As a young maid with six other sisters, you can imagine what it is to take a bath in the castle... I mean really! We have almost 20 ladies' maids. It's all a little silly if you ask me. But, I digress. This is the tale of my mother and fathers' labor of getting us all married, or happily settled after a fashion... I am Falisa and I am the third to the youngest. My lovely sisters are, from youngest to oldest, Avery, Lilla, me, Tondea, Lanna, D'neo and Josilyn.

The first morning this madness began the seven of us had been summoned to Father's throne room after breakfast- Usually we get summons the night before so it gives us a chance to wake up early and work out a schedule for the bathroom and all that but since he didn't we were all pretty worried. Only something very important would make him summon us on the spot like that.
As we processed to the throne room D'neo couldn't stop worrying about it. "I hope nothing is wrong... it's unusual for him to summon us on the spot like this."
"I know," spoke Avery, "I barely had enough time in the bathroom this morning to wash my hair."
Josilyn, always the calmest said, "I simply don't understand why Father thought seven girls and one bathroom would be expectable, he should have had that changed after Tondea was born."
Before I go too much further perhaps I should explain something. Our father is the lord and leader of our small patch of land called Flwse. It's an island and no one much comes to visit. If Flwse was large enough for a king, my father would be it.
So why then, do you ask, do we have a throne room?
Well... when Mother hired the contractor to build the castle, for some reason, he seemed to think that no castle was complete without one. Father liked it so much, that instead of turning it into Mother's walk-in closet he kept it as his meeting room, a fact that mother is still a little sore about.

We filed calmly into the great room, from oldest to youngest as was costmary and stood before our parents. The room had many floor to ceiling windows that the mid-morning sun streamed though. The pale green curtains had been pulled back and the colors reflected off the polished jade-marble floor. The walls were filled with old paintings that had been made by my grandmother, a hanging story book, the history of the family.

Mother was seated next to Father in the great hall. The sun that streamed into the room giving her an angel's glow. Her eyes danced over us, one by one, their near-black color always intense but loving. Her face was a classic shape and her dark tanned skin bared little to no wrinkles as a sign of age or stress, although she had her share of both. Her long hair twisted and wrapped up in braids atop her head was a crown of fading chestnut brown and the shade of her dress was so pale the blue of it looked white as it whispered about her slender, graceful body.

As I tuned my attention to Father he began to speak, "My gracious daughters, I'm sure you are all wondering..." he continued to speak as I studied him.
His hair that had once been black was now salt and pepper gray. His thunderstorm gray eyes held a glint of age, and his sun kissed face, unlike my mothers', bore the wrinkles of time. His body was sturdy and fit, though only a shadow of what it had been in terms of strength. He dressed in his usual black trousers and white shirt.

"...So your mother and I can find you," his brow furrowed, "all seven of you, a match."

"What?" I nearly yelled the word match having stolen my attention to my father. "You are going to do what?"

He looked at me, "If, dearest daughter, you need it plainly, I plan to get you all married."

Avery stepped forward, petite in all manners except attitude, her amber eyes flaming, "That's impossible," she crossed her small arms before her developing bosom, "I refuse to be matched."

It was at this time Mother sat forward, "Avery," she said soothingly, "what you dear father was really trying to say, is that he just wants you to be happy. We've invited several countries form the mainland to visit with us for a short while, why don't you just wait and see how it turns out. You girls know what you like, you can help each other."

"You mean you would allow us to match make each other?" I asked doubtfully.

"Yes."

"Is that a promise?"

"Yes" Father answered this time, then he stood, "That is all, you are dismissed."

As we filed out of the Great Room, stunned by the abrupt dismissal I mumbled, "They have no idea what they have just done."

Back in our room- yes, the seven of us share one room but it is rather large and we have screens that can be erected for privacy - we all sat around Josilyn's bed and discussed father's proclamation.

Blond haired, green eyed Lilla lye across a pillow in the rugged floor and sighed, "I think it's wonderful. I've always wanted a husband, but all the gentlemen here at court are so dreadfully boring."

Lanna, the third oldest stood and paced, "I don't know. I'm not sure how much I like this. We've never had contact with people outside Flwse, I mean aside from the other islands around us. I'm not sure how the mainlanders-"

Josilyn shook her head, her near black hair gleaming in the light that make her reddish-brown eyes glitter, "Papa would never have invited hooligans, if that's what your worry is of." she used her ink-stained hand to push the hair escaping from her braid behind her ear.

"Hade you been writing again?" Avery demanded of her.

