6. Pleasure Cruise - Imrahil
"I woke, and you were not there."
Imrahil laid a hand on the slim arm that had gone around his waist. "I was bidding the sea good-night," he confessed. " 'Tis a years-long habit, whenever I am a-shipboard."
"You are be-swanned," she said, surprise in her voice, and light fingers touched the back of his shoulder. "I would not have thought."
"You only now noticed?"
A pause. "I have never been in a position to notice," she replied, and Imrahil could almost hear her blushing. But then warm lips kissed the tattoo he could not see, and he was pleased at the careful touch.
She slid her other arm around him, and laid her cheek against the flat of his shoulder blade. The silk of her dressing gown was cool against his back; the gentle breeze made her loose hair dance, tickling the nape of his neck.
They looked out over the smooth clean water silently, motionless except for her thumb idly brushing his wrist, and Imrahil could not remember when he had last been so content.
She shivered when the wind kicked up briefly, and he turned his head toward her. "We should go below," he said. "Your father will likely take you back if I allow you to catch a chill on your wedding night."
He felt her smile against his skin. "Not until you are quite finished bidding your mistress good evening," she replied, both teasing and not. "It would not do to make her angry."
He chuckled, but did not deny the truth of her words. He turned, drew her to stand next to him. "I am almost finished," he said. "I had thought to introduce you to one another."
She gave a brilliant, sweet smile, tilting her face up to be kissed, and the waves against the hull were a hushed sigh.
This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.
