bold is used for emphasis
Chapter 7:
Ethuil, Northern Rohan, 2818 T.A.
Shortly after dawn, Erestor was up and bustling about the little cottage, humming softly to himself. Idhreneth stretched and walked into the sitting area. She watched the lithe elf moving through her home. He moved so elegantly and gracefully that he made cooking breakfast look like dancing. She admired his ebony hair that was left loose and hung in soft waves down to the center of his back. His skin was pale, but it glowed softly in the dim light of the cottage. His face was perfection with high, sculpted cheekbones, full ruby red lips, and perfect arcs of ebony above large brown eyes framed by sooty, thick lashes. She felt that those eyes could see right through her. He is so similar to Elúvan, but completely different as well. I wonder if Sidhiel will be able to fit into their world? Or will she forever belong in neither? She sighed.
Erestor looked up and smiled, “I trust the sleep did you some good, pen vuin? Are you ready for breakfast or do you just want tea right now?”
“Oh, just tea sounds wonderful,” she said, then as her stomach growled, she laughed. “Well, maybe the breakfast does sound marvelous, too. I suddenly seem to be famished.” She sat at the table and continued softly, “Hannon le, Lord Erestor. I have not talked about my past or my life in so long. I believe I have kept my aches bottled up far longer than was healthy. You have been so compassionate and caring to both of us; I know that you must have been sent by the Valar for Sidhiel.”
“Please, just Erestor. You needed to get the past out so that you can think clearly about the future; your future, as well as your granddaughter’s. There is room for more than just Sidhiel in Imladris. I would like you to come with us. It will ease Sidhiel’s transition and you will both be safe there. You can even correspond with your King. We may not trade frequently with Rohan, but couriers move between Imladris and Edoras several times a year. Think about the offer. There is no need to decide right now, and you should eat something.” Erestor watched as surprise and many other emotions flashed across Idhreneth’s features. He had been right, the woman had never thought past ensuring her granddaughter’s safety to her own future.
Sidhiel awoke to soft conversation and wonderful smells, her stomach growling loudly. She giggled, “I think I ate a bear in my sleep! What smells so yummy?”
“Come, pen dithen, I have cooked breakfast for us. Take advantage for I do not oft work in the kitchen,” Erestor lightly teased.
“Sidhiel.”
“Yes, Gran?” she said as she sat down at the table.
Idhreneth was hesitant. How do I tell her without it sounding as though I no longer want her? “Would you like to go with Lords Erestor and Gildor to visit their home when they leave?”
“Oh, yes! Gran! Yes! When do we leave?” With that she grabbed Nim-mem and began swinging the terrified kitten around the room.
“Sidhiel! Put Nim-mem down! You are scaring him!” shouted Idhreneth.
Between the hissing cat, the shouting grandmother, and the squealing child, it took a few moments before Erestor heard Gildor’s choked out request for water. He immediately raced to his friend’s side. “Meldir, you are awake!” Erestor held Gildor’s shoulders and gave him a few sips of water as Idhreneth approached.
“I am glad that you have rejoined us. This means you are well past the worst of it,” she said as she smiled at him. She checked his wound, changed the bandages, and insisted he have some more of the healing tea before he could have anything else.
“How long?” Gildor croaked, his voice stiff from disuse.
“Two days and nights. I was beginning to worry, meldir, but I should have known you are far too stubborn to let a Wild Man’s axe take you down,” Erestor teased, plainly relieved. He helped Gildor sit more upright with lots of pillows behind him so that he could feed Gildor some thick broth. After eating about half of what he was served, Gildor began to drowse. “Sleep. I shall be watching over you.” Erestor smoothed Gildor’s hair away from his face and laid him down gently as he brushed a kiss across his brow.
Idhreneth walked into the small cottage, “Lord Gildor, have you seen Sidhiel? She and I must leave or we will not be back before dark.”
“Healer, please. I am simply Gildor. How many times must I remind you of this? You saved my life, pen vuin. If anyone deserves deference, it is you.” As Gildor was speaking, he motioned with his head to the overlarge basket behind his chair and grinned, “As for Sidhiel… hmmm. I know not when I saw her last. Perchance she is less than enthusiastic for the trip into town?”
Idhreneth strode over and peered into the basket. Two large blue eyes were looking up at her quite contritely. “Sidhiel, stop this nonsense! We must leave now or we will fail to return before dark. I do not like traveling when I cannot see my nose before my face.”
“Gran, why can’t I stay here? Er-es-tor will be back soon and Gildor’s much better. Let me stay. Please,” she begged.
“I need your help. Besides, Gildor may be much improved, but he yet needs his rest. And that is something he will not get with you around. Come along.” Her tone brooked no argument and Sidhiel sulked out the door, wistfully looking back at Gildor.
“Oh, no, pen dithen, I shall not gainsay your Gran on this one. Enjoy your day.” The door closed and Gildor sighed. He still felt so weak! He leaned back in the large, overstuffed chair, stretched his legs upon the ottoman and closed his eyes.
Erestor opened the door of the cottage and noticed his friend’s taut visage. “Gildor, are you in pain?”
“Nay, meldir, just so tired. It has been almost a week, how much longer before we can leave? Not that I mind the company, for Sidhiel is quite entertaining, but I do believe I shall go stir crazy in this place!”
Erestor walked up to his friend and put a hand on his shoulder. “Mellon nín, you were very close to leaving us. It will take time to recover, especially without Elrond’s healing energy to boost your reserves. Would it help if you could go outside and bask in the sunshine? I will take a blanket and we can have a picnic. If you can make it to this wonderful spot I know, then it will not be long before we can resume our journey. How does that sound?”
