Dawnstar and Friend

Eleanor’s POV
We realised soon that we had been away from the Dunedan for too long so we decided we needed to return lest they forget us!
Of course this had an ulterior motive.
We convinced Erestor to join us for a little while somehow, despite his apparent adoration of Silva. When the rest of the conspirators asked what the hell we were doing, separating them at this point.
Ginny and I just smiled serenely and quoted the old our world proverb ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’. After that, they thought about it for a little while and realised that he would get time to miss her and maybe when he returned he would actually realise how much he loved her and get on with it!
When we left, Erestor was riding a large black stallion and was dressed in neutral, earthy colours that suited him surprisingly well. He was armed to the teeth and suddenly he had changed from a scholar to a lethal warrior.
This idea had another plus point we realised, Silva would get to see him as her knight in shining armour, a valiant warrior type thing. This little plan was getting better and better!
When we rode away from the safety of Rivendell, it was amazing to see the change in him. The only previous time we had been somewhere dangerous with him, we had been too tired to notice.
When we get to our little home, Erestor and Miriel are surprised to find Aragorn is not in Eriador. Ginny and I try our best to look surprised too, but I don’t think either fall for it, even if they say nothing.
Our patrol group soon leaves to go on patrol shortly after we arrive and we take Erestor with us.
There is one amusing incident just before we leave though:
When I am out at the market, Halbarad takes me aside and into the hut of the Patrol leader, who is now quite old and soon to retire, and sits me down. I give them a confused look as our patrol leader’s wife gives us all a cake and a drink (in the case of the men it is beer, but I get cider).
When she is gone, Halbarad quietly asks me about how much Erestor knows about the wilds.
I raise one eyebrow at the question, trying to resist an amused expression.
They elaborate that they have heard he is a scribe and are not sure if he is really capable to join the group.
At that, I give in and burst out laughing. Both men look at me, somewhere between confused and offended.
Once I have gain control of my hilarity, I take a couple of breaths before answering them.
“You are aware he fought in the Last Alliance beside High King Gil-Galad, Lord Elrond, King Elendil, Isildur, Thanduil (Miriel’s father), and his father too. He is one of the greatest elfin warriors you will meet and, though he does prefer study now, he has most definitely not lost his edge. I would have thought you had worked that out from the number of weapons he was carrying and the way he carried himself.” I finish, thoroughly amused.
They both look at me sheepishly. I don’t think they had thought of that. I am hyper and inclined to laugh frequently for the rest of the day. When asked by my lovely friends why, I avoid answering, knowing that there are two humans in the village who would kill me if I told them.
I can see the barely concealed shock on the faces of my patrol when Erestor shows exactly why he had such an exulted place in the Last Alliance, and we thought we were good. Only thousands of years of training could achieve that sort of skill and instinctive movement.
He has a cat-like grace when he fights and he never makes a noise and is never caught off guard. I am glad he’s on our side.
After the patrol he elects to return to Rivendell though. I think he may miss a certain silver-blue haired lady...
We carry on patrolling until near the end of the summer when, while we are actually out on patrol near the Shire, a messenger rides up.
Before we have time to wonder how he found us, he swings down off his horse and hands Ginny a letter.
She opens it, clearly confused.
She reads it; her eyes widening as she reads it before she lets out an unladylike squeal, and claps her hands delightedly before showing other signs of celebrations, disturbing everyone else present. When she shows no sign of stopping, I roll my eyes, take the letter out of her hands, and read it.
I am pretty sure my reaction is pretty much the same as hers.
Miriel then takes the letter out of my hand and reads it. She also starts celebrating.
Eventually Halbarad, not to mention the other rangers, get fed up and asks what the celebration is.
At the same time, in the most clichéd way possible, we all squeal,
“Erestor’s getting married!”
After he left, we let them in on what we were up to and so they are similarly, though less energetically, jubilant.
They are all happy to let us rush off to Rivendell ASAP to attend the wedding feast.
The way we ride back to the last homely house you would think we had the armies of Mordor on our tail armed with AK47’s.
The messenger comes with us, clearly amused by our excitement.
When we come charging into the main courtyard, Erestor and Silva are waiting for us. They both seem pleased at our rather apparent happiness for them though, somehow, they manage not let go of each other’s hand when they greet us.
Elrond and co also greet us and they are just plain amused.
The next day we get a crash course in Rivendell wedding traditions, having learnt what little we knew in Mirkwood.
There is no ceremony, but since this is peacetime (technically), there is a big feast before the family escort the lucky pair to their marriage quarters, which the bloke has prepared beforehand. This usually is done with the help of his female family members.
