High Princes of Tirion
by Nemis

A bit of R-rated stuff at the end, I suppose. Because I can't help myself.

*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^

Chapter Twenty-Five     All That Matters

*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^

From above came a noisy crash, leaves fell, together with small twigs that had not been able to survive the onslaught of a grown Elf flinging himself into the foliage. Celebriníel looked up, observing Ereinion clinging to the tree, holding on for a moment, apparently judging the strength of the trunk and branches, before climbing down swiftly, using neighbouring branches as footholds, until he had reached the level on which she found herself.

He smiled at her, dark green smudges of the tree's bark clearly visible on his face and hands. It was one of the most reassuring sights she could have imagined.

'Judging from this short distance, I trust the rock will hold us both, so I will attempt to come over to you.'

She nodded breathlessly.

Using a sturdy branch as support, he set off from there, balancing upon it for a few steps, before reaching the rock surface after a short jump. Breathing in deeply, he smiled down at her, his eyes meeting hers reassuringly.

'I thought you would like some company.'

'Undeniably, I am very grateful for it,' Celebriníel answered, not able to keep from smiling back. Something in his presence made all this seem less serious. Though it was not quite possible to deny reality. 'But now we are both stuck here.'

With a content grin, Ereinion shrugged and neared, lowering beside her. From there, he gave her an examining look.

'Anything broken?'

She shook her head.

'I do not believe so, that is why I am so angry. If anything had been broken, or otherwise hurt, there would have been a reason for me being here at present.'

Ereinion nodded, bringing up a hand to carefully guide back some strands of her hair. Then, as if he had just caught himself at something, he rose again, moving towards the edge of the rock to gaze down pensively.

Celebriníel watched him, considering he now seemed very different from the persona he had been last night. For a moment, she could hear her mother's words echo in her mind. Perhaps a mask makes it easier to pretend to be someone else.

'I do not mean to stay here, or leave you here, for that,' his voice interrupted her thoughts.

She frowned, dismissing her reflections, and looked up at him.

'What do you propose?'

'The tree I just came from reaches a good half of the distance further down. The way from there is steep, but not impossible to descend by. You can stand?'

She nodded.

'I believe so.'

Walking around a little, Ereinion judged their surroundings, prior to making for the edge again. The tree was nearer to the side here than it had been above, but the rock was slippery with saturated mosses, making it far more difficult to reach. And it was not as if he could ask Celebriníel to fling herself at it with the same abandon he had just displayed.

He stood very silent for a while, collecting himself. It was important to have confidence now, for himself as well as for Celebriníel. It would not help to see obstacles where none were present, but neither was it wise to underestimate what they were about to attempt.

Taking a deep breath for what seemed to be the umpteenth time, he turned and smiled.

'Let me help you up.'

Reaching for the hand he offered, Celebriníel allowed herself to be pulled up, and felt Ereinion place an arm around her waist before guiding her towards the rock's edge.

'Now, I will go first, and then assist you.'

He seemed hesitant to leave her to stand on her own, but nevertheless did so, reaching for a branch and using it to leap into the tree again.

The part of the tree which was supporting him did not seem entirely trustworthy, and briefly his face reflected that. A moment later, Celebriníel could only wonder if she had truly seen that glimpse of worry. He seemed confident enough now, holding out his hand.

'Come on, make haste.'

Ereinion listened to her inhale deeply, and was glad to subsequently feel her hand take a hold of his.

When she released it again, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest, and an audible gasp escaped his lips. With a shiver he almost immediately felt an arm secure itself around his neck, and he pulled her against him in reaction, at the same time quickly retreating closer to the tree's stem.

'Bloody Mandos...' he whispered, embracing her more tightly. 'Are you all right?'

She nodded slowly, resting her face against his shoulder.

'I am fine.'

'Well, good. You are no woodelf, you know.'

'I know,'  she replied, with an exhilaration which, he suspected, served as an outlet for the short but tense situation the both of them had just emerged from. Holding her for a little longer, he finally pulled back and smiled. Then his eyes fell on a familiar blue stone hanging from a chain around her neck, and he extended a finger to brush it lightly.

'You like it?'

With a thin smile she met his eyes.

'I am uncertain. I came very close to sending it right back to you.'

He nodded slowly.

'Ah... I see.'

'I was just... disappointed, I suppose.'

Chuckling, Ereinion shook his head, but stayed silent. Celebriníel gave him a questioning look.

'What is so amusing?'

