A liaison in the Great Greenwood

Chapter 50

 "Hiril vuin, we have arrived." Came a male voice from behind the door of the carriage.
Yawning, Adlanniel stretched out her arms, surprised to hear another, more familiar and excited voice nearby.
"Where is she? Where is the Lady Adlanniel? She did come with the king's convoy did she not? Please let me see her!"
"Ah, my beloved handmaiden Gwendalyn! Êl síla erin lû e-govaned 'wîn."
There were tears of joy in Gwendalyn's eyes as she opened her arms to embrace her lady.
"Indeed! I have been so constantly worried about ever since we parted at the crossroads. And when I heard what happened to you before you arrived at the war camp, I was beside myself. I should never have let you go there hiril vuin, not alone."
"But I am alright, mellon nin!" Adlanniel, embraced the younger elleth tightly, feeling the gwannûn kick from the sudden lack of space. Gwendalyn then looked to her surprised.
"They moved!" She excitedly clapped her hands together and placed them once more on her lady's small bulge.
"They are greeting you, my dear." Adlanniel beamed. "Or telling me to stop squashing them!"Gwendalyn laughed. "I heard what happened to aran Thranduil as well, will he be alright?" Her voice turned to genuine concern.
"Now that we have returned and I am here to care for him, he should recover after some time."
"I am very glad to hear that..." Her voice trailed off as she caught a glimpse of the Elvenking being carried out of the carriage. A small gasp of shock escaped her lips. "Where will they take him? To the Rooms of Healing?"
Adlanniel shook her head. "No, back to his personal chambers where I shall care for him."
That word reverberated through her mind then; 'care for him...' There was another way which she wished to care for him, but she quickly pushed the thought out of her mind.
"Now come, hiril vuin, it is freezing cold out here. Let us get you inside." And with that Gwendalyn proceeded to lead her lady back into the warmth of the palace.

There she was greeted by many happy and glad faces, faces she had once thought she would never see again. Their merry voices rang like music in her ears. But there was one voice she did not hear. "Gwendalyn, where is Melethril? I hope that he is well."
"I am sorry he has not come out to greet you, hiril vuin, but he fell asleep waiting for you and the king to arrive and I did not want to wake him. His injuries still cause him discomfort. I am sorry that he is not here to welcome you home."
Adlanniel's eyes saddened then, for she knew she were the reason Melethril had been injured in the first place, as well as the countless others that had needlessly lost their lives due to her selfish stupidity.
"No need to apologise Gwendalyn, let the poor ellon rest. But do tell me, mellon, how many others came back with him?"
Gwendalyn then turned down her eyes. "Only five hiril vuin."
Adlanniel's face turned a sickly pale. "So few..."
Gwendalyn could see the tears well in her lady's tired eyes and so gently placed a hand on her arm in an attempt to reassure her.
"It was not your fault, hiril vuin. Please do not blame yourself." She said softly.
"But I do everyday..." Came Adlanniel's equally soft reply.


