It was early in the afternoon when Grandmama got me up and at em for dinner. We were cooking up a storm getting the pizza ingredients ready, the salad put together and had some bread and butter set aside for the table. We made a White chocolate raspberry cheesecake for dessert. We wanted to wait for the guests to get here so they could see how a pizza was made.
(Ding Dong)
"They are here and on time to boot. I'll go get them you get the dough ready."
"You got it Grandmama." I said as I started kneading the dough into its wonderful texture that adds to its tastiness. Ten minutes later the Middle Earth boys come in with interested eyes as to what I was doing or about to do with the dough in my hands. Sam was the first one to ask if the dough was for bread or for the pizza he had been hearing about since meeting me.
"Sam you ready to see how pizza crust is made?"
"I would love to see what it is that I have heard so much about."
"You're in for a treat." I said sprinkling a thin dust of corn meal over the pizza dough. Next I flattened with my palms and after that had been accomplished I did the best part of making pizza and that was the toss-up. Tossing up a pizza and watching it form into a thinner piece of dough that will soon be laced with tomato sauce, cheese and other such delicious toppings add that times three and bam!
"Anyone want to try to toss a pizza?"
"I could give it a go." Frodo volunteered. Legolas watched him carefully, noticing that he was distancing himself from me. I gave him the directions and he attempted a small lift that went well enough. He had some trouble getting the dough to be less holey, but at least it didn't splatter on everybody.
"You did good on your first try Frodo, but you want to keep the dough in motion. If you stop halfway it could go either way of the room. Come on try again."
"Could I attempt this as well?" Legolas said coming very close to my side.
"Sure, but you may want to step a little to the side so you don't get the dough on me." He takes a few steps to the side, but he was still pretty close to me. I gave him his dough and he started up and Frodo did the same. Frodo did a way better job on his second try, nearly a perfect job. Legolas on the other hand had a little trouble with the landing.
"You do know that it is supposed to land on the counter right Legolas?" I said taking the dough off his head. Elladan and Elrohir were failing to hold back the laugh bubbling up inside them and Frodo well he was doing a slightly better job.
"My aim is true with bow and arrow, but I do not think that is the case with pizza."
"It's alright. You can help me with the toppings instead." We get the dough finished up and the cheese sprinkled over it and then we started picking out the toppings. I went with prosciutto, sausage, basil and pepper toppings a hit with the family. The others did an organized each person picks a section of the pizza and makes it their own.
"Is everyone done with your choice of toppings?"
"I believe so." The Elf twins replied. Looking at Prima Donna set the table with its formal attire. Oh yeah those boys are very subtle. Like German shepherds in pursuit of a criminal or savory steak from Ruth Chris.
"Elladan, Elrhoir, if you two are done drooling over my sister do you think that you could help me put the pizzas in the oven to cook?" The blush was prominent on their fair skin, along with the awkward shuffle of their feet and hands. Yeah I got em.
"I will help you." Kindly volunteered Frodo.
"As will I." Legolas added. The two 'helped' me put the pizzas in the oven. I set the timer and we did the next thing that was part of the family traditional dinner. We play a game of bocce on the roof. Some of the guys didn't come up to play bocce. Those were Grandmama, Gandalf, Rick, Ned, Snooki and Sam. They decided to play poker. Good luck to Gandalf and Sam. Grandmama, Rick and Ned already know this, but Snooki is a shark when it comes to poker. Never make a bet on poker if you play against Snooki. She could beat you without even cheating, she didn't need to. Yep she is that good at cards. I fear for whatever casino she ever goes into. She could very well end up winning it in a card game.
"Okay. So we are going to break into teams and play bocce." The teams were picked. Elladan, Elrhoir, Mom and Prima Donna on one team the Gimli, Legolas, Frodo and Me. The twins decided to be the cheering squad. Which lasted two minutes and they decided to color us playing bocce instead. I explained the rules and then we played. I was surprised to find that Frodo was a natural at bocce. With him on our team we won nearly every time. I had to leave the game early to get the pizzas out of the oven with Grandmama's help the food was ready and set when the guests came back down stairs from the games.
"Everyone take a seat dinner is ready to begin." I said. The steam could be seen and the smell delighted everyone into having a growling stomach. I had to admit was feeling a bit proud at the meal I had made, well Grandmama and I had made. I served the dish and waited for everyone to take their first bite. Once they did I sunk my teeth into my slice and savored the fresh ingredients.
