A/N: This is going to be funny I hope. I'm thankful to all of you who
reviewed and I'm unleashing this belated New Year's present. Yes, I was
pursued by plot bunnies even while holing up at a beach. Oh well, you all
know what I own and do not. Let's go!
Revelations In the City
I woke up the next day feeling rather queer. Did I just get my first love letter the day before? Or was Tonigil jesting? These questions nagged at me even as I worked with Éowyn in the Houses of Healing the next morning.
"You seem awfully distracted Niliwen" Éowyn said to me the next day.
"What? I was just thinking about umm, something" I said.
"Well, make sure that you don't get lost in your reverie too long, since there's an important meeting later at the White Tower. Also, my brother is going to be there, along with his family" Éowyn said.
"Lothíriel and Elfwine were able to travel?" I said in surprise.
"Apparently that's what it seems. They won't be staying with us though this time" Éowyn continued.
"Good day ladies!" I heard a dreaded voice say. I looked to see Tonigil come in, looking as boyish and as handsome as ever. But I tried to ignore him despite the strange fact that I was feeling a bit funny.
"Good morning" Éowyn greeted.
"How's your day, Niliwen?" Tonigil asked me friendlily. I looked up at him, and I think there must've been a blush on my cheeks.
"Fine" I said curtly as I left the room.
"You know Niliwen, he was talking to Lord Faramir this morning in the study room in the Citadel" Ioreth told me.
"What's that to me?" I asked.
"He was asking the Steward for some advice. Those things such as how did he know that he was really in love, and matters such as that" Ioreth replied.
"I have as much interest in Tonigil as much as the Anduin is dry" I said. But honestly, I was feeling a bit unsure of myself here.
Then Bergil and Elaniwel made their appearance, carrying Elboron and Eäriel. "I was sent down here to look for you and Lady Éowyn" Bergil said mildly.
"The meeting has begun?" I asked as I took Elboron from him.
"Well, we have to hurry" Bergil said. I sighed, since meetings never started on time.
As much as I wanted to stay in the Houses, Éowyn insisted that we go early, since she wanted to see her nephew. When we arrived at the Court of the Fountain, I saw Éomer and Lothíriel, holding their son Elfwine, sitting by the fountain.
"Good morning, your majesty!" I hailed them. Éomer and Lothíriel got up and went towards us. I noticed that the King of Rohan looked a little bit older than when I saw him last.
"Éowyn!" Éomer greeted as he embraced his sister. "It's good to see you again" he continued as Lothíriel handed him the baby.
"I know, dear brother. I'm glad to see all of you are well" Éowyn said.
"It's a blessing that we could all be here" Lothíriel said as she hugged Éowyn.
"So this is your son? He really looks like Éomer!" Éowyn said as she took a look at her nephew as he looked up at his father.
"Your son looks like you too, but he has my cousin's eyes" Lothíriel said as she looked at Elboron, who was tugging at my hair.
"While your niece looks like my brother-in-law" Éomer added as he peered at Eäriel, who was in Éowyn's arms.
After some small talk, we all went up into the Tower, into the Hall of Kings, where King Elessar and his own family were waiting for us, along with the Steward, and the Prince of Dol Amroth.
Honestly, after they all got down to "serious business" as my friends and I would call it, I got a bit bored. Soon, Beregond and Bergil joined us, since Beregond had a report to give about the White Company.
"Niliwen, didn't you go to North Ithilien a few days ago?" Beregond asked me.
"I did, and here's my report" I said quite calmly, but inside, I was a wreck.
"Will the Prince of Ithilien and any other people concerned here give any reports concerning the state of affairs in Ithilien?" I heard a lord from Lossarnarch ask.
Faramir and Beregond gave their reports, and motioned for me to speak. I felt a horde of butterflies in my stomach as I got up. The whole thing was too much for me: giving a report, taking care of things in Emyn Arnen, the way I was feeling for Tonigil.
The next thing I knew, I was on the floor, on my back. Everyone was looking at me in surprise and concern. But I swear, all the children in the room looked more amused.
"Are you quite well, lady?" I heard Imrahil ask politely. I got up and straightened out my dress, and cleared my throat.
"Yes I'm well, your highness" I answered. "Anyway, before I fainted back there." I began.
"Wait a minute. Who are you?" I heard a lady rudely ask.
"She's Niliwen, a counselor of mine in the White Company" Beregond answered.
"Perhaps she is ill" someone said.
"I'm fine, as I said" I retorted before I began my report. Shaking, I sat down quickly after finishing.
