Part 164 of the Elfwine Chronicles. The Elfwine Chronicles are a series of one-shots built around the family group of Eomer, Lothiriel and Elfwine. The total number will depend on how many ideas I get for new vignettes.
A/N: This story started off with a new character being introduced as the lead, but as it developed, I remembered a remark lady scribe of avandell made in reviewing Awry, and made use of that here (in fact, in going back to reread her comment, I found out she even mentioned this possibility specifically, though I hadn't remembered that). Besides, this way it ties more directly to the Elfwine Chronicles!
Dedicated to Nadine – always supportive and a dear friend. Rest in peace.
Yearning
Chapter 1 (late July, 31 IV)
"Gasthold, some of us are going into town. Want to come along?" Brithadan asked.
Gasthold glanced up from where he was sprawled on his bunk in the soldiers' barracks, reading. He shook his head, answering, "No, I do not think so. I need to finish this so I can return it."
His friend eyed him for a moment, as he turned back to the book and continued reading. At length he commented, "You are a fool, you know that do you not?"
Gasthold looked up again. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that girl. You are wasting your time dreaming of her. You are only a soldier, and will never be anything more. The king would kill you instantly if he knew your thoughts about his daughter."
Gasthold shifted uncomfortably, the words too close to the mark. "I do not know what you are talking about. I have done nothing –"
"And you had better not do anything! You know very well who I am referring to, Gasthold – that twin daughter of King Elessar, whichever one it is that you fancy."
"Belinzil is completely unlike her sister!" he protested, before he could catch himself, and then flushed red as he realized he had belied his previous ignorance. With a sigh, he told Brithadan, "Do not worry. I would never presume to approach her. But I cannot help caring for her, even if she will never feel anything for me in return."
Brithadan sat down on the edge of his bunk, and replied sincerely, "Come into town with us. There are many tavern girls who are more than willing to help you forget her. They are the ones you should pursue, if you must pursue any woman. They are the ones that marry soldiers."
Gasthold smiled at him. "No. I do want to finish this book so I can return it. And it would not be fair to those girls if my heart was not in my actions. Give me time; I will conquer this infatuation. Now, go on, and enjoy yourself – enough for both of us!"
His friend chuckled and stood, grinning sadly down at him. "Very well. I will see you later."
Despite his intention to continue reading, Gasthold found his thoughts now occupied with Belinzil. He had never meant to develop feelings for her, but during his time in Gondor, serving as part of Elessar's household guard, he had frequent occasion to observe her. The more he had seen, the more he had become smitten. Her twin, Tuilwen, was a lovely girl also, but Belinzil was unique unto herself. He knew the other soldiers gave little thought to which was which, and generally just referred to the pair collectively as "the twins" or "the princesses". He alone had noticed differences of habit and demeanor; he alone had detected that dimple that appeared in Belinzil's left cheek when she grinned, and knew that she had a mole on the back of her neck that Tuilwen did not share. He knew of her fondness for books and reading, her love for riding and being out of doors, her impatience with cooking and the way she struggled with needlework. He knew she preferred rainy days to constantly sunny ones, and enjoyed visiting Prince Imrahil's family in Dol Amroth. All of the hours he had stood silently attending the sisters had not been wasted – he had been learning to love everything about her.
For all the good it did him. She knew not that he even existed. He was just another faceless, nameless soldier who was ever present in her life. And so it would always be. Brithadan was right. He was nothing more than a soldier and never would be. King Elessar would never think to allow his daughter to marry so low, even if the lady was ever inclined. And that inclination was most unlikely. A lady of Gondor's nobility, especially of royal birth, was never going to consider even the possibility of marrying so beneath her station. He needed to disabuse himself of any such romantic notions right now and move on, as Brithadan had suggested. Belinzil was only a part of his future inasmuch as he served her father. Beyond that, they would ever be strangers.
With a sigh, he reopened his book at the place where he'd stuck his finger, and forced his attention back to reading. Even so, it took longer than usual to finish out the final chapter.
xxx
Belinzil sat on her dressing table bench and scowled at her reflection in the looking glass, though her thoughts were elsewhere.
"What is wrong with you?" Tuilwen asked, glancing up and noticing her sister's expression.
Belinzil sighed, and then she groused, "I am not sure I even wish to go to the dance tonight! It is not as though anyone would notice. If you move around a great deal, they will think we are both there anyway!"
