Chapter 5:
As Morié rode through the gates of Imladris two weeks after she had left Rohan, she looked up at the balcony of the Homely House and saw her uncle standing at the largest window. Smiling up at him, she spurred her horse on and dismounted rapidly as she reached the steps. As she stood there and let the stableboy take her stallion Eriador, she looked up and saw her Aunt Celebrian coming towards her. Smiling, Celebrian caught her niece in a large hug and smoothed some stray hair from her forehead. Then, she held the girl at arms length and exclaimed in her soft voice, "my, how you have grown. It has been too long since we have last seen you, Morié. Have you kept well?"
"I have, aunt. It has indeed been long since I have come back. How are uncle and the twins?"
"They are fine, dear. Your uncle has been busy lately with much business pertaining towards Lorien. However, we have guests. The lord Thranduil has arrived some hours beforehand. He has been discussing much important details with your uncle about his borders. Now I must leave you and organise some drinks for those men, they've been asking for ale and mead every five minutes. You would think they were parched. I trust you will change, nin gwathel iell?"
As she waltzed off, Morié looked down at her travelling clothes and frowned. So, she left for her chambers and changed into a dress. It was a deep purple, the sleeves ending at the elbows and then sweeping out to cover the skin up to her wrists like most of the women's clothing. The skirts were cumbersome as usual, the many petticoats restricting her movement. After sweeping her hair into the proper style and applying makeup, she reached for her most prized jewellery box and selected a special necklace. The pendant was silver and shaped into an Elanor flower, her only heirloom from her dead mother.
As she fastened the clip around her neck and smoothed her dress, she looked up and saw a small pigeon float through her window. Patting it, she saw a message in its claws. Reaching up, she untied it and read the notice as her face turned dead white. Grabbing her skirts, she ran to the doorway and down the corridors. Knocking on the door of Elrond's office, she swept in and curtsied gracefully to her uncle and the Mirkwood king. Elrond's face lit up in a smile as he saw his niece enter. Rising to her feet, she looked at the floor as etiquette required and spoke in a soft voice.
"Begging your pardon, Uncle. I am sorry to intrude on your important meeting but I have just received news from Mirkwood, King Thranduil. It seems that your second son has gone missing during an orc raid. His group was attacked by orcs three days ago. I would suggest that you see to the matter as soon as possible." Then, she curtsied again and looked up as the King rushed out of the room.
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Raising an eyebrow, Elrond looked at his niece sceptically. "Was it really true, nin mell?"
"Let's just say a little bird told me," said the elleth with a smile.
With that, Elrond began to laugh. Wiping the tears from his eyes as the mirth left him, he spoke again as he gave her a big hug. "Glassen an achened le, nin gwathel iell. I trust you kept well during your time in the wilderness. Have you seen Elrohir and Elladan lately? Since you have been away, those two have driven me to distraction. They have picked on Glorfindel a lot over the past few weeks, especially during my trip to see the Lord and Lady of Lothlorien."
As they parted from the hug, they heard a loud noise followed by a scream. Casually opening the door, Morié turned to see a flour- covered Glorfindel staggering towards them. Raising an eyebrow in perfect imitation of her uncle, Morié nodded and spoke only two words, "the twins?" As Glorfindel gritted his teeth angrily, she bowed farewell to the two elves and walked out to survey the hallway. On the polished wood hallway were a puddle of flour and the remains of two very large flour bombs. Stooping down, she smiled as she noticed the faint indentation of her cousin's boots in the flour trails leading to the forests.
Returning to her chamber, she changed into a more suitable dress, took her bow and arrows and then walked back down the corridor past the flour to the largest part of the forests. Placing the bow firmly against her shoulder, Morié took two arrows and shot them one after another into the woods. As she listened, she could hear two faint screams of surprise and then silence. Dropping the weapon from her shoulder, she strolled casually through the woods until she saw the twins squirming against a tree, their shirts pinned soundly by the arrows. Reaching the tree, she removed the arrows, marched the silent twins to her uncle's office and closed the door soundly against their pleas. Reaching her chamber, she sat on her bed and began to laugh as the events of the day came back to her. Then, she took up a book and began to read as the sun set out her window....
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nin gwathel iell - my sister daughter (term of endearment)
nin mell - my dear
Glassen an achened le, nin gwathel iell - It is my joy to see you again, my sister daughter