The palace was finished the spring of Bria's fifteenth year, the year 3034
of the third age. Bria and I held a big party, both as a 'house' warming,
and as a celebration of Bria's fifteenth, and her woman-making.
She had grown tall and willowy, with thick dark red hair, and snapping blue eyes. She had a quick mind, and a quicker tongue. She was fast and agile, both at dancing and at fighting. In my eyes, she was perfect.
Invitations had gone out to just about all of the Western Kingdoms. The rulers of Gondor, Rohan, and Mirkwood were all invited, plus people of the Shire, the desert elves of the south, and many others from kingdoms and realms both far and near.
It was the morning before the party, and Bria was already worrying excessively. She sorted through piles of silken dresses in rainbow colours, picking them up and discarding them with lighting speed. She eventually settled on a jade green ensemble, in the current fashion that was designed to withstand the excessive heat of Anorondorian summer.
It was a long, low-rise skirt that swept the floor and clung to her curves. A tight sleeveless top clung to her torso, and a silken gauze overdress fastened up the front with tiny jade buttons.
It may not have been the most modest outfit in the world, but the heat of Anorondorian summers meant that men worked shirtless, and women wore loose light gauzes, and spent a lot of time in the shade.
I did not change clothes until the last minute, when Bria near enough dragged me to my room and ordered me to get dressed. Her anxiety made me smile, although it matched my earlier feelings when I was organising the preparations for the ball. It was Bria's first, after all.
I decided on an outfit near enough identical to Bria's in style, although it was a dusky pink. My hair was swept up onto the back of my head with lots of gold clips and pins, and three chains of pink rubies were draped across my forehead. I wore a tiny sun pendant set with a pink topaz at my throat, and gold bangles hung from my wrists. My ears dripped tiny chains of pink rubies, and the only ring I wore was the Mirkwood ring set with emeralds. I did not do this in spite, only because I had never taken it off and I doubted that it would come off now, sixteen years after it was first put on. Besides. It was a gift and I liked it. Why shouldn't I wear it?
*&*
The party was in full swing and going well. I was busy mingling, and I imagine Bria was off charming all the young men, as she had a tendency to do. She was never serious about it, though, and she never hesitated to rebuff the men who thought she was. Kera's youngest was gathering adoring glances, Jemeili was at the age when little girls are positively adorable, and they know enough of the world to keep their moods in check to either keep the adoring looks or to make use of them.
Coran, Kera's eldest son who was the same age as Bria, was trying desperately to give the young ladies who followed after him like love- struck puppies the slip. He had his own sweetheart, a lovely girl called Emsda, and he didn't want another at this particular moment in time.
"Coran?" I called. He looked over to me with a relieved glance. "Be a dear and find the Princess Bria for me?" He flashed me a grin and took off, and I held back the young ladies, and soon redirected them to another young, and as of yet unengaged, lord.
I was talking to Arwen and Aragorn when Legolas and a woman I could only assume was Mairra joined us. I disliked Mairra instantly, though I admit I could have been a bit prejudiced. After all, this was the woman married to my soulmate.
We were all talking and exchanging stories of children, since all of our children were present: Isolde from Mirkwood, Eldarion and Elise from Gondor, and of course Bria, when I was tapped on the shoulder. I turned and found Jacon, Kera's husband, standing beside me, Isolde and Bria before him, his hands clamped on their shoulders.
"What is the meaning of this?" Mairra gasped dramatically. I could have sworn I saw Aragorn roll his eyes. I could see quite clearly what was going on – Isolde had a slap mark on her right cheek, and Bria had scratches across her left jaw and down her neck. It seemed that our daughters felt the same enmity that their mothers did. "Unhand my daughter immediately!" Jacon released them, although they didn't move from their position before him.
"I found them in the garden, your majesties," he said to me and Mairra. "Screaming and fighting they were. Coran had tried to separate them, although he didn't manage very well."
"Is he alright?" I asked. Coran meant well, he just had a habit of trying to stop Bria fighting, and usually ending up the worse for it.
