Chapter Thirty Six-Party Hardy

The next day seemed to pass in a blur. After breakfast I was ensconced in Arwen's rooms helping, in the loosest sense of the word, her ready for the ceremony. Mostly her attendants were getting her ready, and I was providing the entertainment. I regaled her with what Glorfindel and I had heard before we fell asleep and told her about all the ladies who were flirting shamelessly with the ellyn in our entourage. During breakfast I saw one enterprising lady of the court sit close to Legolas, cooing and laughing everytime he said something. Legolas had the courtesy to remain polite with her, but Glorfindel and I could tell that he was not comfortable with the attention. Galadriel found this very funny and advised me that the enterprising woman would need to look elsewhere as Legolas had several lovers and none of them ended up in matrimony. She felt that Legolas wasn't going to bond in Arda, and hoped he would eventually find happiness in Aman.

Lunch was a catered affair with fruits, breads and cheeses being served on silver trays. Wine was kept to a minimum, so fruit juices were served instead. I guess whoever was in the kitchens decided they didn't need an inebriated bride. Like that would ever happen. Arwen was excited but relatively calm, considering in a couple of hours she would be married to the love of her life.

Finally, we were all dressed; hair styled within an inch of our lives, and were prepared to be escorted to the garden where the ceremony would be conducted. It was going to be a mix of Elvish and human tradition; with Mithrandir conducting the ceremony, Galadriel and I standing up for Arwen, and the twins and Legolas standing up for Estel. The ceremony itself was to be a simple affair and Arwen assured me that even though the guests would be standing during the ceremony, it would not be for long. Then everyone would retire to prepare for the evening wedding feast.

A knock at the door announced Elrond's arrival. In moments everyone was out the door and walking to the garden. Glorfindel slid up next to me and took my hand.

"It feels as though we were just married yesterday melamin, does it not?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," I whispered back, "Reminds me of our ceremony, and how you managed to keep it a secret from me. You were a very sneaky guy, keeping a secret like that from someone like me."

Glorfindel smiled cheekily at me, "The pain of keeping that secret was worth the look on your face when you arrived."

I squeezed his hand, "And I am glad you kept that secret. I loved what you did for me. I know I'm the luckiest girl in the world to have you."

Arwen's entourage arrived at the garden and everyone took their places. Galadriel stood to Mithrandir's right, I stood to her left and Arwen was her right. Estel was standing opposite Arwen and, Legolas and the twins rounded out our party. The ceremony was beyond simple. Mithrandir thanked everyone witnessing the ceremony and then asked Estel if he would bond for the rest of his years to Arwen. Upon hearing Estel's assent, Mithrandir asked the same question of Arwen, who promptly agreed. An exchange of rings was made and the couple turned back to Mithrandir. Mithrandir pronounced the bond complete and announced the union of the King, Aragorn Elessar and his Queen, Arwen Undómiel. Polite applause was heard as the King and his new Queen led the procession out of the garden.

We congratulated the happy couple and then they went off to their chambers to rest until the wedding feast. I knew they would use the time to seal their bond according to Elvish custom, and I planned to engage in the same sort of action when Glorfindel and I returned to our rooms. We had five hours until the feast began, and I intended to make good use of every minute.

Legolas grinned as I gently dragged Glorfindel away from a discussion with Eomer. When Glorfindel looked into my eyes his reticence to leave changed into a look of understanding, and he made his apologies. We swiftly returned to our rooms and made love all afternoon. We ended up arriving late to the feast. Not too late, but we sat down at the table just seconds before the newlyweds arrived to cheers and applause.

Once Estel pronounced the feast to be in progress, the wedding celebration began. I thought I had seen excessive amounts of food and wine, but this outdid everything I had been witness to previously. The variety and enormous amounts of food could be deemed obscene. The revelry really got started once the meal was finished and the dancing began. Gimli came up to me as I sat out a dance and sat down beside me. We watched the dancers and listened to the music, laughter and loud voices straining to be heard over the ambient noise. Then Gimli turned to me.

"My lady, you do realize this is only the first day of the celebrations, do you not?" he said.

