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Morning light warmed two figures wrapped together in bed. Dark hair entwined with light as Alanya slept deeply next to Haldir. He had woken some time ago, but was highly reluctant to move. The elf sighed, tightening his hold on the mage, who in turn stirred slightly and moved closer to him. She murmured something in her sleep that if Haldir had to guess sounded like "five more minutes." He smiled briefly, resting his head back on the pillow. He would let her rest considering that their night had ended in the early morning, Haldir thought somewhat smugly. The pair had retreated to the talan, where they spent a night of passion, Alanya finally collapsing into sleep in the deepest of the night. As his mind drifted back he began to seriously contemplate waking her. Maybe she wouldn't be all that tired, he thought hopefully.

The mage stirred again in her sleep, a sigh rising from the cocoon of blankets she had managed to ensconce herself in. Haldir considered it was a good thing he didn't get cold as she very definately had more then her fair share of them. He shifted slightly so that he was above her, and began to drop small kisses on her neck, working his way up to her ear. Alanya began to move, but had not woken up by the time his tongue traced the outer edges. His hand moved to brush over her breast and this brought forth a moan from the mage. Unable to resist, he leaned down and took the tip into his mouth, tasting her skin briefly before leaning up to kiss her again on the neck. As he raised his head from her neck he saw her eyes flutter open, blinking rapidly as she attempted to focus.

"Haldir…"

Her response was more of a plea, and he answered it by giving her a long and deep kiss, eliciting forth a whimper from the mage. When she attempted to bring her hands up to him he gently took her wrists in his hands, holding them above her to continue his mouth's exploration of her body unabated. Alanya twisted underneath him, straining against his hold, and he merely smiled, taking her breast once again into his mouth and running his tongue over its tip. She cried out in pleasure, the sound heating Haldir's blood. He released her hands to slide one beneath her and one into her hair, pulling her against him roughly. Her hands traced patterns over his strong back, running up to brush through his hair and over his ears, causing him to close his eyes with satisfaction. When her hands continued back down and found his almost painfully hard member, it was nearly his undoing.

He could stand tormenting her no longer and pushed deeply and quickly into her, leaving her gasping beneath him. The wet heat that surrounded him drove him near mad with the overload of sensation, and her moans did nothing to hinder that.

"My beauty," he managed to gasp out as he took her, each thrust sending an exquisite charge along his nerves. When she cried out and spasmed beneath him it was more then his overloaded senses could take, and he shuddered, finding his release with a force that left him breathless. He collapsed to the side, not wanting to smother her. Alanya lay tightly up against him, her chest heaving as she attempted to get air.

"I take that as a mark of satisfaction?" Haldir said after his breathing had somewhat returned to normal.

"Yes," Alanya replied smiling, leaning up to look at him. "Is this how you always wake your lovers?" Her blue eyes appeared deep and endless before him, causing Haldir to nearly become entranced at their depths.

"No, only the ones that occupy all my waking thoughts." Haldir said, propping himself on his elbows, leaning in to place a kiss on her lips. "Only the ones that can drive me mad with the slightest touch." He placed another kiss on her jaw line. "Only those that can enflame my senses beyond all distraction," he whispered softly, teeth closing on her earlobe.

"By all the gods Haldir," Alanya gasped out as she arched against him, "you'll kill me yet but I'll die happily if this is the way I'm going to go." Haldir laughed at her response, falling back next to her and pulling her on top of him, where he thought she looked particularly lovely, her eyes clouded with passion and her hair wild about her face and shoulders. He couldn't resist one last kiss as he pulled her mouth down to his, feeling her smile against him as they kissed. Afterwards, Alanya collapsed against him. "Haldir?"

"Mmmm?" There really is some merit to staying here all day, he mused. His eyes closed as he numbered out the possibilities.

"What you said last night…about me being in your life…did, did you mean it? It wasn't just the talk between lovers?" His eyes snapped back open at her hesitant tone, and he looked up to see her watching him carefully, her bottom lip between her teeth. Brief hurt at her not believing him melted away quickly under the hesitant but hopeful look in her eyes. Haldir took a moment to kiss her reassuringly before replying. He sat up and settled her against himself, holding her close.

"About such things I do not jest." He shifted and held hr face in his hands, gray eyes serious as they stared into blue. "In this time of gathering darkness, it is madness to think beyond the immediate future. You haunt my every waking moment, and my dreams. I care for you more then you realize, and yes, I find myself thinking beyond our immediate future." He looked away, heart in his throat as he realized exactly the terms he was thinking of. A gentle hand on his cheek brought him back to reality, and he smiled back at Alanya, threads of nervousness running uncharacteristically though him. "If we survive this, I fully intend to wed you, Lady Alanya," he said formally, hoping that she would not recoil away. The mage's eyes widened, but she said nothing immediately, only leaning into him to give him one soft kiss on the cheek.

