Prompt: Imagine Aragorn's surprise when you tell him how much you love him in his first language, Elvish

Being a Ranger of the North did have many advantages over remaining in the lonely, isolated village which you were born in; the variety of people that you met was one, the chance to explore the far edges of the world - to smell the air of the lost forgotten kingdoms, to visit the ruins left behind by the harsh knife of time. The third, was the ability to delve into the languages of the hidden races, those that Men seldom came into contact with.

For you, the desire to learn a new language was great, you loved the idea of learning something new; unfortunately, you were very competent at learning the language spoken by the Elves within the ranks of the Rangers- easily being able to understand what was being said, you just could pronounce the words properly.

It's not like you didn't try; you did. You were dedicated to learning how to say even the most simple things in Sindarin, it was just that you were unable to. Many of those who had volunteered to help teach you began enthusiastic that maybe this time you'd be able to say something - and each time they were left disappointed.

Eventually, you focused on just living, being able to understand and write the language was good enough for you - it was more that what you started with. Many thought you were perfectly fine with your predicament, but one, the Ranger you were closest to, knew otherwise. Your dearest friend, and recently, your lover, Aragorn, had volunteered to help teach you; given that for almost eighteen years he had grown up around Elves, you new you could have no better teacher.

For both of you, it was something to do while waiting for prey, or to simply fill the silence while travelling from location to location. But as he began to teach you more, there was one main phrase that you wished to learn. While you were lovers, neither of you had said those three, important words to one another yet.

And you wanted to be the first. But you wanted to say it in the language he was teaching you.

Months passed, and eventually the pair of you would no longer be able to travel together; with Aragorn going to Mordor, you would be roaming the wilds still, doing what you did best. There was still a month between when you heard the news, and his departure, so you knew you had to be quick in saying what you wanted to say.

And that's where you were now, sitting with him in the gardens of Rivendell, watching the sun rise and just talking about anything.

Aragorn's arm was around your waist, and you leaned into him, head resting upon his shoulder, both of you fully content with how you were.

"[Y/N]" he muttered, grabbing your attention. You moved your gaze from the swaying trees outside and looked up at him.

"Hmmm?" you responded, letting him know he could say whatever was going to say.

He looked down at you for a moment, at the way the first rays of golden light from the sun caught in your hair and made it as if the light magnified your beauty. Aragorn couldn't help himself and smiled down at you. He felt unbelievably lucky to have you, knowing that, with the rangers becoming fewer and fewer in number each year, he might have missed his chance of happiness. The happiness he found in you.

You both stayed like that for a while, you thinking along the same lines as him, and you were perhaps, more grateful for the chance of love with him that the Valar had given you. And you knew, that while the quest to destroy the Ring may fail, you had to let him know now that you loved him.

"Le melin" you muttered, a soft smile embracing your features as surprise and admiration embraced his.

"It was definitely worth the wait to hear you say that." Aragorn replies, his hand coming up to cup your cheek gently, before leaning forward and pressing his lips to yours.

"A le melin." he responds a moment later, when the pair of you have parted, and had your forehead leaning against his.