'I had suspected, somehow, you might even like the box and the writing equipment better.'

Blushing a pretty scarlet, the young Elf smiled guiltily, making Ereinion laugh even more.

'I will think twice about sending you presents then, in the future,' he said with a teasing shake of the head. Then he loosened his hold on her and glanced to the closest branch beneath them.

'Ready?' he asked, looking back at her.

She gazed back seriously.

'Very ready.'

The climb down was less eventful, Ereinion careful to find strong branches to stand on, and slowly helping Celebriníel downwards. Once at the foot of the tree, on the next ledge, he nodded in satisfaction.

'Just as I thought.'

Celebriníel frowned.

'What?'

'This ledge,' he pointed, 'has a place where we can easily make our way down to the lower path, which runs beside the river.'

She nodded.

'You lead the way, I shall follow.'

With a smile he shook his head and stepped closer.

'Put your arm around my neck.'

Looking at him with amused disbelief, she chuckled.

'You are jesting.'

Returning a serious look, Ereinion stood firm, but Celebriníel raised an eyebrow.

'Chivalry is all well and good, but this seems a bit... overdramatic. Besides, I will not take the blame for you slipping and breaking your neck because of it.'

'At least I can tell your father I took care of you as best I could,' he replied gravely, all the while very much aware of her breath on his face.

'I would support that, even without you carrying me around.'

She offered her hand, and he took it, slightly reluctant.

Even though they were both silent, Ereinion could feel Celebriníel's eyes on his back. He ignored the urge to turn to her, instead carefully deciding on their way down, eyes always judging the path, watchful for the treacherous slopes and mossy patches, knowing either could mean more tumbling. They might seem true, yet he knew they were all but that after the previous evening's rain.

Every once in a while, he could feel her hand increase its pressure on his, helping her to keep balance, but at the same time it was a very distracting contact.

Instead, he attempted to concentrate on his surroundings.

Through the trees, he could see the humidity escaping the woods, on the other side of the forested slope. It resembled smoke, reminding him, as it always did, of the living breathing whole the forest was. Still far, far down, ran the river. Overhanging branches seemed to collaborate against them at times, barring them from proceeding, but he did not allow it, receiving minute scrapes on his face and hands as marks of his persistence, but also of success in clearing the way. He suddenly realised he missed the physical scars of his previous life, in his shoulder, at his side; marks of battle, of arrow and sword.

Sometimes, if he concentrated enough, he thought he could still feel them.

And her hand was still in his.

They reached the place of which he had spoken before without having exchanged a word.

The rise was still too steep to really walk down from, and Ereinion closed his eyes for a moment, deep in silent contemplation.

'Perhaps we should simply try,' Celebriníel offered, looking down as well.

'Just hold on,' he warned, stepping down, using one hand to climb further down, to steady his way. 'But if I slide away, be sure to release...'

It was then that one of his feet indeed slipped away and they plunged downwards, reaching the lowest point in a flash, Ereinion taking most of the fall, pulling Celebriníel along.

Upon having reached the bottom of the slope, he groaned and closed his eyes, yet also savoured the feel of steady ground beneath him.

'Ereinion, fool, you walk like one of the Secondborn, heavy and unsound,' he scolded himself.

'Well, that was certainly entertaining.' Celebriníel said, giving him a short poke in the ribs. 'Remind me never to let you force me into something like that again. Ever.'

Opening his eyes, he sat up, already aware where new bruises were likely to appear.

'At least we are down.'

Celebriníel followed his example.

'You could have broken your neck. I could have broken my neck.'

'But neither of us did.'

Celebriníel looked at him.

'Indeed, neither of us did.'

Hesitating, she bent towards him and pressed her lips against his cheekbone. Then she made to rise quickly, offering him her hand, but he pulled her down again and wavered a moment before placing a hand on her cheek and claiming a less innocent kiss. Bringing up his other hand, he ran it through her hair, letting his lips wander and brush her cheek as he felt her touch his side.

Withdrawing to catch his breath, and to look at her, he found her eyes closed. When she opened them after a while, there was a distinct twinkle in them, and she touched his cheek affectionately.

'We much resemble something that recently emerged from a swamp.'

Neither of them could help laughing and Ereinion stroked her cheek with his thumb.

'Nothing hurt?'

'No,' she assured him, 'though I wish you had done as you told me to, and released me up there before you decided to take the quick route down.'  She pointed towards the ledge they had just unceremoniously descended from.

He nodded.

