Enedeth sat in an apple tree with a clear view of the road that led from
the upper part of the Valley. It was now long past midday, and no Calanbre.
Why did she not come? What had happened? Did she no longer want to play
with her? Was she unhappy with Cimbelin's stay with Polly?
Enedeth sighed and wiggled around until she was comfortable again. Well, she would just wait here until Calanbre showed up. No matter how long it took. Enedeth scuffed her boot on the branch beneath her. Grandmama had not come back from the beehives in the hills. Maybe there was more than one damaged. Enedeth pulled a half-dried apple out of her pocket and took a bite. Making a face, she swallowed it anyway. There was little else to eat as she and grandmama had not done any baking.
When she was done, impatience won out and deciding if Calanbre was not going to come, well then, perhaps, she could find where Calanbre lived. Even though grandmama had said she was only to play around the cottage and try not to be seen, Enedeth was lonely and to have a new friend and not be able to play with her was too much to bear. After all, Calanbre had been brave enough to come and visit her. Besides, in the few weeks Enedeth had been here, no one had visited her grandmama's cottage but Calanbre.
Enedeth scrambled down the tree and ran to the house. Taking the stairs quickly she raced into her room and grabbed Polly and then went out of the house. Once she reached the main road, Enedeth turned south as she was pretty sure that was the direction from which Calanbre had come.
An hour later, she was almost level with the main house. Enedeth stopped in the road, feeling a little bit afraid. Was this where she lived? Wasn't this the High House her grandmama mentioned? She hugged Polly to her and suddenly losing her nerve when she saw two elves on horseback cross the bridge and come towards her, she ran back towards home.
The elves seeing her fleeing figure spurred their horses into a gallop. Could it be Arwen running off again?
They saw the figure running down the road as they turned off the bridge and went in pursuit. Lord Elrond undoubtedly would not want his daughter to disappear again.
Enedeth, terrified by the Elvish riders racing down the road, decided to climb the wooden fence of a cow pasture to the left and cut across the field.
But panic made her clumsy and her dress snagged in the split wood of the top railing and she tripped and fell, landing on her arm on a rock buried by the post. She rolled over and lay crying, clutching her arm.
Horrified, the riders pulled up and immediately leapt the fence. The first one carefully approached the girl and stopped in surprise. His companion frowned likewise as he knelt by Enedeth's side. Gently feeling the arm Enedeth tried to keep him from handling, she screamed at his light touch. He shook his head and carefully picked up the crying child.
Carrying her to his horse, his companion asked surprised, "What is a human child doing here?"
"I do not know, but we had better take her to Lord Elrond. Her arm is broken."
Enedeth too shocked by her injury, whimpered and clutched her arm. Oh no! Now what? Were the elves mad? Who was Lord Elrond? She had not seen many adult elves up close. The one holding her had rich brown hair and nice grey eyes. He smiled down at her and said carefully in Common Speech. "Do not fear little one. We mean you no harm."
Enedeth nodded and winced as the elf leaped back onto his horse, still holding her. In a few minutes they were back at the High House. Enedeth shivered and closed her eyes, not feeling good.
"Erestor! Where is Lord Elrond? His aid is needed here!"
Another dark haired elf peered into her face and she tried very hard to keep from crying.
"A human child? Where did you find her?"
"She was running down the main road and we thought at first she was Arwen by her dark hair and we knew Lord Elrond did not want his daughter wandering off again. This little one jumped the fence and tripped. Her arm is broken."
"Hm. Child, where are you from?" Erestor asked in Common Speech.
"I-I live with Mallinfarr by the apple orchard! "
"Mallinfar? The brewer? I am afraid I do not understand."
Enedeth tried to hide her face against the chest of the elf holding her. Why won't they go away? Her arm hurt so bad! And a sob escaped her.
Suddenly the chattering around her ceased and then another dark haired elf looked down at her, his dark grey eyes soft and warm.
"What have we here?" He asked in surprise. "Who are you child?"
"I am Enedeth.sir.lord?"
" Do not be frightened Enedeth. Everything will be all right."
Elrond looked at the gathered elves. "What happened here?"
