Flower of Gondor
~
To all reviewers just want to point out a little fun fact dealing with names. Think Ciara is a crappy elven name? I could have named her Figwit. That's right, there is a character card for a Lord of the Rings character named Figwit, or should I say Figgy? And that's all I have to say about that.
~
Ciara sunk under the warmth of the bath a servant had prepared for her. It was the largest tub she had ever been in and the water was so comfortably warming. Foam covered the surface of the tub and was giving off some strange, but very pleasant scent. Ciara felt she might never leave the bath. She rested her head back against the soft towels set on the edge for her head and stretched her body out the length of the tub, letting the foam envelope her body in their softness.
~
"What do you think, brother?" Eomund sat across from his brother in their large study, discussing the events of the evening.
"I don't think this is going to help any of the relations between us. They will be gone in a few days time and everything will be as it was before. Gondor and Rohan will never have the alliance they once had." Theoden shook his head and placed his goblet back down on the table at his side.
"What do you think Denethor was trying to prove with his new foster daughter? I don't understand it."
"Eomund, you read to far into things. I don't think this has any political move in it. I think, as the older one said, the two brothers found her and took her in." Theoden shrugged.
There was a light knock at the door, stopping any further comment.
"Come in, come in." Theoden called with a sigh, it seemed to be harder and harder to talk nowadays without being interrupted.
"It is just me, dearest." Theoden's wife came into the room with a smile that Theoden only knew as trouble for him.
"What is the news?" Theoden asked her.
"I think I have a very good possibility for your son's future wife." Theoden's wife smiled triumphantly.
"Wife? Thinking of his marriage again?" Theoden had begun to here of Theodred's marriage more and more often since his son had turned seventeen.
"I was thinking of Denethor's daughter. Not only is she elven but, it would certainly improve relations between our two lands and possibly better alliances with the elves. Don't you think?" Theoden's wife came and stood before him proud of her idea.
Theoden thought for a moment, it would most likely improve relations between the lands but, how well? After all, she was only a foster daughter.
"Wait, did you say she is an elf?" Theoden had just processed the information.
"Yes, I noticed her ears and she told me so herself." Theoden's wife nodded waiting for praise for her idea.
"What would Denethor be doing with an elf for a foster daughter." Theoden couldn't comprehend it.
"Dear! What do you think of the marriage idea! Tell me!" Theoden's wife was sick of waiting.
"I don't feel good about the idea. No, we'd better not say anything about it. I don't want to hear anymore of it until I think about it." Theoden decided, something just didn't seem right about it.
~
Ciara stood before the great hall watching the men and their horses all training and going about the days business. The wind was blowing around her in a wicked fashion and she had to hold her hair in her hand to keep it from whipping her face. This is where Faramir found her standing.
"Come inside, it is a windy day out." Faramir took Ciara's arm and led her back into the calmness of the great hall.
"This is a beautiful city." Ciara commented as the two sat across from each other a great wooden table.
"It is." Faramir nodded though he secretly wished he were back in his own city practicing for the guards.
"Good morning, Ciara and Faramir." Theodred walked into the hall and pulled off his helmet.
"Good morning." Ciara smiled, she could not deny she was glad to see him.
"Is Boromir with his men?" Theodred asked noticing the elder brother's absence.
"Yes." Faramir nodded.
"Oh, I see. You are looking lovely as usual, Ciara. I can tell you have been outside in the wind." Theodred smiled as Ciara's mused hair and slightly reddened cheeks from the wind.
"Yes, the wind is strong today." Ciara's hand went automatically to try and tame her hair.
"It is always windy up here." Theodred laughed, "Would you care to go for a ride around the city with me?" Theodred asked.
"I would love to." Ciara agreed.
"Do you mind?" Theodred turned to Faramir.
"Not at all, go ahead." Faramir shook his head and excused himself to go back to his rooms.
Ciara followed Theodred to the stables where he led out a beautiful white horse for Ciara.
~
Boromir returned to the hall from being with his men to find Faramir eating with a few of the Rohirrim but no sign of Ciara.
"Where is Ciara?" Boromir asked as he sat down next to Faramir.
"She is out riding with Theodred, he took her to see the city." Faramir explained.
"Oh." Boromir nodded and looked a little downcast.
"Get some food, it's good and I am sure you are hungry." Faramir suggested to his brother.
Boromir waved a servant to bring him some food and sat eating in silence. Theoden's wife entered the room and headed right towards the brothers.
"Good afternoon my lords, have you seen my son?" Theoden's wife smiled down at the two.
