Kiera
The bell rang out to signal the start of dinner. Shortly after, the other lords arrived and took their seats. Salgant had moved to his usual seat as Duilin took his seat next to Glorfindel. Kiera was happy that she no longer had to sit next to Maeglin, although his earlier words confused her. Once everyone was seated, the king rose to make a toast.
"Welcome everyone to the night's dinner. I am happy to see everyone this evening, and I am happy to have this festival in honor of our new guests. Lord Ulmo has blessed us and this great city by bringing Lord Tuor and Lady Kiera to our fair city. He also spared Voronwë and brought him back to us. While I am saddened to hear Ulmo's warning, I know we will remain strong and resilient in these troubled times. However, tonight is about celebration and new beginnings," said Turgon. He raised his glass to toast and said, "to Lord Tuor and Lady Kiera."
The rest followed suit, and Turgon ushered the staff to bring the dinner. There was more food than the previous one and a more extensive food selection. While the meat was scarce, the fruits and vegetables made up for it. There were only a few chickens that got passed around and one large boar. The city must have some livestock and hunt the rest. As they began to eat, conversations started between the dinner guests. Glorfindel started a lively discussion with Duilin, so Kiera looked to Ecthelion again for some conversation. Both he and Maeglin were eating and not discussing anything.
She cleared her throat to get his attention. When he looked at her, she asked, "so, do your guards hunt the food for the table, or is there a farm somewhere in the city?"
Ecthelion chuckled, "a few of the guards like to hunt while they are on rotation at the gates. We have many wild animals surrounding the city in the outer plains and the mountains. The house of the swallow are the best hunters and often bring meat into the city. There is also a large farm located outside the city by the northern gate. The house of the tree and the swallow maintain it along with the animals. We also have a smaller stable near the main gate for my house to use."
She nodded and asked, "do you have a lot of horses in the city, or do you all share?"
Ecthelion paused to take a drink of his wine, and she could see Maeglin listening to the conversation. "We have a good amount. All the lords have their own horses and the hunters who frequently leave the city. The rest of them just share. Hardly anyone is riding the horses very far. Mostly it is to the gates and back or a quick ride out into the plains. Do you know how to ride a horse?"
"Yes, my grandmother loved to ride," she told him. "She taught me when I was younger, but we never had horses of our own. We often just rode the neighbor's horses, as he owned a farm."
Ecthelion looked at her oddly, "how did humans travel in your world? Did you all ride horses, or did you walk everywhere?"
Kiera giggled, "oh, well, we have these things called cars. They are sort of like an enclosed cart with wheels. They move on their own with fuel and go really fast. We have had cars for the last 100 years or so. Before, we used horses and wagons."
"How does it work?" Maeglin asked curiously.
She shrugged, "I don't really know. They are powered by an engine that burns oil and makes the wheels move. There are many moving parts and pieces, but I never learned more. I'm not sure if it could ever be invented here. We progressed so fast in the last 100 years that it's almost too much to think about. People much smarter than me invented great things that revolutionized our world but also destroyed it."
Maeglin sneered and said something in elvish, to which Ecthelion glared at him in return. Kiera was sure it wasn't anything nice, but she just brushed it off.
Ecthelion said, "your world sounds complicated but also very interesting. I would like to hear more about it at a later date. Dinner is almost over, and I must leave to collect my house."
Glancing around the room, she noticed some other lords had already left. Kiera focused on finishing her dinner as Glorfindel and Ecthelion left to collect their houses. Maeglin was still there and seemed to be waiting for the king to finish eating. Tuor was speaking to the king about his new lordship and duties. Kiera watched for a while as she ate and noticed that Maeglin was glaring at Tuor. The prince didn't realize that he was being watched, but eventually, he turned and caught her staring. Expecting a snarky reply, she was floored by what he said instead.
"Like what you see?" he murmured in a silky voice.
