AU.May borrow some elements from the movies. Just a little fic done
on Mothers' Day, set off by thinking about how small a role females
have to play in Middle Earth. No brilliant plot or anything. Please
review, thanks.
I don't know how many of you celebrate Mothers' Day, but, anyway...
"Father, may we stop, please?"
King Elessar of Gondor and Arnor looked sternly at his eight-year-
old son Eldarion, who was securely perched in front of him on the
man's mount Roheryn, that he had brought south. The boy had insisted
on riding with his father, rather than on his own sturdy pony.
"No, my son. We took a long enough time with lunch."
"Mother, please tell Father that we can stop!" Eldarion turned
imploringly to Queen Undomiel, riding alongside at their right hand
side.
Elessar nearly laughed. The boy had adopted most of his features,
with very similar dark hair and grey eyes, but right then he and his
mother shared the same wheedling look that Arwen turned on him when
she wanted something very badly.
" We do not stop till we reach our campsite tonight. "
"Father!"Eldarion protested loudly.
As if to punctuate his point, a chorus of groans sounded behind him.
"Estel...,"Arwen began, then stopped. Her husband's mouth was
arranged in a crooked smile. He was merely teasing. She returned the
smile easily. She should have known that Estel would always melt
under her puppy-dog look;it was too powerful, and had lost none of
its potency even though she rarely used that tactic. Arwen Undomiel
was not one who easily turned to begging for what she wanted, not
even with her husband.
Elessar selected a sprawling stand of trees to shelter under. It had
been an unusually hot summer. The sun blazed, hotter than the fires
of the now-dormant Oroduin in Mordor, and the air shimmered. The
earth itself was searing with heat.The trees were leafy and the
branches spread extensively, effectively deflecting most of the heat.
"I feel like roasted meat sizzling upon a fire," the royal family's
companion Legolas commented. "Now why did I decide to move south?"
Elessar was secretly gratified to see the Elf's dishevelled
appearance. Sometimes it thoroughly irked him to see his friend seem
immune to all harsh weather conditions and situations. Always the
Elf looked immaculate. Now, though, a sheen of sweat was on the high
forehead, and his golden locks were damp and plastered upon his
head. His fair complexion had turned a lobster red. Suddenly Elessar
recalled the journey of Caradhras during the War of the Ring, and
snow flecked on the Elf's hair and lining his brows after the
avalanche. He could not help the smile that tugged at the sides of
his mouth.
"Aye. Though you will be delicious meat to Orcs and Wargs, no
doubt," Gimli Gloin's son, and a great friend of the King as well,
teased. "And no one threatened you with a blade to remove hither,
Elf. Who promised that the People of the Wood would bring singing
birds and undying trees to Gondor?"
"I should have left myself out of the 'people of the wood'," Legolas
muttered. He stopped when Eldarion came up asking for a story, with
his sisters, Eldariel and Eldarel, in tow. They tagged along
everywhere and this irritated the boy to no end.
The entire company was relieved as they moved further north and the
heat simmered, rather than boiled. The King had decided to ride
north with the entire royal family, in part to escape the unbearable
summer heat, and to visit again the lands that he missed sorely. His
heart would always be with the North, it was his home. With them,
was a small escort composed of the Guard of the Citadel, the
children's nursemaids to help care for them, Gimli, and Legolas and
his elven folk of Ithilien. Elessar had decided not to bring more
guards;there were no human warriors more skilled than Legolas and
his people, and Gimli was also a stout warrior. They were the best
protection that any King would ever find.
Elessar smiled as he looked around at his collection of family and
friends. Minas Tirith and his kingly duties seemed far behind him
now. He was again a Ranger, Dunadan, wandering in the wilderness,
going whither he pleased. He had left Gondor to the capable hands of
his Steward Faramir and so had no reason to worry unduly.
"We are come to the Golden Wood!" Legolas cried gladly, bringing
Elessar back to the situation at hand. "Aragorn, let us go ahead to
announce our presence, while your men remain at the eaves."
Elessar nodded. He cared not how he was called by his loved ones,
and anyway he actually preferred to go by his old name Aragorn.
Arwen led the way, using the paths through the woods for horses.
Above them the treetops were bathed in a shimmering haze as the
gentle, cooling breeze caressed the yellow flowers. The ground was
strewn with the flowers too; the grey trunks of the trees glimmered
faintly like dull silver.
Soon they met the Elves of Lorien, who recognised them immediately
and bade them enter. Legolas returned with an Elf to fetch the rest
of their procession; Aragorn, Arwen and Gimli were led towards Caras
Galadhon.
