“Loth, you must bring your new friend to your Aur en-Onnad, I would love to meet her!” Melleth bustled around the small home, making tea and pulling out food for her daughter.
Lothuialwen sighed. “Naneth, she is not truly my friend; we have been assigned to work together for some seasons.”
Her mother paused, turning around and giving her a stern look. “Iell nin, you need friends. You cannot keep working alone forever. Give this new Warden a chance, perhaps you will work well together.”
The look on her mother’s face brooked no argument. She sighed, knowing her mother was probably right, as she always was.
“I know I cannot argue with you, Naneth. I will try, I promise.”
Their conversation turned to other things and they drank tea together and enjoyed the warm day for several hours. After a time, she left the small home to go for a quiet walk, and as her feet traced the familiar paths, she spotted a glimpse of copper hair in one of the small city gardens.
With a sigh, she turned to approach the warrior elf, who sat among the flowers on a small bench.
Loth gave a small bow of greeting. “Hiril Mallossel, I know we are not leaving on assignment for another few days, and my Aur en-Onnad approaches. If you would like to attend, my mother insists on a small celebration and you are invited.”
The copper-haired elleth turned and gave her a polite smile. “I would be honored. When and where will this be?”
“Tomorrow night, at my Naneth’s home.” She pointed towards the treetops where her mother’s home nestled. After a pause she added, “it will just be my Naneth and I, as is our custom. Nothing fancy.”
Mallossel nodded. “I shall be there.”
The next day’s small gathering began well enough. Mallossel arrived, bowing politely and introducing herself to Melleth. Her elegant tunic was simple yet formal and looked somewhat out of place in the cozy home, but the other ellyn neither noticed nor cared.
Melleth welcomed her in warmly. “Come in, come in, hiril. I am honored that you were able to come.” She ushered in the tall elleth, waving her through the door.
She wiped her hands off on a towel tucked into her belt, staining it pink with the juice of ripe strawberries, and offered her a seat.
Lothuialwen turned from where she had been helping her mother chop the fruit and gave Mallossel an awkward smile. “Suilad.”
A polite nod was returned. “Suilad.”
Loth placed the fruit in an elegant wooden bowl, dusted it with a generous pinch of sugar, and brought it to the table, setting it next to a large tray of sweet rolls. Pulling out another of the honey-toned wooden chairs, she sat, hands folded in her lap.
Melleth smiled at both of them, ignoring the awkwardness, and pulled out a beautiful bottle of amber glass. “I managed to get a special treat for this, wine from Dorwinion! I have heard it is among the best wines that can be found in all Arda.”
Mallossel gave a brief bow of her head. “Le fael, Hiril Melleth, that is generous of you.”
Loth, on the other hand, was glad of the excuse to do something other than sit. She jumped up to retrieve three polished wooden cups from a small cabinet. “Ni lassui, Naneth!”
“Perhaps we should enjoy the lovely day,” her mother suggested, gesturing to the balcony.
The other two exchanged a brief glance and Loth gave a small shrug before following her mother outside. Mallossel followed close behind, her movements graceful and precise.
Golden light filtered through the trees casting shifting shadows on the pale wood. Loth found herself relaxing in the warm glow as she sat and sipped her glass of wine. Its taste was rich and sweet, without much bite, and she savored the flavor. The Noldorin warrior also appeared to be enjoying it, sipping it slowly with a small smile replacing her previous measured expression.
They drank and made small talk for some time while the sunlight and breeze danced around them. Melleth talked most, asking question after question about Mallossel and her life and training, even though many of the answers given were vague at best.
Eventually, conversation turned to their assignment, and Melleth stood, glancing between the other two.
“I shall let the two of you discuss these things if you must, but I think I have had enough of the wine and may begin to prepare a small meal for us.”
Lothuialwen laughed -- perhaps a bit too loud -- but nodded. “That is fair, Naneth. You are wonderful!” She refilled her own cup as her mother disappeared inside the house, then turned to Mallossel, remembering something.
“You won’t believe what I heard a few of the other Marchwardens discussing.”
“Oh?” The Noldë raised an eyebrow as she continued to sip her wine.
“Just a few days past, an orc incursion ambushed a patrol. Most of them were severely wounded! And did they return later to find and remove the threat? Nay! That camp of yrch has retreated into the Mirk-Eaves just to wait for the chance to attack again!” She waved her hands expressively as she ranted, nearly knocking her own cup off the table.
“Something must be done about that.” The copper-haired elleth stood up, swaying only slightly, and adjusted her sword belt. “Perhaps we should start our assignment a few days early.”
Loth rose to her feet as well, steadying her wobbly legs as she leaned on the wall. “That sounds like the best idea I have heard in a long time.”
They slipped back into the small home, trying to move quietly, though their movements were far less quiet than they recognized as they bumped into multiple pieces of furniture and Loth nearly toppled a chair. Melleth turned at their entrance.
“Where are you two going?”
“Um… just out, uh, for a walk.” Loth grabbed her bow, quiver, and swordbelt and darted out the door before her mother could respond, Mallossel close behind her.
Where they went and what exactly they did remained a blur in her mind as the Dorwinion wine took effect, but it was late the next day when they returned to the gates of Caras Galadhon, bone tired and spattered in orcish blood.
Haldir was there waiting for them, and he did not look amused.
Lothuialwen’s mother stood a few paces back, her arms crossed as well and her forehead wrinkled with worry.
The Marchwarden captain spoke first, biting out each word. “Where have the two of you been?”
His voice hit Loth’s head like a hammer and she suppressed a groan at the volume. “Uh…” she looked at Mallossel, hoping the older elleth could come up with a good excuse.
Mallossel looked little better than Loth felt, but she managed to respond with, “On… patrol, Hir.”
“You are not on assignment yet.” Haldir looked between them again, his gaze boring into each of them. “It seems to me you have gone off on your own in foolish pursuits and brought danger back with you.”
“We stopped the danger!” Loth stepped forward, raising her voice, then wincing. She continued in a quieter tone. “That camp of yrch will never attack our people again.”
“Yet the response of others may be swifter and fiercer in revenge.” He glowered at them beneath a furrowed brow.
Loth could see her mother behind him, arms crossed and disappointment written on her face. Her shoulders slumped and she wished she could disappear.
“Drunkenness and foolish behavior such as this will not be tolerated,” Haldir continued. “If it ever happens again, there will be swift and severe punishment.”
The two elleths nodded in solemn acknowledgment, heads lowered with guilty expressions
Haldir’s sternness softened marginally. “Now go and clean yourselves up so that you will not continue to bring shame to your ranks.”
They gave him a shamefaced salute and moved to follow Loth’s mother back to her dwelling.
“Well, that is the last time I offer Dorwinion wine to either of you. I hope this foolhardiness was mostly due to its strength, but I would have expected better.” Her stern, though deserved, lecture continued as they walked through the trees until she left them so they could go get cleaned up.
Loth and Mallossel shared a glance and looked each other up and down. Grime was caked in their hair, streaks of dirt and blood and filth staining their clothing. With all the dirt and gore, they could almost be mistaken for yrch themselves. As they saw the messes they had become, their eyes met and both ellyn began laughing. Giggles turned to chortles, and they found themselves sitting down while struggling to hold back tears of laughter.
The laughter bubbled up again and again, and after several moments left them gasping for breath. Wiping tears from their eyes, they stood, leaning slightly on each other as they moved to clean themselves off.
Hopefully they would never repeat such an incident, yet Lothuialwen now had much more hope for this partnership.
Elvish terms used:
Le fael: thank you (formal)
Ni lassui: thank you (informal)