Tuilwen came over to stand behind her sister, putting her arms around her and pulling her close. "What is this? You have always enjoyed the dances, until now."
Belinzil leaned back into her, not meeting her eyes. She searched for a way to explain and finally offered, "I just get so weary of no one being able to tell us apart. We are very different, but they all just look at the façade and do not bother delving any deeper. I would have someone – anyone – see me for myself! How shall we, either of us, ever find someone to love and marry if the young men are not terribly concerned with which sister they are getting?"
A tear of frustration trickled down her cheek, and Tuilwen wiped it away for her as she pressed a kiss to her sister's head. "One day some young man will see you, Belinzil, I am sure of it. It is not their fault that we look so very much alike, and it is nearly impossible at dances for them to see enough of us to make a distinction. Now that Father is more willing to allow suitors, we will have the opportunity to come to know someone more closely, and then they can begin to see us separately. We will just have to watch for a man who interests us, and then encourage him to make the effort to see more than identical faces."
Belinzil knew her very practical sister was right about this, but it did not seem particularly heartening advice. Young ladies were not supposed to pursue young men; it was not done. And she could not see being interested in them if they were not interested enough to put in some effort initially. She forced a smile, though she doubted it fooled Tuilwen, as she answered, "You are right. I will try to keep that in mind." Standing up, she turned and asked, "Are you ready to go into town? Perhaps I will find something in one of the shops to improve my mood."
Tuilwen smiled knowingly, but made no comment at Belinzil's pretended good humor. "Yes, let us go."
xxx
Gasthold worked his way through the busy streets. He had just returned the book to Lord Faramir, and come away with another two. Lord Faramir seemed eager to encourage his reading, and often made suggestions of what he should read next. On less busy days, the two men would sit and discuss whatever book he had just finished.
Now that his errand was accomplished, he considered whether to track down Brithadan and the others to share a drink. The drink sounded appealing, but he was reluctant to face further pressure to romance some tavern girl, which he knew was likely to happen. As he turned the bend in the road, still trying to reach a decision, he was surprised to spot a familiar face not far ahead, and moved toward his fellow soldier.
Gasthold greeted Celondur with a smile and friendly arm clasp. They chatted for a moment about inconsequential matters, until it occurred to Gasthold that Celondur should be working.
"What are you doing in town? Are you not on duty just now?" he asked curiously.
"I am, but I am escorting the princesses while they shop." Celondur made a face at the less-than-inspiring task.
Gasthold glanced around their vicinity, feeling a bit uneasy. "Indeed, then where are they?"
Celondur gestured to his left. "They went off down there. Do not fret. That road dead-ends. They will have to come back this way eventually."
Gasthold's frown deepened. "Even so, you should not let them out of your sight." He began moving toward the alley as he spoke and, shaking his head at this unnecessary concern, Celondur fell in behind him.
"You worry needlessly, Gasthold! What could happen to them in an alley? It is little used except to unload supplies to the shops." His companion did not bother to respond, but continued on his course.
The princesses had turned down the alley thinking it would lead them to another shop they both enjoyed. To their dismay, the roadway ended abruptly. "I am sorry," Tuilwen told her sister. "I thought we could get through here. We will have to go back."
As they turned, a large, and obviously rather drunk, man loomed in their path. "Well, well," he leered. "Just what I was needing – a bit of female company for the afternoon!" He lurched suddenly forward and caught Tuilwen by the wrist, dragging her toward the back of the alley.
Wide-eyed, Belinzil launched herself toward him, beating him with her fists. "Let her go!" she demanded.
Apparently annoyed by her bothersome attack, he backhanded Belinzil across the face, dazing her and sending her to her knees. Tuilwen, in a panic, came out of her stupor and began struggling to free herself from his grip as the full realization of the situation came to her.
At that moment, Gasthold and Celondur bolted into the alley. "Unhand her at once!" Gasthold bellowed in outrage, flinging himself toward the man.
Wheeling a bit unsteadily, the man shoved Tuilwen roughly against the wall. Her head snapped back, connecting with stone, and she crumpled to the ground unconscious.
The hefty man was belligerent, even in his drunken state, and it took a few moments for Gasthold and Celondur to subdue him. Once Celondur had him at swordpoint, Gasthold allowed his attention to turn to the princesses. His eyes naturally went first to Belinzil, who was still shaking her head, trying to clear it.
