A/N: I don't own any characters, places or ideas from The Lord Of The
Rings, but I do own all the characters you don't recognize in this story.
It's exam time for me, so I'll be writing this story in between revision
sessions! I'll try to update as often as I can, however. This is based on
the plot of Pride and Prejudice, but it is not the same story.
Part Three: More Dancing, And A Pair Of Fine Eyes
The next day promised to be dull, if the ominous rain clouds hanging over the palace that morning were any sign. Alwyn rose a little later than usual, and then took her muddy dresses down to the kitchens to give to Ness, hoping to get them clean and dry in time to wear to the small party that had been organised by Elrond the night before. Ness glared at Alwyn as she handed over the dresses; she still had not forgiven the girl for what she had done to the hall. Alwyn gave the maid an apologetic smile and quickly headed out of the kitchens for fear of starting up another argument, or even a chase. She made her way along the parapet alongside the dining hall, and then turned to look out over the palace grounds.
Her brother Avardo had always been fond of early morning walks, and sure enough - there he was walking down the winding path that led towards the palace in a meandering line. But with him was... Mariyen? Yes, it was Mariyen. Her fine, blonde hair blew out behind her as the two walked along talking and laughing. Alwyn smiled to herself. It was evident that Avardo thought very highly of the Princess, and she was very happy for him. It also evident, though not as clear, of the Princesses regard for her brother. They had danced all the night before at the ball, and Avardo would not take any other girl as his partner but Mariyen, and the same the other way around. Yes, Alwyn was happy for them both, and stood on the parapet wondering if they would let her be a bridesmaid at their wedding (which was, she did not doubt, just around the corner).
***
Later on in the afternoon, Alwyn was sitting on the balcony in her room when a sharp knock came at her bedroom door. She put down her book and went over to let the guest in, and it turned out to be Ness. "Thank you, Ness dear," Alwyn said as Ness handed over the clean gowns. Ness merely nodded and walked away. Alwyn went over to her closet and placed the dresses neatly in the bottom drawer, which was now minus mud, and minus one very dirty pair of shoes. The offending objects had been hastily disposed of after the ball the night before.
Soon the bell came again, ringing through the palace like an ominous death sentence. Well, that is how it sounded to Alwyn. "It's party time," she murmured desolately, and put on her favourite green dress. She brushed her hair, but did not braid it, and again left the room to go to the ballroom. When she got there, however, she found that the party was being held in the library next door, and the dancing would take place in the evening after a little wine, and dinner, and a few games of chess or cards here and there. Alwyn entered the room and waved a quick hello to her brother. He was standing with Mariyen, and they were talking in low voices. Suddenly, Mariyen looked over at Alwyn, and then left her brother to come and stand by the girl.
"Alwyn..." Mariyen started, looking a little uncomfortable. "I am sorry for my brother's behaviour yesterday. You, no doubt, heard the conversation we had about you?"
"At the risk of branding myself an eavesdropper," Alwyn replied with a small smile, "Yes I did."
"I'm sorry, you see," Mariyen said, glancing fervently her brother's way and lowering her voice. "He's a little out of sorts. Our aunt just died and he is acting...well...rather proud these days. As if people not of royal blood are inferior. I'm very sorry if he offended you."
"Just a little," Alwyn murmured, glancing at the Prince from across the room. He had his eyes fixed firmly on her, and it made her uncomfortable. "Could you tell me, why does the Prince insist on staring at me that way?" she asked Mariyen, still not looking away from Legolas' gaze.
"I... could not say," Mariyen replied, also giving her brother a puzzled glance. Legolas, sensing that they were talking about him, looked away up at the ceiling. Alwyn curtseyed Mariyen and walked away, still glancing at Legolas every so often. 'Strange elf...' she thought to herself with a frown, 'Staring at me that way, does he mean to frighten me? It's all very well his aunt dying but that's no excuse to be impolite to a lady. Proud, Mariyen says. Yes, proud he is, and conceited, and grumpy, and very annoying.' With that, she went straight across the room and sat on the balcony rail for the rest of the afternoon. It wasn't until later that the action began. The orchestra started to play as soon as the sun went down, and, like the previous night, many couples began to dance together - Avardo and Mariyen one of them.
After about half an hour or so, Alwyn saw that Elrond was fast approaching her. And behind him walked...
"Oh no," Alwyn muttered under her breath, and then stood up when the two tall elves stood in front of her.
"Alwyn! My niece. Legolas has expressed a wish to dance with you, my dear," Elrond said, nodding vigorously at the young maiden. Alwyn resisted the urge to laugh. She thought fast, and panicked when no excuse came to mind.
"I... uh..." she started, avoiding the Prince's eye. Elrond was looking at her expectantly. "I promised Ness I'd help her with the dresses!" she blurted out, and began to sidle away. Legolas' expression was hard to figure out. "Sorry!" she trilled, and darted away, pulling out of her brother's grip as he tried to catch her on the way out and ask what was going on. Legolas merely stood, staring after Alwyn with a tiny hint of a smile playing about his lips.
"What are you thinking, brother?" Mariyen said, coming up behind Legolas and putting a hand on his shoulder. Legolas didn't look round.
"I am marvelling at the pleasure a pair of very fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow."
Mariyen raised her eyebrows, and her gaze swept the room, taking in all the pretty girls that stood around talking and generally just being pretty. "And who might this lady be?" she asked smiling.
"Lady Alwyn, Elrond's niece," he replied, with a smile to no one in particular. Mariyen's smile faded.