Kiera blushed at being caught staring but cleared her throat. "No, I was just wondering why you are glaring at Tuor."
The corners of his lips turned up as he swished his glass. "You are imagining things. I wasn't even looking at Tuor, but you were certainly staring at me. Got tired of Voronwë already? Or perhaps you desire a prince."
What a strange turn of events, but she replied, "no. I am very fond of Voronwë. I didn't mean to stare, as I was lost in thought. I have no desire for a prince; titles mean nothing to me."
Maeglin turned to look at her now and arched his eyebrow. "Just fond of Voronwë?" He drawled. "I feel sorry for him already if that is how you describe your relationship. Don't be embarrassed by the staring, as I know I am a handsome elf. Speaking of Voronwë, I see he has left with the other lords. If he is not back in time to escort you to the dance, I would be honored to."
Panicking, she looked over to where Voronwë was sitting, but his seat was now empty. He must have left, but she had no idea why. Now she was at a loss and slightly upset. Looking back at Maeglin, she had no idea why he was acting his way. It wasn't a pleasant conversation, but at least he was not insulting or degrading. Kiera hoped Voronwë would come back but didn't really know why he left in the first place.
"There you go again, staring at me. I'm truly flattered that you wish to stare at me."
Maeglin's words shook her out of her thoughts. She turned away from him as he chuckled softly to himself. The king was almost finished, and she finally caught Idril's eye. Idril was looking at her with confusion and pointed at Voronwë's chair. All she could do was shrug her shoulders and lift her hands up a little. Idril frowned at her, but then movement made them break their silent conversation. The king was starting to get up from his seat, and Kiera began to really panic now.
The rest of the table got up, and Idril rushed over to her. "Where is Voronwë?" Idril whispered furiously. "I thought he was escorting you to the dance."
"I don't know. He left, but I have no idea why," she whispered frantically back. Idril frowned again, but her eyes moved to the person approaching them. Maeglin interrupted them.
"I would be happy to escort the lady Kiera to the dance. As the prince, it is my duty to make our guests feel comfortable."
He didn't give her a chance to respond before he took her waist and pulled her closer to him. Then he rested his hand on her lower back and smiled at Idril. "Do not worry about lady Kiera. I shall escort her in and have the first few dances with her."
To her horror, all Idril did was glance back at her and nod at Maeglin. Kiera felt very flustered and annoyed by the turn of events. Tuor and the king were standing a little ways away, so she took a step forward to put some distance between herself and Maeglin. He was quick, though, and moved his hand around her waist and curled it tightly, pulling her back in. Maeglin leaned down and whispered into her ear, "come now, don't be shy. You were staring heavily just a bit ago. I know this is what you desire, even if you don't want to admit it to yourself. Besides, I enjoy having a beautiful woman on my arm, and you are looking lovely tonight. I see my money has been well spent on clothes that hug your body in all the right places."
He leaned in just a little closer so his lips were brushing the tip of her ear. "I have to admit that you are looking ravishing in this dress. Part of me desires to know what lies underneath, and I have always longed for a night with a mortal. Perhaps, you will end up in my chambers by the end of the night."
Kiera pushed him away from her hard, and his hand left her waist. "No, thank you. I'm not interested," She replied forcefully. Looking across the room, hoping to catch Tuor's eye, she was disappointed to see his back to her. The king saw the interaction but pretended not to acknowledge them. She took another step forward when Maeglin latched onto her arm tightly and pulled her back.
He held on tightly to her but did not pull her close to him again. He chuckled as she glared at him. "It is almost time for us to leave. We will follow after the king, but not yet. You are my date for this evening, and you have to stay close to me for the first part of the dance and entrance. You wouldn't want to upset the king by not following our customs."
When she looked back at the group, they already began to leave for the ballroom. Kiera yanked her arm out of his grasp and started following after. Maeglin caught up to her and linked his arm in hers. They kept a good distance between the group as they walked through the palace. Kiera didn't speak, but Maeglin had a feral grin on his face the entire walk. When they approached the ballroom, loud voices and sounds drifted from the closed doors.
