Brotherhood Chapter Thirty
30 Nov 2009 07:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
curiouswombatHere is the next chapter of Brotherhood - in which Tindómë is reunited with Rumil, and Éowyn tries to educate herself about elves...
Word count 3,440
Rated 15 as usual
Beta'd by the inestimable![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
speakr2customrs
Chapter Thirty.
Elrohir had dropped the lightest of kisses on Tindómë’s forehead before he took a couple of steps away from her to collect, and pull on, his leggings. He then took the other pairs of leggings from Éowyn and headed forward.
Tindómë looked down at her hand, still bloodied, and suddenly remembered learning about Lady Macbeth. She had tried not to touch Elrohir as he held her close and now she couldn’t decide what to use to wipe it.
Then Éowyn, blessedly practical Éowyn, leant over the other body on the rear deck, ripped a length of fabric from the clothing, took Tindómë’s hand between her two, and wiped it.
“Are you alright?” Éowyn asked. “You’re not injured, are you?”
“No, no, I’m not injured,” Tindómë reassured the other young woman. “I, uh, I stabbed him...”
“He didn’t, um, assault you, did he?”
“Oh, no!” Tindómë suddenly wanted to giggle at the idea that yet another bit of strange folk-lore about the Elves had, this time, been quite protective. This was not, however, the place to explain that to Éowyn.
Before any further conversation could take place Elladan, now also in leggings, came aft with two sailors walking ahead of his drawn sword.
“We are steering in towards the river bank now. These two will then drop the anchor so that we can await Erchirion’s ship.”
He glanced around. “Then we had better clean up a little. We have six bodies above, four below, and one injured,” he said, nodding towards Éowyn. “He is just regaining consciousness. Faramir tells me that we have three men locked in a cabin, and two more who are willing to cooperate.”
He paused, and then went on, “Gimli, if you could keep an eye, and an axe, on these two I will retrieve my knife – and Tindómë’s.”
He moved to Lomion’s body and removed the arrow. He wiped the arrow head on Lomion’s tunic and ran his finger along the fletching. “Rumil’s,” he said.
Tindómë had known it would be. (“Rumil always takes rearguard…” Orophin’s voice from, was it really only weeks, before? Although she was pretty sure it would have been Rumil’s even had they been at the front of the ship...)
Elladan then took the two knives from the body, wiped them in the same way, and handed hers to Tindómë.
It was, she thought, a test; even if he didn’t mean it to be. She took the knife and slid it back into the sheath inside her boot without fuss or comment.
He touched her cheek gently with his finger tips and said, in quiet Sindarin, “Well done, little warrior, it is very good to have you back.”
A smile appeared fleetingly before he added, “And we will have you back with Rumil very soon!”
“Good!” Tindómë answered, and then “Thank you, Elladan, for everything.”
She turned to Éowyn who was still standing nearby and switched back into the Common Tongue.
“Thank you for coming with, Éowyn, and you too, Gimli.”
“Aye, well, you don’t think I’d have let them come chasing after you alone, do you?” he answered, gruffly, “and as well, now, for you to all go ashore – before Legolas decides to come out to the boat to see what’s happening.”
She hadn’t thought of that – Legolas and anything associated with the sea were just not mixy things… and although the twins had said, back three years ago, that they seemed fairly immune to the effect, she didn’t like to think of Galanthir getting the sea-longing on her account.
“It is my pleasure,” said Éowyn, “Seriously. I would much rather be here, where everything is happening, than have been left behind worrying about you, or about Faramir.”
Tindómë smiled. “Me too, usually – although I’d have been happy to have been left behind on this trip!”
There was a moment of understanding between the two, part of an unofficial sisterhood of ‘women who won’t be caged’, before Galanthir came aft.
“Mae Govannen, Tindómë, ce mae?”
Although he spoke the Common Tongue well, she thought, his role of ‘not understanding’ meant he hardly ever used it in public, even when it would probably have been more polite.
“I’m fine, now that you are all here, honestly,” she answered him in Sindarin, “thank you, thank you for being here, for everything.”
She didn’t like to ask whether the ship made him feel… odd, just in case.
Once Faramir and the two riders had also seen for themselves that she was well Gimli more or less chased Tindómë and all the ellyn to the stern and into the rowing boat.
“Legolas said that they were to go back, and take you back with them,” he explained. “Now go, before those three decide to swim out!”
As they had now brought the ship in nearer the bank it took almost no time for the ellyn to row to the small cove, where a camp fire could be seen, and three blond heads caught the early moonlight. Long enough, though, for Elrohir to point out that Legolas’ plan had included all the mortals staying on the boat, to await Erchirion, particularly to allow Tindómë and Rumil to be reunited without onlookers.
“As”, he concluded, “we don’t really count…”
……………………………………………………………………
When they did arrive, however, it seemed to Tindómë that the whole court of Gondor could have borne witness to her reunion with Rumil without being shocked.
