Mae Govannen!
Thanks to all of those who read or reviewed this story for me!
To Melissa : Was the green robe a dream or a vision of things to come?
To Cailen: Thanks for the info and the review. Progress really sucks! I like it better my way don't you? Free access and all!
Blessed Be , and on with the story.
Beltane Fires - Chapter 9
When Shannon woke up she was sitting in the same spot against the rock where she had first started her journey. Her face drenched with tears she had cried over Elrond. She remembered the devastated look on his face and the tears threatened to start all over again. She had a rather large lump in her throat. She stood up and gathered her things. The burgundy robe was gone and she was back in her jeans. The dizzy spell started slowly and she gripped the rock formation trying to stay upright. She had to find Rhea. What day was this? How long had she been gone? Did Rhea leave and go back home with out her? Shannon stood there for a minute catching her breath. She headed for the rental car. Rhea was coming up the hill, huffing and puffing. Shannon practically ran to her friend. She dropped the things she had been carrying and wrapped her arms around Rhea giving her a great big hug. That's when the tears really did flow. "Lord I was afraid you had left me. I didn't know how to let you know I was gone and I told Elrond I had to get back and we argued." She realized she had been rambling and grinned "God I missed you!" Rhea stood there looking at Shannon with her mouth hanging wide open. "You missed me?"
Shannon a little embarrassed by her friends not believing her, shyly smiled and said "Yeah, I missed you." She said wiping her runny nose on her sleeve. "You are my best friend and I love you!" Rhea just stared at her.
"Shannon have you lost your mind?" She raised her hand and laid it on Shannon's forehead. "You don't have a fever, so what's up?" She leaned toward her friend and sniffed her breathe," You been drinking?" She asked. Shannon looked at Rhea and glared "No I haven't been drinking. Can't I show you how much you mean to me." Rhea looked her and said "Well if I mean so much to you why didn't you wait for me. I just paid Mrs. Millers son twenty dollars to bring me here so I could catch up with you." She shoved a small bag at Shannon and said "Here". Shannon started opening the bag and asked "What is it?" Rhea picking up the things that she had dropped on the ground when she saw her friend coming up the hill said "Breakfast, you left without it!"
Shannon stood there with her mouth hanging open staring at Rhea. "How long have I been gone?" she asked. Rhea frowned at her "Ok, what's going on?" Shannon shaking her head asked again "Just tell me how long have I been gone"
"About an hour, why?" asked Rhea. Shannon sat down on the grass with a plop. One hour was all she had disappeared for. Beltane had not happened yet! She hadn't missed it! She still had time to spend it dancing around the Stonehenge! She looked at Rhea and started sobbing for all she was worth. Shannon couldn't stop crying all of her emotions came rushing at her. Leaving Elrond, coming back to Rhea, and being here in time for the Beltane celebration. They all hit her at once. "That's it, you are going back to the hotel" Rhea said as she pulled her friend up from the grass and started guiding her to the car.
Shannon's attitude was really starting to scare her. She would take her back before something happened out here in the wilds with no phone. Was she getting sick again?
Better get her back and in bed or at least to her room. Rhea got her to the car and they started back. Shannon started telling Rhea what had happened while she was there on top of the hill. By the time they got back to the inn, Rhea was asking more questions. Shannon had told her all about Elrond and the goddess Dana .They were sitting cross legged on the bed going back and forth over the events that had happened. Trying to make sense of the whole thing. "Navaer !" Rhea looked at her strange. "Navaer! , That's how you say goodbye in elfish. Elrond taught me to say that while I was there. I didn't get to tell him goodbye before I left."
