"Your sister punched someone defending her new husband's honor?"

"No. Not yet at least."

"I give up, tell me."

"Maitimo's doing politics the day of the recitation and can't come. Which means you can."

Sigh. "The thing where I have to avoid him is really annoying."

"It's not that you can't be in a room with him ever! Just. Not him and me both."

"Yeah.

I'd love to come, regardless."

"I love you."

"I know you do. I love you too. It'll be nice to meet the others, anyway."

"Yeah."

They are both there, day of.

So's he! "Marillë! Congratulations! Olwë invited me down to Alqualondë to get the agreement straightened out, so I was able to slip away after all."

Ohh crap.

"I am almost tempted to accuse you of setting the whole thing up just so you could pleasantly surprise me," she says, because it would be a pleasant surprise under other circumstances. "...This is my friend Vorondie," because she's standing right there and it's way too late for her to sneak away, "I'm sure you already know her, you know everyone."

"I do! How do you two know each other?"

"We actually met through Ahya when she was trying out glassblowing."

"Lovely!" And he moves on to give other apprentices their presents.

Maybe he didn't notice.

He wouldn't have made a public spectacle even if he did.

Okay.

Even if he's nice, even if he's the prince, he's just some guy. It's not the end of the world if he noticed and judges you for it.

I know, I just--

I know.

It'll be okay, okay?

I hope you're right.

The rest of the recitation passes with no more surprises.

The next time he sees Marillë he has a charming story about Alqualondë and a silver hourglass he found there for her and does not ask after Vorondië at all.

She isn't sure he isn't silently judging her actions but as long as it stays silent that's fine with her. The hourglass is lovely.

They build their house. It's mostly wood and clay and it's quiet and spacious and lovely. He plants to attract hummingbirds and then pets his wife's hair in the gardens and narrates the internal monologue of the hummingbirds darting around.

Ahya decorates the house with her own less-than-perfect handicrafts and gifts from friends made while learning them and pets her husband's hair in the gardens and loves to hear the internal monologue of the birds.