I was having the weirdest dream.
Lord Elrond was carrying me down the hallway. Why? I could walk. I squirmed, trying to get down, but he just said, "Relax Marie. Everything is all right."
Okay, then why was I being carried? I could not think of a reason and so, yawning, my dream faded off.
Then I was dreaming again! We went into Elrond's main study, but continued through a doorway I had not been through, opposite from the room where I had been in when I had recuperated from my arrow wound.
This other room was very bare. There were lots of lit candles and little jars and bowls and things on a table along the wall. And there was a high table in the center covered with a white cloth and there was even a small pillow for my head and he lay me there. I smiled in my dream: Was I going to be the suckling pig at a feast? He walked out back into the study. What a silly dream! "Where's the apple?" I thought smiling.
I slowly rolled over, chuckling and then my eyes fell on a smaller table nearby and I saw sharp little knives and spindles of threads and needles and little vials and bowls and bandages and the blood rushed out of my face.
No, no, I was not going to stick around for whatever this was, and I continued my roll off the table on to my surprisingly bare feet, and ducked under the table, watching for his return. The minute he stepped in, I dashed past him, which felt really strange on my partially numb toes and ran out into the study. I almost stopped when I saw another elf there, washing his hands at a large steaming bowl.
What in Iluvatar's name was going on here? But even if I was still dreaming, I decided this was one I didn't want to know the end to, so I kept running.
Elrond shouted at me to stop and then I heard the two elves talking. Quickly, I dashed into the nearest room, a music room I guess, as there was a covered harp in a corner. Dodging around that, I went to the large double doors that opened out on to a wide terrace, which stretched outside a series of rooms.
Latching the doors carefully behind me, I peered over the balustrade and was thrilled to see a dead vine running up the wall. My eyes tearing because of the sunlight and snow, I quickly grabbed the vine and went over the edge. I hung just below the balustrade edge, clutching the slightly damp vine with all my strength and watched for the elves appearance. My heart was beating like a drum! This was now officially a nightmare.
Then a way of vertigo hit me and I almost lost my hold on the woody stem. What was happening to me? Tears blurred my vision as I lay my forehead against the ice cold stone trying to get the spinning of my head to slow down.
This had to stop. I had to wake up completely. Lord Elrond would tell me what was going on. He was not sneaky, well, not often. Only when he thought I was going to give him a fight about something, usually related to my health...
Before my brain could connect any dots, I found myself hauled up by my arms. I tried futilely to grab the vine again, but I was too late.
I started to kick and scream like a little kid, he had me that scared and then he set me on my feet, still holding me by my arms. I tried hard to pull away and run. The other elf alarmed, stood behind him looking sharp- eyed and alert.
Elrond said in a quiet compelling voice, "Marie calm down. Everything will be fine. Hush now." I didn't want them to, but my muscles went all rubbery and he picked me up before I hit the tiles. He turned and went back into the house. Unable to fight anymore I just cried, but that really made my sinuses hurt and I was now thoroughly miserable. And heck, it had actually been a very pleasant morning to start with!
Elrond spoke to the other elf pacing him, saying something about a dosage not high enough and I slumped in his arms. Okay, something was really wrong with me. Duhhh! Yeah, yeah, I know its probably obvious to everyone but again, when you are in the middle of it and not feeling a hundred percent and are doped up to boot, (but not near enough apparently!) your mind takes awhile to figure out the situation.
Laying me on that table again, I put a hand over my eyes, frightened to death and feeling hopeless and actually scared of Lord Elrond! In Rivendell!! How could that be?
I slowly became aware of his voice. It was very soothing and comforting, even though I could not make out a word. It must have been Quenya or something. He leaned over me, and clasped my head between his hands and continued speaking. Then he held my head up, taking a cup from the other elf and I mindlessly drank whatever it was he gave me. I was feeling that boneless and undone. His voice filled my mind with quiet as he put my head down. He then lay his hand over my eyes, and the last thing I felt was cold air on my feet.
