What a grand night it was. She thought back of the warmth in the Halls, how old friends had come and enjoyed a glass of wine and reminisced about the past adventures had. A night of poetry, music and good food.
She realised she had begun to enjoy these evenings. At first, so many years back when she started to frequent these halls, she thought she would abhor it for ever and ever. The dresses she had to wear, the poetry, the gossip, everything. Then she met him... Tindir. The love of her life, whom had joined a Hall of Fire outing in Duillond. She could still remember the fine Bar-en-Vanimar tunic he wore, special for the occasion. She had tried to do her best on the dance floor, but as she had not grown up with silks and fine dining, she had never had any formal training in footwork except for that of a spear maiden. She knew where to put her feet, it was not that. But the fact that she had to intentionally be perceived as graceful made her aware of her lack of experience on the marbled floors of many halls.
Of course, she did not know of him at this point. She was too focused on the dance steps and trying to not look like such a fool in front of everyone. Rainith had goaded her into a dance and she accepted, reluctantly. A slip, a tumble and moments later, in the middle of the song, she had fallen on her backside and was disgraced. Rainith and Aelaer had both tried not to show their mirth for her sake, but alas, she could see them both turning slightly reddish in the face. Disheveled, she rose with the help of lord Tindir who had spotted her plight and ever so chivalrous to a lady in distress, helped her on her feet. That was what was most precious with him, his eagerness to help others. It sometimes got him into precarious situations when elleths or ellons would misunderstand his intentions and either feel aggrieved by his words or rather smitten by them. Even so, his intentions were of a decent measure and as such, he greeted Himwen and tried not to act too humoured by her misfortune. Many nights in the Hall of fire after that first one, a friendship between them had formed. She realised she had started to visit Imladris as often as she could and found out later that he had done the same.
Himwen looked at him now, across the Halls, as he was trying to mediate between lord ambassador Parnard and his budding affection, lady Maephaer. He knew of lord Parnards feelings towards the little rose and as the kind, if a little brusk, elf he is, he tried to offer Parnard some help. Himwen had been given a bunch of herbs by one of the healers in the house, something to soothe the fea and to bring joy and love towards others. She had handed it to Tindir and he had surmised that he needed to do something about poor lord Parnards desperate hunt for affection. She had agreed most willingly and complimented him on his wits.
And thus it came to pass, that as Himwen was enjoying the company of lord Earinlin and lady Amorith, two longstanding friends of them and of Vanimar, Tindir strode across the hall to offer the herbs to the couple. Parnard had seemed rather uncomfortable at Tindirs' attempts to bond the ambassador to the young elleth. Perhaps he had been fearful that the hammerite would try to part them. As Himwen looked at lady Maephaer, she could see the questions arise in her eyes and realised she had seen it previously in Rainith. That was of course before her dear friend had become aware of the joys of marriage. She instantly knew that it would take some work to lift that veil of ignorance. Luckily, Tindir could see the signs too. He gave the bushel to Parnard, but judging by the looks on the couples faces, forgot to explain why. Tindir asked Himwen for a dance and she followed his lead onto the dance floor. His hands were ever so smooth as the day she met him. The steps lead into twirls and it became a blur, until the music stopped and all the dancers could catch for breath.
"Lovely played!" Himwen shouted at the musicians as they finished their tune. Her dance with Tindir had improved immensely through the years, though she was rather envious of the lady Amorith's grace on the floor and expressed admiration for it. She knew the lady was as graceful in heart as she was in her feet, and was grateful to be called her friend. Soon after Amorith and Earinlin had left, she quietly joined the group across the Halls. Himwen cast a glance at the pair, noting the distress of the one and the obliviousness of the other. Tindir made a second attempt and tried to get them both to dance, but it seemed that lady Maephaer had no knowledge in such dealings. Himwen pitied her, for she knew the anxiety that the young elleth must experience at this moment. And quite possibly the confusion of what Parnard really wanted, as he asked her to take a walk in the garden. Naturally the lady was enjoying herself out of the library and all, with these many friends about her. No need to scurry off to the gardens.
The comment about the dancing kept buzzing through Himwens' mind. Suddenly she remembered the lessons she was given before hers and Tindirs' marriage ceremony. She had to dance at their wedding, naturally, and thus had asked Aelaer to aid her in the endeavour of learning the flighty steps needed. Lessons would surely help lady Maephaer in becoming more assertive in her dancing and lord Parnard would thank her for it. So, she suggested that they contact her dance instructor who had helped her in the past and they both seemed interested in finding out more. She explained that Maephaer would of course have to bring a partner to these lessons, and who better than the lord Parnard himself? Himwen chuckled to herself, going into matchmaking? Well, just for this once. She winked at Tindir and he winked back, as if to say "You did great there, my love".
As they settled again to listen to the music, Tindir took his harp, entered the stage and played her favourite song after dedicating it to her. She smiled at him, proud to be his spouse and companion. And grateful that he was hers. So many adventures they had endured together, so many ordeals they had survived through the years. And still, he tried his best to care for others, to make sure that everyone, not only those under his command, were safe and sound. The pride was welling up in her and she had to wipe away a tear, trying to keep it unseen. As she looked around the halls, so many ellons and elleths present, so many faces still here, yet so many faces gone... She knew in her heart that in order to persist for what time they had left, they had to care for each other and help one another through the difficulties. Himwen glanced at lord Parnard doting over his Maephaer and she came to the realisation that for them, they had to give hope.
