Hunters' Moon

Chapter Four:

Tilliel took Lindir's hand and led him through the woods to a small glade. Hanging from the trees, and covering the trunks and ground at their base, were the most magnificent flowers Lindir had ever seen. Snowy white, with a slender pink stamen, the large multi-petalled blossoms lifted their heads as if in homage to Ithil. Their fragrance was as the finest perfume and filled the air all around them.

"They are beautiful, are they not?" Tilliel whispered. She took a small knife and cut one blossom from its woody stem. "The môrelloth, (1) flower of the dark, blooms only at night and will close its petals at the first kiss of Anor (2). That is why we use the blossoms for our dance."

"The setting of the sun is the close of narbeleth (3), the harvest or fading season. The dance celebrates its ending and the beginning of rhîw (4). Our blossoms will open when Ithil rises, a perfect tribute."

Tilliel handed Lindir a knife similar to her own and they began to fill the basket with cut flowers. In no time at all it was full. "We should have brought more baskets, Tilliel," Lindir said, "This cannot be enough to make the sort of decoration you intend."

"Oh, you are right, Lindir," Tilliel replied, "I am afraid we must come back tomorrow night with more baskets."

"Do you wish me to return for more now, Tilliel?" Lindir asked, not sure if he wished to be with Tilliel the next night. "If you tell me where to find them, I shall be happy to do so."

"No, Lindir," Tilliel said, setting down the filled basket and moving closer to the minstrel. "We have picked enough blossoms for tonight. Now, I wish to show you something sweeter than the môrelloth." She touched her lips softly to Lindir's and wrapped her arms around his neck. Lindir was taken by surprise, but responded to Tilliel's advance, pulling her close and returning the kiss.

Haldir, who had entered the glade a short distance behind the couple, and was currently hidden behind a large Mallorn, narrowed his eyes at Tilliel's words. When Lindir pulled the elleth close and kissed her, pain shot through Haldir's heart. So, it is true, he thought. Lindir returns Tilliel's feelings. I was right to hide from Lindir, for he would never wish to be more than a friend to me.

Haldir leaned his head against the trunk of the Mallorn, digesting that which he surmised. It would not be so hard for him to give up Lindir if his rival were anyone but Tilliel. Obviously, Lindir preferred the company of elleths as far as love was concerned, and Haldir respected that, however, it did not make him feel any better. Tilliel, of all the elleths Lindir could have chosen. Haldir moaned softly. Oh, why must it be she! Haldir began to grow angry again. Tilliel would only hurt Lindir, steal Lindir's heart and then cast it aside. Haldir then and there made a promise. He would not stand by and watch that happen to someone he cared for. He would find a way to turn Lindir's attentions from that…that vixen!

While Haldir had been lost in thought, Tilliel and Lindir had spread their blanket upon the ground and now sat side by side, close together. Lindir had his arms around Tilliel and she had hers around Lindir. They kissed, passionately, over and over. Then Lindir gently guided the elleth so she lay with her back upon the blanket and bent forward to kiss her again. Lindir's hand touched her waist and began to move upward. At that point, Haldir, who was still watching, almost stormed from behind the tree to pull them apart. It took all the willpower he had to stay in his position. Part of him could not bear to watch what was happening and part of him could not tear his eyes away.

Lindir was at the stage where he wished more than kisses from the beautiful lady that smiled so seductively, and was about to make a move, when he heard a noise, the sound of laughter.

He lifted his head and watched as another couple entered the glade. They were so wrapped up in each other, that they did not see Tilliel and Lindir where they lay.

"Tilliel," Lindir whispered to his partner, groaning inwardly, "We have company." Lindir's face turned slightly pink and he pulled Tilliel up to a sitting position.

"Does that matter, Lindir?" Tilliel asked huskily, kissing Lindir again.

"I-I, yes, it matters to me, Tilliel. I do not wish to share you with another's eyes. Come, we have collected all the flowers we need, let us leave the glade and find another place."

"If you wish, Lindir, although I am feeling a bit tired." Tilliel said, as she opened her lovely mouth in a poor excuse of a yawn, barely hidden behind her lovely hand. "Perhaps, we should call it a night." It will not do to let this one believe I am easy to conquer, Tilliel thought. He is a prize I wish to savour for a while.

