THE FORGOTTEN

Methor a Iestor

Last Day and First Day

Or

New Years

Author's Note: The chapter in which – They look back and then look forward. …If you are re/reading in real time, this chapter spans March 24-25. …Dear reader, I am painfully aware of the fact that elvish new year was on April 6th Shire Reckoning after Frodo destroyed the ring. However, if you go to psarando. github. io/shire-reckoning/ and sync up the calendars as follows, it all works out very nicely. Set your Rivendell calendar to: Yestarë syncs to March 25, Reformed Rules, Sindarin (optional). Then set your Shire calendar to: 'Try to align Shire year to Rivendell Year', and start year on December 19th. Then it all works out to a Gregorian March 25th and the calendar settings I've been using. Why do I bring this up? Because it explains how elvish new year fell on April 6th SR, but March 25th Gregorian calendar. What it doesn't explain is why Lothril's birthday was reckoned so wrongly in part 1, so I'm going to explain that in the story. Oh, and this isn't a point I've bothered making before, but it has some bearing on the story, so I mention it now - Elvish days start around sunset, ergo, their holidays would too… which will make some more sense of this chapter and something I add to the list of things I need to edit in previous chapters.

"Are you ready for this evening?" Legolas asked as they headed to breakfast.

"This evening? What about it?"

"It is your first proper Methor!"

"First proper... Oh my word! I completely forgot! I've been so busy in my garden I've hardly looked at the calendar. Goodness!" She was quiet for a moment then said, "Legolas, correct me if I am wrong, but Iestor last year was shortly after Frodo destroyed the Ring, right?"

"Correct."

"And Merry said my birthday was April sixth, right?"

"Yes."

"But as I recall, April sixth was Iestor, correct?"

"Correct."

"And Iestor is absolutely nowhere near Ethuil twenty-second."

"No, it is not. After you," Legolas said as he held the door to the King's chambers open for her.

"So how on earth did you come to the conclusion my birthday was Ethuil twenty-second?" Lothril asked as they crossed Thranduil's antechamber.

"Mostly luck, actually. I knew Merry's reckoning was off, and I wager he failed to account for your leap years. Bilbo and I discussed calendars once and he said hobbits have thirty days every month and do nothing for leap years. We account for them. Then with your uneven months, well, I am hardly surprised he was off," Legolas answered as they entered the dining room and sat down.

"But off by twenty-two days?"

"Well, again, I confess it was a bit of luck and a little bit of cheating," Legolas said.

"Cheating? My son, cheat? Perish the thought!" Thranduil commented.

Legolas chuckled nervously and looked almost guilty. "Yes, well – I apologize Lothril, and I beg your forgiveness, but when we were in Rivendell you left your notebook in my room one night and left it open and by the time I noticed and knocked on your bedroom door, you were asleep, so I kept it for the night. I went to close it and saw the calendar you had written out and you had birthdays circled and labeled, and then the Rivendell calendar written out beside it. I do not think you had it sorted out how to justify the two to each other, but I had a good guess and after being in your world I figured it out. But I apologize for looking in your book and not just closing it."

Thranduil looked at his son with a raised brow, then over at Lothril.

Lothril's face looked blank as she stared at him during his explanation. "And?"

"And?" Legolas repeated, confused.

"So you looked at my notebook. If you would have turned the page you would have either seen conjugations for i-stem verbs and accompanying mutations or you would have seen the uses for feverfew, milk thistle, and goatweed," she replied dismissively.

"I looked in your notebook without permission," Legolas argued.

"Clearly elves don't go to high school. First rule of school - don't write down anything you don't want read by the entire class," Lothril said.

"That explains why you invented those runes! I was wondering," Legolas commented. "But that does not absolve me of what I did."

"I suppose not, but at the same time, I left it in your room, I left it open, you didn't even turn the page. Whatever you saw on a page I left open in your room is on me."

"It was still a violation of your privacy," Legolas argued.

Lothril turned to Thranduil, who was watching the two of them with his chin resting on his hand, and she asked, "Has he always been like this?"

Thranduil nodded slightly, chin still on hand. "Since birth."

"Legolas, thank you for your concern for my privacy, it's fine, you are quite forgiven," she said.

"You do not put much stock in your privacy?" Thranduil asked, head still resting on his hand.

"Like I said, I do not write down things I do not want read, and if I do, I make sure no one else can read them. That said, if I caught you snooping through my diary, we would be having words, but I don't mind Legolas doing so," Lothril replied.

"Understandable now, but would you have been so lenient towards him then?" Thranduil asked, looking and sounding very evaluating.

Lothril blushed a little. "Honestly? Yes, because I was already quite taken with him."

"Really?" Thranduil asked.

She nodded.

"Fascinating," Thranduil said then straightened up. "Well, this has been a very interesting partial conversation I have been party to, but I would like to eat breakfast now, and good morning to you both, by the way."

They got their breakfasts and teas and as they started eating Lothril asked a question.

"What do Methor and Iestor celebrations look like?"

"They are actually quite different from enderi, believe it or not," Legolas said.

"Oh?" Lothril replied, surprised.

Legolas smiled. "Methor is a time of reflection on the past year and we sing about deeds done, both great and small, and events both joyful and sorrowful. As there was battle this year we will remember the dead and the sorrow of loss and the joy of victory and peace. Our betrothal shall also be remembered. We shall remember and recall all evening and night and all tomorrow day, then tomorrow evening when we start Iestor we shall celebrate hopes and anticipated joys for the coming year and the chance at renewal."

