Another Monday Offering

From the same source: Chapter Four of 'The Gift'.

As previously stated:
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction, a tribute to the Lord of the Rings.  I acknowledge I have no rights of ownership to the characters or the settings and that I only own my original content and interpretations.

Chapter Four: A Knife and a Meeting

I woke to find warm arms around me, a hand stroking my skin and I lifted my head to find Lindir’s wide gaze looking down at me. He laid his fingertips on my lips and cocked his head towards the window, disengaging from the embrace and pushing himself up in bed. About to move myself, I realised that at some point I had parted company with my linen shift, and hastened to retrieve it from the depths of the bed, pulling it on over my head. 

Lindir had been similarly busy and was fastening the cords on the leggings I’d found for him earlier, now looking anxiously towards the door, although I could hear nothing from outside.

The fruit knife was on the table next to the bed; I passed it to him, handle first, and then pointed towards the dressing room; he could hide in there until Briot had left; I would pretend to be still sleeping and not to know where my ‘gift’ had gone.

Lindir nodded, snatching up the tunic from the floor to take with him. He pulled the dressing room door almost shut and I lay back down, trying hard not to relax and appear properly asleep.

The bedroom door cracked open. I swallowed and concentrated on lying still.

There was a cold slice of metal at my throat, a hand holding me down and a voice whispering viciously in my ear.  I had no idea what my attacker was saying until I caught one word: ‘Lindir…’

I opened my eyes to see two shadows creeping over the window ledge. Their movements were liquid, smooth, and they were utterly silent. One went to the outer door and the other headed for my dressing room, and it was with relief I saw the pointed tip to an ear and recognised my attackers for elves.

‘Lindir’s through there,’ I said, hoping one or other of them would understand. The knife pressed harder against my throat; it was not a pleasant experience.

But then Lindir’s voice came from within the dressing room, and the elf outside stood down, speaking in the same soft language. Lindir replied and opened the door, coming out slowly.

I saw joy and relief in the face of the one nearest him; he grasped Lindir by the arms and looked into his face, firing off a string of quiet questions. Lindir began to answer, and then looked over towards me, horror in his eyes as he launched into a tirade of hissing invective, pointing at me and the elf with the knife at my throat. He pushed past his friend and came over to wave the knife away and sit on the bed to gather me into his arms. I noticed, as if from a distance, that I was shaking now the knife had been withdrawn, and I was very grateful for the warmth and comfort of his embrace. Keeping one arm about me, he tilted my chin to make sure my neck wasn’t cut, talking softly to me all the time.

‘I’m fine,’ I told him.  ‘I’m fine.’

The elf at the door waved a hand, and we fell silent.  Lindir’s friend, near the dressing room, nodded towards the window; time to leave.

‘Le fael, Koviala,’ Lindir said, and, in front of his stunned friends, kissed me.  ‘Mellon-nin.’

‘Mesri,’ I said.  ‘It’s Mesri.’

‘Mesri,’ he repeated, picked up the remaining half of the kovalia fruit on the table, and slipped out of the window along with his friends.

It was the sixth hour when I heard a soft knock at my door and it was finally beginning to get light.  I hadn’t slept; instead, I’d collected up the remains of Lindir’s chains and hidden them in the trunk in the dressing room, pulled the bed straight and hidden the knife under my pillow. I’d spent a long time running through possibilities in my mind; how to handle Briot, how to get rid of my maid without it looking suspicious.  How to bring Briot to justice and what to do, should I be called to explain myself to King Elessar.

‘Come in,’ I said.

My maid came in, dropped into a curtsey, and began to speak.

‘I fully expect you to be extremely disappointed with my service, Lady Mesri, but I should first like to make  you aware that your brother appears to have partaken of rather a lot of red wine and he looks likely to be sleeping it off for most of the day…’ she waved at the rug.  ‘I think I should clear that up for you, too.  It does not smell as strongly as it did in the night, but the scent is lingering…’

‘Oh?  Are you telling me…?’

‘That I did not see anything I could do except agree to help Lord Briot, but I swear I did not know he would bring a captive to your bed, and that I most eternally grateful he lost consciousness before I had to make good my promise! And now, my lady, if there’s nothing more, I believe there is a council meeting this morning I need to dress you for?’

*

By mid-morning I realised I was really enjoying my birthday.

The council chamber had been humming all morning; the draft treaty and all the other relevant documents had been signed, I’d arranged for it to be taken at once to Gondor with the intention of signing the treaty as soon as possible, if not sooner. We had discussed what would be involved in the actual ceremony, how many officials would likely be sent, and if we had enough bunting in stock to suitably decorate the township.

We broke proceedings for twenty minutes mid-morning and refreshments were brought in. I had ordered cake and light drinks. Many of the council members took the chance to wish me well for my year ahead and more than a few asked me if I knew where my brother had got to.

‘Maybe he’s sleeping off some heavy wine?’ I suggested innocently. ‘Now, while I have you here, and before we get back into session, you wouldn’t happen to know anyone in the town who could teach me Elvish, do you?’

‘Elvish, my lady?’

‘Yes; I want to learn Westron too, of course, but I know the High King has many elves at his court and I would like us to present ourselves in as good a manner as possible.’ I smiled. ‘Don’t worry, I shan’t make anybody else do so, of course. But it might be to our advantage and I would like to begin lessons today, if you can find anyone.’

‘Today, Lady Mesri?’

‘This afternoon, if possible. Oh, look; my brother has finally arrived!’

The door slammed shut after Briot and he stomped down the steps into the chamber’s heart. He looked furious, hung-over, and dangerous, and I was glad I’d thought to give my maid a weeks’ leave to go and visit her grandmother while Briot’s rage died down and he came to his senses a little.

Truth to tell, I was a little nervous myself.  But I’d decided on a course of action and I was going to stick with it.

‘Mesri…’ he began, in tones of thunder as he approached.

‘Briot!’ I gave him my sweetest smile and laid my hand on his arm.  ‘Thank you so much for the gift! Such a thoughtful present, I really enjoyed... unwrapping it.’

I think he growled.  I touched my hand to my head lightly.

‘Oh, but the wine was too much last night! I was almost late up, and found my maid had tidied everything away. Including, sadly, my lovely gift, but thank you!’ I smiled and moved off.  ‘Have some cake, why don’t you? And some fruit juice.’

Mellon-nin – my friend