For better and worse by ford_of_bruinen

For better and worse

He had never forgotten the first moment he saw her, riding through the woods of Doriath beside her brother. He had seen them as he stood outside Menegroth, seen them come closer, seen the sun glint through the trees and glitter in her hair.

She was beautiful and he was in love.

Her brother’s hair was the colour of spun gold, unusual and striking, and yet it paled in comparison to her. Silver and gold tumbled through long tresses that fell well past the small of her back.

He was enchanted, entranced.

The other Elves fell away as he stared at her. No longer did he hear the voices that whispered of Kin long lost, nor did he see the crowds in front of him part. There was only her, her slender ivory hand resting in her brother’s larger one, her small smile that seemed to shine brighter than the new orbs that graced the sky.

Lost, drowning, all words gone.

He felt someone nudge his back and blushed as he realised that she had greeted him as well as his King. He was unsure of what she had said or how her voice sounded. Croaking, he ground out the formal greeting and bowed to her slightly and her smile widened.

“Galadriel,” he whispered, not realising at first that his voice carried.

The smile widened into a rich, melodic laugh as she leaned in and kissed his cheek and nothing else mattered.

~*~

Arms wrapped around his waist from behind and a light kiss was pressed to the nape of his neck.

“You are miles away,” she said softly, her voice a rich alto so different from other maids’.

He turned with a smile and looked down at her. Every time he saw her, he thought, he loved her more, even now when the world around them faded and grew old. “I was remembering,” he answered, leaning his forehead against hers. “The first time we met and how much I loved you then. Some things do not change, despite the way the world moves.”

She pressed a kiss to his forehead. “No,” she said, “some things do not. I remember you that day, so tall, and strong and young.” She smiled. “You are not so young now; your wisdom has grown and so has your beauty.”

He reached out, running her hair through his fingers. “As has yours,” he admitted. He pressed a light kiss to her lips, enjoying the simple embrace. “That day I would not have thought this would happen.”

“I did,” she replied warmly. “As soon as I saw you I knew.” She entwined her slender fingers with his broader ones, roughened by bow and sword. “I always knew.”

Laughing softly, he pulled her closer and kissed her again, slowly, lingeringly and passionately as his hand travelled down to rest on her stomach. “Thank you,” he whispered as the kiss broke.

She shook her head and placed her fingers over his lips. “There is no gratitude between us,” she said quietly. “There is love and nothing else.”

“Yes.” He pulled her closer again. “There is love.”

He moved again until he was standing behind her, arms crossed over her abdomen and his chin resting on her hair. A small smile graced his lips as her hands came up to cover his.

A bird passed the window, grey against the clear sky, and a few squirrels scuttled over the grass and up into the trees, apart from that all was still. It was not the scenery that made them stand together.

“Another year,” she said eventually. “Another full turn of the seasons.”

He felt his smile grow wider. “It will be a girl,” he said. “As beautiful as you, only the hair will she inherit from me.”

She laughed loudly. “A boy,” she said with certainty. “Tall and bold and strong as his father.”

He kissed her neck fondly. “I will remind you of that,” he said, “when we name our daughter.”

She laughed again and leaned back against him, contented and happy.

“I love you,” he mumbled into her hair. “Whatever comes, that will not change.”

He still remembered so many moments since that day, first kisses and promises. Grief and despair littered the path they had walked but still, despite the darkness, there was love, and there was her.