Kiera

Once they reached the bottom, they turned right into the main road. Celebrimbor led her down the street as her eyes wandered, trying to see it all. They passed rows of houses and workshops until a large palace sprang up right alongside the road. It covered the entire area to the wall, and it looked like it even connected to it in some spots.

"That is Lord Rog's house," Celebrimbor told her as he pointed to the large mansion. "He used to live in the house that Maeglin has now. He gave it up when Turgon asked him to. In return, Rog built a new house with training grounds and shops."

As they approached, the house was almost too big for the space. It towered over her and looked imposing next to the street. She counted four stories high, and it reached the height of the wall. There was no front courtyard; instead, two wooden doors opened right out into the street. When they passed, soft laughter and voices echoed out, and Kiera got a short glimpse of the inside. The sheer size of it was impressive and almost as large as the main palace.

Once they passed, the trees got thicker on either side until they came upon a large open clearing with a beautiful garden. Beyond that were steps leading into a dark forest. It was surprising to see a large forest in the city, but she was eager to explore it all. The dark forest was not imposing. Instead, it drew her in more. She focused her attention on the garden, which was the entrance into the forest.

It was as lush as the rest of the gardens around the city, but this one had many raised flower beds. Benches were placed all along the road while some trees were standing tall amongst the flowers. Kiera saw a lot of elves relaxing on the grass under the trees or sitting on the benches conversing. The sheer size of it reminded her of the gardens by the fountains in the south.

Celebrimbor stopped at one point to let her admire the area. "This is the square of the folkwell, and it is the main garden area inside the city. It is quite large, and the forest is massive. I would give you a tour, but I want to catch Maeglin before dinner. I'm free tomorrow evening if you would like to see it."

"Yes, please."

They walked on, and Kiera took in everything she could see at the moment. A little while later, they made it to the other side of the garden, where two large mansions surrounded the edge of the forest and garden. Celebrimbor pointed to the first one, "that is Maeglin's house. His workshops are across the main road next to the wall. Lord Galor's house is behind Maeglin's house."

As they got closer, Kiera snorted softly at the number of flowers and trees in Maeglin's courtyard. She expected his home to be dark and imposing as he was. Perhaps, he didn't have much of a choice in the landscape. Walking through the small courtyard, the front doors were wide open, and Celebrimbor led her inside.

Kiera smiled as they stepped into the dark interior. The black curtains and dark tapestries hanging on the wall were what she expected Maeglin's house to look like. They stood in the entrance hall as she looked around. There was a dining hall to her right, a large living area to the left, and a grand staircase in front of her. A few elves were setting up the table in the dining room, and one stopped to approach them.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"We are here to see Prince Maeglin if he is in. We are unannounced, but I would like to speak with him if he is available," replied Celebrimbor.

The elf nodded and curtsied to them. "He is in his study. I will ask if he is available to speak. Please wait here."

She left up the staircase, and they waited for a few minutes. Kiera took the time to get a better look at Maeglin's house. It was pretty plain and covered in plain black tapestries. She peeked her head around the walls to get a better look at the dining hall. It was mostly empty, but it held three long tables and one head table. When she peered around the wall to the living area, large windows let in some light, but they were still covered partially with black curtains. A large fireplace was in the center, but groups of couches and chairs were spread out around the room.

Candles and lanterns lit the dark room, so it didn't feel like a dungeon. It was well decorated, and while it was dark, it was more of a moody feel but still inviting. Kiera was still looking around the room when the elf returned.

The elf startled her by saying, "prince Maeglin will see you now. If you follow me, please."

They followed her up the grand staircase and then down a long hallway. The elf led them all the way down to the last door at the end of the hall. "Please go in. He is waiting for you." She curtsied at them and gave her warm smile as she left.

Celebrimbor didn't bother knocking and just pushed the door open. Maeglin's study matched the rest of the house's decor and ambiance. It was a large room with a high bookcase spanning one wall. In the middle was a desk piled with papers, books, and random objects. There was an oversize black chair behind the desk that was empty. On one side of the room was a large fireplace with chairs and a couch set around it. A warm fire was going, and seated in one of the plush chairs with a glass of wine in his hand, was Maeglin.

