I relax into the heated waters of the bath. Aaaahhh. The water ripples
around me, giving off the smell of flowers. My hair floats on the top of
the water like dark waterweed. I duck my head fully under the water, and
stare up at the ceiling through the water. Uh, that roof is not solid. I
rise hastily out of the water, blowing water out of my nose and shaking my
head. I wipe my watering eyes with a convenient towel, and look closer at
this not solid roof. It has holes in it. Holes where some one could look
through. My eyes narrow. I give a semblance of unconcern and start to wash
myself thoroughly. I thank whomever for my sharp hearing, and listen
closely for any signs that there is a person up there.
I hear a rustle as if someone was moving above my head. I pretend I can't hear. A whisper of speech.Move over, already! Elfish. So that is Elves above my head. But who? Adolescent equivalents? What can I do to punish the voyeurs? Not much, but I bet Arwen could. I grin slightly. I stand up in the bath and start to soap myself up. I then squat down into the bath and douse myself. I hear a gasp above me. This must be novel for them, or maybe not. I don't know how long those holes have been there. Perverts. I soap up my hair, as no shampoo is in evidence. I rinse the soap out.
"Arwen? Can you come in here for a minute?" I call out sweetly.
"Elbereth! " I hear a slightly louder whisper. "Elladan, I thought you said Arwen was getting the dress? " Interesting.
" She is! So be quiet, Elrohir. " Even more interesting.
"Arwen mustn't be there. Oh well. I'm sure she'll be interested to know that her brothers are spying on a guest." I look straight up at the ceiling. "Naughty boys." I shake my finger at the roof. "Especially considering that the holes look old, not new. Very naughty boys. I can hear you, you know. The really good hearing bit carried over. And even more interesting then what Arwen will say, is what will Lord Elrond say?" I heave an exaggerated sigh. "I hope that at least nobody I don't know is up there with you. That would be very disappointing. You two I can cope with, but someone else.no." I wallow in the hot bath, lying on my back staring straight up at the ceiling. Silence greets my remarks. I sigh, and then fling water up at the ceiling. It splashes everywhere, but mostly on the ceiling.
"Ai!" A very loud exclamation, and at that's when Arwen walks in carrying a large and fluffy looking towel. She starts when she hears the exclamation, which is said in a very masculine voice. She stares upwards at the dripping ceiling. She frowns.
"What is going on in here?" She asks icily. Lots of silence from above when she says that.
I shrug and tell her "Elladan and Elrohir are up there. Notice the holes in the ceiling." I point at them. "The water was my fault. They need a bath. And they deserved it. Spying on a maiden in her bath, tsk, tsk." I shake my head disapprovingly.
"I think father will have a lot to say about this." Arwen stares sternly at the ceiling. "Caitlyn, I must apologize. I had no idea that this would happen. The dress is ready now, if you will come out of the bath please." She holds the towel out to me. I get out of the bath, dripping water, and take the towel off her. I briskly rub myself dry.
"Don't worry about it, Arwen. I'm sure that the embarrassment of being caught will be enough. Besides it's rather flattering." I wrap the towel around myself. "But you may want to do something about those holes. I think that the twins would be glad to do that, if you don't tell Elrond." I smile wickedly at her "And it's good to have leverage, isn't it?" Arwen smiles back. She goes out of the room, and I follow her. I pause and pick up my underwear, then keep going. A flurry of whispered Elfish answers my exit. It sounds very concerned and worried.
On my bed is a beautiful dress. It is a pale blue color, with delicate silver embroidery. "Here is your dress, do you like it?"
"Like it? I love it! Thank you Arwen." I pick up the dress and measure it against myself. "Is there a mirror?" Arwen gestures behind me. I turn around and gasp as I see the dress and me and imagine what I'll look like in it. "Oh wow." My dripping hair slides over my shoulder. "Ack!" I hurriedly put the dress back down on the bed. "So, how long till dinner?"
"A few hours, so there's time for your hair to dry."
"Cool."
"Are you cold?" Arwen asks with concern.
"What? No, cool means great, ok and stuff like that." I say absently. "Can I have my bra back?"
