Chapter Thirty-Two
Nina couldn't remember when she last had a decent nights sleep . . . nor would she ever encounter being in such a huge, comfy bed. She felt like she wanted to live in that bed forever . . . no matter what.
"Good morning" Frodo smiled at her from across the room, Lömadia, in his arms. "See? Mama is lazy, that she is" Frodo kissed the top of his daughters head as she looked around the room, her blue eyes ever watchful and curious.
"But Mama is not cracked and insane like Papa" Nina smirked, getting her own back.
Frodo handed Lömadia over to her so she could feed her daughter. "Would you like to look around today?" Frodo asked, as Nina seated herself down.
"Oh, yes, Frodo. I want to see more Elves!"
Frodo laughed. "You'll see plenty of Elves dear, plenty"
"And the King!" Nina breathed. "Lord Elrond said that King Aragorn is arriving"
"Queen Arwen, Captain Faramir, Eowyn . . . and whomever else" Frodo finished, taking a sigh. "Past faces bring back past memories"
Nina put her hand in his. "Do they remind you?"
"Of some," he shrugged. "But no matter, I cannot wait to see them all again . . . it has been far too long"
//
Frodo and Nina walked through Rivendell together, also with Lömadia who sat in a small pram donated by a young Elven girl who used it often for her dolls.
Merry, Pippin and Holly were acting as though they were tweens again, running from one another, playing hide and seek . . . 'but in a matured way' Holly had added, trying insist. Portia and Nissa walked about the grounds, meeting other Elves and learning the language, culture and lifestyle. They knew now, why Nina had acted that way whenever Frodo mentioned them.
Merry, Pippin and Holly rushed up to Frodo and Nina, panting, saying they had heard trumpets not far off and assumed it was Aragorn. When Lord Elrond, followed by some other Elves walked to the gate . . . they found that it was.
Frodo braced himself for a large welcoming as the gates opened. Aragorn and Arwen rode in first on their horses, looking as perfect and courteous as ever. Next came Faramir and Lady Eowyn. Frodo gasped, as he saw Legolas and Gimli come riding up behind them, followed by other men and women of Gondor.
"Father!" Arwen smiled as Glorfindel helped her from her horse and she hugged Elrond. Elrond next greeted the King of Gondor . . . then the others.
"Frodo," Aragorn smiled, kneeling down to the hobbit. "I see you have returned . . ."
"Yes," Frodo smiled, overwhelmed. Pippin and Merry greeted Aragorn gracefully, trying to hold back emotions and excitement.
Arwen look to Nina and knelt beside her, hoping to get a glimpse of Lömadia.
"She is beautiful," Arwen smiled. "I hear a wedding will resume in days to come" she looked to Frodo and smiled.
Nina looked downwards with a blush . . . seeing someone so graceful and beautiful made her feel like trash . . . but when Frodo kissed her cheek; she felt her heart skip again.
//
Everyone greeted the hobbits with warmth and kindness . . . and after the people from Gondor settled in, the hobbits took the advantage of spending the day with them, talking about what things had happened and especially, of why they had come to Rivendell. Arwen and Eowyn talked mostly to Nina, who felt overwhelmed.
Merry and Pippin could not stop talking to Faramir and Aragorn, themselves.
"Are our services needed yet in Gondor?" the two young soldiers asked, hopefully.
"When we need your services, be sure we shall call upon them" Aragorn smiled.
"And Rohan? What's happening with Rohan?!" Merry asked, partly asking of Théoden King.
Aragorn and Faramir let out hearty laughs, and then Faramir bent down. "All is well in Rohan, King Aragorn has ruled gracefully and Rohan still stands"
"It does seem strange to call you 'King Aragorn' we are much more used to 'Strider'" Pippin frowned.
"Then call me Strider," Aragorn chuckled. "One of the many names people call me"
Holly stepped forward. "I want have liked to see the White City" she said. "I've heard so much about it"
Faramir and Aragorn sat down on a stone bench, their wives following. The hobbits themselves seated themselves upon the floor, intending on hearing tales. Gimli was amongst them, holding little Lömadia - not wanting to let he go. Frodo and Legolas, however, continued to walk up the path.
"When we heard news of your departure from Middle-earth, we called upon the Lady Galadriel to follow with you. The Lady of the Wood said she would take leave as soon as you did. Though, I have no knowledge of how you could spend only a few months there, and come back so early without the pains and suffering returning. Truly remarkable. Some said it would take years of healing" Legolas said as they strolled.
Frodo looked up at his old friend. "I can't deny that the pains have gone - the anniversaries of the stabbings have passed and I was not in the state I once was. All I feel is mere aches and pains, so it had done some good"
"You took a risk in returning" Legolas sighed. "You weren't to know that the pains would still be there or not. I assume there was a reason you returned so soon to Middle-earth"
"There were many reasons," Frodo breathed. "I missed friends, family . . . most of all, Nina"
"The mother of your child?"
