Hello, hello, hello!
First off, thanks to my reviewers and those of you who have faved and followed this story. It's really appreciated; especially when all I want to do is write and I have a million things to do! You guys make it really hard for me to actually get my homework done.
I also just want to clarify a couple things real quick:
This story is a bit AU. There will be some overlap with the books but overall, the plot will be much more light-hearted and simpler. No one wants me to re-hash the books and frankly, I want this story to be fun and fresh to read. You guys are basically guaranteed a happy ending, but there will be plenty of drama beforehand, trust me!
I write and edit this story by myself. As careful as I try to be, some typos are bound to happen and I apologize for them. I know it's annoying to find typos but trust me when I say that I try my best. Thanks for being understanding where thats concerned.
Once again, I don't own a goddamn thing!
Thanks for reading!
-ChoupetteLagerfeld
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A week passed and Kerrianne was beginning to feel more welcome among the elves. Ferruel was fast becoming a good friend and the two of them spent much of their time together when Ferruel wasn't busy with her duties for Galadriel. There had also been several audiences with the Lady of the Golden Wood over the week and though no one was any closer to solid answers, Kerrianne was trying to stay positive. Galadriel assured her that everything would become clear in time and that the fog in her magic mirror would eventually clear. As it was, Kerrianne spent her time learning Sindarin, assisting Ferruel with small tasks, generally exploring the beautiful city and surrounding forest of Caras Galadhon, and generally avoiding a certain March Warden.
She hadn't mentioned the encounter with Haldir at the bath houses to Ferruel. It's not that she didn't trust the pretty elleth, it's just that Kerrianne herself didn't really understand the encounter herself. She could have sworn that there had been an expression of interest in Haldir's eyes that time, but thinking back on it now, she was sure she'd been mistaken. Why would Haldir ever be interested in her? Especially since she could never compare to the beautiful ellith he was around on a daily basis. The women here were all slim, tall, pale, and had long lustrous hair. By comparison, Kerrianne was practically a troll.
She shrugged her shoulders with a small sigh as she scrubbed her laundry in the river. It seemed a popular activity for the elves to do their laundry at one bend in the river and Kerrianne had quickly picked up on how much gossiping the elves got up to during laundry duty. She supposed gossiping was a good way to break up the monotony of scrubbing her laundry against the rocks that lined the river bed. If you'd told her two weeks ago that she'd deeply miss doing laundry (the modern Earth way, that is), she'd have laughed in your face. As it was, Kerrianne would kill for a real washing machine and a handful of quarters. Doing laundry in the river was a back-breaking process and she very quickly learned to detest the chore.
Suddenly there was a ripple of excitement among the ellith and Kerrianne glanced at Ferruel as she rinsed her tunic and wrung it out.
"What's going on? Kerrianne asked Ferruel, her Sindarin of no use to her when all the elves spoke in excited whispers. She was starting to pick it up but couldn't understand anyone unless they spoke slowly and used simple words. She was beginning to tire of not being able to understand anyone and had really buckled down on learning the language.
"It seems that Anariel is washing Haldir's tunics," Ferruel explained, a slight frown on her face.
"So?" Kerrianne asked. Who cared about who did whose laundry?
"Typically the wardens have their clothes washed by the trainees. It is unusual for anyone else to have this duty," Ferruel delicately soaped a gown Kerrianne guessed belonged to Galadriel.
"I still don't get it. Why would anyone care that Anariel is washing Haldir's clothes?" Kerrianne's washing was done and she loaded the few items into her basket to take back to her talan and hang to dry later. Thankfully she and Ferruel had finally been able to track down a few better-fitting items for Kerrianne. She now had several dresses and tunics as well as leggings and gorgeous pair of soft brown boots. It was a small wardrobe but she was grateful for it, nonetheless.
"It indicates that Haldir and Anariel have an…. intimate relationship if he is allowing her to tend to his washing. It is an honor to serve the March Warden in this way," Ferruel explained, gently washing the beautiful gown in the clear, sparkling water of the river.
"Are you serious? Washing Haldir's dirty laundry is considered an honor? You people are weird," Kerrianne shook her head. Ferruel merely smiled in reply.
"Have you never done the washing for the man in your life?" Ferruel looked at Kerrianne curiously.
"Pfft! Please," Kerrianne scoffed. "First of all, there is no man in my life. Secondly, if there were, he would definitely be doing his own laundry! We didn't have women's suffrage for nothin'!" Kerrianne exclaimed, finding the idea of doing a man's laundry utterly abhorrent.
"And you call my people strange," Ferruel chuckled, shaking her head much as Kerrianne had done earlier. "Come, we should hang this as soon as possible," Ferruel motioned to the baskets of laundry. Together they collected their items and passed the other ellith, Kerrianne trying to ignore the lovely Anariel's blushing and giggling. The elleth clearly enjoying being the center of attention. Kerrianne could imagine that Haldir was quite the eligible bachelor among the elves but she had to suppose that there were far more agreeable elves than Haldir available. He was far too serious in Kerrianne's opinion.
As they lazily walked along the main path though the city, Ferruel and Kerrianne chatted in slow, measured Sindarin. It had become a valuable method for Kerrianne's practice and she found she didn't mind Sindarin so much. It was a beautifully melodic language and she loved how the words shaped in her mouth.