"My apologies lord, Harnal and I thought she was Arwen out in the road, and we gave chase. We did not mean to frighten her, but she ran for the pasture fence and tripped trying to climb over it."
Elrond gently took her from the elf, nodded to the others and walked down the hallway. Enedeth shivered again and he held her closer.
"You do look a lot like my Arwen, Enedeth. How came you to Rivendell?"
"My parents died and I am living with grandmamma."
"I see." The elf went into a sunny room with a large table and chairs. It was the fanciest room Enedeth had ever seen. Laying her on a padded couch in front of a big window, he immediately covered her with a thick blanket folded over the back.
He disappeared for a few minutes and then returned. Enedeth was very grateful for the blanket because she could not stop shivering. She looked around the room, still stunned by her circumstances. A large tapestry on the wall opposite the couch depicted a riot of flowers in an overgrown garden. She had never seen anything like it.
When the tall elf returned, he set some things down on the floor near them and knelt at her side. He smiled kindly at her again, pulling the injured limb carefully from under the blanket.
Enedeth watched wide-eyed.
"How old are you Enedeth?" Elrond asked, gently manipulating the arm.
Wincing, Enedeth swallowed dryly, trying not to cry in front of the stranger. "I -I am eight, my lord."
"Ah, the same age as my little one. You will have to meet her."
Elrond lay the arm down and then lifted the child's head and brought a glass to her lips. "Drink this down Enedeth and then I will set your arm. This will make the pain go away and make you sleepy."
The tall elf's eyes held her attention and she could not turn away as she drank the strangely favored concoction. Finished, he took the glass away and Enedeth shifted on the couch and then yawned, feeling tired suddenly. She began to drift away and the last thing she felt was a cool hand on her forehead.
Enedeth woke slowly and she could see it was twilight out the large window behind the couch. Her arm lay outside the blanket splinted and bandaged. She felt light headed and funny as she tried to sit up. The injured arm felt tight, but did not hurt, much.
There was a fire in the grate, which took the chill off the room. Wrapping the blanket around herself, she went and slowly sat in a chair closer to the fire, staring sightlessly into the flames.
The door opened behind her, and the tall elf who had brought here came in smiling with a tray of food.
"Oh thank you sir! I am very hungry! I have not had lunch!"
"Well you must be very hungry as this is supper!" Just then, Calanbre pushed past the elf and came running in the room!
"Enedeth! Father told me there was a little girl with a broken arm here! It's you!" Arwen ran to her friend and hugged her.
Elrond almost dropped the tray and hastily set it on the table behind him.
"Arwen, you know this child?"
"Oh yes Ada! She is my friend! I met her a few days ago! She lives here with her grandmama and she has a dog and a dolly that is friends with Cimbelin and---"
"Arwen, settle down sweetheart!" Elrond looked at the human child who was smiling uncertainly at Arwen.
"But you are.. Arwen? Not Calanbre?"
"Calanbre?" Elrond asked. "Not the dairy maid from the story book."
"Yes Ada." Arwen blushed and looked down at the floor, biting her lip. "I wanted it to be a secret.I did not want her to be scared of me.she is human Ada! She is not an elf!" Arwen went up to Enedeth and hugged her again, careful of her arm. "She is my friend! And I am going to keep her!"
"Of course sweetheart!" Elrond looked at Enedeth's pale face and turned to the tray behind him and picked up a small mug. Coming over to the stunned child, he handed it to her. "You need to drink all of this. It will make you feel better."
Arwen came up and sniffed the contents. "Ada, I hope you put enough honey in it!"
"Of course." Enedeth was reeling from seeing Calanbre/Arwen and that this tall gentle elf was her father, well.She drank the tisane and tried very hard not to grimace, but Arwen laughed and said, "No matter what Ada says, there is never enough honey in his medicines!"
Elrond laughed and brought the rest of the food to a small table by the fire so that Enedeth could reach it easily.
"Do not worry Ada, I will feed Enedeth..Ada! Ada!" She turned in sudden excitement, "Can Enedeth stay the night? She could sleep in my bed! We will be very quiet! No running down the halls! I promise!"
"I would like Enedeth to stay the night, to make sure there are no further problems with her arm, though it was clean break. We will need to get a message to her grandmother."
