The Ventris Family, Part Two

Out in the Garden, Lendes lead her husband by both his hands giggling like a little girl on Yule. Isilorbor was blindfolded and being lead towards the house with each unsure step, relaying totally off his wife, and at her mercy. “I really do not like this.” Isilorbor groaned, breathing a little deeply as was slowly being lead up the garden. Lendes tuted, the grin growing on her face by the second. “My dearest love, you’ve fought orcs in their hundreds and your afraid of little old me with a blindfold?” Lendes purred. Isilorbor laughed. “Not quite, but I do not like where this is going.” He protested, feeling his boots on the stone steps. Lendes reached behind her and started to open the door, a faint smell that Isilorbor could not put his finger on caressed his nostrils. “What is that?” He asked. “A surprise, love, a surprise.” Lendes insisted. “I told you I did not want any fuss made.” Isilorbor said as he climbed the stairs one by one. “Trust me, the blindfold will come in handily later.” He could almost feel the smirk on Lendes’ face. Isilorbor’s boots rang softly on the stone floor of their house, and from just that he could tell that he was being held into the main hall. “The last time we used a blindfold, we…” “SURPRISE!” Isilorbor must jumped like there were springs under his feet, as he felt his head brush the doorframe ever so slightly. The roar of joyful laughter filled the house while Lendes gently peeled the blindfold from his eyes. The main hall of the house was filled with music, people, food and drink. Each person he knew by name, and each were beaming a bright smile at him. Lendes walked in front of the large group of people, taking a glass of wine from Borermor and raised it into the air. “Happy birthday to you!” Lendes started to sing, until the whole room was filled with the roar of song. “Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to Isilorbor Happy birthday to you!” The ‘You’ was prolonged as long as anyone’s lungs could hold, when they threw their glasses back and downed all their drinks in Isilorbor’s name. Laughter burst from their mouths as a forest of hands grabbed him, barking and shouting at him for trying to turn away from the party with a face of bright crimson. A glass of wine was forced into his hand, all around him faces beamed at him in the tight circle. “I did not want to be a bother!” Isilorbor shouted above the hum. There was a chorus of sad groans and dismissals “Its not everyday you turn forty-two, Isil.” Zelderan said loudly, clearly drunk. “Yeah, what…Zelderan said!” Borermor chimed in, summarily drunk, “Safe and sound, at home again, let the crowd roar ‘Isilorbor!’” He loud, bad singing made Isilorbor cackle as he saw that Tarkin had also been drinking. “We have worked the self same wall, southern gate protectors!” Gorro called out, his ale spilling on the floor. “Long we’ve marched, over hills and over plains, now we’re safe at home, Isilorbor!” Rafen, Zelderan, Borermor and a number of the Sons of Calth sang loudly. “Don’t forget your old battle brothers. O-Rally-Rally-Rally-Rally-O.” The house thundered as all the house servants, Lendes and Lenwenn joined the fun part of the song. “If we drink, and if we eat, let them be in your name!” Zelderan’s deep voice broke over the short pause afterwards. “Long we love, long we prey, that we’ll be at home again!” Borermor’s slurred voice highly amusing, making Isilorbor grin widely. “We have sat at home, cold and alone, waiting for your return!” Lendes and Lenwenn added their soft, sweet voices to the song, clearly that line was made up just for them. “We have come from far and wide, seen the world from our position.” Isilorbor now decided to sing his part. “Don’t’ forget your old battle brothers. O-Rally-Rally-Rally-O!” Lendes had dismissed the servants after they had cleaned the house, the part had gone on for hours and Lenwenn had found the wine much to her liking. She was sixteen and yet the first sip of wine had intoxicated her. Lendes had been forced to step in and stop her from flirting outrageously with anyone of the male gender. Isilorbor’s was given many fine gifts from her and Lenwenn, a pair of silver bracelets with engravings of gold that said: “We love you, know and always.” Lendil had a babysitter take him to a spare house for him to sleep soundly, it was a shame, Lendes reflected for a moment. He was so young that he would not get along with all the nose and Lessel was in Gondor, visiting Lendes’ mother and father. Isilorbor was sitting down on a chair, smiling widely as he adjusted his new bracelets with a glint in his eyes. “You like them?” Lendes knew Isilorbor loved them. “I will damn near never take them off.” Isilorbor beamed a lovingly smile at his wife. Lendes walked towards her husband, her hand gently on his shoulder. “May I?” Lendes asked softly. “Of course.” Isilorbor whispered. Lendes slowly sat down on Isilorbor’s lap, wrapping her arms around his wide shoulders and breathed in his scent deeply, relaxing naturedly into his body. Isilorbor wrapped his arms around his wife, placing an ever so soft kiss on her cheek and sighed softly, like a spring breeze across a meadow. “Thank you for this.” Isilorbor breathed into Lendes’ ear in the darkness. “The party was a pleasure.” Lendes returned softly, kissing Isilorbor’s neck once. “I do not mean the party, I mean this.” Smiling in a way that made Lendes feel like only she knew what love really was, they locked eyes and kissed one another on their lips. “Let’s go to bed.” Lendes whispered. Isilorbor took Lendes in his arms and stood up, easily bearing her weight and slowly walked up the stairs like she was his bride again. Placing her down on the silk bed gently, as if fearing she would shatter like glass, Lendes’ smile never left her face as she slowly silvered out of her dress and helped Isilorbor undress. Naked, the two lovers, true lovers, climbed into bed and held one another. No words were exchanged, for what words could be given to voice how they felt at this time? Holding each other in the darkness, they listened to each others breath and heart beat; slowly their eyes became heaver and heaver, until they fell asleep in their embrace.