The Probability Factor

Chapter Nineteen-I Love the Smell of Rohan In the Morning

(Italics denotes Sindarin speech)

Our arrival in Edoras was full of fan fare. I had no idea for sure, but it seemed as though the entire population of the city had turned out to greet us. It was a rather primitive city, if I was to compare it to Minas Tirith, which was pretty primitive by my own personal standards. Anyways, it seemed as though every man, woman and child had turned up in the rough cobblestone streets and were waving us on. We had left our horses in the stables near the gates, and had walked through the city up the hill to the house of the king. Glorfindel had whispered to me that it was called Meduseld. The King of Rohan was standing out on the terrace with his court, waiting to greet us.

Elrond, Galadriel and Celeborn went through the greetings with aplomb, even though I knew they were a bit weary from the travel. They always were elegant and understated. They reminded me of my Dad. He was always well turned out, cool as a cucumber and completely unflappable. Elrond was almost exactly like him, except for the ever-present sadness. I kept thinking a good dose of cognitive-behavioural therapy would do him a world of good. Once the wordy greetings were over, we broke up to go to our quarters and freshen up before the proverbial feast that evening. As Haldir and I passed the King, he eyed me and gave me a funny look. I made sure he wasn’t giving anyone else that look, but it didn’t look like he was watching anybody else other than me. I took Haldir’s arm more tightly and we walked down the hall to our room.

That evening at the feast, Haldir noticed the looks I was getting from the King and went to Glorfindel to have him sit with me for a moment. I knew that look Haldir got when he had a bee in his bonnet, and he had it now. I turned to Glorfindel with a worried look in my eyes.

“He is not going to tell the King off, is he?” I asked.

Glorfindel laughed, “No. He is merely going to inquire about what interest the King has with you.”

“Well, he should not have any interest. I am married,” I huffed.

“The race of Man do not approve of Eldar and Mortal relationships. King Elessar and Queen Arwen are an exception, as the King is of Númenor descent and the Heir of Isildur. Their destiny was fated before they were even born. I believe King Eomer feels you should be mated with a mortal, as he does not understand the lengths the Valar and others have gone to see you mated to Haldir,” Glorfindel explained.

“That still does not ease my heart regarding Haldir’s discussion with King Eomer,” I said, grasping my dress firmly in my hands.

Glorfindel placed a hand over one of mine, “Haldir has dealt with matters requiring diplomatic delicacy before. Do not doubt him.”

“I do not doubt him. I doubt the emotional stability of the people he speaks to,” I retorted.

I watched as Haldir leaned into King Eomer’s ear to speak. The exchange took only a moment, but the look the King had was incredulous and not a bit upset. He said something to Haldir and then looked over at me. Haldir left the King’s side and came back to me.

“He wants to speak to you,” he informed me, “Without me present.”

“But I don’t speak Westron. Who will translate?” I asked. I couldn’t believe how this was turning out. I was getting a command from the King for god only knew what.

Haldir looked over at Glorfindel, who elegantly shrugged.

“I will help Susan with the King,” he offered.

The King got up from his seat and swept out of the banqueting hall. That was our cue, and Glorfindel and I followed him.

Glorfindel leaned into me, “You must hold my hand the entire time the King speaks, or you will not hear what he is saying.”

“I can hear people just fine Glorfindel. I need the translation for what he says,” I replied.

“You will not need a translation if you hold on to me. A little trick I learned in Aman. Trust me,” he smiled down at me.

I slid my hand into his and felt a light brush across my mind. Then inside my head I heard Glorfindel speak, “Lady Galadriel is not the only one who can cross boundaries such as this.”

I gasped quietly and just about let go of his hand, but Glorfindel clasped my hand harder, “Do not let go. You will hear what I hear, just do not let go.”

We entered a small room where the King stood near a desk. He had an angry look on his face. “We do not need the elf my lady,” he said tersely.

Glorfindel answered for me, “She needs a translator as she only speaks Sindarin your Majesty.”