The three blond figures stood still, as those in the rowboat came ashore, stern-faced.
‘Huh!’ Tindómë thought, ‘Galadhrim warriors, much, guys?’
Presumably either Legolas didn’t want to be out-warriored or he was still in ‘commander mode’.
Legolas spoke first. “Is the ship secure?”
“Yes, captain.” It was Galanthir who answered.
“Are you uninjured, Tindómë?”
‘M’kay,’ she thought, ‘it’s the debriefing.’
“I am fine, except for a headache, gwador.”
He still didn’t smile but went on, “Is everyone else uninjured?”
“Everyone,” Elladan reported.
Legolas gave a small nod, and took a step towards Tindómë just as Elrohir added, “Well, apart from Gimli.”
He paused for a heartbeat whilst Legolas swivelled towards him.
“He is likely to have a crick in his neck, for at least a week, from trying to avoid looking at Galanthir, Elladan, and me below the chin.”
There was a pause again. Tindómë was sure that Legolas was making Elrohir wait. It was fascinating to see her, usually quite placid, gwador in captain mode.
Except that Elrohir obviously thought it was time for him to loosen up a bit now…
Suddenly Legolas’ shoulders relaxed and he smiled.
He put both hands onto Tindómë’s shoulders, looked her in the eyes, and said “Nethig…” before giving her a quick hug.
Then, and only then, did Orophin and Rumil step forward. Orophin dropped a whisper of a kiss on her forehead, just as Elrohir had earlier, and then Rumil simply took both her hands in his, brought his forehead down to touch hers, and held her gaze in his.
He said nothing but, with the skin to skin contact, his emotions wrapped around her and caressed her.
……………………………………………………………………
On board the captured Corsair ship Éowyn had stayed on deck and leant on the rail trying not to look as if she was watching what happened when the rowing boat reached the bank. She justified this to herself because she was still worried about the young half-elven girl, and because, as Legolas’ Elven colony was in Ithilien, it was important for her to know as much as possible about elves.
There wasn’t a lot of light but, by firelight and what moonlight there was, she could just see the three blond heads. She could see how, if their hair was covered, they would be almost invisible.
As the elves climbed out of the rowing boat the three on the bank didn’t move; one of the rowers gave Tindómë a hand and helped her disembark, and still none of the three on the bank moved.
Éowyn began to worry. Had she been kidnapped as Tindómë had, and Faramir or Éomer stood on the bank, they would have dashed forward and embraced her.
It seemed a long time before one of the three blonds, she was pretty sure it was Legolas, clasped the girl by the shoulders briefly. Then a second figure, surely it must be Rumil, stepped forward – but he only dipped his head briefly towards Tindómë’s and stepped back. Finally the third male stepped forward, and the firelight caught his face – this one was Tindómë’s ‘almost betrothed’.
He took her hands in his and leant forward until their faces were close together, and then they simply stood. The others moved around the camp site and seemed to be ignoring them. After the embrace with the naked whichever-twin-it-was Éowyn was both surprised and, slightly, disappointed. But she had a feeling it was probably all very romantic…
……………………………………………………………………
Tindómë wasn’t sure how long they stood together – the others simply went about whatever they were doing around them – but she knew that by the time they moved apart both of them were calm, which they had really not been when they had first touched. This odd link with Rumil was amazing, and scary; she wondered what it would be like once they did become soul-bound.
Before she could get too deep in thought Orophin asked her if she was hungry.
“Not really – I had a bowl of soup only an hour or two ago – but it was salty. I’d really like a drink,” she thought for a minute, “uh, yeah, actually I think I would like something to eat, too.”
“Hobbit!” said Orophin, with a smile.
“No – well, maybe! Just, I’d rather the last thing I’d eaten was our food…”
This earned her understanding nods from all around.
Rumil steered her to where packs and a couple of large rocks formed a ‘seating area’ near the fire, and pulled her down to sit tucked into the crook of his arm but, almost as soon as he did so, he pulled away a little.
“I am sorry meleth, I stink. I have not bathed since before we rode out together.”
Tindómë snuggled back against him before answering.
“No – you smell fine, just a bit horsy,” then a sudden thought, “but I probably don’t – it’s just as long since I bathed…”
“I did not say that, meleth… but you do smell of that man and his ship. We could bathe in the river together.”
“Yes,” she answered with sudden certainty, “I would like to do that before I eat.”
“Come, then, I will wash your hair for you…” The tone of Rumil’s voice let her know that this would be as much a pleasure for him as for her.
“I will bathe, too.” Orophin joined the conversation. “I must also smell rather much of horses.”
“We three are fine,” Elladan’s hand waved to include Elrohir and Galanthir. “We will prepare something to eat, for my lady’s delectation, while you bathe!”
“I have been on horseback these two days as well,” Legolas said, “I will join you in the river.”
Then he turned to Orophin.
