Foreword
Aragorn Speaks-
Too much time has passed and the memories have already began to blur. But the warm comfort of her soul has not yet left me.
I was a child of only five when I fully acknowledged her in my life. I spent much of my childhood in her care, especially when my mother was not around. She was so full of life and happiness as I remembered it, although, perhaps I was just naïve. Her eyes were that of emerald green; oh how they used to sparkle. Her hair was as black as the feathers on a raven and as soft as a flower petal. A goddess she seemed to be when I was a babe. (Do not mistake, I had no improper thoughts about her. She was a sister to me. )
It was her who first taught me how to ride, and occasionally rode by my side. She seemed to know how to do many things, although most of them not exceptionally well. I could always turn to her when I felt I had done something terribly wrong, knowing that she would comfort me.
But I will not lie; she was not everyone's princess. Even the most beautiful people have troublesome pasts and hers was perhaps the most shameful. She spoke to almost no one about her early years and her family. Every time I got close enough to asking she always turned the subject elsewhere. Yet as I grew older, she confided in me many secrets. But as I grew older, I realized how many people were not willing to give her a chance for one reason or another, among these many friends. She had a romance of her own, so sweet yet full of sorrow, but that is not my place to tell.
I will not write any further, for the rest is to be explained in the story. My heart aches to think of how many things could have been different, but the past is best left alone…
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Prologue
Cevina Speaks-
" The night was a complete torture as I watched the pieces of my life fall and shatter. I knew I could not give up my child, though keeping the babe here was impossible. My confession struck the entire house. Madame Marie had just gotten completely happy and used to my services to her 'house'. She was for a few months ecstatic about bragging me to low life men. Yet what she chose to ignore was all the lies my father told her before he sold me to her. The truth is, there was nothing wrong with me; I could have children. Upon receiving the news that I carried a child to some drunken bastard, she threw me out. Of course not without chasing me around with a kitchen knife first."
"I stole a horse from the nearest stables and rode far from the miserable place. My luck however, was not completely ill. I thought for a while about where to go and remembered a person that had met with my father before. He was one of my mother's folk with golden hair and bright eyes. He had offered to take me in when I was a child but my father refused. I remembered he handed me a locket and told me to come to him whenever I needed. Although, this was a long shot. I could not count the years since he last saw me. But it was something to hope for. The money I 'earned' would last me no more than a few weeks. Perhaps even less."
"He told me the story of a valley or some sort that he lived in, where everything was beautiful. I asked around for this place yet all the bartenders did was laugh."
"One night, I came across one of my mother's folk. Though his hair was dark and not golden like the fair one that offered to take me in. I did not approach him but I did ask around where he was headed. My interests sparked as I heard the stories. He was headed where I was looking for. So like any other hot-blooded creature, I fallowed him. But I fallowed far enough so he would not notice."
"Curiosity is sure a sin. I have been attacked by the most ill looking creatures I have ever laid eyes on. So I did the only thing I knew how, I ran. It was a moonless night so I had little idea where I was running. But I did lose them after a lot of sharp turns. I don't believe they were after me especially. I hid for a while breathing hard. I was terribly famished and this surely isn't good for my poor child. I could not survive on berries. Now I had lost track of the rider."
"Finally after a few days of looking, I was nearly caught up to the rider. He was going toward the strangest of place. It was much further than I had been. My brother had taken me riding to many places (before he ran away) but nowhere near here. Yet, I suppose we must learn to trust our feelings, should we not?"
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ONE
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Glorfindel looked curiously at the girl that knelt before him. Her hair was raven black like her father yet her eyes sparkled like her mother's. He remembered well how he had offered to take her in when she was young but now it many things have changed. It was ill at ease for him to take her in without any thoughts now. She was grown and who knew how she thought. Her stay at a whorehouse surely will not make her comfortable here.
Yet he looked at her with pity. She bore a child, how could he just send her away. 'Perhaps she will make a nice maid here…' He thought hopefully. Although her past will not make her well accepted. Maybe he will be able to send her away when her child is old enough.
"Please… I can do many things…." Cevina begged, although she knew it was not true. She could read, although not well, she could write, but she was not great at that either. Yet through her tears she knew that he was soft of heart. She knew he would take her in, even if it were only till her child is born.
"Alright." said Glorfindel with a smile of sympathy. He held out his hand to her and at this Cevina grinned.
She walked with him to a room in the far end and waited as he walked in. She wondered heartily what was coming, would she be a servant? She could do cleaning with ease.
"Come…"said Glorfindel. He knelt by a crib and smiled at the babe that was sleeping sweetly. Cevina bit her lip at the boy. She was terribly bad with children, although she was going to have one of her own. But she was not going to blow her chance of having a roof over her head.
"Can you care for him, his mother is quite busy and since…"
"I can." replied Cevina quickly.
"Good." And with that he smiled. Cevina however, looked doubtfully at the child. He looked innocent now but awake… times will not be as wonderful.
"He is called Estel…" Glorfindel began but Cevina had stopped listening. She placed her slender hands by the edge of the babe's pillow. He was very sweet. After a moment however the child awoke suddenly and began to cry. Cevina fell back quickly and raised an eyebrow.
"Hold him… go on…"
"I…" She did not know how to hold a baby. She had only gotten close enough to see one a number of times. But of course what choice did she have? Cevina slipped her arms around the poor child and tried to pick him up but he only cried louder. Taken back by his out burst, she let go and he propped back on the bed.
"What are you doing?" Came a woman's voice from behind. Cevina turned around and looked up at the lady that stood before her. The woman quickly picked up the babe and cradled him in her arms.
"Cevina… this is the lady Gilraen…" said Glorfindel softly. He looked uncomfortably from the lady to Cevina.
"Madame…" Cevina lowered her head. Gilraen's eyes shifted for a moment and smiled weakly. She did not like the girl that knelt before her, for she felt a sense of danger around her. But it was not her way to judge quickly.
"Cevina… will help care for the child…"said Glorfindel quietly, "At your permission of course…"
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it gets interesting