Kiera found the first few days in the mine and the village quite interesting. She and Celebrimbor worked the morning shift together, though he was stationed in the ore section of the mine. In the evenings, they would discuss the details she could remember, and Celebrimbor came up with notes in code. They used names from Harry Potter that Kiera had started using on her own, and he they had a good laugh at the brief descriptions of the characters she provided.
Together, they ended up writing over five pages of detailed notes with everything she could remembered. An additional thirty or so pages were brimming with hypothetical scenarios, a testament to Celebrimbor's uncanny ability to anticipate the actions of various lords during the impending fall, drawing upon his knowledge of the city's defensive strategies.
It was more than Kiera could have ever imagined, and she then also offered things from her world to consider. It took a while for her to remember and figure out how to describe certain things from her world, but they came up with the idea to discuss with Maeglin about implementing them. Celebrimbor was eager about the moat idea and having a drawbridge. Kiera was surprised to learn that no one had thought of that yet, and they both thought it a great addition. It would buy the soldiers and guards on the wall time to shoot down the enemy, while also stopping some of the climbing up the wall.
The drawbridge would also add a second layer of protection to the city gates. The enemy would have a harder time breaking down the doors, though they probably would eventually, as they had trolls and dragons. Nothing would stop them indefinitely, but they needed to buy enough time for people to escape and help diminish the army around the city.
Celebrimbor asked her numerous questions about defenses and building. She had to think back to her history class from her first years of college and some of her favorite shows. Although she couldn't offer much, she did suggest a lot of ideas and things that could be further worked out. She mentioned catapults, trebuchets, and ballistae, and sketched out the best that she could. They planned to discuss it with Maeglin and show him all of the drawings in the hopes he could figure the rest out and add them to the walls. Kiera also thought about other things from the history of her world and provided any useful information she could recall.
She told Celebrimbor about Greek fire and how it could remain lit even in water, but that her world never knew the formula. He said he would look into it, though he wasn't sure how useful it would be against the balrogs. Kiera also spent an evening discussing bombs and grenades, though she didn't know their composition or how they were made. It was added to the list for Maeglin, regardless as anything little bit helped.
After they had exhausted Kiera's brain for knowledge, Celebrimbor asked for her help writing to his family one evening. He had no idea what to say and asked if she would write to them first. He wanted to see how they would treat her, and that way, he wouldn't have to receive the letters directly but could still read them. Kiera agreed, and they worked on the first letter together, choosing Maedhros as the recipient since he was the eldest and could sway the rest.
Dear Maedhros,
We have never met before, but my name is Kiera. I am a mortal, but I live among the elves now. I wanted to write to you because you are the most level-headed and the oldest among your brothers. Celebrimbor is alive. He made it out after the fall of Nargothrond. He is still very upset with his father and doesn't wish to speak with him yet.
Celebrimbor is one of my closest friends, and I love him. I know he is still upset by his father's actions and Celegorm's actions. I do not condone them either, as they were horrendous. Please be aware that I have nothing against your family. My home is very far away from here and I will never return. There are no words to describe the pain at the thought of my family searching for me forever. They will never be given closure or the answers to what happened to me.
I could not do that to someone else's family. Let alone one of my best friends. Celebrimbor is aware I am writing to you, but he is still hesitant to write to his father. I think he will in time, but our lives could change in an instant. I do not want him to come looking for his son. He does not want to see him or the rest of your family. He is happy here, and he needs time to heal from the deeds of his family.
My hope is that you will tell Curufin that Celebrimbor is alive and to leave him be. With you being the eldest, I hope you can convince him to give him some space. He will come around in time and will write to him eventually. I have left the details vague in case this falls into the wrong hands. Please respond if you receive this letter.
Yours truly,
Kiera
Celebrimbor approved the letter and helped her attach it to one of the village's falcons. Typically, they didn't send too many letters beyond the city, but it could take up to a few weeks before a reply came. Celebrimbor wasn't sure where his family ended up after the war, but he guessed at one of the strongholds still standing.
They both waited eagerly for a reply, and finally, the day came about a week later. During dinner, Alion brought over a stack of letters, which stunned them both. They finished eating quickly and then headed up to his room to read them.
