Morning Glories
Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR, but I do own this fanfic and my OC Yáviën
A/N: For my mother, who always told me to embrace who I am and to follow my dreams instead of doing what others told me to do while staying true to my beliefs and inner goodness. Happy (Very Belated) Mother's Day.
'These are thoughts' "This is talking in Sindarin" "This is normal talking"-just to make it clear.
One Night, with the Fellowship
Yáviën sat on the hard ground, gazing up at the sky peppered with twinkling stars while playing with her necklace. Her hair was down to frame her face, the dark tresses accentuating her grey-blue eyes. Her countenance was stony and grim, as if she were reminiscing difficult or painful memories.
"What troubles you, mellon?" A deep voice queried beside her.
The elleth craned her neck to look at Legolas approaching her right side, sitting down to stargaze with her.
"Nothing. I just keep remembering Naneth for some reason-ever since I explained to Bilbo why my flowers are so important to me." She replied in their native language, resting her elbows on her knees.
The blonde looked at her for a moment and sighed, leaning in closer to her. "Speaking honestly, I have been thinking of my Naneth for some time as well, perhaps since this journey started. Maybe it is because so much depends on the success of our quest, and we could very well perish before seeing its completion. Mothers always seem to know how to best comfort their children."
"Mmm..." Yáviën hummed, her silvery-azure irises flicking to her childhood friend. "Do you remember how I first became a warrior?"
Legolas chuckled, locking eyes with her. "Indeed. We were but elflings when you declared to everyone you came across that you would become the strongest warrior on Arda instead of a primped and proper Lady stuck in her homeland."
A surprised laugh escaped the she-elf beside him. "Did I really phrase it in such a way? I don't recall saying it like that."
The Prince of Mirkwood grinned. "Well, you at least said it that way when you were visiting me in Mirkwood."
Yáviën smiled back, placing her chin in her upturned palms. "Dear Eru, I was simply so eager to break free of my dull mundane life-one not bound by rules, propriety and duty. Thank the Valar Naneth was on my side. I...if she had not supported me and my dream, then I do not think I would have ever ventured out of Imladris or learned to fight when I did."
Legolas nudged her arm playfully. "Fortunately, she did."
"Yes..." The she-elf trailed off, remembering how the events had played out so long ago.
In Imladris, TA 2961
"Naneth! Naneth! H-help me!" A little voice filled the corridors with its high-pitched squeals and labored breathing.
A lovely elven maiden with hair that looked like it was spun from gold and deep blue eyes that glittered prettier than the ocean turned in surprise. Her shimmering silver gown flowed around her from the sudden movements as a tiny body collided with her legs, quickly maneuvering to cower behind her. The elfling was beginning to worry her with her ragged breaths and on top of the fact that her body was already so frail and scrawny.
A rather infuriated-looking Merenwen stormed down the hall, soon coming to an abrupt halt with cheeks that were flushed red.
"Child, you are not strong enough to go running off like this! Get back into the room and finish your lessons like a proper-"
Her angered expression soon turned into one of submission and shame, swiftly curtsying to the beautiful female elf as she seemed to attempt to calm herself by inhaling the freshness of Rivendell's air, which was mingled with flora and the coolness of the waterfalls.
"Lady Celebrían! My apologies, but your daughter ran out in the midst of her sewing lessons!"
Celebrían smiled, bringing forth a sort of radiance no one could help but awe at. Craning her neck, she looked at her side where a child with wide, daring grey-blue eyes and long wild dark hair hid, clutching at the fabric of her dress. Her little face was flushed with scarlet.
"Yáviën, iell nin, why did you run? Are you alright?" Her voice was so smooth and melodic that the child Yavien felt herself calm slightly at her mother's gentle tone, despite the obvious concern in her words.
"I-*pant*-I'm fine! It's so *pant* boring! And I'm horrible at e-everything! I'm not meant to be a Lady of Rivendell, I want to be a...a warrior!"
"My Lady, you are of royal blood! Of course you were meant to-" Merenwen began, only for Celebrían to lift a slender hand to silence her.