'Quite. Rest assured I shall keep that in mind for future use.'

As she rose again, Ereinion pushed himself up too. He then attempted to brush off some of the mud which had irreverently attached itself to his clothes, only increasing the stains. Shrugging and admitting defeat, he offered Celebriníel a hand, before continuing on the much more even path.

'You came by horse?' he asked quietly, as they moved beneath ancient trees, nearing the overpass which would lead to the meadow where he had left his own mount. Squeezing his hand, she nodded.

'We left them near the crossing.'

'Do you think you can ride?'

'I have no reason to think I cannot.'

Once they went across the bridge the problem was solved when several riders neared them, the one riding in front increasing speed upon seeing them.

Elrond had little patience with the horse coming to a total standstill and dismounted effortlessly, ostensibly without a second thought.

Nearing Ereinion, he did what he had done as soon as he saw them, and mumbled yet another expression of quiet thanks to Elbereth. He watched his friend release his daughter's hand, and the next thing he felt were Celebriníel's arms around his neck. Sighing in relief, he pressed her close, closing his eyes shortly, then looking at Ereinion.

'Hennaid, meldir-nîn.'

The High Prince bowed in reply, then turned to scan the meadow for his own horse which he had left to graze. It was with new appreciation that he watched the wind blow over the green grass of the field, listened to birds singing. Breathing in deeply he watched the sky, only now realising he was tired, and that his back ached.

But it did not matter. Nothing mattered. Or rather, he thought, everything mattered.

--~~*~~--

Leaving her daughter's chambers, Celebrían's mind was still preoccupied as she encountered her husband. He stood by a window in the hallway silently, his gaze distant. Eyes fixed on something below, he seemed too deep in thought to notice the first stars had come out to greet him beyond. Celebrían would have smiled, if the waves of emotion flooding from Elrond had not troubled her. He was calling, unconsciously, but calling nevertheless.

Quietly she neared.

Meleth-nîn...

Feeling her presence, hearing her reach out to him, he faced her. A warm smile played across his lips, but it did in no way echo his feelings, Celebrían was all too well aware. Without speaking a word, she placed her arms around him, slipping them underneath his robes, encircling his waist. Still smiling, Elrond returned the embrace, resting his head on hers.

'Wiser than I, you are, melethril,' he spoke softly.

Looking up at him, Celebrían shook her head.

'And why is that, Elrond?'

Bringing up his hand, he touched her face with his fingertips, following the cheekbone until he rested his palm against it.

'In afterthought, for as long as you have suspected, you have somehow managed to slowly accustom me to the idea. You never allowed it to trouble you, so it did not trouble me, even if I was not exactly aware of it.'

The final words of the utterance seemed to be an admission on his part, as if somehow he blamed himself for not recognising it sooner.

'When did you realise?' she whispered up to him, observing his grey eyes returning her gaze, not truly seeing.

'That she loved someone? Or that it was Ereinion?' he spoke pensively, unhurriedly, preoccupied. Almost as if he was exceedingly weary.

'Either... Both.'

'I only suspected at first.' He smiled weakly. 'She reminds me of myself, when I was without you. I was preoccupied with Almarinde and Almariel, or else I would have noticed sooner. That it was Ereinion... I have only known since yesterday.' He inclined his head towards the window, indicating the figure that walked outside, beneath the trees. 'But he does not enter. Instead he walks there, as if it will soothe his mind.'

Silently they observed the view for a moment, of Ereinion's pacing below, hunched shoulders, bowed head. With a short squeeze of Elrond's hand, Celebrían looked up at him.

'She will not leave, Elrond. This is no separation until the end of Arda.'

Elrond blankly stared across the garden a while before answering.

'He... She is still so young, Brí.'

'Would you forbid it?'

Ignoring the question, he posed another, now facing her intently.

'Does he love her?'

'Can you not tell?' she asked, but he did not answer, though his contemplative gaze wandering back to Ereinion in the garden below seemed answer enough. Turning her gaze there again as well, Celebrían rested her cheek against Elrond's shoulder. 'He has loved her for some time, only spoke it after she indicated her feelings towards him.'

'If he had not... If he had not fallen in Mordor, he would have been nearly seven millennia her senior...'

Gazing up, Celebrían found her husband staunchly looking on, not willing to meet her eyes. He loved them, both of them, one as a brother, the other as his child, but deep down there was something that warned him of potential consequences.

'For all we know he would have married another, would have had a family of his own by now. It would have been different, El-nîn.' She looked at him. 'He did fall.'

