Enlightenment
Warning: Lots of cheese and hearts.
Draco had been subconsciously counting the months.
He was a pureblood and proud of it. Though that didn't mean much of anything in Saldia, it still meant that he knew a lot of things that other people didn't.
Take, for example, Courting. It was proper courting and as such, deserved the capital letters. It was a long and arduous process to test the determination of the man to marry and to protect the inheritance and integrity of the woman.
Being the only male in their small family, it gave him the distinct pleasure of keeping track of the courting between Elladan the elf and Hermione.
Keeping track of it, he knew that within the week, Elladan would arrive to finalize the contract between their families and prompt the preparation of the Final Dance, otherwise known as the wedding.
Oh, Uric, Morgana and Merlin!
While it would mean that he would no longer need to keep track of the months, it would mean the return of Hurricane Hermione. The horror.
A knock sounded on his door, bringing Draco out of his musings. "A shiny elf to see you, my lord," the messenger brat said.
He didn't need Heathers gift to know who it was already. The only other shiny elf in the city was in the Brotherhood obstacle course, trying to beat the record that Heather set.
"Lord Hodur," Elladan greeted.
Draco didn't – couldn't allow himself to smirk. This was the most crucial part of the Courtship.
"What," he asked, going straight to the point. "What exactly do you want from my cousin?"
The elf was nervous but he didn't show it. Draco knew he was nervous since he could practically see the anxiety roiling around the elfs soul. But more than that, there was resolve. Draco already approved. He just needed to hear it.
"I want to stay with her for all the rest of my immortal life," he said simply.
It wasn't cheesy. It should have been. It was just said in the most honest, most factual tone he had ever heard.
Well, that was single-minded determination.
"Why?" he persisted. That was the crux of the matter. A lesser man would have been intimidated. But then again, this wasn't just anybody. The answer was sure and without hesitation.
"Because she makes me feel happy and alive," Elladan answered.
Finally, the saccharine bits were over and done with! Draco allowed himself to smile and he removed his blindfold for the first time in the elfs presence.
"Brilliant," he said, opening his eyes to see Elladan's startled expression. "Now that's done. Lets get down to the messy bits."
The elf quickly recovered from seeing his eyes (Draco scowled a bit at that. Reveals were annoying.) Draco drew up a spare parchment.
Within the remaining two hours before luncheon, they hammered out the contract.
Elladan could not fully rest until the orc population died down and Hermione could not yet leave Saldia, it being still shaky on its political feet.
"I can wait," Elladan said earnestly. "There is still a prophecy to fulfill."
Draco calculated the odds and took a leaf out of Heather's book. The logic and calculations could just jump off a ravine. Potter could eat him later, not that he would let her, but it needed to be said.
"My sister," he said. "Has visions of the future. Do you know what she sees the most in her visions?" A pause to emphasize the point. "She sees the reformation of the Dark Lord."
There was a sharp intake of breath, but Elladan stayed silent. His eyes were wide and his complexion was ashen.
"If you want to wait," he concluded. "You will have to wait until the Dark Lord is defeated for the second time, and really dead."
For a moment, Elladan laced his fingers together, head bowed in contemplation, before lifting it up to meet Draco's eyes squarely.
"Before I can have a future with her," the elf stated. "I will first have to defend that future. So yes, Lord Hodur. I will wait."
Amazed laughter was forced out of Draco. Aside from the girls, it was the first time anyone had ever impressed him that much.
Luna woke up from her second day of rest after the Shipyard Project to discordance.
For someone with her Gift, it was especially disorienting. Only experience in handling it made her realize what was wrong.
Quickly, she dressed, splashed water on her face and tried to stop Cailyn and Guiomer from arguing. Note on Cailyn. What were both of them thinking when the woman was pregnant and very near delivery?
"That's our son!" Cailyn was yelling, face flushed in anger.
"I know!"Guiomer yelled back, multi-colored hair waving a bit with the magic reacting to his anger. "He chose it! He wanted it! That's his signature right there! I didn't force him!"
Cailyn's eyes flashed. "You didn't need to! You let him stare at that bloody sword every night! That's dangling something like a carrot in front of a donkey!"
Luna had had enough. She hurt a bit too since she finally understood what was going on.
"Stupefy!" Luna murmured, aiming the intent of it to Guiomer. Kreacher obediently caught Guiomer and laid him gently on the sofa. Cailyn started, hand going protectively to her protruding belly.
"Aunt Eilys!" she gasped. "We…you…"
Luna hushed her with a wave of her hand, summoning at the same time a Calming Draught.
"Drink that," Luna instructed. "And then I'll talk to you."
A humming and happy soul behind her made her smile as she turned around. Fenny, grey hair already frosting his fur. "Fenny, love. Fetch Aedan for me, will you? That naughty boy, making his parents argue like that."
Fenny's tongue lolled out, agreement ringing out of his soul. A moment later, he butted her thigh and ran out.
Turning back to Cailyn, Luna found the woman calmly waiting for her, the red faded from her cheeks and sheer mortification overtaking her expression.
"I'm sorry," Cailyn sighed. "I suppose I may have overreacted a little when I saw Aedan's name in the roster for Brotherhood applicants."