“We might be bathing by starlight – but if you think that this constitutes starlight bathing, and expect me to wash your hair, then you will be disappointed!”
The wide grin, missing ever since he had arrived in Minas Tirith and she had told him of that overheard conversation, made Tindómë smile – the captain of warriors had returned to being her gwador.
The full scale eye roll from Orophin, and his answering “You should be so lucky,” confirmed that, at least for this evening, all sense of rank and warrior-dom had now been set aside and she was truly at home amongst her family again.
……………………………………………………………………
On board the Corsair ship, that now lay at anchor not far from shore, Éowyn stood at the stern, with Faramir behind her, looking back up the river and waiting for Erchirion’s vessel to arrive.
Her husband’s arms were around her waist; his chin atop her head.
“It is a beautiful night,” he said, and then, “I am glad that you are here.”
She decided this was not the time to ask about his attitude to naked elves.
The quiet was broken by the sound of laughter; clear, joyful, echoing across the water. Éowyn turned her head to look towards the campsite and saw the moonlight glinting on four pale bodies, all waist-deep in the river. The water was splashing, one figure dived under the water; they reminded her of her childhood.
It was hard to believe that the figures frolicking in the river must be some of the stern-faced warriors of such a short time before. She let her gaze linger; actually, she realized, the figures in the river were the three blonds who had stayed ashore and – as the darker haired figure turned and the body curves became clearer – Tindómë.
She wasn’t sure whether she should be shocked – whether Faramir might be shocked – and yet the sound of that innocent, musical, almost childlike, laughter made her smile.
She would like to play like that, some day, with Faramir, she thought, rather wistfully. Perhaps, once they were home in Ithilien, they could ride out together to some small stream where no-one would overlook them…
“Ha!” Gimli’s voice, from somewhere else on deck, broke into her reverie, “everything sounds as if it is well, ashore. Good.”
It occurred to Éowyn that the dwarf seemed more familiar with the ways of elves than she was, even though she was the Princess of Ithilien. Perhaps she and Faramir should spend more time in the recovering forest amongst the elves; Aragorn and Arwen had already stayed in Legolas’ growing village and yet the Princess of Ithilien had only visited, for a couple of hours, once or twice.
Time spent amongst the elves might be rather pleasant. Her small son would probably enjoy it too. She would have to persuade Faramir that it would be a good idea.
As the figures in the water began to make their way to the bank Éowyn, rather reluctantly, drew her gaze away from them, and looked at Faramir. He was watching her with a slightly amused expression – at least he wasn’t looking at her disapprovingly, she thought with relief.
……………………………………………………………………
Galanthir’s voice called them out of the river. His brown hair, freshly re-braided, glinted red in the light of the fire over which he was, now, making toast.
There was something totally incongruous about the warrior she had seen on board the Corsair ship making toast. Tindómë started to giggle and found herself laughing almost hysterically.
As she stood, facing Rumil with her head on his shoulder, hands clutching her sides, she could feel that he was somewhat bemused. Eventually Elrohir passed her a drink, and the laughter subsided into hiccoughs.
There were a number of worried faces turned towards her.
“It’s just… it’s just… toast!”
“You do not like toast?” Galanthir asked.
“Oh, yes! Toast is a really good idea. It’s sort of… of… comfort food. It’s just… a few minutes ago you were all ‘Hey! Warrior here,’ and now you’re making toast… it’s… it’s…” She gave up trying to explain. “I just… oh, I love you guys,” she finished.
“Good…” said Galanthir, and then, with a grin, “Does that include me?”
“Oh, totally. You’re the one who’s making me toast!”
Galanthir glanced sideways at Legolas before continuing the conversation.
“It is not only for you. I have spent many years in Legolas’ patrol…”
All eyes turned towards Legolas. He shrugged his shoulders. (Tindómë wished again that she could do that incredibly elegant shoulder shrug that seemed to come so naturally to the ellyn.)
Galanthir continued, “When he was younger he wouldn’t eat before a planned attack, but would be very hungry afterwards. And we usually had some bread, even if it might be four or five days since we left the stronghold…”
This image of Legolas as a young warrior, too nervous, or too on edge, to eat properly before a fight, was fascinating. She looked over, wondering if he was embarrassed but no, he was smiling gently.
“I don’t suppose you were organised enough to bring the blackberry jam, though,” he said.
“No. My apologies, my prince, you will have to cope with cheese.”
The terribly formal apology was given with another broad smile – and the way Legolas was soon happily eating toast and cheese gave the impression that the apology had been, and Galanthir knew it, totally unnecessary.
Wrapped in Rumil’s cloak, toast and cheese in one hand, a hot drink in the other, while Rumil carefully untangled her hair, Tindómë had a sudden thought.
“Bummer. If I rinse my leggings and tunic in the river do you think they’d be dry to wear in the morning? ‘Cos I guess they’ll still smell of ‘that man and his ship’.”
“There are clean clothes for you in one of the packs,” Legolas said.
