In order to try to make it up to you for being gone so long, I have attempted to make this chapter longer than usual. I hope I have succeeded. Eruanna says hello, as does all of our dear favorite characters, and I hope this chapter will prove to be delightfully fluffy as well as annoyingly premonitory. So without further ado, please,
Read!
Enjoy!
Review!
Chapter 10
Eruanna and Ecthelion, for the rest of the two days that they had to prepare for the feast, were busy trying to finish and polish the short piece that they composed together. It was a duet that they composed and intended to play together.
But when the day finally came, they were ready and eager to see what would happen on the big day. Arafinwë came to them that morning with an order as their Atya, to which they listened carefully.
"Now, Ecthelion, Eruanna, my children, I would ask that you do something." He had said, and they had paid attention to him in respect. "I know that you don't have so much to do by way of work, but I would like you to look around the guilds at the feast today and try to find something you are interested in. Perhaps a craft or something of the sort." Arafinwë suggested.
"If you find something that you would like to do, then you could work towards a goal to join the guild if it so suits you." He finished, and then looked at them sternly. "Even if you do not find anything, I want you to look nonetheless. And behave." He said, and they had nodded meekly.
Eruanna had sidled up to him, hugging his robes. "Iss Atya." She'd said. "We try."
And he had smiled amusedly before picking her up to kiss her gently. "That's my little elleth." He approved. "Now, run off, Eruanna, I do believe Amarië prepared a dress for you for the occasion." He said. So she had nodded as he set her down, and after giving Ecthelion a hug, ran off along with Esgal who was always by her side to find Amarië.
She finally found the elleth in the solar, busy preparing along with Eärwen and Galadriel for the feast. Galadriel had welcomed Eruanna warmly and smiled at her as the elfling curtsied. "Come, Eruanna, child." The former lady of Lothlòrien said, and Eruanna had come forwards, with Esgal sitting by the door.
Then Amarië began to hold up several different dresses in front of the slightly squirming elfling, with Eärwen giving suggestions which one was best. But then, suddenly the smell of peppermint and lemongrass had filled the air. Eruanna squealed and threw herself towards the Maia that appeared in the center of the room with a slight smile. He chuckled and swung her up.
"Fionwë!" Eruanna cheered, and bestowed a kiss upon her Maia's cheek. Fionwë smiled and stroked the elfling's hair fondly as Eärwen and Amarië had stood there in only slight surprise, while Galadriel looked as unruffled as always.
"Greetings, lady Eärwen, Amarië, Galadriel." Fionwë bowed, and they had returned the greetings warmly.
"What brings you here, lord Fionwë?" Amarië asked with a smile.
"Eruanna, in fact." Was the Maia's answer. "I was- ah- asked to bring her this." He said, handing Eruanna a bolt of cloth, which the elfling took with a puzzled look to the Maia who smiled in reply.
"It's from your- er- Atto, Eruanna." Was his answer before setting her down as her mouth opened in an 'O' "He would like to see you don it for the feast. Now, if you will excuse me, I am merely passing through on an errand for my lord." He finished, and with a smile in Eruanna's direction, faded away, leaving behind the smell of lemongrass and peppermint.
After a moment of startled silence, Eärwen spoke up. "Atto-? Ah." She suddenly understood, and Eruanna shook her head in confusion before spreading out the small dress.
She tilted her head at it before a small smile crossed her face. It was crushed blue watered silk, trimmed with silver at the hems and a single emblem on the front of a symbol of a sun-in-eclipse stitched in silver. The sleeves came up to her elbows before widening slightly and pooling around her wrists. And then Eruanna let out a cry and clutched a necklace that had been placed in the dress as well. She carefully clasped it around her throat, the familiar golden flower tipped with opals and centered with a sapphire sitting between her collarbones.
Galadriel smiled as Eärwen and Amarië admired it. "It was well made." Eärwen noted. Eruanna had a faint smile on her face.
"It was made by my friend, a dwarf." She answered, almost slyly, and Eärwen and Amarië were surprised into silence as Galadriel gave the elfling a secretive, knowing smile that was returned. Then Eruanna slipped on the dress happily, squirming until she was comfortable.