Frodo nodded. "We weren't together at the time, but I missed her terribly . . . I felt homesick and pined for her. Truly, I was not happy where I was. I had expected you to join us on the ship; it would have eased the suffering to see a friend"
"I intend to stay in Middle-earth for as long as possible" Legolas answered. "Mirkwood still stands and Elves still re-side there. Lothlorien, however, does not"
Frodo sighed, not wanted to even dare imagine what Lothlorien would look like now. He wanted to remember it as the heaven he thought it once was.
"Orcs," he just muttered with a heavy breath.
"Yes," Legolas nodded, "Hundreds of orcs, hungry. The lucky ones who escaped from Mordor, when you threw the Ring into the Mountain, Sauron was defeated instantly and his fortress destroyed . . . you have nothing left to fear Ringbearer"
Frodo smiled at Legolas' words of comfort . . . he had already been through a lot with the quest . . . and of course, nearly getting killed by a jealous hobbit lad who wanted what he could not have. Frodo felt very lucky to still be alive to tell the tale.
The elf and the hobbit walked back to where Gimli was now telling all of Mirkwood, where Legolas was Prince. The hobbits listened in admiration and Frodo and Legolas laughed as Gimli told the stories, still cradling Lömadia who tangled her tiny fingers in Gimli's beard.
"Ah!" Gimli called in his deep voice, noticing Frodo and Legolas approaching. "I was just telling our young hobbits about our journeys in Mirkwood!"
"Where are Aragorn, Arwen, Faramir and Eowyn?" Frodo asked, looking round for the humans.
"They've retired to their rooms, young hobbit, but they will return for the party tonight!"
"Party?" Frodo inquired.
"Yes!" Holly leapt up. "Elrond is giving a welcoming party for us! And also, your wedding is in two days time!"
Nina smiled up at her fiancé, excitement bouncing in her hazel eyes.
"And I've brought some of my famous Dwarven Ale" Gimli said, making Legolas roll his pale blue eyes.
"Ale?!" Pippin and Merry exclaimed, saliva nearly toppling from their mouths.
"Aye, ale," Gimli smiled. "Have too much of it and you'll barely be able to walk by the end of the evening . . . yes, that should give you quite a good hangover!"
"Well, say goodbye to what's left sane in your head sister!" Merry chuckled. "Holly will be light headed tonight!"
"Will not!" Holly called back, itching closer to the Dwarf. "Tell us of Moria! About the gate! You know, 'speak friend and enter' how long did it take for Gandalf to solve the riddle?!"
Gimli let out a laugh and began to tell the story as Frodo and Legolas seated themselves down.
//
The day seemed to last forever, much to Nina's happiness. She'd made new friends and her dream had come true. She had met a Dwarf, Elves and now humans . . . she had a perfect child and, most of all, she had her love. All that was left was to fight fire breathing dragons! Frodo commented that he would not have her do that . . . or at least try it!
Aragorn, Faramir, Arwen and Eowyn had got themselves settled in and began talking mostly with the hobbits. Arwen and Eowyn abducted Nina and jabbered on about the wedding and the dress and everything else that would go with it! Nina seemed shocked that these elegant women would act like giggly girls on such an occasion!
//
It was not until the end of the evening that Samwise Gamgee, Rose and Elanor came riding in on ponies, Rose and Elanor's faces a picture after laying eyes on Rivendell. Frodo greeted them with hugs.
"Hullo Sam1 my dear friend!" he called happily. "You would not believe who is here?!"
"Aye, Sir, I'm afraid I don't" Sam smiled, greeting his master back.
"King Aragorn, Queen Arwen, Captain Faramir and Lady Eowyn! Legolas and Gimli are also!"
Sam's mouth opened in delight. "Why Mr Frodo! This is a treat!"
"It is a treat you have arrived, dear friend, I have missed you!" Frodo hugged him again. "Come; allow me to talk you into the House of Elrond! Nina is in her room with Arwen and Eowyn - everyone is so excited with the wedding!"
"Come" Sam beckoned to Rose and Elanor who were afraid to even touch the soil in case it would break!
Rivendell was full of smiles . . . everything was perfect, everything was sweet and nothing could stop this endless happiness.
**A/N I want to apologise now for that terrible chapter! :S There is a reason, however, and it is because I'm working on something very important on my Elijah fan fiction site (URL on my profile) it's for all my readers and you'll have to wait and see what it is! If anyone here likes my Elijah/Kathryn fan fictions (Dirty, Against All Odds, Always) then keep checking out my site ad wait for something big to happen . . . and it's the readers who get the benefit! Sorry again . . . my mind was not focused on this chapter . . . I'll do a better one next time, promise*
Nina couldn't remember when she last had a decent nights sleep . . . nor would she ever encounter being in such a huge, comfy bed. She felt like she wanted to live in that bed forever . . . no matter what.
