Immigrants, chapter Nine.
9 Jun 2012 10:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
curiouswombatSorry - this has taken a while - I plead my Writercon talk, and industrial quantities of carrot cake for this...
Immigrants, Chapter Nine.
Story Rated 15
Word count, this chapter =3170
Previous chapters are here
Disclaimer: The characters in this story do not belong to me, but are being used for amusement only, and all rights remain with the estate of JRR Tolkien. And Joss Whedon if he ever recognises his Key...
Chapter Nine
Chapter Nine
The strangers arrived in Alqualondë in the middle of the morning. They wore travelling clothes in greens and browns and carried packs. As they asked for directions the local Telerin Elves recognised the dialect they spoke as that of the Wood Elves; close enough to their own language to understand, as long as those conversing spoke slowly and kept their words simple.
They could not be members of the group who had arrived on the ‘Heart of Eryn Ithil’; nor did it seem likely that they had lived for any time, in the past, in Alqualondë after having landed in earlier ships – for they did not seem to know their way around at all.
As they made their way up the road towards their destination they passed some of the houses where the Ithilrim currently lived; but most of the inhabitants were either on the beach or indoors preparing food and wrapping gifts. The newcomers were almost at the gates of Master Elrond’s domain before anyone noticed them at all. And although news of their arrival, and their significance, reached Tindómë within no more than another ten minutes, the person they had come to see had very little warning at all.
“We heard of your arrival within a week or two,” one of the strangers said, “and when the wizard Mithrandir came to us and explained that you were planning to celebrate the Solstice, we knew that it was time to come and make ourselves known to you, our prince.”
This ellon, Tangannel, introduced the other ellyn. There was also a young elleth with them. Legolas looked questioningly at her.
“I will explain why the youngling travels with us, my prince,” Tangannel said, “in a little while.” Then he went on to give Legolas the news that something he had only suspected was, indeed, fact.
There were Wood Elves living quietly in woodland only a week’s walk away from Alqualondë; Wood Elves who had mainly been released from Mandos’ Halls. Only a hundred or so, in a wood that sounded to be about the size of Eryn Ithil, but Tangannel (who had served under, and died alongside, King Oropher in the War of the Last Alliance) said that he knew of three or four other small groups spread out over woodlands many, many, miles apart.
“There may be other groups as well,” he went on. “I found myself emerging into the trees amongst whose branches I now live – and my wife was there to welcome me. She had taken the risk, to sail West in hope, and had made a home, with the handful who had sailed with her, in almost the first good woodland they found. They arrived about a yén ago – and I joined her, a score of years later. Since then there have been a few who have arrived by sea – more who had taken the route of death. Others may have travelled even further than those we already know – and their dead returned to them in those places.”
“We had thought, from the Galadhrim we have met,” Legolas said, “that this must be how it works, and when my small sister asked Mithrandir he did not deny it.”
He was going to say more, but Tangannel interrupted, “I am sorry my lord prince, I had not realised that King Oropher also had a granddaughter.”
Legolas explained. In fact he was glad of the opportunity to do so, clearly, so that there should be no future doubts amongst his own people about his lack of blood relationship to Ithilienne. ‘Ah,’ he thought, ‘as Tindómë would say, you have it bad – that you begin to consider everything in terms of Ithilienne…’
And clearly, thinking of Mithrandir, his visit to Tangannel’s group explained the Maia’s absence from the preparations!
The conversation continued. That Legolas was organising the proper solstice celebration had shown them that he was not ‘frayed, his fëa thin,’ as they had heard some arrivals were; at last they would have a leader from the House of Oropher. But Mithrandir had explained that Legolas was committed to the Fellowship as much as to the people of The Greenwood, and so his people simply wanted him to know that they were there and would await his pleasure. In the meantime this delegation hoped to celebrate with him, and their fellow Wood Elves.
His people, awaiting his pleasure; Legolas was not sure, just yet, how he felt about that. It would take thought. It could wait.
He said they were most welcome to join the celebrations.