"Of course." Arwen picks it up from where it was lying on the bed. "Here. I'll come back in a hour or so, to help you get ready." She gives the bra to me, and then leaves quietly, closing the door behind her. I wander over to my bag and get my other book out to read while I wait for my hair to dry. I put on my underwear and wrap the towel around my head. I sit down on the chair in the room and read my book.
It is a very good book, 'The Ill-made mute' by Cecilia Dart-Thornton. I just adore the Bitterbynde trilogy. I bought the third one the other day, and read it already. So now I'm re-reading the series. I look up as the door opens softly. Arwen enters, and those two other Elven maidens follow her.
"Is your hair dry?"
"I think so." I had taken off the towel a while ago, when my hair stopped dripping, and now it is only mildly damp. "Mostly dry, anyway. Do you have a brush?"
Arwen nods and comes further into the room. All of them are carrying loads of stuff, things like brushes, make up, what appears to be jewelry cases. They put it all on a small table, which I hadn't noticed before. I put my book back in my bag and get up. Arwen smiles and beckons at me. "Well, let's make you worthy of your heritage." She gestures at the chair in front of the table. "Sit." I do so and suspend all attempts at rational thought while they do stuff to my face and brush out my hair. I try on all types of jewelry and sheer stockings. All guys beware the makeover! Then Arwen gets out a corset. I lift my arms and let her put it on. "Hold onto the bedpost." I do and she hauls on the laces. Uh! Not for the weak, but I must admit that it does great things for my figure. Squeezes some things in, and others out.
They carefully lift the dress and lower it over my head. I slip my hands into the sleeves and adjust the bodice. I smooth my hands against the soft velvety material. Arwen fusses around with my skirt and does up all the laces and buttons that zippers have thankfully replaced back home. Ardaerial finishes off my hair and places a necklace around my neck. Pentherial kneels down and places light blue slippers on my feet. They are covered in the same sort of material as my dress, and the same type of embroidery. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and gasp.
"I look beautiful." I say in a whisper. And I do. The style of the dress makes me look slim and tall. It has a V-waist, a full skirt with a slight train, long sleeves, with those dangly veily bits and a square neckline. The silver embroidery accents the lines of the dress, unnoticeable in the frailest lines, except when the light hits them. Then they glimmer. Thick bands of embroidery follow the V of the waist and border the edges of my dress. The necklace is made of silver and pale blue stones, like a collar supporting a v shaped net of stones entrapped in silver web. I look like a mediaeval lady, of high birth.
I hesitantly raise my hand to my ear; the hairstyle they've used has drawn my hair back away from my ears. Uncovering them. That is not usual what I do with my hair because people stare. I grin with relief; nobody will stare at my ears here. I don't look just gorgeous, but sexy as well. Arwen is wearing a similar outfit, in pale green. She looks untouchable, aloof. Must be the human in me. Ardaerial hands me a pair of earrings and I place them in my ears. They dangle halfway to my shoulders, but feel light as a feather. They match my necklace. I turn my head and admire my hairdo. It is studded with the pale blue jewels as well. They are fastened into my hair with silver net. No, not a net, a web. Net denotes substance, this is thin tracery.
"Do you like it?" Arwen asks with a sly smile.
"Like it? Thank you so much Arwen!" I fling my arms around her and give her a fierce hug. "I hopefully won't disgrace you tonight."
"We understand. Now, I need to finish getting ready myself. My brothers have been fighting with each other as to which will escort you to dinner. I told them firmly that they were doing no such thing, in light of their previous behavior. So I asked Legolas to escort you instead."
My jaw goes slack. "Legolas? Are you insane?"
Arwen's eyebrows rise. "I will be escorted by Estel. You need to enter on the arm of an Elf with high rank. This announces to the other Elves that you are also of high rank. Entering on the arm of Legolas also says that you are not an Elf of Rivendell. You will not be mistaken for an Elf of Mirkwood, because you are not fair-haired. Therefore, you will be a mystery, and more to be respected for you will be an unknown quantity." Arwen stares at me seriously. "Farewell, I will leave you now. I have much to do. Come. " She beckons to the two she Elves and the three of them leave quietly. At the door, Arwen turns and faces me while the others leave. "Legolas will be here in half an hour or so. Be careful not to muss your gown, or your make up, or disturb your hair." With that final caution, she leaves.
