Disclaimer- Refer to Chapter One
Dresses and Butterflies
Valia opened the side door with care. Dusk had fallen before she reached her house from her meeting in Lord Elrond's study and she knew her family would want to talk to her about the day's events. However, Valia did not wish to speak of what had happened at all. She was in a bad mood and knew that she would only snap at her family if they spoke with her. The she-elf hoped she could creep through the house and into her room without being noticed.
But in order to do that, she had to pass by the dinning room where her family would be assembled for dinner. Thankfully, the light tread of Valia's feet was muffled even more by the luxurious carpet that ran down the hallway. She could hear the sound of voices coming through the large doorway of the dinning room and her pace dwindled.
She crept to the doorframe and leaned over, peeking her head into the room. The laughter, smiles, and pleasant chatter warmed her heart and she contemplated going inside. Until she saw her sister's face, that is.
Earuviel sat in her chair, toying with her food. She was frowning and her forehead was wrinkled in concentration. By her face, Valia could tell that her thoughts were not pleasant ones. In fact, Valia could almost guarantee she knew what had put her sister in such a fey mood and was not about to get into an argument with Earuviel over the tournament.
Valia changed her mind about revealing herself. With a deep breath, she briskly walked past the doorway and to freedom.
'Valia.'
The elf maiden stopped in her steps and cringed. If she was quiet, perhaps her father would think it had been a passing servant instead of his daughter he saw cross the doorway.
Yet Ryland's eyes seldom played tricks on him and he knew without a doubt who it was that had passed the doorway so swiftly.
'Valia,' came Lord Ryland's voice again. 'I know you are there, daughter. Come in here please. We greatly wish to speak with you.'
Slowly turning around, Valia walked into the dinning room and tried her best to put a convincing smile on her face. 'Whatever about?' she feigned innocence.
To her disappointment, it did not work.
'Whatever about?' her brother laughed at her as he repeated her question. 'Do not play naïve with me, sister dear, or you shall get thrown into the pond again to wake you up to your senses.' Tandir sprang to his feet and crushed his sister in a hug before she realized what had happened. 'And I thought I was the one who would receive all the congratulations and praise today. Who would have thought that our Valia would be chosen as the Lady of the Stars?'
'Certainly not me,' Valia said. 'If I had my way, I would have relinquished the honor to another maiden that would appreciate it more than I.'
'You do not appreciate it?' asked Tandir incredulously, pulling back from his hug so that he could look into his sister's face. His eyes began to sparkle. 'I do believe we have here before us the silliest elf maiden that has ever breathed,' he addressed his family. 'She is chosen to be the Lady of the Stars, and as if that would not be honor enough for any she-elf, she if also asked to be so by a prince. And not just any prince, but Prince Legolas, rumored to be the most eligible elf in all the Valinor for a desirable husband. A fine catch by anyone's standards. He has never expressed an interest in any maiden before, to the heartbreak of all she- elves. Yet today, for the first time ever, he has shown some curiosity about a she-elf, and the girl has the nerve to say she would rather pass the honor on to someone else.'
'Enough, Tandir! If you wish to mock me do not do it to my face.'
'I do not mock you. I merely speak the truth,' Tandir quipped.
'Tandir, my love, do not torment your sister so,' Glewiel said.
'Yes, listen to your wife, Tandir,' Valia agreed.
'It is not fair,' Earuviel broke into the conversation. 'Why is it that Valia gets to be the Lady of the Stars when she does not even wish to? Do you think you are better than everyone else and too good to accept it?'
Valia sighed inwardly. She was not ready for this, but knew it would have to be addressed sooner or later.
'Of course not Earuviel,' Valia said gently, trying to control her emotions as best as possible. 'I simply think that there are other elf maidens in Lord Elrond's realm, or any other realm for that matter, that would enjoy being the Lady more than I.'
'But why did the Prince choose you?' spouted Earuviel. 'No one ever takes a second glance at you.'
The words stung Valia for some reason, but she pushed the pain aside. 'I do not know, dearest. He said it was because he already knew me and felt uncomfortable choosing a stranger from the crowd.'