The prince looked up as they entered and said smugly, "did your family never teach you any manners? You are supposed to knock before entering."

Celebrimbor grinned at him and walked over to the chairs. He replied goodnaturedly, "no. I suppose they were too busy making oaths and slaughtering elves to teach me any manners. They are savages, as you say, just like your father."

Kiera waited for the retort back from Maeglin at the jab, but to her surprise, he just glared at Celebrimbor and waved her in. "Please join me and take a seat. I admit I was surprised to hear that Lady Kiera had walked willingly into my house. I can only guess why you are here."

She took a chair next to Celebrimbor, near the fire. Maeglin offered some wine, but she declined. When Maeglin handed over the glass to Celebrimbor, he shot him a look.

Celebrimbor took a long swig of his wine and then said, "I'm here to help a friend find out why a rumor is being spread about the two of you."

Maeglin sighed as he sat back in his chair. He was quiet for a moment until he downed a large gulp of wine and started, "believe me, I was surprised to hear it as well today. I spent most of the day tracking down who started the rumors."

Kiera and Celebrimbor shared a look. Then Celebrimbor arched his brow at Maeglin. He hummed, "so it wasn't you? I'll be honest; I found it difficult to believe you would start the rumor now. It doesn't sound like something you would do without reason, and we spent the afternoon discussing it."

Maeglin nodded and then turned his attention toward her. "I thought you had started it this morning. My spies tell me you and Voronwë shared a few kisses the other night. His actions at the dinner and the dance told me something changed between you two. I seized the opportunity to offer you a night in my bed, but I figured you wouldn't take it."

Maeglin sighed then and relaxed in the chair. Kiera was utterly gobsmacked at seeing him and how honest he was being. He must have seen the expression of shock on her face, and he said, "don't look so surprised. I can have a nice conversation when I want to. I'm tired today and have had enough of the silky words and lies people have told me all day. Last night was exhausting for me, and today was no better."

He shrugged and told her, "I'm sure you figured out the plan by now. The king suggested that I try to get closer to you by offering to spend time with you and to win your affection." Maeglin chuckled softly to himself a few times. "Like that plan was ever going to work after I spent the past few conversations we had insulting you. I told the king it was useless to try and that my spies informed me of the relationship between you and Voronwë. However, when I saw he left the dinner early, I took the chance."

He drummed his fingers on his chair as he took another long swing of wine. "I was a bit more forward than I normally would be, but I gambled that there might be a small chance. Even if it was only to get back at Voronwë for leaving you with me. I had no idea if you would be that type of person, but I saw him leave the hall during our first dance. I figured you might be upset enough to do something foolish, but I was wrong."

"When I got up this morning, I heard about the rumors and my supposed bragging." Maeglin paused then and rolled his eyes. "As if I, the prince of this city, need to brag to people for their approval."

Kiera snorted as Maeglin's words oozed with sarcasm. She didn't know him well, but she could guess that he was not the sort to brag. Certainly not about spending a night with her. He was the prince of this city and could probably get any woman that he wanted. Or women would line up to be with him.

"I wondered if you had started the rumor to hurt Voronwë, but I got an earful when I showed up at the palace. Idril jumped me when I arrived, and she was quite upset with me. As it turns out, she believed the rumors, and she was distraught when I told her they were false. She left crying, and I left the palace to track you down. One of my spies told me they saw you leaving earlier at a run. They saw you crying, but they lost track of you. I guessed then that you were upset to hear the rumors, and you didn't start them. I moved on to find out who did."

A few moments passed as she was processing all the information he just shared. She was still staring at Maeglin in shock until he smirked at her.

"Are you surprised?" He purred. "Is that why you are staring at me, or is it because you enjoy looking at me?"