"Forget the servant boy! What happened to my daughter!" Mairra cried. I felt my face go blank and cold.
"Coran is no servant boy, he is a prince." I saw all present look at me, surprised at my cold voice. "You will kindly apologise to his father immediately, Princess Mairra." I stressed the 'princess' part, and I knew she got my meaning when I implied that her status was no better than Coran's. Mairra looked at me, and inclined my head towards Jacon. She dipped a slight, almost impolite curtsy.
"My apologies." She said sullenly.
"Accepted," Jacon said easily. I knew his easy acceptance would irritate Mairra more than ever, and I blessed Jacon's relaxed nature.
"What is this about?" I addressed the two girls. Isolde dropped her eyes, but Bria looked up at me, her eyes still bright with fury.
"We were arguing about which kingdom was better, and which was more dangerous, that kind of thing. Then she said some really mean and disrespectful things, and I slapped her. Then she lashed out at me and scraped me." Bria said. She was telling the truth. I glanced up and saw Legolas staring at me. He knew I could usually tell if people were telling the truth or not, so I nodded. Legolas nodded back.
"What did she say?" He asked Bria.
"Your highness." She acknowledged politely. "I suppose I started it, because I said at least Ama was queen. Then Isolde said Ama looked like a whore, so maybe there wasn't all that much difference, and that was probably why I didn't have a father. Then I told her to take it back, and that I had a father, and I knew who he was, he just didn't live with us. Then she said at least she had a father, who would be King, and I slapped her. Then she lashed out and scraped me." Legolas was paler than normal, and his eyes darker than normal. Mairra looked almost proud of her disrespectful offspring.
"Isolde!" He said sharply. She looked up at him. "Tell me true. Is that what you said to Princess Bria, and what she said in return." Isolde nodded slowly. "Isolde!" He snapped warningly.
"Yes Ada. That's what I said." She blushed scarlet, obviously embarrassed that her comments about my clothes came out in front of me.
"You will apologise immediately to the Queen and to the Princess." He said.
"But Legolas-" Mairra said. I could not believe my ears! She was protesting to Isolde apologising!
"Silence." He growled, and Mairra shut up. Isolde turned to me, and curtsied low.
"I'm sorry, your majesty." She mumbled, barely audibly.
"What was that, Isolde?" Legolas asked.
"No!" I intervened, with a smile. At least Isolde had the respect to be ashamed. "I heard, Prince Legolas. And I accept your apology, Princess Isolde. I understand quick tempers, having one myself. Although I do not think this is entirely fair. Bria, you will apologise to Princess Isolde for striking her, and for anything hurtful you said about her and her family." Bria nodded.
"I'm sorry, Isolde. I shouldn't have lost my temper, and I shouldn't have struck you. And I did start the argument, so it was my fault." She curtsied to Isolde, probably the first princess-to-princess curtsey Isolde had received, judging by her expression, and held out her hand.
"I'd like to show you something, if you don't dislike me too much." Bria said. I was amazed by her mood swing, but Isolde took her hand, curtsied hastily to the rest of us, and then was dragged away by Bria. I smiled slightly to one of the nearby guards and gestured, and he silently slipped from his post to follow them, and keep them out of further trouble.
"That was impressive." Éowyn said, approaching us. I rolled my eyes. Mairra gave a huff and flounced away, and Legolas gave us a helpless look before he followed. Faramir also joined us.
"It was unnecessary." I scowled. "Bria should have kept her temper."
"At least she kept her mouth shut." Aragorn offered helpfully. I rolled my eyes at him, although he was right. Soon Éomer joined us, with his wife Renalli who he married two years ago, and we were all talking and laughing about our various offspring. Even quiet, steady Éomer joined in, as his daughter Lorilei had the same unfortunate habit my daughter had: running off and getting into fights.
And so the night went on.
