By WinterPlum

Summary: Aragorn and Arwen's last night in Lorien. Takes place on Midsummer's Eve on the day they plighted their troths. Fluffy - fluffishness.

Rating: PG-13 to R (I hate ratings) for some not-too-graphical sex.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, nothing, nothing! It all belongs to Tolkien and Co. I'm not claiming anything.

Feedback: please? I really appreciate constructive criticism. To: [email protected]

Note: This is my second draft of the story. I never seem to get satisfied with my fanfictions.

*~*~*~*

The summer night air was filled with the sweet scent of flowers and leaves; cool breezes playing with the branches of the ancient Mallorn trees, sweeping the aroma of the grass on the forest floor up into the highest peaks of the branches. Somewhere in the distance one could hear the sound of cool water pouring over rocks warmed by the now dieing sun.

Aragorn loved nights like these. He leaned against the roots of a tree, humming softly to himself. It was to be his last night here in Lorien, after he had come to rest here for a season. Now it was time to journey back into the more unfriendly realms of Middle - Earth. How he wished that he could remain here for yet another season. Just to walk over the evergreen glades of Caras Galadhon once more, or to sit in the tall branches of the trees on nights like this one. And talk to Arwen. It pained him to think of how long he might not be seeing her again.

"You shall be leaving, tomorrow, I deem…"

A voice jerked Aragorn from his thoughts. He turned to see Lady Galadriel approach him silently from behind. She smiled at his surprised expression.

"I believe your duty calls you"

Aragorn nodded wordlessly. The lady always seemed to make him speechless. He cleared his throat.

"I do not know how I can thank you, my lady … for everything"

Galadriel's expression changed into pensiveness.

"I ought to thank you, Aragorn, Lord of the Dunadan. It is because of you that I at last saw a smile on my granddaughters face, and heard her laugh gaily"

Aragorn wondered at this, but he lowered his head respectfully. Galadriel looked past him, into the forest. A cool breeze rustled through the leaves of the old tree. Several leaves fluttered to the ground.

Galadriel looked back at Aragorn

"Let us hope she doesn't take your parting too heavily"

*~*~*~*

He could feel her presence in the room. He couldn't hear her, nor could he see her through his closed eyes. But she was there, Arwen, his love, his Snow-White.

Arwen drew close to him, lovingly kissing his lashes, allowing Aragorn to sink into the perfume surrounding her. He drew one arm around her waist, gently pulling her up into the bed so that she lay nestled comfortably beside him. Then he enwrapped her in an embrace, feeling her cool hands move over his bare chest. He nuzzled his head into the nape of her neck, deeply breathing the scent of her skin - the sweet aroma of wildflowers on a summer's eve, cooling from the day's hot sun.

Aragorn felt Arwen's lips softly caressing his shoulder and withdrew; suddenly feeling they had already dared too much.  

"Why have you come?" he whispered

"Because I love you" Arwen all but breathed "I long for you. I want to be with you before we part"

Her hands touched his face, eyes following the lines on his features, as though trying to memorize every inch of his skin. Without restraining himself, Aragorn leaned forward and kissed her feverishly and deeply. Arwen passionately replied to the kiss, embracing her lover, cradling his head in her arms, and running her long fingers through his hair. She aloud Aragorn's hands to slide under her gown, one hand wandering up her spine while the other cautiously moved over her bosom, feeling the curves of her breasts and her tiny, hardening nipples. His hand lingered there, thumb nimbly stroking her nipple, before he hastily loosened the clasps of her elvish gown, slipping it from her body and then letting it drift to the ground.

Their breathing grew heavier as they pressed against each other, Arwen kissing his skin as thought to draw the heat and salt from it. She watched as Aragorn kissed the palm of her hand, passionately caressing it, and then moving upwards, kissing her wrist, his beard tickling her skin, her arms, all the way to her collarbone. He nibbled her skin there, adoring each little bit of her. His hands began to rhythmically stroke her breasts, before he leaned down and kissed them, and suckled at the pebbled nipples.  Arwen moaned, her fingers tangled with Aragorn's hair. Their movements grew more heated, more urgent, until they could not resist each other anymore. Suddenly Aragorn withdrew once more.

