Title: Pretty But Not Too Sweet
Author: Julie
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own no one from The Lord Of The Rings. I am making no financial gain from the writing of this story.
Cast: Orophin/OFC, Haldir
Pretty But Not Too Sweet
When it came to temperament, she wasn't at all to his usual taste. She was unfriendly, bad-tempered and aloof. She obviously thought herself too good for the likes of him. But she was exceedingly pretty and didn't seem especially vain about it, which was a mark in her favor. Most likely this was what kept him interested.
Orophin sat on a tree branch, wondering if it was worth the bother to try to talk to her again. The last time he tried it, she had looked at him as though he were something that had just crawled out of an Orc's rear end. It had made him stammer, something he hadn't done in over fifteen hundred years. No, he didn't really like her at all.
Still, he could not resist watching for her. He knew her routine, knew she would come this way soon. She had various duties in the morning, and when she finished, she always walked this path, past that particular rock, and those particular flowers, and beside that particular stream. Often she paused to gaze into the water, as though searching for something within its depths. He had no idea what it might be.
Her name was Onónë and she was the daughter of one of Haldir's most trusted wardens, which meant there was another bump in the road to surmount. Onónë's father did not wish her to become involved with a warden. Orophin had heard him say many times that he wished his daughter to marry one who did not have to fight as he did, perhaps a healer or a scholar or a weapons-maker. He had said it quite forcibly on a number of occasions.
Of course all the wardens noticed her. Orophin doubted there was an ellon in all of Lórien who had not. Yet none saw fit to woo her, perhaps because she was such a shrew.
Yes, a shrew. That was the proper word for her. Her words were as sharp as her gaze. Such a pity, really. If she were only as sweet as her appearance, she would have dozens of suitors. As it was, she had none.
"What are you doing here?" Haldir's sudden appearance startled Orophin. "You seem rather fond of this branch lately. Any particular reason?"
To Orophin's ears, the words sounded teasing, and he immediately became defensive. "Is there a reason why I should not sit here? Am I neglecting a duty of which I am unaware?"
Haldir smiled. "Peace, brother. I am not here to harangue you. I merely wonder at your intense interest in this disagreeable elleth."
"She is terribly pretty," Orophin muttered.
"And terribly sour of temperament," his brother pointed out. "No one likes her. Not even you."
"I know." Orophin sighed. "But I think I might like her if she would stop looking at me as though I were a worm. Or a maggot."
"That would help," Haldir agreed. "Do you want my advice?"
"Not really," Orophin said, "but I imagine you'll give it anyway."
"No, you will have to ask now. I do not give away my advice without cause."
Orophin snorted. "A new custom?"
Haldir only smiled.
"Very well, what is your advice?" Orophin asked, rather crossly.
"Invite her to do something with you. Stop staring at her. You stare too much. Look only in her eyes when she speaks. Treat her as though she is the ugliest elleth that you can imagine, and you only want to be kind to her. And then be kind. But don't stare."
"That's ridiculous," Orophin protested.
Haldir shrugged. "That's my advice, take it or leave it."
Orophin shifted his gaze. "There she is." His eyes followed her as they always did, watching her every movement as she strolled along the path. He loved the sway of her hips, the set of those beautiful shoulders, the regal carriage. "Maybe I am just in lust," he murmured.
"Most likely, but it might be well to know for sure. What if she's the one?"
Haldir's question caught Orophin unaware. "The one?" He gulped weakly. "Oh, come now, you don't mean that."
"It's not for me to say. I have my own challenges with another elleth."
Orophin nodded. "Well," he said, watching Onónë bend down and fill her cupped hand with water so she might drink. "I suppose I will do as you say."
The following day, Orophin did not sit on the branch. Instead, he sat on the large rock near the stream and waited. He told himself over and over that she was quite ugly, and then he tried to dredge up some pity from which he could construct this great act of kindness he would invent. It wasn't easy.
He heard her light step on the path only because his senses were trained to hear such sounds. He did not look around as he normally would, but sat in quiet contemplation of the water. Did her footsteps falter ever so slightly? If so, he would pretend he had not noticed, nor would he read any meaning into it.
She walked right past him without a word, and for a moment he thought she would forgo her usual habit of pausing by the stream. But she did not. She stood with her back to him, then bent and scooped up water to drink.
Orophin rose. "Good day, Onónë," he said casually.
She glanced at him, looking both surprised and faintly irritated. "Good day, Orophin."
For a moment he almost forgot his plan, for her face was so very lovely, the nose straight and the eyes large and blue, and the mouth so very kissable. But then he recollected himself, and remarked in his kindest voice, "I am heading out of the city today. There is a place I like to visit about half a league away that is a very fine spot for seeing deer. I have an entire family I visit with from time to time. If you like, you may accompany me. I know you seldom have a chance to leave our city."
She seemed rather startled. "No, I do not," she said in a lukewarm voice. "My father does not like me to leave without an escort, which I seldom have."
"You have one today," he said. "I do not mind if you accompany me."
She gazed at him in the oddest way. "You don't?"
"Not at all. I will leave very soon. Meet me near the gate. You need not fear that I will leave without you. I will wait."