“Oh,” the look softened somewhat, “I want to ask the lady if she married the elf of her own free will.”

Glorfindel leaned into me, “Did you?” His tone was joking but his look serious.

“Do not be ludicrous. Of course, I love him,” I retorted.

“The lady loves the elf and married him in a fëa bond,” Glorfindel explained.

The King looked perplexed, “But he is immortal. You would be better suited to a mortal mate who could provide for you properly.”

That irked me, “Haldir does support me properly. Tell him while we have the mortal/immortal issue, that is it. The marriage is healthy and I am very happy.”

Glorfindel transmitted the message as he bit back the grin.

“My lady, please do not think I am prying, but you need a man to properly care for you,” he told me sincerely.

I knew he only had my best interests at heart, but how he could think I was not properly cared for was beyond me. “I am tired of this Glorfindel. Please tell him in no uncertain terms how I feel.”

Glorfindel smiled and patted my arm, “Of course.” He turned to Eomer, “Sire, please allow me to tell you that Lady Susan is very happy and properly cared for by her husband. The Eldar love Susan and we all look after her well-being. Please understand sire, that Lady Susan has been preordained to this mating. It was in the hands of the Valar that the circumstances for their meeting and falling in love took place.”

King Eomer looked taken aback, “I apologize my lord. Please convey my sincerest apologies to Lady Susan for the difficulties I have subjected her to.”

“It will be done sire,” Glorfindel said truthfully, as he turned to me and said, “Is that well enough?”

“It is fine,” I said and smiled at the King.

Glorfindel let King Eomer know that I was satisfied and we left to rejoin my husband in the Great Hall. Soon after I proclaimed I was tired, and Haldir made his apologies as we retired to our bedchamber. I was so wrung out from my ordeal and the travel, Haldir let me fall asleep in his arms without making love first.

Our days in Rohan were peaceful from that point on, even though the elven contingent received loads of looks from a population unused to so many of this race amongst their own. King Eomer spent a lot of time in conference with Galadriel, Celeborn and Elrond. Mithrandir joined them on occasion and always left looking exhausted. I finally managed to corner him on day on the terrace, where he was getting a breath of fresh air after one of the marathon meetings.

“Mithrandir, we must talk,” I approached him carefully.

Mithrandir just grimaced and grumbled, “Can an old man not get but a moment’s peace?”

“Give me a break. You’re not old and you’re not a man. Haldir told me all about you. You’re an Istari, a wizard. You live for bloody ever and you are an underling of the Valar, so quit your griping,” I admonished him.

He grimaced, “Well I suppose I cannot avoid you forever. You are a force to be reckoned with when you get something into your head.”

“Speaking of…is there a solution to our issues yet? Haldir and I? I will not suffer another day unless I know there is actual action being taken and it hasn’t sunk into the mire of bureaucracy. And I KNOW bureaucracy. Being former Federal Government and all,” I sniffed.

Mithrandir looked amused at my tirade, “The Valar have not seen fit to tell me what stage they have come to regarding your issue. They will advise me when they wish to. But know this; you were brought over as you are important to the outcome of Haldir’s life. He has served the Valar well and faithfully, and you are his reward. Your issue is being taken seriously, but the Valar act in their own time.”

It was my turn to grimace, “Spirit time. I know what that is too. It generally means they’re taking their own sweet time and god only knows if I’ll even be alive when they make a decision.”

Mithrandir just smothered a grin with his hand, “I am sure they will decide before you pass from this plane.” With that he threw me a funny look and swished off with his robes twirling around his feet.

Elrond, Celeborn and Galadriel got out of the meeting with Eomer just after I came in from outside. Celeborn glided up to me with a look of mild desperation on his face.

“Save me from any more meetings mellon-nîn. I simply cannot take another boring meeting about improved relations between our peoples,” he implored.

“Isn’t that your business my lord? Governing and negotiating with your allies?”

Celeborn laughed, “That may be so, but it does not mean I enjoy the endless meetings any more than you would.”

