Chapter 14: The touch of love
Belaraniel held tightly to her lover. That night he laid down with her and they talked through the night. He asked her where she wanted to marry, what she wanted to where, and who she wanted to go. She smiled as she gave him his answers. It was so beautiful, what they had. They were so lucky to know what love feels like. When they fell asleep they both equally dreamed of the wedding.
When morning rose, they did not. They slept until the afternoon, huddled in each others arms. She smiled as she lifted her eye lids to see his strong arms wrapped around her. She couldn't wait until they married, this love was perfect, pure… innocent, and wild. She loved everything about him, and no matter where he was he was in her heart… tormenting her, loving her, amazing her, scaring her, and keeping her alive. He woke up to see her looking at him with a smile. He smiled and made her laugh out loud.
"When you smile that way melamin, I know every night and day that's when I love you, when I need you, when I care about you, that is when I know with out a doubt I can't live without you, and every day I find another reason, every season we will go through, every little thing you do, that's when I love you," he said sleepily as his hand rested on her neck and he kissed her.
"Good," she smiled when she was done kissing him, "cause the same goes here… only MUCH more."
"Oh I was only beginning, but I'll save it until our wedding day," he said smiling at her. She smiled and kissed him, she loved hearing him say that, "I love you."
"I love you too," she said feeling free, and at ease for the first time in a long time. Why couldn't she allow herself this sooner? Why did she fight against something so blissful? Something so peaceful? Something so beautiful?
"Good cause if you didn't I would have to be locked away in my castle, so that I could hide from the world," he said holding her close lightly smelling her hair as it tickled his face from the breeze coming in through the open window in her room. They both got up, he was still wearing his stuff from the day before as was she. He kissed her goodbye so he could go change and so she could change without feeling uncomfortable. She put on a dress not caring which one, no matter what she was wearing she never felt so beautiful, as she did now that she was with him, she could say anything and not worry about him letting her go. Life got more complicated, yet less complicated at the same time. She could do or say anything not worrying.
She left her room to see Lómebrilas waiting by her door. She smiled as he took her in his arms and held her tight. She smiled as his hair brushed her face slightly. Eldarion and Calicien came walking up with Jidda, Waredith, and Tinxie. Ducla Rafter Cotton Gamgee was still sleeping. They told the Gondorian princess and Mirkwood prince that they wanted to go on a picnic. Belaraniel smiled wanting to go, but Lómebrilas wanted to stay back and spend some alone time with his "fiancée" who he had not gotten much alone time with. But if it made her happy he would go. They went to the kitchen where they packed some food in a wicker basic and then went to the stables. They saddled their horses, and Belaraniel saddled her "unicorn" she finally noticed how much more respect Narduril got from the other horses, the hounds that had been shipped to Gondor for outside protection seemed to cower slightly when it came to her mighty horse. He always had a proud ness to him, he always had a mighty look to him, but she still couldn't see him being the king or lord of the animals, or the unicorns let alone being a unicorn himself.
'Well you best believe it princess,' a voice came in her head. She looked around to see who said it. Who read her thoughts.
"What?" she said out loud looking around, the others were outside arguing about how to tie the basket onto Waredith's horse.
'It is me Narduril,' the voice said making her look to her horse.
"You?" she asked pointing at him in the eyes. His head went up and down as if nodding his head yes, "I must be hearing things… I must be insane."
'Not insane, and not hearing things your highness. I found it the right time to talk to you, you are not overburdened right now so your body has opened up to me. You will be in for a bigger surprise later if I am correct, nothing bad of course… for you will see a little time of peace, a month or two if my senses are right, do not forget I am very old… so sometimes I forget a few times. I am one of the few immortal unicorns or horses as you wish to believe,' he said in her thoughts again. He couldn't speak out loud but he could speak in her mind.
"Oh yes, of course…" she said sarcastically.
'Don't get smart with me, I will buck you off on this little ride later, the old woman's calculations were not fully wrong about you being The Devine Light, for some reason you are only half of The Devine Light, the Valar has informed me of no more, but your adventure, your hardship hasn't even begun my lady,' the horse said mentally to her.
"But why me then? Why not someone else? Why can't I be normal?" Belaraniel said not wanting this confusing "gift" that has been unwilling given.
