A/N hey Liz, I didn't know that you were still reading this story!!!!! You
should have told me!!!! Anyway, d'you want to be in it?????? I could give
you a part!!!! A small part, mind you, and your name won't be in it, but
still!!!! And everyone else, I did tell you that I'd break down!!! My
muses ran out of popcorn, and while they were searching the house for more,
I changed the channel to PBS and confiscated the remote. I told them that
if they wanted any more Disney channel or popcorn they would have to help
me with the next chapter. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!
When I finally reached the jewelry fitters, after several minutes of wandering through similar-looking hallways, I was struck instantly by the....glitter.
It was bleaker, sparser than most rooms in the palace, but the few pieces of jewelry that I saw were more beautiful than any that I had seen on Earth.
A thick silver band as wide as my hand and set with an enormous ruby the size of a pigeon's egg.
A chain of heavy gold links meant to be a belt.
A gorgeous-looking goldish-silverish tiara set with tiny, pearl-sized jewels of every color.
And the most stunning of the many pieces of ornaments was a thin chain made of the same metal as the tiara and hung with a tiny silver pendant set with a deep blue aquamarine pebble.
Valiane stood quickly from where she had been sitting in a spindly chair across from Legolas and his father, and walked to where I was hesitating by the door.
"You've arrived!"
I nodded and smiled weakly.
She took my arm and led me to the remaining chair. I settled on the edge, keeping my back straight nervously.
"Arnem, the rings, please," Thranduil said in his deep voice, gesturing to a servant in back of him.
"Of course, sir," he bowed and came forward to lay a tray full of glittering bands on a table in front of us.
Noting my wide eyes, Thranduil half-smiled and said, "What is your favorite, Lady Aurora?"
I surveyed the rows of gold, silver, bronze, copper, platinum, and some unnamable metal that looked something like a cross between silver and gold. There were gems of every color and shape: ruby, garnet, tiger-eye, tourmaline, beryl, emerald, aquamarine, sapphire, amethyst, diamond, opal and a smoky, deep-looking onyx; all in different shapes. I saw waves, moons, stars, leaves, diamonds, ovals, rectangles, vines, berries -I even saw an odd-looking, apple-shaped ruby on a gold band.
I noticed Legolas gazing at one ring, a thin band of the same, unnamable metal that was both silver and gold. It was set with a vine of glittering emeralds winding sinuously around the entire article. There was even a tiny blossom with petals of aquamarine and a center of a shimmering opal.
"That one." I said firmly, pointing.
To my astonishment, I thought that I could see a tiny tear forming in Thranduil's eye. He blinked, summoned the servant back, and told the request. I was sure that I could see a tiny, glittering tear clinging to his eyelash.
"Mithril, emerald vine, aquamarine and opal blossom. Your wife's ring, sir?" The servant said in surprise. I gasped. Thranduil nodded silently. "If you're sure, sir," he walked away, shaking his head incredulously.
"I hope that that ring will bring you more happiness than it did me. I am sure that you ladies will have some choosing to do to go with the gown. We will leave you to it." Thranduil rose abruptly, beckoning for Legolas to follow him.
"Why did you do that?" Valiane hissed when they had walked out.
"I -I didn't know!" I stuttered.
"Thranduil's wife -Legolas's mother -wore that band at her marriage to the King! When she died, he cast his off as well. I have no idea why either of them were put back here, but your picking that one must have nearly pushed him over the edge. Why did you do that?"
"I liked it anyway, but I noticed Legolas staring at it, and that sealed my decision. How did she die? And what was her name?"
"Her name was "Lady of the Leaves". Her sister's name was Hyalmaë, or "seashell". We saw her today at the dress fitter's. I'm surprised that Thranduil even allows her to live in the palace anymore. She looks so much like his wife. She was beautiful, pale gold hair, bright gray eyes, always with a smile for everyone. When she was captured during the progress around the forest, it put the whole kingdom into darkness."
"How-" I said, but was interrupted.
"I'll only tell you if you promise not to tell." She said, lowering her voice to a whisper. At my nod she continued. "They were on progress. King Thranduil in the height of his prime, her smiling at everyone, full of joy in life, and Legolas, barely past babyhood. He was adorable, always wanting to ride for himself on his little white pony, and then running to his mother for hugs and sweets. His father would pick him up and swing him onto his shoulders. Legolas worshiped them both...and they adored him so much. Everything was perfect for them.