“I’m a professional public servant. Endless meetings and bureaucracy are my life,” I joked, “If I could speak Westron, I would happily sit in on your meetings and help expedite them more efficiently.”

Celeborn laughed, “If only…you have taken to Sindarin fairly well. Perhaps we could teach you Westron.”

Galadriel came up behind him and laughed, “She only knows enough Sindarin to get along, not enough to negotiate difficult treatises. She could not learn Westron quickly enough to help you. Put it out of your mind, meleth nîn.”

Celeborn sighed and patted Galadriel’s hand, “It was but a hope…but a hope.”

Haldir came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me in a protective embrace, “My love, we have a few hours before it will be time for supper. Shall we engage in some more productive activity?” That was Haldir’s code for him being a horn dog.

I grinned, “Uh-huh. I’m sure you have a plethora of ideas for us.”

Celeborn grinned, “Shall we follow their lead, meleth nîn?” A look of hope glinted in his eyes.

Galadriel just smiled and took his hand, leading him away from us. Haldir took that as a cue to chase me back to our bedchambers and do what he had wanted to do with me quite a bit. I had not yet become pregnant, but he always hoped it would happen with every session of lovemaking we engaged in.

A month after arriving in Edoras, we left to head for a last visit with King Thranduil and see the forests of Eryn Lasgalen. Galadriel was insistent that we meet with Thranduil as she said she personally doubted he would sail, and she did not wish for him to fade in his beloved forest. King Eomer was only too happy to see us off, as it would mean an end to their endless meetings. I still had no idea what their meetings were about as no one saw fit to tell me, but in the meantime I had picked up a few skills in riding a horse. A few of the Rohirrim took it upon themselves to train me out of my awful riding habits. I now was able to ride with a bit more grace and control the animal better. Plus, my backside hurt less as they taught me a few tricks to make sure I was posting properly. It’s harder than it looks, believe you me.

Our ride to Eryn Lasgalen and to Thranduil’s cave-palace took several weeks. Spring was in the air, and I was sneezing up a storm with all the extra pollen floating around. Haldir and Galadriel’s healer had given me several treatments before we happened upon an effective cure. Once we nailed that down, the trip was much easier on me. Hayfever is never convenient, especially when you have to use hankies instead of easily disposed of tissues. Every Spring I went through hell for about five weeks until the pollen count went down, and it took being in Arda to realize how cushy I had it at home. Here, the healer had to create ointments for my peeling nose, tinctures for the symptoms and teas to help with the causes. My immune system was on a tear, and I kept the healer quite busy.

By the time we reached the elven community near the palace, my allergies had thankfully taken their leave of me. It would not do to sneeze all over a monarch. A diplomatic no-no, to be sure. King Thranduil met us at the palace’s huge doors. His charisma was pretty evident, even from the bottom of the steps. Haldir was tall, standing at 6’4”, but this guy outstripped him by a couple of inches. He had hair the colour of sunlight and green eyes that I noticed were darker than my own. I have pretty dark green eyes, and most people notice them before they notice the rest of me. But Thranduil’s eyes were the colour of a Scots Pine. No flecks of gold or silver, like my eyes had, but a straight deep green, worthy of a Crayola box. I couldn’t help but look into his eyes after we had bowed and curtseyed and Elrond was busy with his greeting speech. Thranduil was pretty magnetic as he found me staring at him and stared back with a haughty gaze. I felt like he was stripping me bare and seeing the inside of my soul with that gaze. Unnerving to say the least.

I was relieved once Haldir and I were safely ensconced in our rooms for a bit before the traditional welcoming feast. Out of sheer nerves, I made Haldir make love to me, just so I’d know he was real and I wasn’t hallucinating this. Thranduil had affected me so. Not that Haldir was complaining. He always welcomed the opportunity to make love to his wife, and I think he understood my apprehension, as he made love to me tenderly and thoroughly. By the time we got to the feast, I was much more relaxed and at ease.

Thank goodness, as King Thranduil was to prove trying, as our visit went on.


mellon-nîn- my friend
meleth nîn- my love