Her hair had been done up in a simple braid that marked her as being from the House of the Golden Flower, and a thin fillet of silver was settled on her brow on insistence of Amarië.
When they had finally gone down from the solar, Eruanna had immediately made for Ecthelion, reaching up to clutch his robe. Ecthelion picked her up, and she gave him a grin as he poked her.
"The Tol-Eresseans will be here as well, you know." Finrod was saying. "You'll finally get to meet Sador and Alassiel, Ecthelion, Eruanna." He said eagerly, and they had nodded. Glorfindel had mentioned Sador to Eruanna several times, and she was eager to meet the ellon that was her dear brother's gwador with whom so many adventures had been shared.
"Well, shall we go?" Arafinwë asked, and with a nod, they had filed out of the palace into the city square. Arafinwë escorted Eärwen at the head of the procession, Finrod escorting Amarië had followed, Galadriel and Celeborn were next, and lastly was Ecthelion and Eruanna, with Eruanna perched sidesaddle on Luno who walked proudly next to the Lord of the Fountain.
They walked out to the square, where the people stood about and bowed to the royal family as they passed. Arafinwë, Eärwen, Finrod, and Amarië smiled and nodded back, greeting various friends and lords as they passed. They went to the platform that was set in the center of the square for the royals to sit upon and watch the festivities.
There were also fourteen thrones that had been set up on the platform, and everyone knew that they were for the Valar. Eruanna looked at the thrones and decided that the one to the far right was her Atto Nàmo's throne, seeing the symbol of the sun-in-eclipse on the back. Ecthelion grabbed her hand and they walked to the chairs that had been set up, though both were nervous.
Eruanna was rather uncomfortable being in front of so many people, and she could tell that Ecthelion was too, though he didn't show it as much as she was sure she did. Arafinwë sat in the center, with Eärwen at his left, and Finrod and Amarië at his right. Galadriel and Celeborn sat next to Eärwen at the left, and Ecthelion was given a chair next to Amarië. Eruanna sat on a thick cushion at Finrod's feet along with Esgal, to her relief. Finrod bent to stroke her hair gently, and she smiled up at him.
Slowly, the people gathered, the commoners and merchants, lord and ladies all gathered together. The different guilds were all represented with their chosen spokesmen, and soon the square was filled with the murmuring of many.
Then, Eonwë materialized on the platform, hand on his sword as he announced his lords. "The Valar, lord Manwë, lady Varda-" and so he went on, and each of the Valar appeared and bowed, taking their places in their chairs on the dais.
All of them were dressed in splendorous robes, out-shining even Arafinwë, who was dressed in his most formal autumn court garb for the occasion. Lady Varda wore a crown of stars upon her head, and she bestowed upon them a benevolent smile that made even the stars pale in comparison.
Then Eonwë announced, at last, lord Nàmo and lady Vairë. Lord Nàmo, Eruanna noticed, was dressed in crushed blue velvet as well, forgoing his normal black and grey to wear a lighter color, trimmed in silver. The robe was long and came to his ankles, though it still showed his brown boots etched with silver. His dark hair was braided back in warrior braids, studded with jets, onyx, opals, and an occasional diamond. A coronet of silver sat upon his head with a single ruby in the center of a sun-in-eclipse.
Lady Vairë was dressed no less splendidly. She had on a lighter blue than her spouse, and the gown was trimmed in silver with orange sleeves. It reminded Eruanna of a gown Arwen had worn once. A pang went through her heart at the thought of the elleth. Lady Vairë also wore a pendant at her throat of a small teardrop-shaped ruby, and her hair was graced with a coronet of gold against her deep purple hair. Her violet eyes twinkled cheerily, making Eruanna's heart lighten.
But she also noticed lady Vána. The lady of youth was dressed in a rich yellow, almost golden gown, with green also embroidering the dress. Her hair was braided into a coronet, and at her throat hung a necklace that was familiar to Eruanna. It was the one she had made in Lòrien, and she could feel her cheeks heat in mingled pleasure and embarrassment at the sight of it. Vána turned and saw her, giving her a small smile.
