Faril Nin [My Huntress]

Title: Faril Nin My Huntress
Genre: Romance, Angst, Hurt/Comfort
Rating: PG-13 – R (for graphic violence detail)
Characters: Orophin/OFC
Time: Begins before the Fellowship come into Lórien in TA 3018… Ends FA 250.
Chapter(s): 13/13 Would you look at that? There’s a surprise!
Summary: “But I would also like to honor someone, and those would be my sister Gwaeron, her life-mate Orophin of Lothlorien, and their young daughter Véredhiel. May the Valar bless your lives together. You have both certainly earned your happiness.”
Author: Codi Lyn
Disclaimer: I realize that Arwen was the last elf born in Middle Earth but I am changing it with my license as the author. Also, I don’t know quite what season it is when the Fellowship are in Lórien but I’ve also changed a bit of stuff in the timeline as well (i.e. Legolas having just left and then a few months later they’re in Lórien, which is not movie or book-verse…oh well). I don’t own anything (except for my OC’s) and it all belongs to Tolkien, the mastah.

Chapter 13

The coronation was beautiful; everyone stood on the highest deck to see their new king speak for the first time and greet them all on his journey through the crowd. Gwaeron’s eyes shone with tears as he sang and she waited patiently as her brother made his way to them through the throng of his people. Véredhiel giggled and squealed happily in her father’s arms, unable to keep still as he tried to hold onto, and quiet, her. But her happy laughter had drawn the king’s attention to them and as Orophin and those around him inclined their heads in respect, Gwaeron found herself unable to do so, nor was it necessary. Immediately, Aragorn met her with a fiercely strong bear hug and she returned it fully as much as she could.
“I’m so proud of you, Estel.” She murmured against his shoulder and he pulled away with a smile more content than she had ever seen as he looked her over.
“You look beautiful, Gwaeron.” She laughed as he spun her round and then looked to Orophin and the little one in his arms. Aragorn reached for her and tossed the young toddler before resting her against his breastplate, both of them laughing as he did so.
“My niece has grown too much since I last saw her!” He exclaimed with a playful look and clasped Orophin’s forearm companionably.
“She made for her first crawl not a week ago to her father.” Gwaeron informed her brother proudly and linked arms with her fiancée while the king played with his niece. Glancing back, the lady ranger caught sight of her nervous step-sister standing beside her father and, discreetly, Gwaeron beckoned her to come.
Arwen stepped forward gracefully and came into the Elessar’s view just as Gwaeron took her daughter back into waiting arms. At first Aragorn was in shock upon seeing his beau; after dreaming of her for so long to keep sane on the lonely nights, after almost losing her twice and nearly losing his hope along with her. She stood timidly in the midst of the other on-lookers, yet all he could see was the grace and beauty he had missed from the moment he parted from her so long ago in Rivendell. He made his way to her and after a moment of uncertainty she curtsied low out of respect to his kingship. Quickly lifting her by the chin, Estel hesitated only a moment at the gentle touch of her skin before lurching quite suddenly forward and pulling her into a kiss that had waited too long to be partaken of.
The immediate crowd clapped in congratulations to their king and Orophin pulled Gwaeron close into his side as they watched the tender reunion take place before them.
It was no surprise that the king and his betrothed were inseparable the remainder of the day. Immediately after the grand ceremony, the enormous crowd adjourned to the very large feasting room that had been rearranged by their own Elessar in the style of the Rohirrim halls in order to fit the multitude into the great feast.
Gwaeron was seated to the left of her brother, with Arwen and Lord Elrond on his right while Orophin sat by her. The soon to be king of Rohan sat close by, and in Orophin’s lap Verry squealed and made faces happily at the fair-headed rohirrin. Noticing his daughter’s impolite behavior, Orophin soon had her distracted with a crunchy bread roll to gum on. Eomer leaned over to the warden.
“How old is your little one, lord elf?” Orophin looked down fondly to his elfling and carefully grazed the child’s pointed ears.
“Véredhiel is nearly a mortal year of age, lord Eomer. Have you any children yet?” The horse-lord laughed heartily and then took a draught of ale.
“Nay, the right lass has yet to catch my eye, though there are plenty of beauties roaming about.” Orophin laughed as well, though not as blatantly and nodded in agreement. Then looking to Gwaeron at his side, he remarked,
“The Valar have blessed me tremendously to give me such a woman as I now have.” Gwaeron turned to her betrothed once she felt his eyes on her and smiled at him and then Eomer once she caught sight of him. After a nod, Eomer looked back to Orophin and slapped his shoulder.
“If what I have heard from my cousin and seen for myself is still true, then I would agree you have a fine woman, my friend.”
“Indeed, I have.” Gwaeron looked back at him and exited the conversation she was listening to between her brother and Arwen to hold her betrothed’s hand. With a pleasant kiss on his lips, she smiled up at him and leaned on his shoulder contentedly, reaching out to hand her daughter the breadcrumb she had dropped on the table.
“Will you last the night, faril nin? Already I see you tire.” She took a deep breath and sat up straight after blinking a few times.
“I will last for a number of dances, I think. That, after all, is my favorite part of any celebration. I just hope they begin soon.” She gave a small yawn after the last statement and then laughed as her daughter immediately mimicked the action. To her right Aragorn rose with his goblet and turned to his left with a toast to propose.
“My guests, and my people… You have honored me today more than anything I’ve ever known, and I thank you. But I would also like to honor someone, and those would be my sister Gwaeron, her life-mate Orophin of Lothlorien, and their young daughter Véredhiel. May the Valar bless your lives together. You have both certainly earned your happiness.” The large crowd toasted to them and well wishes could be heard throughout the great hall in more languages than one.