'He already knew you!' Earuviel exploded. 'When has he ever met you before?'
'It seems you have not been telling us all that has been happening to you, Valia,' said Narawen softly. 'You have made Prince Legolas' acquaintance before?'
'Lord Elrond wishes me to help the Prince with research. King Thranduil sent his son here to the library to gather information that may help his kingdom solve agricultural problems they have been having. I met the Prince the day after he arrived. Lord Elrond introduced us and asked me to assist the Prince while he is here. That is all that happened, nothing more. I did not think it significant enough to warrant telling the entire family about it.'
'You do not like him then?' Earuviel asked tentatively.
'Not in the least, Earuviel. As far as I am concerned, you or any other maiden that has designs on him is free to catch the Prince if she can.' This seemed to brighten her sister's mood, and the younger elf turned to her food and began to eat, a pleasant smile on her pretty face.
'Valia,' Ryland said. 'We are truly happy for you, my dear, even if you are not. It is a great honor to be chosen as the Lady.'
'Thank you father.' Valia disentangled herself from her brother's hold and walked over to her father. Kissing him on the temple, she turned to her mother and gave her a kiss on her cheek. 'I am not hungry and feel rather drained from the days events. If you do not mind, I will retire for the night.'
'Of course, daughter.' Narawen stood and rang a bell. Fiwen bustled into the room and curtsied to the family. 'You rang, my lady?'
'Yes, Fiwen. Please take Valia to her room and help her to ready for the night.'
'As you wish, my lady,' said Fiwen, taking Valia by the arm. Not wishing to start another argument by protesting to the attentions, Valia simply let the servant lead her away, sending a smile to her mother and family before she left.
When they reached Valia's door, she turned to the servant. 'I am fine Fiwen. I think you have better things to do than dress an elf maiden who is perfectly capable of doing so herself.'
'Very well, Valia, but get some rest, dear,' Fiwen said in a motherly tone. 'You do not look well.'
'I shall,' Valia promised, then opened her door and shut it behind her, safely sealing herself away from her family. In truth, she was not tired; too many thoughts raced through her head.
Opening a set of doors that led to her own private deck, Valia sat down in a chair. The stars were shinning brightly in the sky and the crisp air awoke her senses and cleared her thoughts.
The stars had always done that for her. How ironic that she should now be named the Lady of the very things that had often given her comfort in times past, when nothing else could.
She did not know how much time passed, but a knock on her door forced Valia to leave her peaceful reprieve. 'Who is it?'
'It is me,' Narawen called to her daughter through the shut door. 'Are you in bed yet, Valia?'
'No. Just a moment mother.' Valia reluctantly stood and entered her room, shutting the doors to her little alcove behind her. Quickly, she opened her bedroom door and let her mother come in. A large bundle was in Narawen's arms and Valia's curiosity flared to life.
'Is something the matter, naneth?'*
'Perhaps. Sit down on the bed, my dear.' Valia obeyed her mother and perched herself on the edge of her bed. In the meantime, Narawen put down her bundle in a nearby chair and moved to Valia's large armoire, opening the beautifully carved wooden doors.
Glancing at her clothes, Narawen sighed. 'Valia, do you know what you plan to wear for the tournament tomorrow?' Her mother began to sift through her wardrobe, pulling out dresses to inspect before hanging them back up again.
'I thought I would just wear whatever suits my fancy in the morning. I do not intend to wear anything out of the ordinary.'
'That is what I feared you would say. Listen to me daughter. You cannot wear your normal outfits tomorrow. Look at this,' Narawen said, pulling out a fancy dress shoved in the farthest corner of the armoire. 'You have not worn it since I bought it for you. It is old and maybe not as fashionable as it should be, but you will look a proper lady in it.'
'And I do not look a proper lady in my normal clothes?' Valia asked somewhat saucily.
'Of course you look fine in your typical clothes, Valia, but tomorrow is not a typical day and everyone will be expecting you to dress up a bit. The color of this dress will suit you very well. Here, try it on,' her mother said, handing her the dress.
