11 ELEVEN: Aiyana

A wave of relief washed over me as I stuttered, "How long have you been in here?" I hadn't heard him come in.

"Long enough to overhear you speaking to your pet," he replied, and I cringed in embarrassment. "Did you think I wouldn't come?" he asked, and I looked away, flustered.

"Well, you did take your time," I stuttered, and he stood up, coming to stand before me. He was tall, towering several inches above me. His scent enveloped me, smelling fresh and spicy, with notes of bergamot. I felt the urge to embrace him and take a deep whiff of his scent.

He lifted my face to meet his, using his thumb to caress my face as he asked, "Are you nervous?"

I nodded in response, and he took my hand in his. "Shall we go for a late night stroll in the garden?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful." I replied with a nervous smile, grateful for the distraction from my earlier embarrassment. As we stepped out into the cool night air, the moon cast a soft glow over the garden, illuminating the path ahead.

We walked in silence for a while, the only sound being the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. His hand felt warm and comforting in mine, and I found myself relaxing in his presence.

After a few minutes, he broke the silence. "I'm sorry for startling you earlier," he said softly. "I didn't mean to."

I shook my head, feeling a rush of warmth towards him. "It's okay," I reassured him.

"Do you still see me as a bore?" He asked, his lip curling into a downward smile.

I chuckled, reminiscing about our initial walk together. "Well, you're not exactly a lively conversationalist."

"You know, it's too late for you to make a break for it now," he teased, a playful glint in his eye.

"What?" I asked, taken aback by his statement.

"You were practically ready to run away the last time we walked together," he explained, a soft smile appearing on his face.

"Yeah, that was before I... nevermind," I trailed off, feeling a bit flustered.

"No, really, tell me what's on your mind," he insisted.

I gazed up at the sky, its beauty adorned with a constellation of stars and the crescent of the moon. However, the stars reminded me of Aurelie and the sadness etched on her face earlier today. A chill of sorrow passed through me as I recalled what she had confided in me. I knew I would miss my sister terribly, especially since I've always seen her face in the night sky since I was a child.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Elrond interrupted my thoughts.

"Yes, I just have this terrible habit of zoning out," I apologised, mentally chastising myself while he simply chuckled.

"I'll share a little secret with you," he whispered in my ear, leaning closer. "I do too."

"Well, not always, but particularly during war meetings, which is why Cirdan mostly handles those," he chuckled to himself.

I glanced at him, uncertain of how to respond. His laughter faded as he noticed my lack of amusement, leaving an awkward tension between us.

"Cirdan does give off that impression, doesn't he?" I remarked, offering a smile which he returned.

"He's always been a rebellious soul, ever since he was born. It's just who he is."

I couldn't shake the memory of the disdainful look Cirdan gave me at dinner. "He's not too fond of me, is he?" I inquired.

"You'll get used to him," he replied, and I couldn't help but wonder why it was me who had to adjust to him, rather than the other way around.

–

Our walk concluded as we reached the junction leading to our separate chambers. He turned to me, kissing the back of my hand before heading to his own chambers.

"Goodnight, Güzelim," he said, and I couldn't help but smile at the endearing term in a foreign tongue.

As I turned towards my own chambers, a thought struck me, halting me in my tracks. "Aren't we supposed to consummate our marriage tonight?" I asked, and we both turned to face each other.

"I'm willing to wait until you are ready," he assured me.

It was true; I wasn't prepared. Sephora had warned me of the pain involved, and I wasn't in the right frame of mind to endure it.

"Would you like to spend the night in my room then?" I suggested, noticing the puzzled expression on his face. "Rumours spread quickly among the servants. They don't need to know that our marriage hasn't been consummated yet. It's mostly seen as a source of shame for the woman," I explained, staring down at my fingers.

His gaze lingered on me longer than I expected, and I couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration. I didn't want him to merely consider spending the night with me; I wanted him to agree to it without hesitation. As much as I yearned for a relationship based on genuine sentiment, there was a part of me that craved the assurance of knowing that my husband desired me to the extent that he would never refuse my request for us to be alone together.

Feeling self-conscious under his scrutiny, I glanced down at myself. I was dressed in a robe over my nightdress, hardly exposing anything, so why was he looking at me like that?

I cleared my throat, breaking the tension that had settled between us. "Is something the matter?" I asked, trying to conceal the hint of uncertainty in my voice.

He blinked, as if snapping out of his reverie, and a faint flush crept onto his cheeks. "Oh, no, nothing's wrong," he replied quickly, his gaze darting away from mine. "I was just... lost in thought."

Relieved by his response, I offered a small smile. "Well, shall we retire for the night then?"

He nodded, the tension easing from his features. "Yes, of course. Lead the way."