Aragorn climbed quietly out of bed, trying not to disturb his sleeping wife. He found the small black box and silver key she had collected, then went back to sit next to her, placing them on the matress behind him. Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss to her lips as she began to wake up.
"What time is it?" Arwen asked through a yawn, eyes adjusting to the dim light. The candles had burned low and the sky outside was deep crimson, so she guessed they must have been asleep for about an hour or so.
"About five o'clock," her husband replied, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
She smiled and traced her fingers idly across his bare chest. "That was incredible," she murmured, watching him through long eyelashes. It was obvious what she was referring to.
"You deserved it." Aragorn grinned and leant forward capture her lips in an affectionate kiss, sparking a torrent of memories through her mind and body. He had made her feel so beautiful before, as though she was the only person in the whole of Arda; he had cherished every part of her, craved her with fervour and passion like she was the very air he breathed, and loved her so thoroughly that she knew she would never quite be the same again.
She moaned into his mouth as he drew her against his body, brushing his tongue over hers, caressing the sensitive tip of her ear with his thumb as his hand combed through her raven hair. Their kiss deepened after Arwen momentarily broke it, nuzzled her nose against his, met his eyes, then his lips once again, her shoulders tensing as his hands moved down her bare arms, making her shiver.
Several long minutes later Aragorn reluctantly pulled away, knowing they had to start getting ready, otherwise they would be late for the ball. He pressed a few lingering kisses to her sweet lips before moving back as his wife sighed contentedly, her cheeks slightly pink.
"Did I deserve that as well?" She asked, smiling cheekily.
He shook his head, laughing softly as he reached behind him to pick up the box and key. "That was free," he told her, "But the next one you'll have to earn."
"And how do I do that?" She was beginning to get at his resolve, and however much he liked it, he was determined not to let her.
"I can think of some ways," he said, kissing her nose.
She raised her eyebrows, sliding her hand behind his neck to prevent him moving away. "Which are?"
Smiling, he took her hand and, kissing it, laid it on the bed. "Ask me later."
She was about to retaliate when she noticed he was hiding something behind his back. However as he saw she had realised, he just moved them further down the bed, beyond her feet so she couldn't see.
Arwen frowned, a look that made her seem even more beautiful than usual, if that were possible. "What have you got there?" She searched his gaze for any hint of what he was up to, but found nothing, only a smile.
Curiosity got the better of her and she started to grin as she reached towards him, still locked in his eyes, unable to escape. Suddenly he took hold of her wrist and leaned forward, forcing her back onto the mattress. Before she could speak he had straddled her waist, effectively pinning her down, and begun to tickle her. Her screams of laughter filled the room, echoing the cries of their earlier love making, as his strong fingers moved across her abdomen and sides.
His wife's laughter was proving extremely infectious, and Aragorn found himself falling headfirst into her hysterical ambience, laughing with her simply because he loved to see her so happy, so radiant.
"Estel..." She breathed, trying in vain to escape his torturous fingers. "Stop... Please..."
In response he just continued to tickle her, and only when she was pleading once again did he stop briefly. "Please melethron," she whispered, breathing heavily, her eyes alight. She took his hand and used it to pull him down towards her, nuzzling into his neck, planting kisses along his shoulder. "Please stop..." Her voice was no more than a murmur against his throat, and it sent a shiver coarsing down his spine.
He sighed, feigning resignation, and moved back to look at her. There was a long moment of silence, broken only by Arwen's deep breathing, before her husband ran his fingers across her stomach one final time, feeling her move her hips sharply against his in anticipation of the torment that didn't come.
Relief spread across her beautiful face, and she hit him lightly on the arm, shaking her head. "You are a cruel man, Elessar!"
He grinned and snaked his hand up the side of her neck, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "I know." The distance between them was decreasing rapidly, but in the split second before their lips met he pulled back, suddenly moving to kneel on the floor.
Arwen would have been slightly annoyed if not for the heart-melting smile on his face. He reached across the quilt and took the small box she realised he had been holding earlier - the same one she had picked up from the garden. "Estel?" Her confusion was quickly being replaced by excitement and she eased herself up so she was half-sitting, her face level with his.