Kiera,
Thank you for the letter. Celebrimbor is my only nephew, and I worry about him greatly. Curufin has been beside himself with grief at the possible death of his son. There are no words to describe the relief you have brought my family. I understand the pain of not knowing, and I am very sorry to hear of your own family troubles. I am glad that Celebrimbor has found an excellent companion wherever you two are. I have convinced Curufin to give his son some space. He will not go looking for him, but he also wanted to write you a letter. Attached are letters from my brothers and words to pass on to Celebrimbor if he wishes to hear them.
Should you ever need assistance, the sons of Feanor will ride to your aide. You will also be welcomed in any of our halls should you require a place to stay.
Maedhros
She sighed a deep breath of relief. As she handed over the letter to Celebrimbor for him to read again, she opened the next one. It was from Curufin.
Mortal Woman,
You will never know the pain I have suffered these last few years. I have agreed not to seek out my son, but I require some assurances that he is alive and well. Maedhros trusts your words, but I am still skeptical. I want your words to be true, as it is my greatest wish. My son means more to me than my own brothers. I would die for him and walk across the ends of the world for him. If this is a trick, and you are harming my son, there is no place in Arda that you can go that I won't find you. I will track you down and make you beg for death if you harm him in any way.
Send me something, so I know the words are valid. In turn, I will give my son time and not seek him out.
Curufin
Well, that was unexpected. She handed over the letter and waited for his response. He shrugged as he said, "I expected as much." Then he looked at her thoughtfully as he commented, "even if you send him some jewelry I have made, it won't be enough. I think he will continue to send you letters, and they might try to follow the falcon that way. There are not many safe places left in these lands for mortals and elves. We can talk about it more later, but open the rest."
The next one was much nicer.
Beautiful Kiera,
You have given my family the greatest gift of all. There is nothing worth more than the knowledge of my nephew's safety. I miss him dearly and greatly desire to see him again. My heart is soaring that he is alive and happy. My brothers and I are not so fortunate, and I think Celebrimbor should stay where he is at. My family is broken and has suffered greatly, while some of them deserve their suffering. Thank you for looking past his family's deeds and becoming his friend. I hope you have a long and full life filled with joy and happiness. Perhaps one day we will meet, and I can thank you in person.
Until then, Maglor
It seemed to align with what Celebrimbor has told her about him. She handed over the letter and opened the next one.
Mortal,
Have you bedded my nephew? I wish to know, and my family does as well. They are too cautious, as they do not want to hurt your feelings. I care not for your feelings. Send a reply.
Celegorm
Kiera snorted at that. The fucking nerve. Asshole. No, thank you or anything, just did you fuck my nephew. She handed it over to Celebrimbor, who had a slight grin on his face as he finished reading. "Well, I expected as much. It's a bit tame compared to what he is usually like. He must like you."
Her eyebrows rose into her hair as she gave him a skeptical look. Then she grinned as she thought she might fuck with Celegorm a bit. A little payback for the whole Beren and Lúthien fiasco. The next letter was from the twins.
Hello Kiera,
Thank you for the letter. We are happy Celebrimbor made it out and found a great friend. We don't care that you are mortal. We have many human friends. Our only wish is that you take care of him and look out for him. We can't imagine wherever you are that people are friendly to him—too much bad blood between all of us elves. Please look out for him for us. He is more like a younger sibling than a nephew, as we grew up together. Please tell him we miss him. We understand why he doesn't want to speak to his father, but we would like to hear from him when he is ready. We wrote an extra letter to him, but please don't open it. It is for his eyes only.
We hope you both spend your days together in happiness. Should you need help or a safe place for refuge, we live in Amon Ereb. Celebrimbor knows the way, but we would welcome you alone if something happened to him.
Yours truly, Ambarussa
Kiera found the seconds second letter addressed to Celebrimbor and handed them both over. The last was from Caranthir.
Dear Kiera,
I am happy to see Celebrimbor befriend a mortal woman. It seems that we have that in common now. Thank you for the letter. We were all worried about him for years, and we expected the worst. I am glad he is happy and in a safe place. I hope he is crafting fine jewelry and enjoying his life. I will try to control my brothers in case they seek him out. Please tell him I would like to hear from him. I miss him terribly and want to write to him again, as we kept a correspondence when he lived in Nargothrond. I know you will convince him in time.