"He took Ciara on a ride through the city." Faramir answered.
"Oh." Theoden's wife smiled happily to herself and left the two to eat.
"She looked happy about that." Faramir commented after she had gone.
"Hmm." Boromir grunted his response.
"Are you jealous?" Faramir asked his brother with a knowing look.
"What?" Boromir glared up at his brother, "No."
"Please, Boromir, I know you better than anyone and I think you are. You like Ciara." Faramir leaned closer so that others couldn't hear; "All I am going to say is be careful. She is part of the family now and it wouldn't look good if after you tire of her to throw her out. We can't do that we have to think of our image as the stewards." Faramir pointed out.
"You don't need to teach me about image. I know." Boromir sighed, "I didn't want this to happen but I can't help it."
"You can't help what you feel but just be careful, that is all I am going to say about this." Faramir looked down and continued eating as though nothing had happened.
~
"So, what do you think of the city, milady?" Theodred and Ciara were out of the city and were in the fields that surrounded Edoras with their growth.
"It is beautiful." Ciara smiled at Theodred.
"So, tell me how you came to Gondor?" Theodred reined his horse closer to Ciara's.
"It's a long story that I really don't like going into." Ciara looked away, she hated the subject of her past and that is what most people always wanted to talk about with her.
"I am sorry to ask then." Theodred fell silent, unsure of what to say.
"Oh, I meant no harm in saying that but it just seems that all anyone ever wants to talk to me about." Ciara explained her brief lapse in politeness.
"Well, you are a strange situation. An elf with no home, no family, just strays into Gondor and agrees to become the foster daughter of the Steward, you must admit that is strange. How long were you there before you became his daughter?" Theodred looked uneasily at Ciara after asking that question.
Ciara didn't say anything but the realisation just hit her that this whole situation was incredibly ridiculous. She had joined some family she knew nothing about, agreed to be some man's daughter who hard hardly so much as said but possibly five words to her since her coming to Gondor.
"I don't know." Ciara blurted out, she didn't know. She stared up at the sky, maybe the answer would fall out of the sky and reveal itself, she didn't know.
"You don't know what?" Theodred was confused at this answer.
"I don't know. I just, I don't know." Ciara shrugged, what was the point of her life? She had no family, no land to call her own, no home to call her own. She was lost alone, drifting in a sea where everyone else had their place and a point of living. She was left alone in a mass of people, her own life was of quiet desolation.
"Are you feeling well, milady?" Theodred asked again.
"No, actually, I am not. I think I would like to return now." Ciara gave her horse a nudge with her heels and set it trotting back towards the castle. Theodred frowned at himself, upset he caused her to want to return and the look of complete loss in her face.
~
"Above all, listen and obey. With listening immediately should come obeying. They should be one in the same. Always remember this. Always yes, never no." The voice droned on, it seemed never ending. Slowly though, it began to fade, to fade into a region lost to the listener. A new noise was now audible, one that was more inviting, more calming.
"Attention!" The voice suddenly was audible again, "Moriana, you are not paying attention!"
Moriana shook her head to clear her mind of the noises and tried to focus on the voice in front of her, "I couldn't help it." Moriana sighed.
"If you want to work in this household you will learn to pay attention! If you can't listen to me than how do you expect to listen to your lords?!" Irathen scolded.
"Maybe I don't really want to work in this household and I am here because I was sent here by my loving father." Moriana's words dripping with resentment.
"You are impossible." Irathen closed her eyes and massaged her temples, this girl was by far the most difficult to train, her stubborn attitude was going to be very hard to break.
"You have had enough for one day, go to the kitchen for dinner." Irathen commanded and slowly followed the young girl.
"Having fun teaching her?" Airana emerged from a corridor.
"She is a hard-head. Very stubborn." Irathen shook her head.
"Let Fingulas look after her, then she and the girl can care for Ciara by themselves and I can go back to caring for Boromir." Airana suggested.
"No. I want to but she was entrusted to me. I can't just push her off on Fingulas. Besides, Fingulas would not teach her well, she is a push over you know that." Irathen corrected the idea.
"Fine, don't listen to my suggestions. I was just trying to help." Airana said in a huff and left Irathen walking into the kitchen by herself.
~
Ciara left her borrowed horse in the hands of an able stable boy and nearly ran back to her room, she needed some time to think. Theodred's questions had sparked something in her. She sat on her large bed contemplating what she had done. By dinnertime she was tired of thinking of her life and why there was no meaning in it but, ready to accept that she was now the daughter of a steward.
