Hey everyone! Here's Chapter 8 - An Evening With Friends for your enjoyment. Thanks to those who wished me good luck with exams, they went ok, but I'm still waiting for the results. Thanks also go to María (Thuriniel) and Khazar-Khum for their continuing betaing, general support and ego bolstering. You will all be pleased to know what María is keen for me to raise the level of content in this piece from suitable-for-your-Grandma to hot elf smut and with her continuing "persuasion" I may be forced to write more often and get chapters finished sooner. I hope you all enjoy. As always, let me know what you think of it all by clicking the review button at the end.
Take care,
Emma (Panneth)
An Evening with Friends
A few evenings after the festival Eldirn's parents were dining with friends leaving her with the house to herself. Instead of being left to her own devises though, Eldirn was being visited by her friend Meliel [Sweetness] and they sat together on the bench in the garden, enjoying the late sunlight.
Meliel and Eldirn had been good friends for close on a decade, even though Meliel was half a century her senior and already happily married. After her wedding, Meliel settled in Eldirn's part of the forest and they quickly became friends despite their outward differences. Where Eldirn was dark haired and dark eyed, Meliel was blonde haired and blue eyed; where Eldirn was shy and quiet, Meliel was always the centre of attention; and where Eldirn was thoughtful and careful in her actions, Meliel was spontaneous and always laughing.
They were sitting close together, both with cloaks wrapped around them to keep away the chill in the air. They had been sitting like that for a while when Meliel turned to Eldirn.
"Eldirn we have talked of everything this night, except the one thing you know I wish to hear about. I saw you in the Royal Garden with the Prince," she said knowingly, nudging her friend conspiratorially, "would you care to explain?"
Eldirn looked her friend in the eyes and she let a little smile pass her lips. Her cheeks flushed and then she had to look away.
"We walked through the garden and then had a picnic under a weeping willow tree," she said quietly.
"Well, well, well..." Meliel said mysteriously, a sly smile gracing her features.
"And what do you mean by that?" Eldirn retorted.
"Nothing, I assure you. Now how did this invitation come about? Tell me everything Eldirn because I shall be very angry if you leave anything out." Meliel waggled her index finger at Eldirn and they both laughed.
"Very well, but I fear it will be a very boring story for you. A long time ago, Legolas and I played together and until the Festival, I had not spoken to him for forty years or so. Before you moved here, Lady Eiliant used to live not far away. She came over to speak with me and brought her brother with her. Adar had just made me promise to dance with the next person who asked me and so when Legolas invited me I could not possibly refuse."
"Oh of course not, Penneth [little one]," Meliel interjected with an eyebrow raised. Eldirn narrowed her eyes, but continued anyway.
"We danced, we talked, he walked me home and invited me to the gardens. That is it."
"How many dances?"
"Two," Eldirn admitted, knowing that Meliel would realise how much of an honour that was.
"I see," Meliel said suspiciously, waiting to see if Eldirn would elaborate, but she did not. "And what did you talk about?"
"Oh different things. Meliel, please do not interrogate me like this."
"Eldirn, I think I am perfectly entitled to know about this liaison. You are my best friend and Legolas is my Prince. Now explain to me properly, right from the beginning, what is going on. And you can start with how you came to call him Legolas instead of His Highness."
For an hour Eldirn spoke and was interrupted until Meliel was satisfied with her account of events. And then she began to ask the questions that Eldirn was dreading to hear.
"Are you falling in love, little Eldirn?"
"What is love?" She scoffed.
Meliel did not fall for the act.
"You know love Eldirn. When you look at him, what do you see?"
"A way to marry into the royal family and bring my family better fortune." Eldirn said teasingly.
"Be serious, Eldirn. Man le tírach [What do you see]?" Meliel entreated and Eldirn face immediately changed. Eldirn raised her hands and answered the best she could.
"An elf who is always looking at me with a strange light in his eyes that I either cannot understand or do not wish to," she admitted.
"Do not tell me you cannot! There is no cannot!" Meliel chided, amused. "That leaves one possibility - you do not want to understand. Eldirn Star-Watcher afraid of knowledge!" She laughed at the sky. "Now that is something I never thought I would see." Meliel laughed again when she saw the glare that Eldirn was casting in her direction. She covered Eldirn's hands with hers and her expression softened, "Ú-anirach herio, Eldirn. Gostach man istach ne gûr chín. [You do not wish to understand, Eldirn. You fear what you know in your heart.]" Meliel looked at Eldirn with sympathy. There was a brief silence between them. Meliel pressed Eldirn's fingers gently and said quietly, "Nin trenaro man gûr chín pêd [Tell me what your heart says]."