It felt like days later when I awoke, my head as heavy as a boulder. I was back in my room, cocooned in my quilt, the sun shinning on icicles dripping off the roof line that over hung my patio. So either it had snowed again while I slept, or it was only a few hours....... no the sun was in the wrong position. Maybe just a day had gone by. I tried to sit up, but I felt really weak, and I flopped back against the pillows.
Then with a jolt, I remembered my feet. What had he done!! Struggling to sit up, I pulled off the quilt and looked at my neatly bandaged feet. They felt numb and I could not move my toes at all. But I got really worried. I tried to sit up and undo the bandages, but didn't have the strength. Falling against the pillows again, I turned my head and saw a goblet. I reached out for it suddenly thirsty, but my strength was wet noodle level and I dropped it, shattering it on the flagstones. Wincing at the noise, I ducked down into my blankets and yawned.
I slept again and had another one of those disturbingly real dreams.
Lord Elrond was examining my feet, they were un-bandaged and he was gently moving my right one around. They were not completely pain-free, but felt kind of tight and slightly itchy. I looked down at them.
Why, some of my toes appeared to be missing! My pinky toe on my right foot the fourth toe on my left and the tip of my second toe also on my left foot. Where did those toes go? I giggled. Some of my piggies went to the market and forgot to wee-wee all the way home! I giggled again and Elrond looked at me sharply. He put my foot down and came up to me and I smiled. "The piggies stayed home!" I laughed again and rubbed my face. I felt so woolly headed and numb. I felt the touch of his hand, and the dream stopped. I sighed gratefully. Didn't like that one anyway.
It was mid-afternoon when I awoke fully. I had no idea what day. The candles were lit by my bed and out in my little patio I could see snow falling. I watched it a moment and then shivered. Perhaps I would never look at snow the same again. My head felt less stuffed, and actually, it seemed as if my cold had loosened its hold on me. My chest felt less congested.
I sat up slowly and thankfully my head didn't go the merry-go-round route. I swung my legs over and carefully placed my feet on the floor. They felt strange and sore, but at least I could FEEL the floor.
I went and used the bathroom and threw lots of water on my face. Sitting on the edge of the bathing pool I enjoyed the steam, which made my sinuses feel better. My eyes fell to my bandages. I did not want to know. I didn't. I looked around the bathroom and fear began to crawl up my spine. What had Elrond done? Why all the silence? Why did he just not tell me?? I shivered as I realized I was feeling just a tiny bit afraid of my favorite elf lord.
Taking a deep breath, I looked cautiously in my room. All was quiet. Padding over to my wardrobe, I pulled on a dress over my chemise, grabbed a shawl and carefully, without leggings, put on my most comfortable pair of boots. I needed to go out and think, away from my room, and way away from Lord Elrond.
Walking cautiously, testing my feet, I was relieved that though they hurt some and were itchy, I could walk without much pain. I went out along the winding corridor, and took it almost to the front gate, but making a swift left turn at the last minute I went into the now quiet and stark rose garden, one of my favorite places in spring.
About to sit on a bench, I realized this might be one of the first places someone would look because it was so close to the House and I was very fond of roses, I always had a vase of them somewhere.
Getting up, I looked around with a sigh. Where could I go?
I went further through the rose garden through a small wrought iron gate into yet another garden. The beds were covered with straw, so I had no idea what grew there. Brushing the still falling snow off my face, I went over to a bent backed, gnarled tree and sat on the wooden bench that encircled it.
The snow only drifted down on me occasionally because of the branches and I idly watched the silent whiteness feather down. I shuddered as I remembered was it just last week? 10 days ago? When Elrond and I were enjoying our ride.
I stared at the toes of my boots, now wet with snow. I needed to find out what he had done. I brought one booted foot up next to me on the bench and experimentally wiggled my toes. I could feel them wiggling and only a little bit of sharp pain. Okay that was good. I dropped that one on the ground and brought up my other foot and did the same thing. Same response. Putting the other booted foot down, I leaned on my elbows and stared out at the silent garden.
Maybe that dream I had was just that, a bad dream. I did have a bad cold after all and maybe it had just given me really strange dreams. Maybe there had been no surgery room or anything. I had never seen that room before and you would have thought that would have been the first place he would have taken me when I had had that arrow shot into me during the Hollasfar mess.