"I'm sorry Gimli. What do you mean first day?" I asked.

Gimli grinned, "Aye lassie. 'Tis the King that married, and in the lands of mortals we celebrate for at least three days. A good celebration will last up to seven!"

"Seven days of obscene amounts of food, wine and a ridiculous amount of dancing? Do people actually survive?" I asked astonished.

Gimli roared with laughter as though I had said the funniest thing he had ever heard. "Survive? Lassie, folk around here enjoy this! It's not every day that your King is married, and folk want the celebration to be recorded as one of the finest in history."

I nodded, "All right. But do I have to be here every minute of the day? Am I allowed to rest and get things done?"

"Perhaps I wasn't being clear lassie. The celebration lasts each day from seven hours past mid-day to sunrise the next day. Usually there are games during the afternoon. You can rest once the light dawns and then you ready for the celebration again in the evening," he explained.

"Ah. If you could excuse me Gimli? I need to speak to my husband," I said.

Gimli nodded, "I will find some more beer then. I seem to be a wee bit parched here." He waved me off.

I got up and went to find Glorfindel, but I found Estel instead. He walked up to me looking insanely happy for all the world to see.

Estel took my hand, "Lady Karyn, it is so good to see you well and happy. I was heartened to hear of your bonding and subsequent marriage to Lord Glorfindel. He found his fëa mate, and I am glad it was with such a lovely woman as you."

"Flatterer," I teased, "Thank you. But I think tonight is to celebrate your own happiness with Lady Arwen, is it not?"

He nodded happily, "Thank you, yes. I am elated that our marriage has finally occurred, but I grieve for the loss my foster father suffers."

I touched his hand, "I understand the source of your grief, but don't allow this to cloud your present happiness. You have waited a long time for this and Lord Elrond has had ample opportunity to come to terms with the reality of the situation. Grief does not belong at a celebration of a new beginning. Leave that to a later time, when the elation has worn off."

Estel nodded sombrely, "I know. It still does not relieve the ache in my heart for my family."

"Yeah, I understand," I held his hand for a moment and decided to change the topic, "May I change the subject? I have a question for you."

Estel nodded, "Please. Ask your question."

"Gimli told me that this wedding celebration could go on for up to seven days. Is that true?"

"It is the tradition of Man to celebrate a monarch's marriage for up to seven days, yes," he confirmed.

I looked a bit stricken, "Is your celebration going to go on for that long?"

Estel laughed a tiny laugh, "No. Due to pressing need among the population of Gondor, the celebration will be cut short after the minimum three days. I have also ordered less food to be served as we must conserve for those in need. The games that usually accompany this sort of festivity have also been cancelled. I think the men have had enough of real battles and do not wish to engage such mockery."

I realized he was right. The realm of Gondor had just been privy to a long siege and numerous battles, culminating in the loss of many of their menfolk. The need to provide for those who had lost so much was an urgent issue. On Earth this would be a political mine field. Public opinion would not be favourable to a leader who wined and dined his friends while his country was in an economic quagmire. People wanted to see their leaders exercise restraint and fiscal responsibility. I could only assume the situation would be similar here.

I offered my assistance, "I have some political experience in foreign policy and negotiations. I would like to help you in the rebuild of your kingdom, if you will allow me to."

Estel gave me a grim smile, "I may take you up on that offer, thank you. If you will excuse me, I see my wife gesturing to me."

I turned and saw Arwen waving to Estel, trying to get his attention. "Of course your Majesty. Thank you for your time."

Estel grimaced at my use of the word 'majesty', but said nothing. He nodded to me and moved off to Arwen's side. I continued to wander around in search of Glorfindel. I finally found him deep in conversation with Faramir, Eomer and a few of the Citadel guard. From the rapt looks on their faces, I could only assume he was telling them tales of his past. I found a seat near the conversation and watched them talk. I had a few people stop by and talk to me before I felt someone sit down beside me. Turning, I noticed it was Legolas.

"Hiding from your pursuers?" I asked glibly.

Legolas grinned, "You noticed her then?"

