wow I'm back!! Sorry I got distracted writing Starry Starry Night (If you haven't read it go now, its A/A fluff-a-licious! ;)) anyway....

disclaimer: nope, still not mine... yet!

dedication: My lil' fuzzy oiseau (hehe!) Sunshine.... :D and hello Valia Elf, sorry I disappeared from msn the other night, my grandma's staying and shes quite ill so we had to phone the doctors/hospital etc. :

ok I was going to make this chappie longer but I thought I should post something so here it is!

Truth Nor Dare

They dismounted just outside the main gates, where the unusually large number of children were playing. They wound their way through and Aragorn handed Brego's reins to one of the guards at the gate.

"Pleasant afternoon, Sire?" He asked, noticing the queen's slightly dishevelled appearance, her wet hair and creased dress giving their game away immediately.

"Thank you, it was.... interesting." He grinned at his wife and wrapped an arm round her waist. "I never knew a jar of honey could open so many doors!" Arwen felt her cheeks reddening, but she smiled at the memory.

As the royal couple passed on their way back to the palace, the guard swore he saw King Elessar wink at him. He shivered. There were some things you just didn't want to know about your monarchs.

Aragorn took his wife's hand and they strolled along the streets of their home. The air smelt clean and fresh, and there was hardly anyone about: all the women were engaged in the various tasks of spring cleaning, and the men had taken advantage and gone to the taverns, or on hunting trips.

They managed to make it back to their gardens without meeting a single soul, and frequently stopped on street corners for kisses and cuddles. When they reached the seclusion of the garden, Aragorn breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed onto the grass.

"What is it, melethron?" Arwen asked, sitting by him and laying her head on his chest.

He smiled and took her hand, pressing his palm to hers as if comparing sizes, then lacing their fingers together. "I was certain we were going to be stopped by one of the bloody nobles and questionned about our somewhat lengthy absence. I couldn't face that now, I just want to be with you." He yawned suddenly. "My b-beautiful w-wife."

Arwen laughed, which turned into a yawn. "Why is yawning con- contagious?" She yawned again.

Aragorn followed her lead. "I- I don't know," he managed, before another yawn escaped his lips. "Must be something to do with all the... exercise we've had today."

Arwen laughed at his terminology. "Exercise... yes, that's one way of describing it. Maybe we can use that next time one of the children walks in on us. Remember that time Eldarion-?"

"Oh yes, I remember all too well!" Aragorn groaned at the mere mention of this particular incident.

:::Flashback:::

It was mid-December, and Gondor was in the middle of a raging snowstorm. All outgoing envoys had been abandoned, and outside the temperature was well below freezing.

Inside was almost as bad. The royal family, not being able to do anything else, spent their days inside the palace, where it was a couple of degrees warmer than everywhere else, but still bitterly cold. There were only two things that kept the king and queen warm: hot baths and making love. And having almost run the city out of hot water, the former was not on the menu that particular night, so they had to settle for the latter. Which of course was not a problem.

"Are the children asleep?" Arwen asked, her breath misting before her eyes. She was wrapped up in furs on the bed, just managing to stay warm.

Aragorn smiled and extinguished all the candles in the room except for the two either side of the bed. Without removing his clothes - it was far too cold - he climbed into bed next to his wife and said, "Eldarion's reading to himself and the girls are fast asleep."

He moved closer to her, into the warm side of the bed and, despite how cold he was, she let him snuggle up to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cold nose, electing a small laugh from her.

"Now I know why I married you," he said, and she laughed again.

"And why is that?"

"Because you never throw me out into the cold. That's the mark of a good wife."

"I thought the mark of a good wife was one who bears your children, tidies up after you and basically attends to your every need!"

He sighed and said in mock depression, "Chance would be a fine thing."

Arwen hit him on the arm and moved away from him, feigning hurt. "I thought you loved me," she said quietly, pretending to cry.

"Ah Tinúviel, but I do." He leaned over and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips, deepening it when she began to respond. Her tongue met his with a subtle urgency, and she didn't even feel the chill of his cold hands on her body, so hot was the flame that burned deep within her.

Arwen's hands struggled with the layers of clothing her husband was wearing, unfasting shirts and tunics to find yet more underneath. "How many- ?" She breathed, looking into his twinkling eyes.

He grinned. "It's bloody cold out there!" He kissed her again, trying to divert her attention back to the matter at hand, which was that he desperately wanted to make love to her. He succeeded, and she moaned into his mouth when his hands expertly unlaced her silk slip and slid it from her shoulder, revealing the pale skin aching to be kissed.