“Elo! Thanks guys. I didn’t expect you’d have thought of it.”
The ellyn all looked at one another.
“We didn’t,” Legolas admitted. “We were all focussed on finding out what had happened to you, where you were, and bringing you back. Éowyn thought of it. She told me while we waited for nightfall that they were there for you.”
“I’ve really, really, got to thank her; I will feel so much better after putting on clean clothes.”
None of the ellyn said anything in answer but Rumil held her more closely.
She was warm and comfortable, and feeling drowsy.
“Did you learn anything from the man?” Legolas asked.
“Some. I have so got to tell you what he was going to do with me. Except that I knew he wasn’t, ‘cos I knew you’d be here, and here you were…”
“She is tired,” Rumil’s voice was firm.
“You are right,” answered Legolas. “It will wait until the morning. We will take the watches. Rest now, nethig.”
Elladan joined in the conversation. “Take your bedrolls away from the fire – it is warm enough, and you will be less easily seen from the ship as the sun rises.” A hint of humour crept in, “It would be a shame to shock anyone with the sight of you both wrapped together in Rumil’s cloak to help you sleep without nightmares, little one.”
……………………………………………………………………
A little later, wrapped together as Elladan had said, Tindómë snuggled against Rumil. She was warm against him; he curled himself around the soft curves of her hip and her buttocks, wrapped an arm around her just below her breasts. But this was not a time for sexual desire; it was a time for simple comfort. And, he thought, not just for Tindómë.
“Are you worried that your feet will tread unpleasant dream paths, meleth? The man did not frighten you, did he?”
“No, no, he didn’t, well apart from knocking me out and kidnapping me.”
“I will be with you whilst you sleep, I will not let that memory come to you. Are you upset because you killed him, meleth?”
“Did I? Or did you? Or did Elladan?”
“Would you feel better or worse to know if it was you?”
“I don’t think I would feel worse. I think I might feel worse if I had been helpless…”
“Then I will tell you what I think… what I know. You did well – you did exactly as Orophin and I and the weapons masters taught you. Your strike was first. You would have defended yourself even if we had not been there.”
For a moment he thought about telling her what had frightened him. What had passed through his mind in the time between releasing his arrow and it hitting the target. But he did not want to say anything that could trouble her mind and stop her sleeping peacefully.
He gently nuzzled her hair, and whispered words of love and comfort until he heard her breathing slow as she slept.
He would not sleep tonight. He would stay awake and make sure she slept peacefully. He would stay awake so that he would know that she was here, and unharmed.
He did not think that he would ever tell her of the moment of terror as he saw her twist and move; just as he had set the arrow off on its course. The moment of terror when he realised that her movement could put into the path of the arrow not the man but Tindómë herself.
He would stay awake because it was all too likely that the path of his own dreams would not be easy.
.........................................................................................................
Sindarin Translation -
“Mae Govannen, Tindómë, ce mae?” - “Well met, are you alright?”
gwador – sworn kinsman.
……………………………………………………………
The BtVS characters do not belong to me, but are used for amusement only. All rights remain the property of Mutant Enemy, Joss Whedon, and the original TV companies. The same is true of the LotR characters for whom all rights remain the property of the estate of JRR Tolkien and the companies responsible for the production of the films.
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As usual comments and feedback are greatly appreciated.
Word count 3,440
Rated 15 as usual
Beta'd by the inestimable
speakr2customrsElrohir had dropped the lightest of kisses on Tindómë’s forehead before he took a couple of steps away from her to collect, and pull on, his leggings. He then took the other pairs of leggings from Éowyn and headed forward.
Tindómë looked down at her hand, still bloodied, and suddenly remembered learning about Lady Macbeth. She had tried not to touch Elrohir as he held her close and now she couldn’t decide what to use to wipe it.
Then Éowyn, blessedly practical Éowyn, leant over the other body on the rear deck, ripped a length of fabric from the clothing, took Tindómë’s hand between her two, and wiped it.
“Are you alright?” Éowyn asked. “You’re not injured, are you?”
“No, no, I’m not injured,” Tindómë reassured the other young woman. “I, uh, I stabbed him...”
“He didn’t, um, assault you, did he?”
“Oh, no!” Tindómë suddenly wanted to giggle at the idea that yet another bit of strange folk-lore about the Elves had, this time, been quite protective. This was not, however, the place to explain that to Éowyn.
Before any further conversation could take place Elladan, now also in leggings, came aft with two sailors walking ahead of his drawn sword.
“We are steering in towards the river bank now. These two will then drop the anchor so that we can await Erchirion’s ship.”
He glanced around. “Then we had better clean up a little. We have six bodies above, four below, and one injured,” he said, nodding towards Éowyn. “He is just regaining consciousness. Faramir tells me that we have three men locked in a cabin, and two more who are willing to cooperate.”
