Unafraid Of You
Ch.9 Two Promises Made:
Smiling, he led her out of the ballroom and through a few hallways to his bedroom. "I have something to give you."
"Why didn't you give it to me earlier?" Stephanie nervously stepped into his room. He closed the door behind her and kissed her passionately.
Elladan pulled away and smiled. "I don't wanted to make this a special moment, our own moment, not one where everyone else is involved. Just you. And just me."
Stephanie, now thoroughly confused, watched him pull a small wooden box out of his pocket. "What's going on?"
"This is something that I hope expresses how I feel about you. I give this to you with all of my heart. It's a promise from me to you," Elladan opened the box and handed it to her. Her face lit up and her eyes widened. Inside, embedded in blue velvet, was a silver mithril necklace, a crescent moon charm dangling on the chain. It had one solitaire diamond in the center.
Hands trembling, she stared at the gift. "It's gorgeous Elladan. I'm speechless!"
Elladan smiled at her. "Take it out of the box and read what it says on the back of the charm."
She gingerly removed the necklace from its bed of velvet and turned it so she could see the back of the charm. There, inscribed in elvish characters was a small endearment:
I promise to love you, all the days of my life.
Elladan
She couldn't help but laugh then throw her arms around his neck, kissing him with all the love she had for him. He kissed her back, eagerly, exploring her mouth and rubbing her back.
Stephanie pulled away and looked back down at the necklace. She clasped it around her neck, smiling brightly at Elladan. It was perfect. "I will never take it off."
"I love you, more than I think you know," Elladan laid his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes that stared back at him nervously.
Stephanie sighed. "This is so new to me."
"I won't hurt you Stephanie. I could never do that. I only want to bring you love, pleasure, and happiness," Elladan kissed her then, silencing anything that she had started to say. As the kiss got bolder, hands started to roam and passion began to rise.
She couldn't think at all. She couldn't process a single complete thought with him kissing her like he was and making her body hot with desire, a feeling that she had never known before.
Elladan laid her on the bed gently and kissed her. "I love you Stephanie. I want you to be only mine. I want to be the only one to make you feel this way."
Despite the rushing of her blood and the fast beating of her heart, Stephanie managed a small smile. "I love you too Elladan, now and forever."
The evening cast its magical glow on the two lovers, caressing their skin and enveloping them in a world of sheer bliss that couldn't be topped by anything else in the world.
"It's so beautiful out here. I don't think I've ever seen the likes of it before," Courtney smiled at Elrohir as he grabbed her hand and held it gently.
Elrohir kissed her hand and continued their walk through the garden. "I thought you might like it here. It was my mother's favorite garden. She always had a love for anything that could grow."
Courtney nodded her head and looked down at her feet. "My mom loved plants too. Every summer she would go above and beyond with the flowers that she planted in the flower beds. She loved them so."
"You say that so sadly," Elrohir watched her sad smile.
"I just miss her. She was always there for me and sometimes I miss that. But don't worry about me. I'll be fine,' She kissed his cheek and focused her gaze at the stars in the distance.
Elrohir lead her to a small patch of grass that was surrounded by rose bushes. "Let's just sit here and relax for a while. I'm quite content with sitting here all night with you."
She blushed then, as he pulled her down next to him on the soft green grass. Courtney smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close to his warm body. "Elrohir?"
"Hmm?"
"You aren't playing with me are you?"
Elrohir sat up in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Excuse me? Why would you ask such a thing?"
Courtney felt bad about spoiling the moment, but it had been weighing on her mind all night and she just had to know before she got too attached. "I just want to know that you aren't just fooling around. I've been through it once before and I refuse to go through it again. It broke my heart. I couldn't handle it if you were just leading me on."
"Courtney, look at me," Elrohir lifted her chin until her eyes came in contact with his. "I don't know what he did to break your heart and frighten you so. I don't know where we will be ten years from now. But I can tell you that I won't break your heart. I can tell you that my feelings for you are genuine and run deeper than you know."
She felt a small tear slide down he cheek and his thumb gently brushing it away. "But how can I be so sure?"
Elrohir smiled at her innocence. "Because I can prove my love for you. You'll know it if it's love, trust me."
"How will I know?" Courtney watched as he brought his face closer to hers.
"I will show you, meleth," Elrohir smiled against her lips, and then gently pressed them to hers, in a sweet chaste kiss. Courtney wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in closer, deepening the kiss. A soft warm glow wrapped around them, filling them with love from the inside out.
He pulled away and looked into her blue eyes, searching for anything uncertain. "Well? Now do you believe that I love you?"
Unable to speak what she meant, Courtney just nodded her head and pulled him in for another passion filled kiss. "What was that Elrohir? That light. It was so warm and fulfilling."