"And if we survive this, I will say yes." She replied somberly but with joy in her eyes. Haldir nearly forgot to breath at this, as the only thing on his mind was holding Alanya like he never intended to let go. Indeed, the mage clung as fiercely to him as he did to her. He laughed softly, unable to believe his good fortune.

"You bring me joy, little mage. I will not let you go, ever." The mage in question smiled, holding onto him.

"And I won't let you go either, my warrior."

In the middle of the city, Galadriel sat in her garden. Mind lightly touching the two lovers, she smiled in satisfaction.

Alanya sat brushing her hair, humming a love song quietly. She had finally convinced Haldir that yes, she did want to get out of bed sometime today and no, she could not blow off her reading and scribing lessons with Celeborn without prior notice simply because Haldir was doing his level best to convince her otherwise. Although, if she admitted to herself the truth, the sight of Haldir in just a pair of loose sleeping pants, muscular shoulders and chest shown off to excellent advantage was almost enough to change her mind.

"Are you certain I cannot change your mind?" Haldir purred next to her ear, having come up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders and leaning down to drop one kiss on her bare shoulder. Alanya sighed regretfully, turning in his hold and kissing him briefly, laying her head on his shoulder.

"I would like nothing better, but I wouldn't want to just dismiss Lord Celeborn without notice." She smiled and gave him another kiss. "But, I will make it clear that I cannot linger as I usually might." One more kiss, this one lingering and warm, and she rose, pulling on her underdress and tunic. She neatly evaded Haldir's grasp and rose, heading to set the brush back down on the dresser. "If the all high and mighty Lord Haldir of Lorien can wait until this afternoon, this lowly mage will return to him in due time." She teased, watching him braid his hair.

"I think I can manage," Haldir said loftily. "Come find me on the practice fields, I'll be there."

Alanya nodded, moving towards the door She had made it only halfway across the room when a wave of vertigo hit her, along with a wave of power rushing over her, strong enough to cause her to cry out, dropping to her knees. Her awareness left her momentarily, returning to find herself lying on the floor, with her head in Haldir's lap.

"Alanya! Are you alright? What happened?" Haldir was clearly concerned at her sudden collapse. Alanya moved slightly, pain lancing through her head. She winced, not wanting to sit up.

"I think I'm fine," she managed to whisper, closing her eyes against the light, as it seemed to intensify the ache in her head. "I'm not sure what happened…" she trailed off, invoking tendrils of mage energy to survey the immediate area. Finding nothing wrong, she extended her senses farther.

She could sense something off in the distance, and shifted her search to focus her attention on the sense of power that had disturbed her so suddenly. Another wave of power crested over her, but this time she was ready and it washed up against her shields to flow around them and sink into the planes of energy that touched the material world. Sending a little more power to her shields, she sank more deeply into a seeking state, closing off her senses to everything but her search.

There…there it is…her magic whispered to her.

Echoing in her mind, there is was, a ring shining with power.

She opened her eyes to find Haldir had moved her to the bed. The elf sat above her, holding onto her hand, worry written on his face.

"The ring is here." she whispered. Haldir blanched, obviously stunned for a moment.

"I must inform Lady Galadriel, immediately." He said crisply once he had recovered from the shock. He rose, hastily pulling on a tunic, pulling his hair into a simple tail. He strode back to the side of the bed where she had not stirred from, head still aching. "I do not want you to move from that spot until I return, or I send someone to help you." He said sternly, leaving no room for argument.

"I won't," Alanya said somewhat faintly. "Go, I'm fine. I was surprised by the power of the ring so close, but I've shielded myself off from it. I'll be waiting here for you to get back." Haldir turned and left without a further word, disturbed beyond mentioning. Alanya eased herself back in the pillows, her whole body feeling like it had been struck by lightening. She tried not to think of the upcoming turmoil that until now she had successfully kept at the back of her mind. Fear returned to lurk in the corners of her mind and tears pricked her eyes at the memory of nightmares of Haldir falling under the sword. She was standing at the edge of heaven with Haldir and many years of happiness, and was truly terrified at the possibility of loosing him.

I won't let that happen! She thought fiercely, throwing off the blankets Haldir had tucked around her. The world tilted briefly before she righted herself carefully. Slowly she moved to the door, heading down the steps to the forest floor beneath. She stopped at the base of the talan steps, wincing as the bright morning light stabbed into her brain like needles.