I shivered again. But, I hadn't been entirely conscious for the whole cleaning up process either. I remember nothing but pain and stitches but I could not see clearly anything else.
Shaking my head with a sigh I rose and stretched. I was getting just a little bit cold. But, knowing the elf lord, it would be days before I could really walk around, no matter what the problem. I smiled to myself. He was a good healer, but I was a bad patient! We complemented each other nicely!!
I went through the garden and decide to exit out through another gate, taking a little winter tour of the normally lovely gardens of Rivendell. I really enjoyed the solitude and only saw a pair of elves in the distance, crossing what normally would have been a large lawn used for big gatherings and dances. They paid me no mind.
The snow continued falling and I noticed it was getting thicker. Slightly alarmed, I realized I did not know exactly where I was in relation to the house I had been so swallowed up in my thoughts. I was in a little garden of circular bare beds. I crunched across and went up the path to another gate.
This one opened into a slightly dark and spooky collection of closely grown bare branched trees. And beneath them it was kind of creepy and I shivered pulling my shawl around me. Why hadn't I grabbed a cloak?? I guess I was just not thinking well! The snow was thinner here and I was able to cross through quickly, into yet another orchard of some type. I couldn't place either of these little enclosures, but kept walking anyway.
As I crossed the second orchard, I thought suddenly of Christmas. Obviously that event had not occurred yet, but I wondered if there was some kind of mid winter festival.
There certainly had been a wonderful wild affair for Mid Summer's Eve, when I finally saw the elves being, well...Elvish. Dancing, singing, fairy lights and midnight feasts. Even Elrond, the quiet elf lord, dancing and spinning, long hair flying. It was quite a revelation. And a real reminder of who I lived with these days: People who were not human and never would be. Who followed their own traditions far removed from mine.
But it would still be nice if there was some kind of winter festival. Maybe the river froze over and they all went skating?? Elves skating now there was a picture to take your breath away!!
My thoughts once again had taken my mind off my path and when I looked up, I really had no idea where I was.
I stopped and slumped. Damn. Lord Elrond would get so mad. I hadn't meant to be out so long either. I swallowed, my throat dry. I picked up a handful of clean white snow and sucked it down gratefully. Did that a few times until my mouth got too numb.
I stopped to think of the directions I had gone in while walking and tried to get my cardinal compass points straight in my head. I stopped and took a turn to the left. I was pretty sure the house should be to my left somewhere. It was an awfully large thing to lose!
And tada! I only had to walk about twenty minutes through a couple more quiet untenanted gardens until I saw with relief the walls of the house looming before me in the falling snow, the windows gleaming cheerily with candle light. I smiled. What a beautiful sight!
I walked a few more feet and then stopped, my heart dropped to my wet boots. Wouldn't you know it? I was in Elrond's private garden, outside his study. Luckily the study was actually up a floor. It was fronted by a large terrace, which was bracketed by wide flights of stone stairs on either end, which led down to the garden proper.
I went back under a leafless tree and tried to see into the windows if there was a certain elf lord at his desk. Biting my lip I shuddered. There he was, head bent over a parchment, the candles burning brightly catching highlights in his curtain of midnight dark hair as his quill went across the sheet before him. At least he wasn't looking for me. Sighing, I tried to remember where the next entryway into the study was.
Turning, I went softly through the garden and went carefully up the stairs, as I remembered of course there was another door up there, the music room I had run through who knows how many days ago. I peeked up over the edge of the terrace and saw he was till working. Now I could see his face, concentrating on the material before him, pausing to look at something he'd written, stopping to dip his quill. He was beautiful lit by the candlelight. I shook my head. My lord.
Pulling the shawl closer around me, I quietly went up to the music room door and jiggled the handle. It was locked. Darn it! I looked around the terrace and saw the only other doors were the double ones leading out of Elrond's study. I stared at them a long moment and the working elf lord beyond. I did need to talk to him. But I really wasn't up to a lecture, no matter how well deserved.
