Hermione answered the door when she heard the knock. Outside, dressed
speldidly, was Alanna, Meridelle, and Legolas. They stepped inside and took
off their hoods. Meridelle looked like a princess out of a storybook,
dressed in waves of shimmery pink silk, while Alanna looked truly Elven in
a fabulous gown of dark blue silk that brought attention to her stormy
eyes. Legolas was in a dark green tunic with the same color breeches.
When he saw Alanna, he gasped and pretended to be blinded by her beauty. Dark green silk, velvet and satin made up a gorgeous gown with a shaped bodice that extended into tight sleeves that suddenly dropped into giant bell endings at the bottom. The bodice poofed out into a full skirt around her waist that consisted of three layers, each cut so the one underneath would show. Gems adorned the gown, while dark green and silver threads intertwined at her neckline, sleeves, waist , and at the bottom to form intricate embroidery. Loops, braids, and curls cascaded down from under her tiara down to her shoulders.
"Are we ready?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron, who had both opted for plain white tunics and dark blue breeches.
"We are," replied Harry, handing Hermione her cloak, which she put on and fastened.
"Well then, to the ball," Legolas said with a mischevious air of majesty and splendor. He took Hermione's arm, and the party made its way to the citadel.
As she handed her cloak to a page, Hermione looked around her in awe. The Great Hall of the citadel had been cleaned thoroughly and decorated so beautifully that Hermione thought it was a completely different room that she hadn't seen. She started to descend the elegant silver staircase into the room when Legolas caught her arm, "We need to be formally announced."
"Oh, yeah. I forgot," she smiled, "I'm not used to being 'announced'. She put her arm through Legolas' and smoothed her hair one last time.
The herald beat his staff on the ground three times, "Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, Princess Hermione of the Land Beyond the Sea, Prince Ron of the Land Beyond the Sea, Princess Meridelle of Mirkwood, Prince Harry of the Land Beyond the Sea, and Princess Alanna of Mirkwood."
All the guests came and stood on the sides of the silver carpet that led from the stairs to the dais.
As Hermione desceded to Legolas she whispered, "I feel like Cinderella."
"Who?" he asked, "Is she a maiden from where you come from?"
"Never mind," Hermione answered, "It is a long story."
As they made their way to the dais down the silver carpet, followed by the others, all the guests, even monarchs, bowed and curtsied with looks of awe as they passed by.
As they sat down, Hermione looked at the people around her and she realized most of them weren't people. There were hobbits, elves, dwarves, and many others. After some thought, Hermione decided that the Elven maidens were the loveliest with their gorgeous gowns and stunning looks; and the Elven men were definately the most handsome.
"The best looking of all is sitting right next to me and, not only is he adorable, he is smart, funny, strong... I could go on all day listing his qualities," Hermione thought as she looked lovingly at Legolas.
Then, the meal was served and Hermione turned her attention to the delicious food in front of her.
Alanna remembered little of the evening, it was a blur of dancing, laughing, eating, and mingling with foreign visitors. The splendor awed her: the royal decorators had outdone themselves in completely redecorating the Great Hall, and the visitors had come dressed in their finest, which was dazzling.
The part she remembered most was when Aragorn stood up during the meal and tapped his glass for attention, 'Ahem, honored guests of the evening, you have all gathered today to recognize three special people, Princess Hermione, Prince Ron, and Prince Harry of the Land Beyond the Sea. Without them, the defeat of Sauron would not have happened. I would like to present them with new titles, not only are they royalty from the Land Beyond the Sea, but they are now Princes and a Princess from Gondor."
Aragorn beckoned to a page standing behind him, who brought forward a red velvet box and handed it to Aragorn. He opened it and took out three bright gold rings set with jewels and the symbol of Gondor in the middle. Solemnly, he placed a ring on Harry, Ron, and Hermione's ring fingers of their right hand. "We are proud to have you," he said. Then a cheer went up in the crowd, everyone stood up and clapped for the trio. Hermione blushed furiously, Ron's ears went scarlet, and Harry grinned from ear to ear.
When the cheering died down and Aragorn sat, Hermione stood up and also called for quiet.
"I am afraid that I have some bad news, but, along with the bad comes good. Harry, Ron, and I have decided that we will depart for our home tomorrow afternoon..." There she was interrupted by groans from the people.
"But, we have also decided that after we finish school and spend a few more years with our family and friends, we will come back... for good."
Then another cheer went up and Hermione curtsied and sat back down.
