Chapter 5: A Long-Expected Party

When Elrond Half-Elven announced that he would shortly be hosting a party of special magnificence to celebrate the introduction of the mysterious elf maid that he and Celebrian had been fostering for nearly a century, there was much talk and excitement among the elves of Valinor. Elrond had long been the host of many wonderful gatherings, but since the arrival of the unknown elleth, few had been invited to his table.

Rumors circulated that the elleth, who it was known had been found unconscious in the ocean by Legolas, had been orphaned as an infant in middle earth and raised by humans before she bravely attempted to cross the Sundering Seas alone to join her brethren in the Blessed Lands. It was understood that the young elf had spent her early years in Valinor under the tutelage of Celebrian and Elrond, as she had arrived not speaking a word of any Elvish language and had, it was said, very course manners. Galadriel, Gandalf, and Elrond would exchange glances over such rumors but never corrected them, so the elves took them to be largely true.

Legolas in particular was eager for the day of the party to arrive, for he had had little opportunity to speak with or even see the elleth they now called Lossrilleth since the day he had rescued her from the beach. Although he had pushed perhaps a little more than was tactful at times, Elrond, Galadriel, and Gandalf had all rebuffed him and said only that Lossrilleth had much healing left to do. There could be no such excuses now, though, and he longed to meet the strange and beautiful elf again, for he remembered vividly the weight and heat of her in his arms and the smell of salt in the air from the day he had first seen her.

The day of the party finally arrived and all who had been invited arrived in their finest robes, prepared for a feast and much singing and dancing. They would not be disappointed! Hunters had been dispatched to the Forests of Orome and returned with an enormous boar, which had been roasted in apple brandy with potatoes and other vegetables of the earth. Soft bread baked with rosemary and sundried tomatoes was passed around, as well as a spicy olive oil with herbs for dipping. Savory salads of fresh greens and fiddleheads were served alongside fine wine, mead, and fresh fruits.

As the elves sat down to this delightful spread, Elrond rose and raised his glass and gave a little speech, which the elves later agreed was mercifully short and in good taste.

Greetings, friends, Elrond began, my heart sings to see you again at my table. As you all now know, for some years past Celebrian and I have taken into our home this young elf-maid who appeared in somewhat mysterious fashion upon our shores. The story of her past and her journey is her own, which she may tell you if she will in her own time. Elrond gave a somewhat stern look to his guests, who took his meaning that the elleth should not be pressed for details. The elves supposed there was some tragedy in her past which she was not overfond of revisiting and resolved to be gracious with her. It has been many years since I came to this Blessed Land and have been reunited with my beloved wife. And though we have since been joined by our sons, we still feel the loss of our daughter Arwen keenly. While our dear Arwen was the evenstar of our people in Middle Earth, the arrival of Lossrilleth in Valinor has gladdened our hearts. Her name is a reminder to us all that even in our winter, great beauty can be found.

The elves applauded graciously to this touching speech.

Then Lossrilleth herself rose to speak. The gathering of elves observed her carefully, for only a few of them had had occasion to meet her before this day. She was very fair indeed, with hair as white a snow (from which they assumed she must have been named) and skin nearly as pale again. They thought Celebrian had done well to dress the elleth in a blossom-pink gown with silver stitching and seed pearls in her hair, for the color of the gown brought out the pink in her cheeks and lips so she did not look so much like a marble statue as a sweet, delicate creature, like a little white rabbit. For she was small, they noticed – being a full head shorter than Celebrian she was a bit short for a Sindarin elf, of which she otherwise had the look.

Good evening, she began in a voice calm and musical and said, in perfect Sindarin, I am gladdened to see so many merry elves gathered here today. I have little to say other than that I look forward to meeting you all and give my thanks to those who have welcomed and guided me in Valinor, especially to Elrond and Celebrian who have taken me in as their own daughter. I give my thanks also to Legolas, who found me and brought me to safety when I arrived here in such a sorry state.

She bowed in the direction of Legolas, who returned the gesture gracefully, though he felt a little thrill in his heart upon receiving her gaze. Gandalf, who was watching him carefully in this moment, hid a small smile and nodded to himself.

Now my dear Elrond had asked me to write a song for this occasion, but I must admit that writing songs is not a great skill of mine. So, on this night I have prepared a translation of a song by a very great poet among men, whose name was Robert Frost.

The elves were curious at this, for they had not heard of this man or his poems. But elves are very fond of songs and awaited the new offering eagerly. Lossrilleth sang (1):

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

The elves applauded vigorously, for they thought it was a very fine song and an excellent choice for one who herself appeared to have followed an unusual path in life.

Please now, wait no more, and enjoy the feast. Lossrilleth said, and all in attendance raised their glasses and shared in the good food and music then offered.

Legolas, who was seated with his father Thranduil and his mother somewhat farther than he would have liked from the guest of honor, paid little attention to the conversation of his own company, as he kept looking distractedly towards Lossrilleth and her companions. At one time Thranduil seemed ready to chide his son but was stopped by a knowing look from his wife.

Though he sat scheming for an excuse to go and meet the elleth, Legolas need not have worried. For when the dancing began in earnest, Gandalf brought the elf maid across the room and directly to Legolas, making excuses that Lossrilleth had not had any chance to speak in person with the ellon who had assisted her so graciously. He pushed them into a dance, saying Now, my lady, do not look to Celebrian so nervously, I know she has showed you every dance many times, you have nothing to fear.

Lossrilleth found that she was quite anxious joining the dance, as she felt a hundred eyes on her, and she was certain she would stumble. But as Legolas put his hand on her waist, and she put hers on his shoulder to begin the dance, she found the tension easing from her muscles and she smiled up into his face. Something felt familiar about his arms on her, for they were the first memory she had of contact with another in this life. His familiar smell of oak leaves, moss and something musky and masculine left her feeling a little dizzy, so she leaned in towards him and they found themselves each captivated in the face of the other, dancing to the enchanting music of flutes and harps as the room seemed to fade away around them.

As Legolas looked into the face of the elleth he had pulled from the water so many years ago, he found she had transformed from the sodden, helpless creature of his memory into a lively elf with a soft smile from which he could not look away. He felt a heat in his chest that traveled down his body and made him shiver. She met his gaze squarely and seemed aware of their shared attention, for as the music ended she said with gentle humor, I thought I would only share a dance with you to thank you for your assistance, but it seems some enchantment is in the air this evening, my lord.

Legolas shared her knowing smile and asked her to walk with him so they could speak, but she politely declined, as she had other duties as a hostess that evening. Perhaps we could meet again, and you could show me something I have long wanted to learn, although Celebrian has not deemed it necessary, the elleth shyly suggested.

What is that? Legolas asked, hopeful to see her again but not wanting to do anything that would upset Elrond or Celebrian.

Are there bows still in Valinor? She asked, I have long wanted to know how to use one and I am told you are quite skilled.

Legolas smiled broadly and laughed. Yes, this I would gladly teach you. There may no longer be any need to use a bow in war, but there is still hunting to be done here in Valinor!

Three days hence, then, she suggested. I shall meet you in the practice grounds for lessons.

Legolas bowed to her, catching her eye again as he rose, and then retreated back to his table. His father was engaged in an energetic debate with another elf lord, but his mother gave her son a knowing smile. If he had looked around the room, he would have seen similar smiles on the faces of Gandalf and Galadriel, who had watched the encounter with pleasure.

Footnotes:

(1) The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost. Meant to be sung to the tune composed for this poem by Randall Thompson in Frostiana.