Author's note: Hi, everyone! I finally updated, and it's about time! Sorry for the delay, but things have really been crazy. During the last ice storm, a tree fell on my car while I was driving home, and I've been busy taking care of that. Plus, our power was out for awhile. It's been a rough winter, so I'm ready for summer already.
Enough with my complaints! Thanks for all the reviews, especially from all my loyal reviewers! You guys rock! Hope you enjoy this chapter! And if there are spacing problems, it's not my fault!
Rhovanion's Child by Shelly
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Rhiannon stirred slowly into wakefulness, becoming aware that the darkness of night had now become replaced by the light of the new day. She remembered with some alarm the events of the night before, and the fact that they both had fallen asleep shortly after in each other's arms. That was proof enough that last night had been very satisfying for the both of them, but now in the light of morning she began doubting the wisdom of giving in to her passions for the brave Captain.
She felt his warm presence at her back, his breathing even and puffing gently against her hair, and she suddenly wanted it to happen all over again but knew it couldn't. Last night had been a mistake between them, a mistake she wasn't going to make again if she could help it. Moving slowly, she eased herself from the bed and hurriedly gathered her traveling clothes, noticing that they had been cleaned and thanking whoever had did it. She left the room quietly and went to bathe, taking her time to gather her thoughts before she had to face him again with the realization between them of what they had both done last night.
There was no doubt in her mind that he was a very generous and skilled lover, and the thought caused a shiver to race through her even now. She wanted nothing more than to forget all her pretenses and tell him everything, but to do so after last night would be disasterous. He would never forgive her for lying to him, and she couldn't find fault with that as she would more than deserve his anger. But after that, would he see her any differently than he did now? Would he look upon her as the ranger he had always known her as or would he see her as someone who could be used to ascend to Gondor's throne?
If at all possible, it had to wait until they arrived at Imladris. There would she admit everything to him and bear the brunt of his anger. And there she would remain if he chose to return to Gondor without her, although she doubted he would. He would pressure her to return, reminding her of her responsibility to the people, but deep down she knew she couldn't return, not knowing that someone else held just as much claim as she did and would be more suited to it than she.
Deciding she had had enough of soaking for one day, she dried herself off and walked back to her room, relief flooding through her when she saw it was empty and strangely a little disappointed. But then she felt something at her back, and she turned to see him standing there behind her, dressed already and munching on an apple which apparently served as breakfast.
"Good morning," he greeted her in a friendly tone, which threw her off guard. Apparently he wasn't too concerned that he had woken up alone this morning.
"Good morning," she replied in kind as she walked inside her room, hearing him follow behind her judging from the crunching sound of him eating the apple.
"Our absence was noticed last night," he commented as she stopped to gather the dress from where it had been carelessly thrown on the floor. When she straightened up, he moved his hand up into her hair to brush the wet weight of it aside and lightly kiss the back of her neck.
She inhaled a sharp breath as the touch of his lips sent a jolt clear down to her toes, weakening her knees and threatening to tear down her hard fought resolve. But that was the problem with him, since when she was away from him her thoughts were clearer than when he was near her. His arm snaked around her waist and pulled her up against him, nuzzling where he had kissed.
"I also noticed your absence from my side this morning," he continued. "I was disappointed but expected it." She turned around to face him, surprise shining in their depths as he knew they would. He knew very well what she would be thinking after what had happened between them, and he wasn't going to delude himself into thinking that it had meant the beginning of anything between them. Although he would more than happily take her into his heart and life...if she would have it. But he knew that she needed her space and time to think, and that it would do him no good to force her into something she believed she wasn't ready for. He had never believed that he could possess such patience, but for her he knew he could do anything if it meant having her with him in the end.
She was just as shocked at the turn of events. She had expected him to act all possessive as a result of their lovemaking, but instead he showed her how much he knew her to give her some room to herself. And because of that she knew she could tell him anything. "Last night was a little...unexpected," she explained.
A smile teased at the corner of his mouth. "But satisfying?" he questioned.
She couldn't stop the blush that rose to her cheeks. "Yes, it was," she replied. "So long as you know now that it won't be happening again...or at least any time soon," she amended once she saw the undisguised hunger in his eyes for her, which caused an answering rush of desire for him deep inside of her. Against her better judgement, she seized his face in her hands and pulled him down for a hungry kiss full of fiery passion and longing, ending it as soon as it had begun and laying her forehead against his chest. Both of them were breathing heavily as a result, and she could still taste his apple-flavored kiss on her lips afterwards as she pulled away to look up at him. How could anybody cause this much disturbance within her as to drive her to go against her own will and abandon all good reason just for a taste of his lips or a touch of his hand? Was she crazy?