"And if I have?"

Avery giggled unable to keep a stern face, "You never tell us of your pin pals!"

"Why should I?"

"Because," Tondea piped up, "You know, Avery, I bet why she won't tell is because she is writing to a boy!"

Josilyn's cheeks pinked beneath her tanned skin, "That is quite enough. Don't you have lessons to be getting along to?" she said standing from her bed, trying to keep her composure.

"Oh, look." I said sweetly, "She's blushing!"

Josilyn shot me a glare and gathered up her lap-desk and her letters from one of her shelves. "I. Am. Not. Blushing. I am however going to the garden. And if any of you have half the sense of the eggs you eat for breakfast, you will nether bother nor follow me there." And with that she swept out of the room, leaving her giggling younger sisters to speculate.

I had my own learning to do, so I pulled out my lute and headed to my lesson with the horrible Madam Jana.
You don't really understand old until you've met her. She, I swear is a day younger than dirt and is just hard as rocks. She once had me play the same song twenty-seven times. But, I digress.

So I was on my way to my lesson when I spotted a ship in the harbor out the Wall of Windows. The sails were black and silver as it glided on the water. I nearly dropped my lute in surprise. A ship!
My lesson forgotten I ran to my mother's sitting room and burst open the door, "Mother," I breathed, "There is a ship, here."

She chuckled as she lifted her tea cup, "Yes, dear. I know. They are just the first to arrive."

"Where are they from?"

"A place called Gondor."

"From where?" I asked

"Gondor." She repeated for me. "The King and Queen have sent their best, lead by their daughter. Unfortunately their eldest son was tied up in other diplomatic proceedings."

I moved into the room and sat, "But why them?"

She shrugged, "They are willing to investigate relations with us. We could use the support, our economy needs the tourism. Now. Enough of this, they are still a few hours off yet anyway." she glanced at my lute, "Play for me."

I sighed and sat up in the chair, the lute in my hand, I began to strum out an old folk tune. "Ah," my mother sighed and drank her tea, "you are getting very good. you should perform for the dinner tomorrow night."

"Uh, mother, how many are in the party that is to visit?"

"Twenty."

"Are you hoping for a marriage or two?"

She smiled, "I'm hoping for seven. Seven lords for seven ladies."

"Where are they going to sleep?"

"In the west wing. We just had quite a few bathrooms installed there."

"Why can't you install another bathroom in our apartments?"

She shrugged as she stood, walked to the door and opened it, "I wanted to teach you how to share. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to meet Lilla, we're to go on a walk in the gardens."

"Mother!" I called after her but she had swept from the room before I even opened my mouth. Grumbling I stood, I was late for my lesson and I had to play at the dinner tomorrow and there was still only one bathroom, and I thought that was the worst of it all.

Until the next morning.

I woke up last. If there is one thing you don't want to do, it is wake up last. I shuffled to the bathroom half sleep.

Avery smiled at me as she walked past me brushing her long black hair, "Woke up late did ya?"

I glared at her, "What does it look like to you?"

"My, my, aren't we irritable this morning?"

Ignoring her I walked into the room and shut the door. Outside, I could hear the bedroom was abuzz with activity as my sisters prepared for the morning. Breakfast is always promptly at nine thirty, and sleeping in 'till nine… it was just not going to happen.

By the time our ladies' maid, Annuil brought fresh bath water, and I bathed and did my hair it was nearly an hour later. I put on my new dress, blue with gray trim and headed down to the breakfast hall. As I walked in, the hall was unusually full and busy and everyone stopped to look at me.

I shifted nervously and walked down the carpeted walk way toward the table. Who I could only assume was the princess of Gondor sat at the right of my father and mother.

I approached the dais, where a table had been set up for them to eat breakfast. As I reached it I dropped into a curtsey, "We are honored, your highness, that you have come to visit," I said, "Please excuse my tardiness."
A bubbly peal of laughter floated down to me as I rose, "Don't worry. I understand; we have our own problems at the palace with my sisters and bathrooms."

My mother laughed softly at the Princess' statement, "This is Falisa, she is our fifth child."

I looked back to the princess as she spoke, "I am pleased to meet you Falisa of Flwse. I am Elween Serenestar of Gondor, grandchild of Aragorn son of Arathorn and Arwen Evenstar."

A/N: Hello there! I started this fic on the LOTR Plaza, but I got out of the habit of posting it, and fell out of the Plaza all together but I just had so much fun writing it I decided to continue. Update day: May 20. Read and Review please and thanks!

S&S