"I have only used it one other time. It's a gift that was given to me. Whenever I kiss a maiden, if the light shines and wraps around us, then it's true love. If not, then it wasn't meant to be," Elrohir pulled away and held her hands in his. "Don't you see? We were meant to be with each other. It's fate. There's no turning back now."
"Do you love me Elrohir?" She smiled at him, hoping against all hope that it was true.
Elrohir came in closer to her face once more. "I love you more than you know."
Erestor walked into Lord Elrond's study with a stack of diplomatic papers in his hands. He laid them on the desk then took a good look at his friend. "Elrond?"
"Good morning Erestor," Elrond looked up from the book he was reading and smiled at his counselor.
"You're all smiles this morning. What's going on?" He watched Elrond as he sat back in his chair and continued to smile. Erestor sat down across from his lord and friend.
Elrond propped his feet up on his desk. "I'm hoping to plan a wedding soon."
"What?! A wedding! That's wonderful! Which twin is it?" Erestor was on the edge of his seat. This was great! The twins needed to settle down. After all, Arwen had married Estel and now live in Gondor with him until his dieing day.
He couldn't help but smile broader at the grin on his friends face. "Elladan came to me early this morning asking me about proposing to Stephanie. He wants to wed her this spring and I don't think it'll be too long before Elrohir follows in his brothers' footsteps."
Erestor just stared. "Elrohir is seeing someone? Who? Why didn't I know about this?"
"Relax Erestor. You met Steph's friend Courtney right?"
"Yes, she's very charming, what about her?" Erestor followed Elrond out onto the balcony. It was sunny out and it was a rather pleasant day.
Elrond closed his eyes as the wind played with his hair. He opened them once again and looked at his advisor. "Elrohir has come to me saying that he wishes to eventually marry Courtney sometime this winter. He said he has yet to ask her, but he wanted to give me a heads up as to what was going on. Isn't it great mellon-nin! Two weddings all in one year! It's about time happiness found its way into the hearts of my sons."
Erestor laid a hand on Elrond's shoulder in comfort. "They will always miss her Elrond, as will you. But there is finally happiness here, so let's not ruin it with thoughts of lost loved ones. You will see her again someday Elrond. So live in the here and now, instead of in the past."
"I will Erestor and I thank you for your thoughtful wisdom," Elrond bowed his head then walked back inside. "With the coming of this happy news come the many preparations and invitations to send out."
"This I know. Um, Elrond?"
"Hmm?"
Erestor shifted from his left foot to his right. "There was a letter sent today from Galadriel."
Elrond's head snapped up. "What? When? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"That's what I originally came here for but we got so caught up in the weddings and I couldn't bear to shorten that long lost happiness in you," Erestor looked down at the floor, hating the glare directed at him.
"Next time, please tell me when something important like that arrives okay?" Elrond smiled.
Erestor handed Elrond the letter, bowed, and left the room to leave the Lord of Rivendell to read the letter in peace.
"Courtney! Oh my gosh! Guess what?" Stephanie could barely contain her excitement.
Courtney stared at her friend with a smile. "What? What's got you so bouncy today?"
Stephanie stood up straight and smiled back. "What's different about me?"
"What?" Courtney rolled her eyes. "I really don't want to play a game Steph."
"I'm serious. There's something on me that was never there before. Look real hard," she smiled impishly, her hazel eyes sparkling.
Looking at her friends clothes, she could see nothing out of the ordinary: Jeans, a red camisole with a white fitted sweater over it, and tennis shoes. "I still don't see anything."
Stephanie rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Are you serious? Are you blind or what? Look!" She lifted her chin to the necklace sparkled in the sunlight. "What do you think?"
"Oh my lord Steph! It's gorgeous! Where did you get it?"
"You have got to be the most dense person I know. Where do you think I got it, from a gnome?" Stephanie watched her friend regard her with a sarcastic smile.
Courtney sighed and tried to smile politely. "Elladan gave it to you? What for?"
Stephanie smiled a little nervously. "Well, he gave it to me as a promise. I think he might propose to me eventually Court. Isn't that wonderful?"
"Oh really? That's great Steph. I'm happy for you," She hugged Stephanie briefly and pulled away. "Well, I have to get going. I have to meet Elrohir by the stables. We're going for a ride today."
"Are you sure you're happy for me? You don't seem as happy as I hoped you would be," Stephanie frowned as her friend tried to mask her feelings.
Courtney tried a small laugh. "Don't mind me Steph. I didn't get much sleep last night and I'm just tired."
Stephanie didn't believe it but she smiled and shrugged it off. "If you say so. I'll talk to you later at lunch then?"
"Of course," She smiled at Steph one last time before turning and walking away, small tears falling down her pale pink cheeks.
Stephanie watched her friend go, wondering at her odd behavior. Why wasn't Courtney happier for her? What was she hiding that seemed to upset her so much. Shrugging her shoulders to herself, Steph made her way to her bedroom. She needed to lie down and seriously think about what she did and did not want out of her life.