Authoress Chat: Howdy folks! I've been on a major writing bender. This summer I was solely focused on watching at least 40 children a day, so I really couldn't write like I wanted. I meant what I said; I pretty much know exactly how this is going to play itself out. TinaMaki, thank you for the lovely reviews. I shall try not to be too depressing. And to Sarafinja, I am so glad that you like it. It's refreshing to know that readers are actively trying to figure it out. I try to write every detail with a purpose behind it that can be utilized later. Bearing that in mind, let us get started.
Lesson Twelve- Appeasement
It took three more days of traveling before the first horses set their hooves in Mirkwood. The forest canopy was thick, obscuring the minimal amount of light still left in the sky. For three days, neither Duvainwen nor Fuinron had uttered a word in Rodwen's direction. A few times, Rodwen felt grateful to have Gwendein and Legolas around to help her. Gwendein was like a natural deterrent to strife and Legolas' threat (though unintelligible) seemed to put Fuinron in his place for a while.
It had been several days since anyone had bathed themselves. The push to make it through the wilderness quickly had prevented little more than a hot bucket of water per camp from being recourse for them. Everybody was weary and sore from extended traveling hours and limited sleep. At least they were in Thranduil's territory now. Even a brief nap beneath the trees would be a welcome respite from the ordeal that had been suffered to make it there.
Aragorn deferred to Legolas from this point on. Aragorn had very limited experience with the greenwood but if they wished to avoid agitating the Elves here, who were undoubtedly hiding among the trees, Legolas was most likely to know how. Aragorn had not forgotten how the Elves of Lothlórien had treated the Fellowship for trespassing and although King Thranduil was notoriously amiable towards the humans who surrounded him, he was still wary of outsiders.
"Those who are still alert should stand guard. The forest was purged of the evil that Sauron cast on it, but there are other creatures that lurk here. We may at any moment come upon one of my kind. It would be best not to be taken at unawares."
"Should we bother setting a camp?" Gimli questioned.
Legolas thought for a moment.
"No. We should only pause for a few hours before moving onwards." He didn't want to mention the spiders. His people might be scouting for them, wherever they might be, but caution was still their best defense in the meantime. "Sleep as much as you can. We move forward shortly."
Rodwen unfurled first the Queen's sleeping bag and then hers. She lied down in between the deep roots of a tree and tried to get herself in the frame of mind to drift to sleep. It was difficult to sleep here. Elven eyes might see well, but Rodwen could barely manage to see ten feet in front of herself. Fuinron hadn't said a word to her for three days. He hadn't stared at her, he hadn't squeezed a thigh when he thought no one was looking, he wasn't mean, nasty or rude…he was just silent. The less he spoke, the more certain she was that he was planning something foul. It had been days since he had hit her or touched her. When next he confronted her, it would be an encounter to make her truly fearful.
'At least in the realm of these Elves, Fuinron can't do much to me.'
Rodwen finally got to a place of enough peace to slip quietly into sleep. She had been too wrapt in thought to sleep well in days before but today her body just gave up. Her body melted to the forest floor, stiff as a board. The trees smelled just like Legolas. The ground smelled like safety. A deep, throaty, lustful voice echoed in her dreams, assuring her of her security. It wasn't Fuinron's voice. It wasn't his hands gently cupping her tender breasts and sex. He wasn't capable of so tender a touch His tongue licked deep in the nape of her neck, causing her to whimper. His hand left her breast to cradle her face as he sucked her sweet spot. Rodwen started to pant. He couldn't keep going like this, teasing her but never allowing her to see who he was. This man was a god! He moaned in her ear, rubbing her clitoris, his stiff erection pressing into her back. Her hips bucked against his hand but he held her still. She started to cry out before she was shaken awake.
"Ah!" she screamed.
"Are you alright, Lady Rodwen?"
She shook her head clear of sleep and desire, trying to give her eyes time to adjust to the darkness. In the dim moonlight, Rodwen saw gold gleam off of his long hair. Legolas had woken her up?
"I'm sorry," she said, wiping sweat off her brow. "Was I loud?"
Legolas smiled slightly.
"You seemed troubled. Were you having a nightmare?"
His hand touched her shoulder, sending a wave of shame through her and, oddly, want.
"Of course. Don't concern yourself with me."
Rodwen looked up at him. She could barely see his face, but what she saw was inviting and friendly. She looked around, left and right. Everyone else was sleeping, Fuinron included. This was her chance to do as Legolas had said and befriend people, befriend him.
"May we speak?" she asked, starring at his silhouette.
"Of course," Legolas sat down by her sleeping bag.