“Good,” said Tangannel, gesturing to his pack, “For we have brought our celebration clothes… and ribbons for those who need them!
“But first,” he continued, “there is the youngling. She was released by Lord Námo into our midst only weeks ago – scarce days after we received news of your ship. One, or more, of her family must have been aboard. Come, Brethiliel, tell Prince Legolas of your family…”
……………………………………………………
“Galanthir’s sister? You mean the one who was killed by the spiders? Like, before Legolas was born?” Tindómë asked.
“Many yéni before Legolas was born,” Lithôniel confirmed. “She was, and is, a little younger than Ithilienne – perhaps ten years short of her majority. Of course the ellon who came looking for Galanthir did not tell him why Legolas wanted him – but I am told that Galanthir was almost speechless, which may be the first time in all the years that I have known him…”
Tindómë did not even ask how Lithôniel knew this so quickly. The mortals back in Middle Earth, who thought elves so distant and above the earthier things in life, never would have believed how quickly gossip spread in an elven community!
Rather, she asked “Do you think she will be at the bonfire? Oh! Do you think she will have a dress? If she is only a little younger than Ithilienne, perhaps we could offer…?”
……………………………………………………
The tables were laid out on the grass of Master Elrond’s gardens, bearing enough food to satisfy even Sam’s requirements. Lanterns were lit, creating a lace of light amongst the bare branches and the evergreen boughs. Final gifts were wrapped, and every unbound ellon had worked as many beribboned braids into his hair as he could; including, for the first time, Tharhîwon.
Gimli’s grey hair and beard were still as thick as they had been in his prime, and were also richly ornamented, although with more silver and mithril now than when he was younger – even dwarves preferred to be properly coordinated. The two elderly hobbits, too, wore their best clothes, and took seats on the lawn as other guests arrived, now too old to want to stay on their feet and circulate before the meal began.
Down in Alqualondë the Teleri would be holding their own feast to celebrate the longest night, but it seemed as if one or two had joined with new Silvan friends to celebrate with not only feasting but dancing and the bonfire. Master Elrond’s household would usually have greeted the first star of the night, and then retired indoors for a meal and songs, but tonight they were all prepared to feast outdoors and, perhaps, stay up all night with their Silvan guests.
As Legolas made his way outdoors he could see Lady Galadriel and her daughter, both in fine silk dresses, sparkling with jewels. He had been torn between sitting with Master Elrond and his wife and her mother, or the hobbits, or amongst his Ithilrim – now with the new arrivals amongst them. The Elves, he was sure, would understand if he sat with the hobbits, who might not see another such occasion, and yet it was the first time here in the West with his own people…
Tindómë, as often, had simplified matters when he mentioned this problem a few days before.
“The hobbits can have their table near Master Elrond’s. Gimli will want to sit with them so that he can ogle – uh – admire Her Ladyship, then you will stand with us to spot ‘first star’ and get all tight-lipped whilst you think of your Adar doing the same thing and I’ll think of the twins; so, I guess, will their parents. After that you can go sit with the hobbits and Gimli, to eat, before you come down to the beach with us to light the bonfire, and stay with us for the rest of the night. ‘S obvious.”
Well – it was when she put it like that.
“Of course,” she had added, “you’ll have to make sure Gimli and Her Ladyship come down to the beach if you want a chance of collecting on your wager.”
“Wager?” he had asked.
“Don’t come all innocent with me, atheg,” she had replied, “because if you haven’t joined in the wagers on who is going to dance first with Her Ladyship I will be seriously worried about you.”
And so it had been agreed, and Legolas made his way to the group of brightly dressed Wood Elves as the sun dropped behind the hills and the sky darkened.
He looked around the group – some faces, that had been there when they had celebrated the mid-summer solstice in Eryn Ithil such a short time ago, were missing of course. Perhaps most missed was Eldroth, his marchwarden since the first days of the colony, who had remained behind, to continue nurturing the trees of Ithilien, and had not yet decided whether to eventually join Legolas or return to Eryn Lasgalen.
