Sorry I haven't updated guys but my parents decided to take a week off of work and I can't type when there home because then they get all noise and well I don't want to talk about it. But then I got writes block but I'm all better now and I hope that you enjoy
this!
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Chapter 5: Talks, Names, Work, and Trust
"Wake up! Come on I will not throw water on you and make extra work for myself now rise from that bed!"
Annadîn sat up in the large bed.
"Good now that I know you are alive."
She gave a small smile at her maid's cheerfulness, and good humor. On any other occasion, she would have been furious for being awoken but today she was not. Her dreams had been haunted with the walk down the small corridor into the kitchen, and the tear stained faces of her family.
"Well I am not going to do all the work. Hurry get out of bed, breakfast is in half an hour."
Annadîn's brows came together, and a pout was put on her face. It said one thing do I have too?
"Yes you have to go. You missy are a guest of the King and it would be rude indeed not to show up to breakfast."
/That would be rude! Try not telling me he was the King! It's kind of a hard thing to forget. Especially since you have to rule a whole damn land!/
But never less, Annadîn got out of bed and over to an armoire. She had brushed her teeth and washed her face, while the maid had scurried around and made the bed and straightened the perfectly clean room. Pulling the heavy wood door open she saw her clothes-both what belonged to her and what had been given-hung up or folded in drawers. Immediately she reached for the cream blouse she had received in Rohan. Next, for an ordinary black skirt.
"Oh no! You cannot wear those! They will have my head for letting you dress so informally. How about this?" She touched a dark green dress that would have suited the day.
But Annadîn shook her head. She did not mind wearing a skirt, but a dress that was entirely another matter. Long the two young woman fought-the maid verbally, Annadîn with gestures-until they settled on an outfit. She would wear the top that she had been given in Rohan, along with a dark blue skirt with leaf and vine designs on it, which had been made for her during the night.
Annadîn sat down on the small bench in front of the vanity wearing the latter. She looked at her reflection and turned her head to the side. With the grime cleaned away, she appeared much prettier. But soon shook her head, she wasn't pretty but she did not believe herself ugly, just plain, ignorable.
"Do you have an idea what to do with your hair?"
Annadîn nodded. She reached up, parted her hair down the center, and began to braid one half.
"Is that all you are going to do."
She pointed to the bottom half of her hair and drew a line above it, saying she was going to leave half of it down.
"At least put these in it." The maid produced two ribbons the exact color of her skirt. "Please?"
Annadîn almost laughed despite the anger that had once again risen due to the subject of Aragorn and being King arose. She nodded her head. A few minutes later her hair was braided, the ribbons intertwined, while the bottom half cascaded unbraided down her back.
The maid smiled at her. The young woman was about to speak when a knock sounded through Annadîn's quarters. Quickly, the maid went to the door and opened it, while Annadîn simply turned around to face the door still sitting at the vanity.
Annadîn quickly glanced at the door and then away, Gimli stood there, a little nervously, noticeable even from her quick glance.
"Anna I came to get you for breakfast, I thought that you need help to the dinning hall. Unless you suddenly know everything about Minas Tirith and the house of Aragorn?"
Annadîn shook her head, looking down at the floor.
"Well come on then."
She stood up and went over to the Dwarf who snorted. Annadîn caught words through the snort, something that sounded very much like 'silly humans.' Her maid cast her an encouraging smile and Annadîn left walking next to Gimli.
^^^^^^^^^
"Did she say anything?" Aragorn drilled Legolas for answers.
"Aragorn you know extremely well that Annadîn did not speak a word, even in her anger."
The two sat at the table, breakfast was almost ready to be served.
"Are you sure?"
"Aye, I am Aragorn. It was almost as if she would not even respond to my words anymore. She barely nodded when I talked. Much less, give one of her looks. She has barely lifted her head since arriving here." Legolas told of her strange behavior from the night before.
"Well maybe she was remembering where to go."