He scrambled toward her, exclaiming, "Belinzil! Are you all right?" Reaching her, he knelt beside her, catching both her arms.
Slowly she looked up, blinking in confusion, but then her head cleared a little and she nodded. "I am fine, I think." Then it occurred to her what had happened, and she frantically glanced around until she spotted her twin. "Tuilwen!"
Gasthold's head whipped around to follow her gaze, then he rose and dashed over to check on the other girl. She lay unmoving and he gently felt to see if he could determine any broken bones. There was a small gash on her head from its contact with the stone wall, and it was bleeding but did not appear to be serious. Hefting the girl in his arms, he stood.
"Celondur, can you get him back by yourself? I must get Tuilwen to the Houses at once."
The other man nodded, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he realized the censure he would likely suffer for his inattentiveness in escorting the princesses. Gasthold continued, "Once you have him imprisoned, get to the Citadel and inform the king of what has happened. He will want to attend his daughter personally."
Celondur nodded as Gasthold hurried away, with Belinzil hastening after him, a worried frown on her face.
xxx
Belinzil sat curled on a small bench, her knees drawn up to her chest, and Gasthold snuck sympathetic glances at her. He wanted nothing more than to hold and comfort her, but that was not his place. With a soft sigh he went over to look out the window. Suddenly, Belinzil's voice broke his reverie, "You called me by name."
For an instant, he didn't understand what she was saying and, seeming to realize that, she amended, "In the alley – you called me Belinzil."
Her eyes gazed at him in confusion, and he offered, "My apologies, my lady. I spoke without thinking. I should not have been so informal."
"No," she persisted, "that is not what I meant. How did you know it was me rather than my sister? Few can tell us apart."
Without thinking, he responded, "I could never confuse you with anyone." Suddenly he realized what he was saying, and flushed slightly, fearing he had given himself away. To hide his discomfiture, he moved toward the doorway and scanned the hallway, seeming to be looking for someone. After a moment, he stepped into the hall so he could not be seen inside the room, and leaned against the cool stone wall, sighing. He would need to be more careful. The king would not approve of this infatuation with his daughter, and he did not wish to make Belinzil uncomfortable around him if she learned of it.
He heard the door to the other room open and stepped back into the doorway to listen, as Elessar and the Healer came out of the chamber where Tuilwen had been placed. Belinzil immediately bolted into her father's arms. "Is she…will she be all right?" she asked fearfully.
He gave her a tender smile and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "She is fine. She will have a headache for a while, but otherwise she is unharmed. What about you?" His hand brushed lightly over the bruise forming on the side of her face.
"It is nothing, Father. Concern yourself only with Tuilwen," she quickly urged him and he smiled again.
"Actually, when she awoke, she gave me the same instructions regarding you!" he teased, eliciting a grin from his daughter.
Now the king's eyes lifted to rest upon Gasthold waiting nearby. "My thanks to you, Gasthold. I am grateful you were there to avert a far more serious outcome." Putting his arm around his daughter, he added, "We have given Tuilwen something to help her sleep for a while. Will you come with us to the king's house while I return her to her own bed?"
"Of course, my lord," Gasthold quickly agreed, stepping forward. "Is there something you wish me to do?"
"No, just accompany us. I realize you are not on duty just now, but since you are here, and since I wish to speak further with you, you may as well join us."
Gasthold looked uneasy, but nodded his acquiesence. "Yes, my lord."
It was a silent processional as they made their way to the seventh level. Gasthold had offered to carry Tuilwen, but the king assured him he was quite capable of it. Though rumor had it that the king was over a hundred years of age, he did not look it, and Gasthold thought he had seen far younger men who were not so hale and hearty.
After Tuilwen was safely tucked in and Belinzil gone to freshen herself, Elessar signaled Gasthold to accompany him to his study. Once there, Elessar moved to stare out the window for several moments, and Gasthold stood at attention, waiting to see what was required of him.
Finally, Elessar turned and gave the young man a friendly smile. "Please have a seat." He gestured to a couch as he moved to seat himself in a chair. "May I offer you refreshment?"
Gasthold hesitated to answer, not sure of the protocol in such matters, but the king seemed to suspect his thoughts and added, "Arwen had some freshly pressed apple juice sent up, after it was chilled in the ice house. We ought to find that refreshing on this warm afternoon, do you not agree?"
