Safe in Your Arms
Chapter 11
The Ball
(Aragorn's point of view)
Legolas had disappeared into the crowd of elves nearly as soon as we arrived at the ball and I lost my friend to the sea of people. The only way to tell where he had gone was the large sea of female elves who seemed to be flocking to one particular corner of the ballroom. Gimli seemed to think was incredibly entertaining and I knew he had a new subject with which to torture our friend. I am not sure when exactly it had happened, especially since I had been trying to remain a absent as possible the last few days, but something had changed between them. There was an unspoken understanding now between elf and dwarf. Arguments had turned to banter and prejudices had turned to light hearted jesting. Still, I was glad for the change.
Gimli and I made our way around the room, looking for any familiar faces. Here and there I would spot an elf I had met on my journeys. Besides Haldir and his brothers, I knew none of them well enough to call friend.
"Now if we were with the dwarfs it would be a feast we would attend! Nothing at all like a ball. Beer, meat, more food than you have ever seen." There was a certain amount of homesickness in Gimli's words and in his eyes that I didn't miss, though neither did I comment on it. A distraction was what he needed, not for me to play into his thoughts.
"A ball can be quite fun if you will but give it the chance."
Gimli shook his head, dismissing my words with the wave of a hand. "I'm not for dressing formally if there are no women-folk around to see me." I opened my mouth, but the words were stopped by Gimli adding, "And elf women don't count."
I laughed and shook my head. "Don't worry, Gimli, understand how you feel."
"And what is wrong with our women? If you do not mind me asking." An elf folded his arms across his chest, one eye brow raised at me. Not wanting to make enemies, I responded quickly.
"I simply meant that I wished my own... that the girl I gave my heart to was here beside me." I tried to cover my slip quickly, from the looks of it this elf was not accustomed or appreciative of outsiders. From the way the corners of the elf's mouth turned up, I knew that it didn't go unnoticed.
"Do you not even know where you stand with her?" I matched the look the elf gave me, but I was not seeing him at all. Cait. I hadn't even told her how I feel about her, how much I care about her. And now that there was a ball, she was resting from a wound that was worsened by my lack of attention and healing powers.
"Some things don't need to be spoken aloud, elf. Keep your thoughts to yourself next time." Gimli glared up at the elf, whose attention was now focused solely on him. I tried not to smile at Gimli's words lest they egg on the growing tension. But part of me was glad for what he said. At the very least it kept my spirits from falling any lower than they already were, though I don't know if it was possible for my spirits to be any lower.
My thoughts drifted away from the pair and to Cait. I knew that Legolas was right, that I should go to her. But the thought of having to tell her that it was my fault her condition worsened ate away me. How would she feel if she knew that? How would she feel if she knew the truth? This was not the discomfort I felt at knowing I had to bid farewell to Arwen. This was more than that. It was fear that I would be rejected, hated even for not being there for Cait when her life depended on it. It was fear that she had never felt as strongly for me as I did for her. And it was fear that I had allowed myself to fall so hard for the strange young woman that I would not be able to pull myself from the depths of despair if she, too, walked away.
"And are the trees not comfortable enough for you? They are more beautiful than plain rock, surely."
The sound of Gimli and the elf arguing brought me back to where I was. The last comment seemed to be the breaking point for Gimli. Whatever he said in response I didn't hear, because a crowd had begun to gather around us.
"What is the matter?" An elf asked me. I glanced at the newcomer and sighed. He did not seem angry, only curious.
"Simply old prejudices playing themselves out."
"Ah, I see."
Try as I may, there was no stopping the argument. I don't even think they realized I was still there, let alone heard me. Several more elves gathered to watch the spectacle. So far it was the most interesting thing which had happened at the ball.
(Cait's POV)
You'd think that it would be easy finding a dwarf and two men in the ballroom seeing as nearly everyone had blonde hair except for them, but unfortunately that was not the case. There were just so many people. Everywhere you turned there was another gown and unfamiliar face. And let me tell you it was a bit disconcerting to be in such a huge room of people and know virtually no one there. I stayed near the door and looked at the crowd uncertainly. I didn't really want to go walking around, make myself tired and wind up talking to someone I didn't particularly want to waist the energy on. But Boromir found me before that became a problem.
"You know, you look almost presentable in that."
Apparently Boromir was in as cheerful mood as ever.
"Thanks." From Boromir that translated into 'you look a princess'. "You wouldn't happen to know where anyone else is, do you?"
"What? Is my company not satisfactory?" Boromir folded his arms across his chest.
"It's just that I actually like to spend time with people who don't insult me every few seconds. That's all."
Boromir narrowed his eyes at me, which I admit I fully deserved. But I didn't really have the stamina for our games. He pointed behind him, towards the back wall. "Aragorn is trying to stop the elves from butchering Gimli."