Her fingers unconsciously crept to the sun-in-eclipse embroidered on her own gown, and then up to the golden flower that hung at her throat. She swallowed slightly, fingering a braid in her hair. Arafinwë stood and bowed to the Valar, who inclined their heads in return. Then he turned back to the people.
"Lords, ladies, my people. Today, we have gathered from far and near to celebrate the bounteous harvests that we have been graced with by the graciousness of the Valar and the One Who is over all. We have all come to give them praise and thanks, and together share our gatherings. To join as the firstborn and children of the stars, in camaraderie and friendship, and as family. May the Valar and the One see it fit to bless us, and may we always remember that they are here to promote peace and are concerned for our well-being. Praise be to the One over all, and thanks to His emissaries who deign to deal with us!" He finished, and a roar of agreement went up from the crowd.
Arafinwë raised a hand, and the crowd settled. Eruanna felt herself become excited at the joy and anticipation in the faces that she could see. "And I would like to welcome those from Tol Eresseä. Cáno Sador, lady Alassiel, would you please take your rightful places?" He asked politely, motioning to the chairs next to Galadriel.
Eruanna watched attentively as an ellon came forwards escorting an elleth. The elleth had dark hair and deep blue eyes, while the ellon had light, platinum blonde hair almost like Eruanna did, and liquid green eyes that reminded Eruanna almost of Aragorn's. But lighter.
So this was her Muindor's other Gwador. Sador bowed, as did Alassiel. "I thank you, my lord, for your warm welcome." He answered, and Arafinwë nodded. Sador sent a curious glance Eruanna's way as they sat, and Eruanna gave him a shy smile. He smiled warmly back, kindness in his eyes, and Eruanna fleetingly brushed his mind as Ciaran had taught her. She received a feeling of shyness and slight insecurity, yet confidence in the knowledge of love- and a faint wistfulness that she barely caught. She withdrew and pondered it slightly as Arafinwë went on.
"We welcome all from Tol Eresseä, all of the guilds and people, including the Reborn." Here he smiled and gentle laughter wafted from the crowds. Eruanna giggled silently.
"Now, let us fellowship together, and not forget to thank the cooks." Arafinwë smiled benevolently as the crowds roared in amused agreement. Sador and Finrod were laughing as they stood and set the example for the people as they hugged tightly.
"Gwador!" Sador exclaimed happily, and Eruanna smiled at them with a sad sort of happiness. The drop of bitterness in her cup of joy was the absence of her dear golden brother. Esgal, sensing his mistress' slight unhappiness, whined and nudged her arm. She petted his bushy blue ears with a smile and he subsided, mollified.
Ecthelion sat there awkwardly until Arafinwë beckoned to him. He stood and shyly stood next to the King of the Noldor, who also hugged Sador and Alassiel. "Sador, Alassiel, my children, look you here! This is your gwador Glorfindel's first Gwador, Ecthelion of the Fountain."
Sador looked at Ecthelion with no small amount of wonder, then seeing Ecthelion's uncomfortable blush, smiled. "It's hard, isn't it?" He asked. "I know what you feel. I, too, had none to take me in, until Glorfindel did with Finrod and lord Arafinwë also became my Atya." He smiled, and Ecthelion looked more relaxed at the familiar address.
"Yes." He answered more calmly. "I, too, am grateful to Atya for taking me in." He said softly. "But I couldn't have done it without my little golden flower." He shook his head, and Eruanna saw Sador start at the familiar title.
"Ah, yes." Arafinwë turned. "Eruanna, hinya, come here, my dear." He said kindly, and Eruanna stood, obediently moving towards the King.
"Iss, Atya?" She asked softly, shyly. Finrod scooped her up.
"Time to meet your gwador, Eruanna." He said jubilantly, and Eruanna looked to Sador, who looked understandably confused.
