Disclaimer: See first chapter.
It was with loving eyes that the queen of Gondor regarded her sleeping husband. He had at last fallen asleep at a late hour, and now the night was in full glory, the creatures of the dark had come out to perform their symphony: crickets, frogs, trumpetsters and the nightingales alike.
There was no Isil that night -- how fitting, she thought, to honor the death of the prince. Aragorn had been restless when they had retired together, what would he tell King Thuranduil; what would he tell the people of Mirkwood? How could he explain that the heir to their throne had been killed under his own watch?
Ah, Lasse, such a time to leave us. Arwen sighed and stroked a sweaty strand of hair away from Aragorn's damp face. She lay on her side next to his still form, watching his chest rise and fall as he breathed. Legolas, the time for war and mourning and grief ended when the ring was destroyed, could you not have stayed to live in the times of peace with the rest of us?
Aragorn murmured in his sleep and rolled over to face her. As he did, the Evenstar pendant he wore slid on its chain and bumped against his bare chest.
Arwen reached out a finger and trailed it along the glistening jewels. The king's eyelashes fluttered and then sleepy grey eyes looked up at her questioningly. "Mani nae lle umien?" his voice was gravelly with slumber, and he lifted a hand to her lovely face and caressed her cheek. "Staying awake all night?"
She shook her head. "I cannot sleep, Estel." Arwen tugged at the corner of the nightshirt she wore, and he noticed that is was one of his own. "Something sways my mind, something is not at peace."
"Undomiel..." he sighed, closing his eyes and pulling her against his chest. "Please, do not let Lasse's death let you fade. Do not pull away from me, beloved."
"No." She touched his face and he opened his eyes to look at her. "It is not something of grief that I speak of." Here she paused before continuing, and her eyes narrowed slightly. "You forget I can read your mind, Estel-nin. What have you been plotting?"
"I... Arwen, meleth-nin." His moved to kiss her forehead. "I would fight the very Valar to bring him back. Even though I know he would not wish it."
They rested against each other, peaceful in the reverie of their bed, her head tucked comfortably under his chin and his arms about her waist, cradling her rounded stomach against his abdomen.
And as Arwen thought intently over the memory that bubbled in the back of her mind, the king almost drifted off to sleep again.
"I have an idea." She said very suddenly, causing him to jump a little with surprise.
"What, pray tell, is that?" he asked.
"Come with me." She pulled out of his embrace and took the candle in its stand from the table next to the bed.
He stared at her from his relaxed position on the bed. "Arwen, it's late. And you should be resting. Can it not wait until dawn?"
"Nay Estel. I believe you are being lazy." She smiled at him. "No, honestly it is serious, something that would interest you greatly." Reaching out a hand for him, she tried again. "Come."
Smiling back, he took her smaller hand and stood.
Translations:
Isil - Moon
Mani nae lle umien? - What have you been doing?
Estel-nin - My Estel.
Meleth-nin - My love.
I'm so sorry that this chapter is such a short one! I promise the next one will be longer. And I'm planning to update soon, just got to give the next chapter to my beta-reader first. :)