E/N: Thank you to everyone for all your lovely reviews so far (with the exception of Ginniliel). I'm glad everyone is enjoying this.
Unfortunately, we are nearing the end of this darling little (well, quite big actually) fic. In saying that, I do have nine chapters to type up, but in nine chapters time I will be saying au revoir *sniffle*. But it had to be done, so there we go.
Anywayz, I'll stop blabbering now and let you all get on
with what you're all hear to do. I love you all!
Luvs Elfie xXxXx
Translations:
A'maelamin = my beloved
Mela tel'cormamin = dearest of my heart
Lle maa vanima vithel, meleth nin = you look beautiful also, my love
Diolla lle = thank you
Meleth-nin = my love
Chapter 49"So, what do you have to do?"
"Be a Lady." Silva had four hours to make Rath as lady-like as possible. "You don't have to patronise me, you know."
"I wasn't sure if you knew what that was or not."
"I do have manners and elegance, Silvawen, I just choose not to use them."
"Well you don't have a choice tonight. You're being a Lady and that's that."
"I don't see how all this will make a difference. People know me as Lyncorath the Wanderer, not Lyncorath the Lady. I am 'course and vulgar' as you would say, but my true friends - the only ones I care about - like me for me, not for etiquette and posture."
"I'm not saying don't be you. I'm just saying I want a more toned down version of you. That means: no swearing; no smoking; no whistling; no belching or any other kind of gaseous emission; no slouching; no standing with your hands behind your back; if your bored, don't show, make it look like aristocratic boredom at the very most; do not wolf down your food like a half-starved psychopath; if you're asked to dance, you will dance, however badly; pronunciation is vital, every syllable will be pronounced properly; and finally - and I know this one is hard for you - be pleasant. That means no gory details about your last battle. No exchanging war stories or doing a show and tell of your battle scars with the well-experienced warriors. No moaning. If someone you don't like approaches you, be polite. That's not necessarily nice, but civil."
"………you expect me to do all that?"
"You will do it, Rath, or there will be hell to pay. I'm not having my son's birthday ruined by you just because some Elf pissed you off or something. Oh, and no drinking competitions either."
"You don't want me to have any fun at all, do you?"
"If that is your idea of fun, then no, I do not."
"I thought you said you wanted a toned down version of me."
"I do."
"Well, if I follow all those rules you've set down, I'll be more like you than me………… actually, even that's too aggressive. I'll be more like Arian!!" Silva laughed to herself.
"Well, that'll be a sight to see." Rath sighed.
"Silva, do I have to do this? I can be polite, you know, without all those rules."
"Not by my standards you can't. Now then, posture. Keep your back up straight and clasp your hands gently in front of you………"
**
"I can't wait to see this," Legolas chuckled.
"I know what you mean," said a grinning Elladan. "But Silva said she made quite a transformation. I don't know what she threatened her with, but it seemed to have worked."
"It's hard to get your head round really, isn't it?" said Kemen. "Lady Rath. I never thought I'd hear those two words together.
"I bet she'll shock us, you know," said Legolas. "All five of those sisters are so full of surprises, it's unbelievable."
"Rath will turn out to be a fully fledged Lady of Gondor or something," Elladan laughed. "Now that would be shocking."
"I'm still not overly sure why Silva thinks Rath doesn't know how to be a Lady though," said Elrohir. "I mean, I know Rath is very man-like in her attire and attitude, but she is a Maiar Spirit. She's spent an eternity with the gods. I'm sure she knows what to do."
"We all know what a'maelamin is like though," said Legolas. "She likes to think herself the most lady-like, the most learned, the most or best everything compared to her sisters. She has probably just convinced herself that Rath was never a lady and needs to be taught."
"And, to be fair, Rath has been here for 24 years and never shown a single noble quality," said Elladan. "So it's understandable that Silva would think such a think. And she probably does need to brush up her skills a little after them lying dormant for so long."
"But Silva takes things to the extreme," said Elrohir.
"Very true," the others chorused.
