Chapter 11: Question
******************************************************************************************
Morning dawned wet and gray. A mourning dove sang from the balcony rail as Boromir roused, slowly rising to his feet and stretching. Rubbing his eyes with a sigh, he fell back in to the bed, suddenly feeling the need to hold the sleeping princess beside him. Kit was limp as he lifted her, one arm supporting her at the shoulders, the other under the knees. He now found himself not caring of what she thought of this.
He took her out onto the balcony, doing nothing to stop the warm late autumn rain from soaking them to the bone. She woke, shaking her head to rid the clouding sleep from her mind, only to find her outside, being pelted in rain, cupped in her lover's arms. If she had not been so exhausted, she would have retaliated, but now, she simply buried her head against his shoulder.
Boromir bent his head to brush his lips across her own, loving the soft, silky feel of her hair against his cheek. "How are you so perfect in body with that temper?" he asked teasingly, gently rocking her like a child. She opened one eye sleepily with a muddled grin. "I think that question can answer itself," she giggled. He rolled his eyes playfully. "Not true. Just because you are of royal Elven blood does not mean you are absolutely flawless, my dear," he said, hiding half the truth. He recognized her faults, and because of them, she was more dear to him than ever.
"Prove it," she said in mock challenge, laughing.
Swinging easily out of his grasp, she smiled broadly and said, "Boromir, come, we must change." She took his hand and led him back into her room.
The cold, hard stone against his bare feet and his dripping clothing clinging to his skin was enough to make him shiver. The fire had died not long after they had fallen asleep and even then, he had felt a chill run through him, but the woman, so trusting and vulnerable, in his arms warmed him again. He now stared into the smoldering embers in wonder as he waited for Kit to come out from the corner behind her wardrobe. She emerged slowly, head slightly bowed, in a white cotton gown, nearly falling past her feet. The right shoulder slipped off and Kit grabbed for the fabric, but she wasn't quick enough…
He caught a glimpse…
Blushing furiously, she quickly strode past him and out the door. Trembling, he followed stiffly. As she fled down the stairs to the dining hall, he reluctantly turned and opened the door to his room to change…
******************************************************************************************
Within moments, he emerged in the hall, clad in a black velvet tunic, and silver silk breeches, amidst a throng of guests. His eyes roamed over the many faces surrounding him, but he found no sign of his beloved. A wave of shame washed over him and he blinked to fight back tears. Turning to find his seat, he sat down heavily in the chair, gripping the arms tightly. He felt hands over his eyes and an enticing voice whispered in his ear.
"Guess…."
He recognized the sweet voice of Kit and he quickly took her hand, nearly crying as he kissed it, desperate for the warm reassurance that she gave him. She helped him to his feet and embraced him, leading him off to the library….
Once there, she took him to her favorite little nook by the fire and sat him in the couch. He leaned back against the arm and allowed her to lie in between his legs, her head resting against his stomach. A question that he had been dwelling on for the past few days came rushing to his tongue, but he bit it back, knowing that if the wrong moment was chosen, everything would fall apart. For over an hour they just lay together in a beautiful silence, each one caressing the other in their own way.
Finally, the sun began to peak through the thick fog that covered the valley of Rivendell. Boromir knew that this was his time…
He slipped out from underneath her, taking her hand and leading her to the window. They watched the golden orb rise swiftly through the painted sky for what seemed like a blissful eternity; Boromir turned to Kit, wrapping one arm around her waist to pull her as close as possible. A high-pitched voice sounded in his mind, trying to dissuade him not to ask her, but he ignored it. He bent his head in close until their brows touched; his breath was coming out in soft sobs that racked his body.
"Kit?" he whispered. "Will…you take the honor…to be my wife?" His body tensed in the few moments that passed in a shocked silence between them. He sighed, but just as he was about to turn away, she threw her arms around him, shouting "Yes!" at the top of her lungs, and they shared many fervent kisses. But as the sun almost reached its zenith, they stood silhouetted against the newly birthed sun, in a kiss that would outrun them all….