Golden Thrones and Moonlight Veils (HOBBIT FANFICTION)

Madness

Talessa felt incredibly ashamed as she lay in her bed, hiding under the soft duvets. She knew very well that what had happened that afternoon would not be easily forgotten. She had not only managed to humiliate herself but also her friends and her host, and she worried that this would put an end to Elrond's generous hospitality.

She knew Eline and Bertra were in her room; she could hear the soft pacing of her friend and the steady clink of her maid's knitting needles. She heard the door open, and then Nídhiel's concerned voice asking how she was. She really ought to get out of bed and reassure her worried friends that she was all right, but she just wasn't ready yet.

✧

Nídhiel didn't know Talessa's story or why she always covered herself with clothes and veils. She was curious why such a beautiful young woman seemed to be hiding part of herself all the time, but she never dared to probe. Now, she realised that the problems might run deeper than she had thought.

They heard a knock on the chamber door. Eline looked at her questioningly, but she didn't know who it might be. After escorting Talessa back to her room, she had quickly ran down to the kitchen to get Bertra and some calming tea, making sure to avoid anyone who might ask questions, but she knew they couldn't avoid it forever.

Now, she and Eline stepped out into the living area and opened the entrance door to find Lindir there with a message from Elrond. The elven lord was requesting that someone come and explain to him what was troubling Lady Talessa.

A few minutes later, Eline and Nídhiel were sitting in Elrond's study across a carved oak table with gold-tipped legs.

"Is it some kind of illness?" Elrond asked, getting straight to the point. "Her elven blood should prevent any disease, but living so long among Men-it might have affected that," he said with concern.

Eline hesitated, unsure how to articulate what she needed to say.

"Do you know what happened to her parents?" she finally asked.

"I heard about it," nodded the elf. "Their deaths were cruel, and they never found out who did it. I understood that Talessa wasn't with them."

"That's true, she was at home," Eline confirmed. "But after that, she was never the same. She had nightmares and hallucinations for years. I heard her old nursemaid quit because she couldn't handle her waking up screaming and mumbling to ghosts all day. Bertra knows more about that, I wasn't working there back then."

Eline took a deep breath, remembering all the gossip and rumors she had heard about Tessie.

"She is fine now," she pleaded with the elven lord. "This was... just a mishap. It won't happen again."

"She didn't seem fine, though," said Nídhiel, her face full of concern. She turned to Elrond. "Do you think you can help her?"

"I must admit, matters of the mind are not my specialty," replied Elrond. "I will see what I can do."

He turned to Eline. "In the meantime, please make sure your lady has everything she needs and tell her to visit me when she is ready."

✧

The next day, Talessa found Elrond in one of the main building's corridors, gazing out over the valley. The elf greeted her with a gentle smile and extended his arm. Talessa accepted it, and he began to guide her through the building. They paused to admire some of the glorious artworks as Elrond spoke about founding Imladris and what he had been up to over the past centuries. Talessa still forgot sometimes how old some of the elves were. Nídhiel was one of the youngest, yet she was already sixty-two. She wasn't sure how old Elrond was, and she wasn't about to ask.