Caranthir
She handed him the letter, and he rapidly scanned its contents. Allowing it to fall atop the others, his gaze fell upon the final letter.
"I think it is meant for you alone."
He shook his head. "You are my friend. We will read it together."
He opened it and they put their heads together to read.
Celebrimbor
Little brother, we have missed you dearly. Don't apologize for not writing, as we understand why you haven't. Curufin has changed, and so has Celegorm. The oath affects them more, and their rage towards Doriath has grown. We are unsure where you are, but there is a chance you are there. Please leave if you can. Take your friends and possible lover, Kiera, far away from the city. We have learned that Thingol has acquired the Silmaril, and Maedhros has sent many letters asking for it to be turned over to us. King Thingol continues to deny our claim. Celegorm and Curufin are becoming more outspoken to attack. Maedhros has convinced them not to, in case you are living there.
We fear that it will not last. We feel the oath pushing us as well, but it is manageable. With the previous encounters with Lúthien, they both harbor a deep grudge against Doriath. Please get yourself and your friends safe. We do not wish for you to see it or have to fight against us if it comes to that.
On a happier note, we are glad you have made a great new friend. We hope you have tried to get this woman into your bed, as she seems to care for you very much. If you end up married to her someday, please know we are happy for you. We want nothing but the best for you and a chance at love and a family.
We hope that you will consider writing to us. We would keep the letters away from Curufin if that is your wish. We want to know more about this woman who has captured your heart, whether as a friend or something more.
Love Ambarussa
He choked up as he read the letter. Setting it down, he began to sob into his hands and Kiera knew that were really close growing up. His body tensed, and his arms shook as he tried to hold it all in. Kiera reached up and wrapped her arms around him to pull him closer. At that moment, he had finally let go and began to sob deeply into her shoulder. It must have been years that he withheld all of the guilty and feelings in. She just hugged him tightly as she whispered that she loved him. It was devastating for her to realize that he had been suffering alone for years. She vowed then, that she would be there for him through it all.
He cried for most of the evening, but then managed to speak in between his tears. "I hate him, but I love him. He is my father, and I don't want to cause him pain. I struggled with myself every day on whether or not to write to him."
Kiera asked softly, "Why didn't you? Are you trying to cause him pain for the people he hurt, or is it something else?"
"Yes," he whispered. "He feels no remorse for his actions. He got plenty of people killed and killed others mercilessly. I thought it was my duty to cause him pain as I was the only one who could. I thought he deserved to be punished for his crimes, and I was given the perfect way to do it. Yet, I miss him. I miss them all terribly, and my heart aches for them."
"I know. I miss my family every day. You don't have to punish him anymore. It is not healthy for you, and I can see it is eating you up inside."
Kiera pulled back and saw his gray eyes were red and puffy. She wiped the tears away gently with her fingers and cupped one side of his face with her hand. "I love you. It is okay for you to speak to your family. It is not your job to punish them or for you to forgive them. No one says you have to condone their actions while still maintaining contact. You can write to him and tell him how you feel, but you can also create that boundary. You have other family members who love you. If you never speak to your father again, I think you should at least write to them. They miss you and want to hear from you. The twins seem sweet, and I can see how much it affected you when you read their letter. I plan on responding to your father and Celegorm's letters, but you could include a letter to the twins."
He nodded and calmed himself enough to go to his room to get his sketchbook to write a letter. Kiera grabbed a piece of paper and a quill as he sat next to her. She bit her lip as she looked at him. "Do you mind if I am mean to Celegorm?"
He snorted, "no, by all means. I will write a letter to the twins, but we can write one to my father together."
She nodded and set to work on her letter.
Dear Celegorm,
Thank you for writing a letter to me. I have heard you are quite handsome and it is a good thing too, as you are a bit dim. Alas, we must all have our flaws. If you couldn't have figured it out by my letter, I will spell it out for you.
Celebrimbor is everything to me. My heart skips a beat every time I hear his name. His presence alone is enough to soothe even my darkest days. His raven hair shimmers with hints of blue in the sunlight, while his soft gray eyes envelop me with love and affection. Every day with him feels like a lifetime, and I truly begin to understand the feeling of forever.