As Tindómë had predicted, however, most missed were those faces he had seen only rarely at solstices since he had left Eryn Lasgalen for Ithilien; and not just his father and brother were in his thoughts, but Aragorn and Arwen, Faramir and Éowyn – all those who he had occasionally joined in Minas Tirith for their own celebrations – but would never see again.
He allowed himself a few moments of introspection before looking again at those who were here tonight. There were Saeldauron and Tária with Merilwen, Eryn Ithil’s first elfling, now a lively young elleth who was learning to be a weaver. Galanthir, who had been at Legolas side since his first ever patrol in what was then known as Mirkwood, who had been so stunned, earlier in the day, to be reunited with the sister who had been taken by spiders before Legolas’ birth.
‘Strange…’ Legolas thought. Galanthir was accompanied by Ithilienne – Legolas recognised the delicate pink and cream dress that Ithilienne had worn for a number of celebrations since her own coming of age. She always looked so sweet in it. But why was she with Galanthir?
Then he looked again. The elleth who was holding hands with Galanthir did not have Ithilienne’s unusual colouring; there was the rich brown hair, but without the touches of her father’s silver blonde that would catch the moonlight that she was, in part, named after. It must, Legolas realised, be Brethiliel.
Then he heard familiar laughter and turned to see Rumil and Tindómë talking to Orophin and Lithôniel. Standing with them was ‘the winter elfling’ – the now adult Tharhîwon – who was smiling at an elleth wearing a dress that was somewhere between blue and green, fastened up the back with tiny pearl buttons. An elleth with hair the colour of chestnuts – shot through with moonlight.
And this time, ‘sweet’ was not the first word that came to Legolas’ mind.
Someone called his name and he moved on.
………………………………………………
“Gil-minui! Gil-minui!” someone called. “First star!”
Tindómë looked, not at the sky, but at Celebrían and Master Elrond. She hoped the twins, and Lord Celeborn, would not take too many years to decide to sail West; the longing on Celebrían’s face was clear and even the usually inscrutable Lady Galadriel, standing beside her daughter, looked wistful.
Then Tindómë looked towards Legolas. He appeared, as she had predicted, tight-lipped as he tried to remain impassive. Beside him, ever a stalwart support, was Gimli.
‘Oh!’ Tindómë thought, ‘Even though the dwarves do not celebrate the turning of the seasons, when he knows others are thinking of family back in the East, he must think of his own people. I guess it must be having the same effect on the hobbits. Perhaps we shouldn’t have…”
But, before she could finish the thought, Legolas’ voice could be heard starting the traditional song of praise and thanks to Elbereth, star kindler, and other voices joined him.
It was good, Tindómë thought, that although they were in Master Elrond’s gardens, he saw it as Legolas’ role to begin the song – and how neat to think Elbereth could even be around, somewhere, listening!
Then people began to move towards the tables where the feast was laid out, and as she caught Gimli’s eye he smiled at her, whilst not too far away she could hear the two old hobbits laughing at something. No – the Silvan Elves most surely should not have put off their celebrations in case they upset the three mortals – the three mortals looked as if they were already having a good night.
A little further away Galanthir’s face was a picture as he kept looking at his new-found sister. Both he and Brethiliel had been delighted with the gift of the dress and accessories from Ithilienne, Tindómë, and Lithôniel. Tária and Merilwen also had given the young elleth solstice gifts as, no doubt, had others. Brethiliel may not have parents, here in the West, but she would not be short of females to befriend and advise her as she approached adulthood.
Tindómë was amused to see, however, that Galanthir clearly did not intend to spend the whole evening in the company of his sister. His usual red, green and metallic gold ribbons, along with copper leaves, beads and feathers, adorned his hair; clearly a single ellon taking part in ‘the hunt’. As if he felt her eyes on him, he turned, ‘winked’, and made a tiny kissing gesture; a promise for later!
People were beginning to settle at tables, last minute gifts were being given, and the food was calling to Tindómë’s stomach. Rumil took his wife by the hand and led her to a table, where the rest of the family already sat, close to that of the hobbits, Gimli, and Legolas. Tharhîwon sat with his father but within easy chatting distance of Haldirin and Ithilienne.
