As we started walking our new route, Voronwë told me "this is one of my favorite paths in the city. There usually isn't anyone around during the evening."
We walked and I took in the surroundings of the area. We were still on the main road and the area was mostly empty. I could hear elves laughing and singing from their houses. Seemed like the city was quieter at night. As we walked I saw a brilliant archway up ahead.
Once we were in front of it, Voronwë stopped so I could get a better look. It was stunning with stone-carved pillars with different animals and flowers. Each flower had a different gem for the center and at the top of the archway were the different seasons carved in the white stone. Voronwë pulled me along and when I turned my head forward I saw more archways.
My jaw dropped at the sight and Voronwë laughed. "Each archway is a representation of the different seasons and there are few more at the end, come this way."
The first archway was spring. The white pillars were carved out and in the spaces were emeralds and other green gems designed to look like vines and flower buds. It was so beautiful and I knew it took a lot of work and time. The vines went all the way to the top and stretched across the other side. I couldn't stop staring but he gently pulled on my hand to keep us moving.
The next archway was summer and it was similar to the first arch. Flowers and vines snaked their way to the top and in each flower was a different colored jewel.
We kept moving and the next one represented autumn. The pillars were made from the same material as one of the gates. It was either brass or copper but leaves were carved out and some were placed upon the top. In between the leaves were yellow and orange gems. It reminded me of home, as autumn is beautiful in Duluth.
He stops us underneath this one and he steps closer to me now. "My father and uncle helped build this one. It is my favorite out of all of them and I often come this way to see my father's work."
He wraps one hand around my waist and pulls me closer to him. The butterflies in my stomach were really fluttering now. He looks down at me with a loving gaze. "I wanted you to see it with me. I wish my father and mother were here. I'm sure they would have grown to love you as I have. I'm so happy to call you a friend and hopefully something more."
I could feel myself blushing but I couldn't control my happiness at his words. I smile back at him and wrap my arms loosely around his neck. I can see he is nervous, and I am too. I tilt my head up and say "I care about you as well and I'm so happy to call you a friend. I also want there to be something more between us."
He tilted his head down and softly pressed his lips to mine. It is sweet and tentative but he relaxes after a moment. We drift apart a few inches but he kisses me again and this time with a little more enthusiasm. This must be his first kiss so I go slow and let him lead. After a moment we break apart further and he rests his head against mine.
"I wanted us to have our first kiss here. I hope it was alright, as I have never kissed anyone before," he says with a nervous gaze.
"It was a beautiful moment and I will cherish it always. Thank you for showing this to me. All of the arches are beautifully designed but I understand what this one means to you. This one is my favorite as well." I reach up and give him another soft kiss on the lips. When I pull back I ask "thank you for bringing me here."
He smiles a beautiful smile and we pull apart from each other. I reached for his hand and intertwined it in mine. We walk together hand in hand towards the next archway, but I'm stealing glances at him as we walk. I catch him doing the same and we break out in a fit of giggles together.
Our giggling takes us to the last seasonal archway. It is winter and it is decorated in diamonds and white gems. One of the sides looks like ice and the other half looks like snow. We keep walking and there are only three arches left. The first is a plain white arch covered with the symbols of each house. Some have gone all out in the designs while others are simple pieces. I snort at Maeglin's pure back square at the bottom of the arch. Real original that one.
The last two are similar to the main arch in the courtyard of the king. The first one is two silver trees on both sides of each pillar. The top was the branches connecting to form the arch. They were basically smaller trees from the main courtyard.
The last archway was two gold trees that met at the top. I looked back towards the arches and took a few seconds to soak in the design and beauty of it. I have never seen such stunning artwork, design, and craftsmanship on earth.
We turned and walked a little more to the stairs to the main courtyard. As we walked across, Voronwë led us to a side door instead of the main hall. "I do not know if the lords are still meeting and I don't want to disturb them."
