A/N: A cameo by everyone's favorite 'King'. Cute little filler chapter... just to build the mood a little more...

Chapter 25- Parents

The morning came quickly with a chilled mist falling through the great canopy of mellyrn, the gray sky the complete opposite of what Indilisse's insides were like. Actually, it could have been her outsides just as well because she could not stop smiling after the previous night, but she still felt overjoyed and happier than she had ever before as she dressed and prepared for the day helping her mother. What would she say? Of course she would know that something happened, but would she pester Indilisse for details? Indilisse giggled to herself. She really did not care, she would talk and be pleasant to anyone she saw today just because nothing could dampen her spirits- not even if she were to chance a meeting with Nindë.

Indilisse wound her hair up into a few braids so that it would be out of her face, and gathered the bowl of lembas dough before heading out of the talan. Resting the bowl against her hip, she started down the flights stairs, her mind traveling to the previous evening. She relived how he had touched her so reverently... how his kiss was different... his apology most of all. She knew that Haldir was never one for apologizing so readily, as he usually 'did' and 'said' just how he meant things to be, and was hardly ever wrong when they happened. But she had gotten him to apologize at least three times in the past three months. There was no doubt about it that he was genuinely in love because of his many requests for forgiveness.

She passed over a connecting bridge to another flight of steps that led back up into the trees but closer to where her mother and father were staying, one tree over from the Lord and Lady's numerable talans, and across the way from Haldir's talan. As Indilisse passed over another bridge, she could hear happy laughter and some quiet speaking that sounded as if it were Arwen and another... another voice that she did not know, yet sounded familiar. She rounded around a trunk and saw Arwen sitting upon an open flet among the branches beside another dark-haired elf.

Upon second look, though, Indilisse found that the new elf was not an elf at all, but one of the race of Men, dressed in the white and silver of the imperial house that ruled Lórien. His hair was not at all the length of an elf's, as it was cut just to his shoulders and just as rich a dark color as that of Arwen's. His body was definitely not that of an elf's either, with the broad shoulders, and rather bulky build from wielding swords and other weapons as the human body usually showed the results of these labors more than elven kind. That was when he glanced up at her and their eyes met. Indilisse noticed the familiar gleam in the man's grey eyes, and finally knew why she thought his voice familiar. She smiled at him and Arwen too glanced towards her, a look of utter joy upon her face- something that had not been there for quite some time.

Arwen stood up quickly and dashed over to Indilisse on her light feet, pulling Indilisse into a friendly hug, "I am so glad to see you this morn. I must introduce you to the one I have told you of."

The man followed Arwen slowly and stood before the two elleths. He took Indilisse's hand and bowed as he placed a kiss upon the top of her hand. "My lady."

"Hardly," Indilisse smiled, looking over his young, but still troubled features.

"This is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, one of the Dúnedain and Isildur's heir." Arwen introduced, a proud smile crossing her face. "But he was known to the people of Imladris as Estel."

Indilisse looked between them, and stopped on Aragorn, "When we first met, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, I knew you were more than a Ranger called Thorongil riding to the aide of Gondor, but never would I have guessed your true lineage."

Arwen sighed and gazed in Aragorn's direction, "He hides who he is very well."

Aragorn afforded the elleths a slight smile and nodded his head. Indilisse could tell that there was much on his mind and said, "I hope to see more of both you and Arwen, my lord, in the coming days, but I am sorely late."

"Where will you be today?" Arwen asked.

"I am helping Naneth make lembas for their journey to Valinor." Indilisse informed, motioning to the bowl resting on her hip.

A look of surprise washed over Aragorn's face, "Master Targon has finally decided to leave the shores of this land?"

She giggled, "Aye, he has. It was quite the surprise to me as well, but alas they leave in less than a fortnight."

"We will not keep you longer, Indilisse." Arwen replied, wrapping her arm in Aragorn's.

