Your Hands Are Cold

Questions

“An interrogation, my king?” I asked.

“Yes, Maeneth,” he hissed my name. “Firstly, I shall ask you of your childhood, and how would you describe it to me,”

“My childhood was fine, my king,” I said shyly. “I do not recall any unpleasant memories, and my grandparents raised me well,”

“What of your parents?”

I took a big gulp and replied, “My mother died of a great illness after being hurt by an orc, my lord. She was not a Sindarin elf and hailed from Rivendell, before she eloped with my father who worked as a healer. At the time, my father was not available to take care of my mother when she was ill, and it was a mistake that my father prioritized his work before his family. After my mother died, so did my father for immediately his sorrows swallowed him whole and took his life, and I was left to live with my grandparents,”

King Thranduil remained silent for a moment and then spoke again, “The features of a Rivendell elf are visible on your face. Tell me, Maeneth, how do you find life in the woodland realm? Is it satisfactory?”

“Believe me, my king, I would not live anywhere else in Middle Earth than here,” I said. “It gives me great pleasure to live in such a peaceful, and magnificent kingdom, 

“You are afraid of me, Maeneth,” said the king. “I can see that your hands are shaking,”

“I’m very sorry, it’s a bad habit of mine,” I replied. “My nerves do get to me sometimes,”

“Calm yourself,” the king said, and changed the topic immediately. “How do you find life in the palace?”

“I’m afraid I do not have such a detailed answer for I have not lived here long but I must say the servants have treated me kindly and the fabrics and the needles that were provided in my bedchambers, I will put them to good use soon, 

“Are you upset that you had to leave your life as a common seamstress?”

“Frankly, I do, but this is a better life for me, and I have nothing outside of the palace anymore,”

“Nothing?”

“Yes, both my grandparents have died too, my king,” I said. “I buried my grandfather just two days ago,”

“I am sorry for your loss,”

“It is unnecessary to offer me your condolences, my king, I do not deserve them,”

“What was your grandfather’s profession, Maeneth?”

“A bookseller and a healer, like my father,” I replied. “But he did not succeed as well as my father as a healer,”

“Two healers in the family,” said the king. “I am sure that you are able to brew herbal medicines too, I assume?”

“I’m afraid my hands are better with needles and fabrics than with herbs and medicines, my king,”

Before I had noticed it, I could see a small smile on the king’s lips, but disappeared once I took notice of it 

“Therefore the maternal side of your family consists of seamstresses and dressmakers?”

“Yes, with the exception of my mother who worked in Rivendell’s armory and often aided Elrond in preparing his army,”

“Your mother was a good friend of Elrond?”

“Yes, she told me they were close before she left Rivendell,” I said. “And she told me that Elrond himself had wanted to court her, before she left for my father and eloped with him,”

“I am grateful for Elrond’s heartbreak,” he replied. “Forgive me, I hope you don’t mind me asking you such personal matters, Maeneth, 

“It is nothing to worry about, my king, and your apology is unnecessary,”

“Very well,” King Thranduil stood up from his chair and grew nearer to me. The closer he became, the shakier my hands were. He gazed me for a long period of time, and it seemed to me that he was making an observation. Thranduil’s robes swept across the floor as he turned about, and kept looking until he broke the silence and told me something I had not expected him to.

“Maeneth,” he said. “I am going to need to see you often for clothing measurements and to review the clothes that you have made for me. I will also need you in my bedchambers so that I shall be able to tell you what style of clothing I want and need, therefore every three days you shall have to attend my bedchambers at seven in the morning after breakfast. I expect zero tardiness and efficient work, understood? 

I nodded and replied, “Yes, my king,”

“Until tomorrow morning, Maeneth,”