The side door opened into the main hallway off of the king's chambers. We walked back to our guest quarters but we didn't see anyone else. Voronwë left me at my door and handed me back my box of jewelry. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and another long kiss on the mouth. This one had more passion and enthusiasm than the last one.
"Have a good rest, I will see you tomorrow for our morning meal," he said as he pulled back from the kiss. He turned and I watched him walk away down the hall to his room.
As I opened and closed my door I let out a giggle of happiness. I was still bubbling with excitement at the kisses and my stomach was still fluttering. I saw there was a candle burning on the table next to my bed and the curtains were open to let in the moonlight. The clothes that I had washed were clean and folded on the bed. I dropped off my jewelry on the vanity and grabbed my clothes to put away in the dresser. They only filled one drawer but I was just happy to have some clean clothes. My closet door was open so I grabbed the candle to see if I had any clothes yet.
A few dresses were hanging from wooden rods. They were the same dresses from before so I will be stuck wearing Idril's clothes for a few more days. I went back to the bed and changed into the nightgown that was left. I threw my dirty clothes on top of my dresser. I crawled into bed and blew out the candle. I tossed and turned for a while trying to calm my nerves and excitement until I finally was rested enough to sleep.
Narriel's knocking woke me up again. I rolled over off my side and growled into the pillow. I was so comfy I wanted to go back to sleep. She must have heard me growling as she walked into my room.
"Good morning lady Kiera. I know it is early but you have a big day planned. Idril needs to teach you and Tuor some of the dances as tomorrow is the festival. You should have a few dresses made by then, but for today you will have to wear another one of Idril's."
I mumbled into my pillow but she ripped the blankets off to expose me to the cold. I turn my head to glare at her but she just tips her head back and lets out a loud laugh. "I have not seen a look like that in ages. Idril is so excited now she is always up early, but elves need less sleep than mortals. Come, I have hot water for your bath already. I will pick out a dress for dancing lessons today."
I sit up and slowly start to wake up. I wish middle earth had coffee but maybe they have some tea. I'll take anything strong to wake me up this morning. As I thought about the things I missed from my world I realized I was almost out of toothpaste. I had no idea what they used here but all the elves had white, straight teeth.
She comes back from the bathroom with her bucket and I can hear the water running. "Narriel, do you have something to clean my teeth, I am almost out of what I have from my world?"
"Oh yes, I will run and get some while you bathe. I will be back shortly, but please don't stall as your companions are eating and waiting for you."
That got me moving and I rushed out of bed into the bathroom. I pee quickly and strip to jump into the tub. I take a short bath and I'm out toweling myself dry by the time Narriel is back. She knocks on the door and I let her in. She hands me a container of green paste. "Use your finger to rub around your teeth. When you rinse make sure to flush the rest of your mouth to get everything. It makes our teeth very clean and bright."
I fold my towel around myself and walk to the sink. I unscrewed the glass container and dipped my finger in the paste which has a mint smell. I do what she says and I fill my sink basin with water to rinse. After I'm done I notice my teeth are extremely clean. Like I just had teeth cleaning; clean.
Satisfied, I follow her into my room and she dresses me quickly in a pale pink dress. It's similar to the others and she has to hem it up like yesterday. She brushes out my hair and pulls it up into a braided updo while it's still wet. We leave the room and I walk quickly down the hall to the dining table.
As I approached I saw everyone was almost done eating. I sit and quickly load my plate. I don't see any tea and everyone is waiting so I don't bother asking. I gobble my food and the others hardly speak to me to let me eat. I feel bad for making everyone late. Once I finish, Idril leads us all to the dance hall.
"We will spend most of the day dancing. I want you both to be able to dance multiple dances tomorrow night. After dinner, we can take a walk around my favorite part of the city. Tomorrow morning I have arranged for a tutor for Kiera to start her elvish lessons. You won't be able to say much but perhaps after your dances, you can thank them. There will be plenty of elves who don't speak common but will want to dance."
