AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Well, here it is! This chapter does not have much action but bear with me, because chapter 5 will have much more interesting things happening. I know not much has happened so far, and for those of you who have stuck with me, thank you and I hope you are not disappointed!
Getting Attached:
Just as Kika had finished bathing and was covering herself with a towel, there was a knock at her door. When she opened it, there was a she-elf waiting with a beautiful dress.
"Are you Lady Kikania, madam?" Kika, unaccustomed to being addressed as such, managed to nod. "Then I believe this is yours. I was told to make sure that it fit you properly, and to find you another dress if it does not."
"Oh, please, come in, I will not keep you waiting long." The seemingly shy maiden stepped in and smiled.
"Do not rush yourself, my lady. I do not mind waiting; the longer I am assisting you, the longer I can put off much less pleasant work."
"Well in that case, I shall prolong the process." Kika accepted the dress from the other elf. "Are you certain this garb was intended to be sent for me? This finery seems to be to much!" The dress she held before her was pure white, with silver designs stitched around the neckline, sleeves, and bottom. Once she had finally wriggled into the dress, she saw its full splendor. The waist was also embroidered with silver stitching that gathered extra material that went straight down the front of the dress. It fit snugly around the bodice and upper arms, then gracefully widened at the sleeves and from the waist down. The V-neckline had a silver pendant with a beautiful blue stone, seemingly sapphire, fixed at its midpoint. She stared wide-eyed into the glass. "I cannot wear this! I fear I will mar it somehow!" The other elf maiden shook her head in disagreement.
"But my lady! You are dazzling!"
"I should not wear a dress such as this. I am too ordinary for such a garment!" The maid had a very determined expression evident on her face.
"May I speak freely, madam?" After Kika nodded, she continued. "I have brought garments such as this to many guests and residents in Thranduil's home, and none have looked as stunning as you do, even without your hair arranged as of yet. A lesser dress would not do your beauty justice!" when she saw that Kika continued to look at the image in the mirror disapprovingly, she added slyly, " Surely you would not refuse a dress that Prince Legolas himself suggested." Kika raised her eyebrows at her.
"He sent this dress specifically?" The maiden smiled.
"He saw it hanging in the room when he came in to tell me to bring you a dress, and said that it would become you."
Yes, but that was before he has actually seen it on me. Kika let out an exasperated sigh. "Just as well, I shall look just as ungainly in any other dress. Now I must find a way to fix this tangled mess." she said, looking hopelessly at her hair in the mirror.
"I can take care of that if your ladyship does not object," said the maiden. Kika smiled gratefully.
"Thank you, ...Ah..what was your name?"
"Kuline", was her reply. " 'Tis an odd name, I know. My mother named me for my hair," she said, as she removed the bonnet-looking covering that had hidden her hair. Kika now saw that it was a beautiful strawberry blonde. She smiled.
"I see. You were justly named for your most distinguishing feature. Why do you cover it?"
"Because other elves do not think my namesake to be 'elvish' enough. They think that I have men's blood in me" Kika nodded understandingly.
"Yes, my height and eye color incited similar rumors in Lorien before I left." Kuline smiled.
"Well, I doubt that those things will have any bearing tonight! You will be the talk of Mirkwood, my lady." She began to work with Kika's hair, and before long she turned her back around to face the mirror. "Is this pleasing? I can do something else if you would rather - " She was cut off by Kika's exclamation and laughter.
"Is this even my hair? It was always all I could do to wrestle it into a braid! Kuline, you are wonderful!" It was no small wonder that Kika was so surprised, for Kuline's handiwork was indeed something to marvel at. Kika's golden hair flowed down her shoulders with small braids interwoven all throughout, meeting in the middle of the back of her head. The braids gave the effect that a golden net had been lain on top of her blonde locks.
"Thank you so much! I hardly recognize myself, what with all this finery and the way my hair is done!" Kuline smiled.
"You can thank me by allowing me to inform the prince that you are ready, my lady. I am sure he has been waiting quite long enough."
