HUGE thanks to: Kat, Saeleth Tinuviel, Diadora, legolasnDcolorblueinterestsme, nexa, Laer4572 (LOL!), sunshine, Norie Ape1, Pippinsgal011890, Julia, Dazzler420, legolasnDcolorblueintertsme (Physics blows. It made me start to hate science..), Artemis1860, jullez, toratigergirl11 (cause he doesn't want to have feelings for her, silly. Lol) Ms. Unknown, huntress73 (Keep your focus on the here and now, where it belongs - lol! Next chapter, you just wait. Bad feelings..yeah.) Kathy-SFF, radbooks, tracey (amen, sister.), moonlight and starlight, varda101,
Hmph, I don't like this chapter much. Not my best - However, the next one...Nahaha! I can't wait for that one! Claps Well, sorry if this disappoints, just wait for the next one.
Chapter Sixteen: Worthy
Rumil
"And of course, if Little Ana starts fussing in the night it's better if you sing to her. But now for Onduras, you need to tell him a story and stand near the window."
I looked at Ana as she followed her sister around dutifully I knew, as did she and her husband, that Ana was fully aware of how to tend to children for a night. For Valar's sake, she was a mother herself!
Ryn and I exchanged a look as Ashk whirled around the kitchener. She looked up the stairs where she had spent at least an hour or two trying to organize for her childrens' sitter for the night.
However, as she took a step as if to climb the stairs again, I lurched forward and grabbed her arm.
"Ashk, no. Please, for the sake of all things sacred, do not go back up there," I pled while her sister laughed and her nephew giggled. Moriana, not to be one left out of the entertainment, looked around with wide eyes and a shocked face. Her uncle, Ryn, laughed at her before poking her nose.
"Rumil, I was just going to make sur-" Ashk tried to pull away from me, but Ana rounded her other side, ushering her with me.
"Ashk, darling, it's time for you to go," she told her sister, motioning for Ryn to follow us as we stammered out the door. Ryn nodded and juggled a bag and his niece in his arms.
"Oh, the two of you!" Ashk growled as we all stammered down the stairs. The two horses flickered their gaze at us and cocked an ear. "You act like I can't control myself."
"You can't," Ana, Ryn, and I all chorused. Ashk promptly scoffed before we let her go near the horses.
"Say good bye to Ama, Onduras," Ana said, shifting the child to bare him to his mother. Ashk took him into her arms and smiled at her son. The child giggled at her, his hands reaching up to pat her face.
"Will you miss me?" she asked. The child cooed in return.
I sighed. "Yes, yes, he'll miss you dearly. But we must go, Ashk! We are already behind schedule."
"Schedule? What schedule?" she asked, glancing at me. I grumbled with a shake of my head and took her son from her arms.
"Kiss him goodbye for the night, Ashk," I ordered. She did so and I handed my only nephew back to Ana. She was grinning at me, barely containing her amusement. Ryn presented Little Ana for Ashk and she sighed, kissing her daughter as well.
"Are you sure everything will be all right? Maybe I should stay.. Or come back early. Yes, I thin–"
"Ashk." Ryn's voice was stern. "Go." She gave him a hesitant look before looking at her children again. Finally, she nodded.
"Good. Have fun," Ana said, kissing her sister's forehead before she mounted the horse. With a few last words of farewell, for one night, we were finally off towards Lorien...And a rather long and interesting night, I was sure.
Hours Later - Caras Galadhon
She shifted closer to me as we climbed the stairs. Her wide eyes were as curious as her daughter's constantly were. She looked at everything as if to absorb it all since her last visit. She was so curious that while I was bedding the horses down, I caught a glimpse of her trailing a hand along a Mallorn tree as if to see if it was real.
I had only smiled at her and was delighted that Lady Galadriel called for her not but a few minutes later.
"Rumil," she whispered to me, bumping into me as four Galadhrim guards passed. "Why are they all staring at me?"
I smiled, putting an arm around her shoulders. "It is rare to see a human in Caras Galadhon, Ashk," I told her. "Did you not see them staring at you the last time you were here?" I asked.
She frowned. "No, I didn't."
She had other things on her mind... I knew this and so did she, yet neither of us needed to bring up that time in her life.
I, however, grinned at her. "They stared - Trust me. You were the talk of gossip for many weeks," I said.
She paled.
"I was?" she breathed. "That's horrible." She ducked her head down and I laughed as we came to the entrance talan of the Lady and Lord's home.
It was littered with decorations for the evening festive and, like any life-long resident of Lorien, I felt excitement bubble. It was instilled from childhood to look forward to the Winter Ball. It marked the longest night of the year and its holiday shared legend. Perhaps I would tell Ashk the story later, but for now, I had to make sure she would not faint in the midst of her husband's home city.