"Grandmama is not home sir. She is up at the bee hives because some got broken in the storm."
"Well, then, it is just as well you do not have to spend the night alone."
"Oh, I do it lots of times. Grandmama is always busy. She makes mead for the High House and the Lord and Lady."
Elrond smiled at this candid admission. "And the Lord and Lady are very pleased with her mead. It is most excellent."
Enedeth smiled at him and then turned to the food, which Arwen had arranged on a plate. She sat on the floor at her friend's feet and lifted pieces of fruit and bites of chicken so Enedeth could eat them.
Enedeth hadn't had so much attention since she had Lake fever a year ago and her mother had sat up with her all night.
She turned to look at the elf lord who was watching them with a smile. HE wasn't going to sit with her all night was he? She lifted her arm and looked at it. The afternoon's events made her head hurt in confusion.
"Does it hurt Enedeth?"
"No, no, it is fine." She dropped it immediately. And ate the food Arwen held out to her.
"Well Arwen, I see you have everything in hand here. I will have a tray sent in for you and the two of you may finish your meal together, then off to bed. I will return as soon as I have eaten."
"All right Ada. I will take good care of Enedeth."
"See that you do!" Elrond winked at both girls and quietly shut the door.
"Ar-Arwen, that is your father? He is the Lord of the High House?"
"He is Lord of Rivendell, yes. But mostly, he is my Ada."
Enedeth swallowed. "I hope he doesn't mind that I am here?"
"No silly. He just said you could spend the night."
"I know, but only because I am hurt."
Arwen frowned at that and then shook her head. "No, no Ada, is not like that. He wants you to stay." She offered her friend the last of the sliced chicken and then got off the floor. "Are you still hungry, or do you want to come to my room now?"
Enedeth looked at Arwen's scratches and bandaged hand. "What happened to you Arwen? Did a cat scratch you?"
"No, I do not have any pets. Last night I was trying to get into the house and I did not want anyone to see me, so I ran in the rose garden and I got scared and I fell in a bush." Arwen frowned and looked down at the parquet floor. "It hurt a lot."
"But you are okay now?"
"Of course. Ada is a great healer, the best in the whole world. Mama says so." She pointed to Enedeth's arm. "See, he made you all better, did he not?"
Enedeth nodded and then quickly grabbed the last piece of fruit off the plate Arwen held and said around it, "Les' go to yo' roomf."
Arwen laughed and put the empty dinner plate on Elrond's desk and then helped Enedeth fold up the blanket and put it on the couch. Enedeth shivered some, but followed Arwen out into the corridor.
Amazed by the beautiful rugs, woodwork, tapestries and other lovely things she passed on their way to Arwen's room, Enedeth began to feel more out of place. All the elves they passed greeted Arwen pleasantly and usually had a smile for Enedeth as well. But Enedeth, overwhelmed, began to long for her attic room and Polly.
Polly! She had forgotten all about her! She must be lying in the road, abandoned and sad because Enedeth had not come for her!
Enedeth stopped and pulled at her friend. "Arwen, I have to go find Polly, she is out in the road all by herself! I dropped her when I fell! Please, I, I really must get her, she must be so lonely and frightened." Enedeth yawned suddenly and blinked several times. She was getting sleepy.
Arwen stopped and bit her lip. She knew how she felt about Cimbelin last night. She looked at her bandaged hand a moment. But poor Polly.
"All right, but we must hurry because, Ada and Mama will cry if I do not come back right away!"
"Oh, well, I do not want them to cry. Why don't you stay in your room, and I will go out and get the dolly myself. Your, your father didn't say I couldn't go out."
"That's true! All right. I will go to my room and get you a night dress and tell Cimbelin Polly is coming."
"Yes! That's good.Now, how do I get out of the house?"
Arwen ran down the corridor and Enedeth, clutching her arm and wincing in pain, ran after her.
A few minutes later, Arwen showed Enedeth the rose garden gate that led outside to the road.
"Here you are. I shall be in my room waiting." She hugged Enedeth and then slipped back into the house.
Enedeth clutched her aching arm and shivered. The night air woke her up some as she yawned again. By the light of the torches outside the gate, she could see the bridge and beyond, the faint path of the road. But how to get past the guards?