As Lithôniel recommended the roast ham with pickled pears (at which Sam could be seen to blush slightly) Rumil popped tiny savoury pastries into Tindómë’s mouth; reminding her, fleetingly, of their first days together in Minas Tirith. Next to her brother, Ithilienne was clearly making eyes at… Tharhîwon. She was complimenting him on the mushroom pastries that had been his contribution to the feast, asking if he was sure he knew what to do with his ribbons… and not even glancing at Legolas.
Tindómë turned her attention to Legolas a few yards away. He was deep in conversation with Gimli, but Gimli glanced at Tindómë, then at her daughter, and then back to Tindómë; his eyes crinkled into a smile before he turned back to his friend. She wondered if Gimli thought Legolas was trying not to look up the table.
Rumil’s voice inside her head was gently amused. ‘It is good for younglings to flirt. Even if her fëa begins to sing with Legolas’ she should flirt, or more, with others. It will not do your winter elfling any harm, either. I really should have let you do more of it before we bound… little one!’
After he had acknowledged, many years before, that he tended to call her ‘little one’ when he thought she did not understand something, he now did it as a private joke. She sent him a mental image of herself, poking her tongue out at him.
‘I kinda thought it was my decision that it was time to give up playing the field and bind myself to you, not yours!’ she said silently.
She could feel him smirk. ‘Ah – but, meleth, I could have made myself less irresistible.’
‘You were the very best flirt, anyway,’ Tindómë answered, and was rewarded with one of those looks – the sort that made her toes curl.
Orophin’s voice broke the moment. “Try this fish. Master Elrond’s cooks have cooked it in wine with some of the grapes from his glass-house. I will miss sea-fish when we move inland; I already have a taste for it.”
“Perhaps we could stay at the coast, and you could become a fisherman,” Lithôniel suggested.
“Perhaps…” her husband replied.
Tindómë could feel Rumil stiffen, he seemed to hold his breath, until Orophin continued after appearing to consider for a while.
“But perhaps not. I would happily visit, though… and bring sea-fish back with me!”
It had never occurred to Tindómë that any of the wood elves would choose to live by the sea – especially Orophin. She hoped that pause for consideration had been purely for effect. But what would he do when they finally settled? He was a warrior through and through… She put the thought from her mind, at least for now. It was a night to celebrate being here – together.
The meal continued. Now came the sweet courses – some familiar, others less so. Damson compote with sweet cicely was familiar, but the creamy, set, confection served with it was not.
“It is a speciality of the Teleri,” Haldirin explained, “one of the elleth who is here tonight brought it. She told me how it is made. There is cream, and the juice of the tiny berries that grow along the shore-line, set with an extract made from an underwater plant.”
Well- he was most certainly getting on good terms with the locals! Tindómë rather hoped he wouldn’t have any urge to stay at the coast, either, when the Ithilrim moved on.
‘He will follow Legolas, meleth, I have told you this before…’
He had. ‘You are not supposed to be in my head!’
‘You were thinking very loudly.’
When he looked at her like he was doing, she could forgive him anything, anyway.
His silent voice continued. ‘And right now we are all about to follow our Lord Prince… down to the beach.’
He was right. Legolas was standing, and gesturing towards the avenue of lights that led down to the bonfire.
Rumil picked up a large slice of rich, dark, fruit cake from the plate on the Fellowship’s table as he moved to follow Legolas – earning him a smile and a grave nod from Sam. A pity, Tindómë thought, that Gandalf had not returned for the celebrations – Sam had been very clear about how much the istar enjoyed that cake.
“Are you coming for the lighting of the bonfire, adar?” Tharhîwon asked Frodo.
“Yes,” came the answer, “I am. I do enjoy a good bonfire. So does Sam.”
“I will walk with you,” Tharhîwon said.
“Then so will I,” declared Ithilienne. But, this time, Tindómë noticed the distinct grins that passed, fleetingly, between the two young elves.
