Chapter 18 - A Party For Anna
A Mirkwood soldier meandered through the forest. He was young, and new to the guard. As he patrolled through the woods, he heard a peculiar noise. Ducking behind a nearby tree, he saw from afar through the trees, a horsed Elf. He wore strange clothing, and the soldier figured him to be an outsider. His orders were to treat outsiders cautiously, as rumors of an orc army from the Grey Mountains had reached the King.
The horsed figure pointed an arrow around, and the soldier held his breath. But a strange noise was heard behind this outsider, and it soon came into view. Long lines of orc. Hundreds of them, stretching far back and wide. The soldier panicked. His first thought was to run back to the palace and warn the other soldiers. Not a very smart idea, since the nearest post was at least an hour away from his present location, and he had no horse. But the soldier was young and afraid. He bolted.
Amarthel noticed the movement and released his arrow before even registering his target, sending it straight into the soldier's back. He fell to the forest floor, dead. Amarthel smiled as he rode up to him.
"Close one. He could have ruined me." He whispered to himself, and motioned for the army to walk slowly and quietly behind him.
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Nearly all day, Calenmir took Anna out walking in the village. He bought her a pair of green jewel earrings which she said reminded her of his eyes, and a brown knit scarf. They had a dinner date with their daughters and their new sons, so the sun was setting when they started back to the palace.
Fingers entwined, perpetual smiles on both their faces, they looked like a couple newly in love.
"Calenmir, I'm happy." Anna stated, as they walked into the palace.
"As am I." He replied.
"It wouldn't even bother me that much if we didn't have a ceremony at all... But, we are, of course." She added confidently.
"I suppose. But it won't be a monumental event, since we are already married, right? It will just be a formality." He said, rolling his eyes like she had to twist his arm for him to agree to marry her.
"I can't believe we put our wedding off so long. We've been together for years." She said as they walked down the hallway toward Jocelyn's room.
"Yes, but we have not been together all those years. It does not matter how long it has been put off. Only that it will occur eventually. But I think we should wait for our daughters to adjust first. Let them have their time, and then they can share in ours." Calenmir suggested, and Anna agreed.
They stopped in front of Jocelyn and Legolas's door, and Calenmir knocked. His breath was held, and thankfully Anna only noticed it a half a second before Jocelyn swung the door open, and did not have time to question him on it.
"Surprise." Jocelyn whispered, and took her mother's hand. Anna looked confusedly into her daughter's smiling face before looking over her shoulder and into the room. She was led inside, and fully took in the decorations.
Crepe paper hung in droops from the chandelier in spider legs to all edges and corners of the ceiling. In spirals down the bedposts, and in X's on the balcony doors. A two layer cake with white frosting and red decorative roses sat on the table, in the middle of dinner, with two presents just in front of it.
Anna got close enough to the cake so she could read what was written in frosting on the top. Since Leyna wasn't sure what they were celebrating, they told the cooks to just write 'Anna'. And so they did.
"What is all this for?" Anna breathed amazedly, a hand over her heart as she spun around again, looking at everything. Leyna, Tyron, Legolas, and now Calenmir stood on the other side of the table, all with smiles, watching her reaction.
"It's for you." Jocelyn replied, and Anna turned to her, with tears in her eyes. Then she looked at the others, standing silently, and she knew they were all in on it.
"Oh..." Was all she could whisper. She was at a loss for words. For them to go through all that trouble. And just when she was so worried they'd forget her. She hugged Jocelyn tightly before Leyna came, and Tyron, and Legolas, and Calenmir. Between sobs, she managed, "I have...such a...wonderful family. I love you all."
Anna was mostly silent through dinner. Though a smile never left her face. And she watched everyone intently as they talked amongst themselves. Leyna chattered about her new house, and what she'd do with the yard and the decorating. They had a good laugh at Tyron, whose aghast face at Leyna's redecoration plans said it all.
And Leyna remembered to tell Calenmir that next time he and Anna visited, they'd have to bring some of her things, since she didn't have much of her own things. And until they returned, she'd buy some or borrow some of Jocelyn's. Which set off a conversation between the twins about clothes and sizes and what she could borrow.
When it came time for dessert, Anna was sad to cut the cake. It was so beautiful just sitting there, she said. But the others thought it just looked tasty. So she cut the first slice, and the family made her keep it for herself, and Tyron cut the rest and served it. They barely made a dent in it. More than half was left. But no one bothered right then, to wonder what they'd do with it. They were too preoccupied with gifts.
Jocelyn and Leyna were itching to see their mother open their gifts. Anna chose the small one first.
"It's from Tyron and I." Leyna said excitedly. She sat kiddy corner from Anna, and Tyron sat next to her, across from Anna. When she lifted the top off, she gasped, just as Jocelyn had. She brought it from the box and showed Calenmir, who raised his brow at his daughter and Tyron, thinking how much it must've cost.
"Oh it's beautiful!" She breathed as she slid it on her wrist. "Thank you. Really, you guys this is too much!" She exclaimed, and stood as Leyna and Tyron came around the table for hugs and kisses.