"We have much to remember and much to look forward to," Lothril said reflectively.

Legolas reached over and laid his free hand on her thigh. "Indeed we do, and I am grateful we have these two days for it."

"And so you know, Methor is divided between us remembering events as a kingdom, as families, and alone," Thranduil said. "Iestor is however we see fit, but usually with family and friends and you are free to observe it however you see fit For Methor however, you must at least be present when we remember as a kingdom."

She nodded.

After breakfast Legolas asked her, "What do you think of our Methor and Iestor celebrations? Are you looking forward to them? You have looked contemplative since we explained them to you."

"I think… I am not sure what I think. I will get back to you on that later."

"Truly?" he said, sounding genuinely surprised. "I thought for certain you would find this the most familiar of all our celebrations."
"Oh? How so?"

"For Melthor there is no dancing, no feasting, and much listening."

"When you put it like that, I can see what you mean," she said with a grin. "Just please tell me there isn't an altar call and fifteen verses of 'Just As I Am'."

Legolas laughed and shook his head. "No. And I still do not understand altar calls."

"Don't feel bad, I grew up with them and I still don't get them."

"What would you like to do today?"

"Oooh, I was thinking work in the garden. I only have the back corner to finish clearing before I have to call in the wood cutters," Lothril answered.

"Would you like some help?"

"Yes, actually. I am sure I could get it done today by myself if there was nothing going on this evening, but as it is, I think the kingdom will generally be expecting to see their future princess not covered in dirt."

"I am very certain they do. Our subjects are peculiar like that," Legolas joked with a perfectly straight face.

Lothril laughed and went into her room to change.

-⸙ - ⸙-

In a bid to end the year with the garden completely cleared out save for the trees, Lothril also enlisted the aid of a couple royal gardeners and they had the whole thing finished two hours past midday. Lothril looked around the cleared garden and smiled. It wasn't pretty yet, but she could see front to back and side to side and there was nothing but dirt and some scant grass and dead leaves.

"Thank you, everyone," she said. "I am sure I will call upon you all again when I start planting."

"We will be only too happy to help," one of the gardeners replied with a bow then left.

"As this is a trial run for Ithilien, I do expect to be called upon again," Legolas said with a smile. "I like working with you."

"I like working with you too," she said. "We work well together."

"Indeed, we do," he replied as he slid an arm around her. "Shall we head in?"

"Yes! I am a mess!" she replied. "And I am excited about Methor."

"As am I. I am very eager to share this time with you."

They walked a few paces in silence before she said, "You know, for as much as I dressed up for Christmas and Easter, there really is no comparison for dressing up for holidays here."

"To be fair, some of that is likely due to us being royalty."

"True."

"Lothril, even though I think you will find this sort of thing more familiar, I do want to warn you that this is going to be a very long night. We always do a remembrance of those slain in battle and that can be quite long. It can also be a bit… Emotional."

"Well, memorial sort of things usually are," she commented.

"No, more than that. This is a time of deep reflection on the previous year and it can bring with it all the joys and sorrows of the year gone. And ours was longer than everyone else's by sixty-one days. I know you are not overly fond of crying in front of others, so I thought I should warn you."

"I appreciate it," she said, but was very unsure what exactly to think. She had an idea in her head of how things would go and she was starting to get the feeling that her guess was wrong.

A bath, an elaborate dress and braids, and an early dinner with the extended family later, they were heading to the great hall in the front of the procession which felt like all sorts of pomp and regality, with which Lothril wasn't yet exactly comfortable, but she was rapidly getting used to it. She entered as a great lady on the arm of the prince, following the king. To his usual great chair went Thranduil and to their customary seats went Legolas and Lothril. She could see that today the lights that reflected on the stone trees were green while golden light filled the hall. Many chairs were set up and still many stood and soon the hall was packed. Before the throne was a space left cleared where the minstrels gathered to play and sing.

"Hear now the tale of the year and how it started with the joy of victory and the sorrow of loss! Let us first honor those who preserved our fair home and are heroes, though at a high cost," began the minstrels.

Lothril was surprised to hear her name mentioned early on as one of the great benefactors and heroes of the kingdom, as the minstrels made mention of the fire breaks that saved many lives and homes. They described the battle, and it seemed that Thranduil cut and cleared a series of them and used them as traps to funnel the enemies into narrow channels and ambush them. She was pleased, humbled, elated, and surprised. She had hoped her letter would help, but she had been almost certain it had been too vague to be of real use as a preventative measure. To learn that her information has been a viable aid was humbling and moving and she wanted to cry. She honestly hadn't thought about it since she had left Lothlórien; too much had happened. Legolas held her hand.

As the minstrels briefly recapped the events of the end of the previous year and then started in earnest with the events of the year, starting with their king meeting Celeborn and dividing the forest and expanding the domain of their kingdom, then the king going south for the approval and celebration of the betrothal of the prince and the lady, then the return of the royal family and the Lady Lothril. They mentioned her introduction to court, her saving the prince's life and healing him and the king, a new lord to replace Acharon and various other events of note amongst the tribes and throughout the kingdom, including the spiders being driven away and aid rendered to their neighbors after the war; even Thuringwen's assassination attempts, but thankfully only the last three. Thank you, to whoever made that decision! She suspected Thranduil. Otherwise, it overall had been a very good year, it seemed.

Lothril truly hadn't figured how much her private life impacted the kingdom. It was humbling and sobering. She listened to the minstrels review the year and at the end they all sang a song of memory then departed.