'I know,' he whispered. 'But I wish she would wait a little. She knows so little of the essence of Arda... And I would not want him to change her.' He paused and sighed ruefully. 'And she is not a politician's wife...'

Celebrían smiled.

'I do not believe Ereinion thinks of himself as a politician.'

Elrond nodded slowly.

'I will not speak of this until either of them comes to me...'

'It will not be soon, methinks,' Celebrían replied, catching his hand yet again and entwining her fingers with his. 'They still seem to be circling around each other.'

Meeting her eyes expressively, Elrond took to more quiet conversation.

I merely hope Ereinion is wise enough to circle somewhat unenthusiastically.

Raising an eyebrow, Celebrían looked up at him, wondering if even for an instant he had contemplated speaking such words out loud.

Or what? she answered, realising he was attempting to clear the air of what had been said in earnest before.

Flashing a smug smile, glad she had understood, Elrond pursed his lips.

Or I shall chase him out of my house personally.

'If you do, I shall chase you right after him, Elrond Peredhil,' Celebrían returned with a laugh.

'I believe you actually would too, lady,' he said, pretending to sound aggrieved, while squeezing her hand reassuringly.

Celebrían shook her head and closed her eyes.

'We both know what it is to wait for the one you love.'

'Though I would argue duty here, is not what duty was in Middle-earth.'

'I do not think I preferred duty in Middle-earth,' she commented.

Elrond nodded.

'I do not believe I truly did either.'

'I should not think so,' Celebrían answered, giving him a meaningful smile.

Clearing his throat, Elrond directed his voice to someone else. Neither he nor Celebrían had perceived the sound of the door to Celebriníel's chambers closing, and they were now confronted with Elernil standing in the hallway. He still seemed anxious, even though he had just left Celebriníel's presence, and having been assured several times that nothing was wrong with her.

'Elernil, could you inform Ereinion he can, if he so wishes, come up to see Celebriníel?'

The young Elf nodded and, after receiving a reassuring look from Celebrían, disappeared.

Not waiting for his grandson to appear in the garden beneath, Elrond caught Celebrían's hand and silently made for their chambers.

--~~*~~--

Ereinion was relieved not to find anyone in attendance as he entered the corridor. Somehow, anyone's presence would have been uncomfortable. Upon reaching the door to Celebriníel's chambers, he knocked shortly before slipping inside. There he stood, the door handle still in his hand, basking in the smile that welcomed him.

From her comfortable place in the large bed Celebriníel looked at him, nothing left of the anxiety of this afternoon.

'For a moment I thought you had left,' she told him.

His stomach was... in any case it was not where it was supposed to be. Closing the door quietly, he approached the bed and took a nearby chair.

'I will leave, before nightfall, I just wished to ascertain you were well.'

Both were silent until Celebriníel sat up.

'Were you worried?' she asked, pulling up her legs under the sheets and resting her arms on them. She seemed so much more at ease than he was right now, Ereinion thought. He considered a slight alteration of the truth briefly, then shifted on his chair and averted his gaze.

'Yes.' he admitted.

'Very worried?' Celebriníel urged.

He nodded, and looked at the pale-faced girl again.

'Quite.'

'Tell me?'

'I...' he began, then rose and sat down on the bed, reaching for her hand. She gladly granted it to him, and he stared at the long slender fingers a while before bringing them up to his lips. 'Promise me you will not tell your father how foolish I was.'

She chuckled and nodded.

'I promise.'

Ereinion did not reply, turning her hand as if he were studying it. She simply watched him, her head slightly tilted, waiting.

'All the while, I thought of how it might have ended,' he began softly. 'I recalled how I took you and Elernil to the waterway when you were younger, and I could not... I would not have forgiven myself if something had happened. I brought you there. I was responsible, you see.'

Changing position and resting her other hand on his arm, Celebriníel shook her head.

'No one would have dared...'

Meeting her eyes, he smiled weakly.

'But I would have known.'

He felt his breath become irregular as her hands clasped his arm in reply, their gazes still locked. After all this time of delaying, anticipating, if something had happened today... He did not know what his reaction would have been. Bringing up his other hand, he softly touched her cheek.

'The thought that I could have lost you, after only so recently...'

Then he drew her into his arms to embrace her, for love, for comfort, for life, because it all seemed to focus in this one mere moment. Celebriníel answered by pressing herself against him, moving her hands over his back soothingly, her head against his shoulder.