Shortly they came upon a group of ellyn, clearly on their way back from the training grounds. The wardens were obvious, clad in grey and blues, their swords, daggers, bows, and arrows strapped to their bodies. The other ellyn appeared to be the trainees. They also were dressed in the standard blue and grey but had not yet earned the right to wear braids in their hair, and they lacked the armory of weapons that the wardens carried. Ferruel stopped to chat with one ellon, her pretty face blushing in a becoming way. Kerrianne stood off to the side, feeling awkward; she didn't know enough Sindarin yet to truly feel comfortable speaking to the group.
"Lady Kerrianne, you look resplendent this morning," An elf sidled up to her left and Kerrianne glanced up with a smile, recognizing Rumil had stopped to say hi. They had spoken a few times throughout the week and Kerrianne had been highly amused by his friendly and flirty nature. It was a wonder that he and Haldir were indeed brothers, they were so different!
"Rumil, call me Kerrianne. Or Kerri. All my friends do," Kerrianne colored lightly under the elf's gaze. He was of course good looking, as all elves were, but his playful smiles made Rumil all the more attractive. He was more lithe than his brother and while Haldir always wore an unforgivably fierce expression, Rumil was the opposite. He was rarely seen without a smile on his face. She highly enjoyed their encounters.
"It would be my honor," Rumil replied with an overdone, sweeping bow. "Come, Kerri, I will walk you to your talan. It seems my brother Orophin is monopolizing Ferruel's attention," He stated, with a dismissing motion towards the pair, who looked to be entirely too occupied with one another.
"There are more of you?" Kerrianne asked, surprised to hear this. She hadn't realized the ellon in question was yet another of Haldir's brothers. Talk about hottest family ever. Kerrianne briefly wondered what their parents looked like; thinking that even among elves, Haldir's family was surely the most handsome. Rumil laughed and took the laundry basket from her grasp, ignoring her protests and drawing her attention back to his grinning face.
"Nay, just the three of us. Haldir is the oldest, then Orophin, and then I," Rumil explained as they slowly skirted around the group. Kerrianne tried to ignore the looks that the wardens and trainees gave her. Rumil noticed the color on her cheeks.
"They don't mean to stare; it's just that they are rarely treated to such beauty," Rumil stated, making Kerrianne roll her eyes.
"Right," She responded sarcastically, her disbelief clear in her voice.
"You think I mock you but I do not," Rumil paused in his stride and looked down into Kerrianne's eyes. "I find you quite lovely, Kerri," His hand raised to gently grasp one errant ringlet of her brown hair. He studied her face, a smile on his, before brushing the hair behind her ear. Kerrianne blushed even deeper, which she hadn't thought possible to do. She could see the sincerity in Rumil's eyes, though he was definitely the most flirtatious person she'd ever met, man or elf!
"Thank you," She replied, ducking her head and studying the ground as her curly hair fell forward once more and shielded her red face. Normally Kerrianne was not so bashful around the opposite sex but then again, she'd never been faced with anyone quite so handsome as the elves.
"Rumil, did you forget that we have been summoned to an audience with the Lord and Lady?" A firm voice interrupted Kerrianne's reverie. She and Rumil turned to see Haldir standing before them, a stern look upon his lovely face, his arms folded across his broad chest.
"Aye, brother, but we are not expected until this afternoon. You know that," Rumil replied, a certain glint coming to his eyes as he watched his brother's gaze casually sweep over Kerrianne, who was pretending not to notice. Haldir's mouth tightened in a frown.
"Still, there is much to be done beforehand. I cannot have you tarrying with the mortal," Kerrianne's jaw dropped at being referred to as "the mortal." She knew Haldir had a certain disdain for her, but his poor manners were really beginning to grate on her nerves.
"Excuse you! The mortal is standing right in front of you!" Kerrianne spat, crossing her own arms over her chest, oblivious to the effect it had on the ellon around her, their eyes suddenly drawn to her round chest that simply could not be disguised by the modest dress she wore. Haldir's eyes quickly flicked downward before resting once more on her face.
"And?" He asked, as if her reply was of no consequence to him.
"It's very rude to talk about people like they aren't present, you jerk!" Kerrianne said in a scathing tone, drawing murmurs from the few elves around that understood her speech. Haldir, for his part, appeared unaffected by her expression, aside from a tightening of his jaw. He didn't reply and instead swung his head back towards his brother, his silvery blonde hair nearly hitting Kerrianne in the face with the force of his motion. She bristled as he flat-out ignored her.
"I expect you to report early, Rumil. That is an order," Haldir stated, his voice booking no argument. He turned his back stiffly and walked away from the group at a swift pace. Kerrianne glared daggers at his back, trying not to admire his form as he stormed away from her. What a loathsome, stupid, ass of an elf!
"I daresay you are quite worth the trouble," Rumil stated to Kerrianne, laughter in his voice. She looked up at him, her puzzlement clear on her face. He took a minute to admire her large brown eyes before expanding on his statement.
"I think I'll quite enjoy your stay here, Kerri, if my brother continues to react to you in such a way," Rumil joked, a smirk playing on his lips. Kerrianne sighed; not knowing what to think of the elves. Just when she thought she was getting used to them, this type of thing happened. It was exhausting.
"Let us walk, Kerri. I find myself utterly dying to get to know you," Rumil's arm curved around Kerrianne's form as he urged her forward. She was sure she'd regret it later, but Kerrianne allowed Rumil to lead her down the path towards her talan.