"By the way, Kemen, have you started Silva's book yet?" Legolas asked.
"Of course I have! I never knew Silva could write so well. I've not got very far into the book yet. I'm about to start chapter 3 I think, so obviously I'm not very far yet. But what I've read so far is really interesting. I didn't know Silva had a sixth sister."
"Well, you do now."
"Come to think of it, neither did I," said Elladan.
"Same here," sad Elrohir.
"You learn something new every day," said Kemen.
"Silva is a very secretive person, in case you hadn't already guessed," said Legolas, "and what Arian said earlier is correct. She doesn't easily recount her - as she would call them - 'failures' in life to people. I've only heard the tale once, and as far as I am aware, she has never told the tale since that night, apart from in your book, Kemen."
"It's such an enticing story. I would have know idea how all this perfection could ever cease, were it not for my own knowledge of history. However, I still don't see what will happen with Gorothiel. Reading about her, as I have, so far I've taken quite a liking to her."
"I'm glad, that was my intention," Silva's voice entered the conversation. They all looked up, Legolas looked confused. "Do not look at me that way, mela tel'cormamin, for at that time she was my closest friend. I wrote in order to make Kemen like her also. But no more of this, we've a party to go to. And my, are you all to be my partners? Aren't I lucky?" They all laughed.
"Unfortunately not, dear Silva, enchanting as you look," chuckled Elladan. "Our partners are awaiting us, so if you will excuse us." The twins departed the small pavilion, leaving Silva, Legolas and Kemen.
"Well, I still have two escorts. And both so handsomely attired too."
"Lle maa vanima vithel, meleth nin," Legolas said affectionately.
"Diolla lle."
"Shall we both then?" Kemen said, feeling a little left out, standing and proffering his arm to her.
"Indeed we shall." She looped her arms through her lover's and her son's, then they strolled arm in arm towards Kemen's twenty-first birthday party.
**
"LYNCORATH!" Several hours had passed and vast amounts of alcohol had been consumed. Rath had had one too many (and Rath could hold her drink considerably well) and was now folk dancing to 'Greensleeves'.
"You said is I was asked to dance, I had to dance, however crappy. Wait, you didn't say crappy……… er……… er……… Arian!!" The Fire Spirit, who had just re-entered the pavilion again, turned to her.
"Yes, Rath?"
"Come here!" She pulled Arian in front of her.
"What re you- oh……… Rath, what did you do?"
"I was only dancing."
"What do you mean 'only dancing'?……………… You dance?"
"Folk dancing."
"Oh…………… to 'Greensleeves'?"
"It's the only dancing I can do!"
"Couldn't you have just waltzed or something?"
"…………are you allowed to do that in public?" Rath clearly didn't understand what Arian was talking about.
"It's a dance, Rath. The type of dance you do to a song like 'Greensleeves'."
"Oh." Arian turned back to Silva.
"Silva, stop glaring like that, it's not very becoming of you at all." Silva ignored her for a few more seconds, then turned her back angrily.
"You really shouldn't anger so easily, you know, Silva," said Arwen.
"I can't help it if the woman bugs the hell out of me so much!"
"That's hard too, since she's always in your face." Arwen sighed and shook her head. There was no winning with Silva.
Of the sixteen rules Silva set down practically in stone, Rath kept two of them, being no whistling and no other kind of gaseous emission. To say the least, Silva was not best pleased, but Kemen managed to calm her down by insisting that she hadn't ruined the party by any stretch of the imagination and it was much better entertainment than he could ever have wished for.
"Really, Silva, I don't mind," he said for the fifth time.
"Well, if you completely sure………"
"120% sure."
"All right then, but I'm still not happy with her."
"Why not?" Rath decided to butt in.
"Never mind." The Light Spirit shrugged.
"Hmph. Suit yourself. Hey Silva, can I look at your book? Kemen, where is it?"
"Yes, I suppose so," said Silva, "since you know the story anyway."
"I'll just go and get it," said Kemen. A couple of minutes later, he returned with the green, leather-bound book. "There you go, Rath."
