Chapter 4

October 19, T.A 2940
Dawn

Thranduil looked to his daughter directing her to stand by him; she moved slowly, shoulders slumped forwards. 'Stand up straight,' the king snapped out, his patience growing thinner with every passing second.

Anariel nodded though she made no move to straighten herself out. King Thranduil suppressed a growl beneath his breath, Valar give him the strength, and patience he would need. Nodding his head to a tall, lithe elleth clutching a stack of parchment to her chest, nodding in return she stalked over readjusting the princess' posture.

'Hands off,' Anariel snapped out tugging away, this elleth she already didn't like.

'This is Eruanna, she is in charge of your Etiquette lessons and everyone you see here who is a servant to you,' Thranduil explained waving a hand to everyone present.

'My lady,' Eruanna curtsied to her princess, wholly unprepared for everything to come.

Anariel quirked an eyebrow as she glanced around at everyone here, questioning how anyone could possibly need so many servants, still she stayed silent on the matter.

'If you will, Eruanna, whom have you chosen for her instructors.'

'Of course, my lord. For her handmaidens I have selected; Alasse, Vanya, Ayla, Verya, Anira, and Eleniel. We have Relien who will be her instructor for riding lessons, and Daeron to teach her history, and the relations to your kingdom and other surrounding areas.'

'Good,' Thranduil spoke keeping his chin held high, going over everything within his own mind ensuring that she had forgotten nothing. 'Now, while Relien and I go over what her schedule should look like for the day. I will see the gowns you have chosen.'

'Of course, my lord. We have them displayed over here, we pulled two simple, more tradition elven styles. And one that is a more structured style.'

Thranduil followed Eruanna to the dresses in question as she explained, 'Discard this one all together. Have her try the green one first, and then this corset dress, I rather like this.'

Alasse and Ayla began immediately.

'Absolutely not, I do not do dresses.' Anariel stated firmly holding her ground as they ellith tried to coax behind the changing screen.

'You do now. Go and get changed.'

'Fuck that, no. I will not dress up and be paraded around.'

Thranduil shot her a firm look, 'Now!'

The elleth grabbed her firmly taking her along with them, Anariel grumbled and groaned and fought them nearly every step of the way as they changed her into the first of the gowns.

Turning to look at herself in the mirror Anariel was met while an elleth clad in an green flowing dress embroidered with golden vines. Ayla gushed smiling as she looked at the princess, Anariel pushed back against as she tried to keep herself hidden behind the screen.

'Come on out, Anariel,' the king called in his demanding tone.

'No! I look like a bloody fool,' Anariel called out shaking her head firmly.

Alasse and Ayla slowly pulled the princess out from behind the screen, everyone smiled warmly. Thranduil paced around his daughter carefully looking over the gown.

Shaking his head, he waved her back behind the screen. 'No, have the next one put on her, and try the jewels with it this time. Eruanna, while we wait tell me wait you have disclosed in your lessons for Etiquette.'

'Yes, my lord. In these lessons we have long plans laid out for everything including, but certainly not limited to; affections in public, anger, apologizing, applause, arguments, body language, bowing, dress, table manners, written etiquette, celebrations, competitiveness, complaining, curtsying, forms of address, introductions, over-sharing, punctuality, posture, swearing, tact, and speeches.' Eruanna finished with a smile as she looked to the king, who mulled over her words.

'Very well, shall anything else come up I will inform you.' Thranduil stood hands clasped in front of him calling for Anariel to step out once more.

Anariel stared silently ahead at the mirror, Ayla finished tying the back of the gown as Alasse adorned the princess with her jewels. Anariel's hand sat upon her stomach as she focused on her breathing, her eyes taking in herself in such a gown. Tears unwillingly began to fall from her eyes. Branches weaved whimsically through the gown creeping up her breast and cascading down her arms everything about it said woodland princess and yet with her it in it, it screamed lost princess.

Her eyes looked at every piece of jewelery they placed upon her, eyeing one single ring she shook her head in disbelief as Alasse placed an circlet upon her head with linking chains and jewels the swooped sitting upon her hair. Eyes still focused upon this one single ring, it was nothing more than an idle trinket to this king and yet for so many, would have been for her up until now a near dream. She's work all her life in that town, day and night and could never once have dreamt up such finery and this king tossed it around like idle trinkets.

'This is wrong,' she breathed stepping out from behind the screen, 'This is not me. I cannot be this.'

'You are the princess and you will adhere to that role,' Thranduil reminded her.

'No! You keep saying such and yet I cannot be so sure!' Anariel said, waving her hand in the air, her eyes locked with the prince's. 'I have spent all my life in a town so remote and poor, I could have never have dreamt up such things. All of this, its… just… I am no princess.'

Legolas walked over to his sister grasping her firmly by the arms, 'It will take time, muinthel, but these are your lands, you are their princess.'

Anariel tried to dry her tears and slow her breathing as it become harder to catch her breath with the tight restriction of the corset.

'Now, must I have Eruanna go over everything she will cover again or were you listening,' Thranduil said, changing the subject.

'I heard, but I think it is ridiculous.'

Thranduil ignored the latter, waving a hand to Daeron the ellon who had been appointed to teach her their history.

'I thank you, my lord. I will do everything in my power to help teach her of our histories, political correctness, discussing politics, and our relations with surrounding areas.'

'Good.' Thranduil bowed his head in return to all who were gathered here. 'Relien, have you a schedule done up for the princess.'

'Yes, my lord.'

'My lord,' Legolas cut in his hand on his chin as he thought, 'Would it not be prudent to allow time for training on the grounds, so that she may be able to defend herself should the need arise.'

Thranduil said nothing as he thought over his sons words, nodding firmly suddenly he called to Relien. 'Fit it in.'

Relien was busily scribbling away on his paper, 'My lord, Princess Anariel, would have to wake from her restful state by dawn. Her handmaidens could begin preparing her for the day, and I will have breakfast brought up for her here in her chambers. Such will lead into lessons with Daeron and Eruanna which takes up the main portion of her morning. You had spoke of teaching Sindarin yourself and in such, we will have her escorted to your study when luncheon will be served and you may teach from there. Afterwards, a quick trip back to her chambers where she will change into armour before making her way down to the fields for training in swordplay, daggers, archery and riding lessons. Back to her chambers to clean up and and dinner in the great halls with yourself and Prince Legolas before another change and rest for the remainder of the night in her chambers.'

'You have got to be fucking kidding me?'

'I can assure you, I am not. And watch that language I will not tolerate it. If you cannot, you will not be leaving these chambers at all.'

'You can't lock me in here.'

'You will find that I can do whatever it is I please. You should consider yourself lucky I do not have you locked in this room already for your outbursts.' The king snapped out, before turning his attention to Eruanna, 'Everything is fine, Eruanna, you may escort her to the first lessons.'

Thranduil left his cloak flowing out behind his as he called Legolas to follow.