"I saw you…talking to Fuinron the other night, I saw you." Rodwen paused to gather her thoughts in the right way. "He speaks Sindarin much more fluidly than I. What were you arguing about?"
She already knew one part of it, but once it got to Elvish it was incomprehensible. She had to know for sure why Fuinron had been so subdued these last few days. She needed to know how bad that his retribution would be.
"We had a disagreement over his treatment of you. It is of little note. The issue seems to have resolved itself."
If only she was truthful, Rodwen would be free to express how she really felt without sounding like a crazy person. In her mind, she was livid. Her gut instinct had been right all along; Legolas had threatened him or vice-versa. Who would be the one to suffer? Fuinron, though high-strung wasn't idiotic enough to do anything to her on their travels. But the moment that he felt safe to do so, he would strike without pause or mercy. She wanted to scream at him and ask him how he could betray her and cause her this pain. Because she had withheld the true barbarousness of Fuinron's nature, she was forced to pretend as if Legolas' veiled threats would do anything to thwart his evil. Tears pooled in her eyes, as she struggled to keep them at bay.
Rodwen could barely see Legolas in front of her eyes, as if peering through a shroud. In Legolas' Elven sight though, her tears were as bright as the glitter of silver. She was unhappy that he had intervened on her behalf. He had expected Fuinron's silence to bring this young woman some relief. Instead, she was just as scared as ever.
It made him hate the man even further.
"Have I gone against your wishes?"
She sniffed, shaking her head.
"No…I've wanted some respite. I just wish that you had not confronted him. I can handle his treatment—"
Legolas cut her off, unable to hold back his anger.
"You do not need to suffer ill treatment, not from a guardian or servant or a friend. No one has the right to deride you. You need not accept vitriol from any person, regardless of how much respect you feel you need to have for them!"
She shut her eyes, sinking back against the tree.
"I'm sorry. I don't live in your world, where women are so equal to men. My father expressly wished for Fuinron to have his say over us until I marry." Her tears fell. "I wish most days that he hadn't done so, but," she felt her stomach churn, "he protects us as best he can. He never asked for children, much less daughters. So I apologize for not having the gumption of your womenfolk."
"That is not what I meant," he said, getting up off the ground and dusting his leggings. "I shall not insert myself in your affairs again."
Rodwen still refused to look at him.
"I appreciate your effort." Her gut turned again. "I want to do right by my guardian, Legolas. I will find my own way."
"I heard you. Take more rest. We should leave soon."
Thoroughly humiliated and deeply disturbed by the lengths she would go through to protect such an unworthy man, she crawled back into her sheets and thought about what she had just done. He had done the right thing and now he felt like the villain for upsetting her. 'Your only advocate is lost. Why don't you just give up?' some dark part of her ridiculed her.
She lay that way until she couldn't stand the guilt and self-hatred coursing through her veins. Rodwen flung the covers away, stumbling through the darkness to find him. It was getting slightly harder to see, the later it got. She saw a shadow in the dark, in the shape of a male with broad shoulders. She ran to throw her arms around him.
"I'm sorry!" she blurted out.
At first the figure was stiff, surprised by the embrace but he turned around and kissed her on the cheek, causing her heart to flutter. As if to punish her for her fool-hardy ways, she was greeted with the polar opposite of what she wanted to hear.
"You will be," Fuinron's cold voice whispered to her.
Her arms dropped to her sides. She sat down where she stood, hiding herself from her calculating tormentor. When did he wake? Did he hear her talking to Legolas? Was this about his argument with Legolas? No matter. He couldn't hit her from this position on the ground and he had never kicked her before. She shuddered like she was covered in snow.
"Thranduilion!"
She scooted back, watching Fuinron turn his head to view this strange person. The Elf was as dark as the forest, with midnight black hair. He came out of the shadows into a perfect ray of moonlight. His eyes were azure and full of appraisal. To his side was Legolas.
"I apologize for disturbing you so, my lady. If you would be so kind as to gather your belongings, I would escort you to the hall of our Elvenking Thranduil." He shot a cutting glance towards Fuinron. "Would you mind arousing the rest of your party?"
"Of course not," Fuinron said, nodding and walking to wake up the King and Queen.
The Elf extended his hand to Rodwen, which she took. She grabbed hold and tried to still herself but her shaking did not go unnoticed.
"Do not fear. You will soon be out of the darkness," he ensured her.
"Thank you, kind sir," she said, yanking her unsteady hand away before running off.
The dark Elf leaned over to Legolas' ear.
"Is she usually so nervous?" he asked in Sindarin.
Legolas, still irritated by her confounding behavior, responded coldly in his tongue.
"As long as I have known her, it has been so. She appears to like anxiety."