"Goston an ngûren a goston amin [I fear for my heart and I fear for myself]! I do not know what to say. Ai Meliel! How can I feel like this? Such a jumble of feelings and ideas that I cannot think about without another getting in the way so my heart despairs and then…" Eldirn broke off.
"And then?" Meliel encouraged. Eldirn looked at her hands, ashamed of what she was about to say,
"A ab, laston na lam dîn beded amin 'Avo 'osto. Beriathon', sui na i mereth, a echais bân nín dregar [And then, I listen to his voice saying to me 'Do not fear. I will protect you', like at the festival, and all my fears flee]."
Meliel did not know what to say. She had never heard a declaration so sweetly and innocently made and it was made all the more wonderful by Eldirn's complete incomprehension of it all. She gathered Eldirn in her arms and held her tightly, but there was one dark thought that blighted her happiness. She had to ask one last question.
"Eldirn, have you told him about Rivendell?"
"No," she replied in a small voice, pulling away from their embrace, "I have not."
"He deserves to know, Eldirn. You must tell him," Meliel counselled.
"I know, but it would spoil everything and I do not wish for that to happen." She added.
"The longer you wait the worse it may be, and he may find out before you tell him" Meliel said prophetically, "but come, no more talk. I wish to hear some music and you will play for me!"
"No Meliel, I do not feel like playing."
"It will make you feel better. Come on!" Meliel rose to her feet and pulled Eldirn with her. She marched them both back into the house and sat Eldirn behind her harp. "Something happy, Eldirn." Meliel warned and then reclined on the couch nearby.
*
Legolas had dined with his family that evening and afterwards he had left to go for a walk. As he ambled around the forest, gradually he found himself heading in the direction of Eldirn's home. He had not seen her since she disappeared around that corner after their morning together. Thalion had taken great joy in teasing Legolas over the past few days and it all helped to make sure Eldirn was never far from his thoughts. He missed her.
Legolas sang quietly to himself as he wandered through the trees, swinging his arms around the trunks. More than once he disturbed lone couples on the edges of merrymaking groups of elves. He thought about trying to take Eldirn merrymaking, but maybe she would not enjoy it. She seemed so unwilling to dance.
Soon enough, Legolas found himself walking under the lilac trees that marked the edge of Eldirn's garden, and music floated through the boughs. First he heard the harp and knew it could only be Eldirn or her mother, but then he heard the voice and knew it could only be one person. Quickly he strode through the garden and stood close to the open window to listen.
Inside he could hear Eldirn coming to the end of her song, followed by someone clapping and requesting the next song,
"Now you are being far too serious Eldirn! Sing the one about the drunken dwarf, you know it is one of my favourites!"
Eldirn laughed gently and repositioned her fingers on the strings, carefully adjusting the position of the instrument against her. Smiling she looked at Meliel and struck the first chord. The song was a comical ballad that she had learnt as a very young girl and she had spent one season working out how best to set it to music in her free time.
As Legolas listened outside he realised that they used to sing the song together as they danced through the forest on their way to the river when they were little. He had not realised that it had harmony, but perhaps that was magic of Eldirn's own making. He listened for the whole song and as Eldirn finished with a flourish he heard furious clapping once more. Legolas was torn between disturbing them and the wish to see Eldirn. In the end the latter won and he moved to knock on the door.
Startled, Eldirn looked up when she heard the rapping at the door. She was not expecting anyone - her parents were not due back until much later and anyway, they would not knock. Meliel stood up to answer it,
"Perhaps your singing has brought us two young ellyn [male elves] to provide us with some company?"
"More likely mountain trolls, and you should not say such things. What would your husband say?" They both laughed, and as Meliel opened the door she called back to Eldirn with a cheeky grin on her face,
"Well you know Aegas [Mountain Peak], I am sure he would not mind." Meliel finally turned and saw that the figure of Legolas was framed in the doorway, a very amused expression on his face. He was clearly trying very hard to smother his laughter. Meliel gasped, "Your Highness! I do beg your pardon. I did not realise you were behind the door."
"That is quite alright my lady, but the question is, will you make do with my presence here instead of the two young elves you wished for? That is, if you will suffer my intrusion."