The Lord and Lady of Lorien had been expecting them, and greeted
their guests gladly. The oval-shaped chamber where they received
their guests(when there were any) was more packed than it had been
for a long time.
"Here is someone you may be glad to see," Galadriel said, turning to
Arwen. Behind her, Elladan and Elrohir her brothers appeared, and
Arwen exclaimed in delight as she embraced her brothers quickly.
Aragorn shook their hands and then embraced each twin. As brothers
they were to him, as well as brothers-in-law now. The twins smiled
and gave quick nods in greeting to Legolas and Gimli.
Yet behind the brothers was another figure.
"Adar!" Arwen cried out, and Elrond swept his daughter into his arms
and held her tightly.
"You behave in a most ungainly manner for a Queen of Men, Arwen,"
Elladan said with an amused smile.
"I am no Queen here," Arwen answered glibly as she extricated
herself from her father's embrace, blushing slightly.
"You mean the Lord of Imladris behaves ungainly," Elrond defended
his daughter with a smile.
"The feast will begin in the evening," Celeborn announced.
The feast was held under the trees, in a large clearing. Strings of
lanterns snaked around the trunks, and that night the trees looked
like giant glowing fireflies. A roaring bonfire illuminated the
venue. The notes of harps and flutes and horns mingled with the fair
elven songs. Conversations floated back and forth among the merry-
makers; occasionally silver laughter drifted across the night air,
like the clear ringing of bells. Gems and flowers glittered in the
hair and on the clothes of the merry-makers.
Lorien, Eryn Lasgalen and Imladris elves were present, and this
night they mixed together as one;there was no difference between
them. The Beornings and the Woodmen, owing to their close proximity
to the area, had also been invited, and Aragorn's escort joined in.
Plates and bowls were laden with roasted meats, fruits, greens,
savoury stews, think soups, sumptuous pastries(including the honey
cakes of the Beornings, much to Gimli's delight) and a mouth-
watering array of desserts. Bottles of fine wine, some of the better
brews, complemented the fine fare very well indeed.
Legolas's face was content as he lay on the ground with Gimli and
Aragorn's children about him, identifying the stars for the excited
young ones. Legolas's remaining people in his long home Eryn
Lasgalen had arrived with his father Thranduil;the reunion had been
joyful, if a little awkward at first, for Legolas had never felt
truly at ease with his stern father.
Elrond, Arwen, Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir, and Galadriel and
Celeborn sat together and ate and drank, talking about everything
and nothing at once. It was long since they had all been gathered
together like this as a family, and they were cherishing every
second of it. Legolas and Gimli squeezed their way in and smiled as
they watched the little group bantering and trading jokes with each
other. Elladan, Elrohir and Aragorn had now engaged themselves in a
boisterous drinking game and were noisily downing goblets of wine
and challenging one another. They banged their goblets together, a
little too exuberantly, and the wine sloshed out, the cherry-red
wine dotting the white garb of Galadriel. She shook her head as the
trio threw apologetic looks in her direction and went on with their
game. Legolas egged the twins on; Gimli took the side of Aragorn.
Thranduil had been in such a good mood that he had even brought
along his store of the vintage Dorwinion from Eryn Lasgalen(though
he would regret that eventually), which he now offered Celeborn. The
Lord of the Galadhrim gave his kinsman a strange look but accepted
the offer without preamble, and filled the cups of all at his table.
"A toast to the fair Lady Galadriel!" Gimli raised his mug of frothy
ale.
"A toast to the Lord and Lady of Lorien!" All gathered at Celeborn's
table took up the chant, and held their goblets high.
Suddenly Gimli yelped as someone banged into him from behind. The
Dwarf's face landed in the blancmange while his mug flew from his
hand, emptied its contents onto Galadriel, and landed onto the
grass, fortunately without breaking.
Galadriel drew in her breath with a sharp hiss. Her face and hair
dripped with ale, droplets marring her beautiful white gown. The
younger Elves choked on their wine as they resisted the urge to
laugh; Thranduil and Elrond pressed their lips tightly and made
strange noises in an attempt to stem their mirth, but Celeborn her
husband hooted heartily.
Gimli snorted and shook his head like a wet dog, shaking off bits of
the blancmange.
This time the table exploded with laughter, Galadriel included.
Eldarion and his sisters had been playing a game of Tag, and
Eldarion had not noticed where he had been going when he rammed
straight into Gimli. Eyes wide, the children cowered away, afraid.
"Apologize, immediately," Aragorn grew serious and gave his children
a look that meant business.
The children mumbled an apology and fled.