"I will take care of this, thank you Merenwen. You may take a rest if you wish, for right now I do not think continuing Yavien's lessons is the proper approach to this problem." The soothing, flowing voice of the ethereal elleth caused the tenseness in Merenwen's face to slacken.
"Very well, my Lady. If that is what you wish."
Turning on her heels, the she-elf left the premises with her auburn brown hair flowing behind her.
Celebrían craned her neck to stare down at her youngest child with a gentle, knowing smile. "Let us go somewhere more private, iellig. I wish to speak with you alone."
Taking her words the wrong way, Yáviën hunched up her shoulders and scowled defiantly. "I'm not going to apologize! It's not fair that I have to have all of these stupid lessons! I don't want to be a Lady!"
Celebrían chuckled, glancing down at her beloved daughter as they started walking to a secluded location hand-in-hand, where there was a stone bench positioned before a rippling pond. "No, my dearest one, I understand your thoughts and opinions. This is a talk that no one else is privy to." She replied, seating herself and her daughter on the bench.
Yáviën frowned at her angelic-looking mother with immense bemusement. "Why? Aren't I in trouble?"
Celebrían smiled at hearing her child's naturally higher pitched voice. It was like music to her ears, to hear her lovely, adorable voice. "No, iellig. I know what you are going through. A long time ago, I was the same as you."
Yáviën's grey-blue eyes grew as wide as saucers at her mother's confession.
"You...were? But you're so..." Her cherubic face scrunched while she searched for the proper words. "Ladylike. And dip-dip...dipla-"
"Diplomatic," The golden-haired she-elf corrected as the elfling nodded. "I know. But when I was much younger, I was full of so much energy and excitement. I wanted to travel, to visit everywhere and meet everyone. I even wished to partake in battles."
"So what happened? Why don't you do that now?" The dark-haired elleth queried, peering up curiously at her beloved mother that now seemed so enigmatic.
Celebrían sighed, gazing wistfully at the pond. "I am an only child, and daughter to two of the wisest, most powerful elves to have come to Middle Earth. I later realized that I had duties I could not run from, and resigned myself to my fate."
Yáviën huffed, kicking her little feet in the air. "What does it matter? Duties and lessons and propriety are dumb!"
Celebrían laughed, a sort of warm tinkling melody that could bring a smile to any person, no matter how gruff.
"Yes, I must agree with that. But you do not have the same issues, my dear. You are the youngest, and least likely to take the throne of Imladris. Follow your heart and do what you love."
The child stared at her, dumbfounded. "R...really? I...I don't have to take sewing lessons or balance practice or always talk like Merenwen?"
The blonde she-elf sent her an amused gaze. "Well...those are still necessary. For you see, even if you were to become a warrior, you must learn how to sew in order to stitch wounds, possibly your own. You must have exceptional balance in a fight or fleeing. And speaking in a more neutral tone lets you get by many things you normally would not."
Despite acknowledging their importance, the brunette elfling scowled.
Then her Naneth leaned closer and whispered, "Well, perhaps you do not need to commit yourself as much."
The little elfling could no longer contain herself and sprung out of her seat, hopping up and down on her feet in such jubilation that the Lady of both Imladris and Lorien beamed, soon receiving a crushing hug from her beloved daughter.
"Hannon le Naneth! Hannon le! Just wait 'till I tell Arwen! She'll be sooo jealous!" She snickered, giggling evilly to herself.
Celebrían gazed at her youngest child with fondness, happy to know that her daughter, at least, could follow whatever path she wished.
TA 364
The Lady of Imladris and Lorien sat in her quarters reading one of her most favored books, smiling softly at not the ink on the pages, but the sound of her children laughing and playing outside, the sounds traveling with the wind through her window and her chair positioned before it.
"Take that!" She heard Yáviën cry, taking a jab at Elrohir with a wooden sword (though it did imitate a genuine one quite well), who was carefully and gently retaliating against his much younger sibling.
"Ha! You will have to do better than that, muinthel nin!" The ellon smirked, parrying her blows.
