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The elf-city of Emyn Duir was in a state of humming anticipation. Everywhere its folk went about their business with a sense of urgency, as if trying to finish their daily obligations early. Some shops and businesses even hung signs written in flowing Tengwar script declaring that they would be closed after midday. Such was always the case whenever the astronomers announced the coming of a solar eclipse.

Being a people very much in love with the movements of celestial bodies, all elves tended to treat such events as major holidays. There would be much feasting and merry-making that evening once the eclipse had passed, and already long tables were being arranged in the forest beyond the city gates. That afternoon though, all activity in Emyn Duir would cease as every gaze turned to the sky.

Anthelísse arose with the dawn and broke her fast on the balcony of her apartments with Aislinn, as was her habit each morning. After leaving Aislinn to join the organizers of that night's revelries, Anthelísse made for the libraries of Emyn Duir. She had been working on a project there alongside Daerchon, the Master of Words.

Shortly after Iminyë's death four years ago, Anthelísse had taken it upon herself to record the entire history of the Noldor's royal houses for the archives of the Woodland Realm. It was a task that she was sure the late handmaiden would have enjoyed, and so now Anthelísse undertook it in her honor. Daerchon proved to be a helpful if somewhat aloof companion, and often she deferred to him in matters of translation. Not only was Anthelísse transcribing everything in the familiar Tengwar figures used by the Sindarin and Quenyan languages alike, but also in the far wilder and stranger script of the Silvan tongue.

Concentrating proved difficult that morning though; the aura of anticipation that had permeated Emyn Duir was palpable even in the quiet of the library. Anthelísse's eyes kept slipping toward the sundial that stood illuminated in a beam of light nearby. She liked the library, with its towering mahogany shelves and echoing silence. Still there were few places that she would less rather be on that particular day. More than once her shifting and foot-dandling drew a reproachful glance from Daerchon, who was leaning so far over an ancient tome nearby that his long hair brushed the pages.

There was a reason for Anthelísse's restlessness though; she and Thranduil had made plans for a rendezvous that afternoon during the eclipse. The day before, the young king had approached her in the palace entryway and invited her to join him at what he called 'the perfect place' to watch the glowing lamps of Arien and Tilion embrace.

Every minute until then seemed an eternity, even to an immortal elf like Anthelísse. Her swan-feather quill hanging in stasis over the parchment, she tried and failed to set her mind to the task of recording history. Finally the Lady of the Noldor gave up and allowed her mind to wander freely.

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Elsewhere in Emyn Duir, Thranduil found himself similarly preoccupied. Meeting in council with the nobility was proving to be an exercise in tedium; it seemed no one wanted to discuss supply and demand with an eclipse soon upon them. The only one who seemed remotely engaged in the conversation around the table was Tharnor, whose tone became increasingly flinty with each vague response. More than once Queen Nellas had to give Thranduil a subtle nudge under the table to bring him back to the present. He took comfort from the fact that he wasn't the only one so distracted in the room. Even fastidious Maechenel and practical Daeris spoke with less certainty than they might have otherwise.

While listening to the Master of Coin drone on about something regarding the exchange rate of mineral ores, Thranduil felt his mind slipping away to more pleasant subjects. The way Anthelísse's cheeks widened when she smiled, for example. Then of course there was the all-important sound of her voice as she spoke of her family, her plans for the day and the activities of her folk.

"Wouldn't you agree, Aran-nin, that we ought to explore options for securing ore ourselves rather than continuing to deal with the humans?"

Thranduil had missed everything that Tharnor had said. He thanked his lucky stars that the question was detailed enough to give him something to work with. Straightening his shoulders and trying to look alert, he steepled his fingers as Oropher had once habitually done while in council.

"Mining raw ores ourselves will be a difficult and lengthy operation, Tharnor." He said, making up his response on the spot with every word. "Humans are well-enough suited for working underground, while I think everyone here will agree when I say that we are not. Why should we not continue on with the agreements that my father established?"

Erchelil leaned forward in her seat, cutting off Tharnor's incredulous look. "The Master of Coin makes a point though, Aran-nin. The mortals are aware of our reticence to mine the earth ourselves, and will no doubt continue to exploit this with their increased tariffs."

Thranduil could have kissed the soft-spoken Mistress of the Gardens for so clearly spelling out the heart of Tharnor's arguments. With two sentences she had completely brought him up to speed on the entire debate. Smothering a too-revealing smile, he angled his chin regally.

"Yes, but we too offer things in trade that Men cannot possibly secure for themselves. Permission to harvest young trees from the forest's edge for their buildings, for example. If we were to say, ask for appropriate compensation in return for this continued boon, I believe we can easily balance out any gains in coinage that the humans may be making through the sale of ores."

