Middle Earth || OS

15. Lindir | Appearances

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For the lovely and most patient Anon. :) I hope it's worth the wait. Sorry it took me so long.

Imagine your first meeting with Lindir.

You were running like a mouse, chased by a pack of wild foxes. You could literally hear the sand pouring through the tall hourglass back at the common chamber – mockingly slowly, grain by grain. If it could only stream quicker, but you doubted Eru would bend to such a trifle demand from such a trifle person.

The undertaking promised to be a failure from the very start. You were not the best runner in Imladris, and, being a court maiden for less than a week, you haven't yet had a clear map of the palace in your head. To be completely honest, you had no idea where you were. All one huge labyrinth to you. It was only a matter of time until you were run down and brought back to deal with the awarded penalty.

You wondered if any of the new courtiers had ever managed not to be captured before the last grain of sand fell down into the bottom bulb. With so many stalkers on their heels it didn't seem a likely occurrence.

Another unfamiliar passage led you into a spacious hall, brimming with green and golden afternoon light. At any other time you would linger there, amazed by the beauty of the place, but now there was only one thing you noticed clearly. The hall was round. A dead-end.

You drew in a shaky breath. Your hearing was much better than you running skills were. The hunters were almost here.

Looking around frantically was of some help. The hall was not just a useless palace decoration, but rather a huge ante-chamber for more apartments, concealed behind three tall doors. Two of them were closed beyond any hope, the last one - ...crack open.

You were more than happy to seize at the opportunity.

Without further hesitations you pulled the door onto you and rushed inside, before any second thoughts managed to steal in.

Oh, you should have let them catch up with you sooner.

At first it looked like you were lucky enough to stumble into an empty chamber. The second glance brought you both shock and disappointment. You did have a company. A mature ellon, sitting at the elaborate desk of rosewood, writing something in a thin cloth-bound journal.

It took you less than a moment to recognize him as the personal high secretary to the Lord of Imladris, Varda bless him.

Both of them.

If he was surprised to see you, neither his face, nor his bearing showed it.

"I didn't expect any guests at this hour," said he, not stirring a brow. You licked your dry lips and swallowed helplessly. Not a fitting reaction for a younger court maiden, but you were hardly up to anything else at the moment.

He didn't say anything else, and after a while you started to calm down a little. Perhaps, because in his own chambers lord Lindir didn't seem as aloof as he had appeared to you on the first day of your formal acceptance to the court. The circlet was gone, and his dark hair was tied up into a loose casual braid – obviously to keep it from falling into his face, whenever he leaned over his writings. The flowing robes gave place to a plain moss-green tunic and grayish breeches. The belt of fine leather, stamped with gold and silver patterns, was the only wearable that could still testify to his high rank, and even that one was strapped around his waist with little thought or care. His long fingers showed slightly stained in ink.

Lindir stood the examination with immaculate tranquility, which made you only more embarrassed.

"We haven't been introduced properly yet, have we?" inquired he in a level voice, "Take your breath, maiden."