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Feedback much appreciated - feel free to point out any errors; even my beloved beta S2C is not infallible... just almost.
Immigrants, Chapter Nine.
Story Rated 15
Word count, this chapter =3170
Previous chapters are here
Disclaimer: The characters in this story do not belong to me, but are being used for amusement only, and all rights remain with the estate of JRR Tolkien. And Joss Whedon if he ever recognises his Key...
Chapter Nine
The strangers arrived in Alqualondë in the middle of the morning. They wore travelling clothes in greens and browns and carried packs. As they asked for directions the local Telerin Elves recognised the dialect they spoke as that of the Wood Elves; close enough to their own language to understand, as long as those conversing spoke slowly and kept their words simple.
They could not be members of the group who had arrived on the ‘Heart of Eryn Ithil’; nor did it seem likely that they had lived for any time, in the past, in Alqualondë after having landed in earlier ships – for they did not seem to know their way around at all.
As they made their way up the road towards their destination they passed some of the houses where the Ithilrim currently lived; but most of the inhabitants were either on the beach or indoors preparing food and wrapping gifts. The newcomers were almost at the gates of Master Elrond’s domain before anyone noticed them at all. And although news of their arrival, and their significance, reached Tindómë within no more than another ten minutes, the person they had come to see had very little warning at all.
“We heard of your arrival within a week or two,” one of the strangers said, “and when the wizard Mithrandir came to us and explained that you were planning to celebrate the Solstice, we knew that it was time to come and make ourselves known to you, our prince.”
This ellon, Tangannel, introduced the other ellyn. There was also a young elleth with them. Legolas looked questioningly at her.
“I will explain why the youngling travels with us, my prince,” Tangannel said, “in a little while.” Then he went on to give Legolas the news that something he had only suspected was, indeed, fact.
There were Wood Elves living quietly in woodland only a week’s walk away from Alqualondë; Wood Elves who had mainly been released from Mandos’ Halls. Only a hundred or so, in a wood that sounded to be about the size of Eryn Ithil, but Tangannel (who had served under, and died alongside, King Oropher in the War of the Last Alliance) said that he knew of three or four other small groups spread out over woodlands many, many, miles apart.
“There may be other groups as well,” he went on. “I found myself emerging into the trees amongst whose branches I now live – and my wife was there to welcome me. She had taken the risk, to sail West in hope, and had made a home, with the handful who had sailed with her, in almost the first good woodland they found. They arrived about a yén ago – and I joined her, a score of years later. Since then there have been a few who have arrived by sea – more who had taken the route of death. Others may have travelled even further than those we already know – and their dead returned to them in those places.”
“We had thought, from the Galadhrim we have met,” Legolas said, “that this must be how it works, and when my small sister asked Mithrandir he did not deny it.”
He was going to say more, but Tangannel interrupted, “I am sorry my lord prince, I had not realised that King Oropher also had a granddaughter.”
Legolas explained. In fact he was glad of the opportunity to do so, clearly, so that there should be no future doubts amongst his own people about his lack of blood relationship to Ithilienne. ‘Ah,’ he thought, ‘as Tindómë would say, you have it bad – that you begin to consider everything in terms of Ithilienne…’
And clearly, thinking of Mithrandir, his visit to Tangannel’s group explained the Maia’s absence from the preparations!
The conversation continued. That Legolas was organising the proper solstice celebration had shown them that he was not ‘frayed, his fëa thin,’ as they had heard some arrivals were; at last they would have a leader from the House of Oropher. But Mithrandir had explained that Legolas was committed to the Fellowship as much as to the people of The Greenwood, and so his people simply wanted him to know that they were there and would await his pleasure. In the meantime this delegation hoped to celebrate with him, and their fellow Wood Elves.
His people, awaiting his pleasure; Legolas was not sure, just yet, how he felt about that. It would take thought. It could wait.
He said they were most welcome to join the celebrations.
“Good,” said Tangannel, gesturing to his pack, “For we have brought our celebration clothes… and ribbons for those who need them!
