Another month passed. With it came the first of the Spring thaws and the hand fasting of Berior and Orainwen. The ceremony took place in the east garden, just as the sun was rising.
Orainwen was dressed in a very pale green dress with lace as a veil and some lace hanging from the half-sleeves. Glinneth had done her hair and make-up. Geliriel had let Orainwen borrow her golden hairpins. Her pale blond hair caught the rays of the sun so that it looked like an aura of gold surrounded her head. Maglor was chosen to officiate. Their vows to each other were spoken and each held a candle that Maglor lit. They then lit a single white candle together, and then Maglor took a length of white silk and bound their hands together and spoke the final blessings.
"As the grass of the fields and the trees of the forest bend together under the pressure of the storm, so you two must bend when the wind of change blows strong. May you both stand strong in each other's strength. As you give strength, so you will receive strength. As you give love, so you will receive love. Together you are strong in love, may your love feed you and keep you well. May the blessings of the Valar be always with you. May you walk together life's long path. You are now hand fasted!"
It ended with Maglor placing flower rings on their heads and the couple exchanging gifts. Berior gave Orainwen a ring and bracelet made of silver. He told her they were given to him by his father, who received them from his father. Orainwen, in turn, gave Berior a gold ring set with an emerald. It had been her mother's. Each kissed the other's ring. Once it was all done, their friends came forward to congratulate them with kisses, hugs, and handshakes.
A breakfast feast had been prepared and the newly hand-fasted couple led everyone into the manor and then to the grand dining room. Geliriel watched as Berior and Orainwen fed each other from their plates. Berior then filled a single silver goblet with honeyed mead and they both drank from it. They never really looked away from each other unless they had to.
"I never knew they were so in love," Amrod said quietly to Geliriel. His eyes danced with merriment, but he was also in awe.
"I found out just before you left for Doriath." she replied. She looked at the happy couple for a minute, and then returned to look at Amrod. His once joyful expression had turned cloudy. She saw sadness in his eyes, with a little anger as well.
"My love, are you well?" she asked, clasping his hand in hers.
"I have news for you. From Doriath." he said.
"What news? What happened?"
"Not now. Let's wait until tonight."
"What's happened?" she knew it had to be disturbing, and to wait all day would drive her crazy with curiosity. He knew that as well. 'Why doesn't he tell me?' the question kept repeating in her mind.
"No," he said a little testily. "Tonight."
She released his hand and sat a little apart from him. She simmered a little, but then quickly pushed those feelings back to enjoy what she could from the party. Maglor produced a set of pipes and began to play them. Berior and Orainwen stood up, moved away from the table, and began to dance. To Geliriel and Amrod's surprise, Amras took Glinneth's hand and led her to the floor to dance. That, in itself, drove the argument with Amrod from her mind for the time being. She was now curious about Glinneth and Amras. She decided to seek the girl out later and ask her about it. 'It could be nothing, at all,' she thought to herself. 'But I still want to know.' She looked at Amrod and saw what she thought to be the same curiosity in his eyes. Amrod then helped Geliriel to the floor and danced with her. Maedhros, who was eldest, was honored to dance a turn with all the ladies. Then they all switched partners.
After spending the day together, Berior and Orainwen said their goodbyes and took their leave. Before they got to leave, one last gift was presented. Amrod barred the doorway, and looked at the couple.
"I've taken the liberty of having your belongings brought to Geliriel's old rooms. They are yours now."
Both Berior and Orainwen were speechless. They stammered their thanks, and Amrod smiled and moved aside. They walked in the direction of the rooms in a daze. Geliriel looked at Amrod and smiled. She came over to him and put her arms around him.
"A wonderful gift, my darling," she said softly. He kissed her on the top of her head and held her to him. Both lost in their own thoughts.
Later that evening, Amrod and Geliriel were in the cottage, sitting at a small table in her bedroom. They had fruit and tea, but neither ate. They sat in silence, Geliriel watching Amrod, and Amrod looking everywhere else but her. She recognized the cloudy expression he had from earlier, and knew his silence had to do with the news he had from Doriath. She thought back to the last three weeks before they left and ran through each memory, looking for anything that might be news for her. Suddenly, she had it. 'How could I have forgotten!' she scolded herself. She was the one to break the silence.
"Amrod, where's my mother? Is that the news you have to tell me about?"
It seemed as if whatever frustration or anger he had withheld since Doriath finally came to the fore. He slammed the palm of his hand down on the table and then stood up. He stormed over to the window and looked out of it, his arms crossed over his chest. Geliriel was stunned. She had never really witnessed his anger, though she had been told about it from Berior and Glinneth, who had witnessed it before. She almost regretted her question, but she had to know. Amrod turned to face her again. His eyes were as hard as stone. She slowly stood, and was about to go to him, when he finally spoke.
"I'm very sorry, Geliriel, but your mother has died."
"What??!!" she kept herself from crumbling to the floor. Tears welled up in her eyes, and grief washed over her. One of her hands she placed over her son, who had begun to move about. The other hand she placed on the table to brace herself.
"What happened?" she asked quietly.
Amrod watched her motions, and was at her side instantly. 'Oh Iluvatar,' he berated himself, 'I should not have said anything now!' His anger was replaced by fear and concern. He also placed his hand upon her belly and found the child to be stirring. He helped her to the bed and laid her in it. For a moment, he reconsidered even telling her.
"Amrod, what happened? Please... tell me!"
"My love, what of the baby?"
"Let me worry about that. Please tell me about my mother."
With her insistence and pleading eyes, he told her everything. He relived everything for her. He told her of his search through the halls and then out into the light, down by the river. He told her how she first mistook him for her daughter, and then his pleading for her to return with him.
"I tried my best, my love, I did. She wouldn't leave her people. I left her then, and went back to my brothers. Two days later, after Maedhros came back from searching for the boys, I went back to find your mother, to try again to bring her back." He paused to wipe the tears from her face, and then continued. "I found her laying beside the fellow who I had run into in the halls. Both had been shot in the heart with an arrow. I laid them side-by-side, rather than leave them crumpled as I found them. I placed your necklace around her neck and hid it from plain sight."
They sat together in silence. Geliriel had stopped crying and was caressing her child. Amrod sat quietly beside her, not sure what to do next. He had only one last thing to tell her, and that was her mother's message. He had left the pouch Araseth had given him in his rooms. He would give those to her after Melannen was born. He took a deep breath, and started one last time.
"Geliriel, your mother told me to tell you something. It was before I left her the first time. Do you wish to hear it?"
"Yes... please."
"She told me that she loved you, very much. That she wished for all the world to meet her grandson. But she said her fate was with her people, that she had to stay and help them."
He watched her as she nodded her head in understanding. She held out her arms to him and he wrapped his arms around her. They held each other for quite some time before he released her. He helped her to lay back and tucked her in bed. Then he sat at the table and kept vigil over her the rest of the night.