Chapter Thirteen: Closing the Gaps
"It is only I, Mina." Legolas announced himself, sounding slightly peculiar. I wondered what was up, as I called back to him- "A moment! There…Come In?"
Yevanna began to tidy away creams and such, and I could hear the disapproval in her breathing. A Prince of Elves in a lady's tent? Not good etiquette- at all.
"Mina…" He entered, and stood by the flap, and so I went to him.
"Yes? Are you ok, Legolas? You sound…indecisive?"
He coughed- making me even more suspicious. What was going on?
"No- I…er- it's nothing. Nothing at all. I'll…Maybe later. Yes. I will see you later."
He left. Leaving me slightly bemused.
Something everyone should know about elves- the suave, graceful, 'perfection'? Sometimes it's only surface. A veneer of 'elfishness' which allows them to be 'elf' rather than mortal. Legolas, as I was beginning to discover, lost that veneer from time to time. Mainly (I suspected) when he was acting on impulse rather than logic. Heart, not head, as my father would have said. I suspected each elf was as individual as each human- just better at hiding it.
Yevanna sighed loudly.
"Well, I thought he was going to ask you." She whispered, sounding a tiny bit annoyed. I laughed. "No- that wouldn't make him nervous: he has to do that all the time at home I should think. He's probably trying to work something out, and doesn't quite get it yet. I should think, to do with Boromir."
Legolas and I had been talking about Boromir rather more often than was good for us recently. He was becoming ever more schizophrenic, one moment his true self, the next, tainted. He seemed to be in serious need of help, and we were all trying to support him. My training seemed to help, and I had tried to encourage him to talk about Faramir and Denethor as often as possible (especially near Frodo).
"If you say so." Yevanna seemed unconvinced.
Palaniel, Yevanna and I had spent much of the rest of the day helping to decorate one of the main trees in which the Festival was to be held. I had never imagined such community spirit! Everyone seemed to be out, helping- about fifteen elves to a tree, and two 'supervisor' types in a group. I was set to work doing something I could do easily and well: plaiting ribbon. Palaniel and I would plait, while Yevanna held the opposite ends taught, and made our job easier. I think we must have plaited miles! I was told the ribbons were golden, silver and pale blue, and in my imagination, they were strung all about the forest, with small lanterns hung carefully from them like overgrown fireflies.
Soon, we were asked to help by directing a group of ellons carrying painted silver sticks as to where to put them- more lanterns were to be hung on these, suspended like stars in the night air. After helping out for what seemed an eternity, we were dismissed, leaving the supervisors to put some 'surprise finishing touches'. The Elves had been friendly, all asking questions in their melodic Elvish, surprised and pleased to find Ipartiallyknew a Silvan dialect that most of them spoke, and they cried out joyously as we left to prepare- "See you tonight, lovely ones!"
Back at the camp, Palaniel left, to dress- she had decided to come and do her hair with Yevanna and I, which I was looking forward to. Such a bright, happy and lighthearted friend, which mixed well with Yevanna's practicality and my secrecy. I was still mysterious by nature- deciding that the easiest way for me to not let the Fellowship know that I knew anything about Gandalf, was to say nothing, and keep myself fairly to myself. The three of us seemed set to become friends, which was pleasant- I had only mourned being surrounded completely by males but a week or so ago!
The Fellowship was, for once, all together around the fire (getting ready, I presumed) and called friendly greetings to Yevanna and I, smiles in their voices. Legolas, for once, was not there. Aragorn courteously held back the tent flap for us, and checked I was ok. He was becoming quite protective, having seen, I thought despondently, how useless I was at close-combat. Well, I smiled quietly, next time he came to teach me knife-throwing he'd get a surprise!
Yevanna made me sit with a sort of mud-mask on while she quickly dressed herself, rustling and bustling until I was dying to know what she was up to. She chatted cheerfully, careful never to make mention of our knife throwing lessons –the Fellowship, especially Aragorn and Legolas (who I particularly wanted to surprise) had sharp ears. Finally, she let me wash my face.
"Sit on the bed again, I have a surprise." She announced, while I was repeating my anointment of athelas paste.
