I had this in my head and couldn't get it out, and Celebrian's story (and thus, by extention, part of Elrond's) is just so tragic and it hurts! It's a little rough around the edges as I had to get it uploaded tonight before my first day back at college, so please forgive me for that! Anyway, I may write a second chapter to this, Celebrian's actual departure from the harbour with her children, parents and Elrond there to bid her goodbye, but I'll see what the response to this is before writing anything else. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
The decision had been made. Celebrian was leaving.
The ship had been prepared, an escort for the Lady assembled and all of her belongings were boxed and awaiting loading.
Elrond stood in their bedchamber with his hands clasped behind his back, watching his wife who was standing in front of the window, taking one last look at the view of Rivendell.
"Don't go," he found himself whisper, fighting back the tears. He didn't want to lose her. Not again.
Her Elf ears heard him, and she turned slowly to face him, seeing the moistness of his eyes even from the other side of the room. "My love," she said quietly, her brow furrowed. "Do not make this harder than it is."
He didn't want to. He knew how difficult Celebrian was finding the whole ordeal. For months she had been torn between the grief of leaving Middle Earth, and the terror she felt every time she stepped outside of their room, the anxiety and pain she felt from being there, the memories that thickened the very air around her. She couldn't stay here anymore, but she hardly felt able to leave him.
"I do not wish to hurt you, Celebrian," he sighed, his voice cracking as he strode across the room to take her into his arms. "I understand why you must leave. I only wish it didn't have to be this way."
He rested his cheek on the top of her head, pulling her tightly against his chest and she let out a small cry, burying her face into his golden tunic.
Hot tears fell from his eyes as he realised that this would be the last time he held her in his arms for an age. "My lady, I shall miss you," he whispered, stroking her long hair. He didn't want her to leave. All of his life, he had never been selfish – always putting others first, he sacrificed many things to please others and for once, just once, he wanted to be selfish. He wanted her to stay for him, he wanted to make her remain in Rivendell until the age of Elves ended, and they could leave together. But he knew, in his heart of hearts, that he could never see her live in the pain for a thousand years or more the way she had these past few months. So instead of begging her to stay, he whispered, "my love, if this is the last night we spend together, let us make it one to remember until the new age."
Her head came away from his hard chest and she looked up into his dark eyes. The setting sun streamed through the great windows and lit his face. This strong, powerful Elf that was legend in all of the kingdoms now stood within her embrace, looking at her with such tenderness and love and Celebrian found she could not deny him. His regal authority that she had seen so many times was still in his stance, in his voice, but he looked vulnerable.
"Of course," she breathed, tilting her head up to meet his lips with her own.
He was tender with her as his hands slid up her back and into her long, soft hair. Gently, he left soft kisses across her jaw and down to her neck, gently sucking her pale skin here and there. She left out a quiet moan as she felt his tongue dart out to taste her. His hands made their way slowly down her back, opening each tiny button of the flowing dress fit for the Lady of Imladris.
"My Lord," she whispered as he slowly pushed the light fabric from her shoulders. She slid out of it easily, feeling the cool air send shivers down her naked body. She stepped out of it entirely and away from him, feeling a rush of desire as she felt his eyes roam her. She walked slowly over to the great oak bed, her hair shielding her body from the slight breeze.
As Elrond watched his exquisite wife, he was frozen. This was the last time he would be blessed enough to spend time with her, and this thought crashed over him, leaving him feeling a little weak and a lump rose to his throat. He watched as she pulled back the clean linen bed sheets and slipped inside, propping herself up against the pillows to look at him longingly.
He walked slowly over to her, not breaking eye contact. He sat down by her side and reached forward to take the circlet of gold from her hair. He set it on the table beside the bed and turned back to her. Her head was lying on the fluffy pillow as her eyes watched him, and she looked so peaceful. He leant forwards and kissed her forehead, relishing the feeling of their bodies being in such close proximity.
Her fingers came up to his face, cradling his head and she pulled him gently back down to her lips. Her tongue ran the length of his lower lip and he shuddered, granting her access. He was such a sweet taste. Her nimble fingers pushed his cloak from him, his long hair falling about her shoulders, and she reached to relieve him of his clothes.
His strong chest heaved against her touch, his breath becoming more ragged with each stroke of his now bare skin. Celebrian pulled back from his hot kisses to look at him. He had the hard muscles of a warrior, the marks of old battles still drawn across them. She guided him into the sheets beside him with a kind smile and let him lean into the soft cushions. Her lips found his skin once more, trailing up from his worn chest slowly to his collarbone, following the familiar path up his neck to his curved ear.