Indilisse nodded and smiled, walking on towards her parent's talan. She knocked lightly on the door, receiving a light call from her mother that she could enter the talan. Expecting that her mother was busy and also had flour covered hands, Indilisse opened the door to the talan to find that she had only been partially right about her mother. Naneth did not have dirty hands, but she was busy with what seemed to be the ending of a serious, yet happy conversation with Targon and Haldir. Indilisse was suspicious as to what the topic of discussion was about, but she figured that it involved her by the way the talking ended as soon as they realized it was her that entered the talan.

"You are late, my daughter," Vanima scolded and stood from her seat, walking hastily over to Indilisse and taking the bowl from her hands. Vanima peered inside of it, smelling it, to make sure Indilisse had made the recipe correctly. "Very good. Now when did you make this? Has it been set out long enough?"

"I do not even get a welcome from my own naneth before she goes off on all of these questions?" Indilisse asked with a half smile, slightly nervous under the ever watchful gazes from Haldir and Targon.

Vanima chuckled and placed an arm around Indilisse's shoulders, moving her towards the kitchen area. "Welcome, fruit of my loins, now has the lembas dough been out long enough?"

Indilisse could not help but laugh at her mother's expression, "I hope it has been out long enough, Naneth. Rúmil's begetting celebration was last eve and I was out late."

Somehow Indilisse could see the twinkle in her mother's eyes that told her that Vanima only believed half of what she had said. Vanima nodded and set the bowl on a table top, "It looks that you prepared it in just enough time."

"Did you ever doubt me Naneth?" Indilisse asked

"Nay, I never did. Come Mordor or high water, you would have gotten it done." Vanima replied with a small smile. "But there was always a chance that a situation could have come along that could have deterred you. A more important problem begging your attention."

Indilisse was sure that she probably looked as scarlet as a ripe strawberry with her mother saying what she was. And Haldir was hearing all of this! She wanted to glance at him to see what the look upon his face was like, but that would have given her mother too much satisfaction. Indilisse shook her head and poured herself a cup of tea from the cast-iron kettle hanging over the fire, already knowing that Haldir was most likely amused by what Vanima was eluding to.

"Come Naneth, let us make the lembas." Indilisse said, setting her tea down and reaching for the wooden bowl of dough.

It had gone easier than Haldir had ever suspected. Talking to Master Targon about his daughter and that he wished to take her as a wife had seemed like such a daunting task when he had thought about it after leaving Indilisse's talan the evening before, but he was relieved that it had been so simple to say what he meant to Targon. He supposed it had only seemed so easy because Targon did not frown or do anything that would suggest he was not pleased with the situation. On the other hand, though, the extremely pleased smile that had crossed the teacher's features was slightly disconcerting as well. As if Targon had known all along what was to happen.

But asking for Indilisse's hand from both Targon and Vanima was all he had accomplished before Indilisse had shown up. He had hoped to be gone by the time she arrives at the talan, to keep some level of secrecy about his intentions as he had not intended upon even telling them to Indilisse until after her parents had gone. Indilisse was far from slow, and had probably already figured out what he had been there to do. And Vanima was not helping very much with her barrage of suggestive questions towards her daughter.

"Shall we take in a walk to the practice field?" Targon questioned, glancing at Haldir.

Haldir smiled at the elder elf, trying to pull his attention away from the two elleths forming the lembas into neat squares. He had never noticed how much alike Indilisse was to her mother. "For what purpose?"

"Humoring an aging warrior," Targon said and stood up easily, no amount of stiffness or wretchedness in his body, despite the number of battle injuries he had received coupled with his many years. It was true elves hardly ever experienced a defective body, but for one that had seen so much fighting in his life, he was lucky not to experience the affects of it. He disappeared into the back sleeping room of the talan and returned with his sheathed sword and looped the belt around his waist. Haldir stood and followed Targon to the door where the mentor stopped and called to the elleths in the kitchen, "Come looking for me if I have not returned by nightfall. It means that the March Warden has mortally wounded me."

