Summers had come and gone, ever changing while the company stayed the same.

There was only a month left before the next midsummer's festival, but Arwen wasn't looking forward to it. Her parents had always said her voice mattered, yet she felt the pressure.

Marry.

Leave.

Get children.

She wasn't necessarily not interested in any of these things, but not with Robert Murray's boy. Nor with any of their other male acquaintances.

Nonetheless did the pressure stay, at some point she would have to give in or face the consequences. Ones she wasn't certain about what they entailed. It would come to a confrontation, one she could no longer avoid, Ethel's presence would only make it worse.

Arwen loved Ethel, truly did. But less than a week during a year meant the other woman knew less about her than she thought. They had shared many things, yet some things that were just as fundamental stayed unspoken between them.

Morning came and went, the mist only a parting moment on the first midsummer day, Arwen didn't leave the house.

The second day, there were excuses. Her mother basically pushed her into the arms of the other villagers and told her to get engaged. It was lovely.

The stars shone bright as Arwen traced their shape with her finger, lying on the vast moors. The loch where she would meet Ethel as far away as possible. They were going to Thornhill for the wedding of a relative, Arwen hadn't thought of an excuse to stay behind. Nor had she tried really hard to convince her parents.

The fourth day was a mirage of smells and experiences, fleeting glances in the moonlight.

Ethel was nowhere to be seen when the fifth day came and went, leaving Arwen behind with only regret as her companion.

-

Arwen didn't return to New Galloway with her family. Once morning arrived, did they leave in silence. Arwen had disappeared during the night and after a tiring search wasn't found by them, did they accept her departure.

Thornhill was a nice enough town to live in, though very lonely.

Arwen missed the forests, the loch, the moors.

Eowyn's resting place, too far away to visit in remembrance.

No Thornhill was very lonely in all its bustling happiness.

The only thing left for Arwen was to hope Ethel would be able to find her here next year. Hidden away in the alleys where no one goes, apart from the other people as lonely as her.

-

Arwen was gone.

Ethel was running through the forest, across the moors and to the town without caring that a human could see her.

She had waited by the lake for her Love to appear, yet three days had passed without a message nor appearance. Where Arwen had gone to, was a mystery for Ethel for she feared she would be unable to solve within two days.

From the village gossip she pieced the story together during the afternoon.

Arwen wasn't gone, she was merely visiting a town over. Ethel even knew where it was situated, so she could go and find her for the remaining days.

Ethel ran through the night, her endurance far greater than a human's. It gave her enough time to arrive during the wedding ceremony where Arwen was part of the audience.

In a forgotten did Ethel change her appearance so it would be easier to converse with Arwen. Well, it would be easier to flirt and dance with her in public, at least fae magic was good for something.

The eve was a mirage of smells as Ethel traversed across the field and spun Arwen away from her family and into the dance. Twirling her Love around and round, following the steps of the song as if they were born to do so.

Sweeping the other away from the crowd and into a hidden corner, stealing kisses under the light of the moon.

Life was beautiful, Arwen's eyes shone bright in the moonlight as she said 'I love you'.

It felt as if the night would never end, till it did. Ripping them apart as the townspeople rounded the corner and found them hidden away.

Ripping Ethel away from the human realm as she was unveiled for who she truly was.

-

Author's note:

This chapter feels like a mess, but we are almost halfway through.