Dawnstar and Friend

Eleanor’s POV
I’m not sure how long I slept, but it was long enough for me to miss the possibility of me seeing a dawn star – just joking, it was obviously a fair way past dawn.
What woke me was Rodwen laying down a platter of something or other on my bedside table.
Numbly, in that half awake stage I get when I was really tired before I went to sleep, I ate and followed her to a similar set of bathing chambers to the ones we had used in Mirkwood before the ball.
Thankfully, unlike most of Rivendell, these were properly walled in, probably to keep the heat in. I would hate the notion of there only being those fabric screens between me and the world.
Also thankfully, neither Miriel nor Ginny were in the mood for talking. They looked as flaked out as I felt. The dip in the hot pool was welcomed by all of us as we could doze some more and when we finally came out of the long bathing process we were all feeling rather better than when we went in, it having rejuvenated our bodies and allowed our minds to carry on resting.
After a light lunch, I think the elves realised I wasn’t really up to eating huge amount, I went through the dressing process.
Though the twins had packed posh dresses, relatively speaking, it turned out not to be necessary.
Shortly after he arrived in Mirkwood, Elrond somehow managed to get hold of our measurements and sent them home to have gowns ready-made for us. Any small adjustments on this gown would be made while I was dressing.
Though, unsurprisingly, it was blue and gold the style was very different and that made it rather more bearable.
The dress was simple; made of dark blue silk dupion, a fabric I had yet to have a dress in, with a rather daring cowl neck.
The front of the neckline fell in elegant folds, just far enough up my bust not to be indecent, but it was the back that was truly daring.
The back didn’t really exist actually, well not of the over-dress. The neat folds landed once again just high enough for decency.
Underneath the main dress, in a nod to modesty – something this dress seemed to lack – was a fine, translucent, gold embroidered silver under-dress. The way the embroidery was done made it look like the under dress was actually a very pale shade of gold and the embroidery on the main dress was the same pale shade of gold, achieved by winding gold and silver threads together.
The bust region of the dress was delicately beaded with jewels that I could not identify that were the perfect shade of pale gold-yellow.
The only other adornment was the decorative hemming which elegantly crumpled the silk to reveal flashes of the under dress and petticoats which fluffed out the skirt. The same sort of hemming worked on the sleeves to pull the top part of the full bells back so that I could actually use my hands.
This time the royal jewellery Elrond had given me served to add decoration rather than be a suitable understated way to fill up empty space, as it had been before.
Decorative braiding held my hair back from my face and my ears, also holding in my circlet, and inset in the braids were the same jewels that adorned my dress and sapphires.
The peculiar thing was that the shade of gold on my jewellery suddenly seemed a lot paler, matching that of my dress rather than being a bad contrast as I had expected it to be. I remembered Miriel’s comment that the ring was heavy with some sort of elfin magic and decided that it must be that that made the jewellery match my dress.
Though the cynical, realistic side of me said that I was just imagining it all
When I had finished, I didn’t have the opportunity to go examine my friends’ dresses as I was whisked straight off to the banqueting hall by Glorfindel.
This time there was to be a formal meal followed by the party in the Hall of Fire.
Once there, I was sat beside Elrond who, before the feast began, stood up with a speech-look on his face.
“My Lords and Ladies, my fellow people, many of you either were residents of Gondolin or are descended from residents and I am sure you are all aware of the legend of my lost great aunt, the Dawnstar of our people, who arrived at the dusk of the city and was sent away during its last dawn.”
Gordon Bennet, he really knows how to overdo an introduction.
“At last she has been returned to us and the beautiful young elleth beside me is she, Caladhiel Minuialęl”.
There is a stunned silence following his pronouncement and I wonder about his choice of name for me, making a note to ask as soon as the dinner has begun.
He opens his mouth again, apparently he has not finished.
"I have one, admittedly slightly less surprising, announcement to make.”
He looks around the room sardonically before continuing.
“My chief councillor wishes to make the announcement though so I will hand over to Lord Erestor.”
The aforementioned lord stands up and pauses, looking in mine and Ginny’s general direction.
“What I would like to announce is my adoption of the Lady Virginia, the human lady who travels with Caladhiel Minuialęl, as my ward. She is, therefore, under my personal protection.” He then thanks the hall and sits down with a fatherly glare around the room.
Once I am over my shock, I look around, trying to see Maedhren and work out if he already knew this was coming because he is definitely right about one thing, I am not alone in my Sue-ness.
Once we are over that big shocker, the meal actually starts and it is truly sumptuous, though not so heavy as to make it hard to dance later.
At the meal, because of my status, Miriel and Elrond are the only ones I know within polite talking distance. So I get introduced to some elf-lords. Unusually, I give the impression of being rather quiet.
This is because, though I am usually rather over talkative, I absolutely hate talking to new people and when I am introduced to someone new I go to one of the extremes, either babbling or very quiet. Since I am trying to come off as a princess I go rather quiet.
Occasionally I look down the table at Ginny to make sure she is okay, but she seems to have found a group of elleth and a young ellon to talk to who all seem very nice. I am rather glad that Rivendell does not have the human hang-ups that Mirkwood does and that my best friend seems to have found some new friends to talk to.
At one point I do actually get to talk to Elrond alone and he explains that the name he used for me is actually a translation of Eleanor and dawnstar. I never get the opportunity to ask whether it is a translation to elfish or if Eleanor is a translation from.
Once we have finished dinner, we get up to go to the Hall of Fire with absolutely no formality what so ever. At this point I realize what makes Rivendell seem so different from Mirkwood, not only is it more open, but so are the people; they are so much more friendly and welcoming than in that dark forest and they accept anyone for what they are. It is an atmosphere that I like, even though I have only been here a day or so.