Evening was well gone and night was getting on as they ascended the stairs to the family drawing room.

"How are you, meleth nîn?" Legolas asked with ósanwe.

"I am fine. It was strange to realize though how much my personal life impacts the kingdom. I somewhat realized it, but… it was strange to hear our betrothal celebrated amidst things like victory in war and aiding the rebuilding efforts of Dale," she replied in kind. "To say nothing of surviving five assassination attempts and being reminded that I did not just save my betrothed from death, but also the beloved crowned prince."

"A debt I will spend the rest of my long days repaying."

"Debt nothing! With everything I have put you through since we met, I think we are nearly even. You have saved me, Legolas. From-"

"Save those thoughts for later when we are alone. Now we gather with our kin and reflect on things we have done together this year, and after you and I may have quiet remembrances and reflections together in private, or else in solitude, if you wish it. Or one then the other," Legolas said.

"Methor is fairly serious to you, er, us, isn't it?"

"Hmm, serious but not as you think of it. You often conflate serious and grim. We take it seriously, but you will see soon, we can also be serious and laugh. But I have stopped you from those remembrances because now is not the time for them. Now is the time to remember how we celebrated our betrothal with my kin and how you bested Gladhrion at darts after he got so cocky."

She smiled. That had been particularly fun.

Everyone had more or less met up in the passageways as the hall had been filled with both nobility and commoners, and so they were a merry procession that entered the drawing room and the air was filled with joyful laughter and everyone recalling fun times they had had the year past. As promised, there was no feasting, but the long butler was covered with food and drink and Lothril reckoned this was probably as close to a human New Year's Eve cocktail party as she would ever get. Or wanted to get for that matter. Somehow, she couldn't envision a human one being more fun. For a long while it was eating, drinking, and playing games and bringing up little things from the past year. Later, before dawn, they all gathered together like they had for Turuhalmë with everyone sitting on the all the chairs, couches, and the floor and shared a favorite memory from the year.

"Well, I believe I must say my favorite memory from the year was seeing the absolutely besotted look on Legolas' face when Lothril came into the house in Minas Tirith and he introduced her to us," Elior said. "I have never seen you so happy, gwanur (cousin), and I am very glad you have found your love at last. What is yours, Legolas?"

"There are many favorites, but high amongst them is the day after we finished hunting orcs in her old world," Legolas said and then looked at Lothril and squeezed her hand. "Ada, what is yours?"

Thranduil looked at Lothril and with ósanwe said, "In truth, I think mine is either the first evening the three of us spent in Minas Tirith or that night I caught you looking at the paintings and we all were in the kitchen, but I suppose you do not want me mentioning either of those aloud?"

"Thank you for telling me and keeping it between us," she replied.

One of the joys of ósanwe is that it is quicker than spoken word, so it seemed he only thought a couple seconds before he said, "Hmm, I think personally one of them would have to be realizing that Legolas was going to live and that we both had Lothril to thank. What is one of yours, Lothril?"

She grinned. "I am torn between two."

"Then say both, if you wish," Thranduil said.

"Alright, then one was certainly the look on Legolas' face at our betrothal when I told him how I got his betrothal ring, and the other was that first bite of strawberry pie you made in Minas Tirith, Thranduil. That was absolutely one of the tastiest things I have ever eaten!"

"His pies are the stuff of legend," Cîlwen agreed.

There was a general consensus amongst the family that his pies were simply amazing, and the whole evening derailed for at least an hour as everyone started talking about favorite pies of his that he had made before they drifted back to memories of the year past and Lothril called upon Istelion.

The memories were mostly happy and come sunrise they sang another song of remembrance and then went their separate ways.

Legolas went with her into her antechamber then asked, "If you like, you may be alone now and reflect or sleep or whatever you wish, or we can be together and do so."

"What do you want to do?" she asked.

He smiled. "I am happy to do whatever you wish, so the choice is yours."

"I think… well, out of curiosity, what would we do if we were married?" she asked.

"We would decide if we wished to reflect together now or later," he answered.

"But definitely at some point together?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes."

"Then together now."

"Let me go change and I will join here shortly," he said.

"You could just shed a couple layers and hang them in my closet, if you want. I have extra clothes hangers," she said. "Or you can change. Whatever you like."

"As I was mostly just going to hang up my robe, I will do as you suggested," he said, and they moved towards the bedroom.

"You know what I find amusing?"

"What is that?"

"That you are slowly moving into my rooms even though when we marry we will be living in yours," she said with an amused little smile.

He paused. "It is a bit silly at that. I am done remodeling and my rooms are in order again and I know you will want to change; go change and come to my rooms," he said.

"Wh- really? Are you serious? Because I was just joking, I really wasn't trying to say anything else."

He nodded. "I know, that is how you are. But I am quite serious. Go and change and then come to my rooms."

"Well, I would love to, but I do need help getting out of this dress and I was counting on you to help."

"I will help."

He followed her into her closet and she said, "Alright, here is the deal with this dress – it is beautifully fitted, and it only has like six inches of closures, which means it only loosens up just enough to be pulled off over my head, but as I could not pull it on by myself, I am dead certain I shan't be able to pull it off by myself. And the closures are in a decidedly awkward place." She pulled her hair off to the side and he could see the short line of decorative little mother of pearl buttons.

"I see. This looks like it would be difficult," Legolas said as he undid them.

