Chapter Fifteen
Disclaimer: This is based on the works of JRR Tolkien, and is not mine in any way apart from a few characters.
"Lords, ladies, all of the guests that are attending this remarkable event," spoke Thranduil clearly. "Today we do not only have one guest of honour, we have five." The audience began to murmur to one another.
"Also," he continued, bringing silence once more. "We have eight other extremely special guests. King Aragorn, Gandalf - a mighty and powerful wizard, Elladan and Elrohir, my nephews and four very brave hobbits: Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin."
The eight of them stood up and waved graciously at the seated guests. "Now, it is my pleasure to introduced my cousin, Cuthalion, who has not visited these parts for many years." A mature, dark-haired elf entered, nodded at the guest and took his place next to Thranduil.
"It is an honour to be here once more," he said.
"Last, but definitely not least, four human girls who have been kind enough to grace us with their presence and strive to help us in our present situation. Alcarin, Estriel, Jaena and Emeriel."
The guests were intrigued by the human girls who had Elven names.
The four girls entered. They all looked amazing. Their dresses were stunning and their hair was perfect, not a single strand out of place. They took their seats next to Thranduil; Alcarin, Jaena, Estriel and then Emeriel.
"Let dinner commence," he said.
The food was spectacular, different kinds of meats and vegetables were brought out on silver platters by maids and waiters. The girls waved shyly to Madeline, as she put a platter of strange leek-looking things down on their table. She complimented them on their dresses, and then hurried off. The girls ate happily, talking with the hobbits and then with Thranduil. They were having a remarkable time.
"How great is this?" asked Estriel, rhetorically.
"Amazing," replied Emeriel unnecessarily.
"Look at all the beautiful dresses," said Jaena.
"Look at all the beautiful men," said Alcarin.
"But I'm betting that you've got one elf in particular on your mind," said Jaena, with a sideward glance at Legolas.
"Mmm," said Alcarin, blushing slightly.
Soon after that, dinner finished with a delicious chocolate cake, and then the dancing began.
Arwen appeared, and greeted everyone with apologies of her late arrival. Aragorn and Arwen began to dance.
Jaena spotted Elladan and Elrohir talking quietly to each other, and she took three guesses as to what they were talking about. She had been right, and moments later they had come over to ask a blushing Emeriel, and a smiling Estriel to dance.
Alcarin and Jaena went over to sit nearer the dance floor. They were content just listening to the music and making the odd comment like, "It's not fair that Arwen's so beautiful", "If only Frodo was about three feet taller." etc.
Then Legolas walked nervously over.
"Alcarin, will you dance with me?" he asked. Alcarin looked shocked, then happy, then worried.
"I can't leave Jaena by herself," she said.
"Yes you can, Ali, go," said Jaena nudging.
"No, it's not fair," said Alcarin stubbornly, but wistfully. The wistfulness was only barely detectable, but seeing how well Jaena knew her redheaded friend, it was easy to see.
"Alcarin, go dance with the nice blonde elf, or I'll just have to never ever talk to you again," she said.
Alcarin smiled gratefully at Jaena, and then went to dance with Legolas.
Jaena watched her three friends for a while, happy that they were happy. Just as she began to feel a little lonely, a husky voice behind her said:
"How would you like some company?"
Jaena turned around, and saw a pair of bright blue eyes. They were truly magnetic, and she found herself getting lost in them. Aware, after a few long seconds, that she had not said anything, she spoke, "I would like that very much."
He sat down next to her. He was not an elf, she could tell from his height and his lack of pointy ears. The next thing she noticed was his attire. He was not wearing a smart tunic like the other men; he was in not ragged, but worn clothing. He had obviously been riding.
"What is your name?" asked the mysterious man, older than Jaena by two, maybe three years.
"My name is Jaena," she said. "And yours?" "Darain," he said. Now used to the way that people introduced themselves, she was waiting for a, "son of blah blah" or "of blah blah land" but nothing came.
"You do not look as if you were planning to come to a ball today," said Jaena.
"No, I did not, however I travelled with Arwen, as I am anxious to see my uncle, Aragorn," he said. Suddenly the reason for those unusually fluorescent eyes became clear. "I do not believe we have met before, where do you come from?" he asked, his eyes penetrating Jaena's own.