Gasthold nodded his concurrence and the king moved to pour out mugs of the sweet liquid for them. Reseating himself, he handed one mug to the young man and took a sip from his own. At length, he said, "I will not keep you in suspense, and likely worried, about why I have called you here. Tuilwen is awake and out of danger, and for that I must again give you my thanks. May I ask how it was that you came to their rescue when it was not you escorting them?"
Nervously Gasthold cleared his throat. While he did not wish to get Celondur into trouble with the king, it was clear the man already knew something of what had happened. Again seeming to read his thoughts, Elessar told him quietly, "I do know Celondur was on duty and no doubt inattentive. Having been a soldier myself, I know that escorting princesses on shopping excursions is not a favored assignment. Even so, there will be some punishment for his laxity. Desirable service or not, it is necessary and I must be able to depend on those charged with the responsibility."
Gasthold nodded his understanding, then explained, "I was merely running errands in town and happened to come upon Celondur. Then I realized why he was there and became concerned that the princesses were not in sight."
Elessar considered this a moment, then persisted, "And why did you not leave it to Celondur since it was his responsibility rather than yours?"
"I…I was concerned about the twins' safety, my lord. Even when I am not on duty, I cannot think I have no responsibility for your household. I took an oath to serve and protect you," Gasthold answered earnestly. While he knew that not all soldiers felt so conscientious about such things, he had been raised to have unswerving devotion to his duty and would never even contemplate swaying from it.
A slow smile spread over the king's face. "I could wish for a hundred men such as you," he said sincerely. "Which is one of the reasons I was so willing to take you two years ago when Eomer indicated you wished to come to Gondor and serve. Your father is just the same, and he would not be second in command of King Eomer's guard were he not completely trustworthy and honorable."
Elessar rose and moved again to the window, gazing silently out for several moments. Gasthold took the opportunity to hastily gulp down a few swallows of juice, wondering where this conversation might be leading.
Turning back, Elessar told him, "I have a task to be completed for which I need someone I can trust implicitly. I believe you are such a man, Gasthold. My daughters have long wished to visit their sister in Rohan, especially now that she has just given birth. Always in the past, such trips have been made in the company of my wife and I. While I do not doubt that King Eomer and Queen Lothiriel will watch over them as if they were their own children, I need someone to serve as escort for them while they are there. I know that the task may ofttimes be tedious, but it is necessary nonetheless. Of course, I do not think you will object to spending a month or more in Edoras, having the opportunity to see your family again. I would like to be able to leave it to your discretion as to when and how much time you are with them. If you believe they are adequately protected by Eomer's guards or those under your command, then you have permission to take time off and do as you please. Certainly once they are inside Meduseld for the night, and until they are ready to leave it the next day, you do not need to be with them, but I want to feel assured of their safety. Can I entrust this to you?"
The young man's eyes had gone wide at the king's explanation, and he swallowed hard at the question. "Of course, my lord! I should be most pleased to serve you in this matter. I will not fail you, I swear it!"
Elessar bit back a grin at the eager response. He had not doubted he would receive such, considering what he knew of Kialmar's son. Nor did he doubt the man would be scrupulous in attending to his duty. If anything, his daughters were likely to be annnoyed by Gasthold's overprotectiveness in carrying out his responsibilities, but Elessar did not want to take any chances with their safety. There were far too many who would welcome a chance to strike at the king through his children. The abduction of Eomer's son, Elfwine, many years before had been ample proof of that. "Very well, then. I shall make the arrangements. Likely you will set out within the week. I will be in contact with you during that time to keep you abreast of the details. And I thank you for your readiness to serve. You are free to return to your day's activities now."
Gasthold nodded and rose, draining his mug of juice in a quick swallow, and giving the king a faint smile before moving to the door.
xxx
Elessar settled into the chair at his desk and gestured for Gasthold to sit across from him.
"My daughters are planning what they will want to take for this journey to Rohan and, hopefully, we will have some idea of how much baggage will be involved in the next few days. Both of them will ride their horses there, so there will be no need for a carriage," the king explained. Noticing a questioning look on the soldier's face, he asked, "Yes?"
"I was just wondering if Lady Tuilwen is well enough to ride such a distance. Perhaps we should have the carriage along in the event she tires," Gasthold suggested.
