Disclaimer: I do not own King Thranduil, Legolas, Mirkwood, Orcs, Middle-
earth, or any other Lord of the Rings affiliated characters/places/events.
They are JRR Tolkien's.
Chapter One: The Ball
It was the morn of an important day. Aethyrelda quickly dressed. Before running out the door, she stopped and glanced in the mirror. She perfected herself and dashed out towards the Prince's quarters.
"You are late again," came a voice from behind her in the hallway. Aethyrelda swirled around and saw her friend leaning on the wall outside her room. She rolled her eyes at her, picked up her dress, and started back down the hall.
"Everything is already prepared!" Tári yelled after her. This caused Aethyrelda to come to a sudden halt. She turned around. Tári wore a smile on her face.
"How late am I?"
"Oh an hour or so."
"You say that every time, no matter how late I am. Everything is prepared?"
"Yes."
"Thank you."
"Your welcome, but you should be heading down. Have one of your excuses ready."
It was Aethyrelda's turn to smile. "I will meet you later."
"If you can risk it."
"I can risk it."
"That's what you said at the Ball, two years ago to this date."
"I was an amateur then."
"Ha! Sure. Go then. I will meet you later."
The two exchanged smiles while each turning and heading their own ways. One went at a sprint, the other at a slow peaceful walk.
"Aethyrelda! Where have you been?" Nindë, one of the head maids, glared at her. "Orcs attack you in the woods again?"
Aethyrelda fought to keep a straight face at hearing one of her more common excuses. "No, Milady. Do I look it?"
"No, but when will you learn to be prompt for your duties? If it weren't for Tári." her voice trailed off and she shook her head.
"What needs my attending?"
"Set the tables in the South Hall for the guests. Be sure to use the gold this time!"
"Yes, Milady."
~~~
"Ah, Aethyrelda. Pleasant seeing you this morning," a male voice behind her greeted.
Immediately, she put down the plates and turned, placing one knee on the floor. "Your Majesty--
"Please, Legolas."
She stole a glance up at him. He was still in his outdoor attire. "Are you in need of assistance getting prepared, My Lord?"
He sighed. "I shall be well until tonight."
"Very well." She stood again and returned to her normal duties.
"What do you do all these mornings you are away?"
"Many a thing, My Lord, many a thing." To avoid the question again, she excused herself and went off to get the rest of the place settings, leaving the prince standing there.
~~~
"You look stunning!" Aethyrelda exclaimed while her friend spun around before her.
"Thank you, even though I do not compare to the others."
"I do not know what you see in him. He is always insisting we call him 'Legolas' and I surely can not, especially with Nindë leaning over my shoulder. He also wants to know everything!"
"He is charming, sweet, and not to mention gorgeous and the prince!"
"Royalty.I don't see how you want to be one of them. You've never even talked to him. How would you know if he's charming?" She didn't answer so Aethyrelda continued. "If you were to win his heart I would never wait on you."
"Of course you would!" Her friend smiled and turned to the mirror. "You would be on your knees trying not to laugh as you say, 'Milady'. Then you will tell me how lucky I am that I got him and how you wanted him."
"I shall not! Anyhow, I am supposed to call you 'Milady' even now."
"But you don't. Just you wait, you will be jealous of me. But come. You are going to make me late."
~~~
Everyone was there. Most likely every single elven woman was there, and in their best dresses. Aethyrelda rolled her eyes as she passed a group of girls just about her age giggling and talking of the prince.
'Royalty,' she looked around and tried to guess which one she'd be dressing in this palace. 'Why would you want be Royalty?'
Just then, the prince entered and silence swept through the Hall. He walked over and took his seat at the head table. Soon all the seats were filled and the feast started.
An hour into the feast, young men started standing and taking women's hands. Legolas stood and took his mother's hand.
Aethyrelda waited until every last person had left to the North Hall, and then headed there herself. There she saw Tári dancing with a very handsome blonde elf.
She watched them for awhile, remembering the dream she once had. All of her life she had watched these dances go on. As a girl she wished she could have one dance. But men did not suit her, nor did she know how to dance. Her dream faded as quickly as it came.
~~~
They were sitting out in the palace gardens. It was early morning; the sun had yet to rise. Tári was on the verge of tears.
