"Down in the valley, my lover waits for me,
Sings softly to me, and calls me from the sea;
Though my heart is heavy, and I wish to flee,
I shall stay until the day that I can go with she."
Seldom were the times that Haldir had heard Erestor singing. The voice was deep and yet soft and it nearly put Haldir back to sleep. "I have heard that tune before," said Haldir when the singing stopped.
"Shhh, to sleep, Haldir. The sun has yet to rise."
Rolling to his side so that he faced Erestor, he winced slightly, taking a deep breath. "Nenniach was singing something nearly the same, just the other day. Please, Erestor, tell me where the song is from."
"Listen to you," chuckled Erestor. In a tone of voice reminiscent of Haldir, he drawled out, "Erestor, tell me about the song. Erestor, tell me about the markings on your ankle." Shaking his head, Erestor said, "You're worse than the twins were when they were but elflings and had excuse for it."
"Yes, the markings on your ankle," said Haldir, remembering. "You didn't tell me about them last night."
"And you'll be lucky if we get to them at all today."
Resignedly, Haldir carefully sunk back into his nest. "I will eat my meals without question, and will not beg for anything to rid me of this pain. What's more, I won't even complain about the pain."
"Is that because I have your word on it, or has Nenniach found yet another way to sneak your medicines to you?" Erestor smiled a bit wickedly as Haldir looked at him with a slightly fearful expression. "I know, she gives you less and less, but it has not gone unnoticed. I'm old, yes, but despite jokes told at my expense, I am not senile."
Resting his head back again, Haldir sighed. "I won't take it from her anymore. You have my word. How is that?"
"It's a start," said Erestor, stretching and looking around. Nenniach had been fairly punctual about having a cold breakfast ready to greet them before they awoke, but today, both the tray and the elleth were missing. He did not wish to leave, and so, looked at the young elf that lounged and stared up at the hazy sky through the trees. "It appears breakfast will be late this morning."
"I can wait," Haldir assured him, adding, "And whilst we wait, you can tell me about your song."
"Or, we could forget that song," suggested Erestor, "and I could sing you another."
Haldir considered the offer. He was apparently not going to learn the origins of the song, at least not from Erestor. "I shall allow your compromise," he said, raising a hand in the air and make a regal sort of gesture like those he had seen the Mirkwood royals do when they wished something to be done.
"Practicing, are we?" teased Erestor. "I thought you gave up your crown to Orophin."
"Aye, but I need no practice," said Haldir. "I come from a long line of very noble Sindar."
"A long line?" snorted Erestor, relaxing more than he had since he had come. "I can count your past sires and grandsires on a single hand and have fingers left to spare."
"Kindly make better use of your mouth, Erestor, and open it in song and not insult," said Haldir, in a tone that mocked the voice of Elrond.
"For that," warned the Noldo, "I should not only refuse song, but refuse story later as well."
Lips that wanted to smirk were held down in a loose pout as Haldir moved to his side once more. "Ah, Erestor, I jest."
"As do I, penneth. Now, as for your song…" Erestor leaned more comfortably against the tree. "Something that you've not heard before, I should think." And he began:
The Evenstar, the Golden Flower
The Silver Queen who sailed West
The twin princes, the minstrel elf
The wandering lord when he needs rest
Each has a story you may've guessed
Ruled and led by the Peredhel
'Tis in the last house in the West
In a place they call Rivendell
"I've not heard that one before," admitted Haldir. "Is there more to it?"
Erestor nodded. "It is a song with choices. Some are intrigued by the twins, they choose that part of the song, while others have begged the tale of their sister. There is little call to tell the story of Lindir, while many want to know of Gildor's adventures. Glorfindel, also popular, as is Elrond. It is your choice what you wish to hear, though, to ask for the story of the Silver Queen is not worth your time - you know your sister well enough, and your name is mentioned but once."
Haldir made a sour face. "And Rumil's?"
"Twice," admitted Erestor, "But there is more to rhyme with his name than yours!"
"Oh. Of course. So few words in Sindarin have an 'ir' at the end. Whatever was I thinking."
"The song is in Westron, or have you spoken the tongue so long you have it confused?"
Haldir narrowed his eyes and began to tick off on his fingers. "Leer. Sneer. Spear. Beer."
"Yes, all wonderful words to describe your sister. How could I have neglected their use?" asked Erestor, picking the twigs and grass from his leggings.