Or was she just in love?
No, she couldn't be. She wouldn't fall for him, for if she did she would only be bringing more heartache upon herself when the time came for her to tell him the truth of who she was. She felt his warm hand upon her cheek, and she closed her eyes as she laid her own atop his, opening them again soon after. "Why does everything have to be so difficult?" she whispered.
"Nothing does," he replied. "It's only difficult if you make it that way," he reasoned, having seen the war she fought within herself and wondering what she was holding back. He sensed it every time she touched him and saw it in her eyes constantly, but it was up to her to tell him when she was ready. The only question was when would she be ready?
She smiled at his words. "Wise words," she said. "I know I only have myself to blame, and I know you must have a thousand questions as to why I'm holding back so." She looked deep into his eyes, resisting the urge to kiss him all over again. "All I ask of you is some time and patience."
He gazed at her for a moment. "What are you afraid of?" he asked. "If you are afraid of being hurt, I assure you that will not happen."
"No, it's not that," she assured him.
"Then what is it?" he pressed her, knowing it was dangerous to do so but needing to know anyway.
"Boromir, please," she pleaded. "I cannot tell you everything right now."
"You are waiting for something," he observed. "What is wrong with telling me now? What difference will it make to wait later?"
She was torn between telling him right then and waiting. What difference would it make? And how could she answer him when she didn't even know herself the answer to the question? "I need to wait until I know you can accept me for who I am instead of what I am," she replied softly. "When I know that you will feel the same way no matter what happens, whatever it is you feel for me."
Looking deep into her green eyes, he stepped even closer to her and took her face in his hands to kiss her lips softly, a slight brushing of warm skin that had her wanting more and fighting it at the same time every step of the way. "I have known what is deep inside my heart ever since I first held you in the Houses of Healing," he said. "And ever since then it has only grown stronger, especially after what we shared last night. I want you in my life, Elena, for however long that may be for without you it means nothing. For as long as I can remember, I have devoted my life to Gondor, but as soon as I looked into your eyes I knew that my life belonged to someone else for a change. I love you, and that is something that will never change for as long as I draw breath."
Tears filled her eyes, both at his admission of his love for her and at the use of the name she had given him, although it was still her name if but a variation of her Elvish name. She had not known how deep his feelings went, and after his admission she suddenly realized that she felt the same about him as well. "I-I love you, too, Boromir," she whispered.
*******************
Aww, they finally admitted they love each other! How sweet! Now we'll see if she tells him who she really is. Thanks for reading! C-ya!
Enough with my complaints! Thanks for all the reviews, especially from all my loyal reviewers! You guys rock! Hope you enjoy this chapter! And if there are spacing problems, it's not my fault!
Rhovanion's Child by Shelly
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Rhiannon stirred slowly into wakefulness, becoming aware that the darkness of night had now become replaced by the light of the new day. She remembered with some alarm the events of the night before, and the fact that they both had fallen asleep shortly after in each other's arms. That was proof enough that last night had been very satisfying for the both of them, but now in the light of morning she began doubting the wisdom of giving in to her passions for the brave Captain.
She felt his warm presence at her back, his breathing even and puffing gently against her hair, and she suddenly wanted it to happen all over again but knew it couldn't. Last night had been a mistake between them, a mistake she wasn't going to make again if she could help it. Moving slowly, she eased herself from the bed and hurriedly gathered her traveling clothes, noticing that they had been cleaned and thanking whoever had did it. She left the room quietly and went to bathe, taking her time to gather her thoughts before she had to face him again with the realization between them of what they had both done last night.
There was no doubt in her mind that he was a very generous and skilled lover, and the thought caused a shiver to race through her even now. She wanted nothing more than to forget all her pretenses and tell him everything, but to do so after last night would be disasterous. He would never forgive her for lying to him, and she couldn't find fault with that as she would more than deserve his anger. But after that, would he see her any differently than he did now? Would he look upon her as the ranger he had always known her as or would he see her as someone who could be used to ascend to Gondor's throne?
If at all possible, it had to wait until they arrived at Imladris. There would she admit everything to him and bear the brunt of his anger. And there she would remain if he chose to return to Gondor without her, although she doubted he would. He would pressure her to return, reminding her of her responsibility to the people, but deep down she knew she couldn't return, not knowing that someone else held just as much claim as she did and would be more suited to it than she.
Deciding she had had enough of soaking for one day, she dried herself off and walked back to her room, relief flooding through her when she saw it was empty and strangely a little disappointed. But then she felt something at her back, and she turned to see him standing there behind her, dressed already and munching on an apple which apparently served as breakfast.
"Good morning," he greeted her in a friendly tone, which threw her off guard. Apparently he wasn't too concerned that he had woken up alone this morning.
