By the time Orophin returned, Rúmil had decided that while Anna might be a stranger, she did not seem to present any obvious threat and his reaction to her had been more out of surprise than fear in any event. Orophin formally introduced Anna to Rúmil. Rúmil blushed slightly when Anna said,
"Yeah we've met"
and neither of them would speak any more on the subject, leaving Orophin completely confused. Orophin could tell there was something more to the uneasy silence than what had been said, but as neither seemed willing to say more and he was tired and hungry, he let the subject drop. Orophin put a pot on to boil and started to wash and dress the meat Rúmil had brought. Rúmil said something to Orophin which Anna could not understand and wrinkled his nose. Then they started a discussion over which herbs should go into the pot. Anna's head was starting to ache just listening to them because they sounded exactly like her kids arguing over whose turn it was to wash the dishes. Anna may not have understood much, but she figured she knew what to do in this situation.
Rúmil had left his bow across the room from the kitchen, hung on a hook with his quiver beside it. She took one look at it, then at Orophin and figured if Rúmil tried aiming it at her again, Orophin would stop him. It would not be the first time Orophin had rescued her when she got in over her head in the last several weeks. So Anna stepped between the two, took the now dressed meat out of Orophin's hands, grabbed a knife from the carving block on the counter beside the stove and proceeded to cut the meat into 1 inch cubes while the two elves stared at her gaping. Orophin had already lined a second pot with something that smelled like vegetable oil and Anna recognized the flour container on the counter, which had come with them from Edoras. She proceeded to flour the cubes of meat and as the oil grew hot she set them into it one at a time, browning them. The whole time the two males stared at her fascinated and while she was aware of this fact, she also realized that if they had been going to stop her from cooking they would have done so by now. Anna simply smiled and continued to chop meat and vegetables and examine the bottles of herbs looking for what she needed. When Orophin regained his composure enough to make a half-hearted attempt at stopping her, she simply shooed him and Rúmil over to the couch making both of them raise their eyebrows and then laugh silently.
Anna might not be an elleth, but she obviously knew her way around a kitchen.
After the food was done and her cooking was judged more than passable, Anna was designated chief cook while the two males chipped in with the cleaning and dishes as was only fair.
That first night in their talan Anna had been a little uncomfortable with the sleeping arrangements. It was one thing to share body heat out of necessity, especially with someone you had learned to respect and trust while out in the wilds. It was a whole different thing to jump into some guy's bed when there was a perfectly good couch to hand and Anna had tried to convey as much to Orophin, but he would have none of it. Finally they reached a compromise. Orophin slept on a cot at the foot of the bed while Anna slept on what she assumed must be Orophin's bed.
The following days became rather routine. Although Orophin would not let Anna in to tend Haldir, several healers came and went. Anna was still terrified of the thought of having to descend from the treetops, so when the wood or water ran low either Orophin or Rúmil ran down to restock it. Orophin had brought out a large wooden bathing barrel and allowed her the privacy of what she later learned was his room to bathe. He also loaned her some quite comfortable old clothes to sleep in though they did hang on her like tents.
From time to time visitors would come and after an initial raised eyebrow at the two beds in Orophin's room, they learned to keep the bedroom door shut. Even so, rumors spread like wild fire across the wood. As long as Orophin was at home no one dared to ask or say a word, but on the occasions when he wasn't there several of the elves who had been in their company from Edoras made suggestive remarks about how their beds were just as soft as Orophin's and she should drop by some time and see for herself. The comments ranged from the subtle to the ridiculous and it was truly beginning to rankle Anna's nerves.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
For those who thought things were going heat up beyond a G rating at last ...Maybe next chapter.
For those who are curious as to how well Anna can cook,
Lothlorien stew
1 lb. of stew meat, cut into one-inch cubes
16 oz. of diced tomatoes
flour
salt
pepper
garlic powder
1 large onion (diced)
6 potatoes (sliced)
6 carrots (sliced)
3 stalks of celery (sliced)
1 cup of corn
bay leaf
mustard
parsley
Directions: Dredge meat in flour, salt, and pepper. Lightly brown on all
sides. Add all ingredients to large stew pot. Cover with water. Bring to
boil. Reduce heat and cover. Cook on medium heat for 1 hour. Stir
occasionally. Return to boil for 15 min. Serve hot with crackers or
bread. How many this will serve depends on whether one is feeding elves,
men, hobbits or dwarves.