They all stopped just outside the doors, and Maeglin leaned over to tell her, "the king will introduce us, and then we will share a dance. It is customary for the guests to open the ball. We will dance together for a few songs, and then others will offer to dance with you. I hope before the night is out that you will honor me with a few more dances."
Kiera refused to look at him but mumbled, "we'll see."
The anger was simmering under the surface and growing the more she was left to deal with Maeglin on her own. Tuor and Idril were too focused on each other and the king to even glance back at them. Kiera caught the king watching them, and he saw her push Maeglin away from her earlier. Nothing happened then, and she was left more confused by what was going on with Maeglin and Voronwë. The whole evening was starting off horribly, and she wasn't sure it would get better. Kiera also had the sinking suspicion that the king ordered Maeglin to try and get her into his bed. She was just guessing, but they probably thought that once they shared a bed, she would spill all of her supposed secrets and plans. She snorted quietly to herself and the stupidity of the king.
Feeling on edge, all she could do was stare at the doors, waiting for the dance to begin. Finally, the king waved to the guards, and they opened the door to the ballroom. Maeglin pulled her inside as people lined the edges of the dance floor, waiting. They paused at the edge as the king made an announcement in elvish. Not caring in the slightest, her body moved on autopilot as Maeglin guided her to the dance floor.
Kiera looked all around the room at the people and was overwhelmed by the sight. Maeglin took one of her hands in his, and the other he rested on her waist. Once the music started, he glided around the hall, taking her with him. She tried not to look at him too much as they danced, but slowly, he pulled them closer together.
Wearing a smug smirk on his face, he whispered, "you need to smile and enjoy this dance. We are throwing it in your honor, and I would hate for the elves to think you are ungrateful for all we have done for you."
She forced a grimace on her face and tried to push away the feelings from earlier. Realizing that it might also be part of his plan, she put on a fake smile, determined not to give him the satisfaction of knowing it got to her.
Oozing fake cheerfulness, she chirped, "I wouldn't want anyone here to think I am ungrateful. I have been blessed to have been brought to this city and given a place to stay."
"Yes, we wouldn't want that," Maeglin grinned at her. "I enjoy your smiling face, but you seem tense in my presence. I would like us to be friends and comfortable with each other. Perhaps there is something I can do to ease your tension. I have been told I am very skilled with my hands."
Her face flushed as she replied hotly, "no, thank you."
Kiera glanced around the room to see if anyone heard his offer, but Idril and Tuor were at the other end of the hall, and everyone was still watching them dance.
Maeglin noticed her looking and said quietly, "they can't hear us. I spoke softly enough that only you could hear. I am surprised that you seem embarrassed by my suggestion. I had assumed you weren't a blushing maiden, but perhaps I was wrong."
She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of getting under her skin, so she opted to just ignore him and smile sweetly at him. Thankfully, the first song finished, and she was hoping to be out of his clutches.
Instead of releasing her, he pulled her closer as more people started dancing around the hall. Maeglin grinned and said, "a few more dances with me yet."
They began dancing around the hall while Kiera tried to move further away from him with each step. Maeglin was persistent and matched her backward steps with forward steps of his own. Her moves seemed to thrill him as he chuckled softly during the dance. When they had gotten close again, he leaned in and whispered, "it is alright if you are a maiden. I enjoy teaching and watching maidens come undone for the first time. However, I would much rather enjoy being with an experienced woman. Tell me, which are you?"
Refusing to answer, she just smiled and continued dancing. His eyes gleamed at her smile and grinned at her to match. He purred lowly, "you are not blushing at my suggestion, telling me you are not an inexperienced maiden. I would very much like to have you in my bed tonight."
"No, thank you," she said firmly.
