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Old 11-27-2007, 11:34 AM   #349
Hilde Bracegirdle
Relic of Wandering Days
 
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Join Date: Dec 2002
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Hilde Bracegirdle has just left Hobbiton.
Gilly

Several days after the travelers’ return, the Lord's of Imladris held what when measured by the yardstick of hobbit sensibilities, was a very grand feast indeed. The stately hall, which Gilly had made a point to visit several times through out the day, had been transformed into an altogether warmer, livelier place once the night drew itself close about the valley. Not only were the members of Elrohir and Elladan’s household to be found there, but most of its guards and guests as well. In fact everyone who happened to be in close proximity to the refuge seemed to be milling about. Gilly naturally assumed that she and Miss Benia had been called to a victory celebration of sorts, one that had been put off until all were safe or hale enough to enjoy themselves properly; or perhaps it was a farewell party, for several of the many guests who had descended from the Misty Mountains over the last week or so, were making there preparations to depart, both hobbits included. But whatever the reason for the gathering, Gilly sat in a corner, taking in all the fineness of it. And savoring it with all her senses, she concluded with a great degree of satisfaction that the tales old Mr. Baggins had told long ago weren't half as fanciful as she had imagined them to be.

Had this been the Shire, given the quality of the available fare she had sampled at supper, she would have been more apt to find her way to the kitchen upon cleaning her plate, in hopes of gleaning what she could from such excellent cooks. And perhaps from that vantage point, she would have listened to the hum of conversation in the other room. But as it was, Gilly was held mesmerized, captivated by the music and the lilting tongues whose babble she did not understand in the least, but which she quite liked the sound of. Admiring the brilliant company, and listening to the many songs played in the course of the evening, her eyes frequently wandered to the dais that lay at the other end of the room, to the table Elrond's sons had commanded to be set there.

Such folk there were all about her! Beautiful in a strange sort of way, tall and strong they all seemed, and old, though they weren't old at all to look at them. But the most magnificent were seated at the head table, and there was Miss Benia presently ensconced among them, deep in conversation. Wouldn’t Jack Nightshade be proud of his daughter! The better part of an hour had past since Dúlrain had successfully persuaded her to come away from the quiet corner Gilly still occupied, saying that Elrohir wished her to be introduced to a sort of historian, a minstrel. And though the ranger tried most gallantly to have the hobbit accompany her, he could not tempt Gilly away from her chosen chair. The hall was not the place for her she protested, let alone a seat anywhere near the dais. And what could she possibly have to say of worth? Gilly simply could not imagine engaging in small talk with an elf of stature, be they whole elf or part. And she dismissed the idea without a second thought, saying that she would only put them all to sleep with her blather, nodding toward Toby to emphasize her point. Mr. Longholes, who had settled in comfortably early on, taking a chair beside his fellow hobbit and had proceeding to roundly enjoy every indulgence his elven caretakers had afforded him, snorted loudly in his sleep as if to validate Gilly's assessment. It had been some time since he had tucked his pipe back into his pocket. Lulled into the depths of quiet contentment his head had soon nodded in slumber. Now he was far a field in his dreams, waking for neither song nor story. Not even to dispute Mrs. Banks' theory.

Left to her own devices, Gilly passed her time in quiet observation, feeling much like a contented spider in her shadowy corner, until her attention was caught by Miss Benia, whose amber glance had begun flitting here and there throughout the hall, avoiding the stare of the tall and questionable looking fellow who sat beside her. And though this same elf seemed to be held in high regard, seated as he was at the head table, Gilly began to have serious doubts about him. Her eyes narrowed, wasn't he the mad fellow who had until recently been locked behind a stoutly guarded door? What could he possibly be saying that might trouble Miss Benia so? After questioning one of the attendants, her doubts where multiplied substantially by what she learned. "He was in the old days a pupil of Maglor," the elf whispered with reverence, before adding almost as an afterthought, "and sadly, a long time companion of Naiore's". The hobbit's eyes widened instantly at this, and she was full of regret for not following Dúlrain’s leading. Horrified she stood up, a stricken expression replacing that of concern. But the attendant assessing the effect of his disclosure was quick to reassure her. “Both associations were long ago, rest assured. Menecin would brook no part in Naiore's more recent interests. You and your friends are quite safe here.”