'Because you are the special Evenstar descendant, the one most likely to succeed, the only one with the ancient Evenstar power dwelling with in you, the never ending power that was built up for generations passed from Galadriel's ancestors to her daughter and your grandmother Celebrian then to your mother queen Arwen, then like a flower it bloomed in you, you were the present soil that the bud bloomed in releasing the magic, I was called to you when you were born, did you not understand why I was here all this time? Why I live so long? Your mother knew, she just never told you or your ada (father) but you have a right to know what you are burdened with. Like the hero's from the past, Frodo Baggins, Samewise Gamgee, Meriodoc Brandybuck, Gandalf, Legolas, your father Aragorn, even Pippin, they will tell you what a burden is in, and you will classify in the end as someone with a burden, not normal yet not enough to be odd, not enough to be greatness and you will probably not even go down in history like they did, but you will triumph and in the end you will gain something more important then fame or money, or even a title… love, as long as you have love Belaraniel you will triumph,' the horse said to her mentally. She looked at him and swallowed. She needed to have a talk with her mother later.
"Well, I… I am suppose to be done saddling you," she said uneasily. She was talking to her horse… unicorn.
'Must I really where my saddle? It is a beautiful and hot day, we should go bareback,' he said mentally as he neighed softly. She sighed before placing the bit in his mouth and climbing onto his bareback. Everyone watched Belaraniel ride out of the stables on Narduril's bareback.
"I don't think you should be riding without a saddle melamin, we are going into the forest and what if you get knocked off a tree or something?" Lómebrilas said looking at her. The horse seemed to snort unhappily and charge at Lómebrilas. Belaraniel pulled back on the reigns angrily making the horse stop and prance around unhappily.
'What was that for!' he said unhappily in her mind, making her jump and sigh.
"Just because I can hear you and know what you want doesn't mean you can start to act unruly, and not behave. This doesn't change a thing," she said lying to herself and the horse. It changed EVERYTHING more then she wanted to admit.
'He deserved it my lady,' he said mentally backing up and turning from Lómebrilas who was staring at Belaraniel like the rest of them.
"Oh don't say that, he didn't deserve you to charge him, let us go before I put the saddle on you anyways, and behave yourself Narduril," she said scolding, he hung his head as he walked slowly towards the forest. Everyone sat watching her with curiosity. When did she start talking to her horse?
'You should probably stop talking to me out loud before you explain to your friends what is going one,' Narduril said feeling a little hurt.
"Belaraniel?" Lómebrilas asked he brought his horse side by side with Belaraniel's.
"Yes Lómebrilas?" she asked smiling, he took her hand in his and kissed it before asking his question.
"Why are you talking to your horse Narduril? I've never seen you do it before… are you alright?" he asked looking at her seriously.
"I am sorry, I cannot explain it to you right now, I was told that if you talk to your horse it makes them more understanding of commands, and stuff like that, but that is all I can explain for now," she tried to lie but it wasn't good at it.
"Of course… Belaraniel," he said dropping her hand softly and stopped so he could meet up with the others to tell them of her obvious lie. They all began to worry about her but knew that they should have a nice day she deserved a nice day for a change. When they got to a beautiful sonny spot in a meadow in the forest behind the castle they stopped to pull out the special sandwiches the cooks made for their little picnic. They brought baked potatoes, a couple different fruits, some bread, some butter and jelly, they brought some juice in a yellow plain glass bottle. They then pulled out a blanket, the goblets, and some regular plates and accessories. They all ate and talked of their plans to get married, even Jidda and Waredith were planning to get married, not anytime soon, but they were planning to get married. Everyone got excited and Tinxie sang words of congratulations.
When the meal was done they packed up and headed back at a slow trot. They talked and laughed forgetting for the moment Belaraniel had been talking to her horse. Finally they reached the stables and walked into the castle. Belaraniel and Calicien had some plans to go into the city and find some more wedding stuff. They were talking over their plans of the wedding, and where they would have it. Calicien wanted to get married in the castle courtyard, but Belaraniel did not know exactly where she wanted to get married.
"Belaraniel your majesty!" a few girls called to Belaraniel. She knew who the girly voice belonged to, 'Raenia,' she thought to herself.
"Calicien, Belaraniel yoo-hoo," Raenia called out running across the bricked road with a few girls running behind her. Calicien and Belaraniel went to school with them when they were younger.