I heave a sigh and pick up my book again. I am careful to stand away from everything and just stand and read my book.
I hear a rustle as if someone was moving above my head. I pretend I can't hear. A whisper of speech.Move over, already! Elfish. So that is Elves above my head. But who? Adolescent equivalents? What can I do to punish the voyeurs? Not much, but I bet Arwen could. I grin slightly. I stand up in the bath and start to soap myself up. I then squat down into the bath and douse myself. I hear a gasp above me. This must be novel for them, or maybe not. I don't know how long those holes have been there. Perverts. I soap up my hair, as no shampoo is in evidence. I rinse the soap out.
"Arwen? Can you come in here for a minute?" I call out sweetly.
"Elbereth! " I hear a slightly louder whisper. "Elladan, I thought you said Arwen was getting the dress? " Interesting.
" She is! So be quiet, Elrohir. " Even more interesting.
"Arwen mustn't be there. Oh well. I'm sure she'll be interested to know that her brothers are spying on a guest." I look straight up at the ceiling. "Naughty boys." I shake my finger at the roof. "Especially considering that the holes look old, not new. Very naughty boys. I can hear you, you know. The really good hearing bit carried over. And even more interesting then what Arwen will say, is what will Lord Elrond say?" I heave an exaggerated sigh. "I hope that at least nobody I don't know is up there with you. That would be very disappointing. You two I can cope with, but someone else.no." I wallow in the hot bath, lying on my back staring straight up at the ceiling. Silence greets my remarks. I sigh, and then fling water up at the ceiling. It splashes everywhere, but mostly on the ceiling.
"Ai!" A very loud exclamation, and at that's when Arwen walks in carrying a large and fluffy looking towel. She starts when she hears the exclamation, which is said in a very masculine voice. She stares upwards at the dripping ceiling. She frowns.
"What is going on in here?" She asks icily. Lots of silence from above when she says that.
I shrug and tell her "Elladan and Elrohir are up there. Notice the holes in the ceiling." I point at them. "The water was my fault. They need a bath. And they deserved it. Spying on a maiden in her bath, tsk, tsk." I shake my head disapprovingly.
"I think father will have a lot to say about this." Arwen stares sternly at the ceiling. "Caitlyn, I must apologize. I had no idea that this would happen. The dress is ready now, if you will come out of the bath please." She holds the towel out to me. I get out of the bath, dripping water, and take the towel off her. I briskly rub myself dry.
"Don't worry about it, Arwen. I'm sure that the embarrassment of being caught will be enough. Besides it's rather flattering." I wrap the towel around myself. "But you may want to do something about those holes. I think that the twins would be glad to do that, if you don't tell Elrond." I smile wickedly at her "And it's good to have leverage, isn't it?" Arwen smiles back. She goes out of the room, and I follow her. I pause and pick up my underwear, then keep going. A flurry of whispered Elfish answers my exit. It sounds very concerned and worried.
On my bed is a beautiful dress. It is a pale blue color, with delicate silver embroidery. "Here is your dress, do you like it?"
"Like it? I love it! Thank you Arwen." I pick up the dress and measure it against myself. "Is there a mirror?" Arwen gestures behind me. I turn around and gasp as I see the dress and me and imagine what I'll look like in it. "Oh wow." My dripping hair slides over my shoulder. "Ack!" I hurriedly put the dress back down on the bed. "So, how long till dinner?"
"A few hours, so there's time for your hair to dry."
"Cool."
"Are you cold?" Arwen asks with concern.
"What? No, cool means great, ok and stuff like that." I say absently. "Can I have my bra back?"
"Of course." Arwen picks it up from where it was lying on the bed. "Here. I'll come back in a hour or so, to help you get ready." She gives the bra to me, and then leaves quietly, closing the door behind her. I wander over to my bag and get my other book out to read while I wait for my hair to dry. I put on my underwear and wrap the towel around my head. I sit down on the chair in the room and read my book.