Sighing, I turned and carefully went down the stairs. I slipped on the last couple of steps, and bounced down on my bum to the garden. Rubbing myself, I got up with a small groan, I guess I was more tired than I thought. But at least I knew where the house was. I went slowly out of the garden and turned to look one more time in the golden lit study. Elrond was not at his desk now, and I sighed and turned back to the garden gate.
Going through it, I followed the house to the left and trudged on through the deepening snow, the last eighteen inches or so of my gown getting soaked. Well, I would soon be back in my room, since I knew just how far it was from Elrond's study.
I stopped to pull my shawl over my head and brushed the snow off, when I went around a large snow covered hump of hedge, and stopped, my heart in my throat. An elf stood at the other end of the garden, hood pulled over his head, his cloak pooling at his feet on the top of the snow. For a minute I thought he looked like, like a Nazgul from the film. I shuddered and went slowly towards him, curious to see who was out here.
Then I stopped, thinking quickly of escape routes. It had to be Elrond.
I turned and tried running but my feet weren't up to that, and I could feel real pain now. I stopped after a few feet, and turned. I was actually scared as the figure advanced on me. I stared opened mouth as I watched him walk on top of the snow! I moved backwards, this was too weird to see in person!
I backed into a bench and sat hard on the cold snow covered stone and stared frightened up into the dark cloaked figure. As he bent over me, he threw back his cloak's hood and I saw, with a shock, it was Glorfindel!
Now I had only talked to him in passing a few times, though once weeks ago we had actually sat together at dinner in the dinning hall. I don't even remember what we had talked about but he had been pleasant and witty. He was a beautiful blond, radiant golden hair, very long and loose...an angelic face hiding a deadly wit. He really looked like paintings I had seen of the archangel Gabriel by some Italian Renaissance master. Seriously you guys, he was breathtakingly gorgeous.
And the last elf I had expected to see. Of all the luck.
"Good evening my lord. Out here enjoying the snow?"
"I was just on my way to see Elrond mistress Marie. Care to join me?"
"I am, well, I am a little tired and I think, well I would like to return to my room." My face dropped to the snow and the edges of his finely tooled boots. Even if he let me go back to my room, he would bring the other elf lord's attention to me.
Well, at least I had a pleasant enough stroll, though now I was wet and cold.
I looked up at him and saw he was smiling, his eyes sparkling. What did he know?
"I do not mind accompanying you back to your room. If you would allow me?" He bent and picked me up. I had a momentary flash of panic, but realized there was nothing I could do now. So sighing, I slumped down in his arms.
"Isn't Rivendell lovely in the snow?" I said making conversation, He'd only seen it hundreds of time. "I could not help myself, I just had to get out of bed and...view...it."
Good Marie, there go those feet into mouth again.
I hazarded a look at his angelic face. He had an eyebrow arched (do all elf lords do that??) and said "You have been up since early this morning out in the snow? Why you must be near frozen Marie!" Ah, he was going to go with me here.
"Well not really up since this morning, but I could not resist as it is so beautiful." I shut up and remained silent as we went the short way to my room, I have to admit, I was grateful for the carry because exhaustion began to cover me.
When we got to my room, he set me on the edge of my bed. I rubbed my eyes and yawned. "My thanks my lord," I let my damp shawl drop and he took it and lay it out over the edge of a chair, spreading it so it would dry. "My pleasure mistress. Can I get you something hot to drink?"
"Oh," I sat up straighter and looked at him brightly. "Oh, no, I, no thanks.... I shall just get into something dry."
"As you wish." He bowed slightly and left in a swirl of dark cape. I flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a moment, then awkwardly sitting up again, I pulled off my dress and hung it in the closet to dry. My chemise was wet too, so I got another one and put it on.
Fluffing my wet hair, I sat on the bed and looked at my wet booted feet. Taking a deep breath, I leaned over and began tugging off my left one. It sort of stuck to my skin and I had to yank it off with a wince as my bandage had stuck to it too. My bandage was all crumpled and splotchy with blood. I shivered and then got to work on my right boot. It was pretty much the same thing, it stuck to me and came off with protest to reveal blotchy bandages on my right foot as well.
I put my boots under my bed, and though I hated dragging my messy feet under the clean sheets, I crawled under my blankets. In minutes I was asleep.