"By my ancestor's this be a fantastic dish. Perchance could I take the recipe with me to my home so that my brothers shall enjoy the dish as I do?"
"Well you can have the general recipe Gimli, but the recipe for the sauce is our own secret family's recipe." I said with a wink.
"This will surely end up being a hit in the Shire." Sam said already on his second slice.
"At least that means our cooking is not bad." Grandmama said after a bite of salad.
"Not like Debra's was when she tried cooking the dinner." Ricky said managing to avoid the swipe that Prima Donna tried to take a swipe at him.
"Oh come on. It wasn't that bad." Snooki said in Prima Donna's defense.
"You're right it was that bad. But it was pretty bad." I added.
"I do have to admit. You have many talents, but cooking is not your strong suit." Mom said holding her hands up in defense.
"I do admit I am not the best cook."
"Especially when it comes to using the oven." Snooki said laughing. So much for her defending. Dinner goes on like that we converse, eat, joke and eat again. Then came time for the desert. The cheesecake was a good hit too. It should be who doesn't like cheesecake? Its cheesecake. When the last piece was eaten there was no delaying it further. It was time for the trip back to Middle Earth. Time to face King Thranduil and his challenge. It was also goodbye to my home city. At least for a short time. Goodbyes are said and given. Tears were shed by some while others held it in. I was one of those that held it in. Then we were gone from New York City and back in Lothlórien.
"Glad to see that you have made it back safely." Lady Galadriel. Lord Elrond and his royal jerkiness were the first ones to greet us. The spell that kept the elf and hobbit features was broken and my own wings had returned. Yeah, I am back to being the bird woman.
"We thought that you were going to try to prolong your stay in her world for a short time." Said Lord Elrond.
"My Lord Elrond if we seem late, but we had a pressing dinner engagement to attend."
"I see. Welcome back all the same. Now come along we have much to discuss with all of you."
"Except you Carla. You need to resume your lessons at this very moment." King Thranduil said guiding me in the other direction. A different lady was in the library room to teach me the ways of being a lady of the court. She seemed a little scared of me and I wondered why.
"Hello."
"Good day." She said careful to keep eye contact with me. If you could call it that. Her eyes could cause envy for an owl. I'm have surprised that a pack of them aren't surrounding her right now.
"So are we going to have a lesson?" The answer sounded a little no duh, but she wasn't making any kind of hint that she was going to go on with whatever we were supposed to be doing here.
"C-correct. I am Enelya, sister of Lindir and apprentice to the elf lord Erestor. I am also your teacher for this class."
"Nice to meet you."
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"Are you not going to introduce yourself?"
"Oh. Right. I am Carla." She makes a slight coughing noise. I guess I have to add more.
"Okay I am Carla Petrillo of Brooklyn New York City."
"I can see you do not get the point I am trying to make. In royal circles one must introduce oneself through their name, their male relatives name and their position."
"What? Why does it have to be the male relative?"
"It is how things are done. The male is the head of the house."
"No offense to my father, but my mother took that role."
"Please do not think that I am being rude, but has your father passed on?"
"He died. A long time ago, but my mother remarried."
"Then it is your step father, he who is head of the home."
"That is still wrong. If you were to ask anyone it is my mother not Ned who rules the home."
"Ned? Is that your stepfather?"
"Yeah."
"It is yes. You should call him by father. Then he is the head. He makes the decisions for the whole family."
"Wrong again, Enelya. My mother is more of a head than Ned is, but she and he both console on a decision that she normally has the upper hand in. That and come on even Ned prefers being called Ned than father or step father or anything like that."
"You come from a very interesting place and family." Her tone was well a little on the high horse side. This person is starting to get a little on my nerves. Just a tiny bit.
"I'm taking that as a compliment."
"You very well may take it as a compliment. Still you should learn to do it this way. It is the way of the royals." Her tone was now lofty.
"It seems a bit long and boring."
"Can you please stop complaining and finding excuses and just introduce yourself please?"
"Alright. I am Carla Petrillo, daughter of Johnny Petrillo and soon to be (took a deep breath) wife of Legolas Greenleaf." I was having a slight crawling skin episode after saying that line.
"That was indeed better. Now I have been informed of the other lessons that you have had with her highness Arwen, but she too felt that you still need improvement on some of the lessons. Walking with grace I believe the first lesson she wished to retry with you."
