My aunt and uncle spent the next few days resting from their journey. Aunt's pregnancy made the long journey even harder, and Lord Elrond has been tending to her and making sure that she and the baby are healthy. I visited them in their room this morning, but Aunt kept falling asleep so I eventually left with the promise of seeing them tomorrow.

Elladan has been with his father all morning in the Healing Wing. Glorfindel and Vesryn went down to the waterfalls for the morning, and Arwen and her mother have been working on the solstice preparations. King Thranduil and his son left with Elrohir after breakfast to look at the newborn colts in the stables.

I have been in Elladan's chambers ever since, fighting against the loneliness that has been trying to weave its way into my mind today. For no apparent reason, I have felt quite gloomy and sad. I guess it is an after effect of losing your family and the life you once had.

My heart longs for a walk through the forest, but such a thing has been prohibited since the incident. I miss long walks through the trees and swims in the streams. I miss chasing Elas. I miss reading to him, cooking with Nana, and gardening with Papa. I miss my family. Now that the newness of my life has begun to wear off, the longing for my old life is beginning to come back.

I should have accompanied Glorfindel and Vesryn to the waterfalls, but I did not feel like it. I have depended on Elladan's presence far too much, but I just cannot force myself to follow anyone else around. I did not feel like helping with the solstice preparations. I did not want to be around King Thranduil today and feel uncomfortable. My aunt and uncle are too tired for company at the moment.

I stand from the chaise, tossing my book to the side. I fling open Elladan's wardrobe, pulling out one of his tunics. I am so tired of this uncomfortable dress I am wearing. All I want is to be cozy and to lie on the chaise or in his bed and relax today. I can feel my mind trying to turn on me again, and I do not want it to happen. I do not want to be in that dark place again.

I untie the back of my dress, looking out of his room at the beautiful mountainside. I admire the rushing waterfalls and all of the greenery surrounding the home as I breathe deeply. I push my dress down my body, kicking it to the side. I stand there for a moment in just my undergarments, staring at the gorgeous blue sky and wishing that it would take away my gloomy thoughts.

Warm hands find my waist, startling me, and Elladan's lips are at my ear as he murmurs, "I did not expect to find you here."

"You scared me," I sigh as my heart calms once again. The heat of his body sinks into my skin as he presses me to himself gently.

He chuckles softly. "Forgive me. I thought you heard me come in."

My cheeks warm up shyly as I realise that I am unclothed. "I am surprised you are touching me when I am wearing such little clothing."

His hands run down my hips slowly, and I struggle to breathe properly. "I have touched you like this. You asked me to, remember?" he defends quietly.

"But I had on my nightgown, so you did not see anything," I remind him. "Plus, I remember you asking me to never beg you to touch me again."

He turns me around in his arms, and I meet his passionate gaze timidly. "I did ask you that. Yet seeing you in my chambers, unclothed, caught me off guard. You are indescribably beautiful. Have I ever told you that?" he asks with a handsome grin.

"I do not remember," I whisper facetiously as his nose brushes mine.

"A shame. I will just have to remind you then."

His lips touch mine, and we are lost in our passion. I run my fingers through his dark hair as he kisses me deeply. His warm hands roam my bare skin, touching me and setting me on fire within. They travel slowly over my hips and backside then roam lower to caress my thighs. All sense leaves me, something that he is too good at doing to me, and I press myself ever closer to him.

He has never seen me unclothed before- save for the times I was injured or ill. He has most certainly never touched me this thoroughly. He leaves almost no part of me untouched, showing me a brief moment of what it is like for him to loosen his restraint. It is glorious, and it only makes me crave him more.

Our lips part slowly, and his hands are on my hips as our eyes meet. "You are lovely," he tells me lowly as he gazes at me with hooded eyes.

"I should probably dress. The way you are looking at me will only lead to trouble," I reply, struggling to catch my breath.