Galadriel excused herself to have herself and her dwarven guest
cleaned up, got up, and spun around, only to walk smack into one of
her servants who had a tray of cakes and another tray of desserts
balanced precariously with her two hands. The laden trays tipped
over and all the food splattered onto Galadriel's gown and arms.
She stood there dumbly, exasperated beyond description.
Cream, with crumbs of cake sticking to it, decorated the soft fabric
of her raiment, and many other stains.
Soon the whole table was guffawing wholeheartedly. The sight of the
Lady of Lorien like this was priceless.
"Come, Galadriel, do not bother with changing," Celeborn laid his
hand on her arm and pulled her back gently, his eyes dancing with
merriment.
"A toast to the Lady Galadriel!"Gimli began again, chuckling,and all
rasied their goblets again and drank to the health of their hosts.
"A toast to my daughter the Lady Celebrian!" Galadriel decided to
take things easily this merry night." She was born on this day."
"To Celebrian my beautiful wife," Elrond declared more quietly. He
had had not as much to drink as the others.
"To our wonderful mother," Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen chorused. All
took a sip from their drinking vessels.
"To my mother Gilraen," Aragorn put in. Another swig, and another
round of the Dorwinion.
"To my mother Tindiel," Legolas added, and turned to his father,
who smiled. Thranduil's eyes were both sad, at the loss of his
treasured wife, and happy at the sweet memories.
"To Elwing my mother," Elrond interjected.
"To Mother!" Eldarion's childish voice piped up out of nowhere.
The clattering of the goblets sounded clearly as Celeborn's guests
held up their goblets at each name, but was drowned out by the noise
of merry-making.
"To my mother Earwen!" Galadriel horned in, her peals of laughter
pitched higher than usual.
"To all the mothers that ever were in Middle Earth!" Gimli
concluded, and the goblets clashed so harshly that they were almost
jarred onto the ground.
Galadriel burped very loudly, so loudly that it echoed through the
clearing, a very unbecoming act indeed. The Dorwinion was a very
potent wine indeed. Then she clapped a hand over her mouth and
actually threw up, all over the ground and her dress.
It was hard to tell whose face was redder, Celeborn or Galadriel's;
the former from embarassment and the latter from being drunk.
Excusing them as gracefully as possible Celeborn literally had to
drag his wife over the grass. The only comfort was that the others
were too engrossed in their activities to notice.
The End
on Mothers' Day, set off by thinking about how small a role females
have to play in Middle Earth. No brilliant plot or anything. Please
review, thanks.
I don't know how many of you celebrate Mothers' Day, but, anyway...
"Father, may we stop, please?"
King Elessar of Gondor and Arnor looked sternly at his eight-year-
old son Eldarion, who was securely perched in front of him on the
man's mount Roheryn, that he had brought south. The boy had insisted
on riding with his father, rather than on his own sturdy pony.
"No, my son. We took a long enough time with lunch."
"Mother, please tell Father that we can stop!" Eldarion turned
imploringly to Queen Undomiel, riding alongside at their right hand
side.
Elessar nearly laughed. The boy had adopted most of his features,
with very similar dark hair and grey eyes, but right then he and his
mother shared the same wheedling look that Arwen turned on him when
she wanted something very badly.
" We do not stop till we reach our campsite tonight. "
"Father!"Eldarion protested loudly.
As if to punctuate his point, a chorus of groans sounded behind him.
"Estel...,"Arwen began, then stopped. Her husband's mouth was
arranged in a crooked smile. He was merely teasing. She returned the
smile easily. She should have known that Estel would always melt
under her puppy-dog look;it was too powerful, and had lost none of
its potency even though she rarely used that tactic. Arwen Undomiel
was not one who easily turned to begging for what she wanted, not
even with her husband.
Elessar selected a sprawling stand of trees to shelter under. It had
been an unusually hot summer. The sun blazed, hotter than the fires
of the now-dormant Oroduin in Mordor, and the air shimmered. The
earth itself was searing with heat.The trees were leafy and the
branches spread extensively, effectively deflecting most of the heat.
"I feel like roasted meat sizzling upon a fire," the royal family's
companion Legolas commented. "Now why did I decide to move south?"
Elessar was secretly gratified to see the Elf's dishevelled
appearance. Sometimes it thoroughly irked him to see his friend seem
immune to all harsh weather conditions and situations. Always the
Elf looked immaculate. Now, though, a sheen of sweat was on the high
forehead, and his golden locks were damp and plastered upon his
head. His fair complexion had turned a lobster red. Suddenly Elessar
recalled the journey of Caradhras during the War of the Ring, and
snow flecked on the Elf's hair and lining his brows after the
avalanche. He could not help the smile that tugged at the sides of
his mouth.