Haldir chuckled lightly, not knowing if he should laugh or remain serious on the matter. Targon had never been very humorous with anyone, and especially not with Haldir so he could not tell if Targon was seriously worried, however the light music of laughter from the kitchen area alerted him to the fact that it indeed was a joke. Vanima and Indilisse said their pleasant farewells and went back to their cooking, not really caring about what was going on around them, and Haldir walked out of the talan after Targon.

"It is amazing to me how elleths can get so pulled into a conversation with each other that they neglect anything else happening around them." Targon remarked. "Do you not agree, Haldir?"

"Aye." Haldir replied and struggled to stay in step with his mentor's long strides. They walked for some distance towards Haldir's talan so he could retrieve his weapon, and towards the practice field before either spoke to each other again, making Haldir slightly uncomfortable with the silence because he did not know if he should be talking.

Targon glanced at Haldir, "I will be more than overjoyed to have you as a son, Haldir"

Riddled with surprise, Haldir gave Targon a suspicious look, "Sir?"

"I am serious, Haldir." Targon smiled, "I have long hoped that my daughter would one day come back to Lórien and find you as a suitable mate."

"But what of Elladan, Targon?" Haldir questioned, "Is he not better than I? He is the eldest son of a great elven lord; I am merely a warrior with a high title. "

Targon sighed and nodded his head, "Aye, you are merely a warrior with a high title, but your high title has been earned by many years of hard labors. Elladan, while a mighty warrior in his own right, was born with his title."

Haldir did not know how to respond. He found that happening a lot around Targon.

"Besides titles and stations, which I really do not care for because I think anyone should be able to fall in love with who they wish," Targon paused, "You are better matched for Indilisse in other ways. For one, you are the only ellon I think I have ever seen that is capable of withstanding her proud temperament."

He chuckled and sighed, "I thought she only was like that around me, especially since she did it when she was just an elfling. One moment she can be as happy as can be, and the next she is banishing me to Mordor."

Targon laughed, "I am sorry, but that is her mother's influence. I have never seen a female with so fiery a temper as Vanima, except what I have heard from Lord Celeborn of the Lady."

"I do not mind a temper." Haldir said, looking towards the field that they were now nearing. "As she must have to deal with mine."

"And that is exactly my point. Elladan, when he encountered Indilisse's changing moods, would do anything in his power to make her happy thereby indulging her horribly. You know, as well as I, that respect in a partnership is not gained by such things as taking everything and giving nothing back. Sometimes it almost seemed as if he was trying to secure her in the relationship, and hated any dissention between them." Targon continued, "That is why I believe she was so easily netted in by Glorfindel, because he was someone that was not fooled by her and it fascinated her, with the help of Miruvor..."

So she did like the arrogance in a male to match her own nature...

Targon sighed, "But alas, I digress from my original point. She needed someone who was an equal and not someone she could manipulate. You are that equal."

I fear she has more control over me than you think, Targon.

"But that is enough serious talk for now." Targon replied as they stepped out into the large clearing of the field and he drew his sword. "All you need to know is that while Indilisse has said nothing to me about you, I have seen it in her eyes for the past month that she loves you dearly."

More confused than he had been earlier when he was trying to rehearse what he was going to say to Targon and Vanima, Haldir shook his head and drew his sword. None of what Targon had said really made clear sense to him, but he understood that Targon had never really been happy with Indilisse's choice of Elladan as a husband. Haldir knew that Elladan was very much like Rúmil and Orophin in the fact that if he was able to make any situation better he could with any means he had access to, and Targon must have seen that as a sign of weakness. Sometimes Haldir even saw it is a flaw, though very minor, but he would do it himself, but not to the excess that it seemed Elladan, Rúmil and Orophin would.

Not able to make sense still, Haldir braced himself for the spar and sighed. No matter what, he was in love and he would do anything he could to make Indilisse happy, but never to the extent that would make him seem spineless and for situations that were innately frivolous. That was where he matched her. His pride, while often times foolish, would never allow him to give her full control of the relationship. It would be a partnership and not a monarchy.
"Indilisse, come help me finish these." Vanima called to Indilisse, who had been sitting at the dining table and talking with her mother instead of helping her.