Her voice was a whisper when she finally spoke.

'I would not wish to be without you. Not now, not ever.'

Ereinion did not feel he could answer, he merely waited, slowly trailing his fingers over her back, listening, savouring the closeness of her body.

'In the gardens,' she started, a trace of tears in her voice. 'I knew that was only short-lived, as soon as you said you thought you should not have come. I knew we would have to wait. But you do not know... how I thought of you... I...'

Withdrawing a little, he intended to console her with a smile, but instead his lips unexpectedly met hers. He could not be certain who had initiated the kiss, only that neither of them seemed unwilling to continue. Her lips were warm against his, and he realised how easy it would be to abandon himself to them right there and then. He did, for a short while, caught up in a caressing series of movements, consisting of exploring and severing contact shortly, only to return and start over again.

If there was a sense of reclaiming time here, it was mixed with the knowledge that this, all of it, would have to last them both a while, he thought. A year. One silly year.

At last he withdrew and rested his forehead against hers, not ready to let go entirely yet.

'Believe me, if the choice were mine, and your age was of no importance, I would not go.'

Looking at him, she smiled, then gazed away.

'It is better. You return to Tirion, and we shall not speak of this for a year.' She glanced up at him. 'And then we shall decide how to go further about this.'

Ereinion did not reply, simply catching one of her hands once more, and exerting a comfortable pressure on it as it lay in his.

'We should not speak of it yet,' she continued, looking at him earnestly. 'I have no intention to be scrutinised by the entirety of Tirion.'

Ereinion averted his gaze for a while, carefully weighing words in his mind.

'Your father,' he finally managed. 'I do not wish to hurt him in any way. When your sister... I mean...'

Celebriníel shook her head.

'I will speak to him. But perhaps it is better to wait for now.'

With a nod, Ereinion rose.

'But when you speak of it to him,' he began, 'I wish to know. He will wish to speak to me as well.'

Raising her chin to face him, Celebriníel nodded.

'I shall write to you.'

'Thank you.'

She smiled, and he bent down to quickly kiss her forehead. Running his fingers through her hair a last time, the High Prince smiled as well.

'Navaer, hiril.'

Letting his hand slip out of hers, Celebriníel waited for him to turn upon reaching the door, and nodded.

'Navaer, hîr-nîn.'

As the door closed, she allowed herself to fall back into the pillows, and, pulling the sheets over her head, fully intended not to emerge before a year had passed. At least not without good reason.

--~~*~~--

From the doorway Celebrían watched Elrond aimlessly going about the room, collecting a book from a table near the balcony, taking it to the bed and throwing it down, before removing his comfortable outer robes. Draping them over a chair he slipped into bed, but even though he purposely opened the book, it did not seem able to keep his attention. With a sigh he lay it away, settling back and closing his eyes.

Collecting all the tranquillity she had in her, Celebrían slowly crossed the room, her eyes never leaving her husband's face.

Upon arriving, she sat down on the side of the bed and caught his hand.

'Havo-am, Elrond,' she whispered, trailing her hands over his shoulders as he pushed himself up.

Almost half-heartedly did he pull up a leg, only to place his arms on it, and then resting his chin on top of them.  

A small smile playing on her lips, Celebrían moved closer, and he shifted slightly to allow her nearer.

Unhurriedly, she ran a hand through his hair, at length encountering one of several braids she had personally set there this morning. Gently she began unfastening the intricate intertwined strands.

They both sat so in silence for a time, minds touching only slightly, relishing a moment of pure physical contact.

One of Elrond's arms left his knee, and he rested a hand on her thigh instead, the fingers cold. Celebrían did not let it distract her and ran her own fingers through the strands of hair she had just released.

She continued further, and felt Elrond unwinding under her hands, his entire physique becoming more peaceful. Even in Middle-earth this course of action had worked well; simple attentions were often enough to make him come out of overly pensive states, enabling him to clear his mind. Pressing matters were often not as pressing when in a different, less intense light.

Moving his other arm now too, he ran his fingers up, towards her face.

With feather-light touches he went on to trail her cheekbone, until he motioned her face so her eyes met his.

Intently watching him come closer, Celebrían felt his other hand travel to rest on her hip.

Saying nothing, Elrond moved slowly, languidly. His lips met hers casually at first, leaving after only a moment, his grey eyes studying her response. Upon returning, Elrond deepened the kiss, lightly touching fingers to her neck. Celebrían closed her eyes and finally allowed one of her own hands to slip away from his hair, resting it on his side.

