Authors' Note: Here is my seventeenth chapter. As you can see, this chapter takes place four months after the last one, so Elenwen is full term with her pregnancy. But I do promise you all at least eight more angst filled chapters! Again, I must express my gratitude towards all of my reviewers. I really cannot tell you how much your feedback has meant to me! Thank you so much! If there weren't so many of you, I would thank you each personally like I used to do, but I think that would make this authors note longer than the chapter itself! I have also been contemplating on writing a prequel to this story, about how Haldir and Elenwen met, and about her career as a guard member. It would also include more of a background on Elenwen's family and her fear social situations, and of course romance! Well, tell me what you think about that and if you think it is a good idea, I do promise to post it right after I finish this one. Thanks again! I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Tolkien's work.
Chapter 17 Kisses
The harp strings became tense beneath my fingers. Notes of music sounded throughout my empty flet. I hummed a little, not wanting to exhaust my voice so close to the festival. I had to preserve it. I would not want to make a fool of myself. It was early summer, the cool spring air had been replaced with the sun's heat and I began to feel ill from it. I sighed, glancing down at my now large abdomen. It had been twelve months, a whole year. Fear presided over me at last. The baby would come soon, very soon. In fact I had inquired if the healers thought it best for me to perform during the Festival. They said it would be fine, as long as I got plenty of rest the day before. So instead of singing for hours, or straining over housework, I sat in a comfortable chair on the terrace of our flet, my harp in hand, trying to catch a breeze in the dim twilight. But in truth the housework had not been much of a difficulty. I had given up much of it, making Haldir pick up the slack. But since he was rarely home, that meant that most of it went undone. His hours of work had remained the same these past few months, late in coming home, early in leaving. Sometimes I suspected that he was not training Lintelin as forcefully as he had been a few months ago. He seemed to spend more time talking with her now, then anything else. I on the other hand, had cut back the amount that I spoke to him. He was happy with this, being slightly more affectionate, towards me. My husband had dropped all sense of animosity now that I refused to cling to him. But should I have clung to him? Mayhap he thought I did not care anymore, which was utterly false. Mayhap that is why he showed me more warmth. I did care for him though and still loved him as much as I had the day we married, but if he wanted to avoid my company, then I would not cook or clean for him. This seemed to go unnoticed though, he just thought I had finally taken his advice in regards to my pregnancy and rested more. Oh it was hopeless! Whether I gave him too much attention or too little attention he remained oblivious to my fears. There was only one way that I could possible get through to him now. I ran the lyrics of my song in my head once more. He could always decipher the hiding meanings that I kept in my music, perhaps then he would finally realize. I laid the harp by the side of my chair and rubbed my large abdomen.
"Do not fear my child," I whispered through the night. "We shall win your father back as of yet."
Narrative POV
He sat in the glade with her, a mug of strong ale clasped in his hand. Lintelin laughed playfully and batted her eyelashes. The March Warden smiled in a lopsided manner, his gaze unfocused and unsteady. The elleth drew closer and whispered in his ear. He was still completely oblivious to the turn their innocent night out had taken. Perhaps it was the alcohol, or perhaps it was that he could not feel out this maiden as he could his own wife. But still he remained unmindful, thinking nothing of it. Lintelin however couldn't have been more pleased. This was going just the way she had planned. Soon, she would have to wait no longer. Yet even in his drunken stage, Haldir realized that it was getting late and he did need to return home to Elenwen. He stood, stumbling a little and spilling his drink. But Lintelin pulled him down and then, planted her lips firmly against his. He gasped and pulled back slightly, but did not break the kiss.
Elenwen's POV
He was later than usual tonight. Normally he returned home just as I laid myself down to sleep. But now I had been resting for an hour or so. I shifted, trying to get comfortable under the weight of my child. I did not know how much more of this I could take. It was one thing for me to not do his laundry or prepare his dinner, but it was another to finally admit my fears to him. I was not so much frightened to be wrong, but to be right. What would he say? Would he deny it? Would he leave? No, elves never parted company. Once they were married they stayed together for eternity. I would have to come clean with my feelings. Perhaps after the Festival if he still did not see my worry, then I would ask him outright. Then I would learn the truth. The door flew open so suddenly that I jumped up out of bed, completely startled. My husband staggered into our room. I quickly rolled to my other side, pretending to sleep. He smelled strongly of ale and Haldir was not a big drinker. But something else caught my attention, a different scent, the scent of Lintelin. The bed dipped down as he all but dropped onto it.
"Elenwen," he whispered, his words considerably slurred. Do I dare answer him? "Are you awake meleth nin?" I mumbled something, something incoherent. He moved over and wrapped his arm around my waist, planting sloppy kisses upon my face. I shuddered, another elleth had kissed him this night, I just knew it.
"Haldir," what was there for me to say except his name? I could not ask him tonight, I would not. He pulled me closer and kissed my lips. I gagged almost, knowing that another's had been on them. He was smiling, too intoxicated to be aware of anything, he could not possible give me a straight answer. I had no choice now but to wait and hope that he would recall what had happened earlier this night. He caressed my face gently, murmuring my name. Suddenly I was filled with rage. How dare he do this?! How dare he stay out with that she-elf and then return home to me like nothing had taken place?! How dare he even think of pretending to love me?! With my strong sense of utter anger, I pushed him off the bed and onto the floor where he laid in a confused heap. "You shall sleep there tonight!" I cried, turning away from him. He looked bewildered, but did not protest. In a few minutes I heard his heavy breathing, knowing he had fallen to sleep.
Meleth nin: My love
Elleth: Female elf