TOLKIEN; imagines

28: Darling Starlight - Elrond

10. "Stop! Someone will hear us!"

14. "Let them."

A/N: For my drabble games I'm hosting on my tumblr

Translations: Mela en' coiamin: love of my life, Ci bian sui in elin: You are as beautiful as the stars, Cornamin lindula ele lle alassea: My heart sings to see thee happy.

Warnings: None

Words: 1200

As of late, numerous council meetings had occupied Lord Elrond's days while letters from outside realms, trade agreements and other documents of that ilk kept him up through the nights, leaving him exhausted when he came to grace our bed, only earning minimal hours before Imladris was abuzz once more.

When the first few occurrences struck, I minded it not, for my husband often went through periods of two to four days in which he got little sleep. But as days turned to weeks, Elrond gave up sleeping altogether, putting my own slumbers out of balance as my anxiety and worry for my beloved only grew.

But now, on the night of a new moon, as the stars sone without the veil of moonlight to hide them, I searched the whole of Imladris for Elrond, checking in all his locations of serenity, all in fear of my husband's well being.

Just when I was about to give up all hope, I saw a light coming from inside my husband's study, a luminescence that hadn't been there previously. I approached the door and knocked lightly before letting myself in, knowing full well that Elrond would be too wrapped up in his work to notice me.

"My love, where have you been?" I asked calmly, shutting the door with a soft click as I sauntered up to behind my now disturbed husband, hands softly kneading the tense muscles underneath the plum hued kaftan. How long had his muscles been in constant distress, I wondered. "It is a new moon, you are missing the purity of the stars."

"I'm terribly sorry, my dear," Elrond mumbled almost inaudibly, more than his muscles seeming to slacken under my touch. "Erestor has kept me in numerous meetings with the elves of the Grey Havens."

"Perhaps he is not as good of an adviser as we thought, hmm?" I responded lightly, bending over to press a kiss to the top of Elrond's raven locks before continuing. "Please, come walk with me in the gardens. Come admire the stars' elegance with me, for I have missed you terribly."

"Your sweet words are quite compelling, but the letters of the growing danger outside the Mirkwood borders is compelling still. They speak of more orc and spider invasions than I've ever seen," Elrond sighed, as his soft hand came up to caress his brow.

The stress that was sometimes placed upon my husband always shattered my heart, for he always kept the struggles of the realm to himself, struggles that I was supposed to help with, to ease such burdens from his shoulders.

"Oh, Elrond, my love, you can't continue like this," I returned, my worry growing into a abhorrent knot in my stomach. "No matter how hard you work, it won't solve the issues of this realm. Mirkwood has a king, the greatest king they've ever seen, or so I've heard. King Thranduil can attend to his own matters."

"As for the Grey Elves, there is not much that can be helped, for I assume you are updating the trade agreement we have established with them. But please, Elrond. It would mean the world if you could spare one night with me. All I wish is to listen as you explain the story of each glistening light in the sky as you used to. I wish to be in your arms again, for I fear my skin has grown cold with the absence of your warmth. I just want you to get the rest you need and deserve."

"Oh, Y/N, my sun-and-stars, you have never been burdensome, a plaything to fill my time when I have not a thing to do," Elrond worried, voice full of anxiousness as he tugged me around the chair and into his lap, arms encircling me instantly, hugging me tightly as he murmured into my hair. "I feel terrible, knowing that you've missed me so. I shouldn't have discarded my own longings, I should have stood at your side and I shouldn't have drowned in other's dilemmas that could wait till morn."

"Then, come with me, mela en'coiamin, let us gaze at the stars before falling into tranquil rest within the confines of each other's embrace," I said, fingers stroking the soft tendrils on each side of his face, eyes of sterling silver betraying the melancholy and longing within him as his gaze followed my movements.

"I would like nothing more, my beauty," Elrond smiled, a genuine smile that warmed my heart to temperatures more magnificent than those in Mount Doom itself. "Please, lead me away, lead me away to somewhere in which only you and I can exist in blemishless love."

"Come, then," I giggled as I receded from his lap, pulling him up after me, gaze never leaving me as we blew out the various candles strewn about before making our much needed departure.

All throughout the halls we walked, giggling like mere elflings as we held each other close, our lengthy walk spent overlooking the thunder waterfalls and bathing in the starlight on the many terraces in Imladris.

"Stop! Someone might hear us!" I giggled, attempting to stifle my laughter with a touch of my hand to my lips as he came up behind me, encircling me with his arms and lifting me up as he spun around gracefully.

"Let them," my equally giddy husband laughed, pulling my hand away from my lips gently before replacing it with his own soft kiss, lips working in sync, as they always had. "I don't think anyone would mind. Seeing their lord and lady hopelessly in love with one another, wouldn't you agree?"

"Well, if you put it that way," I returned, returning the kiss teasingly, entangling Elrond's lovely fingers with my own.

Similar behavior continued until we approached our chambers, a serene and subtlety lustful trance seeming to descend upon us as we approached the room where we had spent many nights in love, whether it was taken to the extreme or something as simple as endearing words.

"Ci bain sui in elin," Elrond murmured, once we were inside and changed into more relaxed attire.

"Cornamin lindula ele lle alassea," I responded making my way over to Elrond who's plum garments had been exchanged for the simple linens of white and chestnut, extravagant labyrinthines of ebony hair in the process of becoming undone. I pressed a loving kiss upon his cheek as I gazed lovingly into his eyes, his fatigued, kind, warm eyes that held so much love for what he had created and what had been given to him, ones that glittered with the light of the stars we so admired. "You are tired. Let us sleep, my love, let us lay in each other's arms till the morrow."

Elrond smiled then looked down at me before gently pulling me after him as he laid down on the bed, taking me into his arms, inky hair spilling over both our shoulders, the scent of rain, ink-filled scrolls and fine silks washing over my senses as I fell into a dreamless sleep.

"I love you, my dear, with all my heart, with all my being."