"How could I miss her? She was doing everything but spread her legs and offer herself to you in public," I deadpanned.

Laughing, he said, "You were not there in the hall when she accosted me. She was determined to achieve her goal."

"Do you feel dirty now?" I coyly asked.

Legolas shot me a look, "She did not succeed. I convinced her that I was unavailable and she would be best served to look elsewhere for companionship. I was informed by one of the staff that she was looking for an elvish husband. They mentioned something about having an elf as a spouse being highly desirable."

I felt a surge of guilt. This woman had obviously seen me with Glorfindel, found out we were married, and decided she wanted one for herself. I was the cause for the awkward situation Legolas had endured. I felt terrible.

"I'm sorry Legolas. I should've realized my bond with Glorfindel could cause problems in a city that does not see many Elves, let alone Elves wed to mortals. Maybe I should hide out in my rooms and not be so visible. Maybe it would take the pressure off you guys," I mused.

Legolas took my arm, "Karyn, you should do no such thing. You are the fëa mate to your husband. That is why you are wed. I was pursued because the lady did not understand that bond and thought she could go to a place that would never be. You need not worry for the elves, for we have been taking care of ourselves for millennia. And," he leaned forward conspiratorially, "I think there are some ellyn that do not mind the attentions of a few mortal women."

I looked at Legolas questioningly and he nodded off to my left. Following his gaze, I saw a couple of ellyn from the Lórien entourage being chatted up by a few pretty ladies of the court. They didn't seem to mind a bit. In fact they seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. I turned back to Legolas who had a huge grin plastered on his face.

"All right. Point taken," I looked back at the ladies flirting with the ellyn, "So are you saying they'll have their fun and that's all she wrote?"

Legolas looked at me askance, "If you mean, will they bed the mortal women? Perhaps. But then they may not if they so choose. They are not, what did you call it?"

"Monks?" I supplied.

"Yes, they are not monks. They have free will in their decisions, and they may decide to engage in the carnal pleasures, or they may not. We are like anyone else, Karyn. We just live longer," he explained.

Glorfindel had walked over and was standing in front of me, "Good evening Legolas. You are not corrupting my wife with your tales are you?" A tiny smile played at the corners of his mouth.

"My lord, no. I was merely assuring the lady that ellyn are safe around mortal ladies, and she should not fear for us," he responded.

Glorfindel snorted, "It is more likely they should fear us. Elladan and Elrohir are up to their mischief again. I fear they will cut a rather large swath through the female population of Minas Tirith."

Having been on their radar before, I knew what the ladies were in for. I hoped they weren't under the delusion that they had snagged their man, or elf as the case may be. The twins had a healthy appetite, and I didn't think they were going to settle down any time soon. I didn't fault them for it; I just hoped they might see what their actions caused and understand they affected more than just themselves.

Glorfindel took my hand and raised me from my seat. "If you do not mind Legolas, I shall retire with my wife now. It is quite late and we have had a long day," he explained.

Legolas smiled, "But my lord, the King and Queen have not yet retired. Surely you will wait to see them off?"

Glorfindel sighed, "Would you fault me for wanting to be with my wife?"

"No, but we must observe the mortal tradition and wait to see them off. I am sure it will not be long now, for look at how Aragorn scans the room? I am positive he is looking to see if it is acceptable to leave with his wife for the evening," Legolas pointed out.

We watched Estel look around the room and then take his wife's hand. Arwen looked up at him and smiled in understanding. Aragorn nodded to one of his guards and then he and Arwen swept over to the door.

A drunken cry was heard from Gimli, "There they go!"

Laughter echoed around the hall as Estel and Arwen slipped out the door. I looked at Glorfindel.

"So, that's our cue?" I asked.

"Yes. Let us leave now, before Gimli decides to announce our departure as well," Glorfindel joked.

Legolas smiled, "Have a good night. I will see you in the morning?"

"Perhaps. If I can persuade my wife to make an appearance," Glorfindel said.

I poked his arm, "Yeah. As if," turning to Legolas I said, "We will see you in the morning. Have a lovely evening Legolas."