"Let me guess. The little disaster with the lunch tray and the king of Mirkwood?"
"More or less. I have instructed the one who shall bring our lunch to wait till I say to enter. We wouldn't want another incident like the other one do we?"
"No. Even if now when I look back onto that memory I realize how funny it was."
"Malice toward the king is to be limited."
"Malice? How do you get malice out of that sentence?"
"The memory involved the king."
"Yes. It did, but it didn't hurt him or anything along those lines. It was not malice in my thoughts. It was comedy." If anyone was starting to show malice then it was this chick.
"Fine then. Now we shall begin."
To describe the lesson in one word it would have to be strict. The woman is a drill sergeant in a tiny person's body. A scared looking woman's body with eyes owls dream of. She was all up in my grill over detail after detail of how to walk like a lady. At the end of the lesson I was tired to where it had felt like I had run a marathon for two hours. Needless to say that I pretty much flopped on the bed. And that continued for nearly a month of lessons. I half basically a month and a half for more lessons. Oh joyful am I for this. Not really it's a load of crap what the hell did I just get myself into?
To be fair the lessons are the only things that are causing me pain this month and the missing of my family of course. The better part of the month was actually spent with Legolas. After my lessons we spent time together. Simple things from walking in the gardens, riding in the forest and talking. Finding that perhaps we had a bit more in common than previously thought. Okay sometimes he and I would fight. I mean that he was taking martial arts lessons from me. He still couldn't pin me. To be even more honest I think he really doesn't want to pin me down. Although it did get a little embarrassing when Gandalf walked in during one of those pin down times. But it was better him than if Thranduil had walked in on us. Oh god would that be awkward for both sides of the people.
I came back from my lessons and it was a particularly hard lesson. Where I had to have six books balanced on my head. Walk for what seemed like thirty hours. Get lectured on how to eat my lunch and then think of witty things to say to unwitty questions. I flopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. That was heaven for a little while.
(Knock, Knock)
"Whoever that is. You can come in." Lego was back.
"The new tutor she is a strict one isn't she?"
"You have no idea."
"Actually I do. Enelya was my tutor once. A long time ago"
"You had her as your tutor?"
"Sadly yes. She's good but a little hard to handle at times. Especially on the details."
"You can say that again."
"I could but I have a much more interesting use for my lips." I could see where he was going with this. Perhaps it might feel a little more like heaven.
"What use would that be Legolas?" He struts over like a jungle cat coming closer and closer to my sitting form. Till he was hovering over me with his lips only millimeters away from mine.
"This perhaps." His soft lips clasping onto mine as we share a short kiss. His hand running smoothly over the exposed flesh of my neck and shoulders. At least it was now that he moved my shirt off my shoulder. His lips find their way again to mine as the kiss grows deeper. His hands finding their way to wrap around my waist pulling us closer to each other. Our lips break apart for air.
"I think that we have to stop here."
"Why?" I said with a little loss of breath. Okay so it was a little more than a little lost breath.
"I fear that I shall ravish you till time ends." Do I sound like a hoe for thinking oh god ravish me please?
"I desire you now. But I shall wait for you. Even though I…"
"Shh. I know."
"Carla, Persephone can we talk." I sit up straight and look closely into his eyes before answering.
"What about?"
"I want to know if you know how you feel about me. I would like to know if you would like to marry me and become my wife."
"Are you asking me again?"
"To be fair. I didn't ask you properly the first time. Which leads me to this act." He gets down on one knee. Takes both my hands in his holding them tightly in an embraceable way. His eyes bore into mine with intense emotion. I was losing breath in a good way.
"Persephone Carla Petrillo of New York City, will you become my love and wife for as long as the time allows us?" I am about to die from the rapid beating of my heart. I did not know what to say. I was moved, I saw it coming and I think I do love him. Oh god I sound like a bad romantic comedy. I just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.
"I will!"
"You will?"
"I-I will." He actually lifts me up. I mean off my feet up and twirl me around and we kiss. It feels so amazing and sweet. I was blow away. If any of you tell anyone from my neighborhood about me being someone who has romantic interests in life. I will personally hunt you down. I mean it.
"You and I are officially engaged by choice. The ball that is to come."
"What about it?"
"Why not get married that day?"
"Isn't that a little soon? I mean we only have about a month left till the ball."