Lord Elrond was carrying me down the hallway. Why? I could walk. I squirmed, trying to get down, but he just said, "Relax Marie. Everything is all right."
Okay, then why was I being carried? I could not think of a reason and so, yawning, my dream faded off.
Then I was dreaming again! We went into Elrond's main study, but continued through a doorway I had not been through, opposite from the room where I had been in when I had recuperated from my arrow wound.
This other room was very bare. There were lots of lit candles and little jars and bowls and things on a table along the wall. And there was a high table in the center covered with a white cloth and there was even a small pillow for my head and he lay me there. I smiled in my dream: Was I going to be the suckling pig at a feast? He walked out back into the study. What a silly dream! "Where's the apple?" I thought smiling.
I slowly rolled over, chuckling and then my eyes fell on a smaller table nearby and I saw sharp little knives and spindles of threads and needles and little vials and bowls and bandages and the blood rushed out of my face.
No, no, I was not going to stick around for whatever this was, and I continued my roll off the table on to my surprisingly bare feet, and ducked under the table, watching for his return. The minute he stepped in, I dashed past him, which felt really strange on my partially numb toes and ran out into the study. I almost stopped when I saw another elf there, washing his hands at a large steaming bowl.
What in Iluvatar's name was going on here? But even if I was still dreaming, I decided this was one I didn't want to know the end to, so I kept running.
Elrond shouted at me to stop and then I heard the two elves talking. Quickly, I dashed into the nearest room, a music room I guess, as there was a covered harp in a corner. Dodging around that, I went to the large double doors that opened out on to a wide terrace, which stretched outside a series of rooms.
Latching the doors carefully behind me, I peered over the balustrade and was thrilled to see a dead vine running up the wall. My eyes tearing because of the sunlight and snow, I quickly grabbed the vine and went over the edge. I hung just below the balustrade edge, clutching the slightly damp vine with all my strength and watched for the elves appearance. My heart was beating like a drum! This was now officially a nightmare.
Then a way of vertigo hit me and I almost lost my hold on the woody stem. What was happening to me? Tears blurred my vision as I lay my forehead against the ice cold stone trying to get the spinning of my head to slow down.
This had to stop. I had to wake up completely. Lord Elrond would tell me what was going on. He was not sneaky, well, not often. Only when he thought I was going to give him a fight about something, usually related to my health...
Before my brain could connect any dots, I found myself hauled up by my arms. I tried futilely to grab the vine again, but I was too late.
I started to kick and scream like a little kid, he had me that scared and then he set me on my feet, still holding me by my arms. I tried hard to pull away and run. The other elf alarmed, stood behind him looking sharp- eyed and alert.
Elrond said in a quiet compelling voice, "Marie calm down. Everything will be fine. Hush now." I didn't want them to, but my muscles went all rubbery and he picked me up before I hit the tiles. He turned and went back into the house. Unable to fight anymore I just cried, but that really made my sinuses hurt and I was now thoroughly miserable. And heck, it had actually been a very pleasant morning to start with!
Elrond spoke to the other elf pacing him, saying something about a dosage not high enough and I slumped in his arms. Okay, something was really wrong with me. Duhhh! Yeah, yeah, I know its probably obvious to everyone but again, when you are in the middle of it and not feeling a hundred percent and are doped up to boot, (but not near enough apparently!) your mind takes awhile to figure out the situation.
Laying me on that table again, I put a hand over my eyes, frightened to death and feeling hopeless and actually scared of Lord Elrond! In Rivendell!! How could that be?
I slowly became aware of his voice. It was very soothing and comforting, even though I could not make out a word. It must have been Quenya or something. He leaned over me, and clasped my head between his hands and continued speaking. Then he held my head up, taking a cup from the other elf and I mindlessly drank whatever it was he gave me. I was feeling that boneless and undone. His voice filled my mind with quiet as he put my head down. He then lay his hand over my eyes, and the last thing I felt was cold air on my feet.
