Be Silent
Warm Baths.
Eve awoke with cloudy eyes and warm skin. She could feel a soft hand running gently through her hair and another hand running over her back. Eve looked up through cloudy eyes and smiled sleepily up at Branwen's blue eyes. She ducked her head and buried it into his arm before she felt a set of teeth biting at her shoulder. With a yawn, Eve reluctantly rose from the bed and looked down at Branwen who smiled back.
"You've been sleeping all morning. I think we should be getting back home before they start to worry anymore,"
Eve nodded and sighed. She hated the thought of cold water right after waking up. Branwen rose and gathered his clothes, dressing and waiting for Eve to do the same. Eve sighed heavily before rising and groping for her clothes, putting them on and looking expectantly at Branwen who smiled back at her.
"Don't try your looks on me, Lady Eve. It won't work. Not in a million lifetimes," he chuckled.
"Not even if I bat my eyes, as well?" Eve inquired.
"Not even, my lady."
Branwen grabbed Eve's hand and abruptly pulled her close to him before plunging into the cold water. To Eve, it was all a haze after the freezing water pierced her senses and made her shiver as Branwen finally resurfaced on the top of the lake.
Eve swam quickly to the lake's shore and turned, waiting for Branwen to join her. Blinking away his surprise, Branwen swam up to meet her and put an arm around Eve's shoulder to keep her warm. Branwen then picked Eve up and carried her back to their room, cradling her shivering body against his.
* * *
Branwen sat on his bed, warm and dry with his hair combed back. He sat on his bed, retying a tight rope to the ends of his bow with skilled and graceful hands. Branwen looked up from his work when Eve entered the room and approached him, watching at his fingers deftly refastened the rope. Branwen glanced up at her and then set the bow aside before waving her over to sit by him.
Pulling down the edges of her small ivory dress, Eve walked to the edge of the bed and slid next to Branwen who wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He placed soft kisses on her pointed ears and smiled, nuzzling his nose against her cheek to gain her attention. With a smile, Eve placed a kiss on Branwen's lips.
Smiling into the kiss, Branwen broke away before leaning against Eve. He rested his head on her chest and ran his hand up and down her back. Suddenly, an abrupt rap against their door interrupted the personal moment between the two elves as Branwen rose to answer it. Straightening his hair and his face, Branwen pulled the door open to see Etiraan and a young female elf by his side.
"You called for us, your lordship?"
Branwen made a face at the two before closing his eyes and sighing. "I did. It must've escaped me,"
He invited the two elves in pulled a silver tunic over his gray leggings. Sandals were slipped on and Branwen went and sat on the edge of the bed, turning and speaking to Eve.
" A'maelamin, could you please?" he asked in a hushed tone, pointing to his silver hair. Eve sat to work making too long braids as Branwen turned back to the two elves in front of him.
"Your lordship," Etiraan gritted out, "the meeting with your father will commence soon. He wanted us to tell you a few added details about the meeting."
"A few added details?" Branwen quirked a brow at this.
"Yes, your lordship." The female chimed in. She stepped closer and gazed at him with clouded eyes. Eve shot her an intimidating glare and accidentally pulled Branwen's braid too tight.
"Your brother will be there, as well as your fiance. And your father would like to meet with you before the dinner is to start so that you two may. .catch up, as well does your love."
"Lle hannon," whispered to Eve as she finished braiding his hair.
Branwen kept his eyes lowered with hidden shame as Eve got up and left the room. He knew why she'd rather not be in the room at the moment.
"Tell my father I'll be there soon. Tell him I'll also be brining Eve," Branwen added before getting up to follow Eve.
Etirann and the female elf nodded and left the room as well, moving quickly to deliver their message to the King.
* * *
Branwen had not found Eve. After searching for her her in all the places she usually went, Branwen gave up and went to meet with his father. He hid his worry and distress behind a charming smile and embraced his father whom he'd not seen in years.
Branwen's father, Bataet, had left Branwen to look over the kingdom in his absence. Bataet said he'd rather travel in the world above, hidden in name and appearance, than be stuck underground for centuries.
Branwen's brother, Ilrear, also embraced his brother tightly. He stepped aside quickly as Branwen's arranged wife stepped closer to him with a smile on her face.
"We've missed you, Branwen." she whispered.
"I've. . missed you all, as well."
Branwen looked up and passed Ilrear, over his shoulder and at a familiar face.
It was Eve, her eyes red from the hand rubbing insistently rubbing at them. He rushed over to her, almost tripping over his loose sandal and embraced her.
"Mir Nín, melethen, where have you been? I was worried for you and your safety! Why did you leave?" Branwen asked frantically, pushing away strands of gold from Eve's face.
"You're going to get married. What do you need me for?" Eve asked in a small voice, pouting and crossing her arms.
Branwen's father watched the unfolding scene with curiousity. Branwen certainly wasn't this affectionate with his fiance.
"Saes! do not speak that way. Of course I need you, I love you." Branwen whispered, pulling Eve flush against his body.
