~Lasriel arrives at her new home, which isn't quite what she expected... But at least now she can be alone with Legolas again.~

~♕~

"The only thing predictable about
life is its unpredictability."

– Remy, Ratatouille

~♕~

12. Colony

Traveling was wonderful, especially the first part when it was just the three of them. Lasriel marveled at the many new sights: the wide Anduin river; the snow capped mountains; the herds of grazing deer and flocks of water fowls; the magical golden trees of Lothlórien. And she would never get tired of sleeping beside her husband, feeling his strong arm around her and his scent filling her nostrils, while listening to him singing or humming to himself in a soft baryton so beautiful her chest ached.

Her only complaint was that he still had not kissed her again, but figured he was probably shy to do it in company. Soon they would arrive at their new home and everything would change.

After the five volunteers joined them in Lothlórien the journey became less enjoyable. There were still amazing sights, such as the gigantic Argonath statues, the mind-boggling Falls of Rauros and the endless stair beside them, but Legolas became less friendly and more inclined to shut her out – and he no longer held her in his arms at night. During the ride he spoke almost exclusively to the new acquaintances, and he changed in a way Lasriel didn't like at all. As if he had gone from his normal self to a stiff business persona who did all he could to impress his companions.

And then there was Nellas to worry about, the old elf maid who had recognized Lasriel. She had not said anything else since their first meeting, but the fear she might spoil everything at any given time made Lasriel on edge and tense whenever she was near. Now was not a good time to reveal the truth about their parents to Legolas, especially not with him acting all official and anxious to get the others' respect.

But soon it was apparent Lasriel's worry was unfounded; Nellas seemed disinclined to talk at all, and spent most of the journey curiously gazing at the surroundings with a dreamy smile on her lips. The secret was safe.

Lasriel mostly rode in silence as well, only occasionally exchanging a few words with Gimli, while she hoped they would finally arrive in Ithilien soon so things could go back to normal between Legolas and her.

~♕~

During the final part of the journey the company rode along a jagged mountain range. Awed, Lasriel looked up at the border to Mordor where once Sauron had ruled in darkness. It didn't look dangerous now, just normal cliffs, but she noticed not much grew there yet. No trees and hardly anything else either, only coarse grass, brambles and heather. She was glad Legolas would soon restore the area to a lush forest again and felt a little surge of pride that it was her husband who had been chosen for the task.

They arrived at what must have once been a beautiful stone city overlooking the river, now in ruins.

"This is Osgiliath," Legolas explained as they neared the cobbled main street, as usual turned to his new Lórien friends. "You may have heard of it; it was built by the Númenóreans over three millennia ago and was the capital of Gondor until quite recently when they had to abandon it after repeated attacks from Mordor. But King Elessar is having it rebuilt and some of his people have moved back."

Nellas was very reluctant to enter the city at first and regarded the stone structures with clear distrust. It took some persuading until she finally followed. Legolas assured her they would only pass through because it was the shortest route and she would not have to go back there again if she didn't want to.

Lasriel for her part looked around with interest. There were scaffolding and cranes everywhere, with men and dwarves milling around far up there like ants in an anthill, and the sound of hammers filled the air. The streets were full of people, mostly burly males, carrying buckets and equipment. The humans often paused to watch the elves a bit wide-eyedly, apparently not very used to their kind. The dwarves looked as well, though not at all as friendly, until they noticed Gimli among them and their resent turned to disbelief.

The many curious tools and contraptions at the building sites they passed made Lasriel long to stop to explore this place thoroughly, perhaps talking to some of the men and learning about their craft, but Legolas seemed to be even more in a hurry now that they were getting close to his new home.

In the center of the city was a circular court, where he said there was a market every Saturday where the colony purchased groceries and other necessities. Here they parted ways with Gimli who was taking the road to Minas Tirith to continue his work on the city gates.

Legolas gave him a hard hug. "Come and visit me soon. Don't forget you promised me a lake."

"I will hurry to finish my other obligations, but meanwhile you mustn't be a stranger either; Minas Tirith has many good guest houses." Gimli patted his back roughly before turning to Lasriel. "It has been a pleasure to know you, my lass. Enjoy your marriage and best of luck producing a baby. You gotta work harder." He winked.

"The pleasure is all mine," she managed, trying to hide her embarrassment and not look at Legolas' crimson face. "Good luck with the gates. I look forward to seeing your new sliding door mechanism when it's finished."

Watching him ride away, she felt a twinge of loneliness. Now she had nobody to talk to at all unless Legolas became more friendly again.

They left the city behind and entered open, marshy lands among rocky knolls with more of the similar heather and bramble vegetation as earlier. In the distance a larger hill rose against the sky with a building under construction on top.