He paused, and then went on, “Gimli, if you could keep an eye, and an axe, on these two I will retrieve my knife – and Tindómë’s.”
He moved to Lomion’s body and removed the arrow. He wiped the arrow head on Lomion’s tunic and ran his finger along the fletching. “Rumil’s,” he said.
Tindómë had known it would be. (“Rumil always takes rearguard…” Orophin’s voice from, was it really only weeks, before? Although she was pretty sure it would have been Rumil’s even had they been at the front of the ship...)
Elladan then took the two knives from the body, wiped them in the same way, and handed hers to Tindómë.
It was, she thought, a test; even if he didn’t mean it to be. She took the knife and slid it back into the sheath inside her boot without fuss or comment.
He touched her cheek gently with his finger tips and said, in quiet Sindarin, “Well done, little warrior, it is very good to have you back.”
A smile appeared fleetingly before he added, “And we will have you back with Rumil very soon!”
“Good!” Tindómë answered, and then “Thank you, Elladan, for everything.”
She turned to Éowyn who was still standing nearby and switched back into the Common Tongue.
“Thank you for coming with, Éowyn, and you too, Gimli.”
“Aye, well, you don’t think I’d have let them come chasing after you alone, do you?” he answered, gruffly, “and as well, now, for you to all go ashore – before Legolas decides to come out to the boat to see what’s happening.”
She hadn’t thought of that – Legolas and anything associated with the sea were just not mixy things… and although the twins had said, back three years ago, that they seemed fairly immune to the effect, she didn’t like to think of Galanthir getting the sea-longing on her account.
“It is my pleasure,” said Éowyn, “Seriously. I would much rather be here, where everything is happening, than have been left behind worrying about you, or about Faramir.”
Tindómë smiled. “Me too, usually – although I’d have been happy to have been left behind on this trip!”
There was a moment of understanding between the two, part of an unofficial sisterhood of ‘women who won’t be caged’, before Galanthir came aft.
“Mae Govannen, Tindómë, ce mae?”
Although he spoke the Common Tongue well, she thought, his role of ‘not understanding’ meant he hardly ever used it in public, even when it would probably have been more polite.
“I’m fine, now that you are all here, honestly,” she answered him in Sindarin, “thank you, thank you for being here, for everything.”
She didn’t like to ask whether the ship made him feel… odd, just in case.
Once Faramir and the two riders had also seen for themselves that she was well Gimli more or less chased Tindómë and all the ellyn to the stern and into the rowing boat.
“Legolas said that they were to go back, and take you back with them,” he explained. “Now go, before those three decide to swim out!”
As they had now brought the ship in nearer the bank it took almost no time for the ellyn to row to the small cove, where a camp fire could be seen, and three blond heads caught the early moonlight. Long enough, though, for Elrohir to point out that Legolas’ plan had included all the mortals staying on the boat, to await Erchirion, particularly to allow Tindómë and Rumil to be reunited without onlookers.
“As”, he concluded, “we don’t really count…”
……………………………………………………………………
When they did arrive, however, it seemed to Tindómë that the whole court of Gondor could have borne witness to her reunion with Rumil without being shocked.
The three blond figures stood still, as those in the rowboat came ashore, stern-faced.
‘Huh!’ Tindómë thought, ‘Galadhrim warriors, much, guys?’
Presumably either Legolas didn’t want to be out-warriored or he was still in ‘commander mode’.
Legolas spoke first. “Is the ship secure?”
“Yes, captain.” It was Galanthir who answered.
“Are you uninjured, Tindómë?”
‘M’kay,’ she thought, ‘it’s the debriefing.’
“I am fine, except for a headache, gwador.”
He still didn’t smile but went on, “Is everyone else uninjured?”
“Everyone,” Elladan reported.
Legolas gave a small nod, and took a step towards Tindómë just as Elrohir added, “Well, apart from Gimli.”
He paused for a heartbeat whilst Legolas swivelled towards him.
“He is likely to have a crick in his neck, for at least a week, from trying to avoid looking at Galanthir, Elladan, and me below the chin.”
There was a pause again. Tindómë was sure that Legolas was making Elrohir wait. It was fascinating to see her, usually quite placid, gwador in captain mode.
Except that Elrohir obviously thought it was time for him to loosen up a bit now…
Suddenly Legolas’ shoulders relaxed and he smiled.
He put both hands onto Tindómë’s shoulders, looked her in the eyes, and said “Nethig…” before giving her a quick hug.
Then, and only then, did Orophin and Rumil step forward. Orophin dropped a whisper of a kiss on her forehead, just as Elrohir had earlier, and then Rumil simply took both her hands in his, brought his forehead down to touch hers, and held her gaze in his.
He said nothing but, with the skin to skin contact, his emotions wrapped around her and caressed her.
……………………………………………………………………
On board the captured Corsair ship Éowyn had stayed on deck and leant on the rail trying not to look as if she was watching what happened when the rowing boat reached the bank. She justified this to herself because she was still worried about the young half-elven girl, and because, as Legolas’ Elven colony was in Ithilien, it was important for her to know as much as possible about elves.