"Does she look familiar, Sador, Alassiel?" Arafinwë asked with an amused smile. Sador looked at Eruanna, who smiled back slightly, feeling mischief swell inside of her. Alassiel looked thoughtful.
"Her hair..." Sador murmured. "And her face... It looks like..."
Eruanna gave him a cheeky grin that she knew was an exact replica of Glorfindel's. Sador gasped.
"No, that's not... It's not... He never said anything- why didn't he say anything!?" He cried, and Alassiel looked confused.
"Because Glorfindel didn't know he had a sister, Sador." Finrod answered softly, and Alassiel also gasped.
"How could he not know?" Sador demanded.
"Because I was kept a secret." Eruanna admitted sadly, looking down at her hands. "It was supposed to be a surprise for him, because he had always wanted a younger sibling. He was away for so long at the borders, so I was twenty before it was supposed to be time... But that was midsummer's day..." She looked away with tears in her eyes, and Sador gasped in understanding.
"But what happened to you?" He asked.
Eruanna suddenly turned pale and refused to look at anyone, lips trembling. Ecthelion reached out, but Arafinwë took her first. "She was taken by the orcs for sport, Sador, for seven thousand years. This is why she is so small." He answered softly, and Alassiel cried out in horror. Sador looked pale.
"She met Glorfindel in Arda-" and Finrod told them the story as they sat down. Eruanna comforted herself by playing with Esgal, but she could feel the glances that Sador gave her. When the story was over, she smiled weakly at Sador.
"I heard much of you." She said shyly. "Glorfy always told me stories about you. He misses you." She offered, and Sador smiled.
"Thank you..." He gave her a questioning look, and she went forwards, climbing into his lap.
"Eruanna." She answered, and he hugged her gently.
"I'm pleased to meet you, Eruanna." He said gently, and she gave him a shy smile.
"You are insecure." She said, reaching up to touch his cheek as her eyes glazed slightly. "Why? There is so much love in your heart... You should not feel that way..." She murmured.
He started, looking at her in surprise, and then sighed. "You are right." He admitted, then smiled at her. "But I have always been insecure about my position." He answered.
Her eyes looked into his, and he fell into them just as everyone else who had looked so deeply into her eyes did. *But you shouldn't be.* Her voice said in his head.
But what can I do about it? It is just my nature. He thought to himself despairingly.
*You must keep faith, Sador. The One would not have allowed you to be Cáno if he had not made you for such a purpose. Not everyone likes what they were meant to do. Think you I like my former life? Nay, but yet I still do not fully regret it, for see what good has come to pass because of it? Have faith.* She answered, and then withdrew.
Then she scrambled off of his lap and ran towards where the Valar were, leaving Sador behind dazed and reeling. Ecthelion gave an irritated sigh.
"I hate it when she does that." He groused. "She always makes me feel so guilty." He grumbled, and Finrod and Arafinwë burst into laughter as Sador recovered himself with a dazed smile.
Eruanna, in the meantime, was looking to where the Valar were greeting the elves who were bold enough to come to give their obeisance and greetings. Lord Nàmo was surrounded by the Reborn, though no other 'Onceborn' elf- as Glorfindel called them- dared to give their greetings to the Judge of the Dead.
Just then, a hand landed on her head, and she tilted her head up to see Haldir smiling down at her. She smiled back. "Well M'lady, shall we go greet lord Nàmo?" He asked, and Eruanna nodded, eyes lighting up.
He smiled and bent down, and she willingly allowed herself to be picked up as he stood and walked towards the Vala. "My wife is over there." He nodded to lady Vàna's side, and Eruanna looked to see pale haired, green eyed Gwilwileth speaking with the Valië.
Then they arrived near to lord Nàmo, just as the Reborn made their farewells and left. The Vala turned to look at them and then smiled. "Greetings, Haldir Pelendurion, Eruanna Glorfindelithel." He said with a smile, and Eruanna felt a shiver go up her spine at the sound of the Vala's dark, melodious voice.
Haldir bowed. "Greetings, my lord." He answered, and then grinned cheekily. "I trust you are well, and that no one has been making too much trouble?" He asked, and Nàmo threw back his head to laugh.
