A/N: This idea has been stuck in my head since I saw the Battle of the Five Armies. Which was literally months ago. So I finally decided to put it on the paper.
I will say it right away, I am not a native English speaker and this story is not written in the style that Tolkien wrote in. Simply because I don't have enough knowledge about the English language.
Disclaimer: I don't own Tolkien's characters.
Enjoy!
She looked at herself in the mirror as her handmaiden set jewels in her hair. Everyone was busy. Through her open door she saw elves running to and from the kitchen, carrying plates and platters of different sizes. She was standing in front of a high wall mirror, there were several others in the room in addition to a huge ornamented wardrobe, dressing tables and flower bouquets near the big windows. Looking out of the window, she saw green everywhere. Trees were zealously growing leaves from their buds and many spring flowers had already started to bloom on the hillside. Imladris was as beautiful as ever.
"Could you please stand still, milady," Sídhel, her handmaiden, said. She nodded and Sídhel continued to adjust her long sea blue dress. It had been newly made for her, and it fit perfectly with her slender figure. She was fair skinned and quite tall, taller than many other women. Her long golden hair fell loosely down her shoulders and many small shimmering crystals were set into it. Her sky blue eyes wandered around the room, following everyone that passed by.
There was going to be a great celebration today. Another yén had passed and it was the beginning of the 35th by the elven calendar. This, in short, gave everyone a reason to come together and have a great party. She had been able to participate in such a celebration only once before, two yéns ago, but that time she hadn't been able to stay for the whole two days of celebration. The celebrations before that she was either too young or the party was being held somewhere else and Elrond hadn't allowed her to go. But this time it was different. This time the celebration was being held right here, in Imladris, in her home between the Misty Mountains, also known to the Men as Rivendell. She hadn't been so excited for years. The guests would soon be arriving, elves from all over the Middle-Earth, coming together to celebrate the coming of a new yén and the spring equinox.
"Namiriel, are you ready?" lord Elrond asked, entering the room. He was wearing his formal garb – a long white coat rimmed with golden laces and a brooch. His brown hair was partly braided and he was wearing a golden circlet.
"Yes, quite," she answered as her handmaiden was giving finishing touches to her attire.
"Then please join us in the lounge, the elves of Lothlórien arrived mere moments ago," Elrond said, nodded to the handmaiden and hurried out of the room.
"You look stunningly beautiful, milady," Sídhel told her and was seemingly pleased with her handiwork.
"Thank you, Sídhel," Namiriel said with a smile and walked into the hallway, heading to the lounge to see who had arrived. About halfway down the corridor she heard someone sing out her name. She looked back and saw Arwen walking towards her. She was gorgeous in her white dress, her dark hair flowing down her shoulders. The two women continued down the hallway, both quite excited, as Arwen hadn't taken part in such a large celebration either. They chatted about the party and about the weather and the coming of the spring, but I cannot cover it all, because it would take too long. Soon they reached the lounge doors, they were wide open and Arwen and Namiriel stepped in. The lounge was high and spacious, with a beautiful view on the valley of the river Loudwater. One side of the lounge was open, forming a balcony, and the warm spring air had filled the room. A few musicians were playing a lovely tune on the far side of the room. The Elves of Lothlórien had arrived and the chamber was full of cheerful chatter. Lady Galadriel with her entourage hadn't unfortunately come, but there were many elves here nonetheless. Arwen and Namiriel looked around for a familiar face, when suddenly a handsome elf approached them.
"Lady Arwen, it's a pleasure to see you here," he said. Arwen politely smiled.
"Thannor, may I introduce you my sister, Namiriel," She responded. Thannor bowed slightly and said: "My lady, it is very nice to meet you." Namiriel bowed her head in response. "If you'd excuse me," Arwen said and walked towards another group of elves, of whom she had recognized someone. Namiriel had never been very good in mingling, therefore she felt relieved when Thannor started the conversation.
"I have never been to Imladris before, it is beautiful here, very unlike the golden woods of Lothlórien, but in a good way. Actually I expected it to be a bit colder at this latitude, but I am pleasantry surprised," he said. Namiriel was a bit surprised by his easy and informal style of speaking, which wasn't very common among the elves (and was at some occasions considered impolite), but she didn't think it appropriate to point it out, so instead she asked: "You were born in Lothlórien?"