"That didn't kill you, Niliwen" Faramir said to me later after the meeting. The Steward, the Lady of Ithilien, the King of Gondor, Queen Arwen, the King of Rohan, Queen Lothíriel, Beregond and I were in the gardens, simply to talk about various matters. Éowyn had left her children and her nephew under Elaniwel and Ioreth's care.
"You're used to speaking in public. I'm not" I retorted.
"Actually, my skills still need a bit of practice. I believe Éowyn could do one better" Faramir said bashfully.
"My love, you're not as dreadful at that task as you think you are" Éowyn said affectionately to her husband.
"Niliwen!" I heard Tonigil's voice pierce the quiet. I felt like ducking. He was the reason I was so nervous!
"Well Niliwen, is that your sweetheart?" Beregond teased me.
"I am not that involved with him!" I hissed.
"Who's he?" Lothíriel asked.
"A healer in the Houses of Healing" Éowyn answered and she looked slyly at me. I honestly believe that she is starting to get that uncanny gift of perceiving minds. Did her grandmother, Morwen of Lossarnarch, have that gift? I'll never know.
"Ah, young love" Beregond sighed. I knew he was a widower. Poor man, his wife died giving birth to Bergil.
"Tonigil!" I muttered as I went out of the garden and bumped into him, literally.
"I heard you fainted" he said to me.
"Who told you?" I asked.
"A lackey" Tonigil answered.
"Look, I have to get back to my work now" I said. I didn't want to get involved, though a part of me wanted to. Was this the way Éowyn felt for Faramir at some point early on in their friendship?
When I returned, everyone else had left except for Beregond. "How was your tryst?' he asked me.
"Fine" I said stonily. Why was everyone thinking Tonigil and I were a couple?
That question haunted me. Why, why I kept asking. I *didn't* even think he was all that handsome. Sure, Tonigil and I were childhood pals, but then, he was going to be that, and that was all.
I thought of this again as I lay on the grass. I put my hand down on the ground and I felt something hairy and itchy on the grass!
"Aaaackkk!" I screeched as I jumped off the ground and ran around the garden. A horribly hairy, disgusting green caterpillar was on my hand! I tried to flick it off my wrist. But I felt the dreaded itch begin to act up and I began jumping up and down wildly to shake it off.
"What's gotten into you?" Beregond asked me, since he had his back turned.
"Get it off! Get it off!' I screamed.
"Calm down!" Beregond said sternly as he got a twig to scrape the caterpillar off my hand. The little beastie got on the twig and miraculously landed on Beregond's arm, which was not covered by his tunic.
"Umm, Niliwen" Beregond said as the bug began to crawl up his arm. I tried to swipe the critter away, only to have it fly in the air.
"What happened out there?" Faramir asked, and he moved to the side just in time to dodge the caterpillar that came in his direction. Perhaps the rangers weren't kidding when he said his life was charmed.
"For a while, we all thought that a dreadful accident had happened to you" Éowyn said later to Beregond and I as she and Ioreth readied the itch remedy back in the Houses of Healing.
"You wouldn't want that to happen when you have a handsome prince waiting for your hand" Ioreth teased me.
"He's not my lover or betrothed or anything like that" I muttered. Éowyn opened her mouth as if to speak, but she seemed to decide against it and went back to sorting through a chest of herbs.
After a lot of fuss and querying, I was able to escape the Houses of Healing and I went out to the Court of the Fountain. It was peaceful there, and a cool wind was blowing. I felt at peace..till I noticed some girls giggling, looking at me, then at the White Tree. I went around curiously to the other side, and I nearly fainted at what I saw.
At least it was written on parchment, not carved on the tree itself. Otherwise King Elessar would have the perpetrator's head.
"Niliwen loves Tonigil!" was written in bold letters on a piece of parchment that looked like it came from.the study room. Uh-oh!
"Niliwen!" I heard Faramir call. I knew I was going to get it if I didn't have a rational explanation for this!
"What happened?" I asked innocently.
"Did you take any parchment from my desk by any chance today? I need a sheet of it, and I know there was one on the table this morning" Faramir said to me as he reached where I was standing.
"No, my lord" I replied courteously. Then I noticed Faramir was looking at the sign on the tree. I blushed and tried to hide my embarrassment.
"I didn't write that" I said.
"I know you didn't. Your handwriting is not that much of a scrawl" Faramir said as he took the sign off. Maybe he was too late, since the whole court might've seen it.
"Please don't tell anyone! I'm not interested in him, I know I am not" I babbled.
"Your eyes betray you" he told me. I was puzzled at this. Was there more to me than I thought??