"Would that I could say no, Haldir, but I'm afraid that you Reborn are always making trouble for me." He winked, and then turned to Eruanna. "Thankfully, Eruanna has taken my bane out of the halls, so I can have a slight reprieve." He added humorously, and Eruanna giggled as Haldir looked confused.
"Oh." Then he understood and laughed. "Thou meanest lord Ecthelion." He said, and set Eruanna down. The elfling ran and hugged the Vala, much to Haldir's surprise, and even more baffling was that Nàmo picked her up and kissed her brow.
"Indeed I do." Nàmo answered with a fond smile, and then drew a hand through Eruanna's hair. "Now, yeldë, I trust you have had no more troubling dreams?" He asked, and Eruanna nodded solemnly.
"Iss Atto." She answered, and Haldir felt himself growing bewildered.
"Good." Nàmo replied with satisfaction, and tapped her nose, causing her to giggle. Finrod came up next to Haldir and clapped his shoulder.
"Greetings, my lord!" Finrod said with usual flippancy. "I've brought Sador to you." He said, and Sador bowed.
"Greetings, lord Nàmo." He said, and gave Eruanna a slightly startled, curious look.
"Greetings, Sador, Findárato." Nàmo replied with a benevolent smile. "I do trust that you have been well?" He asked.
"Aye, my lord, I have." Sador replied. "Lord Oromë has taught me much." He answered.
"Indeed? Good, good." Nàmo answered with a chuckle, passing Eruanna to Vairë, who took the elfling with a fond smile and kiss. Eruanna squealed and waved her arms, giggling happily.
"Ammë!" Her crow made Haldir and Sador start.
Finrod sniffed. "It's not fair." He whined playfully. "Why does she get to be gifted as a child to one of the Valar and not me?" He asked, causing Sador and Haldir to be even more bewildered.
Eruanna stuck out her tongue at Finrod. "'Cause you already have an Ammë and Atto, and I don't." She retorted smartly, and Finrod rolled his eyes amusedly.
"Oh fine, but I'll get you for that one later, impertinence." He mock-growled, and Eruanna merely grinned cheekily, making Sador laugh.
"You and Glorfindel are very alike, aren't you, Eruanna?" He called, and Eruanna nodded with clear satisfaction on her face, to their amusement.
Ecthelion came up. "Greetings, lord doom-and-gloom-take-that-you-stubborn-Noldor." He said cheerfully, and Eruanna nearly killed herself laughing as Nàmo gave him a glare and Finrod and Sador doubled over roaring.
"Ecthelion-" Nàmo began severely when Manwë came up with Varda.
"How is our niece doing?" Manwë asked with a smile. "And I quite agree, Ecthelion." He added, only causing the four miscreants to laugh even harder as Haldir shook his head, stifling his own smiles.
"Manwë, you're supposed to take my side, not theirs!" Nàmo complained, though the twinkle in his eyes gave him away.
"Ah, but I have to be honest, don't I?" Manwë replied innocently, and Eruanna tumbled out of Vairë's arms, still laughing. Esgal caught her by the scruff of her dress, and she squirmed.
"Esgal! Put me down!" She squealed, and he obeyed, dropping her. She scrambled up and begged a hug from Manwë, lifting herself on her toes with her arms outstretched. The Elder King chuckled and lifted her, kissing her brow.
"Ah, child. I assume you are well?" He asked with an indulgent smile. She nodded, then frowned and shook her head. Manwë raised an eyebrow.
"Why ever not?" He asked.
She gave a sly look at Nàmo. "My side hurts, and I'm scared of Atto." She informed him. Nàmo raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?" Nàmo asked suspiciously, and Finrod, Ecthelion, Sador, and Haldir looked back and forth between the contestants in the verbal spar. Eruanna nodded soberly.