It felt like days later when I awoke, my head as heavy as a boulder. I was back in my room, cocooned in my quilt, the sun shinning on icicles dripping off the roof line that over hung my patio. So either it had snowed again while I slept, or it was only a few hours....... no the sun was in the wrong position. Maybe just a day had gone by. I tried to sit up, but I felt really weak, and I flopped back against the pillows.
Then with a jolt, I remembered my feet. What had he done!! Struggling to sit up, I pulled off the quilt and looked at my neatly bandaged feet. They felt numb and I could not move my toes at all. But I got really worried. I tried to sit up and undo the bandages, but didn't have the strength. Falling against the pillows again, I turned my head and saw a goblet. I reached out for it suddenly thirsty, but my strength was wet noodle level and I dropped it, shattering it on the flagstones. Wincing at the noise, I ducked down into my blankets and yawned.
I slept again and had another one of those disturbingly real dreams.
Lord Elrond was examining my feet, they were un-bandaged and he was gently moving my right one around. They were not completely pain-free, but felt kind of tight and slightly itchy. I looked down at them.
Why, some of my toes appeared to be missing! My pinky toe on my right foot the fourth toe on my left and the tip of my second toe also on my left foot. Where did those toes go? I giggled. Some of my piggies went to the market and forgot to wee-wee all the way home! I giggled again and Elrond looked at me sharply. He put my foot down and came up to me and I smiled. "The piggies stayed home!" I laughed again and rubbed my face. I felt so woolly headed and numb. I felt the touch of his hand, and the dream stopped. I sighed gratefully. Didn't like that one anyway.
It was mid-afternoon when I awoke fully. I had no idea what day. The candles were lit by my bed and out in my little patio I could see snow falling. I watched it a moment and then shivered. Perhaps I would never look at snow the same again. My head felt less stuffed, and actually, it seemed as if my cold had loosened its hold on me. My chest felt less congested.
I sat up slowly and thankfully my head didn't go the merry-go-round route. I swung my legs over and carefully placed my feet on the floor. They felt strange and sore, but at least I could FEEL the floor.
I went and used the bathroom and threw lots of water on my face. Sitting on the edge of the bathing pool I enjoyed the steam, which made my sinuses feel better. My eyes fell to my bandages. I did not want to know. I didn't. I looked around the bathroom and fear began to crawl up my spine. What had Elrond done? Why all the silence? Why did he just not tell me?? I shivered as I realized I was feeling just a tiny bit afraid of my favorite elf lord.
Taking a deep breath, I looked cautiously in my room. All was quiet. Padding over to my wardrobe, I pulled on a dress over my chemise, grabbed a shawl and carefully, without leggings, put on my most comfortable pair of boots. I needed to go out and think, away from my room, and way away from Lord Elrond.
Walking cautiously, testing my feet, I was relieved that though they hurt some and were itchy, I could walk without much pain. I went out along the winding corridor, and took it almost to the front gate, but making a swift left turn at the last minute I went into the now quiet and stark rose garden, one of my favorite places in spring.
About to sit on a bench, I realized this might be one of the first places someone would look because it was so close to the House and I was very fond of roses, I always had a vase of them somewhere.
Getting up, I looked around with a sigh. Where could I go?
I went further through the rose garden through a small wrought iron gate into yet another garden. The beds were covered with straw, so I had no idea what grew there. Brushing the still falling snow off my face, I went over to a bent backed, gnarled tree and sat on the wooden bench that encircled it.
The snow only drifted down on me occasionally because of the branches and I idly watched the silent whiteness feather down. I shuddered as I remembered was it just last week? 10 days ago? When Elrond and I were enjoying our ride.
I stared at the toes of my boots, now wet with snow. I needed to find out what he had done. I brought one booted foot up next to me on the bench and experimentally wiggled my toes. I could feel them wiggling and only a little bit of sharp pain. Okay that was good. I dropped that one on the ground and brought up my other foot and did the same thing. Same response. Putting the other booted foot down, I leaned on my elbows and stared out at the silent garden.
Maybe that dream I had was just that, a bad dream. I did have a bad cold after all and maybe it had just given me really strange dreams. Maybe there had been no surgery room or anything. I had never seen that room before and you would have thought that would have been the first place he would have taken me when I had had that arrow shot into me during the Hollasfar mess.
