A/N: Well here is a long overdue update for everyone! I apologize for the long gap between updates, but hopefully this won't be happening anymore, as I have finally purchased my own computer (birthday money well spent!), so that means I won't have to share anymore so I won't have to worry as much when I misplace my flash drive (it's been known to happen more than once haha…)
I again wish to thank everyone who has shown support through reviews and adding this story to their alerts and favs, you have no idea how happy it makes me to know that there are people who enjoy my writing, and it makes me feel guilty for not updating as much haha!
Oh, and I also realized that I haven't been putting translations to the Elvish I have put into the story, so even if they are common phrases, I'll be sure from now on to do that in case anyone is unfamiliar with them.
Disclaimer:I own nothing from the Tolkien Estate, however I do own all OC's and deviations from the canon universe.
In the morning Nariel rose with the sun, as she did every morning. On that particular morning she felt well-rested than she had in a long while, the memories of the previous day's events and her dreams from the night returning to her memory, causing a happy smile to grace her face.
As she was washing her face in the basin beside her bed, her mother came into her room,
"Good morning pen-neth, I see you have slept well."
"Good morning nana (informal for mom), yes I have, do you have any plans for today? That smile on your face is suggesting so." Nariel said, smiling in return.
"Indeed I do child, I was thinking that today you could take a day off from your duties, and perhaps we would go onto the plains, the flowers are in bloom this time of year, and I can feel that today will be a lovely day."
"That sounds like a lovely plan nana" Nariel replied
As her mother turned and exited her room, Nariel turned to her wardrobe to pick her clothing for today. As the day was more of a special occasion, she opted for one of her finer dresses, one of a blue color that went well with her dark hair and green eyes.
She braided her hair in its normal style, mostly pinned up, with only a small section behind her right ear hanging free, symboling that she had yet to reach her majority, and one small braid was woven across the crown of her head, symboling that she was unbound, and that she was not promised to anyone.
Nariel and her mother ate their breakfast as usual together seated at their small table, making plans for their day.
"I need you to run to the market again, and pick up some food for our pick nick today."
"Yes nana, any requests?" Nariel asked knowingly
A wryly smile on Tuarwens face she replied "if you happen across any green apples, please do indulge your naneth."
Both ellith laughed at this, as it was no secret between the two that Taurwen loved green apples above any other food.
"After you go to the market you may do as you wish, I need to get some more work done on the cloak that Lord Glorfindel commissioned, and around noon I'd say we'll go on our pick nick."
Nariel managed to keep the smile from her face at the mention of Glorfindels name, though she knew her mother could tell.
"Very well nana, that sounds like a good plan to me." She replied as she helped her mother to clear away the mess before she left for the market.
The streets were bustling with elves by the time Nariel reached the lesser market, and she took account of several elves that were setting up decorations around the city, preparing for the Gates of Summer Festival the following day. The festival was the biggest in the Noldorin culture, and was steeped in tradition, and it was also Nariel's favorite festival of the year.
None of the venders in the Lesser Market had any green apples, however Nariel was determined, so she decided to make the trek to the other side of the city to the Greater Market, where her hopes of finding the fruit were more likely.
After her lengthy walk to the market, Nariel was rewarded from her efforts when she spotted a vender that was selling a variety of the crisp fruit. Choosing carefully, she selected four large green fruit, happy to be able to please her mother.
On the walk back to her home, Nariel was suddenly aware of how close her trip had taken her to the residence of the House of the Golden Flower. She couldn't help the smile that came to her face as she walked past the particular building, gazing into the windows. She gasped when she saw in a window, the form of none other than Lord Glorfindel, and she could have sworn she felt his eyes on her. Quickly looking away, she sped up, not daring to look back.
By the time she reached her house Nariel was no longer so flustered over being caught looking by Glorfindel. She set her purchases on the table in the kitchen before meandering through the house, finding her mother in the work room, diligently working on the cloak that Lord Glorfindel had commissioned.
"I got everything nana, even your precious apples," Nariel said triumphantly to her mother.
"That is wonderful news pen-neth now go, a young ellith as you should be enjoying herself right now, go and enjoy yourself." Tuarwen said with a smile, shooing her daughter out of the door.