Meliel curtseyed and said meekly, "Your Highness is never an intrusion."
Eldirn watched on, half amused and half nervous at seeing him. She pushed the instrument from her and stood up, trying to act as normal as she could around him.
"Legolas you have only been her a moment and already you are causing trouble. He is only teasing, Meliel." Legolas just smiled and bowed. Eldirn fumbled for what to say next. After a slight pause she said, "Come in and sit down. I will fetch some more wine, would you care for some?"
"No, thank you. I came to ask you something, but I see you are busy, so I will not trouble you for long. I heard you playing and I just wanted to tell you that you have great talent."
"Oh come Legolas, you flatter me. How much harp playing do you hear in this Wood?" Eldirn retorted.
"Not a great deal," Legolas was forced to reply.
"Well then you do not have much to compare me with. Perhaps you had better hear others play before you judge me, Highness."
"And perhaps you had better learn to take compliments well, my lady."
Eldirn smiled and acknowledged his response with a slight nod of the head. Suddenly she recollected herself, "I am so utterly rude. Legolas, this is Meliel, a very good friend of mine. She is a Healer. Meliel this is… well you know who this is."
"My lady," Legolas said formally bowing to his new acquaintance as she said, "Your Highness," and curtseyed again.
Eldirn ushered them both to come away from the door and sit down. Legolas chose an armchair and the two ellith sat on the couch together. They sat in complete silence. Legolas was worrying about what she would think of him turning up out of the blue. Eldirn was simply nervous in his presence, especially after her previous conversations that night. Meliel was quite happily drinking her wine and watching events as they unfolded.
"Where are your parents this evening?" Legolas asked finally.
"They are dining with some friends a few miles away," Eldirn said simply.
"I liked what you did to the dwarf song," Legolas said again. "Where did you learn to play it like that?"
"I was just toying with the tune one winter. It just became something to do, to work out how I could play it."
"Play it again," Legolas encouraged. "Please Eldirn?"
He looked at her with pleading eyes and the blush that spread across Eldirn's cheeks did not go unnoticed by Meliel. She was now looking forward to an even more entertaining evening than usual.
As Eldirn stood up to return to the harp, she quickly whispered in Meliel's ear, "Whatever you do, please, do not leave me alone with him."
Meliel's answer was the slightest nod of her head, but inside her a voice said, "Nay, my dear Eldirn, I would not miss this night for the world!"
The playing continued and Meliel watched the little glances Legolas and Eldirn made at each other when they thought she was not watching. The glances always stopped when their eyes met: both blushed quite beautifully and went back to what they were supposed to be doing - Eldirn concentrating on her playing and Legolas concentrating on listening hard. Meliel became more amused as the time passed and she realised a small smile had crossed her features.
Eldirn played for a while longer before deciding she needed to rest her fingers and her voice. She sat back next to Meliel, who poured them all a large glass of wine. They all tried to make conversation while sipping their drinks. Meliel noticed that Legolas seemed somewhat uncomfortable by her presence there and Eldirn was certainly out of sorts. She had heard him say that he wanted to ask Eldirn something, but perhaps he did not wish to ask this in front of her. She began to suppose what this could be as she drank, but the only question that sprung to mind was that of marriage. Meliel tried to imagine what would happen if that did occur, and then she pictured the wedding and started to giggle as she took another sip of wine. Then she began to choke, and her violent coughing drew the attention of the other two, who were equally wrapped in their own thoughts.
"Meliel, are you well?" Eldirn asked concerned.
"Yes, yes, I am," Meliel managed to rasp in reply. "I think I have had enough wine though," and she replaced the glass on the table. "Dear me," she muttered to herself rubbing her sore throat.
There was another lengthy silence, until Legolas suddenly said,
"Eldirn, will you teach me something on your harp?"
Eldirn looked up in surprise.
"Of course, if you wish it," she said shakily. "Sit down by the harp." Legolas did as he was told and sat on the chair. His reach was longer than Eldirn's so she pushed the harp away from him slightly. "Put you hands here," Eldirn said pointing to some strings. "Just rest your fingertips on them." Legolas tried placing his fingers in the places she had pointed to, but his hands seemed so large and clumsy. "Here, like this," she muttered and started moving his fingers around and changing the way he held his hands. "You know, it will hurt when you first start to play. The strings will cut into the pads of your fingers and it will be painful, on the ones you do not use for your bow."