We turned and walked out of the hall, making our way back to our rooms. Not a lot of sleep was to be had that night, as we tested the strength of our bed, falling into a deep sleep just before dawn.

We missed breakfast not only the next day, but the following day as well. Funny how weddings affect people. Some people get sentimental and teary-eyed, and some just get randy. The celebrations ended after the third day, for which I was entirely grateful. I am not a young chickie anymore. Partying until dawn just isn't in my vocabulary and I crave a good night's sleep nowadays. Price of aging I suppose.

The days following the wedding celebration were a flurry of meetings between Eomer, Estel and the Prince of Dol Amroth, Imrahil. Nice gentleman. Glorfindel had introduced me to him and a few of the lords on Estel's council. A couple of the councillors struck me as no good. You know the type. Had their own agenda, wanted to make sure they would be left alone enough to achieve it. I had encountered many people who liked to lead their own little fiefdoms. Being who I am, I took perverse pleasure in taking people like that down a few pegs, even if it meant getting me hurt in the process. I just cannot abide people who don't see their greed as a bad thing. Gordon Gekko was wrong. Greed is not good. Greed does not work. Glorfindel was advised of what I sensed and he in turn told Estel. Estel had already figured out what I had sensed and told Glorfindel to not let me worry, as he had the situation under control. Most of the men on the council objected to my presence in meetings, so I had to detail all my ideas with Glorfindel and Elrond, so they could bring them up during meetings.

Glorfindel managed to get me a private meeting with Eomer. Elrond and Glorfindel were present, and we discussed my ideas on reducing disease and implementing a sewage system in Edoras. Elrond brought in a couple of his ellyn to diagram how a sewage system could be implemented in the city, as they had engineering experience. Eomer took to the ideas well. I was relieved. I was a woman, and according to society here, I'm not supposed to be intelligent. Just pretty and silent. What a load of bunk. I was glad I hadn't dropped near a human population. I might've been hanged for my impertinence.

During our visit to Minas Tirith, the Elves and Men managed to negotiate treaties and trade agreements spanning from South Gondor to Arnor, that included Rohan, Lórien, and Imladris. A tentative agreement for a UN-style council and a security force to ensure peace among the member regions was made up. I had advised that Eryn Lasgalen would probably want to be included in these treaties, so Glorfindel had ensured provisions were made to allow for their inclusion. I knew Thranduil would be miffed if we didn't include his interests too; and I had to spend time with him on the way back to Imladris, so I wanted to make sure I had good news for him. Arwen, in the meantime, was getting to know her court, and choosing her ladies-in-waiting who would be closest to her. I watched Eowyn and Faramir get even closer and I wondered if a betrothal was impending.

The time flew by and soon it was time to ride back to Imladris. We would accompany Eomer and Eowyn as they escorted the body of their uncle Théoden King back to Edoras for burial. Our group was very large, consisting of Elrond's Elves, the Elves of Lórien, and the contingent from Rohan, as well as the remains of the Fellowship. With such a huge group, our progress was slow to get to Edoras. We finally arrived in Edoras on the seventh of August, nearly twenty days since we had left Minas Tirith. Slow progress to be sure, but with such a large group riding, and having to see to the proper traditions concerning the funeral procession, we could not consider time a factor.

The funeral was held on the tenth of August, and that evening at the funeral feast, Eomer announced the betrothal of his sister Eowyn to Faramir. Galadriel just looked like a cat who had consumed the cream. I was glad I had not taken that bet. The next day the Elves set out from Edoras to head back to Lórien. Once we had dropped off Celeborn, Galadriel and their contingent, we spent a day of rest in the golden woods before we set out to Eryn Lasgalen. My heart was filled with a bit of trepidation, as I didn't know how we would be greeted, but at least I had the new treaties and trade agreements to show Thranduil. I had kept my promise to help him out and I hoped he would be satisfied and not have to keep me for the whole month. I wanted to get back to Imladris before the end of September. I felt it was home now, and I wanted to keep house as it were.

Little did I know that Thranduil was the least of my problems.