Every moment, every touch, every kiss drowns me in love, and I don't want to be saved. His love is like a roaring wave as it crashes against me, and I let myself be pulled further away from shore. It is love that we have, one of the purest and most profound kinds of love. His is like a burning flame to my calm sea, where every touch ignites me and soothes him.
I love him far beyond what is imaginable. My life may be short, but I will love him every day and with every fiber of my being. I shouldn't speak so crass, but I must tell someone. Seeing as you asked about our time in bed, I feel I can share with you.
He is a fantastic lover. Far beyond any of the men I have been with. He is very well endowed and skilled with his hands and tongue. Are all elves like that? I am not sure, but I live in eternal bliss every day I spend in his bed. He is gentle and caring to my needs, unlike any man I have ever met before. I am eager to please him in return. How could I not when he makes me release more times every night than his own. He is so beautiful when he comes undone under me, and I commit the sight to memory every time. I would go to the ends of the world for him, and nothing could stand in my way. I would face Morgoth for him if it meant one just more day together.
Is that what you wished to hear? I could tell you more and with details, but it would be a lie. Celebrimbor is not my lover. We are friends, and we have never spent a night in bed together. I do love him, though. That part was true. He is one of my best friends, and I can't imagine my life without him. I hope he finds love, and a great love at that. He deserves the world, and if it happens between us, I will cherish every moment with him.
Have you ever loved another so much that you would risk it all for them? Throw caution to the wind, go against your family, take up an impossible task destined to fail, and risk it all for even just a tiny chance at love and happiness.
You never have, and you probably never will. You couldn't have possibly done the things you did if you ever loved another with such love and conviction. You wished to ruin someone else's happiness for your own selfish desires and gains. Did you ever even love Lúthien? Or was it just a way to gain more power and capture one so beautiful and rare as she? I believe the latter.
Women are not animals, Celegorm. You can't hunt and capture them and expect them to become domesticated to you. Love has to be freely given and received in return. I fear for you because I could not wish a worse fate than to live forever alone.
Yours truly,
Kiera
Kiera finished the letter and scratched out the parts she wanted to change. She rewrote the letter and handed it to Celebrimbor to read. His face blushed slightly as he read over the bits she had written about him. When he finished, he said, "it is quite cruel. I am not sure he will care, but send it to him."
She smiled. Celebrimbor wouldn't let her read his letter to the twins, and she respected his wishes. After he finished, they worked on his letter to his father together. It was short, and they included some of his work to appease him.
Dear Curufin,
I will keep this short. Celebrimbor and I are good friends. He is one of my best friends. He is happy and alive. I have sent some jewelry that he made but see the bottom of this letter for his reply.
Yours truly,
Kiera
Father,
I am alive and well. I do not wish to speak with you. Perhaps, in time I will, but I need some space. Do not threaten her again. She is a dear friend to me, and you will not treat her as such.
Celebrimbor
With that, they sent the letters off again. Neither one of them was sure on how many letters they would get in return, but they were pleasantly surprised when three more showed up. Celebrimbor took the twin's letter as she took the remaining ones.
Dear Keira,
Thank you.
Curufin
Kiera thought it was a waste of a letter, but Celebrimbor said it was good. It meant his father respected his wishes and wouldn't reach out to try and follow the falcon. The next letter was from the twins.
Hello Kiera,
Thank you for getting Celebrimbor to write to us. Words are not enough to tell you how grateful we are. We wanted to applaud you on your letter to Celegorm. Hardly anyone speaks out against him and especially not a woman. We loved the look on his face as he read your letter. We got to read it after, and we were surprised. He growled and spat your name for days, but we think he is in love. He might offer you his hand in marriage if you end up here someday.
Don't marry him. He would be a terrible husband. He wouldn't let anyone read the letter he was going to send you. Will you tell us? It is awfully dull here, and we could use some entertainment. We hope you will end up with Celebrimbor as you too seem close. He wrote about you a lot in his letter, and we can see he loves you deeply.
Would you mind writing to us sometime? Maybe not every time Celebrimbor writes to us, but perhaps a few letters a year. We would love to hear from you and keep in touch.