"From Legolas and I." Jocelyn said, handing her mother the beautiful dark blue silk wrapped object. Anna took it into her hands and gently tugged on the knot. The slippery material practically unknotted itself. She pushed the scarf from the case and looked at the stationary. Running a finger along the shaft of the quill pen, down to the bottle of ink, a heavy tear plopped onto the paper.
She lifted her head as her chin trembled, and looked at Legolas and Jocelyn. Legolas's arm held around his wife's shoulders, as they watched her reaction with pride, happiness, and sadness all mixed together. No one could tell if she actually spoke, but she mouthed the words 'thank you' as another tear rolled down her cheek.
Anna laughed as Jocelyn wiped away her own tears, and looked to Leyna to see her other daughter's eyes watery as well. Jocelyn hugged Anna tightly, as did Legolas. She whispered thank you's and I love you's to them both, and sat down to admire the stationary once again.
"Now you have no excuse not to write." Jocelyn said accusingly, wagging a finger at her mother. Anna rolled her eyes.
"Like I'd have use for that excuse anyway." Anna said, and everyone present knew she was right. She'd not need an excuse as to why she didn't write...because she always would.
They talked for hours. Sometimes all of them were talking at once, all to different people, and sometimes just one would talk, and the others would listen and nod their heads. Until finally it got late enough, they started the... "Well, I suppose..." and they all got up and started for the door to say their goodbyes, still talking.
Anna hugged Legolas and thanked him for everything, then hugged her daughter tight and long. She whispered in her ear.
"I love you baby. Thank you." And with a smile, they went in the hall to wait for Leyna and Tyron to say goodnight. Jocelyn thanked them for helping and gave her sister a kiss. When they'd all left, Legolas and his wife leaned their backs up against the closed door and observed the mess they'd been left with. They sighed, looked at each other, and got to work.
The rest of the family walked together to Anna and Calenmir's room. Calenmir said goodnight to Tyron in the same manner as he had to Legolas, a hand on his shoulder and a nod, and hugged his other daughter, thanking her for helping with the party, and that she didn't know what it had meant to Anna, and him. Anna hugged them both.
"No matter how far apart we are, you will always be with me. And even though you might not know me as well as Jocelyn, I sure love you like you did." Leyna said in her hair as she embraced her mother.
"Oh Leyna, I know that. And just because I've known Jocelyn longer doesn't mean I love her more. I've loved you both just the same since the day you were born." She said back before releasing her, then retired for the night.
Leyna and Tyron exchanged exhausted yet content looks, and with their arms around each other, walked under the beautiful night sky to their own house.
Anna, with a dreamy look in her eye, placed her stationary on the vanity and traced the quill with her finger. Smiling, she took one last look at her bracelet before putting it away, and changing for bed. When she came out of the washroom, Calenmir was standing in front of her. He suddenly stepped close to her and took her tightly in his arms, kissing her. Just as suddenly, he released her, but kept a hand on her cheek for a moment before stepping away. Anna smiled and looked strangely at him. They went to opposite sides of the bed and pulled the covers back.
"Do you feel better now?" Calenmir asked as they climbed under the blankets and scooted closer to each other.
"Yes, much. I have got just the best family ever." Anna said enthusiastically, as she lay her head on Calenmir's chest. Listening to his steady breathing, and his strong heartbeat, she was lulled quickly to sleep.
Thus ended the party for Anna. And none knew what an impact it had on her. For such a small woman, she sure was capable of a lot of powerful emotions. And right then, they were all spectacularly, mind numbingly complete and blissful.
Corny...everything's so perfect. I can't wait to mess their lives up. Muahahhaha! Just kidding. I'm not that sadistic. I'll feel bad when I mess up their lives. : ) Which, by the way, will be very soon. Amarthel is SO close it's ridiculous. Ah I'm so excited!
Anyway, it's official. I have one more review than I had for What's My Name Again?. I love it. Great job on the reviews, guys. You rock my world!
Ms. Unknown - Thanks, great to hear from new reviewers.
Nessa Inwe, Laer4572, LittleCrazy1, elvenprincess3212003(even though you just reviewed to talk about your two The One Rings, which is a complete oxymoron if I ever heard one)
KT - Lol I'm glad my response made you laugh...and your review made ME laugh! I can't believe you actually sat down and did five and a half hours of homework. I usually give up around two. So how did you like her party? Lol and I loved your little play at the end...
Artria - I had to make the surprise work out right. It just had to fit in with my 'everything is beautiful their lives are perfect' over exaggeration at the moment. Because very soon im gonna smash their perfect little lives! Muahhahah! Ahem...
Lol I saw The Forgotten a while ago with some of my friends...it wasn't 'scary', but it made you jump a LOT, and my friend totally cut off the circulation to my arm she was squeezing me so hard.
TPfan333 - Aww thanks for that sweet review. It really did make me feel good. Kisses!
GinnyPotter4eva - Lol teeth pulled, hey? That's not cool. I know I'm gonna have to get my wisdom teeth pulled when they come in because it'll mess up my $3,000 dollar smile. (I had braces.)
-Austin B.