"I...it's a long story. I am here to help King Thranduil. So are my three friends," she said. "They're over there dancing with their prince charmings."
"Ah, Legolas," he said.
"Yes. And Elladan and Elrohir," she said. "I do not know much about them, do you? She added.
"No, not very much. I have been to the palace but a few times." After that, words did not seem to matter. Jaena gazed into Darain's eyes and gave a slight (but hopefully undetectable) jolt when he placed his hand on hers.
"Would you care to dance?" he asked.
"Why yes, I would care very much," said Jaena, with a small smile. He led her on to the dance floor and they swayed slowly for a while.
Jaena caught Alcarin's eye, and they both smiled at each other. All of a sudden, there was an outburst at the front of the hall. "They're going to attack!" said a male voice.
Everybody stopped dancing, and there was a rush to see who was reporting this. A youngish human was talking hurriedly to Thranduil.
The girls found each other and looked at one-an-other worriedly. "Told you that if we didn't work something like this would happen," said Emeriel.
"This is so not the time to say I told you so," said Jaena. Thranduil stood up and addressed the guests.
"We would ask all guests to go to the central lounge, Madeline will take you there." The maid blushed slightly as she heard her name. "All residents of the palace will kindly go to their chambers and stay there until a palace official tells you otherwise."
Darain looked panicked, yet only Jaena noticed.
"I...I must go," he stuttered with urgency.
"Darain! Wait! Why must you leave?"
"I'm sorry, Jaena. Farewell. I will see you again, I promise." He turned to leave, then turned back again, kissed her forehead, and he was gone.
Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas had gone to find Thranduil for more information.
"Great, we're guy-less, yet again," said Alcarin. Jaena, still stunned by Darain's kiss, mumbled something inaudible.
"What?" said Emeriel.
"We...we must go to our rooms," she said.
"And miss all the excitement?" asked Estriel.
"No, you heard what Thranduil said," she spoke with no tone to her voice. The four girls made their way to their bedroom where, just a few hours before, they had been preparing for the best night of their lives.
Disclaimer: This is based on the works of JRR Tolkien, and is not mine in any way apart from a few characters.
"Lords, ladies, all of the guests that are attending this remarkable event," spoke Thranduil clearly. "Today we do not only have one guest of honour, we have five." The audience began to murmur to one another.
"Also," he continued, bringing silence once more. "We have eight other extremely special guests. King Aragorn, Gandalf - a mighty and powerful wizard, Elladan and Elrohir, my nephews and four very brave hobbits: Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin."
The eight of them stood up and waved graciously at the seated guests. "Now, it is my pleasure to introduced my cousin, Cuthalion, who has not visited these parts for many years." A mature, dark-haired elf entered, nodded at the guest and took his place next to Thranduil.
"It is an honour to be here once more," he said.
"Last, but definitely not least, four human girls who have been kind enough to grace us with their presence and strive to help us in our present situation. Alcarin, Estriel, Jaena and Emeriel."
The guests were intrigued by the human girls who had Elven names.
The four girls entered. They all looked amazing. Their dresses were stunning and their hair was perfect, not a single strand out of place. They took their seats next to Thranduil; Alcarin, Jaena, Estriel and then Emeriel.
"Let dinner commence," he said.
The food was spectacular, different kinds of meats and vegetables were brought out on silver platters by maids and waiters. The girls waved shyly to Madeline, as she put a platter of strange leek-looking things down on their table. She complimented them on their dresses, and then hurried off. The girls ate happily, talking with the hobbits and then with Thranduil. They were having a remarkable time.
"How great is this?" asked Estriel, rhetorically.
"Amazing," replied Emeriel unnecessarily.
"Look at all the beautiful dresses," said Jaena.
"Look at all the beautiful men," said Alcarin.
"But I'm betting that you've got one elf in particular on your mind," said Jaena, with a sideward glance at Legolas.
"Mmm," said Alcarin, blushing slightly.
Soon after that, dinner finished with a delicious chocolate cake, and then the dancing began.
Arwen appeared, and greeted everyone with apologies of her late arrival. Aragorn and Arwen began to dance.