Well, that confirmed her theories. Really, that boy!
"Cailyn sweetheart," Luna said. "The sword of Gryffindor demands to be wielded. It takes such a toll on those that inherit it. That is the enchantment reacting. But Gryffindor's line began ages ago. Don't you find it strange that the line hasn't died out, what with the bloodline always seeking justice and demanding chivalry?"
Comprehension was on Cailyn's face. Finally!
"So," she whispered. "The sword is entwined intimately with my husband."
There was fear ringing in Cailyn's soul. Fear for Guiomer and an unbelievably overwhelming fear for Aedan. Now that wouldn't do.
"Hmm," Luna mused. How would Heather do this? "Cailyn, there is a saying in our world. Those who live by the sword, die by the sword. But the ones who coined that have never held the sword of Gryffindor. It's old, child. It's practically sentient. More importantly, it never allows its wielder to die."
Ah, her work was done. Cailyn's turbulent soul had finally calmed. Slowly, but it was calming down. Good. The unborn fetus also calmed down and the discordant music she was hearing went away.
The click-click of Fenny's claws on the wooden floor alerted Luna of Aedan's arrival, even as Aedan's soul rang out, the very essence of laughter and sunshine.
"Aedan!" Cailyn said sternly. "I'll allow you to enroll in the Brotherhood but not until you pass by another four winters."
The boy's cute, innocent expression morphed into an expert pout. Legolas must have given the child tips. It was good enough to make even Luna feel guilty and she wasn't party to that restriction at all.
"Mater!" Aedan whined.
And now, he was sounding like a whining Fenny. Cheeky little mimic.
"No," Cailyn said, as hard-hearted as a troll.
Chuckling a bit at the scene, Luna casted a silent enervate at Guiomer and left the little family to it.
Teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts to a bunch of uncontrolled, completely eager fifth years was nothing compared to teaching the bunch that they had carefully selected to become Department Heads. Most of them were members of the committee, now dissolved. They were eager and thirsting to understand the how's and why's of Saldia and its management.
It was exhilarating and frightening at the same time. Heather had never really had an audience this…bloodthirsty? – yes, bloodthirsty for information. Considering that Heather had taught those eager adolescents in the cusp of war, that was saying something.
Perhaps it was merely Hermione's principles shining through and actually getting through to the citizens. She had, after al, taught the first settlers for the first fifteen years.
"A building is to be established in this district," Heather lectured, pointing to the chalkboard. "It has the potential to be a tourist attraction because of its business. Is it logical to approve it or not?"
The Department Head assigned to that was the center of attention as he mulled it over. "Yes, my lady," he finally answered after a moment. "Though the neighborhood is not quite as reputable as the other districts, there are two restaurants in that area that has a good reputation and is helping the district in becoming more hospitable."
Of course, it helped that most of them had been taught by either Hermione or Draco. They learned fast.
"Good. Now, take the next situation…" she continued.
It was, sadly, completely second nature to Heather that she could discuss the topic and think about plenty of other things at the same time while still managing to sound coherent.
In particular, she thought about Faramir, who was at the back of the room and listening with rapt attention.
This was the first time she had ever taught him something other than fighting and battle tactics and the surprise on his face when the lecture started was both gratifying and somehow insulting at the same time.
Plenty of people wielding the sword could fight and strategize at the same time! She was not all brawn!
Err…right. Perhaps she was misreading his body-language?
So Faramir was eating everything she was teaching, with a ferocity that surpassed even the ones the lecture was actually directed at.
If he combined what she was teaching, which was basically, "How to Run Your Own Country," the principles and theories that Hermione had taught him, along with the political warfare that Draco and Luna instructed him, then Faramir could probably conquer several countries and still be praised for it.
By Merlin and Morgana, she was creating a monster.
But Faramir would never fit into history like that, Heather mused further. He was horrified at the thought of indoctrination and societal conditioning. He worried about his people while thinking of counters to the same threats at the same time. And he was such a pacifist that he would never be like Alexander the Great.
If Heather would really describe him, she'd call him a politically brilliant warrior with a heart. That was a rare thing to find in any world.
One thing was certain, Heather though as she finished the lecture just in time for luncheon. Whatever the future holds, Faramir will be very important.
It was the bird that first clued Hermione in. Truly, there were very few people in Arda who used daytime owls for letter delivery, judging by the twine around its legs.
The second thing was the sudden glances she received when she exited the Administrative Building. Hermione was used to glances because they had founded Saldia, but these glances had an edge to it. Like all faithful people of Saldia, they followed the Charter.
Those glances inferred something and they wanted her to ask.
"Yes?" she asked the nearest gossiping biddy, who turned out to be an Order member.
"Your beau has come back, my lady!" the journeyman healer said with completely too much cheer and happiness. Hermione hated her, for just a small moment. She didn't know somebody could actually sound perky.
She mentally apologized as she regained her bearings. Hermione blamed it on the short-temper she'd started with in the morning, when they'd run out of coffee and Kreacher had almost had a hysterical breakdown.
Then the words registered in her mind.
Wait, what! Beau!