"Oh" Rhea said. " So, let me get this straight, you met an elf ." Shannon interrupted "Two actually, he had a very tall blonde friend, called Glorifindel. Rhea they were gorgeous!" Rhea looked outraged. "Not only did you meet two beautiful elves, but also you didn't bring me one! Damn girl, you are sick!" Shannon giggle and then got serious, "I miss him terribly Rhea .I think under different circumstances I could have loved him forever " she said sadly .The phone on the table started ringing and Rhea jumped to get it first. "Hello", she hesitated and looked at Shannon. Suddenly she got a huge grin on her face. "Send them up please, thanks". Shannon, not expecting any calls looked at Rhea "who was that?" Rhea walked to the door and waited holding up her finger telling Shannon to wait. Someone knocked on the other side and Rhea opened the door. "Surprise!" It was the rest of the members of the coven. Maggie, Rachel, Sherry, Meagan and Heather were all standing in the doorway. They had sat their suitcases in the hallway and were pouring into the room. Shannon stood there with a look of shock on her face. She couldn't believe they were all there. She could feel the tears bubbling up in her eyes, and a huge lump formed in her throat. "Oh my God" is all she could say before she broke down completely. They all surrounded her and hugged her all at once. Sherry spoke up just then "Did you really think we would stay home and let the two of you have all the fun"? She looked at Rhea and winked her eye. "We're here for the celebration, it's a chance of a lifetime. We'll never get to be here again all together." Reality hit Shannon, this would be the last time she would celebrate Beltane with her friends. She choked up again, God she loved her sisters. Maggie pushed in front of Sherry being the shortest and not being able to see around them. "We brought the new gowns and cloaks. Wait till you see them. They'll take your breathe away "she said. Rhea always the organizer, said" ok, lets get you guys settled and then we can try the gowns on."
It was decided Rhea would move into Shannon's room with her. Sherry and Rachel would take Rhea's room, Heather and Megan got their own room and Maggie had brought Chuck and they would have a room. Chuck was always in the background as the big brother to the girls, so this was agreeable to them. He would stay back at the hotel tonight when they went to the celebration. It came out later that all of this had been planned from the very beginning, but they wanted to surprise Shannon. Rhea and Shannon were sitting there alone while everyone else was unpacking. "I can't believe you hid this for so long. I love you guys." she said. Rhea started getting tears in her eyes again. She got upset with Shannon "Will you stop, my eyes are going to be swollen for days at this rate." Maggie opened the door and walked in. Chuck followed behind her with four big dress boxes in his arms. He was so tall he had to bend his head to clear the top of the doorframe. "Here you go, these are the gowns and cloaks for the two of you" Maggie said. "I hope they fit, you had already left when they were delivered and it's too late to fix them". Chuck sat them on the bed and grinned boyishly at Shannon "We got you huh? You didn't even suspect anything did you?" Shannon got up from the chair and kissed him on the cheek. "You guys are the best. Thanks." Chuck blushed and took Maggie's hand "Come on, I'm hungry!" he said. His little wife looked up at his six foot eight inch frame and shook her head , "You're always hungry!" They all laughed and Maggie and Chuck left the room in search of food. Shannon watched them leave and wiped a stray tear off of her face. She walked over to the boxes and lifted off the first lid. Rhea sitting on the bed next to the box jumped up suddenly looking at the gown inside "Oh, Shannon they are breathe taking! Just look at them." she cried. Rhea had picked up the gown and held it up admiring the craftsmanship. The fabric was a midnight blue chiffon. The cut of the gown was divine. The gown had a high collar that covered the throat in the front and was trimmed in silver Celtic braid. The sleeves were sheer and flowed out from the shoulders, the actual gown was layers of chiffon strips over satin. Each strip had a pattern of stars done in fine silver threads. They were perfect. Shannon opened another box and took out the cloaks. These were done in the same midnight blue satin as the under skirt of the gowns. They were hooded and on the back of each was a large Celtic cross done in the same silver threads. The girls took them out of the boxes and hung them up to let them breathe. Shannon thought about the celebration tonight and sighed. Everything was perfect. Well, almost everything. She wondered what had happened to Elrond after she had left. She missed him terribly, but it was for the best. He had things he had to do, Shannon had her own life to deal with. She hoped he would forgive her for leaving the way she did. Rhea thought Shannon was looking tired and pale. "Why don't you lay down for awhile and rest. I have things to do and some sleep might make you feel better for tonight " she told her friend. Shannon feeling wore out agreed to a nap. Rhea left her to go run some errands.