I shivered again. But, I hadn't been entirely conscious for the whole cleaning up process either. I remember nothing but pain and stitches but I could not see clearly anything else.
Shaking my head with a sigh I rose and stretched. I was getting just a little bit cold. But, knowing the elf lord, it would be days before I could really walk around, no matter what the problem. I smiled to myself. He was a good healer, but I was a bad patient! We complemented each other nicely!!
I went through the garden and decide to exit out through another gate, taking a little winter tour of the normally lovely gardens of Rivendell. I really enjoyed the solitude and only saw a pair of elves in the distance, crossing what normally would have been a large lawn used for big gatherings and dances. They paid me no mind.
The snow continued falling and I noticed it was getting thicker. Slightly alarmed, I realized I did not know exactly where I was in relation to the house I had been so swallowed up in my thoughts. I was in a little garden of circular bare beds. I crunched across and went up the path to another gate.
This one opened into a slightly dark and spooky collection of closely grown bare branched trees. And beneath them it was kind of creepy and I shivered pulling my shawl around me. Why hadn't I grabbed a cloak?? I guess I was just not thinking well! The snow was thinner here and I was able to cross through quickly, into yet another orchard of some type. I couldn't place either of these little enclosures, but kept walking anyway.
As I crossed the second orchard, I thought suddenly of Christmas. Obviously that event had not occurred yet, but I wondered if there was some kind of mid winter festival.
There certainly had been a wonderful wild affair for Mid Summer's Eve, when I finally saw the elves being, well...Elvish. Dancing, singing, fairy lights and midnight feasts. Even Elrond, the quiet elf lord, dancing and spinning, long hair flying. It was quite a revelation. And a real reminder of who I lived with these days: People who were not human and never would be. Who followed their own traditions far removed from mine.
But it would still be nice if there was some kind of winter festival. Maybe the river froze over and they all went skating?? Elves skating now there was a picture to take your breath away!!
My thoughts once again had taken my mind off my path and when I looked up, I really had no idea where I was.
I stopped and slumped. Damn. Lord Elrond would get so mad. I hadn't meant to be out so long either. I swallowed, my throat dry. I picked up a handful of clean white snow and sucked it down gratefully. Did that a few times until my mouth got too numb.
I stopped to think of the directions I had gone in while walking and tried to get my cardinal compass points straight in my head. I stopped and took a turn to the left. I was pretty sure the house should be to my left somewhere. It was an awfully large thing to lose!
And tada! I only had to walk about twenty minutes through a couple more quiet untenanted gardens until I saw with relief the walls of the house looming before me in the falling snow, the windows gleaming cheerily with candle light. I smiled. What a beautiful sight!
I walked a few more feet and then stopped, my heart dropped to my wet boots. Wouldn't you know it? I was in Elrond's private garden, outside his study. Luckily the study was actually up a floor. It was fronted by a large terrace, which was bracketed by wide flights of stone stairs on either end, which led down to the garden proper.
I went back under a leafless tree and tried to see into the windows if there was a certain elf lord at his desk. Biting my lip I shuddered. There he was, head bent over a parchment, the candles burning brightly catching highlights in his curtain of midnight dark hair as his quill went across the sheet before him. At least he wasn't looking for me. Sighing, I tried to remember where the next entryway into the study was.
Turning, I went softly through the garden and went carefully up the stairs, as I remembered of course there was another door up there, the music room I had run through who knows how many days ago. I peeked up over the edge of the terrace and saw he was till working. Now I could see his face, concentrating on the material before him, pausing to look at something he'd written, stopping to dip his quill. He was beautiful lit by the candlelight. I shook my head. My lord.
Pulling the shawl closer around me, I quietly went up to the music room door and jiggled the handle. It was locked. Darn it! I looked around the terrace and saw the only other doors were the double ones leading out of Elrond's study. I stared at them a long moment and the working elf lord beyond. I did need to talk to him. But I really wasn't up to a lecture, no matter how well deserved.