"What," Kiera mumbled. She shook herself out of the daze and replied, "I'm just surprised, that's all. Why are you sharing this with me anyways? Don't you hate me?"

A wide grin formed on his face as he replied in a silky tone. "You did not answer my question, but no, I don't hate you. I find humans to be dull and not worth my time. Your lives are fleeting and are over in a mere blink compared to ours. It is too much effort to try to befriend humans, and I don't see the point. I admit that your story was strange initially, and it is challenging to believe. For what it is worth, I think you are telling the truth. It is hard to keep up a lie, and when you talk about your world, you are quick to respond, and you don't falter. I'm still unsure what use you have for this city, but my vote has been overruled. I will tolerate your presence in the city because soon your life will be over, and you will be nothing more than a memory."

His words felt like a slap to the face, regardless of how honest he was. In truth, Kiera understood what he was saying and then nodded. "Thank you for answering me and for being honest. It's nice to hear you don't hate me and that you believe me. And, no, I don't like staring at you. I admit that I am quite shocked that we are having a pleasant conversation. You gave me a lot of information, and I needed time to process it all."

Maeglin's eyes roamed her up and down, and then he gave her a seductive look. He said, "I enjoy your stares. I know I am attractive, but I am surprised to see you staring at me. I assumed you couldn't stand to be in my presence, but my offer from last night still stands."

Celebrimbor choked on air as she gaped at him. "What?" she gasped.

"If you wish to join me in my bed, I would not deny your advances. You are a beautiful woman, and I have always longed to try a mortal woman. Perhaps there is no difference, but I would like to know and experience it for myself. I would prefer you to be younger and without gray hair and wrinkles. I would like to sustain my curiosity, so a night together would be long and pleasurable for us both, but only if you could keep up with me." He finished his offer with a wink at her.

Kiera coughed awkwardly and had nothing to say at the present moment. Maeglin shrugged at that and continued. "Perhaps, in time, you will long for a night of pleasure. I would be happy to help as we would benefit from a night of mutual satisfaction. My offer will stand until you are old and gray. No one in this city will know, and I would expect the same courtesy back."

Celebrimbor looked between them both fervently, and she saw the sheer surprise on his face as she remained quiet. At a loss for words, all she said was, "noted. Moving on, did you find out who started the rumors?"

Maeglin gave her a long and seductive look, and Kiera met his challenging stare. He smirked at her and dropped his gaze. "Oh yes, I tracked down the rumors this afternoon. Amara started the rumors with the help of Lord Salgant's daughters. Amara was quite upset to see you dancing with Ecthelion. Gilwen, Lord Salgant's eldest daughter, and I have a history. It seems she is still upset and heard my offer to you during the dance. I admit that I didn't even see her around us, but I'm not surprised she kept a close eye on me. Amara and Gilwen are good friends, so by the end of the night, they had come up with a plan to spread the rumors."

"I have discussed it with Lord Salgant, and he is handling it in his house. Tomorrow, the city will be told that the rumors were false, that I was a perfect gentleman to Lady Kiera, and that she was a gracious guest. She honored me with the first few dances, and the rumors were nothing more than two scorned women looking to cause problems. They both belong to Lord Salgant's house and have been disciplined. They will be confined to their house for the next two years and will not be allowed to go anywhere without an escort. They are forbidden from attending any festivals during that time. I also charged Lord Salgant with helping pay for the furnishing of Tuor's household. He will offset the costs of my house as payment for his daughter's slander towards you and me."

Kiera spluttered, "you're making him pay, so you don't have to? Are you even paying anything anymore, or is everything coming from Lord Salgant?

He looked at his fingernails as if they were the most fascinating thing. His face held a slight smirk as he replied, "the money is still coming from my house. However, I am using what he is paying instead of my own gold. Feel free to spend his money, and I encourage you to buy whatever you want. I spent a good amount of my own money already, but I like to think that my actions and words today have made up for my harsh words in the beginning. I have given you two years here without those women watching your every move and breathing down your neck."