His escort raised an eyebrow.
"That is unfair. I know that the edain are not like us, at least not in their ways. You should be patient with that one."
Legolas sighed.
"I shall take it under advisement."
"If I may say so, I would not trust the man."
Legolas sneered.
"I don't."
/ / / / /
Mellwen became a constant staple near Acharnon's post. She would give him the conversation that he so desperately craved during his long stints of duty. While Faramir met with important nobles during the day, his wife Éowyn sat in her room with her ladies. Faramir had requested that Acharnon give his wife plenty of attention, taking another guard captain as his protection during his meetings. Éowyn would invite them inside sometimes for refreshment but wasn't very talkative towards either. That is, until one day her curiosity overwhelmed her. She sent Faelrin outside to summon them forth.
"Sir Acharnon…Lady Mellwen, please follow me inside," she said in the most official voice that she could manage, trying to keep the hatred for Himel's brood out of her words.
The two entered and were greeted with the sight of Faelrin and her somber elder maidens (all clad in yellow) and some fair haired women from Edoras, all sitting around the room reading and playing card games. Éowyn was in the middle of a hand when Mellwen finally caught a glimpse of her. The woman was dressed all in white and long wavy hair the color of wheat. Her grey eyes were full of wonder.
"Please, come closer, young mistress," she calmly beckoned.
This woman was nothing like Lady Arwen. The Undómiel was overtly kind and, and when in good mood, very witty and jovial. This woman was serious and not easy with her affections. Mellwen stepped forward slowly, coming up close to the white lady of Emyn Arnen. From a safe distance, she bowed low.
"Hello, my lady."
"Greetings," Éowyn responded, laying her cards face down. "As a foreigner, I am not familiar with who you are but I must say that I am quite intrigued by a child who calls the Knight Commander her friend."
"Well…I am Mellwen, daughter to nobleman Himel and Lady Míria. And Sir Acharnon is my friend because he is nice to me," Mellwen looked at Faelrin, "unlike others."
Éowyn leaned over to another blonde in an immaculate grey-green dress trimmed with gold symbols. She whispered something in her ear before responding to Mellwen.
"You talk to each other for hours at a time, yet neither of you tire of what the other has to say. How is that?"
"He understands how I have been risen. He is sympathetic to my plights and I, to his. Not to mention, he is very humorous."
Éowyn's face changed again, quite serious. She leaned forward.
"You are the youngest daughter of Himel, the former Knight Commander?"
"Yes, madam," she answered, leery concerning what the Steward's wife had heard.
"Oh," Éowyn whispered. From the look on her face, Mellwen could tell that Éowyn had heard the latest gossip. Now all she would see was the lonely orphan.
"I have heard of you after all. Would you like to play a game?"
Mellwen looked over to Acharnon, who was smiling at her. He felt like an older brother, her protector amongst these horrible noble sharks. He wanted her to play with the women, but she really didn't want to leave him. It was great to have someone to talk to. Sure, he had only talked to her because he was attracted to her sister, but he had not abandoned her once he found out more about Rodwen. He cared about her too. He had told her about his sister. Perhaps that was why he fell so comfortably into the brotherly role.
"Of course, my lady," she said, pulling up a chair.
Éowyn's attention turned to Acharnon.
"Thank you for indulging me. You may return to your post."
Acharnon nodded in acknowledgment before walking out on her and his tiny friend.
/ / / / /
It took a day for the group to reach the part of the forest that led to the Elf-path. Until the Lady Galadriel and King Thranduil defeated the forces of Dol Guldur and drove the darkness from the forest, the pathway had been surrounded by cobwebs. Some of them still remained there, but the Elves had been diligent in tearing them down and clearing the way. Luckily, their guide knew the clear ways onto the narrow road to Thranduil's halls. His name was Daichiron, and he was a Silvan scout. He was the most proficient scout that the King could summon to aid his son's friends in their journey. He was also a very old subordinate to Legolas, a captain of Elves in his own right.
Once in the correct path, the group halted once again. This road was lit far better. The group couldn't be bothered to set up camp. Everyone rolled out a sleeping bag and laid down on the most comfortable patch of dirt that they could find. This time, the two half-Elven and Fuinron stayed up for the night's watch. Daichiron had been very explicit when telling them that the route they were on was more direct, yet still not entirely untroubled. They might need arches to kill any lingering unwelcome inhabitants in the treetops. With this in mind, the twins volunteered, in order to offer Legolas his rest. Fuinron had been unwilling to share any guard duties with the Elf for the remainder of his excursion, so he took this as his opportunity to be of service (as well as show off for his Lord and Lady).
