The sun was shining, but the moment was so quiet, she rolled back over towards him, nestling into the curve of his arm. Resting her head along his upper arm, she quickly feigned sleep as she saw him begin to stir.

He cracked an eye open, his nostrils filling with her smell. Stifling a yawn, he attempted to remove his arm without waking her. Sliding off of his side of the bed, he tiptoed towards the door, covering himself with a robe as he approached the door. As he had expected, the breakfast cart was waiting outside. Still striving to be as quiet as possible, he wheeled it back inside, opening each of the lids carefully and selecting a bit of everything, which he placed on one of the plates.

Cracking an eye open partway, she watched him move about the room. "Do ya no' like me usin' ya as a pillow?" She giggled and buried her face in the bedding.

Startled, he nearly dropped the plate. He stuck his tongue out at her. "There goes my surprise." He moved back towards the bed, placing the plate on her night table. "And you're not as fluffy as I'd like, which is why I'm trying to fatten you up with all of this food."

She gasped for breath, carrying on the jest. "What? Why didn't ya say somethin' earlier. I wouldn't have been worried 'bout stayin' trim. Go fix me another plate, yeah? I've got some fluffin' ta do." Plucking a slice of bacon from her plate, she crunched into it dramatically for effect.

He laughed, pulling the plate out of her reach before finally relenting. Stealing a piece of sausage from the plate, he gobbled it up, licking his lips for effect as he crawled back into bed. Resting his head against her shoulder, he amended his earlier statement. "I like you just the way you are, Juliane. Don't change."

Chuckling softly, she smoothed the hair back from his brow before kissing him gently. "Good, 'cause I didn't really relish th' idea of needin' a bigger wardrobe. Ya know how trim th' rest of the family is."

He nibbled her shoulder gently. "I know. That's why I doubt you could gain any weight even if you tried."

Juliane shivered at the touch of his teeth to her skin. "Ohhh?" Her voice raised a bit as she struggled to regain some composure. "Well, I'm sure I could do anythin' a set m' mind ta... but if ya insist...." Her fingers went to the back of his neck, rubbing ever so lightly.

His hand pulled back the bed sheet, revealing her naked back. Fingers brushed against her skin, kneading the knots of stress out slowly.

She murmured her appreciation softly, a mumble about how everyone should have a massage before breakfast. Resting on her stomach, Juliane folded her arms and rested her chin against her forearm. "I believe I shall dub ya Chief Masseuse ta Sol'meykara, love. But it's a highly secret position, yeah? So don't go braggin' on it ta yer friends."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Soft hands continued to work their magic, starting at the shoulders and then making their way down her back. "Although I hope that I'm the only masseuse."

"Th' one an' only." She began to chuckle but then melted as his fingers began to target the tension in her lower back.

Drawing the sheet down to the base of her back, he straddled her with his legs, surprised at the stiffness he felt in her lower back. Rubbing gently at the knots, he asked, "Is there anything you'd like to do today, Sol'meykara?" He'd originally used the name to tease her, but now it came out naturally.

"Mmmm, is loungin' about all day an option? After all th' rush of yesterday, I'm still kinda drained." She jumped a bit when his fingers pressed against a sensitive nerve.

Feeling her wince, he paused. "Does that hurt? I can stop if you want." He was similarly inclined towards a day of rest, especially since he would be leaving Elessar in just a few days.

"N-no... jus' tender, yeah? Besides, I can handle it. But if ya want ta stop, I won't force ya ta wait on me so all day." Turning her head, she peered up at him over her shoulder. "Besides, perhaps Lord Peredhil feels like auditioning his own masseuse."

He clearly did not mind waiting on her at all, but he wasn't about to pass up her offer. "I won't say no to that." Rolling over onto his stomach, he undid the front of his robe so that it would be easier to remove.

Easing his arm out of one sleeve, she folded it back a bit and begain to work on his shoulder. The bare arm was extended out on the mattress. Her fingers were firm and focussed, seeking out the pockets of tension.

He exhaled slowly, clay to be shaped under her agile fingers. "You've got the job." A blissful sigh escaped him.

"So quick? Ya aren't even gonna pretend ta wait until ya've seen th' range of m' skills?" She giggled again, her fingers lightly crimping all the way down his arm and back up to his shoulder.

Covering his tracks, he retorted, "If you want the job of Chief Masseuse, you'll have to do better than what I've seen so far."

"Oh, and until I secure th' position of Chief Masseuse, I'm jus' yer second or third string?" Biting her lip to stop herself from errupting in a fit of laughter, she instead let her fingers sneak closer to the tender spot beneath his arm.