"Yes. Actually I've never travelled far away from my home. There is always one more thing to do there and one more place to be. You know how it is, I'm keeping myself busy. I've been training for the army with several others and there is not much free time," he explained.
"Army?" Namiriel enquired.
"Yes. Lady Galadriel has set a powerful veil around Lothlórien so no evil could enter, but she cannot be everywhere and maybe we need to defend ourselves outside of the forest, out of the veil's protection. Although I hope this day never comes, but if it does, we will be ready. I hope to be accepted to the army in the next few years, so I could train with other soldiers instead of the cadets," Thannor explained vigorously. "But enough of me, would you lift the shroud of mystery and tell me a little about yourself, my lady. You have been very quiet."
"There is not much to know about me," Namiriel said. At least not something a person I just met should know about me, she thought, but continued: "Both of my parents are dead, my father died in the war of the Last Alliance and my mother when I was born. Lord Elrond took me in and most of my life I have lived in Imladris. He has been like a father to me."
"Oh, I didn't know, I'm sorry," Thannor said, but when he wanted to add something, someone in the room exclaimed: "Look! The elves from Mithlond are coming!"
Mithlond was a town on the shore of the Great Sea. It had been a capitol of the kingdom of Lindon, but after the war of the Last Alliance, there was nothing left but ruins of a once powerful country. Now Mithlond mainly served as a port for the elves who travelled west, to the undying lands of Valinor.
"Excuse me, my lord," Namiriel said to Thannor and hurried to meet the arriving elves. She quickly stepped down the stairs and made it to the lobby at the same time the elves entered. Elrond was already there, greeting the new arrivals, who were paying their respects and presenting several presents they had brought along. Namiriel noticed the head of their party, Círdan the Shipwright, immediately when she arrived.
"Círdan!" Namiriel exclaimed and ran to greet the silver haired elf. Círdan laughed and took her into his embrace, hugging her joyfully.
"Oh, Círdan, it is so good to see you again. I've missed you," Namiriel said, his beard tickling her neck. He released her from his embrace, held on to her shoulders and looked at her for a moment.
"My dear girl, it's been too long since I last saw you, I didn't even recognize you at once." he said. Namiriel gleamed of happiness over the reunion with her old friend.
"Shall we go to the lounge, the elves of Lothlórien have already arrived," Elrond asked when the greetings had been exchanged.
"Certainly. I'll leave some of my party to unload the package," Círdan said and beckoned at some of the elves who quickly started to bustle.
"The quest rooms of the west wing are at your disposal, he will show you," Elrond said, pointing at one of the other elves of Imladris in the room, who nodded.
"Excellent," Círdan answered and Elrond led them down the hallway towards the lounge. Círdan on Elrond's right hand and Namiriel on his left, the other elves from Mitlond following them.
When the company entered the lounge, the chatter there got even louder. Many reunions with old friends took place and everybody was laughing and exchanging stories about their happenings. Namiriel drew closer to the wall, away from the excited elves. She was not very fond of crowds and the lounge that always seemed so spacious, was now a little too tight. And the elves of Greenwood hadn't yet arrived.
A/N: To clarify some things:
Yén is an elven equivalent of a year, except it lasts 144 human years. So the 35th yén starts in the year 866 of the Third Age. I started counting the yéns from the beginning of the First Age, because I found no information about when the elves started counting the years and the First Age seemed like a good place to start. A new yén starts with the spring equinox. The last day of the previous yén and the first day of the following yén are the days of celebration.
Why the name Namiriel? The most boring answer would be "because I liked it" and that is true. But only one half of the truth. I researched the elven naming traditions and wanted her name to mirror her parentage. So, it would have something to do with water -nenin sindarin language. The other word I wanted to include wasmir- jewel. Then I modified the name to my liking, at first it became Nemiriel, but then I decided Namiriel had a better sound to it. Basically, in direct translation, her name means water jewel. I personally like to translate it as "the jewel of the sea", but that's just my preference.
Feel free to review the story, I really appreciate your feedback.