"Aye. Though you will be delicious meat to Orcs and Wargs, no
doubt," Gimli Gloin's son, and a great friend of the King as well,
teased. "And no one threatened you with a blade to remove hither,
Elf. Who promised that the People of the Wood would bring singing
birds and undying trees to Gondor?"
"I should have left myself out of the 'people of the wood'," Legolas
muttered. He stopped when Eldarion came up asking for a story, with
his sisters, Eldariel and Eldarel, in tow. They tagged along
everywhere and this irritated the boy to no end.
The entire company was relieved as they moved further north and the
heat simmered, rather than boiled. The King had decided to ride
north with the entire royal family, in part to escape the unbearable
summer heat, and to visit again the lands that he missed sorely. His
heart would always be with the North, it was his home. With them,
was a small escort composed of the Guard of the Citadel, the
children's nursemaids to help care for them, Gimli, and Legolas and
his elven folk of Ithilien. Elessar had decided not to bring more
guards;there were no human warriors more skilled than Legolas and
his people, and Gimli was also a stout warrior. They were the best
protection that any King would ever find.
Elessar smiled as he looked around at his collection of family and
friends. Minas Tirith and his kingly duties seemed far behind him
now. He was again a Ranger, Dunadan, wandering in the wilderness,
going whither he pleased. He had left Gondor to the capable hands of
his Steward Faramir and so had no reason to worry unduly.
"We are come to the Golden Wood!" Legolas cried gladly, bringing
Elessar back to the situation at hand. "Aragorn, let us go ahead to
announce our presence, while your men remain at the eaves."
Elessar nodded. He cared not how he was called by his loved ones,
and anyway he actually preferred to go by his old name Aragorn.
Arwen led the way, using the paths through the woods for horses.
Above them the treetops were bathed in a shimmering haze as the
gentle, cooling breeze caressed the yellow flowers. The ground was
strewn with the flowers too; the grey trunks of the trees glimmered
faintly like dull silver.
Soon they met the Elves of Lorien, who recognised them immediately
and bade them enter. Legolas returned with an Elf to fetch the rest
of their procession; Aragorn, Arwen and Gimli were led towards Caras
Galadhon.
The Lord and Lady of Lorien had been expecting them, and greeted
their guests gladly. The oval-shaped chamber where they received
their guests(when there were any) was more packed than it had been
for a long time.
"Here is someone you may be glad to see," Galadriel said, turning to
Arwen. Behind her, Elladan and Elrohir her brothers appeared, and
Arwen exclaimed in delight as she embraced her brothers quickly.
Aragorn shook their hands and then embraced each twin. As brothers
they were to him, as well as brothers-in-law now. The twins smiled
and gave quick nods in greeting to Legolas and Gimli.
Yet behind the brothers was another figure.
"Adar!" Arwen cried out, and Elrond swept his daughter into his arms
and held her tightly.
"You behave in a most ungainly manner for a Queen of Men, Arwen,"
Elladan said with an amused smile.
"I am no Queen here," Arwen answered glibly as she extricated
herself from her father's embrace, blushing slightly.
"You mean the Lord of Imladris behaves ungainly," Elrond defended
his daughter with a smile.
"The feast will begin in the evening," Celeborn announced.
The feast was held under the trees, in a large clearing. Strings of
lanterns snaked around the trunks, and that night the trees looked
like giant glowing fireflies. A roaring bonfire illuminated the
venue. The notes of harps and flutes and horns mingled with the fair
elven songs. Conversations floated back and forth among the merry-
makers; occasionally silver laughter drifted across the night air,
like the clear ringing of bells. Gems and flowers glittered in the
hair and on the clothes of the merry-makers.
Lorien, Eryn Lasgalen and Imladris elves were present, and this
night they mixed together as one;there was no difference between
them. The Beornings and the Woodmen, owing to their close proximity
to the area, had also been invited, and Aragorn's escort joined in.
Plates and bowls were laden with roasted meats, fruits, greens,
savoury stews, think soups, sumptuous pastries(including the honey
cakes of the Beornings, much to Gimli's delight) and a mouth-
watering array of desserts. Bottles of fine wine, some of the better
brews, complemented the fine fare very well indeed.
Legolas's face was content as he lay on the ground with Gimli and
Aragorn's children about him, identifying the stars for the excited
young ones. Legolas's remaining people in his long home Eryn
Lasgalen had arrived with his father Thranduil;the reunion had been
joyful, if a little awkward at first, for Legolas had never felt
truly at ease with his stern father.
