Chapter Six
Lothestel-flower of hope in Sindar
Thanks to my stand in beta-Nelduva
A/N: You know I really don't mind if you spread the word around. (tee hee) I love reviews! Your friends can even flame me if they want, but I really need reviews. I only have 14, and like 6 of them are from the same person. Even if you've left me a review before, please do it again!
Niphredil
She calmly walked over to her bed, and sat down. The quarreling of his parents had upset Anor, and his beautiful face was screwed up into an expression of fear and he was screaming. She held him against her rapidly beating heart, and as he clamed down, so did her heart pace.
A single beaded tear dropped down from her wide green eyes past her pale white cheeks. It fell on tiny Anor, and he squeezed his eyelids at the touch of it. She wiped her eyes, and her determination set in. She would not allow this innocent child to be known and teased as a bastard for his entire life. She would not let this take over her mind, and her soul, and most importantly, her life.
-
She changed Anor's dirty linen's before heading down to breakfast. Many thoughts ran through her head as she preformed this menial task. She would make him see what a fool he was. And if he wanted a whore, he could have one of the ladies of the court who would give all their money for one night in the Prince's bed. She tried to pretend that it wasn't really all that special, but sitting on the sofa in her room, she realized love made anything seem wonderful, so she wasn't a true judge of his sensual skills. He had been right. Nobody would ever make her moan like he did. She vowed then and there never to have her heart broken. And if that meant no lovemaking, then there would be no lovemaking.
This new revelation made her think about the type of elleth she was becoming. She used to be a weak timid shy creature. Mirkwood had had this effect upon her, and she no longer recognized herself. Punching the Crown Prince? Swearing at him? Making love before marriage? Having a bastard child? Yes, she decided. I have become a stranger to myself.
-
As she entered the dining hall, the same deadly silence came over the peoples assembled. She walked carefully, but even though she was an elf, her footsteps seemed the only sound in the room. She finally reached the head table, and took her spot next to the Lady. She felt every single eye in that room upon her, and she shifted uncomfortably. Out of sheer routine, she spared a glance at Legolas, and almost gasped in surprise. He had a darkening bruise forming across the right side of his face, and she could see the imprints of her knuckles.
She looked down at the baby to busy herself, and then looked to her friend Lothestel, who looked like she might faint. Lothestel had realized the circumstances of Anor's birth. Niphredil begged with her eyes for her to be silent, for she would explain later.
She tried to eat, but the entire meal was a disaster until Legolas pushed back his chair and stood up.
"Fair Folk, I would like to mention the newest member of our community. I am honored to introduce to you the adopted son of Niphredil, Anor. He was found abandoned in the woods by Niphredil, and she did not want to move him for fear that he was too young. He looks to be only three days old. She bravely stayed by the child, watering down her drinks and mashing her food into a liquid to give to the baby. Let it be known through the land, and others besides that this wonderful elleth has decided to raise this child as her own."
When he sat down, the looks she received were much kinder and more accepting.
-
Legolas
When she walked in, he had his breath taken away. She outshone the Lady herself. The tiny babe was in her arms, and walking across the hall she looked scared at the prospect of sitting down, and being the object of interest. When she sat down, the meal started. The entire thing was silent, and he could see every eye, including that of the nobility was fixed on her. He decided to end her humiliation, though the selfish person in him demanded that the way she had treated him deserved punishment. He beat that thought down, and pushed his chair back. He then explained the situation to the court, and when he had finished, it was as if the black cloud over the room was gone. The sound of silverware on platters returned.
He glanced at her to see if she appreciated what he had done for her. She was looking at that damned elfling!
He knew that we would not be in this position had he not been so rude. He had been drunk. The sober Legolas would have never called her a whore. All she had done was take the wine away from him. In his drunkenness, he had been so upset that he had called her a nasty whore who opens her legs to any noble who can get her something. She had stumbled backwards, and stared at him with such hurt and hate. He had woken up in the morning with a headache and heartache.
And now? She would never forgive him for forcing myself on her. It was one of those things that could never be forgiven. "I truly deserved the physical pain from that bruise," he thought.
He missed the stolen kisses under the tablecloth, our walks in the garden in which we argued about anything and everything, and the lustful moments by the waterfall. He missed the way her green eyes flashed, and the way her snow-white hair felt. He missed Niphredil.
-
After the meal, the Lady bid Niphredil attend her. They walked down the hallway to the Lady's chambers. She shut the door behind her, and turned towards Niphredil.
"Niphredil, I have a small dilemma."
She gulped nervously before answering her Lady.
"Yes, My Lady?"
"There are no handmaidens in the entire palace, so I am going to have to ask you to continue as mine. But I know this shall be hard, looking after a child and me, so I should like to ask you if I might look after Anor while you must be my handmaiden. Maybe I could help you raise him when we get back to Lorien, for it has been long since there has been a child in the palace. "
The Lady's eyes clouded over with pain, and Niphredil knew that she was thinking of Celebrian.
"Of course, my Lady. Anything. I am lucky to have such a wonderful-"she paused, "friend to help me out."
The Lady beamed, and took the tiny Anor in her arms. "I would like to become acquainted with him. You may stay here, or you may go do what you please. You look like you need a rest."
"My Lady, you are very kind. It would please me much to have a small reprieve."
Niphredil said goodbye to Anor, and left the room to seek out her friend Lothestel.
