Chapter 2 – Affection at Night
Aragorn smiled to himself and stretched out languidly under the white bed sheets. The explosion of happiness within his chest was almost unbearable and could not be quelled. He was to become a father! And what was more, with the elven-maiden he had loved but barely even dared to hope to marry since he was only twenty years of age. Life had become so wondrous. Aragorn could never be thankful enough for these gifts the Valar had granted him so generously, no matter how many times Arwen insisted that it was no more than he deserved after the times of hardship, through which he had excelled like a king of old.
Aragorn's eyes became accustomed to the grey gloom and he turned his head to discern the outline of Arwen next to him. She was nestled in a fetal position, facing away from him, but the moonlight was shining down through one of the windows and it made the angle of her cheek glow a pearly white. She appeared so gentle and calm, unassumingly radiant, and his heart poured out with joy to see her sleeping so peacefully by him at last. He would never get used to this nightly dream-like experience, where all he had dreamed for as he wandered alone for so many years was materialised before his eyes, and there was no sound apart from Arwen's soft breathing, gentler than the light summer wind.
Strands of her dark hair had slipped over her face and were now leaping in the waves of her breaths. Aragorn held his own breath and with great care deftly picked her silky lock up off her eyelid, hoping not to tickle her. Arwen stirred for a moment and then settled again.
Aragorn watched her with concern and adoration before allowing his eyes to close. He snuggled up to her warmth and carefully slid his arms through hers, bringing himself around her in a tender embrace. He could feel her soft skin against his arms, and, with irresistible desire shooting through his whole body, he began to slide his hands upwards to lay one over her beating heart.
He bent down and laid one daring kiss on the skin of her neck, still afraid that this beautiful jewel he held in his strong arms may break at any moment. Arwen barely gave a murmur as she openly relaxed into the cocoon of his muscular body, revealing in her sleep how dearly she regarded Aragorn, no heed to his mortality. A flare of pride was struck in his chest and he nestled against her even more, his fingers tracing elven patterns upon her chest as he coaxed from her the whimpers that made his heart swell with pleasure.
Aragorn cherished every movement Arwen made towards him. No plethora of moments like this could ever make the embrace mundane - quite the opposite, he only wished for more. Now that he knew she was expecting a baby it felt as if his love had expanded even further, though he knew not how it was possible. He did not know for sure the cause, but there was something that made him feel even closer to Arwen, something that gave him bursts of elation and exuberance every time his eyes flew open to steal a look at her beauty, something that gave him renewed realisation that he would do all he could to care for her and, if necessary, protect her. He did not doubt for one single moment Arwen's words – now he looked at her in new understanding, and now he touched her he could sense a secretive change in her being within.
Keeping one hand on her heart, he ran the other down over her tummy and the warming glow he found there made Aragorn feel as if he had spun head over heels down the mountainside. Arwen gave audible sighs of yearning; Aragorn only silenced her by drawing near and pressing a sensual kiss to her lips.