"Alanya?"

She opened her eyes to find Rumil standing before her looking concerned.

"Are you alright?" He moved to support her, and she gratefully leaned against him.

"I've got to get to Galadriel and Haldir. The ring of power is near Lorien." Rumil's eyes widened, and he said nothing, moving to lift her up into his arms.

"They should be in the Lady's garden," he said, ignoring her protests that she could walk. "Hush," he said in response o her protests. "We'll get there quicker then if you walked, my Lady. I would not have you hurt yourself, Haldir would have my head, or I'd be serving on the fences for the rest of my time in middle earth. Alanya left him alone after that, silently agreeing that Haldir would hurt Rumil if something happened to her. They drew many curious looks as they reached Galadriel's garden.

Once reaching that oasis of flowers, Rumil nodded to the sentries, striding past them, the sentries knowing Alanya had free access to Galadriel at any time, by the Lady's orders. Alanya saw Haldir standing, obviously ready to leave when he turned, seeing her in Rumil's supporting arms.

"What are you doing Alanya! You obviously should not be standing!" He exclaimed, anger in face as he took her from Rumil's arms.

"I can't sit idle when you plan, Haldir! I love you! I'm so scared of loosing you!" She burst out at him, and he stilled, looking down at her motionless. She turned red, looking down, remembering the presence of Rumil and Galadriel, the former standing there gaping, and the latter standing serenely and appearing untroubled. Risking a quick glance at Haldir from underneath her eyelashes, she saw the anger had left him as quick as it had appeared. He set her down on the ground leaning against a tree, and laid a hand on her cheek.

"I love you as well Alanya, I think more then you know. And if I had my choice I would never leave you. I go to bring the fellowship here to Caras Galadhon. Please, dear one, wait here in the city until I return." He smoothed a hand over the softness of her hair, sighing. "I will see you in a matter of days, love." He smiled faintly. "Please listen to Lady Galadriel when she tells you not to follow me to the border. Recover from the shock of the ring, and I will see you soon." He placed one chaste kiss on her forehead and left with a (for once) speechless Rumil. She watched him with a sinking heart as Galadriel came over and sat beside her, taking the mage into her arms. Alanya wept quietly, fearing the march of time that was hastening all of them towards inevitable conflict. The Lady of the Golden Wood was silent as she wiped tears from Alanya's face.

"I would have you spend these next few days with Celeborn and I in our talan. I would not have you b alone waiting for Haldir to return."

"I'm so scared all of a sudden," Alanya confessed.

"I know, penneth," Galadriel said, holding her tight. "You should rest now, for I can sense you are in pain yet.

"I don't know if I can," replied the still upset mage. She leaned her head back, lines of pain around her eyes.

"Would you like me to help put you asleep?" Galadriel asked soothingly. Alanya sniffed and nodded, taking a shuddering breath. "Then wait right here until I fetch Celeborn to take you to bed. You will not walk there yourself." Galadriel said sternly. To drained to argue, Alanya merely nodded. A few moments later Galadriel returned with Celeborn, the latter wearing a look of concern on his countenance.

"Here, put your arms about my shoulders, penneth." Celeborn said gently as he picked Alanya up and headed back to he and Galadriel's talan. Opening the door to a side room with his foot, he settled her onto the bed, brushing her hair out of her eyes and pulling a light blanket over her. "I would have you rest here for the day penneth. Myself or Galadriel will be here when you wake."

Alanya nodded her thanks as she could feel Galadriel's mind brushing her into languor and oblivion.

"Thank you Celeborn," she whispered. "I love you Celeborn, you and Galadriel," she said before falling into sleep. The silver lord sighed, brushing his hand over her cheek.

"We love you also penneth. Recover quickly, for you are needed." He leaned over and kissed her brow, withdrawing to close the door silently. Galadriel motioned for him to join her and he did so, joining her on the divan, laying his arms around his wife. "She should not be faced with going to Helm's Deep. Hat else have you seen in the mirror?" He sighed as his wife traced her fingers through the hair at his temples.

"It will be difficult," his wife confessed. "But together they have much strength. I believe she and her powers will turn the tide of that battle." Celeborn sighed, some of the tension draining out of him, but a core worry remained.

"None of us will know peace until this is done." Celeborn said quietly.

"No, but we will face the future together, we have always done." Galadriel responded, laying her head on her husband's shoulder. He responded by resting his chin on her head, his arms strong around his wife, as they had been for many centuries.

"As always." He agreed, closing his eyes. "As always."