'I would never be comfortable in something like this mother. Look at the neckline! It is far too revealing,' Valia countered, moving to her clothes and hanging the dress back up. 'No. I will not appear in public, before almost the entire kingdom in something so risqué.'
'You are overly exaggerating, Valia. Any other maiden would consider this to be a very modest dress.'
'Well I am not the average elf maiden,' Valia declared defiantly.
'So that is that your final choice?' Narawen asked her daughter, a weary look on her face.
'Yes, it is. I am sorry mother. I am not trying to be difficult. I simply do not see why I have to dress up for the tournament.'
'Very well. If that is your choice I am to give you this.' Narawen pulled out a letter from the pocket in her dress, handing it to her daughter. The look on her face was unreadable, and it was with great curiosity that Valia took it.
Her name was written on the front in a scrolling script she immediately recognized. 'From Lord Elrond?' Valia asked, looking up to her mother.
'Yes, it arrived a few minutes ago. A servant came from the palace and left implicit directions that Lord Elrond wanted it delivered to you tonight if you would not listen to reason.'
Valia slipped her finger under the seal and broke it, ignoring her mother's comment. She found the same beautiful writing inside as had been on the outside of the letter. Hastily, she read the words.
Dearest Valia~
I have instructed your mother to prevail upon you to pick a dress for tomorrow's tournament that will show off the beauty you insist on hiding behind your drab clothes every day.
Since you are reading this, I know she had failed in her task, as I assumed she would, knowing your temperament about such things.
I have sent a dress for you to wear to the tournament, which your mother should have brought with her. You will wear it tomorrow, and after the tournament, you shall come to the palace where Celebrian desires that you should be readied for the evening banquet. She will have another dress waiting for you there. She has given you the use of her handmaidens for the night to help you prepare and will be there herself to oversee them in their work.
It is as your lord, that I now order you to follow the above instructions. Do not think to question me on the matter, Valia. I want what is best for all elves in my realm, and I deem this to be what is best for you.
Know that it is because of the love I hold for you in my heart that I command you to do these things. I look forward to seeing your true beauty shine forth tomorrow.
With love,
Elrond
Folding the letter, Valia's eyes met her mother's. 'He has ordered me to wear the dress he sent and tells me I am to go to the palace after the tournament so that Lady Celebrian and her maids can ready me for the banquet. It seems I have no other choice in the matter. Let me see the dress,' Valia said with resignation.
A soft smile pulled up the corners of Narawen's mouth as she went over to the bundle she had placed on the chair. With loving care she untied the strings wrapped around the dress. Then she removed the cloth that was wrapped around the dress, which had prevented any damage to the clothing during the delivery.
'O Valia,' Narawen sighed softly, holding the dress up in front of her to examine. It was a deep blue, only a little lighter than the inky sky at night. Delicate stars were embroidered along the fabric in silver thread.
'The blue is the same color as your eyes. It looks as if the dress was made specifically with you in mind. I cannot imagine a better cut to show your figure off in. Do go and try it on, dear.' Narawen placed the dress in Valia's hands.
Her mother's face radiated with joy, and Valia could not find it in her heart to deny her the pleasure of seeing her in the dress. 'Very well mother, I will do it because you asked me too. I can see that it would give you vast delight.'
Moving to her bathroom, Valia closed the door behind her and threw off the dress she was wearing. She picked up the exquisite gown from Elrond, careful not to damage it in any way, and cautiously slipped it on.
Without looking at the mirror, she opened the door and took a tentative step into her bedroom. Hearing the rustle of silk, Narawen turned around to look at her daughter.
She was stunned by what a simple change of clothing had done for Valia. Her daughter looked lovely now, the dress modestly, yet most definitely showing off her feminine figure. The dark blue color accentuated Valia's eyes and made her hair to appear like finely spun gold. The silver star was still around Valia's neck from the tournament earlier that day, adding the perfect touch to her outfit. Simple, yet elegant.
