Outside the Family Wing, the Palace was chaos. Servants and maids were everywhere carrying all sorts of things back and forth, nearly running into each other. It seemed that every elf in the Palace was making sure that everything was ready and perfect for the celebration that would take place that night.
She followed Lossenel through the Palace, the Princess of Mirkwood moving with incredible ease trough the long labyrinth of corridors, the number of servants and maids not seeming to surprise her in the slightest. Lossenel had been showing her around the majestic building, taking her to different places in a failed attempt for the Palace not to seem so strange for Elerrina. She appreciated the effort, enjoying immensely the large halls, each one more grand and beautiful than the one before, but she knew she would not be able to remember how to get anywhere.
"Is it always this hectic?" She asked the Princess as they made their way through a long corridor in one of the most public areas of the Mirkwood Palace. Lossenel let out a musical laugh in return, her face turning to look at her as she walked, her smile a sight that could bright up even the darkest of days.
"Only in days like today." Her voice sounded as if it was the most common thing in Arda, making Elerrina want to laugh in return.
As they rounded another corner into the Main Hall, the number of servants seemed to double. Three massive pairs of delicately carved doors to the left of the Hall were being open in that exact moment, all of them seeming to lead into the same room. The sight caught her attention immediately, making her stop in awe. From what she could see, the room inside looked endless, and she immediately knew that this had to be the largest room in the entire Palace.
"Those are the King's Halls" She heard Lossenel say softly next to her, easily reading her thoughts. "There is where the winters solstice feast will take place tonight. These halls usually remain closed and are only opened for special events."
Of course those halls would only be opened for special events. The size of the halls seemed ridiculous, and she could hardly imagine an event that would require that amount of space. However, her thoughts were quickly cut short as a very familiar voice echoed through the Main Hall.
"Lossie, Almarëa!" She turned her head at the mention of her name, a smile already on her lips at the sight of her brother quickly making his way towards them through the crowd of elves.
"Legolas!" She exclaimed as the Prince's arms wrapped around her middle, lifting her slightly as he greeted her. He then repeated the same action with Lossenel, spinning her around for a while as the Princess demanded to be put back down.
The simple sight of her brother suddenly made the active Palace feel more like home. She had not seen him in nearly a day, and already she had missed him.
"Where have you been?" She asked as Legolas' infinite blue eyes turned to look in her direction, so warm and bright, like endless clear skies.
"Down on the training grounds with Tadion and Elrohir. Elladan is also there in case you where wondering." His eyes narrowed slightly, mocking her as his smile only widened. Then he turned to look at Lossenel.
"He said to tell you that Arahaelon is looking for you, in case that I see you." Lossenel let out another laugh, the sound echoing through the hall like silver bells ringing in the gentle wind.
"He is unbelievable. I had almost forgotten what it was like to have the twins around." The snowy Princess shook her head slightly as she spoke, and Elerrina could not help but smile.
"What did you do to him, Lossie?" Legolas let out a chuckle, making a light laugh escape Elerrina's lips, already understanding that Elladan was simply making fun the gorgeous Princess. She could perfectly imagines his silver eyes gleaming with mischief and mockery as he gave Legolas the message.
"I told him that Elrohir was looking for him to dismiss him from Almarëa's chambers." Was Lossenel's simple answer, producing only another chorus of musical laughter from the youngest Prince of Mirkwood.
"Well, Arahaelon is really looking for you, Lossie. That makes Elladan's excuse to dismiss you a valid one, even though he does not know it. He guessed right."
"Do you know where Arahaelon is?" The Princess' smile suddenly lessened, her iced green-blue eyes turning serious as she questioned her youngest brother.
"He was in his chambers a couple of minutes ago. I believe he is still there." Legolas' voice was soft, his eyes as serious as his sister's and she had the feeling that there was a hidden message in the short exchange of stares. Lossenel nodded her head in reply before turning to meet Elerrina's forest green eyes.
"If you excuse me, Almarëa, I have to go."
