"When I grow up, I want to marry someone like you." fghfjdhgklfds
[Continued from here]
Nadiyah: *swoops down out of the darkness to enfold Halbarad in a comforting embrace, one hand over his mouth* Shhh. We are secret, remember?
Halbarad: *hides his face against her shoulder* I did bad things, Nadiyah! Bad! How can that be secret?
Nadiyah: It can be your secret, for now. You must not shout. This is hiding. *rocks you gently, as I once did my own little brothers* Are you hungry?
Halbarad: *shakes his head no* *whispers* I do not want to eat, but the puppies should have something.
Nadiyah: I brought them bones and scraps. *I glance aside to where the half-grown pups wrestle and tumble for their share* I have hot soup. You should have some, it will be cold later.
Halbarad: *nervously clings to the fabric of Nadiyah's coat and shift, feeling very small* I can eat cold soup. Sometimes all we have at home is cold soup, and Mother has to add water to make it last.
Nadiyah: *looks disgusted* I would never make you drink cold soup. That is...barbaric. *I sit down, wrapping my coat around you and pushing a warm mug into your hands* It is very good. You need something.
Halbarad: *doesn't really want to, but obediently sips at the soup, becoming more at ease with the idea of actually eating as the liquid warms him* Why?
Nadiyah: Because you will get weak and sick if you do not eat. And I promised to look after you.
Halbarad: *frowns* I know that. I meant why is cold soup bar...bar-bar-ick. Is that bad?
Nadiyah: It is... *I wave my hand, looking for the words* Yes. It is doing things a bad way when the good way is easier. *I glance down at you thoughtfully* But you come from a cold place...maybe it is not so easy, there.
Halbarad: Things are easy with Uncle Elrond, and Mother says they are almost as easy in the people's city. Why is cold bar-bar-ick? Is it a bad thing, where you come from?
Nadiyah: YES. Food is supposed to be hot, or warm. Cold is...not good for you. It makes your stomach knot up. This is what my mother told me.
Halbarad: Why does it do that? Are you sick all winter? We get sick in winter at home. The old people and hurt people and children get bad coughs, and sometimes stomaches. Is that the same?
Nadiyah: No...I don't think so. It is always hot where I come from, except at night. And we have fires all night.
Halbarad: You can have fires at night?! All night?! Sometimes we cannot even have fires in the day! How do you stay hidden? Do the orcs ever find you?
Nadiyah: We do not have many orcs there. They do not like sand and heat. And...we are not at war with them.
Halbarad: *solemnly* We aren't at war. Mother says that we have to hide if we cannot hunt. I am still too small to hunt. She said that I could learn things at Uncle Elrond's without hiding so much, so I shouldn't be sad about leaving her alone. She said she might even hunt with Father while I am away.
Nadiyah: *curiously* Then why are you not with Elrond? I mean, before you came here.
Halbarad: Because I can't stay with Uncle Elrond all the time. He is busy, and Mother says I have to learn some things with other teachers when they have time. Estel stays with Uncle Elrond all the time, but that's different. Estel is special.
Nadiyah: Estel...? Oh. Aragorn! Yes, he is. You are cousins, yes?
Halbarad: *wide-eyed* You know his secret name?! How do you know it? I'm not even supposed to know it, but he told me.
Nadiyah: Everyone kn-- Oh. This is hard to explain. Perhaps I will not. *frowning* This is...a different time than what you remember. Things are strange.
Halbarad: *nods furiously* They are very strange. Like home, but not. I am used to bad things and hiding, but in outside places, from orcs. I wish Glorfindel were here. He'd make those evil things go away. He even scared the Witch King! *snuggles closer for warmth* I don't mind this. You are very nice and very pretty. When I grow up, I want to marry someone like you.
Nadiyah: *straight-faced, suddenly missing my husband so bad I want to cry and scream and break things* I think you will.
Halbarad: *genuinely curious* Do you have a husband? Will he be a good father to your baby? You said you are going to be a mother. That's very special where I come from.
Nadiyah: I...I do. Sometimes. *drooping slightly, but my arm still comforting around you* Not right now.
Halbarad: *gently* Why not?
Nadiyah: *soft sigh* You would not understand. Drink your soup.
Halbarad: *falls silent and finishes the small meal, then carefully puts the cup down and slides off Nadiyah's lap* You should sleep. Mothers need to rest, and I have been doing all the sleeping.
Nadiyah: *I must admit, I'm tired and my back hurts* If you promise to wake me at sundown. Promise?
Halbarad: Promise. *gently moves a sleeping puppy to make more room* The wolves will keep you warm. They are good for that. I will keep watch.
Nadiyah: *I hesitate, but then nod and burrow in, using a vaguely protesting Hwest as a pillow* I trust you, Halbarad. If there is trouble, wake me. I am armed. Are you?
Halbarad: *finds a knife from the small supply of weapons and food* I am now.
Nadiyah: *nodding my approval -- your grip on it is good* Do not be too brave, Halbarad. If there is trouble, scream. There is no shame in it. We must fight together, you and I.
Halbarad: Yes ma'am. *sits down and pats a cub who takes up a watchful stance beside him* Sleep well, Lady Nadiyah. I will keep us safe.
