Greenwood The Great

Pinecones

Bright shimmering colors and all kinds of exquisite jewels sparkled inside the King's Halls, replete with jovial elves, all of them dressed in their finest robes and dresses. A harmonious waltz tuned in the background, nearly lost in the song of a thousand conversations merging together into a single unintelligible tune. It was cold outside, the Moon shining in pale silver over the empty dark gardens, but here, inside the largest halls of the Palace, the air had never been more warm and welcoming.

It had been close to a year since the last time Alarya had been inside the majestic walls of the Palace, and the sight of the grand winter's solstice celebration fascinated her more than nearly anything she had seen. She had attended this celebration a couple of times before, but she had been no more than an elfling at that time, thus everything had looked incredibly different at the time. Since the unexpected and devastating death of her older brother, her family had chose to stay away from such grand events, her parents no longer in the mood for celebrations during long years, and she had chosen to stay with them to offer her company.

This year, however, she had not been able to find it in herself to stay at home. No. This year she had convinced her parents to attend the celebration, nearly dragging them all the way to the Palace for this specific night. She had claimed that she longed to see the magnificent building once more, after how much she had adored it on their last visit ten months ago. But that had only been a fragment of reasons for coming. Yes. The reason she had wanted to come on this particular night to this particular celebration was currently sitting at the head of the highest table, wearing rich and elegant royal blue robes.

The King of Mirkwood sat tall and regal on his throne like chair, yet oblivious to her presence in the Halls. He held a cut crystal glass of deep red wine in his hand, sipping from it absently as he spoke with the elf to his left. He had not turned his head in her direction once. But she did not really care. Alarya was not even sure if she wanted his attention or not, she merely wanted to see the grand sight of this celebration with her own eyes. She wanted to see him in this grand celebration. Curious to get another glimpse at him, so royal and powerful, and at the same time so serene and composed.

She had met the mighty and respected Elvenking for the first time ten months ago, when she had mistaken him for someone else in the gardens of the Palace. He had acted gracious about it – as he seemed to do about everything – and it had not taken her long to figure out who he was. Really, no other elf in the entire realm had eyes so piercing and powerful as his silent ice blue eyes, no other elf walked as gracefully and royally as he did.

Truth is, she had been so embarrassed that she had not wanted to admit she had not been able to recognize her King, and thus, when he introduced himself she faked that she did not believe him. What a surprise she got when he invited her to dine at his table and there he was, the King of Mirkwood in all of his glory, amusing himself at her expense. Oh, yes. That dinner had been the most amusing one she had ever attended. She had not seen him afterwards, and was left with the urging curiosity of throwing another glance at this mighty personage.

"Who are you staring at, Alarya?" Her older cousin, Aerdan, said from her left, his smirking green eyes searching through in the direction her eyes had been looking. She immediately turned her eyes to meet his, before he could trace the line of her gaze.

"No one" She lied perfectly, sounding casual as she tasted yet another sip of the exquisite wine. "Just overlooking the celebration, it is breathtaking."

"Mhm. And what is the 'celebration's' name?" Her cousin's eyes mocked her, an eyebrow raised high in a playful expression, as if he had not believed her in the slightest.

"Aerdan!" She scolded him, unable to contain a grin from appearing on her face. Oh, her cousins. The three most carefree elves she had ever met. All three of them older than her.