"But, it seems that Eru detests faultlessness.....or, at least that Manwë does. Several weeks into the tour, when they were at the farthest point from our capital city, they were attacked by orcs. The monsters retreated, and Thranduil galloped off in pursuit with most of the guard, leaving the queen, her sister, and Legolas nearly defenseless. It seems that the assault was only a diversion. The main force attacked, killing the remaining guards and throwing Hyalmaë and Legolas from their horses. They took the queen. Hyalmaë pulled Legolas to the side of the path and covered him them both with her cloak that she had gotten from the high-elves of Lothlorien after visiting with her father. The queen had one too, but Thranduil had pleaded her into wearing a more conspicuous one of the royal green, white and gold. She stood out like a sore thumb, but might have been saved by that one piece of fabric. They say that she tried to bolt into the forest, but was captured. They tied her to the back of a warg and ran into the dark trees.
"Thranduil returned to the path. They say that he first looked for his wife, calling her name for several minutes, and then finally glanced around for his son. Thranduil scooped up Legolas and set him on the front of his saddle. He galloped into the trees toward the city. It took him only a week to ride there, a record. His horse barely survived. Hyalmaë was forgotten. A rear guard finally pulled her up and brought her to the city.
"Thranduil tried his hardest to persuade his nobles to grant him funds for a rescue, but it was no use. Weeks went by with no sign of his lovely wife.
"Finally, a messenger arrived. He carried a white flag and a package. He was an orc, of course. Thranduil ripped open the package as soon as he received it. Inside was a ransom note. And something else. The queen's ring, still on her finger. That sent Thranduil into an apoplectic rage. He drew his sword and slew the messenger beneath the white flag. He then dropped the note and ground it into the mud beneath his foot, then stormed to the stable and saddled his horse, and went thundering out of the gates.
"'We have her,' the note said in crude Elvish. 'We have made her our own. If you ever hope to see your queen again, send us the ransom. And soon. Or we will be forced to send more of her to you.' It was signed, 'Arrgenth'.
"Thranduil returned a few weeks later, his sword bloody and his wife's body slung in his arms. Her face was pale, her skirt ripped and bloody, the bodice torn. Her hand was covered in dried blood and the missing finger was prominent. 'She died as I saved her, one of the foul things hunched over her.' he announced, and then allowed the body to be pried from his arms. He didn't come to the funeral. He's hardly spoken to Legolas ever since, blaming him for his lovely wife's death."
A/N awwww! **sniffles** I almost cried just writing that!!! Talk about family troubles. Anyway, I wrote this on a Sunday morning, and I'm supposed to be doing my advanced placement math homework. My dad'll probably kill me, 'cause some people are coming over later, and I need to finish it soooooooooon. Oh well. AND LIZ, I WILL BE A PAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AGE REQUIREMENTS CANNOT STOP MEEEEEEE!!!!!
When I finally reached the jewelry fitters, after several minutes of wandering through similar-looking hallways, I was struck instantly by the....glitter.
It was bleaker, sparser than most rooms in the palace, but the few pieces of jewelry that I saw were more beautiful than any that I had seen on Earth.
A thick silver band as wide as my hand and set with an enormous ruby the size of a pigeon's egg.
A chain of heavy gold links meant to be a belt.
A gorgeous-looking goldish-silverish tiara set with tiny, pearl-sized jewels of every color.
And the most stunning of the many pieces of ornaments was a thin chain made of the same metal as the tiara and hung with a tiny silver pendant set with a deep blue aquamarine pebble.
Valiane stood quickly from where she had been sitting in a spindly chair across from Legolas and his father, and walked to where I was hesitating by the door.
"You've arrived!"
I nodded and smiled weakly.
She took my arm and led me to the remaining chair. I settled on the edge, keeping my back straight nervously.
"Arnem, the rings, please," Thranduil said in his deep voice, gesturing to a servant in back of him.
"Of course, sir," he bowed and came forward to lay a tray full of glittering bands on a table in front of us.
Noting my wide eyes, Thranduil half-smiled and said, "What is your favorite, Lady Aurora?"
I surveyed the rows of gold, silver, bronze, copper, platinum, and some unnamable metal that looked something like a cross between silver and gold. There were gems of every color and shape: ruby, garnet, tiger-eye, tourmaline, beryl, emerald, aquamarine, sapphire, amethyst, diamond, opal and a smoky, deep-looking onyx; all in different shapes. I saw waves, moons, stars, leaves, diamonds, ovals, rectangles, vines, berries -I even saw an odd-looking, apple-shaped ruby on a gold band.
I noticed Legolas gazing at one ring, a thin band of the same, unnamable metal that was both silver and gold. It was set with a vine of glittering emeralds winding sinuously around the entire article. There was even a tiny blossom with petals of aquamarine and a center of a shimmering opal.
"That one." I said firmly, pointing.