"I nearly died laughing, and Atto said he'd kill me if he found me in his halls again." She said gravely, and Ecthelion began snickering again. "But I'm confused, Unca Manwë. If I'm already in his halls, how can he kill me?" She asked in all innocence, though the slight hitching of her shoulders proved otherwise. Nàmo sighed, rolling his eyes to the heavens as Manwë laughed at the elfling. Finrod was leaning against Sador for support as they roared.
"I've been wanting to ask that question for years." Sador gasped, sending them all into further paroxysms of amusement. Eruanna smiled at Nàmo, and he gave her a fond smile in reply. Eruanna squirmed down from Manwë's arms and then scrambled towards Esgal, who readily picked her up.
"Esgal, wanna go see!" She said, and he proudly marched off, with Eruanna holding onto his bushy ears as she giggled happily. The Valar and other elves watched her go with fondness, Ecthelion going after her.
"She is the only true elfling there is in Aman, now." Finrod said with a sigh. "We have not borne children for many years."
"And why would that be?" Vána asked, pausing as she heard the comment. She, too, had been watching after the elfling fondly.
"I do not quite know, my lady. Perhaps it is because they feel that our future is uncertain." Finrod said thoughtfully. Then he gave a rueful grin. "Then again, perhaps it is because their rulers have not set an example." He added dryly, and Sador laughed.
"Good point, Gwador. Perhaps if you set the example with the lovely Amarië, we will be more inclined to follow after." He snickered, and Finrod lunged to swat the cheeky ellon. Manwë and Nàmo, however, sent each other smugly knowing smiles, which echoed through the ósanwë frequency as ringing laughter along with Tulkas Astoldo.
LOTRLOTRLOTR
Eruanna moved through the crowds on Esgal, with Ecthelion following next to them. She intended to make good her promise to her Atya, and try to find some kind of guild that interested her. She did have an interest in perhaps considering the music guild, but something within her surreptitiously declared otherwise.
Her mind slightly wandered as she traveled the maze of people and tables, paying attention to the different guilds that they passed, but seeing them in a different light. Her senses were attuned to more then just the elves and wares around her. They were attuned to everything, every detail and every sense.
Her nose subconsciously registered everything familiar and dismissed it. Her ears filtered out the common sounds and picked out the unfamiliar ones, analyzing them, storing them away, discarding them. Her eyes casually looked about, but they missed no detail. The fabric of clothing, the rustle of movement. It was almost instinctive. And she didn't quite know why.
But then, something snapped her out of the strange second nature and focused on one particular table displaying the trade of a certain guild. She tugged on Ecthelion's sleeve, and he turned to her with a questioning look.
"Up, Thel!" She pleaded, and he picked her up, allowing her to see the table more clearly.
It was the jewel smith's guild. The polished, lacquered wooden table was carefully displaying many different pieces of jewelry, from necklaces to bangles, earrings, coronets, clips, brooches for cloaks, and countless other items.
But Eruanna was drawn to more then just the glitter and finely polished, beautiful gems. In Aman, she knew, these things were common. The beaches were strewn with tiny gems. The mountains yielded unending sources of gold, silver, and had large deposits of mithril.
No. It was the craftsmanship that drew her in. She studied each piece, looking over it and using the knowledge she held from her time studying beadwork in the gardens of Lórien to judge each piece for herself. She saw an ellon looking over a brooch. He picked it up and turned it over, and heard him speaking with the other ellon selling it.
"Yes, I wished to buy a new one for this cloak. My other one is worn out." He was saying, and Eruanna squiggled until Ecthelion put her down. She ran to the ellon and tugged on his robe.
He looked down with surprise in his face to see the elfling, and then recognition dawned in his eyes as he began to bow. Eruanna waved away the formality with impatience and pointed to the brooch.
"May I see?" She asked softly, and he nodded, handing it to her in wordless surprise. She took the piece and turned it over in her hands carefully, hinging back the pin itself. Then she looked up at the ellon's cloak with a frown.
"This one is not a fit for any cloak." Her voice was gentle. "The pin is not set right." She said, shaking her head as she gave it back to the surprised jewel smith. "It will break fast." She said, looking at him. He took it with a frown and studied it, when suddenly surprise dawned on his features.