Legolas noticed for the first time that the ends of Eldirn's fingers all had small patches of hard skin where she had toiled for hours in her practise. He looked closely at her hands as they still rearranged his and corrected his posture. The fingers were long and nimble, each time she made a movement he could see the muscles standout around her knuckles in a show of strength that was so enchantingly feminine.
"Ready?" She asked him. Legolas only nodded in agreement. Eldirn moved to stand over him so she could just reach his hands on the instrument. This was the way her mother had taught her and she knew no other way she could teach Legolas. Her eyes met Meliel's over Legolas' head and Meliel frowned questioningly. Eldirn shook her head; she was fine. At least, for now.
Very carefully Eldirn placed her fingers on the tops of Legolas'. His hands were larger, but Eldirn's fingers stretched further. She began to gently pull on his fingers so he plucked the strings. Slowly at first so Legolas could pick up the melody, speeding up as he started to remember it.
Legolas was only half-concentrating on the music. When he had suggested a music lesson, even in his wildest dreams he did not imagine it would be like this; he had only wanted to be closer to her. Instead, her loose hair tickled the side of his face where she leant over his and the gentle touch of her fingers drove his mind in directions entirely opposite to the ones intended. Eldirn was doing him a favour, he tried to tell himself. He should think hard about what she was telling him and listen to the occasional comments she said quietly to him.
Desperately, Legolas told himself to stop thinking about Eldirn and think about the lesson. But the more he chastised himself, the more he thought of her and how the smell of her hair was more intoxicating than any wine. He could feel her warmth pressing through the cloth on his back. Just two layers of material separated his skin and hers and he became acutely aware of that. His mind wandered down paths never before trod and he could do nothing to stop his erring thoughts. He would not be a good scholar of the harp.
Meliel sat in quiet shock. Eldirn was protective of her harp, and usually she did not allow anyone to play it, save her mother, let alone give a lesson to an utter beginner on it. Eldirn had not even made Legolas wash his hands as she did when anyone even wished to move the instrument. She watched the way Eldirn's unbound hair became mingled with Legolas' braids, and how strands became entwined together as the lesson progressed. Eldirn could not see Legolas' face, all her attention was concentrated on his fingers; but Meliel could. Legolas was most definitely not concentrating on his fingers. Meliel smiled to see this. She knew for certain now that Eldirn's feelings were reciprocated. But a shadow passed over her joy as she remembered what was to come. This would only lead to pain.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Eldirn crying, "Come Legolas, let us see if you were made to play the harp," as she took her fingers away from his.
Legolas shifted slightly in the stool while being careful not to allow his fingers to slip from the strings. He took a deep breath and started to pluck what he hoped was the first note. Eldirn stood slightly behind him, watching his fingers move slowly. He had remembered the first line, and Eldirn was pleased, but halfway through the second he stopped, turned his head and said honestly,
"I cannot remember anymore." He blushed with embarrassment, hoping that she would not realise he had been fully concentrating.
Kindly, Eldirn said, "Here, let me show you again."
She moved behind him once more and picked up where Legolas had left off. Quietly, she hummed the tune in his ear as she played and Legolas began to recognise it. Soon he was singing the words along too. They went back to the beginning and started again, faster this time as Eldirn's fingers did most of the thinking for Legolas'.
They were both singing loudly when the door to the house opened and Eldirn's parents walked back into their home. Haedron and Rodwen both stopped straight away when they saw their daughter with her arms around the Prince. Eldirn jumped away from Legolas and he sprang immediately to his feet.
Rodwen was the first to recover. She curtseyed and said,
"Good evening, Your Highness. I did not realise we were to expect such an honour tonight."
"Good evening Lady Rodwen, Haedron," Legolas stuttered, finding his tongue finally. Haedron bowed formally in reply. There was another silence and then Legolas said again, "I should leave now."
"Please, Your Highness, do not leave on our account," Haedron replied.
"No, I think I have trespassed enough on Eldirn and Meliel's time together this night and I wish to call in on my brother before he leaves for the borders tomorrow. I thank you all for your kind hospitality." Legolas bowed and giving Eldirn one last smile walked from the house.
Everyone turned to look at Eldirn, but her eyes followed Legolas as he went through their door and into the darkness. Quickly, she ran passed her parents and called after his fading figure, "Wait, Legolas!"