"I shall see to it that everything shall be ready. I shall even send word to your family and have them here for the celebration." Oh no. Snooki is going to wear the cocktail glitter number again or the leopard mini dress with the faux fur lining. I would rather not have the Jersey Shore look at the wedding or here at all.
"Do not worry about your family. Snooki shall have a more appropriate wardrobe for our wedding."
"How did you…"
"I met her remember?"
"You did." We kiss again.
"Come. We must inform my father of our decision." I was going to enjoy this part of the day. We head to the large immaculate doors that behind them is a king who is about to get shell-shocked.
"You may enter." He said in his regal voice. The two of enter arms linked and that was the first thing that made him unhappy. Just wait till he hears the second thing to make him unhappy. Okay maybe I am enjoying the idea a bit much of him not being happy with the whole me marrying his son thing. I'm starting to think that I might need to rethink what I find enjoyable.
"Hello Father."
"Hello my son and his intended." Or maybe not if he bothers not to use my name.
"Nice to see you again too your highness." Of jerklandia.
"Is there something that you wish to speak with me about my son?"
"Both of us do father. We have come to inform you that we have reached a decision about the date of our wedding." That freezes him up a tinsy bit.
"When is it my son?"
"The day of the Celebration of the Summer."
"The ball that is in less than a month's time?" He said with shock.
"Yes. I feel like I cannot wait longer than that to have Persephone as my wife." He said gently holding my cheek as we turned to each other. My hand covers his and I swear we would have kissed right in front of King Thranduil if he hadn't coughed to get our attention.
"Are you sure you wish to have this so soon? We may not be able to have it as grand a wedding as it should be."
"We are sure."
"Then I shall send out word to all of those who will need to be notified of your wedding. I shall see to it that Persephone's family is notified of the wedding date as well."
"We would rather see to those ourselves." I said. He said nothing but did nod his head.
"Well let me gather everyone to make the announcement to everyone here." It didn't take long. Soon we were out in front of a whole crowd of people who were watching every move we were making. It was on the nerve wracking scale, but I was getting through it. Thanks to the fear of making a mistake courteous of Enelya's Spartan training I didn't appear nervous.
"I have been informed of my Son's and his intended's wedding date. They have decided to have the wedding on the day of the Celebration of the Summer." To many of us it was a surprise to hear how excited everyone was over the wedding announcement. I could already see the bakers thinking of fantastic wedding cakes. The dress designers were already thinking of gowns and suits. The chefs were thinking about the menu and of course the others were thinking when was this decided? Those were of course Gandalf, Sam and Frodo.
"How long have the two of you been planning this?"
"I would say that it has been long enough." Legolas said pulling me closer to him. I could see Frodo's eyes darken.
"Are you going to inform your family of the wedding?"
"Of course I will. I just need to figure out a way how to inform them. I doubt that I can send a letter from here to New York City."
"I guess you could consider this an early wedding present then." Gandalf said with a smile. He took us to a room where there was a large glass mirror that reminded me of the mirror from Snow White. I was almost tempted to say the mirror mirror on the wall line, but Gandalf did some conjuring of his own and there was Grandmama in the mirror."
"Hello Gandalf. Why are you calling this time?"
"Your granddaughter has something to tell you. Actually allow me to clarify that. Your granddaughter and soon to be grandson in law have something to tell you." He steps aside so that Legolas and I can look into the mirror to talk to Grandmama.
"Hey there you two. What's the big news you have for the family?"
"We have set a date for the wedding."
"You have already? Well then let us hear it then."
"We wish to invite all of you to our wedding which will be held the day of the Celebration of Summer." Legolas said in his most charming voice.
"Wow. That is a big party and one that is coming really soon."
"Do not worry about finding an outfit for anyone in your family. We shall have them made."
"But what about Uncle Richard?" My turn to take over for speaking.
"Of course we are inviting him and his girlfriend Susan."
"I do like that girl. I hope he marries her soon."
"Same here Grandmama."
"Well I will go tell the rest of the family and then we shall get ready for our departure for the wedding. Grandmama out." The mirror's image fades away and we go off to sleep.
The next day people are already busting down my door to get details on the wedding. Legolas was even out of breath from trying to get to me. Caters, dress makers, bakers, florists, well-wishers and so on and so forth were trying to break down the door.
"We have to do something."
"I will have a servant tell them we shall see them one at a time."
"You ready for this."
