I continued to look at her beautiful elven face and I just smiled back at
her. It seemed the most polite thing to do besides speak, but I couldn't
bring myself to do that yet. I looked at her uncomfortably just waiting for
someone to speak and break the tension building up as well as the silence.
We all just looked at each other and now I was really feeling
uncomfortable. I just couldn't bring myself to say anything. Finally when I
did get the courage to speak. Isilme beat me to it.
"Will you not join me for dinner. Come let us enter together and we shall dine together. Ilhan you are most welcome too." She said.
"I'm sorry Lady Isilme but I must go back to the king now. I know that Lady Fatima is in good hands." He smiled at Isilme and then he looked to me and smiled. I really wanted Ilhan to stay but he left before I could say anything. Isilme entered her home and I followed her. Inside was just as beautiful as the outside. The grey stone walls were beautifully decorated with vines and growing from the vines were beautiful yellow flowers. As we walked into the dining room, I saw a large wooden table decorated with foreign foods. I was not aware of what elves ate, but I was sure it would taste delicious. There was bread and some berries and all kinds of different foods. But none looked to be very filling, all the food looked light, it didn't seem any of the food could fill a women's stomach let alone a man's.
She gestured for me to pull out a chair that was on the end of the table. She took the chair at the head of the table. "Please Fatima do not be shy, do eat fill your plate." She said. She took her own plate into her hands and began to put some bread on her plate and some berries. Then she put her plate in front of her and took the bowl that was beside her plate. She opened the lid of a pot placed it beside the pot, and then she took a large spoon and put 3 spoons full of the unusual soup like food that was inside. Then she put the spoon down and replaced the lid. She looked at me and then waited for me to put my food.
I picked up my plate and put some bread and berries in it. I decided to taste the soup so I took the bowl and placed 2 spoons full into it. Isilme looked at me while I did this. "Fatima that is a vegetarian soup. It has diced vegetables in it with different herbs. I myself do not like meat, I hope you do enjoy it. Also that bread is called lembas, its elvish way bread and it one bite can fill a grown man's stomach. We eat that if we are still hungry at the end of our meal." She said smiling.
I was glad she told me as I was intending to eat the lembas first. I began with the berries while I waited for the soup to cool down. I took two small blueberries into my hand and placed them into my mouth. They tasted delicious so I ate a few more. When I had finished the berries, I moved my plate aside and place the bowl in front of me. I took my spoon into my hand and I tasted the soup. It too was delicious and I quickly finished the bowl. I decided against going for seconds, and I just decided to have the bread. I was sure that would fill me up.
I took the bread into my hands and ripped of a small piece. I ate it and soundly I felt that my stomach was filling. I ripped of another small piece and ate I too, when I swallowed it my stomach now felt full. The lembas was very tasty and filling. I looked at Isilme and saw she had just taken a small bite of her lembas. When she swallowed it she looked to me. "What do you think of elvish food Lady Fatima?" She asked smiling.
"It is delicious thank you Lady Isilme, you have been most kind." I said. As I finished speaking the plates and food were taken from the table by three elves. They seemed to be very young, yet I knew they weren't. But in elvish years they were. Lady Isilme herself looks the same age as me but I know she is much older.
"I'm glad to her this Lady Fatima. Come we shall wash up and then I shall show you to your room, where you can sleep if you wish." She said as she got up from her chair.
"Yes I do feel a little tired and I do think I should get some rest." I said. I could feel a yawn coming on but I swallowed it. I didn't want Lady Isilme to see that I was really tired for some reason. She began to lead me out of the dining room into a hallway. As we walked through the hallway I looked at the paintings hanging on the wall. Most were of Lady Isilme and some elf. He looked like one of the elves I saw at the king's chambers. Lady Isilme stopped and looked at me.
"The elf in the paintings with me is my verno, Aglareb." She said. I suspected that he was her husband, but I wasn't sure if that's what verno meant. Lady Isilme must have seen my puzzled expression.
"Please forgive me Lady Fatima, verno means husband in common speech. You do not know any words of the elvish language?" She asked. I was too shy to say no but I didn't want to lie.
"Please call me Fatima and no I do not know. I haven't been taught the language, as not many in Rohan know the language. But I know Lord Aragorn King of Gondor knows the language, as he is what you call elendil?" I wasn't sure if I had said it properly, but I must have, as Lady Isilme understood me.
"Yes Lord Aragorn is and elf-friend, he was raised in Rivendell. And please I think calling each other by their first name would be proper now, so call me Isilme." She said smiling. "And I think if we have time I shall teach you elvish, and hopefully you will know a few words before you leave Mirkwood." She said.
