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After the public acknowledgement of Thranduil as King of the Woodland Realm, elves began to drift away from the main courtyard of Emyn Duir. Most if not all had their own private mourning to attend to. Many were still present though as Thranduil formally presented the Lady Anthelísse and her entourage as guests in the Greenwood.

"Naneth, may I introduce to you Lady Anthelísse, daughter of Orodreth and High Queen of the Noldor in Arda." Thranduil said, reaching out to gesture her toward his mother as she and her herald climbed the steps. It was a pretty title, 'High Queen', but when the Noldor in Middle-Earth numbered a single dozen notwithstanding those in Imladris, Anthelísse supposed it did not count for much.

Still, the late Oropher's queen bowed her head cordially. "Gil-Galad's sister. You are welcome to stay within our halls as my son's honored guest, hiril-nin."

Thranduil seemed pleased. "Lady Anthelísse, this is my mother; Queen Nellas of the Woodland Realm, formerly of Doriath."

"It is my honor to make your acquaintance, Lady Nellas." Anthelísse replied, echoing the queen's gesture. "Your son has been most generous in his offer of hospitality."

"Come, you must be weary after your long journey from the south." The queen turned away from the courtyard where the soldiers and their families were dispersing. "You must forgive me Lady Anthelísse, but I would have my son to myself for a little while at least. We have much to discuss..." Nellas's voice sounded heavy with sorrow as she laid a hand upon Thranduil's arm.

"Yes Naneth." Thranduil looked regretfully at Anthelísse, then raised a hand to summon forward a servant. The elf, a tall Silvan with hawk-like eyes darted forward from the direction of the palace. "Caladorn, see to it that the Lady Anthelísse and her folk are given quarters worthy of our best hospitality."

"As you wish hir-nin." The servant named Caladorn bowed.

"I am sorry that I must leave you for now, my lady." Thranduil said, glancing toward his mother who was now walking a few paces ahead toward the palace doors. "Would you accept an invitation to join myself and the court for dinner tonight?"

Anthelísse, who found herself unexpectedly tired and in need of solitude, did not mind the empty time between then and dinner in the slightest.

"I look forward to it, King Thranduil." She answered, turning to her followers and beckoning them forward. "Where shall I find you?"

"The Upper Halls. It is smaller than the Heartwood Hall which we usually use for feasting, but I will send a servant to guide you. Na lû e-govaned vîn..." *

"Until then." Anthelísse placed a hand to her heart and watched as the young king hurried to fall into stride alongside his mother. The pair, one short and the other tall, one dark and the other light crossed the upper courtyard and passed through the gates of the palace.

The servant, who had been waiting silently, held out an arm in the direction of a handsome building adjacent to the palace. "If you and your folk will please follow me, my lady."

They were given a handsome suite of rooms on the second floor, overlooking the courtyard and the square below. The mountains cast long shadows across the walls, and ivy twined around all the windowsills. Anthelísse was set up in the largest and grandest rooms, with each of her followers being given their own private quarters either along the same hall or one floor above. Aislinn, whom had insisted on being housed at her lady's immediate disposal came to help Anthelísse unpack and get settled.

"What think you of the Greenwood so far, Aislinn?" Anthelísse asked as she unfolded a set of sleeping robes and hung them in the spacious wardrobe.

"Me, my lady?" Aislinn paused in emptying out a bag. Years of living in the Noldor military camps had given them the skill of light travel.

"Yes. I brought you and the others here, and I want to know if you stand by your earlier sentiments regarding the Grey Havens."

Aislinn frowned. "Still second-guessing, my lady? I told you before, every one of us came because we wanted to, not out of some misplaced sense of obligation. Besides..." The handmaiden let her sentence hang.

"Besides what?" Anthelísse looked up from undoing her boots.

With a rather wicked grin, Aislinn picked up a gown of dark blue from the bed. "I speak not only for myself when I say that we wouldn't miss watching yourself and Lord Thranduil conduct this elusive mating dance for all the jewels in Arda!"

"Mating dance indeed!" Anthelísse cried, turning a furious shade of red. Pulling off a boot, she flung it rather churlishly at Aislinn. "I hardly think accepting a formal invitation to visit from a Sindarin monarch constitutes such a thing!"