"Good morning," she replied in kind as she walked inside her room, hearing him follow behind her judging from the crunching sound of him eating the apple.
"Our absence was noticed last night," he commented as she stopped to gather the dress from where it had been carelessly thrown on the floor. When she straightened up, he moved his hand up into her hair to brush the wet weight of it aside and lightly kiss the back of her neck.
She inhaled a sharp breath as the touch of his lips sent a jolt clear down to her toes, weakening her knees and threatening to tear down her hard fought resolve. But that was the problem with him, since when she was away from him her thoughts were clearer than when he was near her. His arm snaked around her waist and pulled her up against him, nuzzling where he had kissed.
"I also noticed your absence from my side this morning," he continued. "I was disappointed but expected it." She turned around to face him, surprise shining in their depths as he knew they would. He knew very well what she would be thinking after what had happened between them, and he wasn't going to delude himself into thinking that it had meant the beginning of anything between them. Although he would more than happily take her into his heart and life...if she would have it. But he knew that she needed her space and time to think, and that it would do him no good to force her into something she believed she wasn't ready for. He had never believed that he could possess such patience, but for her he knew he could do anything if it meant having her with him in the end.
She was just as shocked at the turn of events. She had expected him to act all possessive as a result of their lovemaking, but instead he showed her how much he knew her to give her some room to herself. And because of that she knew she could tell him anything. "Last night was a little...unexpected," she explained.
A smile teased at the corner of his mouth. "But satisfying?" he questioned.
She couldn't stop the blush that rose to her cheeks. "Yes, it was," she replied. "So long as you know now that it won't be happening again...or at least any time soon," she amended once she saw the undisguised hunger in his eyes for her, which caused an answering rush of desire for him deep inside of her. Against her better judgement, she seized his face in her hands and pulled him down for a hungry kiss full of fiery passion and longing, ending it as soon as it had begun and laying her forehead against his chest. Both of them were breathing heavily as a result, and she could still taste his apple-flavored kiss on her lips afterwards as she pulled away to look up at him. How could anybody cause this much disturbance within her as to drive her to go against her own will and abandon all good reason just for a taste of his lips or a touch of his hand? Was she crazy?
Or was she just in love?
No, she couldn't be. She wouldn't fall for him, for if she did she would only be bringing more heartache upon herself when the time came for her to tell him the truth of who she was. She felt his warm hand upon her cheek, and she closed her eyes as she laid her own atop his, opening them again soon after. "Why does everything have to be so difficult?" she whispered.
"Nothing does," he replied. "It's only difficult if you make it that way," he reasoned, having seen the war she fought within herself and wondering what she was holding back. He sensed it every time she touched him and saw it in her eyes constantly, but it was up to her to tell him when she was ready. The only question was when would she be ready?
She smiled at his words. "Wise words," she said. "I know I only have myself to blame, and I know you must have a thousand questions as to why I'm holding back so." She looked deep into his eyes, resisting the urge to kiss him all over again. "All I ask of you is some time and patience."
He gazed at her for a moment. "What are you afraid of?" he asked. "If you are afraid of being hurt, I assure you that will not happen."
"No, it's not that," she assured him.
"Then what is it?" he pressed her, knowing it was dangerous to do so but needing to know anyway.
"Boromir, please," she pleaded. "I cannot tell you everything right now."
"You are waiting for something," he observed. "What is wrong with telling me now? What difference will it make to wait later?"
She was torn between telling him right then and waiting. What difference would it make? And how could she answer him when she didn't even know herself the answer to the question? "I need to wait until I know you can accept me for who I am instead of what I am," she replied softly. "When I know that you will feel the same way no matter what happens, whatever it is you feel for me."
Looking deep into her green eyes, he stepped even closer to her and took her face in his hands to kiss her lips softly, a slight brushing of warm skin that had her wanting more and fighting it at the same time every step of the way. "I have known what is deep inside my heart ever since I first held you in the Houses of Healing," he said. "And ever since then it has only grown stronger, especially after what we shared last night. I want you in my life, Elena, for however long that may be for without you it means nothing. For as long as I can remember, I have devoted my life to Gondor, but as soon as I looked into your eyes I knew that my life belonged to someone else for a change. I love you, and that is something that will never change for as long as I draw breath."
Tears filled her eyes, both at his admission of his love for her and at the use of the name she had given him, although it was still her name if but a variation of her Elvish name. She had not known how deep his feelings went, and after his admission she suddenly realized that she felt the same about him as well. "I-I love you, too, Boromir," she whispered.
*******************
Aww, they finally admitted they love each other! How sweet! Now we'll see if she tells him who she really is. Thanks for reading! C-ya!