Sighing, I turned and carefully went down the stairs. I slipped on the last couple of steps, and bounced down on my bum to the garden. Rubbing myself, I got up with a small groan, I guess I was more tired than I thought. But at least I knew where the house was. I went slowly out of the garden and turned to look one more time in the golden lit study. Elrond was not at his desk now, and I sighed and turned back to the garden gate.
Going through it, I followed the house to the left and trudged on through the deepening snow, the last eighteen inches or so of my gown getting soaked. Well, I would soon be back in my room, since I knew just how far it was from Elrond's study.
I stopped to pull my shawl over my head and brushed the snow off, when I went around a large snow covered hump of hedge, and stopped, my heart in my throat. An elf stood at the other end of the garden, hood pulled over his head, his cloak pooling at his feet on the top of the snow. For a minute I thought he looked like, like a Nazgul from the film. I shuddered and went slowly towards him, curious to see who was out here.
Then I stopped, thinking quickly of escape routes. It had to be Elrond.
I turned and tried running but my feet weren't up to that, and I could feel real pain now. I stopped after a few feet, and turned. I was actually scared as the figure advanced on me. I stared opened mouth as I watched him walk on top of the snow! I moved backwards, this was too weird to see in person!
I backed into a bench and sat hard on the cold snow covered stone and stared frightened up into the dark cloaked figure. As he bent over me, he threw back his cloak's hood and I saw, with a shock, it was Glorfindel!
Now I had only talked to him in passing a few times, though once weeks ago we had actually sat together at dinner in the dinning hall. I don't even remember what we had talked about but he had been pleasant and witty. He was a beautiful blond, radiant golden hair, very long and loose...an angelic face hiding a deadly wit. He really looked like paintings I had seen of the archangel Gabriel by some Italian Renaissance master. Seriously you guys, he was breathtakingly gorgeous.
And the last elf I had expected to see. Of all the luck.
"Good evening my lord. Out here enjoying the snow?"
"I was just on my way to see Elrond mistress Marie. Care to join me?"
"I am, well, I am a little tired and I think, well I would like to return to my room." My face dropped to the snow and the edges of his finely tooled boots. Even if he let me go back to my room, he would bring the other elf lord's attention to me.
Well, at least I had a pleasant enough stroll, though now I was wet and cold.
I looked up at him and saw he was smiling, his eyes sparkling. What did he know?
"I do not mind accompanying you back to your room. If you would allow me?" He bent and picked me up. I had a momentary flash of panic, but realized there was nothing I could do now. So sighing, I slumped down in his arms.
"Isn't Rivendell lovely in the snow?" I said making conversation, He'd only seen it hundreds of time. "I could not help myself, I just had to get out of bed and...view...it."
Good Marie, there go those feet into mouth again.
I hazarded a look at his angelic face. He had an eyebrow arched (do all elf lords do that??) and said "You have been up since early this morning out in the snow? Why you must be near frozen Marie!" Ah, he was going to go with me here.
"Well not really up since this morning, but I could not resist as it is so beautiful." I shut up and remained silent as we went the short way to my room, I have to admit, I was grateful for the carry because exhaustion began to cover me.
When we got to my room, he set me on the edge of my bed. I rubbed my eyes and yawned. "My thanks my lord," I let my damp shawl drop and he took it and lay it out over the edge of a chair, spreading it so it would dry. "My pleasure mistress. Can I get you something hot to drink?"
"Oh," I sat up straighter and looked at him brightly. "Oh, no, I, no thanks.... I shall just get into something dry."
"As you wish." He bowed slightly and left in a swirl of dark cape. I flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a moment, then awkwardly sitting up again, I pulled off my dress and hung it in the closet to dry. My chemise was wet too, so I got another one and put it on.
Fluffing my wet hair, I sat on the bed and looked at my wet booted feet. Taking a deep breath, I leaned over and began tugging off my left one. It sort of stuck to my skin and I had to yank it off with a wince as my bandage had stuck to it too. My bandage was all crumpled and splotchy with blood. I shivered and then got to work on my right boot. It was pretty much the same thing, it stuck to me and came off with protest to reveal blotchy bandages on my right foot as well.
I put my boots under my bed, and though I hated dragging my messy feet under the clean sheets, I crawled under my blankets. In minutes I was asleep.