The entire conversation made her pause, and she had to take a moment to herself. Kiera wondered if Maeglin orchestrated it all himself in the first place, so he wouldn't have to pay any longer. Yet, she thought he was sincere in his words, and he probably just used the situation to his advantage.

She shrugged, "I don't care where the money comes from. You were part of the rumor, same as I. I think it was smart of you to use it to your advantage, and your actions do make up for your harsh words. I think we both got off on the wrong foot. I know we will probably never be friends, but I would prefer not to fight with you every time I see you. I want to enjoy my time here in the city, and I will treat you with respect if you agree to give me the same."

Maeglin gave her an odd, hard expression but nodded nonetheless. "Yes, I can agree to that. Seeing as making a fresh start, would you both like to stay for dinner?"

She turned to Celebrimbor, who just shrugged, "I could eat if you don't mind staying."

"We will stay for dinner, then. Thank you for the kind offer."

Maeglin set down his wine glass and got out of his chair. "I will return shortly. I must inform my house to set two more places for dinner." He waited for their acknowledgment and then left the room.

Celebrimbor coughed to get her attention and then looked at her with a questioning gaze. "I see you did not outright deny his offer. Care to tell me why?"

She bit her lip in hesitation, but she decided to reply honestly. He has been a good friend to her, and she can't imagine he would judge her for it. "Honestly, I hope I am not going to be celibate for the rest of my life. How many people in the city would even consider that with me, let alone a relationship? Seeing as Voronwë and I are going to be just friends, I don't know what will happen in the future. Maybe in a few years, I might want a night with no attachments."

Kiera shrugged then and added, "it's quite common in my world. I haven't been with anyone for a while now, closer to a year. My last breakup was rough, and I was focusing on finishing my education. I'm not going to deny his offer, though, at least not yet. Who knows what the future may hold, but it is possible that I might not be with someone in that way. I'm human, and this is a city full of elves. I have no idea what will happen now, but I declined his offer last night out of respect for Voronwë. Our relationship is over now, and I'm not going to turn Maeglin's future offer away."

Celebrimbor scrunched up his nose at her and replied, "my cousin? Really? If all you desire is a night of pleasure without attachments, I could give you that. Plenty of men in the city would, including Voronwë."

Kiera smiled at her new friend and his offer as well. She still was a little unsure about elves and relationships, but it seemed like a few were not as strict as she first thought. Relaxing, she chuckled, "yes, but then feelings would be involved. I don't want to make a friendship awkward by adding sex. I'm not going to worry about it for a while. I just know that I will want to in the future. I'm human, and there is nothing wrong with a night of fun. Seeing as Maeglin offered me a discrete opportunity with no attachments, that might be nice. Also, we are not friends, so I wouldn't feel bad spending a night with him.

If I ever decide to take his offer, I wouldn't tell anyone, including you. Please don't say anything to anyone about his offer and our conversation. I don't need people judging me for something I haven't done."

Celebrimbor sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "I am not sure why you would not pick a friend, but I will let it go. For the record, you can do better than my cousin."

She giggled as he laughed and gave her a goofy grin. That sent her over the edge, and all the tension from the day caught up to her as she laughed. Celebrimbor snorted, and they both fell into a fit of laughter and giggles when Maeglin returned.

He arched his bow and glared at the scene but said, "I do not wish to know. Come, dinner is ready, and you both are seated next to me at the main table."

He waved them to follow as they trailed after him out of the room. While they walked, he said, "my house has been told the rumors are false. I informed them that you are joining me for dinner as a sign of good faith between us. I also said you accepted my apology for my harsh words and that we are starting anew. Celebrimbor is joining us as your escort and friend. People in my house might speak to you, and I hope going forward that you treat them with kindness and respect."

"I will, thank you."

When they reached the dining hall, she was surprised to see it was packed. The long tables were filled with elves, all dressed in dark colors. They were a cheerful bunch, and many laughed and talked loudly. The room quieted instantly as they entered, but Maeglin just turned and walked to the head table.