He turned and she felt his eyes on her. He took a few steps back towards the house so she did not have to shout. "Be careful in the dark. Do not" she paused, "walk into anything." She saw him smile and turn to leave once more, and then she remembered something else. "Wait!" She called again. This time it was her who stepped out of the house and into the dark towards him.
"Eldirn, it is late," he said kindly, "you should stay in the house."
"You said you had something you wished to ask me when you arrived, and you did not get the chance."
"Oh yes, I had completely forgotten." Legolas shook his head, shamefully. Eldirn looked at him waiting for him to explain himself. "My brother is going to the borders for a fortnight with the Guard. When he returns we, my family and I, will all dine together in my parents' talan. I wondered if you would be there too."
Eldirn was speechless. If her ears had not deceived her, she had just been invited to dine in the Royal Talan, an honour not afforded to even the most diligent of the King's advisors. Her father had never even been asked to eat at the same table as the King at a festival despite the many years of loyal service, let along asked to sit down with his family.
"Eldirn? What do you say?"
"I do not know Legolas. I would not want to intrude on your family gathering. What about your parents and your brother?"
"Adar and Naneth are eager to see you again, as is Eiliant who I know you already know. As for Thalion, he would like to meet you again as well."
Eldirn started to twist the cuff of her dress around her fingers and worry her lower lip.
"Please Eldirn, it would mean so much to me if you came. I would come here and meet you so you would not have to come on your own."
How did he know that she was worried about that? She took a deep breath and in a small voice said, "Yes, Legolas, I will come."
He beamed at her and she could not help but return the smile. She looked at his face and saw his eyes shining with joy and knew that she could only attribute that to herself. She blushed fiercely. Legolas watched the colour spread across her cheeks, lit by light from the house. She was so beautiful, he thought. He wondered how her skin would feel when it flushed like that, how warm and inviting it was, but how the pink was nothing compared to the red of her lips. Suddenly he had the urge to close the distance between them and touch his lips to hers. This shocked him so much, he said abruptly,
"Good night, my lady."
"Good night, You Highness," she said in reply and turned to go back inside the house.
Eldirn closed the door behind her and turned to face her parents and Meliel, who were all sitting down and staring at her expectantly. She frowned and said simply, "I am dining at the Royal Talan in a fortnight."
There was utter silence for all of three seconds while the other occupants of the room thought about it and then all together they said in varying degrees of disbelief,
"Pardon?"
"It is as I said. I am dining at the Royal Talan in a fortnight."
Squealing, Meliel swung Eldirn around the room in a dance for joy whilst she sang nonsense verse.
"I do not know what you are so happy about, Meliel," Eldirn scolded. "I am petrified."
"Dining with the King," Rodwen said thoughtfully. "My little girl." Then she looked at Eldirn and smiled, "You know what this means, do you not?"
All manner of wild thoughts flew through Eldirn's head. Her mother's next words sent a chill straight to her bones,
"A new dress."
"No Naneth, no!" Eldirn cried in despair. "I do not need a new dress. There are plenty I could wear."
"You have none suitable for the King."
"Adar, please!" Eldirn appealed. "Tell her I do not need a new dress."
"I am sorry sellen [my daughter], but this has nothing to do with me. I think I shall retire for the night." Haedron kissed his wife and turned to his bedchamber.
"Traitor!" Eldirn called after him. Haedron answered with a wave over his shoulder. Her only ally was gone.
After Haedron left her, Meliel and her mother seemed to turn on her like a pack of wild animals on their prey.
"What do you think of red, Meliel?"
"Oh it is a lovely colour, if only she wore it more. But it is too warm for velvet."
"No I was thinking of something lighter. Something fitted."
"Fitted?" Eldirn looked alarmed. She knew that meant her mother wished her to wear a bodice that laced her up and prevented her breathing, "No Naneth, stop getting ideas. And you, Meliel, do not encourage her."
"Eldirn, you need a new dress to meet the King. I will not let you leave this house in anything older than brand new." Rodwen folded her arms firmly.
"And I will not let your mother alter it this time, even if you protest for the full fortnight. Where do you keep the paper, Rodwen? I wish to draw what I have in mind." Meliel added.
Meliel and Rodwen sat down next to each other on the couch, their heads together, thick as thieves. Eldirn opted for the chair previously occupied by Legolas and sat, arms folded, scowling. The pen moved fast across the paper as Meliel drew, then Rodwen took it up and adjusted a few things here and there. They held the parchment up in the air and looked from it to Eldirn and back again, then in silent agreement took up another sheet of paper and began again.
