Work Text:
Outside, snow was falling, blanketing the forest and the valley with a pristine cover of white. Untouched and glistening in the winter sun. Galadriel pulled her thick winter cloak around her as tightly as she could, the cold freezing her cheeks as she shivered. In the distance, she could hear sleigh bells jingling, growing louder as it drew closer to where she stood.
Before she knew it, a sleigh came to a slow stop in front of her, the horses giving a soft neigh as they stopped. The sleigh was a deep red, as red as a winter berry, and Elrond sat in the sleigh holding the leather reins, wrapped in a thick winter cloak and a blanket covering his lap.
“Come aboard My Lady.” Elrond said cheerfully.
Galadriel smiled warmly as she climbed into the sleigh, instantly feeling the warmth as Elrond lay the thick blanket around her, covering her hands as he tucked it down the side of her.
“Thank you. Where are we going?” Galadriel asked.
“Nowhere in particular. I thought that seeing Imladris in the snow would give us a break from the building but also would show us both how beautiful the valley is during the winter season.” Elrond replied.
Galadriel nodded as Elrond gently tapped the reins and the horses began to gallop once again, the sleigh whizzing through the winter scenery. She looked around her, her eyes glistening as the sunlight caught hanging icicles in the trees, a surge of excitement warmed her veins as she enjoyed the beauty of the valley as they rode through the snowy scene that surrounded them. The sleigh glided smoothly over the snow, the bells jingling the entire way as Galadriel nestled into Elrond’s side, her eyes taking in the beautiful scenery.
She blushed slightly as Elrond wrapped a comforting arm around her, pulling her tighter into his side as he briefly looked down at her before turning his attention back to the horses.
“We haven’t had much time alone lately.” She noted.
“Hence the sleigh ride. What better way to spend time together closely?” Elrond teased.
Galadriel blushed again, her eyes darting in any other direction than the one that would make her gawk at her best friend. She kept her eyes focused on the white blanket of snow, now with sleigh markings whipping through it, the sound of bells jingling echoed through the bare tree branches and off the icicles, creating a musicality to the scene.
“Isn’t it marvellous?” Elrond laughed delightfully.
She nodded her agreement as she looked up at him, not realising she had rested her head on his shoulder.
“It’s beautiful!” Galadriel smiled, raising her voice over the sound of the horses and the sleigh bells tingling.
“The snow can turn something already beautiful into something unique.” Elrond stated.
Their journey through the snowy valley continued and they sat in silence, simply enjoying the peace and the quiet of the winter scene. Galadriel moved one of her hands from under the blanket and wrapped it around Elrond’s arm, giving it a light squeeze as she felt a sense of gratitude for the temporary escape from their duties back at the haven they were building for their people.
The sleigh came to a quick stop in the valley, sitting on the riverbank. Galadriel’s eyes widened as her eyes settled on the waterfall – or rather the frozen waterfall. It was cold enough to freeze, the frozen water sparkled like a star or a ray of sunlight as the winter sun hit the glistening ice. Her breath caught at the sight, her heart thumping with awe at the mystical beauty of nature.
“Elrond…this is…” Galadriel muttered.
“I thought you’d appreciate it. I think we both needed a moment just the two of us, uninterrupted and peaceful. We’ve both been so busy since we came here-“
Galadriel turned her attention back to him, her heart thumping. She could feel the warming of her cheeks, her eyes meeting Elrond’s for a brief second. Her hands shook under the blanket, not from the bitter cold but from nervousness. Elrond cupped her cheek tenderly, his forehead pressing against her own.
They hadn’t been this close since Eregion. Since he had kissed her and planted a key in her hand so she could escape her captor in the orc camp.
Her lips pressed lightly against his before she pulled away. She knew that she shouldn’t be here with him like this. That she shouldn’t be appreciating a beautiful winter’s day with Elrond and kissing him because that was all she could think about doing.
“Elrond…” she whispered.
He smiled at her, the warm way that he had always smiled at her and pressed his lips back to hers, kissing her deeply. Galadriel clutched the front of his cloak tightly, her lips moving with his enthusiastically as his arms circled around her waist, travelling to the inside of her cloak.
When she pulled away to catch her breath, she noted the redness to his cheeks and grinned.
“Do I truly have a warming effect on you, dear Elrond?” she teased.
Elrond’s eyes glinted mischievously back at her.
“I think we have that equal effect on each other, My Lady. Wouldn’t you agree?” he whispered.
Galadriel blushed once more, and shuffled closer into his side, resting her head against his chest as Elrond wrapped his arms around her.
“I don’t think I want to go back,” she confessed quietly, closing her eyes, “I wish we could sit here forever, enjoying the blissful peace of this winter scene.”
“Winter will always come and go,” Elrond countered, “But as long as we have each other, I think we can mark our own forever.”
Galadriel looked up at him, a slight nod of her head told him she agreed wholeheartedly. She said nothing else as she pressed her lips back to his and kissed him sweetly, the winter scene slowly fading away as they both understood just what they needed from each other, and with a silent promise to make more time together to enjoy the beauty that surrounded them.