To my astonishment, I thought that I could see a tiny tear forming in Thranduil's eye. He blinked, summoned the servant back, and told the request. I was sure that I could see a tiny, glittering tear clinging to his eyelash.
"Mithril, emerald vine, aquamarine and opal blossom. Your wife's ring, sir?" The servant said in surprise. I gasped. Thranduil nodded silently. "If you're sure, sir," he walked away, shaking his head incredulously.
"I hope that that ring will bring you more happiness than it did me. I am sure that you ladies will have some choosing to do to go with the gown. We will leave you to it." Thranduil rose abruptly, beckoning for Legolas to follow him.
"Why did you do that?" Valiane hissed when they had walked out.
"I -I didn't know!" I stuttered.
"Thranduil's wife -Legolas's mother -wore that band at her marriage to the King! When she died, he cast his off as well. I have no idea why either of them were put back here, but your picking that one must have nearly pushed him over the edge. Why did you do that?"
"I liked it anyway, but I noticed Legolas staring at it, and that sealed my decision. How did she die? And what was her name?"
"Her name was "Lady of the Leaves". Her sister's name was Hyalmaë, or "seashell". We saw her today at the dress fitter's. I'm surprised that Thranduil even allows her to live in the palace anymore. She looks so much like his wife. She was beautiful, pale gold hair, bright gray eyes, always with a smile for everyone. When she was captured during the progress around the forest, it put the whole kingdom into darkness."
"How-" I said, but was interrupted.
"I'll only tell you if you promise not to tell." She said, lowering her voice to a whisper. At my nod she continued. "They were on progress. King Thranduil in the height of his prime, her smiling at everyone, full of joy in life, and Legolas, barely past babyhood. He was adorable, always wanting to ride for himself on his little white pony, and then running to his mother for hugs and sweets. His father would pick him up and swing him onto his shoulders. Legolas worshiped them both...and they adored him so much. Everything was perfect for them.
"But, it seems that Eru detests faultlessness.....or, at least that Manwë does. Several weeks into the tour, when they were at the farthest point from our capital city, they were attacked by orcs. The monsters retreated, and Thranduil galloped off in pursuit with most of the guard, leaving the queen, her sister, and Legolas nearly defenseless. It seems that the assault was only a diversion. The main force attacked, killing the remaining guards and throwing Hyalmaë and Legolas from their horses. They took the queen. Hyalmaë pulled Legolas to the side of the path and covered him them both with her cloak that she had gotten from the high-elves of Lothlorien after visiting with her father. The queen had one too, but Thranduil had pleaded her into wearing a more conspicuous one of the royal green, white and gold. She stood out like a sore thumb, but might have been saved by that one piece of fabric. They say that she tried to bolt into the forest, but was captured. They tied her to the back of a warg and ran into the dark trees.
"Thranduil returned to the path. They say that he first looked for his wife, calling her name for several minutes, and then finally glanced around for his son. Thranduil scooped up Legolas and set him on the front of his saddle. He galloped into the trees toward the city. It took him only a week to ride there, a record. His horse barely survived. Hyalmaë was forgotten. A rear guard finally pulled her up and brought her to the city.
"Thranduil tried his hardest to persuade his nobles to grant him funds for a rescue, but it was no use. Weeks went by with no sign of his lovely wife.
"Finally, a messenger arrived. He carried a white flag and a package. He was an orc, of course. Thranduil ripped open the package as soon as he received it. Inside was a ransom note. And something else. The queen's ring, still on her finger. That sent Thranduil into an apoplectic rage. He drew his sword and slew the messenger beneath the white flag. He then dropped the note and ground it into the mud beneath his foot, then stormed to the stable and saddled his horse, and went thundering out of the gates.
"'We have her,' the note said in crude Elvish. 'We have made her our own. If you ever hope to see your queen again, send us the ransom. And soon. Or we will be forced to send more of her to you.' It was signed, 'Arrgenth'.
"Thranduil returned a few weeks later, his sword bloody and his wife's body slung in his arms. Her face was pale, her skirt ripped and bloody, the bodice torn. Her hand was covered in dried blood and the missing finger was prominent. 'She died as I saved her, one of the foul things hunched over her.' he announced, and then allowed the body to be pried from his arms. He didn't come to the funeral. He's hardly spoken to Legolas ever since, blaming him for his lovely wife's death."
A/N awwww! **sniffles** I almost cried just writing that!!! Talk about family troubles. Anyway, I wrote this on a Sunday morning, and I'm supposed to be doing my advanced placement math homework. My dad'll probably kill me, 'cause some people are coming over later, and I need to finish it soooooooooon. Oh well. AND LIZ, I WILL BE A PAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AGE REQUIREMENTS CANNOT STOP MEEEEEEE!!!!!