"That would be for the best," he says amusedly, stepping back and watching as I pick up his tunic that I dropped when he touched me.

His grey eyes take in every inch of my figure from my head to my toes, and I purposefully take longer than necessary to pull his tunic over my head. Somehow, I barely feel shy standing before him in my undergarments. His eyes make me feel loved and wanted as he appraises me, and it brings a new warmth to my chest that I have never experienced before.

I approach him slowly where he sits upon his bed, and those eyes continue to follow me, still swimming with desire. "I have not seen you in such little clothing. I think that is a bit unfair," I tease as I stop in front of him. "You have watched me bathe, for goodness sake!"

He laughs at me, taking my hands in his and kissing my knuckles. "You are incapable of keeping these dainty hands to yourself, Aredhel. And if you looked upon me with your sultry green eyes, I would be under your spell," he admits honestly.

I narrow my eyes slightly, trying to look seductive. He laughs.

"Stop that," he complains. "Eru! You will be the death of me."

I lean into his awaiting arms, kissing his lips once. He surprises me by moving to lay on his back, leaving me on top of him. I rest my chin on my hand, looking down at him as he caresses my face.

"I love you, Ar," he sighs, and my lips break into a smile. "I have told you a thousand times, yet the words do not seem like enough."

"I love you, 'Dan," I reply. "I missed you today. Aunt is worn out from their journey, so I was not able to spend much time with them. Everyone else was busy, so I have been hiding out in here. I did not expect you to show up while I was changing."

"It was a pleasant surprise," he murmurs, still looking at me with those bedroom eyes of his. "And I missed you, as well. I do not like feeling your loneliness through our bond."

"You can take away my loneliness easily, 'Dan," I say with a small smirk.

He grins amusedly. "I want to," is his simple reply.

I trace his bottom lip with my fingers. "How can you be so perfect?" I ask him.

He chuckles. "I am not."

"You are," I complain, "You make me lose my senses with just one kiss or with your touch."

"Do not tell me that when you are lying on top of me," he says with a breathless chuckle.

"What if I kissed you?" I ask him, brushing my nose against his.

"What if you did?" he asks quietly.

I press my lips to his, and his fingers tangle in my hair. Our kisses are slow and heated. I pour every emotion into each movement of mine, hoping that he can feel just how much he affects me. I want him to know it. I want him to feel this fire that builds up inside of me everytime we touch and consumes me.

Our lips part, but I am not finished with him. He has pushed me and tempted me today, and I will not let him off the hook so easily. I press my lips to his jaw, searching his skin slowly. I feel his surprise through the bond and then his overwhelming desire bursting through his wall of self control like water breaking a dam.

My kisses trail over his strong jaw, finding his throat. His fingers on my waist fist his tunic that I am clothed in. Realizing how sensitive this place is to him, I deepen my kiss.

"Aredhel," he sighs huskily. I can hear the struggle in his voice. Finally, I am not the only one losing my senses when we touch. It affects me, too- the desire in his tone and the way his hands tighten on my waist. He wants me just as badly as I want him.

My lips trail lower down his throat and across his chest where his tunic is unbuttoned at the top. I pull away to unbutton the rest of it, but he surprises me by flipping us over. I stare up at him with wide, shocked eyes as he hovers over me between my legs. He has never allowed us to be this close before. This position is far more intimate than any we have shared before.

"I know what you are doing, Aredhel," he says lowly, searching my expression with hooded eyes. "You are walking a dangerous line."

I open my mouth to reply, but his mouth covers mine before a single word escapes my lips. He kisses me deeply, pressing his body flush against mine and sending fire through my veins. There is not a single empty space between us, and as we kiss I can hardly tell where his body begins and mine ends. We are one as we move, relishing in every kiss and breath. His hands roam over the bare skin of my legs, pulling them tighter around his waist. My hands cup his face, moving to tangle in his hair.

