A/N: ALRIGHT! :) Here is the next chapter! Thanks for the lovely reviews!
Oh alright, I'll let out a little secret...they WILL see each other again!
But it won't be all soppy or anything, there's another giant twist.
BUAHAHA! I'm cruel. But at least it keeps you reading. *hugs to all*
Part 20 - Preparations For The Festivities
Alwyn arrived back at Rivendell the next day in the evening, and went straight to bed. Elrond had tried to talk to her, but, just like she had always used to do, she locked herself up in her bedroom and refused to come out for anyone.
"I heard about that business with Dantir!" Elrond called through the door.
"I don't feel like talking right now!" she called, and Elrond sighed.
"Are you alright? He didn't do anything to you, did he?"
"NO! Now leave me be!" she replied, and Elrond rolled his eyes at Ness who had just walked by.
"I wanted to tell you about the plans for the Spring Festival next month!" he said loudly, trying to get her to come out.
Alwyn opened the door. "Spring Festival?" she repeated, her eyes dancing. Elrond smiled. "Can Avardo come? Please say he can, he has never missed one since we were old enough to go to the Festival!"
"Of course he can come! I just wanted to remind you it is coming up soon."
Alwyn's face broke into a grin. "Thank you Uncle, I feel mich better!" she said, and Elrond chuckled.
"Now," he said, "are you coming down for dinner?"
***
The following few weeks were a hive of activity, Ness was making dresses and creating complicated flowered hair decorations for the girls, Elrond was sending out invites to various people, and Alwyn was perking up a bit despite the fact that she had no idea where she stood with the Prince. She still thought about him, but convinced herself not to dwell on it, and that she would see what happened when she saw him again. All the same, she got a little fluttering sensation inside whenever she thought about the Festival.
She remembered thinking only a couple of weeks ago that she would never see him again, but perhaps she had been wrong. Perhaps she would be seeing him sooner than she had expected.
Alwyn was sitting in Ness's quarters one morning, having a dress fitting and trying on the various hair tresses Ness had spent hours creating. Alwyn sighed as she looked glumly into the mirror, Ness standing behind her, roughly pulling her hair every which way and trying to get it to fall in exactly the right place.
"Ness...do you think I'm pretty?" she asked, blinking at herself in the glass, studying herself critically.
Ness chuckled. "If you're not pretty, Alwyn, then my name's not Nessiryn Redroot. You are beautiful, my dear, if a little on the pale side," she replied.
Alwyn winced as Ness tugged her hair again. "I'm not beautiful," she muttered, noticing that her nose was definitely too snub. Nessa tutted and shook her head.
"Lets try on the dress and flowers, shall we?" she said, and Alwyn stood up. Ness busied herself in the closet and Alwyn gazed out of the circular window across from her. Light rain pattered onto it and made little rivers of water on the glass. Ness finally came out, and produced a long, cream- white dress. Alwyn tried it on, and Ness stood back to admire her proudly. The dress was so long it touched the ground when Alwyn walked. The sleeves were bell-shaped and loose at the elbow, and the neckline was embroidered with tiny, intricate golden designs. Ness sat Alwyn down again, placed a pretty, golden flowered band over her head like a tiara. She pushed Alwyn in front of the mirror and stood back.
"Now," she exclaimed proudly, "if you don't look like a proper Princess then I don't know who does!"
Alwyn sniffed. "My nose is too snub."
Suddenly there came a knock at the door, and Elrond poked his head around it. "My, my..." he breathed, when he saw Alwyn. "You look lovely. Now I can honestly say I have the most beautiful niece out of all the elven rulers."
"Oh, honestly!" Alwyn said, but she was smiling. Ness chuckled and ushered Elrond out.
***
The day of the Festival arrived, and Alwyn woke very early. She got out of bed, rubbing her eyes sleepily and making her way over to the balcony. Below her were many multi-coloured tents and little flags adorning the trees around the clearing. The wind blew Alwyn's hair back out behind her as she stood on the balcony and she narrowed her eyes against it. Tiny fireflies were dotted around the glade, little pinpricks of light in the morning dimness. She could see people hurrying around below, making last minute preparations. Alwyn took a breath of fresh, clear morning air and went back inside to put on her dress.
