Chapter 8
"what have you got there, Honey?"
Evie, clad in her favourite jeans and pink plaid shirt, sat cross-legged on the hardwood floor, vines of untangled Christmas lights surrounding her form.
She had looked up from the current offending colourful knots in her hands to see Legolas closing the front door behind him.
In his hands was a large, deep red envelope.
Evie dropped her bundle to the floor, made her way over to the couch and patted the seat next her.
The little elf sat and gave her the envelope.
"it's addressed to Miss Evangeline Nichols. Is that you?"
"Yes, honey. Evangeline is my full name."
She scrunched her nose up.
"I know what this is."
"what is it? An invitation?"
"To Mary's Christmas Gala."
"what's a Gala?"
"a bit like a ball. You get dressed up. Flutes of champagne. Fancy food. Dancing. The house is decked out in Christmas decorations. See people you don't like…" The last part had been muttered very very softly as she trailed off.
Blue eyes had lit up.
"can we go? Please Naneth?"
Evie eyebrows rose as she looked at the little elf.
"you want to go?"
"oh yes. We have them back home."
"what are they like?"
"the feasts in the Greenwood are unlike anything you've ever seen. All that you've said, but with magic of the elves."
Eyebrows rose higher. This was the first she was hearing of any elven magic.
Legolas must know her too well now, for her went on to explain.
"It's not like what you can do, but we have our own magic with healing, bonding and at the starlight feasts."
Bonding. They'll come back to that.
"real starlight."
"yes, falling stars cause something in the air and makes the evening…magical"
Blue eyes had glossed over, lost in a memory from home.
He refocussed when Evie took out a matching thick, red card with gold lettering.
"you are invited to join Mrs Mary McDonald and her family for their annual Christmas Gala…"
"you don't wish to go."
Very observant elf, thought Evie.
"I haven't been to one of these since my Grandma died."
"she would want you to live. Have fun."
She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"You're right."
But as she said these words, it wasn't just that that had her wanting to hide away from the event.
Her memory flashed dark hair. Brown eyes. Tall figure with tan skin. Smirking mouth.
"please Naneth?"
Those words brought her back to the present. She looked into his pleading eyes.
Could she deny this little elf anything?
The answer, of course, was no, and that is why, a few days later they made a trip to the formal wear section of a department store.
A week later, it was the little elf's turn to be impatiently tapping his foot at the bottom of the stairs.
His platinum hair had been neatly brush back in a ponytail at the back of his neck, arranged to cover the delicate points of his ears.
The small body wore a black dinner suit, with a white shirt and deep green and silver bow tie.
Shiny black shoes completed the look.
"Naneth, we're going to be late!"
A muffled reply was heard and then the click click of heels on wood as his guardian stepped into view.
Her normally wild curls had been tamed and twisted into an elaborate updo. Star shaped crystals shimmered in the light as she descended the stairs.
The strapless dress was a silky deep green that hugged every curve as it flowed down her body to the floor.
A thigh high split rose up her left leg, revealing the silver heels underneath.
Legolas' pendent hung around her neck, as always.
Deep red lips smiled at her dashing date.
"that bad, huh?"
A dazzled face, snapped in a grin and giggled.
"You look beautiful, Naneth."
Her heart gave a little squeeze at this.
"you look very handsome too, Honey."
He reached for her hand.
"come on. I want to see the tree."
Evie laughed, but let the little elf pull her along to the car. They hopped in, bucked up and drove the short trip to Mary's.
A well dressed male, opened her door for her.
"Shall I park it for you, ma'am?"
"yes, thank you. Come on Legolas."
Hand in hand, the woman and the elf walked up the porch steps and through the open doors.
She heard a gasp from the being beside her and smiled.
Yes, Mary really had outdone herself. She always did.
She took her coat off and handed it in to the attendant.
The next moment, Evie was engulfed in a big hug from a woman in a red dress with a green flashing tree shaped broach.
"Great to see you Evangeline! And Legolas too!"
"Hello Mary."
"you look wonderful, dear. Lovely shade of green."
"thank you."
Mary snagged a flute of champagne from a passing tray and put it into Evie's hand.
She was already moving on to another arrival when she called.
"Enjoy yourselves!"
Smiling, Evie took Legolas' hand and led him into the large dining room.
It had been transformed for the evening.
The table and chairs had been removed.
Every inch was decorated with lights and down the far corner was an enormous Christmas tree, complete with a hoard of presents at the bottom.
A comfortable red velvet chair was set to the side.
Glittering and glamourous people mingled amongst each other, while servers hovered with food and drink nearby.
The woman and elf took it all in with awe.
Some time later, there they looked up at the sound of a bell ringing.
"Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!."
A tall, rotund man in a white beard carried a red sack over one shoulder and rang a bell in his free hand as he walked into the room and took a seat next to the big tree.
Evie crouched down to be on Legolas' level.
"You remember what I said about Father Christmas?"
The little elf's eyes had not moved an inch from the new figure.
"yes."
"shall we go and say hello?"
A quick nod.
Hand in hand, Evie led Legolas over to wait in line with the other children wanting to sit on the legendary man's knee.
Shortly, it was Legolas' turn.
He hesitated, suddenly not sure.
The man smiled and patted his knee.
"up you come, young man."
Slowly, the little elf moved a step forward. Two. And was gently lifted to sit.
"What's your name, young man?"
"Legolas."
"Well Legolas, have you been good this year?"
"Yes, I think so."
"very good. What would you like for Christmas?"
Legolas lent forward to whisper In the man's ear.
"ahhhh. Yes, a very good wish. Somehow I don't think that will fit in here though."
The man in the red and white hat picked up a golden wrapped box and handed it to Legolas before lifting him down to the floor.
"Merry Christmas, Legolas!."
"Merry Christmas!."
The little elf hurried away, smiling brilliantly as he did so.
"Merry Christmas, Evangeline."
Evie looked surprised and focused on the eyes that belonged to Mary's brother, Rod.
"Merry Christmas!"
She smiled at him before leaving to join her young charge.
"Look, Naneth!"
The blonde haired elf held up the open box: a polaroid camera and a scrapbook.
She smiled at him. Mary was always so thoughtful.
"you know what this is for?"
"no."
"So we can make memories."
She picked up the camera and turned to a woman nearby.
"Excuse me, can you take a picture for us?"
"yes, of course."
She handed the camera to the other woman and bent pick Legolas up and onto her right hip. They looked at each other.
Flash! And then the buzzing of the machine printing.
"say cheese!"
Evie and Legolas looked at the woman. Another flash.
"thank you so much."
"my pleasure dear. Merry Christmas."
Evie took the camera back and the two pictures that had developed on the thick paper.
She smiled as she held them out for Legolas to see.
"It's us!"
"yes, Honey. You can keep them forever."
"really?"
"yes."
He took the camera and out it in the box, the pictures were next and then he put the lid back on.
"Can I go play?"
"sure, Honey. Stay close, ok?"
"yes, Naneth."
The little elf ran off to join the other children playing with the train set near the tree.
Evie felt her shoulders drop, the tension leaving her as she watched Legolas play and took a sip of wine glass.
She was glad she brought him so he could experience this different tradition.
She hadn't seen the tall man enter, but she was on high alert when she felt a male hand rest on her left shoulder.
"you look well, Evie."
She shivered at that honey voice, laced with charm.
"Hello Luke."
She turned to face the man beside her.
Over 6 ft tall. Short, dark brown hair, styled and not moving an inch. Rich brown eyes that held no warmth. Tanned skin peeked out from the grey suit.
Beautiful white teeth flashed as he smiled at her.
"care for a dance?"
"no, thank you."
"not happy to see me?"
A snort before she took a large sip of her drink and did not answer.
"come on, Evie, let's go outside and talk."
The hand on her shoulder, stroked down her arm and clasped around her wrist.
Her green eyes narrowed.
"I don't think so."
"I can explain what happened."
"we have nothing to talk about, I know what occurred."
The hand around her wrist tightened at her refusal, causing pain.
"you will hear me out."
"kindly, let go."
"come, Evie."
Neither noticed as a young figure with blazing blue eyes walked towards them until he spoke.
"Na- ho hurting cin naneth?"
"All na- tríw, honeui"
The hand on her wrist instantly let go, unsure by the odd language spoken.
She moved quickly to pick up the little elf.
"Legolas, this is Luke. Luke, this is Legolas, my son."
Stunned silence for a heartbeat.
'Your son? He looks nothing like you."
"He's the spitting image of his father."
Evie didn't know if this was true, but since Luke would never meet Thranduil, she didn't think it mattered.
"Excuse me, I have to go."
The dark haired man turned quickly and left them.
She waited a moment for her heartbeat to settle, watched his figure disappear and then focussed on her little elfling.
"Who was that man?"
"someone I knew once. you ok?"
A nod in response.
"shall we go?"
Another nod in ascent.
"grab your gift and we'll go."
She put the little elf down and watched fondly as he collected his wrapped box and weaved his left hand into her right.
They walked back to the entrance and Evie let go of Legolas' hand to shrug on her coat.
Together, the strode hand in hand into the snowing night.
*Is he hurting you Mother?
*All is fine, Honey.