"Thanks, Kemen." She sat and flicked through the first few pages; skim reading. She didn't read any part at great length or take any pains to read detail, but if something caught her eye as she skimmed, she'd quickly read a paragraph or two, then continue. This went on for some time until she reached about three quarters of the way through the book and she stopped dead. She slowly turned her head upwards towards Silva, pure shock on her face.
"Astald?" she whispered. Silva's eyes widened as realisation dawned on her after hearing the name of that ghost from the past.
"Rath, I'm sorry." Rath put the book down on the table.
"All those years…………"
"I was to proud! You remember what I was like!"
"…………and you never said a word."
"It's in the past now, we can't change anything!" Legolas and Kemenhin looked at one another confusedly.
"Could one of you explain please? Possibly? Maybe?" asked the Golden Prince.
"We need to talk, Rath," Silva said abruptly, "you should probably hear this too, Legolas. Kemen, we'll be back in a minute." She grabbed the hands of her lover and her sister and walked out of the pavilion.
"Why?" Rath asked sternly, sobering up instantly. "Why did you never tell anyone?"
"Can you please explain to me what you're talking about?" Legolas asked again. Silva looked at him and sighed.
"In the book I have involved details of something that I have only ever told one person. You remember I told about Rath's brother, Astald?" Legolas nodded. "I was in love with Astald, though he never knew it." Legolas stared mutely.
"If it wasn't him you told, then who was it?" Rath hissed.
"Gorothiel."
"You told that evil witch and you never even had the gall to tell him?!"
"Before she was corrupted by evil, I was closer to her than I have been to anyone ever since. She kept it a secret like I knew no one else would. She held it even when she became corrupt."
"She killed him!!"
"Yes. She killed him partly to hurt you but mainly because I loved him. She did it out of spite towards both you and I."
"You always said you never believed in love! Why did you lie to everyone?!"
"I've told you, my pride got in the way. People would have mocked me so much if I admitted to that which I had mocked myself for so long."
"And suppose you think that was fair on him, do you? Pretending for all those years that he was no more than a friend. Using him to your advantage, knowing full well that he was at your every beck and call because he loved you and freely admitted it."
"I never once used Astald!!"
"That's not what the book says."
"I did not use him! If you'd read more closely, you would understand what happened. That night was a mistake; I did not plan it. If he did, then it shall forever remain a mystery. But for my part, I never intended to be more than a friend to him at any point, despite what my heart cried out."
"Did you sleep with him?" Legolas asked, finally finding his voice, but not actually sure whether or not he wanted to know the answer.
No, please believe me when I say that," she sounded more anxious than she should have and avoided his eye. "It……… it was drunken fumbling in the dark that we both regretted afterwards. We found pleasure heights at one another's touches, and it almost ended in intercourse, but both of us knew we should not. That was the only intimate encounter we ever had."
"You expect us t believe that?" Rath snarled.
"Yes! We didn't go all the way, honest. Rath, I wouldn't lie to you about this."
"Why not? You've lied to me about everything else up until now."
"I didn't lie to you! Lying is deliberately deceiving someone by telling them something that is not true. You never asked me if I loved anyone, so how could I lie?"
"You've always said you don't believe in love, now you're saying you loved my brother. I call that lying."
"During the time Astald was alive and I knew I loved him, I never once said 'I don't believe in love'. I called it foolish and a useless feeling, for I felt foolish myself for succumbing to it. I may have mocked it, but I never once said it wasn't real." Rath thought for a moment.
"Twelve years?!?! You went twelve years without saying it, I remember, I commented on it……… rather frequently."
"Yes, I vaguely recall," Silva said sourly.
"How could you do that?! Several times in that period, Astald approached you and asked you - no, begged you - to reconsider, but you dismissed him, breaking his heart every time, saying that you couldn't love anyone. Yet, even as you said that, you loved him!"