"An eye for an eye, to put it bluntly?" Daeris asked, raising her dark eyebrows. When Thranduil nodded, a murmur of assent went around the table.

When the council adjourned, Nellas caught her son on the way out of the room.

"You were fortunate in there, ion-nin." She said reproachfully. "It does not become a king to be miserly with his attention when it comes to the ruling of his kingdom."

Thranduil blushed, but met Nellas's gaze. "I apologize, Naneth. Today will be a very important day, and it is hard to think of anything but."

"Why, because of the eclipse?"

"You might say that..." Thranduil said with a mysterious note to his smile. When Nellas tried to get more out of him he remained tight-lipped though. Finally she gave up and waved him off.

"Go then Thranduil, go and meet with your golden lady." When Thranduil hesitated, unsure if she was displeased with him, Nellas favoured him with a wry smile. "It would not do to keep Anthelísse waiting."

Anthelísse followed the winding path up the mountainside, occasionally glancing up to watch as the sky took on a curious, dream-like haze. The moon and sun were visible side by side now. Very soon, the eclipse would begin.

Thranduil had given her instructions how to find this trail. It escaped through the back of the palace gardens and wandered up onto the mountainside behind Emyn Duir. The higher Anthelísse climbed, the more she could see the woodland city sprawl out below her. It truly did look like a map spread out across the arms of the mountain, trailing away down to the gates and into the forest beyond. The Greenwood unfurled as far as the eye could see in all directions, its treetops waving like a green sea in the breeze.

She found Thranduil waiting for her on the mountainside, seated on a mossy rock that curved like a natural seat. When he saw her, his entire face lit up.

"You found the way here." He said, standing and going to her. Anthelísse stepped into his now-familiar embrace as their lips met.

"Of course I did." She said when their kiss ended. "The trail is well-worn, as you said it would be."

Thranduil smiled. "I have been coming here ever since my father first brought us to the woodland realm. I found this place in my first year living here, and have been coming back time and time again ever since." Taking her hand, he led her back to the mossy seat. "Come, the eclipse is beginning!"

It was a close fit to get them both seated comfortably on the stone. Anthelísse's and Thranduil's legs were pressed so closely together that even through her gown and his leggings they began to go numb. Neither of them minded in the slightest though, and the problem was soon fixed when Anthelísse lifted Thranduil's arm to snuggle closer and fit herself against him.

The moon continued to climb, coming as close to the sun as Anthelísse was to Thranduil. Then, little by little, it began to slide overtop of the fiery orb. The sun and the moon came together in the heavens, and the entire sky glowed with their celestial passion. Below on the mountainside, the two elves watched enthralled. Anthelísse could feel Thranduil's heart beating against her shoulder, and Thranduil's hand rested against the curve of her side.

As the climax of the eclipse approached, the sight became more beautiful and more unbearable to watch. A fiery halo grew around the moon where the sun shone behind it. Their eyes itched, and then began to water. Still Thranduil and Anthelísse did not look away until the last possible moment.

"Close your eyes." Thranduil whispered in Anthelísse's ears. His soft words sounded inordinately loud in the dreamlike stasis of the world. The sun and the moon still burning together in her mind, Anthelísse shut her eyes.

She felt Thranduil shift against her, and her pulse quickened. Being without sight heightened all her senses, but she could still feel the blush of the eclipse far above. The two of them remained entwined like that for one heartbeat, another...

Then there was a subtle shift in the glow through their eyelids; the zenith of the eclipse had passed. No longer would the sight of Arien and Tilion's union burn them to behold.

"Anthelísse..." Thranduil murmured. "...open your eyes."

Slowly, Anthelísse let her eyes drift open. The world still looked unreal, bathed in a wash of silvery orange light. Then the silver intensified, and she realized that she was looking at an object held up before her. The glow of the sky was reflected in its smooth, polished curvature.

It was a silver ring, perfectly round as a pure as the moon. A single white stone was set upon it, and it sparkled with a tiny star in the returning daylight. Anthelísse's breath caught in her throat.

"Anthelísse, daughter of Orodreth, Lady of the Noldor, will you marry me?"

"Yes." Anthelísse said, meeting Thranduil's gaze unwaveringly. The blue of the sky and the blue of the sea, mirrored back at one another. "Yes I will marry you, Thranduil son of Oropher, King of the Woodland Realm."

The two of them remained in that place for some time even after the eclipse passed. Overhead, Arien and Tilion parted and resumed their journeys across the heavens. Below on Arda, Thranduil and Anthelísse came together as one.

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