Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to LOTR, I only wish I did.
Rating: PG. I will change the rating when necessary.
A/N: After some digging, I found that Freda's mother's name is actually Morwen. In Chapter 2, I called her Farica, a name I chose since I didn't know what her name was in the movie. I lost the original chapters, so I will correct that when I can. Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated. This is told in the first person, from Freda's point of view. The first few chapters are more like flashbacks and memories, there will be much more story to follow. As the Elvish in this chapter has the meanings within the text, no translation is provided at the end of this chapter with the exception of 'Namaarie', though if you're like me, you don't need that one translated. Elvish phrases and translations in this chapter come from . I do not own them, I only use them for flavor.
I apologize for my long absence, but writer's block can be a pain in the you-know-what, and though the urge to write has been there, the thought process was broken and unresponsive. I hope to continue updating this story more frequently now that the flow has begun again.
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From the First
Chapter 3: A Royal Invitation
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Shortly after we returned home to our ruined village, a rider came from Edoras with a request from King Theoden that we come to the city. This time our journey to the city was one of muted excitement, not panic. I enjoyed it much more, riding along with my family and actually being able to take in the landscapes. In appreciation for our part in warning them of the attack, my family had been rewarded. Part of that reward was that Eothain and I were offered places within the king's household. Eothain would be attend to Lord Eomer and eventually train to become a member of the Royal Guard. I was offered the opportunity to attend to Lady Eowyn. Our father was given a title and land within the city so that he and our mother could be closer to us.
I began taking lessons with my brother and a few other children of high standing, splitting my days between that and attending Lady Eowyn as a maid of the court. When the King's niece went to Dunharrow, so did I. Eothain accompanied Lord Eomer as well. I remember well the dizzying view of Harrowdale, the valley below the Firienfeld, the grassy area where our tents were set.
The sun was midway through its descent from the sky as I stood at the edge of the Stair of the Hold. Below, the valley was lit by increasingly rich tones of gold and green. The River Snowbourn glittered like a ribbon of jewels as it flowed out of the mountains. It was so far to the bottom that the tents and men below were very small. I thought I might be able to fit at least fifty of them in my hands. Turning my eyes upward, I followed the line of the cliffs as they stretched toward the clouds.
"You should not stand so near the edge, little one." A voice I was coming to know very well spoke from behind me.
As though trying to prove his point, a rock beneath my foot rolled when I started to turn toward him and I slipped. Like before in the stables of Edoras, the elf's lightning-fast reflexes saved me from what this time would have been a deadly fall. My shoe was not so lucky. Trembling, I clung to Legolas as he took a few steps back while taking me with him.
Once we were safely away, he released his hold on me. "I did not mean for you to give an example of how dangerous it is." His voice held a hint of what I took to be anger, but he did not look angry when I glanced up into his face.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Tears threatened as I contemplated having earned his reproach.
His expression softened. "You are safe now. Do not worry. We can send someone to retrieve your shoe."
"You're not angry with me?"
He paused, then smiled softly. "No. I am not. But I can not always be around to catch you when you stumble." His eyes turned earnest. "Promise me that you will be more careful in the future?"
"I will." I replied, eager to obey. "Will you teach me some more of your language?"
His chuckle was warm and he shook his head. "You are curious, little one. One minute narrowly escaping death, the next you are wanting to learn about something completely unrelated."
"It isn't, not really." I protested. "You saved me, and I want to learn your language."
He laughed harder. "How can I argue with that logic. What do you want to know?" He crouched down as close to my height as he could.
"Hmm..." I thought very hard, certain that he would only allow me one or two more phrases. "How do you say 'friend'?"
"Mellon." He replied. I repeated it back.
"And if I wanted to say 'Legolas is my friend"?"
He smiled. "Legolas naa mellonamin."
"Legolas naa mellonamin." I flushed at calling him by his given name, but he seemed pleased. "Can I ask another?"
"You may." He nodded.
"Thank you? And you're welcome." I added the second hastily.
"'Diole' lle means thank you." He said. Then, after waiting for me to repeat it, he continued, "And 'Lle creoso' means you are welcome."
There was so much more I wanted to know, but I was hesitant.
"Is that all?" He queried.
"No."
"What else would you like to know?"
"Everything." I said before I realized it.
He laughed again. "There is not time enough today to teach you everything. What else would you like to know at this moment?"
He indulged my childish curiosity and thirst for knowledge, teaching me as many words and phrases as my thirsty mind could come up with. My pronunciation was fair at worst as I repeated after him and he quizzed me on earlier terms he'd shared with me. I could see that he was impressed by how quickly I was picking it up. Someone called my name as the sun was sinking below the horizon. I looked up, startled. It had not seemed so long that we had been sitting there having our little lesson. Jumping to my feet, I called back that I was coming. Legolas stood as well, looking toward the tent he was to share with Gimli and Aragorn.
"Legolas?"
He glanced down at me, his eyes shining like silver in the fading light. "Yes?"
"Diole lle for teaching me more words."
