I know i have been absent. I am sorry. Enjoy these valentines chapters. The next one will be posted on valentines.
"Have another drink, little love" Tar-Mairon's lilting voice came from behind me. I tilted my head up and looked behind me at his golden visage allowing my long neck to show vulnerability.
"Does it even matter anymore?" I said with a smile glancing at the festive atmosphere. Why they were celebrating the new year was beyond me. They existed before the world. I finally could understand it much better than I had previously. I couldn't comprehend, and still cannot truly, what Tar-Mairon is exactly.
"It matters even when it does not. Time means nothing and everything." He handed me a glass of golden liquid.
"Maybe it's all just a dream" I sighed looking at the glass.
"Silly child. Immortal but still like when you arrived. What are you afraid of? Have I not protected you and given you all? Time drips over you like water instead of a hurricane" I felt no danger in his tone. He must not be angry with my words.
"I am only thinking foolishly, my lord," I said taking a sip. It was sweet and fizzed on my tongue. Tar-Mairon must have pulled this from my memories somehow because most things here were dry and powerful. I suppose this could be powerful too. Things in this fortress were much more luxurious than in Angband. Perhaps because Tar-Mairon's lord was too preoccupied to bother with trivialities. I dare not ask and I don't really even care as long as I can stay with Tar-Mairon.
"Not so foolishly. Time is a great tool in the right hands" he said musingly letting his golden eyes bore into mine. I suppressed a shiver of fear and waited. "Go run along and say hi to your sister," Tar-Mairon said after a moment nodding towards Airawende. I turned to look at her again and felt more anger fizzing up in me. Her arm was in his arm again. All I ever wanted to do was just punch the lights out of him.
I should not blame her really. I probably wouldn't have done anything differently if our positions were switched for survival. How different things here had become. Time is truly immeasurable in this place. We could've been here forever or moments. I can't even remember when they started calling us sisters. I told Tar-Mairon we were not sisters by blood but by choice. He simply smiled his golden smile and said we were a pair unseen and unique so sisters we will be.
"Haldamire!" Airawende smiled and nearly sloshed her drink out of her cup.
"A little too much?" I asked trying not to roll my eyes or laugh. Knowing her both would be an encouragement.
"Of course not. Not yet" She winked and then proceeded to throw back the entire cup. "Here switch with me," She said grabbing Gothmog's glass and pulling it from his hand and putting her empty one in it instead. I looked at him with trepidation and while fire flared for a moment in his eyes, he didn't say anything. Things truly were much different now. I may still want to punch the lights out of him but I would never dare cross him. Airawende, though, she seems to like testing his tolerance now. I swear she intentionally sets him off and then hides to see what she can get away with. She has no fear. Or maybe she just doesn't feel pain anymore. I can never understand her incessant defiant nature.
"You should be more careful" I chided "glancing around the room".
"Careful?" Gothmog said quietly looking at me "You think I cannot watch her?".
"No, of course not, my lord. She just… might be sick in the morning" I hastily tried to backtrack.
"Don't be a grumpppppy grumble with Haldamire" Airawende said giggling. We both looked at her and she giggled harder. His eyes narrowed dangerously and I felt the air start heating up. "Stopppppppp" Airawende said using her petulant tone that seemed to work and also make everyone roll their eyes at the same time.
"I wanna tell you about another holiday from our world" Airawende said pushing on to change everyone's focus.
"Your world?" Tar-Mairon suddenly asked with a soft tone as I jerked in surprise at his presence suddenly behind.
"That's not what I meant. Where we came from. This is our world" Airawende said backpedaling hastily glancing at Tar-Mairon with a look of fright.
"Just tell us of this holiday" Gothmog said narrowing his eyes at her.
"Right. It's called Valentines" She said looking very pale.