Hello there! Long time: no write, I know. I am still plugging away at what I still hope will be a sappy fantasy romance concerning elves. (120 pages so far!)

Anyway, This was a very shy plot bunny at first, but I beguiled it with carrots and promises of more---and voila, another tale of Marie and Elrond. A little late summer reading I hope you will all will find it entertaining.

Enjoy!

It was a quiet day. Thankfully, most days are quiet here.

The elf lord had been gone for sometime at a White Council meeting.

He had just returned a few days ago. I didn't realize how much I had missed

him until I saw him entering the House, his riding cape swirling about his

feet, as he pulled off his riding gloves, which Erestor took. Both he and

Glorfindel stood before the elf lord, obviously glad to see him and obviously

wanting to talk to him. I just stood grinning at him. Lord Elrond smiled back

and I couldn't help myself and I ran to give him a big hug. He laughed and

hugged me back and then pushed me away, gripping me by the shoulders.

"All is well with you Marie? No injuries or sickness?"

I laughed and shook my head. "No, my lord, all is well, and I have been very

busy."

"Learning archery with Mallafin, my lord." Glorfindel added. He

looked at me, "And doing quit well."

"Thanks." I looked at the three of them and because I knew they all

needed to talk, I stepped back and left them to their business.

As Glorfindel mentioned, I was learning some new skills. Remember,

I always wanted to learn archery. Well, I was finally doing something about

it. And I was taking jumping lessons on Carenloth whenever Cerwal had

time.

Oh Carenloth was a good jumper and it was so exciting to learn. And on

days when the weather was wet, I was learning how to do illumination. I

admit I don't have the smoothest, steadiest hand, but I was doing pretty well.

I think. My tutor, Marinael was very encouraging and patient. He was an

easy-going, quiet elf, with long chestnut brown hair and beautiful blue-gray

eyes. He had a sense of humor and his stories about the early days of

Imladris were very entertaining, especially about pranks the twins and even

Lady Arwen pulled on each other or even on their parents. Why, there was

this one time when the twins brought a flock of geese into their parents

bathing room and....oh I'll save it for another time. Remind me.

Anyway, I had decided I was going to do my own book of Old

Dwarvish and present it to Lord Elrond on his begetting day. That wasn't for

some time, but based on my skills the sooner I got to work on it the better.

Of course it was hard to do the illumination because even though

Marinael and I had found a small study that was rarely used in the guest

quarters of the House, you never knew when the elf lord might wander

around a corner. Especially now that he was home.

Heck, on the other hand, it made illumination rather exciting.

It was summer, and the long, long light of evening made it easy to not

only work on the illumination, but to take nice long rides on Carenloth or go

up to the high archery field and practice shooting at targets.

So this particular adventure started when Carenloth and me were

practicing jumps over boulders in the river meadows near the lower Bruinen.

You know, where it makes that slow curve to the west and the ground is lush

with grass and springy from the small creeks and rivelets that run into it

from the foothills to the east.

It was a glorious evening. Streamers of high clouds were painted the

lightest shades of pale pink and orange. Doves were cooing their evening

songs, as were a few deep-voiced frogs. A pair of ducks glided in the small

ripples of the Bruinen, which was wide and shallow at this point.

Carenloth was frisky and I was feeling the same, so we took a long

gallop, following the bend of the river and further.

Do you know how wonderful it is to be free like this, the air full of

rich herbal scents, and river damp and the breeze teasing your hair and you

are in Middle Earth within the bounds of Imladris?

Ahhh. It was just, well...wonderful.

We rode until the twilight was getting more dark than purple. I was

just about to turn back to the House when through the scrub pines and oaks

in front of us I saw the flickering of what must have been a few campfires.

I pulled up Carenloth. I couldn't remember any impending visits to

Imladris. And since were still well within the boundaries of the elf lord's

lands, I was pretty certain they weren't bandits or some such.

So I boldly trotted through the trees to see what I could see.

Bless my soul: A carnival!

There were three wagons colorfully painted with fantastical creatures

and ribbons of color around the wheels and along the wooden sides. Three

ladies in layered skirts and jangling beads and bells were whirling near one

fire to the music of drums and what sounded like a fiddle. A pair of jugglers

tossed lit torches and big pewter mugs back and forth and two little boys

stood on the back of a white pony who dashed across our path and circled

behind the wagons.

Carnival performers had never come to Imladris since I had been here.

(Oh my gosh, I just realized it has been over a year!! And what adventures I

had had!) (Sorry, I just had to mention that!)

"Good evening," I called out in Westron. "What brings you here?"

All activity ceased as the performers stopped and looked at me. A tall

man left the central fire and came over to me. He said nothing for a moment

but simply stared. He finally cocked his head sideways. "You are not

elvish?"

I smiled. "No, just a guest of Lord Elrond's. Are you expected? Do

you seek his counsel or his care?"

The man just shook his had. "Neither. We are just passing through on

our way to the annual Great Northern Fair. It takes place in the open lands

between here and Bree. We have come through Lord Elrond's domain for

many years, with his leave." He stepped closer. "Would you like to stay for

the evening meal?"

As much as I wanted to, I knew Lord Elrond might remark on my

absence. So I shook my head regretfully. "I am afraid I am expected back in

Rivendell. But thank you."

The man nodded and stepped away, returning to his fire. I smiled at

the performers and waved.