Pulling the dress off was a little awkward as all Lothril could actually do was gather it up to about her waist and from there he had to pull it off himself, which was basically in the inverse of what Estelneth had to do to get it on her. It was worth it for hours and hours of wearing, and was comfortable while on, but taking it off reminded Lothril of those goofy little finger traps they used to play with in school. If you pulled your fingers in it straight back, the woven trap would tighten around your fingers and they were stuck. You had to push the finger trap together to loosen it to get it off. That was this dress.

"There we are," Legolas said. "I must say, I have come to wonder if Filegon does not design these things to need two people just to give me a puzzle to work on every day you get dressed when we are married."

"Oh Legolas, I would love to tell you that is the case, but I can tell you with all certainty that this madness is not restricted to Filegon's imagination. It was stupid the amount of clothes back home that really needed a second person to zip up the dress or undo the buttons. I have thoroughly decided that women like looking pretty, and to look pretty we must wear things that fit properly and complement our figures, but unlike binn (males) who generally do not have hips and various other sets of curves to deal with, biss (females) require all sorts of clothing accommodation in order to accentuate and not hide our curves and figures. Your tunics, fitted though they be, are essentially lightly tapered rectangles on the hanger. My tunics, even with my lack of hourglass figure, do not look like rectangles. And then of course, different fabrics drape differently and so one must account for that also and the next thing you know – here we are. Me in a gorgeous dress on Methor needing assistance to take it off like I am a two year old."

"Hmm… it is a trade off, but for my part, I think an acceptable one," he replied with a smile. "Do you need help with whatever you are putting on?"

"I am going to wear something plain and sensible until this evening, then Estelneth will help me."

"When you are changed, come to my room," he said and gave her a kiss then departed. He had planned on making the renovations and particularly the room he had made for her a wedding gift, but he decided he would endeavor to keep the room a surprise but let her see the rest. Because it was basically silly that he was moving into her room slowly when they would soon be living in his.

He reached his room, quickly took off and hung his robe and the long outer tunic. He returned into his bedroom and quickly made sure everything was just so before starting a small fire in the hearth. One of the things about living in a cave is that it is always cool, despite the season and the weather.

She knocked and he felt nearly giddy. How soon until they wed again? He quickly crossed the room and opened the door.

"Wow," she said as she entered, early morning light streaming in from the window and the whole room was bathed in a pinkish gold glow. He didn't have a big chandelier like Thranduil did, it was smaller and looked like silver willow switches hanging around a light with leaves made of some highly faceted light green gem. Nor was his bed so huge, golden, and ostentatious. It was normal large, she reckoned more or less king sized, and fairly low with blankets of various shades of green and green pillows. The couch in front of his hearth was silver grey, the carpets not terribly dissimilar from the ones in her room, adding color to the place.

"What do you think?" He asked.

"I like it! I really do. Especially that chandelier. I would love to see it lit."

"We can light it now, if you wish, but it reaches its full effect at night."

"I will wait then. This really is a lovely room."

"Thank you. As it will soon be yours also, if you wish to change anything you have only to say so. I..." He hesitated but then decided he would tell her the whole story. "I had been intending to surprise you with the room and making it a good deal more like yours and even using much of your furniture when you move in, and I still intend the latter, but what you said in your room a little bit ago made me realize I was being a silly about the whole business and I changed my mind about having you wait to see it."

She smiled. "I wondered why you were being so cagey about your room. Well, I think it looks wonderful in here and I cannot wait until I move in."

He smiled. "I am glad to hear it! But here we are looking forward when we ought to be looking back. Come sit," he invited.

They sat in front of the fire and settled in with her beside him and his arm around her.

"This time last year, as I recall, we were waking up in a shared tent, and now we share a bed more often than we do not," she said.

"What do you think you would have thought a year ago if I had told you by this time in a year we would sleep beside each other so often?"

"Oh, I would have been equal parts excited and shocked. Now two years ago at this time, if you had told me I was unmarried sharing a bed with a guy, I would have been mortified."

"What about now?"

"I am excited, but very comfortable with it. Part of me wants to drag you over to that bed this instant and get into it with you but then part of me knows there is no rush. I am not going anywhere, neither are you, and that bed is open to us whenever we want it with no fear of that going away,"

"I like that – quite a bit." He gently turned her head towards him and kissed her.

She leaned her head onto his shoulder and slouched a little to snuggle against him easier. "I would be far more tempted to do it now, but you are oh, so very comfortable!"

"More comfortable than a tree?"

She laughed. "Yes, much more!"

"Speaking of Ithilien – you owe me a rematch," she said with a smile and a raised brow.

"I have been waiting for you to remember that," he said. "I still cannot give you my all, but I can certainly get much closer."

"When would you like to have it?"

"Whenever you like," he replied.

"Not right now, but soon I think. Do you remember those nights we spent traveling between Minas Tirith and Edoras?"

"How could I not? That was the first time I felt like we got to be properly alone – just us and the stars!" she gave a happy sigh. "I truly am looking forward to our new moon tradition, though I cannot reckon how you are so sure we will not be seen or heard or spotted by some form of patrol."

Legolas smiled. "I imagine you cannot, but I swear to you, we shall not be seen or heard."

"I trust you. I cannot reckon it, but I trust you," she said.

"That is something else I gladly recall from this year – further earning your trust and watching it grow along with your love," he said, a note of sweet seriousness in his voice.

"At every turn you have proven yourself trustworthy to me. There is no one I trust more than you."

"That makes my heart sing with gladness!" he said.