"Hello Raenia, Galien, Silvinya, and Broliciec," Belaraniel said smiling as she turned around. They had all been friends when they were younger, but stopped hanging with her to hang out with Crirawen who was older and more popular.
"Hey, we were just about to go get a bite to eat would you like to come join?" Raenia said obviously the leader of the little pack.
"Actually we just ate…" before Calicien could finish Raenia spoke up again.
"It doesn't matter Calicien, we all have to catch up, come on it will be like sooo fun," she said smiling an obviously fake innocent smile. Raenia loved gossip, and loved to brag which was why her and Crirawen got along so well, it gave her a reason to brag about being the best friend with the most popular princess of Gondor. Calicien looked to Belaraniel.
"Sure, let's go gossip," Belaraniel said looking to Calicien mocking Raenia without Raenia even knowing Belaraniel was mocking her. Calicien smiled trying to not laugh as they followed the group of girls going to a tiny little inn that had a beautiful dining place inside.
"So what is new with you? I have met a most handsome man studying to be a teacher," Raenia said looking to her group of close friends smiling as she day dreamed.
"Belaraniel is getting married," Calicien said trying to brag for Belaraniel.
"Well you got talkative Calicien," Raenia said looking to Calicien, "but tell me who that guy is Belaraniel."
"Prince Lómebrilas of Mirkwood," Calicien said speaking up for her nervous friend, these people use to be her friends, and she was afraid of saying something to upset them or make them angry, maybe they could be friends again.
"The prince of Mirkwood?" one of the other girls known as Silvinya said in aw they all began to think of the most handsome prince in all of Middle Earth.
"Yes the prince of Mirkwood," Calicien was not buying their lame attempt of "catching up" they wanted to be popular by being friends with the newest favorite princess of Gondor, the most famous princess of Gondor.
"Oh be careful my friend, a guy like that only wants one thing, he probably won't even marry you until he gets it," Raenia said sipping at her water before fluffing her hair.
"What?" Belaraniel asked nervously… she had always felt there was something he wanted from her besides her love… could this girl have the answer.
"Have you already done that?" one of the girls said with a smile to Raenia.
"Of course, with Cadin a couple of times, before that I can't even remember," Raenia laughed a couple of times. Both the princess of Gondor and her best friends were stumped.
"Do what?" Calicien asked seeing the nervousness in Belaraniel's eyes.
"I suspected you wouldn't know… but you truly don't know Belaraniel? Your a princess of Gondor, Crirawen did it almost all the time with the guys she liked. Nobody waits for marriage anymore," Raenia said trying to hold in a laugh. Belaraniel looked at Raenia curiously.
"Really?" she asked understanding what she meant now.
"Of course they don't anymore!" Raenia said laughing hard. Belaraniel blushed feeling like a child again. "That is the true act of being a woman, that is the true way of showing your love."
"I did not know, I was told and taught that it is dishonest, a disgrace to the Valar to not obey his rule in waiting until you were married," Belaraniel said confusedly.
"Has the Valar told you this in person? If not it is only to keep you a child until you are married, it is that way for most woman of high ranks, most woman in general, they don't want us to grow up so they tell us lies, I would not suspect that your prince was told not to do such things, I'd be careful before he finds it from someone else.
"I think we should go," Calicien said standing up and pulling her friend from the chair.
"How is your brother?" Raenia said still laughing. Belaraniel smiled her turn to brag for HER friend had come.
"Engaged," and when Raenia got a quizzical look Belaraniel smiled when she said, "to Calicien here. They marry soon, she will be the queen of Gondor, and when I marry Lómebrilas I will be the queen of Mirkwood."
The whole way back to the castle Belaraniel thought of the words that the girls spoke. Everyone did it. Did they really? Nobody waits anymore but who were all the nobodies? I would not suspect that your prince was told not to do such things, I'd be careful before he finds it from someone else. Who would be that someone that he found? Was that why he fell in love with her at first? Did he think he could get it from her? Or did he get it from Crirawen and then move down to something new, something innocent? Would he really find it from someone else if he got inpatient.
