A/N: I know, I know, it's been an age. I don't really have any other excuse than I didn't know which direction to take this fic but was recently struck with a bit of inspiration. It's not the longest chapter in the world, but I hope you like it nonetheless! If I still have readers, I sincerely hope you enjoy it!
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Changes
THRANDUIL'S POV
"Unless you have something useful to say, Elrond, it would do you good to wipe that smug grin off your face."
"Is it smugness to see your friend happy?"
Ever since I had revealed my plans of properly courting Millie, Elrond had not stopped talking about it. It was as though we were young elflings again and certainly some of us found it more amusing than others. Elves tend to not have more than one partner for a lifetime and so finding myself in this particular position is new and I will be the first to admit that it has made me nervous.
A fact that greatly amused Elrond Peredhel and if I knew him right, which of course I did, it would be at least the rest of our lifetime before I stopped hearing about it.
"If you are not going to help me." I barked, "Perhaps you would do me a favor by leaving me alone."
"Have a heart, mellon-nin, I am merely teasing you." Elrond replied, clearly not planning on leaving me alone at all. "I think perhaps you are…what is that strange saying Maggie uses…tilting at windmills."
"What?"
I looked up from my journal at Elrond who was now sitting on my desk, leaning over my shoulder to peek at my notes.
"I believe it means that you are creating problems where none are to be found." Elrond explained
I gave up, put my notes away and leaned against the back of my chair.
"What are you suggesting, mellon-nin?" I asked, "I do not wish to go about this lazily. Especially not after everything that we have been through. I want Millie to know that my feelings are true and that my intentions are pure."
"Oh I doubt they are entirely pure." Elrond teased at which I rolled my eyes, "From what I know of Millie, I believe she is a woman who enjoys the simplicity of things. Let us not forget that she comes from a place in the middle of a great war, which no doubt has left invisible scars on her. But perhaps there are things she used to be able to enjoy before the war that she was no longer able to."
"Such as?"
Elrond got back up on his feet and began to pace back and forth in my study as if he was deep in thought.
"You recall how excited Millie was during Yuletide when she got that homemade fudge?" Elrond said, "I have also heard her speak with Maggie about things from her world that she has not been able to get because of the war. Things I know for certain that we have in our kitchens. Perhaps a private picnic in the more secluded parts of the gardens might be a good place to start?"
"Hmm…"
Elrond's idea was not a bad one. A picnic was private enough that we would not be interrupted and not too intimate to make Millie uncomfortable. We would still be within view of Elrond's House and it was an easy walk back.
"Perhaps you are right." I agreed, "I shall ask Maggie about specific foods Millie might enjoy and then I will ask her if she is free perhaps tomorrow."
"That is an excellent idea." Elrond said, "Almost as if I came up with it myself."
"Sometimes, Elrond, I loathe you."
Despite our bickering, I was glad for Elrond's company and that I could speak with him about matters of the heart. This was all new territory for me and I wanted to do it right.
I wanted Millie to be happy.
"Where are we going?" Millie asked impatiently, "And why am I not allowed to see anything?"
After my conversation with Elrond the day before, I sought out Maggie to ask for her advice which resulted in making arrangements with the kitchen and then finding the perfect spot for the picnic. Thankfully, Millie did not have any prior plans for the day, but I wanted to keep things secret for as long as possible.
It was mid-afternoon when I told Millie to close her eyes and come with me. I could have chosen to be even more mysterious and blindfold her, but simplicity was key. The weather was perfect for a picnic - the sun stood high in the sky, but it wasn't uncomfortably hot and the shade under the trees would provide a mild breeze.
"We are almost there." I assured her, "You can open your eyes now."
And Millie did.
Elrond was right, as always. It was the perfect spot for a picnic - just a bit further away from the orchard, but with a view of the waterfalls and a couple of trees overhead. A blanket had already been laid out on the grass and the picnic basket was filled with all sorts of food from the kitchens that closely resembled things that Millie had spoken about with Maggie.
"Do you like it?" I asked carefully as I heard my heart beating inside my chest.
"This is perfect." Millie replied, "How on Earth did you find the time?"
"We all have our secrets. Shall we?"
I offered my arm to Millie, which she grabbed and then we walked to the blanket. I could tell she was nervous, but if I wasn't mistaken, it was a different kind of nervosity than before.
We talked for what must have been hours and every time Millie laughed my heart skipped a bit. Her company was addictive and even though I knew we had to return eventually, I did not want the day to end. The picnic had been a clear success and I hoped that it meant perhaps she would be happy to spend more time with me. We talked about her world and she told me stories about things that I could not possibly begin to understand, but I was curious nonetheless. It was strange to me that even though she and Maggie were from the same world, they were still from different times and some things that existed in Millie's time did not exist in Maggie's. Hearing them compare stories was fascinating.
Eventually, the sun began to make its slow descent below the horizon and we packed up the picnic basket to make our way back through the gardens and to Elrond's House. There was no doubt in my mind that Elrond would be curious to hear all about it and sometimes it was hard to imagine that he was over 6000 years old.
As we made our way through the orchard and back up the path that led to the courtyard, something caught my attention. A noise in the distance that was an unsettling disruption to a day that had otherwise been so peaceful.
"What's the matter?" Millie asked worriedly
"Someone's coming." I replied, "Horses."
"I can't-"
Millie stopped mid-sentence because just as that moment, the sound of horse hooves accelerated and before I knew it, three people on horseback rode up to the courtyard. They were undoubtedly men, but they were not men I had ever laid eyes on before and every single bone in my body told me not to trust them.
"We need your help!" one of the men called out. He was young, maybe around 30 human years and there was something wild about him.
"Who goes there?" came Lindir's voice from behind us, "How did you find your way into our valley? Speak your name quickly, stranger."
"My name is Amras and these are my kinsmen. We are traveling from the South and our party was ambushed. I have men dying who need immediate aid. I have heard stories of the great healing powers of Elves. Is it true that Lord Elrond resides here and the he has the power to heal those who are wounded?"
"I do." This time it was Elrond who spoke. "I am the lord of this valley."
"Then you must help us. Please, Master Elf, I beg you." A silence fell between them and I could tell by the look in Elrond's eyes that he did not trust these men either.
Then, the silence was broken by a raven cawing three times, as if it had something to add. .
"I'll help." Millie said suddenly, "If nobody else will go, then I will help."
"Millie, we do not know these men." I protested, "It is not safe."
"I will go with her." Elrond said, "If I can lend help then so I shall."
I did not like it at all, but I would rather that Millie was accompanied by Elrond than going alone. She turned around to me and suddenly I felt her fingers intertwined with mine.
"I'll come back." she told me, "I promise."
"I will hold you to that Millicent Thomas."
Millie nodded and placed a kiss on my cheek. Mere minutes later, Millie sat on a horse behind Lord Elrond and as they rode out of the valley with these strangers, I could not help but feel like this was an omen for something far worse to come.
To be continued….
It's not the longest chapter in the world and it did take ages, but I am back and I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know in the comments!