Jaena spotted Elladan and Elrohir talking quietly to each other, and she took three guesses as to what they were talking about. She had been right, and moments later they had come over to ask a blushing Emeriel, and a smiling Estriel to dance.
Alcarin and Jaena went over to sit nearer the dance floor. They were content just listening to the music and making the odd comment like, "It's not fair that Arwen's so beautiful", "If only Frodo was about three feet taller." etc.
Then Legolas walked nervously over.
"Alcarin, will you dance with me?" he asked. Alcarin looked shocked, then happy, then worried.
"I can't leave Jaena by herself," she said.
"Yes you can, Ali, go," said Jaena nudging.
"No, it's not fair," said Alcarin stubbornly, but wistfully. The wistfulness was only barely detectable, but seeing how well Jaena knew her redheaded friend, it was easy to see.
"Alcarin, go dance with the nice blonde elf, or I'll just have to never ever talk to you again," she said.
Alcarin smiled gratefully at Jaena, and then went to dance with Legolas.
Jaena watched her three friends for a while, happy that they were happy. Just as she began to feel a little lonely, a husky voice behind her said:
"How would you like some company?"
Jaena turned around, and saw a pair of bright blue eyes. They were truly magnetic, and she found herself getting lost in them. Aware, after a few long seconds, that she had not said anything, she spoke, "I would like that very much."
He sat down next to her. He was not an elf, she could tell from his height and his lack of pointy ears. The next thing she noticed was his attire. He was not wearing a smart tunic like the other men; he was in not ragged, but worn clothing. He had obviously been riding.
"What is your name?" asked the mysterious man, older than Jaena by two, maybe three years.
"My name is Jaena," she said. "And yours?" "Darain," he said. Now used to the way that people introduced themselves, she was waiting for a, "son of blah blah" or "of blah blah land" but nothing came.
"You do not look as if you were planning to come to a ball today," said Jaena.
"No, I did not, however I travelled with Arwen, as I am anxious to see my uncle, Aragorn," he said. Suddenly the reason for those unusually fluorescent eyes became clear. "I do not believe we have met before, where do you come from?" he asked, his eyes penetrating Jaena's own.
"I...it's a long story. I am here to help King Thranduil. So are my three friends," she said. "They're over there dancing with their prince charmings."
"Ah, Legolas," he said.
"Yes. And Elladan and Elrohir," she said. "I do not know much about them, do you? She added.
"No, not very much. I have been to the palace but a few times." After that, words did not seem to matter. Jaena gazed into Darain's eyes and gave a slight (but hopefully undetectable) jolt when he placed his hand on hers.
"Would you care to dance?" he asked.
"Why yes, I would care very much," said Jaena, with a small smile. He led her on to the dance floor and they swayed slowly for a while.
Jaena caught Alcarin's eye, and they both smiled at each other. All of a sudden, there was an outburst at the front of the hall. "They're going to attack!" said a male voice.
Everybody stopped dancing, and there was a rush to see who was reporting this. A youngish human was talking hurriedly to Thranduil.
The girls found each other and looked at one-an-other worriedly. "Told you that if we didn't work something like this would happen," said Emeriel.
"This is so not the time to say I told you so," said Jaena. Thranduil stood up and addressed the guests.
"We would ask all guests to go to the central lounge, Madeline will take you there." The maid blushed slightly as she heard her name. "All residents of the palace will kindly go to their chambers and stay there until a palace official tells you otherwise."
Darain looked panicked, yet only Jaena noticed.
"I...I must go," he stuttered with urgency.
"Darain! Wait! Why must you leave?"
"I'm sorry, Jaena. Farewell. I will see you again, I promise." He turned to leave, then turned back again, kissed her forehead, and he was gone.
Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas had gone to find Thranduil for more information.
"Great, we're guy-less, yet again," said Alcarin. Jaena, still stunned by Darain's kiss, mumbled something inaudible.
"What?" said Emeriel.
"We...we must go to our rooms," she said.
"And miss all the excitement?" asked Estriel.
"No, you heard what Thranduil said," she spoke with no tone to her voice. The four girls made their way to their bedroom where, just a few hours before, they had been preparing for the best night of their lives.