Legolas pointed at it. "Over there is Emyn Arnen where Prince Faramir is building his residence." He indicated a nearer area with a few shacks surrounded by a fence. "And there is my colony."

As they came closer to the crude settlement and Lasriel saw it more clearly a slight apprehension began to form. Was this her new home? The buildings were small and looked more like piles of branches built for bonfires than actual houses, and the ground was swampy. In spring this must be a mosquito paradise.

On either side of the road – only a track now – grew tiny oak saplings, few and far between.

Legolas' forehead creased in concern. "I had hoped more trees would have survived; there were at least thrice as many before I left."

"The ground is too wet for oak," said Galdor, one of the Lórien elves." You should drain it."

"Aye, I have asked Gimli to help me make ditches but it may take a while until he is available."

"Maybe try pine instead," Lasriel suggested.

"There will be pine forests in many other areas already. I want Ithilien to have variation, and this part will be the first visitors see. Oaks are a lot more impressive." He regarded the pack horse reflectively. "Or mellyrn."

"Mallorn trees need dry ground too," Galdor objected.

Legolas sighed. "I know. I guess it will have to wait."

They had arrived at the fence surrounding the settlement. It was low and simple; a series of thin poles driven into the ground and linked together with rope. It looked more symbolic than built to actually keep anything out.

A stack of similar poles were piled outside.

"This is what we use for building," Legolas explained to the newcomers. "Timber is rare and expensive here so we have to make do with brushwood for now. Your first task will be to build houses for yourselves."

Nellas wore her usual serene smile but the four ellyn shared a brief, disappointed look. In their home forest it was common to live on platforms high in the trees; this would be a bleak change.

A guard had been standing in a hut by the gate, now he approached his leader with a relieved face. "Glad you are back. A lot has gone awry while you were away."

Legolas winced. "Aye, I noticed there were hardly any oaks left. But it is already late. I shall help these new volunteers settle in, and then tomorrow we will have a meeting about the situation."

They walked along a path between the houses and flocks of chickens and goats scattered before them. Lasriel wrinkled her nose at the smell of their droppings.

A small group of Sindar and Silvan ellyn had come out to greet them, less than thirty in total. Despite the simple living conditions they looked healthy and clean, dressed in fur lined cloaks and carrying daggers in their belts.

Seeing how few they were, Lasriel's apprehension increased. No wonder it was difficult to manage the young plants and drain the swamp! And why were there no ellith? Nellas and she were the only ones, it appeared.

Legolas showed the newcomers around, which didn't take long. "We fetch water over there." He indicated a simple jetty constructed by large rocks thrown into a bend in the Anduin. "The landing further downstream is for laundry and bathing, and that trench by the fence is for waste water and latrine. When it gets full we cover it up and dig a new one."

Next he took them to a slightly larger shed guarded by a familiar, red headed elf. The former butler of the Elvenking had lost weight since Lasriel last saw him and had bags under his eyes.

"This is the food storage and Galion here is the supply manager. If you need anything – food, wine, fabric to mend clothes, kitchen utensils – this is where you get it."

A light rain had started to fall and Legolas glanced at the gray sky. "We shall have to use your services at once, Galion. Bring out a tent for five, please." He turned to the others. "You will sleep simply tonight," he told them apologetically. "But it will only be temporary. Soon you have real houses too."

The four ellyn began to put up the tent without complaining. Nellas meanwhile wandered off along the river.

One of her companions rolled his eyes. "She always disappears," he mumbled to Legolas. "She won't be of much help to you, I'm afraid."

"I am sure we shall manage." Legolas took Lasriel's arm. "Now, I must take my wife home." He sounded very proud when he said the last word.

She feigned an expectant smile. "Home," she repeated.

Their house was the largest one, surrounded by a patch of yellow grass that apparently was the garden. It had an adjoining goat stable and a chicken coop.

"The animals look well, at least." Legolas petted one of the goats. "Unlike the saplings," he added glumly.

Lasriel curiously went inside, squinting in the dim light. There were no windows but light leaked in through many cracks in the thin walls, only scantily wadded with moss to keep the wind out. It smelled dusty and unused.

Legolas lit a lamp that hung on a hook on the wall, but that didn't improve the room much. It had a hard packed dirt floor with straw scattered over the surface, and the hearth had only a hole in the ceiling for the smoke. A square board resting on four bricks served as a table, with pillows for seats.

From the central room, two doors on either side led to identical bedrooms, with a narrow bed in each and a clothes chest in one corner.

"This is yours."

"Thank you." Lasriel put down her bag beside the chest.

Looking around in the confined space, she tried to remain positive. It could have been much worse. She wouldn't have to sleep in a damp tent like the others, and the bed, at least, was real furniture, with a simple but sturdy wood frame and thick straw mattress. Probably human made, brought in from Osgiliath.

