I do not own Valinor, Middle Earth, Green elves or noldo. I did create the characters seen in this chapter, except for the eagle.
I did not set out to make any money from this story, so please just read and enjoy. :)
"Are you clean yet?"
Celuant looked up at the ellon staring at him from atop a stone tall, ancient, and innocent. Yet, the green ellon stared into him knowingly. The noldo looked away toward where the river disappeared around a bend of the canyon flowing to the sea. "If I'm not yet, I may never be."
"Then come out and dry off."
As the green ellon turned away, the noldo stared at his bare back, neck, and head. Perhaps Lastannan wasn't as knowing as he seemed. Celuant walked back through the river, up onto the bank, and over to a bunch of boulders. There, not only Lastannan, who was also glistening with water, but his three brothers still in their green garbs, lay sprawled out on the rocks. Celuant climbed up onto one himself. After a moment, he stretched out upon it.
He looked up toward the sun and frowned. These two new lights in the sky, they had to be from the Trees. And they had thought they were setting off to rescue the last of their light when ... He turned over putting his back to the sun's face.
The other ellon wandered off. He heard them speaking to each other in their own language. This time, he didn't mind. He only looked up when he felt their stares upon him again.
Each stood with pieces of clothing hanging from their hands. Lastannan spoke first. "We talked it over and decided what with your height, you had better have my extra shirt and Ranthalion's extra pants. Until we fatten you up, though, you'd better wear our smaller brothers' smaller things."
Celuant saw Melarbeth roll his eyes. Manpalan ducked his head slightly. Celuant looked back to Lastannan. "Are you sure?"
"We don't want our aunt and sister coming back and seeing you like this."
Celuant felt himself flush slightly. He looked down at the pieces of clothing in question. Then he reached for them and put them on. When he realized how they hung on him, he flushed still more.
A cry from the sky made him glance up. His eyes flashed. This time he flushed in anger. The outline of a great bird circled above their small group.
A voice behind him tore his attention away from it. He reached for a weapon he was glad wasn't there when he saw who was speaking. "Well, well ... Don't you look different now?"
He let himself relax as Lathwinn climbed down from the top of the canyon. Her face beamed with mischief at him. Her aunt followed staring at him with a softer smile. Lastannan spoke from behind his back. "We did our best aunty, but I'm afraid we can't do much more for him until we get the newcomer home."
Celuant kept his gaze upon the returned elleth as they approached. The younger stepped aside for her elder to pass, a pleased grin stamped on her face and arms crossed proudly over her chest. Despite the vigor and energy radiating from Lathwinn there was something that scared him far more radiating from her aunt. The latter stared at him with a soft smile and warm eyes that were drinking in the sight of him.
Though she stared at him, she spoke to her nephews. "All of you did very well, including him." She stepped up to the noldo until she was forced to look up to continue meeting his gaze. He found it odd she had to, when he'd lost so much height. He gazed back down sure he must be misreading her for that and many other reasons. Her voice was filled with frankness and gentleness as she finally spoke up to him. "You look very well now like a green elf."
Despite what he'd thought in the river, he felt an imposter in these borrowed clothes. Despite all his desire and all they offered him, how could he ever be anything, but the elf who'd chosen to sail across the sea back then? He spoke the only thing he dared to now. "Thank you."
The elleth reached out and took his scarred hand before turning away only to tug him after her. "Come on, let's go home …"
Reviews are much appreciated and often responded to.
God Bless
ScribeofHeroes