A/N: Short I know. But the torture is just beginning for Niliwen! Don't worry, she will warm up soon enough, and the whole gang will get off her case. Please review! I really need those reviews!
Revelations In the City
I woke up the next day feeling rather queer. Did I just get my first love letter the day before? Or was Tonigil jesting? These questions nagged at me even as I worked with Éowyn in the Houses of Healing the next morning.
"You seem awfully distracted Niliwen" Éowyn said to me the next day.
"What? I was just thinking about umm, something" I said.
"Well, make sure that you don't get lost in your reverie too long, since there's an important meeting later at the White Tower. Also, my brother is going to be there, along with his family" Éowyn said.
"Lothíriel and Elfwine were able to travel?" I said in surprise.
"Apparently that's what it seems. They won't be staying with us though this time" Éowyn continued.
"Good day ladies!" I heard a dreaded voice say. I looked to see Tonigil come in, looking as boyish and as handsome as ever. But I tried to ignore him despite the strange fact that I was feeling a bit funny.
"Good morning" Éowyn greeted.
"How's your day, Niliwen?" Tonigil asked me friendlily. I looked up at him, and I think there must've been a blush on my cheeks.
"Fine" I said curtly as I left the room.
"You know Niliwen, he was talking to Lord Faramir this morning in the study room in the Citadel" Ioreth told me.
"What's that to me?" I asked.
"He was asking the Steward for some advice. Those things such as how did he know that he was really in love, and matters such as that" Ioreth replied.
"I have as much interest in Tonigil as much as the Anduin is dry" I said. But honestly, I was feeling a bit unsure of myself here.
Then Bergil and Elaniwel made their appearance, carrying Elboron and Eäriel. "I was sent down here to look for you and Lady Éowyn" Bergil said mildly.
"The meeting has begun?" I asked as I took Elboron from him.
"Well, we have to hurry" Bergil said. I sighed, since meetings never started on time.
As much as I wanted to stay in the Houses, Éowyn insisted that we go early, since she wanted to see her nephew. When we arrived at the Court of the Fountain, I saw Éomer and Lothíriel, holding their son Elfwine, sitting by the fountain.
"Good morning, your majesty!" I hailed them. Éomer and Lothíriel got up and went towards us. I noticed that the King of Rohan looked a little bit older than when I saw him last.
"Éowyn!" Éomer greeted as he embraced his sister. "It's good to see you again" he continued as Lothíriel handed him the baby.
"I know, dear brother. I'm glad to see all of you are well" Éowyn said.
"It's a blessing that we could all be here" Lothíriel said as she hugged Éowyn.
"So this is your son? He really looks like Éomer!" Éowyn said as she took a look at her nephew as he looked up at his father.
"Your son looks like you too, but he has my cousin's eyes" Lothíriel said as she looked at Elboron, who was tugging at my hair.
"While your niece looks like my brother-in-law" Éomer added as he peered at Eäriel, who was in Éowyn's arms.
After some small talk, we all went up into the Tower, into the Hall of Kings, where King Elessar and his own family were waiting for us, along with the Steward, and the Prince of Dol Amroth.
Honestly, after they all got down to "serious business" as my friends and I would call it, I got a bit bored. Soon, Beregond and Bergil joined us, since Beregond had a report to give about the White Company.
"Niliwen, didn't you go to North Ithilien a few days ago?" Beregond asked me.
"I did, and here's my report" I said quite calmly, but inside, I was a wreck.
"Will the Prince of Ithilien and any other people concerned here give any reports concerning the state of affairs in Ithilien?" I heard a lord from Lossarnarch ask.
Faramir and Beregond gave their reports, and motioned for me to speak. I felt a horde of butterflies in my stomach as I got up. The whole thing was too much for me: giving a report, taking care of things in Emyn Arnen, the way I was feeling for Tonigil.
The next thing I knew, I was on the floor, on my back. Everyone was looking at me in surprise and concern. But I swear, all the children in the room looked more amused.
"Are you quite well, lady?" I heard Imrahil ask politely. I got up and straightened out my dress, and cleared my throat.
"Yes I'm well, your highness" I answered. "Anyway, before I fainted back there." I began.
"Wait a minute. Who are you?" I heard a lady rudely ask.
"She's Niliwen, a counselor of mine in the White Company" Beregond answered.
"Perhaps she is ill" someone said.
"I'm fine, as I said" I retorted before I began my report. Shaking, I sat down quickly after finishing.
"That didn't kill you, Niliwen" Faramir said to me later after the meeting. The Steward, the Lady of Ithilien, the King of Gondor, Queen Arwen, the King of Rohan, Queen Lothíriel, Beregond and I were in the gardens, simply to talk about various matters. Éowyn had left her children and her nephew under Elaniwel and Ioreth's care.