"That would be lovely, I would be honoured if you taught me your language." I said. I was overjoyed to know that Isilme was willing to teach me her language. We continued to walk and we washed up and then she showed me to my room. It was just as beautiful as the room I stayed in at King Eomer's castle. It was like all the other rooms in the house. The grey stone walls were covered with yellow and red flowers sprouting from vines. Looking at the vines I suspected that it was some sort of elvish magic that made these vines grow and live.
"This is your room. If you need anything my room is the room at the end of the hallway, but I suspect I will be in the library which is the room before the dining room." She said. I couldn't believe that this elf was being so kind to me.
"Thank you very much Isilme. You have only showed me kindness and I will try to find a way to repay you. If you do ever decide to visit Rohan please let me know." I said smiling. I knew that an elf like Isilme wouldn't visit Rohan but I thought that may be she might. I was very surprised with the way all the elves have treated me, especially Prince Legolas, Mimosa and Isilme. I was told that elves were arrogant and didn't enjoy the company of mortals. I was told that elves thought they were above mortals and treated them that way. But I know that, that is not true with all the courtesy I have been shown since I arrived here.
Elves are not emotionless, but they do express their emotions in a different way to mortals. It really did sadden me to know that they will not be staying on middle-earth forever. This thought reminded me of King Aragorn. He was married to an Arwen and she is an elf, a man and an elf in love. This did bring a smile to my face and the idea did me feel warm, to know that one elf will be staying on middle-earth.
"Isilme, I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you want to leave middle- earth?" I asked. I felt a little embarrassed after I asked but I couldn't take it back, as Isilme was about to answer.
"I have thought about it and if I did have a choice, I would chose a mortal life. I am fascinated with mortals and I wish to travel around the middle- earth. I would like to travel with you and Prince Legolas to Gondor, but my verno would never allow that or King Thranduil." She said. I saw this subject brought sadness to her face, so I tried to change the topic.
"Well thank you Isilme for being so kind to me, I am very tired and I think I shall need some sleep." I said.
"Yes it does look like you need some. If you like tomorrow I shall show you around Mirkwood." She said.
"I would like that, good night Isilme." I said, this time I couldn't swallow my yawn, so I covered my mouth. I heard Isilme laugh pleasantly.
"Good night, Fatima. May your dreams be peaceful, and sweet." She said and then closed the door after her. Next to the bed was a candle, which lit up the room. I found that my belongings were already in the room so I quickly changed into my sleepwear. I jumped into the bed and put the blankets over me. I sat up and blew out the candle, the room was now pitch black. I closed my eyes and went into a deep, dreamless sleep.
"Will you not join me for dinner. Come let us enter together and we shall dine together. Ilhan you are most welcome too." She said.
"I'm sorry Lady Isilme but I must go back to the king now. I know that Lady Fatima is in good hands." He smiled at Isilme and then he looked to me and smiled. I really wanted Ilhan to stay but he left before I could say anything. Isilme entered her home and I followed her. Inside was just as beautiful as the outside. The grey stone walls were beautifully decorated with vines and growing from the vines were beautiful yellow flowers. As we walked into the dining room, I saw a large wooden table decorated with foreign foods. I was not aware of what elves ate, but I was sure it would taste delicious. There was bread and some berries and all kinds of different foods. But none looked to be very filling, all the food looked light, it didn't seem any of the food could fill a women's stomach let alone a man's.
She gestured for me to pull out a chair that was on the end of the table. She took the chair at the head of the table. "Please Fatima do not be shy, do eat fill your plate." She said. She took her own plate into her hands and began to put some bread on her plate and some berries. Then she put her plate in front of her and took the bowl that was beside her plate. She opened the lid of a pot placed it beside the pot, and then she took a large spoon and put 3 spoons full of the unusual soup like food that was inside. Then she put the spoon down and replaced the lid. She looked at me and then waited for me to put my food.
I picked up my plate and put some bread and berries in it. I decided to taste the soup so I took the bowl and placed 2 spoons full into it. Isilme looked at me while I did this. "Fatima that is a vegetarian soup. It has diced vegetables in it with different herbs. I myself do not like meat, I hope you do enjoy it. Also that bread is called lembas, its elvish way bread and it one bite can fill a grown man's stomach. We eat that if we are still hungry at the end of our meal." She said smiling.
I was glad she told me as I was intending to eat the lembas first. I began with the berries while I waited for the soup to cool down. I took two small blueberries into my hand and placed them into my mouth. They tasted delicious so I ate a few more. When I had finished the berries, I moved my plate aside and place the bowl in front of me. I took my spoon into my hand and I tasted the soup. It too was delicious and I quickly finished the bowl. I decided against going for seconds, and I just decided to have the bread. I was sure that would fill me up.