"Well, you have been so stalwart at my side since we met, even in my old world you were steady and sure."

"Ah, yes, your old world! So many memories for so short a time! I am still very, very glad you are no longer there."

"Me too. But I still miss my family," she said quietly.

"I miss them too," he said. "And I wish for your sake they had wanted to come here."

"At least I have my adopted family and your kin here. It helps." She stared into the merry little fire for a moment and said, "There are many, many memories of back home that are sweet, and many, many that are bitter and I would just as soon forget, but those days after we killed the orcs were fun and I hope I never forget them. That first day at the beach with you was so much fun! And that little place in the pines that you found – I love it!"

"As do I. What about that night after the orcs attacked the house and we slept together in the living room? I think of that fondly also," he said with a warm smile.

"That was nice," she said quietly. "What about that day in Lothlorien after we returned and you thought you heard me say come in and you caught me in my towel?"

He groaned and covered his face with his free hand. "Oh! I still feel badly about that!"

She sat up a little and kissed his cheek. "Don't. I was not bothered when it happened and now I find it funny."

"You are entirely too gracious to me. I walk in on you, I read your notebook…"

"You read a single page I left open. After you said that I was trying to remember why I had the notebook open to that page and then I remembered – I was going to ask your opinion on justifying the two calendars to each other, but I got distracted with our conversation about themes in elven nature poetry," she said. "As it was, you returned the book before breakfast and I asked Elrond during our lesson."

Legolas laughed and shook his head. "I ought to have known!"

"So, Legolas Mellothon, just between us – what is your favorite memory from this past year?" she asked.

"Hmm… there are so many wonderful moments, I do not think I can choose just one," he replied.

"Top five then."

He smiled. "Very well. In no particular order – The first set of verses we exchanged, you saving my life, us being alone on Verne's beach, you at ice fest- and I cannot be more specific than that because there were oh, so many things you said or did that I loved."

"That is only four," she said.

"So it is. The fifth one you will not understand, I think, but truly it is one of my fondest memories of the year. How you washed my hands and tended to me after I went hunting after visiting Thuringwen. I have rarely been in such an ill temper and despite the fact I was short with you, you were loving to me and kind."

"Well, I could tell you were upset even before I kissed you, and I knew it couldn't be with me. We had shared a lovely morning and I was not doing that poorly with my lute lesson," she replied.

He gave a soft chuckle. "No, you were actually doing quite well with that song. But now I would know yours. What are five of your favorite memories of the year?"

"Well, when we returned to school and we had only been there mere minutes and I stopped you at the bottom of the stairs and asked you how you were doing and you said, 'I know you shall keep me well'. I was humbled and astounded at the sheer magnitude of the faith and trust you had in me. So far in our relationship, I felt like I had been carried by you the whole time and at times wondered how it was you could stand such a lopsided relationship, but then you said that. I am still in awe of it."

He smiled and kissed her head. "I really only carried you through those first couple of weeks of our acquaintanceship. After that you walked on your own feet and I was merely there to catch you if you started to fall. In truth, I have carried you very little. Even with trying to help you sort out your past, you have been doing all the hard work. I have been walking beside you, but you have been clearing the path yourself."

"It does not feel like it."

"But you have been. But come now, that is only one and you have four more to name," he said.

"Well, let's see… that massage you gave me at Farion's house… boy, that was nice. And that one night you ran into your father and I in the kitchen. Do you remember that?"

"I remember that clearly. The smile on your face as we all talked, and then you taking my arm and holding Ada's hand; it was a very sweet moment!"

She smiled wider as she snuggled in a little closer then changed her mind and laid down with her head on his lap. "How many more do I have left?"

"Two," he answered as he began combing his fingers through her hair.

"Thought so. Hmm… That kiss in the library of the house Elrond was staying in that made me realize I had nothing to fear doing things with you. Aaand… Oh, so many to pick from! I think… well, it's a toss-up between waking up that morning of Enderi and finding you beside me and looking over those sketches with you."

"Oh, that is not fair, sneaking in two like that," he teased as he kept combing through her hair.

She grinned. "Perhaps, but I suppose it does not matter much. You can always tell me another one."

"I can at that."

They talked for a while more, him combing his fingers through her hair and her getting more drowsy and peaceful by the second from it. After a while he told her to sleep if she wished and she did as he continued to gently play with her hair. Was there a better way to spend the last few hours of Methor? As she slept he thought about the year. He had lived through some pretty wild years, but the last two were singular and he was certain he was never going to have another year where he left the world entirely. He looked down at her. Her eyes were shut as she had fallen asleep with them that way. It would work like that sometimes. Good Elbereth, how he loved her!

Starting the year celebrating her birthday on the wrong day and her getting bent out of shape for him flirting with her, leaving the world, sharing a myriad of firsts with her, watching themselves grow closer together and figure things out, watching her slowly fall into sync with his family, guarding her and protecting her… then of course there was her saving his life. He had been seriously injured and in dire situations before, but he had never been so close to the brink of death. Close… he had been toppling over the edge of it and she had grabbed him by the arm and dragged him back. And half killed herself doing it. She denied it, but he was nearly certain. Either way, it had resulted in another layer of the bond between them.

When she seemed deeply asleep he whispered, "I am going to lay you in bed now." Then carefully stood and picked her up and laid her down on his bed and threw a thin coverlet over her then quickly scrawled a note in a sketchbook and left it open on the bedside where she would surely see it when she awoke then he headed to a doorway in the back of his room. It led to a spiral stairway that opened up onto a second floor.