Yavien, now ten years old, swerved away from a horizontal swipe and attempted to hit his legs. "You just watch and see! I'll have you on your knees and begging for mercy!"
Celebrían chuckled from inside her room, amused but also proud of the determination her youngest child possessed, glancing up from the pages bound in leather on her lap to her children that were sparring.
*thwack* "Ow! That actually hurt a bit, Yávi!"
"That's the point, right?"
"Well..."
The elfling huffed, her chubby little cheeks blooming crimson as she sidestepped a jab. "Stop confusing me, toron-nin! Isn't the reason why you're teaching me to fight with a sword to hurt the bad guys and kill them? I want to be a warrior and kill bad things!"
Elrohir scratched the back of his head, his leg that his little sister managed to hit already healing. "Well, I suppose that is a rather big part of being a warrior..."
Yáviën groaned, appearing overall confused and exasperated. "What? You mean there's more than just killing things? I thought-"
"Lady Yáviën! I tire of this cycle, my Lady! You must return and finish your lessons regarding eloquence and mannerisms! Then you must have your history lessons and practice in politics!" The agitated voice of Merenwen echoed through the halls and towards the vast open yard where Elrohir and the trouble-making elfling were sparring.
They'd decided that the sparring arena would be far too obvious for people to find them, so they opted for a less conspicuous location.
Celebrían, who had been observing the entire time, remained seated. Her daughter still required her lessons, after all. She needed every advantage she could get.
Of course, just then a lovely dark-haired elleth with features similar to Elrohir and Yáviën blocked Merenwen's path, smiling at her innocently with silvery grey eyes that shone with knowledge.
"Oh, good afternoon Merenwen. If you are looking for Yávi then I do believe I saw her heading towards the sparring arena in the opposite direction. She was muttering something about finally beating Elladan in close combat." Her voice, which flowed like a river, had the maid convinced within seconds.
The light-brown haired servant sighed, throwing her hands up in the air out of sheer frustration. "I have told her countless times that battle does not fit a Lady! Hannon le, Lady Arwen. I must go and reign in that wily elfling."
When she was completely out of range, Arwen approached Elrohir and Yáviën with a proud grin. "How was that?"
"Perfect, my little sister!" Elrohir cheered, locking his arm around her neck as she frowned at how he forced her to bend slightly.
"Hannon le, muinthel-nin! You are amazing!" Yáviën praised, wrapping her little arms around her older sister, which caused Arwen to beam.
Celebrían chuckled to herself. "My children are all so conniving..."
She watched as they teased and played around with Arwen, who had taken it upon herself to be their look-out for the day.
"...but at least they connive together." The golden-haired beauty smiled, even though something was still troubling her.
A few days later
"Yáviën my love, I wish to take you somewhere." Celebrían stated as the two of them munched on some strawberry and chocolate tarts as a treat after lunch.
She looked up at her mother with big grey-blue eyes quizzically. "Okay...where Naneth?"
"Oh, nowhere too far. I just wish to do something with you is all." The Lady of Imladris replied.
The dark-haired elfling beamed and nodded. And with that, Celebrían led her daughter to the secluded spot full of grass and the little pond with the stone bench. Yáviën frowned, befuddled as to what they could possibly do there, until she spotted the gardening supplies resting on the bench.
"We're...planting flowers?"
"Mmm-hmm." The golden-haired elleth hummed, handing her daughter a seed and a hand shovel.
"But...why? It's so boring!" Her child whined, evidently not pleased.
"Wait until they finish growing, my dear. Being a warrior should not just be about becoming strong and killing things, even if that would be what you do. I want you to fight for the right reasons, Yáviën. You should not think of pride or becoming the strongest fighter when engaged in combat or ending a life. It should be for protecting yourself and others; to protect light when darkness threatens to consume it." Celebrían explained.
"I don't know what you are talking about." The little she-elf said, blinking at the seed in her tiny palm.
Her mother sighed, kneeling down to her daughter's level. "Once these Morning Glories grow and mature, you will understand. For now, I will help you plant them and care for them."
"Fine." Yáviën pouted, getting on her knees to start digging a hole.