Once outside, Nariel didn't quite know what to do with herself. She had been working for essentially twelve years now, ten in her apprenticeship, and two as a full miner. After her father had passed in the mining accident, things had become tougher her and her mother, and as a result she seldom had free time to herself.
Nariel was never one to stand around idly, so she started walking down the street, and decided to go wherever her feet would take her, of course though they ended up taking her to the Fountains of the South, situated near her home, as her family was part of the House of the Fountain.
There were elegant benches situated all about the fountains for elves to come and sit by, and Nariel occupied an empty bench near the center. The sounds of the fountains were loud enough to drown out all the other sounds of the city, and Nariel found herself sitting with her eyes closed, listening to the water and letting it calm her being. She sat in her silent reverie for quite some time before a deep male voice brought her back to reality.
"Mistress Nariel, it is good to see you out of the mines, I fear that because of them I never see hide nor hair of you." Lord Ecthelion said to her good naturedly as he sat beside her on the bench.
"My Lord, it is a pleasure to see you again." She said, inclining her head in greeting to her liege lord.
"And the same to you, young one; how fare you and your mother?"
That was so like Ecthelion, he had always been a very caring and attentive liege lord, and a good leader of their household. All her life Nariel had remembered the raven haired lord seeing to her family's well-being, and even more so after her father had passed.
"She is very well my lord, thank you; you have always been most kind to us."
"You are welcome Nariel, and what kind of lord would I be if I did not look after the members of my household." He replied chucking.
"I know not my lord, but I couldn't picture you any other way." She said with a smile as he stood up, and so did she.
"Well thank you Nariel, I am afraid I must bid you good day, King Turgon needs me in counsel, I trust I shall see you and your mother at the festival tomorrow?" he asked, taking her hand and bestowing a kiss upon it in farewell.
"Indeed my lord, we wouldn't miss it for the world. And good day Lord Ecthelion, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow." She replied, bowing her head and curtseying respectfully to her liege lord.
As Ecthelion's regal form walked towards the palace, Nariel looked at the sun, deducing that she still had around two hours' time before she needed to return home. Looking towards the palace that loomed in the center of the city, she decided to head that way and walk in the gardens perhaps. Along the way however she passed the library of the city and decided to stop their instead.
The library was a quiet place, filled with two dozen elves or so at that time. The two levels of the building were filled with aisles of bookshelves as well as sitting areas for the city's inhabitants to sit back and relax as they read through tomes. Nariel walked around the aisles leisurely, tracing her fingers along the spines of each book as she passed them by. She noted books on the geography of Arda, as well as Valinor, where the majority of the inhabitants had been born, books on elven lore, of the Valar, and a variety of other subjects.
One book in particular that caught her eye was one on, what other than mining, and the art of turning jewels into precious pieces of artwork and jewelry. With a smile she took the heavy book from its place on the shelf, taking note of its location, and she sat at the closest sitting area, and read for a time of the miners of the Noldor, as well as the elves who made fine work out of the gems that were found.
After a lengthy spell reading, Nariel figured that she should return home, as it was nearing noon. So, she put the book back into its correct location of the shelf, and left the quiet of the library and went back into the noisy streets. She saw that the sun was indeed nearing its zenith, so she quickened her pace back towards her home.
She arrived just in time to see her mother finish packing up the pick nick basket they were to take with them on their little trip.
"Ah, there you are, I was wondering whether or not you had gotten lost in the street," Tuarwen said with mock anger at her daughter.
"I assure you nana, I was not lost in the streets, but in a riveting book on the Noldorin miners and jewel makers. Oh, and I also ran into Lord Ecthelion, I told him you were well as always." Nariel recounted her day to her mother as she took the basket from her as they left the house and headed toward the North Gate of the city.
"Ah, that sounds like our Lord Ecthelion indeed" Tuarwen replied with a nod as they neared the gate, greeting some elves with a few words along the way.
The guards at the gates of course knew Nariel well and they greeted her and her mother as they made to leave the city.
"Good day Mistress Tuarwen, Mistress Nariel. Off for a pick nick on the plains?" the Captain inquired kindly.
