A/N: Thank you everyone for reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter, I think
it's the most exciting of the story so far. But just wait...an even more
surprising chapter will be coming right up! P&P fans, you'll know what I'm
talking about (wink).
Part Six: Accidental Agreement To Dance With Legolas
Two days later, as predicted, Avardo was relatively healthy again and he and his sister were ready to depart for Rivendell. The journey home took a couple of hours, in which the two elves shared opinions on the palace, the surroundings, and especially on Elsbeth.
"She really is insufferable!" Alwyn said loudly, not caring to keep her opinions to herself. "She looked at me like I was some sort of disgusting toad!"
"Alwyn, you have to understand that...some people are like that. It's not unlike your treatment of the maidens at Rivendell, you know."
Alwyn thought for a moment. "Well, all the same," she carried on, "you have to admit she IS a complete idiot."
Avardo laughed. "Indeed she is," he replied, "I don't know how Mariyen stands it, the sweet soul that she is."
Alwyn looked side-long at her brother. "Tell me brother," she said slyly. "When should I be wishing you two joy?"
"It is always the same with you women!" Avardo said, exasperated. "As soon as a man expresses an intrest in a maiden his friends and relatives are immediately wishing him joy."
***
iFour weeks later/i
A month later, there was to be a large party in honour of Alwyn's birthday, which was rapidly approaching (A/N: I'm not sure elves celebrate birthdays...but I'll do it anyway). There was to be a ball and dinner for all friends and relatives of the girl and she was in the process of compiling a guest list when her brother walked in.
"Dinner time, Alwyn," he said, putting his head around the door.
"Brother, I have invited Mariyen to the ball, of course, but do you think it would be imprudent not to invite the Prince and...and Elsbeth too?" Alwyn said, grimacing at the thought of Elsbeth coming to Rivendell. Avardo looked at her severely.
"Invite them, Alwyn, it would be selfish not to. And it would immediately show them both your dislike of them."
"Oh alright then," Alwyn said with a resigned sigh.
***
The day of the ball finally arrived, and Alwyn came out of her room looking much the same as she had always done. Her hair was up in ringlets and pinned at the back of her head in a complicated mass of curls which had taken Ness almost all morning to do perfectly. Alwyn had almost been driven out of her mind with boredom. She was wearing her favourite green dress, much to the disapproval of Ness, who had tried to persuade her to wear one of the dresses from the top drawer, but to no avail. As she entered the ballroom, everyone clapped and called out "Happy birthday!" and "Here's the birthday girl!".
The guests had arrived that morning, and were now dressed in their finery, waiting for the party to begin. Soon the orchestra started up, and Alwyn saw Avardo approach Mariyen with an offer to dance. She seemed pleased, Alwyn noted. Alwyn's spirits fell. Yet another ball in which no one would ask her to dance. Usually, the birthday girl would be showered with attention from males and offers to dance would be coming in non-stop. But all the males here were either too scared of Alwyn to go near her, or too experienced and knew that any offer they made would be turned down.
"Lady Alwyn," came a voice from behind her. Alwyn spun around and her breath caught in her throat. Not him! Not now! Quick, think of an excuse! "I would be honoured if you would consent to dance with me the next waltz?"
"I...ah...I..." Alwyn said, avoiding Legolas' gaze. She could not think of anything to say! "I...I thank you yes." Legolas nodded once and walked away, obviously intending to come and collect once the current song had finished. Alwyn closed her eyes in utter misery. 'Why could I not think of an excuse! Oh Eru, help me.'
The song finished.
"Are you coming?" said a voice, and she felt a hand take hers. It was Legolas, and he was leading her onto the dancefloor. 'Oh dear' Alwyn thought as the orchestra began to play a slow waltz. Now, Alwyn hadn't danced for a very long time as she saw no reason for it, and didn't like doing it either, so as Legolas led her on to dance floor her heart was fluttering. This was not because she was in the arms of the Prince (at least she certainly hoped not) but rather because of nerves, in case she went wrong or embarressed herself in front of everyone. Thankfully everything went alright, and all the couples moved into the centre of the ballroom and began to dance to the music. Alwyn tried not to look as if she was enjoying the dance, and decided to look around the room to avoid having to gaze up into the Prince's eyes (the thought of doing so made her gag). She found herself looking across the room at Elrond, and he winked at her suggestively. Alwyn made a small noise of digust and looked away. Legolas looked at her puzzled, and Alwyn looked the other way once again avoiding his stare. She looked at her brother this time, and noticed how happy he looked dancing Mariyen. He caught her eye and his expression went from contentment to utter shock as he saw what Alwyn was doing. 'What are you doing?' he mouthed at her, and Alwyn rolled her eyes. 'He asked me!' she mouthed back, and Avardo raised his eyebrows. Alwyn didn't think she could stand any more of this. Looking around, she noticed that she was only girl who did not have her shoulder of her partner's shoulder.
Finally the dance ended, and Legolas led Alwyn off the dance floor. He was still holding her hand, she noticed, after they had left the centre of the room and stood to the side. She tugged her hand away from his and looked up at the ceiling, shifting uncomfortably next to him. She couldn't wait for the ball to be over.