She groaned, "Naneth, it is so tedious."

Vanima glanced at her and pursed her lips, "I see it no more tedious than the writing that you do. Besides, I must make sure you have learned this skill to the best of your abilities before I leave for Valinor. The tradition has been passed down to every elleth, and you will be no different."

"Customs," Indilisse mumbled as she stood up slowly and stretched her arms above her head.

"Will you not want to pass this on to your daughter?" Vanima questioned, pushing the flour in front of Indilisse so she could cover her hands in it.

She had gotten out of any prodding from her mother about Haldir the entire morning except for when she first arrived, but is seemed that the conversation was now turning back to that subject. Indilisse, trying desperately to remain neutral, sighed, "If I ever were to birth a daughter... or any children for that matter."

Vanima was quiet for a long while with a devious smile across her face, but she finally looked at Indilisse, "I saw you last eve with him Indilisse."

"What do you mean, Naneth?" Indilisse asked curiously, glanced at her mother.

"I went to your talan last eve, to offer my help and to make sure that you had made the dough." Vanima said, "The way I came, though, I passed by your kitchen and happened to the look in the small side window."

Indilisse paused and bit her lip, remembering for the millionth time that morning what had happened the previous evening, a warm flush covering her entire body, "And you saw what?"

Vanima sighed lightly and turned to Indilisse, placing her hands on her cheeks, looking deep into her daughter's eyes. "I saw two elves who are very much in love."

"That is all?" Indilisse managed to get out, her mother's stare intense.

"I found it quite lovely that Haldir had been helping you with the lembas." Vanima smiled and turned back to the task in front of her.

Instead of feeling the heat of a flush over her skin, Indilisse felt her heart stop for a moment and was sure that the blood had drained from her face. Normally she would not have cared someone saw her and Haldir in such an act, but the added fact that it was her mother who had seen all this made her feel uneasy. Then she remembered what Arwen had told her about making sure to keep everything you do with a male behind closed doors so parents and grandparents will not see what is happening. "I know not what to say."

Her mother laughed, "I arrived right as you were finishing with the mixing, but stayed a few moments until he kissed you. That was when I decided it was probably best for me to leave you two in peace."

"Naneth! I am so embarrassed." Indilisse exclaimed.

"You should not be embarrassed, my daughter." Vanima said and shrugged her shoulders, "Any respectable elleth, if she were in that March Warden's arms, would have done the exact same thing you were doing. And likewise any respectable March Warden, with his arms around an elleth such as yourself, would have been foolish not to take action into his own hands."

Indilisse felt her face grow warm again, "But we did nothing, Nana. True, it was heated, but I sent him on his way before..."

Vanima held her hand up to silence Indilisse, "I am not scolding you, Indilisse. I think it perfectly acceptable to do those things with one that you love. And I would not have minded if you two had experienced each other more thoroughly."

"Oh, Nana, I do love him very much." Indilisse replied quietly, a clear vision of Haldir forming in her mind. She smiled softly, "It is different than it was with Elladan."

"I know, you do not have to tell me. I could see that much with my own eyes last eve." Vanima said, "Have you ever considered the fact that you were always meant to be with Haldir, and everything that you have done up to this point has been a series of choices to get you back to Lórien?"

She nodded, "I have. And I believe that Galadriel has tried to get me to think so much, even though she always speaks in a riddle."

Vanima smiled and turned back to the task in front of them. "Now, if we both work at this, we will finish sooner and then we can go find your father and Haldir. I do not trust your father when it comes to trying to best another in swordplay."

Indilisse laughed heartily at that. "Haldir would not hurt him seriously; he fears and admires Ada more than anyone besides what he does of the Lord and Lady."

"It is not your father I am worried about," Vanima chuckled.