Nianna's Journey

AN: Again, HUGE THANKS to Elfmaiden25 for her awesome job in being the beta for this story as well as her continuing encouragement. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT HER STORIES AT MYSTIFYINGDREAMS.COM

Also, thanks to Noko, Amber, Shimmering Flame, and Demonia for their wonderful reviews. Hope you enjoy this chapter.


Chapter 15: Festival Of Lights

The festival was to begin in an hour. Legolas had almost finished dressing and now stood behind Nianna as she sat at the vanity dressing her hair.

[“You care for them.”] He said suddenly.

Nianna looked at his figure reflected in the mirror in front of her. She smiled and nodded.

Moments before, Nianna and Legolas had exchanged stories of their travels as they prepared for the festival. As Nianna described her interactions with the hobbits, Legolas could hear her tenderness for the creatures in her words.

[“Yes, I can see now why Mithrandir is so infatuated with their kind.”] She stood, completing her task and moved toward him. She began to tie the leather bindings of his dark green jerkin, quick in her charge.

He gazed down at her quizzically, [“So quickly?”]

Gazing up into the curious eyes, Nianna tried to explain [“They’re almost like children. Each one is innocent, utterly carefree. They have unfathomable curious and an infectious humor. But there is also an underlying strength in each of them that any creature of Arda would be proud to have. It’s difficult to explain…I’m sure Mithrandir feels the same and will be able to explain much better than I.”]

Her brow had furrowed in her attempt to explain why the hobbits had so quickly and so deeply affected her. Legolas smoothed the tiny wrinkles of skin with a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Before either could continue, a light knock echoed through the room.

Legolas drew away and turned slightly towards the sound. Holding his arm out, he asked [“Join me?”]

Nianna laughed out loud at his words and the sparkle that had entered his eyes. [“With pleasure, my heart.”] She eased her hand so that it lay within the crook of his arm.

The couple walked towards the front room and joined the other members from Mirkwood standing at their door. As a solidified group, they walked to the dining hall to join their other friends, both new and old.

*****

The grand hall had been richly decorated. Hand woven tapestries decorated the walls, tables were covered with the richest fabrics, light was provided by the numerous candles in their candelabras that were interspaced on the long dining tables as well as in the large chandeliers that hung from the high ceilings. Intricately carved dining ware and cutlery had been set out for the numerous guests that would be attending the festival.

Nianna entered the room with her hand resting gently on the arm of Legolas. Next to them stood the other Mirkwood elves that had journeyed to Imladris with Legolas.

Nianna glanced around the room and realized that they were one of the last groups to arrive. At the front of the room, a large table stood on a dais. As per his station, Lord Elrond sat in the middle, overlooking the proceedings, to his left sat Mithrandir and to his right, The Evenstar.

Several tables had been set up before the platform where dignitaries and guests would sit. From her vantage point, Nianna could see that the dwarfs and the men had overtaken one side of the table, furthest away from the events taking place in the large hall.

The visiting hobbits sat next to the men and directly in front of Mithrandir, Lord Elrond and Arwen. Their child-like laughter could be heard throughout the room despite the steady noise from its other occupants.

Reserved seating had been set aside for the Mirkwood party. The six foreign elves walked towards the front of the room and halted just before the main tables. As one, the Mirkwood elves bowed their heads, a clasped hand raised to their hearts, showing their respect to those who hosted the grand meal.

With an acknowledging nod from Lord Elrond, Legolas guided Nianna to their place settings with the other four elves following. As she sat, she noticed Estel enter the room from the balcony and with a nod of his own to Lord Elrond, he sat at the same table furthest from the Men of Gondor.

Nianna gently sat on the chair that Legolas held for her prior to taking his own seat next to her. Nianna was glad that she would be sitting next to the hobbits and glanced over to them to offer a smile of greeting to the four hobbits that she traveled with as well as Imladris resident elderly hobbit. She was slightly puzzled over the sudden lull in their conversation upon her arrival. The smile was returned with a mere reflection of their usual exuberant smiles.

Before she could question the hobbits on their sudden quietness, Lord Elrond stood from his placement and greeted those that were invited to this momentous occasion.

“Welcome to Imladris. I, and all the citizens of this valley, wish our guests an enjoyable stay. Imladris opens its doors to you; Dwarves from the House of Durin, Men from the White City of Gondor, Elves from the Mirkwood forest, Mithrandir, the Grey Wizard” Lord Elrond gestured to each group as he named them, “and Hobbits from the Shire.

