Felarof; Well, greetings to my new (and evil) fan :-) LOL! Your review has me here with a huge grin! Thnx a mil for throwin?me on your alert list also, I'm very flattered! blush And may I just add, PLEASE gimme cupcakes?pleeeeeeeaaaaaaase! As you are evil, I doubt you'll show any sympathy, but they all look delicious! I think this is the quickest update I have ever made!
Seyyada Another new reviewer! Thank you kindly:-) I delighted ppl are findin' this funny, as it's very light humour (but in most of my fics, I try to add a lil relief) Also, thnx for your tips as well, I shall take note. The reason for me putting the elvish after the words is 'cos when I read stories with the elvish translation at the bottom, sometimes I find it breaks my flow of reading, 'cos I like to know what their saying as I go on rather than scroll up & down again, but that may just be silly ol' me and my linear thinking (tis true - left handed people like myself are linear thinkers - straight and step-by-step stuff is what we like! LOL!) But I am sorry 'bout that, and I'm not puttin' down that method of translation and if it suits the right-handed majority, I'll put the translations at the bottom of the page?LOL! And, yep, I usually do make personalised responses, but as I was just postin' up the 1st chapt., I hadn't any replies to make - I was thanking the good ppl such as yourself in advance:-) And I guess thats your personalised reply ?hee hee! Thanks a bunch for your encouragement and compliments, and if there are any more improvements needed, please don't hesitate to lemme know (I'm sure there are loads!)
Ki; Well, you're about to find out a lil more below ?LOL:-) Cheers for your review, 'tis lovely to hear from you!
RS; My dear, as always, you've made my day! You never fail to review and always notice the lil details - thats why its such a pleasure to include them! Thank you hun for your sweet words and pointing out the spelling errors ?my excuse is in my reply to Lindahoyland. Xxxx
The Dancing Cavalier; My, aren't I meeting lots of new ppl with this fic! Thank you for your support, and I'm SO glad you like it! Hope you like the rest as much!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter 2"I do not think I have spent such a long departure," Aragorn sighed as they reached a safe distance from the White City. "With such fuss, you wonder what they think of us sometimes."
"Actually all the time, My Lord. But if that were the fuss they would make with us going on a simple camping trip, I am glad they do not know the truth!" Faramir replied, both guilty and nervous. After all, the bravest of men would not dare to cross the Shieldmaiden of Rohan. By Valar, he hoped she would never find out!
Eomer smiled widely to himself as he added his remark, "Ahh, and I for two am also glad!"
"Men, let us not get carried away - we are telling our fine wives and women the truth," Aragorn corrected, sitting contently upon Brego's mount, "basically!"
Those accompanying him broke into cheers and laughter in agreement as they took delight in the fact that they had got so far as they did without so much as suspicion from the ladies. However, in their boyish excitement, they forgot they were not in the full company of men.
"Does Mother not know of our planned night, father?" Elfwine asked his father after a minute of silent assessment.
"Your mother? Ahh, well…..you see…" the King of Rohan stuttered, widening his eyes to his friends around him in sudden desperation, "your Mother knows all she is required to."
"So you have told the truth?"
"Of course!" came Eomer's dramatic reply.
"But if you did not tell her of everything, have you lied then?" came the small voice.
The men fell uneasily hush at the chance of their plan being exposed. "Ahh, I knew it," Faramir whispered to himself in alarm, before giving his son an exaggerated grin, hoping he would not follow his cousin's suit.
"Lied! Not at all son..."
"But you have not told the truth?" the young Prince asked in confusion, trying hard to make sense of the situation.
"Yes! I mean no, no...no, we have told the truth, but just not the full truth."
"You see laddie," Gimli broke in, offering Eomer some relief with his words of wisdom, "Lassies are very different to us men. So different as a big spider and a poor little bird. Should a creature, such as the innocent bird, enter a spider's common domain, the spider will leave the creature be and wait until it makes a mistake and gets caught in the spider's web -then the hungry spider catches the bird when given the first chance, and the little thing has is caught. Its days of freedom are at a sudden end. Any attempt to escape such wrath is futile!" Gimli explained pompously to the listening prince, who had not yet grasped the intended meaning of the story. And as with all his storytelling, the dwarf went on some more, "Lad, we boys are that innocent bird."
