Moonlight and Elfwine

Elfwine watched Gilraen as he finished his pipe. She seemed a bit flustered now that Eldarion had retired for the night and was looking about the garden, avoiding his intense stare. She looked so other worldly in the moonlight, sitting on the white stone bench, her graceful fingers entwining with each other.

"It is warm tonight," she said, attempting to break the silence. She glanced over at Elfwine and felt more aware than ever of how much he had grown since she last saw him. His shoulders were now broad and his arms muscular. He crossed his long legs at the ankles as he stretched them out in front of himself, leaning against the wall behind the bench he sat on. His brown hair was tied back behind his head and he wore the beginnings of a light mustache.

"I did not think the north so warm," he replied, trying to satisfy her urge for conversation. In truth he was perfectly happy not speaking at all. He was pleased simply gazing at her, his beautiful princess.

"It is summer. The winter is much colder. You will see," she said quickly. What was she suppose to say to him? Gilraen's thoughts were a jumble of images. Images she couldn't make sense of. Her heart was fluttering fast and she could never remember anyone making her so nervous before. But then no one had ever looked at her the way Elfwine did. No one had ever spoke to her the way he did.

Elfwine finished his pipe, dumping the ashes and tucking it away. "Will you walk with me Gilraen?"

"I would like that," Gilraen found herself saying. She stood up at the same time as Elfwine and they fell into a slow stroll along the pathways of the gardens. "How do you like Rivendell thus far?"

Elfwine turned his head to gaze at her and Gilraen met his eyes. "It seems a beautiful place. I can see why you have lingered so long here. Have you no desire to return to Gondor?"

"Yes, I do wish to return, yet I am happy here as well," she replied. "I suppose I could find happiness in many places I have seen.

Elfwine looked at her with more interest. "How do you feel about Rohan?"

Gilraen smiled in remembrance. "While I was there, I remember feeling like I had not time to learn all I wanted about Rohan. My stay was so brief. There is a spirit in the people of Rohan that I do not see in elves."

"I hope that is a good thing," smiled Elfwine.

"It is," she smiled back.

"Do you still intend on fulfilling your promise? The promise you made that you would return to Rohan?"

"Of course," she answered, "I have been taught to always honor my promises. I will come for a longer visit, if I am still welcome to."

Elfwine stopped walking and turned to her. "Why would you not be welcome? Never doubt for a moment that my parents and I would welcome you."

Gilraen smiled shyly and looked away. Elfwine stepped closer to her, compelling her to look at his face.

"Gilraen, I believe you know why I have made this journey." His eyes scanned her face, looking for her reaction.

Gilraen swallowed nervously and stood twisting the fabric of her gown in her fingers. "I… don't know what to say," she stammered out. His eyes were so intense, so searching and she felt so unprepared for such talk.

He smiled slightly and looked away, sensing her need to compose herself. He began strolling again and she took up the pace beside him. "I'm sorry if I am too forward," he apologized. "I suppose it is another quality of my people." She remained silent so he continued.

"I have made you uncomfortable."

"No, it is just… I am not use to… this type of conversation," she managed to say. "I am considered a child here."

Elfwine thought about her words. "I suppose at an elf haven that would be true. When you have forever to live and love, there is no hurry. But I do not have forever. In Rohan, many maidens are married at fifteen and sixteen years of age."

Gilraen was surprised at these words. "I am not ready for marriage! Please do not speak of such things." She definitely was not considering marriage at an early age. There was still so much to learn and do before she wanted to consider a family. Elves sometimes waited hundreds of years and in her mother's case thousands of years before marriage.

"I did not mean that you were," he quickly amended. "Forgive me. I believe that being around you makes me think of the future. But I would never presume to know when that future would be."

This whole conversation was daunting to her. She found herself frightened a bit at the confidence in which he placed his words, as if he knew what the future held and it would turn out exactly as he had planned. "I must retire to my room," she announced.

She turned to leave, needing to be away from this confident, handsome boy, declaring his intentions.

"Gilraen," he called, stopping her once more, "for however long this journey lasts, I shall be nearby you. At least two years, perhaps more, shall pass. With time I hope you come to know me and know also that my intentions are good and true. Goodnight."

Gilraen gave him a slight bow and hurried off towards her rooms. She could feel his eyes watching her retreat as the impact of his words filled her. Two years or more! She wondered if she would ever be able to settle her nerves around him.

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When Gilraen first opened her eyes the following morning, the sight of Teslan's smiling face met her. Teslan was sitting cross-legged on Gilraen's bed, waiting for her cousin to wake.

"Teslan?" Gilraen groggily spoke, "Why do you smile like that for? It is too early to be jolly."

"It is not too early for those of us who did not spend the night walking in the garden with a boy!" Teslan teased.

"You spied on me?" Gilraen squinted her eyes in mock anger.

"Of course! What are cousins for? Mendir had placed a bet with me that he would try to kiss you. I won, as I did not think he would kiss you so soon," she smiled again only to be met with a pillow to the side of her head.

"Oh! I cannot believe you would bet on such a thing. Is my life but an entertainment for you?" Gilraen kept hitting the laughing Teslan with her pillow until Teslan fell off the bed, still laughing.

"Come now Gilraen! We were very curious about your Elfwine," Teslan said as she still lay on the floor, recovering from her laughter.

"He is not my Elfwine!" Gilraen defended as she sat up in bed looking around for her robe. "He is a friend." Gilraen did not like how her cousin made light of this situation. The whole evening had been very confusing to her and thoughts of it had kept her up long after she had lain down to sleep.

Teslan sat up on the floor, giving Gilraen a skeptical look. "Do your friends always make you so nervous? Do your friends speak of marriage?"

Before Gilraen could give her an answer, Arwen had stepped into the room distracting them both. "Good morn," she smiled at them both.

Teslan hopped to her feet. "Good morn aunt," Teslan smiled. "Did you know that Gilraen has a suitor?"

Arwen lifted her eyebrows and smiled at Gilraen. "I think he is a friend." Teslan's face fell as Gilraen smiled back at her mother.

"See Teslan, it is as I have said," Gilraen smirked at her cousin. "Would you dispute the word of the Queen?" Teslan shook her head and excused herself in order to attend breakfast .

Arwen walked over to her daughter, kissing her on the forehead. "I will help you dress this morning. It has been a long time since I had the joy of brushing your hair for you."

Her mother had always had a soothing effect whenever Gilraen felt anxious in her life. She had also missed dearly the times when she would brush her hair for her in the morning, humming or singing a gentle song.

Now this morning it was as if Arwen knew with only the knowledge a mother could possess, that her daughter needed soothing. She did not question Gilraen, but only hummed to her as she stroked the long tresses of hair into smooth, shiny strands.

Gilraen was feeling the old familiar comfort of childhood as her mother continued, and a tear rolled down her cheek for that innocent time that seemed to be leaving her, forcing her into more and more adult situations and feelings.

She reached a hand back and placed it over her mother's, stilling her movements. "I am so glad you are here mother," she said through her tears. She felt her mother rise and hug her from behind.

"You will always be my daughter, that will never change," Arwen whispered in her ear.

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Coming up: Legolas and Gimli return to Rivendell to spend the winter. What conflicts will that bring up for Gilraen and Elfwine?

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