Alanna had started crying when she heard Harry was leaving, but when Hermione finished, she wept with joy. Harry caught her in a crushing embrace,"Do you think I would leave you forever?"
****
Hermione sat down and grasped Legolas' hand, "I'm glad they took that well."
"So am I," he answered, "Besides, I couldn't stand to have you away for more than a few years."
An hour passed with entertainment and dancing, then a elf seated on the other side of Legolas stood up and called for quiet. Alanna hadn't noticed any likeness between the two, but now she saw the resemblance between Legolas and the elf, the strong nose and proud eyes.
"That is your father, isn't it?" she asked, getting a nod in return.
"This is the last time we'll interrupt you," the elf promised, drawing chuckles from the crowd.
"I am King Thranduil of Mirkwood, Father of Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, as many of you know. I have talked with my son long and thought hard about the decision I had to make, but in the end, I think I made the right choice," Thranduil paused, "Legolas approached the Council of the Whispering Trees with a request: that his friends from the Land Beyond the Sea, Princess Hermione, Prince Ron, and Prince Harry, "he bowed, "be granted Elven status and eternal life. The Council debated for a long, long time, and in the end, my vote was the deciding factor. I voted yes. These three have helped us overthrow Sauron for good and, without them, we might have been slaves to the Evil One. For this they deserve Elven status."
Thranduil pulled a golden flask from a pouch on his belt. A page brought forward three gold goblets, encrusted with jewels and engraved with Elven blessings. Thranduil opened the flask and poured an equal amount of the amber liquid into each of the glasses. He handed one each to Hermione, Ron, and Harry, and raised his own goblet aloft, "Eb noe tiwh teh ertse, eb noe tiwh teh trewa, eb noe tiwh teh Lvene erca. ew lcmewmoe oyu." He drained his goblet, Harry, Ron, and Hermione following suit. Afterwards, the best they could describe drinking the special liquid was "a strange tingling sensation, like new, different energy is filling you." Then, they felt themselves growing and their ears changing shape, becoming pointed.
"Kneel," commanded Thranduil. They obeyed, and he tapped them each on the head with his scepter, then bid them to rise. "You are now members of the Elven race, Princess and Princes of the people of Mirkwood."
Thranduil sat, and so did the trio. Hermione felt as if she were in a dream. She felt tears coming to her eyes, and put no effort into trying to hold them back. She wept hot tears of joy onto Legolas' shoulder, feeling his hand on her back, supportin her forever. When she was able to talk she smiled and said, "The perfect end to the perfect night."
When he saw Alanna, he gasped and pretended to be blinded by her beauty. Dark green silk, velvet and satin made up a gorgeous gown with a shaped bodice that extended into tight sleeves that suddenly dropped into giant bell endings at the bottom. The bodice poofed out into a full skirt around her waist that consisted of three layers, each cut so the one underneath would show. Gems adorned the gown, while dark green and silver threads intertwined at her neckline, sleeves, waist , and at the bottom to form intricate embroidery. Loops, braids, and curls cascaded down from under her tiara down to her shoulders.
"Are we ready?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron, who had both opted for plain white tunics and dark blue breeches.
"We are," replied Harry, handing Hermione her cloak, which she put on and fastened.
"Well then, to the ball," Legolas said with a mischevious air of majesty and splendor. He took Hermione's arm, and the party made its way to the citadel.
As she handed her cloak to a page, Hermione looked around her in awe. The Great Hall of the citadel had been cleaned thoroughly and decorated so beautifully that Hermione thought it was a completely different room that she hadn't seen. She started to descend the elegant silver staircase into the room when Legolas caught her arm, "We need to be formally announced."
"Oh, yeah. I forgot," she smiled, "I'm not used to being 'announced'. She put her arm through Legolas' and smoothed her hair one last time.
The herald beat his staff on the ground three times, "Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, Princess Hermione of the Land Beyond the Sea, Prince Ron of the Land Beyond the Sea, Princess Meridelle of Mirkwood, Prince Harry of the Land Beyond the Sea, and Princess Alanna of Mirkwood."
All the guests came and stood on the sides of the silver carpet that led from the stairs to the dais.
As Hermione desceded to Legolas she whispered, "I feel like Cinderella."
"Who?" he asked, "Is she a maiden from where you come from?"
"Never mind," Hermione answered, "It is a long story."
As they made their way to the dais down the silver carpet, followed by the others, all the guests, even monarchs, bowed and curtsied with looks of awe as they passed by.
