"Cevina, where are you going?" Elrohir spoke up as he saw Cevina lift onto a horse. He had not seen her in quite a long while and was curious to talk to her.
"To find my son." She replied without noticing him. She was quite upset at the fact he did not even remember her. Although she knew she was not the most… memorable person ever.
"Gawen?" He said as he followed her. Cevina looked down at him and nodded. She wondered how he could remember her son but not her. But the thought just made her more discontent. But she had no time for that now. There was much more to worry about.
"Yes, Gawen." She added, "Have you seen him?" She did not even bother to expect an answer.
"The last I saw, he was…" Elrohir trailed off and thought about it again. He knew exactly what happened. He knew Estel much too well not to. He quickly picked up his sword and lifted onto his horse.
"What are you doing?" Cevina asked as she saw him starting to ride after her.
"Do you know where he is?"
"…No…" She replied quietly, "But…I can't not go." She looked up confused and irritated but noticed that he was smiling. "Is this funny to you?" She spoke up angrily.
"Of course not, it is just, I might have an idea where he is." Elrohir replied, a bit taken back. But he figured she was just worried about her son. Cevina said nothing more and just nodded. He smiled and rode on ahead. She stared after him, admiring how firm and strong he looked. But she quickly shook the thought from her mind as she remembered who he was and who she was.
They rode off from the fair valley and further into the wild. Cevina had never had as much experience riding in these parts and rode hard to keep up. Suddenly Elrohir pulled to a stop, he glared around and frowned. "I was almost positive they would be here." He said quietly.
"… Positive? Positive is not good enough!" Cevina snapped. She was much too worried about Gawen to calm down. He was her reason for living…her everything.
"It's alright… we'll find
him… I promise." Elrohir said, as he looked toward the path that led ahead.
Cevina sighed, "I'm sorry… I'm just really worried about Gawen… and Estel." She was finally catching on. Elrohir touched her cheek softly with his hand and smiled.
"… I am almost positive that they were coming here… they must have gotten lost on the way."
"Can I ask you something?" Cevina said softly.
"Depends… what are you going to ask me?"
"… Do you remember the night of the feast that you came to speak with me?"
"Yes… of course."
"Then why did you act as if you did not know me… when I saw you at the stables."
"The stables?" Elrohir repeated. He did not remember being at the stables anytime in the near past. He then realized what was happening. "I think who you saw was my brother."
"Your brother?" Cevina said gently. Elrohir walked his horse beside her and turned to her. It was the first time he had realized how beautiful she looked. He pulled the hair from his eyes and kissed her forehead.
"Yes." He said quietly, "I would never such a pretty face… no matter what happens."
"Pretty face? Oh really?" Cevina teased.
"… They don't come prettier…" Elrohir said as he gently cupped a hand up to her cheek.
"… I would love to continue this conversation later… but let us find my son first…" Cevina said as she turned away. At this they rode off. She smiled as she noticed the firm muscle on the elven prince's neck and how strong his body seemed. It seemed that she wanted more than anything was for him to hold her in those strong arms.
They rode for a while deeper into the woods but saw no sign of the boys. The sun was high in the skies and noon air blazed down on them. "I do not think we can ride anymore without stopping…" Elrohir sighed noticing that Cevina was weary and tired. He pulled to a stop and leapt off his horse. Cevina nodded and did the same.
"Have some water." He said as he pulled a flask from his belt.
"Thank you…" Cevina breathed as she pressed it to her lips.
"We have no idea where they are… it is better to wait for a bit, if they are trying to make their way back, they have to cross this path."
"… If you are sure." Cevina muttered. She sat down on a tree stump and bit her lip. They sat in silence for a few moments and as time passed, spoke of little things. But as the sun slipped toward the west, any hopes of continuing were pretty much shattered.
"Always wanted to know…" He said in a half teasing voice, "Are the rumors true?"
"Which ones?" Cevina replied, "I have not a perfect memory to remember all seven hundred of them…"
"Why were you that dreaded place?"
Cevina laughed coldly and turned her face to the handsome elf beside her. "If you really want to know, I was only a little girl when I woke up to find that everyone I had ever cared about was either dead or gone over night. The only left was he, my new father. When I turned to face him, I realized that he was no longer the sweet, charming man that he had deceived my mother by but another cruel and ruthless man. I worked for him like a damn slave for a quite a long time. Then one day, he brought another man to my room while I was sleeping…" She paused and gave a cruel short laugh. She wondered for a moment why she had just opened up so much to a complete stranger but thought to go on, since she already started. Elrohir glared in disbelief for a moment and then rubbed her shoulder soothingly.
"The man raped me and before I knew it I was bound and gagged and sold to this…" She stopped as if trying to utter a word that carved every bit of pain she has ever known. Elrohir did not need her to go on, he simply laced his fingers around hers to show that he understood.
"So there you have it…" Cevina shrugged, "My sob story…" She paused for a moment and turned to him. She has never told this to anyone save Glorfindel before.
Elrohir could think of nothing to say so he just nodded quietly.
"… You know what's funny?" Cevina added, "I do not even care what other people will make of it anymore. My only fear is that Gawen will be ashamed of me once he finds out, and will not want to know me."
"Gawen won't think that way…" Elrohir whispered pulling her closer to him, "He's too good to think that way.
"… Can you promise that?" Cevina said sadly as she laid her face upon his breast.
"I promise." Elrohir said softly and kissed her twice, once on her forehead and another on her lips. Cevina could not describe the warmth she felt just then; for once it actually felt pleasing, rather than indifferent or painful. Elrohir looked down and instead of seeing another friend, he saw something more. Cevina was gorgeous, more gorgeous than anyone that he had ever come to know and he cared for her. With that he slipped his arms around her waist to show her this. Cevina felt lifted as his tongue pressed into her mouth and they kissed again and again. She could feel his hands feeling down her back and beginning to undress her and she slowly went for strings on his shirt. But as he felt toward her arms he let go gently and turned his eyes toward hers.
"What's wrong?" She whispered softly, afraid of his answer. She knew he was going to tell her that he made a mistake… and that she was not good enough for him.
"Cevina… your arms…" Elrohir whispered as he looked up and down at the fresh bruises and cuts which one of them was dripping blood.
"You know where I have been… and you know that some men aren't so nice…" She said softly and turned away quickly pressing her hand over the bleeding cut.
"Those are fresh…" Elrohir added. He looked sympathetically at Cevina, still holding her in his arms.
"I…" Cevina could think of no answer to this, "I'm really clumsy…" She said stupidly.
"No…" Elrohir whispered gently, "Cevina tell me the truth…" He said as he stroked her hair. She was coming to tears and choking down her sobs. He could not understand what was wrong except that some had hurt her. He lifted her and kissed her again. "It's ok…" He whispered.
"Remember… the one that I was to show a room to?" Cevina said quietly, "Well… I guess he wasn't so nice either."
"No…" Elrohir said gently as his eyes filled with horror. "He… I'll kill him." He did not know why but he felt a strong urge to protect Cevina and make her happy.
Cevina smiled weakly at the empty promise. It was nice, having someone care. But she never counted on anyone to actually be there more than one night. She looked up at the handsome face smiling back at her and froze. It seemed that if anyone had found out how close they had gotten…