Daichiron had also refused his rest. He could always sleep a few days later but for the sake of his prince and friend, he would watch the mortal soldier. Whilst he had been climbing through the tall trees, searching for King Elessar's party, he had heard the mortal woman apologize to him. Relieved to have found what he had been looking for for days, Daichiron had stopped and began his descent. That was when he had heard the man tell her that "she would be." He was a skilled climber, so he had hurried to find his friend after hearing that. The male had not even noticed the Elf slip past him in the darkness. When he returned with Legolas at his side, she had been on the forest floor, shaking like a leaf in the breeze. Daichiron did not know this man's relation to the girl and, frankly, did not care. However, he would not let this man bring evil here. So he watched him, because that was what he was so very skilled at.
Fortunately for Fuinron, he behaved himself to Daichiron's satisfaction. After a while of watching, he offered the man a chance to rest. Unable to deny his tire any longer, Fuinron accepted a chance to sleep, leaving Elladan and Elrohir to watch with the silent shadow. It was difficult to drum up conversation with him, due to the exhaustion that the twins felt. Their energy level had been in a steady rate of decline, already lowered due to their duel nature of being Elf and Man. Still, the group needed to keep themselves alert. Elladan spoke out.
"So, how long do you think that it will take us to reach our destination?"
Daichiron looked up from his lap, where he had been twiddling with his bowstring. His gaze was piercing and serious.
"If we travel this road, we can make it to the enchanted river by midday. After a short boat ride, we might make it to His Majesty's hall by the evening."
"Thank you."
"May I ask you about one of your travelling companions?" Daichiron asked inquisitively.
"Go ahead," Elladan invited him to continue.
"What say you about the Knight Commander, Fuinron?"
The twins looked to each other, seemingly having a conversation with only bodily gestures.
"Neither of us has much knowledge of him," Elrohir finally spoke. "However, he seems…haughty, easily angered—the man wants his say over all that happens."
"You have not known him long then?"
"No, we are near strangers," Elladan added in.
"Then you would not happen to know his relation to the young dark-haired woman?"
"You mean Lady Rodwen," Elrohir explained. "She is his ward. Why do you ask?"
Daichiron paused to piece together what he had heard thus far. A frightened ward, a frightful warden, and one awkward conversation between the two; this was strange. This man was dangerous to her. As an Elf, he couldn't fathom why any female would accept such a guardian for herself or "favor" any negative emotions. Legolas had been angry with her, perhaps because of a perceived wish to remain attached to this male. He would not tell his prince how to behave in this matter, but the woman probably was devoid of choice in her attachments. Daichiron was a naturally mistrustful and reserved ellon. To know that someone could exacerbate these traits in him made him uneasy.
"I meant nothing in asking. I was merely curious."
The tension was thick between them, causing silence to fall over them.
The group did not rouse until morning began bursting through the canopy. The watch for that night went about the camp and gently shook everyone awake. Daichiron refused to touch Fuinron though. He feared to do something unbecoming of an Elf, let alone a guide to guests in his Lord's kingdom. Neither Thranduil nor Legolas would thank him.
Elrohir shook Rodwen awake. She looked like she had a fitful night of rest. Her hair was tousled; she was sweating and curled in a ball, despite the air being far from cold. She thanked the peredhil meekly before rolling over onto her knees. She crawled over to Gwendein to wake her.
"Hmm?" Gwendein grunted, her eyes fluttering open to look at the person interrupting her sleep. "Rodwen…is it time to move?"
"Yes," Rodwen whispered, full of worry. She leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Have you brought along any suppositories?"
Gwendein shot upright, startled by Rodwen's question. This was an emergency and there was no time to wait. She quickly threw off her covers, racing over to the carts. She flung open her chests, tossing things around like a mad woman. The frantic nature of her search drew much attention. She let out an excited squeal when she realized what she was looking for was before her. She stuffed the objects inside of her corset and raced back towards Rodwen.
"Is everything well?" Gimli asked, concerned.
"It's just fine!" Gwendein shouted, a hint of worry diming her usual joy. "We're just going to freshen up!"
She grasped Rodwen by the arms and rushed away with the younger woman.
It took about fifteen minutes for the women to return, after which Rodwen immediately went to the cart to change her dress. She took her hair out and pinned it up off of her neck. She changed into her maroon dress, an unintentional nod to her current predicament. It was her only clean dress of a dark color.
Gwendein helped her friend up on a horse and then got behind her. This would be a rough morning of travel. Rodwen could use a body to lean on.
Authoress Chat: As always, review, review, review. Can't wait to read your lovely comments and to hear your thoughts about what's going on. Next stop? Mirkwood!