"Are you sure?" he replied seductively. "Don't you want to know what it is like to be with an elf? I hear many mortals desire the chance, yet you freely turn down my offer."
Kiera shrugged, "I'm sure. Not interested."
He shrugged in response and replied, "I'm patient. I can wait. You will come around eventually. The desire to spend the night with an elf will come. My offer stands for the future, and you may come to my private chambers when you change your mind."
Doubtful, she thought, but she refused to say anything more to him. The song finished, and Maeglin was done dancing with her. He led her over to the edge of the hall and leans in quickly to kiss her on the cheek. It was just a quick peek, but it made her shiver when he got close. With one last kiss to the back of her hand, he left with a large smirk on his face.
Kiera wanted to puke but forced a smile on her face as she stood at the edge of the dance floor. She searched the crowd for a familiar face or Voronwë but found none. The dance hall was too packed for her to see over the tops of elves waiting at the edges, but she spotted a few of the lords, but none she was comfortable approaching.
Her feet were starting to hurt, and she wanted nothing more than to sit down, but Idril's voice rang out in her head. It was expected of her to wait by the edge of the dance floor for a while in case anyone wished to dance with her. Finally, after a few songs, a man approached and offered to dance.
She picked a simple one, but he didn't say a word to her, and she guessed he didn't speak common. When the song ended, she thanked him, and another elf took his place.
He hardly spoke either but managed to thank her for the dance after. Kiera returned to her place at the edge of the dancefloor for a few more songs. Just as she was about to leave to find a table, a woman walked up to her side.
"So you are the female mortal. You are prettier than I expected but still ugly. I see no one wishes to dance with you anymore. Tis a shame, really, as I heard mortal females are easier to woo into a male's bed than elves."
The woman was pretty, with her black hair in a high braid and the rest falling down her back. Her dark blue dress was stunning and was the same color as her eyes. While the elf was very beautiful, Kiera had no idea who she was, but the sneer on her face made her ugly.
"I'm sorry, have we met before?"
The elf laughed a hauntingly high-pitched laugh. "of course not mortal. You have been hidden away in the palace from everyone. Few have seen you around the city. I have heard all about you, though. Tell me, did you spend a few dinners talking to Lord Ecthelion?"
Confused, she answered honestly, "yes, is that a problem for you?"
The woman laughed a dark laugh and waved her hand dismissively at her, "of course not. You are no competition for me. I came to warn you to stay away from him. We were betrothed, and we will be together again soon. He will be my husband, and consorting with humans is beneath him."
Things clicked into place then, and Kiera knew this must be the woman Idril told her about. The elf was horrid, and the day's events had tried her patience.
"Funny, he never mentioned you. One would think if he were to marry you that, he would have talked about you. Yet, I don't even know your name."
Her ugly sneer turned downright hideous as the elf snarled at her, "you better watch yourself, human. No one speaks to me that way, especially not a lowly mortal. Stay away from Lord Ecthelion unless you want your already short life to be cut shorter."
The crowd parted in her wake as the elf stormed off. To Kiera's pleasant surprise, the opening in the crowd let her see that Celebrimbor was sitting at a table. Their eyes met, and he waved her over to him. She was so relieved to see a friendly face that she smiled the whole time she walked over to him.
Celebrimbor pulled out an empty chair next to him, and Kiera sat down in it, letting out a long sigh. There were two other elves at the table, but the rest of the seating was empty. She poured herself a large glass of wine and downed it quickly. She was pouring her second glass when Celebrimbor asked, "that bad, huh?"
Kiera glanced up hesitantly at the two elves who were watching her with amusement.
Celebrimbor noticed and said, "these are my friends. You can trust them, as we came from Nargothrond together. They won't betray your secrets."
She relaxed and said, "I'm Kiera. It's nice to meet you."
They both had straight brown hair and brown eyes, and they looked very similar. The taller one spoke and said, "I'm Echadron, and this is my brother Harmon. We are fellow craftsmen and have no ties to this city. Any friend to Celebrimbor is a friend to us, and we will not betray your secrets."