“But first,” he continued, “there is the youngling. She was released by Lord Námo into our midst only weeks ago – scarce days after we received news of your ship. One, or more, of her family must have been aboard. Come, Brethiliel, tell Prince Legolas of your family…”
……………………………………………………
“Galanthir’s sister? You mean the one who was killed by the spiders? Like, before Legolas was born?” Tindómë asked.
“Many yéni before Legolas was born,” Lithôniel confirmed. “She was, and is, a little younger than Ithilienne – perhaps ten years short of her majority. Of course the ellon who came looking for Galanthir did not tell him why Legolas wanted him – but I am told that Galanthir was almost speechless, which may be the first time in all the years that I have known him…”
Tindómë did not even ask how Lithôniel knew this so quickly. The mortals back in Middle Earth, who thought elves so distant and above the earthier things in life, never would have believed how quickly gossip spread in an elven community!
Rather, she asked “Do you think she will be at the bonfire? Oh! Do you think she will have a dress? If she is only a little younger than Ithilienne, perhaps we could offer…?”
……………………………………………………
The tables were laid out on the grass of Master Elrond’s gardens, bearing enough food to satisfy even Sam’s requirements. Lanterns were lit, creating a lace of light amongst the bare branches and the evergreen boughs. Final gifts were wrapped, and every unbound ellon had worked as many beribboned braids into his hair as he could; including, for the first time, Tharhîwon.
Gimli’s grey hair and beard were still as thick as they had been in his prime, and were also richly ornamented, although with more silver and mithril now than when he was younger – even dwarves preferred to be properly coordinated. The two elderly hobbits, too, wore their best clothes, and took seats on the lawn as other guests arrived, now too old to want to stay on their feet and circulate before the meal began.
Down in Alqualondë the Teleri would be holding their own feast to celebrate the longest night, but it seemed as if one or two had joined with new Silvan friends to celebrate with not only feasting but dancing and the bonfire. Master Elrond’s household would usually have greeted the first star of the night, and then retired indoors for a meal and songs, but tonight they were all prepared to feast outdoors and, perhaps, stay up all night with their Silvan guests.
As Legolas made his way outdoors he could see Lady Galadriel and her daughter, both in fine silk dresses, sparkling with jewels. He had been torn between sitting with Master Elrond and his wife and her mother, or the hobbits, or amongst his Ithilrim – now with the new arrivals amongst them. The Elves, he was sure, would understand if he sat with the hobbits, who might not see another such occasion, and yet it was the first time here in the West with his own people…
Tindómë, as often, had simplified matters when he mentioned this problem a few days before.
“The hobbits can have their table near Master Elrond’s. Gimli will want to sit with them so that he can ogle – uh – admire Her Ladyship, then you will stand with us to spot ‘first star’ and get all tight-lipped whilst you think of your Adar doing the same thing and I’ll think of the twins; so, I guess, will their parents. After that you can go sit with the hobbits and Gimli, to eat, before you come down to the beach with us to light the bonfire, and stay with us for the rest of the night. ‘S obvious.”
Well – it was when she put it like that.
“Of course,” she had added, “you’ll have to make sure Gimli and Her Ladyship come down to the beach if you want a chance of collecting on your wager.”
“Wager?” he had asked.
“Don’t come all innocent with me, atheg,” she had replied, “because if you haven’t joined in the wagers on who is going to dance first with Her Ladyship I will be seriously worried about you.”
And so it had been agreed, and Legolas made his way to the group of brightly dressed Wood Elves as the sun dropped behind the hills and the sky darkened.
He looked around the group – some faces, that had been there when they had celebrated the mid-summer solstice in Eryn Ithil such a short time ago, were missing of course. Perhaps most missed was Eldroth, his marchwarden since the first days of the colony, who had remained behind, to continue nurturing the trees of Ithilien, and had not yet decided whether to eventually join Legolas or return to Eryn Lasgalen.