Nadiyah: *I smile, and yawn, and snuggle down* Thank you.
Nadiyah: *swoops down out of the darkness to enfold Halbarad in a comforting embrace, one hand over his mouth* Shhh. We are secret, remember?
Halbarad: *hides his face against her shoulder* I did bad things, Nadiyah! Bad! How can that be secret?
Nadiyah: It can be your secret, for now. You must not shout. This is hiding. *rocks you gently, as I once did my own little brothers* Are you hungry?
Halbarad: *shakes his head no* *whispers* I do not want to eat, but the puppies should have something.
Nadiyah: I brought them bones and scraps. *I glance aside to where the half-grown pups wrestle and tumble for their share* I have hot soup. You should have some, it will be cold later.
Halbarad: *nervously clings to the fabric of Nadiyah's coat and shift, feeling very small* I can eat cold soup. Sometimes all we have at home is cold soup, and Mother has to add water to make it last.
Nadiyah: *looks disgusted* I would never make you drink cold soup. That is...barbaric. *I sit down, wrapping my coat around you and pushing a warm mug into your hands* It is very good. You need something.
Halbarad: *doesn't really want to, but obediently sips at the soup, becoming more at ease with the idea of actually eating as the liquid warms him* Why?
Nadiyah: Because you will get weak and sick if you do not eat. And I promised to look after you.
Halbarad: *frowns* I know that. I meant why is cold soup bar...bar-bar-ick. Is that bad?
Nadiyah: It is... *I wave my hand, looking for the words* Yes. It is doing things a bad way when the good way is easier. *I glance down at you thoughtfully* But you come from a cold place...maybe it is not so easy, there.
Halbarad: Things are easy with Uncle Elrond, and Mother says they are almost as easy in the people's city. Why is cold bar-bar-ick? Is it a bad thing, where you come from?
Nadiyah: YES. Food is supposed to be hot, or warm. Cold is...not good for you. It makes your stomach knot up. This is what my mother told me.
Halbarad: Why does it do that? Are you sick all winter? We get sick in winter at home. The old people and hurt people and children get bad coughs, and sometimes stomaches. Is that the same?
Nadiyah: No...I don't think so. It is always hot where I come from, except at night. And we have fires all night.
Halbarad: You can have fires at night?! All night?! Sometimes we cannot even have fires in the day! How do you stay hidden? Do the orcs ever find you?
Nadiyah: We do not have many orcs there. They do not like sand and heat. And...we are not at war with them.
Halbarad: *solemnly* We aren't at war. Mother says that we have to hide if we cannot hunt. I am still too small to hunt. She said that I could learn things at Uncle Elrond's without hiding so much, so I shouldn't be sad about leaving her alone. She said she might even hunt with Father while I am away.
Nadiyah: *curiously* Then why are you not with Elrond? I mean, before you came here.
Halbarad: Because I can't stay with Uncle Elrond all the time. He is busy, and Mother says I have to learn some things with other teachers when they have time. Estel stays with Uncle Elrond all the time, but that's different. Estel is special.
Nadiyah: Estel...? Oh. Aragorn! Yes, he is. You are cousins, yes?
Halbarad: *wide-eyed* You know his secret name?! How do you know it? I'm not even supposed to know it, but he told me.
Nadiyah: Everyone kn-- Oh. This is hard to explain. Perhaps I will not. *frowning* This is...a different time than what you remember. Things are strange.
Halbarad: *nods furiously* They are very strange. Like home, but not. I am used to bad things and hiding, but in outside places, from orcs. I wish Glorfindel were here. He'd make those evil things go away. He even scared the Witch King! *snuggles closer for warmth* I don't mind this. You are very nice and very pretty. When I grow up, I want to marry someone like you.
Nadiyah: *straight-faced, suddenly missing my husband so bad I want to cry and scream and break things* I think you will.
Halbarad: *genuinely curious* Do you have a husband? Will he be a good father to your baby? You said you are going to be a mother. That's very special where I come from.
Nadiyah: I...I do. Sometimes. *drooping slightly, but my arm still comforting around you* Not right now.
Halbarad: *gently* Why not?
Nadiyah: *soft sigh* You would not understand. Drink your soup.
Halbarad: *falls silent and finishes the small meal, then carefully puts the cup down and slides off Nadiyah's lap* You should sleep. Mothers need to rest, and I have been doing all the sleeping.
Nadiyah: *I must admit, I'm tired and my back hurts* If you promise to wake me at sundown. Promise?
Halbarad: Promise. *gently moves a sleeping puppy to make more room* The wolves will keep you warm. They are good for that. I will keep watch.
Nadiyah: *I hesitate, but then nod and burrow in, using a vaguely protesting Hwest as a pillow* I trust you, Halbarad. If there is trouble, wake me. I am armed. Are you?
Halbarad: *finds a knife from the small supply of weapons and food* I am now.
Nadiyah: *nodding my approval -- your grip on it is good* Do not be too brave, Halbarad. If there is trouble, scream. There is no shame in it. We must fight together, you and I.
Halbarad: Yes ma'am. *sits down and pats a cub who takes up a watchful stance beside him* Sleep well, Lady Nadiyah. I will keep us safe.
Nadiyah: *I smile, and yawn, and snuggle down* Thank you.