"Thank you." Again she seemed disconcerted. "I will go and change out of my work clothes."
Orophin bowed and turned away, careful not to give her another look. He walked away first rather than standing with his mouth hanging open while she walked away from him. It all seemed quite obvious and easy now that he had done it. Really, he should have thought of it himself. Treat her like an ordinary and rather dull elleth instead of a goddess.
He wondered if he could keep it up for any length of time.
"Tell me of this place you are taking me to," she said as they walked along. They had left the city gates behind only moments before and were now strolling down an almost invisible path through the brush.
"It is near a stream," he said. "In fact the stream that runs through our city flows into it. Deer come there often to drink."
"It sounds pleasant," she said neutrally.
"It is," he assured her. "And when was the last time you left the city?"
"It's been years. My father does not like me to leave, as I said before."
"You are always safe with me," he said. "But truly this part of Lórien is safe even without an escort. I would allow my own daughter to wander here, if I had one."
"Perhaps you will one day," she said in a wooden voice. She sounded bitter, more like the elleth he disliked so much, and he debated what to say. Treat her kindly, he reminded herself. Do not take offense.
"Onónë, what is wrong?" he asked. "You seem unhappy."
She turned her face away. "Do I?" she said evasively.
With a hand on her arm, Orophin drew them both to a halt. "Yes, you do. Would you care to tell me why?" He made his voice very gentle and caring, as though she were the sweetest elleth in Arda rather than the most sour.
To his dismay, when she looked back at him, her eyes were filled with tears. "I don't know if it will make sense," she whispered. "Or even if I should."
His dislike melted away in an instant. "Tell me," he coaxed, his voice as gentle as if she were a child.
"Everyone dislikes me," she whispered bleakly. "It's been that way for as long as I can remember. I have heard the things they say about me and . . . it hurts. Deep inside, I know I will never find a mate. I will never have a child of my own. I don't have any friends. All I have is a father who tries to protect me from things that are no threat. I feel like I am in prison. I feel ugly. And I say such ugly things sometimes and I don't know why. I just . . . don't know what else to say. I am disagreeable and horrible."
Orophin gazed down at her, filled with profound compassion. "Onónë, I can't begin to tell you how wrong you are. You are beautiful, not only on the outside, but on the inside. I see it in you. I see it in your eyes."
A single tear rolled down her cheek, but she said nothing. She only looked at him with a trusting expression. "Do you, Orophin? Do you really?"
"Absolutely." He smiled. "I have been wanting to kiss you for years. May I?"
"Yes," she whispered, her eyes very wide.
He put his hands on her waist and leaned down and touched his lips to hers. Her mouth was warm and soft, her breath very sweet. He felt her tremble under his palms. He kissed her again, a little more firmly this time, and then he drew back.
"You have a friend in me," he said softly. "I will not take advantage of you. We will be friends for now. I will help you to regain your self-confidence. I will teach you what to say when your own words fail you. I will be there for you."
"Thank you." Her eyes were shining now. "I do not deserve this. I have been most unfriendly to you."
"Yes, you have," he agreed, allowing a twinkle to enter his eyes, "but it was my own fault. I was too busy admiring you to talk to you. I imagine there are any number of ellyn who have that difficulty with you."
"Oh." She looked self-conscious. "I don't know about that."
Orophin smiled. "Well, I do. And once you learn to stop frowning and start smiling, I imagine you will find yourself surrounded by suitors. You will be the envy of every other elleth."
She shook her head. "That is not what I want."
"What do you want?" he asked curiously.
"I want only one suitor," she said in a shy voice. "One will do."
"Did you have someone specific in mind?" he inquired, trying not to sound too eager.
"Oh yes," she said, and stared at the ground. Her face was turning pink, a fact he found most interesting.
"Might I inquire the name of this lucky ellon?"
"I would tell you, but I don't know if he is interested," she said in a faltering voice.
"He'd be a fool if he wasn't."
Her chin came up. "Do you mean that?"
"I do indeed. In fact I am praying that he is . . . me."
"He is. I mean, you are." If possible, her cheeks grew even pinker. "For so long I have admired you, Orophin. I never dreamed that you would speak to me kindly like this. I never thought it could happen."
Orophin laughed and drew her into his arms. "What a pair we are. I felt the same about you. I also know that your father does not wish you to be wooed by a warden. But I will brave even that, if I am indeed your choice."
"Oh, my father will come around." Her voice was muffled against his tunic and her arms were around his neck. "I will see that he does."
For a long while they stood like this, while the wind sifted through their hair, mingling the long strands as though they belonged together. In years to come, Orophin would often think of this moment and wonder what would have happened if he had not taken Haldir's suggestion. Would he still be sitting on that tree limb waiting for her to come along? Would she still be pining for him secretly, believing that she had no chance with him?
He would never know, for that was the path not taken. He only knew he was glad to have found her because a better path came along. He now had a wife who loved him with all her heart, the sweetest, most giving elleth he could ever have imagined.
And that was more than his wise elder brother could say. Haldir was still unwed, still being challenged by a mischievous little elleth who was the worst tease in Lórien.
Orophin grinned. Perhaps one day he would offer Haldir some advice of his own.
The End