I took the bread into my hands and ripped of a small piece. I ate it and soundly I felt that my stomach was filling. I ripped of another small piece and ate I too, when I swallowed it my stomach now felt full. The lembas was very tasty and filling. I looked at Isilme and saw she had just taken a small bite of her lembas. When she swallowed it she looked to me. "What do you think of elvish food Lady Fatima?" She asked smiling.
"It is delicious thank you Lady Isilme, you have been most kind." I said. As I finished speaking the plates and food were taken from the table by three elves. They seemed to be very young, yet I knew they weren't. But in elvish years they were. Lady Isilme herself looks the same age as me but I know she is much older.
"I'm glad to her this Lady Fatima. Come we shall wash up and then I shall show you to your room, where you can sleep if you wish." She said as she got up from her chair.
"Yes I do feel a little tired and I do think I should get some rest." I said. I could feel a yawn coming on but I swallowed it. I didn't want Lady Isilme to see that I was really tired for some reason. She began to lead me out of the dining room into a hallway. As we walked through the hallway I looked at the paintings hanging on the wall. Most were of Lady Isilme and some elf. He looked like one of the elves I saw at the king's chambers. Lady Isilme stopped and looked at me.
"The elf in the paintings with me is my verno, Aglareb." She said. I suspected that he was her husband, but I wasn't sure if that's what verno meant. Lady Isilme must have seen my puzzled expression.
"Please forgive me Lady Fatima, verno means husband in common speech. You do not know any words of the elvish language?" She asked. I was too shy to say no but I didn't want to lie.
"Please call me Fatima and no I do not know. I haven't been taught the language, as not many in Rohan know the language. But I know Lord Aragorn King of Gondor knows the language, as he is what you call elendil?" I wasn't sure if I had said it properly, but I must have, as Lady Isilme understood me.
"Yes Lord Aragorn is and elf-friend, he was raised in Rivendell. And please I think calling each other by their first name would be proper now, so call me Isilme." She said smiling. "And I think if we have time I shall teach you elvish, and hopefully you will know a few words before you leave Mirkwood." She said.
"That would be lovely, I would be honoured if you taught me your language." I said. I was overjoyed to know that Isilme was willing to teach me her language. We continued to walk and we washed up and then she showed me to my room. It was just as beautiful as the room I stayed in at King Eomer's castle. It was like all the other rooms in the house. The grey stone walls were covered with yellow and red flowers sprouting from vines. Looking at the vines I suspected that it was some sort of elvish magic that made these vines grow and live.
"This is your room. If you need anything my room is the room at the end of the hallway, but I suspect I will be in the library which is the room before the dining room." She said. I couldn't believe that this elf was being so kind to me.
"Thank you very much Isilme. You have only showed me kindness and I will try to find a way to repay you. If you do ever decide to visit Rohan please let me know." I said smiling. I knew that an elf like Isilme wouldn't visit Rohan but I thought that may be she might. I was very surprised with the way all the elves have treated me, especially Prince Legolas, Mimosa and Isilme. I was told that elves were arrogant and didn't enjoy the company of mortals. I was told that elves thought they were above mortals and treated them that way. But I know that, that is not true with all the courtesy I have been shown since I arrived here.
Elves are not emotionless, but they do express their emotions in a different way to mortals. It really did sadden me to know that they will not be staying on middle-earth forever. This thought reminded me of King Aragorn. He was married to an Arwen and she is an elf, a man and an elf in love. This did bring a smile to my face and the idea did me feel warm, to know that one elf will be staying on middle-earth.
"Isilme, I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you want to leave middle- earth?" I asked. I felt a little embarrassed after I asked but I couldn't take it back, as Isilme was about to answer.
"I have thought about it and if I did have a choice, I would chose a mortal life. I am fascinated with mortals and I wish to travel around the middle- earth. I would like to travel with you and Prince Legolas to Gondor, but my verno would never allow that or King Thranduil." She said. I saw this subject brought sadness to her face, so I tried to change the topic.
"Well thank you Isilme for being so kind to me, I am very tired and I think I shall need some sleep." I said.
"Yes it does look like you need some. If you like tomorrow I shall show you around Mirkwood." She said.
"I would like that, good night Isilme." I said, this time I couldn't swallow my yawn, so I covered my mouth. I heard Isilme laugh pleasantly.
"Good night, Fatima. May your dreams be peaceful, and sweet." She said and then closed the door after her. Next to the bed was a candle, which lit up the room. I found that my belongings were already in the room so I quickly changed into my sleepwear. I jumped into the bed and put the blankets over me. I sat up and blew out the candle, the room was now pitch black. I closed my eyes and went into a deep, dreamless sleep.