"I will walk you home." Lindir replied, disappointed that his progress had been interrupted and that Tilliel seemed to have lost interest in him so quickly.

"You are such a dear, Lindir," Tilliel said. "I will call for you after dinner tomorrow night and we will gather more flowers. Perhaps tomorrow, the glade will not be so crowded." She kissed Lindir, a long, lingering kiss, after which she paused and looked deeply into his eyes. "Then we may continue where we left off."

She jumped quickly to her feet and took Lindir's hand, pulling him up to his feet and handing him the blanket to fold. "You carry the blanket and I will carry the basket." She smiled sweetly at the other couple, who had stopped, unsure of whether to stay or go. "We were just leaving; you may have the glade all to yourselves." She wrapped her arm around Lindir's and began to lead him back the way they had come.

Another glided silently through the woods, taking a shortcut to Tilliel's talan. Haldir was even angrier than before. A master at seduction himself, he recognized Tilliel's plan and knew that Lindir was only another name on her ever-growing list. He would not let his friend become caught in her web.

Climbing a tree not far away, Haldir once more settled in to wait. It was not long before Lindir and Tilliel came into view. Haldir suffered through a long good night by the couple then watched as more kisses were exchanged before Tilliel walked through the door of her home, leaving Lindir behind. Haldir sighed as he watched Lindir cross the leafy floor on his way back to the palace. If Glorfindel could only see his protégé now, Haldir thought, angry not only with Tilliel but with the balrog slayer, who thwarted his own chance with Lindir in Imladris.

"Must you always gloat when you clear the coins from the table, Orophin?" Rúmil said with a pout on his face and a slur to his voice. "Those are the last you will take from me tonight; I am out of the game!" Rúmil pushed his chair back from the table and picked up his drink.

Orophin grinned as he dealt a new hand of cards. "It is always easy to clear your pockets, Rúmil; you give your hand away with your expression." The other elves laughed, for Rúmil always did just that, then they turned their attention back to the hand they had just been dealt.

Rúmil stood, scowled at them all good-naturedly and headed for the balcony. He needed fresh air to clear his head, for he had drank much more than he intended. Leaning his arms against the railing, he stared at nothing, just enjoying the night.

"I have not seen you in a while, Rúmil, Haldir switched me to the southern border again." A tall, handsome elf took his place at the rail next to Rúmil, a mug of ale in his hand.

"Claurech (5)!" Rúmil grinned and clapped the other on the back. "You are right, it has been months. What is new?"

Claurech was one of the guardians in Haldir's unit, an old friend of Rúmil's. They talked for a long time, refilling their mugs of ale, finally taking a seat at one of the tables in the interior of the tavern.

Several mugs later, Rúmil's voice became even more slurred and so did his friend's. "I have not seen your brother in a while, Rû, not since he switched the schedules. How is Haldir, still as ornery as ever?" Claurech chuckled and Rúmil laughed. Claurech and Haldir were good friends also and Rumil knew the elf was teasing. Rumil suddenly bent low over the table and beckoned Claurech to move closer. "You will not believe what Haldir has been doing lately. The hunters' moon has left him befuddled." Rúmil grinned then pulled Claurech closer. His voice dropped to a whisper and without a qualm, Rumil let slip that which he normally would have kept secret, if not for the effects of too much ale.

To be continued

Sindarin words and phrases used in this chapter

1. môrelloth - meaning dark flower. Sindarin translation by Orchyd Constyne. See author's note.

2. Anor – sun

3. narbeleth – The name for the season of late autumn, 54 days lying between modern 8 October and 30 November. From the Elven Kingdom Website.

4. rhîw - the name for winter; 72 days between modern 1 December and 10 February. From the Elven Kingdom Website.

5. Claurech – name. Claur glory; ech spear Ambar Eldaron le Monde des Elfes (World of Elves) French translation by Milly.

Author's note:

The flowers of the Epiphyllum, to which I give Orchyd's translation of "môrelloth", blossom for only one night. Since my story is AU, I have taken liberties and given the "môrelloth" longetivity. The blossoms that Tilliel and Lindir pick, will last through the night of the dance.