It took almost an hour before they had settled on a design. The moment of truth had arrived. Rodwen took the parchment and knelt on the right of her daughter, whose expression had not changed in the past hour, while Meliel crouched on the left.
"Here Eldirn, how do you like this?" Rodwen said in a light voice, eager not to antagonise her daughter.
Eldirn looked the paper up and down.
"What colour would it be?"
Meliel and Rodwen exchanged a look; this was a promising start.
"We thought about a maroon, with a darker shade for the outlines here and here, and on the lacing at the back."
"I do not wear red and I do not wish to wear a bodice. And you have cut the neck too low." Eldirn said firmly.
"Maroon is not red and anyway, what is the point in a bodice if you are going to leave the neckline too high?" Meliel retorted before she could stop herself.
"Naneth, why can I not at least wear something I am comfortable in? I shall be uncomfortable enough as it is. Why did I ever agree to this?" Eldirn was starting to despair. "If only I could run after Legolas and tell him I have changed my mind."
Rodwen laid down the piece of parchment on Eldirn's lap and wrapped her arm around her daughter. Eldirn leant to rest her head on her mother's shoulder. Eldirn could feel Meliel smoothing her hair down trying to comfort her as well. Both of them cooed to her as if they were lulling a baby.
Finally in a whisper Eldirn voiced her fear.
"What if I am not good enough for him?"
"Ai sellen! Do not even think that!" Rodwen commanded. "It is he who should be worrying if he is good enough for you." She gave Eldirn a little shake and continued, "Eldirn Star-Watcher, there is not a table in this world that you are not fit to grace. Why should he find anything lacking in you?" Rodwen was saddened when her daughter's eyes squeezed shut letting out one solitary tear.
"I would be frightened to be there, like an intruder."
"Eldirn, if Legolas invited you then he must want you there. You can never be an intruder if you are invited," Meliel pointed out.
"And I would feel ridiculous in this dress." Eldirn motioned to the paper.
"What is ridiculous about it?" Meliel asked. "This is what all the ellith of the Court are wearing. It may be finer than you are used to, to be sure, but you are dining with the King, Penneth. If there was ever an occasion to be fine at, then this would be it."
"I suppose," Eldirn conceded.
"It is a beautiful dress, is it not?" Meliel pushed, while Eldirn had softened slightly. Eldirn nodded slightly in reply. "And it is much finer than any you own is it not?" Eldirn nodded again. "Then I should say," Meliel continued slowly, "that it would be very appropriate for this, would you not?"
Eldirn sat for a moment, considering her options. She could give in to her mother and friend and let them have their way or she could get angry, put up a fight and risk loosing any help from them when she needed it most. She picked up the parchment again, taking one more look at it.
"I have three conditions," she said resolutely, pointing her finger at her mother. "It will not be too tight." Rodwen motioned that that was acceptable. "Mother, you will not attempt to curl my hair. It never works and it just makes both of us cross." Rodwen nodded her agreement once more. "And lastly, I refuse to go the bathing houses. The last thing I want is you gossiping about this to everyone we know. I would rather nobody knew." She added finally.
"As you wish, Eldirn, as you wish." Rodwen said, with a hint of disappointment. She had been looking forward to boasting with motherly pride that her daughter had been invited by the Prince to dine with the Royal Family, but she would have to be content seeing Eldirn leave looking beautiful in that dress instead.
"Meliel, you promise too." Eldirn demanded of her friend.
"Aye, aye," Meliel said wearily, "I promise."
"You should probably go home to Aegas, Meliel," Rodwen suggested.
"Yes," Meliel said, standing up again. "I must see what foolish idea he and the other drunken excuses we have for soldiers have come up with this night. I will see you soon, Eldirn. Goodnight, Rodwen."
"Your book!" Eldirn cried out. She had borrowed one of Meliel's books on healing to read. "Do not forget your book, it is on the table over there. Thank you for lending it to me, but I have finished it."
"Keep it," Meliel said firmly. "You will need it." She kissed Eldirn on the cheek and left mother and daughter still sitting together, staring at a piece of paper in the elleth's hands.
"May I come with you when you find the material?" Eldirn asked.
"Of course you may." Rodwen said, delighted Eldirn was taking an interest. "I would appreciate the help."
"I only offer so I can keep a watch on what you are doing, Nana," Eldirn warned her mother cheekily before they parted for the night to take their rest.