As Tindómë had predicted, however, most missed were those faces he had seen only rarely at solstices since he had left Eryn Lasgalen for Ithilien; and not just his father and brother were in his thoughts, but Aragorn and Arwen, Faramir and Éowyn – all those who he had occasionally joined in Minas Tirith for their own celebrations – but would never see again.
He allowed himself a few moments of introspection before looking again at those who were here tonight. There were Saeldauron and Tária with Merilwen, Eryn Ithil’s first elfling, now a lively young elleth who was learning to be a weaver. Galanthir, who had been at Legolas side since his first ever patrol in what was then known as Mirkwood, who had been so stunned, earlier in the day, to be reunited with the sister who had been taken by spiders before Legolas’ birth.
‘Strange…’ Legolas thought. Galanthir was accompanied by Ithilienne – Legolas recognised the delicate pink and cream dress that Ithilienne had worn for a number of celebrations since her own coming of age. She always looked so sweet in it. But why was she with Galanthir?
Then he looked again. The elleth who was holding hands with Galanthir did not have Ithilienne’s unusual colouring; there was the rich brown hair, but without the touches of her father’s silver blonde that would catch the moonlight that she was, in part, named after. It must, Legolas realised, be Brethiliel.
Then he heard familiar laughter and turned to see Rumil and Tindómë talking to Orophin and Lithôniel. Standing with them was ‘the winter elfling’ – the now adult Tharhîwon – who was smiling at an elleth wearing a dress that was somewhere between blue and green, fastened up the back with tiny pearl buttons. An elleth with hair the colour of chestnuts – shot through with moonlight.
And this time, ‘sweet’ was not the first word that came to Legolas’ mind.
Someone called his name and he moved on.
………………………………………………
“Gil-minui! Gil-minui!” someone called. “First star!”
Tindómë looked, not at the sky, but at Celebrían and Master Elrond. She hoped the twins, and Lord Celeborn, would not take too many years to decide to sail West; the longing on Celebrían’s face was clear and even the usually inscrutable Lady Galadriel, standing beside her daughter, looked wistful.
Then Tindómë looked towards Legolas. He appeared, as she had predicted, tight-lipped as he tried to remain impassive. Beside him, ever a stalwart support, was Gimli.
‘Oh!’ Tindómë thought, ‘Even though the dwarves do not celebrate the turning of the seasons, when he knows others are thinking of family back in the East, he must think of his own people. I guess it must be having the same effect on the hobbits. Perhaps we shouldn’t have…”
But, before she could finish the thought, Legolas’ voice could be heard starting the traditional song of praise and thanks to Elbereth, star kindler, and other voices joined him.
It was good, Tindómë thought, that although they were in Master Elrond’s gardens, he saw it as Legolas’ role to begin the song – and how neat to think Elbereth could even be around, somewhere, listening!
Then people began to move towards the tables where the feast was laid out, and as she caught Gimli’s eye he smiled at her, whilst not too far away she could hear the two old hobbits laughing at something. No – the Silvan Elves most surely should not have put off their celebrations in case they upset the three mortals – the three mortals looked as if they were already having a good night.
A little further away Galanthir’s face was a picture as he kept looking at his new-found sister. Both he and Brethiliel had been delighted with the gift of the dress and accessories from Ithilienne, Tindómë, and Lithôniel. Tária and Merilwen also had given the young elleth solstice gifts as, no doubt, had others. Brethiliel may not have parents, here in the West, but she would not be short of females to befriend and advise her as she approached adulthood.
Tindómë was amused to see, however, that Galanthir clearly did not intend to spend the whole evening in the company of his sister. His usual red, green and metallic gold ribbons, along with copper leaves, beads and feathers, adorned his hair; clearly a single ellon taking part in ‘the hunt’. As if he felt her eyes on him, he turned, ‘winked’, and made a tiny kissing gesture; a promise for later!
People were beginning to settle at tables, last minute gifts were being given, and the food was calling to Tindómë’s stomach. Rumil took his wife by the hand and led her to a table, where the rest of the family already sat, close to that of the hobbits, Gimli, and Legolas. Tharhîwon sat with his father but within easy chatting distance of Haldirin and Ithilienne.