"Do you think it was easy for me to do that? Do you think I got any personal gain from it? Well, I'm telling you now, I didn't! It hurt, but I was too stubborn and proud and conceited to make my own life easier."
"How could you do that to my brother?! He had no failings, lest it be his weakness for you and saving you from that godforsaken tower!!"
"Rath, stop it," Legolas ordered sternly. "You know as well as any of us the guilt you'd have felt had he not saved her. Stop faking nonchalance. I think Silva knows and regrets well enough the incident without you adding burden to her." The oldest sister glared coldly at the Elf before turning on her heel and stalking away angrily.
"I knew she'd react like that," Silva said quietly, "that's why I never told her, especially not the details. She was always so jealous of anyone who got close to him, even though they were so close they were practically inseparable."
"And why did you never tell me?" Silva lowered her eyes.
"Because that's the part that hurts the most. He died without me telling him. I never intended to tell anyone else if he never knew. So, since he died, I've pushed it to the back of my mind and tried to forget. But, as I was writing the book, it all came flooding back to me. I wrestled with my own mind for days on end whether or not to tell Kemen that part of my story. I figured he would probably work it out for himself anyway."
"You did sleep with him, didn't you?" Silva stayed silent and blushed. "I understand that you would not want Rath or any of your sisters to know, but why did you tell me on our first night that you virtue had not been taken. You told me I was your first and only."
"The night I spent with Astald was a mistake, as I've already said. Up until that night, I could not see myself ever laying with a man, but if I did, I wanted everything to be right. I wanted it to be perfect, pathetic as that sounds. Not for it to be a 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am' after several drinks. I made myself believe it didn't happen. So I truly believed in myself that our first night together was my first time. I felt all the emotions and sensations that I'd imagined would be there. The first time I was so numb with drink I barely felt anything. I didn't intentionally deceive you, meleth-nin."
"So, if Astald had not died, you would never have loved me. And Kemen would not be here."
"We don't know that. I've said this before and I'll say it again. We are soulmates, I am yours, and you are mine. We are destined to be together. Even if Astald still lived, I think I would love you, but he is not so there is no point in dwelling on that."
"I still can't help but think that you compare me to him though. He was a Maia, like you, after all."
"Do not think that, Legolas, for it is not true. You do remind me of Astald in several ways, but you are a different person. You are not him and he was not you. It would be unfair of me to judge you like that. I never would." She hugged him and kissed him, almost manically. "I. Love. You. Legolas. Nothing can or ever will change that. Say you believe me?" Throughout all of that conversation, she'd looked him in the eyes unblinkingly. There was nothing to say that she was lying and he was so weak with her anyway…………
"I love you too, Silva." He kissed her brow. "We should probably go back now. Kemen will be wondering what on earth is going on." Silva smiled and nodded, took his hand and they walked back to the party. When they arrived however, Kemen was just leaving with to other Elves.
"Hmmm, well, we've lost our host. I suppose it doesn't matter if we leave either, then," said Silva.
"I suppose not."
"Well, what's say we go out into the forest a little and," she giggled, "make up a little better." He grinned.
"That's the best idea you've had all day." They left the party once more.
Knowing they had to get quite a way from the party so as not to be 'caught in the act', they walked quite fast, though they often stopped to kiss each other senseless and such. Unfortunately though, Legolas suddenly realised he'd forgotten something and he HAD to go and retrieve it.
"Well, be quick," said Silva, "I'm getting excitable."
"With a treasure like you awaiting me, I won't take long! You carry on going and find a good place, I'll find you, don't worry." He winked at her and sprinted off.
She sighed and continued walking. She hated interruptions, especially when she was aroused and it meant she had to wait longer; even though the waiting and prolonging or it usually made the outcome even better. 'He'll be back soon enough,' she thought. 'I won't have to wait long. And I get to find a nice spot now.' But she couldn't carry on any further. An odd noise made her look up.
The scene didn't register to begin with. All Silva could see was the horror on Kemen's face. They both stared at one another for a few seconds. He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it. She let out a long, loud, high-pitched shriek. She turned on her heel and bolted, screaming as she went.