"Ashk, my dear!"
The voice was gentle and joyous making me smile as I looked up the remaining stairs we were climbing. Galadriel's beauty shone down on us in such powerful waves that Ashk nearly stumbled. I tightened my hold on her with a chuckle as I guided her upward.
"Afternoon, milady!" I greeted brightly. Galadriel beamed a smile at me and laid a gentle hand on my cheek.
"Good afternoon, my darling Rumil. How was your journey?" she asked, looking between us both. I glanced at Ashk and she looked at me expectantly. I grinned at her before turning my gaze back to the Lady of the Wood.
"It was well, my lady," I replied.
"Wonderful to hear," she beamed before turning her gaze to Ashk. The woman did not stiffen, but she did not relax either.
"Now, Rumil tells me you do not have a gown for tonight," said the Lady of Light. I cringed as Ashk shot me a look.
"He didn't tell me I needed one," Ashk growled in my direction. I raised a brow.
"Now, Ashk. You were coming to a ball, what did you expect to wear?" I asked innocently. She took a step towards me, a threat deep in her eyes.
Galadriel laughed and placed a willowy arm around her shoulders.
"Now, now," she soothed. "No need to ruffle feathers. Good Rumil did give me enough time to amend this small problem."
I beamed at Ashk as she shot me another look.
"Yes, and that is my cue to take my leave. I will allow you to prepare in your own time while I prepare in mine. I will see you this evening, Ashk," I said. "My lady," I bowed to Galadriel and turned on a heel, leaving the two and ignoring Ashk's look of distress.
Ashk
"Oh, Ashk dear, do not look so abandoned," Galadriel told me quietly as we strolled up the next flight of stairs as if it led into the heavens themselves. "I like to think of us as acquainted at least."
Feeling foolish, I nodded. "Yes, my Lady, I just...This is all very new to me."
We entered through large doors into a court. My stomach churned. Oh, what was I thinking coming to this place of perfect beauty?
Galadriel led me towards one of the three halls in sight while every Elf in the room seemed to shoot surprised glances my direction and I shrank back as if to hide myself in Galadriel's shadow.
"Now, if I am correct, I have just the gown for you tonight," she was saying. "On the longest night of winter, luckily we do not all wear white. If that were the case, it would have taken several hours to find you something out of the choices," she said and I felt light-headed as we walked down the hall with great carved portraits in the ceiling where the limbs of trees still reached.
"How are your children?" she asked suddenly. Apparently I missed part of the conversation as I stared around us.
I blinked as she glanced at me with those glorious blue eyes that reeked of ancient wisdom. She seemed generally glad to see me and for that, it warmed my heart and I felt some of the nervousness melt away.
"Oh, they're wonderful," I said, a pang of guilt tracing in my heart. Perhaps I should not have left them. What if they felt abandoned or–
"Now, Ashk. Your children will be fine for tonight. Do not worry so, my dear," Galadriel interrupted my thoughts. She smiled gently at me as she suddenly shifted our direction to a certain door. The Lady opened it briskly and I was greeted with a bright room with paintings and books everywhere.
There was a huge window to the far opposite that was lined in heavy drapes of a crimson red. There was another door leading to a room I barely glimpsed a bed in, its cover lined with fur.
"Now, you will not be able to stay here. Visitors from Greenwood are coming soon, but this is where I found the dress stored," said Lady Galadriel as she strolled into the next room, leaving me at the door.
As if I would break something, I closed the door as quietly as possible and tried not to move much as I looked around. I could never fathom living in anything like this. Was this what Haldir's home was like?
The thought made me frown before the Lady of Light returned into the entrance room with something so beautiful, I gasped.
"Oh, my Lady," I murmured as she presented the gown to me. "I couldn't…"
She smiled at me. "You can," she said. "And you will."
I gaped and she placed the gown in my arms. It was heavy and that meant it was probably worth more than I was, but oh, Gods help me...I couldn't possibly wear this.
"Now, come. We must see to a handmaiden, Uminriel," she said, opening the door behind me and leading me into the great hall again.
I frowned. "What is she going to do?" I asked as she closed the door again.
"Your hair."
Oh, Gods…
Two Hours Later
Ashk
Following Rumil through the board walks above the city and away from the Lord and Lady's home, I carried the dress Galadriel had given me. She told me he would show me where I would be staying and that she would see me next at the ball.
As I looked at the sun, I noted I had less than an hour.