Once the dancing commenced, Gwaeron found herself lasting much longer than she had anticipated. Frodo, happy but still weak, approached her with Sam close by his side and asked if he could take Verry for a bit, since he did not intend to dance. With a grin for the halflings she let him sit with her and it was not long before Orophin took her hand and led her to the enormous floor now clear of tables and chairs. With a laugh and glance around the crowded room, she let him take her near the center and deftly slide an arm around her waist.
“You look incredibly beautiful, faril nin. I am unable to direct my gaze in any other direction.” His murmur against her ear sent an enticing tingle through her and she smiled warmly up at her handsome fiancée, her mind hardly registering the dance steps as he led her expertly through the music. Gripping his hand a little tighter she remarked,
“I am pleased to have caught your interest so, my husband. A wife’s duty is to hold her spouse’s attention, I believe. It is good to know I am ahead of the game.” Before Orophin could compliment her further, Glorfindel and his elleth partner, Meldiriel, interrupted them.
“Husband and wife already, my friend? I am afraid I missed the joining.” He jested rather loudly, hinting at a few ales gone by on his part. Orophin elbowed the waltzing elf in the chest and shot him a warning eye.
“I will invite you proper, my friend, when you are no longer intoxicated with the king’s good mead.” The golden-haired elf laughed in full cry at the insinuation but did not deny it and continued to twirl the lovely elleth in his arms with surprising finesse. Flirtatiously Glorfindel leaned over and pressed a warm kiss against Gwaeron’s blushed cheek and winked at the warden before he could react.
“It’s lucky you got to her when you did, Oro… tweren’t for you, she’d be my huntress.” Tersely, Orophin led his young fiancée away from the boisterous edhel and returned his regard back to her diligently.
“Now, where were we my love?” She introduced once more and bat her long lashes attractively in his direction. He chuckled deep in his chest and nuzzled the curls above her ear.
“I believe you were ahead of the game…” In a moment off-guard, Gwaeron squealed as two fingers came behind her and jabbed her ribs under her arms in a ticklish manner. Shocked, but with a ready smile, she turned around in Orophin’s grasp and cried out again upon seeing Legolas gazing at her with a puckish smug. He laughed as she threw her arms around him and he spun her in the air as her husband-to-be looked on the reunion with a grin.
“Where have you been? I expected to see you at the ceremony this morning!” She chastised him playfully and pulled back as he held her hands to get a good look at her.
“I was at the ceremony, but arrived later than the rest with Meldiriel. We couldn’t get through the crowd until the end, though we could see, and by the time we had, you were all come here. You look beautiful, Ron, every bit the princess you are.” He explained before touching her circlet with his middle finger and leaving a kiss on her cheek. Blushing at her friend’s compliments, she backed into Orophin’s chest again and turned it on the young Prince, teasingly,
“Late with Meldiriel, hmm? You two are at last bringing it to a head, are you? I can hardly believe you are not joined yet.” He winked to her knowingly and glanced around the room before his bright azure gaze fell on the golden blonde elleth dancing far off.
“I assure you, I mean to remedy that very soon. Tonight, even, if my luck is about me.” He turned back to the loving couple before him and smiled in happiness for his friends. More than luck had brought them together, he knew.
“It seems this is the season for lovers to be united. Your brothers, both Rúmil and Estel, are bound or bound to be so, I understand.” They nodded and he leaned in to shake the tall warden’s hand and kiss his young ranger’s knuckles affectionately.
“I can only hope Meldiriel and I will be half as happy as the two of you… And speaking of a certain sly elleth who has been avoiding me all even, I believe I shall go and stake my claim. If you’ll both excuse me…” With a laugh they watched him skillfully weave through the crowd of dancers and instantly doubted his shallow excuses from earlier concerning him and Meldiriel amongst the crowds of the coronation ceremony. Orophin pulled her back into his arms and began a different style of dance as a new song rang through the heated air.
Throughout the evening it seemed Gwaeron was a popular choice of partner; Mithrandir claimed her for his only set, Faramir was discovered as an obliging conversationalist and must have found her as likewise for he, with Orophin’s permission, claimed her for the five dances in which his rohirric love interest was occupied with another. Eomer asked her once, along with Rúmil, Legolas, and her step-brothers; and before her legs finally gave way, Orophin guided her through her last and escorted her back to their rooms.
Gwaeron was happy to find that Ceana had put Véredhiel to bed with no problems and had been sitting with the child until her mistress returned. Tenderly, the mother kissed her young elfling and rubbed her rounded back until she was comforted and assured of her daughter’s content. Orophin came behind her and gently pulled the ribbons and braids from the soft mass of curls, her tiara carefully being laid upon a nearby table.
“I’ve never seen a woman so lovely as you were tonight as you danced, faril nin. I could not have been more proud to call you my own, for my own you soon shall be.” Taking a steadying breath she turned around and folded into his embrace, smiling as his long hair tickled her eyelids and mingled with her dark lashes.
“I cannot wait. I know this is right more than I know my own name.” She leaned her head back to gaze up at him.
“Every time your eyes see me I feel my heart swell and I know I am safe. I cannot express how happy I am with you and Véredhiel…” Unhesitating, Orophin swooped down and steadily held his lips against hers in a tender kiss. He did not relinquish for some time but when he did at last, he remained only a breath a way from her warm skin.
“You just did.” His simple reply took her breath away as he pulled her to him for one last good night kiss.