Chapter Seven
A/N: Sorry about the delay. My beta reader had several technical difficulties as well as life issues. I've been writing during the down time, so hopefully I will be able to get back on a regular schedule.
"Ronyo, child, we've been looking all over for you." Galadriel said as the girl looked up from the papers in front of her. "What are you doing here?"
"Celeborn said I could stay with him today. He was in a meeting and still is, I guess. I came here because things were becoming redundant and to be quite honest, boring. I miss Gandalf and his half answers. They are much better than the constant droning of advisors that must explain every detail down to the fletching on an arrow. How do you manage it?"
"Ahhh… Now that is one of the best kept secrets in all of Middle Earth," Galadriel said seating herself in one of the chairs across from Celeborn's desk, "I let him handle all of the missives, paper work and majority of the council meetings."
"What? All of it?"
"No, not all. The day-to-day runnings of Lorein I can take care of with ease. I also screen all of our visitors to determine their purpose in the Wood."
"But how does he keep up with all of this?" Ronyo gestured to the loose papers and books all around his office.
"Now, that you must ask him. He has his own…organizational skills. Usually things are not this bad; those Mirkwood advisors are trying to the nerves.
But I must go and I will leave you to your work. Do not be late for dinner, and bring my husband with you."
Ronyo returned to the document she was reading as Galadriel slipped out of the door. Though her Sindarin was improving it was not nearly complete when it came to writing. Seeing a half translated document in Celeborn's own pen, she picked up where he left off. Might as well practice something while I'm here. Seems I find nothing interesting to read here she thought.
But as the minutes went by, she had completed the document and was looking over the translation. A simple matter yes, but it needed a solution that would please all sides. From her knowledge of the history of Mirkwood, Ronyo knew that Mirkwood elves could be stubborn and quite unreasonable. She began to pen her thoughts and was so engrossed in them that she did not notice the other being in the study. It was Celeborn and the tense elf-lord had been looking for her at his wife's insistence.
"Ronyo, Galadriel was concerned. You were not at the pools to bathe for lunch and she was concerned that you had picked my study to hide in."
Ronyo blushed at the truth of his words. She had indeed come here after leaving the meeting, but it wasn't entirely out of boredom. The room reminded her of Celeborn, the one person that she still had left after Gandalf's morning departure. It then dawned on her that Galadriel's appearance this morning was not merely by chance. She looked up into questioning green eyes and whether it was Celeborn's own powers at work on only her guilty conscience, she sighed and whispered, "I miss Gandalf and I had come here because it reminds me of you."
He gave her a gentle hug and replied, "I'm sorry I couldn't spend time with you this morning. Trust me; these piles of paperwork would have been much preferred over that meeting. Anything would have been better. But come and let us find something to eat and take our minds off of business."
"Is it possible…"
"What, Ronyo, speak your mind."
"Could we have lunch here or must we attend lunch in the hall. I'm not really up to facing a bunch of people today."
"Ahh. I understand, but we must make an appearance. I am required by protocol, and you are required by the Lady Galadriel. The Mirkwood party will be there for lunch and dinner as well. However, we are only required for dinner itself." His eyes glinted mischievously as he continued, "Perhaps we might take a walk and per chance end up at the stables."
"Aye and since we are there, we must see to our mounts, get caught up in things and we take a ride," Ronyo replied smiling.
"I see that I still have the ability to reach an accord with someone around here. For that I am thankful. But we must hurry. You must be dressed for lunch.
As they headed down to their chambers Ronyo thought of yesterday, the first time they had ridden together. Celeborn had been so serene then, much like the day they'd first met. He stopped at her door and Galadriel opened it. Celeborn winced at something she'd mentally passed to him.
Turning to Ronyo, "Well then, you can report to the meeting rooms after lunch and we will continue your lessons after dinner. No need to waste the entire day." He winked as he left and Galadriel just shook her head, shooing the she-elf inside to pick some clothes appropriate for lunch.
Later that evening after a disappearance that could only be described as magical, Celeborn reappeared in his office for a quick check on some documents. He knew that he would have to be at the stables, but he'd slid out exactly when the dinner was officially ended, while most milled around the tables. Ronyo would most likely still be in the hall, as her place near Galadriel's watchful eye would not allow her to slip away unnoticed. However, it had provided the perfect cover for him.
On his already cluttered desk he could see several more missives had been placed on his desk along with several reports that would need to be filed. Galadriel took care of the so-called 'reading' of them. It was easier for her to collect the information from the writer mentally when they had a moment, but the written document was still a necessary evil. Celeborn pushed the missives aside and stacked the reports with their accumulating mates on the chair. He missed his assistant that had been there temporarily in order to recover from some serious injuries incurred in an attack at one of the distant border posts.
"Now where are those Mirkwood documents," he muttered turning around the cluttered office. He'd need a new assistant and he'd need one soon. The said documents were discussing issues of weaponry supply and possible aid, though he strongly doubted that Thranduil would accept any aid. They were found on a chair next to the window with several other papers on the small writing desk to the side. How strange he thought I usually read in the opposite corner in the evening, but this….this is Ronyo's work.
Scanning the document, Celeborn began to nod his head at the reply. Yes, yes, what a way to get Thranduil to accept the aid and get the weapons he'd requested. Although it was more that he would usually give, the Mirkwood King would be more amenable to things if they were closer to his own terms. He'd been playing with ways to lend aid to Thranduil without injury to either ruler's pride and this set up might just work.
TBC in chapter 8