I am so sorry for the people following this story I haven't updated in too long, I had heaps of work to do and then I went off on holiday, I spent 2 months travelling 99% of the time without wifi !
The good news is I'm back now and feeling all romantic, listening to amazed by lonestar, I'm a maid of honour ! What do you think is the perfect first dance song and best last dance song ?
hope you like the next chapter I'll try to get a few on in the next few days to make up for lost time, thanks for reading x
"What have I done wrong?" Lea thought to herself, she jumped in her seat when she heard a reply, "You have done nothing wrong child." The lady smiled at her from across the table, "You will see." Lea's heart almost stopped at the thought, something else was going to go wrong.
The party had made their way to the Lord and Lady's talan to be greeted by a fully prepared meal, the whole incident had been anticipated.
"Valar help me" Galadriel couldn't help but ask, they were in for a long night and she knew it.
Lea's mother sat in silence her face as stone, alongside her granddaughter while the remainder of the group enjoyed their evening, Lea's father and Celeborn were getting along as old friends might.
Lea and Haldir were talking between themselves at the moment Lea's mother began talking. The room was silenced with shock at what she said.
"I apologise." With that she bowed her head in respect of The Lord and Lady then excused herself leaving the talan in silence.
The lady smiled and broke the silence. "So, who is ready for dessert ?"
Every head in the room turned in her direction, at her calm demeanour the other elves were forced to carry on with their evening shocked and each feeling the tension emanating from Lea, though she did well to disguise it.
"It seems that everybody is bored of my nana's mood swings." Lea joked but didn't smile once more facing Haldir.
"Are you alright ?" He replied, more concerned about how Lea was feeling.
"I just ..." She took a long drink before delicately balancing the glass between two fingers, concentrating on the glass avoiding his eyes. "Do you think she was apologising for anything important ? I can't be shocked by anything she does but..."
Haldir turned her face in his hand, forcing her to look at him. He took a moment to appreciate her, it was rare that she needed protection and she looked so innocent, beautiful. "But, you think that because you love her and you know that she really does love you that maybe she meant that apology for more than just this outburst." He smiled.
"Aww, look at you two having a moment !" Rümil grinned nudging Alassëa, who didn't reply as she was otherwise occupied. He takes the rare opportunity to watch her, he was still staring when she turned to him.
"Meet me tonight, your talan ... I'll be there as soon as Lea falls asleep, we need to talk." With that Alassëa stood, excused herself from the table and left.
Hope flared in Rümils heart, the spark of his love for her almost became a small flame until Thalion stands to follow her, claiming to be following after his mother.
The meal was cut short due to the number of the elves leaving before the main course.
Leaving the Lord and Lady's talan that evening was a relief for most, with the exception of Colion who stayed to talk with Celeborn. Due to tradition the Imladris elliths were to be escorted back to their talans, with Haldir and Lea gone and Colion still in conversation with Celeborn, Lea's niece spotted an opportunity.
Náriel knowing her daughter attempted to control the situation before it had really began. "Daeron, you wouldn't mind escorting your sister and myself to the guest talans ?" She requested rather than asked smiling.
"Nonsense ... " Aurae and Orophin spoke at the same time, pleased Aurae allowed Orophin to continue.
"The guest talans are each on different floors, if you would not mind Daeron I should like to escourt your mother," Aurae's angerwas evident in her fair features, turning to Náriel Orophin continued, "I fear we have not had much time to talk tonight my lady." He finished extending his arm to her.
Although Náriel knew that it was foolish of her to accept she did, with a smile her and Orophin walked away leaving a fuming Aurae and only Daeron to calm her.
Orophin could sense a change in Náriel as soon as they walked away from her children, the temptation to question her was too great and he took the chance.
"So, you seem to have strained family relations."
Náriel restrained the urge the snap and tell the warden that it was none of his business instead she faked a smile as she did during most of her days. "Blunt aren't you?" She joked evading the question.
"Just curious. " he answered, he was too quick for her and he couldn't even see it.
Náriel remained silent for a while watching the warden from the corner of her eye as they walked, she was close to becoming her defensive self but then he said something that shocked her.
"Please do not be offended, I do not wish to pry and I have no right to ask, if you do not wish to answer then you are under no obligation." Orophin smiled.
Náriel almost trusted this elf whom she had just met, but the mischievous glint in his eye stopped her, she did not recognise this as anything but a threat, her mask of indifference was replaced by the mask only Lea knew too well, the look of the elliths mother.
Náriel had been hurt, greatly as her mother had, their self preservation depended upon their shared coping mechanism, when life became hard or difficult to understand they used their hurt as a weapon, they became underhanded and cruel. Orophin had just unknowingly hurt Náriel.
"Laugh at me will you ? Well lets see who gets the last laugh"
Smiling Náriel spoke, "I apologise Orophin..." She spoke his name slowly "I am not a very open ellith, maybe you can change that." She then abruptly stopped pulling Orophin to a halt, he turned to her shocked into silence by both her words and actions.
Náriel, using the wardens shoulders to balance pulled him into a kiss, short but forceful, she then led him to her talan in silence. Arriving at her door in a short time.
"Will you come in ?" Náriel asked sweetly.
Orophin nodded, he wanted answers. He didnt for a second think that this small innocent ellith could be a threat. He was wrong, which was proved the moment that the door was closed behind him and the lock was turned.
"So would you care to explain what is going on Náriel ?" Orophin asked.
Little did he know that the act had already began when she kissed him, the trap was set, now she would hook her prey.
"Maybe we should sit down ? This is a long story." Náriel offered a weak smile, they sat across from each other in the central area of the talan and her story began.
"The truth is Orophin I trust you, I can't explain it but that is the truth." tears began to cloud her vision, he offered her his hand. "I love my children, but I never loved their father." She inhaled a sharp breathe to calm herself and looked through her lashes at the Ellon, at his kind look she knew that he had believed her, she allowed the sobs to rack through her body. Orophin overwhelmed with an emotion that he couldn't quite place held her until the tears stopped.
"I have to ask Náriel, why did you bind with an elf you did not love." Sympathy was evident in his voice.
She answered quietly "I was foolish and young, I thought that I could come to love him, at one point I think I did, but in truth the only reason we were married was to appease my mother, Lea never wished to be married I only wanted my mother to be proud, I wanted children if my own but I cant look at them, any of them even my own children without feeling the hurt, the hurt he caused me emotionally and ... And..." At that point she broke down in tears unable to speak further clinging to Orophin.
The anger that he felt towards Lea and Náriel's mother, indescribable. He made a decision in that moment that he would protect both sisters, he loved Lea as family and was slowly coming to realise that he was falling for the ellith in his arms.
he stayed with her that night, he had fallen into her trap. The question was, had Náriel fallen into his trap ?
Thanks for reading, please review, I need to know if people are interested or If I'm a terrible writer ! Please help 😘 love y'all xx
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