"Indeed we are Captain; it is a perfect day for such an activity." Tuarwen replied in kind.
"Yes it is, well enjoy your meal ladies," he said as they all bid each other farewell and the two ellith made their way down to the valley.
They walked in silence along a pathway that took them over a couple of small bridges that went over small streams that fed the city's moat, on towards a large gazebo with characteristic elven arches. The gazebo was built just for this purpose, allowing for an escape of the city life for its inhabitants, and was situated in a spot that allowed for a perfect view of the city as well as the Encircling Mountains.
There surprisingly few elves that was at the gazebo that day, providing an even more relaxed atmosphere for the two ellith. They opened their basket and ate their food in companionable silence for a while, listening to the sounds of the winds blowing through the long grass on the plains.
"Tomorrow is the Gates of Summer as I am sure you know," Tuarwen said quietly, then took a bite of her precious apple.
"Yes nana, I saw workers preparing for the celebration today. It should be a perfect day for the celebration tomorrow." Nariel said, equally as softly. Talk of the festival always brought back for both of them memories of her late father.
"Your ada would be proud of the beautiful young ellith you have grown to be." Tuarwen said with a tear in her eye as she gazed at her daughter.
She let out a soft laugh as she regained her composure, "I suppose I can no longer call you 'pen-neth', look at you, you'll reach your majority in two years' time. Indeed, you already have the appearance of an adult."
"Naneth!" Nariel said quietly, looking around to make sure none of the other elves in the gazebo heard her mother. This of course caused Tuarwen to laugh even more.
"Come darling, I wish to collect some flowers before we return to the city" Tuarwen said, changing the subject, much to her daughter's relief, as they began to collect their belongings in the basket.
They walked slowly back to the city, each gathering a handful of fragrant flowers that grew along the pathway.
"You know, when I was an elfing, on the mid-summers eve, my mother would have me sleep with a flower under my pillow." Tuarwen said, a far off look in her eyes as she arranged the blossoms.
"What for nana?" Nariel asked curiously as she bent to pick a yellow wild flower.
"She said it was so that that night, I would be graced with dreams of my future husband."
"Oh, and was that so nana?" she asked, curious to her mother's reply.
Smiling Tuarwen replied, "it may have, but by then I had already had my sights set on your adar, so I think my mind made have influenced the magic of the flowers too much."
They both laughed at this as they made their way up the hillside and back to the city, the pleasant scent of the flowers accompanying them the whole way.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in their house, Nariel assisting her mother with the final touches on the cloak for Glorfindel, which he had asked be delivered to his house before the evening of the festival.
"You should visit the bath house tonight, tomorrow will be busy, and I will need you to make some deliveries for me before the festival."
"As you wish nana," Nariel said, and left her mother's company, and went to her room and collected her belongings and clothing that she would need at the bath house.
The women's bath house was located near the middle of the city, and at that time of night, few elves were there usually, however, being the night before the Gates of Summer, many ellith were taking the opportunity to pretty themselves up before the big day. As it was, Nariel had a pleasant time there, chatting with other ellith her age, gossip going all around about the next day's events and other news.
It was totally dark by the time Nariel returned home, and the streets were nearly empty, so she did not run into anyone that she knew. She had been secretly hoping to run into a certain golden haired Lord, but that was not the case as she reached her doorstep.
The candles were out downstairs, telling her that her mother was already in bed, so Nariel decided to follow suit. Once she had changed into her night gown and was in bed, sleep did not come to Nariel for a while.
The day's events had brought back memories of her father, but she did not wish to be sad, so she instead thought of the coming festivities, and that made her spirits soar, and soon she drifted off to sleep, memories of the festival of years past danced through her dreams in anticipation for the following day.
There's the new chapter for you, do not fear, Glorfindel will make a proper appearance in the next chapter, and I swear this one will come soon!
Oh and the little tid bit about the flowers, that is actually a custom in Norway, something my great-grandmother used to tell me about when she was little, I just thought it would be nice to sneak a little bit of m Scandinavian heritage in there! Wow, and I also realize that this is the third chapter in a row that I have ended with Nariel drifting off to sleep!
As always reviews and feedback are much appreciated!