Our lips part, and his name is a sigh on my lips. He presses his mouth to my throat, wasting no time with his sweet revenge, and I melt beneath him, closing my eyes as he finds the spot that he knows makes me insensible. My fingers grip his tunic tightly as I breathe his name once again, and it affects him greatly as he shudders against me.

His lips trail down my throat and travel down my chest where his tunic falls low on my skin. One of my hands is still tangled in his hair as his lips touch the inner part of my breast, and I tighten my fingers in his hair. "Elladan," I sigh, almost panting as he kisses my skin, "I can hardly breathe."

He pulls back to look at me. His eyes are almost silver as they trail over my features, taking in my flushed appearance thoroughly. His dark brows furrow as he looks at me so passionately, whispering, "You are so beautiful."

My cheeks warm underneath his intense gaze. I reach up, running my fingers over his jaw and down his neck. "You did not have to stop," I whisper shyly.

He presses a long kiss to my lips before pulling back with a heart-melting smile. "I had to, though, I did not want to," he replies quietly, and he releases a breathy chuckle as he searches my eyes. "You will be the death of me, Aredhel. I can assure you that."

I laugh, and his eyes soften affectionately. He presses a kiss to my nose. "You are always so rational and put-together when we kiss. You so easily stop when we need to," I explain, and he gives me his full attention as I speak. "I just wanted to see you lose control this one time. I wanted to know that I affect you as greatly as you affect me."

He shakes his head slightly, lowering his voice. "How you could ever imagine that I am not affected by you, I do not know," he sighs, looking a bit upset by my confession. "Ar, if I did not care about your purity and did not place it above my own selfish desires, I would have made love to you a long time ago."

"I know that," I reply with a faint blush. "It is just embarrassing that I completely come apart when you touch me. You are always so composed."

He laughs at that, looking apalled. "You still believe that you do not affect me?" he questions. "Eru! Will you only be satisfied when I rip off your clothes?"

"Elladan!" I exclaim, mortified by his bluntness, and I cover my face with my hands as my face turns red. "Do not assume such things!"

He laughs boyishly, pulling my hands away from my face. "Aredhel, you make me want things that I had never even dreamed of before meeting you. If you asked me to make love to you in that breathless tone of yours, I would not be able to deny you. Every kiss affects me greatly. Sometimes, just your eyes gazing at me is enough to set me on fire inside," he admits. "That is why I have to hold onto some sort of composure."

I smile, satisfied with his answer. He strokes my face tenderly as I gaze up at him. "I cannot wait until the day you lose that composure," I say quietly.

His answer is a long kiss to my lips. When he pulls back, he removes himself from me completely and rolls onto his side. He pulls me to his chest, and I rest my head on him, cuddling into his warm, awaiting arms. "I cannot wait either," he says after a long while, and he presses a kiss to my head.

He runs his fingers through my hair as we lie there in peaceful silence. I close my eyes and relish in this moment. Day by day he seems to get busier as more responsibilities pop up, and I miss him. I miss when he was able to spend the majority of his day by my side. It is selfish, I know, but I wish it could always be this way. I want to always have him with me.

"You can tell me anything you know," he says quietly. "I know you are not feeling well today."

Love blossoms in my chest, realizing that his momentary loss of restraint was purposeful. He knew that if he kissed me, he could take away every worry of mine for at least a little while, and knowing that, he kissed me thoroughly.

"There is nothing to tell," I admit. "I just do not feel like myself today. I wanted to go to the waterfalls with Glorfindel and Vesryn, but at the same time, I did not feel like it. So, I have been hiding out here and wallowing in my emotions."

He kisses my head once again. "There is nothing wrong with that. It is normal to have bad days. Personally, I am glad you stayed here. I wanted to spend the day with you," he divulges.

A grin forms on my lips as I look up at him. "I am glad, as well. I had no idea you would show up early, and I definitely did not think you would kiss me like that."

He stares at me for a long moment, a handsome smile on his face. "I want to marry you."

My eyes widen in surprise. "What?"

