faemused | Open To Anyone For Anything RP Post

"It matters not if they are," Haleth says firmly, as his mouth touches her fingers. "I do not intend to hide you. Even if I do not wed you formally, I will not sneak and pretend. Come to me as openly as you please."

The corollary also applies, it is unspoken: if ever she visits his encampment, or even his city, she will be just as bold and unashamed, as uncaring of gossip and idle tongues. The approval or disapproval of others is of no consequence.

He laughs softly.

"Bold and unapologetic." He agrees. "Let them see and know." He bows a little to her. "Then I will go, and go swiftly, that I might return all the sooner."

She bows over his hands in return, kisses his fingers before releasing them. "Go swiftly and return swiftly, Caranthir." There is more warmth in the way she says his name, her voice making a caress out of the syllables. It is clear that while she has taken long to make her choice, she is no longer inclined to waste any time.

His cheeks heat at the gestures, and his eyes are smoldering with desire as he pulls away with a brisk nod. The sooner he's gone, the sooner he's back, and he doesn't quite pick up the pace as he heads back to his own men.

The day crawls, but equally there's too much to do to brood overly, and he's heartily sick of acting the prince by the time the day is done.

He comes striding into the main encampment unapologetically after supper, looking for her.

Haleth cannot be found at first, as she is deep in conference with several others. When someone comes to deliver the message that the Lord Caranthir has returned and awaits her, she merely nods and returns to the discussion as though no interruption has occurred, just as she has for the past several days. If her heart beats faster with anticipation, it does not show.

She gives her orders, and everyone disperses to carry them out. Only then does she go to see Caranthir, who waits near the great bonfire that stands in the center of the camp. She is wearing the clothes he made her, and her hair is decorated with beads and feathers in the manner of the Haladin. It is not perhaps fit for a wedding night of sorts, but it is all the finery she has. A small smile touches her mouth when she sees him. "Lord Caranthir," she says formally, as she still does whenever they meet, nodding her head in greeting.

Caranthir is waiting for her by the fire, and only the way his hands twist and pull at his sleeves betrays his nervousness and impatience.

He looks up and bows to her.

"Lady Haleth." He murmurs, and the light in his eyes is very bright and clear.

She nods her head towards her tent. "Come, follow me."

That is all she says before turning to walk with him to her tent. She does not intend to hide her choices, but neither is she at all inclined to display them for all to see. She has, she hopes, made it clear that this is an alliance between herself and Caranthir, not between the Haladin and the Firstborn, and if only for that reason it would be unfit to do otherwise.

And besides...Caranthir, she thinks, would not thank her for making his inevitable blushes public.

She stops at the entrance to her tent, gesturing for him to enter. So far this is nothing they have not done many times, for her tent is larger than most and contains a table and a few chairs, and has been used for their meetings before now, that first night when he arrived included. From this alone there will not be much for the Haladin to suspect.

Not until he remains all the night, as she hopes he will. So she is smiling when she follows behind him, turns and ties the entrance shut at multiple points. "I have given order that we are not to be interrupted, not unless there is very great need," she says without preamble, turning and smiling at him, her eyebrow raised. There is a lit lantern on the table, and its light, the warm color of the dress he made her, the metallic threads, tease bright highlights from her brown hair.

He nods, following her in, and when she turns, has clearly been admiring the sight she makes, glittering in the firelight.

"That is well." He says gravely, but the shy fidgeting of his hands continues.

"I... brought you something." He adds awkwardly, dipping into a pocket. "Since we're going to be making this official, by my standards, that is."

Haleth looks a little surprised. "You are well prepared," she comments. "What is it, and what is its significance?"

"Only in hope. It's... well."

He tips out two gold rings onto her hand.

"They're ... nothing fancy. And I obviously had to make a guess at your ring size. I'm not the craftsman my brother is."

Her eyes widen as two small, cold bands of gold drop into her palm. "You never stop surprising me," she murmurs, looking at them. They are unadorned, but still beautiful, and they glimmer in the low, flickering light.