"My Elrond," she murmured almost inaudibly before nipping the delicate skin with her teeth, drawing a moan of pleasure from him. His warm hands crept up her back, tracing her skin with his long fingers as they made their way to her hair once more. He loved her hair. It was the thing about her that first caught Elrond's attention, all those centuries ago. Never before had he seen any Elf as beautiful as her, with her waterfall of hair that fluttered around her delicate face, a face that had seen too many sorrows.
"Touch me, my love," she whispered, her lips hovering just above his as her leg swung over his so she was straddling him. He couldn't help but smile at her forwardness and closed the space between their mouths once more. He drew his hands from her hair, one sliding down her back and around her hip to the sweet spot between her legs as the other curved around her breast. She whimpered into his mouth as she felt both hands work her perfectly, knowing the exact rhythm that sent waves of pleasure over her. She could feel his hardness against her leg, but he did nothing to relieve himself of any tension – as always, he was determined to bring the greatest pleasure he could to his beloved.
His careful touching and teasing brought her close quickly and she soon moved away from his hands, rolling onto the bed beside him. Her gaze met his, a forceful gaze, an erotic gaze, that sent waves of lust over her again. Her lips parted as she looked him over, noticing the softness in his eyes. He loved her very much.
"You belong with me," he murmured, inching himself next to her again. His forehead bumped against her temple as a hand crept over her body to her breast. He teased her nipple, bringing a moan from her. He wanted her; he needed to feel her entirely around him.
"Always," she whispered, hiding the sadness in her voice, her desire for him clouding her other thoughts and feelings anyway.
He trailed his hand down her chest to the tops of her legs, pushing them apart with a gentle force, his light touch tickling her a little. He climbed between them with ease, sliding his tip along her wet entrance, waiting for her whisper. She sensed his restraint was torture for him and she smiled, knowing his love for her overpowered him, as it did her.
"My love, please," she whispered. "I need you."
Upon her words, he pushed slowly into her, kissing her open mouth with a groan. With each slow thrust he kissed her again and again, running his fingers through her hair, down her neck, across her slim waist, as she wound her arms around his hard back, feeling the ridges of scars that rippled across his muscles.
"Celebrian," he moaned quietly, a lump in his throat. He felt such desire for her, such pleasure from her, but he could not push the sadness from his heart. With each thrust, each stroke of her hand, he felt his pleasure grow, but could not stop the ache within him, nor the hot tears that threatened to spill from his eyes.
"Elrond," she breathed, her own despair creeping back into her mind. Half her mind was focused on the beauty of being clutched in his arms, of him bringing her such pleasure, whilst the other remembered how this would be the last time for an age she would feel such joy.
Her lips captured his own as they climbed higher and higher together, their movements quickening, breath becoming more ragged, sweat dripping from their hot bodies. She cried out with each powerful thrust as he buried his face into her sweet hair, his own moans sounding like music in her ears.
"Elrond, oh Elrond!" she cried out as his pace quickened.
He felt himself come close and drew back, looking into her eyes. She gazed back, pleasure mounting within her, eye contact with him proving more erotic than anything else. As she came, she cried out his name, her fingernails digging into his skin and felt his release spill into her, his own throaty cry of her name mingling with her sighs.
The strength went from him at his release and he collapsed onto her, hot tears trickling down his cheeks. He lay still inside her, not willing to break any contact they had and he felt her hand weave slowly into his hair.
"Thank you, my love," she whispered after a few blissful moments of silence. He noticed the waver in her voice and turned his head to look at her. His nose bumped her temple gently and he placed a delicate kiss there, noticing the moistness of her eyes.
The lump in his throat returned at the sight of her face beginning to crumple. He pulled out of her and she pulled her legs up to her chest, turning away from him. Tears began leaking from her eyes, accompanied by soft cries.
Elrond's heart as if it were to break. He pulled the bedcovers over them and put an arm across her, nestling in behind her. She leaned back to him, pulling his arm tighter around her and kissing his fingertips.
"I love you, Elrond, more than my own life," she cried quietly, sobs causing her body to rock. "But you must know I have to go."
"Ssh," he hushed her, fighting to keep his voice steady although it was killing him to speak the words. "I know, my love, I know."
There was nothing left that he could do. She was leaving for the West, but he would see her again. Foresight had shown him that they would be reunited once more, and they would be happy again. Dark times lay between then and now, but once they were over, they would be reunited.
Elrond placed a kiss in her hair and held her securely until her sobs had turned into whimpers which turned into steading breathing once more, whishing more than anything that he could take away her pain. He had healed her best he could, but there was nothing left now to do than to let her heal in her own way, a thousand miles away across the sea. But if that was what it would take, Elrond would wait. He would wait for a millennium or more for her, and she would him.
And so for that night, they just held each other, murmuring sweet words of love until the first morning light streamed in through the windows to call Celebrian away to her new life, where she would wait for him until the New Age, when they would be happy once more.