"Good morning" Frodo smiled at her from across the room, Lömadia, in his arms. "See? Mama is lazy, that she is" Frodo kissed the top of his daughters head as she looked around the room, her blue eyes ever watchful and curious.
"But Mama is not cracked and insane like Papa" Nina smirked, getting her own back.
Frodo handed Lömadia over to her so she could feed her daughter. "Would you like to look around today?" Frodo asked, as Nina seated herself down.
"Oh, yes, Frodo. I want to see more Elves!"
Frodo laughed. "You'll see plenty of Elves dear, plenty"
"And the King!" Nina breathed. "Lord Elrond said that King Aragorn is arriving"
"Queen Arwen, Captain Faramir, Eowyn . . . and whomever else" Frodo finished, taking a sigh. "Past faces bring back past memories"
Nina put her hand in his. "Do they remind you?"
"Of some," he shrugged. "But no matter, I cannot wait to see them all again . . . it has been far too long"
//
Frodo and Nina walked through Rivendell together, also with Lömadia who sat in a small pram donated by a young Elven girl who used it often for her dolls.
Merry, Pippin and Holly were acting as though they were tweens again, running from one another, playing hide and seek . . . 'but in a matured way' Holly had added, trying insist. Portia and Nissa walked about the grounds, meeting other Elves and learning the language, culture and lifestyle. They knew now, why Nina had acted that way whenever Frodo mentioned them.
Merry, Pippin and Holly rushed up to Frodo and Nina, panting, saying they had heard trumpets not far off and assumed it was Aragorn. When Lord Elrond, followed by some other Elves walked to the gate . . . they found that it was.
Frodo braced himself for a large welcoming as the gates opened. Aragorn and Arwen rode in first on their horses, looking as perfect and courteous as ever. Next came Faramir and Lady Eowyn. Frodo gasped, as he saw Legolas and Gimli come riding up behind them, followed by other men and women of Gondor.
"Father!" Arwen smiled as Glorfindel helped her from her horse and she hugged Elrond. Elrond next greeted the King of Gondor . . . then the others.
"Frodo," Aragorn smiled, kneeling down to the hobbit. "I see you have returned . . ."
"Yes," Frodo smiled, overwhelmed. Pippin and Merry greeted Aragorn gracefully, trying to hold back emotions and excitement.
Arwen look to Nina and knelt beside her, hoping to get a glimpse of Lömadia.
"She is beautiful," Arwen smiled. "I hear a wedding will resume in days to come" she looked to Frodo and smiled.
Nina looked downwards with a blush . . . seeing someone so graceful and beautiful made her feel like trash . . . but when Frodo kissed her cheek; she felt her heart skip again.
//
Everyone greeted the hobbits with warmth and kindness . . . and after the people from Gondor settled in, the hobbits took the advantage of spending the day with them, talking about what things had happened and especially, of why they had come to Rivendell. Arwen and Eowyn talked mostly to Nina, who felt overwhelmed.
Merry and Pippin could not stop talking to Faramir and Aragorn, themselves.
"Are our services needed yet in Gondor?" the two young soldiers asked, hopefully.
"When we need your services, be sure we shall call upon them" Aragorn smiled.
"And Rohan? What's happening with Rohan?!" Merry asked, partly asking of Théoden King.
Aragorn and Faramir let out hearty laughs, and then Faramir bent down. "All is well in Rohan, King Aragorn has ruled gracefully and Rohan still stands"
"It does seem strange to call you 'King Aragorn' we are much more used to 'Strider'" Pippin frowned.
"Then call me Strider," Aragorn chuckled. "One of the many names people call me"
Holly stepped forward. "I want have liked to see the White City" she said. "I've heard so much about it"
Faramir and Aragorn sat down on a stone bench, their wives following. The hobbits themselves seated themselves upon the floor, intending on hearing tales. Gimli was amongst them, holding little Lömadia - not wanting to let he go. Frodo and Legolas, however, continued to walk up the path.
"When we heard news of your departure from Middle-earth, we called upon the Lady Galadriel to follow with you. The Lady of the Wood said she would take leave as soon as you did. Though, I have no knowledge of how you could spend only a few months there, and come back so early without the pains and suffering returning. Truly remarkable. Some said it would take years of healing" Legolas said as they strolled.
Frodo looked up at his old friend. "I can't deny that the pains have gone - the anniversaries of the stabbings have passed and I was not in the state I once was. All I feel is mere aches and pains, so it had done some good"
"You took a risk in returning" Legolas sighed. "You weren't to know that the pains would still be there or not. I assume there was a reason you returned so soon to Middle-earth"
"There were many reasons," Frodo breathed. "I missed friends, family . . . most of all, Nina"
"The mother of your child?"