Biting her lip, she stood in the shadows and sank back against the stone wall, when two mounted elves road up. They greeted the guards and while they were occupied, Enedeth ran past the gate, across the bridge and down the road. The running really made her arm hurt and she gasped with the pain, tears springing to her eyes.
Getting to where she thought she had jumped the fence, she slowed down and tried to see the white shape of her dolly in the dark, to no avail.
Enedeth kept staring hard in the dark and cautiously went in the direction of the fence, hissing with pain when she hit the fence with her broken arm. Bending down, she carefully felt around for her doll. Polly was not there.
Enedeth flopped into the dirt, clutching her arm to herself. She put her head down and started to cry. She hated this! She just wanted to be home in her bed and maybe grandmama would bring her some tea. Or read to her. Enedeth cried harder. But her grandmama never even tucked her in at night, much less read to her or bring her tea.
Getting up slowly, Enedeth, very, very tired, decided she did not want to stay at the High House, and went in the direction of her grandmother's cottage. But her head began to feel funny and she settled down ungracefully in the dirt and put her head on her knees.
"Arwen? Where is Enedeth?" Her mother called out, entering her room. Arwen answered from the depths of her wardrobe as she looked for an extra slipper. "Oh she went to get her dolly out in the road." She popped her head out, triumphantly holding the slipper and putting it with its mate. Arwen bounced over to her mother. "Her dolly got lost when Enedeth got hurt, so she went to find her. It is cold and lonely out there. I know, because Cimbelin told me."
"Oh honey, Enedeth should not be out there by herself! She cannot see as well as we can in the dark and she may hurt herself again. Come along and let us get your father."
Arwen horrified at the thought Enedeth might get hurt again because she had told her to go out, ran past her mother and into her father's study, where she found Elrond standing before the fire.
"Ada, I told Enedeth she could go out on the road and find her dolly! Mama says she could get hurt!"
Elrond strode over and knelt with a rustle of fabric in front of her, his face serious. "Arwen, I gave her some medicine with dinner to help her relax and sleep better tonight because you were supposed to go right to bed after eating."
Arwen nodded her head uncertainly, whispering, "I am sorry Ada. I did not know having a friend was so, so hard. I do not want her hurt again; she will run away and never be my friend anymore!"
"She cannot have gone far if she is searching for her doll, my love. I shall just go out and see, all right?"
Arwen nodded.
Elrond strode out of the house, past the surprised guards and into the road. It didn't take him long to see the huddled shape by the fence, or the doll that lay a few feet up from where she sat.
Bending to pick up the doll as he came up to Enedeth, he called out to her quietly. He silently held the much-loved toy out to the unhappy child.
Enedeth, startled by his sudden appearance, stood up quickly, wiping her face. Arwen's father was a tall looming shape in the night and she shivered. Weaving slightly, she stood a moment to collect herself and then reached out with an unsteady hand for the doll and pulled it close.
Elrond gave her the toy and then carefully gathered her up. "Come along Enedeth, you need to go to bed."
Fighting to keep her eyes open as Elrond walked slowly back up the road, Enedeth hugged Polly close. At least she would not be alone tonight.
Arwen peered up at her friend's tear-streaked face, as her father came in. Seeing Enedeth's half-closed eyes, she whispered, thinking Enedeth was already asleep. "Is she all right Ada? She did not hurt herself again did she?" Celebrian looked at her husband and smiled softly.
"No sweetheart she is fine. She just needs to sleep now. It has been an unsettling day for her."
"I will settle her down Ada if you put her in my bed."
Elrond smiled as they went to Arwen's room, Celebrian at his side.
Laying the child down, he stepped back to let Celebrian undress her and get her under the blankets. Enedeth was boneless with exhaustion. He undid Arwens laces and pulled her gown off, and helped her slip her nightdress on. In moments, both girls were under the covers.
Arwen's eyes sparkled in the candlelight, she was so excited to have her friend stay with her! Her very own friend!
She lay next to the sleeping Enedeth and grinned happily as both her parents kissed her good night. Elrond, checking Enedeth's pulse before blowing out the candles, was satisfied, and soon the room was plunged into darkness.
