"Artanis?" Finrod asked. She smiled and glanced at him. He rode his horse next to hers.
"Will we be welcome in Thingol's house?"
"You mean, does he know about the Kinslaying." she answered swiftly.
"Keep you voice down! This lad," He pointed carefully at the young Elven-man who was leading them. "knows Quenya, you know!"
She sighed. "All right. But does Thingol know about the Kinslaying?"
"No…" Finrod hesitated. "No, I guess he doesn't. And I hope he never finds out. Whatever you do, do not tell him."
"He will find out one day! This is idle hope, Finrod!" she muttered angrily.
"I know, Artanis, I know. But let that day please be far away. We …"
His mouth fell open. They had passed Melian's belt. There lay… Beleriand.
Artanis spurred her horse. "This is… wonderful!" She turned to their guide.
"It is… amazing."
"Yes, this is Beleriand, the hidden kingdom of Thingol and Melian.
But I haven't introduced myself; I'm Celeborn, son of Galadhon and advisor of the King."
She smiled carefully. "Mae govannen," she said in Sindarin. "Im Artanis- but I think you knew that."
Then, they stopped talking because they had reached the impressive doors of the palace.
They horses were led away and so were they. To the King.
He sat in his study, above a bunch of maps and papers, discussing some matters with his wife, Melian of the Maiar, who sat next to him.
When they entered, he stood up and left the maps.
"Welcome, Lord Finrod and Lady Artanis, my nephew and niece! Mae govannen to both of you!" They liked him immediately. He seemed to be a nice, always-laughing man.
He smiled and Melian welcomed them too. "Mae govannen, Lord Finrod, Lady Artanis. Your rooms are prepared for you, and you will be able to take a bath in an hour or so. Let me take you to your rooms." She led them away.
As they walked through the corridor, they saw a little girl's head come out of a room.
"Hello Lúthien!" Melian smiled and turned to Artanis and Finrod. "This is my little daughter, Lúthien."
The girl greeted them. She seemed to be a little shy. Artanis smiled at her.
The girl smiled back and ran away.
Melian laughed. "Come on, here are your rooms. We will have dinner in a few hours; and if you want to see the palace, Celeborn will love to be your guide."
She left the room. Artanis sat down on her bed.
"Well, Finrod, this is a warm welcome! Thingol and Melian are friendly people, so it seems!"
"Indeed," he muttered doubtfully. "but what about the kinslaying?"
She remained silent. For this question, she had no answer.
"Will we be welcome in Thingol's house?"
"You mean, does he know about the Kinslaying." she answered swiftly.
"Keep you voice down! This lad," He pointed carefully at the young Elven-man who was leading them. "knows Quenya, you know!"
She sighed. "All right. But does Thingol know about the Kinslaying?"
"No…" Finrod hesitated. "No, I guess he doesn't. And I hope he never finds out. Whatever you do, do not tell him."
"He will find out one day! This is idle hope, Finrod!" she muttered angrily.
"I know, Artanis, I know. But let that day please be far away. We …"
His mouth fell open. They had passed Melian's belt. There lay… Beleriand.
Artanis spurred her horse. "This is… wonderful!" She turned to their guide.
"It is… amazing."
"Yes, this is Beleriand, the hidden kingdom of Thingol and Melian.
But I haven't introduced myself; I'm Celeborn, son of Galadhon and advisor of the King."
She smiled carefully. "Mae govannen," she said in Sindarin. "Im Artanis- but I think you knew that."
Then, they stopped talking because they had reached the impressive doors of the palace.
They horses were led away and so were they. To the King.
He sat in his study, above a bunch of maps and papers, discussing some matters with his wife, Melian of the Maiar, who sat next to him.
When they entered, he stood up and left the maps.
"Welcome, Lord Finrod and Lady Artanis, my nephew and niece! Mae govannen to both of you!" They liked him immediately. He seemed to be a nice, always-laughing man.
He smiled and Melian welcomed them too. "Mae govannen, Lord Finrod, Lady Artanis. Your rooms are prepared for you, and you will be able to take a bath in an hour or so. Let me take you to your rooms." She led them away.
As they walked through the corridor, they saw a little girl's head come out of a room.
"Hello Lúthien!" Melian smiled and turned to Artanis and Finrod. "This is my little daughter, Lúthien."
The girl greeted them. She seemed to be a little shy. Artanis smiled at her.
The girl smiled back and ran away.
Melian laughed. "Come on, here are your rooms. We will have dinner in a few hours; and if you want to see the palace, Celeborn will love to be your guide."
She left the room. Artanis sat down on her bed.
"Well, Finrod, this is a warm welcome! Thingol and Melian are friendly people, so it seems!"
"Indeed," he muttered doubtfully. "but what about the kinslaying?"
She remained silent. For this question, she had no answer.
