14

Tonight Is Only You and Me

I woke up ready to vomit, and barely made it to the chamber pot before I did just that.

What a great start to my wedding day.

I woke up slightly as Arwen readied me. I would be married at dusk, but the prep would take most of the day.

I stayed in a trance for most of the day, barely even acknowledging my sisters.

The day before, my Flower Girl and the Ring Bearer had arrived. I had almost laughed out loud at the title 'ring bearer.'

The Flower Girl had been a very easy choice. We both knew of only one young girl who would fit our purposes. Freda, the young girl I had met and taken care of in Rohan.

The position of Ring Bearer was harder. There was Freda's brother, Eothain, and also a young boy who Eryn had mentored in Andelage.

We eventually chose the young boy, named Fryen. Eryn chose his brother, Kestrel, as his best man, and then Aragorn, Legolas, Pippin, Merry, and a Fairy named Soren as his groomsmen. I took Arwen as my chief bridesmaid, and Everlas, Elevra, Rainelle, Tora, and Eowyn as my bridesmaids. Elevra had never had a chance to be a bridesmaid, and, quite frankly, I wasn't sure that she was going to last that much longer on these shores.

In the central courtyard where I was to be married, Riku would stand at the forefront of my line of bridesmaids, and Cassan would stand at the forefront of Eryn's line of groomsmen. Cassan had insisted upon it. I believed it to be a selfish show of power. That no matter what, as Lady of the Wolves, I had to put the wolves and myraneth first.

A new King among the myraneth had arisen. It was Jasper, a large golden wolf who I had always admired. I had not taken part in the delayed mourning rights over Silverfang because of my pregnancy, but it had affected me no less deeply.

My Father and Estel attended my pregnancy. I was already into the second trimester, something that usually took months. It seemed that the second trimester would be longer than one would think, as I was not due for another two months.

I only snapped out of the trance when I took my place on my Father's arm. Freda linked arms with Fryen and set out in front of us. Then Arwen led—in the order Everlas, Elevra, Eowyn, Rainelle, and Tora—my bridesmaids down the aisle. Then we followed. The ceremony was outfitted in much the same way as the rest of my home, a style I had always loved.

The humans had a traditional composition that they used at weddings. We Elves had a different one, but I had opted not to use it. Instead, I put Pippin on the spot and had him sing the same song he had sung to Denethor, Edge of Night.

Home is behind

The world ahead

And there are many paths to tread

Through shadow

To the edge of night

Until the stars are all aligned

Mist and shadow

Cloud and shade

All shall fade

All shall fade

Some of the humans present may have not understood the reference, but I heard even my Father's breath hitch a bit.

All shall fade. Even the darkness shall fade.

And it had.

#####

I saw the tears my Father shed as he passed my off to Eryn. My hand lingered on his a moment longer than was necessary.

I scanned around and saw that almost everybody was crying.

I stared into Eryn's grey eyes. They were really the same colour as Estel's, but they were much more violent. A hurricane as compared to storm cloud. Somehow, Estel's were more solid, and Eryn's were like deep pools of liquid.

Not that I didn't love Estel's eyes. But I wasn't in love with him. He was my brother, my son. I was in love with Eryn.

Eryn and I recited the traditional vows of ceremony, and within half an hour, we were husband and wife.

A short reception followed. Unlike human weddings, the bride and groom were not given gifts. The groom would receive the gifts exactly a week after the wedding, for good luck. I would not know what they were for at least a few weeks.

#####

I lay beside Eryn that night, in the room that had been mine since I was born, "Are you frightened?" I asked him.

He turned towards me, his hair flashing in the low moonlight, "Frightened of what?"

"Being a Father."

He sighed, his sweet breath tickling over my face, "I have a lot to live up to. I mean, look at you. Myraneth, you know exactly how to take care of children. Aragorn with kill me if I screw something up with you or our daughter. Not to mention those Mirkwood Princesses. I shudder to think what they would do to me."

I propped myself up on one elbow, massaging my stomach, "They won't do anything horribly life-threatening, you know. They would not hurt me that way. And, truly, my family does care about you. Why else would Aragorn, Legolas, Merry, and Pippin agree to be your groomsmen? You even have Cassan's vote. And have I told you about Shadowdancer?"

He chuckled, "Only a thousand times, Merry."

"We've been over this before," I groaned, "People can't keep calling me that, Eryn. I'll become mixed up with Merry."

"I'm sorry, you'll become mixed up with yourself?"

I groaned again, "Do you see? That is exactly what I mean! If you need a nickname, call me Myr or something like it. Not Merry."

He smiled at my outburst, "But everyone calls you Myr. It won't be as special to me or us."

I snuggled closer to him and kissed his lips, "Then you, Eryn Lasgalen, are going to have to try a bit harder. I believe I am worth it, am I not?"

This time he kissed me.

"I've got it!" He said. I hadn't been aware that I had dropped into my memories, for I had not even strayed from this room. Still, his exclamation startled me out of sleep.

"Hmm?"

"What do you think of Ne-Ne?"

"How did you get that out of Myraneth?"

"You're right, that doesn't fit, does it? I think Ne-Ne's more for Jenny or something of the sort."

"I think it works for Jenna, too."

"How do you figure?"

"King Thranduil has a sister named Jenna. We've always called her Ne-Ne or Ne."

"So not Ne-Ne then. This is going to be harder than I thought."

"Don't stay up all night. And don't keep me up all night. I have to leave in the morning." I leaned over and kissed him once more, and then fell back into my memories.

#####

I awoke when the soft covers were pulled unceremoniously off of me at the first light of dawn.

"You do realize, Rohir, that if they were naked under there, this moment would be very awkward."

Something yowled beside me. Anna and Fairfax had crawled in beside me sometime in the night. They didn't like being awakened, just as I did.