Arwen, snuggling closer to her friend, fell asleep with a smile.
Enedeth sighed and wiggled around until she was comfortable again. Well, she would just wait here until Calanbre showed up. No matter how long it took. Enedeth scuffed her boot on the branch beneath her. Grandmama had not come back from the beehives in the hills. Maybe there was more than one damaged. Enedeth pulled a half-dried apple out of her pocket and took a bite. Making a face, she swallowed it anyway. There was little else to eat as she and grandmama had not done any baking.
When she was done, impatience won out and deciding if Calanbre was not going to come, well then, perhaps, she could find where Calanbre lived. Even though grandmama had said she was only to play around the cottage and try not to be seen, Enedeth was lonely and to have a new friend and not be able to play with her was too much to bear. After all, Calanbre had been brave enough to come and visit her. Besides, in the few weeks Enedeth had been here, no one had visited her grandmama's cottage but Calanbre.
Enedeth scrambled down the tree and ran to the house. Taking the stairs quickly she raced into her room and grabbed Polly and then went out of the house. Once she reached the main road, Enedeth turned south as she was pretty sure that was the direction from which Calanbre had come.
An hour later, she was almost level with the main house. Enedeth stopped in the road, feeling a little bit afraid. Was this where she lived? Wasn't this the High House her grandmama mentioned? She hugged Polly to her and suddenly losing her nerve when she saw two elves on horseback cross the bridge and come towards her, she ran back towards home.
The elves seeing her fleeing figure spurred their horses into a gallop. Could it be Arwen running off again?
They saw the figure running down the road as they turned off the bridge and went in pursuit. Lord Elrond undoubtedly would not want his daughter to disappear again.
Enedeth, terrified by the Elvish riders racing down the road, decided to climb the wooden fence of a cow pasture to the left and cut across the field.
But panic made her clumsy and her dress snagged in the split wood of the top railing and she tripped and fell, landing on her arm on a rock buried by the post. She rolled over and lay crying, clutching her arm.
Horrified, the riders pulled up and immediately leapt the fence. The first one carefully approached the girl and stopped in surprise. His companion frowned likewise as he knelt by Enedeth's side. Gently feeling the arm Enedeth tried to keep him from handling, she screamed at his light touch. He shook his head and carefully picked up the crying child.
Carrying her to his horse, his companion asked surprised, "What is a human child doing here?"
"I do not know, but we had better take her to Lord Elrond. Her arm is broken."
Enedeth too shocked by her injury, whimpered and clutched her arm. Oh no! Now what? Were the elves mad? Who was Lord Elrond? She had not seen many adult elves up close. The one holding her had rich brown hair and nice grey eyes. He smiled down at her and said carefully in Common Speech. "Do not fear little one. We mean you no harm."
Enedeth nodded and winced as the elf leaped back onto his horse, still holding her. In a few minutes they were back at the High House. Enedeth shivered and closed her eyes, not feeling good.
"Erestor! Where is Lord Elrond? His aid is needed here!"
Another dark haired elf peered into her face and she tried very hard to keep from crying.
"A human child? Where did you find her?"
"She was running down the main road and we thought at first she was Arwen by her dark hair and we knew Lord Elrond did not want his daughter wandering off again. This little one jumped the fence and tripped. Her arm is broken."
"Hm. Child, where are you from?" Erestor asked in Common Speech.
"I-I live with Mallinfarr by the apple orchard! "
"Mallinfar? The brewer? I am afraid I do not understand."
Enedeth tried to hide her face against the chest of the elf holding her. Why won't they go away? Her arm hurt so bad! And a sob escaped her.
Suddenly the chattering around her ceased and then another dark haired elf looked down at her, his dark grey eyes soft and warm.
"What have we here?" He asked in surprise. "Who are you child?"
"I am Enedeth.sir.lord?"
" Do not be frightened Enedeth. Everything will be all right."
Elrond looked at the gathered elves. "What happened here?"
"My apologies lord, Harnal and I thought she was Arwen out in the road, and we gave chase. We did not mean to frighten her, but she ran for the pasture fence and tripped trying to climb over it."