Narawen's silence began to unnerve Valia, who began to fidget. 'You do not think it looks good?'
'No, not at all, dearest. I just did not recognize you for a moment. How lovely you look!'
A nock brought the two she-elves attention to the door.
'Who is it?' called Narawen.
'May I come in?' Lord Ryland's questioned.
With a nod from Valia, Narawen went to let her husband in.
'What have we here?' Ryland exclaimed upon seeing his daughter. 'Who is this beautiful butterfly standing in my daughter's room?'
Her father's comments made Valia self-conscious and she could feel herself start to blush, something she had not done for centuries. 'I am afraid you see the dazzling wings of a butterfly attached to an ugly caterpillar that is only pretending to be something she knows very well that she is not.'
'Nonesense,' her mother softly rebuked her. 'Just look at yourself Valia.' Narawen stood behind Valia, placing her hands on her daughter's arms. Gently, she guided her to stand before the full length mirror in the corner of the room.
Valia felt strange. New emotions began to flow through her that had lain dormant for ages. Slowly, her eyes began to drift up the mirror, starting with her feet and continuing till she stared at her own eyes. But the elf maiden in the mirror could not be Valia. It seemed that she was staring at a stranger that only resembled her.
'The dress is magnificent,' her father commented, coming to stand beside his wife and daughter.
'It puts me to shame. I could never begin to do justice to such glorious clothes. Lord Elrond should have known to send something plainer.'
'It is you who puts the clothes to shame, my little butterfly. I had never really noticed it before, but you have grown to become a beautiful maiden, both inside and out.'
For the second time that day Valia began to cry. She knew her father exaggerated, especially in regards to her outward appearance, but his loving words filled her heart with happiness.
Lord Ryland enveloped his daughter in a gentle hug, kissing the top of her head. 'Prince Legolas is truly a fool if he does not recognize you for the treasure you are. You have made your mother and me very proud, my daughter. Always remember that.'
Another sappy ending. Two in a row...what has happened to me?
*naneth is the sindarin word for mother
You know what to do. Hit the review button and make me happy! Pretty Please?
Dresses and Butterflies
Valia opened the side door with care. Dusk had fallen before she reached her house from her meeting in Lord Elrond's study and she knew her family would want to talk to her about the day's events. However, Valia did not wish to speak of what had happened at all. She was in a bad mood and knew that she would only snap at her family if they spoke with her. The she-elf hoped she could creep through the house and into her room without being noticed.
But in order to do that, she had to pass by the dinning room where her family would be assembled for dinner. Thankfully, the light tread of Valia's feet was muffled even more by the luxurious carpet that ran down the hallway. She could hear the sound of voices coming through the large doorway of the dinning room and her pace dwindled.
She crept to the doorframe and leaned over, peeking her head into the room. The laughter, smiles, and pleasant chatter warmed her heart and she contemplated going inside. Until she saw her sister's face, that is.
Earuviel sat in her chair, toying with her food. She was frowning and her forehead was wrinkled in concentration. By her face, Valia could tell that her thoughts were not pleasant ones. In fact, Valia could almost guarantee she knew what had put her sister in such a fey mood and was not about to get into an argument with Earuviel over the tournament.
Valia changed her mind about revealing herself. With a deep breath, she briskly walked past the doorway and to freedom.
'Valia.'
The elf maiden stopped in her steps and cringed. If she was quiet, perhaps her father would think it had been a passing servant instead of his daughter he saw cross the doorway.
Yet Ryland's eyes seldom played tricks on him and he knew without a doubt who it was that had passed the doorway so swiftly.
'Valia,' came Lord Ryland's voice again. 'I know you are there, daughter. Come in here please. We greatly wish to speak with you.'
Slowly turning around, Valia walked into the dinning room and tried her best to put a convincing smile on her face. 'Whatever about?' she feigned innocence.
To her disappointment, it did not work.
'Whatever about?' her brother laughed at her as he repeated her question. 'Do not play naïve with me, sister dear, or you shall get thrown into the pond again to wake you up to your senses.' Tandir sprang to his feet and crushed his sister in a hug before she realized what had happened. 'And I thought I was the one who would receive all the congratulations and praise today. Who would have thought that our Valia would be chosen as the Lady of the Stars?'