There wasn’t a lot of light but, by firelight and what moonlight there was, she could just see the three blond heads. She could see how, if their hair was covered, they would be almost invisible.
As the elves climbed out of the rowing boat the three on the bank didn’t move; one of the rowers gave Tindómë a hand and helped her disembark, and still none of the three on the bank moved.
Éowyn began to worry. Had she been kidnapped as Tindómë had, and Faramir or Éomer stood on the bank, they would have dashed forward and embraced her.
It seemed a long time before one of the three blonds, she was pretty sure it was Legolas, clasped the girl by the shoulders briefly. Then a second figure, surely it must be Rumil, stepped forward – but he only dipped his head briefly towards Tindómë’s and stepped back. Finally the third male stepped forward, and the firelight caught his face – this one was Tindómë’s ‘almost betrothed’.
He took her hands in his and leant forward until their faces were close together, and then they simply stood. The others moved around the camp site and seemed to be ignoring them. After the embrace with the naked whichever-twin-it-was Éowyn was both surprised and, slightly, disappointed. But she had a feeling it was probably all very romantic…
……………………………………………………………………
Tindómë wasn’t sure how long they stood together – the others simply went about whatever they were doing around them – but she knew that by the time they moved apart both of them were calm, which they had really not been when they had first touched. This odd link with Rumil was amazing, and scary; she wondered what it would be like once they did become soul-bound.
Before she could get too deep in thought Orophin asked her if she was hungry.
“Not really – I had a bowl of soup only an hour or two ago – but it was salty. I’d really like a drink,” she thought for a minute, “uh, yeah, actually I think I would like something to eat, too.”
“Hobbit!” said Orophin, with a smile.
“No – well, maybe! Just, I’d rather the last thing I’d eaten was our food…”
This earned her understanding nods from all around.
Rumil steered her to where packs and a couple of large rocks formed a ‘seating area’ near the fire, and pulled her down to sit tucked into the crook of his arm but, almost as soon as he did so, he pulled away a little.
“I am sorry meleth, I stink. I have not bathed since before we rode out together.”
Tindómë snuggled back against him before answering.
“No – you smell fine, just a bit horsy,” then a sudden thought, “but I probably don’t – it’s just as long since I bathed…”
“I did not say that, meleth… but you do smell of that man and his ship. We could bathe in the river together.”
“Yes,” she answered with sudden certainty, “I would like to do that before I eat.”
“Come, then, I will wash your hair for you…” The tone of Rumil’s voice let her know that this would be as much a pleasure for him as for her.
“I will bathe, too.” Orophin joined the conversation. “I must also smell rather much of horses.”
“We three are fine,” Elladan’s hand waved to include Elrohir and Galanthir. “We will prepare something to eat, for my lady’s delectation, while you bathe!”
“I have been on horseback these two days as well,” Legolas said, “I will join you in the river.”
Then he turned to Orophin.
“We might be bathing by starlight – but if you think that this constitutes starlight bathing, and expect me to wash your hair, then you will be disappointed!”
The wide grin, missing ever since he had arrived in Minas Tirith and she had told him of that overheard conversation, made Tindómë smile – the captain of warriors had returned to being her gwador.
The full scale eye roll from Orophin, and his answering “You should be so lucky,” confirmed that, at least for this evening, all sense of rank and warrior-dom had now been set aside and she was truly at home amongst her family again.
……………………………………………………………………
On board the Corsair ship, that now lay at anchor not far from shore, Éowyn stood at the stern, with Faramir behind her, looking back up the river and waiting for Erchirion’s vessel to arrive.
Her husband’s arms were around her waist; his chin atop her head.
“It is a beautiful night,” he said, and then, “I am glad that you are here.”
She decided this was not the time to ask about his attitude to naked elves.
The quiet was broken by the sound of laughter; clear, joyful, echoing across the water. Éowyn turned her head to look towards the campsite and saw the moonlight glinting on four pale bodies, all waist-deep in the river. The water was splashing, one figure dived under the water; they reminded her of her childhood.
It was hard to believe that the figures frolicking in the river must be some of the stern-faced warriors of such a short time before. She let her gaze linger; actually, she realized, the figures in the river were the three blonds who had stayed ashore and – as the darker haired figure turned and the body curves became clearer – Tindómë.
She wasn’t sure whether she should be shocked – whether Faramir might be shocked – and yet the sound of that innocent, musical, almost childlike, laughter made her smile.
She would like to play like that, some day, with Faramir, she thought, rather wistfully. Perhaps, once they were home in Ithilien, they could ride out together to some small stream where no-one would overlook them…
“Ha!” Gimli’s voice, from somewhere else on deck, broke into her reverie, “everything sounds as if it is well, ashore. Good.”