"You are right, my lady." He said. "The hinge is placed in an unstable position. It will slide away at first use and be irreparable." He gave the elfling a look of mingled surprise and gratefulness. "I thank you for pointing it out to me." He said, and she gave him a small smile and nod before turning to the young ellon.
"Try that one." She suggested, and then pointed to one on the table that she had been admiring for its framework. With a final smile, she turned to leave when the jewel smith called after her.
"Wait!" She turned to look at him. Esgal came up beside her, nuzzling her arm. She stroked his ears. The ellon hesitated, then spoke. "Perhaps... Perhaps you could one day come to the guild." He said, and she knew that she had been right in her guess that he was an apprentice. "I'm sure that they would welcome you." He stammered, as though afraid he had crossed a line.
"I thank you." She answered, a queer smile dancing across her lips. "May I know your name?" She queried, though she already knew from her instinctive ósanwë scan.
"Elboron, my lady." He answered with a bow, and she curtseyed back. He was young, but well-built and fair. His hair was a shimmering, deep blue, and his eyes were also a dark blue. Not highly unusual, but she could see where he had gotten his name. Star Prince indeed. She would remember him.
"Well met, Elboron. Perhaps we shall meet again." Was her simple reply before melting quietly into the rest of the crowd to find Ecthelion, who had wandered off in his boredom. Beads and trinkets were beyond his interests.
Esgal pattered along beside her, and she stopped in the shade of a tree for a moment. She turned to look at him and cupped his head in her small hands, stroking up the sides of his muzzle and stroking his bushy ears. He growled contentedly and stepped closer to her hands, nuzzling her hair and shoulder.
Somehow, she knew that he was bound to her, and she to him. She was not his mistress. He chose to follow her. He chose to protect her. He was a wolf of Oromë. He had allegiance to no one. He was his own, wild and free. It was merely his choosing to become her companion that kept him docile and capitulating to her requests. He was not Huan, a hound of Oromë. He was like the Eagles of Manwë, free, but choosing to serve the Vala from their own free will. And this made her respect and appreciate her wolf friend all the more.
"Thank you, Esgal." She whispered on impulse, and his icy eyes came up to survey her with their intense intelligence, understanding every word she said. If wolves could smile, she was sure that he just did. She smiled back.
But then, a flash of yellow caught the corner of her vision, and she turned herself to see someone familiar at the edge of the crowd, looking over them as though searching for someone. Her face lit up excitedly at seeing the two other dark haired figures standing beside them. And she ran.
A name spilled off of her lips like water, and the three turned to see who was addressing them. They caught sight of the elfling and smiled, and Eruanna felt as though she couldn't get there fast enough. She flew into the arms of the dark haired ellon and buried her face into his shoulder, breathing him in, remembering the familiar embrace of his arms.
"Erestor!" She cried, voice wavering. She choked, almost afraid to say more, for fear that her voice would shatter into a thousand pieces and come up in bloody splinters, staining the white of the robes she clutched.
"Eruanna, penneth." Came the whispered, tremulous reply. She clung to Erestor, reveling in the essence of him. His aura of quiet wisdom and fountains of knowledge. His hair, buttery and smooth strands of dust and soot and ash. His hands, soft against her skin and yet rough from the callouses that mottled them from his endless writing. Violets and a sky stained with wine in the lingering summer eve.
She pulled back to look at him through her tears of joy and saw that his own were streaming with relief. The velvety eyes blurred. She leaned forwards and kissed his cheek, long, tender, and loving.
"I missed you, Erestor." She said frankly, smiling. "I missed you and your words." She said. He buried his face into her hair, and spoke into her ear.
"Thank you. Thank you, for your letter." He said brokenly. "I understand. I understand now. I read your journal and the letters, and now I understand." He said, and she pulled back to nod.
"I knew you would, 'Restor." She said simply. "I knew that you would understand." She said with a smile. And he returned it, that same, brilliant smile that was hidden from the rest of the world.
"Thank you for your words about me." He said.