'Certainly not me,' Valia said. 'If I had my way, I would have relinquished the honor to another maiden that would appreciate it more than I.'
'You do not appreciate it?' asked Tandir incredulously, pulling back from his hug so that he could look into his sister's face. His eyes began to sparkle. 'I do believe we have here before us the silliest elf maiden that has ever breathed,' he addressed his family. 'She is chosen to be the Lady of the Stars, and as if that would not be honor enough for any she-elf, she if also asked to be so by a prince. And not just any prince, but Prince Legolas, rumored to be the most eligible elf in all the Valinor for a desirable husband. A fine catch by anyone's standards. He has never expressed an interest in any maiden before, to the heartbreak of all she- elves. Yet today, for the first time ever, he has shown some curiosity about a she-elf, and the girl has the nerve to say she would rather pass the honor on to someone else.'
'Enough, Tandir! If you wish to mock me do not do it to my face.'
'I do not mock you. I merely speak the truth,' Tandir quipped.
'Tandir, my love, do not torment your sister so,' Glewiel said.
'Yes, listen to your wife, Tandir,' Valia agreed.
'It is not fair,' Earuviel broke into the conversation. 'Why is it that Valia gets to be the Lady of the Stars when she does not even wish to? Do you think you are better than everyone else and too good to accept it?'
Valia sighed inwardly. She was not ready for this, but knew it would have to be addressed sooner or later.
'Of course not Earuviel,' Valia said gently, trying to control her emotions as best as possible. 'I simply think that there are other elf maidens in Lord Elrond's realm, or any other realm for that matter, that would enjoy being the Lady more than I.'
'But why did the Prince choose you?' spouted Earuviel. 'No one ever takes a second glance at you.'
The words stung Valia for some reason, but she pushed the pain aside. 'I do not know, dearest. He said it was because he already knew me and felt uncomfortable choosing a stranger from the crowd.'
'He already knew you!' Earuviel exploded. 'When has he ever met you before?'
'It seems you have not been telling us all that has been happening to you, Valia,' said Narawen softly. 'You have made Prince Legolas' acquaintance before?'
'Lord Elrond wishes me to help the Prince with research. King Thranduil sent his son here to the library to gather information that may help his kingdom solve agricultural problems they have been having. I met the Prince the day after he arrived. Lord Elrond introduced us and asked me to assist the Prince while he is here. That is all that happened, nothing more. I did not think it significant enough to warrant telling the entire family about it.'
'You do not like him then?' Earuviel asked tentatively.
'Not in the least, Earuviel. As far as I am concerned, you or any other maiden that has designs on him is free to catch the Prince if she can.' This seemed to brighten her sister's mood, and the younger elf turned to her food and began to eat, a pleasant smile on her pretty face.
'Valia,' Ryland said. 'We are truly happy for you, my dear, even if you are not. It is a great honor to be chosen as the Lady.'
'Thank you father.' Valia disentangled herself from her brother's hold and walked over to her father. Kissing him on the temple, she turned to her mother and gave her a kiss on her cheek. 'I am not hungry and feel rather drained from the days events. If you do not mind, I will retire for the night.'
'Of course, daughter.' Narawen stood and rang a bell. Fiwen bustled into the room and curtsied to the family. 'You rang, my lady?'
'Yes, Fiwen. Please take Valia to her room and help her to ready for the night.'
'As you wish, my lady,' said Fiwen, taking Valia by the arm. Not wishing to start another argument by protesting to the attentions, Valia simply let the servant lead her away, sending a smile to her mother and family before she left.
When they reached Valia's door, she turned to the servant. 'I am fine Fiwen. I think you have better things to do than dress an elf maiden who is perfectly capable of doing so herself.'
'Very well, Valia, but get some rest, dear,' Fiwen said in a motherly tone. 'You do not look well.'