“I have no doubt that it was extremely far in the past, if an elf says so,” Gilly declared a bit too briskly. “But from what very little I know of him, keeping the past alive is his business.” Then after craning her head to the left in order to find a clear view through the forest of people, she turned back to the elf beside her and whispered conspiratorially, “He wouldn’t be a vengeful sort, would he?” She hadn't thought of that before, but it was a worry. And family…oh dear! Just what sort of stock did Naiore come from exactly? The apple falls close to the tree they say, and though Naiore had seemed a highly peculiar sort, one could never be too careful. She didn't relish the idea of any more harm coming to her friends, or her own family for that matter. "Did the Lady Dannan have any relatives?" she asked, bracing herself for the worst.

The attendant scanned the room. "There," he said gesturing toward where Léspheria and Vanwe spoke with Lords Elrohir and Elladan. "Save two, that is all that is left now of the house of Finarfin, and I think you must know of them already. The Lady Léspheria Denfëa does have a twin brother, Lóthaniel, who you would not have met. The other is the sister of My Lords Elrohir and Elladan, Arwen Undómiel who now lives in Minas Tirith. But if there are any others of close kinship left on these shores, I have no knowledge of it."

"Is that so?" the hobbit mused aloud. Now Gilly had thought Léspheria a well balanced and disciplined person, and so the attribute was easily extended to her brother, but to learn that the Queen was a relative as well! No wonder the orders had been for nothing less than carting Naiore all the way to Minas Tirith! Visibly uneasy, Gilly was at a loss what to think. Undoubtedly, the attendant had left an opening for unknown relatives which did nothing for the hobbit’s comfort. On the contrary, her world seemed to have shifted its moorings slightly over the course of the last few minutes.

Guessing aright that Gilly’s misgivings were not put to rest, the elf tried again, and this time Gilly turned her full attention to him hoping for some solid information to grab on to. "We all may well learn more of such things before the evening is out," he explained. "It is rumored that Menecin works on a new song. And it is to this end, I believe, that he has sought out Miss Nightshade and the others as well. For you may have noticed, many have been called to him."

And though she nodded her understanding, for she had noticed the procession, she still highly doubted that a new song, let alone one from so biased a source, would help matters much, so she settled herself down again, looking back toward Toby's sleeping form. Now HE would be sure to have a truer word or two to say about Naiore, but he hadn't the opportunity to speak with the minstrel all evening. Ah well! He had had a much more agreeable time this evening then if he were to have hashed over all the rubbish of his former ways. It was a comfort to know what Menecin was up to, though. And an even greater comfort came shortly after she had taken her seat again, when Dúlrain broke away from his conversation with Amandur and both he and Miss Benia returned to the table. Wasting no time hinting at her discoveries, Gilly was amazed to find that Dúlrain was well aware of those connections she had found so disconcerting.

So the evening was passed pleasantly, until at last the time came when Elrohir stood up announcing that Menecin would sing a new song for them. But Gilly had grown weary by that time, and listened only half realizing what it was, other than exceedingly long for so late at night. Still when she heard far into the tale the name "Kaldir" pronounced amidst all the foreign words, she perked up considerably. And seeing that Benia had heard it too, Dúlrain offered to translate. Onerous a task for him it seemed at times, but it was one he did dutifully. And he continued to softy whisper the meanings, there in the shadows at the back of the hall, until at last the minstrel’s voice fell silent. The hobbit was left enthralled, and grateful, as she came to the realization that this wasn’t a victory celebration at all, but marked something bigger and more lasting. She had learned many things not only about elves over those few hours, but things about Vanwe and Menecin, Léspheria and Amandur as well as Kaldir that she had not realized up to that point. And all were left moved in their hearts, by the tale of Naiore's descent into treachery and ruin. Not among the least, Elrohir and Elladan seemed well pleased with Menecin's work. But it was late when the spell of words ended, and so they roused Mr. Longholes as the hall slowly emptied, leaving in the hush that had fallen as the people dispersed quietly into the night that was quickly fading.

Last edited by Hilde Bracegirdle; 03-12-2008 at 10:38 AM.
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