Sorry this has been a few days, I've been back at school (suffering!). I hope it won't be too long before I put the next chapter up, so please keep on enjoying this: )

Chapter 7 – Arwen's Second Dream

It was early that night when Arwen crept into bed, but she was sleepy and had been thinking much about her meeting with Aragorn that afternoon. She could not help but keep on seeing his handsome face among the flurry of pink petals he had blown to her. She did not understand why this was happening but she did not mind. She was very happy.

In a soft breath she blew out the candle and slid down under the bed covers. Sighing pleasantly she closed her eyes and fell into darkness. And almost immediately she fell into a dream…

At first Arwen could see nothing, but then the black cover pulled back. Around her birds were chirping like whistle-pipes and canary-yellow sunlight of a stifling hot afternoon was bearing down upon the valley of Imladris. She recognised the grove in which she walked, alongside the river, winding lazily through the gardens. Towering apple trees spread their branches over her and down to the grassy banks, where many elves had flocked to catch the last chance of summer for the year.

She could hear the voices of her people enjoying themselves by the river, yet she was not inclined to join them. Hidden between the crinkled trunks she wandered by, gazing at the swirling eddies lapping at the mossy-carpeted land. The amazingly rich sky was near turning purple, and reflected down on the water so that it shone blue as if from within. The air was peaceful, but very warm and almost oppressive, for there was no faint breeze to stir the heavy air.

But then she caught a faint hiss of her name.

"Arwen!"

She looked hurriedly about but no one was there. She swivelled round fast but behind her the grove was empty; everyone was by the river. Then as her hopes plummeted unhappily she heard the whisper again: "Arwen!" so much like the sound of an insect that she could have easily missed it.

A silvery rope slithered down and hovered in the air just in front of her eyes. She was filled with surprise, and in joyful interest she craned her neck upwards to a massive apple tree laden heavily with pink fruit. Balancing amongst the thick branches was Aragorn. She broke out into a smile but before she could say anything to express her happiness he put a finger to his lips and motioned for her to be silent.

Then he indicated to the rope which he tied momentarily round a tree limb. She looked round cautiously, where the elves had no knowledge of her being there, and then took the rope in her hands. Within a few seconds Arwen had scaled the tree trunk, barely needing the rope, her feet hopping up the bark as if it was a firm stone stairway.

When she had nestled down in the hollow of the branches she watched Aragorn quickly retrieve the rope, and as he coiled it, it slid down as smooth as liquid. He turned to look at her, and she smiled. He sat down close by and they both peered down between the pale leaves.

"Nobody knows we are here," Aragorn whispered into her pointed ear as he followed her eyes. Indeed they did not, for Arwen saw elves laughing on the lawn running alongside the river, and elves swimming and splashing, and having tea and talking in the shade under the very trees a few metres away; but all were completely unaware of them.

She swivelled her eyes over to Aragorn, and he smiled slyly. She giggled and he stroked her hair back over her shoulder, sneaking an almost hopeful glance at her fair face and delicate lips.

His gaze became diverted and Arwen looked with him curiously down between the leaves and sun-golden apples. There was walking a couple, two elves with long blonde hair, and the man was whispering quietly to her. Arwen felt as if she should not be watching, but she had the unappeasable urge to do so. The maiden smiled and turned, her fingers interlocked with his. She muttered something back, and then the elf leant in to kiss her.

They were still like this for a short moment, frozen in time, and when they parted their faces were alight and Arwen recognised the gentle smiles of love. The elf wrapped his arm around her waist and they slowly walked away, to the trees out of sight of the large riverside groups. Seemingly unseen by nobody.

Arwen sighed wistfully, the heartfelt wish to be that close to someone. She knew who… but what was the chance? She drew back and turned to the young man beside her. To her surprise Aragorn had his eyes fixed upon her, but as soon as she looked at him he glanced away almost as if he was scared of her seeing this.

"Estel?" she whispered. He turned to her and lifted up his eyes shyly.

"Tancave?" (Yes?) he replied quietly, with a smile. Arwen said nothing, but in a meaningful reply she smiled lovingly at him, and a strange understanding passing between their softly sparkling eyes.

They lasted like this for a while, until a cluster of young girls ambled past under their tree, laughing loudly and chatting about the younger men in elvish. The moment was broken but the atmosphere certainly was not. Eyeing them Aragorn leant back and Arwen saw him take two rosy apples in his hands. He gave one to her and raised up his eyes. She laughed as she took the apple and she clearly gave him pleasure to see her so happy.