Part Six: Accidental Agreement To Dance With Legolas
Two days later, as predicted, Avardo was relatively healthy again and he and his sister were ready to depart for Rivendell. The journey home took a couple of hours, in which the two elves shared opinions on the palace, the surroundings, and especially on Elsbeth.
"She really is insufferable!" Alwyn said loudly, not caring to keep her opinions to herself. "She looked at me like I was some sort of disgusting toad!"
"Alwyn, you have to understand that...some people are like that. It's not unlike your treatment of the maidens at Rivendell, you know."
Alwyn thought for a moment. "Well, all the same," she carried on, "you have to admit she IS a complete idiot."
Avardo laughed. "Indeed she is," he replied, "I don't know how Mariyen stands it, the sweet soul that she is."
Alwyn looked side-long at her brother. "Tell me brother," she said slyly. "When should I be wishing you two joy?"
"It is always the same with you women!" Avardo said, exasperated. "As soon as a man expresses an intrest in a maiden his friends and relatives are immediately wishing him joy."
***
iFour weeks later/i
A month later, there was to be a large party in honour of Alwyn's birthday, which was rapidly approaching (A/N: I'm not sure elves celebrate birthdays...but I'll do it anyway). There was to be a ball and dinner for all friends and relatives of the girl and she was in the process of compiling a guest list when her brother walked in.
"Dinner time, Alwyn," he said, putting his head around the door.
"Brother, I have invited Mariyen to the ball, of course, but do you think it would be imprudent not to invite the Prince and...and Elsbeth too?" Alwyn said, grimacing at the thought of Elsbeth coming to Rivendell. Avardo looked at her severely.
"Invite them, Alwyn, it would be selfish not to. And it would immediately show them both your dislike of them."
"Oh alright then," Alwyn said with a resigned sigh.
***
The day of the ball finally arrived, and Alwyn came out of her room looking much the same as she had always done. Her hair was up in ringlets and pinned at the back of her head in a complicated mass of curls which had taken Ness almost all morning to do perfectly. Alwyn had almost been driven out of her mind with boredom. She was wearing her favourite green dress, much to the disapproval of Ness, who had tried to persuade her to wear one of the dresses from the top drawer, but to no avail. As she entered the ballroom, everyone clapped and called out "Happy birthday!" and "Here's the birthday girl!".
The guests had arrived that morning, and were now dressed in their finery, waiting for the party to begin. Soon the orchestra started up, and Alwyn saw Avardo approach Mariyen with an offer to dance. She seemed pleased, Alwyn noted. Alwyn's spirits fell. Yet another ball in which no one would ask her to dance. Usually, the birthday girl would be showered with attention from males and offers to dance would be coming in non-stop. But all the males here were either too scared of Alwyn to go near her, or too experienced and knew that any offer they made would be turned down.
"Lady Alwyn," came a voice from behind her. Alwyn spun around and her breath caught in her throat. Not him! Not now! Quick, think of an excuse! "I would be honoured if you would consent to dance with me the next waltz?"
"I...ah...I..." Alwyn said, avoiding Legolas' gaze. She could not think of anything to say! "I...I thank you yes." Legolas nodded once and walked away, obviously intending to come and collect once the current song had finished. Alwyn closed her eyes in utter misery. 'Why could I not think of an excuse! Oh Eru, help me.'
The song finished.
"Are you coming?" said a voice, and she felt a hand take hers. It was Legolas, and he was leading her onto the dancefloor. 'Oh dear' Alwyn thought as the orchestra began to play a slow waltz. Now, Alwyn hadn't danced for a very long time as she saw no reason for it, and didn't like doing it either, so as Legolas led her on to dance floor her heart was fluttering. This was not because she was in the arms of the Prince (at least she certainly hoped not) but rather because of nerves, in case she went wrong or embarressed herself in front of everyone. Thankfully everything went alright, and all the couples moved into the centre of the ballroom and began to dance to the music. Alwyn tried not to look as if she was enjoying the dance, and decided to look around the room to avoid having to gaze up into the Prince's eyes (the thought of doing so made her gag). She found herself looking across the room at Elrond, and he winked at her suggestively. Alwyn made a small noise of digust and looked away. Legolas looked at her puzzled, and Alwyn looked the other way once again avoiding his stare. She looked at her brother this time, and noticed how happy he looked dancing Mariyen. He caught her eye and his expression went from contentment to utter shock as he saw what Alwyn was doing. 'What are you doing?' he mouthed at her, and Alwyn rolled her eyes. 'He asked me!' she mouthed back, and Avardo raised his eyebrows. Alwyn didn't think she could stand any more of this. Looking around, she noticed that she was only girl who did not have her shoulder of her partner's shoulder.
Finally the dance ended, and Legolas led Alwyn off the dance floor. He was still holding her hand, she noticed, after they had left the centre of the room and stood to the side. She tugged her hand away from his and looked up at the ceiling, shifting uncomfortably next to him. She couldn't wait for the ball to be over.