Time passed with the elfling caring for her growing flowers daily, until finally, they were in full bloom.
The dark-haired she-elf marveled at the beautiful purple blossoms, gazing at their starburst centers and their heart-shaped leaves. She felt a strange feeling inside of her awaken-a sense to protect the flowers she had cultivated that were bursting with life and were so very lovely.
And suddenly, she could comprehend what her mother had tried to explain. She took off, bolting down the hallways and searching for her mother. She very nearly ran Elrohir and Elladan over in her haste, and refused to stop when they inquired about where she was headed.
When she spotted her mother conversing with her father at a table, she halted, her breaths short and rapid. "Naneth! Naneth! The flowers-they-they're in bloom!"
Celebrían smiled radiantly whilst Elrond appeared befuddled. "That is wonderful, iell nin! Do you understand, now, what I said before?"
Yáviën beamed and threw herself into her mother's open arms. "Yes, yes I do! I promise, I won't be a warrior that only fights for bloodlust. When I become a warrior, I'll be the best there is! I'll protect people and myself, and I'll keep beautiful things like the morning glories safe!"
Celebrían pulled out of the embrace to grin down at her, caressing her face with one smooth hand. "Good. I am glad to hear it. I love you, Yáviën, do not ever forget that. And always follow your heart. Never stray from what you believe in."
"Yes, Naneth! I promise!"
"What is all of this talk about becoming a warrior? Why have I not caught word of it?" Elrond queried, glancing between his love and his youngest child quizzically and arching a brow.
"Yáviën deserves to follow whatever path she wishes, my love. Do not worry, for I believe she will be one of the finest warriors this world has seen in a long time." The golden-haired she-elf answered reassuringly, her warm tone causing a happy smile to spread across Yavien's small face.
Back With Yáviën and Legolas
"Yáviën, are you alright?" The blonde archer asked, concern shining in his cerulean eyes.
She turned to him once more, confused by his query. "Yes, why would I not be?"
He brought an un-gloved hand to her face, his slightly rough thumb wiping away a trail of warm tears on her smooth cheek despite her initial surprise and the little jerk she gave at his touch.
The she-elf blinked several times, finally realizing that she was crying. She pulled away from Legolas, rubbing her eyes and cheeks in an attempt to soak up the wetness.
"Oh. My apologies, I am fine," Yáviën replied, blushing out of embarrassment for her tears. "I just...really wish she was here. And without her, I do not know if I would still be the same person I am today."
"I at times wonder the same thing. But I do think that even if your mother had not supported you, you would have found yourself in time, but perhaps taken much longer." The blonde replied, a thoughtful glint to his brilliant eyes.
"I suppose so. Why do mothers have so much clarity?" Yáviën wondered aloud in the Common Tongue, her sparkling grey-blue eyes moving back up to the opaque night sky and the thousands of stars.
Legolas sighed, returning to stargaze with her. "That is a question I wish I knew the answer to."
She smiled at him, clapping a hand onto his shoulder. "Hannon le, Legolas, for your company. But you can rest now-I will continue the watch."
He nodded, heading over to his cot he had prepared earlier with everyone else. The ranger stared down at her shimmering necklace, remembering it was also given to her by her mother.
Closing her grey-blue eyes, Yáviën clutched at the necklace tenderly. 'Naneth...I do not know how much of my life you have played a part in, but it feels as if all of my fortune is because of you. Even though you are no longer here in Arda, I feel as if a part of you is always with me. Thank you for everything-for helping me become who and what I wanted to be. And...though it is silly, thank you for the morning glories that taught me such important lessons at an early age."
As she prayed to both the Valar and hopefully her mother, the moon almost seemed to gleam brighter and cast its silvery rays onto the land, sending it a-glow like a sea of melted mithril.
A/N: So...yeah, I just want to apologize to, well, everyone that is waiting for me to update various fics of mine. It's been hectic these past several months, and then when I do have time off from that stuff I spend time with my friends and family. My bad, and I'll try to update ASAP. Review, favorite and follow! (Sorry this is so late as well)