"Ok…" I grinned, bemused and secretly pleased that she had thought of me. It was Yevanna all over, always thinking of me before herself, and it was convenient too…
"Here…" She handed me folds of material, and explained while I felt it to see what it was.
"It is the new dress I promised you a whileago…Look; it's long sleeved, so you don't have to worry, but it is very much evening wear. It is silver, trimmed with lace and pale green- yes, just there, that is the lace, and there- the green. You are very lucky- the Lady herself insisted on embroidering about the neckline and she has the most beautiful sewing!"
I was amazed- it felt as beautiful as I imagined it to look! The fabrics must have been chosen with this in mind, for the silky folds slipped through my fingers like water, and the velvet brushed my hand seductively, while satiny material firmly stroked my fingers, promising support and shape.
"It's gorgeous, Yevanna! Thank you! I will feel like a princess!"
"And you will look like one, my dear friend. As you deserve."
My eyes filled with tears- I was discovering a slight drawback in the joy of my healing eyes; everyone could see me cry. Trying to draw attention away from myself, I handed her something I had carried across two worlds.
"I want you to have this."
She opened it, and I was holding my breath, to see what she would say. It was the white gold ring I had been given by my last mortal boyfriend. I would move into the future, and by doing so, I would let go of my past. I was finallyable to begin to close the gap.
"It's beautiful!" Yevanna said reverently. I smiled.
"It's made of material called white gold, from another world. It's a friendship ring."
Yevanna hugged me impetuously.
"I shall treasure it and my children after me. Our lines shall always be friends, daughter of Elros."
At that moment, Troy barked at the tent flap again.
"Mina?" It was Legolas again.
"Can he come in?" I asked, in case Yevanna was not ready to see male-shaped things. She sounded troubled as she answered.
"Mina, you are preparing to go to a party- perhaps Prince Legolas could speak to you later? Or when you are dressed?"
"Oh come on; Legolas has seen me after being buried under fifteen foot of snow- this is nothing. He'll be quick."
I wheedled shamelessly. I was curious to see if Legolas had recovered from whatever had unnerved him so this morning, or if I was going to get more ammunition for teasing.
"Very well, but only for a moment." She agreed.
"Come in, Legolas!" I called, as if he hadn't heard every thing we had said.
I heard the tent flap move, and listened hard for his muted footsteps. Yevanna had removed my dress and stood demurely by the basin, paying us no attention.
"Mina, are you attending the Festival of Stars tonight?"
He asked. My heart quickened- was he going to ask me? I felt warm inside at the thought that he was not afraid to be seen with a blind girl, cousin to Aragorn though she might be. So many people were ashamed or afraid.
"Yes, I am. Are you?" I asked, almost shyly.
"Yes. I…ah…Mina. Haldir would like to know if you would allow him to escort you to the festival. Shall I tell him yes?"
My heart exploded. Legolas, the ears of the Fellowship, was deaf to it. So renowned for his skills, Legolas missed what seemed to me to be the death of a star in its volume. Who was Legolas going with? Why did he assume I wanted to go with Haldir? Did he think nobody else had asked? Who cares if he's right!
"Um…" I thought furiously. I wasn't going to show him that I needed him to ask me. I wasn't going to show him nobody else wanted to accompany a blind girl. I berated myself inwardly for even imagining...
"No, I'm afraid Mina already has an escort." Yevanna saved my life. I swear, she can mind-read.
"Yes, I'm sorry Legolas. Tell Haldir I'm sorry, but if it's ok, I will save a dance for him."
That sounded appropriate enough, and it tied in with what Palaniel had told me of the etiquette for the festival. It seemed to satisfy Legolas. How could he not hear the tremor in my voice?
"He will be sorry. I will see you in an hour- the Fellowship are to walk to the Festival together."
I smiled outwardly. Inside, something I hadn't known existed was weeping.
"That'll be nice. I must get ready now- see you in an hour."
He left. A silence stretched between myself and Yevanna. Suddenly, it snapped closed, and Yevanna was hugging me as hot tears ran slowly and painfully from my burned eyes. A gulf now existed between Legolas and I, that could not be reduced until we both acknowledged it, and accepted it for what it was. And that was never going to happen.