As they sat down, Hermione looked at the people around her and she realized most of them weren't people. There were hobbits, elves, dwarves, and many others. After some thought, Hermione decided that the Elven maidens were the loveliest with their gorgeous gowns and stunning looks; and the Elven men were definately the most handsome.
"The best looking of all is sitting right next to me and, not only is he adorable, he is smart, funny, strong... I could go on all day listing his qualities," Hermione thought as she looked lovingly at Legolas.
Then, the meal was served and Hermione turned her attention to the delicious food in front of her.
Alanna remembered little of the evening, it was a blur of dancing, laughing, eating, and mingling with foreign visitors. The splendor awed her: the royal decorators had outdone themselves in completely redecorating the Great Hall, and the visitors had come dressed in their finest, which was dazzling.
The part she remembered most was when Aragorn stood up during the meal and tapped his glass for attention, 'Ahem, honored guests of the evening, you have all gathered today to recognize three special people, Princess Hermione, Prince Ron, and Prince Harry of the Land Beyond the Sea. Without them, the defeat of Sauron would not have happened. I would like to present them with new titles, not only are they royalty from the Land Beyond the Sea, but they are now Princes and a Princess from Gondor."
Aragorn beckoned to a page standing behind him, who brought forward a red velvet box and handed it to Aragorn. He opened it and took out three bright gold rings set with jewels and the symbol of Gondor in the middle. Solemnly, he placed a ring on Harry, Ron, and Hermione's ring fingers of their right hand. "We are proud to have you," he said. Then a cheer went up in the crowd, everyone stood up and clapped for the trio. Hermione blushed furiously, Ron's ears went scarlet, and Harry grinned from ear to ear.
When the cheering died down and Aragorn sat, Hermione stood up and also called for quiet.
"I am afraid that I have some bad news, but, along with the bad comes good. Harry, Ron, and I have decided that we will depart for our home tomorrow afternoon..." There she was interrupted by groans from the people.
"But, we have also decided that after we finish school and spend a few more years with our family and friends, we will come back... for good."
Then another cheer went up and Hermione curtsied and sat back down.
Alanna had started crying when she heard Harry was leaving, but when Hermione finished, she wept with joy. Harry caught her in a crushing embrace,"Do you think I would leave you forever?"
****
Hermione sat down and grasped Legolas' hand, "I'm glad they took that well."
"So am I," he answered, "Besides, I couldn't stand to have you away for more than a few years."
An hour passed with entertainment and dancing, then a elf seated on the other side of Legolas stood up and called for quiet. Alanna hadn't noticed any likeness between the two, but now she saw the resemblance between Legolas and the elf, the strong nose and proud eyes.
"That is your father, isn't it?" she asked, getting a nod in return.
"This is the last time we'll interrupt you," the elf promised, drawing chuckles from the crowd.
"I am King Thranduil of Mirkwood, Father of Prince Legolas of Mirkwood, as many of you know. I have talked with my son long and thought hard about the decision I had to make, but in the end, I think I made the right choice," Thranduil paused, "Legolas approached the Council of the Whispering Trees with a request: that his friends from the Land Beyond the Sea, Princess Hermione, Prince Ron, and Prince Harry, "he bowed, "be granted Elven status and eternal life. The Council debated for a long, long time, and in the end, my vote was the deciding factor. I voted yes. These three have helped us overthrow Sauron for good and, without them, we might have been slaves to the Evil One. For this they deserve Elven status."
Thranduil pulled a golden flask from a pouch on his belt. A page brought forward three gold goblets, encrusted with jewels and engraved with Elven blessings. Thranduil opened the flask and poured an equal amount of the amber liquid into each of the glasses. He handed one each to Hermione, Ron, and Harry, and raised his own goblet aloft, "Eb noe tiwh teh ertse, eb noe tiwh teh trewa, eb noe tiwh teh Lvene erca. ew lcmewmoe oyu." He drained his goblet, Harry, Ron, and Hermione following suit. Afterwards, the best they could describe drinking the special liquid was "a strange tingling sensation, like new, different energy is filling you." Then, they felt themselves growing and their ears changing shape, becoming pointed.
"Kneel," commanded Thranduil. They obeyed, and he tapped them each on the head with his scepter, then bid them to rise. "You are now members of the Elven race, Princess and Princes of the people of Mirkwood."
Thranduil sat, and so did the trio. Hermione felt as if she were in a dream. She felt tears coming to her eyes, and put no effort into trying to hold them back. She wept hot tears of joy onto Legolas' shoulder, feeling his hand on her back, supportin her forever. When she was able to talk she smiled and said, "The perfect end to the perfect night."