The whole day it bothered her. She avoided Lómebrilas the whole day which worried him. She found herself in the stables with Narduril. The horse neighed a hello to see her. Why did he not say hello in her mind? Maybe she had been hearing things. She was already feeling insane. She sat in her horses stall beside her horse who was careful not step on her. She found herself thinking of away to talk to Narduril and what she would say. 'What should I do?' one of her questions were.
'See is it so hard to talk to me mentally? But follow your heart The Devine Light, follow your heart princess of Gondor. What does your heart tell you? But night has come, dinner is being served and you are being waited for. Come to me later my lady,' he said to her mentally.
"How did I talk to you mentally?" Belaraniel asked outloud.
'When ever you think of me, say what you want to say in your mind and I will hear it, all you have to do is think you are talking to me directly but say it in your mind like you did when you were pretending to talk to me, now go my lady,' Narduril said mentally again before Belaraniel got up to leave. She kissed her unicorn on his nose.
"One more question… if you are a unicorn… where is your horn?" Belaraniel asked looking at his forelock.
'Not all unicorns have a horn there all the time. My kind of race, and older race of unicorns can choose when they want their horn to show, but because I have been in disguise I have not been able to show my horn. Now I must let it grow again now that you know who I am,' Narduril said mentally.
"Ok then, I am going to eat, you may finish eating your oats now," Belaraniel said to him before shutting the stall. The horse did as she said and went back to eating his oats. She ran into the dining hall and sat in the only open chair next to Olamwen the man who had trained her to fight. He smiled at her and patted her hand. She had not seen him in awhile and was happy to see the old man well. He was there with his son who had always seen Belaraniel as a close friend since childhood. Belaraniel shook Olamwen's sons hand.
"My lady it is so good to see you," he said getting out of his chair, Belaraniel got up to meet him in a hug.
"You've grown up master Galden," Belaraniel smiled as her arms rested around the young mans neck, this did not make Lómebrilas feel any better about her ignoring him that day. He had just turned sixteen and returned by choice. His mother and Olamwen had separated for she didn't like him gone training other men for battle. So she took off with their five year old son. Galden would get to visit for a week once a year and during that time him and the princess would have loads of fun. But his mother passed away and he got to go back with his father.
"So have you Belaraniel," he said smiling, she had always been the sister he wanted. She still saw the childishness in his eyes, "you are no longer a scruffy little girl I would have fun with!"
"No I am not, but I am still someone you can have fun with Galden, you can still be my little brother," she said ruffling his hair. He had always idolized her when they were younger for her adventurous fun.
"And you are still my big sister I look up to," he smiled as he pushed her hand from his hair, "but I am a man now, not little."
"Of course!" she laughed hard as she sat down. Galden got a funny look on his face before laughing as well. Everyone joined them laughing… everyone except Lómebrilas. Finally dinner ended and Belaraniel got up and left with Galden. She watched Lómebrilas who watched her as she left. Galden saw this and got a little curious.
"So how is your love life, though I still cannot picture you having a love life," he laughed as he walked her to her room.
"My love life is good and bad… I have one which is good, but now I am confused what to do about it which is bad," she said sighing.
"Well tell me about it," he said smiling at his "older" sister as they slowly walked up the marble stair case.
"Well we are engaged, but I was talking to some girls and I am thinking he wants something from me I was raised to get married before doing," she said nervously.
"Well… what do you want to do?" he asked trying to think of away to help his so called sister.
"I want to wait, but what if he doesn't, I don't want to lose him… have you…" she couldn't finish the sentence.
"Once…" he said not wanting to make it harder on her, "but I found we weren't in love, she found someone else who… met her expectations."
"Tell me who she is! I will send my people over to deal with her," Belaraniel said in shock before laughing.
Galden laughed before saying anything. "Go to bed tonight and think things over, I do not think you are ready and you say you want to wait, so think it over and just… think it over, what will you gain, what will happen after, will you feel the same or will your feelings change?"
"Good night and thanks for your good council, you are right, I probably should wait," she said kissing her friend on his cheek before going into her room to sleep. She looked into her large mirror that had replaced the one that had been shattered by her throwing the goblin through it. Darkness filled her room, the only light was a few tiny candles, and the moon and stars. On her mahogany dresser sat a tiny folded leaflet. She opened and began to read.
