Bluestar | Legolas x OC

Chapter 12: The Journey Begins

December 25th TA 3018

An hour before the first light, the sweet trills of a nightingale were carried by the chill winter breeze drifting through the sheer curtains of Eluin's open window. The elleth stood before an ornately carved mirror, the dim candlelight reflecting on its silver frame. She saw the familiar image of a Lady of Rivendell, though not in flowing gowns but silk and leather.

Atop her grey tunic embroidered with threads of silver, Eluin had layered a suede leather jerkin that matched the tone of her sky-blue eyes. She adjusted the clasps that held the high collar of her silk tunic in place before letting her hands run down the weathered yet buttery texture of the jerkin. Her fingers lingered on the three round silver buckles on the left side of her waist that secured the suede that hugged her slender frame, eyeing the elegant swirls woven on the blue.

She turned towards her bed, ignoring the thought of when she would return... or if she ever even would. Eluin reached for her fingerless gloves, welcoming the soft leather as she laced them up, tucking the long sleeves of her tunic into them. Her grey pants, the colour of brewing clouds, once again snug against her legs, disappearing into dark boots that mirrored her hair.

Her weapons were laid neatly atop the silk sheets, sending whispers, beckoning her. Twin blades gifted from twin brothers, Eluin reached for them, tracing the Tengwar scripts her brothers had put on them. Each blade had a message from each brother in Quenya, with their Quenya names.

"Nai estel á tulta tuolya, ló Elarquen (May hope summon forth your strength, from Elrohir)" and "Nai i eleni siluva lyenna, ló Elatan (May the stars shine upon you, from Elladan)".

Eluin turned each blade around, the shortswords glinting with the pale streaks of twilight from the windows. Engraved onto the polished metal was the symbol of Luinil, the same design as the pendant around her neck. She grabbed the hilts of the swords, glancing at the lone sapphires that decorated the pommels and guards before sheathing them into their polished scabbards, fastening them to her black quiver. With practised movements, she manoeuvred the floral embossed leather straps through her arm and buckled it across her chest. She swept her long hair out of the way and felt the swords crossed on her back and the subtle weight of the filled quiver attached.

The elleth sat down on her bed before picking up a sheathed dagger. She traced the smooth surface before embracing the cool silver of its embellishments. Freeing the dagger from its scabbard, Eluin read the elegant Quenya inscription engraved onto one side of the knife.

"Mánar ló i eleni, ló Undómiel (Blessings from the stars, from Evenstar)".

And unlike the symbol of the Bluestar the twins had etched onto their blades, Arwen's dagger had the small and familiar Quenya inscription of the word 'Luinil' on the other side. Eluin smiled to herself as she looked at each blade she had received from them a lifetime ago. It felt like only a couple moons ago when she was just a young elleth, and her siblings had gifted them to her when she came of age. But no, it had been a long time since she turned 100 years old.

A quiet knock on her door pulled Eluin away from falling into the deep caverns of nostalgia. "Tolo vi. (Come in.)" The oak slowly opened, revealing the siblings who bestowed her the three blades. Eluin glanced at them, acknowledging them before she sheathed the dagger again, tucking it in her right boot, securing the chain around it, and letting it rest on the side of her calf.

Elladan started with a smile, "I see you're prepared to leave already" "I haven't even begun on my hair yet," Eluin smirked, turning to face her brothers and sister. "Allow me," Arwen's gentle voice uttered before she moved to her sister's side. Eluin adjusted her seat on the bed so Arwen could sit behind her. The twin brothers also walked forward and sat on the other side.