She looks at them for a moment, then up at his face. "Are there words we should say?" She could and would use the words of the Haladin joining ceremonies, for all that this is not one. But to her mind all words are but a path to the goal, and it matter little which they use so long as they are in agreement.

They're very simple - basic gold bands. But he made them in hope and love.

"My folk take our vows in the name of Eru, and in the eyes of Manwe and Varda." He shrugs. "There is no true set formulate, as such. You?"

Haleth knows--and that is why she will value them.

She shrugs. "There is a lot of pagentry and poetry, but it matters little to me. This is enough." She looks at the two rings in her hand, then hands the smaller one to him, that he may place it on her finger. Her smile is small, but happy. "This is all I need."

He smiles shyly at her and accepts it, reaching to slide it onto her finger.

"Then in Eru's name, I give myself to thee as husband, until time itself should part us."

Her answering smile is surprisingly sweet and open as she places a ring on his finger in return. "And in Eru's name, I give myself to thee as wife, until time itself should part us." She entwines the fingers on their ringed hands. "May that day be long in coming."

He doesn't answer in words, drawing her close to kiss her instead, eager for the taste of her.

She reaches for him just as eagerly, tilting her head up to meet his kiss, her free hand at once burying itself in his hair as she pulls his head down towards her.

He comes eagerly to her tug, before pulling back slightly.

"Should we take this somewhere sitting or lying down?" He offers shyly.

"We should," she says firmly, turning away from him only for so long as it takes to walk to her bedroll. It lies on the ground--furniture is one thing the Haladin do not yet have, or very little of it--but piled high with rushes and covered in blankets and furs for warmth. She kneels and pulls him down after her, never releasing his hand, and kissing him again once he has joined her. If she kneels as he sits, she is closer to his height.

He follows her willingly, settling down beside her.

"Much better." He murmurs, and kisses her again, now she no longer has to tiptoe, and he no longer has to bend down.

She only hums her agreement, her mouth otherwise occupied. She does not rush. Each kiss is slow, thorough, appreciated. She explores his mouth with her tongue with care, her hands stroking through his hair. She pauses a moment at that, chuckles a little. "I love your hair." She pulls back enough to look at him, her eyes shining as she pushes a lock back from his face. "I don't think I had told you. It struck me from the first, how beautiful it is."

((ooc: looooooooool ))

Caranthir flushes at the compliment, leaning a little into her hair.

"Thank you? I'd never considered it to be anything special."

She smells of wood smoke and musk, and her hair brushes against his face as he leans in. "Yes, I have noticed that you continually undervalue yourself." She strokes her fingers through the long dark waterfall, silk smooth hairs catching on her calloused fingers. "But it is beautiful. As are you."

((ooc: Caranthir getting redder and redder as Eowyn preens))

She smiles wonderful and he all but purrs.

"You should have met my older brothers!" He retorts, teasing, pressing in to kiss her again. "But that you think I am beautiful makes me very pleased."

The low rumble in his throat makes her smile, and she returns his kiss with enthusiasm, wrapping her arms around his neck. His words spark a question, but she sets it aside for later. Right now there are more urgent matters needing attention.

Or at least, more tempting. He has not done this before, she knows, so she will need to lead. And she does, letting her hands wander gradually over his body, chest and arms and back. Though always she returns to his hair, stroking the length of it or burying her fingers in his scalp as she pulls his face towards her for more kisses. Those she drinks in like honey, like rain in a dry season.

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timeskip?

yus!

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psst Haleth absolutely shares Faramir's hair kink

Re: psst Haleth absolutely shares Faramir's hair kink

Faramir and Haleth just staring at Caranthir and Eowyn, sharing popcorn

Re: Faramir and Haleth just staring at Caranthir and Eowyn, sharing popcorn

She'll distract him with talk of fighting or embroidery or such. But yes.