𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋 ✯ 𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑟 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ✓

The Feast of Starlight - Part Three

Amarië walked between the elves, occasionally smiling at someone with whom she crossed eyes with, but she didn't recognise anyone. Some elves were dancing, as gracious as only elves can do, whereas others were drinking some wine and chattered happily to each other. Amarië hoped she would come across at least one person she knew, but so far she hadn't had any luck. Even more than usual, she felt like an outsider. She was an elf, yes, but she did not belong in these woods. Her home was Lothlórien and the Woodland elves seemed to feel that.

Amarië walked a bit further until she decided to stop by a group of friendly-looking elves. She figured that if she didn't see anyone she knew, she should start talking to the ones she didn't know. It couldn't hurt to make new acquaintances, right? However, when the elves noticed her, they looked at her in suprise. Amarië ignored it and introduced herself. They followed her example, but after that the conversation faded away and all that remained was an awkward silence.

Well, this is going great, Amarië thought to herself and she suppressed a sigh as she left the group of elves again. Somehow that always happened, but Amarië was too shy or too unsure to keep the conversation ongoing.

Again, she moved through the dancing crowd and she wished she knew where Haldir and Rúmil were. At least she knew them, maybe she could hang out with them? While she was thinking, she almost bumped into a slightly shorter person who startled just as much as Amarië did.

"Thank the Valar," Amarië murmered when she recognised Ayleen. "I'm so glad to see a familiar face," she said a bit louder.

Ayleen smiled but it didn't really reach her eyes, which darted back and forth over the crowd as if she was searching something.

Amarië didn't pay much attention to it, she knew the ranger was easily distracted, but then she noticed something far worse. "Wait, what are you wearing?"

Ayleen snapped her attention back to her and grinned a bit sheepishly while striking through her long, brown hair. She was still wearing the same clothes as when Amarië had seen her a few hours ago. The only difference now was that they were - mostly - clean.

"If you had no dress, you could have come to me," Amarië said. She was only an inch taller than Ayleen so she could have easily fitted in one of her dresses. Amarië had too many anyway.

Ayleen just shrugged, and now Amarië noticed she looked a bit nervous as her eyes continued to dart between places. It all made sense now. She was the sister of Aragorn, after all; Ayleen would never attend a party in traveling clothes even though she loathed wearing dresses.

Amarië crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Where are you going?" Her voice sounded as if she was chiding a teenager and Ayleen shrunk back a bit, because she knew Amarië would disapprove of her answer.

"I - eh, I was just about to - ehm, change clothes! Yes, just about to do that." Ayleen smiled innocently, but it couldn't fool the elleth who raised an eyebrow.

"If I wouldn't know any better, I would say you are sneaking off to find that Call who suddenly disappeared."

Ayleen grumbled something beneath her breath. "I knew I shouldn't have told you about that."

"Well, too bad. I am not going to let you go. I am sure it can wait one more evening, and besides, you deserve one night of fun. Let it go."

Ayleen stared at her in disbelief and Amarië pouted. "Just for tonight?"

Ayleen sighed and threw her hands in the air. "Fine." She was busted now anyways and when Amarië had set her mind on something, it was almost impossible to bring her off of it.

"Great. Now, let's get you a dress."

"Really..."

~*~*~*~*~

Phoenix tapped his foot in annoyance on the ground. "Come on, Legolas. Father is waiting." He tried to fight the urge to roll his eyes - and failed - while Legolas sweetly kissed Livianna, murmering an apology against her lips.

Livianna blushed, she still found it a bit uncomfortable when he kissed her in public but she figured she had to get used to it. He was the Prince after all, and he seldom was alone.

Their moment was broken by Phoenix who uttered a dramatic sigh. "Come on." However, his annoyed expression changed a bit when he spotted Norin somewhere behind Livianna. Just as in the throne room, he winked at her and after a small hesitation, Norin waved back.

She's cute, he thought, but then he noticed Legolas had stopped with being cheesy and was now observing his little brother with a grin.

"O, shut it," Phoenix grumbled and he grabbed Legolas by his upper arm, and dragged him away from the elves of Rivendell.

After a few more steps, Legolas slapped his brother's hand away. "I can walk by myself."

"Whatever."

They maneuvered between the crowd and stopped in front of the stage where Thranduil was waiting impatiently.

"Found him," Phoenix announced proudly, but Thranduil shot him an angry glance and he quickly closed his mouth again; apparently it had taken too long in his opinion. Well, it was not his fault. It was Legolas who had delayed them with his mushiness.

With a flick of his robe, Thranduil turned around and shooed away the harpists on the stage. Immediately, they stopped and the sweet music faded away until all was left, was the chatter between the elves, but that too stopped as they curiously turned their attention towards the King and his sons.

Some elves dragged a few instruments on the platform and here and there, some elves raised their eyebrows.

Legolas, Phoenix and Thranduil entered the stage and each grabbed an instrument. Legolas had an odd looking piece of tree, a small gap was in the middle of it and it had six strings spanned over it, while Phoenix sat down on a hollow treetrunk but over the gap was a tense patch of leather, whereas Thranduil had some kind of same design as Legolas but then with less strings.

Legolas walked to the middle of the platform, he took a deep breath and announced their band name. "We are The Greenleaves!"

Esmerelda choked on her drink, Merry had trouble with breathing, and Pippin fell off of the table.

Caladhiel's jaw dropped, Elrohir and Elladan raised their eyebrows, and Narsil clasped her hand over her mouth to hide her laughter.

Victoria had trouble with swallowing her food, causing a violent cough. Varonwe patted her back while staring in disbelief at the trio. What on Arda was this?

Livianna and Norin, however, runned forward and screamed like those crazy band fangirls you can read all about in One Direction fanfics (I don't recommend it, though). Livianna had been dating a guitarist without even knowing! And Phoenix was a drummer, how awesome was that!

And after all those reactions that happened at the same time, a music as never heard before filled the night sky. It was much more different than the sweet harp music from a few seconds ago. This was more, rocking? Every elf started swinging and screaming, enjoying every note The Greenleaves played. The stars sparkled, the moon illuminated the dancing elves, and all was good.

At least, that's what everyone thought.

But when Amarië and Ayleen were about to enter the Elven-King's Halls, they noticed some dark figures, hiding in the shadows of the trees. One by one, they ran through the opening of the cave system.

The two exchanged some looks, were they ... being attacked? No, that was not the right word ... Was King Thranduil being mugged?

Without realising it, Arianeth appeared behind them. "It's beginning," she whispered, a sad tone was audible in her voice.

~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Yeah, I don't know where that band-idea came from. My mind has weird ideas when it's tired. Ah, well. I just thought it would be funny.

Can you feel the tension?!?!

AHAHAHA, IT'S STARTING

PREPARE YOURSELVES

:3

~*~*~*~*~