Dear Belaraniel,
I can't understand you. We have such a great day, everything is perfect, I always tell you of my love, and you make me believe you love me, and then you do this. You ignored me the whole day, avoided me, if you saw me come around the corner your ran off, if I entered a room you exited. Maybe I am being crazy here, but I truly felt you were avoiding me. Not once today did you come to me. What is going on? Do you no longer love me? Do you not want to marry me? What is going on? Since I can't seem to get answers from you any other way I must right you this letter. I am beginning to not know what to do Belaraniel. I don't want us to have to say goodbye, but I don't want to live like this. I hope you can understand, but I've been treated so wrong today like I am untouchable, the way you act, the way you strangle my heart when you lose hope or faith in us. I don't know how to tell you to get back to me about this… I don't know what you'll say. But please… I pray you, do not let me linger in this darkness any longer, do not torment my heart, either embrace it or let it go.
Lómebrilas Greenleaf
She put the note down as her hands trembled almost knocking down her brush. She went to her bed and laid down scared of what he thought. She had miss led him today into believing she did not love him. She tried to sleep but every minute she was trying to sleep Lómebrilas' heart was breaking, was confused. She got up walking out of the door and walked down the hall barefoot. She found the beautiful guest room that Lómebrilas stayed in. Her hand softly knocked against the wood door not wanting to wake anyone else. He opened the door shielding his eyes from the light. Had he been sleeping! After that note he sent? He was sleeping! Not staying awake pacing! Making her feel guilty! She got an angry look.
"Belaraniel?" he asked in a sleepy quizzical look. She looked at him with her hands on her hips, "isn't it late?"
"Late?" she asked pushing him hard making him stumble back unexpectedly. "Late?" she asked again her hands touching his bare chest as she pushed him again catching him off guard. She shut the door behind her softly.
"Sorry," he said when he caught his balance and walked away from her to sit on the bed. He didn't seem happy to see her as he sat there on his bed not looking at her.
"Don't say that, but you were sleeping! After sending me that letter…" before she said anything he interrupted.
"You didn't come fast enough Belaraniel… it is to late," he said looking at her sorrowfully. Belaraniel looked to the bed and their a brown haired girl stirred in a sleepy dream. Belaraniel stumbled backwards tears filling her eyes… then she woke up. Belaraniel sat bolt right up looking around as tears filled her eyes. She climbed out of bed, she had dozed off and dreamt she hadn't. She ran down the hall barefoot to where Lómebrilas stayed. She tapped on his door and he answered the door trying to cover his eyes from his light. Had he been sleeping? Was her dream just a vision?
"Belaraniel?" he asked her trying to not let the light blind him. "It is late… I thought you'd be asleep." Belaraniel looked at him feeling hurt.
"You were sleeping…" she said more then asked. As she pushed passed him her shoulder grazed his arm. She stood their wanting to leave, but wanting to stay.
"Are you alright? Do you need me to take you back to your room?" he asked not understanding why now she chose to come to him now that morning was hours away, since he spent the night waiting for her and she never came. She pushed passed him not even wanting to look at his bed afraid of what she might see, tears fill her eyes as she went for the door again. He watched confusedly not seeing her eyes red and puffy from the tears she was crying. He sighed not knowing why he should but followed after her. She was already in her room crying when he opened the door.
"Go away," she said sitting in the corner of her room. He was going to shut the door before he saw the note on the ground and opened. She HAD read it, was that why she was there… to give him an answer. He shut the door behind him.
"No," he said picking up the leaflet. She sighed as she sat there looking away. "Belaraniel…"
"Lómebrilas, just go… you've answered my question," she said sadly as he stood there.
"But you haven't answered mine, when you want to talk to me, when you are ready to tell me what is wrong and when your ready to answer me… I'll be waiting in my room," he said placing the letter back on the dresser. She watched him leave as her tears fell down her cheeks. She hated crying in front of him, princesses aren't suppose to cry, they are suppose to be obedient, and strong, and tied down, something that Lómebrilas made her feel she didn't have to be. She knew she had to go to him before her dream came true, she knew she'd lose him for good if she waited. She got to his door and knocked again this time not crying but looking down. She tightened her teeth so that her cheek bone tightened in nervousness before he answered the door. He stood there looking beautiful to her, how lucky she was, to have someone so beautiful in body and in personality. He was in a sleeveless cotton tunic as before but she never did quite look at how his muscles ripped through his arms, pecks, and stomach. He seemed to glow under the silver moon light cascading through the window. "Come in."