She nodded her head in understanding, watching in slight puzzlement as Lossenel quickly turned and walked away at a fast pace. She remained there for a while, her eyes lost in the spot in which the Princess of Mirkood had vanished around a corner.
"How have you been?" Legolas' gentle voice brought her out of her trance, and she turned around to face a large pair of infinite blue eyes looking directly at her.
"I am alright." She offered him a smile and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"Well, now that Lossie effectively got rid of Elladan for a while, do I get you all to myself?" She laughed in response, allowing her brother to guide her though the Palace.
"You called me Almarëa." She pointed out. She had never heard Legolas call her that name before, but now that she came to think about it, he had never really called her Elerrina either. He simply did not use her name whenever he addressed her.
"Yes. Would you rather me not call you that way?" He sounded hesitant, slightly confused at her statement.
"No, no." She quickly added, smiling at his puzzled infinite blue eyes. "It is simply that I had never heard you call me that way."
He smiled at her in return as they made their way up the large main staircase of the Palace.
"I have always thought about you that way, only that I did not know if you would choose to go by Elerrina as that is the name that you grew up with."
"That seems so far away now."
"You know, I used to call you Rëa. We all did." The sound of the shortened name leaving her brother's mouth made a smile appear on her face. She wished she could remember anything of her first year of life, but she simply could not.
"I am sure everyone still thinks about you that way, but it is hard because you are no longer the little baby you were the last time we saw you, and I believe they are all slightly scared because none of them really know you and we all know you do not remember. Tadion referred to you as Rëa earlier today, but I do not think he has the courage to call you that yet."
She laughed lightly, enjoying immensely the presence of her brother next to her. He made her feel comfortable, as if she could share anything with him. Legolas was the only one of her siblings that really felt like a brother to her, but then again, he was the one she had known for the longest time.
"I cannot possibly believe that there is a thing Tadion would not have the courage to say."
That made Legolas laugh as they rounded yet another corner. They were heading back to the Family Wing, she could tell, the number of servants and maids diminishing as they walked.
"Well you will have to believe it. I am dying to see how he will handle talking to you tonight. You know, he thinks he said something to upset you yesterday."
"He did not say anything to upset me." She quickly added, still surprised that Tadion would think such a thing.
"I know. I told him, but he would not let it go. You should tell him yourself tonight." Legolas' voice was soft as he spoke and she made a mental note to remember that she needed to apologize to Tadion.
The halls were quiet as they reached the private area of the Palace, and she immediately felt more at ease, the hectic chaos of maids and servants disappearing from her mind.
"Where are we going?" She asked Legolas as she noticed him take a different route than the one she knew that led to her chambers.
"First, we are going to deliver these to Ada's chambers. Then we can do whatever it pleases you. We still have a couple of hours before the feast." He said as he showed her a small pair of finely wrapped presents he had been carrying the whole time. He lifted one of them to his ear, shaking it lightly "I wonder what is inside. He always gets presents early."
Now it was her turn to laugh at Legolas behaving like a curious elfling.
"Stop being so curious. They are not for you." He laughed in return, putting his hand back down.
Her thoughts were distracted from the gifts as Legolas suddenly stopped before a large pair of finely crafted doors. She had seen these doors before, and had known that they led to the King's chambers, although she had never been inside. She had wondered at what was at the other side of the doors, and had known that the King would let her in if she asked, but she had never dared to do so.
Legolas opened the door without a second thought, completely comfortable in this space that felt so strange and out of limits to her. She followed him inside, choosing to stay close to him, although she really did not know why.
Inside, the chamber was large; probably the largest she had seen. Everything about it was so elegant that her eyes seemed to jump from left to right, wanting to look at everything at the same time. The first thing she noticed was that the chambers were empty, which somehow made her relax a little.
Frail columns stretched all the way to the ceiling, opening up in a delicate canopy of golden branches that resembled the leaves of the trees. Many windows framed the room extending all the way to the marble floor, adorned by heavy wine red curtains embroidered in golden thread, and allowing the clear light of day to brightly wash over the space.
