Eöl by hennethgalad

Chapter 1

Eöl. - 

  Aredhel had become aware of the trees growing taller and thicker as she wandered, but surely Nan Elmoth was not so vast as this; and she could hear the sound of water yet never found sign of the stream. She concluded that she was riding in a large cicle and dismounted to look about her.

  Wearily she spread her cloak and sat on the very middle of it. People would keep mocking her for travelling in white, but she found that if she used a little caution, she could keep her robes clean.

  She was beginning to feel at ease in the peaceful dimness of the shadowy wood, when a tall elf dropped out of a tree in front of her, and crouched down with his forearms resting on his knees, looking into her eyes from under a sweep of dark hair. Startled, she made to rise, but he flapped one long-fingered hand and she sat down again.

  She looked at him closely, his features reminded her of... of Thingol, the same pale eyes, with pupils and eyelashes startlingly dark against the pale skin, and the way the hair rose straight up at the hairline and spilled over into a smooth dark wave that flowed down over the broad, muscular shoulders. The elf looked very powerful indeed, surely a smith, she looked again at the long fingers, she recognized the patterns of tiny burns and cuts, and the tool-user's calluses. 

   'I fear you are lost, my lady.' said the elf, rising to his feet. 'Allow me to present myself to you ?' he paused and she rose politely. 'I am Eöl, kin to Thingol of Doriath. May I be of service?'

    She smiled warmly at him 'I am Aredhel, sister to Turgon of Gondolin. I am delighted to make your acquaintance, and also very thirsty. I seem to have been wandering in circles.'

  He drew forth a silver flask from the satchel at his side and offered it to Aredhel, she sniffed, it was Dorwinian, fine wine from over the mountains and far away, carried by dwarves and sold for a fortune...

   She smiled up at his handsome face, symmetrical features and broad high cheekbones. He had the look of a fox, she thought, or a wolf. In the expression of his face and the poise of his long, limber body, and in the bones of his face. But she was accustomed to being among tall, muscular warriors and did not feel fear of him.

   She drank a little of the wine, which was excellent, and smiled at him again. He smiled back and she found herself liking such handsome features. There was something intriguing about this strange elf, noble and handsome, suddenly appearing before her, in Nan Elmoth of all places. It was like a song. It was romantic and interesting and she wanted to know who he was and how it came to be that he dwelt here in the deep shade.

   He gestured behind him and lights sprang up in windows, there stood a great house, of the style of the Sindar, with lamps shining forth from many deep windows, and the wide front gate standing open.

  'Lady,' said Eöl 'My house lies yonder. It would be my honour to afford you hospitality, whether you be kin of the mighty Turgon or mere houseless wanderer.'

So it was that Aredhel Ar-Feiniel entered the House of Eöl.

Chapter End Notes

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