"You're used to speaking in public. I'm not" I retorted.
"Actually, my skills still need a bit of practice. I believe Éowyn could do one better" Faramir said bashfully.
"My love, you're not as dreadful at that task as you think you are" Éowyn said affectionately to her husband.
"Niliwen!" I heard Tonigil's voice pierce the quiet. I felt like ducking. He was the reason I was so nervous!
"Well Niliwen, is that your sweetheart?" Beregond teased me.
"I am not that involved with him!" I hissed.
"Who's he?" Lothíriel asked.
"A healer in the Houses of Healing" Éowyn answered and she looked slyly at me. I honestly believe that she is starting to get that uncanny gift of perceiving minds. Did her grandmother, Morwen of Lossarnarch, have that gift? I'll never know.
"Ah, young love" Beregond sighed. I knew he was a widower. Poor man, his wife died giving birth to Bergil.
"Tonigil!" I muttered as I went out of the garden and bumped into him, literally.
"I heard you fainted" he said to me.
"Who told you?" I asked.
"A lackey" Tonigil answered.
"Look, I have to get back to my work now" I said. I didn't want to get involved, though a part of me wanted to. Was this the way Éowyn felt for Faramir at some point early on in their friendship?
When I returned, everyone else had left except for Beregond. "How was your tryst?' he asked me.
"Fine" I said stonily. Why was everyone thinking Tonigil and I were a couple?
That question haunted me. Why, why I kept asking. I *didn't* even think he was all that handsome. Sure, Tonigil and I were childhood pals, but then, he was going to be that, and that was all.
I thought of this again as I lay on the grass. I put my hand down on the ground and I felt something hairy and itchy on the grass!
"Aaaackkk!" I screeched as I jumped off the ground and ran around the garden. A horribly hairy, disgusting green caterpillar was on my hand! I tried to flick it off my wrist. But I felt the dreaded itch begin to act up and I began jumping up and down wildly to shake it off.
"What's gotten into you?" Beregond asked me, since he had his back turned.
"Get it off! Get it off!' I screamed.
"Calm down!" Beregond said sternly as he got a twig to scrape the caterpillar off my hand. The little beastie got on the twig and miraculously landed on Beregond's arm, which was not covered by his tunic.
"Umm, Niliwen" Beregond said as the bug began to crawl up his arm. I tried to swipe the critter away, only to have it fly in the air.
"What happened out there?" Faramir asked, and he moved to the side just in time to dodge the caterpillar that came in his direction. Perhaps the rangers weren't kidding when he said his life was charmed.
"For a while, we all thought that a dreadful accident had happened to you" Éowyn said later to Beregond and I as she and Ioreth readied the itch remedy back in the Houses of Healing.
"You wouldn't want that to happen when you have a handsome prince waiting for your hand" Ioreth teased me.
"He's not my lover or betrothed or anything like that" I muttered. Éowyn opened her mouth as if to speak, but she seemed to decide against it and went back to sorting through a chest of herbs.
After a lot of fuss and querying, I was able to escape the Houses of Healing and I went out to the Court of the Fountain. It was peaceful there, and a cool wind was blowing. I felt at peace..till I noticed some girls giggling, looking at me, then at the White Tree. I went around curiously to the other side, and I nearly fainted at what I saw.
At least it was written on parchment, not carved on the tree itself. Otherwise King Elessar would have the perpetrator's head.
"Niliwen loves Tonigil!" was written in bold letters on a piece of parchment that looked like it came from.the study room. Uh-oh!
"Niliwen!" I heard Faramir call. I knew I was going to get it if I didn't have a rational explanation for this!
"What happened?" I asked innocently.
"Did you take any parchment from my desk by any chance today? I need a sheet of it, and I know there was one on the table this morning" Faramir said to me as he reached where I was standing.
"No, my lord" I replied courteously. Then I noticed Faramir was looking at the sign on the tree. I blushed and tried to hide my embarrassment.
"I didn't write that" I said.
"I know you didn't. Your handwriting is not that much of a scrawl" Faramir said as he took the sign off. Maybe he was too late, since the whole court might've seen it.
"Please don't tell anyone! I'm not interested in him, I know I am not" I babbled.
"Your eyes betray you" he told me. I was puzzled at this. Was there more to me than I thought??
A/N: Short I know. But the torture is just beginning for Niliwen! Don't worry, she will warm up soon enough, and the whole gang will get off her case. Please review! I really need those reviews!