Lothestel-flower of hope in Sindar
Thanks to my stand in beta-Nelduva
A/N: You know I really don't mind if you spread the word around. (tee hee) I love reviews! Your friends can even flame me if they want, but I really need reviews. I only have 14, and like 6 of them are from the same person. Even if you've left me a review before, please do it again!
Niphredil
She calmly walked over to her bed, and sat down. The quarreling of his parents had upset Anor, and his beautiful face was screwed up into an expression of fear and he was screaming. She held him against her rapidly beating heart, and as he clamed down, so did her heart pace.
A single beaded tear dropped down from her wide green eyes past her pale white cheeks. It fell on tiny Anor, and he squeezed his eyelids at the touch of it. She wiped her eyes, and her determination set in. She would not allow this innocent child to be known and teased as a bastard for his entire life. She would not let this take over her mind, and her soul, and most importantly, her life.
-
She changed Anor's dirty linen's before heading down to breakfast. Many thoughts ran through her head as she preformed this menial task. She would make him see what a fool he was. And if he wanted a whore, he could have one of the ladies of the court who would give all their money for one night in the Prince's bed. She tried to pretend that it wasn't really all that special, but sitting on the sofa in her room, she realized love made anything seem wonderful, so she wasn't a true judge of his sensual skills. He had been right. Nobody would ever make her moan like he did. She vowed then and there never to have her heart broken. And if that meant no lovemaking, then there would be no lovemaking.
This new revelation made her think about the type of elleth she was becoming. She used to be a weak timid shy creature. Mirkwood had had this effect upon her, and she no longer recognized herself. Punching the Crown Prince? Swearing at him? Making love before marriage? Having a bastard child? Yes, she decided. I have become a stranger to myself.
-
As she entered the dining hall, the same deadly silence came over the peoples assembled. She walked carefully, but even though she was an elf, her footsteps seemed the only sound in the room. She finally reached the head table, and took her spot next to the Lady. She felt every single eye in that room upon her, and she shifted uncomfortably. Out of sheer routine, she spared a glance at Legolas, and almost gasped in surprise. He had a darkening bruise forming across the right side of his face, and she could see the imprints of her knuckles.
She looked down at the baby to busy herself, and then looked to her friend Lothestel, who looked like she might faint. Lothestel had realized the circumstances of Anor's birth. Niphredil begged with her eyes for her to be silent, for she would explain later.
She tried to eat, but the entire meal was a disaster until Legolas pushed back his chair and stood up.
"Fair Folk, I would like to mention the newest member of our community. I am honored to introduce to you the adopted son of Niphredil, Anor. He was found abandoned in the woods by Niphredil, and she did not want to move him for fear that he was too young. He looks to be only three days old. She bravely stayed by the child, watering down her drinks and mashing her food into a liquid to give to the baby. Let it be known through the land, and others besides that this wonderful elleth has decided to raise this child as her own."
When he sat down, the looks she received were much kinder and more accepting.
-
Legolas
When she walked in, he had his breath taken away. She outshone the Lady herself. The tiny babe was in her arms, and walking across the hall she looked scared at the prospect of sitting down, and being the object of interest. When she sat down, the meal started. The entire thing was silent, and he could see every eye, including that of the nobility was fixed on her. He decided to end her humiliation, though the selfish person in him demanded that the way she had treated him deserved punishment. He beat that thought down, and pushed his chair back. He then explained the situation to the court, and when he had finished, it was as if the black cloud over the room was gone. The sound of silverware on platters returned.
He glanced at her to see if she appreciated what he had done for her. She was looking at that damned elfling!
He knew that we would not be in this position had he not been so rude. He had been drunk. The sober Legolas would have never called her a whore. All she had done was take the wine away from him. In his drunkenness, he had been so upset that he had called her a nasty whore who opens her legs to any noble who can get her something. She had stumbled backwards, and stared at him with such hurt and hate. He had woken up in the morning with a headache and heartache.
And now? She would never forgive him for forcing myself on her. It was one of those things that could never be forgiven. "I truly deserved the physical pain from that bruise," he thought.
He missed the stolen kisses under the tablecloth, our walks in the garden in which we argued about anything and everything, and the lustful moments by the waterfall. He missed the way her green eyes flashed, and the way her snow-white hair felt. He missed Niphredil.
-
After the meal, the Lady bid Niphredil attend her. They walked down the hallway to the Lady's chambers. She shut the door behind her, and turned towards Niphredil.
"Niphredil, I have a small dilemma."
She gulped nervously before answering her Lady.
"Yes, My Lady?"
"There are no handmaidens in the entire palace, so I am going to have to ask you to continue as mine. But I know this shall be hard, looking after a child and me, so I should like to ask you if I might look after Anor while you must be my handmaiden. Maybe I could help you raise him when we get back to Lorien, for it has been long since there has been a child in the palace. "
The Lady's eyes clouded over with pain, and Niphredil knew that she was thinking of Celebrian.
"Of course, my Lady. Anything. I am lucky to have such a wonderful-"she paused, "friend to help me out."
The Lady beamed, and took the tiny Anor in her arms. "I would like to become acquainted with him. You may stay here, or you may go do what you please. You look like you need a rest."
"My Lady, you are very kind. It would please me much to have a small reprieve."
Niphredil said goodbye to Anor, and left the room to seek out her friend Lothestel.