No sooner had she lain down than she was fast asleep. She dreamed of him, he was there in the pool just swimming leisurely, floating on his back. The warm water rippling out from his body looked so inviting. His dark hair flowing out behind him and his strong arms cutting through the water. He swam to the stairs and started walking out. He was nude and had the most beautiful body she had ever seen. The muscle in his thighs tightened every time he reached another step. She could see the tight, well proportioned chest and abdomen. This man was in perfect form. He walked over and took his black robe from across the railing by the path. She saw him put it on and button the opening. Shannon watched as Glorifindel walked down the path and stopped in front of Elrond. "Everything's ready, we are waiting for you ". Elrond looked at him and said, "I'm ready. Let's go!" She saw them turn and walk up the pathway to his home. Then they were gone.
Rhea came into the room a little while later and Shannon was already awake. She had gotten up and taken a shower, she was sitting there curling her hair for tonight. "Well everything is ready. I guess it's time to get dressed. I be back I want to shower and brush my teeth. " Shannon just nodded her head, she was still distracted by thoughts of Elrond. While Rhea was gone Shannon slipped on the sheer gown she would be wearing for tonight. It was a perfect fit. She brushed out her red curls and let her hair flow down her back. This done she reached for a small jewelry box she had brought with her. In it was the Celtic cross that her grandmother had given her. But it was the amulet she picked out, it had been passed down to her from her mother. Each daughter had received this same amulet for centuries .It had a blue sapphire in the center and the silver enclosing the stone was a braid of Celtic design. Tiny stars were engraved all through the braid .Somehow she knew this amulet would match perfectly with the gown. It lay on her chest and glittered against the deep blue of the fabric as if it had come to life. She slipped on midnight blue slippers of satin and looked in the mirror. Her face was pale and drawn, she still felt tired. But her eyes were bright and clear, she could hide the rest from Rhea easily tonight. She had a nagging pain in her chest most of the day, a tightness that made it uncomfortable to breathe. Everything would be fine. She walked to the window and stood looking out over the meadow. She had waited all of her life for this night, and nothing would spoil it now. Thoughts of her elf returned. He must have left by now for Aman. The dream she had must have been of his leaving Imladris to sail with the rest. Thinking that somehow he could hear her she softly said "Goodbye, be safe. I love you!" A tear started sliding down her face before she could stop it. Just then Rhea came back in to get dressed. She had noticed Shannon quickly wiping the tears from her eyes, but elected not to mention it. "Well , let me get this stuff on and we are out of here." she said. Shannon intending to give Rhea some privacy picked up her cloak and put it across her arm. "I'll go see what the others are doing." she said as she was leaving the room. Rhea watched as Shannon closed the door behind her. She was worried, she had noticed Shannon breathing heavy earlier and it scared her. God please let her get through this night. It meant so much to Shannon. They would deal with the rest when the celebration was over. Shannon walked down the stairs and the rest of the group had gathered in the lobby of the inn. They were all dressed in the same midnight blue gowns and cloaks. Even tiny little Maggie looked exquisite. Her blonde curls framing her face and the deep blue gown made her appear to be an angel. Sherry had a tote bag in her hand with things she thought they might need. Candles, their golden chalice for the ritual Shannon would be performing, the wine for the chalice and the music they usual played when they danced for the goddess. Rhea came rushing down the stairs, finally putting the finishing touches to her own wardrobe. "Let's go !" she said and headed out the front door. As Shannon stepped out into the night air she saw something she found hard to believe. Rhea had rented a stretch limo for the trip. The big silver car was parked outside the door and the chauffeur was standing there waiting to open the door. Shannon started laughing and couldn't stop. "Rhea you are unbelievable! So much for modesty." Rhea looked at Shannon and grinned "You didn't think I was going dressed like this in a van did you? Girl, only the best for this coven!" Rhea walked to the open door of the limo bowed and said ."Madam priestess your followers await you!" Shannon stood there blushing and climbed into the car. The chauffeur helped the rest of the group get seated and they were on their way. This would be a night to remember!