For a long time Adlanniel told tales of life at the camp and of the war to the younger elleth, who sat and listened with all due fascination. As the tales were told of the lives lost, Adlanniel could not help but think once again upon those that she loved who had been injured, and the friends that had been lost during the battle. It made her then think of those that had needlessly lost their lives to protect her and the so few that had survived.
"I wonder if they will forgive me..." She trailed off then, her eyes staring into nothingness.
Gwendalyn looked to her lady a little perplexed.
"Who, hiril vuin?"
"Melethril, and the others."
"There is nothing for them to forgive you for!" Gwendalyn reassured. "To protect you is their duty and honour!"
"But is the life of a few worth the lives of so many?"
"We all are here for a purpose, and we all have our own destinies and fates that Eru Ilúvatar has chosen for us."
Adlanniel gave a faint smile then and snuggled closer to her dear friend. "For one so young, you are one so wise."
"I have had a good teacher." Gwendalyn chuckled. "But, hiril vuin, may I speak to you about something...of a more personal nature?" Her tone became slightly more bashful.
Adlanniel looked to her subordinate a little surprised. "You know you can speak to me of anything, my dearest Gwendalyn." She assured her. "Even down to the grittiest of details."
Gwendalyn blushed fervently then and stifled a giggle. "Well...it is about Melethril, hiril vuin. We are deeply in love." She downcast her eyes as she flushed again.
Adlanniel smiled brightly at her handmaiden's words. 'Young love, what a beautiful thing.' She thought to herself.
Gwendalyn continued, "We have been talking of late of getting wed if aran Thranduil allows it."
"Why would he not?" Adlanniel asked curiously then.
"Well, aran Thranduil was displeased with me about the little ruse you and I conducted...and he may be ever more displeased with me for allowing you to go to the camp alone...so I was hoping that perhaps...you could have a word to him on our behalf?"
Adlanniel chuckled, taking Gwendalyn aback. "I very much doubt you will need to worry, my dear. He knows it is not your fault for my transgressions. I am sure he will give you both his blessing. I will speak to him on your behalf regardless."
Gwendalyn smiled meekly as she looked up from under her lashes.
"There is one more thing hiril vuin...does it...hurt?"
Adlanniel knew exactly what the young elleth was referring to. "Have you not spoken about this to any of your other friends?" She asked.
"I am too embarrassed to, hiril vuin. Yet they sometimes speak of it, and ask for my input of which I cannot give any."
"I see." Adlanniel nodded. "Well in that case...it really depends on the elleth, but from my experience, the first time did hurt a little."
"How so?" Gwendalyn cut in quickly, worry strewn across her gentle features.
"It does not last long, sweet Gwendalyn. For me it was just a quick sharp pain at the breaking of my virginity, then the pain became dull and was soon overwhelmed by pleasure."
Hearing the latter made Gwendalyn go all doey eyed. She sighed at the thought of being entwined with her love's body in the thralls of passion.
"I assume that Melethril is as innocent as yourself?" Adlanniel asked casually.
"He assures me he is such." Gwendalyn nodded, her face then becoming once more of one worried. "We are both innocent...when the time comes...will we even know what to do?"
Adlanniel could not help but chuckle softly. Innocent love was definitely so sweet. "I can assure you, my dear, though perhaps albeit clumsily at first, making love comes naturally."
Gwendalyn sighed with an apparent relief. "When the prince is here, how often do you make love?"
It was Adlanniel's turn to blush. This sudden talk of love and passion made her miss her prince, but also made her long for her beloved forbidden king. She pined to feel his warmth again, as his body rocked against hers. She was desperate to feel his soft lips lingering against hers, his strong hands gliding along her body once more. These thoughts and memories wickedly haunted her, teasing her, tempting her forth to undergo their will. Oh, how she wished she could tell Gwendalyn about all of it, release some of the pain that weighed so heavily upon her. But how could she burden her friend with such knowledge? It would be even more selfish.
"Hiril vuin?" Gwendalyn saw that her lady had gone into a daze, perhaps at the thought of being in her prince's arms.
"My apologies." Adlanniel smiled bashfully. "You know that the prince visits my chambers daily, or I visit his."
"Yes?"
"Well, that is your answer. And sometimes more than once per visit."
Gwendalyn gasped and blushed as she began to giggle sweetly. "Well, that is obvious! I can only hope that Melethril will want me as much."
"Oh, I am sure he will," Adlanniel answered. "I am sure he is thinking of you right this very instant!"
"Oh, I hope so!" Gwendalyn continued to giggle girlishly.

Suddenly came a light rapping at the door. The two ellith looked to each other, surprised.
"Shall I answer it, hiril vuin?"
"If you kindly would, please. They will be joyful to see you."
Gwendalyn looked to her lady slightly confused. As she opened the great oaken door, she was surprised to see her beloved Melethril standing there, leaning against a crutch, dressed in fine robes worthy of their lady's presence.
"Melethril!" Gwendalyn gasped. Her cheeks flushed once more and she felt a great heat rise from her stomach. Quickly she composed herself. "Have you a message for the Lady of Imladris?" She asked, knowing full well that he had no such task.
"I do not, dear Gwendalyn." He replied. "I came here of my own volition."
"You know that is improper!" She lowered her voice as she pushed against the doorway to block his view of inside. Yet, her heart was beaming with joy that he was there before her.
"I know, but I wished to see for myself that Lady Adlanniel is well, and foremost I wanted to see you." His violet eyes gleamed then as he gazed at her, making her feel like she would melt into a puddle at his feet.
"Gwendalyn," Adlanniel called from the sofa they had been sitting on. "Let the poor ellon in."