It is a very good book, 'The Ill-made mute' by Cecilia Dart-Thornton. I just adore the Bitterbynde trilogy. I bought the third one the other day, and read it already. So now I'm re-reading the series. I look up as the door opens softly. Arwen enters, and those two other Elven maidens follow her.
"Is your hair dry?"
"I think so." I had taken off the towel a while ago, when my hair stopped dripping, and now it is only mildly damp. "Mostly dry, anyway. Do you have a brush?"
Arwen nods and comes further into the room. All of them are carrying loads of stuff, things like brushes, make up, what appears to be jewelry cases. They put it all on a small table, which I hadn't noticed before. I put my book back in my bag and get up. Arwen smiles and beckons at me. "Well, let's make you worthy of your heritage." She gestures at the chair in front of the table. "Sit." I do so and suspend all attempts at rational thought while they do stuff to my face and brush out my hair. I try on all types of jewelry and sheer stockings. All guys beware the makeover! Then Arwen gets out a corset. I lift my arms and let her put it on. "Hold onto the bedpost." I do and she hauls on the laces. Uh! Not for the weak, but I must admit that it does great things for my figure. Squeezes some things in, and others out.
They carefully lift the dress and lower it over my head. I slip my hands into the sleeves and adjust the bodice. I smooth my hands against the soft velvety material. Arwen fusses around with my skirt and does up all the laces and buttons that zippers have thankfully replaced back home. Ardaerial finishes off my hair and places a necklace around my neck. Pentherial kneels down and places light blue slippers on my feet. They are covered in the same sort of material as my dress, and the same type of embroidery. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and gasp.
"I look beautiful." I say in a whisper. And I do. The style of the dress makes me look slim and tall. It has a V-waist, a full skirt with a slight train, long sleeves, with those dangly veily bits and a square neckline. The silver embroidery accents the lines of the dress, unnoticeable in the frailest lines, except when the light hits them. Then they glimmer. Thick bands of embroidery follow the V of the waist and border the edges of my dress. The necklace is made of silver and pale blue stones, like a collar supporting a v shaped net of stones entrapped in silver web. I look like a mediaeval lady, of high birth.
I hesitantly raise my hand to my ear; the hairstyle they've used has drawn my hair back away from my ears. Uncovering them. That is not usual what I do with my hair because people stare. I grin with relief; nobody will stare at my ears here. I don't look just gorgeous, but sexy as well. Arwen is wearing a similar outfit, in pale green. She looks untouchable, aloof. Must be the human in me. Ardaerial hands me a pair of earrings and I place them in my ears. They dangle halfway to my shoulders, but feel light as a feather. They match my necklace. I turn my head and admire my hairdo. It is studded with the pale blue jewels as well. They are fastened into my hair with silver net. No, not a net, a web. Net denotes substance, this is thin tracery.
"Do you like it?" Arwen asks with a sly smile.
"Like it? Thank you so much Arwen!" I fling my arms around her and give her a fierce hug. "I hopefully won't disgrace you tonight."
"We understand. Now, I need to finish getting ready myself. My brothers have been fighting with each other as to which will escort you to dinner. I told them firmly that they were doing no such thing, in light of their previous behavior. So I asked Legolas to escort you instead."
My jaw goes slack. "Legolas? Are you insane?"
Arwen's eyebrows rise. "I will be escorted by Estel. You need to enter on the arm of an Elf with high rank. This announces to the other Elves that you are also of high rank. Entering on the arm of Legolas also says that you are not an Elf of Rivendell. You will not be mistaken for an Elf of Mirkwood, because you are not fair-haired. Therefore, you will be a mystery, and more to be respected for you will be an unknown quantity." Arwen stares at me seriously. "Farewell, I will leave you now. I have much to do. Come. " She beckons to the two she Elves and the three of them leave quietly. At the door, Arwen turns and faces me while the others leave. "Legolas will be here in half an hour or so. Be careful not to muss your gown, or your make up, or disturb your hair." With that final caution, she leaves.
I heave a sigh and pick up my book again. I am careful to stand away from everything and just stand and read my book.