Avadis - A legolas story (slow moving!)

Chapter 26 - He is here

TW! Mentions of assault! I'll put warnings before and after the paragraphs for you to skip. Be safe x

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The dress had been tailored to button down the back, with a neatly sewn opening to wrap around her wings. Avadis put it on before sitting at her mirror to stare at her hair. She remembered back to when the elves had fashioned her hair into braids and coils with beautiful gems and suddenly felt very plain with her usual look. Taking a hair clasp that had been laid next to her dress, she twirled some of her hair up and into an elaborate bun, securing it with the clip that shone as it reflected the light of the sunset. The rest of her hair fell freely down past her shoulders. It would do. 

She was about to leave when there was a gentle knock at her door. "Come in!" she called, turning back to the mirror to check one last time that everything was in order. 

"You look wonderful" Gandalf's said, striding into the room and standing behind her with a smile. 

"I would say the same to you, but I've learnt that changing outfits is a once-in-a-lifetime event for wizards" Avadis replied, "but you also look wonderful, of course." 

Gandalf laughed. "I thought I might accompany you there" he said, then added impatiently, "are you ready yet?" 

Avadis smiled at him before slipping her shoes on and standing next to him, enjoying the fact that she was now slightly closer to being his height. Then, she linked her arm with Gandalf's and the two made their way down the corridor and towards the main hall. 

...

In the week she had been there, she had not heard the hall as loud as it was that night. Coming to the doors, Avadis sucked in her breath as she took in the number of guests in the hall. Men huddles in groups, talking loudly to eachother, sometimes laughing and slapping eachother rather aggressively in the back. Some women were also there, many sitting with Eowyn who was near the throne at the other end of the room, they huddled together and talked much quieter, looking very serious. "Ready to go?" Gandalf leant down and whispered in her ear. Avadis breathed out and pushed her shoulders slightly back, looking up at him and nodding her head. 

"Wait for us!" a call come from behind them, Merry and Pippin ran up the stairs waving their arms at them. Behind them emerged a slightly puffed Gimli, who was trying to keep up with them, then Aragorn and Legolas. 

"Only if you all hurry up" she called back at them, looking at Gandalf with a twinkle in her eye.

"Thats alot of people" Pippin stopped suddenly at the doorway beside Avadis. She felt for him, being so small in a room full of people much bigger and more intimidating than him. She reached down and squeezed his hand, whispering to him "let's go together, shall we?" 

He smiled up at her, and from her other side she felt Gandalf be shoved away as Merry took her other hand. Together the three walked into the room, and a hush fell over the crowd as they all turned to see the new guests. At the end of the room, the king stood from his throne. 

"Welcome to our guests, who have fought bravely for our people" he declared. 

"Hoorah!" the crowd shouted loudly, raising their fists to the sky. Avadis felt Merry jump next to her. The king looked over the company before resting his gaze on her. "They are all welcome" the king said, giving her a small nod before sitting back down. 

The room immediately resumed back into conversations, this time the company were practically ignored by those around them. Avadis turned and raised an eyebrow to Aragorn, who shrugged his shoulders and smiled before walking over to join in coversation with Eomer and a group of men. Gandalf was busy speaking with Legolas, and Gimli had disappeared into the crowd.