Nodding, she took another large gulp of wine, wishing to get drunk. Celebrimbor stopped her from pouring a third glass and handed her water instead.
"Elvish wine is potent to humans. Two glasses will be enough to get you drunk. Drink some water and tell us what happened. I saw you dancing with my cousin at the first dance, but I admit I didn't see any after. I just saw that woman leave you, and she looked angry. What happened," he asked.
Looking over at him, the events of the evening came out like word vomit. "Well, first, Voronwë was supposed to escort me to the dance hall, but he left me during dinner. There's more to that, but I don't want to get into it right now."
Kiera took a deep breath and continued, "then Maeglin was nice to me during dinner, or he wasn't outright cruel to me. He started complimenting me and pulling me closer to him. I even pushed him away at one point, and the king saw. I think he told Maeglin to come onto me or is hoping I fall for his tricks. As we danced, Maeglin wanted me to come back to his bed with him tonight, which I refused. He told me the offer would stand if I ever changed my mind."
"Then, I waited by the edge of the dance floor like Idril told me, but only a few people approached me. Just as I was going to find a table to sit down when that woman came up to me. She used to be betrothed to Ecthelion and thinks they will be together again. She didn't like that I was talking to him and threatened my life if I didn't leave him alone. Honestly, I'm barely holding it all together this evening."
Celebrimbor shared a glance with his friends, then said, "I'm sorry that happened to you. I'll admit that the king is smart and probably approached Maeglin with that plan. He wrongly assumed that you would fall into the prince's bed with his advances. I'm sure it is a way for Maeglin to gain your trust, to find out whether you are a spy or not."
He shrugged, "I can't be sure about my cousin's feelings, but I doubt he would ever pursue you himself. He has his eyes set on another that he can't have. Sometimes I wonder if it is just lust or power, but I'm not sure. I wouldn't worry too much about him or the king. The best thing is to avoid them as much as possible. I hear you are moving into Tuor's household, so that is good."
Celebrimbor shared another long glance with his friends and said, "as for that woman, her name is Amara. She was betrothed to Ecthelion at one point."
He snorted and shook his head in disbelief. "Honestly, I think she is the dumbest elf alive. Her entire plan was to court Ecthelion while trying to win Glorfindel's affection. Ecthelion found out during their courtship and ended it. I'm not sure what she thought would happen. That Glorfindel would steal his best friend's betrothed, dump his best friend, and return her affections. Or perhaps that Ecthelion would be ok with it and give his blessing. Either way, her plan was doomed from the start."
Echadron added, "she doesn't really want Ecthelion back, from what I hear. She just wants him to be alone and miserable for discovering her plan and ending their courtship. Her plan was never going to work, as Ecthelion and Glorfindel have been friends since they were children."
She looked around at all of them, stunned. "How do you guys know all that? Didn't you all just arrive in the city?"
Celebrimbor laughed and said, "we had to find out information about this city when we arrived. All three of us are from Valinor, so we remember many of the people here. This city is isolated, so most of the entertainment comes from gossip and the happenings around the city." He spread his arms wide, pointing to the empty tables. "As you can see, we are not popular in this city, so your secrets are safe with us."
Kiera snorted at that, which turned into a full-on laughing fit. The tension from before left her, and she was happy to be enjoying the evening with friends.
All of the elves looked at her with amusement while Celebrimbor chuckled with her. When she was calmed down, he turned to her and said, "I believe you promised me a dance. May I have this dance, my lady?"
For the first time that evening, her face broke out in a real smile. "I would love to."
The brothers wave goodbye to them as Celebrimbor led her to the dance floor. She was a little wobbly from the wine, and they both laughed at that. When they reached the dance floor, Celebrimbor steadied her as he swept her up in his arms. He grinned at her, and she found herself enjoying their dance immensely.