The female family members of the bride help her to get dressed on the day and whatever.
It would be quite strange as Arwen (who had returned from Lorien for the event), Miriel, Ginny, and I would be passing for the female family members of both sides, neither having any family this side of Valinor. Bar the Erestor and Ginny thing of course.
The day before the wedding, we helped Erestor get his quarters ready. Elrond had allocated him some larger chambers, fit for a married couple. We had fun teasing Erestor about the fact that these chambers had rather more solid walls than the single people’s quarters.
They would move in the next night, obviously.
On the day, we took Silva to the private baths we used for private occasions and we all had fun being pampered ridiculously, not that any of us minded.
In the afternoon, we helped her dress, not that it took us that long. The elfin wedding dress was archaic. Actually it was a Roman/Greek style dress.
As her attendants for the day, we also got dresses like that.
Each had three layers, the bottom one white satin so thin it was almost see-through, then two layers of gossamer.
Mine, Arwen’s, Ginny’s, and Miriel’s middle layer was navy blue and the top silver shot bluish-grey colour. Silva had a middle layer of gold shot pale turquoise-blue and gold shot electric-blue top layer.
The only jewellery any of us wore was ornate armbands of gold in the case of Silva, and chunky silver bracelets in the case of the rest of us. I didn’t think the elves did chunky jewellery, but apparently they do.
Instead of circlets, we wear flowers in our hair. And, because this is us, we all put some of my glittery eye-shadow on.
When we escort the blushing bride to the feast, out on the lawns instead of inside, we have the great pleasure of seeing Erestor’s face when he sees his betrothed.
When he lays eyes on the not particularly covering dress, obviously designed to be taken off easily, his eyes widen noticeably, and he is totally speechless when we deliver her.
The feast is fun, though nothing like wedding parties at home. No speeches for a start.
Later on there is dancing, and unsurprisingly Erestor dances with no one other than his love. Apparently there is not the tradition of dancing with the best man, maid of honour etc. Of course technically those roles didn’t exist so it was not really surprising.
When Elrond decided it was time for the happy couple to be alone, both Erestor’s attendants and Silva’s (that would be Elrond’s family, Glorfindel, and us girls), escorted them to their new chamber, made a few off-colour jokes, and left them too it.
The next morning they would be legally, totally, and irrevocably married.
***
They didn’t come out for over a week, though every day the servants left food in their sitting room, which was eaten so apparently they did stop sometimes.
When they finally did emerge I don’t think we let them live it down forever.
I do think that I shock all but Ginny with my capability to make dirty jokes though...
In thousands of year’s time we will still be making off-colour jokes about them, they react so well to them!
Ginny’s POV
I mention my little plan of separation to Ellie and she’s all for it. In fact, it just so happens that we’re due to spend time with Dunedan again, but how to get Ada away from Silva?
Got it! In my experience, the only thing that makes a male really want to do something (apart from for a female of course) is to needle his ego a little.
Acting as the dutiful ward that I oh so obviously am, I knock quietly on Ada’s study door and step in when bidden to do so – this really should have sent alarm bells ringing through his head as I generally knock once before bursting in anyway, but, so loved up is he, that he doesn’t notice.
“Ada,” (voice suitably innocent), “Ellie, Miriel, and I are going to be rejoining the Dunedan soon...”
“That’s nice, have fun.”
Man this elf is distracted.
“You see, Ada, I thought I should better tell you because last time we were with them, I mentioned how very clever and scholarly you are, but they only laughed and said that there was no manliness in books, and that a man’s true worth is only shown on the battlefield...”
Ada’s head snapped up at my words,
“What! Don’t they know that I thought with the Last Alliance and almost died in the process?”
“They didn’t give me a chance to explain, Ada.”
“Really? When do you leave?”
“As soon as we’re ready.”
“Well I’m coming with you. I’ll show these Dunedan a thing or two!”
Result!
Like Miriel, Ellie, and I, Ada looks rather spiky as we all canter away from Rivendell. His posture and behaviour has also changed – no longer the scholar, he’s now the kind of warrior that would make Glorfindel proud. However, this did not stop him from glancing back over his shoulder at Silva who was standing oh so damsel-in-distress like on one of the balconies.
Alright, I admit I may have lied a teensy bit when talking to Ada, but it’s still highly amusing to see the looks on our patrol’s faces when Ada shows them just what he’s capable of. We girls were also rather surprised at just how well Ada fights; it’s clear that even after nearly 3000 years of scholarly pursuits, he has most definitely not lost his touch.
Ada only stays for one patrol with us though.