The second floor was not quite as big as the floor below, but it was still rather spacious and split between two rooms that were open to each other with a big arched doorway, the doors of which he kept open. He stayed on the stair side and went over to the window. It was a tall arched window that commanded a lovely view of the river.

It was a beautiful spring day. The leaves were small but growing quickly. The thaw had come early that year with no prolonged cold snaps and so it had ushered in a slightly earlier than usual spring. He didn't mind. The birds were singing and the sun shining clear. A lovely way to spend the last hours of Methor.

He stood in front of the window and kept reflecting. How was he different than last year? What had his personal year looked like? His understanding on several subjects had deepened significantly. He certainly hadn't spent so much time with humans before. He also had gained some interesting perspectives on things, again thanks to spending so much time with humans. How such short lived beings crammed so much into their limited years baffled him to no end. Nearly dying though had certainly given him an appreciation of mortality he hadn't had before.

Something that was surprising but not was how much his life now was oriented towards Lothril. Though, his father basically not letting him work aided that significantly. Something else that wasn't horribly surprising but new nonetheless, was discovering what sort of melethron he is. He might be comfortable with and aware of his sexuality and related desires, but being intellectually comfortable with it and actually acting on it and expressing it are very different things. He was enjoying it though. Thoroughly. He was also getting eager to explore sex, but that was looking forward and now was the time for looking back.

He closed his eyes and let the morning light shine upon his face as he meditated further on his past year.

Lothril awoke an hour or so later and saw a note written in his own sketchbook. 'I let you sleep and am still in my rooms. Please call for me and not search for me when you want me. Otherwise, you may use my bed chamber for your personal reflections if you like. Love, LM'

She laid back down and stared at the willow chandelier. She wasn't wholly certain what more she could possibly reflect on. Her mind wandered and she began half subconsciously running through the year. It had been pretty crazy. And she was fairly certain she wasn't the same. She was glad of that. She kinda hated how she had been.

For better or worse, and she generally concluded for better, she had lost the overwhelming bulk of her shyness. She still wasn't overly comfortable with overt public displays of affection, but she didn't mind subtle ones and she was rapidly drawing the conclusion she was just more private by nature and that was all.

She thought about how she had been at their betrothal and him asking her if she was a tease then how she had been the night before last. It seems she was turning into a bit of a tease after all. She just loved that wrecked, pleasured, and stupefied look he would get as she teased him and then that wide, relaxed smile he would wear when they were done.

She idly wondered how it would compare to his face after sex. No, no, that was a future thought and this was supposed to be reflecting not anticipating. She vaguely wondered if present tense fun was allowed on Methor and Iestor or if it all had to be strictly past tense reflections and future tense anticipations. But as her present tense betrothed was no doubt dutifully and diligently immersed in reflection in some other connected chamber, she put present tense desires out of her head and turned to past tense reflections again.

She wanted to do this properly, after all.

With all diligence she turned her thoughts back to the year behind her and... Maybe she didn't want to do this properly... She had a lot of regrets about her time back home. She regretted pouring so much time into her school work. She regretted not working up the nerve to tell her parents what had happened. She really regretted not unleashing the full terror of her power on Matilda, or at the very least not letting Legolas tear into her. She wished she had spent more time with her friends, though she had tried, the end of the year was busy for them too. The only things she didn't regret on some level were the things she did up north.

She sighed and got up to go sit in front of the fire which had gone out. She threw on a couple logs, lit it again, then settled down and let her thoughts move on to happier things like the fact they shared a bed most nights and that she spent the bulk of her sleeping hours with her head on his naked shoulder and a hand on his bare chest.

Stars, how she loved that fact!

Her thoughts wandered back in a drifting kind of way through her memories of being with him. So many sweet moments... So much frustration... She had worked through a bit of it, but there was a block of some kind she couldn't work through. Ugh!

Her thoughts wandered and after an hour or so she realized Legolas hadn't been exaggerating when he said Methor could be emotional. She wiped tears from her eyes and realized she didn't even know if they were happy or sad ones.

To his credit, he had been treading as softly as he could and she had not heard him as he stole through his bedroom to silently fetch something. However, she had felt him and turned to see him at his nightstand fetching his sketchbook.

"I apologize for disturbing you. I ought to have waited," he said when he turned around and saw her looking at him.

"No, you didn't disturb me," she said, drying the corners of her eyes. "I am more than ready to stop reflecting."

He set his sketchbook down on his bed and came and sat down beside her. "I completely understand."

"You look fine," she said as she gave him an examining stare.

"I am over five thousand years old and I have not had the personal year you have," he replied. "However, I more than freely confess I have had years where Methor was more than a little difficult."

She nodded. "So, how strict are the rules for Methor?"

"Rules, oh Lothril… There are not any rules, merely a pattern we follow and it is not terribly strict. Why?"

"Because I am very done reflecting and I want to just sit here in the present and not think for a little while."

"Would you like a hug?"

"Yes, please. A very, very long hug."

He pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her.

-⸙ - ⸙-

Evening found Lothril smiling in her minuial dress with a belt of stars to give it an evening twist. Estelneth had bedecked her hair with a net of stars, her circlet, ring, and a star necklace.

"Am I all set, Estelneth?"

"Yes, milady. Shall you be wanting help in the morning?"

"I reckon not. Legolas said all the formal stuff is tonight and tomorrow is relaxed, so I shall wear something less elaborate."

"Shall you want me before bed?"