As they moved around the room, people gave them so much space. She laughed softly at the sight as he just sighed like he has dealt with it too many times before. Feeling the need to cheer him up, she smiled and said, "I'm sorry the city treats you that way. We can be outcasts together."
That made his face break out in a large grin. They enjoyed another dance where they both grinned at each other like idiots. Then he says, "I shouldn't tell you this as you are just starting to enjoy your night. However, Voronwë and his uncle left shortly after your opening dance. I'm not sure what is going on between you two, but maybe you can tell me more tomorrow. I have finished some jewelry pieces. I know you have lessons in the morning, but maybe in the afternoon if you are free. You could pick out some jewelry, and we can talk privately. Voronwë and his uncle will be out all day tomorrow. They are going outside the city to spend some time at the gates and see his friends."
Her heart got sad at his words, but she appreciated that he told her. Celebrimbor squeezed her waist gently to get her attention. She focused back on him and said, "I will come by tomorrow. I want to see some of the pieces and talk. For now, I just want to focus on this dance with you."
Celebrimbor obliged and made it his mission to see her happy again. He spun her around the room, chatting and laughing softly. During one of their dances, Kiera spotted Ecthelion and Glorfindel at the edge of the floor. Celebrimbor followed her line of sight as she asked him, "how pissed would that Amara woman be if I asked Ecthelion to dance?"
His eyes lit up with mirth as he smirked. "Fuming. Like the flames over an open fire. You should ask him, as I have heard that hardly anyone asks him to dance now."
Kiera nodded, and when the song ended, Celebrimbor led her over to them. He gave her a quick goodbye and said they would speak tomorrow. She walked with a pep in her step that wasn't there before as she approached them. Before either of them could speak, Kiera looked at Ecthelion and asked, "would you like to dance?"
Ecthelion's entire face and eyes lit up as he smiled, "I would love to dance."
The corners of Glorfindel's lips turned up as he watched Ecthelion lead her to the floor. Kiera started a simple dance, and then Ecthelion said, "I hope you have had a good evening. I saw you dancing with Maeglin earlier, and you looked a little tense. Did he treat you well, or did he say anything horrible to you?"
She paused at his question. Now that she was enjoying herself she didn't want to think about Maeglin anymore or what happened. "It was fine. I don't want to talk about it right now as I just want to enjoy this dance with you."
Ecthelion gave her a searching look, but she smiled at him to reassure him. "Please don't worry about it. I talked about it with Celebrimbor and his friends. I just want to enjoy the rest of the evening and hope I don't have to dance with Maeglin again. Have you had a good evening?"
He gave her another long look but let it go. He smiled warmly at her, "It has been alright, but it is better now. I don't get to dance as much because no one approaches me anymore, or they refuse to dance. I was absolutely delighted that you asked, as I love to dance, and I enjoy your company."
Kiera thought that it was incredibly sad. Ecthelion didn't deserve to be treated that way, and he had shown her nothing but kindness since she arrived. She grinned at him and offered, "we can dance together for a while if you want. I thought more people would ask me to dance, but that doesn't seem to be the case."
Ecthelion's eyes twinkle as he replied, "I would love to dance with you until someone else asks or until you get tired. What other dances did Idril teach you?"
"A few more. A couple of simple ones and a spinning and twirling one. I might trip on that one or mess up, so just a forewarning."
He pulled her closer and said, "I won't let you fall. I'm a terrific dancer and promise to catch you if you trip."
Dancing with Ecthelion was comforting, and she was surprised at how easy it was. They moved about the room, chatting happily together. After a few more songs, they transitioned into the twirling dance. Ecthelion pulled her closer and held her gently as he helped her through the moves. Until Maeglin, having Ecthelion close made her feel warm and happy. He was a terrific dancer, and the few times she tripped, he caught her with ease and pulled her back into him.