“As the elves leave for the shores of the Grey Havens, it will become increasingly more important for those left behind to treasure and protect the lands of Arda. All here know of the rising darkness that is emerging in Mordor. Tomorrow, Elves, Men, Dwarves and Hobbits will come together in deciding the future of Arda. Until then…” Holding a goblet of wine before him, Lord Elrond signaled for others to do the same. “Enjoy the food and drink, my friends.”

The occupants of the room toasted and a hum of activity filled the room. Several serving elves exited a side portal with large platters filled with food. Merry and Pippin fell upon the food as soon as the platters were placed in front of them. Sam and Frodo were slightly slower in the repast.

Nianna could feel the tension coming off of the hobbit sitting next to her. As she turned towards him, she noticed that the young hobbit avoided her gaze.

“Frodo?”

Frodo finally looked up into the eyes of the she-elf. Having overheard Nianna, they paused in their eating as they watched the conversation about to take place.

Hesitantly, Frodo spoke. “Niann…Princess.” His eyes once again fell to the table.

Smiling softly Nianna questioned the small being. “Princess? What’s this? Why the sudden formalities, Frodo?”

She looked at the other hobbits and noticed that their gazes lowered upon her peruse. She suddenly realized why the hobbits had been so quite recently. Her earlier revelation -regarding Legolas and her status as Princess of Mirkwood- had changed the hobbits view of her.

Looking at one hobbit after another, waiting until each one met her gaze, Nianna pleaded. “Please, little ones. We have experienced too much together to stand in ceremony. We are friends and friends do not call each other by their titles.”

The hobbits smiled at the she-elf, physically relaxing at her words.

Nianna leaned forward to whisper her next words. “Also, there are many who would contest my title…believing that I do not have the proper…manners for such a lofty position.”

Sam protested, angrily. “What? Who would say such a thing?”

Nianna’s smile broadened. She continued to whisper. “It makes no matter…for I myself agree with them. There are times that I have no patience to learn and live by the etiquette required by the position. If Legolas had not asked so prettily, I would have refused him until he abdicated his place in Mirkwood.” She winked at the five hobbits that grinned at her and than turned their gaze to the silent elf next to her.

Despite Nianna’s whispering, Legolas had over heard the conversation that took place between his wife and the little ones. When he felt several pairs of eyes on him, he turned a glared at the staring creatures. His gaze was softened by the quick wink giving to the smiling quartet.

The rest of the meal was overshadowed by the retelling of their adventures from the Shire to Rivendell -including how the hobbits had first met Nianna. The more adventurous parts of their journey being exaggerated by Pippin and Merry. This was all much to the dismay of Nianna, who noticed the quirked eyebrow of her husband during the more dangerous encounters.

Much to Nianna’s relief, music soon filled the hall signaling the end of the main course and the beginning of the celebration. She watched as several musicians began to warm up their instruments and couples rose to move towards the large expanse of open floor where the dancing was to take place. She laughed as she watched Merry, Pippin and Frodo cajole Sam and Bilbo to joining the growing crowd.

After several minutes of simple melodies being played, Legolas rose from his seat. Turning towards him, Nianna saw his hand outstretched in invitation.

She smiled her acceptance and eagerly took his hand.

Legolas led Nianna to the end of the row of couples, facing forward towards Lord Elrond and his table. Nianna noticed Estel approach Arwen, holding out his hand in invitation to the dance. She watched as her two friends walked towards her and take their places behind them.

The notes of the first song began and as one the couples standing bowed their heads towards Lord Elrond before turning to each other and nodding to their partner. Nianna smiled as she gazed into her husband’s eyes.

The men began the dance by stepping forward. Nianna watched as Legolas began taking small steps towards her, keeping his steps in tempo with the melody. She gazed up briefly at him before he brushed his tall form passed her to stand directly behind her.

The females began their movements, taking three small steps forward, as they had learned as children, before turning to face their partners again. Raising her arm, her hand was met by Legolas’s and they faced forward once again to take small steps towards the front of the room.

As the couple reached their new position, they moved together, their hands still clasped. Nianna’s unoccupied hand moved to his shoulder while Legolas’s moved his hand to her waist.

The tempo of the music began to rise and the first couple of the line twirled away to the left. The second couple followed in the opposite direction. One by one each couple followed coordinating their direction depending on the previous pair.

Using their peripheral vision, Legolas and Nianna watched the couple ahead of them move to the right and at the next beat followed by their own steps to the left.

