Upon the handmaiden's arrival at Lady Arwen's room, the lady herself
greeted them.
"Hello girls." Arwen said, smiling. While Arwen was garbed in a stunning silver gown, seemingly made from starlight, the handmaidens were all dressed in gowns of forest green velvet.
"Good evening, my Lady." The girls all said in unison, curtseying politely.
"It is time to go to the feast-I look forward to it greatly. It seems to have been forever since I last feasted in Rivendell. And now, with Legolas crowned King, it is a special occasion indeed."
"More than you know, my Lady." Imahaiel whispered under her breath. Baranalcarien elbowed Imahaiel sharply, as Arwen looked at them, confused.
"Is anything wrong, Baranalcarien?"
"Nothing, my Lady." Baranalcarien replied hastily.
"It is time for the feast, my Lady." Carotheil interrupted, saving Baranalcarien from further questioning.
"Yes, it is. Well then, let us go. We are expected." The Lady replied. As the Lady Arwen had her back turned, Baranalcarien mouthed thank you to Carotheil, and something nowhere near as polite to Imahaiel.
"Come girls-it is time to leave." The Lady said, turning back and smiling at her handmaidens. And so, the Lady Arwen departed the room, her four handmaidens in tow.
Legolas, his small band of companions, Aragorn, King Elrond and his court were all waiting in the grand hall for the women in order to start the feast. Elrond tapped his foot impatiently.
"My dear father-in-law, do not be anxious. You daughter is on her way." Aragorn said reassuringly.
"I know. Still, I wish she would be a little more prompt." He replied with a sigh. It was at this moment that the pages called out into the room:
"May I present, the Lady Arwen and her handmaidens." Arwen was a stunning vision, taking away the breath of her husband, and some of the other men present as well.
"You must be very proud." Legolas whispered to Aragorn. Aragorn responded with a raised eyebrow and a quick elbow to Legolas' side.
"I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way!" Legolas said, smiling. Aragorn simply grinned, and turned his attention back to his wife. Slightly more demure, and a lot less noticeable than Arwen, were her handmaidens. They walked quickly and quietly with heads bowed to their seats. Baranalcarien tried to get a seat as close to Legolas as possible, which turned out to be two seats away from the new King of Mirkwood. Imahaiel sat next to Baranalcarien, Carotheil next to Imahaiel, and Firlosswen next to Carotheil. At this moment, the food was brought out. Poached salmon, fine venison, mushrooms, leeks refreshing salads, bowls of fruit . . . nearly every fine food imaginable. All present regarded the food ravenously, ready to divulge in the fine meal prepared for them.
"Oh my." Carotheil whispered.
"You can say that again, sister." Imahaiel said, eyes wide.
"Oh my." Carotheil whispered again, grinning. Firlosswen rolled her eyes. Baranalcarien, however, was paying little or no attention to the food. It was the King of Mirkwood that held her interest. She watched him carefully, examining his fine features. His fair hair, bright eyes, and merry laugh were all that filled her mind.
"Hey, Baranalcarien!" Imahaiel whispered, nudging Baranalcarien. "You ok?"
"Better than I've been in a long time." Baranalcarien whispered back. Imahaiel shook her head, a smirk on her face, and began to much at the food served to her.
Legolas was unaware of the handmaiden Baranalcarien till the end of the meal. He was sitting back in his chair, having finished eating, and was taking in the people all around the table. His gaze, having passed over all of the guests, settled on the four handmaidens. They had remained quiet through the entire meal, and something about that intrigued him. He looked at of them, all intent on the last bits of food on their plates, except one. He looked at her, and realized that she was looking at him. When she realized he was watching her, she quickly looked down at her plate, blushing profusely. He grinned-she seemed pretty, but then again, all elven women were. But something about her seemed different. He couldn't say quite what it was, but he knew it was there. Baffled by his own thoughts, Legolas shifted his gaze once more to Aragorn, who was talking politics with Elrond. Legolas knew that the handmaiden's gaze had returned to him, but he wasn't about to embarrass her any further by acknowledging it.