Slowly lying back again, he pulled her along, and she smiled as his lips sought out hers.

Withdrawing a little, Celebrían gently teased open his nightshirt and trailed kisses over his chest until she came close enough to meet Elrond's entreating lips again. Bringing up both hands, he held back her hair, and she halted, looking down at him and observing him smile tenderly. His hands never stopped being in motion, allowing the silver tresses to run through his fingers, only to repeat the process all over again when his hands were empty. 

'She loves him,' he whispered intently.

Celebrían smiled.

'As I love you.'

Lying down in his arms, she listened to his silent string of thoughts, but noticed that there was one point, one main argument, that seemed to return again and again, bringing him to reach the same conclusion every single time. It was not a new conclusion, she realised.

At length, he sighed and closed his eyes.

'It is all that matters.'

As she turned unto her back, Celebrían felt Elrond push himself up again, but now his gaze was fixed on her, a light in his grey eyes she was glad to recognise. Gathering him to her, answering his caresses, incapable of resisting them, she knew that, even though the last word had not been spoken of this, he had gathered his own facts, and come to the same conclusion as she had.

Meanwhile Elrond had eased himself out of a last restricting garment and with an eager sigh indulged in a merging of lips. Gentle fingers had no trouble at all to help Celebrían to do the same, after which they both slowed in movement considerably.

Shifting to lie on his side, Elrond smiled as he entwined his fingers with silver hair yet again, searching for her lips. Celebrían placed an arm around his chest and pressed closer, feeling his hand travel to her shoulder, further down to her back, to her thigh. There, he shifted her leg to rest on his hip, so he only needed to press his abdomen against hers to accomplish their coming together.

With a sigh, Celebrían closed her eyes and felt Elrond run his fingers up and down the small of her back. Then he commenced movement, his breathing more strained than before.

All qualms had disappeared from his thoughts, and Celebrían took pleasure in the uncomplicated enjoyment he emitted, sharing her own, the only difficulty arising were they to try and establish where hers began and his ended.

Throwing back her head, she felt her husband take advantage of the circumstances to press his now burning lips against her exposed neck, softly progressing upwards to meet her lips again. A groan escaped him as she hooked her leg more firmly around him, at precisely the same time their merging of lips was realised.

His hand moved up, caressing the curve of her shoulder, then lowered again, following her side, halting as he reached a breast, slightly sidetracked before he continued down and pulled her closer by the hip.

Resting her hand in-between his shoulder blades, strands of hair brushing against her fingers, Celebrían repositioned herself and softly allowed her lips to wander lower, alternating between wet kisses and soft bites. Elrond's upper body heaved heavily against her, and their continuing motions had turned her respiration into an accumulation of short rapid breaths.

His lips, close to her ear, mumbled quiet endearments, some barely audible or even overtaken entirely by a soft gasp. As she looked up from his chest, she found his eyes closed. A sudden urge made her go back, and he answered readily as she demanded his lips with near-bruising fervour.

The climax of the blaze within her came suddenly, and arching her back, Celebrían felt herself being pulled even closer, her breasts pressing firmly against Elrond's chest. With a gasp she buried her hands in his hair and held him. He followed soon after, panting forcefully, his face pressed against her shoulder, his arms firmly secured around her.

Rolling onto his back, Elrond chuckled breathlessly, feeling Celebrían's hair on his face, her hands on his body as she untangled herself from their intimate embrace. The warmth of her form against his as she finally came to rest beside him was familiar and secure, and he had to hold back from immediately giving in to the insisting impulse to close his eyes and enter the plains of dreams.

Pulling up a thin sheet to cover them, Celebrían shifted comfortably in his arms and placed a hand on his chest, watching it rise and fall. She felt Elrond play with a strand of her hair and closed her eyes.

'So all is well then, hervenn?'

She felt him nod slowly, and opened her eyes to watch him.

'All is well.' Elrond simply replied.

Celebrían rose slightly to press her lips against his, before settling back in his arms.

Together they lay so for a while, but before long, both gave in, only to meet again, there where the air was warm, and the evening filled with a faint scent of trees and flowers, a place where summer lingered without end.

*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^

melethril: female lover

Hennaid, meldir-nîn: Thank you, my friend

Navaer, hiril: Farewell, lady

Navaer, hîr-nîn: Farewell, my Lord

havo-am: sit up

hervenn: husband

*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^*~^