There seemed to be many chambers in one. There was an antechamber at first, furnished by comfortable seats as well as a fine round wooden table. From there, the room opened into the ample space holding the bedchamber. An overly large bed rested in the middle of the room its fine silk covers in the same wine red shade as the curtains. One wall was covered in books of all colors and sizes, and she could see a large balcony on the other end, even though she was not sure if it should be counted as only one balcony because of its size.
Legolas easily crossed trough the room, heading towards a gorgeous wooden table placed in one corner. She followed him slowly, her eyes carefully studying the grand room. There seemed to be a third chamber ahead, which she assumed was the bathing room. She stopped by a beautifully carved dresser placed in the room as she absently saw Legolas putting the gifts down next to some others on the table.
Many pieces of jewelry lay over the dresser, however it was only one piece that caught her attention. A beautiful pin rested atop the dresser, the kind that was used to secure cloaks with. It seemed so delicate, so perfectly made that it seemed surreal.
She carefully took the pin in her hands, her eyes studying every detail. A single large emerald rested at the center of a pin, from which delicate silver pieces seemed to curl out, like branches, all of them intertwining with each other around the central stone, reminding her of the magnificent gate that surrounded the realm. Each once of the silver branches ended in a tiny pearl, their beautiful color contrasting stunningly against the dark emerald.
"It is beautiful, is it not?" She turned to face Legolas, who was now standing directly behind her, a smile on his face.
"Yes." She said simply, nodding her head as her eyes fell once again on the stunning piece of jewelry. She did not know what but something about it seemed to catch her attention, and she could not understand why.
"It has always been my favorite." He continued. "Ada never wears it because it is missing a pearl. You see?"
He pointed to one of the branches and she immediately noticed that it was different than the others: the tiny pearl was missing from its end, leaving only the circular void from where it used to be. She stared at the void for a moment, suddenly unable to take her eyes from it, as if she had finally understood what had caught her attention in the first place.
"Sidhel has offered many times to replace the missing pearl, but he does not let her. He says that it is not necessary because he has other pins he can use. It is a shame because this one is simply so beautiful to not be used."
"Yes." She said again, her eyes still focused on the missing pearl. She looked at all the other pearls, softly tracing her finger over them, all of them a size and shape she had seen before.
"Do you think he would mind if I take it for a moment?" His brow furrowed in confusion at her question, infinite blue eyes not seeming to understand why she would ask that.
"I am sure he would not mind." He said, his eyes studying her in puzzlement. "He would not mind you taking anything from here."
"Thank you." She said at last, turning around and placing a quick kiss on her brother's cheek before striding out of the room, leaving a very confused Legolas behind her.
She quickly walked to her own chambers, her feet finally seeming to remember the route without her having to think where she was going. A couple of maids walked past her, bowing their heads with a low "Your Highness" but she barely noticed them, her thoughts still focused on the pin held securely in her palm.
She reached her chambers without trouble, closing the door behind her as she entered. She did not waste time in looking around her chambers, as her feet automatically guided her towards the fine vanity placed against a wall. Various silver jewelry boxes rested over the polished wood surface, containing many different necklaces, bracelets and hairpieces, none of which she had ever used. They had been there upon her arrival at the palace, as well as a number of dresses ready for her to use.
Carefully, she set the pin on the wooden surface, her hands travelling to one of the silver boxes that she knew contained only two items inside. There, over the fine velvet that covered the interiors of the box rested the beautiful pin that Elladan had gifted her, and next to it, a thin silver chain from which hung a single tiny pearl.
She carefully lifted the simple necklace, the only piece of jewelry that she had owned while growing up in the small village of men. She studied the thin chain and the pearl carefully, as if she was seeing them for the first time. She remembered the ring, Vilya, hanging from that same chain around her neck not too long ago, nearly outshining the tiny pearl. This necklace had been the only item that had been saved after the brutal massacre that had destroyed the village; the only thing that reminded her of Naeraviel, her adoptive mother.