I looked quizzically at Boromir but he didn't elaborate. I knew that the elves and the dwarves have always hated each other, but I didn't understand just how much until I got over to the far wall of the room. There were a lot of people crowded around, though they all looked to be watching something. At least they weren't ganging up on Gimli.
"For giving you refuge, dwarf, you are not a very grateful house guest."
"And for giving me refuge, Elf, you are not overly welcome!"
The elf glared down at Gimli and I was sure that he would have drawn his sword if he had been wearing one. A few of the elves glanced at each other with raised eyebrows.
"Peace!" Aragorn said, holding up his hands. But it was no use. Whatever they had said before I arrived had been topped off by that last comment. The elf balled up one fist and sent it crashing down on the top of Gimli's head. The dwarf simply proceeded to stomp on the elf's foot. Aragorn attempted to calm the elves and settle Gimli down but no one was listening to him.
"Would you cut it out!" I yelled. No response. They weren't hurting each other – just attempting to humiliate each other. It was more annoying than anything else. "Will you two stop it?" Gimli and the elf looked at me, suddenly angry with me for interrupting their spat. "God, you're both worse than six year olds."
"Miss, you don't rightly understand. This dwarf has insulted ..."
"Me?" Gimli interrupted. "You were the one that said..." The rest was lost to yelling and more insults. If this kept up there was going to be a brawl right there in the ballroom.
"This is completely ridiculous." I threw my hands up in frustration. Aragorn finally turned to look at me and stopped. "What?"
"You look beautiful."
And from the look in Aragorn's eyes I knew that he meant it. "Thanks," was all I managed in reply.
"Anyway," we both said at the same time.
"You seem to be picking up my habits," I smiled.
"Can't be helped sometimes." Aragorn watched me for a few seconds before continuing. "Come."
He offered me his arm, which I took, blushing. I still wasn't used to the prim and proper manners here. We walked away from the argument behind us and off onto one of the many balconies which seem to be everywhere in Lorien. Thousands of candles lit the stairs and walkways of Lorien. The entire forest seemed to glow in an ethereal light. It was magnificent. "It's so beautiful here," I said.
"It's quite hard to find anywhere better, I must say." Aragorn joined me at the rail of the balcony.
"But still," I mused aloud, looking up at the thousands upon thousands of stars visible in the gap of the tree line. "I wish the stars were the same." I could feel Aragorn's eyes on me, but I didn't turn to meet them. I leaned on the railing,
"Do you miss your home?"
"No. I mean," I sighed. "It's complicated, that's all." Aragorn didn't urge me on, but rather seemed to be waiting for me to continue when I felt ready. "I miss my grandparents. I miss my mother's apple pie. But I wasn't the most popular girl in school. So no, I suppose I don't miss home all that much."
Aragorn nodded. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but he looked like he wasn't seeing Lorien at all. This silence wasn't like others between us in the mines or traveling elsewhere. Aragorn didn't seem comfortable for some reason, which in turn made me nervous. I began thinking, which for me is usually a bad idea because for some reason I usually come to the wrong conclusions. And all I kept thinking about was how Aragorn had not come and seen me. Not even once.
What had I said? I know I have a big mouth sometimes, and it's gotten me into trouble with Boromir on more than one occasion, but what could I have said to make Aragorn's attitude change this quickly towards me? But maybe nothing had really changed. Maybe everything had been in my head from the start. Maybe this was all some sort of dream after all.
"Cait," he said softly. "I'm not the perfect man that you believe I am."
Whatever I had been expecting, it wasn't this. Aragorn didn't look at me, just over the balcony and down into a pretty little garden below us. But he sounded sad. "What? Where's this coming from all of a sudden?" Aragorn glanced at me and then away. He didn't speak immediately. "Aragorn?" I was beginning to grow worried. "Are you okay?"
"When you were stabbed I cleaned and bandaged the wound quickly. You had lost so much blood, I did not want the wound open any longer than need be. But I failed to look for signs of the orc's poison. It was that which caused you to become so weak." Aragorn's voice had gotten softer and softer as he spoke so that the last line was barely above a whisper.
"Well, I'm okay now." Aragorn still looked straight ahead though and seemed not hear me. "Look, Aragorn, you did your best."
"I did not," was the terse reply.
"I may not know much about medicine and healing and whatnot, but I do know that if you didn't bandage me up as fast as you did I probably would have bled to death. Aragorn," I laid a hand on his arm, "I don't blame you. You shouldn't blame yourself."
He sighed. "I should have seen..."
"Legolas knows healing too. And Gandalf knows everything. With your logic one of them should have done something too." Aragorn turned away from me again. Obviously, that didn't help matters. Me and my big mouth may have gotten me into trouble again. I walked around Aragorn so that I was facing him. I hate when people try to ignore me like that. I wasn't having any of it. But I took a deep breath. I shouldn't yell at Aragorn, he looked like he was just about ready to slit his wrists anyway. He's really got the self induced guilt trip thing pretty much covered. "Besides, you did carry most of the way. I think that makes things about even."
