Taboos Were Made To Be Broken (January 2017) by Kaylee Arafinwiel

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Forward to Neldor

Chapter three of "The Steward's Tale", Celepharn and Neldiel are Celeborn's cousin and his wife, mine and Emma's OCs. I2 - Laws

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Slowly, the elves made their way through the labyrinthine passages of Menegroth. They knew them intimately, of course, and would not become lost, though intruders certainly would, Lúthien thought. She would have almost welcomed an invasion at that moment to distract her parents from this...this atrocity. They made their way from Elu's halls outside, and toward the Esgalduin. Oh, Esgalduin, please, run high, rush swiftly, anything to stop my father from his course, she thought. But the river did not oblige; in fact, its ford was almost ridiculously low. Lúthien doubted she'd so much as wet her skirt hems crossing to the other side. Naneth's doing, she told herself.

 

They crossed the nearly dry river, and the Esgalduin seemed to refill itself once the Elves were across, apparently confirming Lúthien's assumption. It did not take long, after that, for them to reach Neldor, and the rest of the family began arriving from various mansions and manors, as well.

 

 Galadhon's gaze swept silently over his family as they gathered. It was clear that none of them knew why they had been summoned, though at least some of them looked grave, others worried. His niece-by-marriage, Lady Neldiel, who had always been closest to Lúthien, looked pleased to see the Princess, though her expression soon changed to one of doubt.

 

Elu made no move to explain. Instead he looked to Elmo, who stepped forward a pace. "It is the will of our King that Neldor be fitted with a secure house, for the keeping of a particular...prisoner, who has defied him." He faltered, and Lúthien exerted all her will not to cry, faint, scream or try to slap her father, much as she would like to do any or all those things. I will be an obedient daughter...for now, she reminded herself. Besides, Neldiel is watching.

 

Galadhon still had his hand on Lúthien’s back. He wasn't holding her up - she was strong, she didn't need that; but she did need to know she was supported.

 

Lúthien felt grateful for the support. She needed it. No one had said anything to her uncle's pronouncement, but as Melian stepped forward to face Neldor, and sent forth her power, Lúthien looked up.

 

Supplies had been brought, and Lúthien watched with trepidation as the wood planks fitted themselves together, forming first a sturdy platform with a railing round it, then four walls and a roof over all. There were windows and doors, but the Princess didn't think for a moment they'd be passable unless Melian willed it so. At least for now.

 

The process seemed to take hours to Lúthien, but in reality, it was no more than twenty minutes before the house was ready. Lúthien had been watching it be put together, and shut out the crowd of family from her mind. Now, however, she looked round to see what they were doing - particularly Neldiel.

 

Neldiel was standing at Celepharn's side, and like everyone else her eyes were fixed on the house. Her head was slightly tilted though, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

 

"Daeradar didn't say who Uncle Elu wished to imprison," Celepharn murmured in Neldiel's ear.

 

 "As long as it's not me," Neldiel murmured back.

 

"Have you done anything to defy him lately, minx?" Celepharn replied, for Neldiel's ears alone.

 

"Well, probably," Neldiel said. Nothing that would warrant being imprisoned in a treehouse, though.

 

 Celepharn rolled his eyes. Of course.

"Call forth the prisoner, my queen," Elu said, his eyes on Melian. "It is time for her to be remanded to the custody of Neldor."

 

"Come, hil-nin," Melian said, her own minor defiance against Elu. She did not care what the daughters of Elmo's House thought of that. "It is time."

 

Lúthien's resolve was shaken a little. 'My heir', she thought. Well and so, she was. And it did not mean that Melian approved of Beren or disapproved of Elu, she supposed. All it meant was that Melian still lay claim to her, thought of her as more than just 'the prisoner'. Swallowing, she stepped forward, her blue and green gown's hem rustling in the grass.

 

A ripple of shock ran through the gathered Elves, and an audible gasp came from Neldiel. "This cannot be true," Galadhon heard her insisting.

 

"Adar, Naneth," Oropher said quietly. "Why would he imprison Lúthien? That cannot be right."

 

Celepharn wished he had answers, either for his beloved or his heir.