"Hello girls." Arwen said, smiling. While Arwen was garbed in a stunning silver gown, seemingly made from starlight, the handmaidens were all dressed in gowns of forest green velvet.
"Good evening, my Lady." The girls all said in unison, curtseying politely.
"It is time to go to the feast-I look forward to it greatly. It seems to have been forever since I last feasted in Rivendell. And now, with Legolas crowned King, it is a special occasion indeed."
"More than you know, my Lady." Imahaiel whispered under her breath. Baranalcarien elbowed Imahaiel sharply, as Arwen looked at them, confused.
"Is anything wrong, Baranalcarien?"
"Nothing, my Lady." Baranalcarien replied hastily.
"It is time for the feast, my Lady." Carotheil interrupted, saving Baranalcarien from further questioning.
"Yes, it is. Well then, let us go. We are expected." The Lady replied. As the Lady Arwen had her back turned, Baranalcarien mouthed thank you to Carotheil, and something nowhere near as polite to Imahaiel.
"Come girls-it is time to leave." The Lady said, turning back and smiling at her handmaidens. And so, the Lady Arwen departed the room, her four handmaidens in tow.
Legolas, his small band of companions, Aragorn, King Elrond and his court were all waiting in the grand hall for the women in order to start the feast. Elrond tapped his foot impatiently.
"My dear father-in-law, do not be anxious. You daughter is on her way." Aragorn said reassuringly.
"I know. Still, I wish she would be a little more prompt." He replied with a sigh. It was at this moment that the pages called out into the room:
"May I present, the Lady Arwen and her handmaidens." Arwen was a stunning vision, taking away the breath of her husband, and some of the other men present as well.
"You must be very proud." Legolas whispered to Aragorn. Aragorn responded with a raised eyebrow and a quick elbow to Legolas' side.
"I'm sorry.I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way!" Legolas said, smiling. Aragorn simply grinned, and turned his attention back to his wife. Slightly more demure, and a lot less noticeable than Arwen, were her handmaidens. They walked quickly and quietly with heads bowed to their seats. Baranalcarien tried to get a seat as close to Legolas as possible, which turned out to be two seats away from the new King of Mirkwood. Imahaiel sat next to Baranalcarien, Carotheil next to Imahaiel, and Firlosswen next to Carotheil. At this moment, the food was brought out. Poached salmon, fine venison, mushrooms, leeks refreshing salads, bowls of fruit . . . nearly every fine food imaginable. All present regarded the food ravenously, ready to divulge in the fine meal prepared for them.
"Oh my." Carotheil whispered.
"You can say that again, sister." Imahaiel said, eyes wide.
"Oh my." Carotheil whispered again, grinning. Firlosswen rolled her eyes. Baranalcarien, however, was paying little or no attention to the food. It was the King of Mirkwood that held her interest. She watched him carefully, examining his fine features. His fair hair, bright eyes, and merry laugh were all that filled her mind.
"Hey, Baranalcarien!" Imahaiel whispered, nudging Baranalcarien. "You ok?"
"Better than I've been in a long time." Baranalcarien whispered back. Imahaiel shook her head, a smirk on her face, and began to much at the food served to her.
Legolas was unaware of the handmaiden Baranalcarien till the end of the meal. He was sitting back in his chair, having finished eating, and was taking in the people all around the table. His gaze, having passed over all of the guests, settled on the four handmaidens. They had remained quiet through the entire meal, and something about that intrigued him. He looked at of them, all intent on the last bits of food on their plates, except one. He looked at her, and realized that she was looking at him. When she realized he was watching her, she quickly looked down at her plate, blushing profusely. He grinned-she seemed pretty, but then again, all elven women were. But something about her seemed different. He couldn't say quite what it was, but he knew it was there. Baffled by his own thoughts, Legolas shifted his gaze once more to Aragorn, who was talking politics with Elrond. Legolas knew that the handmaiden's gaze had returned to him, but he wasn't about to embarrass her any further by acknowledging it.