Although the bruises had disappeared, he still cringed in a couple of places where the beatings had been especially fierce. But her touch was firm yet gentle, providing almost instant relief. He released another ecstatic sigh in answer to her question.

Folding the robe back even more, she turned her attention to the expanse of his shoulder blade, bending low to murmur in his ear. "Wha' was tha', Lord Peredhil? I couldn't quite understand ya." A quick kiss to his temple before she slowly dragged her fingers across his back, taking the last vestiges of the tension with her.

He lay still, like a limp doll, his eyes closed and a dreamy smile on his face. No stress, no worries, nothing but complete relaxation. Too relaxed to even respond to her comment, his only reply was to pucker his lips slightly, hoping that she would understand his cue.

She caught the cue full on and did not pause a moment before she lowered her head to his, capturing his lips. If he was so easily pleased with just a one quarter back rub, Juliane could only wonder what his reaction would be to a full one.

Her lips against his brought Peredhil back to life. He half-turned, reaching a hand up to her neck. "My other masseuses don't do that, so this is a plus." His mouth widened into a smile, although he did not pull back from the kiss.

The pull of his hands on her had her stretching out beside him. Clearly, the massage would be continued later. As his comments sunk in, however, she nipped at his lower lip.

That caused him to pull back, but only slightly. Grinning, he teased. "Watch it, Sol'meykara."

Her eyes lowered in a dramatic sweep. "Forgive me, Lord Peredhil." The corner of her mouth twitched slightly.

His hands reached out to grab her wrists, pulling her in against him. "You know, Juliane, you're going to regret teasing me in a few days when you have nothing here to hug but your pillow."

His comment sparked something within her, and she claimed his mouth hungrily, willing those days to stay far away a bit longer. Expecting a clever remark, he was surprised by her sudden attack. His hands tightened around her, one of his legs slipping between hers.

Her body acquiesced to his posturing, her hands slipping to entwine with his. For all of their hope and faith, there was still risk and she knew it. The only way she knew how to disperse those thoughts of what the days would be like while he was away was to cling to him so that she could imprint the essence of him in her memory.

It was a coping mechanism as much as an act of love. Peredhil wondered why they could never seem to break this cycle of long separations. He desperately hoped that this one would be a short one, but his instincts told him otherwise. Despite the enthusiasm that had filled every Elessari the previous night, the road ahead would be long, dangerous, and unfamiliar.

At least this time, they had the avenue to cope as they chose. Previously their separations had left them to each struggle through it alone, and that was something they would never have to worry about again. For all it's unfamiliarity, at least they would have each the boon of the other's love to keep them grounded.

"I love you, Juliane," he whispered in her ear, unwilling to release his grip on her.

"You are my heart.... how could I not love you?" She buried her face in his neck, kissing lightly all along the curve of his clavicle.

"And you are my soul." Taking her head between his hands, he inhaled deeply, as if by doing so he could absorb her essence.

Her hair still held the essence of honeysuckle that the attendants had brushed into her locks the day before. Juliane wrapped her arms his waist as she continued the trail of kisses across his chest.

"Marry me, Juliane." The words escaped him. He knew it was hasty, but he had no doubt that she was the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He did not know whether he would survive the campaign, but he wanted her to know that he was willing to commit to her forever.

Juliane's head raised slowly, as if somehow the moment was paused in time for them. A bubble that would remain theirs forever, that the world could not intrude upon. Two pairs of green eyes locked, and while hers held her answer, she gave voice to it nonetheless. "Yes. A thousand times, yes."

His entire face lit up with joy, his bright smile matching the sparkle in his eyes. Reaching back towards his nightstand, he felt around near the back before finally producing a small box. Getting out of bed, he knelt before her. "I want to do it properly, so... Juliane Smith, my Sol'meykara and my soulmate, my better half and my best friend, will you marry me?" He opened the box, displaying a platinum ring, green emeralds surrounding a large diamond. It had been his mother's engagement ring, and although Peredhil had never expected to use it, it was one of the few mementos he had of his parents and, therefore, one of his most prized possessions.

When he had climbed out of the bed, she had knelt where she was to try and see what he was about to do. Never had she expected him to utter such a tender proposal. Which of course was met with an answer identical to her first. Tears streaked down her face as he presented the ring to her. It seemed, in rapid retrospect, like the world had turned entirely topsy-turvy since the Harvest Ball. Had it even been a week ago? The brilliant circlet slipped onto her finger as if it had been made for her, his fingers lingering on her hand.

His smile grew brighter, if that was possible. Leaning in for their first kiss as an engaged couple, he paused halfway, his eyes memorizing every detail of her face in this moment. Finally, he moved in, his lips parting as they joined with hers.