abnormal tragedy

Chapter 61: ceremony

It was warm a warm afternoon, and their son began to cry. The ceremony was going to start and Rowan and Èomer had just arrived. "Someone is tired Rowan," Arwen smiled at him as she held onto her baby Eldarion. "Ssh, quiet now," Rowan held him to her shoulder and started rubbing his back. "Time to sleep my little boy."

"Sing to him," she suggested. "I don't sing," Rowan said truthfully. "I'm not much of a singer anyway." Rowan persisted. "Sing to Theoden," Èomer urged. "Pass me that leather book on that table Èomer," Rowan said defeated. "It's got all these song in it. Which one? The Hatred Lullaby isn't good enough for him." Aragorn sniggered. "What about that Sleep Song?" Aragorn reminded his sister. "The one that our aunty sang to us?" It was always one of her favourites.

Lay down your head
And I'll sing you a lullaby
Back to the years
Of loo-li, lai-ley
And I'll sing you to sleep
And I'll sing you tomorrow
Bless you with love
For the road that you go

May you sail fair
To the far fields of fortune
With diamonds and pearls
At your head and your feet
And may you need never
To banish misfortune
May you find kindness
In all that you meet

May there always be angels
To watch over you
To guide you each step of the way
To guard you and keep you
Safe from all harm
Loo-li, loo-li, lai-ley

As Rowan finished the song, Theoden was asleep and everyone sighed a sigh of relief. "Now don't you start crying." Aragorn joked pointing his finger at his young son. Arwen and Rowan chuckled amongst themselves and they walked of to talk to everyone else.

The dance floor was a flurry of activity as couples linked arms and stepped to the quick melodies weaving through the air. The music was warm and sweet, perfect for the summer celebration. Rowan stood at the side of the room, watching the festivities happily. Her hair was gently braided- though it was loosely coming out due to having to rock her child to sleep- and she wore a deep dress of forest green. Merry and Pippin were dancing together on tables as per usual and the Gamgees were chatting in a corner with some other guests. Rowan had been sad to hear that Frodo had decided to go to the Undying Lands and she couldn't wave him of as that was around the time of her sons birth. Gimli had declared a drinking competition with one of her brother's guards who was clearly hammered already.

Across the room, Rowan noticed Faramir watching the dance floor as well. His shoulder-length hair had been combed for once and his clothes bore the symbol of Gondor. She watched with interest as he suddenly left his seat and began weaving through the crowd. He lightly tapped his wife Èowyn on the shoulder as she danced alone with their three year old son Boromir. Èowyn beamed and Rowan watched as Faramir bowed and held his hand out. She watched as her sister-in-law walked over asking if she could look after their son whilst they danced and she nodded. She then caught a brief glance of Èowyn laughing in response to his words before she took his arm and the pair were blocked from view by the other dancers. She recognised a voice and then saw in that same corner Legolas talking to Aragorn and Arwen.

Rowan looked away suddenly and shook her head and chuckled lightly in amusement as she watched Pippin dance with his new girlfriend, Ruby Whitfoot who was standing next to him when he caught the bouquet at Sam and Rosie's wedding.  Suddenly she turned as she realised someone had stopped beside her. "Good evening, Rowan." He said and bowed his head lightly in return. "Good evening, my love," Rowan said, settling back against the wall. "How goes the festival?"

"All goes well. It has given many of us a chance to forget the  darkness that is still here in this world. Though I will soon have to depart on watch. We wouldn't want orc hordes catching us in celebration." "Ah," Rowan nodded, "That would be fell indeed." The music swelled faster as she trailed off, silence coming between the two of them. The dancers continued on merrily and you caught another sight of Faramir. Èomer nodded toward her friend, "Faramir appears to be enjoying himself. His watch has already finished. He is a good fighter and has much courage." Rowan found herself grinning at the description, "You could describe him as such, though I often feel he's more foolish than courageous." She and her husband laughed together. "Would you care to dance?" He questioned as he held his hand out. Rowan's eyes widened, "I suppose I would love to, my love. But let me put these two to bed." Rowan then quickly walked out of the room towards the corridor which would lead to the room where all the cots were.

Once inside, Rowan gently placed Boromir into a cot with a matching blue blanket and toy and then held onto her own son for a little while longer before putting Theoden to bed. All that dancing with Arwen and her brother had made Rowan tired so she stepped outside to catch her breath. She wasn't outside for too long when she felt a presence behind her. Thinking it was her husband she quickly turned around. "I'm coming.. I was just putting the kids to bed.." Rowan blurted out as she turned. She then stopped when she saw that it wasn't him. It was Legolas. "I-I'm sorry I thought you were my husband.."

There was an eery silence.

"Rowan we need to talk." Legolas started. "About what, Legolas?" Rowan rushed as she tried to walk back inside. "About us." Rowan chuckled, "Yeh, us.. there is no us. Legolas Greenleaf." Legolas looked deep into her eyes. "I came here to tell you that I still love you after all these years." There was more silence.

"You don't get to say that!" Rowan cried. "I rode to Mirkwood, three years after you left... to tell you," She said pointing at Legolas. "That I was wrong and that I did love you- but you were already with someone else. A high maiden of Mirkwood. So I was told." Rowan spat. "And hey, I get it.. three years is a long time for me," she paused, "I moved on. I fell in love Legolas, me and Èomer have a son together, Theoden and he and Èomer are my life!" She shouted as she wiped her eyes. "I-It's too late, five years too late." Rowan said as she walked past him, she then stopped to face him one last time.

"I'll never forget you, Legolas Thranduillon. You and me both know that. You were the first person I ever liked more than a friend." Then Rowan was gone, just like that and Legolas was left standing alone on the balcony with his head in his hands. What did he do?

Rowan then ran back into the ceremony room. "I'm so sorry, I couldn't leave them they looked so cute!" she smiled as Èomer held out his arm to escort her to the dance floor. She accepted and felt her heart beat quicken even more with the music.

Once they both reached the dance floor, Rowan put one hand on his shoulder, he held her other, and the dance began. The music rose and fell like the wind through the plains and the pipes played with a melody like sun on daisies. The increasing darkness of the past few months began to melt away beneath her, leaving nothing but here, this moment, now. The exhilaration of the steps and flow of the dance, the fluttering palpitations of her heart, and the wish that this moment would never end. Rowan was once again at peace. This is where she belonged. Not with Legolas but with Èomer. Where they could live until their death.