Eve buried her red face in his chest and clung to him like a small child to its mother. Branwen stroked Eve's hair and calmed her with whispered words while glancing over at his father and brother. And especially, his newly discovered fiance.
"You've been sleeping all morning. I think we should be getting back home before they start to worry anymore,"
Eve nodded and sighed. She hated the thought of cold water right after waking up. Branwen rose and gathered his clothes, dressing and waiting for Eve to do the same. Eve sighed heavily before rising and groping for her clothes, putting them on and looking expectantly at Branwen who smiled back at her.
"Don't try your looks on me, Lady Eve. It won't work. Not in a million lifetimes," he chuckled.
"Not even if I bat my eyes, as well?" Eve inquired.
"Not even, my lady."
Branwen grabbed Eve's hand and abruptly pulled her close to him before plunging into the cold water. To Eve, it was all a haze after the freezing water pierced her senses and made her shiver as Branwen finally resurfaced on the top of the lake.
Eve swam quickly to the lake's shore and turned, waiting for Branwen to join her. Blinking away his surprise, Branwen swam up to meet her and put an arm around Eve's shoulder to keep her warm. Branwen then picked Eve up and carried her back to their room, cradling her shivering body against his.
* * *
Branwen sat on his bed, warm and dry with his hair combed back. He sat on his bed, retying a tight rope to the ends of his bow with skilled and graceful hands. Branwen looked up from his work when Eve entered the room and approached him, watching at his fingers deftly refastened the rope. Branwen glanced up at her and then set the bow aside before waving her over to sit by him.
Pulling down the edges of her small ivory dress, Eve walked to the edge of the bed and slid next to Branwen who wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He placed soft kisses on her pointed ears and smiled, nuzzling his nose against her cheek to gain her attention. With a smile, Eve placed a kiss on Branwen's lips.
Smiling into the kiss, Branwen broke away before leaning against Eve. He rested his head on her chest and ran his hand up and down her back. Suddenly, an abrupt rap against their door interrupted the personal moment between the two elves as Branwen rose to answer it. Straightening his hair and his face, Branwen pulled the door open to see Etiraan and a young female elf by his side.
"You called for us, your lordship?"
Branwen made a face at the two before closing his eyes and sighing. "I did. It must've escaped me,"
He invited the two elves in pulled a silver tunic over his gray leggings. Sandals were slipped on and Branwen went and sat on the edge of the bed, turning and speaking to Eve.
" A'maelamin, could you please?" he asked in a hushed tone, pointing to his silver hair. Eve sat to work making too long braids as Branwen turned back to the two elves in front of him.
"Your lordship," Etiraan gritted out, "the meeting with your father will commence soon. He wanted us to tell you a few added details about the meeting."
"A few added details?" Branwen quirked a brow at this.
"Yes, your lordship." The female chimed in. She stepped closer and gazed at him with clouded eyes. Eve shot her an intimidating glare and accidentally pulled Branwen's braid too tight.
"Your brother will be there, as well as your fiance. And your father would like to meet with you before the dinner is to start so that you two may. .catch up, as well does your love."
"Lle hannon," whispered to Eve as she finished braiding his hair.
Branwen kept his eyes lowered with hidden shame as Eve got up and left the room. He knew why she'd rather not be in the room at the moment.
"Tell my father I'll be there soon. Tell him I'll also be brining Eve," Branwen added before getting up to follow Eve.
Etirann and the female elf nodded and left the room as well, moving quickly to deliver their message to the King.
* * *
Branwen had not found Eve. After searching for her her in all the places she usually went, Branwen gave up and went to meet with his father. He hid his worry and distress behind a charming smile and embraced his father whom he'd not seen in years.
Branwen's father, Bataet, had left Branwen to look over the kingdom in his absence. Bataet said he'd rather travel in the world above, hidden in name and appearance, than be stuck underground for centuries.
Branwen's brother, Ilrear, also embraced his brother tightly. He stepped aside quickly as Branwen's arranged wife stepped closer to him with a smile on her face.
"We've missed you, Branwen." she whispered.
"I've. . missed you all, as well."
Branwen looked up and passed Ilrear, over his shoulder and at a familiar face.
It was Eve, her eyes red from the hand rubbing insistently rubbing at them. He rushed over to her, almost tripping over his loose sandal and embraced her.
"Mir Nín, melethen, where have you been? I was worried for you and your safety! Why did you leave?" Branwen asked frantically, pushing away strands of gold from Eve's face.
"You're going to get married. What do you need me for?" Eve asked in a small voice, pouting and crossing her arms.
Branwen's father watched the unfolding scene with curiousity. Branwen certainly wasn't this affectionate with his fiance.
"Saes! do not speak that way. Of course I need you, I love you." Branwen whispered, pulling Eve flush against his body.
Eve buried her red face in his chest and clung to him like a small child to its mother. Branwen stroked Eve's hair and calmed her with whispered words while glancing over at his father and brother. And especially, his newly discovered fiance.