my head to where the cold one had stood.

A cry soared through the air and I felt everyone turn to what we'd been able to save of the poor healer that the cold one had eaten. I smiled while Uncle Legolas picked him up and cradled him in his arms. "Gimli, it looks like we have another son."

Pharin clapped her hands. "Good Ba', he be all right now."

I listened hard but all the music of the valley was clean and warm again. That felt really, really good.

******************
End of part eleven