"Lle creoso, little one." he smiled, inclining his head toward the royal tents. "Now hurry back. Lady Eowyn is waiting for you."
"Okay. Namaarie!" (3)
"Quel kaima." He replied, and I halted.
"What does that mean?"
"It means sleep well."
"Oh." I grinned. "You, too!" With that, I ran back to the tents.
"Where have you been?" Lady Eowyn put her hands on her hips. She ought to have been very irritated with me, but she was smiling.
"I was looking at the valley, and Legolas the elf stopped me from falling when my foot slipped. I lost my shoe." I stuck my foot out to show her, grimacing at my dirtied stocking. "Then he offered to teach me more words in Elvish. I didn't mean to be gone so long."
Lady Eowyn tsked at the sight of my shoeless foot poking out from beneath my dress, but still did not get angry. "I suppose it's gone then. You'll have to get another pair when you return to Edoras. In the meantime, I think Brithwen may have brought an extra pair with her. I think the two of you wear nearly the same size."
"Thank you, My Lady." I bowed and went to Brithwen, who had indeed brought a second pair of shoes. Though she allowed me to wear them as Lady Eowyn had instructed, she did not seem overly pleased about it.
Later, after we had eaten and were preparing the beds for the night, there was a voice outside of our tent that called to me softly. Grinning, I pushed back the cloth door and stepped out to find Legolas standing there, holding my shoe.
"Diole lle." I said, with a proper bow as he handed it to me.
He nodded, looking grim. "Remember your promise." He said. "For it may be a long time before we meet again. It would upset me to hear that you have injured yourself."
Something in his demeanor worried me. "You are going away?"
"I follow Aragorn to Dimholt."
"But no one has ever returned from there!" Fear for his safety flooded me. He did not deny it. I shook my head vehemently. "You can't go! I don't want you to go away and not come back!" I stamped my foot for emphasis.
"It is my choice to go, as well as my duty." He said patiently. His eyes focused on something on the ground. I watched, upset and on the verge of tears, as he bent and picked a flower that was there. He examined it as he stood upright, then held it out to me. "This alfirin flower may serve as my promise to you. Once our quest is over, I will return, and we will continue our lessons."
I took his gift, sniffing as the tears began to roll down my cheeks. "And if you don't come back?"
He leaned down and tilted my face up toward his. "If it is in my power, I will return. I promise." He stood again. "I must go now."
I wiped away my tears and watched as he left with a final glance in my direction. Inside the tent, I ignored the curious glances of the others as I sat on my pallet and twirled the star-shaped flower between my fingers. Lady Eowyn returned a short time later very upset. She did not speak of it directly, but made remarks to herself under her breath while we got her ready for bed. It was clear that she was upset by the departure of the three travelers. I wondered if the others could see the tears glistening behind her lashes, and felt my heart ache for her as she failed to stifle her soft sobs after she had lain down. Young as I was, I was sure we shared similar pains.
Morning found us awake and tending to a very somber and subdued Lady Eowyn. Brithwen and the older ladies exchanged worried glances as we helped our Lady to dress. I left the tent after we had tidied up, needing to get out and move around. I looked to the crack in the mountainside that was the opening to the Dimholt Road and felt a welling of sadness. Taking the flower from where I'd tucked it into my dress earlier, I looked at it and had a sudden urge to toss it over the side of the cliff.
I headed for that place where the earth fell away, halting a few paces back from the edge. I'd made a promise. Indecision tugged at me as I thought about it. The flower was also a promise. But what good is a promise that can't possibly be kept? I thought. And if he isn't coming back, then there's no reason to keep my own? But I knew in that moment that I could not break it. Until I was positive that the elf would not be returning, I was bound to my oath. Suddenly I wasn't willing to part with my gift any longer. I gazed at it a moment longer, then tucked it back safely into its spot.
The tents were taken down and we went back down the Stair of the Hold. Lady Eowyn must have descended before us, as she was not present for the breaking down of the tent or our trek down. The soldiers began to depart with a thunderous clamor of hooves beating the ground. Still we did not see Lady Eowyn. There was confusion as we waited for word, waiting until all but a few remained in the valley. Someone had gone up to check the Firienfeld, but there was no sign of her.
"Perhaps she led the return to the city." Aloc, one of the guards left to escort us back to Edoras suggested.
We left then, following the small band of mostly wives and daughters who had accompanied the men to the grounds. I did not spot Lady Eowyn's cloak or horse among them. After our return to Edoras, it became clear that Lady Eowyn had not come back with us.
"She must've ridden with the eored." Brithwen gasped.
"To fight?" Aloc's eyes widened. "Why would she do such a thing? The King had instructed her to rule in his stead. If she went with them, who will assume the rule of Rohan?"
"Lord Ribald is next in line." Nothelm, one of the King's clerics who was the authority on such matters had stayed at Edoras, his old age and frailty rendering him unable to do battle.
"He has also gone to battle." Aloc said.
The cleric thought for a moment. "Has Leofric gone as well?"
"We will find out."
I looked to Brithwen. "What do we do now?"
"We wait."
(3) Namaarie = Farewell.