Ch: 25 Trouble At The Last Minute

"What do you mean you haven't finished it yet?! We have to have it in 15 minutes!"

The seamstress shook her head. "I am sorry Lord Elrohir, but I am not yet done with it. I need at least another hour if you want me to finish it completely."

Elrohir ran a hand through his hair. This was the last thing he needed, trouble at the last minute. "You've had all day to make this costume Maia. Why isn't it finished?"

"I have had some other orders put in my lord. I had to tend to them as well. If you leave me now, I can try to get it done as quickly as possible," Maia watched him nod his head at her and leave the room, muttering a small 'thank you' before he walked out of the room.

"WHAT! That's ridiculous? How can you not have enough icing? That just doesn't make any sense!"

"I am sorry my lord, but there isn't enough here to cover the entire cake. We need more powdered sugar and vanilla if we're going to make more and we are all out of those two ingredients," The head cook, Celeboril, stood with his hands on his hips. He was truly sorry that the cake couldn't be finished, but what could he do?

Elladan took a deep breath and thought to himself for a moment. "Celeboril, I want you to do everything within your power to get this cake finished. I don't care what you have to do to get it done, just do it. You got it?"

Celeboril nodded his head and sighed heavily. "I will do what I can. Now, leave the kitchen before you do something stupid."

"Please get this done. It's very important," Elladan walked over to the kitchen door.

"Elladan?"

He turned and looked at the cook. "Yes?"

Celeboril smiled brightly. "I will not let you down."

"Thank you, so much."

Lindir sighed for the millionth time that day. "No no no! This is all wrong. There isn't a single instrument here that is in tune. I should have thought about this earlier."

Salvir, another minstrel, walked over to his friend and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Relax mellon-nin. We will sort this out. We have time."

"Not much. I need as many musicians as possible to help tune these instruments by tonight," Lindir sat down the lute that he had been trying to play and picked up a small wooden flute. He blew into it and a sharp off key note screeched from it. "This is going to take a lot of work Salvir, and a lot of patience which I happen to have in short supply right now."

He smiled at his friend and picked up a small violin and began to adjust the strings to his liking. When he was satisfied, he played a few notes, the music flowing throughout the room. Salvir smiled and sat the violin in the pile of instruments that were tuned and ready to go. "We can do this Lindir. Come on, we need to get started if we want to finish on time for the party."

Lindir gave a small smile. He had to keep going and not give up. He refused to let a few out of tune instruments ruin a young girl's birthday party.

Arwen massaged her temples, a headache beginning to settle in. "I have told you a thousand times Estel, Those streamers are not the right colors. We can't hang them."

"I don't see why we can't hang every streamer we have meleth. So what if it doesn't match. It's fun," Estel looked down at the bright orange and red streamers that he held in his hands. He looked around the room. So far the only colors that had been used were purple, pink, and green. "I think the orange would brighten things up a bit."

"No. It would clash. If we hung up the orange streamers we'd have to completely re-do everything that we did. We don't have the time for that right now. Legolas and Courtney are due to arrive very soon and we have to have everything ready," She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her husband. "Put them back in the box and let's go decorate the entrance lobby."

Estel sighed and nodded his head. He packed the bright streamers into the box and picked it up. He carried the box to a closet and put it in there until the other decorations needed to come down and be packed away.

"I did not mean to upset you Arwen. I just think we need a little color that's all," Estel gave her a small smile.

"I know that Estel but it wouldn't go with what we've already put up. Allison's birthday is next. You can decorate for her party if you want to," She smiled up at him and leaned in close. "And you can use all the orange and read streamers that you like."

He laughed and kissed her lips. Sometimes disagreements ended quite nicely.

"Tell me this isn't happening Erestor. Where are the gifts that I ordered?" Elrond glared at his friend. "I ordered those months ago and you tell me that they haven't come in yet?"

Erestor nodded his head. "Yes Elrond. I was just talking to the seller of the gifts you bought Courtney and he says that he's not yet done personalizing them. He said it would be another couple of hours."

Elrond's eyes widened in horror. "WHAT??????? Where is he? I need to have a serious talk with him."

"He went that way," Erestor nervously pointed down the hall to the left and watched his lord and friend stalk down the hallway in frustration.

"I am sorry my lord. I did not think it would take so long to make," Zahir looked down at his feet in shame. He hated that he had disappointed his lord.

Elrond raised his hands to his head and closed his eyes, thinking. "There has to be some way Zahir. I need them. They weren't even big gifts."

