I stared at the dress in amazement. "Oh my god," I breathed.
Alassé's eyebrows furrowed. "You don't like it?"
"No, no, just the opposite," I replied. All my life I'd wanted to wear a dress like that, ever since I watched my first princess movie. The dress was beautiful. It was blue; not the bright blue of Legolas' eyes, but a light, powder blue, almost white. It had long sleeves with wide, fluted cuffs; it was fitted to the waist, and then had a straight, floaty skirt down to the floor.
"Do you want to try it on?" Alassé asked.
"Do I!" I practically snatched the dress from her.
Alassé helped me into the dress. There was only one downfall - I had to ear a corset. Alassé strapped me into it so tight I thought she'd probably just moved me down two dress sizes.
"Is it necessary that it has to be this tight?" I wheezed.
"Believe me, I'm, going easy on you," Alassé smiled dryly.
When she had finally strapped me in I felt like I was wearing a straightjacket. Alassé looked out of the window at the sundial and announced there was half an hour before we needed to be at dinner. She got out some powder and dabbed my face with it, then swished my hair up and held it in place with a clip. A few strands fell into my eyes. I blew them away.
"Do you want to see yourself in the mirror now?" Alassé asked me.
"OK," I agreed uncertainly, but when I stepped in front of the mirror I gasped. The person looking out was definitely not me. She maybe wasn't movie-star good looks, or elvish good looks, or any good looks at all, but she sure looked a lot better than I usually did.
And believe me, I may not have looked as good as a princess, but I sure felt like one.
Alassé looked at me critically, then picked up a small box and handed it to me. I opened it. Inside was a beautiful silver necklace with a tiny amber gem set in it.
"I want you to have this as a welcome present. The stone matches your hair," Alassé remarked.
I felt speechless. "I don't know what to say...thank you," I said gratefully. I took the necklace from its box and fastened it around my neck.
Alassé met my eyes. "Welcome to Mirkwood, Einëssa Moondance."
Alassé's eyebrows furrowed. "You don't like it?"
"No, no, just the opposite," I replied. All my life I'd wanted to wear a dress like that, ever since I watched my first princess movie. The dress was beautiful. It was blue; not the bright blue of Legolas' eyes, but a light, powder blue, almost white. It had long sleeves with wide, fluted cuffs; it was fitted to the waist, and then had a straight, floaty skirt down to the floor.
"Do you want to try it on?" Alassé asked.
"Do I!" I practically snatched the dress from her.
Alassé helped me into the dress. There was only one downfall - I had to ear a corset. Alassé strapped me into it so tight I thought she'd probably just moved me down two dress sizes.
"Is it necessary that it has to be this tight?" I wheezed.
"Believe me, I'm, going easy on you," Alassé smiled dryly.
When she had finally strapped me in I felt like I was wearing a straightjacket. Alassé looked out of the window at the sundial and announced there was half an hour before we needed to be at dinner. She got out some powder and dabbed my face with it, then swished my hair up and held it in place with a clip. A few strands fell into my eyes. I blew them away.
"Do you want to see yourself in the mirror now?" Alassé asked me.
"OK," I agreed uncertainly, but when I stepped in front of the mirror I gasped. The person looking out was definitely not me. She maybe wasn't movie-star good looks, or elvish good looks, or any good looks at all, but she sure looked a lot better than I usually did.
And believe me, I may not have looked as good as a princess, but I sure felt like one.
Alassé looked at me critically, then picked up a small box and handed it to me. I opened it. Inside was a beautiful silver necklace with a tiny amber gem set in it.
"I want you to have this as a welcome present. The stone matches your hair," Alassé remarked.
I felt speechless. "I don't know what to say...thank you," I said gratefully. I took the necklace from its box and fastened it around my neck.
Alassé met my eyes. "Welcome to Mirkwood, Einëssa Moondance."