The rest of the line disintegrated with well-timed moves by the remaining couples. Each couple was now in their own distinct space with several feet separating them from the nearest couple.

The fast pace of the music spurred the couples into an intricate web of steps and twirling remaining relatively stationary. Soon the couples began to weave throughout the room, moving in and out through the middle.

The hobbits watched as the twirling and fast moving elves seemed to almost collide with each other before moving away to safer distances with no harm to either pairs.

The couples began to move towards the center of the room one by one. Each pair took their turn dancing in the middle before moving to the other side of the room.

Legolas and Nianna moved to the center, staying for a brief moment as Nianna spun. Her skirts flared in a large circle, brushing against her husband’s legs. Reaching out his hand, he grasped hers as she halted and the two moved away from the center as another couple entered.

Drawing her closer, the two circled the room following the previous couple’s journey around the room. Quickly moving to the outer rim of the room, Nianna noticed the hobbits on the outskirts, playfully dancing their own made up steps to the jovial tune.

Seeing them approaching, the hobbits waved to Legolas and Nianna as they passed. Nianna smiled and nodded with a quick wink to their dancing antics.

As the two reached the other side of the long room, the music began to slow to a softer tempo. The dancing pairs separated briefly as they turned away from each other. Raising and lowering their bodies the couples turned towards each other as the females returned with raised arms. Slowly swaying and turning slightly to the sides, their bodies moved towards their partners and away again before ultimately returning. Their arms raised above their heads as the men reached up to clasp them. Legolas interwove his fingers with Nianna’s and slowly brought them down. When her hands reached his mouth, he placed a soft kiss on her knuckles before continuing their journey.

The music had slowed even further as Legolas released one of her hands and began to guide her back to the center of the room. The two never looked away from the others gaze as they returned to their original position.

Giving her hand one last caress before releasing it, Legolas took timed steps behind her. Nianna moved forward away from him before turning to face him.

As the last notes faded, the males bowed lowed and the she-elves curtsied.

Clapping echoed throughout the room from those who had not participated in the first dance as the couples once again stood. Legolas approached Nianna and they shared a brief embrace before he led her to their table. As he once again held her chair, he whispered in her ear. [“Your grace bewitches me.”]

She smiled into his eyes. [“As does yours, my love.”]

“Nianna!”

She turned towards the sound of the hobbits returning to their table. She laughed at the exuberance as they excitedly approached her.

“That was wonderful. Will there be more?” The previous reluctant Sam said.

As if on cue, the strains of the next piece began.

“Go little ones, enjoy.”

The hobbits quickly scampered away to once again join the festivities.

Nianna looked around the room and noticed that both Arwen and Estel were suspiciously missing. While not privy to their thoughts, Nianna suspected the two were now together in the gardens. She smiled as her own memories of the time when she and Legolas would ‘disappear’ filled her mind.

[“And what thoughts fill your head to cause that smile?”] Legolas leaned over to ask.

She simply shook her head. Legolas clasped her hand and brought it to his lips. Caressing his cheek with her other hand, she expressed her love to him as he had done by his simple gesture before the two returned their attention back to the festival occurring in front of them.

As the night progressed, the visitors to Imladris soon had their own moment as the Men of Gondor taught several she-elves their own dances and the Dwarves sang tales of the bravest heroes. The hobbits also joined with several pub songs that they danced to, on top of the tables, much to the dismay of Lord Elrond. Some of the dwarves even joined them once learning the songs and teaching their own to the slightly smaller beings.

Bilbo took up a good portion of the night in his retelling of one of his adventures. Surprising to many, one of the dwarves soon joined him.

Nianna laughed at the disgruntled look on Legolas’s face as a particular sequence of events was retold. He had not realized that at least one of the dwarves in attendance had recently escaped from Mirkwood’s dungeons and while the secret on exactly how they had succeed in this venture was not revealed, Legolas soon enjoyed the rest of the tale.

Legolas and Nianna left the festivals while many of the participants still danced. The Men of Gondor as well as Lord Elrond and Mithrandir had left several moments before. Nianna and Legolas wished the inebriated hobbits a good night before retiring.

As the Mirkwood elves strolled through the halls to return to their rooms, Nianna noticed movement to her left. As she glanced over, she noticed Estel and Arwen returning from the gardens. With a quick glance, she noticed that Arwen no longer wore her pendent and immediately realized its significance.

Both joy and sadness filled Nianna as she smiled at the couple. Clasping Legolas’s hand more firmly, she continued on.

Tomorrow was an important day for all of Arda for the future of the One Ring would be decided.