"I see!" she replied, knowing full well what Alwyn thought of the Prince, but deciding he probably knew himself, and was trying not to think about it too much. She went back over to Avardo and told him everything.
Part Three: More Dancing, And A Pair Of Fine Eyes
The next day promised to be dull, if the ominous rain clouds hanging over the palace that morning were any sign. Alwyn rose a little later than usual, and then took her muddy dresses down to the kitchens to give to Ness, hoping to get them clean and dry in time to wear to the small party that had been organised by Elrond the night before. Ness glared at Alwyn as she handed over the dresses; she still had not forgiven the girl for what she had done to the hall. Alwyn gave the maid an apologetic smile and quickly headed out of the kitchens for fear of starting up another argument, or even a chase. She made her way along the parapet alongside the dining hall, and then turned to look out over the palace grounds.
Her brother Avardo had always been fond of early morning walks, and sure enough - there he was walking down the winding path that led towards the palace in a meandering line. But with him was... Mariyen? Yes, it was Mariyen. Her fine, blonde hair blew out behind her as the two walked along talking and laughing. Alwyn smiled to herself. It was evident that Avardo thought very highly of the Princess, and she was very happy for him. It also evident, though not as clear, of the Princesses regard for her brother. They had danced all the night before at the ball, and Avardo would not take any other girl as his partner but Mariyen, and the same the other way around. Yes, Alwyn was happy for them both, and stood on the parapet wondering if they would let her be a bridesmaid at their wedding (which was, she did not doubt, just around the corner).
***
Later on in the afternoon, Alwyn was sitting on the balcony in her room when a sharp knock came at her bedroom door. She put down her book and went over to let the guest in, and it turned out to be Ness. "Thank you, Ness dear," Alwyn said as Ness handed over the clean gowns. Ness merely nodded and walked away. Alwyn went over to her closet and placed the dresses neatly in the bottom drawer, which was now minus mud, and minus one very dirty pair of shoes. The offending objects had been hastily disposed of after the ball the night before.
Soon the bell came again, ringing through the palace like an ominous death sentence. Well, that is how it sounded to Alwyn. "It's party time," she murmured desolately, and put on her favourite green dress. She brushed her hair, but did not braid it, and again left the room to go to the ballroom. When she got there, however, she found that the party was being held in the library next door, and the dancing would take place in the evening after a little wine, and dinner, and a few games of chess or cards here and there. Alwyn entered the room and waved a quick hello to her brother. He was standing with Mariyen, and they were talking in low voices. Suddenly, Mariyen looked over at Alwyn, and then left her brother to come and stand by the girl.
"Alwyn..." Mariyen started, looking a little uncomfortable. "I am sorry for my brother's behaviour yesterday. You, no doubt, heard the conversation we had about you?"
"At the risk of branding myself an eavesdropper," Alwyn replied with a small smile, "Yes I did."
"I'm sorry, you see," Mariyen said, glancing fervently her brother's way and lowering her voice. "He's a little out of sorts. Our aunt just died and he is acting...well...rather proud these days. As if people not of royal blood are inferior. I'm very sorry if he offended you."
"Just a little," Alwyn murmured, glancing at the Prince from across the room. He had his eyes fixed firmly on her, and it made her uncomfortable. "Could you tell me, why does the Prince insist on staring at me that way?" she asked Mariyen, still not looking away from Legolas' gaze.
"I... could not say," Mariyen replied, also giving her brother a puzzled glance. Legolas, sensing that they were talking about him, looked away up at the ceiling. Alwyn curtseyed Mariyen and walked away, still glancing at Legolas every so often. 'Strange elf...' she thought to herself with a frown, 'Staring at me that way, does he mean to frighten me? It's all very well his aunt dying but that's no excuse to be impolite to a lady. Proud, Mariyen says. Yes, proud he is, and conceited, and grumpy, and very annoying.' With that, she went straight across the room and sat on the balcony rail for the rest of the afternoon. It wasn't until later that the action began. The orchestra started to play as soon as the sun went down, and, like the previous night, many couples began to dance together - Avardo and Mariyen one of them.
After about half an hour or so, Alwyn saw that Elrond was fast approaching her. And behind him walked...
"Oh no," Alwyn muttered under her breath, and then stood up when the two tall elves stood in front of her.
"Alwyn! My niece. Legolas has expressed a wish to dance with you, my dear," Elrond said, nodding vigorously at the young maiden. Alwyn resisted the urge to laugh. She thought fast, and panicked when no excuse came to mind.
"I... uh..." she started, avoiding the Prince's eye. Elrond was looking at her expectantly. "I promised Ness I'd help her with the dresses!" she blurted out, and began to sidle away. Legolas' expression was hard to figure out. "Sorry!" she trilled, and darted away, pulling out of her brother's grip as he tried to catch her on the way out and ask what was going on. Legolas merely stood, staring after Alwyn with a tiny hint of a smile playing about his lips.
"What are you thinking, brother?" Mariyen said, coming up behind Legolas and putting a hand on his shoulder. Legolas didn't look round.
"I am marvelling at the pleasure a pair of very fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow."
Mariyen raised her eyebrows, and her gaze swept the room, taking in all the pretty girls that stood around talking and generally just being pretty. "And who might this lady be?" she asked smiling.
"Lady Alwyn, Elrond's niece," he replied, with a smile to no one in particular. Mariyen's smile faded.
"I see!" she replied, knowing full well what Alwyn thought of the Prince, but deciding he probably knew himself, and was trying not to think about it too much. She went back over to Avardo and told him everything.