"Please call me Kika; I am uncomfortable with 'my lady'." Kuline nodded, acknowledging her request.
"Shall I go inform the prince that you are dressed?"
"Please do, and thank you once again!", she called as the maid left. Kika stood tentatively by her bed, uncertain as to whether she should wait for Legolas in her room or outside, in the hallway. It has been too long since I have had to employ the etiquette taught to me as a child!, she thought. She was about to go into the hallway when there was a knock at the side door that led into Legolas's room. She hurried to open it and found Legolas dressed in a tunic whose color scheme was quite similar to that of her own dress. He stopped short at the sight of her.
Is this the same maiden I met earlier? , he thought. She seemed to be a totally different person, now that she was cleaned up and dressed properly. She is beautiful! He most likely would have stood staring for quite a while if he had not noticed Kika shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.
"Are you ready for luncheon, Kikania?" he managed to ask. Kika nodded shyly, obviously not used to being treated so lavishly. "I hope you was able to find something to wear easily?" he asked as they walked.
"Oh, yes, a very kind maid brought me this dress." Kika laughed softly, embarrassed. "I did not wish to wear such a beautiful dress at first, but she managed to talk me into it".
So humble for one with such beauty!, he thought. I wonder if it is an act of if she really cannot see her splendor.
"The way I see it, Lady Kikania, a dress is only as beautiful as the one wearing it, and in this case, neither the dress nor the wearer has been cheated." Kika blushed violently at this unexpected compliment. "Here we are," he said as they entered the dining hall. He led her to a seat at a long, now empty, table. As soon as he sat opposite of her, servants rushed out with plates laden with all sorts of wonderful food. Kika choose what she wished to eat, as she saw Legolas doing, then attempted to eat under the steady gaze of the prince. It had been a long time since she had eaten such a large meal and found it difficult to eat very much. Legolas constantly tried to get her to fill her plate again and again, but she repeatedly declined politely as possible.
I should not get used to this, she told herself several times as she ate, for I will soon be on my own again and I will have nobody to bring me dresses and feed me. Do not get attached, Kikania!
Well, here it is! This chapter does not have much action but bear with me, because chapter 5 will have much more interesting things happening. I know not much has happened so far, and for those of you who have stuck with me, thank you and I hope you are not disappointed!
Getting Attached:
Just as Kika had finished bathing and was covering herself with a towel, there was a knock at her door. When she opened it, there was a she-elf waiting with a beautiful dress.
"Are you Lady Kikania, madam?" Kika, unaccustomed to being addressed as such, managed to nod. "Then I believe this is yours. I was told to make sure that it fit you properly, and to find you another dress if it does not."
"Oh, please, come in, I will not keep you waiting long." The seemingly shy maiden stepped in and smiled.
"Do not rush yourself, my lady. I do not mind waiting; the longer I am assisting you, the longer I can put off much less pleasant work."
"Well in that case, I shall prolong the process." Kika accepted the dress from the other elf. "Are you certain this garb was intended to be sent for me? This finery seems to be to much!" The dress she held before her was pure white, with silver designs stitched around the neckline, sleeves, and bottom. Once she had finally wriggled into the dress, she saw its full splendor. The waist was also embroidered with silver stitching that gathered extra material that went straight down the front of the dress. It fit snugly around the bodice and upper arms, then gracefully widened at the sleeves and from the waist down. The V-neckline had a silver pendant with a beautiful blue stone, seemingly sapphire, fixed at its midpoint. She stared wide-eyed into the glass. "I cannot wear this! I fear I will mar it somehow!" The other elf maiden shook her head in disagreement.
"But my lady! You are dazzling!"
"I should not wear a dress such as this. I am too ordinary for such a garment!" The maid had a very determined expression evident on her face.
"May I speak freely, madam?" After Kika nodded, she continued. "I have brought garments such as this to many guests and residents in Thranduil's home, and none have looked as stunning as you do, even without your hair arranged as of yet. A lesser dress would not do your beauty justice!" when she saw that Kika continued to look at the image in the mirror disapprovingly, she added slyly, " Surely you would not refuse a dress that Prince Legolas himself suggested." Kika raised her eyebrows at her.