It occurred to Éowyn that the dwarf seemed more familiar with the ways of elves than she was, even though she was the Princess of Ithilien. Perhaps she and Faramir should spend more time in the recovering forest amongst the elves; Aragorn and Arwen had already stayed in Legolas’ growing village and yet the Princess of Ithilien had only visited, for a couple of hours, once or twice.
Time spent amongst the elves might be rather pleasant. Her small son would probably enjoy it too. She would have to persuade Faramir that it would be a good idea.
As the figures in the water began to make their way to the bank Éowyn, rather reluctantly, drew her gaze away from them, and looked at Faramir. He was watching her with a slightly amused expression – at least he wasn’t looking at her disapprovingly, she thought with relief.
……………………………………………………………………
Galanthir’s voice called them out of the river. His brown hair, freshly re-braided, glinted red in the light of the fire over which he was, now, making toast.
There was something totally incongruous about the warrior she had seen on board the Corsair ship making toast. Tindómë started to giggle and found herself laughing almost hysterically.
As she stood, facing Rumil with her head on his shoulder, hands clutching her sides, she could feel that he was somewhat bemused. Eventually Elrohir passed her a drink, and the laughter subsided into hiccoughs.
There were a number of worried faces turned towards her.
“It’s just… it’s just… toast!”
“You do not like toast?” Galanthir asked.
“Oh, yes! Toast is a really good idea. It’s sort of… of… comfort food. It’s just… a few minutes ago you were all ‘Hey! Warrior here,’ and now you’re making toast… it’s… it’s…” She gave up trying to explain. “I just… oh, I love you guys,” she finished.
“Good…” said Galanthir, and then, with a grin, “Does that include me?”
“Oh, totally. You’re the one who’s making me toast!”
Galanthir glanced sideways at Legolas before continuing the conversation.
“It is not only for you. I have spent many years in Legolas’ patrol…”
All eyes turned towards Legolas. He shrugged his shoulders. (Tindómë wished again that she could do that incredibly elegant shoulder shrug that seemed to come so naturally to the ellyn.)
Galanthir continued, “When he was younger he wouldn’t eat before a planned attack, but would be very hungry afterwards. And we usually had some bread, even if it might be four or five days since we left the stronghold…”
This image of Legolas as a young warrior, too nervous, or too on edge, to eat properly before a fight, was fascinating. She looked over, wondering if he was embarrassed but no, he was smiling gently.
“I don’t suppose you were organised enough to bring the blackberry jam, though,” he said.
“No. My apologies, my prince, you will have to cope with cheese.”
The terribly formal apology was given with another broad smile – and the way Legolas was soon happily eating toast and cheese gave the impression that the apology had been, and Galanthir knew it, totally unnecessary.
Wrapped in Rumil’s cloak, toast and cheese in one hand, a hot drink in the other, while Rumil carefully untangled her hair, Tindómë had a sudden thought.
“Bummer. If I rinse my leggings and tunic in the river do you think they’d be dry to wear in the morning? ‘Cos I guess they’ll still smell of ‘that man and his ship’.”
“There are clean clothes for you in one of the packs,” Legolas said.
“Elo! Thanks guys. I didn’t expect you’d have thought of it.”
The ellyn all looked at one another.
“We didn’t,” Legolas admitted. “We were all focussed on finding out what had happened to you, where you were, and bringing you back. Éowyn thought of it. She told me while we waited for nightfall that they were there for you.”
“I’ve really, really, got to thank her; I will feel so much better after putting on clean clothes.”
None of the ellyn said anything in answer but Rumil held her more closely.
She was warm and comfortable, and feeling drowsy.
“Did you learn anything from the man?” Legolas asked.
“Some. I have so got to tell you what he was going to do with me. Except that I knew he wasn’t, ‘cos I knew you’d be here, and here you were…”
“She is tired,” Rumil’s voice was firm.
“You are right,” answered Legolas. “It will wait until the morning. We will take the watches. Rest now, nethig.”
Elladan joined in the conversation. “Take your bedrolls away from the fire – it is warm enough, and you will be less easily seen from the ship as the sun rises.” A hint of humour crept in, “It would be a shame to shock anyone with the sight of you both wrapped together in Rumil’s cloak to help you sleep without nightmares, little one.”
……………………………………………………………………
A little later, wrapped together as Elladan had said, Tindómë snuggled against Rumil. She was warm against him; he curled himself around the soft curves of her hip and her buttocks, wrapped an arm around her just below her breasts. But this was not a time for sexual desire; it was a time for simple comfort. And, he thought, not just for Tindómë.
“Are you worried that your feet will tread unpleasant dream paths, meleth? The man did not frighten you, did he?”
“No, no, he didn’t, well apart from knocking me out and kidnapping me.”
“I will be with you whilst you sleep, I will not let that memory come to you. Are you upset because you killed him, meleth?”
“Did I? Or did you? Or did Elladan?”
“Would you feel better or worse to know if it was you?”
