Hunter, Hound and Lady by chrissystriped

Hunter, Hound and Lady

I'm using Quenya names here. Írisse=Aredhel; Tyelkormo=Celegorm

Read Hunter, Hound and Lady

Tyelkormo let himself fall to the ground when he heard the twang of a bowstring and the arrow hit the tree trunk above him. His hand flew to the hunting knife on his belt. He was aware that many of his uncle’s people weren’t well disposed towards them. Maybe it had been a bad idea to come out here alone, but he’d wanted to hunt and he hadn’t thought that someone would really try to murder him in cold blood. Even less now that Nolofinwe had made clear that he didn’t want enmity between them.

To his surprise, Huan didn’t look like he thought he had to protect him. He looked... happy.

“Tyelkormo Turcafinwe, you damned prick!”, he heard a familiar voice screech and saw Írisse step from behind a tree, bow still in her hand.

Huan barked happily and ran towards her. Írisse squeaked when he knocked her over and licked her face.

“Take your mutt off me!”

She tried futilely to push Huan off her. Tyelkormo stood up grinning.

“Careful, you’ll hurt his feelings. Oh, and you just tried to shoot me. I think, I like you on the ground for the moment.”

He avoided her kicking foot.

“No offence, Huan.” Írisse scratched his ears. “If I’d wanted to hit you, I’d have, Feanárion!”, she said to Tyelkormo and her eyes flashed. “I almost froze to death while you made yourself a nice fire! If you thought Formenos cold, think again! Elenwe is dead because of you!”

Tyelkormo looked away deeply grieved. He couldn’t joke about that.

“Huan, let her stand up.”

Írisse leaped at him as soon as Huan was out of the way. Tyelkormo stumbled back when her fist connected with his chin.

“I thought we were friends,” she sobbed, punching him in the stomach. “I thought we intended to not let your father get between us!”

Tyelkormo didn't fight back, he knew he deserved that beating.

“I’m sorry, Írisse", he gasped and when the punches raining down on him stopped for a moment, he caught her wrists in his hands and held her close. “Everything happened so quickly. Suddenly we were at sea, and when Maitimo asked who we would fetch over next... Father talked so severely.”

“So you didn’t even try to change his mind!”, Írisse hissed and tore away from him, wiping her cheeks angrily. “I’d expected something like that from Curufinwe, he always shared your father’s ideas, but you... A nice friend you are!”

Tyelkormo looked at his feet, he felt nauseous with shame.

“We couldn’t guess that you’d brave the Ice. I thought... father burned the ships so no one could sail back when he’d left, but I thought, once you see the fire you’ll turn around. And Ambarussa...”

Tyelkormo sobbed. Írisse made a soft sound in her throat.

“Oh, Turko, I wish your rashness hadn’t claimed so high a price.”

“Yes, I wish that, too.” Tyelkormo sighed and snapped his fingers. “Come, Huan.”

The huge hound came to his side and looked at Írisse expectantly, as if he thought she would come with them. Tyelkormo patted his side.

“I’m sorry, Írisse”, he said again. "I undersand, that we can't be friends after that."

Írisse sighed. "I accept your apology. I suppose, if Findekáno – that madman – can brave the dangers of Angamando to rescue Maitimo, I can refrain from beating the living daylights out of you. Don't ever do something like that to me again!”

Tyelkormo rubbed his aching chin, but he knew that she could have hurt him much more if she’d wanted to. He walked to the arrow and pulled it from the tree.

“I’ll never let you down again and if I do, you can beat me up all you like.”

He thought he saw a smile flit over her face at that.

“I’ll remember.”

Tyelkormo lifted his bow off the ground where he’d let it fall and examined the wood for damages.

“We probably chased off all the game. Why don’t you come with me and we’ll warm up with a cup of mulled wine?” For a moment he was tempted to make a joke about the cold, but he knew it was much too soon. He really didn't want her to punch him again.

Írisse accepted his peace offering with a nod. “Lead the way.”

“Your arm guard. Is it bone?”, he asked in the attemt to make normal conversation. He had noticed it when he’d held her wrists.

“It’s made from a tooth.” Írisse said. “We hunted animals on the ice. They had a lot of fat and tasted horribly but it was nourishing. And they have teeth as long as my arm.”

Tyelkormo stared at her. “You are kidding me.”

Írisse shook her head. “It’s true. They swim in the water but they often rest on the ice. If you can get me paper and a pen, I’ll draw it for you.”

Tyelkormo eyed her warily, but then he decided to believe her. What did he know about the animals of the north – he hadn’t even known anything lived there. He called Huan to order, who had jumped around them excitedly, obviously happy that his two favourite elves got along again. Tyelkormo wished it were that easy, but at least she hadn’t shot him and Nolofinwe really seemed to try to close the rift between them.

He had been sure that Írisse’s friendship for him had frozen on the ice, but now he felt a flicker of hope that they could be close again. Somehow he’d make it up to her.