Do Not Go Gentle

Throwing Pillows Solves All Problems

She nodded. "Understood."

"How long was I asleep for?" I asked, coughing to try and get my voice back to normal.

Arwen answered, "It is in the afternoon the day after the feast. My father thought you might be asleep for longer than this, but again I believe you proved him wrong."

"Are you feeling okay, Persephone? Do you need anything?" Gerda's pleasant voice asked, looking down at my figure with the peeled eyes of a healer. "If you would like, I can go ask for some pain relievers for your soreness."

I had to smile slightly at her frantic mother-henning and shook my head. "No, Gerds, it's all right. I've had worse."

She tutted, but didn't make any more comments and simply sat back at my side as a pillar of strength.

"So this has occurred to you before?" Arwen asked softly, taking my hand in one of hers again, before placing another hand on top of mine with wide eyes. "You feel so cold, mellon nin. Are you sure you are fine?"

I nodded. "Don't be getting all worried about me, now."

Alma rolled her eyes. "It is rather hard to not be worried about you when you keep on placing yourself in worrying situations!"

My mouth dropped open and I was about to retort when Arwen's hands suddenly squeezed mine, and I stopped myself. Alma did have a point, I guess. I would feel the same had she been in the same position.

Arwen leveled the blonde with her calming gaze before turning back to me. "You are worth being worried over, especially as you are our dear friend. Do not think any different."

"Our other friends feel the same as well, Persephone," Gerda claimed, smiling softly. "My brother even questioned me earlier as to if you were feeling better. Many people in Imladris truly care for you."

"Geren?"

She nodded happily. "Yes, even my brother cares for you as a friend should."

I looked over to Alma who was smiling contentedly. "Was it just me or did Aldarian help me to bed last night?"

Alma let out a giggle. "It was not just you. Aldarian made himself available as soon as he realized that we needed someone to help get you to your bed, and it was hard to get him to move from his vigil."

"Why would he-"

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Persie, Aldarian loves you and now that you and he are such good friends you two are bonded for life, at least, according to him."

I blinked.

"Elladan and Elrohir have been pestering me for updates on your wellbeing," Arwen chimed in, giving me a glowing smile. "They truly value you as a friend and a fellow warrior."

A slow smile started to draw on my lips. "You mean they aren't mad at me for messing up yesterday at the feast?"

Arwen moved a hand to place it comfortingly on my shoulder. "Of course no one is mad, except for Lady Mirwen and her crones." A mischievous grin flickered on her face. "And I do believe those Ladies deserve what came to them last evening."

Alma nodded. "Lady Mirwen especially! That ellith is always causing some trouble or another and she never gets any backlash for it. It is about time someone has put her back in her place!"

Arwen and Gerda laughed, and I felt as though I had no choice but to follow suit. "That is surely one way to put it!" Arwen agreed.

"I saw how she stepped in between you and Lord Glorfindel," Gerda commented shyly, her cheeks reddening by the second. "You should not have let her do that to you, Persie. The Lord seemed to be having a good time with you, even though there are talks of them having been together in the past, it is the past for a reason."