Part 20 - Preparations For The Festivities
Alwyn arrived back at Rivendell the next day in the evening, and went straight to bed. Elrond had tried to talk to her, but, just like she had always used to do, she locked herself up in her bedroom and refused to come out for anyone.
"I heard about that business with Dantir!" Elrond called through the door.
"I don't feel like talking right now!" she called, and Elrond sighed.
"Are you alright? He didn't do anything to you, did he?"
"NO! Now leave me be!" she replied, and Elrond rolled his eyes at Ness who had just walked by.
"I wanted to tell you about the plans for the Spring Festival next month!" he said loudly, trying to get her to come out.
Alwyn opened the door. "Spring Festival?" she repeated, her eyes dancing. Elrond smiled. "Can Avardo come? Please say he can, he has never missed one since we were old enough to go to the Festival!"
"Of course he can come! I just wanted to remind you it is coming up soon."
Alwyn's face broke into a grin. "Thank you Uncle, I feel mich better!" she said, and Elrond chuckled.
"Now," he said, "are you coming down for dinner?"
***
The following few weeks were a hive of activity, Ness was making dresses and creating complicated flowered hair decorations for the girls, Elrond was sending out invites to various people, and Alwyn was perking up a bit despite the fact that she had no idea where she stood with the Prince. She still thought about him, but convinced herself not to dwell on it, and that she would see what happened when she saw him again. All the same, she got a little fluttering sensation inside whenever she thought about the Festival.
She remembered thinking only a couple of weeks ago that she would never see him again, but perhaps she had been wrong. Perhaps she would be seeing him sooner than she had expected.
Alwyn was sitting in Ness's quarters one morning, having a dress fitting and trying on the various hair tresses Ness had spent hours creating. Alwyn sighed as she looked glumly into the mirror, Ness standing behind her, roughly pulling her hair every which way and trying to get it to fall in exactly the right place.
"Ness...do you think I'm pretty?" she asked, blinking at herself in the glass, studying herself critically.
Ness chuckled. "If you're not pretty, Alwyn, then my name's not Nessiryn Redroot. You are beautiful, my dear, if a little on the pale side," she replied.
Alwyn winced as Ness tugged her hair again. "I'm not beautiful," she muttered, noticing that her nose was definitely too snub. Nessa tutted and shook her head.
"Lets try on the dress and flowers, shall we?" she said, and Alwyn stood up. Ness busied herself in the closet and Alwyn gazed out of the circular window across from her. Light rain pattered onto it and made little rivers of water on the glass. Ness finally came out, and produced a long, cream- white dress. Alwyn tried it on, and Ness stood back to admire her proudly. The dress was so long it touched the ground when Alwyn walked. The sleeves were bell-shaped and loose at the elbow, and the neckline was embroidered with tiny, intricate golden designs. Ness sat Alwyn down again, placed a pretty, golden flowered band over her head like a tiara. She pushed Alwyn in front of the mirror and stood back.
"Now," she exclaimed proudly, "if you don't look like a proper Princess then I don't know who does!"
Alwyn sniffed. "My nose is too snub."
Suddenly there came a knock at the door, and Elrond poked his head around it. "My, my..." he breathed, when he saw Alwyn. "You look lovely. Now I can honestly say I have the most beautiful niece out of all the elven rulers."
"Oh, honestly!" Alwyn said, but she was smiling. Ness chuckled and ushered Elrond out.
***
The day of the Festival arrived, and Alwyn woke very early. She got out of bed, rubbing her eyes sleepily and making her way over to the balcony. Below her were many multi-coloured tents and little flags adorning the trees around the clearing. The wind blew Alwyn's hair back out behind her as she stood on the balcony and she narrowed her eyes against it. Tiny fireflies were dotted around the glade, little pinpricks of light in the morning dimness. She could see people hurrying around below, making last minute preparations. Alwyn took a breath of fresh, clear morning air and went back inside to put on her dress.