[Nurumaiel]

Adrama floated across the floor in a dream, thinking of all that had happened recently. The uncovering of the spy, Addruran, her argument with her mother, her talk with Alethea.... Smiling fondly, she glanced over across the dance floor where her mother and father were also dancing, happy and relaxed. Adrama had been so pleased when her mother had given consent to the engagement.

Adrama's eyes travelled to Denethor and Finduilas. Finduilas was quite relaxed in Denethor's arms, and she was dancing gracefully, looking very lovely that night. Her eyes were locked with Denethor's as they moved about the floor. "Addruran, would you mind if we went and said hello to Denethor and Finduilas?" Adrama asked. When Addruran gave her a questioning look, she blushed and her head dropped. "I've been rather awful to them recently," she explained, her voice filled with shame. "I'd like to make up for it."

Taking her hand and giving it an encouraging squeeze, Addruran led her across the dance floor, where he paused Denethor and Finduilas. The latter two looked at the couple inquiringly, and some concern flickered in Finduilas' eyes as she recognized Adrama as Pelien's daughter. Adrama saw it and took Finduilas' hand, blushing furiously. "I hope both of you will forgive my family," she said slowly. "I realize that you must have been rather bothered that my mother brought up those rumors, but I assure you her intentions were not bad. Perhaps, though, it was rather rude. But our intentions were not..." Realizing that she was repeating herself, Adrama bit her lip. "I have also been very foolish," she said. Her eyes strayed to Denethor's face, wondering what he would think of her if she said, but then she remembered Addruran's presence by her side, and that she didn't care what Denethor thought anymore. And she confessed how she had been hoping all the rumors about Finduilas were true so she, Adrama, might marry Denethor. In speaking of the latter, Adrama blushed a little, for it was hard to admit to Denethor's face that she had been in love with him, but she received no scornful looks.

"I'm sorry for that," Adrama said. "But you can thank Addruran I didn't join with the traitors who have been hiding here, for if he hadn't come and encouraged me I very well might have, whether from despair or hatred of you, I know not." She paused, then, looking first at Finduilas and then at Denethor, said, "I beg your forgiveness."

"And you have it," Finduilas said. "Tessa once met with your mother for tea, and when she returned she told me about you, saying she'd taken quite a liking to you. I myself have wondered greatly about you. You seemed very mysterious."

"Perhaps I hid my feelings because I knew deep inside I was ashamed of them," Adrama replied. "Thank you."

Denethor, seeing Adrama was uncomfortable, skillfully changed the subject. "So you are Addruran," he said. "I have heard about you. My father speaks highly of you, and tells me you played a large part in capturing Athadan, the spy. Thank you for your service."

"Thank you, sir," said Addruran, trying to hide his embarrassment. "We don't wish to interrupt your dancing anymore. Farewell." With a nod to Denethor and a little bow to Finduilas, Addruran took Adrama's hand and they began to dance again.

Dancing forward into my life, Adrama thought as she went over the familiar steps of the dance, falling into a dreamworld. She thought of the children she would raise, and how hard their life would be, yet so easy. She thought forward to the day when their first child would be born, and what joy would come with that day. And then their second, and their third, and so on. And when they were old, and they would have grandchildren to love, and then someday when they had great grand children, until at last they drifted away from this world. It would be a beautiful life, and the beginning of that wonderful and glorious life was now, when at last all had been resolved and all her fears and doubts had been left far behind as they danced on.

[ October 08, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]