Chapter 2
A/N I wasn't sure what to name her so I just picked a name from an Elvish dictionary. Lazy, I know. Perhaps someone else has named a character this. I don't know ,but if I have, I apologize.
Elenya, the tailor's daughter, returned home with her father after the sun had already set. Today they had done a fitting with the Prince and his friend the captain. Everything had to be perfect, and Elenya had stayed behind late at the palace embroidering on the Prince's trousers for his birthday celebration.
They lived very near the palace since her father was the head tailor for the royal family. He had designed the clothes for the Prince himself. Elenya had spent the past ten years carefully embroidering the green leaves for the Prince's jacket. She was her father's apprentice and she hoped to one day be allowed to design clothes for the royal family from her own ideas.
As they walked in the door together they noticed her mother was sitting with the captain, Feryn, from the day's fitting. When he saw them walk in he stood up and handed her father an envelope.
"This is a request from the King Thranduil to his servant Anethir, head tailor," the captain said.
Anethir opened the envelope and read the letter inside quickly. Elenya and her mother waited patiently. The expression on his face was unreadable, as Anethir was unsure of whether to feel insulted or honored.
"Father, what is it?" asked Elenya, growing impatient.
Anethir collected his thoughts and answered slowly. "It is a request for you to be the Prince's personal server for the birthday dinner next month."
Elenya's mother stood up and grabbed the letter away from her husband to read for herself.
"That is quite an honor," Elenya smiled.
"Elenya, there's something you need to know." Anethir looked over at Feryn and said to him, "Am I right to assume that the old traditions still stand?"
"Yes," Feryn answered. "She would be his personal server, and then his companion for the night as well."
"What does that mean?" Elenya asked.
Her mother interrupted any answer. "She is barely 800 years old, Anethir!"
"That is old enough. There have been Elves chosen that were younger. Though not much younger." He answered.
"Well, how can we say no. It is a tremendous honor either way," she replied.
"What are you talking about?" Elenya asked again.
"I think we should all sit down. Master Feryn, would you like some water or some wine?"
"No thank you sir, I just need a reply."
"Would you sit for a moment then? I think this is a delicate matter and I need to explain to my daughter what our King has asked of her."
Feryn nodded his head and sat in a nearby chair, waiting.
The family sat on their sofa with Elenya between her parents.
"Elenya," her father began. "It is true that you would serve the Prince for the duration of the festivities: serving his food, pouring his wine, and such. But you would also serve him after the festivities, in his bedchamber."
Elenya paused and thought his words through. "I think you should be straightforward with me father because I believe I may be jumping to the wrong conclusion."
"I believe you may be jumping to the right conclusion. You would let him bed you, if he so wished," her mother said.
"Is this normally done?" Elenya asked confused. Elves mate for life."
"May I interrupt?" Feryn interjected. The family nodded. "Elves mate for life normally, yes this is true. But in the case of high royalty: meaning princesses and princes, it is tradition that on their 1,000th birthday they are given the gift of a male or female on the night. It may seem strange but it really is an honor. If you were to conceive, the child, although not an heir, would always be looked after by the Prince monetarily."
"A child?" Elenya asked.
"That part is not required. Princesses are given a contraceptive drink." Feryn explained.
"And if I refuse this honor'" she asked.
"Then you would be banished from Mirkwood," Her father said.
"That's right," Feryn spoke. "You could go wherever you wish. No elven city will deny you except Mirkwood. We will even provide you the means to travel."
"Just one night then?" she asked.
"If the prince only desires you for one night, yes. You would serve until he decided to leave the room. It could be a couple of days, a week, or a month. It all depends on him."
Elenya's forehead was wrinkled in thought. She gazed at the floor and played with the fabric of her dress in frustration.
"Can I have the contraceptive drink?"
"No. The herbs to make it are extremely rare, so they are saved only for royalty."
"Elenya," her mother began, "we will understand if you do not want to do this. Just remember though that it would have no bearing on your marrying in the future. In fact, you would rise in esteem. And if you were to conceive a child then you would be held in even higher esteem."
"For being a whore?"
Her mother sighed and looked away.
"No my daughter, whores are for Men. If the Prince has chosen you then it raises you above all the servants, and merchants, and even some of the noblemen themselves. What I mean to say is, the only one who will ever share the Princes bed in the future would be the future Queen. Do you see what I am saying?"
"So then where is the Elf that was King Thranduil's gift' on his 1,000th birthday?"
"She lives in the palace," answered Feryn. "She is about 4,000 years old and rooms with her husband. Her two children live in the palace also."
"And did she conceive from Thranduil?"
"That is a private matter normally only known to the nobility, but since you are Legolas' chosen one I will reveal to you that she did. She had a boy, he is now a high ranking officer in the King's army."
"I don't want to leave Mirkwood. So then what I have to do is bed him?"
"You would do whatever he asked," Feryn said.
"Do I have to give you an answer today? Could you not at least give me the night to think about it?"
"As you wish," Feryn said. He stood up, bowed and said he would return in the morning as he exited.
Elenya stood from the sofa and walked over to the window and watched Feryn walk the path towards the palace.
"What do you wish me to do, father."
"I think you should go to sleep. It has been a long day. The decision is yours and we will support you either way. But don't think it is such a strange request. This tradition is older than all of us."
Elenya kissed her parents cheek and went to her room. She quickly changed into her sleeping attire all the while thinking over the entire conversation. She lay down on her bed and got comfortable, but sleep eluded her for a long time.
A/N Okay, I wish I had more reviews, but I'll keep writing this regardless until I finish it. I hate reading some stories and the author's never finish them. Or they take months for a new chapter. I'll try not to do that.