Chapter 7 - Chapter 6

Chapter 6 
            Overthe next three years of the short measure of men, Tillyenna grew, along withher beauty; although so did her passion for mischief. Her long dark hair wouldfly out behind her, as, much to the disapproval of Lord Elrond, she slid downthe banister of the grand staircase into Galandiel’s arms. Galandiel had growntoo. He had become a very handsome young elf. He had also begun to seeTillyenna for what she really was, a beautiful young elf with a bright andsunny personality. Tilly only ever stopped smiling to ask a question, or if awood elf entered the room.
         
Galandielwas chatting to a group of young elves around his own age, with Tilly just outof earshot muttering to herself and plucking thepetals from an Elanor one by one.
          “She’snot bad.” Said Lirulin
          “Notbad!” protested Galandiel “she’s gorgeous!”
          “Wellgo and tell her that,” commanded Lirulin, “if you don’t, I will.”
          “Ohalright,” agreed Galandiel and he got up and started to walk towards Tilly. Ashe approached he saw there was just one petal left on the Elanor. Which Tillyremoved and faintly he heard her mutter, “he loves me.” Then she picked up thelittle pile of Elanor flowers in front of her and started to make them into adelicate chain. Galandiel knelt in front of her,
          “Tils,”he began
          “Yes”
          “CanI tell you something?”
          “Yes”
          “Nothere, they’ll here.” He said indicating to the group of elves chatting amongstthemselves, yet at the same time intently watching him,
          “ButGandi, I’m busy. They won’t hear you. I promise.”
          “Ohalright, here goes. It’s just well…”
          “Yes”
          “Isort of…”
          “Yes”
          “Ilove you.”
          “Yes”
          “Tillyhave you been listening to a word I’ve said?”
          “No”
          Galandielput his hand underneath Tillyenna’s chin and gently lifted her delicate head soshe was looking at him as an alternative to her lap. Then he tried again,
          “Tilly, Amin mela lle.”
          “Oh,”She said, “That’s good.”
          “Why?”
          “Because, I love you.”
          “Wellthat’s even better then isn’t it?”
          “No,”now Tilly looked down so Galandiel could not see the tears welling up in hereyes “that’s bad.” This puzzled Galandiel,
          “It’sbad, why?”
          “Becausemy stupid big sis went and fell in love with a mortal me and Nims…”
          “Nimsand I,” Galandiel corrected,
          “Nimsand I can’t fall in love unless ‘daddy’ likes the elf we happen to fall for.”
          “Anddoes he like me?”
          “Howam I meant to know that? I can’t read minds.”
          “Can’tyou?”
          “No”
          “Ohit’s just Lord Elrond can; I thought you might have inherited it or something,”
“Maybe I have and I haven’tdiscovered it yet. I’ll ask his opinion tonight before dinner, and I’ll tellyou at dinner.”
“Why do you have to ask him aboutreading minds?”
“No silly, about us,”
“Oh”
“Now off you go and play with yourfriends.”
          “Can’tI stay with you?”
          “No!”
          “Why not?”
          “Because I’m not staying anywhere. Now off you go.”
          “But...”
          “Nobuts, just go!” as Galandiel got up a single solitary tear rolled down her cheek;she hoped Lord Elrond would say yes. She hoped it with all her heart.
 
** * * * * *
          Tillyennasilently approached her father, “Daddy?” she said making Lord Elrond jump,
          “Yes,”said Lord Elrond not quite giving Tilly his full attention, “what is it?”
          “Daddy,what do you think of Galandiel?” this made Elrond turn his full attention tohis daughter.
          “Nothing bad, why?”
          “Ah,good it’s just; well I sort of love him,”
          “Ahhthat’s it is it? Does he sort of love you?”
          “Yes,or at least that’s what he says,”
          “He’susually true to his word. I think you are the perfect couple,”
          “Then…”
          “Yesin other words I think he is very suitable.” At that, Tillyenna sighed withrelief, thanked her father and started to skip upstairs when she got to thebottom of the stairs; she turned to her father “Daddy why didn’t you know I wascoming,”
“I was concentrating on somethingelse,” said Lord Elrond simply
“Oh,” said Tilly and carried on toher room to change for dinner.
         
Tillyennadressed in her favourite dress. It was midnight blue with a silver trim. Sheunplaited her long dark hair, brushed it then placed over it her favourite circletof silver with a six-pointed star with the lowest point going down past thebridge of her nose. She ran blissfully down to dinner. She walked calmly acrossto Galandiel and tapped him on the shoulder; he turned his head towards her.She kissed him softly and sat in her place beside him looking straight aheadwith her hands forded demurely in her lap, but Galandiel would not leave it atthat,
          “Soit’s a yes?”
          Tillyjust sat there,
          “It’sa yes right? Please say it’s a yes. It’s a no isn’t it, just tell me!”
          Tillysimply nodded,
          “Thatdoesn’t tell me anything.” Galandiel complained.
          “Ohfor the sake of Elbereth,” Tilly exasperated, “if it had been no I wouldn’thave just kissed you would I?”
          “Iguess not,”
          “Precisely.”
          “Soit’s a yes?”
          “Yes,it’s a yes,” at that Galandiel grinned his sheepishgrin,
          “I’mglad”
          “Soam I.”she said and hugged him. And at that moment, Lord Elrond entered and took hisplace at the head of the table. He looked at Tilly who was resting her head onGalandiel’s shoulder and smiled. He was glad; it wouldn’t have to be anarranged marriage after all.
 
** * * * *
 
          Afterdinner, Galandiel, turned to Tillyenna, “hey Tils, do you want to go for awalk?”
          “Ok,”she said and they walked out into the gardens together, they didn’t say a wordto each other until they arrived at a small gazebo,
          “Areyou glad?” he asked
          Tillyennaturned to face him, looking in to those dark brown eyes that so long ago shefell in love with, “Yes.”

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment