Laesien ran the brush through Zerameth's black hair for the 63rd time. "How did your day go along?" she asked gently.
Zerameth smiled a bit. "It was fine. And yours?"
Laesien shook her head. "Prince Tellyn is excruciating."
"What did he do?"
Laesien knew that she could never tell her elder sister of her and Tellyn's pact, so she did not tell her anything specific. Laesien had a great conscience, and she would not be able to bear flat-out lying. "He has been his self."
Zerameth smiled a bit. "Yes, I can understand how that would be a problem. Sister, might I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"Have I changed, since… since Yrinvan? You know me as well as anyone else in Middle-Earth, so I think that if I do not know something about myself, maybe you will. Maybe you know me better than I do."
Laesien shook her head. "I doubt that. However, I do think you may have changed a bit."
"Go on."
"Well, you were quite a bit more of a boy back when we were younger. You were more aggressive, and violent, and positively refused to wear a dress on every occasion. You've grown up and accepted things, though I think, should you have a choice, that you would still rather be a man. You are more quiet, more… settled. You have learned to deal with what is."
"Do you suppose that the death of a close friend would teach me to accept things?"
Laesien nodded. "Yes, I suppose it would." She gave her sister's hair two more strokes to complete 100 and placed the brush in her sister's soft, pale hands and turned so that she may have her hair brushed as well.
"I am worried about Ohtar. Do you think he is handsome?"
Laesien smiled. "He would be by now, would he not?"
"He was when we were younger. He could not have changed much, being an Elf and all. Do you think he remembers me?"
"Undoubtedly. Elves have keen memories… and besides, it was merely five years ago."
"Will something happen between Addrynnyn and I? I desperately hope not."
"I am not a fortune teller, sister, and I could not tell you if anything were to happen. Perhaps you should tell Prince Addrynnyn of Ohtar, and Yrinvan, too, while you are telling him of your past."
"I doubt that I would have the courage to do that."
"Courage is something that you have never been short on."
Zerameth smiled. "15," she counted aloud so that Laesien would know where she was as far as the strokes went. "Love is confusing."
"I would not know."
Zerameth smiled. "Your time will come. I thought… I thought that I needed to choose between Yrinvan and Ohtar, and that one of them was the one for me. After Yrinvan died, I was sure that Ohtar was meant for me, but then we parted and I was not so sure. If it was fate, then why would it separate us? So, he was not, and then I fell in love with Addrynnyn. So why does my stomach twist and turn when I think of seeing Ohtar again? I certainly do not love him anymore, do I? Or did I even love him in the first place… or do I really love Addrynnyn?"
"Are you asking me, or thinking aloud?" Laesien asked. "If you are addressing me, I could not tell you the answers."
"I am not sure if I am thinking or asking. I do not even know the words I speak. I confuse myself. 30."
There was a knock on the door and Lady Arwen peeked in. "Girls? Goodnight."
"Sleep well, mother," Zerameth said.
"Mirkwood may be early," she reported, stepping in. "They may get here late tomorrow night."
"Is Lord Legolas going to come?" Zerameth asked conversationally.
Arwen's eyes glowed as she answered, "I think so."
"Are you nervous, mother?"
Arwen looked in surprise at the older of her two daughters. "Why, no actually. Merely excited. Why would I be nervous?"
"Well, did you ever love him?"
A great smile appeared on Arwen's face as she laughed out loud. "I thought I did one time, yes. Later, I realized that it was no more than a close friendship mixed in with a physical attraction that made me think that way. Then, years after, I met and fell in love with your father."
"How do you know when you are in love? I have had three young men now that I thought I was in love with, and now… now I cannot be sure."
"If you are not sure, then none of them are love. When you are in love, you will know it. Be clear, however, sometimes falling in love the moment you see the person is not how it works. I needed to get to know Aragorn before I knew I loved him… we even shared a few kisses before I actually truly loved him. Maybe one of these young men is the intended for you, but just not yet. Never rule anyone out, and trust your heart."
"Should I love someone other than Addrynnyn, what then?"
Arwen's smile evaporated and she looked at her child seriously, trying to decide what to say. It was too late to fall in love with anyone else… Zerameth had been promised to Addrynnyn for five years now, and would be wed in one more year. Though, Arwen could not deny her daughter love… she would not be able to force her child to marry someone that she did not love when she knew she loved someone else. Yet… she had to marry Addrynnyn.
"Go to sleep," Arwen told her. "Finish your sister's hair, then go to sleep."
"But mother-"
"Everything works out for the greater good," Arwen said. "Now, I am tired. I shall see you both in the morning." She kissed both of them on the forehead and traded goodnights with them once again, then left.
"Well! I suppose I must love Addrynnyn," Zerameth mumbled.
"Would you be so opposed to marrying him?" Laesien asked. "Your marriage cannot be worse than mine to Tellyn."
"No, I could see myself being quite happy with Addrynnyn. However, should I love someone else… I am not sure I could do something such as that."
"You shall put your feelings into place soon enough. It should not be a challenge for someone such as you."
Zerameth smiled. "You are the scholar in the family, Laesien. I wish you could help me."
"Sometimes we must learn things by ourselves. Though lonely, a lesson learned would not be truly learned should it not be experienced."
"You are right."