“Divine. Heavenly. Let us leave now!” Gildor said as he began to struggle with his boots.
“Here, meldir, let me aid you with those.” Erestor knelt in front of Gildor and helped him put his boots on.
The two companions slowly walked to Sidhiel’s favorite spot, with Gildor being supported by Erestor most of the way. By the time they passed through the trees, Gildor was thoroughly winded and relished the idea of sitting for awhile. A long while. “I guess I am not as healed as I thought. Thank you for this though. It is lovely here.” He gazed out over the plains, the Limlight sparkling in the sunshine with the dark shapes of the Entwood barely visible on the western horizon.
“Sidhiel brought me to this place. It is even more beautiful by Ithil’s light.” With that, they sat down to a lovely picnic in the shade.
“You are quite taken with that little imp, are you not?” Gildor smiled at the memories of hearing Erestor’s deep voice reading while Sidhiel was cuddled in his lap. He noticed how much patience his friend had with the child. He would answer every one of Sidhiel’s endless questions with a smile. And then there was the giggling that would echo through the cottage as Erestor was crawling around on all fours pretending to be an oliphaunt and Sidhiel was the brave Southron rider trying to train him. Gildor shook his head in amazement at the changes in his friend.
“Yes, I believe she has stolen my heart.” Erestor took a deep breath to steady his nerves. “All for the better, meldir, for she is returning to Imladris with us.” Erestor gauged Gildor’s reaction.
“She and Idhreneth are coming to Imladris with us? Why? They have a lovely home here.”
“Gildor, I am unsure if Idhreneth will come with us. I have offered, but her heart lies elsewhere. Sidhiel is a different story. Idhreneth has asked me to take her in to rear as my own and I agreed.”
Gildor was puzzled and confused at his long time friend offering to adopt a child. He needed to understand the reasons.
“Meldir, what possessed you?”
Erestor smiled, “Aye, it is not like me at all is it? The imperious, haughty, icy…”
“That is but a façade!” Gildor interrupted angrily. “I know your heart, remember?”
“A façade yes, but it is how I have lived these past centuries. And before that, my life was not exactly conducive to having a family, was it?”
“Nay, with what we do… and how likely we may never return home…” his words trailed off. “It was not the right thing to do. Not fair to put loved ones through that.”
“Gildor, she is Elúvan’s child.” Gildor’s mouth formed an ‘O’. “I owe it to him to take in his offspring. You know how weary and bitter he was after losing Tordil. I am truly surprised that he took another to his bed. That it was a mortal is most surprising!” Erestor brushed his ebon locks away from his face. “I like to think she made him happy for a time.”
“What of the child’s mother? Where is she?”
Erestor grimaced. “She died of a broken heart. He left her before either knew of the babe. She was lost without him. Idhreneth said that she had been amazed how profoundly he affected Iestiel, her daughter. She never thought her fiercely independent daughter could ever want another, let alone need one so desperately. I fear they may have bonded.”
“But humans do not mate as we do, mellon nín. Surely that is not even possible.”
“Perhaps not, but something happened to affect them both profoundly. You remember seeing him one last time, that winter? He was changed. He was stronger and his bitterness had fled. He was again as before the Last Alliance.”
“Yes, I recall. But there was still something constricting his heart. You believe it was leaving her?”
“Well, when he was found, he was not between Imladris and the Havens as would have been expected if he were truly planning to sail. He was south of Lothlórien. What else explains that, meldir? It had always been a puzzle to me, and now all the pieces have fallen into place.” He exhaled. “And now his daughter will come to live with me. It is that simple.”
“Simple? You are a Shadow Stalker, the best in all of Arda. Will you give that up? Will you stay at the Last Homely House and not leave? The child deserves a family, at the least a father who is there for her, not wandering all Middle Earth most of the time. You know this. Will you be able to give up part of your identity for Elúvan’s child? He would not have done the same for yours.” Gildor’s words were harsh, but he needed to know that his friend was not making a mistake. Secretly he wanted Erestor to take this break and get his personal life back in order. He viewed this as the perfect opportunity, but he welcomed no more grief piled on either the child or his dearest friend. Now for the hardest part. He continued, “And what of our Seneschal? You will not be able to avoid him if you remain in Imladris. You will be forced to confront your past and move on.”
“Gildor,” Erestor’s words were strained, “I must do this. I will deal with him when that time comes. This is something that I must do. I know you never liked my brother, with good reason, but that does not change the facts. Sidhiel is my blood. The only family I have left. She deserves to be raised properly and I will do what it takes to see that happen.” Erestor finished with conviction as though he had been trying to convince more than just Gildor that this was the proper path.
“And what of Idhreneth? She is kin to the child, too. What possible reason could she have for not coming to Imladris as well?”
After Erestor related Idhreneth’s story, Gildor shook his head and sighed. “Nothing is ever ordinary about you, Erestor Sarnonion. You discover lost family and they must be royalty; never simple farmers for you.” Gildor was amazed at the revelations and used sarcasm to hide his astonishment.
“There is yet another thing…” Erestor continued. “Idhreneth does not know that Elúvan was my brother nor that he is dead.”
Gildor just gaped at his friend, “What? Why ever not?”
“It was irrelevant at first. And, now, it just seems too awkward to bring up. Yes,” he sighed at the look on his friend’s face, “she should know. Perhaps once she has made her decision on whether to come with us or not.”
“All these revelations on top of the trip up here have been draining, meldir. Perhaps we had better start back. As slow as I am, the ladies may arrive before us.”
TBC
Translations:
Ethuil – late spring
pen vuin – dear one
hannon le – I thank you
pen dithen – little one
meldir – my friend (male)
mellon nín – my friend