"He did not even notice me," she whispered.
"It was all those crowds around him." Aethyrelda tried to make her friend feel better, but nothing was working. "If you ask me, it was his loss."
"Yet he does not have to live the burden of the loss like I."
Aethyrelda had to do something. She did not know what, but she could not bear seeing her friend in this state. "Come. It had been a long night. You need your rest. Do not worry, your man will come in due time."
She saw a small smile on her face. They stood and made their way inside.
~~~ Aethyrelda went back to the kitchen to help clean from the night's festivities.
"Go ask the king what he wants set on the tables for the guests' breakfasts." Nindë told her when she joined them. Without a word, she quickly left and headed to the throne room where the king would most likely be.
The voices of the father and son could be heard outside the doors. She slipped in, making sure to be noticed, but not interrupting. She stood just inside the doors against the back wall and waited to be called upon.
"How many of these will it take? You are just short of three thousand years, Legolas! You need to find yourself a bride!"
"It is the same women every year. All they wish for is the throne. It seems almost that true love does not exist!"
"Then if that is the case, I will choose for you. I will have the marriage arranged for the second full moon."
"An arrangement! But Father--"
"If you find true love by then, it shall be called off."
"Two moons is barely time---"
"You've had over two and a half thousand years! Time you've had plenty of."
The prince did not respond. Aethyrelda silently stepped forward, still partially in the shadows.
"You may go now. I will expect you at breakfast to bid your guests farewell," the king said to his son then looked to Aethyrelda. "Yes, young one, what is it you need?"
The prince walked past her. Aethyrelda took a few steps forward and bowed before King Thranduil.
"You're highness, I have been sent to ask you what you would prefer to be set on the tables of the Great Hall for breakfast."
"The blue glassware," called Legolas from the door. "From there, I do not care what they feast on!"
His father looked up at him while he exited, then turned back to Aethyrelda. "Yes, that will have to do. Thank you."
She stood and curtsied before turning and heading out.
Gently closing the doors behind her, she made her way towards the kitchen, trying to make sense of what she just heard. An arranged wedding? Tári would be devastated. Just then, and idea came to her. A smile crept across her face as the plan started to form.
~~~
Chapter One: The Ball
It was the morn of an important day. Aethyrelda quickly dressed. Before running out the door, she stopped and glanced in the mirror. She perfected herself and dashed out towards the Prince's quarters.
"You are late again," came a voice from behind her in the hallway. Aethyrelda swirled around and saw her friend leaning on the wall outside her room. She rolled her eyes at her, picked up her dress, and started back down the hall.
"Everything is already prepared!" Tári yelled after her. This caused Aethyrelda to come to a sudden halt. She turned around. Tári wore a smile on her face.
"How late am I?"
"Oh an hour or so."
"You say that every time, no matter how late I am. Everything is prepared?"
"Yes."
"Thank you."
"Your welcome, but you should be heading down. Have one of your excuses ready."
It was Aethyrelda's turn to smile. "I will meet you later."
"If you can risk it."
"I can risk it."
"That's what you said at the Ball, two years ago to this date."
"I was an amateur then."
"Ha! Sure. Go then. I will meet you later."
The two exchanged smiles while each turning and heading their own ways. One went at a sprint, the other at a slow peaceful walk.
"Aethyrelda! Where have you been?" Nindë, one of the head maids, glared at her. "Orcs attack you in the woods again?"
Aethyrelda fought to keep a straight face at hearing one of her more common excuses. "No, Milady. Do I look it?"
"No, but when will you learn to be prompt for your duties? If it weren't for Tári." her voice trailed off and she shook her head.
"What needs my attending?"
"Set the tables in the South Hall for the guests. Be sure to use the gold this time!"
"Yes, Milady."
~~~
"Ah, Aethyrelda. Pleasant seeing you this morning," a male voice behind her greeted.
Immediately, she put down the plates and turned, placing one knee on the floor. "Your Majesty--
"Please, Legolas."
She stole a glance up at him. He was still in his outdoor attire. "Are you in need of assistance getting prepared, My Lord?"
He sighed. "I shall be well until tonight."
"Very well." She stood again and returned to her normal duties.