Ginny’s POV
Please, please, PLEASE don’t make me get up. My legs are still complaining after the events of the past week and, when I was in my bath yesterday, I saw that my prediction was correct; my legs are covered in bruises. At least the dresses here are floor-length; my legs do look truly battered.
My maid Eama gently prises the covers off my head before moving over to the balcony in order to let in the morning light.
“Come on, Ginny! Up you get. If you don’t, you won’t be able to wow any boys with your fabulous dress this evening. Besides I’ve been looking forward to doing your hair; it’ll be my first time and everything.”
All this was said in an excited rush. Eama, you see, is only 52 and is in her first placement. Despite, her maturity, she stills seems like a little elleth as she dances about putting things straight – very different to Aeyana’s quiet dignity.
Reluctantly, I get up and slip into my dressing gown.
The walk to the bathing chambers is very subdued; all three of us are sore and tired.
No one speaks – even Miriel, always the bubbly, perpetually excited one, is quiet. But, we can slowly feel our muscles relax as we are all soaked, massaged, and heated.
Now it’s time to dress.
Like at the Mirkwood ball, I’m dressed in four layers: two sets of exquisite underclothes, an under-dress, and an over-dress. The first three are very simple; just plain silks and gossamers.
The waistless over-dress is made of dark gold silk overlaid with sheer midnight-blue silk-gossamer; metallic silver thread woven into a delicate abstract pattern flows up and down the gossamer. Occasionally, the light catches the glitter of a tiny diamond.
The cut of the dress is similar to that of full-length strapless evening dresses worn in my old home, meaning the neckline is straight across the top of my breasts and at the same level on my back. However, the gossamer extends up to the edge of my shoulders and then falls down my arms, forming delicate bell-sleeves.
My hair is very simply done; Eama braids two smallish strands of hair and then twists them round into a circle at the back of my head, securing them with a series of flower shaped diamonds and amethysts. I wear the amethyst earrings and pendant again; I don’t care that they don’t match my outfit; it’s one of the few chances I get to wear anything purple.
For a second time, I’m escorted by Erestor, but this time, it’s not horribly formalised like the Mirkwood ball. Instead, Erestor simply takes me straight to the banqueting hall and sits me down at a long, carved table.
I look around for Ellie and Miriel. They’re sitting with Elrond and Glorfindel a few places along from me. My eyes nearly pop out of their sockets when I see Ellie’s dress. Miriel’s dress is also quite plunging in various places; not quite as far down as Ellie’s, but she’s certainly showing a lot more skin than she was at the Mirkwood ball. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why she’s looking so radiant.
“Mae Govannen! I’m Syrwen.” I look round; a small blonde elleth is sitting opposite me, her ice-blue eyes bright and beaming.
“Oh, um... Mae Govannen. I’m Virginia, well, I prefer Ginny.” Syrwen smiles broadly and then begins introducing me to the group of elleth and one very cute ellon sitting around us.
They all begin chattering away, asking all sorts of questions. I’m a bit overwhelmed at first as I’m very quiet and shy with people, even my own family at times. Soon, however, I find myself falling easily into conversation with them.
We can’t talk much though as Elrond soon gets to his feet.
“My Lords and Ladies, my fellow people, many of you either were residents of Gondolin or are descended from residents and I am sure you are all aware of the legend of my lost great aunt, the Dawnstar of our people, who arrived at the dusk of the city and was sent away during its last dawn.”
I lean across and whisper to Syrwen,
“Are elfin speeches usually this flowery?” She smirks and whispers back,
“Depends on the occasion.”
“At last she has been returned to us and the beautiful young elleth beside me is she, Caladhiel Minuialęl”.
What? THAT’S Ellie’s real name? Calad... Cal... oh screw it, I’m just going to keep calling her Ellie.
I pick up a goblet and begin to sip its contents while Elrond continues,
"I have one, admittedly slightly less surprising, announcement to make. My chief councillor wishes to make the announcement though so I will hand over to Lord Erestor.”
Erestor stands up, pausing slightly.
“What I would like to announce is my adoption of the Lady Virginia...”
I freeze, staring at Erestor, the goblet still at my lips.
“... the human lady who travels with Caladhiel Minuialęl, as my ward...”
I swallow quickly, almost spilling the drink down my front.
“... She is, therefore, under my personal protection. Thank you.”
As Erestor glances around the room and sits down, Syrwen smiles and makes a small clapping motion with her hands. I return her smile, somewhat embarrassedly.
The meal is simply wonderful; all sorts of sweet and savoury pastries lay out artistically in front of us.
Whilst we’re eating, I tell Syrwen and her friends all about how we managed to escape. It isn’t long before they’re all crying with laughter.
Pretty soon the meal ends and we all rise and wander sedately over to the Hall of Fire for the dancing part.
Naturally, my first dance is with Erestor. He chuckles when he sees my face.
“Gave you quite a surprise I think!”
“I’m more shocked than surprised – you could have forewarned me.” Erestor smiles and hugs me gently.
After the first dance, Miriel comes rushing up to me, babbling in her excitement,
“Oh, Ginny I’m pleased for you.” She then takes me in her arms and whirls about, laughing.
When Miriel’s excitement has died down, I introduce her to Syrwen, who leads us over to a new group of young elves. It seems my little story about the naked Adindel has spread like wildfire and everyone is now desperate to hear the tale, even dignified elf-lords and ladies.
I think Adindel may find that his reputation has changed somewhat when he next comes on a state visit...