You have been formally invited to the Greenwood Royal Wedding
- Prince Legolas and Princess Anié -
due to take place in the Great Hall of Greenwood,
3 days after the next full moon.
The royals of Greenwood the Great would be delighted to receive your company.
The Great Hall, gleaming with delicately-lit lamps, was filled to the very outposts with people. King Thranduil stood proud and formal before the crowd, his large slender hands placed over the joined hands of his son, Legolas, and the love of his life, Anié Celebrindal. Legolas looked deeply into her eyes with love, and Anié's eyes twinkled back. Her smile warmed his heart and he knew this was the happiest moment of his entire life. Nothing could spoil it.
Everyone knew the answer, but none the less, Thranduil asked the immortal question: would Legolas take Anié as his wife, to love, hold and protect for always. Without a moment's hesitation, Legolas replied: "I will". Anié was bordering between laughing and crying, her joy was so great.
Smiling (yet still formal, of course), the King and leader of ceremonies turned to Anié and asked her the same question. She had to compose herself a little before she replied – she didn't want to break down in front of everybody – but soon afterwards, she raised her head and uttered the same response. Pride and abounding happiness swelled within Legolas as he looked at the woman who would imminently become his wife.
As Thranduil concluded the ceremony and pronounced them officially husband and wife, Legolas took Anié into his arms and they kissed deeply and passionately as applause erupted throughout the Great Hall. Thranduil beamed, Legolas laughed, Anié cried and the members of the audience cheered. The ambiance was something quite special: it was filled with happiness, pride, love, admiration, hopefulness…
Suddenly, there was a sharp whistling sound and a stomach-wrenching thud as an arrow flew through the air, above the heads of the overflowing crowd, and punctured Anié through the neck, penetrating it entirely.
The entire hall gasped. Shock hit the newly-married couple before anything else. Nobody moved, nobody spoke. Blood sprayed and poured from the fresh wound. Anié suddenly realised in the few split-seconds she had left that she could not breathe and although it was not Legolas experiencing the awful sensation, Anié's fear and pain was clear in her eyes.
The world around Legolas no longer seemed to exist. The primal shock began to wear off but reality still seemed a blur. He couldn't think straight and desperate to help though he was, there was nothing he could do, nothing he could say, no order he could give that would help her. Whilst clutching his wife, he saw his own hands coated in her blood.
'No … this can't be happening … no … who would do this? And why?'
'Anié … no, not Anié, not now … NO … somebody save her, somebody do something … NO!!!'
Legolas woke up with a jolt, eyes wide, head spinning, he could even feel sweat on his palms. Reality swirled around him, but it was a while before it made any sense. Eventually, he remembered that he was safe in his own bedroom with no real danger to disturb him from his rest. His rapid breathing began to slow and he placed his face in his hands, telling himself repeatedly that it was just another nightmare. Maybe this was normal a week before your wedding?