All eyes were on her, so Celebrimbor took her arm and led her to the table. He pulled out her chair for her as she sat next to Maeglin. By the time Celebrimbor was seated, the hall resumed its previous noise level. Thankfully, most of the elves had returned to their food and conversations, for which she was grateful.

The elves brought out the dinner, and they all loaded their plates. It was a bit awkward at first, but she focused on eating as she had missed lunch that day. The food was delicious, and she took a variety of foods and large helpings. Maeglin cocked his eyebrow at her plate, but she replied easily, "I missed the midday meal as I was crying. I'm quite hungry, and the food is delicious."

Maeglin laughed at her, and she almost spit out her food in shock. It was a warm laugh, and she thought she might have imagined it. He saw her expression and smiled at her. It was the first genuine smile she had seen on his face. He was already handsome, but the smile lit up his face and made him quite beautiful. It lasted only a second before he returned to his usual scowl. Kiera was flabbergasted, and all she could do was stare dumbly at him.

Celebrimbor cleared his throat loudly and shot her a pointed look from down the table. That shook her out of her stupor, and she returned to finish her meal. Celebrimbor started up a conversation about the jewelry he had made for her. The two spoke about different metals and gemstones, which did not interest her in the slightest. She opted to watch the people in his house as she finished up her meal. The conversation turned to money, and the two cousins hemmed and hawed over the prices. They settled on an amount that made zero sense to her as she didn't know how the currency worked yet.

After they agreed, Maeglin turned to her with a gleam in his eye. She knew he was enjoying himself as he smiled pleasantly at her. Her face broke out in a smile of her own as she said, "I would like to go to the fountains of the south this evening, but I'm not sure how to get there from here."

Maeglin glanced at an elf near the table and flicked his finger at her. The elf must have known as she immediately stood and came over. As she approached the table, Kiera noticed it was the same elf that greeted them earlier. Maeglin said, "Sírhel, would you please escort Lady Kiera to the fountains? Celebrimbor and I need to finish our discussions."

"Certainly, my lord." Sírhel waited for her to get up from the table. Maeglin gave her one last smile, and Kiera couldn't help herself. "You should smile more as it lights up your whole face. Thank you for having us for dinner."

His eyes twinkled at her words, but she scampered away from the table before he could respond. Kiera waved at Celebrimbor as she passed, who had a small smirk on his face.

Sírhel led her out of the hall and through the entrance hall and front courtyard. Kiera had a hard time keeping up with her and, at one point, had to jog to keep up. When they made it to the main road, they turned left. They walked for a while until they came to a large intersection, and she spotted the main gate. Kiera couldn't really stop and admire the sights as she was so focused on not losing the elf. After crossing the intersection, they passed rows of homes on one side opposite the wall. The road curved around, and finally, the houses stopped, and a large garden opened up.

Kiera spotted the main bridge from the day before and gasped out, "I know my way from here. Thank you for helping me." She stopped on the road to give herself a break.

Sírhel curtsied to her and said, "you are welcome, my lady. Enjoy your evening."

The elf disappeared just as quickly as she came. After she caught her breath, she made her way over to the bridge. Kiera was hoping to see Ecthelion in the fountains, but when she scanned the area, he was not there. She turned to take a long walk through the gardens hoping to find him. The gardens were mostly empty as night had fallen in the city. Seeing as she did not want to return to the palace and speak to Idril, Kiera turned towards Ecthelion's home, hoping he was home.

After crossing over the bridge, she stopped in his courtyard to admire the view. It was a beautiful sight, one long pond in the front with fountains placed in it. There were also a few curved fountains along the edge as well as swans swimming across the pond. Elves were milling around in the front courtyard, playing on their instruments. She didn't want to interrupt them, so she made her way to his front doors. Thankfully, they were open, and she hurried inside.

—-

See below for a link of a landscape of Ecthelion's house if interested. I have a small collection of works for Gondolin.

ivorysummers/art/Ecthelion-of-the-fountain-s-house-948007504