Zahir looked up at Elrond's face. "What would you have me do my lord?"

"I would have you finish that gift as soon as you can. I don't want to be the only one there that has no gift for her. Please Zahir, work fast," Elrond laid a hand on the younger elf's shoulder. "I trust you to finish it. A young girl's happiness depends on it."

He nodded his head solemnly. "I will do what I can my lord."

Elrond nodded his head and offered a small smile. "Thank you Zahir."

Ch 26: Birthday Costume

Courtney and Legolas walked to her room together, laughing and talking about the day's events and the upcoming costume ball tonight.

"I don't really know what I'm going to be. I don't even have a costume. Maybe I can throw something together really quick," She opened her bedroom door and invited Legolas in.

Legolas couldn't help but chuckle to himself. If things had gone right, she should have a costume waiting for her on her bed. He quickly glanced at the bed, and then smiled. "Is there anything particular that interests you?"

She sat her bags down on a chair next to the door and walked a little further into the room, walking past her bed. "I don't really know if I want to actually BE something. A nice dress and a fancy mask will do fine."

"I want you to do something for me," He reached for her hands and squeezed them. "Close your eyes."

"Why? What's going on?" Courtney winced at the glare he gave her and decided to just close her eyes like he said.

Legolas kissed her forehead. "There's something here for you."

Courtney felt his hands on her arms turning her around. This was starting to scare her. "Legolas, what is going on?"

"Open your eyes and find out," He pulled her hands away from her eyes slowly.

"Oh my goodness! Where did that come from?" She ran over to her bed and picked up the lilac colored dress. It was floor length and had a v-neck. The sleeves were long and ended in a bell. Next to the gown, a small pair of silver wings and a silver mask was sitting, glistening in the moonlight.

Just then Elrohir and Allison walked into the room, beaming. Elrohir walked over to Courtney and kissed her deeply. "Allison and I had it made for you. Do you like it?"

Courtney reached up and laid a hand on each of his cheeks. "I love it meleth. Thank you." She kissed him again and looked over his shoulder to Allison. "You were in this with him?"

"I was. I knew you didn't have a costume yet, so I had Elrohir help me pick out the color and design. I'm glad that you like it," Allison smiled at her friend and hugged her. "I knew that purple was your favorite color. You're too easy."

"What are you going to be?" Courtney laid the dress out on the bed.

Allison sat down on the bed next to Courtney and watched the guys leave quietly. "Same thing you are. My dress is blue though, and Steph's is dark green. We're kind of going to be a fairy trio."

Courtney smiled and looked back at the dress once again. "I don't know how to thank you enough. Um, Al?"

"Yeah."

"Is there anything special about today?" Courtney watched her friend carefully.

It took everything in her not to laugh, but Allison knew she couldn't blow the secret now that they'd come this far. "No. Not that I can think of. Hey, I gotta go get ready and you should too. Steph, Elrohir, Elladan, Glorfindel, and I will be here in an hour and a half. Be ready."

She frowned for a moment, hurt, and then resumed her usual cheery outlook. "Alright. Sounds good. I'll see you then I guess."

Allison turned and left the room. When she reached the hallway she closed Courtney's bedroom door and erupted into a fit of laughter. Just then, Glorfindel happened to walk by and notice her laughter.

"What is so funny meleth?" He wrapped is arms around her and held her close.

"She has no idea! She thinks that everyone has forgotten her birthday. It's sad but I can't wait to see the look on her face when everyone surprises her!" Allison kissed his lips briefly and turned to walk away.

Glorfindel smiled wickedly and held on to her, bringing her to face him again. "You think that a kiss as small as that is going to satisfy me? Think again anor-nin."

Allison sighed. "It'll have to do for now Fin. I have to go get ready."

"Kiss me for real and then I'll let you go."

"Let me go and I'll give you a real kiss."

He smirked at her. "You're playing games and this reverse psychology thing isn't going to work on me."

Allison rolled her eyes. "Alright fine. But you have to let me go when we're done."

Glorfindel smiled and nodded his head. He dipped his head to receive her kiss that swept him away. What was meant to be a loving kiss, ended up being an almost full blown make-out! Allison pulled away and smiled at him, her cheeks flushed.

"Now I have to go. I'll see you tonight," She kissed his cheek and started walking away.

"Until tonight uthaes-nin," He waved at her and sighed. His life couldn't possibly get any better, could it?