Love Ambarussa
Kiera showed Celebrimbor the letter, and he laughed but also looked concerned. "I pray my uncle is not in love with you. He would burn down this city to get to you. Read his letter out loud, won't you?"
She gulped and grabbed the following letter. It was thick, causing them both to raise their raised his eyebrows at it. She bit the bullet and opened it.
To the lovely and extraordinary Kiera,
Your letter ignited a fire in me that I cannot quench. Your descriptions of a night with my nephew created a fit of jealousy in my heart. What do you look like, I wonder? Are you tall, beautiful? I know my nephew favors the fair of hair. Does your hair radiate around your face in glowing rays of the sun? Or does it flow like a wave down your back in a deep shade of brown like the earth? Or perhaps, a flaming crown upon your head as bright and vibrant as a ruby or hot flame.
I admit, my mind longs for the deep shade of brown. The dirt, the trees, and the animals all resonate with my soul. I picture you with a heavenly shade of brown hair that resembles the earth with green eyes as colorful as the leaves during the first spring. Yet, my mind begs me to ask what indeed you do look like.
Perhaps I am wrong, but every time I imagine you, you become more beautiful in my mind. I have been haunted by you these past few weeks. Your name has been spoken around the castle, and my heart's delicate tendrils are pulled each time it is spoken. How could this be so?
Your words have thawed my once cold and unforgiving heart. You are mortal, and we have never met, yet your very being captured my heart. Was it love at first letter instead of love at first sight? I am unsure, but my heart is in a delicate state. I am on the edge of desire and in love with a woman so far away.
You have plagued my dreams. Never a moment of relief when I so desperately need sleep. I imagine your soft, warm lips pressed against mine and the feel of your body on me. I wonder what you would taste like, and the very thought gets me hard. I want to hear the sounds of your soft voice moaning my name in sheer bliss as my mouth sucks up your warm, sweet juices.
Do you see what I have become? A once great and feared elf, brought down to his knees by a mortal woman. Lúthien sparked no love or desire in me beyond the power to sway her father. She was nothing like you. She was spoiled, prideful, arrogant, and unkind. You are none of those things, and I greatly desire to know more. How could my nephew befriend such a kind, thoughtful, loving, and beautiful woman yet never offer his bed to her?
I am not so stupid as he. I would go to the ends of the earth to spend just one night with you. We would make love in the trees under the stars. Our moments together would last a lifetime, and you would lose all sense of time. I would pleasure you in every way a man should. I would make you beg me to stop as your body becomes lost in a sea of pleasure. Only then would I allow myself to bond with you. Only after you have been so well satisfied and slick with heat would I plunge myself deep into your warm depths. I would go slow, savoring every moment, kissing you everywhere I could. Desperately trying to fulfill the void that is currently wrapped around my heart.
Oh, it would never be enough for me. Your lives are so short, and I would spend every day with you wrapped in my arms. You would never work a day for the rest of your life. I would fill your time with pleasure, kisses, and affection. I would even have children with you to have our own family. I wish for a boy and a little girl who I would dote on and shower with kisses. Do you desire a family? My heart tells me so, but I would bind myself to you either way. Have you been treated well where you live? Have the elves in the city offered you love and affection? Or have you been missing that?
I could give you that and more. I would love you until the end of your days, and then I would build a great ship and sail to Valinor to beg for you to remain with me forever. I would throw myself at the feet of the Valar and plead for forgiveness if only to prolong your life just one more day.
Even now, as I write this, I do so away from the prying eyes of my siblings. How could they possibly understand? That I am in love with a mortal woman who is within my grasp yet so far out of reach. They think I am nothing more than an arrogant and cruel elf, but you, of all people, have exposed me to my deepest fear. That someone could never love me as I am and that I will remain alone.
I beg you not to share this with Celebrimbor. He would laugh and tell his uncles, who wouldn't understand. I cannot bear the pain of being alone forever when a woman who has ignited my heart for the first time is within reach. Would you love me? Could you ever love me? My heart begs it so, and I will not ask again.
Will you continue to haunt my dreams, or will you allow me this chance to earn your love and affection? I have a beautiful home, a loving family, and a burning desire to make you my wife. Will you write to me so that I may know more about the one with whom I have fallen in love?