"I will manage. Enjoy yourself tonight, Estelneth!"

"Thank you, milady."

There was a knock at the door.

"That will be the prince," Estelneth said and swept out of the huge closet and to the door.

Lothril checked herself in the mirror and then went out to meet Legolas.

"... It shall be done, my prince," Estelneth said with a bow.

"Thank you," he said.

Lothril watched Estelneth disappear back into the bedroom then turned to Legolas. "What shall be done?"

"I took the liberty of ordering Estelneth to bring your pajamas and things to my room tonight."

"You have?" Lothril asked, wide eyed.

"Do you mind?"

"Not at all, I am just surprised."

He took her hands. "I know, but if one of us is going to be slowly moving into the room of the other, it ought to be you moving into my rooms, if you like. That and with it being Iestor, I wish to start the new year on a new note and celebrate with you privately after we are done with all the other celebrations."

"I cannot tell you how much that thrills me!"

He grinned widely. "And that thrills me. So does the sight of you in that dress again. How you have turned a dress that so perfectly embodied minuial to reflect aduial is a wonder to me!"

Lothril gave a bright, beaming smile. "Well, you said dress for a party, and this said elven new year's party to me! Estelneth suggested this net of stars though." She turned her head briefly so he could see it.

"And it has all worked to make you look like the fairest elleth this kingdom has ever seen and the most elleth rau-iruiren* I have ever known."

"Elleth rau-iruiren? Naedren (Truly)?"

"Naedren, a istog hen, (Truly, and you know this)" he said with a flirty smile.

"Cí,(Maybe)" Lothril replied coyly. "A cí mavon larad te.(And maybe I like hearing it.)"

For a reply he kissed her. When he pulled away she smiled.

"Shall we go?" he asked.

"I think I would rather stay here and have you tell me more things like that," she replied.

"I would, but it is your first Iestor and my family will not forgive me if I cause you to miss it," he replied.

As they walked down the passage she asked, "So, since you have been so secretive about new year celebrations, are you at least going to tell me what I am walking into now?"

He smiled. "Yes, I shall. You are walking into a party. When the weather is nice it is outside, but the weather has turned rainy, so we are inside."

"What kind of party?"

Legolas raised a brow. "It is a new year, we are looking forward to the king's son marrying, we are about to enter spring, and my father's name is Vigorous Spring."

"So... The most Thranduil-y Thranduil party I've seen yet?"

Legolas laughed. "Exactly! Especially as our new wine order has come in and we need to clear some space in the cellar."

"Oh dear."

"If it comforts you any, you may come and go as you please. It is very informal."

"Official or family?"

"Both."

"Oh good! I do love it when Linnrien and Mindonith are together!"

"Just wait until you see Aunt Cîlwen with them."

She smiled, wide eyed. "Oh, I can imagine!"

They weren't late by any stretch of the imagination, but the party had already started. The ballroom and the great dining hall were open to each other by a series of wide doors that were hidden by ornate carvings when shut. Elves were milling back and forth between the food and the dancing, the music was lively, and Thranduil was in his element. Bright greens, silver, purple, pink, yellow, and blue adorned him between his clothes, crown, and jewels. He was dancing in the midst of the crowd with a young elfling Lothril thought looked somewhere around ten years old, which meant she was probably thirty or something. For looking ten though, she moved with the grace of Ginger Rogers**.

"Who is that your father is dancing with?" Lothril asked in his ear to be heard in the din.

"That is Northriel's granddaughter," he answered in kind.

She was about to ask if the king usually danced with elflings at holidays but then remembered she did see him dancing with the odd elfling at Enderi, so she changed her question. "Why does he dance with elflings on holidays?"

"King Oropher started it. He adored children and was horrified to learn that some of the elflings in the kingdom were intimidated by him. He was every inch as tall as father but had grey eyes flecked with green, that would flash with green fire both when he was angry and merry and so the elflings became convinced he was laughing in anger. To change this he convinced my cousin Taethril to dance with him on the next Iestor. It took a few holidays and much convincing from me and my cousins, but eventually they were convinced he was kind and a tradition was started. One King Thranduil has happily carried on."

"That is one of the sweetest things I have ever heard!"

"It certainly is a favorite tradition amongst the elflings."

They joined the merrymakers and the minstrels were plying their trade and causing everyone to have fair visions of springtime and starlight and blossoms even as they danced in stone halls on a rainy night.

Somewhere just before minuial, Lothril wasn't sure why or how, she found herself in one of those little in between passages that was completely dark now that the candle had sputtered out, and she had Legolas pinned against the wall with his hands on her waist as she alternated kisses between his neck, jaw, and lips.

And oh, her talented lips! They pleasured him endlessly and her mouth tasted of wine and between her lips and mouth, and what they had been drinking all night, he was certain he was drunk, but he wasn't sure from what. He also didn't care. She felt good, she tasted good, she even smelled good, and she kissed amazingly!

"Annog nin i bemp gîn, (Give me your lips)" she demanded.

"Ti gîn! (They are yours!)" he said, sliding his hands up her body until they found her head which he eagerly pulled closer to his mouth.

He felt her lips part slightly... Oh please!... He felt her tongue against his lips... A, elo ma!

She moaned against his mouth. He was very good at taking a hint and boy did he take it and run with it!

Suddenly a wedge of firelight shot into the dark corridor. "Ai! The candle burnt out. Take the long way and I will go fetch a light." The wedge of light disappeared with the thunk of the wooden door in the wooden frame.