"What do you do all these mornings you are away?"
"Many a thing, My Lord, many a thing." To avoid the question again, she excused herself and went off to get the rest of the place settings, leaving the prince standing there.
~~~
"You look stunning!" Aethyrelda exclaimed while her friend spun around before her.
"Thank you, even though I do not compare to the others."
"I do not know what you see in him. He is always insisting we call him 'Legolas' and I surely can not, especially with Nindë leaning over my shoulder. He also wants to know everything!"
"He is charming, sweet, and not to mention gorgeous and the prince!"
"Royalty.I don't see how you want to be one of them. You've never even talked to him. How would you know if he's charming?" She didn't answer so Aethyrelda continued. "If you were to win his heart I would never wait on you."
"Of course you would!" Her friend smiled and turned to the mirror. "You would be on your knees trying not to laugh as you say, 'Milady'. Then you will tell me how lucky I am that I got him and how you wanted him."
"I shall not! Anyhow, I am supposed to call you 'Milady' even now."
"But you don't. Just you wait, you will be jealous of me. But come. You are going to make me late."
~~~
Everyone was there. Most likely every single elven woman was there, and in their best dresses. Aethyrelda rolled her eyes as she passed a group of girls just about her age giggling and talking of the prince.
'Royalty,' she looked around and tried to guess which one she'd be dressing in this palace. 'Why would you want be Royalty?'
Just then, the prince entered and silence swept through the Hall. He walked over and took his seat at the head table. Soon all the seats were filled and the feast started.
An hour into the feast, young men started standing and taking women's hands. Legolas stood and took his mother's hand.
Aethyrelda waited until every last person had left to the North Hall, and then headed there herself. There she saw Tári dancing with a very handsome blonde elf.
She watched them for awhile, remembering the dream she once had. All of her life she had watched these dances go on. As a girl she wished she could have one dance. But men did not suit her, nor did she know how to dance. Her dream faded as quickly as it came.
~~~
They were sitting out in the palace gardens. It was early morning; the sun had yet to rise. Tári was on the verge of tears.
"He did not even notice me," she whispered.
"It was all those crowds around him." Aethyrelda tried to make her friend feel better, but nothing was working. "If you ask me, it was his loss."
"Yet he does not have to live the burden of the loss like I."
Aethyrelda had to do something. She did not know what, but she could not bear seeing her friend in this state. "Come. It had been a long night. You need your rest. Do not worry, your man will come in due time."
She saw a small smile on her face. They stood and made their way inside.
~~~ Aethyrelda went back to the kitchen to help clean from the night's festivities.
"Go ask the king what he wants set on the tables for the guests' breakfasts." Nindë told her when she joined them. Without a word, she quickly left and headed to the throne room where the king would most likely be.
The voices of the father and son could be heard outside the doors. She slipped in, making sure to be noticed, but not interrupting. She stood just inside the doors against the back wall and waited to be called upon.
"How many of these will it take? You are just short of three thousand years, Legolas! You need to find yourself a bride!"
"It is the same women every year. All they wish for is the throne. It seems almost that true love does not exist!"
"Then if that is the case, I will choose for you. I will have the marriage arranged for the second full moon."
"An arrangement! But Father--"
"If you find true love by then, it shall be called off."
"Two moons is barely time---"
"You've had over two and a half thousand years! Time you've had plenty of."
The prince did not respond. Aethyrelda silently stepped forward, still partially in the shadows.
"You may go now. I will expect you at breakfast to bid your guests farewell," the king said to his son then looked to Aethyrelda. "Yes, young one, what is it you need?"
The prince walked past her. Aethyrelda took a few steps forward and bowed before King Thranduil.
"You're highness, I have been sent to ask you what you would prefer to be set on the tables of the Great Hall for breakfast."
"The blue glassware," called Legolas from the door. "From there, I do not care what they feast on!"
His father looked up at him while he exited, then turned back to Aethyrelda. "Yes, that will have to do. Thank you."
She stood and curtsied before turning and heading out.
Gently closing the doors behind her, she made her way towards the kitchen, trying to make sense of what she just heard. An arranged wedding? Tári would be devastated. Just then, and idea came to her. A smile crept across her face as the plan started to form.
~~~