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: Aragorn and Arwen talk about a time before they were wed, where they met in a secret glade and proceeded to tease one another. This was taken from another fic of mine, Play Time. If you want to know what they are talking about then I suggest you go and read it.

Chapter 8

Secret meetings

Aragorn and Eldarion were sitting in the parlour with Halbarad, discussing the restructuring of Arnor. Eldarion had noticed the way that Galadwen and Legolas kept disappearing at the same time, and he couldn't get his mind off of it. Did she still love him? He should have told her, he knew that he shouldn't have kept it from her. It was too late now, wasn't it?

"We will be visiting Arnor in the new year." Aragorn sat forward to light his pipe. "You will be coming to Minas Tirith soon?"

Halbarad nodded his head whilst puffing on his own pipe. "Perhaps sooner then we thought. Calen, the lad you met, is the son of my oldest friend. He has expressed great enthusiasm to see the white city." He smiled at the King, who had also noticed that his daughter had barely been away from him in two weeks.

Aragorn had yet to make his mind up on wherever this was a good thing or not. In tradition, when the woman marries she goes to live in her husband's land. Aragorn hated the idea of her moving so far away. He pushed the thought from his mind and decided to worry about it if and when it happened.

"Eldarion, do you not have anything to add on the rebuilding of the city?" Aragorn frowned at his son, he had not been any use to him these past few days. He seemed to be in his own world. Aragorn hoped he was not having marital problems, that would be an uncomfortable conversation.

"No." He shock his head.

Halbarad laughed. "If my wife were as pretty as yours Eldarion, I doubt I would be able to think of ought else."

Eldarion smiled, a little embarrassed, and excused himself from their company.

Halbarad looked at Aragorn. "Did I say something wrong?"

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"What has gotten in to you?" Aragorn had followed his son out.

Eldarion turned to look at him, and did his best to seem fine. "It is nothing Ada, just a few things playing on my mind."

Aragorn sighed. Was he really going to have to talk to his son about this? "Eldarion sit down." He motioned towards the bench and both men sat, a little uncomfortably.

Eldarion tensed, he must know about Galadwen and Legolas. How did he know? Oh no.

Aragorn fidgeted for a moment, not really sure where to start. "Eldarion, is everything between you and Ithiliwen well?"

Eldarion turned to look at his father in confusion. "What? Why do you ask?"

Aragorn placed a hand on his son's shoulder before realising this perhaps was not the most appropriate of times to be touching him. He removed his hand and continued to talk. "Sometimes in a marriage, things change. Especially after having a baby. Why your mother herself, after Luthien, didn't feel like making-" Aragorn stared down at his hands and coughed.

Eldarion's eyes widened. Oh this was worse, much worse. He thought he was having problems with Ithiliwen.

"Ada, I can assure you that everything between Ithiliwen and I, in that department, is fine."

Aragorn frowned. "Then what is making you like this? You barely utter a word. You have been walking around in a trance. Eldarion I am your father, I would have you tell me if something is bothering you."

Eldarion smiled at his father. He had always been so open and caring with his children. Eldarion felt extremely bad for lying to him, but he saw no other way. He sighed and nodded.

"You are right Ada, Ithiliwen and I are having problems."

Aragorn nodded sympathetically. "I thought as much. You see my son, sometimes things can become too routine. And when that happens, you need to use your imagination to brake that routine. Do you understand where I am going with this?"

Eldarion forced a smile and nodded. "Oh I understand painfully."

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Eldarion came storming in to the room, startling Galadwen and Legolas. They stood up abruptly, letting go of each other's hands. They both visibly relaxed when they saw that it was just Eldarion. He marched over to his sister and glared at her. "I will never forgive you for what I just went through."

He stormed out again, leaving them with confused looks on their faces.

Legolas looked out at the sky, noting the position of the sun. "I must take leave of you now." He held her hand and kissed it softly.

"No." She held on to his hand and brought his arms around her. "The sun lies, it is not yet time for you to leave."

He smiled at her lovingly and held her close. "I have things to do this day."

She pulled him to the window and looked out. "Curse the sun. I wish it were night and the moon was hidden from view, that way I may you keep you here as long as I wish. Time would stand still for us, and we could forever be this way." She snuggled her head against him, making his smile widen.

He moved out of her arms and kissed her hand once more. "Namaarie fair one, I shall return before dusk and we may welcome the moon together." Legolas turned and left, leaving Galadwen with a content smile on her face. She went back over to the window and her smile left. "Oh away with you sun. complete you circle and give the moon its chance to shine." She willed the day to go quickly, for she missed Legolas already.

"What did the sun ever do to you?"

Galadwen turned round fast and forced a smile. "Lothvain. When did you get back? I did not hear you." She walked towards him and kissed him on the cheek. He smelt of stale ale, it was a sickly scent.

"I trust you have not been lonely without me." He pulled his wife possessively to him.

"I have been spending time with my sisters. How was your trip?" She wanted to change the subject. "Did you get what you went for?"

Lothvain smiled at his wife and caressed her cheek. "Yes my love. I got exactly what I wanted."

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Arwen held Silmai's hand as she sung to her. She was fast asleep and deep in dream, but Arwen loved to simply watch her. In fact she was so lost in her daughter that she hadn't noticed Aragorn standing in the door way.

"Will you sing me to sleep?"

Arwen's head turned to look at her husband. She smiled at him before turning back to her sleeping angel.

"I have much better bed time plans for you mela nin." She saw, from the corner of her eye, the wide grin spread across his face.

He came to stand behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. His hand slid down her bear arm making her shiver slightly. "Then perhaps we should leave Silmai in peace and go to our own chamber."

Arwen lent her head back against his shoulder. "Perhaps we should leave Silmai in peace and go to the glade we used to meet in before we were wed."

Before they were wed, they would meet in secret, in a private glade in the gardens surrounding Imladris.

A huge smile played on Aragorn's lips as he remembered the 'games' they used to play with each other. They would tease each other until they were cols to braking.

Arwen turned in her husband's arms. "If memory serves, I have yet to get my revenge for the night you pinned me down and-" Remembering that Silmai was in the room she quickly changed what she was going to say. "-Tickled me."

Aragorn laughed, remembering the night fondly. "Actually I think you will find that you had it coming, after all you started the whole thing."

Arwen moved out of his arms and walked towards the door, she held out her hand for him to come to her. "And I intend to finish it."

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Legolas went looking for Galadwen. He glanced up at the night sky and smiled. A new moon, the sky masked in darkness, this would defiantly make Galadwen happy. He walked to their usual meeting place but stopped abruptly when he saw who was sitting there. Lothvain turned and smiled at Legolas. "Legolas, it is good to see you. I have been meaning to thank you properly for taking care of my wife during that storm."

Legolas walked over to the man. "There is no need, it was my pleasure." Legolas tried desperately not to hate the man but how could he not, when he had everything that Legolas had ever wanted. When all he could think about was Lothvain making love to Galadwen.

"I insist you have a drink with me." Lothvain held out a glass for the Elf to take.

Legolas eyed the glass. "We Elves do not usually drink such-."

Lothvain turned to him, looking hurt. "Would you refuse to drink with me? This is my way of saying thank you."

Legolas took the glass and stared at Lothvain. The men locked eyes for a brief moment before Lothvain clinked his glass against Legolas'. Lothvain downed his drink in one go before looking at Legolas, expecting him to do the same.

He smelled the vial liquid and drunk it right down.

Lothvain smiled and took the glass from him. Legolas shock his head slightly. "It goes right to your head doesn't it."