The Last Elf Queen of Arda

Chapter 20 - Of Pure Starlight

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"There now, how does that feel my lady?"

Cautiously, Anthelísse revolved atop the ottoman on which she stood to face herself in a full-length mirror. She had just spent the past hour being laced, buttoned and otherwise sealed into the gown she would wear to be married.

It was a beautiful creation to be sure, lovingly pieced together by the most skilled seamstresses in the entire Woodland Realm. The bodice and train were of white silk, so pure that Anthelísse almost could not bear to touch it for fear of marring its perfection. Lace met the border at her collarbone, covering her shoulders in a spidery pattern of surpassing delicacy. The translucent sleeves were so long and gossamer, they fluttered as if catching an unseen breeze with every move that Anthelísse made. Even in her years living in Nargothrond, never had Anthelísse ever worn such a dress. Nor did she imagine that the occasion would ever arise to do so again.

Aislinn had dressed her long golden hair with an attention to detail that would have shamed a dwarven jewel-smith. Twisting the strands of hair so they shone like golden ropes, Aislinn had woven them together into a cascading whole that fell down to the small of Anthelísse's back. At her brow they had set a circlet of pure platinum inlaid with a multitude of tiny white gems; one of the last heirlooms Anthelísse had of her house.

Looking herself slowly up and down, Anthelísse felt almost afraid of the being she saw before her. There was an air of such majesty and such fate about the reflection in the mirror that she was sure Aislinn would comment. 'I look like a myth come to life' she thought. 'Some great heroine of an epic drama'.

"Anthelísse?" Aislinn sounded concerned. Standing at her side, the raven-haired handmaiden was likewise dressed in her finest. In less than an hour, they would all be in the palace gardens of Emyn Duir. In less than an hour, Anthelísse would be speaking the vows that would bind her to King Thranduil of the Woodland Realm before the eyes of all.

Shaking herself out of her reverie, Anthelísse smiled and reached for Aislinn's hand.

"You've outdone yourself, Aislinn. Whatever would I do without you, mellon-nin?"

Aislinn gave Anthelísse's hand a squeeze. "You'd manage I'm sure. Perhaps with less well-kept hair and in plainer garb, but you'd manage."

A knock came at the door, and Aislinn went to answer it. Meanwhile Anthelísse stepped down off the stool, careful to hold up her long train to avoid stepping on the unblemished cloth.

It was the queen. Nellas was resplendent in a dress of royal cloth-of-gold, with many twisting leaves and branches embroidered along the sleeves in glittering thread. In her hands she carried a slim wooden case. When she saw Anthelísse, Nellas smiled softly.

"My son once told me he had fallen in love with the sun itself." Nellas said. "Now I can see what he spoke of."

"Lady Nellas." Anthelísse curtseyed, as she had always done in deference to the queen. Nellas stopped her with a swift gesture this time though.

"Nay, Anthelísse. No more shall you greet me thus. From this day on we shall be as mother and daughter, you and I." The queen's green eyes shone, many emotions shimmering beneath their surfaces. "Never before have I had one to call 'iel-nin'."

Anthelísse moved to grasp the older elf-woman's offered hand. "Then I shall be glad to call you 'naneth', Nellas of Doriath."

As if remembering why she had come, the queen held up the wooden box she carried. "Speaking of Doriath, I have a gift for you. I know it is the custom of the Noldor that the mother of bride gives a jewel to the bridegroom, and likewise for the father of the bridegroom to the bride. I therefore act in trust for Oropher in giving you this..."