They stared at each other, breathing heavily. His gaze drifted over Arwen's beautiful body, immaculate, untouched in every way. Her face was slightly flushed and her hair tousled, but this just seemed to make her more beautiful than ever. She reached out, brushing a sweaty streak off his forehead. Then she opened her arms wide, inviting him, tempting him to come and claim her as his own. Aragorn found himself smiling clumsily.

He settled himself on top of his love, his length stiff and ready for her. While his hand cupped her breast, he kissed her once more lingeringly before he entered her; cautious at first, trying not to hurt her, then with a sudden force. Their bodies began to move together with each thrust, melting into the heat and sweat surrounding them. At last he couldn't contain himself any longer. He waited until she gave herself to the final sigh and then spent with it, rocking together with her, watching Arwen close her eyes and go limp beneath him.

Before breaking free of her, Aragorn heatedly kissed Arwen on the mouth. Then he slumped down beside her, breathless, and laid his head on her breast. Arwen's slender fingers slid through his hair, cradling his head.

"I don't want to leave" Aragorn whispered, his eyes growing watery.

"Don't brood over it" Arwen replied. "Tomorrow this all will be no more than a memory. But tonight, tonight you are here. You are mine."

He raised his head to look in her eyes "And you are mine".

Eyes brimming with tears, there mouths came together as Aragorn breathed "I love you" before claiming her lips in a slow and loving kiss that didn't do less than fade away slowly.

Sighing softly, he lowered his head back on to her breast and closed his eyes, snuggling close to her, feeling Arwen's sweet reassuring kisses on his forehead.

"Sleep now. Go to sleep"

"I'm afraid to close my eyes" He laughed softly

"afraid to fall asleep. I just want to stay here with you forever"

Arwen smiled to herself and nuzzled his forehead against her cheek.

"So do I, beloved…"

*~*~*~*

When Aragorn awoke, he found Arwen sleeping with her head cuddled against his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. She slept sweetly and deeply, all worries washed from her face.

The sun's first warm rays crept over the sheets of the bed, radiant on Arwen's pearly white skin and night black hair. How beautiful she was, his sleeping beauty. He hugged her close, kissed her forehead and then carefully released himself from her warm embrace.

Dressing slowly, he watched as the early sunlight began to play patterns across Arwen's bare skin.

At last Aragorn picked up the dress he had slipped to the ground during the night's lovemaking. He smiled, folded the silk carefully and laid it on a stool beside the bed along with a small rose he picked from the window.

He wouldn't wake her. He couldn't. He stared down at the rose, such a beautiful thing, soon to wither and die, like everything else that was mortal. Arwen shouldn't have to be like the rose. She was immortal; no sickness could befall her, no sign of age or death ever come across her features. And yet, if she remained with him, that would be her fate.

He sighed and looked at Arwen.

She was no longer sleeping, but gazing at him with a calm look of tranquility and sadness.

In the soft morning light Aragorn looked more than a mere mortal man. The lines of his face were pure,

almost ethereal.

"Ah Estel…" she whispered, a smile forming on her lips

"you are so beautiful"

Aragorn chuckled. He hadn't heard something like that perhaps since childhood.

He settled down, facing her and took her delicate hand into his own, stroking it softly.

Her expression changed back into melancholy.

"You were about to leave without saying good-bye…" she said quietly, her voice breaking.

Aragorn felt a stab of guilt at those words. He stared down at her beautiful hand. He didn't want to look up at her and see that pain in her eyes, and yet he couldn't keep himself from longing for her eyes, her face.

"We will meet again" he said trying to sound hopeful, but realizing even as he said it that his words were of no use. There were to be yet many years before they could wake up in the morning in such an embrace with no perils before them - if those mornings ever came at all.

"No doubt we will" Arwen whispered bitterly "but how long until then, my love?"

Aragorn touched the ring on Arwen's finger, a token of his love he had given her the eve before.

"Does it really matter?" he replied thoughtfully "you told me just yesterday what we must believe in: that we love each other. That is what matters. As long as we know this, nothing can separate us; be it time, or place or…"