*&*
Well? Do you like it? Pls review and tell me. I'll try and be as regular about updating as I can, but I've got huge exams coming up soon and I might not be allowed on the computer sometimes, but I'll do my best. Istalindar
She had grown tall and willowy, with thick dark red hair, and snapping blue eyes. She had a quick mind, and a quicker tongue. She was fast and agile, both at dancing and at fighting. In my eyes, she was perfect.
Invitations had gone out to just about all of the Western Kingdoms. The rulers of Gondor, Rohan, and Mirkwood were all invited, plus people of the Shire, the desert elves of the south, and many others from kingdoms and realms both far and near.
It was the morning before the party, and Bria was already worrying excessively. She sorted through piles of silken dresses in rainbow colours, picking them up and discarding them with lighting speed. She eventually settled on a jade green ensemble, in the current fashion that was designed to withstand the excessive heat of Anorondorian summer.
It was a long, low-rise skirt that swept the floor and clung to her curves. A tight sleeveless top clung to her torso, and a silken gauze overdress fastened up the front with tiny jade buttons.
It may not have been the most modest outfit in the world, but the heat of Anorondorian summers meant that men worked shirtless, and women wore loose light gauzes, and spent a lot of time in the shade.
I did not change clothes until the last minute, when Bria near enough dragged me to my room and ordered me to get dressed. Her anxiety made me smile, although it matched my earlier feelings when I was organising the preparations for the ball. It was Bria's first, after all.
I decided on an outfit near enough identical to Bria's in style, although it was a dusky pink. My hair was swept up onto the back of my head with lots of gold clips and pins, and three chains of pink rubies were draped across my forehead. I wore a tiny sun pendant set with a pink topaz at my throat, and gold bangles hung from my wrists. My ears dripped tiny chains of pink rubies, and the only ring I wore was the Mirkwood ring set with emeralds. I did not do this in spite, only because I had never taken it off and I doubted that it would come off now, sixteen years after it was first put on. Besides. It was a gift and I liked it. Why shouldn't I wear it?
*&*
The party was in full swing and going well. I was busy mingling, and I imagine Bria was off charming all the young men, as she had a tendency to do. She was never serious about it, though, and she never hesitated to rebuff the men who thought she was. Kera's youngest was gathering adoring glances, Jemeili was at the age when little girls are positively adorable, and they know enough of the world to keep their moods in check to either keep the adoring looks or to make use of them.
Coran, Kera's eldest son who was the same age as Bria, was trying desperately to give the young ladies who followed after him like love- struck puppies the slip. He had his own sweetheart, a lovely girl called Emsda, and he didn't want another at this particular moment in time.
"Coran?" I called. He looked over to me with a relieved glance. "Be a dear and find the Princess Bria for me?" He flashed me a grin and took off, and I held back the young ladies, and soon redirected them to another young, and as of yet unengaged, lord.
I was talking to Arwen and Aragorn when Legolas and a woman I could only assume was Mairra joined us. I disliked Mairra instantly, though I admit I could have been a bit prejudiced. After all, this was the woman married to my soulmate.
We were all talking and exchanging stories of children, since all of our children were present: Isolde from Mirkwood, Eldarion and Elise from Gondor, and of course Bria, when I was tapped on the shoulder. I turned and found Jacon, Kera's husband, standing beside me, Isolde and Bria before him, his hands clamped on their shoulders.
"What is the meaning of this?" Mairra gasped dramatically. I could have sworn I saw Aragorn roll his eyes. I could see quite clearly what was going on – Isolde had a slap mark on her right cheek, and Bria had scratches across her left jaw and down her neck. It seemed that our daughters felt the same enmity that their mothers did. "Unhand my daughter immediately!" Jacon released them, although they didn't move from their position before him.
"I found them in the garden, your majesties," he said to me and Mairra. "Screaming and fighting they were. Coran had tried to separate them, although he didn't manage very well."
"Is he alright?" I asked. Coran meant well, he just had a habit of trying to stop Bria fighting, and usually ending up the worse for it.