"The moment that you had said I will." We took a seat and waited for the first one to show up. Which was the florist. He was a rather tall elf the only one I have ever seen with a slight indication of facial hair. He discussed with us what flowers were currently in season and which ones would be considered good wedding flowers for the scenery, but for my wedding bouquet he wished to speak with me alone since bouquet flowers are used as signals from the bride to the groom. The flowers chosen for the arrangements were peony, lily of the valley, freesia and roses. My bouquet I liked the idea of using the flowers lilac, stephanotis and purple roses with ivy detail. I did also like the idea of using calla lilies that the florist gave me, so we are using those too. After the florist was gone, the caterer came in. Now this was going to be a little difficult since one I knew what foods I liked but they don't have them in middle earth. To my relief Gandalf had found a cook who knew about my world's food and was dying to make them for a big occasion in middle earth. I'm serious. The guy was willing to do it all for free if we let him make the food. He gave us a few sample of some of the best Mediterranean food I have ever tasted. We mixed it up a little so that there was a good mixture of Middle earth and My world food. That by the end of that meeting we were stuffed. Until we saw the baker with his cake samples. There was vanilla, chocolate, carrot spice, almond, lemon, red velvet, orange crème, raspberry vanilla swirl and so many others. We couldn't decide between two of them. Ended up deciding that one layer of cake was going to be lemon the other raspberry vanilla swirl and pattern continued. It was going to be a pretty big cake considering all the people we were inviting and the appetites they would be bringing. The caterer left and Legolas was getting ready for the line to be over.
"How many others must we see before I can have you all to myself?" he whispered sensually in my ear stroking my neck as if his hand were a gentle breeze.
"Be patient Lego. Your father will more likely than not see to it that after this line disappears we are kept apart till the wedding day."
"He may certainly try, but his success of that is rather low." A quick kiss is all that we can share before another person from the line enters. For one hundred and forty seven minutes we see well-wishers. Then we see the decorator who goes on and on about symmetry in wedding design till she finally asks us a question about we would like in our wedding. This part takes one hundred and sixty minutes since she interrupted every three seconds. She even interrupted herself. I didn't think that was possible, but she made it. It was late when we finished with her and it was decided that we would continue tomorrow. Legolas and I bid each other goodbye with a kiss and then I went to bed.
The next morning I was surprised to find that the line of people had disappeared. There was no one outside my door. Two minutes later Haldir was at the door.
"What is it Haldir?"
"I have come to inform you that your family has arrived and would like to see you."
"Already? Wow that was quicker than I expected." I change into something quickly and follow him out. We pass by a mirror that reveals I had forgotten something. My feathers were showing. Last time that I saw my family I looked normal and I conveniently had forgotten to tell them about it.
"Um Haldir, is there any chance we can go and talk to Gandalf first about my condition before we see my family?'
"Already ahead of you." He produced a vial of some sort from his cloak and handed it to me. I took a sip and found that my feathers were falling in rapid succession. The feathers were gone from my body and I looked the way I always did.
We continue on down the hall to a surprise! Another well-made and decorated door the size of Fort Knox. Inside that door's room was my family. Mom, Ned, Grandmama, Ricky, Snooki, Prima Donna, Eric, Janie, Uncle Richard, his girlfriend Susan and Ty was even here! I wonder how they got him from England? Legolas was getting to know him when I entered the room.
"This is quite the place. Isn't it?" Mom said taking in all the detail that surrounds the walls of the room they were in.
"Yes it is. As are most homes of the elves." Legolas replied moving to my side to hold me close.
"I still can't believe you two are going through with the wedding." Snooki replied in a way that she normally didn't use when talking with me. She actually sounded descent. Was she trying something? I don't know and to be frank at the moment I don't care.
"Come let us take all of you to your rooms." Legolas and I escort the family to their rooms to be settled and when the last person was shown their room Legolas snuck me away from prying eyes. We stand behind a stone pillar covered with ivy that gave us a hidden away view of the surrounding area.
"I now have you to myself for a short while."
"What are you going to do with the time given?"
"Hmm. I can think of many things. But for now I will settle for the sweet taste of your lips." He began to lean in when someone came forth looking flustered at the scene before them.
"Pardon me your highnesses but the dress maker is ready for you." Her eyes darted to the side away from the two of us. Legolas was close to doing a face palm with his lost attempt at a kiss. I kiss his cheek giving him a smile before going with the servant to the room the dressmaker was in.