Elrond gently took her from the elf, nodded to the others and walked down the hallway. Enedeth shivered again and he held her closer.
"You do look a lot like my Arwen, Enedeth. How came you to Rivendell?"
"My parents died and I am living with grandmamma."
"I see." The elf went into a sunny room with a large table and chairs. It was the fanciest room Enedeth had ever seen. Laying her on a padded couch in front of a big window, he immediately covered her with a thick blanket folded over the back.
He disappeared for a few minutes and then returned. Enedeth was very grateful for the blanket because she could not stop shivering. She looked around the room, still stunned by her circumstances. A large tapestry on the wall opposite the couch depicted a riot of flowers in an overgrown garden. She had never seen anything like it.
When the tall elf returned, he set some things down on the floor near them and knelt at her side. He smiled kindly at her again, pulling the injured limb carefully from under the blanket.
Enedeth watched wide-eyed.
"How old are you Enedeth?" Elrond asked, gently manipulating the arm.
Wincing, Enedeth swallowed dryly, trying not to cry in front of the stranger. "I -I am eight, my lord."
"Ah, the same age as my little one. You will have to meet her."
Elrond lay the arm down and then lifted the child's head and brought a glass to her lips. "Drink this down Enedeth and then I will set your arm. This will make the pain go away and make you sleepy."
The tall elf's eyes held her attention and she could not turn away as she drank the strangely favored concoction. Finished, he took the glass away and Enedeth shifted on the couch and then yawned, feeling tired suddenly. She began to drift away and the last thing she felt was a cool hand on her forehead.
Enedeth woke slowly and she could see it was twilight out the large window behind the couch. Her arm lay outside the blanket splinted and bandaged. She felt light headed and funny as she tried to sit up. The injured arm felt tight, but did not hurt, much.
There was a fire in the grate, which took the chill off the room. Wrapping the blanket around herself, she went and slowly sat in a chair closer to the fire, staring sightlessly into the flames.
The door opened behind her, and the tall elf who had brought here came in smiling with a tray of food.
"Oh thank you sir! I am very hungry! I have not had lunch!"
"Well you must be very hungry as this is supper!" Just then, Calanbre pushed past the elf and came running in the room!
"Enedeth! Father told me there was a little girl with a broken arm here! It's you!" Arwen ran to her friend and hugged her.
Elrond almost dropped the tray and hastily set it on the table behind him.
"Arwen, you know this child?"
"Oh yes Ada! She is my friend! I met her a few days ago! She lives here with her grandmama and she has a dog and a dolly that is friends with Cimbelin and---"
"Arwen, settle down sweetheart!" Elrond looked at the human child who was smiling uncertainly at Arwen.
"But you are.. Arwen? Not Calanbre?"
"Calanbre?" Elrond asked. "Not the dairy maid from the story book."
"Yes Ada." Arwen blushed and looked down at the floor, biting her lip. "I wanted it to be a secret.I did not want her to be scared of me.she is human Ada! She is not an elf!" Arwen went up to Enedeth and hugged her again, careful of her arm. "She is my friend! And I am going to keep her!"
"Of course sweetheart!" Elrond looked at Enedeth's pale face and turned to the tray behind him and picked up a small mug. Coming over to the stunned child, he handed it to her. "You need to drink all of this. It will make you feel better."
Arwen came up and sniffed the contents. "Ada, I hope you put enough honey in it!"
"Of course." Enedeth was reeling from seeing Calanbre/Arwen and that this tall gentle elf was her father, well.She drank the tisane and tried very hard not to grimace, but Arwen laughed and said, "No matter what Ada says, there is never enough honey in his medicines!"
Elrond laughed and brought the rest of the food to a small table by the fire so that Enedeth could reach it easily.
"Do not worry Ada, I will feed Enedeth..Ada! Ada!" She turned in sudden excitement, "Can Enedeth stay the night? She could sleep in my bed! We will be very quiet! No running down the halls! I promise!"
"I would like Enedeth to stay the night, to make sure there are no further problems with her arm, though it was clean break. We will need to get a message to her grandmother."
"Grandmama is not home sir. She is up at the bee hives because some got broken in the storm."