I nod and she looks at Tuor. "Voronwë has offered to show you part of the city and to meet his uncle tomorrow morning. I was looking forward to joining you, but If not I could help set up for the festival."
Tuor stammers "I would love to have you accompany us tomorrow. You are welcome to join us any time."
I share a glance with Voronwë and he winks back at me. With our schedule settled for the next few days, Idril starts the lessons. Tuor remembers a few from his youth but it is all new to me. She starts with a simple dance of a few steps and with the help of Voronwë I get it down really well within the hour. We switch partners and Tuor and I stumble a few times together but we finally manage. We continue practicing and then Idril has us switch partners while dancing. I trip quite a few times during the process as the elves make it so easy to glide into their new partners. Voronwë seems to be a little more subdued today, but maybe he just wants me to focus on learning the dances.
By mid-morning, we were dancing around the hall with ease and now I don't feel as nervous about the upcoming festival. Idril introduces another dance with a few more steps, but it is not too difficult. We stop for our afternoon meal and I can feel my feet starting to hurt. I can't imagine what tomorrow night is going to be like.
While we are eating, I ask Idril "how long does the festival last? It is just a dance or is there other things going on. Is there dinner before or is it just dancing?"
"We have many small gatherings held around the city during the day tomorrow. You will be at your lesson so you cannot attend but the main event is the dance tomorrow evening. Our markets are busier on festival days as more people are relieved of their duties to go shopping. There will be a small dinner for the lords and all of us. After dinner, the lords will escort their houses into the dance hall. Not everyone will attend but most will. The ones that don't, will join the smaller gatherings around the city. We can't all fit in the dance hall but some elves don't care for dancing. Some actually prefer the smaller gatherings as it is less crowded and is better for socializing."
"What happens if too many show up and the place is already filled?"
She shrugs and says "we open up the king's courtyard and have some of the musicians and kitchen staff go outside. It is still warm enough for an outside event. We filter out occasionally to make sure everyone sees their lords and the court. That usually only happens during the larger seasonal festivals. We might have a lot of people tomorrow as the city is curious about our new human guests."
Satisfied with the answers we finish eating and return to the dance hall. Idril shows us a more complicated dance that involves a lot of swinging around and twirling. This one takes a lot more coordination as the steps are intricate and so is the spin. I fall on my ass many times during the spins and trip over my feet but Voronwë catches me with ease and offers me a small smile each time. I don't like this one as much but maybe it will get better with practice.
Idril tells me that after someone asks me to dance, I can pick whatever dance I want and the male should follow through. "Hopefully no one tries to embarrass you by trying to use a dance you don't know," she warns me.
Our dinner is served the same as lunch and once we are finished, we all get excited for our walk around the city. Even though my feet hurt, I want to explore more of the city. Idril takes the lead and as we exit the palace we turn left. We passed the two trees and the main fountain and stepped out of the courtyard. She led us down one of the main cobblestone walkways. On one side is a large pool and the other is the sides of some houses. In the center of the pool is a large open square with statues. As we come around the front, I see an open space with rows of benches surrounded by statues.
We walk up the steps and take a good look around. The sculptures are magnificent and it looks like they were frozen in stone. "This is called the Gar Ainion, elves come here to pray to the Valar. It is quite a peaceful place," says Idril. I want to spend more time admiring the sculptures but everyone else wants to keep moving.
Idril leads us back to the main road and we cross the street into a narrow stone pass. Both sides are surrounded by water now and I see tunnels of water connecting the pool to this river. There is a line of a few small stone bridges. The water from both sides was connected underneath each of the bridges. As I leaned over the first bridge, I could see colorful fish swimming. We kept moving and I saw a large courtyard up ahead and a taller bridge.
"This is called the way of running waters and you could probably tell why. It leads to the fountains of the south which is a charming place in the evenings. Many elves come to play their instruments and listen to music."