~
~
To all reviewers just want to point out a little fun fact dealing with names. Think Ciara is a crappy elven name? I could have named her Figwit. That's right, there is a character card for a Lord of the Rings character named Figwit, or should I say Figgy? And that's all I have to say about that.
~
Ciara sunk under the warmth of the bath a servant had prepared for her. It was the largest tub she had ever been in and the water was so comfortably warming. Foam covered the surface of the tub and was giving off some strange, but very pleasant scent. Ciara felt she might never leave the bath. She rested her head back against the soft towels set on the edge for her head and stretched her body out the length of the tub, letting the foam envelope her body in their softness.
~
"What do you think, brother?" Eomund sat across from his brother in their large study, discussing the events of the evening.
"I don't think this is going to help any of the relations between us. They will be gone in a few days time and everything will be as it was before. Gondor and Rohan will never have the alliance they once had." Theoden shook his head and placed his goblet back down on the table at his side.
"What do you think Denethor was trying to prove with his new foster daughter? I don't understand it."
"Eomund, you read to far into things. I don't think this has any political move in it. I think, as the older one said, the two brothers found her and took her in." Theoden shrugged.
There was a light knock at the door, stopping any further comment.
"Come in, come in." Theoden called with a sigh, it seemed to be harder and harder to talk nowadays without being interrupted.
"It is just me, dearest." Theoden's wife came into the room with a smile that Theoden only knew as trouble for him.
"What is the news?" Theoden asked her.
"I think I have a very good possibility for your son's future wife." Theoden's wife smiled triumphantly.
"Wife? Thinking of his marriage again?" Theoden had begun to here of Theodred's marriage more and more often since his son had turned seventeen.
"I was thinking of Denethor's daughter. Not only is she elven but, it would certainly improve relations between our two lands and possibly better alliances with the elves. Don't you think?" Theoden's wife came and stood before him proud of her idea.
Theoden thought for a moment, it would most likely improve relations between the lands but, how well? After all, she was only a foster daughter.
"Wait, did you say she is an elf?" Theoden had just processed the information.
"Yes, I noticed her ears and she told me so herself." Theoden's wife nodded waiting for praise for her idea.
"What would Denethor be doing with an elf for a foster daughter." Theoden couldn't comprehend it.
"Dear! What do you think of the marriage idea! Tell me!" Theoden's wife was sick of waiting.
"I don't feel good about the idea. No, we'd better not say anything about it. I don't want to hear anymore of it until I think about it." Theoden decided, something just didn't seem right about it.
~
Ciara stood before the great hall watching the men and their horses all training and going about the days business. The wind was blowing around her in a wicked fashion and she had to hold her hair in her hand to keep it from whipping her face. This is where Faramir found her standing.
"Come inside, it is a windy day out." Faramir took Ciara's arm and led her back into the calmness of the great hall.
"This is a beautiful city." Ciara commented as the two sat across from each other a great wooden table.
"It is." Faramir nodded though he secretly wished he were back in his own city practicing for the guards.
"Good morning, Ciara and Faramir." Theodred walked into the hall and pulled off his helmet.
"Good morning." Ciara smiled, she could not deny she was glad to see him.
"Is Boromir with his men?" Theodred asked noticing the elder brother's absence.
"Yes." Faramir nodded.
"Oh, I see. You are looking lovely as usual, Ciara. I can tell you have been outside in the wind." Theodred smiled as Ciara's mused hair and slightly reddened cheeks from the wind.
"Yes, the wind is strong today." Ciara's hand went automatically to try and tame her hair.
"It is always windy up here." Theodred laughed, "Would you care to go for a ride around the city with me?" Theodred asked.
"I would love to." Ciara agreed.
"Do you mind?" Theodred turned to Faramir.
"Not at all, go ahead." Faramir shook his head and excused himself to go back to his rooms.
Ciara followed Theodred to the stables where he led out a beautiful white horse for Ciara.
~
Boromir returned to the hall from being with his men to find Faramir eating with a few of the Rohirrim but no sign of Ciara.
"Where is Ciara?" Boromir asked as he sat down next to Faramir.
"She is out riding with Theodred, he took her to see the city." Faramir explained.
"Oh." Boromir nodded and looked a little downcast.
"Get some food, it's good and I am sure you are hungry." Faramir suggested to his brother.
Boromir waved a servant to bring him some food and sat eating in silence. Theoden's wife entered the room and headed right towards the brothers.
"Good afternoon my lords, have you seen my son?" Theoden's wife smiled down at the two.