"Give me your hand," he said softly, and she assented without a word. He kissed her wrist, then her fingertips, before pressing the silver key into the plam of her hand. He held out the black box but somehow she knew not to take it; not yet.
"Arwen, meleth-nîn," he began, his eyes drawing her in ever deeped, until that fatal moment when she knew she was looking into his soul. "I know at our wedding we had an Elven ceremony, and it was perfect, but one of the traditions of Men is the exchange of rings." His hand was still holding the key against hers and he guided them over to the black box, unable to lose the touch of her skin against his. He found she was trembling, and it made him smile slightly.
"I know I say this a lot, but you are the most beautiful wife and lover, and I look forawrd to spending the rest of my life waking next to you each morning." His voice was low as he fought to control his emotions, and when he reached up to cup her cheek she saw he was shaking too. She took her cue to fit the key into the lock, but as it clicked she froze, unable to open it because she knew that whatever was inside would make her cry.
"I love everything about you: when you're always right, and how gorgeous you look when you first wake up and your hair is a mess; I love the freckles on your chest, the smell of your damp skin after a hot bath, the way you kiss the side of my neck when we make love."
He gently lifted the lid of the box, hearing her gasp when she saw the mithril ring. "I love you Arwen Undómiel," he said quietly as she took the ring and turned it over, hardly daring to believe that such a simple band could be so beautiful. Around the inside, almost invisible, was an Elvish inscription. As she read it her husband recited the words. "Undómiel-nîn, im meleth lle. Rain nin illumë, Estellya."
My Evenstar, I love you. Smile for me always, your Estel.
And as the first tear escaped her sapphire eyes, he took the ring and slipped it onto her finger, sealing it with a kiss. When his gaze found hers again he smiled with so much love that she let out a small sob and threw her arms around his neck, burying her head in his shoulder as she fought the battle between laughing and crying.
"I can't believe this," she whispered as he brushed the tears from her eyes, holding her close. "I can't believe you." She met his mouth in a series of passionate kisses, pausing between each to whisper, "Thank you."
Aragorn kissed her one last time before leaving her with a smile to find the nightgown, which had been carelessly thrown to the floor earlier. He helped her to her feet, then slipped it over her head.
"What's the rush?" She asked, taking his hands and placing them on her hips. When she reached up to touch his cheek, they both saw her ring and grinned. It looked like it belonged.
"The ball begins in just under an hour, and we have a visitor due to arrive in a few minutes' time."
"Who?"
He smiled. "You'll see."
She looked at him for a moment before realising she wasn't about to get an answer. Her eyes flicked to her ring again, and she turned it round on her finger. "Estel?"
"Yes?" He pressed his forehead against hers.
"Why did you do all this? I mean, the mystery trail, the bath, the dresses, the ring?" She shook her head slightly. "Not that I'm ungrateful, I just... Was it honestly nothing to do with what I said last night?"
Aragorn smiled despite himself and began to dance slowly with her, moving her round in slow circles, their bodies as close as possible. "Maybe." He leant forward to whisper in her ear. "But the simple truth is, you're my wife and I love to spoil you." He looked at her again, his mouth almost touching hers as he spoke. "I love you."
And then he kissed her.
And it's back! Plus more good news, chapter 7 is half written too, so I'll post that probably at the end of the week!
(Sunshine you were right, my inspiraton did suddenly come back!)
Thank you everyone who reviewed! I would say it individually but it's about 11pm and I'm going to bed now!
I would just like to take this oppurtunity to rant about 2 things. Firstly, the new rating system - how ridiculous! What's the point of changing it?
Secondly, I feel like everyone's deserted fanfiction. I'm not sure why, but there doesn't seem to be anybody out there anymore. So if you are there, please review just to reassure me that my stories aren't for nothing...
(One final thing, ArwenFairTinuviel I emailed you at the address on your profile: I don't know if you got it, so could you check, just incase I'm emailing some randomner! Thank you!)