And she was handy with things like this; she would improve their home as soon as possible.

Back in the main room, Legolas rummaged in a cabinet by the hearth. "Are you hungry?"

"A little."

"Galion was supposed to stock this before our arrival but it seems he forgot. I don't feel like going back out in the rain, but perhaps we can eat the rest of the lembas from our packs for tonight?"

"Sounds good." Lasriel sat on one of the pillows and he took the one opposite.

They quietly munched on the dry but tasty waybread for a while. Legolas looked like he was desperately trying to think of something to say but failing.

Lasriel didn't need another stilted conversation with him, so she asked something she had wondered since she arrived and first met her new neighbors. "Why are there only ellyn here?"

Legolas looked relieved that she had broken the awkward silence. "I only allowed unwed people to come," he explained. "I am responsible to feed and clothe everyone but I can't afford to provide for anyone else's family yet. In the future, when this colony is wealthier, I shall invite married elves and families too. But don't worry; we will meet regularly with the city people in Osgiliath and almost all the men have wives you can be friends with."

"But why no single elf maids?"

"They would be useless here; we work closely with humans and they frown at working women. I think the maidens are allowed to teach children but not much else." He smiled wryly. "Perhaps this sounds foreign to you, but trust me, I have spent much time around humans and it's easier to follow their customs than trying to change them. I need the men's good opinion and support."

Lasriel knew the human ways as well; she had often been to Lake-town to trade, but she disagreed with Legolas' assessment. None of the men she had met had complained that she worked as a flower saleswoman, and she was far from the only one of her sex working at the market.

"What kind of support?" she asked instead of arguing.

"Financial. But no worries," he quickly added, "I will handle our economy."

She wanted to protest that she was thrifty and had a knack for making ends meet, but refrained; in time she would prove her worth to him.

"And that brings me to the subject of dividing responsibilities," Legolas continued, hauling up a small, battered book that showed proof of much use. The words 'A Couple's Guide to a Happy Marriage' were drawn in Westron Cirth runes on the cover.

So that was Legolas' beloved marriage guide.

"There is a chapter here about chores in the home and the importance of discussing early in the marriage who does them, to avoid quarrels later." He produced an empty sheet of paper and a coal pencil. In neat Tengwar he wrote 'Lasriel' in one column and 'Legolas' in the other. "I have a few ideas, but please let me know if you disagree with anything."

"I will."

"Good. The book suggests the husband carries in water to spare the wife from heavy loads." He coughed. "Especially if she is pregnant. But I assume you are not yet...?"

She shook her head, unable to meet his gaze as she recalled the only time they had slept together. Tonight they would likely do it again. Would it be better the second try?

"Right." He wrote 'water buckets' in the Legolas column. "I get up very early in the mornings to be able to reach the farther tree plantations, so I shall fetch it before you wake up."

Why did he assume she would wake up late? She liked early mornings too.

"I need a packed lunch each day and I am a terrible cook. Do you think you could...?"

"Of course." Lasriel was a terrible cook as well, but her mother had given her a notebook with her best recipes.

"Great." He wrote 'lunch' and 'dinner' in Lasriel's column. "I will try to be home for dinner as often as I can, but as you probably saw when we traveled through, Ithilien is large. Sometimes I have to stay out for a few days." He gave her a reassuring smile. "No need to be afraid; there is always a guard left to keep the colony safe, and in addition Galion will help you if you need anything. I shall tell him to bring in water for you when I am away."

She didn't like the sound of that at all, both that he would leave her when he had to travel and that he thought there was a need for a guard. What dangers was he anticipating? Orcs? Bandits? Wild animals?

"I can take care of the outdoor chores," Legolas continued. "Mucking out the goat shed and the horses, feeding the chickens, milking, fetching eggs – and when I have time I will hunt for game. You could perhaps do the cleaning, laundry, taking out the chamber pots and such?"

"Sure."

When he had finished the list, Lasriel regarded it. It looked fair, but was it really necessary to divide every little task? She was certain some chores were probably nicer to do together.

"It seems you have given this careful thought."

"I have, aye. It is important to ascertain everything runs smoothly when one is forced to live so close to another. I learned that the hard way when I rode with the Fellowship." He grinned.

"I see." What did he mean by 'forced'?

"Well, that is settled then." He attached the paper to the wall, fidgeting a bit with the pencil. "Then, perhaps it is... bedtime?"

Lasriel swallowed. "I suppose it is."

A/N:

This chapter was slightly inspired by the novel 'Emigrants' (Utvandrarna) by Wilhelm Moberg, where a wife is persuaded by her husband to emigrate to America, and is dismayed by the poor home they have the first winter.

But, just like in that story, things will get better. :)

Thanks again for your support! I love your comments.