Quiet Joys
Nerdanel's eyes opened slowly, and the vision that greeted her brought a tired, bright smile to her lips.
"Gwador," she says, her voice rough with disuse.
Ecthelion crouches beside her, brushing back her hair. "Oh, Sunset, you look terrible," he remarks with a dry chuckle.
"Thank you," she groans, shifting to make herself more comfortable. "You try being this pregnant and looking your best."
He stood, bringing a tray over as she sat up. Carefully, Ecthelion plumped pillows and propped her up before setting the tray on her thighs. "You know you look glorious on any normal occasion, but dearest, you are pale and too slender."
"Slender?" she asks with a laugh, gratefully sipping the hot tea. "Ecthelion, I believe we should have Guppy examine your eyesight."
Ecthelion shook his head, spreading the honey-butter onto a thick slice of warm bread for her. "All that is large about you is your belly -- and once that child leaves your body, you will see how slim you are. When I last saw you, before here, you were perfectly proportioned."
She munches on the bread for a little while, staring at the last few bites before letting out a long breath. "I know. You can see the bones in my hands and wrists. I eat." She looks up. "I eat everyday. If you do not bring me food, then Glorfindel or Gorlim or Lee or Gil and Sooty; someone is always bringing me food. And I eat most of it. Then I sleep. All I do now is eat and sleep."
"I think that is best," Ecthelion murmurs. "What happened in Imladris--"
"Was not normal," she hastily says.
He holds up his hands. "I know. What I was saying was that what happened in Imladris means you should remain abed. Don't overtax your body. The closest thing to this pregnancy was Melian's, but she was no Elf. No Elf has carried the child of an Ainu, but you're strong, gwathel. I think it is best you only eat and sleep until your time arrives." He tilts his head. "When is that, by the way?"
She smiles at him, diving into the cold meats. "Sometime in June. All the trips into Aman have thrown off the timing, but I think it should be mid-June."
"Not long, then." Ecthelion nods, starting in on an apple.
"It's long enough," she retorts. "It means two and a half more months in this bed."
Ecthelion's smile became wicked. "Then perhaps Glorfindel and I will have to don your dresses once more."
Nerdanel laughs at the image that rises in her mind from her long memory. "That would be amusing."
"Then I shall have to speak with our golden Lord about such entertainment for our bedridden Sunset." He tweaks her nose, before settling back to continue eating his apple.
After another lengthy pause in their conversation, Nerdanel finally asks, "Why did you not ask me to wed you?"
Ecthelion blinks several times at her, then frowns. "Wed you? Sunset, you were always at Feanáro's side. Wanding the lands of Aman -- besides, you are like a sister to me. Even though Glorfindel calls you cousin, I am certain he thinks of you the same way."
"But Glorfindel is my blood kin, you're not," she says.
"Nerdanel," he sighs, putting his half-eaten apple aside. "You are a lovely woman. You have courage and love and pride that is tempered with compassion and humility. You are a great woman. Wise and kind. There is no other I call my sworn-sister, no other but Glorfindel I am so close to." He shrugs. "You were meant for greater things than a warrior."
She smiles at him before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you," she murmurs before sitting back and returning to her meal.
"Gwador," she says, her voice rough with disuse.
Ecthelion crouches beside her, brushing back her hair. "Oh, Sunset, you look terrible," he remarks with a dry chuckle.
"Thank you," she groans, shifting to make herself more comfortable. "You try being this pregnant and looking your best."
He stood, bringing a tray over as she sat up. Carefully, Ecthelion plumped pillows and propped her up before setting the tray on her thighs. "You know you look glorious on any normal occasion, but dearest, you are pale and too slender."
"Slender?" she asks with a laugh, gratefully sipping the hot tea. "Ecthelion, I believe we should have Guppy examine your eyesight."
Ecthelion shook his head, spreading the honey-butter onto a thick slice of warm bread for her. "All that is large about you is your belly -- and once that child leaves your body, you will see how slim you are. When I last saw you, before here, you were perfectly proportioned."
She munches on the bread for a little while, staring at the last few bites before letting out a long breath. "I know. You can see the bones in my hands and wrists. I eat." She looks up. "I eat everyday. If you do not bring me food, then Glorfindel or Gorlim or Lee or Gil and Sooty; someone is always bringing me food. And I eat most of it. Then I sleep. All I do now is eat and sleep."
"I think that is best," Ecthelion murmurs. "What happened in Imladris--"
"Was not normal," she hastily says.
He holds up his hands. "I know. What I was saying was that what happened in Imladris means you should remain abed. Don't overtax your body. The closest thing to this pregnancy was Melian's, but she was no Elf. No Elf has carried the child of an Ainu, but you're strong, gwathel. I think it is best you only eat and sleep until your time arrives." He tilts his head. "When is that, by the way?"
She smiles at him, diving into the cold meats. "Sometime in June. All the trips into Aman have thrown off the timing, but I think it should be mid-June."
"Not long, then." Ecthelion nods, starting in on an apple.
"It's long enough," she retorts. "It means two and a half more months in this bed."
Ecthelion's smile became wicked. "Then perhaps Glorfindel and I will have to don your dresses once more."
Nerdanel laughs at the image that rises in her mind from her long memory. "That would be amusing."
"Then I shall have to speak with our golden Lord about such entertainment for our bedridden Sunset." He tweaks her nose, before settling back to continue eating his apple.
After another lengthy pause in their conversation, Nerdanel finally asks, "Why did you not ask me to wed you?"
Ecthelion blinks several times at her, then frowns. "Wed you? Sunset, you were always at Feanáro's side. Wanding the lands of Aman -- besides, you are like a sister to me. Even though Glorfindel calls you cousin, I am certain he thinks of you the same way."
"But Glorfindel is my blood kin, you're not," she says.
"Nerdanel," he sighs, putting his half-eaten apple aside. "You are a lovely woman. You have courage and love and pride that is tempered with compassion and humility. You are a great woman. Wise and kind. There is no other I call my sworn-sister, no other but Glorfindel I am so close to." He shrugs. "You were meant for greater things than a warrior."
She smiles at him before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you," she murmurs before sitting back and returning to her meal.