LOVE'S CHANCE AT FATE
PLEASE REVIEW SO I CAN POST THE NEXT CHAPTER!! I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT ^_^
**AHEM** Please don't sue me for changes in plot lines, the use of Tolkien's world, or Elvish translations. Word translations made possible by:
So please don't sue me. I CITED!
Chapter Eight: The Birthday Present
"No, I told you not to do that sweetie. Why don't you see if your cousin will take you out to the gardens this afternoon? I'm sure she'd enjoy your company." Elwen had not physically aged a day since Vilisse had left. A young elf jumped off the soft pillow she had been poking at and ran outside as her mother sighed, watching the fleeing child. Two years after Vilisse had been lost, Elwen had conceived another child. This child did not resemble her late sister one bit. In place of Vilisse's soft dark hair, her younger sister's golden hair flowed wavily down her back. Instead of Vilisse's athletic muscular curves, the girl exhibited a dainty bone structure. The only resemblance the girl had that could pair her with her older sister were her brilliant eyes. They were most unusual, as her sister's had been. Both siblings had deep emerald eyes cast in an almond shape that did not resemble anyone in their family gene pool one bit.
Though the child was but 50, she was still promising to her father, and a joy to all around her. Many could forsee that she would grow to be quite a lady someday. Her mother loved her with all her heart, and would not let her husband make the same mistake. Elwen vowed she would not let her husband take their child away for years on end, or enter her in a courtship. Thus their daughter grew up away from many of the trifle her elder sister had once delt with. She had no extensive knowledge of Mirkwood, nor of the woods and navigation. That, after all, had aided in her sister's escape, and her parents would not be so foolish as to give this daughter that tool.
The elven child, named Andellia, grew to be the center of her mother's heart. As an older child of 60 , she began to take to lady like qualities, much to the delight of her parents. By the time she reached 83, it was certain that her good breeding would land her somewhere better than an old maid or a fierce warrior wanderer. On her 100th birthday, she was given a marvelous gift. That night was a grand celebration, not only celebrating her birthday, but also that of the promotion of her father to reign as a Lord of the Southern Quarter, where their large home dwelt. He acted as chief governor and correspondent to the King Thranduil.
"And so, my dear family and friends, I thank you for your support and hospitality you have shown me. I would also like to thank Eu himself, for this fortune I have received, and the honor to be celebrating this event with my daughter's birthday!" Clapping sounded across the floor.
"I thank you once again for your generosity and kindness, enjoy the lovely evening!" The clapping sounded for the last time and Huore sat down at the table next to his daughter.
"Great speech father." She whispered in her father's ear. He smiled lovingly back at her.
"My dear daughter, I have something for you that has been passed down in my family from my grandmother." He pulled out a small satchel wrapped in a sliver silken cloth that shimmered underneath the dim light. She held her breath as she took it from him, wondering what could be so important for something so small. The silk slid off to reveal a beautiful irregularly shaped blue pendant that glistened on the end of a platinum chain.
"Father . . . this . . . this is for me?" She looked at him. "Certainly I am not worthy of such a jewel!"
"My Andellia," He smiled kindly at her, "this is no ordinary jewel. It is your heirloom. Hold it up to the light and look through it." She did as he instructed. The light from the candle lit it up and made it shine like a blue diamond. She took it down, staring at it in wonder, feeling the warmth that seemed to radiate from it.
"It is yours as long as you live. A gift from your Grandmother, I should say. Do you like it?"
"Father, " she said, tears forming in her eyes, "It is most beautiful... I love it!" She hugged her father. "But a strange magick appears through its luster..." He began to put it around her neck.
"Yes, I thought you would notice. Not many have lived to see such a stone. It is indeed a Livie Stone, which often show things to some but not to others. I can see that you two make a perfect match."
"How did Grandma chance upon it? I thought that Livie stones were nearly extinct..." She asked, holding up her hair so he could join the clasps.
"Yes, they ARE extinct. And she did not chance upon it. But that is a story for another time. Now is the time to engage in a little dancing. Would you give me the pleasure, my fairest daughter?" He stood up, and she took her father's hand confidently. Andellia had been named one of the most graceful in her talent for musical dance.
"I thought I was your ONLY daughter!" She said with a grin. Something clouded his eyes, so she thought at that moment, but his grin never faded.
"That you are!" And off they went, laughing in the light that held such innocence and peace.
For the rest of the night, she could feel the stone's warmth lay against her chest. Often she would wonder how just a little stone could give her such comfort. Had Huore known its meaning, he would never have given it to her.
An unknown shudder woke the sleeping Vilisse. She sat upright, feeling the tension in her chest, and moved her stone aside as she felt the searing pain where it had lain on her. She quickly took it off, and looked at it in the dark. It seemed to be emitting a blue hue that lit up the room enough for her to light a candle. When she held up the stone, what she felt made her immensely warm. The light glowed fiercely on her hand, and it burned her so much that she had to put it down so she would not be branded. It lay on her night stand, and when she reached out for it, after its fierce light had faded, it seemed to be cooler. Vilisse lay awake awhile, pondering if this had any meaning. She had been given her stone on her 100th birthday, long ago. Her father had only told her that it was an extinct stone that meant everything to their family. Her Grandmother had acquired it somehow, though he had never told her how.
But this passed from her mind and she blew out the fading candle, letting sleepiness take her over.
Translations:
Vilisse: (meaning in Quenya) a person's "spirit", meaning his or her general personality and attitude.
Huore: Heart-vigor, aggressive in the ways of the heart (traditional spelled with two dots above the e, however my computer doesn't know the codes).
Istima: Knowledge, learned.
Elwen: Hearted- to have heart.
Arandur: A King's servant, Steward.
()
