Here's another chapter, quite long. I hope that you like this story, and do not find it too cheesy. I'm a hopeless romantic I admit. :)
Please, please, review or favourite ! I keeps me motivated ;)
Disclaimer : I own nothing. Everything belongs to Tolkien.
Chapter 3 : Adagio
I recommend listening to Adagio by Johann Sebastian Bach for this chapter.
In the morning, as they progressed on the road, Fili rode to place his horse next to Gandalf who was silently riding alone at the back of the Company.
The old wizard smiled at the young dwarf. When he noticed that Fili wanted to say something but did not know how to start, he asked in a low voice:
"Was there something you wished to ask me, my dear Fili?"
"Errr…" Fili cleared his throat and then whispered, "Actually yes, Master Gandalf."
The wizard raised his eyebrows expectantly, but his smile was gentle.
"Do you know anything about …nymphs?" Fili whispered even lower.
Gandalf laughed softly to the young dwarf and slowed the pace his horse, so they would not be overheard. Fili did the same.
"I knew I wasn't dreaming when I thought I heard Selis' voice last night. Did you meet her?"
"Yes" Fili confessed, a soft smile on his lips.
"You are quite fortunate. She rarely reveals her presence to anyone."
"Really? She is very amiable with me. And we talked for a long time."
"Did you?" the wizard seemed surprised.
"Aye. And it's the second time I've seen her" Fili added, feeling quite proud somehow that Selis had chosen him to share some of her time.
"That is not her usual behaviour, I daresay" said Gandalf, slightly frowning when something unexpected did happen. "Something about you must have caught her interest."
"Is she the only one of her kind?" Fili asked, curious.
"For the time being, yes" answered Gandalf "Nymphs are very rare beings. They can live for a very long time, as long as they are needed in fact. There can be nymphs for each of the four elements. Selis is the Nymph of the Wind, as you might already know. She wanders across Middle-Earth and blows where she is needed."
"Do they have a home? Somewhere to settle down? Do they sleep or eat?" asked Fili eagerly.
"When they are in their human form, they conform themselves to all basic human needs. But a nymph usually doesn't remain in her human form for more than a couple of hours. They need to recover their natural form very often."
"When she's near, the wind is warm around me" said Fili staring at the horizon, his face tender.
"Yes, she usually has that effect" stated Gandalf, smiling at the young dwarf who looked quite bewitched by the nymph.
"She doesn't seem to be aware of social conventions" added Fili, blushing slightly. "She voices her opinions and feelings very freely and openly."
"She has not been used to be around humans. She knows how they live and behave, but I don't think she has experienced most of the feelings or cares that they go through in their human existences. So naturally, everything seems new to her."
"Please, do not tell anyone about Selis" asked Fili, his eyes pleading.
The wizard nodded still smiling at the young dwarf. He understood Fili's wish and realised that the relationship between the dwarf and the nymph was precious and private to both. He would just keep an eye on Fili, if needed be.
Gandalf knew a lot, but he did not see all ends. The meeting between the Heir and the Nymph must have a meaning and a purpose, for good or evil. But that was not for him to decide.
After a scary encounter with Wargs and the exhaustion of fear and travel, Fili was quite happy to finally get the opportunity to rest for a few days, even if it was in an elven city.
He did feel awkward among the fair tall creatures and remained thus slightly on his guard. Gandalf has assured the Company that they were safe in Rivendell, that not harm could reach them here, and that was a comfort.
After their supper with the master of the city, Lord Elrond, the dwarves were given several rooms to sleep in. The young brothers of Durin chose to remain together and slept in two separate beds in the same room.
Without the night watches, the dwarves' snores and the dangers of the wild to oversee, Fili and Kili fell asleep almost immediately, nested in their soft blankets and pillows.
It was not yet dawn when a slender figure stepped gracefully inside the bedroom.
Selis kneeled next to Fili's bed and watched his peaceful face. His breathing was slow. At first, she wanted to wake him immediately so they could leave and walk alone through the elven city without being disturbed.
But when she saw his beautiful face, glorious golden hair, braids and beard, and the way he snuggled in his blanket, she remained watching him for long minutes.
During her long existence, Selis had never thought any living being was as interesting as Fili was.
He was gentle, collected and caring. And he was simple. He was not ambitious or greedy as most of dwarves were often described.
Selis had the feeling that life with Fili would be sweet. The feeling was totally foreign to her, and it surprised her that she would be thinking of such things. His character was truly refreshing and positive when she compared him to all the other livings beings she had watched over the years.
And he was so handsome. Selis didn't know where the feeling came from, but when she saw him, she wanted to jump in his arms, to press her face against his, to bury her hands in the warmth of his mane.
It was a loud sigh from Kili that brought her back to reality. She had come to get her friend and get him she would, before his brother woke up.
"Fili…" she reached her hand forward to cup his cheek. His beard was soft and it tickled her skin. She should have tried that sooner; the touch was new and amazing.
He stirred in his sleep but did not open his eyes right away.
"Fili… wake up" she said again, whispering louder and pressing her hand in the crook of his neck and shoulder.
He opened his eyes slowly and they widened when he saw her face so close to his in the dark bedroom.
"Selis?"
"Shhh!" she put a soft finger to his lips. "Don't wake your brother"
"What are you doing here?" he whispered sleepily, but already smiling.
"Come with me" she gestured towards the door, getting up.
How could he say no to that? She was smiling and her pale hair was falling on her shoulders like threads of silver.
Fili started to get up when he realised, he was only wearing his long shirt, his feet bare on the cold ground.
"Errr…" he cleared his throat "I'm in my night clothes" he stated, slightly embarrassed.
She looked at him puzzled and then laughed softly, putting her hand on her mouth to stifle the sound.