Forever yours,
Celegorm
Kiera looked at Celebrimbor, who appeared both in disbelief and slightly surprised. He said, "I'm not sure. Part of me thinks he is trying to win your affection so you will continue to write to him and perhaps give away information. Maybe he is planning on trying to woo you so that they can come and take us away. The strangest thing yet is maybe he is telling the truth."
She looked at him skeptically. "I doubt it. He doesn't even know me. I've written a handful of letters to them, and he knows nothing about me."
Celebrimbor smiled. "Yes, I know. I told the twins a lot about you in my last letter. Perhaps we should have you keep writing to Celegorm and have the twins watch him. We can get a portrait done by one of the artists and send that to them. See what he does."
Kiera shrugged in response. It was his family, and she didn't mind, so she said, "Sure."
On one of their free afternoons, they went to the only artist in the village. They asked for a color portrait, and he painted them together in the plains. It was a beautiful painting, and Kiera wanted to keep it for herself. Celebrimbor paid for another one to be made, and she put that on her dresser. She wrote a letter to the twins telling them their plan, and then she wrote a heated and romantic letter back to Celegorm. She enjoyed herself as she planned out the letter over a few days before sending it. Celebrimbor could hardly keep a straight face as he read it, and it was one she saw him blush.
They waited for the replies, but in the meantime, they enjoyed exploring the village together and attending a couple parties. After a few weeks, they received their letters back. There was one from the twins and a thick letter from Celegorm. Kiera was excited to read it, but she opened the one from the twins first.
You are beautiful!
We see now why Celebrimbor loves you so, as you are beautiful inside and out. The portrait is stunning, and we wonder where you could be to have so many beautiful flowers. The area here lacks color except for the rolling hills of green grass.
You both look so happy, and we are ecstatic for you both. We showed everyone as you asked, and then we showed Celegorm last. He stared at it for a long time, but he gave nothing away at dinner. The portrait was passed around during dinner. Curufin sobbed and slobbered all over it. We had to pry it away from him so that he wouldn't ruin it. We argued about who would keep the portrait, and we offered to set it up in our study. We all have to share the space now, but everyone gets to look at it throughout the day.
We shouldn't tell you this, but we are unsure. We have caught Celegorm taking the portrait back to his room, so he may pleasure himself while looking at you. We are still confused, as you are. Perhaps his letter will give you some indication. It could all be part of his ruse, as he knows Celebrimbor is writing to us.
Love Ambarussa
She and Celebrimbor looked at each other after she finished reading the letter. He coughed awkwardly, and Kiera didn't know if she should feel flattered or embarrassed.
"Well," Celebrimbor started. "I could have gone my life without knowing my uncle pleasured himself over my friend. That didn't help me any. He is known not to care who sees or hears him. I used to wonder if he got off on the thrill of it. Go on and read his letter. I want to listen to what he wrote."
The letter was thick, and she unfolded it to see he had sent her a portrait of himself. He was handsome. Drop-dead gorgeous, to be honest. The portrait was well done and showed off his silver hair and gray eyes. He had a large smirk on his face, which wasn't surprising. He was leaning casually on a tree with his bow and arrow at his side. She handed it off to Celebrimbor who just grinned. Then, she opened the letter and began to read out loud.
By Varda's stars, you are breathtaking.
Your beauty has surpassed my expectations, and I am longing more now to see you in person. Your last letter made me hot and tense. I had to pleasure myself afterward due to your words. Do you know what you are doing to me?
I sent you a portrait of me in return. Am I everything you desire and more? I will admit that I stole your portrait and spent the night staring at it, imagining what a night together would be like. Your soft brown hair is streaked with gold, and it is fascinating to me. Are you sure you are human? I have met many humans and have bedded a few myself, but you surpass them in every way. Your eyes, though, are what draw me in. I am unsure if the artist painted that on purpose, but how extraordinary if they are real. I got lost in them as I came undone.
I fantasized about your soft lips pressed against mine as your hand wrapped tightly around my length. I imagined running my fingers through your hair as you worked up and down my length. I imagined peeling off your layers slowly and exploring every inch of your body. From the soft curve of your breast to the delicate skin on your neck and then the heat between your thighs. I imagined it all, and it's not enough.