Elladan and Elrohir could only roll their eyes at the amusing attempt on Gimli's behalf. "Yes, innocent," Elladan scoffed.
Too enthralled with telling his tale to notice the jibe, the dwarf continued, "That poor creature was onlyliving happily and simple. And the women living around us are the spider, waiting for any opportunity to catch us should we make a mistake. Do you want our days...your days of freedom to be at an end? Because the lassies see a man's idea of a free night as wrong. They do not approve of beer and some acts of sport. But I assure you, we failed to mention a few things so your mother, your auntie and all the other women, would not get upset over nothing. So, in fact, it is better for all concerned that we did what we did! Its hard, but us men have to do these things you see..."
There was a moment of rigid silence before the result of the lecture was decided. Thinking for a moment, Elfwine then slowly nodded his head, "Oh, so it isa bit like when Eldarion and I say we play in the yard, but do not tell Mother that we had gone to the old mill instead?"
"Aye, that would be quite the same," Gimli agreed, holding his head high in feeling quite proud of his success.
Elfwine, however, had not finished expressing his understanding, "And like Father not telling Mother about his nickname for her..."
"That will be all son," Eomer hastily intervened, placing a tight grip on the boy's shoulder,"I believe we have enough conversation about the ladies for the time being. This is time out for the men!"
Once again, the group erupted into high-spirited cheers as they proceeded onward. As they made their way over the dry hills and valleys, the seven-tiered city disappeared in the landscape behind them, they had finally secured their mission.
-
"So my good women, what shall be partake first? All ideas are welcomed," Arwen announced, looking to her friends, "Let no one be shy, as this is a rare occurrence where we give ourselves some time."
"How about we get a massage," Lothiriel exclaimed, nearly jumping with excitement.
"Yes, and nice treatment of hot oil to our worn hair," Calaryn added, examining the ends of her golden tresses. After all, it proved quite useful for Legolas!
"Or have a meal prepared the way we like it - without having to worry about how the men like their meat cooked or vegetables cut," Eowyn quipped.
"Idon't mind looking after the vegetables," Gladys offered, estimating the task in her mind, "If I start the potatoes now, we could sit after the hour."
Arwen was the first to silence her as she took her hand with a gentle smile, "My dear, the meal will be prepared for us. I am sure this is the first time you are going to sit back and rest, but we are going to let ourselves be spoilt!" The Queen then turned to those around her again and gave her suggestion for the following hours. "First, we can soak in the baths before we take a much needed massage, with our skin lotioned and hair treated as Calaryn has wished. After that, we be fitted for some new gowns and dress for our own strictly ladies banquet in the Palace Hall. ...And perhaps if the notion takes us, we then can be entertained by a dance from some of the male staff!"
Judging by the giggles from her friends, the Queen's plans were happily approved.
-
"It does not appear that we have made much progress," Aragorn stated, glancing at the bland surroundings. Walking through fields, various trees and foliage, the men could easily have been walking around in circles.
"Following our original plan, we should be there well by the setting of the evening," Legolas informed the King, "but we are not long on track, so do not yet be concerned."
Perhaps it was Eldarion being restless which made the King's ride seem long, but he was not exactly sure when they should take the sharp left into the deeper woodland toward the southern banks of the Anduin river. Many times had he made the journey, but his days as 'Strider' and such travelling were far ago, leaving his memories to somewhat merge. "Soon we should make our turn to the south, but do you know when, mellon?"
The elf scanned the area but it was of no assistance,"I fear I do not know the exact road."
"How about you Faramir?"
Taking some time to ponder, the Steward lifted his gloved hand to his beard as he too found the exact route hard to recall. And when asked, all the others could offer little help either.
"Worry not, we will simply have to look to the map," Aragorn sighed, preferring if he had not to do so. He never did like the feeling of defeat.
After a moment of an awkward quiet, the outlay of Gondor had not surfaced as none offered it to him nor claimed to have it.
Brego was halted to a sharp stop as the King turned to the men. "Has anyone remembered to carry the map?"