Elrond, Arwen, Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir, and Galadriel and
Celeborn sat together and ate and drank, talking about everything
and nothing at once. It was long since they had all been gathered
together like this as a family, and they were cherishing every
second of it. Legolas and Gimli squeezed their way in and smiled as
they watched the little group bantering and trading jokes with each
other. Elladan, Elrohir and Aragorn had now engaged themselves in a
boisterous drinking game and were noisily downing goblets of wine
and challenging one another. They banged their goblets together, a
little too exuberantly, and the wine sloshed out, the cherry-red
wine dotting the white garb of Galadriel. She shook her head as the
trio threw apologetic looks in her direction and went on with their
game. Legolas egged the twins on; Gimli took the side of Aragorn.
Thranduil had been in such a good mood that he had even brought
along his store of the vintage Dorwinion from Eryn Lasgalen(though
he would regret that eventually), which he now offered Celeborn. The
Lord of the Galadhrim gave his kinsman a strange look but accepted
the offer without preamble, and filled the cups of all at his table.
"A toast to the fair Lady Galadriel!" Gimli raised his mug of frothy
ale.
"A toast to the Lord and Lady of Lorien!" All gathered at Celeborn's
table took up the chant, and held their goblets high.
Suddenly Gimli yelped as someone banged into him from behind. The
Dwarf's face landed in the blancmange while his mug flew from his
hand, emptied its contents onto Galadriel, and landed onto the
grass, fortunately without breaking.
Galadriel drew in her breath with a sharp hiss. Her face and hair
dripped with ale, droplets marring her beautiful white gown. The
younger Elves choked on their wine as they resisted the urge to
laugh; Thranduil and Elrond pressed their lips tightly and made
strange noises in an attempt to stem their mirth, but Celeborn her
husband hooted heartily.
Gimli snorted and shook his head like a wet dog, shaking off bits of
the blancmange.
This time the table exploded with laughter, Galadriel included.
Eldarion and his sisters had been playing a game of Tag, and
Eldarion had not noticed where he had been going when he rammed
straight into Gimli. Eyes wide, the children cowered away, afraid.
"Apologize, immediately," Aragorn grew serious and gave his children
a look that meant business.
The children mumbled an apology and fled.
Galadriel excused herself to have herself and her dwarven guest
cleaned up, got up, and spun around, only to walk smack into one of
her servants who had a tray of cakes and another tray of desserts
balanced precariously with her two hands. The laden trays tipped
over and all the food splattered onto Galadriel's gown and arms.
She stood there dumbly, exasperated beyond description.
Cream, with crumbs of cake sticking to it, decorated the soft fabric
of her raiment, and many other stains.
Soon the whole table was guffawing wholeheartedly. The sight of the
Lady of Lorien like this was priceless.
"Come, Galadriel, do not bother with changing," Celeborn laid his
hand on her arm and pulled her back gently, his eyes dancing with
merriment.
"A toast to the Lady Galadriel!"Gimli began again, chuckling,and all
rasied their goblets again and drank to the health of their hosts.
"A toast to my daughter the Lady Celebrian!" Galadriel decided to
take things easily this merry night." She was born on this day."
"To Celebrian my beautiful wife," Elrond declared more quietly. He
had had not as much to drink as the others.
"To our wonderful mother," Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen chorused. All
took a sip from their drinking vessels.
"To my mother Gilraen," Aragorn put in. Another swig, and another
round of the Dorwinion.
"To my mother Tindiel," Legolas added, and turned to his father,
who smiled. Thranduil's eyes were both sad, at the loss of his
treasured wife, and happy at the sweet memories.
"To Elwing my mother," Elrond interjected.
"To Mother!" Eldarion's childish voice piped up out of nowhere.
The clattering of the goblets sounded clearly as Celeborn's guests
held up their goblets at each name, but was drowned out by the noise
of merry-making.
"To my mother Earwen!" Galadriel horned in, her peals of laughter
pitched higher than usual.
"To all the mothers that ever were in Middle Earth!" Gimli
concluded, and the goblets clashed so harshly that they were almost
jarred onto the ground.
Galadriel burped very loudly, so loudly that it echoed through the
clearing, a very unbecoming act indeed. The Dorwinion was a very
potent wine indeed. Then she clapped a hand over her mouth and
actually threw up, all over the ground and her dress.
It was hard to tell whose face was redder, Celeborn or Galadriel's;
the former from embarassment and the latter from being drunk.
Excusing them as gracefully as possible Celeborn literally had to
drag his wife over the grass. The only comfort was that the others
were too engrossed in their activities to notice.
The End