I glared up at my brothers. Danny and Ro grinned down at me.

"Eryn?" I poked the lump beside me, turning over. I did not get a response from my husband. Apparently he was a deeper sleeper than me. I poked him harder, "Eryn, it is time to rise."

The lump emitted a soft groan. I realized he was tangled in the blankets. Huh. I guessed that was how he managed to keep his covers. That was lucky, as he was naked under the blankets. We'd gotten a bit heated a few hours before dawn. We hadn't made love—it was not very possible, with me in the state that I was in—but we'd come close. And that was something my brothers did not need to know.

A wicked grin spread over Danny's face, "ORCS! Ambush!"

That even startled me, although I knew there were no Orcs. My dagger was a flash of silver.

Eryn sprang up beside me, the blankets pooling to just barely cover his groin. His hand was on the bow he kept beside the bed.

"Elladan, Elrohir? So help me if you do not make yourself scarce in the next few moments, you will be in the healing ward until Myraneth gives birth."

I glared at them, "Eryn, get dressed. I think it is time we hunted some Orc."

"Myraneth?" Danny asked, "What are you doing?"

I advanced on him, my dagger raised, "What does it look like? I am hunting orc. Or rather, twin orcs with long hair, who have curiously enough managed to convince me they are my brothers. I think an arm is worth our sleep, is it not, Eryn?"

He grinned.

"Myraneth, we need those arms."

"And we need our sleep. It is a fair trade."

"Nay, it is not."

I paused thoughtful, "True enough. Danny, I shall relieve you of both your arms, and Ro, you no longer need your legs, do you not?"

"Myraneth!" Ro cried.

"By Valor, what is this racket?" None other than Father had stridden into the room.

Elladan and Elrohir immediately scampered and hidden behind our Father.

"Elflings, what are you doing?"

"Ada, make Myraneth stop."

"Myraneth?" He turned to me, "What are you doing?"

I looked at him innocently, "Hunting Orc."

"Myraneth, your brothers are not Orcs."

"But someone said something about an ambush!" I could barely stop myself from laughing out loud.

My Ada grinned in spite of himself, and then we were all laughing.

"Now," I said when I had regained my composure, "What is it you wanted, Elladan, Elrohir?"

Elrohir was laughing his head off. I remembered a similar incident just outside of Fangorn, fifty-some odd years ago. That event involved me tickling Legolas into submission and Ro knocking himself out. And then we went to Gondor and met Denethor and—wait, what am I going on about?

"Estel wants to see Eryn before you leave," Danny choked out.

I glared at them, "You woke us up so soon after dawn for that? Elflings, do you really have so little concern for your own safety?"

Danny and Ro smiled sheepishly at me, and then bolted.

#####

I left Majesty's March in the care of Aragorn. I took Black March with me.

At the very last minute, Legolas and Everlas decided they were going to join me and the hobbits. I think the hobbits were grateful for that, as they did not know how to deal with a pregnant anything, let alone a pregnant Lady Wolf. Nor were they yet experts with horses, even the docile ponies they had received in Rohan.

I would not be riding Black March, though. We took a small cart, and Merry's pony would pull it. Merry would ride with me as I drove the cart. I had drawn the line at not going at all, but Eryn had convinced me to bring the cart and spend most of the time driving it. I really had no quarrels with that, as we were in no hurry. I knew, however, that I would eventually get bored and take Black out for what humans called a 'joyride.'

Three hours after Eryn and I had been unceremoniously awoken, I was driving a small cart out of the gates of Imladris. Star and Leaf flanked me, and Frodo, Sam, and Pippin rode in front of us. Merry sat beside me on the bench.

Out of nowhere, beside me, a majestic white head pulled up on my right. By Valor, what was Shadowfax doing here?

"Gandalf?" I questioned. For I had not seen the horse in a long time. Still, I remembered quite clearly the moment I had realized that the Lord of all Horses had sired a foal with my filly.

I took the reins in one hand and pushed the huge head away, "You think that you can get back into my good graces by excess affection? You never paid me any mind afore."

Gandalf chuckled as Shadowfax tossed his head, "Myraneth, he is a stallion. You let him—"

"Me?" I squawked indignantly, "He's your horse, in the loosest sense of the word."

"We let him run with a beautifully bread, well-defined young mare. What did you think he was going to do?"

"I thought he would respect the war going on and I needed my war horse not to be pregnant!"

"Myraneth, he is a horse. He knew you had Black March. Nor does he like Black very much. He may have been trying to get Black out of the good paddock—"

"Mithrandir, are you trying to tell me that Shadowfax, Lord of all Horses, impregnated my filly because he wanted to get her brother, my stallion, out of one of the thirty good paddocks in Imladris?"

Gandalf threw up his hands, staff and all, "Is there no reasoning with you now, Myraneth? Has the pregnancy humours addled your brain?"

I grabbed Merry's walking staff and hit Gandalf over the head with it.

"Myraneth?" Everlas called, "Why don't you let me drive for a bit. Go for a ride. Clear your head." I jumped straight from the cart to Black, untying him with one swift movement. Then we were away in a collected, ground-eating smooth lope.

As I rode away, I heard Legolas mutter, "It will be a long walk to the Shire."

#####

"It was not a mere victory. It was more of a trouncing."

"You used the lowly fighting of the orc, and sneaky tricks, Estel. You cannot say that this was a fair fight!"

"You should be used to it by now, Princeling! The Quest will include many an orc."

Merry leaned over to Pippin, "If these two keep up, it will be a long walk to Mordor."

Elladan spoke quietly as he walked by, for once without his twin. Elrohir had gone to join Aragorn and Legolas' debate, "I do not believe you, Master Meriadoc, or you, Master Peregrine, have any room to talk in these matters."

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