"Apparently, you didn't know her as well as you say you did," huffed Haldir. "She had quite a temper and drank heavily with Adar. Some occasions, one could not be sure which of them had the more colorful Dwarvish vocabulary." When he found that Erestor was no longer indulging him, he sighed and asked, "What use is a song with so many endings?"
"I used it when we had visitors who did not speak our tongue. Because there were so many paths, it gave the listeners time to break between the stories. Some," Erestor further explained, "think our songs long."
"Mortals," shrugged Haldir as if he were indifferent to it.
Erestor chuckled. "I wouldn't say that around his Lord Elrond or any of the children. Right, so, which is the tale you wish to hear?" questioned Erestor, glancing to the steps in hopes that breakfast would soon come.
"Tell me of the horse master of Imladris," answered Haldir.
Erestor shook his head. "I do not have a song for him."
Haldir shrugged. "Make one up."
Shaking his head again, Erestor was interrupted as a young elleth came carefully down the steps to the garden, holding a large tray. Her wide eyes took in the surroundings of the garden, looking this way and that. Erestor gave a glance to Haldir, who took a look at the elleth and mouthed 'Seamstress' to Erestor.
Rolling his eyes, Erestor motioned that Haldir should give him the maiden's name, but Haldir widened his eyes, and gave a blank look to Erestor. Giving a nod, Erestor stood and approached the elleth, who had paused three quarters of the way down. "My lady," he said with a bow. The elleth curtseyed upon hearing his voice, but continued to take in the garden.
"May I…help you with this?" asked Erestor as he met her on the step below, but his height still caused him to stand above her. She nodded without a word, her eyes now on the great mirror. Erestor slid the tray from her hands. "May I inquire as to why my daughter did not bring the tray?"
"She is tired…was speaking with her husband…" the elleth began to come out of her daze, but her sight was still fixed upon the mirror.
"Rumil is here?" interrupted Haldir, trying to get up.
"Oh!" The elleth looked past Erestor down into the garden, blushing at the sight of the Captain, dressed only in baggy pants, haired braided loosely and thrown around his shoulder. "Oh, no, I beg pardon. She was farspeaking and I was asked to bring the tray to you. I am told to give word that the war is mostly over. The orcs have been run out of the forest by our troops and those of the elfking. And the tower has been felled by the Lady Galadriel."
"Which elfking? What tower?" questioned Erestor, and the maiden blushed.
"I don't honestly know. I'm just repeating what she said before she fell into a deep sleep."
"She is sleeping?" asked Erestor excitedly. "Praise Eru, that poor child needed sleep." The elleth began to look around once more, and Erestor said, "Ah, you may, uh…" and was distracted as she turned to watch a bird swoop low and then out of the garden. He found himself watching her as she watched the bird, wondering first if she herself had sewn the golden gown she wore, and then, what, if anything, might be beneath it. He blushed instantly, unsure of how such an inappropriate thought had come into his mind, and shook his head to clear it.
"Be dismissed?" she asked, focusing her attention once more.
Coughing, and turning to cover his blush, Erestor said, "Yes. Yes, that's it. You're dismissed." The elleth nodded, but Erestor had turned quickly and did not see as she went back up the stairs.
"Well…" Haldir grinned and leaned back as Erestor came back into the space they had been using most often.
"Well, nothing." Erestor started to reposition the items on the tray.
Closing his eyes, Haldir said, "I don't know if I'm very hungry anymore. Not with this searing pain in my back."
"Well, I think it may well be years before you learn the rest of my tale," said Erestor as he lifted the knife from the tray and cut off a slice of bread.
"Well, I think I'm going to find out all about you today, or else, I think I'm going to have to invite that…whoever she is down for lunch."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Erestor said quickly.
Arching his brow, Haldir slowly sat up and leaned forward. "What was it? Her eyes? Her figure? Perhaps her voice?" His grin was positively indecent, and Erestor told him so. "My grin? My, but I do wonder now what you are so eager to keep secret."
"Haldir, please!" Erestor rolled his eyes. "She's a child. Nenniach is probably ten times her age!" he insisted, but his cheeks colored again, and he bowed his head.
"So, it would be a lovely January-December romance," Haldir reasoned. "It would be such a scandal, wouldn't it?" he added slyly.
Erestor tossed the knife back onto the tray. "Butter your own bread," he said, settling back against the tree once more. "Now, where did we leave off?" he asked, ignoring Haldir's grin.