The Joining of Two Families by chrissystriped

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Chapter Four

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Shai and Arasiel walked along the shore. It was a windy day and Shai enjoyed the feeling of her hair streaming behind her and the taste of the salty spray on her lips. She felt so alive!

“What a wonderful day!”, she laughed.

“I like the summer better”, Arasiel said “When the sun is shining, the sand sparkles in all colours of the rainbow because of the gems and pearls scattered here, and the water is so warm that you can swim in it.”

Shai didn’t know what to think about swimming, those waves looked dangerous, but the way Arasiel said it... “That sounds nice.”

Before she could think better of it, she reached for Arasiel’s hand and rubbed it between hers. “Let me warm you a little.” Arasiel didn’t pull her hand away and Shai smiled shyly at her. She noted the redness on her cheeks, but that might be the wind.

They were spending a lot of time together. Shai had moved into Sharû’s house on the Island, she mostly had it to herself, and they visited each other often. For tea or dinner, to go for a walk or sailing in Arasiel’s small boat. Was Shai greedy to hope there could be more than friendship between them, when she had thought even friendship impossible before she’d met Arasiel? They continued to hold hands as they walked on, finally leading their steps back to the city.

Shai liked Alqualonde and the elves. They didn’t look at her like she was something alien or a threat – something else she hadn’t expected. Her son and his people had prepared the ground. She liked Sharû's men, too. She’d worried a little to be the only woman on the Island, but they treated her with respect and friendliness. She felt at home. Here she could wait for Gârsh — with Arasiel together.

“Are you coming in with me?”, Arasiel asked when she wanted to say good bye in front of her door. “I have a cake.”

“I’d like to, thank you.” Shai smiled happily, she always felt a little sad when she had to part from Arasiel at the end of lovely days like this, and followed her upstairs to the living room.

Arasiel was alone in her house at the moment, Shai had been introduced to her children, but they were both travelling. Aiwiel in the forest and Faranwion at sea, further south where it was less stormy at winter. Both of them were unmarried but that didn’t seem to worry Arasiel. ‘Faranwion is married to the sea’, she’d said. ‘And Aiwiel likes to be alone. Not everyone needs a partner to feel complete.’

“Shai?” Arasiel put down a cup with tea and a piece of cake in front of her and sat down across from her. She sounded tense and Shai felt her own muscles tense in return. “I want to tell you something.” Arasiel took a deep breath. “You asked me once, how I imagine it will be with us and Faranwe – and I didn’t dare to imagine it then, but... It would be my dream, if it could really be us three. Not only you and Faranwe and me and Faranwe, but us three as a family. I could love you if you'd let me.”

“I already love you”, Shai said before she could change her mind, squirming in embarrassment. “I mean... it feels like it felt with Gârsh.” (Maybe she should start calling him Faranwe, but for her he’d always been Gârsh — her gentle, loving husband.) She bowed forward and gave Arasiel a shy kiss. “I like to spend time with you and I think you very attractive. Could you imagine to be with me... already? Without him?” Shai felt her heart beat quicker with excitement. She’d felt it for a while, but had not dared to speak.

“Yes”, Arasiel whispered. “Yes, I can.”

“I dreamed...”Shai smiled in relief. Arasiel caressed Shai’s hand and Shai felt warmth flare up between her legs that had nothing to do with the fire in the hearth. “That is so much better than any dream.”

Arasiel grinned widely and gave her back her kiss, her foot slid up Shai’s calf. “Are you staying for the night?”, she asked and Shai thought that Arasiel had to see the blush coming to her cheeks, even with her darker skin. She simply nodded and ate a forkful of cake because she didn’t know what to say. “Good.” Arasiel hid her face in her teacup. “You... have you ever been with another woman?”

Shai shook hear head jerkily. “No, never. You?”, she asked in a higher voice than she usually had.

“I didn’t marry again, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t search others’ company.” Arasiel smiled a sad smile. “It was never serious. A part of me always hoped that Faranwe would come back to me.” Her smile became more happy. “And now he might.”

Shai smiled back. “Yes, he might. And... He helped us with it. That’s a little weird.”

“He?” Arasiel frowned.

“Well, Mablung’s husband. I... don’t know what to call him. ‘Melkor’ seems too familiar, but I always only called him King because everything else would have meant death.” Shai shrugged awkwardly. “I didn’t follow him because I wanted to and he was someone whose attention you didn’t want to draw. It’s surreal to think of him living in this little house – married to an elf!”

“That surprised a lot of people. All of Aman talked about it and still does on occasion.” Arasiel shrugged. “I think... they say he’s different now. I don’t know Mablung well – or him – but I don’t want to worry about him being free. I think, if someone like Mablung gives him another chance, there must be something to it. And he helped us, he seemed genuinely sorry about… what he did to your people.”

“Yes.” Shai looked away. “Do you really want to get involved with an orc? Won’t you lose your standing?”

Arasiel huffed. “I’m not the first. There’s Ecthelion and your son, of course, but also one of the orcs from the Island, who found his family living in Alqualonde. And what do you mean with ‘standing’? I doubt I’d lose any customers, I’m too good at what I do.” Arasiel winked at her and Shai smiled shyly.

“I meant, the… respect of your community.”

“Ach.” Arasiel shook her head. “They’ll talk anyway, once Faranwe comes back — or even before, once word goes around about the Valar’s decision and that I had a hand in it. People would stare in any case, if you looked like an elf or not.”

“Do you wish that?” Shai felt an ache in her chest at the thought.

“No.” Arasiel laid her hand on her cheek and met her eyes. “You are beautiful, Shai.” Arasiel took Shai’s hand and kissed her palm. “Let me show you how beautiful you are to me. Do you want to see my bed room?”

Shai blushed, Arasiel’s eyes said that it would be a very extended visit.

“Yes”, she croaked, her voice deserting her, and let Arasiel pull her to her feet.

 

Shai woke with Arasiel’s scent in her nose and opened her eyes with a smile. The elf lay beside her, eyes open but unseeing. Shai caressed her arm tenderly. It was not a dream. She wondered, if Sharû was feeling the same overwhelming happiness each time he woke beside his elf. Arasiel’s lips formed into a smile.

“Good morning”, she murmured, her eyes focusing on her. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes”, Shai answered.

“Good. Do I get a good-morning-kiss?” Arasiel winked at her and Shai laughed.

“Of course. How could I decline my graceful host’s wish?”

She bowed forward and kissed Arasiel’s lips, aware of how their breasts touched at the motion.

“Mmh”, Arasiel embraced her and snuggled into her. “It feels good to wake beside you.”

“Yes, it does”, Shai answered.

“Do you want to move in?”

Shai stared at her. “Here?”, she asked. “But...”

Arasiel moved back a little. “Too soon? I know I’m sometimes a little rash, but...”

“No! I mean, you surprised me, I think I’d like to, but... what are your children going to say?”

“They’ll get used to it.” Arasiel sounded confident. “They basically adopted your children as their siblings already, why shouldn’t we unite the family?”

Shai blinked tears of happiness out of her eyes, there was a lump in her throat. “Yes, I’d like that. Are we really? A family?” Arasiel smiled at her and linked her fingers with Shai’s.

“Let us be that.”