I looked back to Rumil as he continued to talk on about something I was not paying attention to. Instead, I was fascinated to note that his own hair was different than normal. Obviously not in any female style, just different braids in different places.
I smiled. Rumil was most certainly going to attract attention tonight. He was as handsome as his brothers.
Just at the thought of his brothers, one in particular, I shuddered. I was so worried about what Haldir would think tonight. In fact, I found myself constantly wondering if he would like what I was wearing or how I looked.
I normally didn't care for vanity, but this night I did. I wanted to be beautiful...And I was ashamed to know I wanted to look beautiful for him.
I sighed at the thought before someone ran into my shoulder. I gasped in surprise before my eyes met a gaze colder than a January night; sharp with annoyance.
She said something in Elven, her eyes trickling up and down my body and I frowned.
Perhaps I ran into her...but I was directly behind Rumil. She had to have ran into me...
Never-the-less, I tilted my head. "My apologies," I managed. She sneered at me and looked at Rumil, snapping about something before turning a disgusted gaze at me.
I was normally a very calm person, not one to be easily offended nor angered. However, this Elf's eyes set wrong with mine. I had the desperate urge to hit that appraising look right off her perfect face. In fact, to my own dismay, I wanted to make that sculpted face mauled.
Rumil replied calmly, his hand grasping my arm and leading me onward without a look back at the nasty little...
"Don't mind after her," he told me, a glare shooting over his shoulder at the Elleth.
"Who was that?" I demanded, surprised that my voice was so hostile. He seemed surprised as well when he glanced at me as we climbed a handful of stairs to a door.
"Her name is Aluna – Remember her and keep away," he warned me.
I frowned and he led me inside the pale door. I didn't even take the time to look around. "She detests humans, Ashk," he told me. "And the fact that you are Haldir's named wife will, no doubt, send her into an uproar if she does not already know."
My frown grew deeper before Rumil tilted his head to slant a look at me.
"Ashk, stay away from her. She has magic she can use on a whim. She will not pause on using it on you."
I felt his cold warning wrap its way around me and I knew worry flickered in my eyes. Seeing this, his own gaze softened and he brushed a hand past my cheek.
"Do not worry about her, Ashk. Tonight, you only focus on having yourself a wonderful time. You will, I promise," he told me.
I managed a half smile before I sighed and turned away, looking around us. We seemed to be in some sort of common room. A sofa was nearby, as were two reading chairs and a bookshelf that had more weapons on it than books. Past the common was a kitchener - small and little used, obviously.
To the opposite of the home was a small hallway. There were three doors, all of them closed.
"Where are we?" I asked, strolling forward.
"Haldir's flet," Rumil told me mildly. I nearly stumbled as I took a step down into the common. Suddenly, I felt like I was intruding. All too suddenly, I could nearly feel the Warden's presence.
Rumil looked at me in alarm. "What is it?"
"I shouldn't be here," I said, backing away and nearly tripping on the stair I had just passed down and barely avoiding stepping on the gown I carried. Rumil frowned and stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.
"Ashk, it is all right. He knows you are here," he assured me. Something in his eyes told me there was quite the argument over the fact, but it was wiped away just as fast. "Don't worry. What makes you so frightened to be here?"
I gaped. "I'm…I'm not frightened, I just..." I stammered. "I just don'- Didn't think he would want me here."
Rumil gave me a look before sighing slightly.
"Come with me," he said, turning and walking towards the hall. I paused before following, my eyes darting around the home that I could now so certainly see was Haldir's. It even had the scent of him.
Rumil opened a door at the end of the hall on the right. Light trickled into the shadowed hall and I entered the room with him. There was a large window that covered the span of the entire far wall and viewed the outer city. There were wardrobes in the room, all closed. A bed was to my left and I vaguely wondered if this was Haldir's bedroom.
"This is the guest room," Rumil said without prompting.
I relaxed slightly as he moved across the room.
"We more often call it the weapon room," he told me with a smirk. His hand lifted and clenched around a drape hung over something tall and wide. In one quick pull, it revealed a mirror.
"You will stay here tonight," he told me, motioning to a familiar bag near a corner. I raised a brow and looked back to him. Rumil glanced around the room before nodding to himself. "Don't open the wardrobes, they are full of weapons mostly," he said, but his eyes flickered to one wardrobe in particular. I glanced at it before my eyes were back on him.
He gave me a smile and said, "Now, I will leave you to your own devices and return for you in about an hour." I nodded. With this, he nodded again and walked to go to the door but paused. His brushed a finger through a lock of hair near my face. "You look beautiful, by the way."
I blushed like a fool and he laughed at me. I managed a thank you as he kissed my cheek and left the room, the door closing behind him.
