Title: Warmth

Rating: G

Summary: A weary traveler finds refuge. This is written for the ME express prompt #42: Peace.

Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters. I don't make any money, I just like to borrow the characters and world for a bit.

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A lone figure waded through the deepening snow, pulling his cloak tighter about his shivering frame. The biting wind cut through his clothing, and his breath frosted on the air, only to be ripped away, leaving him to fill his lungs with as much of the frigid air as he could endure. It almost felt as if his breath were freezing in his lungs. He had long ago ceased having any feeling in his toes or fingers, and forced himself to continue his lonely journey, putting one foot in front of the other in the hopes of reaching his destination before he succumbed to the cold.

Though he tried to keep alert for any signs of danger, the cold had numbed his senses as well as his body, and he kept his eyes downcast on the path before him. It was a struggle to keep his feet on the path that was now hidden by the deep snow, and he had to concentrate in order not to lose his way. Losing track of time as he traveled in his world of cold, wind and snow, he at first thought he was imagining things when a faint sound drifted to his ears in a lull, the wind ceasing momentarily. Lifting his head, he strained his eyes into the darkness ahead, trying to decide how far he had come. There was a flicker of light ahead of him, and he moved forward again, no longer watching the path, but the light that was so tantalizingly close.

Stumbling forward, he hurried as much as possible to the source of the light. A wondrous sight rose out of the snowstorm before him; a house with light spilling from every window, the voices laughing and singing finally strong enough to be heard over the roar of the wind. A smile crossed his frozen lips as he reached for the front door. It was a struggle to open the door when his fingers would not cooperate, but then the door opened from the inside, saving him the trouble.

"Estel!" came two joyful voices, calling out in unison. The traveler was pulled into the warmth of the house, and he was enveloped in the firm embrace of two dark-haired, identical elves.

Aragorn relaxed and tried to bring his frozen arms up to return the hugs. Though he moved stiffly, he wrapped his arms around them both and took comfort in the warmth of their greeting as well as their body heat.

As they pulled back from him, Elladan frowned. "Your lips are blue, Estel."

Knowing that his frozen lips and tongue would not allow him to form coherent words, he merely nodded. "C..c..cold," he finally stuttered. Elladan reached out to touch his face and frowned at the temperature of his skin.

"Come," Elladan said, draping an arm around Aragorn's shoulders and leading him further into the house. "We must warm you up." Elladan escorted Aragorn to his room while Elrohir went to inform Elrond that Aragorn had returned. Elrond immediately left the gathering and joined the others in Aragorn's room. The man had already shed his cold, wet clothing and was wrapped in a thick blanket by the fireplace.

"Ada," Aragorn said with a smile as he saw Elrond enter the room. He made an attempt to stand, but was held down in the chair by Elladan. Elrond crossed the room to kneel in front of Aragorn, then reached forward and pulled Aragorn into a tight hug. Aragorn's arms were already obeying him better, and he eagerly returned his father's embrace.

"Welcome home, ion-nin." Elrond spoke softly in Aragorn's ear.

Elrohir studied Aragorn's face as he pulled back from his father and settled back into his chair. "At least your lips are no longer blue," he commented. "How are you feeling now?"

"Much better," Aragorn answered. "Still cold, but much better, thank you." His shivering had nearly stopped, and feeling was slowly returning to his fingers and toes. Unfortunately, the feeling that was returning was accompanied by a painful tingling sensation.

A knock on the door brought their attention to Erestor, standing in the doorway with a tray in hand bearing a kettle of hot water and fixings for tea. Smiling at the shivering man, he entered the room. "It is good to see you home, Estel. Would you care for a cup of hot tea?"

"I would love anything hot," Aragorn answered with a wry grin. Erestor fixed a cup of tea and handed it over to Aragorn. After a few sips, Aragorn relaxed back into his chair, the shivering easing.

"We did not think you would be home this winter," Elrond said as they all made themselves comfortable in chairs around the fire, with cups of tea of their own.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Aragorn said, taking another sip of his tea. He smiled at his family as he finally began to warm up. "It had been too long since I had spent a winter solstice with my family. When I left, the weather was not so severe. I had thought I could make it here before the snow started. I did not want to miss another winter at home."

"We are very glad you made it home, and that you arrived in one piece, more or less," Elrond responded, slightly teasing. "We have missed having you here. The solstice celebration does not seem the same without you."

"Thank you, Ada," Aragorn said with a soft smile, ignoring the comment about arriving in one piece. Feeling tired from his journey, Aragorn rested his head back against his chair and listened as his family spoke softly with each other.

A feeling of warmth suffused Aragorn as he listened to the soft voices of those he loved. There was no place he would rather be at this moment. The fire crackled in the fireplace, enveloping the room and it's occupants in a soothing warmth. Aragorn gazed out the window and watched the snow fall to the ground. Now that he was not out in it, Aragorn could appreciate the beauty of the night. The wind had died down a little, so the snow now fell gently in large wet flakes. Come morning, Imladris would be shrouded in blanket of white. Taking the last sip of his tea, Aragorn felt the warmth spread throughout his body, chasing the last of the chill from him. He leaned forward to place the teacup on a nearby stand, then sighed as he settled back in his chair and pulled the blanket up around him. This was home, the place he belonged, a place to which he could always come back. A sense of peace filled him as he looked back around at his family, those who would always welcome him back with open arms. Giving in to his fatigue, he rested his head back against his chair and closed his eyes, drifting into the world of slumber with a peaceful smile on his face. He did not even notice when he was lifted and carried to his bed, being tucked in like he had been as a child.

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Seasons Greetings everyone!