"Elerrina, come down! Breakfast is ready!" Her mother's voice echoed through the small house as Elerrina's little hands reluctantly pulled away the covers of her small bed. With her long golden hair hiding her pointed ears and her plain white cotton nightgown she could easily pass for a four-year-old human child.
Her bare tiny feet landed on the wooden floor with a deaf sound as she climbed out of the bed which was slightly too tall for her. Then, she heard something fall from the bed, making a small sound as it hit the floor and rolled away. She stood there for a moment, her head tilted to the side in surprise and confusion as her large green eyes looked around for the mysterious object.
Then, it caught her eye. A small shiny white ball rolled underneath her bed, coming to a stop in the tiny gap in the wooden floor. As usual, curiosity took the best of her, and without thinking it twice she lowered herself on her hands and knees, a little hand pulling the bed sheet's up as she crawled under the bed.
Her little fingers fell on the strange shiny white ball, taking it in her hand as she crawled out of under the bed and sat on the wooden floor. It was so tiny and weightless, so beautiful and delicate. She had never seen anything of the like. How had this thing gotten to her room?
"Elerrina?" She heard her mother's footsteps coming up the narrow staircase, but she did not stand, all of her attention focused on the shiny treasure upon her little open palm.
"Sweetheart?" Naeraviel said softly as she entered the room, the plain wooden door cracking slightly as it was pushed open. "What do you have there?"
Elerrina pushed herself to stand, her height barely reaching over the woman's knees as she held her hand up for her mother to see the tiny white thing on her palm.
"Mommy, look! I found it under my bed." Naeraviel took the tiny object in her fingers, the shiny white ball looking even smaller in her larger hands. She watched as her mother sat on the edge of the small bed with a smile, and she climbed onto her lap.
"What is it?" Her curious green eyes fixed again on the tiny object in her mother's hand.
"It is a pearl, sweetheart." Her little mouth took the shape of an 'oh' as she finally understood what the tiny shiny thing was. She had never seen a pearl before; such things were not common in her village.
"How did it get here?" Confused large green eyes stared innocently at the woman.
"I do not know." Naeraviel let out a small laugh as she placed the tint pearl back on her Elerrina's small hand. "Here, keep it."
"What should I do with it?"
"You are the one who found it, so that decision is up to you." Naeraviel placed a light kiss on the top of her head as she spoke. The little elfling remained looking at the tiny treasure on her palm, seeming to study it carefully.
"Someone must have lost it." Large green eyes looked up to meet the woman's deep brown ones.
"Yes, perhaps someone lost it."
"They must be missing it, wondering where it is." Innocent green eyes looked sadly at the woman, a tiny finger carefully touching the small white pearl.
"Well, then how about you keep it safe for whoever lost it. He or she will be happy to know that their treasure is in safe hands. And when you find that person, you can give it back." Elerrina's green eyes sparkled at her mother's words, a wide smile appearing on face as she closed her fist around the tiny pearl.
"I can do that."
The memory flashed through her mind as she stared at the little pearl hanging from the thin silver chain. As a child she had believed that this was a treasure she was supposed to keep safe, but as she grew up she had simply realized that it was a lost precious item that belonged to nobody. She had worn it because of its beauty, and because it reminded her of her mother.
She let out a silent breath as her other hand carefully lifted the gorgeous pin from the vanity. Her fingers gently placed the single tiny pearl on the circular void, next to other pearls. It fit perfectly. There was no way of telling which pearl had been the one missing; they were all exactly the same. Someone must have lost it. Indeed, someone had lost it; and she knew exactly who it was.
A small smile appeared on her lips as she took her tiny pearl in her hand. Winter's solstice celebration would be in short hours, and she had one present to give…
Here is chapter 8! I hope you like it! And please let me know what you think of it!
Again, I want to thank all of you who reviewed my previous chapter! You really make me want to sit down and keep writing! : Martine9295, Elf sister, Coco99, Danda225, Paperlanterns86, jibril, booklover1598, AmazingWriter123, Ceffylgwyn, xX-MissyMoo-Xx, and my guest reviewer.
Love,
Elena