Well used to earning such outbursts, Aislinn ducked the book easily. Completely unfazed, she slung the gown over her arm and pointed to the ornately carved dressing screen.

"One of these days I shall have to put a stop to your constant over-stepping, Aislinn." Anthelísse hissed as she succeeded in dislodging the other boot and stretching her long toes. Rather than argue with her handmaiden though, she flounced behind the screen and started stripping off riding gear.

"I eagerly anticipate the attempt, my lady." Aislin replied dryly. "You are far too sensitive to my jesting as far as Lord Thranduil goes. Eru knows, you of all people have earned a little personal happiness. You will forgive me if I intend to get my share of amusement from such a thing if it comes to pass."

"I ought to have left you in Nargothrond with my sister." Growled Anthelísse as well-worn leggings and tunic were discarded and hung to one side.

"Alas for the orcs if you had."

"Hubris always has been your favorite flaw." Anthelísse reached out and grabbed the gown from Aislinn and began to step into it. Pausing, she spoke from behind the screen in a more subdued tone. "That is two of the three children of Orodreth now fallen to the Halls of Mandos; first my sister Finduilas after the fall of Nargothrond, and now Gil-Galad at the hands of Sauron. What if the Vala of those grey halls seeks to claim all three of us? I cannot help but feel that there is some doom upon me, that I will never sail from the Havens to Valinor."

"Do not say such things!" Aislinn darted behind the screen to join Anthelísse, her dark eyes flashing. "Whatever would give you such a dark idea?"

Anthelísse shrugged, turning around to allow Aislinn to lace up her gown from behind. "I cannot say. Ever since the Battle of the Last Alliance, there has been a shadow growing upon my mind. This place feels welcoming to me, and yet there is a heavy feeling of fate that has followed me and grown as we drew near."

For a moment Aislinn said nothing, her deft hands flying at the blue velvet ties. Then with a sigh she laid her hands upon her friend's shoulders. "Perhaps it is still the pall of the battle hanging upon you. It affects us all, my lady. Forget the war Anthelísse, that time is over now and the enemy is gone."

"Since when has darkness ever truly been gone from the world?" Anthelísse remarked, stepping out from behind the screen and pulling up a seat at the vanity. Her long golden hair was reasonably clean, but more than a little tangled.

Together she and Aislinn managed to brush out the knots and arrange her hair with a net of sapphires they had brought in her luggage. By the time Aislinn pronounced Anthelísse ready for dinner, a servant was already waiting by the door.

The servant led Anthelísse out from the guest apartments to cross the upper palace courtyard. The first stars were beginning to twinkle beyond the mountains, and pale lanterns lent a white-gold glow to Emyn Duir. The giant bronze doors of the palace opened without a sound before them, revealing a soaring entrance hall with vaulted ceilings. Beautiful tapestries covered the walls that they passed, mostly depicting scenes of forest wildlife and stars.

When they reached the Upper Halls they passed down a long hallway at the end of which stood a pair of oaken doors. The servant knocked, and received an answer of 'Enter' from within. The doors fell open before her, and Anthelísse drew herself up to full height before entering the royal dining hall.

At the head of a long table of polished dark wood sat Thranduil, a golden circlet set upon his brow. Queen Nellas sat to his left at the table, and all around were arrayed a number of elves whose garb and posture clearly denoted noble status. A chair sat open to Thranduil's right, which the young king offered to Anthelísse with a gesture.

"Lady Anthelísse, I am so glad that you could join us this evening." Thranduil spoke formally, but smiled at her. He looked worn and tired, and next to him his mother looked equally drained. There were no other smiles on any of the other elves present, although many nodded politely.

Gathering herself for what was shaping up to be a state dinner, Anthelísse crossed the room and took the offered seat.

"Thank you for your kind invitation King Thranduil. After a long day of riding I am looking forward to enjoying the skill of your kitchens."

As she sat, Anthelísse was aware of the many sets of eyes upon her. Her golden head would have stood out amidst the white-blonde Sindarin elves even if the blue of her gown with its silver embroidered stars did not practically scream 'Noldor'. Somehow she imagined she was the first of her kin to visit the Greenwood in a number of years. After the monumental losses suffered by the Woodland Realm in the Last Alliance, Anthelísse doubted anyone other than Thranduil was significantly glad to have her here.

Very well, politics it was.

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*Na lû e-govaned vîn = Until we meet again