I had noticed that he seemed to be getting very restless as we made our way back to the Angle. He leaves almost as soon as we’ve arrived back in our town, he heads off home. Hmmm, I wonder what, or indeed, who could be drawing him back...
We carry on patrolling all through the summer, but when we’re on a patrol near the Shire, a messenger from Rivendell turns up,
“Lady Virginia? For you.” He hands me a letter.
I take it. It’s addressed in Ada’s handwriting – what? He usually only writes when I’m back in the Angle and remain in the same place.
Still puzzled, I open the letter...
My dear Ginny,
I would firstly like to thank you for persuading me to go on patrol with you as being away from Silva made me realise just how much I love her. All the fighting we did together also gave me new courage to ask Silva if she would do me the honour of binding with me. So, it gives me great pleasure in being able to inform you that Silva happily agreed to become my wife. We now only wait for your return as we want to be bound in the presence of all our friends and family.
With all my love,
Ada
Yes alright, in hindsight the purpose of the letter was blindingly obvious, but you can’t really blame me – Ellie was just as confused and she’s already had some experience of love since we came to Middle Earth.
Anyway, having read the letter, I emit the most ear-piercing squeal. I daresay it was rather unladylike, but then, rangers aren’t renowned for their ladylike qualities. I also begin jumping up and down like a madwoman, clapping my hands, and singing aloud.
I come to my senses only when the letter is plucked from my hands and Ellie duly begins dancing up and down. When Miriel has also read the letter, she jubilantly joins in with the celebrations, hugging and kissing Ellie and I, and even some nearby rangers – not that they really minded, I’m sure.
When we eventually calm down, Halbarad asks what has given us cause for so much celebration.
“Erestor’s getting married!” we squeal in perfect unison.
Having let our patrol in on the Get-Erestor-Hitched plan, they also join us in celebration, although in a very gruff, manly way.
They are also perfectly happy for us to leave immediately for Rivendell. Naturally, the messenger escorts us. Throughout the journey, I notice that he’s sporting a particularly amused grin.
Ada and Silva are standing on the steps leading down to the main courtyard when we all ride (or scamper) up. They’re holding hands and beaming profusely.
I manage to get a hug first and am followed closely by Murrlin, who winds herself sinuously around our legs, her deep resonant purrs reverberating around the courtyard.
Elfin weddings are very different from weddings back in our old home. There’s no formal ceremony, just a magnificent feast followed by dancing and then the happy couple are escorted to their new chambers where they duly become inextricably bound. It’s all very romantic!
As her attendants for the day, Arwen, Ellie, Miriel, and I are dressed in similar gowns to Silva, but hers, I notice, is far, far more revealing and easier to take off than ours. No prizes for guessing the intention there...
Eventually, we escort Ada and Silva to their rooms. The romance of the moment is lowered slightly when one or two (take a guess!) made a few dirty jokes, but it’s OK as I don’t think Ada and Silva were really paying them – or anyone for that matter – any attention.
***
Ellie, Miriel, and I are sitting in one of the gardens; above us is the balcony of Ada and Silva’s (well, Naneth’s I suppose now) room. The doors to the room beyond are closed – they have been ever since the wedding. Ellie takes one look at my thoughtful face and asks me what is wrong.
“Oh, I was just thinking.”
“About?”
I pause.
“It’s been four days since the wedding and we haven’t seen hide nor hair of either of them.”
“So?”
“Well what are they doing in there?”
“I highly doubt that he’s teaching her to play chess, Ginny.”
I give Ellie a scathing look.
“You know what I mean. I know what they’re doing, but for four days? Where do they get the energy?” I turn to Miriel, “Are elfin marriages always like this – the happy couple disappearing afterwards for days on end?”
Miriel shrugs,
“It varies, but generally, yes.”
The conversation lapses and is only picked up again when I suddenly remember something; something that brings a mischievous grin to my face,
“I just thought, you two have all this to look forward to! It’ll be a whole new experience for you, well, one of you. Ellie already has a little experience in that department. I seem to remember walking into Ellie’s sitting room to find that she’s locked lips with a certain golden haired prince that we all know and some of us love. Isn’t that right Ellie?” I give her a knowing smile.
Ellie merely pokes her tongue out – she seems to have developed the habit of becoming ever so slightly dignified and haughty whenever I mention her and Legolas. Not that that’s ever going to stop me from teasing her…
***
It’s a little while later and I’m pouring over a sheet of paper on which Ellie and I have drawn up all the important dates in the War of the Ring.
It seems that love will again be approaching sometime in the future for one of the years marked is 2980…