"He sent this dress specifically?" The maiden smiled.
"He saw it hanging in the room when he came in to tell me to bring you a dress, and said that it would become you."
Yes, but that was before he has actually seen it on me. Kika let out an exasperated sigh. "Just as well, I shall look just as ungainly in any other dress. Now I must find a way to fix this tangled mess." she said, looking hopelessly at her hair in the mirror.
"I can take care of that if your ladyship does not object," said the maiden. Kika smiled gratefully.
"Thank you, ...Ah..what was your name?"
"Kuline", was her reply. " 'Tis an odd name, I know. My mother named me for my hair," she said, as she removed the bonnet-looking covering that had hidden her hair. Kika now saw that it was a beautiful strawberry blonde. She smiled.
"I see. You were justly named for your most distinguishing feature. Why do you cover it?"
"Because other elves do not think my namesake to be 'elvish' enough. They think that I have men's blood in me" Kika nodded understandingly.
"Yes, my height and eye color incited similar rumors in Lorien before I left." Kuline smiled.
"Well, I doubt that those things will have any bearing tonight! You will be the talk of Mirkwood, my lady." She began to work with Kika's hair, and before long she turned her back around to face the mirror. "Is this pleasing? I can do something else if you would rather - " She was cut off by Kika's exclamation and laughter.
"Is this even my hair? It was always all I could do to wrestle it into a braid! Kuline, you are wonderful!" It was no small wonder that Kika was so surprised, for Kuline's handiwork was indeed something to marvel at. Kika's golden hair flowed down her shoulders with small braids interwoven all throughout, meeting in the middle of the back of her head. The braids gave the effect that a golden net had been lain on top of her blonde locks.
"Thank you so much! I hardly recognize myself, what with all this finery and the way my hair is done!" Kuline smiled.
"You can thank me by allowing me to inform the prince that you are ready, my lady. I am sure he has been waiting quite long enough."
"Please call me Kika; I am uncomfortable with 'my lady'." Kuline nodded, acknowledging her request.
"Shall I go inform the prince that you are dressed?"
"Please do, and thank you once again!", she called as the maid left. Kika stood tentatively by her bed, uncertain as to whether she should wait for Legolas in her room or outside, in the hallway. It has been too long since I have had to employ the etiquette taught to me as a child!, she thought. She was about to go into the hallway when there was a knock at the side door that led into Legolas's room. She hurried to open it and found Legolas dressed in a tunic whose color scheme was quite similar to that of her own dress. He stopped short at the sight of her.
Is this the same maiden I met earlier? , he thought. She seemed to be a totally different person, now that she was cleaned up and dressed properly. She is beautiful! He most likely would have stood staring for quite a while if he had not noticed Kika shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.
"Are you ready for luncheon, Kikania?" he managed to ask. Kika nodded shyly, obviously not used to being treated so lavishly. "I hope you was able to find something to wear easily?" he asked as they walked.
"Oh, yes, a very kind maid brought me this dress." Kika laughed softly, embarrassed. "I did not wish to wear such a beautiful dress at first, but she managed to talk me into it".
So humble for one with such beauty!, he thought. I wonder if it is an act of if she really cannot see her splendor.
"The way I see it, Lady Kikania, a dress is only as beautiful as the one wearing it, and in this case, neither the dress nor the wearer has been cheated." Kika blushed violently at this unexpected compliment. "Here we are," he said as they entered the dining hall. He led her to a seat at a long, now empty, table. As soon as he sat opposite of her, servants rushed out with plates laden with all sorts of wonderful food. Kika choose what she wished to eat, as she saw Legolas doing, then attempted to eat under the steady gaze of the prince. It had been a long time since she had eaten such a large meal and found it difficult to eat very much. Legolas constantly tried to get her to fill her plate again and again, but she repeatedly declined politely as possible.
I should not get used to this, she told herself several times as she ate, for I will soon be on my own again and I will have nobody to bring me dresses and feed me. Do not get attached, Kikania!