"Ok," she said feeling stupid. She walked in feeling like they were starting all over, even though they were engaged.
"Now why did you freak out?" he asked her as he sat on his bed. Belaraniel looked over his shoulder into his bed, there was no brown head girl there and she sighed in relief.
"You were asleep," she said sadly.
"I was asleep so you freaked out?" he asked quizzically, she shook her head yes, "even though I spent hours and hours pacing waiting for you to come in here and telling me I was imagining things and that you loved me. To find I would go to sleep knowing that you did not love me. You are mad because of this?"
"I didn't know that, I had a bad dream…" she began before he interrupted.
"You had a bad dream? I sat here pacing back and forth not in a dream, hurt and feeling wronged while you were off gallivanting about with that boy you left with. Belaraniel…" he didn't even know what to say. He got up crossing his arms and pacing not wanting to speak afraid he'd yell.
"I didn't know I fell asleep, and I walked to your room, you told me I was too late, and I saw another woman in your bed, I woke up realizing it was dream and ran here to talk to you. You were asleep and I did not know I slept for awhile," she said softly biting her lip.
"Belaraniel and you couldn't even tell me that then, instead of making me feel guilty when I shouldn't!" he asked angrily.
"Lómebrilas I…" she didn't know what to say or even how to say it.
"I don't care Belaraniel," he said standing looking out at the moon. She put her hands on his strong muscular arm and he twitched. He was a man and she was still a young woman who had the spirit of a child. "don't touch me right now."
"Are you going to be…" before she finished he interrupted turning around to look her in the eyes. The moon shined down into her rich blue eyes sucking him.
"Yes I am going to be stubborn, it is my turn to be mad, because I am right and you are wrong," he said looking into the eyes of his very own angel. He walked away from her and away from the window.
"I am not saying I am right, but I am not wrong. I thought it was going to happen again," she stopped waiting for him to say something but he was trying to ignore her, "Lómebrilas don't be like that."
"You are the one who acts childish, can't even make up your own mind," Lómebrilas said hastily feeling guilty for saying that.
"Lómebrilas, I am sorry," she said still standing by the window. He didn't say anything, "now who is being childish Lómebrilas?" he still didn't say anything to her. She walked up to him feeling guilty, she was going to leave but looked at his face, the sadness in his eyes. She walked to him and touched his face. She swallowed nervously before kissing him. He kissed her softly not wanting to give in, but not wanting to NOT give in. "I do love you," she said softly before kissing his lips again. She wrapped her arms around his neck, his arms slowly started to unfold and went around her waist and around her back. He held her tight as he lifted her off of her feet in a tight hug.
"That was all I was waiting to hear," he said kissing her lips and then her forehead. Her hand embraced his face as their kiss lingered on her lips, and she smiled softly in the moon lit room as she looked into his eyes. She could feel his skin on her arm, and her arm began to tingle. She nervously felt for the bottom of his shirt and lifted it up over his head. "Belaraniel… you don't have to do this," he said as he looked down at the tiny girl, "we can wait, I've never expected this from you right now, is that why you avoided me?"
"Hearing that from you makes it all the more worth it," she said her arms wrapping around his neck and kissing him more. It was the touch of love. He slowly laid her on the bed where they were for the rest of the night.
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Authors note: I am not good at writing those kinds of scenes ;). But hey what can I say, it gets to the point. And now they have moved to a bigger stage, I thought it would be a little bit of a romantic scene anyways. A good way to start out the first chapter of Part Two. I mean there is a little bit of gossip, a little bit of drama, a little bit of unraveling of history, a talking horse, and one of the final steps of true love… but thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings then again I don't think I would want to, it would be very hard to live up to making a story as good as that after writing lol! But I own Belaraniel, Calicien, the princesses, Lómebrilas, Narduril, Jidda, the sword Glamthaus which will have a bigger part in the story, all those characters you do not recognize except Eldarion, Faramir I, even Arwen's brother Elrohir isn't my creation, these are characters that I've read are actual sons of who I say they are the son of in this story. I also don't own Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Samwise Gamgee, Pippin, Arwen, Faramir, Eowyn, etc.
Please review!