Elessar smiled, and nodded. "I had thought that also, but she assures me it is not necessary, and she was most adamant about riding. I do think she is well enough recovered for it not to be a problem; however, you should be prepared to shorten your day's ride if you suspect she is flagging. Likely Belinzil will bring it to your attention even if her sister hesitates to do so. They are very solicitous of one another."
"Yes, my lord," Gasthold agreed.
The king's jaw twitched before he said firmly, "Gasthold, although you will be serving my daughters during this trip, I am putting you in charge and trusting your good judgement in such matters. Do not let my daughters attempt to bully you into doing anything you think unwise. You have far more experience in these things, and I am relying on you to stand up to even their combined force!" He let a smile slip through to reassure the young man, and Gasthold returned it.
"I have two sisters, my lord. I believe I am up to the challenge, but I will keep in mind I have your authorization to refuse them if necessary!"
"Good! Have you chosen the men to go with you?"
Gasthold nodded and passed a parchment to him. Elessar glanced down, perusing it quickly, then looked up. "This is good, but I would like another six added to it. That will make an even two dozen and should be sufficient for safety. Once you are in Rohan, you can schedule however many you think you need to be on duty at any given time. Most of them are mainly needed for the journey itself." He handed the list back to Gasthold. "Have you any questions?"
"No, my lord…only, I trust you and your wife will feel free to send whatever you like to Lady Dariel. It should not encumber us overmuch to have such with us."
Again Elessar smiled. "I appreciate the thought, and I am sure my wife is already thinking along those lines, particularly in light of the new grandchild! And you should not hesitate to take whatever gifts you may wish to your family as well. You need not travel only with your soldier's kit. There are privileges to be had for one who is in command!"
Gasthold flushed, but nodded, "Thank you, my lord."
With a sigh, Elessar rose. "Ah well, I suppose I must get back to my duties. Truth be known, I would much rather be planning to accompany you. I could use a little time in Edoras, away from the requirements of rule," he confessed.
Gasthold smiled sympathetically, and gave a bow as he moved toward the door. Elessar's eyes followed the young man out, and then he went to the window and gazed over the Pelennor. Kialmar's son was a fine young man, and he had been fortunate that the lad wished to serve in Gondor rather than Rohan. Eventually, he would likely wish to return to his homeland, but for the moment, the novelty of this different land and society seemed to his liking. Elessar could hope it would be a long time before that changed. It was not easy to find men so trustworthy. At a mere six and twenty years, he was somewhat young for the responsibility the king was giving him, but Elessar did not doubt he would acquit himself admirably.
xxx
Elessar watched his twin daughters scurry away from the noonday meal table, their heads together and speaking in low, hurried tones. It had been like this ever since he had informed them their desired journey to Rohan was scheduled. They planned and replanned all that they wished to take with them, and eagerly anticipated both the travel itself and their time in the north. He could not help smiling, wondering if this behavior was unique to twins or young ladies in general. Still, he was grateful for the timing of it – likely it had helped the pair to recover from the trauma of the attack upon Tuilwen by diverting their attention.
"You worry too much, my love," Arwen said quietly beside him, drawing him from his reverie. "They will be fine, both in recovering from the assault and in their visit to Dariel. Gasthold was well chosen to lead their escort party, and they are old enough to be out in society on their own more. Difficult as it is for you, beloved, you must not let your fears imprison them."
Elessar smiled ruefully at his wife. "I know, but they are not warriors who can adequately defend themselves, and I fear what others might do to them in attacking the crown. I prefer to be cautious than to risk them. That something like that assault could happen in our own city, with a guard attending them, is unnerving."
"It was an unfortunate set of events that led to such, Estel. There should have been no harm in the girls cutting through that back alley. Normally, if deliveries were being made, it would even have been busy. It was unexpected that a drunken man lurked there, and that their guard would be slow to realize the danger. I doubt very much any of the soldiers will ever again fail to keep proper watch, knowing of Celondur's misstep."
"Of course, you are right. I will try to be easier, but I cannot help being concerned for their safety." His eyes lost a bit of focus for a moment as his thoughts drifted elsewhere. Then he asked, "Am I making a mistake in sending Gasthold with them, do you think?"
