Life in Death

5. New paths and goodbyes

"Tell me again why exactly I have to wear a dress..." I was annoyed and tired. I hadn't slept much this night, dreams of the black riders and the Weathertop kept haunting me. Thúldil had come to me early this morning, carrying a dress.

"Because Lord Elrond's council will meet today. And since you are supposed to attend this meeting you need to look representable. Not that you wouldn't look lovely in your ordinary clothing. But today as a guest of this house you represent it and as such it will be expected of you to dress like a lady." I let out another heavy sigh as she continued to brush the knots out of my hair. I knew that she meant well and that it wasn't meant as an insult. But with a past like mine, being told to dress up wasn't exactly getting me excited in a good way.

"I wish I had curls like you do..." Thúldil sighed finger combing my long blonde curls once more. She decided to just pull back some strands from the front into a loose braid on the back of my head while letting the rest fall down over my back. I looked at her through the mirror.

"I have never seen an elf with curls. Are there any?" She laughed softly and shook her head.

"No. Our race seems to lack the ability to grow curls. Though Lady Arwen's hair is a little more wavy..." She finished my hair and had me step into the dress. It was white and she told me it had been made just for me. The sleeves were long enough to cover up my injured arm and the shoulders were left bare. The corset top had silver stitching all over, making it look like it was covered with silver vines and leaves.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw myself in the mirror. I had never considered myself beautiful but the woman looking back at me now seemed to bare hardly any resemblance to me.

A knock on the door plucked me from my thoughts and I stood hesitantly as Glorfindel entered. Thúldil bowed in respect to him before leaving us alone.

"I thought you might wish for someone to accompany you." I averted my gaze and bowed my head in silent appreciation of him being so considerate. I couldn't quite figure what it was that mostly had me so nervous around him. Maybe it was that I just didn't understand why he would be taking so much time in tutoring me with the horses and always handle me with this affectionate care I had done nothing for to deserve it.

"Who would have thought that so much beauty was hiding behind the girl that I brought here..." He was speaking mostly to himself, still it made me flush red.

"I stand nothing in comparison to the elven women. And I doubt I hardly can keep up in appearance with the noblewomen of men..." I almost flinched back when his fingers touched my skin to tilt up my head.

"Don't be so quick to belittle yourself. You might not see it that way, but the elven beauty is dull. Nothing special that would catch the eye. At least not to me, not anymore. Not after having lived so long. Beauty is to be found in the little things. Your appearance is quite extraordinary for a human but it is the fire burning inside of you that sparks it up even more." I couldn't bear looking at him any longer. Back home I had been used to unwanted attention but Glorfindel's chivalry left me clue and speechless. I simply wasn't used to someone acting like that without expecting something in return.

"Shall we?" With a small smirk he stood by the door and waited for me. A little anxious I nodded and closed the distance between us.

Glorfindel guided me through a variety of corridors I didn't recognize. He was awfully quiet which added to my anxiety.

"You look pale, niphredil." I looked up at him, unsure how to respond to that.

"I am nervous... I don't know what Lord Elrond expects of me. Or for that matter what everybody else will be expecting. If there is any reason for me to be there besides looking pretty." I almost lost my footing when we came to an abrupt stop.