She laughed softly, shyly. "Smile." Was all she answered, and he understood with a chuckle. He pulled something out of his robe.
"I think I need a new one." He said, and handed her the worry string. It was in tatters, the color almost completely rubbed out from years and years of use. She smiled and took it, and threaded it in her hair.
"I'll give you another one, I promise, 'Restor." She answered, and his eyes were filled with joy to hear her speak. Then she reached up for the other two. The golden haired one bent to pick her up, and pressed a kiss to her brow.
"I missed you, my lord." She said quietly, leaning against his shoulder. He chuckled.
"As I did you, Fin'ilmë." He answered, and she smiled.
"As did I, Fin'ilmë." Elwing brushed her brow as she kissed the elfling's cheeks, dusted pink with pleasure.
And then suddenly Eruanna gasped, and sat up abruptly. "Oh! I mustn't be late!" She said, remembering. She scrambled down from Eärendil's grip and ran to Esgal. "Esgal, will you find Ecthelion?" She asked, and he nodded, loping away easily. Then she took Erestor's hand and began to lead them away.
"Come! I must not be late!" She gasped, and they followed her dutifully. She led them to the platform and tugged them before the royals before hastily curtseying and rushing away to prepare, leaving the others to introduce themselves.
Moments later, Ecthelion also rushed in and joined her in their preparations for their duet. Music sheets were gathered hurriedly, flutes were checked, tuned, and polished, and Eruanna bound her hair away from her face using the ragged, faded string already wound in her hair. It would have to do. She had nearly forgotten about the duet already- there was no time to lose.
"Did you find something?" She managed to ask in the flurry of readying.
"Yes yes, music guild." Ecthelion answered in kind, voice harried. "You?"
"I think so." Was all she answered before they finally deemed themselves as ready as they could be.
Eruanna's hair was tucked into a sort of fly-away ponytail behind her head, with wisps of hair falling down the sides of her face and, unbeknownst to her, giving her face an innocent, infantile charm. Her crushed blue gown, slightly rumpled by her rush, could not be persuaded to give up its wrinkles, so she had given up in a sort of resigned despair. But they only added to her cherub-like appearance, along with her flushed cheeks, nervously bright eyes, and silver slippers that poked out from the hem of her dress. Her necklace nestled, forgotten, comfortably between her collar bones, and she wrung her hands to rid them of nervous sweat and vainly tried to calm her trembling lips.
Ecthelion, though perhaps more composed then his little partner, was no less agitated, revealed by his hands that he tried to employ by futilely trying to smooth out the wrinkles in his own robes as he dried his sweating hands carefully against a cloth so that he wouldn't stain his robes with the dampness. His hair was still in braids, and his face was slightly pale, contrasting with his eyes which were also bright in nervousness.
Their flutes stood side-by-side along with their papers, and gleamed dully in the low, dim light of the antechamber. They were both wracked with nerves.
"What if I mess up? The Valar are out there... What if I can't remember my piece?" Eruanna was muttering to herself.
"Don't worry, my golden flower. It will be well, you'll see. Just remember to focus on the flute, not your surroundings. Concentrate on the tune. Immerse yourself in it." Ecthelion said with deceptive calmness, a little too calm to the experienced eye. Eruanna saw it.
The prospect of facing thousands of elves grated on her nerves. It went against her training with Ciaran, to be noticed as little as possible. The knowledge that the Valar were there unsettled her even more. She was a naturally, painfully shy child. She knew it. And she had a bad case of stage fright.
Then she heard Arafinwë began to make a speech and welcome them to the platform. All the other guilds had presented their wares and skills already while they prepared, and they were the last agenda in the program.
Her eyes closed, and suddenly, her mouth went dry and her hands stopped being clammy, just simply cold. Her lips felt frozen. She could almost envision them being blue. Esgal nudged her gently, and she picked up her flute and papers, feeling rather then seeing Ecthelion do the same. Then they turned to each other, gave nervous smiles, heard themselves being called to stage, and walked out.
It was time for their debut.
Her only question was, could she survive the rest of this day?