Video: Day 22

[maxwellsdaemon]

Uh, hi...

[Duo gives a slightly lopsided, almost nervous looking smile. He lifts one hand in a brief wave and then sighs.]

Look, this is gonna sound dumb. But does anyone have a hair tie? Even a ribbon?

[He holds up the remains of his hair tie, clearly snapped into two pieces and gives another sad sigh.]

That's a bad sign... Damn thing flew across the room!

Uh yeah, if anyone can stop by cabin A in sleeper 4 with something I can tie my hair with, you'll have a bestfriend for life!

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[marriedanidiot]

That's fine.

[ She smiles, sitting down on the bed and patting the spot next to her ]

Just tell me if it becomes too uncomfortable, yes?

[maxwellsdaemon]

[Duo nodded as he loosed his hair. He looked after his hair and it was obvious. It fell down his back, well past his butt, in silken, chestnut brown waves. Taking a breath, he sat himself down on the bed beside Nerdanel and gave her a soft smile]

It'll be fine. I'll be fine. I'm just being dumb. But I trust you.

[marriedanidiot]

Thank you, Duo.

[ She smiles at him, and starts brushing out his hair carefully, making sure it falls without tangles before she starts to braid ]

[maxwellsdaemon]

[Duo sat with one leg curled under him and closed his eyes when Nerdanel began to brush his hair.

It... brought back memories he tried very hard to push down. Bittersweet memories of the last woman who had done this for him, when he was very young. He'd always found comfort in it. And he found some comfort in it now.

Soon the memories were just the good ones, and Duo was able to smile.]

[marriedanidiot]

[ Nerdanel hums softly as Duo relaxes, the lullabies and melodies of Tirion long ago. Her hands carefully check for knots as she works, braiding the loops and patterns that to the Amanyar proclaimed that the one who wears them is a sea captain, one of those whose heart is given to the wind and waves, as wild and free as the waters they love. ]

[maxwellsdaemon]

[He liked that, the humming. It wasn't the same as the hymns Sister Helen would sing to him but they sounded lovely, and Nerdanel had a really sweet voice. Duo relaxed all the way then, his head lowering just a little and a soft smile upon his lips.

When she began to braid his hair he held himself still and idly wondered what it would look like by the end.]

[marriedanidiot]

[ It's soothing - she's done this for all her boys in their time, and her husband as well as her close kin. This particular braid isn't one the Noldor really use, but Earwen wears it sometimes, for the High Queen of the Noldor honors still her Teleri roots, and she taught it to her law-sister.

Once the braid is done, it will look like a sea shell ]

There!

[maxwellsdaemon]

[It felt... sort of strange. He couldn't see what she was doing but he could feel how she was gathering his hair and curling it in a way that he'd never done with his hair before. At least not this way. Sometimes he'd been forced to bunch his braid up to stuff it under a helmet or down the back of something to keep it out of the way. But never like this.

When she was finished, Duo tipped his head and looked over his shoulder at Nerdanel.

How's it look? Can I check?

[marriedanidiot]

Of course!

[ She smiles and hunts around for a mirror ]

We don't have any of the shells or pearls to denote rank, but no one other than my kin here will know how to read it, so that's fine.

[maxwellsdaemon]

[Duo laughed even as he lifted a hand to gently touch his hair. He could feel the pattern. It was so strange... He was so used to just a simple braid]

Heh that's fine. I think I should work up to shells and pearls!

[He was all grins though. And when the mirror was found and he checked himself out... he had to blink.]

... That's so weird. I mean, I like it! I just... so used to seeing something else in the mirror,

[marriedanidiot]

It's a practical sort of braid. [ She smiles ] After all, one wouldn't want one's hair blowing every which way in a storm! There are variants which leave part down, and you see here.

[ She tugs, and part of the braid uncoils ]

It's easy to put up or down depending.

[maxwellsdaemon]

Nah, guess that'd suck if you were in a storm...

[Duo turned his head one way and then the other, then grinned when she pulled some of his hair free.]

It's... yeah, I like it!

[marriedanidiot]

I'm glad!

[ She beams ]

I can teach you, if you like!

[maxwellsdaemon]

Yeah, I'd like that.

[Duo smiled widely. While he wasn't sure if he could learn something like that, he thought it would be fun to try.]

[marriedanidiot]

[ She smiles back ]

Do you want to try now? Although it'd be easier if we had someone else to practice on...

[maxwellsdaemon]

Maybe another time then? We can find someone to practise with?

[Duo wasn't in a rush. They had a lot of time to do such things while aboard the train. Lots of time for Duo to learn what to do, and maybe find a willing victim for him to practice on.]

[marriedanidiot]

That's a good idea. We can see if we can rope in my husband, if you like! Or you could find one of your friends, maybe.

[maxwellsdaemon]

Uh, Tro doesn't really have long hair... [And as funny as braiding his bangs was, he didn't think he'd like it.]

You think hubby would be alright bein a test subject?

[marriedanidiot]

I think I could convince him. [ She smiles ]

I would ask him to teach you, but this braid he has never had cause to learn.

[maxwellsdaemon]

[Duo just grinned widely]

Well if you can get him to agree, I'm all for it!

[marriedanidiot]

[ She laughs ]

We will ask him then! I am sure I can persuade him.

[maxwellsdaemon]

He's gonna love you! But yeah, this will be great!

[There was clear excitement in his voice as he lifted the mirror again and looked over his hair. While having it up might have felt sort of weird, it didn't look so bad. Maybe he could learn how to make other interesting braids. It wasn't really a skill he thought he would need in life, but you never knew when he might be called on some high-brow fancy mission and he needed to look the part]

[marriedanidiot]

He'd better

[ She says mock severely and laughs ]

Want to take it out or leave it in?

[maxwellsdaemon]

Umm... I think leave it in. It's new, I'd like to get used to it a bit more.

[And the only way to do that was to keep it in and get used to the new sensation of having his hair all bundled up as it was. He gave her a happy smile.]

Really, thanks again for doing this!

[marriedanidiot]

[ She beams, pleased ]

You are most welcome, Duo! Ah, but you will give my Feanaro a start, if he sees you in that braid without us telling him what we've done! Curufin too, perhaps, although I don't know if Atarinke knew that one.