"Aragorn you know that is not truth you speak. You know as well as I that there is something wrong."
"You think I do not! I can only blame myself, but her reluctance seems to come naturally."
"I know Elessar, I used to be able to communicate with her, and now I cannot even get her to look at me!"
"Look." Aragorn told Legolas softly.
Legolas turned his head to the door. Gimli had just entered and with him was Annadîn. "I believe that is to show us he did not truly mean his words."
"Apparently so."
^^^^^^^^
Annadîn sat in her usual silence as Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Arwen talked. She picked at her food not really interested in it but knowing she needed to eat. Pulling apiece off the biscuit in her hand Annadîn placed it in her mouth.
"I like your hair."
Annadîn glance up quickly and noticed it was Arwen
who had given her the compliment.
"It is simple yet
elegant."
She looked at the she-Elf
slightly in disbelief but soon covered it. She smiled a little at Arwen and
then looked back down at her half eaten plate. This had been her activity for a
few minutes now, she wished to leave go back to her room, find out her maid's
name since Gimli had said hers. But something kept her in the seat. She guessed
it must have been the thought that Aragorn was King, so there must be some educate
here she did not know.
"Is anything ailing you
Annadîn? You have barely touched your food."
Annadîn recognized Legolas's
voice and simply shook her head.
"Are you sure?" It was Aragorn this time.
Annadîn nodded she was quite fine,
in that case at least.
^^^^^^^^
Aragorn looked at Annadîn the
worry evident in his eyes. Arwen placed a hand on his arm and gave him an
encouraging smile, telling him to wait. He nodded his head and Arwen spoke up.
"Do you wish to talk to any of
us?" She questioned.
Annadîn shook her head.
"Well if you wish to, we will always welcome your company."
Annadîn nodded, her eyes glancing at the door.
"Yes, you can leave." Arwen told her with a smile on her lips.
Once Arwen gave her permission
Annadîn stood and walked out of the doors. In the corridor, her maid stood
waiting for her.
^^^^^^^^
As soon as the door was shut,
Arwen turned to her husband. The two were now in their chambers. "She is
frightened of you, Legolas, and Gimli."
"So that is why she does not
look us in the eyes anymore." Aragorn stated.
"You mean she did once."
Arwen asked.
"Yes." He replied.
"She was very good at communicating with her eyes and her face. I am sure
she still is; Annadîn can say so much that way. But as soon as we left Rohan
she no longer would truly look at us-not even Legolas who she seemed to
understand her quite well-to say anything."
"Something happened,
what?" Arwen searched.
"I yelled at her."
Aragorn whispered. "I told her she did not know where she was."
"That is it!" Arwen
exclaimed.
"What?" Aragorn said
forcefully.
"You reminded her she was in a
place she did not know."
"Of course!" He shouted.
"She is frightened of us because she does not know what to think of us. We
were the first things she saw- I assume-but that does not stop her from being
afraid of something that she is not used to."
Arwen nodded her head.
"So all we have to do is get
her to trust us again. And maybe she will speak."
"Maybe." Aragorn
whispered.
^^^^^^^^^
"Well since I now know your
name I will call you by it Anna. It is Elvish I assume since it rolls off Queen
Arwen's tongue so well-I heard her speaking with the King last night. And since
it is Elvish I will stick with Anna like Master Gimli because I cannot pronounce
Elvish names very well."
Annadîn gave her maid the
biggest smile that any in Middle-earth had seen so far from her. And she raised
her eyebrows.
"All right, I am going to
tell."
Annadîn cocked her head to the
side.
"Yes now, my name is
Serina."
Annadîn stopped and placed her
hand out in the air. Serina stopped too and placed her hand in Annadîn's and
they shook.
"Now we should get out of the
hall before someone comes and I get in trouble."
Once the two were inside of
Annadîn's chambers, Annadîn looked at Serina with a confused look on her face.
"Because if they see us acting
as equals I will get in trouble for forgetting my place."