When Arwen's hands eventually found the hard planes of her husband's chest, he sat up and shrugged the six layers of clothing off, quickly diving back under the covers as the cold air touched his bare skin. Arwen followed him into the warm darkness and slid closer, knowing him so well to find his lips and kiss them passionately.

The air was stifling Aragorn, not just because it was so hot, but because of the close proximity of his wife, and the way she was teasing him with kisses but refusing to let him go further. Everytime he tried he could sense her smiling as she moved ever so subtly away, still kissing him, still driving him insane.

"Arwen- " He groaned and turned over, pinning her down with his body. He sensed her looking at him, and could feel the heat in her gaze as it scorched his very soul. She moaned as he kissed her forcefully with ever-growing passion, letting her know just who was boss at that she would do what he wanted, when he wanted.

It would have worked, had it not been for the little voice that at that very moment decided to say, "Nana, Ada, I had a bad dream. Can I sleep in your bed tonight?"

Aragorn froze and Arwen had to suppress a laugh, though she was glad it was dark and her husband couldn't see the crimson that had crept into her cheeks. He looked at her as the bed began to shake, and realised she was giggling.

"Arwen, shut up," he hissed, as if by being quiet Eldarion would think they were asleep and go away. No such luck there.

"Nana? I'm scared of the monster, please let me get in with you."

Before his parents had time to respond, the covers were whipped back by a small hand to reveal a sight that no child should ever see, though fortunately the prince was too young to realise what was going on.

Eldarion stood still, looking from his Nana who was laughing with her hand over her mouth, to his Ada who was either very embarassed or very annoyed. Or both.

"Ada, what are you doing? Why are you sat on Nana like that?"

If the situation hadn't been so dangerous Aragorn would have laughed, though he was close to it now, and Arwen wasn't helping matters. He rolled off her and pulled the covers from his son, covering himself and his wife. "How many times do I have to tell you?" He said as Eldarion climbed into bed between his parents. "You knock before entering a room!"

The little boy looked defiant. "I did! But you didn't hear me and I thought you were asleep but I was scared and I was going to wake you up but then you were awake and-" He stopped for breath and Arwen took over.

"Yes Estel," she said, pulling her son into her arms and looking at her husband in mock accusation. "How was he supposed to know if we were asleep or not? It's okay my darling," she added to Eldarion, stroking his hair as he closed his eyes. "There are no monsters here." She grinned at her husband. "Well, there's one, but I can deal with him."

Aragorn raised his eyebrows to show he didn't approve of her little joke, but when she leaned over and kissed him he softened and soon began to laugh.

"I envy our son," he said, observing his heir as he lay fast asleep, sucking his thumb.

"Why is that?" Arwen asked, settling back down under the covers.

"He can sleep and forget about everything by the next morning. I'll have to live with this embarassment for the rest of my life!"

:::End Flashback:::

"And have you?" Arwen asked, grinning at the memory.

"Have I what?" Aragorn was forced to smile despite himself.

"Lived with the embarassment ever since?"

He laughed and kissed her. "Something like that," he answered, lying back in the grass and closing his eyes.

Silence overcame them, and they were content in the comfort it offered. Aragorn allowed his mind to wander and, inevitably, stumbled on thoughts of the river and what had just happened. A sudden thought struck him.

"Arwen?"

"Hmm?" She sat up and looked at him, her ebony hair falling over his face. He reached up and tucked it behind her pointed ear, feeling her shudder as he brushed his fingers over the sensitive tip.

"Arwen, who's go is it?"

Cerridwen: nope, didn't ban the bears! whatever would we do without them?! glad you enjoyed it!!! ::hugs:: Topo XxX

ME132: wow thank you, I take it you enjoyed it then!! hope you get/got better quickly!! :)

luv24alias: more is here!!

lindahoyland: sweet is good, I do sweet!

Dark Borg Drone: aah now I get it! hanta le!

viviana: I took your advice from your SSN review and updated this!! hope you like it!

Strider's Girl: nope, plenty more to come!

ArwenElfstone: wait for the epilogue... I have a plan! thank you!!

FireOpal: sequel?? uh-oh.... what, like playing ME monopoly or something?! actually thats quite a good idea! and its all mine! copywrited as of now!! Hehehe! thank you!!

Valia-Elf: I love the word prettyful! its so... prettyful!! ::big hugz::