She couldn't tell how long they danced together, but she found that she didn't really care. Kiera would have danced until the sun rose with him if he asked. Their conversations never stalled, and he had a calming and soothing presence about him that drew her in.
The crowd of elves started to thin out, but there was still a decent amount left. Glorfindel approached them and asked, "may I have this dance, lady Kiera?"
She nodded and turned to face Ecthelion. "Thank you so much for dancing with me. I enjoyed all of our dances, and I had a wonderful time because of you."
He smiled and leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. His lips were soft and warm, and she felt the blush on her cheeks as he let her go.
Ecthelion gave her one last smile as he said, "thank you so much for dancing with me. I enjoyed my evening with you."
Once he left, Glorfindel stepped up to her to start the dance. He moved a little slower than before, so she thought he must have had a few more drinks since dinner. They made their way around the room, but eventually, he said, "thank you so much for asking him to dance. Dancing is one of Ecthelion's favorite things to do, but Amara scares many of the women away."
Kiera nodded in understanding, but then Glorfindel continued. "I also saw Amara talk to you earlier. Ecthelion didn't see, but I saw her get upset after your conversation. What did she say to you?"
The conversation wasn't something she wanted to talk about, so she didn't answer him. Glorfindel shot her a heated look and asked again. "What did she say to you? I won't be able to help you if you don't tell me. Ecthelion is my friend, and he enjoys your company. You have made him so happy tonight by dancing with him. I won't let anyone ruin his happiness, especially an elf who already hurt him once before." He gave her a pointed look that left no room for discussion.
"I don't want to cause any problems," she sighed and finally answered. "I was just planning on ignoring and avoiding her."
Glorfindel shook his head sadly, "Ignoring her won't work. Amara is a very vindictive and mean elf. She saw you ask Ecthelion to dance and watched you like a hawk the entire time. I need to know what she said to you, as she will be out to get you now."
She looked up at him, and he just gave her another look, waiting.
"Fine, she warned me to stay away from Ecthelion. She believes they will be together again, and I replied that he never mentioned her in our talks. Afterward, she threatened me to stay away from him, or my already short life would be cut shorter."
He gaped at her, and his eyes widened with shock. He replied, "I wasn't expecting a death threat, but I really shouldn't be surprised. I will take care of it, but if she approaches you again. I need to know what she is saying to people and how she is acting. The dance is almost over, but thank you for having this dance with me. I see Tuor is waiting for you to have the last dance."
Turning, she saw Tuor standing next to Ecthelion. Glorfindel swung her free as Tuor stepped right up into the dance. As they move away from them, Kiera saw Glorfindel lean in to whisper to Ecthelion.
Tuor spoke happily to her, and she turned around to face him. "I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to dance with you before now. Many of the women wanted to dance with me tonight. Idril and the king retired for the evening, and this will be my last dance as well."
"That's alright," she smiled at him. "I'm happy to share this last dance with you."
There were only a few hundred elves remaining in the hall, along with a few lords. The two friends were quiet as they danced until Tuor asked, "I didn't see Voronwë all evening? Did you get a chance to dance before he left?"
She shook her head, "he left shortly after the opening dance. Celebrimbor told me he and his uncle left together. I'm not sure what is going on, but I'll talk with him in a few days. I think he wants some space from me. He's my friend, so I will give him some."
Tuor frowned and said, "I'm sorry to hear that. I agree that it is best to give him some space and let him come to you. You both care about each other, so I'm sure you will work it out."
They finished up their dance, and then Tuor offered his arm as they left the dance floor. When they got to the side door to the hall, Kiera felt like someone was watching her. She pulled Tuor to a stop at the doorway and turned around to look. Ecthelion was watching her with an unreadable expression, but she waved at him and offered him one last smile.
He and Glorfindel waved back as she and Tuor left the hall. Tuor walked her to her room and bid her goodnight. It didn't take long for her to change into nightclothes and crawl into bed. She was so exhausted from all the dancing that she passed out quickly.