"Forget the servant boy! What happened to my daughter!" Mairra cried. I felt my face go blank and cold.
"Coran is no servant boy, he is a prince." I saw all present look at me, surprised at my cold voice. "You will kindly apologise to his father immediately, Princess Mairra." I stressed the 'princess' part, and I knew she got my meaning when I implied that her status was no better than Coran's. Mairra looked at me, and inclined my head towards Jacon. She dipped a slight, almost impolite curtsy.
"My apologies." She said sullenly.
"Accepted," Jacon said easily. I knew his easy acceptance would irritate Mairra more than ever, and I blessed Jacon's relaxed nature.
"What is this about?" I addressed the two girls. Isolde dropped her eyes, but Bria looked up at me, her eyes still bright with fury.
"We were arguing about which kingdom was better, and which was more dangerous, that kind of thing. Then she said some really mean and disrespectful things, and I slapped her. Then she lashed out at me and scraped me." Bria said. She was telling the truth. I glanced up and saw Legolas staring at me. He knew I could usually tell if people were telling the truth or not, so I nodded. Legolas nodded back.
"What did she say?" He asked Bria.
"Your highness." She acknowledged politely. "I suppose I started it, because I said at least Ama was queen. Then Isolde said Ama looked like a whore, so maybe there wasn't all that much difference, and that was probably why I didn't have a father. Then I told her to take it back, and that I had a father, and I knew who he was, he just didn't live with us. Then she said at least she had a father, who would be King, and I slapped her. Then she lashed out and scraped me." Legolas was paler than normal, and his eyes darker than normal. Mairra looked almost proud of her disrespectful offspring.
"Isolde!" He said sharply. She looked up at him. "Tell me true. Is that what you said to Princess Bria, and what she said in return." Isolde nodded slowly. "Isolde!" He snapped warningly.
"Yes Ada. That's what I said." She blushed scarlet, obviously embarrassed that her comments about my clothes came out in front of me.
"You will apologise immediately to the Queen and to the Princess." He said.
"But Legolas-" Mairra said. I could not believe my ears! She was protesting to Isolde apologising!
"Silence." He growled, and Mairra shut up. Isolde turned to me, and curtsied low.
"I'm sorry, your majesty." She mumbled, barely audibly.
"What was that, Isolde?" Legolas asked.
"No!" I intervened, with a smile. At least Isolde had the respect to be ashamed. "I heard, Prince Legolas. And I accept your apology, Princess Isolde. I understand quick tempers, having one myself. Although I do not think this is entirely fair. Bria, you will apologise to Princess Isolde for striking her, and for anything hurtful you said about her and her family." Bria nodded.
"I'm sorry, Isolde. I shouldn't have lost my temper, and I shouldn't have struck you. And I did start the argument, so it was my fault." She curtsied to Isolde, probably the first princess-to-princess curtsey Isolde had received, judging by her expression, and held out her hand.
"I'd like to show you something, if you don't dislike me too much." Bria said. I was amazed by her mood swing, but Isolde took her hand, curtsied hastily to the rest of us, and then was dragged away by Bria. I smiled slightly to one of the nearby guards and gestured, and he silently slipped from his post to follow them, and keep them out of further trouble.
"That was impressive." Éowyn said, approaching us. I rolled my eyes. Mairra gave a huff and flounced away, and Legolas gave us a helpless look before he followed. Faramir also joined us.
"It was unnecessary." I scowled. "Bria should have kept her temper."
"At least she kept her mouth shut." Aragorn offered helpfully. I rolled my eyes at him, although he was right. Soon Éomer joined us, with his wife Renalli who he married two years ago, and we were all talking and laughing about our various offspring. Even quiet, steady Éomer joined in, as his daughter Lorilei had the same unfortunate habit my daughter had: running off and getting into fights.
And so the night went on.
*&*
Well? Do you like it? Pls review and tell me. I'll try and be as regular about updating as I can, but I've got huge exams coming up soon and I might not be allowed on the computer sometimes, but I'll do my best. Istalindar