'Darling! Watch out, you cannot just pack your papers underneath the lute! And watch the crockery!' Eilanneth hastily tried to prevent her dear husband from shoving everything in the same saddlebag, effectively making the poor packhorse lean dangerously to one side. She carefully checked the state of the teapot and the cups she was bringing.
'My dear, you know best how to do these things.' He said, smiling at her and wandering off to pat his horse. Quickly the stable-hand helped them to sort out the last saddlebags and wished them well on their journey.
'Are you travelling far, hiril Eilanneth?' He put his one arm on his hip and his other hand into his belt, looking awfully like a teapot, she thought. Then realised she had been a one track mind of late.
'Yes, we are going to the seaside! It is time for a bit of new scenery, you see! We will be out of the valley for a time.' She smiled at him.
'And travelling alone, are you?' He asked curiously.
'We have company, don't you worry about that.' She giggled and pointed at the other travellers gathered, an expedition that seemed to be embarking on the same morning.
The stable-hand bowed his head elegantly and said 'On your way then, hiril, may your journey be swift and without consequence.'
She nodded in return, thanked him for his well wishes and after mounting her own steed, made certain that Lindaire did the same. It would be a long journey, but they had time, and the thought of soon enjoying the sunny beaches, the good food, and the restful atmosphere was appealing.
A few weeks later they arrived in Lindon, having taken their time and gone as much undetected as they could through some of the land. The journey had indeed been uneventful, save for a grumble or two from Lindaire, who every so often got annoyed by the horse stumbling while he was playing on his lute. The truth was, the horse stumbled little, but Eilanneth just nodded and smiled. She began singing to his playing, and their combined music thrilled the travellers who had no entertainment of their own. In fact, this was the reason they had been asked to come along in the first place, to bring music and joy.
Once in the bumbling seaside town, they thanked the expeditioners and parted ways. Eilanneth was eager to find their home away from home, a small house they had purchased a while ago when they were there last. How long ago was that again? Must be many a yeni, she thought. Lindaire got distracted by a salesman offering different kinds of honey, and she had to drag him away from there to the house. It amused her that he could be so enamoured by food and music, that he simply forgot the surroundings.
Finally at the house, they realised that it had recently been swept and prepared for their arrival. Astonished Eilanneth stepped inside and looked around. Lindaire followed soon after. A rumbling in the kitchen area alerted them of another's presence. Then a curse uttered in quenya, and some clattering of metal cookware on the floor hit their eardrums. Suddenly a young blonde haired lady popped out from there, blushing ever so heavily.
'Hilariel dear! What are you doing here?' Eilanneth smiled warmly at her and embraced the other elleth giving the girl quite the shock.
'I was told by the house that you would be staying here for a while, so I though, since I am already here, I would prepare your house for your arrival, but..' She got no further because Lindaire dropped the packing on the living room floor, startling the poor girl once more.
'Lindaire, easy now! That contains the...' She stopped in her tracks as she heard the cracking sound. She sighed, she already knew what had happened judging by the noise. She quickly opened the packing and inspected the stat of affairs. Her teapot, a precious gift from a dear friend, had cracked. 'Oh well, much use that will do now.'
Lindaire looked ashamed at her and nodded, before a mischievous smile came over his face and he walked over to her with arms wide, ready to dance. 'My dear, it is but a thing, an earthly possession, when we have each other, what does it matter?' Eilanneth started to smile, quite reluctantly, for she could not resist the romantic gesture and soon found herself dancing around the room, giggling and laughing, all the while Hilariel played them a tune on her lute.