"Well, then, it is just as well you do not have to spend the night alone."
"Oh, I do it lots of times. Grandmama is always busy. She makes mead for the High House and the Lord and Lady."
Elrond smiled at this candid admission. "And the Lord and Lady are very pleased with her mead. It is most excellent."
Enedeth smiled at him and then turned to the food, which Arwen had arranged on a plate. She sat on the floor at her friend's feet and lifted pieces of fruit and bites of chicken so Enedeth could eat them.
Enedeth hadn't had so much attention since she had Lake fever a year ago and her mother had sat up with her all night.
She turned to look at the elf lord who was watching them with a smile. HE wasn't going to sit with her all night was he? She lifted her arm and looked at it. The afternoon's events made her head hurt in confusion.
"Does it hurt Enedeth?"
"No, no, it is fine." She dropped it immediately. And ate the food Arwen held out to her.
"Well Arwen, I see you have everything in hand here. I will have a tray sent in for you and the two of you may finish your meal together, then off to bed. I will return as soon as I have eaten."
"All right Ada. I will take good care of Enedeth."
"See that you do!" Elrond winked at both girls and quietly shut the door.
"Ar-Arwen, that is your father? He is the Lord of the High House?"
"He is Lord of Rivendell, yes. But mostly, he is my Ada."
Enedeth swallowed. "I hope he doesn't mind that I am here?"
"No silly. He just said you could spend the night."
"I know, but only because I am hurt."
Arwen frowned at that and then shook her head. "No, no Ada, is not like that. He wants you to stay." She offered her friend the last of the sliced chicken and then got off the floor. "Are you still hungry, or do you want to come to my room now?"
Enedeth looked at Arwen's scratches and bandaged hand. "What happened to you Arwen? Did a cat scratch you?"
"No, I do not have any pets. Last night I was trying to get into the house and I did not want anyone to see me, so I ran in the rose garden and I got scared and I fell in a bush." Arwen frowned and looked down at the parquet floor. "It hurt a lot."
"But you are okay now?"
"Of course. Ada is a great healer, the best in the whole world. Mama says so." She pointed to Enedeth's arm. "See, he made you all better, did he not?"
Enedeth nodded and then quickly grabbed the last piece of fruit off the plate Arwen held and said around it, "Les' go to yo' roomf."
Arwen laughed and put the empty dinner plate on Elrond's desk and then helped Enedeth fold up the blanket and put it on the couch. Enedeth shivered some, but followed Arwen out into the corridor.
Amazed by the beautiful rugs, woodwork, tapestries and other lovely things she passed on their way to Arwen's room, Enedeth began to feel more out of place. All the elves they passed greeted Arwen pleasantly and usually had a smile for Enedeth as well. But Enedeth, overwhelmed, began to long for her attic room and Polly.
Polly! She had forgotten all about her! She must be lying in the road, abandoned and sad because Enedeth had not come for her!
Enedeth stopped and pulled at her friend. "Arwen, I have to go find Polly, she is out in the road all by herself! I dropped her when I fell! Please, I, I really must get her, she must be so lonely and frightened." Enedeth yawned suddenly and blinked several times. She was getting sleepy.
Arwen stopped and bit her lip. She knew how she felt about Cimbelin last night. She looked at her bandaged hand a moment. But poor Polly.
"All right, but we must hurry because, Ada and Mama will cry if I do not come back right away!"
"Oh, well, I do not want them to cry. Why don't you stay in your room, and I will go out and get the dolly myself. Your, your father didn't say I couldn't go out."
"That's true! All right. I will go to my room and get you a night dress and tell Cimbelin Polly is coming."
"Yes! That's good.Now, how do I get out of the house?"
Arwen ran down the corridor and Enedeth, clutching her arm and wincing in pain, ran after her.
A few minutes later, Arwen showed Enedeth the rose garden gate that led outside to the road.
"Here you are. I shall be in my room waiting." She hugged Enedeth and then slipped back into the house.
Enedeth clutched her aching arm and shivered. The night air woke her up some as she yawned again. By the light of the torches outside the gate, she could see the bridge and beyond, the faint path of the road. But how to get past the guards?