"He took Ciara on a ride through the city." Faramir answered.
"Oh." Theoden's wife smiled happily to herself and left the two to eat.
"She looked happy about that." Faramir commented after she had gone.
"Hmm." Boromir grunted his response.
"Are you jealous?" Faramir asked his brother with a knowing look.
"What?" Boromir glared up at his brother, "No."
"Please, Boromir, I know you better than anyone and I think you are. You like Ciara." Faramir leaned closer so that others couldn't hear; "All I am going to say is be careful. She is part of the family now and it wouldn't look good if after you tire of her to throw her out. We can't do that we have to think of our image as the stewards." Faramir pointed out.
"You don't need to teach me about image. I know." Boromir sighed, "I didn't want this to happen but I can't help it."
"You can't help what you feel but just be careful, that is all I am going to say about this." Faramir looked down and continued eating as though nothing had happened.
~
"So, what do you think of the city, milady?" Theodred and Ciara were out of the city and were in the fields that surrounded Edoras with their growth.
"It is beautiful." Ciara smiled at Theodred.
"So, tell me how you came to Gondor?" Theodred reined his horse closer to Ciara's.
"It's a long story that I really don't like going into." Ciara looked away, she hated the subject of her past and that is what most people always wanted to talk about with her.
"I am sorry to ask then." Theodred fell silent, unsure of what to say.
"Oh, I meant no harm in saying that but it just seems that all anyone ever wants to talk to me about." Ciara explained her brief lapse in politeness.
"Well, you are a strange situation. An elf with no home, no family, just strays into Gondor and agrees to become the foster daughter of the Steward, you must admit that is strange. How long were you there before you became his daughter?" Theodred looked uneasily at Ciara after asking that question.
Ciara didn't say anything but the realisation just hit her that this whole situation was incredibly ridiculous. She had joined some family she knew nothing about, agreed to be some man's daughter who hard hardly so much as said but possibly five words to her since her coming to Gondor.
"I don't know." Ciara blurted out, she didn't know. She stared up at the sky, maybe the answer would fall out of the sky and reveal itself, she didn't know.
"You don't know what?" Theodred was confused at this answer.
"I don't know. I just, I don't know." Ciara shrugged, what was the point of her life? She had no family, no land to call her own, no home to call her own. She was lost alone, drifting in a sea where everyone else had their place and a point of living. She was left alone in a mass of people, her own life was of quiet desolation.
"Are you feeling well, milady?" Theodred asked again.
"No, actually, I am not. I think I would like to return now." Ciara gave her horse a nudge with her heels and set it trotting back towards the castle. Theodred frowned at himself, upset he caused her to want to return and the look of complete loss in her face.
~
"Above all, listen and obey. With listening immediately should come obeying. They should be one in the same. Always remember this. Always yes, never no." The voice droned on, it seemed never ending. Slowly though, it began to fade, to fade into a region lost to the listener. A new noise was now audible, one that was more inviting, more calming.
"Attention!" The voice suddenly was audible again, "Moriana, you are not paying attention!"
Moriana shook her head to clear her mind of the noises and tried to focus on the voice in front of her, "I couldn't help it." Moriana sighed.
"If you want to work in this household you will learn to pay attention! If you can't listen to me than how do you expect to listen to your lords?!" Irathen scolded.
"Maybe I don't really want to work in this household and I am here because I was sent here by my loving father." Moriana's words dripping with resentment.
"You are impossible." Irathen closed her eyes and massaged her temples, this girl was by far the most difficult to train, her stubborn attitude was going to be very hard to break.
"You have had enough for one day, go to the kitchen for dinner." Irathen commanded and slowly followed the young girl.
"Having fun teaching her?" Airana emerged from a corridor.
"She is a hard-head. Very stubborn." Irathen shook her head.
"Let Fingulas look after her, then she and the girl can care for Ciara by themselves and I can go back to caring for Boromir." Airana suggested.
"No. I want to but she was entrusted to me. I can't just push her off on Fingulas. Besides, Fingulas would not teach her well, she is a push over you know that." Irathen corrected the idea.
"Fine, don't listen to my suggestions. I was just trying to help." Airana said in a huff and left Irathen walking into the kitchen by herself.
~
Ciara left her borrowed horse in the hands of an able stable boy and nearly ran back to her room, she needed some time to think. Theodred's questions had sparked something in her. She sat on her large bed contemplating what she had done. By dinnertime she was tired of thinking of her life and why there was no meaning in it but, ready to accept that she was now the daughter of a steward.
~