'I shall,' Valia promised, then opened her door and shut it behind her, safely sealing herself away from her family. In truth, she was not tired; too many thoughts raced through her head.
Opening a set of doors that led to her own private deck, Valia sat down in a chair. The stars were shinning brightly in the sky and the crisp air awoke her senses and cleared her thoughts.
The stars had always done that for her. How ironic that she should now be named the Lady of the very things that had often given her comfort in times past, when nothing else could.
She did not know how much time passed, but a knock on her door forced Valia to leave her peaceful reprieve. 'Who is it?'
'It is me,' Narawen called to her daughter through the shut door. 'Are you in bed yet, Valia?'
'No. Just a moment mother.' Valia reluctantly stood and entered her room, shutting the doors to her little alcove behind her. Quickly, she opened her bedroom door and let her mother come in. A large bundle was in Narawen's arms and Valia's curiosity flared to life.
'Is something the matter, naneth?'*
'Perhaps. Sit down on the bed, my dear.' Valia obeyed her mother and perched herself on the edge of her bed. In the meantime, Narawen put down her bundle in a nearby chair and moved to Valia's large armoire, opening the beautifully carved wooden doors.
Glancing at her clothes, Narawen sighed. 'Valia, do you know what you plan to wear for the tournament tomorrow?' Her mother began to sift through her wardrobe, pulling out dresses to inspect before hanging them back up again.
'I thought I would just wear whatever suits my fancy in the morning. I do not intend to wear anything out of the ordinary.'
'That is what I feared you would say. Listen to me daughter. You cannot wear your normal outfits tomorrow. Look at this,' Narawen said, pulling out a fancy dress shoved in the farthest corner of the armoire. 'You have not worn it since I bought it for you. It is old and maybe not as fashionable as it should be, but you will look a proper lady in it.'
'And I do not look a proper lady in my normal clothes?' Valia asked somewhat saucily.
'Of course you look fine in your typical clothes, Valia, but tomorrow is not a typical day and everyone will be expecting you to dress up a bit. The color of this dress will suit you very well. Here, try it on,' her mother said, handing her the dress.
'I would never be comfortable in something like this mother. Look at the neckline! It is far too revealing,' Valia countered, moving to her clothes and hanging the dress back up. 'No. I will not appear in public, before almost the entire kingdom in something so risqué.'
'You are overly exaggerating, Valia. Any other maiden would consider this to be a very modest dress.'
'Well I am not the average elf maiden,' Valia declared defiantly.
'So that is that your final choice?' Narawen asked her daughter, a weary look on her face.
'Yes, it is. I am sorry mother. I am not trying to be difficult. I simply do not see why I have to dress up for the tournament.'
'Very well. If that is your choice I am to give you this.' Narawen pulled out a letter from the pocket in her dress, handing it to her daughter. The look on her face was unreadable, and it was with great curiosity that Valia took it.
Her name was written on the front in a scrolling script she immediately recognized. 'From Lord Elrond?' Valia asked, looking up to her mother.
'Yes, it arrived a few minutes ago. A servant came from the palace and left implicit directions that Lord Elrond wanted it delivered to you tonight if you would not listen to reason.'
Valia slipped her finger under the seal and broke it, ignoring her mother's comment. She found the same beautiful writing inside as had been on the outside of the letter. Hastily, she read the words.
Dearest Valia~
I have instructed your mother to prevail upon you to pick a dress for tomorrow's tournament that will show off the beauty you insist on hiding behind your drab clothes every day.
Since you are reading this, I know she had failed in her task, as I assumed she would, knowing your temperament about such things.
I have sent a dress for you to wear to the tournament, which your mother should have brought with her. You will wear it tomorrow, and after the tournament, you shall come to the palace where Celebrian desires that you should be readied for the evening banquet. She will have another dress waiting for you there. She has given you the use of her handmaidens for the night to help you prepare and will be there herself to oversee them in their work.
It is as your lord, that I now order you to follow the above instructions. Do not think to question me on the matter, Valia. I want what is best for all elves in my realm, and I deem this to be what is best for you.