Annadîn eyes opened slightly
wider then usual and she shook her head.
"I do not wish that to happen
either."
^^^^^^^
The rest of the day Annadîn spent in her room. She did not know what she did or even if she did do anything, all she could remember afterwards was that she stayed in the room by herself. And the next memory she had was of her walking with Queen Arwen in the gardens.
It was the second day after Annadîn had arrived. As soon as breakfast was finished Arwen had taken Annadîn's arms and had led her to the gardens saying she wished to converse.
"These gardens are beautiful but are nothing compared to those in Rivendell."
Annadîn looked at Arwen questioningly.
"I assume that you have noticed that I am an Elf."
Annadîn nodded.
"My home was in Rivendell before I wed Aragorn. It was one of the three main cities where the Elves of Middle-earth dwelled. My father, Lord Elrond, founded it many hundreds of years before."
Annadîn looked at the she-Elf with wide eyes.
Arwen gave a small smile. "Yes hundreds of years, Elves are immortal creatures."
The young woman looked upon the Elf with her head tipped question in her eyes.
"No, I shall not be immortal any longer because I fell in love with Aragorn and it is on Middle-earth that I chose to reside. Anyway, Rivendell was centered in the middle of the wilderness and for not disturbing it; great gardens grew with wondrous plants. But I am afraid there is none left to look upon them. Perhaps only the animals, for my father passed to the Undying Lands some years ago and so Rivendell is less grand then it once was."
Annadîn looked away, sadness in her eyes. So, she thought, she will never see her father again.
"Do you know where you are?"
Arwen asked gently.
Annadîn looked up at Arwen,
her left eyebrow scrunched making her eye close slightly, while this occurred
there was a look of sadness and confusion on her face as she shook her head.
The look said I have no idea.
"You have never heard of these
places that I have spoke off."
Annadîn looked Arwen right in the eye and shook her head.
"Do you want to tell me anything?"
Arwen tried again.
Annadîn simple gave a small
shrug and then shook her head slightly.
"All right but know I am here if you ever wish to speak as are the others, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli."
The young mortal cocked her head to the side, her eyes slightly wide.
"Yes they wish very much to talk to
you. I am sure that you have noticed this. But know that they are worried."
Arwen walked off leaving Annadîn in front of her room.
^^^^^^^^^
The next day
Annadîn rose early and dressed in a simple black shirt and a simple blouse. She
was pulling her hair up in a ribbon when Serina walked into her room, sleep
still visible in her eyes.
Serina
laughed when she saw Annadîn. "You are so bored that you are eager to do
chores around this place."
Annadîn
shrugged.
"You
are a nut case Anna."
Annadîn
gave her a simple look and had one point, so? it said.
"Ah
pointless, come on then."
^^^^^^^^^
"Legolas
will you try?"
Legolas
sat in a tree in the gardens. Arwen had sought him out to talk to him about
Annadîn. He let out a sigh before replying. "Yes Arwen I will try."
Then he looked down at her. "Do you know that with your mortality you have
become more annoying."
Arwen
gave him a smirk. "I know." And she walked away.
Legolas
looked up at the window that he knew to be Annadîn's. His thoughts soon ran
away with his mind.
/Why
is she doing this? The silence, it's unbearable for me to see someone do
something like that, especially when they are meant to talk. But she does this
willingly? How could she bring something so foreign on herself, unless foreign
is such a better thing then something familiar? That does not sound right, it's
confusing. And yet, it makes sense. Oh, why is the race of Men so confusing? I
am the one who gets to figure her out.........why? This is going to be
frustrating!/
Legolas
swung down from his spot in the tree and went in search for the young woman.
They did not even know how old she was, he thought. How was he supposed to get
her to trust him and then get her to reveal the reason for her silence? Another
deep sign escaped his lips and he left the gardens.
