*A/N*: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of the names or characters
used in Tolkien's wonderful stories (though none have been used...yet), but
Calathi and all other characters are copyright 2002 Meghan.
***Legolas is coming soon! (
Chapter Four
Calathi gazed at herself in the mirror and gasped. She was beautiful. Sure, she had worn dresses before, when the time called for it, but they were simple, dull colors, and they had only extended to her ankles, or perhaps the floor. Now, however, she was wearing a spectacular, flowing silk gown, made a deep blue-green fabric that emphasized her pretty eyes. It even had a train that extended beyond her feet, though she would have to be sure to hold it up during her journey to keep it free of dirt.
Nora, Calathi's servant that was to accompany her on the trip, draped a heavy cloak over her shoulders. "There you are, my lady."
Calathi turned to her. "Please, Nora, call me Calathi. For as long as you remain with me, you will be my friend before my servant. I only wish that you could consider me your friend as well."
"Thank you, my lady…err…Calathi. That would be wonderful." Nora's hazel eyes were full of respect and admiration she smiled at her newly found friend. "Shall we proceed outside then?"
"Yes, I'll have to do it sooner or later," Calathi said dryly. The two elves walked outside.
* * * *
A squadron of the royal guard had been summoned to escort Calathi and Nora to the palace, and they stood next to their horses. One of them stepped forward when he saw Calathi, and bowed deeply. "My lady, I am Telmonarisma, leader of this squadron, but you, of course, may call me Telmon." He approached her, kissing her hand gently. "It is an honor to escort one whose beauty outshines even the sun."
Calathi curtsied, something she had only recently learned from Nora. She was surprised to see that she did not falter, and she was very glad of it. "Thank you, my lord, you are too kind." She smiled politely, and Telmon fell back into his position ahead of the other warriors in the squadron.
Calathi turned to Remelith and was shocked to see that she was weeping. "Goodbye." They hugged each other, Calathi's tears joining those of her mother. "I shall miss you."
"I will miss you too," Remelith agreed. "You shall see, daughter. Being a lady is not so bad. You will grow to enjoy your life, trust me."
Calathi could only nod as she composed herself, wiping her face with her hands. Then she turned to her father.
Demeron looked at his beloved daughter and saw the pain in her eyes. His heart turned to ice, and he realized how much he had hurt her by separating her from what she loved most. As she hugged him, he whispered, "Lovely one, forgive me. I wish it could be different, but it is not meant to be." He thought of changing his mind, but a picture of Calathi lying on a battlefield, beaten and broken, and knew that he could not bear to think of her fighting as a warrior. This really was best.
Calathi pulled away and, with help from Telmon, mounted her sleek mare, which was very hard to do in a gown. She was forced to sit sidesaddle, and she wished that she could at least carry a sword, for she knew that the dangers of the forest of Mirkwood were great. Her things loaded onto a separate horse, and Nora at her side on her own black steed, she waved goodbye, and the company trotted off into the woods.
***Legolas is coming soon! (
Chapter Four
Calathi gazed at herself in the mirror and gasped. She was beautiful. Sure, she had worn dresses before, when the time called for it, but they were simple, dull colors, and they had only extended to her ankles, or perhaps the floor. Now, however, she was wearing a spectacular, flowing silk gown, made a deep blue-green fabric that emphasized her pretty eyes. It even had a train that extended beyond her feet, though she would have to be sure to hold it up during her journey to keep it free of dirt.
Nora, Calathi's servant that was to accompany her on the trip, draped a heavy cloak over her shoulders. "There you are, my lady."
Calathi turned to her. "Please, Nora, call me Calathi. For as long as you remain with me, you will be my friend before my servant. I only wish that you could consider me your friend as well."
"Thank you, my lady…err…Calathi. That would be wonderful." Nora's hazel eyes were full of respect and admiration she smiled at her newly found friend. "Shall we proceed outside then?"
"Yes, I'll have to do it sooner or later," Calathi said dryly. The two elves walked outside.
* * * *
A squadron of the royal guard had been summoned to escort Calathi and Nora to the palace, and they stood next to their horses. One of them stepped forward when he saw Calathi, and bowed deeply. "My lady, I am Telmonarisma, leader of this squadron, but you, of course, may call me Telmon." He approached her, kissing her hand gently. "It is an honor to escort one whose beauty outshines even the sun."
Calathi curtsied, something she had only recently learned from Nora. She was surprised to see that she did not falter, and she was very glad of it. "Thank you, my lord, you are too kind." She smiled politely, and Telmon fell back into his position ahead of the other warriors in the squadron.
Calathi turned to Remelith and was shocked to see that she was weeping. "Goodbye." They hugged each other, Calathi's tears joining those of her mother. "I shall miss you."
"I will miss you too," Remelith agreed. "You shall see, daughter. Being a lady is not so bad. You will grow to enjoy your life, trust me."
Calathi could only nod as she composed herself, wiping her face with her hands. Then she turned to her father.
Demeron looked at his beloved daughter and saw the pain in her eyes. His heart turned to ice, and he realized how much he had hurt her by separating her from what she loved most. As she hugged him, he whispered, "Lovely one, forgive me. I wish it could be different, but it is not meant to be." He thought of changing his mind, but a picture of Calathi lying on a battlefield, beaten and broken, and knew that he could not bear to think of her fighting as a warrior. This really was best.
Calathi pulled away and, with help from Telmon, mounted her sleek mare, which was very hard to do in a gown. She was forced to sit sidesaddle, and she wished that she could at least carry a sword, for she knew that the dangers of the forest of Mirkwood were great. Her things loaded onto a separate horse, and Nora at her side on her own black steed, she waved goodbye, and the company trotted off into the woods.