Title: No turning back

Author: B-witched83uk (bwitched83uk@aol.com)

Rating: PG

Summary: Sequel to Luthien's flute. Aragorn, Arwen and the family visit Rivendell.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings. The whole of Middle Earth belongs to Tolkien.

A/N: I know that in the movies Aragorn and Arwen speak in Sindarin, however I am more familiar with Quenya, so please forgive me for using that instead, it's just that I feel more confident with it. You could say. "Why use Elvish at all?" Well I think that Elvish makes Aragorn and Arwen's love scenes more powerful.

Chapter 7

Lost in memories

Lothvain watched his wife as she fixed her hair at the vanity table. He sat on the bed in silence, noticing every strand that fell from her exquisite head. Galadwen laughed and turned to face him. "You know Elves know when they are being watched."

Lothvain's face fell deathly cold. "Not always."

He stood and walked over to her. "I am going to be gone for a while."

Galadwen looked up at him, worried. "Why? Where are you going?"

"I am in need of something in Bree. I shant be long"

Galadwen frowned at him in confusion. "What are you going for? Can I come with you?"

"No!" He didn't mean for his voice to sound so panicked and abrupt. He quickly covered it with a smile. "It is a surprise." He bent to kiss her gently on the mouth.

"A surprise! I like surprises." She smiled warmly and took his hand.

He laughed slightly and kissed her hand. "You are going to love this one."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"After my mother died, my father changed. He started seeing a local woman from a near by village. But when I found out, I made him choose between us." Calen paused and looked down at his hands. He and Celebriel were sitting by the river; they had been there for hours. For the past few days, they had met in the same place at the same time. Celebriel felt bad for him now, listening to his story, and realised how lucky she was to have such a loving family.

"And he chose you?" She prompted gently.

"Yes, but he has never really gotten over her. She died a few years later and things have not been the same between us since."

She looked at the ranger, and saw something in him that made her feel free. She had never really been content in life at court, unlike her sisters who seemed to be born for it. She was always much happier seeking adventure somewhere.

"You were but a boy, you can not blame yourself for what you did." She smiled at him and reached out to take his hand, a glint in her eye.

"I bet you I could swim to the other side of this river faster then you!" She wanted to change the subject to something lighter.

Calen looked at her with a frown and a smile. "Is that right? What about your pretty dress?" He teased softly.

Celebriel stood up and tied the thin material of her skirt in to a knot at the front. She saw no dishonour in bearing her under garments to his eyes.

He laughed at her and stood beside her, at the edge of the river. "Well in that case my lady, I accept your challenge."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arwen awoke in the dark of night to find her husband sitting up in bed, with charcoal and parchment. She opened her eyes slowly, looking at him with curiosity.

"Mani um naa lle."

*What are you doing?*

Aragorn treated her to such a charming, loving smile that she felt her heart melt.

He turned his attentions back to the paper and smudged the curve of his wife's mouth.

"Amin ont lle."

*I am drawing you*

"Mankoi?" She ran a hand over her sleepy eyes and stifled a yawn.

*Why?*

"Ten lle naa vanima."

*Because you are beautiful*

Arwen laughed a little and sat up next to him, drawing the silk sheet over her exposed body. She looked at the almost complete sketch and felt her heart flutter. "I love the way you see me." She leant towards him and kissed his bristled lips. The backs of his fingers stroked down her cheeks, it was something he always did, something that made her feel content and safe.

"Have I ruined it by moving?" She suddenly realised.

"No" He kissed her quick on the mouth. "I have you now in memory."

Aragorn noticed her face fall slightly at his words.

"You look sad." He held his wife to him as he stroked his large hand over her naked back.

"I am just deep in thought." She snuggled against him. "Lost in memory."

Aragorn went silent; he knew she would tell him if she wished to.

"I can not be in this place, the place I grew up, and not think of my father." She closed her eyes, smelling the woodland fragrance of Aragorn's neck.

"I loved him dearly, also. Time can not take memories." Aragorn kissed the top of her head.

"Would you change anything, if you were given the same choices now?" He waited for an answer with baited breath.

Arwen gazed up at the man she adored, the man she had given everything for.

"Erya natil."

*Not a single thing*

She moved her mouth to his, melting in to his embrace.

"Amin mela lle Undomiel nin."

*I love you my Evenstar*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lothvain had been gone for days now and Galadwen felt Legolas's pull even stronger. He was like a magnet. Every time she was alone with him she knew she should leave, but she couldn't bear to tear herself away from him. She found him standing in the darkness, alone in the dead of night.

"Do you never sleep?"

He knew she was there before she spoke. He didn't turn around but continued to watch the sky. "It clearly pays off." He turned to look at her. "Or I wouldn't have run in to you."

Galadwen sighed and looked down at her feet. "I could not sleep. My mind would not be quiet."

Legolas walked closer and stood in front of her. "Your mind, or your heart?"

Her eyes flew to his face. "What do you want from me?"

Legolas took her hand and lifted it to his face. "I would have thought that was obvious."

"I am married! I can not, will not betray him. There is nothing we can do. No way for us to be together, not the way that you want." Her hand slid over his beautiful face.

Legolas continued to look at her, desperately needing to kiss her. But would he be able to stop there? They had been 'accidentally' running in to each other for the past five nights, a desperate need to see each other. Galadwen removed her hand and went to sit on an old wooden bench. Her arms were bear and Legolas noticed her shiver from the cold. He came to sit beside her, wrapping his cloak around her tightly. She smiled up at him. "Thank you."

"Galadwen, I love you. I know that us seeing each other like this is wrong, but I can not stop it." Although nothing had happened between them since the night of the storm, they both knew they shouldn't be alone together. Legolas promised her that he wouldn't kiss her again until she asked him to, and he would hold to that. He respected her just as much as he loved her.

She leant her head on to his shoulder and instantly felt eased. "I love you too." She looked up at him. "We have just two options to choose from. We say goodbye forever, here and now. Or we spend the rest of our days like this, never being completely together, stealing moments alone whenever we can."

Legolas hated this, if only he could turn back time. "I can not say goodbye to you, not again. I have spent the longest years of my life, since the night of Eldarion's wedding. Torment does not sleep."

Galadwen straightened up and looked deeply in to his eyes. "Then we have sealed our own dooms, for we will always know the bliss of each other's company, but also the torture of not knowing each other's touch."

Legolas nodded, ready to take what ever he could. Seeing her sometimes was better then never.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The man behind the counter eyed the customer warily, as he reached for something under the counter. "This stuff can be deadly if it is not used right." He warned the man.

"I know exactly how to use it, now give me the phial."

The shopkeeper pulled out a phial of hemlock and placed it on the counter. "Of course, with purchases such as this, a record is needed. You must sign for it."

Lothvain took out a pouch filled with gold and placed it on the counter, next to the phial. "Here is my signature." He picked up the hemlock and made his way out of the shop, leaving the greedy owner to count his gold.