Elladan's grey eyes soften with love as he caresses my face. "I want to marry you, Aredhel."

"Then ask me," I reply breathlessly.

"I have wanted to marry you since I first spoke with you the day you woke up in the Healing Wing. I told Elrohir you were so beautiful that looking at you made my chest ache. You were so broken and in so much pain, yet you held your head high. Watching you fight for your family against creatures that were so much bigger and stronger than you made me fall in love with you instantly. You have a fire inside of you, Aredhel, and nothing has ever been able to snuff it out," he says lowly, and tears collect in my eyes.

"'Dan," is my only response.

"You are inspiring. You have such strength inside of you that I believe I have only seen a sliver of. You are kind. You love with all of your heart. You are so wise, yet so young at the same time. Eru has blessed me greatly by bringing you into my life. I was giving up hope on ever finding true happiness, but there you were, raising your papa's sword to fight for those you loved. I have never been so moved in my entire life. You are more than I ever dreamed of. I love you."

I bury my face in his chest as I cry. "I love you."

"I have wanted to ask you for so long, Aredhel, but you were still healing. You are still healing even now. I never want you to be overwhelmed with making important decisions while you are still hurting inside," he says so sweetly.

I pull back from him, and he wipes away my tears. "I love you, Elladan. There is no doubt in my mind that I want to marry you," I whisper, trying to fight against my tears. "I will never be fully healed. I will always have a piece of my heart that is missing- the piece that belongs only to my family. You have healed me in so many ways, though. You make the pain tolerable. You have given me yourself and your family and friends, and I cannot thank you enough. You have not left my side once through all of this. You hold me everytime I come apart. I want to marry you, 'Dan. Ask me. Please."

His own eyes fill with tears as he looks at me. "I was planning to ask you at the solstice. I rehearsed a speech and everything," he murmurs.

I laugh, leaning in to kiss him. "Then why did you ruin the surprise?"

"Because you have been worrying about why I have not asked for your hand," he replies, and his eyes sadden at the thought. "I wanted you to know now that I want to marry you. I wanted you to know why I have been waiting to ask you."

I wipe his tears away with a smile, kissing him once more. "Then ask me at the solstice. I will pretend to be surprised," I promise, searching his eyes as he grins.

"I have to ask your aunt and uncle for permission first. I might not be alive by the night of the solstice, especially if you blush again when he asks if I have touched you."

I laugh loudly, hitting his chest. "Do not tease me! The question threw me off guard, and in that moment, I could almost feel your hands on my skin. I could not help but blush!"

He laughs boyishly. "I have not even met your aunt and uncle yet. I have no idea how to ask them for your hand."

"You are asking my aunt, as well?" I question in surprise.

"Of course. She deserves a say in this, too."

I smile at that. "You are so thoughtful. Aunt already told me that I did a great job in snagging a lord of Imladris," I say with a smirk. "I do not think it will take much to convince her. She would hand me over with just one smile from you. She has a soft spot for handsome ellyn."

"Your uncle is the one that wants to hang me from the weeping tree in the front lawn," he mutters, and I laugh.

"Oh, he is all talk. I promise. He only wishes for my happiness. I saw it clearly the day they arrived. He is not happy with leaving me here, but when I choose to stay, he will accept my decision."

Elladan runs his fingers over my cheek, openly admiring me. "I cannot believe that you will marry me," he whispers.

I scrunch up my nose as he kisses it. "After we are betrothed, how long will the wedding planning take? I fear I am not very patient," I reply.

He chuckles. "Naneth will have extravagent ideas, but she can get things done quickly. I have seen her do the impossible more times than I can recall."

I smile. "I believe it. She will be so excited."

We fall silent for a moment.

"I do not want to do anything for the rest of the day," I sigh, cuddling closer to him. "I just want to lie here with you."

"I have no objections," he replies lowly as he runs his fingers through my hair.

