Merisuwyniel gazed with shining eyes at the wonders surrounding her. Never in all the peaceful, quiet, …boring days on the Elven Farm had she dreamt of such refined beauty and urban sophistication. The women wore such clothing as she had never before seen, and she found herself wondering if her divided skirt, though practical and feminine, was not positively dowdy compared to see-through dresses and sheer stockings. Merisuwyniel thought the head of this realm to be rather an iceberg, but she was stunning, no denying that! She thought about the possibility of buying such clothes for herself in the city shops; would her dear Halfie like to see her in something like that?
She looked over to the couch on which he lounged. Judging by his rapt gaze as he watched Saladriel and her handmaid- no, handbunnies, she corrected herself – he apparently approved of the current fashion. She felt Celery’s eyes on her and turned to speak to her host – well, at least the spouse of the hostess.
“Pray tell me of the wondrous boutiques in your fair city, Lord Celery,” she said.
“It’s ‘Kelery’, not ‘Selery’, m’dear,” he answered with an indulgent smile. This young, unspoiled natural beauty was a welcome change for his jaded eyes.
Mortified, she blushed profusely and stammered an apology. Even the accent was different here, and she had just blundered.
“Do not be concerned about such trifles,” Celery consoled her, laying his arm about her shoulder in a fatherly way. “You are intelligent, I can see, and will quickly learn the ways of the city. I will be happy to show you the finest shops and advise you in all matters of wardrobe choice.”
She smiled wanly and was relieved when he turned his attention to Pimpiowyn, seated on his other side. She again observed Saladriel, wondering whether the not-Queen would give her the name of her hairdresser and saw that she was looking intently at Chrysophylax. The dragon had been looking rather forlorn and dejected, having been ignored by all others after he had finished off the buffet. Merisuwyniel thought she had seen a tear in his eye, but
now he was focusing his attention on the Elven ruler, who seemed to be communicating with him. What might they be saying to one another?
Tired after the adventures of the past days, overwhelmed from too many new impressions to handle at once, and drowsy with whatever the drink had been that Celery had brought her, she dozed off.
[ January 30, 2003: Message edited by: Estelyn Telcontar ]
__________________
'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth.. .'
|