"An elf, my lady," the journeyman healer supplied helpfully.
Hermione swallowed down a growl and managed not to stomp down the street. How dare that elf not look for her? He knew she wanted to see him! It had been nearly a year since they last saw each other and letters just did not cut it.
But she found Elrohir first, talking animatedly with Prince Legolas in lyrical Sindarin.
"Elrohir," she said sweetly. "Where's your brother?"
The elf took one look at her face and gulped. "He's closeted with your cousin," he answered.
That meant they were creating a contract. Bugger, and didn't that make her feel like a piece of cattle?
However, her temper wasn't fair on Elrohir, who had done nothing to deserve it. With a sigh, she massaged her temples and counted from one to ten.
She felt marginally better afterwards and managed a better smile to give to Elrohir. "I need a distraction," she announced. "So you better distract me."
Elrohir was dragged away and the elf, determined not to be alone with a temperamental female, reached out quickly and snagged Prince Legolas's arm.
"Don't leave me!" he whispered to the alarmed prince.
DELETED SCENES:
A day with Kreacher
Kreacher woke up a whole three hours before the sun shone, humming in his deeper and smoother voice.
What nobody realized was that the entire sanitation of the country relied on Kreacher. He had watched as his Masters had created the wards and tied his own House-Elf magic in it, undetectable by any other creature but another House-Elf.
The little tweak he had placed made him notice all the dirty parts of the city and he apparated to each place personally every morning, casting cleansing charms with his own special magic.
Long ago, when the country was still a city, it would only take half an hour. With the enlargement of the settlement, it took Kreacher three hours. Of course, it helped that the messy humans were conscientious of their trash.
When he got back to the house, the Master Heather was cooking breakfast. Appalled, Kreacher tried to stop her and they got into an argument. This was routine too.
Then the messy wizards went to work and Kreacher went on cleaning. He had an entire country to clean! He would have been the envy of all the House-Elves back home.
He worked on it, little by little, stopping only to cater to the needs of his Masters when they called on him, which wasn't often. Kreacher honestly would run out of work around the afternoon because his Masters had warned him not to clean the houses of the other messy people without their permission, something about inappropriate and absence of personal space.
So he watched the Youngest Master Black and The-Annoying-Creature-That-Shed-Fur named Fenny play around. He casted the pertinent charms for all the messes they got into.
Master Heather often asked after his day. Kreacher always told the truth. It was the happiest he had ever been. She never really believed him completely.
Silly wizard. A House-Elf was only as happy and as perfectly well as their Master is and all four of his Masters were very happy people.
I totally hate the first part. It's soo bloody sweet. All love scenes I try to write are terrible and this was the not so terrible one. You wouldn't believe how many times I rewrote Elladan's Interview with Draco. Ignore it. I'll just cry in a corner, my authors pride is suffering at the cheesy-ness. Yuck!
Soo. I accidentally made a foreshadowing. Like, when I reread it, I said, ah! See if you can find it.
But, I still think I made Draco and Luna slightly OOC. Hurry up and reassure me! Waah! If it is, I think I'll rewrite that part of the chapter.
On a side note, someone asked where the fanart is placed. The link is in my profile. Yay! I like fanarts. More please!
Questions:
What happened to Teddy?
If some of you haven't read Ice, Stone and Snow yet, go read it.
But anyway, Heather isn't that close to the Weasley Family. Remus Lupin went to Shell Cottage to announce Teddy's birth to anybody he could tell it to, and Harry became a godfather there. Or rather, found out about it there. For Heather, the one who saved her was Draco and Dobby, who took her to a safehouse that Draco created in his sixth year that nobody else knew about. She didn't know about Shell Cottage or the godmother thing. She knew about Teddy, but she didn't know that.
Where are we in the LotR storyline?
Hmm. I can only answer in terms of chapters, cause if you notice, I am a terrible author and don't keep track of the timeframe…much. Unless I am specifically highlighting it in my brain. We only have approximately less than five chapters till the Fellowship thing starts.
Romance?
Ugh. That question is like a mushroom. It keeps recurring. For Luna, yes. You'll probably note it in the Fellowship arc. For Heather and Draco? Its still shakey in my mind. But I am trying to fit it in, along with the gazillion other mini-subplots going on in my brain.
Theodred and his Dunlending bodyguards:
Oh, they have gotten busy. I didn't note it yet, coz I couldn't seem to find where to put it. But some people of Rohan and the Dunlendings are joining the Brotherhood. So they are up to 250,000 members. And Theodred leads the contingent for his area. But he's not a member coz Theoden wouldn't allow it.
Gandalf and the Istari:
They each have their own different missions from each of the different Valar. That's doesn't stop, even with the four of them there. The Valar…will show up later.
And that's it.
On the matter of the River Greyflood. Waaah! I'm sorry! But I went to google and saw an interactive map and it pointed out that the territory of Eriador and Enedwaith was bisected by the River, and that it led directly to the ocean.
Maybe it's a wrong map? Gosh, and this was already AU to begin with, it just got even more skewered. I'm sorry!
Please R&R. I need it badly.
~Hallen
P.S. Thank you for all your reviews! It hit 750! 250 more to go.