"Crap!" Lothril muttered.

"Language, Lothril," he teased.

"I am giving you a dirty look," she shot back.

"I can feel it, but we ought to leave very quickly. It will not take the servant long to fetch a light."

"I am really, really glad we ended up not where that light fell," Lothril said as she felt Legolas' hand quickly trace from her back to her shoulder and down her arm to take her hand.

"To expedite finding the door, do you mind giving me some light?"

"Alright, but you only get a second before it burns my fingertips."

"That is all I need."

She snapped her fingers and said, "Naur." A small flame flashed up on the tip of her thumb she was holding up over her head and it was just enough for Legolas to see what direction the door was before she shook her hand and blew on it. As he pulled her confidently towards the door he heard a sharp, "Mm!" but it sounded like something was in her mouth. He heard the light sucking sound of her pulling her thumb out of her mouth. "That got warm."

"I will put balm on it for you when we return to my room," he said as he stopped and groped for the door handle. It only took a second to find and then out they stepped into the lit hallway which was mostly empty.

"Can we leave the party this early?" she asked.

"I am the crowned prince. I can do whatever I please," Legolas answered with a smirk. "And I please to continue on with you."

"How did we even end up in there?"

"No, no! Do not start analyzing things now! Just run with it, melethril!"

"Uh-huh. The last time I did, we nearly got caught by servants in a dark passageway."

"But tell me that was not one of the most enjoyable hours you have ever had," he said as they turned the corner into the wing where they lived.

"It was kind of fun," she said with a grin.

"Kind of? You grabbed me by the front of my tunic and pushed me up against the wall."

"I did at that," she replied with a grin.

"Then you were the one who started teasing my mouth with that delicious tongue of yours."

"And you were the one who was rubbing those hands of yours all over and letting your fingers wander."

"Only after you practically begged me to. Or did I misinterpret the words, 'plado nin, melethron! Listo!' (touch me, lover! Please!)?" He opened the door to his room and let her go in first. "And now it is my turn to beg of you- let me continue!" He took her into his bedroom.

"Shouldn't we be doing some sort of deep reflection on the new year?" She asked as she turned to face him.

"Today we look ahead and anticipate coming joys."

"Then shouldn't we be doing that?"

"That is what we have been doing - anticipating our wedding," he replied, leaning in to kiss just under her ear. "And I am greatly anticipating slowly relaxing you to my touch... methodically stripping you down to your naked splendor... a goiannad gin, fëa a hröa, (and joining with you, body and soul)" he said, punctuating his words with kisses. "Anirog hi deved? (You desire now to practice*'*?)" He whispered with his lips teasing her ear.

She shuddered. "Uh-huh."

He smiled against her neck briefly before continuing.

Whatever hour of the morning it was, she didn't know or care. She was just grateful it was still Iestor, the servants were still largely off duty, and that Legolas had thick bedroom curtains that only let in a scant amount of dim light. She was stretched out next to him with her head on his naked left shoulder, hearing the soft steady beat of his heart as her hand began lazily tracing patterns on his chest.

"Good morning, melethril," he said quietly.

"Good morning, Mellothon," she replied.

"How is your head this morning?"

"Surprisingly clear. I am afraid I am developing a higher tolerance for wine."

Legolas chuckled as his hand found hers. "My condolences for the passing of your old sensibilities. I would feel sad for you, save you always seem more relaxed when we are together and you have had a little wine, but still have your wits." He felt her take a deep breath.

"I hate that that is what it takes… but I like enjoying being with you like that."

"You will get there eventually. It took years for the damage to get done. Undoing it will simply take time."

She didn't say anything but instead repositioned herself to get a little more comfortable and sneaked a leg over his.

"Any regrets this morning besides a newly discovered tolerance for wine?"

She gave an amused snort. "No, none. Last night was fun. Even getting almost caught."

He smiled. "Good. I rather enjoyed myself also."

"So I gathered."

He began rubbing her upper arm with his hand. "What would you like to do this morning?"

"I have no idea. Is there anything going on?"

"Today is more of a continuation of last night; merrymaking with kith and kin in whatever way we wish. If the weather is fine this morning it may turn into picnics along the river, but we are free to do whatever we want," he said.

She nodded slightly. "Breakfast. For as much as I want to sit up and claim your mouth again, I am famished!"

Legolas chuckled. "I would tease you, but I think we only ate once all of Methor and I am hungry also. How you, of all people, failed to eat at the party last night is beyond me!"

"Don't you though? I believe the words, 'Lothril, let us dance again!' and 'you look so fair in that dress I shall surely go mad if I do not kiss you! Come with me!' were the ones that kept me from sitting down and eating. And as I recall, somewhere after that sentence we danced and kissed our way into that passage where we almost got caught."

He grinned and moved so she was lying on her back and he could kiss her. "So it was," he said before kissing her. "And I am growing eager for our wedding!"

"So am I!" she replied between kisses as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

-⸙ - ⸙-

A/N: *elleth rau-iruiren: If I sorted this out correctly, I actually figured out how to say "sexiest elf-maid". That makes me idiotically happy.
**Ginger Rogers – I suspect my general readership knows who Ginger Rogers is, but in case I have managed to snag a few younger readers or readers who have not enjoyed old musicals – Ginger Rogers was a famous dancer back in the 40s and 50s, often paired with Fred Astaire.
*'*deved: from 'dev- to try, experiment, test'. It was as close as I could find to the word 'practice' which was what I really wanted, but I decided it worked well enough.