LATE NIGHTS
With the arrival of mostly unexpected guest, some late nights are in order.
1,128 words | Elrond x Reader
Content warnings: Brief Reference to Celebrian, Brief Reference to Sailing to the Undying Lands, Elf Reader, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hair Braiding, Married Couple, Mentions of Book Characters, Mentions of Singing, Not Canon Compliant, Set During The Hobbit, Use of Sindarin
A/N: Apologies to anyone who understands Sindarin to any degree. I tried. đ
Legs tucked neatly underneath her body, the fabric of her night gown flowed loosely over the curves of her body and pooled in her lap, with long strands of hair pushed behind her shoulders; she worked steadily with the ebony strands held between her fingertips. A soft hum emanated from her lips, a rhyme she had learned as a child and was reminded of earlier that day while out in the gardens, coming across a small tutor group teaching that very song. The crickets outside sung as a backing soundtrack to her melody along with ever present sound of flowing of water of the falls that surrounded Imladris.
It was late in the evening, the room only lit by the glow of the moon high in the sky and the faint luminous candles surrounding the perimeter. The Lord of Imladris sat comfortably at the edge of the large mattress with parchment in hand. His lips curled upward at the corners, the muscles in his body relaxed for the first time in a while, subconsciously leaning into the occasional touch of his wife's, her fingers brushing against the sides of his face and neck upon starting a new braid. His eyes lulling shut as his love's previous hum turned into quiet, pleasant singing.
The day had been long between the arrival of Gandalf with his dwarf friends and the halfling, the orcs coming too close for comfort to the border, and all the mess created by the mere presence of dwarves in the realm. Typical time set aside for the monotonous task that was tending to papers had come and gone without the chance for the Lord to attend to such. Which left him with no choice but to work well into his free time at the end of the day after a bath. He was grateful this occurred now and not some years ago because he'd surely be up until the early hours of the morning if it had; the tasks he wouldn't normally hand out to Erestor, Lindir, or even Elladan and Elrohir, the times they were around. But with Y/N there now, taking the place that was left abandoned by CelebrĂan after she sailed west, he'd been able to ease some of his burdensâfor which he was grateful. They were not burdens of the realm, but personal ones heâd prefer to care for when able.
Braiding his hair at night wasn't one of those tasks he'd may need assistance with, but the elven lord couldn't deny the opportunity. A beautiful woman running her long, slender fingers through his silky hair, singing a calming tune for he and her, the occasional chaste kiss to his temple, the corner of his lips, the end of his locks. He may be the Lord of Imladris, which came with much ability of restraint, but when it came to her? He was no better than man or elf. He didnât wish to be either.
"Mae carnen." Elrond languidly smiled back as her song came to an end along with the work of his hair.
"Hannon le, meleth-nĂn."
Y/N's hands settled on his tired shoulders, her fingers subtly beginning to massage the tense muscles underneath as she leaned forward, pressing a lingering kiss to his cheek.
"Ad hannon le, meleth. It's been some years since another has touched my hair."
Not pulling away, Y/N's hands worked down the expanse of his shoulders and into his back. Her hands worked and continued to travel until reaching his waist where they slid around until her arms fully encompassed his middle and fingers overlapped on his front; her front pressed into his back as her cool nose nuzzled into neck.
"Do you like it? One doing your hair." She hummed, eyes fluttering shut contently.
Elrond leaned into her embrace, a spare hand clasping over her own lovingly.
"Hmm, I do. Particularly when its your hand." His head pressed against her own, gray eyes falling onto her with great affection.
"I'm honored, then." Y/N smiled.
Elrond hummed, pressing a kiss of his own to her forehead before returning to the papers in his grasp and a comfort silence settled over them.
For a long while Y/N didn't disturb the elf lord, knowing it best to let him work for a time. How long she allowed him to work there on the edge of their marital bed was unknown, being as the moon already hung high in the starry sky long before he joined her. If she'd guess, it was an hour or two they sat together with her in his arms in mostly silence, the occasional song leaving her lips as they came to mind. However, when the lids of her eyes began to threaten to close, her arms growing weaker in their hold, she decided enough was enough.
"Le aen Ăźdh." She said, her voice no louder than a whisper with heavy sleep lacing it.
"Fergar."
Y/N shook her head. That just wouldnât do. Her arms tightened around his waist and pulled back like she intended to pull him back on to the plush mattress right then and there.
"Ă. HĂ." She pouted almost childishly. âI wish to sleep with my husband beside me.â
A soft chuckle escaped Elrond's lips.
"You are quite demanding, hmm?" He said, although nothing but fondness coated his words. "Was this your plan all along? To bring me to bed with the promise of work and then take it away?"
"If it was?"
"I'd call you a sirenâif the tiredness of your eyes did not betray you." Unwrapping her arms from him, a quiet sound of parchment flickering through the air could be heard as he leaned forward before returning to his original position. "Let us rest. I shall continue in the morning before Lindir arrives."
Y/N said nothing, but the tired smile said everything she mightâve.
The lord shifted, moving the bedding aside for Y/N to crawl underneath before following suit, the weight of the blankets encouraging his tired body to ease into the mattress. Much like it was always her rightful spotâwhich sheâd might argue it was under other circumstancesâY/N curled into Elrondâs side, her head falling onto his chest with a happy sigh. He pulled the covers to rest snugly underneath her chin then allowed his hand to drop to her thigh that draped across his middle beneath the blanket and his ring adorned hand rested easily over her shoulder. He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, softly wishing her a good night in elvish, only allowing his eyes to shut once her breaths had evened out and she was clearly asleep before he followed her into the land of dreams.
Translations
Mae carnen - Well done
Hannon le, meleth-nĂn - Thank you, my love
Ad hannon le, meleth - And thank you, love
Le aen Ăźdh - You should rest
Fergar - Soon done
Ă. HĂ. - No. Now.