As Lithôniel recommended the roast ham with pickled pears (at which Sam could be seen to blush slightly) Rumil popped tiny savoury pastries into Tindómë’s mouth; reminding her, fleetingly, of their first days together in Minas Tirith. Next to her brother, Ithilienne was clearly making eyes at… Tharhîwon. She was complimenting him on the mushroom pastries that had been his contribution to the feast, asking if he was sure he knew what to do with his ribbons… and not even glancing at Legolas.
Tindómë turned her attention to Legolas a few yards away. He was deep in conversation with Gimli, but Gimli glanced at Tindómë, then at her daughter, and then back to Tindómë; his eyes crinkled into a smile before he turned back to his friend. She wondered if Gimli thought Legolas was trying not to look up the table.
Rumil’s voice inside her head was gently amused. ‘It is good for younglings to flirt. Even if her fëa begins to sing with Legolas’ she should flirt, or more, with others. It will not do your winter elfling any harm, either. I really should have let you do more of it before we bound… little one!’
After he had acknowledged, many years before, that he tended to call her ‘little one’ when he thought she did not understand something, he now did it as a private joke. She sent him a mental image of herself, poking her tongue out at him.
‘I kinda thought it was my decision that it was time to give up playing the field and bind myself to you, not yours!’ she said silently.
She could feel him smirk. ‘Ah – but, meleth, I could have made myself less irresistible.’
‘You were the very best flirt, anyway,’ Tindómë answered, and was rewarded with one of those looks – the sort that made her toes curl.
Orophin’s voice broke the moment. “Try this fish. Master Elrond’s cooks have cooked it in wine with some of the grapes from his glass-house. I will miss sea-fish when we move inland; I already have a taste for it.”
“Perhaps we could stay at the coast, and you could become a fisherman,” Lithôniel suggested.
“Perhaps…” her husband replied.
Tindómë could feel Rumil stiffen, he seemed to hold his breath, until Orophin continued after appearing to consider for a while.
“But perhaps not. I would happily visit, though… and bring sea-fish back with me!”
It had never occurred to Tindómë that any of the wood elves would choose to live by the sea – especially Orophin. She hoped that pause for consideration had been purely for effect. But what would he do when they finally settled? He was a warrior through and through… She put the thought from her mind, at least for now. It was a night to celebrate being here – together.
The meal continued. Now came the sweet courses – some familiar, others less so. Damson compote with sweet cicely was familiar, but the creamy, set, confection served with it was not.
“It is a speciality of the Teleri,” Haldirin explained, “one of the elleth who is here tonight brought it. She told me how it is made. There is cream, and the juice of the tiny berries that grow along the shore-line, set with an extract made from an underwater plant.”
Well- he was most certainly getting on good terms with the locals! Tindómë rather hoped he wouldn’t have any urge to stay at the coast, either, when the Ithilrim moved on.
‘He will follow Legolas, meleth, I have told you this before…’
He had. ‘You are not supposed to be in my head!’
‘You were thinking very loudly.’
When he looked at her like he was doing, she could forgive him anything, anyway.
His silent voice continued. ‘And right now we are all about to follow our Lord Prince… down to the beach.’
He was right. Legolas was standing, and gesturing towards the avenue of lights that led down to the bonfire.
Rumil picked up a large slice of rich, dark, fruit cake from the plate on the Fellowship’s table as he moved to follow Legolas – earning him a smile and a grave nod from Sam. A pity, Tindómë thought, that Gandalf had not returned for the celebrations – Sam had been very clear about how much the istar enjoyed that cake.
“Are you coming for the lighting of the bonfire, adar?” Tharhîwon asked Frodo.
“Yes,” came the answer, “I am. I do enjoy a good bonfire. So does Sam.”
“I will walk with you,” Tharhîwon said.
“Then so will I,” declared Ithilienne. But, this time, Tindómë noticed the distinct grins that passed, fleetingly, between the two young elves.
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Feedback much appreciated - feel free to point out any errors; even my beloved beta S2C is not infallible... just almost.