I want to feel everything with you. I want to dive my tongue deep into your warmth and taste you on my tongue. I want to suck on your soft button as I spread you open with my fingers. I want to hear your heartbeat and moans as I bring you to your peak and send you over the edge. I want to bury myself to the hilt deep inside your warmth. I want to feel your walls tighten around me as I release my warm hot seed into you. I would make love to you in every way. Fast and slow, long and short. With each time offering a new wave of pleasure for us both.
Do you see now what I have become? Living in my dreams and thoughts is not enough. I have to know, oh by the Valar, I must know. Even for just one night, I would trade it all.
Would you? Would you sneak away from your city and meet me in the woods? Would you spend a night with me under the stars as I have desperately wanted since the first letter? I can sneak away. I am good at it. I know this world well, and we could meet in a forest near your home. I can promise you a night of passion and love, the likes you will never find again. At the end, could we discuss our future together and make plans for you to be my wife.
Would you spend one night with me? Just the one so I may be free of your love or forever be bound to you.
Love,
Celegorm
Kiera looked at Celebrimbor with slight confusion, but he just sighed. "Well, that answers that. At least we know he doesn't love you. I think we should send him and my father on a wild goose chase, so to speak. You should write him back, and we can pick out a random forest. Are there any near Vinyamar we can use? You can write to them and say a group of survivors is living in the city now; humans and elves alike and that you will meet him in a forest outside the city."
She thought back to her travels, which seemed so long ago now. "Yes, there was one forest near the city. You're going to send him and your father there?"
Celebrimbor barked out a loud laugh, "of course. They are both skilled hunters and fighters. They will be fine. The lands to the south are mostly deserted, but it will take them about three weeks or more to get there. I just wish I could see the look on their faces."
Kiera shrugged, "it's your family. I will write the letter back."
So she wrote back to Celegorm, telling him how she couldn't wait to meet him and be with him. She took on a bit of a starstruck and in love persona and made sure she sounded eager. Then, she wrote in detail about the area as she remembered it and that she would sneak out to be with him. She described what she would be wearing, and she would bring a blanket for them to make love under the trees and the stars. After she was done, they sent the letter off.
About a week later, they received a letter from the twins saying Celegorm, Curufin, and Caranthir all left together. The twins had asked, and Celegorm admitted to wooing Kiera so they could set a trap for Celebrimbor. He was still planning on spending the night with her, but after they would kidnap her and walk to the city where they would tell Celebrimbor to leave with them in exchange for her life. Kiera felt better sending them all that way for nothing. She was still confused about how he planned to have full intercourse with her without being bonded. Celebrimbor claimed he didn't know, but he quickly skirted away from the issue.
She forgot all about them for a while as she became busy in the village and the mins. Until she received one last letter from Celegorm about a month later. After reading it, she and Celebrimbor racked up with laughter all night, although it was unnerving.
Mortal,
That was cruel. Three long weeks on the open road fantasizing about a night with you. That part was genuine, and I did want to make love to you. I have enjoyed our letters, but now I believe our fun is at an end. We scoured that entire forest for you, and my excitement raced throughout the night. I was going to find you and make love to you until you begged me to stop. I wanted it desperately, and I yelled out in frustration when morning came and you were nowhere to be seen.
You fooled me, and that in itself is a challenging feat. I am not sure if that makes me want you more now, but I still have that desire and lust for you. My brothers and I stormed the city expecting to find a weary band of survivors from the fall of Nargothrond, yet we found nothing.
You must have been there, though, or perhaps you heard of the area from the people who used to live there. We suspect now that you are in Gondolin, but we are unsure. We cannot enter that city without the king killing us on sight, so we will continue to wonder and guess.
I have attached a new portrait of me, so you know what you missed. I hope to meet you someday and lock you into my bedroom for a long night.
Celegorm
Kiera sucked in a breath as she found the new portrait attached to the letter. It was a nude one of him on a bed with a seductive look. He was very well endowed, but he could have changed that. She handed it over to Celebrimbor who dropped it in disgust.
"You keep it. I saw that enough when I lived with him."
That sent her into a laughing fit as they spent the rest of of the evening imagining how their journey went. Kiera had no idea what to do with the portraits, but she kept the collection of love letters and read them when she needed a good laugh.