The old ways

Haldir looked at my father in total puzzlement. After door had closed we stood in the middle of the main room not daring to move for some minutes, it all seemed too unrealistic. Then my joy and glee wver,ver, I pulled Haldir to me showering him with kisses, dragging him along to the connecting bedroom. Suddenly my need to feel Haldir was so great I wasn't able to hold back any longer. For a whole year we had seen each other every day not being allowed to touch and now we had these rooms for ourselves. I wanted him to hold me, take me , make me beg and scream, but Haldir was having second thoughts. He wasn't sure how to take this. Maybe this was another test my father had put upon us. Later we found out that it wasn't. "
Gimli smiled as he puffed little smoke rings into the air. "So you had your love nest all to yourselves then?"
"Yes, but the first night was really disappointing. Haldir was not able to relax the slightest bit and all he wanted was to cuddle. So we lay there in out bed holding each other close and I was trembling with passion and need. But after some days it got better."
"Tell me about that famous wedding of yours. Why did it take so long?"
"Oh my father wanted everything to be perfect. The whole entourage that would accompany us was be in new clothes, which had to be designed first, some of your kin were to build some more rooms near Thranduil's halls and so on. So at last in the year ....... we left for Imladris were the ceremony was to be held. Neither Haldir nor I knew what to expect. My father had kept everything hushed up until the end and wanted it all to be a big surprise."
Gimli looked flustered "Sounds very romantic to me. And I thought your father was more the practical type."
"I was astounded, too. But I think I was too excited and eager to really think about it. Anyway it was early spring when we arrived at Elrond's home and were brought, much to our dismay, to separate rooms. We were not supposed to see each other before the ceremony. The next day Celeborn and Galadriel arrived accompanied by their entourage and, of course, Rumil and Orphin. I was as giddy as an elfling and was pacing my room when my father entered followed by three handmaidens and Theon.
I was ushered into the bath and literally ducked under. They fussed about my hair, my father had someone to do my fingernails and from time to time silently talked to Theon. After an hour I was allowed to leave the water as clean and somewhat pink in colour as the day I was born. I my bedroom I found they had laid out the clothes for me on my bed and I was astounded. The upper shirt was in the shade of the lush summer green of the beach wood tree, the leggings in a dark velvety green resembling the dark moss of a forest and the sleeveless robe to be worn over it all had now distinct colour at all. It shimmered when moved displaying all the shades of green and gold you can find when the sght ght pours through the treetops shortly before sundown. As it was tradition I was to walk barefoot to the ceremony. The handmaidens now sat me down onto a stool and went to work on my hair. I hoped my father had not given them the instruction to braid it too much. I didn't want to look like a maiden in the end. But all they did was comb and dry it thoroughly and then they wove only two ceremonial side braids into my hair, leaving the rest open and flowing down my back. When I had dressed my father came to me and to my shock I could actually see tears shimmering in his eyes. 'Legolas, you are my only son and I wish you all the happiness you can get, may your life be long and without troubles and may your love always be at your side. I had this made for you for this special day,' he held a polished wooden box, with silver inlays in his hand. It looked very precious and elegant. My father smiled at me and continued 'it resembles your state as crown prince, your love for nature and the beauty of your heart and soul.' He opened it and took out a something golden and round. I couldn't make out what it exactly was at first but then my father placed it carefully on my brow and turned me around towards the large mirror standing in the bedroom. I hardly noticed my self, I was adorned in these wonderful flowing clothes and on my head I saw a delicate golden circlet. Strands of tiny golden leaves were entwined to a braid and each leave was decorated with a tiny emerald making it glitter and shine with the light. I felt my father's arms draw me close from behind and he whispered in my ear 'I love you Legolas, with all my heart. Promise me never to forget me and your home. I couldn't bare the loss.'
I grasped my father's hands and held them tightly. 'Never father, I could never forget you!'.
About two hours later, I was a nerves wreck by then, Theon came to get me. He led me to a large garden near Elrond's home. Though the sun had not set yet torches lined the path and were placed all around the garden. A large amount of elves had gathered there and when I was lead into their midst I saw that Haldir was led there at the same time from the opposite direction. I nearly stopped dead in my tracks when I saw him bit Theon tugged me along. Haldir was dressed in the colours of Lorien. Different shades of silver and grey highlighting the colour of his hair and eyes. To me looked like one of the Valar as the candlelight flickered on his silvery robe. Judgby hby his hesitant steps he must have thought the same when he saw me coming towards him. His brother Rumil led him to the empty space in front of Elrond, Celeborn and my father. We stood facing each other as the ceremony, we both had been waiting for so long began.