When we reached the top of the last bridge, I saw both rivers running along the outside to make a circle. There are only a few ways in, and all are from bridges. All around the courtyard are fountains arranged in a circle. Many elves are here sitting on the fountains relaxing and playing on instruments or singing. I saw harps, flutes, and other string instruments and I could hear some of the soft voices singing. While I expected the area to be noisy, each fountain was far enough away to give people space.
As I glanced around taking in the sights I noticed Idril was walking away. I looked back and saw she was leading us towards Ecthelion and Glorfindel. They were sitting together on a fountain ledge by themselves. Ecthelion was playing on his flute while Glorfindel was just relaxing and listening. We didn't want to interrupt his song so we took a seat in the courtyard and listened.
We continued to sit and listened to him play a few more songs. He was very good and the song he was playing was soft and slow. The next one was sad and I wanted to cry as he finished playing. He must have known how the song affected us as the last one he played was upbeat and catchy.
After the third song, he stopped playing and we all clapped loudly. "Thank you, we didn't expect to see you all here tonight," said Ecthelion.
Idril spoke first "I wanted to show them this part of the city. I enjoy the fountains in the evening. We spent all day dancing in preparation for tomorrow's festival."
Glorfindel smiled and looked at me "will you save me a dance for tomorrow? I'm sure many will want to dance with you."
I smiled at them both and told them "I will save you both a dance. You have been very kind to me since I arrived."
Ecthelion brightened at that and said "I look forward to it. Please don't let us stop you from exploring the city. We are here most nights, feel free to join us whenever."
We all got up after and Idril took us across to the top of a different bridge. There were no rivers past this bridge, but the bridge opened up into a large garden with trees. A bit further back was a pond on one side and a large house around a courtyard on the other. The long two-story house was at the end of the courtyard and the remaining houses were wrapped around the main fountain. Idril told us that the area belonged to the house of the fountain and Ecthelion's house was the large one in the courtyard.
We walked around the garden admiring the flowers and the trees. Voronwë was smelling all the flowers and I let him have a moment to himself. Idril and Tuor took a break on a bench together and were admiring the view and talking quietly. I wandered to the pond as I noticed some swans were swimming in it. I watched them for a while and admired the whole landscape and garden of this area. It was so peaceful and beautiful that I saw a few other elves relaxing and sleeping.
After our break, we walked back to the main fountain area and took another bridge. We stopped atop this one again and Idril told us the last bridge led to the house of the harp. We continued walking but this road was just a passageway with houses on one side and the gardens on the other. The road opened up into the main road next to the wall. There were no houses between the road and the wall and Voronwë told me "This side of the city doesn't have houses next to the wall. All the craftsmen live on the other side. This area is Ecthelion's household and Gofindel's household which is north of the lesser markets. Almost all of their household are guards and soldiers. They need easy access to the main gates and the upper wall."
Makes sense, I thought. Idril added "the house of the harp is also in this part of the city but it is a very small house. Many of the musicians of the house can be found in the fountains of the south. Come, I want to show you all something."
She rushes us down the road and we stop in front of a closed gate. She pushes it open and we walk into a smaller courtyard surrounded by a few houses with one larger at the end. The courtyard has seen better days and the houses could use a nice clean but they all looked well made.
"Well, what do you think?" she asks me excitedly.
I'm flabbergasted so I ask "for what?"
"My father has granted Tuor his own house. This house belonged to some of the members of the house of the harp. They all perished during the war and Lord Salgant has left it sit empty. I asked everyone if we could give it to Tuor and they agreed."
"I wanted to know what you thought but you are welcome to stay at the palace. I know we have become closer since you arrived and I enjoy our time together. If you would prefer to move into Tuor's household I would not be upset. It is close enough to the palace that it is a short walk for everyone. I know my father and cousin have not been the most welcoming."