Arwen smiled at the question. This debate had been ongoing for several days now, with Elessar second-guessing himself on the matter. "I have told you already that you are not. He will do nothing inappropriate with either of our daughters. I feel certain of that. Regardless of any feelings he may harbor for Belinzil, he will keep his station at all costs." She sighed then, and added, "In many ways I pity him his affections. I do not think Belinzil has ever even noticed him, and I do not know that she would ever consider seeking the sort of life she would have if she were to choose him. Our daughters were not raised to such a challenging life. I would hope they would be equal to it, but it would not come naturally to them."
The king leaned back and eyed his wife curiously. "You almost sound as though you would sanction such a pairing."
The Elf nodded. "I would. I would sanction any pairing that brought our children happiness, particularly if it is happiness such as we have known. Fine clothes, opulent buildings and all the trappings of royalty are all very well, but they are not the substance of life, and I would hope that all of our children know that. I, myself, would gladly share a bark hut in the wilds with my dear husband – so long as we were together."
A warm smile lit Elessar's face at the remark and he reached for Arwen's hand, giving it a loving squeeze. "You are ever the one to speak directly to the heart of a matter! Yes, I too would wish our daughters to find the same happiness we have, though I think for them it may be even more difficult than what we faced. There are many young men eager to know them for the advantage of it. Eldarion and Dariel were very fortunate to find love despite that. I hope our youngest will do likewise, even if it means their marrying beneath their station. In truth, Gasthold is an excellent man, and I would be foolish to oppose such as a son-by-law. I trust his motives far more than most of the nobility panting after the twins!"
Arwen's musical laughter rent the air and Elessar chuckled with her before rising. "Ah well, back to work. It is up to Belinzil to make such a decision for herself. I will not press her on any man."
TBC
Notes:
Belinzil – "shining flower"
Tuilwen – "flower maiden"
Gasthold – "faithful soul"
Brithadan – "gravel man"
Celondur – "dark river"
Abadwyn - "expected joy"
Frideberht - "bright peace"
Athric – "powerful oath"
Tamleod - "mild man"
Rosswenn – "rain maiden"
Kialmar - "more speckled" (has lots of freckles) (from cylu - spotted, mára - more) – I made up this name before I knew much about Tolkien's languages, and likely this is a poor choice, but I don't like to change names once they have been used. The best "rationale" I could come up with for the name is given in the word sources I used to create some sort of meaning for it.
Jul, 30 IV – Dariel gives Cirion's babyclothes to Theodwyn for first child who was born in Sep (Gerisen)
beg of Nov, 30 IV – Dariel becomes pregnant with Selinnan
late Jul, 31 IV -Selinnan born ("joy from within") – dau of Elfwine/Dariel
Yáviérë - The harvest feast of Gondor - The harvest feast-day of the Stewards' Reckoning of Gondor, lying between the months of Yavannië and Narquelië. On a modern calendar, Yáviérë would have fallen on 21 September.
31 IV: Gasthold would be 26, twins would be 21 Eldarion 31, Luthiel 26, Elf 30, Thw 23, Thm 21, M 17, Thd 8, Ara 8; Gasthold's sisters Abadwyn would be 15 and Frideberht 23 (marr to Athric 24) (Eomer 60, Loth 52)
29 IV: Gasthold comes to service of the King of Gondor in the household guards
in #98 Awry: Miren became Lothiriel's nurse to the children in 23 IV when Theodred was born, since Morwen was 9 by then and Daelwyn had retired. In 25 IV, Miren's kids are 9, 17 and 20 (the eldest is male, the others are female). The two eldest run their home and care for their little sister while Miren goes to M.T. with Lothiriel and Theodred. Kialmar, Miren's husband, is head of the King's Escort (second to Eothain of King's Guard) and is also on the trip, so the children are home alone, though their Aunt Lissa checks on them.
Eothain is Captain of the King's Guard and remains at Edoras to protect the city.
Miren's son (Gasthold) was born in 5 IV (20 in 25 IV); 2 daus (Frideberht b 8 IV and Abadwyn b 16 IV)
End note: It is best that you read the Elfwine Chronicles in the order they were written. The more of them that I wrote, the more likely I was to make reference to one of the previous ones and something that happened there. If you want to read them in order, go to the top of this page and click on my name (Deandra). That will take you to my profile page. Scroll down and you will find all the stories I have written. The Elfwine Chronicles are in order from bottom to top since ffn shows them in the order they were posted. A few were posted out of number order, but you can read them in posting order or number order since those few won't be affected in the story content.