I looked to the wardrobes, curiosity rising before I just pictured myself being caught by Haldir snooping around in his things. I cringed at the mere thought and went to the window. My eyes lingered outside briefly before I pulled the curtains to dress.
An Hour Later
Orophin
"Brother!"
Haldir turned at my call and I rushed towards him, making sure to seem winded and distraught.
"What is it?" he asked, his eyes flickering behind me to the way I'd come from. I struggled to hide a smile.
"Rumil is having a slight...emergency with his uniform. It seems he has outgrown the dressage since last he wore it. He is with the seamstress now."
Haldir seemed to pause before giving me a look of dull confusion. "Why do I have to know this?"
"Haldir, Rumil is supposed to escort Ashk to the ball!" I managed to hiss at him. "He will be late and does not need to attract any more attention to her when arriving after everyone else," I growled, glaring at my brother.
For a moment, it seemed my words just passed him before his eyes heated in a fiery glare.
"No."
It was curt and simple, but I struck me like a hot pin.
"Haldir, she is your wife!" I hissed at him. "I would take her myself, though I already have company." I shot a glance towards an awaiting Elleth not far away.
"Rumil was the one to get her into this!" Haldir hissed back. "I knew he would muck this up!"
"Yes, well, congratulations for your premonition," I growled at him. "But no matter who got Ashk into this, I would hope you h care for her enough not to make her feel as though you are ashamed to be seen with her."
Haldir was silent and I felt something like stone weigh my stomach.
"Haldir..."
"Orophin, if this is a ploy, I will personally slaughter you and our brother," he warned, pointing at me and suddenly stalking away towards his own flet. His red drape flapped madly behind him.
I smiled secretly and glanced upward and behind me. Rumil grinned from the talan he was hidden on before hurrying off towards the ball himself. I glanced back the way my eldest brother had gone before taking a deep breath.
I only hoped my own worry that Haldir would muck this up was wrong.
Haldir
Two incompetent fools! I should have known something would happen. Leave it to Rumil to throw everything into chaos. As if tonight would not be bad enough, I now had to act as a chaperone.
I growled at the thought as I opened the door to my home. I left it open as I walked inside, not willing to waste another second. At this rate, Ashk would arrive late anyway.
I grumbled to myself angrily again as I trekked down the hall and to the weapon room door. Guest room, I corrected myself in aggravation.
I rapped the door twice before entering.
"Ashk, Rumil will not– "
She turned to look at me and my words died just as fast as they came. She stood in front of the mirror, looking worried.
We stared at each other for a long moment before I noticed the time pass. Inwardly, I shook myself and cleared my throat.
"Rumil will not be taking you - he has a crisis."
Disappointment filled her eyes. "Oh," she said, looking down. "I - Well." She sighed. "I see."
I stared at her, the glow of Caras Galadhon shadowing the curves of her body under that dress.
I offered my hand. "You will be coming with me instead."
Something lit in her eyes as she looked up at me. I felt myself smile at her and she returned the same as her hand slipped into mine.
Celeborn
Perhaps it was luck that made me look up when I did, but I was glad I did.
A few conversations near me paused at this unexpected attendant of the infamous Lorien Winter Ball, but I ignored that tribute of silence.
"Oh, they are splendid," my wife murmured beside me. I smiled at her as she gazed at the couple strolling down the stairs.
"You chose well," I told her. She gave me a smile for a brief moment before looking back to the two.
She had nearly barreled over half her court declaring she had just the thing when she'd learned Ashk did not have a gown to wear. I would be the last to say she hadn't known was she was doing.
Haldir was as dignified as always. His armor etched in silver and gold shone brightly in the light while a crimson drape all of the Galadhrim guard wore flowed behind him. Ever the warrior, a ceremonial blade was on his left side that had never been pulled from its sheath.
To his right, Ashk truly looked glorious as well. The gown my wife had given her was a blue gleam that was full past the waist and shimmered in rippled silk. Her hair was braided away from her face but it flowed down her back.
Galadriel gave me a look and I smiled at her, knowing she heard my every thought.
With one last glance at the two, I smiled.
Whether Ashk knew it or not, this was the first time Haldir had escorted anyone who was not out of duty to his Lady and myself in nearly three and a half decades.
The woman was worth the effort several of us had put into this night, I decided. She was certainly worthy of being at the Warden's side - And I silently hoped Haldir knew that.
If he didn't, I could only pity him.
- - -
Well, I warned you. Boring, no? And, for that fact (and that this was only seven pages long) I will update mega soon. Four days from now - December 22nd.
Hope to see you then!