Frodo nodded. "We weren't together at the time, but I missed her terribly . . . I felt homesick and pined for her. Truly, I was not happy where I was. I had expected you to join us on the ship; it would have eased the suffering to see a friend"
"I intend to stay in Middle-earth for as long as possible" Legolas answered. "Mirkwood still stands and Elves still re-side there. Lothlorien, however, does not"
Frodo sighed, not wanted to even dare imagine what Lothlorien would look like now. He wanted to remember it as the heaven he thought it once was.
"Orcs," he just muttered with a heavy breath.
"Yes," Legolas nodded, "Hundreds of orcs, hungry. The lucky ones who escaped from Mordor, when you threw the Ring into the Mountain, Sauron was defeated instantly and his fortress destroyed . . . you have nothing left to fear Ringbearer"
Frodo smiled at Legolas' words of comfort . . . he had already been through a lot with the quest . . . and of course, nearly getting killed by a jealous hobbit lad who wanted what he could not have. Frodo felt very lucky to still be alive to tell the tale.
The elf and the hobbit walked back to where Gimli was now telling all of Mirkwood, where Legolas was Prince. The hobbits listened in admiration and Frodo and Legolas laughed as Gimli told the stories, still cradling Lömadia who tangled her tiny fingers in Gimli's beard.
"Ah!" Gimli called in his deep voice, noticing Frodo and Legolas approaching. "I was just telling our young hobbits about our journeys in Mirkwood!"
"Where are Aragorn, Arwen, Faramir and Eowyn?" Frodo asked, looking round for the humans.
"They've retired to their rooms, young hobbit, but they will return for the party tonight!"
"Party?" Frodo inquired.
"Yes!" Holly leapt up. "Elrond is giving a welcoming party for us! And also, your wedding is in two days time!"
Nina smiled up at her fiancé, excitement bouncing in her hazel eyes.
"And I've brought some of my famous Dwarven Ale" Gimli said, making Legolas roll his pale blue eyes.
"Ale?!" Pippin and Merry exclaimed, saliva nearly toppling from their mouths.
"Aye, ale," Gimli smiled. "Have too much of it and you'll barely be able to walk by the end of the evening . . . yes, that should give you quite a good hangover!"
"Well, say goodbye to what's left sane in your head sister!" Merry chuckled. "Holly will be light headed tonight!"
"Will not!" Holly called back, itching closer to the Dwarf. "Tell us of Moria! About the gate! You know, 'speak friend and enter' how long did it take for Gandalf to solve the riddle?!"
Gimli let out a laugh and began to tell the story as Frodo and Legolas seated themselves down.
//
The day seemed to last forever, much to Nina's happiness. She'd made new friends and her dream had come true. She had met a Dwarf, Elves and now humans . . . she had a perfect child and, most of all, she had her love. All that was left was to fight fire breathing dragons! Frodo commented that he would not have her do that . . . or at least try it!
Aragorn, Faramir, Arwen and Eowyn had got themselves settled in and began talking mostly with the hobbits. Arwen and Eowyn abducted Nina and jabbered on about the wedding and the dress and everything else that would go with it! Nina seemed shocked that these elegant women would act like giggly girls on such an occasion!
//
It was not until the end of the evening that Samwise Gamgee, Rose and Elanor came riding in on ponies, Rose and Elanor's faces a picture after laying eyes on Rivendell. Frodo greeted them with hugs.
"Hullo Sam1 my dear friend!" he called happily. "You would not believe who is here?!"
"Aye, Sir, I'm afraid I don't" Sam smiled, greeting his master back.
"King Aragorn, Queen Arwen, Captain Faramir and Lady Eowyn! Legolas and Gimli are also!"
Sam's mouth opened in delight. "Why Mr Frodo! This is a treat!"
"It is a treat you have arrived, dear friend, I have missed you!" Frodo hugged him again. "Come; allow me to talk you into the House of Elrond! Nina is in her room with Arwen and Eowyn - everyone is so excited with the wedding!"
"Come" Sam beckoned to Rose and Elanor who were afraid to even touch the soil in case it would break!
Rivendell was full of smiles . . . everything was perfect, everything was sweet and nothing could stop this endless happiness.
**A/N I want to apologise now for that terrible chapter! :S There is a reason, however, and it is because I'm working on something very important on my Elijah fan fiction site (URL on my profile) it's for all my readers and you'll have to wait and see what it is! If anyone here likes my Elijah/Kathryn fan fictions (Dirty, Against All Odds, Always) then keep checking out my site ad wait for something big to happen . . . and it's the readers who get the benefit! Sorry again . . . my mind was not focused on this chapter . . . I'll do a better one next time, promise*