"You know, there is no greater place in all of Arda than your arms," I whisper, pressing a kiss to his jaw. "I would stay here forever if given the choice."

His grey eyes search mine lovingly. I can still see the desire swimming in them; I can feel it through the bond. "You never have to leave," he replies quietly, brushing his nose againt mine. "My arms will always be open for you."

I kiss him deeply. His warm hands find my waist as he rolls onto his back once again. Our lips part, and I gaze into his eyes, basking in the love that is shining from them.

"I liked your study, but I think I like your bed much better," I breathe cheekily.

He laughs breathlessly, running his hand underneath his tunic that I am wearing and running his fingertips over my back. "Do not make a decision yet. I have not taken you to my pool or the gardens yet," he says lowly, and I melt underneath the intensity of his gaze.

"Take me to your pool then," I whisper to him, kissing his mouth tenderly.

His fingers trace my spine slowly, causing me to shiver against him. "You do not make things easy for me, do you?"

A quiet laugh escapes my lips. "Of course not."

"And once again you overlook the mentioning of the gardens," he complains quietly. "I thought you would find that irresistibly romantic."

I smile at him amusedly. "It is romantic. It is worrisome, though. What if someone caught us? That would be horrible!"

He chuckles softly. "No one but family and friends are allowed that far in the gardens. I told you they stretch back further than you could possibly imagine. At night, no one ever ventures there. I know this because I have laid underneath the stars more times than I care to admit, wondering what it would be like to marry my soulmate and bring her there with me," he admits, looking so vulnerable and sweet as he searches my eyes.

I brush my lips against his so softly. "The thought of you lying there under the stars makes me sad. I was lonely, as well, waiting for you to come into my life. I have never known much about making love, but Nana told me it was the most beautiful feeling in all of Arda. I used to lie in bed and wonder what it would be like to be married- to be loved so much by someone. I could hardly imagine any ellon wanting me in such a way."

Elladan pulls me to him, kissing me deeply. "I will show you exactly how it feels to be loved and wanted, Ar," he whispers to me between kisses. "I will take you to the gardens and place flowers all in your red hair, and then I will make love to you underneath the stars."

"I love you," I whisper to him, kissing him again. "I want nothing more than for you to wisk me away to the gardens. It sounds enchanting."

A knock sounds at the door, and Elrohir's amused voice comes from behind it. "Is it safe for me to come in? I do have pure eyes that I would like to protect, you know."

Elladan and I burst into laughter.

"No, it is not. Please go away," I call as Elladan and I part from one another, sitting side by side.

Elladan runs his hands through my curls, fixing them, and I do the same to his slightly mussed hair.

Elrohir, taking that as his cue, opens the door and enters with a wary, suspicious look on his face. When he catches sight of us sitting on the bed, he rolls his eyes.

"'Dan, you are asking to be murdered," he mutters, strolling across the room toward us.

"How are the new colts?" I ask him curiously. "King Thranduil did not scare them away with his icy aura, did he?"

They both laugh at my words. "You should come see them for yourself. They are beautiful," Elrohir says, and his smile turns into a mischievous smirk. "Actually, Uncle Arlyn visited while we were there. He had quite an icy attitude towards me until Legolas called my name, and he realized that he was stalking the wrong twin."

My eyes widen in surprise. "Oh, that is horribly embarrassing. I do not understand why he would do that," I murmur.

Elrohir pinches my sleeve. "My innocent, sweet Aredhel," he begins with a laugh, "you ask such a thing when wearing my brother's tunic and sitting in his bed with him in his chambers. My, I wonder what your uncle could possibly be worried about?"

My face turns hot with embarrassment. "You are right," I whisper, trying to stand from the bed, but Elladan pulls me back down beside him.

"Do not let Elrohir berate you. We did not do anything wrong," 'Dan comforts me, kissing my knuckles gently.