She ran into the pavilion where the party was being held, still whimpering loudly. She cited Legolas, ran towards him, grabbed his arm without stopping running and dragged him, away from the Elf he was talking to, ungracefully out the other side of the clearing.
"When they finally stopped, Silva was shaking, pure horror on her face, a stream of incomprehensible whimpers leaving her mouth.
"Silva, stop. Tell me what's wrong."
"MEEP!" There were more whimpers.
"Silva, calm down, what's wrong? Is it Haldir?" His eyes narrowed. "What did he do this time?"
"Not Haldir," she squeaked, "…………KEMENHIN!"
"What? What's happened? He's obviously not hurt else you'd be with him? What's happened? What's he done?"
"………I………he………ACK!"
"He what?!"
"Oh the burning images in my mind!!!"
"Silva, will you please just tell me what he's done, Erudammit?!?!" He placed a hand on both her shoulders. "Breathe," he instructed. Her breathing eventually slowed, though she still looked shocked and '………disgusted?' "What. Has. Happened?"
"You left………… I walked on………… noise-"
"Noise?"
"I heard a noise-"
"Oh right."
"-saw Kemenhin-"
"Oh."
"-and a girl-"
"Ohh."
"-and a BOY!!" Legolas' eyes widened.
"Ohhh." Legolas carried on repeating himself, sounding more and more impressed with every 'Oh'.
"And their clothes were- well, not on them." She let out another traumatised wail. "Of all the things he could have been doing……… why a man?!"
"Well, at least there was a woman present. He's obviously not completely……… well, that way."
"THERE WERE THREE OF THEM!!"
"……… there is that."
"Oh gods!! I'll never be able to close my eyes and rest peacefully again!"
"You're being very homophobic, you know, Sil."
"No, I'm not! It's just that's not the sort of position you wish to find your son in!"
"I suppose that's true."
"There's nothing to suppose! It was traumatising!"
"Look, I'll talk to him, if it makes you feel any better. We'll have a father-son chat, ok? But there's not much I can say or do really."
"GAH! It's so stressful! Just say whatever! I don't care what you say! ACK!" She walked away still babbling to herself. He smiled and chuckled softly.
"That woman. Honestly." Kemenhin suddenly rushed up behind him, only half dressed, looking very nervous. (E/N:……… O_O NOT LIKE THAT!!)
"Tell me truthfully, how mad is she?" he asked, fear in his voice.
"Well, she's definitely completely and utterly insane." Kemen frowned.
"Legolas, I'm being serious."
"So am I. But in relation to what you're talking about, she's not mad. And certainly not at you for what you were doing - or should that be who - she's just a little shocked and a bit freaked out. She said herself, it's not the sort of position she ever wished to see you in. That's one part of your life she'll gladly have no role in, whatsoever."
"She doesn't hate me?"
"Of course not. And think about what you just said. Silva? Hate you? It's somewhat an absurd idea. I often think she loves you more than she does me, she's not going to suddenly sever the connection because she's found out what your preferences are under unfortunate circumstances."
"You're right. I'm overreacting."
"So is she. I mean, it's not a big deal really. Wow, she caught you in the act. It's not like her and me have never been caught. I think that first night set our fortune for the rest of our sexual lives."
"Yes, she told me about that."
"She did?!"
"Yeah. Provided me with amusement for weeks."
"Thanks, Kemen."
"You're welcome."
"Look, get dressed, go and find her. I told her I'd talk to you, but I really don't have anything to say on the matter. I'm not phased one iota. All I will say is, well done. I like your style." Both Elves started laughing.
"All right. I'll go and find her………… thank you, Legolas."
"Oh, I haven't done anything. Just get going and set things straight with her quickly. The poor woman is probably going mad." They laughed again. "Well, more so than she already is."
"See you in the morning, Legolas."
"Night Kemen."
**
E/N: Leave me lots of nice reviews and I might just do some reviewers notes in an upcoming chapter.
Luvs Elfie xXxXx