Biting her lip, she stood in the shadows and sank back against the stone wall, when two mounted elves road up. They greeted the guards and while they were occupied, Enedeth ran past the gate, across the bridge and down the road. The running really made her arm hurt and she gasped with the pain, tears springing to her eyes.
Getting to where she thought she had jumped the fence, she slowed down and tried to see the white shape of her dolly in the dark, to no avail.
Enedeth kept staring hard in the dark and cautiously went in the direction of the fence, hissing with pain when she hit the fence with her broken arm. Bending down, she carefully felt around for her doll. Polly was not there.
Enedeth flopped into the dirt, clutching her arm to herself. She put her head down and started to cry. She hated this! She just wanted to be home in her bed and maybe grandmama would bring her some tea. Or read to her. Enedeth cried harder. But her grandmama never even tucked her in at night, much less read to her or bring her tea.
Getting up slowly, Enedeth, very, very tired, decided she did not want to stay at the High House, and went in the direction of her grandmother's cottage. But her head began to feel funny and she settled down ungracefully in the dirt and put her head on her knees.
"Arwen? Where is Enedeth?" Her mother called out, entering her room. Arwen answered from the depths of her wardrobe as she looked for an extra slipper. "Oh she went to get her dolly out in the road." She popped her head out, triumphantly holding the slipper and putting it with its mate. Arwen bounced over to her mother. "Her dolly got lost when Enedeth got hurt, so she went to find her. It is cold and lonely out there. I know, because Cimbelin told me."
"Oh honey, Enedeth should not be out there by herself! She cannot see as well as we can in the dark and she may hurt herself again. Come along and let us get your father."
Arwen horrified at the thought Enedeth might get hurt again because she had told her to go out, ran past her mother and into her father's study, where she found Elrond standing before the fire.
"Ada, I told Enedeth she could go out on the road and find her dolly! Mama says she could get hurt!"
Elrond strode over and knelt with a rustle of fabric in front of her, his face serious. "Arwen, I gave her some medicine with dinner to help her relax and sleep better tonight because you were supposed to go right to bed after eating."
Arwen nodded her head uncertainly, whispering, "I am sorry Ada. I did not know having a friend was so, so hard. I do not want her hurt again; she will run away and never be my friend anymore!"
"She cannot have gone far if she is searching for her doll, my love. I shall just go out and see, all right?"
Arwen nodded.
Elrond strode out of the house, past the surprised guards and into the road. It didn't take him long to see the huddled shape by the fence, or the doll that lay a few feet up from where she sat.
Bending to pick up the doll as he came up to Enedeth, he called out to her quietly. He silently held the much-loved toy out to the unhappy child.
Enedeth, startled by his sudden appearance, stood up quickly, wiping her face. Arwen's father was a tall looming shape in the night and she shivered. Weaving slightly, she stood a moment to collect herself and then reached out with an unsteady hand for the doll and pulled it close.
Elrond gave her the toy and then carefully gathered her up. "Come along Enedeth, you need to go to bed."
Fighting to keep her eyes open as Elrond walked slowly back up the road, Enedeth hugged Polly close. At least she would not be alone tonight.
Arwen peered up at her friend's tear-streaked face, as her father came in. Seeing Enedeth's half-closed eyes, she whispered, thinking Enedeth was already asleep. "Is she all right Ada? She did not hurt herself again did she?" Celebrian looked at her husband and smiled softly.
"No sweetheart she is fine. She just needs to sleep now. It has been an unsettling day for her."
"I will settle her down Ada if you put her in my bed."
Elrond smiled as they went to Arwen's room, Celebrian at his side.
Laying the child down, he stepped back to let Celebrian undress her and get her under the blankets. Enedeth was boneless with exhaustion. He undid Arwens laces and pulled her gown off, and helped her slip her nightdress on. In moments, both girls were under the covers.
Arwen's eyes sparkled in the candlelight, she was so excited to have her friend stay with her! Her very own friend!
She lay next to the sleeping Enedeth and grinned happily as both her parents kissed her good night. Elrond, checking Enedeth's pulse before blowing out the candles, was satisfied, and soon the room was plunged into darkness.
Arwen, snuggling closer to her friend, fell asleep with a smile.