"I was only joking, Ar," Elrohir says with a kind smile, and he looks to his brother, "but I am warning you to be more careful. Aredhel's uncle is quite fierce. He may actually murder you if he finds out you have laid a single finger upon his precious niece."

"What did he say to scare you so badly?" I ask him with a raised brow. "Did he mention his war stories? What about the closet full of weapons he has in his home? He sharpens them often."

Elrohir laughs at my teasing. "He simply watched me like a predator stalking his prey. Every word or laugh or breath that left my mouth was carefully calculated in that sharp mind of his. He did not laugh at a single joke of mine, which really hurt my feelings," he rambles thoughtfully before meeting my gaze with a shrug, "Legolas laughed. Even his father finds me funny."

I snort. "I am sure the king finds you quite funny."

Elladan throws his head back with a laugh, and his brother narrows his eyes at me.

"The point is, Uncle Arlyn wants to break every bone in your body, dear brother. I suggest you keep your self control in check," Elrohir says with raised brows.

"I am perfectly in control of my emotions," Elladan says, and both of us look at him in disbelief. "Mostly."

Elrohir chuckles deeply, turning those eyes so alike to his brother's to me. "Aredhel, keep him in line if you want to marry him so badly. I will not be able to take his place at the wedding if he is killed. Ayla would not like that very much."

I laugh loudly at that. "There would not be a wedding if Uncle killed him. I certainly would not marry you in his stead."

Elrohir places his hand over his heart, feigning offense. "Your words are like arrows to my heart."

"Can we please stop mentioning murder?" Elladan mutters, and I giggle, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"Uncle will approve of you. You are much more mature than your brother."

Elrohir scoffs. "I will have you know that I made a perfectly good impression on your uncle. He laughed at my jokes after he figured out that I am not the elf laying hands on his niece."

"You make it sound so inappropriate," I groan, covering my ears for a moment. "Are couples not allowed to kiss?"

"Hmm, probably not in your uncle's rule book," Elrohir replies. "I doubt he even approves of Elladan being in the same room as you."

"Well, Elladan and I kiss quite often, so Uncle will have to face reality," I say with a lot more courage than I feel.

Elrohir shakes his head slowly. "'Dan, I will begin preparing my speech for your funeral."

I laugh and swat at him, and he dodges my hand as he laughs boyishly. "Stop scaring him. Uncle will respect him and approve of him. I know he will."

"It is my duty as his brother to make his life harder," Elrohir replies with a grin.

"Well how are things with Ayla, all wise gentleman who never does anything wrong?" I ask him with a raised brow. "Have you kissed her yet? Remember not to take things too far! I am sure Ayla's papa will be even fiercer than my uncle."

He simply smirks at me, enjoying my teasing. "I have not kissed her yet."

Elladan and I look at each other with wide, surprised eyes.

"Really?" I question in suspicion, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Ayla is shy. I do not think she is ready," he explains. "I never want to move too fast with her. Plus, we are hardly ever alone. Ada lurks around us as if he believes I am going to pounce on her."

I laugh at that, and Elladan smiles, running his fingers over the back of my hand absentmindedly.

"Your poor ada," I reply with a shake of my head.

Our laughter fills the room, and the happiness in my heart can barely be contained. I have my family with me again, and I am surrounded with my new family, as well. The feeling is more than I can comprehend.

Soon, I will introduce Elladan to Aunt and Uncle. We will ask for their blessing. Elladan will win Uncle over. How could he not? He has the sweetest, purest heart, and it shines from him like starlight. He is a quiet soul, never one to be the center of attention. He watches and listens, and he notices things about people and situations that I never would. He is loyal and has a strong sense of duty and respect. Uncle will grow to love him. I have no doubts.

For now, I simply allow myself to sit and laugh with Elrohir and my mate. Tomorrow will worry for itself, so there is no use in overthinking things.

Tomorrow, my spirits will be high once again.

_________

A/N:
Hope yall are enjoying! This is just a filler chapter, but I think its pretty cute. xxx