“I don’t think I would feel worse. I think I might feel worse if I had been helpless…”
“Then I will tell you what I think… what I know. You did well – you did exactly as Orophin and I and the weapons masters taught you. Your strike was first. You would have defended yourself even if we had not been there.”
For a moment he thought about telling her what had frightened him. What had passed through his mind in the time between releasing his arrow and it hitting the target. But he did not want to say anything that could trouble her mind and stop her sleeping peacefully.
He gently nuzzled her hair, and whispered words of love and comfort until he heard her breathing slow as she slept.
He would not sleep tonight. He would stay awake and make sure she slept peacefully. He would stay awake so that he would know that she was here, and unharmed.
He did not think that he would ever tell her of the moment of terror as he saw her twist and move; just as he had set the arrow off on its course. The moment of terror when he realised that her movement could put into the path of the arrow not the man but Tindómë herself.
He would stay awake because it was all too likely that the path of his own dreams would not be easy.
.........................................................................................................
Sindarin Translation -
“Mae Govannen, Tindómë, ce mae?” - “Well met, are you alright?”
gwador – sworn kinsman.
……………………………………………………………
The BtVS characters do not belong to me, but are used for amusement only. All rights remain the property of Mutant Enemy, Joss Whedon, and the original TV companies. The same is true of the LotR characters for whom all rights remain the property of the estate of JRR Tolkien and the companies responsible for the production of the films.
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As usual comments and feedback are greatly appreciated.
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Date: 30/11/2009 10:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 02/12/2009 11:25 am (UTC)(sorry ... slinks off to work on my pedantry)
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Date: 02/12/2009 01:29 pm (UTC)Of course it is - totally. What else could it be...? :~P
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Date: 30/11/2009 09:43 pm (UTC)I can imagine poor Rumil's inner distress.
Well done.
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Date: 30/11/2009 10:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 30/11/2009 10:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 30/11/2009 10:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 30/11/2009 10:54 pm (UTC)And I'm glad to hear that Eowyn had thought of something the elves had overlooked, and that Tindómë appreciated her being there! The poor thing deserves a trip to Legolas' colony so she can let her hair down ;-)
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Date: 30/11/2009 11:52 pm (UTC)But, as all three of them simultaneously took advantage of Lomion having to move away from the doorway, and Rumil's arrow would take the longest to reach the target... there must have been a second or two that would have filled him with that abject terror as she moved just as he released the bowstring!
Éowyn is a practical young woman, I think and - especially as she had the underlying fear that Tindómë might have been physically assaulted - knowing that clean clothes would be important in such circumstances is definitely more a 'girl thing' than a warrior thing.
I have a feeling that, should Éowyn go to Eryn Ithil for any length of time, she would probably leave her shift on to go into the bathing pool. Unless Tindómë explains the concept of Starlight Bathing, and she not only had Faramir with her, but was absolutely sure that no-one would overlook them...
no subject
Date: 30/11/2009 10:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 30/11/2009 11:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 30/11/2009 11:35 pm (UTC)Nice chapter. :-)
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Date: 01/12/2009 12:00 am (UTC)I knew that he would fire, and that she would twist and grab that knife, and then I realised the awful possibility that she could put herself in line of fire.
I wouldn't have done that to her - we know she survived to be there in the later chapters of Return of The Key and he is too good a bowman for the shot to be anywhere but at Lomion's neck height, and so that twist could only give the possibility of him hitting her in the head...
But it occurred to me that the possibility would, for that second or two, have been very real to him.
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Date: 01/12/2009 12:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 01/12/2009 08:41 am (UTC)So I like to think it is quite feasible that there was some Mirkwoodshire sauce in Galanthir's pack!
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Date: 01/12/2009 03:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 01/12/2009 08:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 01/12/2009 07:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 01/12/2009 08:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 02/12/2009 11:24 am (UTC)I hope Eowyn gets to go starlight bathing with her Faramir sometime soon, and yes, some time among the elves while they are still present would be a blessing too. I love what you have done with Eowyn - and Arwen too, although for different reasons.
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Date: 02/12/2009 01:41 pm (UTC)I realised just how all three (well four, including Elrohir) would react - and also realised, as quickly, that there would have been this 'lag time' between him releasing the arrow and it reaching the ship and, as you know, I kind of like there to be consequences to things!
As for the nightmares - the movement into line of fire by another elf must have happened to him in the past more than once - but this is the first time the possible victim of 'friendly-fire' is his 'not-quite-betrothed' - another one of those things that having a 'significant other' brings.
Although, as I said to Manoah, he will probably never tell her, although she might eventually realise it herself. But anything that might make her hesitate to defend herself in future is not good - so he will keep that moment to himself. Although both Orophin and Legolas will, doubtless, have realised what he must have felt.
I'm really glad that you like 'my' Éowyn and Arwen. We will see Arwen again in the last couple of chapters - which are fast approaching.