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Chapter Fourteen: Surprise Meeting in Lake-town
Síriel paled when she saw her sire watching them. Legolas broke their kiss immediately. He was quite embarrassed.
"It is time." Gil-celeb said sternly.
Legolas squeezed Síriel's hands in a comforting way as she left him to go with her sire. How foolish he had been, snatching her into the woods in direct sight of her sire and the other Elves! He hoped he had not put her into a dangerous situation. He decided to wait and see.
Gil-celeb did not speak to Síriel until they were out of earshot.
"I was quite shocked to find you with him like that." he began.
Síriel bit her lip.
"Adar, he loves me." she whispered. "Here I have received naught save mockery from everyone, and now, just when I found someone who loves me, you are displeased? Do you not want me happy?"
Gil-celeb placed his hands on her shoulders.
"I do want you to be happy, sell nín, you know that very well. Yet I was shocked, that is all. However, beware, for at times the elite can play tricks. Many a maiden has fallen in the trap before you, only to find out later that the one they thought loved them did not. I do not wish that to happen to you. I want you to be on your guard, nothing more." he said.
Síriel smiled.
"May I tell him farewell, then?" she asked.
"Is that not what you were doing?" Gil-celeb teased.
His daughter blushed, and he laughed softly.
"Go, but make it quick if you can." he said. "We are almost ready."
Síriel ran back to the woods. She found Legolas hiding amidst the trees, a worried and anxious look on his face.
"Is he upset?" he asked her.
Síriel shook her head.
"He is not. He told me to be on my guard." she replied.
Legolas sighed in relief.
"I must admit I was embarrassed." he told her.
"Do not feel that way, Legolas." she told him softly. "It is alright."
He smiled at her. She was dressed again in a tunic and leggings. They were much tighter this time, and Legolas could clearly make out her soft feminine curves. Her emerald eyes searched his face.
"Is something wrong, Legolas?" she asked.
Her reply was in the form of a passionate farewell kiss.
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It took five days for Síriel, her sire, and the Elves that accompanied them to reach Lake-town. Several boats came out to tow them to the town, which was entirely wooden and built onto the surface of the lake. They climbed onto the bridge that the town was built off of and went into the great dining hall, where they were always greeted warmly. There, they found the Master of Lake-town, Moddyn, seated at a grand table.
"Ah, Gil-celeb, Síriel!" the Master cried when he saw them.
Síriel smiled warmly at him.
"Moddyn, how are you?" she asked.
"Very well. I was just thinking of you." he said. "Come and eat!"
The Elves joined the men of Lake-town in their supper. It was quite delightful, and Síriel was glad once more to be around Men. Gradually, she began to speak with them after their own manner. Gil-celeb looked fondly at his daughter. He could see her mortal side showing clearly.
They were led to the large guest hall where they would spend the next night after the meal. The Elves slipped quickly into rest. Tomorrow would be a long day in the busy marketplace of Lake-town for them.
Early the next morning all of the Mirkwood Elves were fully awake before the time the sun had dawned. They went to the dining hall to hurriedly eat their morning meal. After that, they gathered together to discuss the plans for the busy day ahead of them.
"Síriel will go alone and gather the things the King requested excepting the food and wine, which I shall get. As for you," he said, indicating the other Elves, "you shall gather the things that the cellars' stores are running low on. I will give you the list Síriel made up to go by. By evening we should have everything, and we will meet here for the evening meal. Tomorrow I hope we will leave."
Everyone nodded in understanding.
"Alright, then. Le cenithon ned lû thent, Síriel!" Gil-celeb said.
The other Elves waved cheerfully at her in farewell as they followed her sire towards the marketplace. They would be going the same way for a little while, whereupon she would go left, her sire straight ahead, and the others right. She took out the list of things King Thranduil wanted, and marked off the food and wine. Her sire would be getting those, not her. She had the other things to look for.
The marketplace was unusually crowded. People were forming long lines in front of the various places. Síriel managed in the first two hours to make her way halfway up the line before the place that sold decorating items. She cursed silently under her breath in Sindarin. She wondered how the others were faring, no doubt much the same as her.
Síriel soon learned the reason for the bustle in the marketplace. It seemed that a rather large group of Dwarves was visiting from the Lonely Mountain and touring the marketplace that day. The inhabitants of Lake-town were beside themselves with excitement, and were trying to catch a glimpse of their distinguished visitors. For the shopkeepers, more people in the marketplace meant more business, so they were lowering their prices in an attempt of luring customers. Heavy competition sprung up among usually friendly shops, which was a blessing for customers. As a result, Síriel managed to buy everything she needed in half the amount she would normally pay. She whispered her thanks to the Dwarves.
It was almost evening, and still Síriel was not finished. She had one more item left to purchase—the two rolls of red silk material. The shoes she had bought earlier, dark red in color. She was hoping to find the material she needed in the same color as the shoes. The people in front of her finished their transaction. It was Síriel's turn.
The shopkeeper was haggled and tired. He had a long day and was worn out. He helped Síriel find the material she needed, and, to her luck and joy, it was the same color as the shoes. He looked curiously at her, this strange maiden with green eyes and golden-bronze skin, dressed like a man in her green tunic and leggings. He had heard of her. She was half Elf, and she lived with her sire in Mirkwood.
"Thank you very much!" she told him.
He nodded kindly at her.
Síriel carried the rolls of wrapped material carefully, aware of the small children darting in and out of her way. She was tired from standing most of the day in lines, and her stomach grumbled. She was hungry.
Ahead of her were two short, stout figures. She recognized them as Dwarves. They were heading towards the dining hall. She heard their gruff voices as they spoke with each other in their deeply guttural tongue. She had not seen Dwarves in sixty years, ever since Thorin Oakenshield and his company had wandered through Mirkwood.
"Excuse me, master Dwarves!" she called suddenly.
They turned around, and Síriel looked at them in shock. The younger one she did not know, but the older one she knew. Dropping the rolls of material onto the ground, she exclaimed:
"Ai, Elbereth! What a surprise to meet you here in Lake-town!"
Sindarin Translation:
Ai: ah