The ghost of a smile came to Aragorn's face. He looked down at me, almost afraid to believe what I said was true. Finally he said, "May I have this dance, my Lady."
I took that to mean that Aragorn had forgiven himself, or at least would soon, and smiled up at him. "Yes, my Lord. But I warn you, I don't know much about ballroom dancing."
(Legolas's point of view)
Aragorn had Cait in his arms, sweeping here across the dance floor. Well, half carried is more like it. Cait didn't seem to know any of the customary dances – I expect they are quite different where she came from. Half the time she trod on Aragorn's toes or else tripped over the long hem of her dress. It was good to see Aragorn laughing again. Valar knows we all have had very little to laugh over since the loss of Gandalf.
I bowed to the charming elf as the song ended. She curtsied and hurried off to find a new dancing partner. Obviously she was not privy to the knowledge that I am a Prince of Mirkwood, of which I am most grateful for, otherwise she would have done her best to make sure I stayed her partner. There was a growing gaggle of women in gowns who were gossiping behind their hands and doing their best to smile and catch my eye.
I didn't have time for that sort of thing, however. Since Aragorn was dancing with Cait it had become my job to make sure that Gimli didn't have another row with an elf and after two dances it was high time I found out what had become of him. I was half expecting to see him butchered up and served on the table of refreshments, but that was not so. It was Gimli who found me first. I suspect even he had grown weary of the bickering.
"Legolas, that lass there, what do you make of her?"
He pointed to where several elves were gathered discussing one matter or another. "Which one, Gimli? What does she look like?" I was beginning to understand what the Hobbits meant when they said that from their perspective many of the elves looked the same upon first glance. At least in Imladris some elves had black or dark brown hair and more individualistic features. In Lorien I believe more than ninety percent of the elves have varying shades of the same white gold hair.
"Behind them," he said when he noticed the direction I was gazing, "She's leaning against the wall. Dark hair. Very pretty. A bit familiar looking, if you know what I mean."
My breath caught in my throat. She looked so very sad standing there. She must have been heartbroken. I am ashamed to say that I hoped she didn't notice me watching her, for this was one matter that I did not want to be caught up in, despite whatever thoughts I may previously have had. But it seemed that fate had other plans for me. I was beginning to feel like a puppet of fate, along the for the journey by another's whim.
Arwen Undomiel visibly sighed and looked in my direction. All hope of blending in with the hundreds of other tall, blond elves was extinguished by the stocky dwarf at my side. She gave one last longing look at Aragorn and Cait and began picking her way through the crowd to me. "Who is that, Legolas? Her face is vaguely familiar."
"Arwen. She is Arwen Undomiel, the daughter of Lord Elrond."
Gimli said something under his breath in dwarfish.
"I hope you road was safer than ours, Lady Arwen." I said, making a slight bow. This was a formal event however, and despite being friends we were both of royal houses. Formalities had been driven into both of us at a very young age by our parents.
"I wish your journey had been easier, Legolas, though my father did warn you of the dangers you would face." She looked down at her hands. "Just as he warned me for many years."
I looked sideways at Gimli who raised his eyebrows. What was the Lady Arwen doing here? The last I had seen her was the day the fellowship left Imladris. She had told me she would be leaving the shores of Middle Earth with our kin. Yet now she stood before me, beautiful yet sad, the Evenstar shining feebly at the base of her neck. Though her face remained downturned I believe she had a tear in her eye – it was her voice which betrayed her. Perhaps she had only come to bid farewell to her grandmother before going across the sea. Perhaps we really all were just dancing on the strings of fate.
"I've heard of the strange girl who joined your company. They say that she is human, a daughter of kings, though not from this land."
I smiled in spite of the situation. Oh how Cait would scream at me if she ever found out that her slip of the tongue had gotten all the way to the Lord and Lady of the Golden Wood. "It was thousands of years ago. She does not consider herself royalty."
"Much like another I know of." Arwen's eyes looked distant, as if she were watching something far in the past. "Excuse me, I must speak with my grandmother." She nodded at Gimli and I before floating past, disappearing into the sea of people once again.
"The poor lass." Gimli said.
"I fear for Arwen and Cait, for one will have their heart broken in the end." Gimli only grunted in reply. I looked over at Cait dancing, Aragorn trying to avoid her side which had only just healed. There was one other possibility, one which I did not wish to consider in the least. Cait was not skilled in battle, yet from everything I saw and from our conversations as she healed, I didn't believe that she would allow herself to be left behind. Not when she could potentially help the fellowship. But if she came, there could be a day when Aragorn and myself would not be able to reach her fast enough. Cait may not make it to the end of the story she knew.
Then again the same could be true for all of us.