Arwen was astounded to see how bright and colourful the pink apple was, and all the hundreds hanging around her. Watching Aragorn start to munch his, she took a bite too. She wondered whether he had done something to it, for it tasted unbelievably delicious. The fruit was full of sweet juice, and it teased her taste-buds nicely. An appealing scent filled the air and the apple was most definitely the yummiest she had ever eaten.

That was saying something. She had eaten many magnificent feasts in her elven-long life, and being like a princess, the daughter of Elrond, she only ate the best. And Aragorn clearly saw this while he consumed his own, his eyes darting upwards over the glowing apple in his hand.

But, although Arwen knew he was watching her, and she could hardly contain her excitement, she suddenly saw him watch her far more intently as she licked the sticky juice from her lips. She smiled seductively, stringing up his delighted emotions, even though it felt so funny while her red lips were all syrupy.

"Tiro…" (Look…) he whispered to her, pointing down below for the third time. Right underneath them, on the opposite side of the apple tree to that which Arwen had climbed, her father Elrond was walking. When he passed directly below their snuggled bodies he stopped in his tracks and paused, looking around him as if he sensed their presence.

Immediately Arwen broke out into a fit of helpless giggles and had much difficulty in suppressing them. Grinning Aragorn hushed her to be quiet, but it made only her laugh even harder, and the excitement of almost being found together was drilling through her veins. Within seconds Aragorn too had been infected with the exhilaration and was suffering from bubbling laughter sprouting up from inside him.

Tears lit up her eyes and she could not believe how much she loved this moment, and the sense suddenly increased when for some reason Aragorn took her sticky hands tenderly into his. Huddling close to each other and shaking with nerves and ecstasy they watched Elrond below, the tension flying up as he looked around with narrow eyes. All he had to do was look exactly up wards and they would be found, sitting in each others arms amongst the branches…

With an enlarged frown Elrond finally gave up in a huff and started to walk off again. Arwen let out a huge sigh of relief and Aragorn grinned, edging so near to her that their clothes were brushing against each others'. She felt herself falling in love with the sparkles in his eyes, from the obvious attraction he was overcome with when he watched her smiling so happily.

A few locks of his dark hair slipped in front of his eyes, and smiling Arwen lightly touched his skin to wipe them away. As she did so, her touch seemed to have an unusual effect upon Aragorn, and his lips parted in a hot breath, his eyes dancing and his body trembling; and in the end Aragorn nearly fell out of the tree.

To apparently steady himself he placed one hand on the bough behind her head, but he was then therefore naturally forced to lean in. Arwen could not help but gaze while she could at all the wonderful features of his stunningly handsome face, so incredibly detailed and luscious at this blissful proximity. It merely made her want to be even closer and she yearned so desperately that she was trembling to lie in his embrace so affectionate that it always managed to envelop her utterly and make her succumb to his touch.

Just as the force of desire weighting down on her became so unbearable she noticed in stolen breath that his grey eyes too were dancing upon her face. When he found that she had seen this he smiled kindly and whispered "shhh…" He held her eyes and sent her heart soaring up to paradise as he brought the down most gorgeous kiss to her tender lips. His warm manly scent washed over her and the gentle sensation of his lips made her soul shiver within.

Arwen found herself in heaven from the intensity of the kiss, and the more she kissed him, the more she felt that this was so right, and the more she loved him (if that was possible). He seemed to reach far inside her, to touch her where nobody else had, and to be able to steal her heart like no one could ever do. When he gently massaged her lips as he made to move away, she felt him lick them, as if craving her sweet taste of heaven.

She let out a breathless moan as he leant back, but he smiled softly and whispered to her again "shhh…" Everything seemed to fade, to become locked behind a haze.

She felt him stroking her cheek and gazing into her eyes, and then he turned away. He cast down the rope and, plunging one more apple into his pocket, slid down to the ground. Arwen weakly moved forwards onto her knees, and then elegantly swooped down after him. He caught her in his arms and she looked up dreamily to his loving eyes. Gently he eased her to her feet and then took her hand. They began to walk away, every single thing now becoming obscure and indiscernible; yet as all her vision finally melted away, she heard Aragorn's voice one last time in her ear.

"Shhh…"