Carenloth and I had just started back when I heard a high-pitched

scream. I turned my mare's head and went back to the fires. People were

rushing about and I saw them gathering near the farthest fire, where I saw a

small figure laying on the ground and the white pony, who had been hastily

covered with a huge blanket for some reason. And two men were holding its

wildly tossing head.

I went over to the fire and what I saw made me gasp. One of the

little boys had fallen in the flames. There were logs and coals spread across

the grass and people were stomping out or throwing water on. Sliding off

Carenloth, I went to where the little one was laying on the ground. By all

the stars, his head was steaming! And so were parts of his clothing. The

performers had acted quickly, immediately rolling him in the grass and then

throwing water on him. He lay in a spreading puddle of water, the flames of

the fire, wavering in a circle around his small form.

"Oh my gosh. Is he hurt bad?"

The leader looked at me a moment shaking his head. An older woman

carefully pulled back the young one's shirt, frowning as she did so.

She looked at his left arm, which I couldn't see. She sat back on her heels.

"His arm is broken Hanj. And he has burns on his stomach and the side of

his face.

A younger woman rushed to him and gently picked up the

unconscious child and held him close. "Oh Jafa. My poor baby!"

"Sir Hanj," I said to be polite. "I can take him to Lord Elrond who is a

healer…"

Hanj went over to the mother and talked to her in a low voice. She

looked up at me sharply, biting her lip. Was she afraid?

Hanj came back to me slowly. "Mother Thurna," he indicated the

older woman "has always been enough healer for us. But thank you for the

offer."

I sighed heavily and got back slowly on Carenloth. Well, if they really

didn't need any help…

It took me about two hours to get back to the House and by that time,

I was tired, but pleasantly so. I had had a good day. But that poor little one,

Jafa.

As I walked down the corridor that would lead me to my room, I

found my cat Ivy cleaning her fur in the middle of the deep green runner I

was walking down. I scooped her up causing her to chirp. I kissed her and

her motor began. Ivy, by the way, was doing quite fine here and was

pampered by those who saw her. I felt so much better about bringing her to

Middle Earth.

Once in my quarters, I went humming into my bathing room, u

ndressed and sunk into the hot water. Ivy continued her bath on the nearby

counter where the washbasin was.

I closed my eyes as I relaxed.

"Marie?" A soft voice crossed my consciousness. "Marie?" A hand on

my shoulder shook me slightly. I popped my eyes open to see the elf lord

bending over me. "You have missed the evening meal, and the presentation

of Fernandel's new version of "Turin Turambar" which you told me you

were looking forward to hearing."

"My lord," I floundered a bit in the water, wiping my face. "I am so

sorry! I just rode quite a ways today and the hot water was so relaxing." Ivy

headed butted him as he bent over. He paused to pet her.

"I just wanted to make sure you were all right." He helped me out of

the steaming water, handing me a thick towel. He smiled as I wrapped

myself in it. "You know, it has been some time since you have been injured

or ill."

I laughed as I went into the room, rubbing my hair. I went over to the

wardrobe and pulled out a simple deep blue dress with a slightly scooped

neck, embroidered with ivy leaves.

'You know, you are right. And not only that, but I have been your

guest for just over a year, I think." I wriggled into my dress quickly. "Would

you like me to go break a leg or something---Wait! Wait I know someone

who needs your help, probably!'

Both the elf lord's eyebrows went up at my outburst.

"There was this little boy, from the carnival down where the Bruinen

curves to the west? They say they come every year to go to the Great

Northern Fair. You know, that sounds like that would be really great fun and

I---"

"The young boy?" Elrond stopped my words with a look.

"Oh yes, sorry! He fell into a campfire. Their lady healer said he had

burns on his stomach and his left arm was broken. Poor little bug, he only

seemed about eight years old."

"Did they ask for my aid?"

"Well, no not really." Remembering the mother's response, I added,

"I don't think they knew you were a healer." The eyebrows went up again

and he smiled slightly. "The leader said Mother Thurna would probably be

able to care for him. But, he is so little, and I know you could certainly

help." I looked up at him.

"If they have not asked for my help Marie, I cannot force myself upon

them. Hanj and his people are very independent."

"Well, of course, I understand. But he's such a little bitty one. And the

poor pony got burned too, I think."

"The pony?"

"Yes, he and another boy were riding the pony, well actually they

were standing on the back of the pony racing about the camp. I am not sure

how they got so near the fire that he fell in."

"And the other boy?"

"I did not see him around the fire, but he may have run to get the

mother."

"I see." The elf lord looked at me, his eyes smiling and reflecting the

nearby candlelight. "Well I am sure the morning will bring us new counsel.

Now, are you hungry?"

"Famished. And maybe Berenthil will sing that lovely song about the

swans again."

"Indeed."

We strolled down the corridor having left a happy Ivy curled up in my

quilt.

Once in the Hall of Fire, Lord Elrond went to his customary seat on

the dais and I found a big pillow to sit on, near a table with pitchers of mead,

spring wine and juice. I, of course, had the mead. As I was setting the

pitcher down, I hit the nearby candlestick and sent it rocking. I grabbed it

quickly to keep it from falling and a hot drip of wax hit my finger. Hissing, I

straightened the candlestick and took my cold mead to my pillow. Making

sure no one was watching, I sunk my burned finger into the drink with a sigh

of relief.

Eventually the sting went away, and a trio of elves got up to sing. I

rested my head on my knees to watch, but the burn on my finger kept

reminding me of the little boy.

to be continued, of course!