"So?" she said "I'm always in my nightclothes" she added pointing at her thin shirt and curtseying mockingly.
He smiled back but did not move away from the bed.
"Come on. What are you afraid of? That I'll stare at your legs?" she smirked, and it was funny to see her teasing him so freely.
"Clothes are such a burden anyway" she added shrugging "I'm just wearing this because I respect human conventions"
Fili blushed at her statement and tried to focus on anything else than picturing Selis without her white shirt. Otherwise, he could very well stay in bed.
He sighed. Selis took his hand in hers dragging him outside the bedroom.
"Everyone is still asleep. It's the best time" she whispered as they walked in a long corridor.
Selis took another corridor, and some steps, a platform, more steps, more steps and finally a narrow staircase.
When they had reached the top, they were standing on a high balcony at the top of a small tower. The landscape and buildings were still dark around them, but the balcony faced East, and a paler blue sky could already be seen on the horizon far away.
"It's my favourite spot" Selis said softly "The elves call it The edge of dawn".
"I'm not fond of Elves, but I cannot deny that Rivendell is a beautiful city" Fili confessed.
"I know that dwarves and elves do not get along, for centuries now. They are very different races I admit. But as much as I can admire Elves and their beauty, they seem so lifeless sometimes, without passion or fear or desire. I found them dull sometimes" she said, whispering for fear of being overheard.
Fili smiled at that and tightened his hold on her hand.
"I love the colour of the sky just before dawn, or just after night has fallen. It's a very deep and dark blue" continued Selis happily, and as she said so, her eyes seemed to change into that exact sky colour.
Fili was listening to her talking and he realized how much he had missed the sound of her voice. She always came back to him at unexpected times, but he would wait for her to appear at any moment. It was a kind of routine he had unconsciously set for himself these last few days.
Selis talked for a long time, telling Fili of the different cities and lands of Middle-Earth she had seen, the position of the stars, the shades of the sun in winter or summer. Sometimes he would interrupt her and they would share their memories about places they had both seen.
Their hands were still clasped together, and Fili enjoyed the way her skin felt underneath his own, and how the growing light would highlight her sweet features and soften her eyes.
Selis was unconsciously stroking Fili's hand, when she felt some sort of cut on his wrist.
"What happened?" she asked worried, bringing his hand closer to look at it "How did you get this?"
"I scratched my hand on a rock when we were trying to escape the wargs" he explained, and then he told her about how they had been attacked by orcs.
"I knew this quest would be dangerous…" she said, her voice full of fear and sadness.
It pained him to see her so worried about him, but he understood how she felt. Even after so short an acquaintance, he already cared very much about her, and felt the need to protect her as well.
"It's okay" he said, pressing both her hands on his broad chest. "We got out of it unharmed."
Selis could feel his skin and muscles beneath his shirt and it made her shiver.
"Yes, you did. But what if… what if you had been hurt?" she said in a low voice.
Fili was so sad to see her usual cheerfulness vanish so quickly. It was his quest, his burden to bear. He did not want to be the reason she would worry.
"Don't worry. I know how to take care of myself" he told her in a reassuring tone.
"I hope you do!" she said. It was the first time he heard her talk in such a bossy tone "Because if you don't, I could never forgive myself." Selis seemed lost for a moment: fear, sadness, worry. These were new emotions to her, and she didn't know how to handle them.
"What do you mean? It would not be your fault if anything happened to me…" he frowned.
"I know, but Fili, you have to understand that I'm not supposed to help you. It is not my purpose. It is forbidden to me. That's why…" and there her voice fainted in a sob.
Fili felt awful. That morning had started so well. He was so happy so see her, so thrilled to touch her, and now he had made her cry.
And then, he understood her meaning.
"That's why you don't often talk to anyone, to not get involved" he stated, understanding.
Selis nodded and let go of his hand suddenly. Panic rushed through Fili's entire being. He was scared she would go away, that she would never come back to talk to him, to spend some time with him. That he would never hear again how his name sounded through her lips.
Selis rested her arms on the handrail of the balcony and looked up at the bright sun in front of her. Her tears were drying on her face, the wind blowing in her silvery white hair.
And all was shining around her in this moment.
Fili stood rooted to the ground, and he realized then how much she meant to him, how he cared for her now.
She turned back to catch his blue eyes and did not smile. Soon, the edges of her small body became blurry.
The dwarf panicked as he saw her starting to vanish, and he rushed to her, embracing her fiercely, to keep her there, with him, in his arms. To keep her real.
It was as if he had stepped into a warm breeze, leaving him all dishevelled, as he tightened his hold on Selis. She felt the warmth of his body and the strength of his emotions and stopped her transformation.
Slowly, her body grew more real and solid. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and inhaled his scent. He smelled like night and softness, like when you think of a happy memory and it makes you warm inside.
"I don't want you to go…" he pleaded in a low voice "I want to see you again and again, even if you cannot protect me from the dangers that lie ahead."
Selis looked into his blue eyes, feeling warmer and comforted.
She stated simply: "I don't want to leave you either."
They remained like this for long minutes, just enjoying each other's embrace, and this peaceful moment together.
"Your brother will worry if he wakes up and does not see you in the bedroom" Selis finally said.
Fili nodded and reluctantly released her from his embrace. They stared at each other, both understanding the complexity of their situation. Fili was a dwarf on a dangerous quest. Selis was not even human, a magical being with important responsibilities towards Middle-Earth. She had to leave often to see to her duties but could not stop herself from coming back to Fili either.
If he was lucky and did not fall in battle, Fili would live around two thousand and fifty years at best, and Selis would linger on after his passing, grieving forever, or until she faded into heartbreak.
Their situation seemed hopeless, but there was nothing they could do about it.
Some irresistible force was bringing them together.