I stare dumbfounded at them all. Did they all know about this? Tuor sees my face and laughs "yes, I knew about it. During the meeting with the king yesterday he offered me a house. I have never had a house to call my own so I jumped at the opportunity. I could care less about what it looks like as long it keeps a roof over my head. This place is more than what I was expecting but I am grateful.
"There are a few elves who wouldn't mind moving in to keep the place up and running. He also offered me a lordship of the house which I accepted. I hope you are not upset that we kept this from you. I could really use my friend's help to get this house back to a living condition as it has sat empty for years. I would also be overjoyed if my friends moved in with me. It's a big house and I love the company."
The thought of leaving the palace and having a place to call my own makes me so happy. "YES," I cry with joy. "I would love a place to call home and to be with my friends. While the palace is nice, I would like my own room. Can we see the inside?"
Idril nods happily and links my arm with hers. "I showed Tuor part of it yesterday after dinner but I'll give everyone the full house tour."
The boys follow after us as she opens the main door into the largest house. A small entryway with stairs is in front of us. There is a small hallway next to the staircase and a main bathroom under the stairs. On both sides of the entryway are open archways. The left side opens up to a sitting room and a dining room. The furniture was dusty and some of it was covered with sheets, but the place was really nice. The back hallway has a double door leading to a small private courtyard with a table and chairs and a small dead garden. The other end of the hall holds the kitchen and another living room with a large fireplace and longer furniture for hosting.
Back in the entryway, we go up the stairs to a small landing. Two hallways run in each direction and back towards the front of the house. Idril shows us the master bedroom which will be Tuor's. It is the largest room with a large private bath and a small balcony overlooking the back courtyard. The room has a large closet space and large high windows to let in light. There are four other bedrooms and I claim the one in the front with large windows overlooking the front courtyard. I have a smaller bathroom and a small closet, but I didn't mind.
Voronwë picks the bedroom across from Tuor's and it is similar to mine in layout and size. There are two more empty bedrooms on my end and Tuor claims one as his workspace and office. There is one more spare room but none of us know what to do with it yet, so it will be empty.
Idril shows us the three other houses in the courtyard which were just smaller versions of the main one. "Many elves will jump at the chance to move out from their family homes and into a new household. Tuor has already met with a few chefs, gardeners, handmaidens, and helpers. You will have plenty of staff to help the house get going. After the festival, I will help you in the evenings cleaning and getting everything ready to move in. It will be some time before the house is ready, but I hope everything will be finished before the first snowfall."
She looks at me and says "you will have your elvish lessons in the morning and then you have free time in the afternoons and evenings. Until you become proficient enough in elvish my father does not want you to learn a craft yet. However, in your free time, you can explore the city or help us get the house ready. Maeglin is still paying for everything so we will have many shopping trips to the markets. I want you all to be happy here and to have your own place."
I smirk at her and tell her how excited I am but I'm also curious. "How long is Maeglin going to keep paying for our expenses? Once we are all settled, who's going to be paying the helper's wages?"
Tuor laughs at me and says "he will continue to pay for a while. I am working with the king on what I want to do with my house. He has given me a few options but I do not have to decide for a while yet. We have time so don't worry about the money, just enjoy exploring the city."
"I will have a room here and also at my uncle's house. I missed him greatly during my journeys so I have decided to join him in crafting. Should Tuor pick something I would like to do, I will join him. For now, we are all taken care of," adds Voronwë.
I'm so excited about the new house I give everyone a hug. Tuor and I are the happiest but I noticed Voronwë only gave me a half hug in return. I brushed it off as Tuor and I chatted together on the way back to the palace. I don't even notice the city as we walk and we arrive shortly at the side door of the palace.
We all separate at the main hall and Voronwë leaves quickly for his room without a word to me. I'm a little sad at the thought but I'm not sure what he is upset about. I go to my room and get undressed and ready for bed. My mind is racing for the coming days. I'm still daydreaming about the house when I finally fall asleep.