Know that it is because of the love I hold for you in my heart that I command you to do these things. I look forward to seeing your true beauty shine forth tomorrow.
With love,
Elrond
Folding the letter, Valia's eyes met her mother's. 'He has ordered me to wear the dress he sent and tells me I am to go to the palace after the tournament so that Lady Celebrian and her maids can ready me for the banquet. It seems I have no other choice in the matter. Let me see the dress,' Valia said with resignation.
A soft smile pulled up the corners of Narawen's mouth as she went over to the bundle she had placed on the chair. With loving care she untied the strings wrapped around the dress. Then she removed the cloth that was wrapped around the dress, which had prevented any damage to the clothing during the delivery.
'O Valia,' Narawen sighed softly, holding the dress up in front of her to examine. It was a deep blue, only a little lighter than the inky sky at night. Delicate stars were embroidered along the fabric in silver thread.
'The blue is the same color as your eyes. It looks as if the dress was made specifically with you in mind. I cannot imagine a better cut to show your figure off in. Do go and try it on, dear.' Narawen placed the dress in Valia's hands.
Her mother's face radiated with joy, and Valia could not find it in her heart to deny her the pleasure of seeing her in the dress. 'Very well mother, I will do it because you asked me too. I can see that it would give you vast delight.'
Moving to her bathroom, Valia closed the door behind her and threw off the dress she was wearing. She picked up the exquisite gown from Elrond, careful not to damage it in any way, and cautiously slipped it on.
Without looking at the mirror, she opened the door and took a tentative step into her bedroom. Hearing the rustle of silk, Narawen turned around to look at her daughter.
She was stunned by what a simple change of clothing had done for Valia. Her daughter looked lovely now, the dress modestly, yet most definitely showing off her feminine figure. The dark blue color accentuated Valia's eyes and made her hair to appear like finely spun gold. The silver star was still around Valia's neck from the tournament earlier that day, adding the perfect touch to her outfit. Simple, yet elegant.
Narawen's silence began to unnerve Valia, who began to fidget. 'You do not think it looks good?'
'No, not at all, dearest. I just did not recognize you for a moment. How lovely you look!'
A nock brought the two she-elves attention to the door.
'Who is it?' called Narawen.
'May I come in?' Lord Ryland's questioned.
With a nod from Valia, Narawen went to let her husband in.
'What have we here?' Ryland exclaimed upon seeing his daughter. 'Who is this beautiful butterfly standing in my daughter's room?'
Her father's comments made Valia self-conscious and she could feel herself start to blush, something she had not done for centuries. 'I am afraid you see the dazzling wings of a butterfly attached to an ugly caterpillar that is only pretending to be something she knows very well that she is not.'
'Nonesense,' her mother softly rebuked her. 'Just look at yourself Valia.' Narawen stood behind Valia, placing her hands on her daughter's arms. Gently, she guided her to stand before the full length mirror in the corner of the room.
Valia felt strange. New emotions began to flow through her that had lain dormant for ages. Slowly, her eyes began to drift up the mirror, starting with her feet and continuing till she stared at her own eyes. But the elf maiden in the mirror could not be Valia. It seemed that she was staring at a stranger that only resembled her.
'The dress is magnificent,' her father commented, coming to stand beside his wife and daughter.
'It puts me to shame. I could never begin to do justice to such glorious clothes. Lord Elrond should have known to send something plainer.'
'It is you who puts the clothes to shame, my little butterfly. I had never really noticed it before, but you have grown to become a beautiful maiden, both inside and out.'
For the second time that day Valia began to cry. She knew her father exaggerated, especially in regards to her outward appearance, but his loving words filled her heart with happiness.
Lord Ryland enveloped his daughter in a gentle hug, kissing the top of her head. 'Prince Legolas is truly a fool if he does not recognize you for the treasure you are. You have made your mother and me very proud, my daughter. Always remember that.'
Another sappy ending. Two in a row...what has happened to me?
*naneth is the sindarin word for mother
You know what to do. Hit the review button and make me happy! Pretty Please?