^^^^^^^^^^^
Serina
and Annadîn spent the day cleaning. The two worked well together and were soon
on their last room. Serina giggled as Annadîn picked up some rather vile rages
to take to the laundry, her nose scrunched.
"You
are really too good for this."
Annadîn
shook her head.
"Yes
you are."
Annadîn
shook her head again and rolled her eyes.
"Fine,
believe what you will. But I shall always say you are too good to do this dirty
work."
Annadîn pointed to Serina's mouth and
then to Serina herself, telling her that the words were the same for her as
well. Serina blushed at her friends comment.
^^^^^^^^^^^
"Where's Anna?" Gimli
questioned. "I have not seen her all day."
"Neither
have I," Legolas responded.
"Have
you looked for her maid?"
Both
looked at Aragorn with wide eyes. "Why?" They both questioned.
"Simple
because the two are together."
"Oh."
Gimli stated.
^^^^^^^
"Anna? Anna wake up, you have to go to dinner with King and the others."
After waking from the nap-she had fallen asleep once she had gotten back from helping Serina-Annadîn simply shook her head.
"Oh stop being pig headed you are their guest and if you do not go………"
Annadîn let out a heavy sigh and nodded.
"Good because I always wanted to put you in this." Serina pulled a maroon dress from the armoire, a smile on her face.
Annadîn bathed and then put the dress on. She let Serina do her hair. Annadîn smiled as Serina did it, she was so excited she got to play with her hair. With Annadîn watching carefully, she pulled half of the young woman's hair up. Then that hair she divided into small sections twisted it and pinned it up. She pulled some strands down and let them fall in her face after they were curled slightly. Then, she curled the ends of the hair that was left down and smiled into the mirror.
"There you go Anna, already for supper with the King and Queen."
Anandîn rolled her eyes and hugged Serina.
"See I told you it would not be that bad."
Annadîn raised an eyebrow. But at that moment, there was a knock on the door. She watched as Serina went to the door a grin on her face. As the door was opening Annadîn knew there was a look of confusion on her face. Serina smiled at her and then, there was Legolas.
"Hello Annadîn."
Annadîn nodded her head looking at her feet.
"Annadîn?"
She looked up into his eyes and saw the confusion. And she knew that he saw the pain and worry in her own eyes, for concern replaced the confusion.
"I will not hurt you, this I promise." Legolas whispered. He had seen the worry in her eyes; she was worried about him about being around him. Keeping eye contact with her-which was a great feat for she had not looked directly into any of their eyes in many days-he reached a hand out to her.
Annadîn looked into the Elf's eyes and saw his worry about her. She was confused why worry, why for her. But he kept her gaze something that she had being trying not to do for a great length of time. She looked down at the hand extended to her and for a while that was all she did. Contemplating whether or not she wanted to trust these men, that Elf. But she found herself wanting to trust them, for then she would having something familiar in this strange world.
Slowly, very slowly she reached her hand out and set it in Legolas. She was reaching out and trusting her saviors.
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Yay! I'm done okay here are all the wonderful stuff about my reviewers!!!
Kiki-The-Random-Maiden-Yes I would agree being a mute would be hard.
Jo March-Thanks. And I updated as soon as I could.
kurleyhawk2-I'm glad you like it.
Skye-I'm not offended I know what you mean. Thanks, I am glad you like it and to know her past and silence your gonna have to keep reading. hee hee its the point! *winks*
Evil Ducky-I don't know if I've said this but I love your name anywho .........maybe she will maybe she wont.........oh glad its not a mary sue
Andreah-Sure you wouldn't I completely believe you *rolls eyes* I'm glad you like the maid *beckonds closer "I like her too"*
Sunrunner of Summer-I'm glad you loved chapter 5 becuase I enjoyed writting it. Hungering for more so you don't eat you read to eat....walks away shaking her head mumbling about weird people *wink*
MaverickGirl-Shrugs hey they could forget maybe.........I think oh well they did.........but it makes it.........uh interesting.
Please push little review button at bottom left, thank you.