The image is her wedding dress.
~~O~~
"The theme is pink!" Fain shouted, pointing a finger upward. "Pink flowers, pink ribbons, pink dresses, everything should be pink."
"No way!" Liath argued. "It should be green! We have to be one with the forest."
"I like yellow." Fionn said, while sitting on one of the branches of a tree.
"Huh? Fionn, by the time that day comes, winter is already here. So, yellow and snow? Uh-uh, no go." Fain laughed proudly. "Am I right?"
His companions just stared at him, when Cielo just sighed and left. "Whatever Fain, let the elves decide on that, while I will visit Lord Faramir and see what he will be wearing."
~~O~~
Eight months of preparation, the news have spread and the invitations have been sent. During those times, Thranduil's people were busy. Merchants from neighboring lands offered materials and things that were needed for the upcoming event, which has been sincerely accepted. A huge reconstruction and redecoration of the courtyard has been done and it became grand. Dorwinion sent hundreds of barrels of their wine as a gift for Thranduil.
Mirialia stood in amusement, while watching the seamstresses of both Woodland Realm and Rohan worked on her wedding gown. Two elleth were taking her measurements, when Tauriel walked in.
"Tauriel!" Mirialia happily greeted, hugging her tight. "I have not seen you for months. Where have you been?"
"I have been sent to Lorien so I can bring the news to Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. I've also sent there to escort the Elders back here."
"Elders?" the young woman asked curiously.
"The Elders are the oldest Sindars of our land. Lord Glauron and Lady Amariel have arrived. And they cannot wait to see you." Tauriel smiled.
"Oh, alright." Mirialia said. "I will be seeing them once everything is done here."
Tauriel planted a kiss on her cheek, "I am so glad to see you, mellon nin. There is nothing more I could wish for, but to see you happy on that day."
"Thank you, Tauriel." She smiled back. "You have always been my friend."
"I will see you later." The red-haired elf said as she left.
~~O~~
"After thousands of years, you will be marrying again, Thranduil. I still could not believe it." one of the Elders, Lord Glauron stared intently at him. His blue eyes clearly indicating disapproval.
"I say the same, my friend." The Elvenking agreed truthfully.
Glauron sighed, and leaned his back at the rail of the balcony. "You are literally breaking the tradition."
"You're right, I am. With the Valar's permission." Thranduil coolly defended his actions.
"Make sure that this marriage will not create conflict with Rohan." the Elder reminded him.
"What makes you think there will be a conflict?" Thranduil asked.
"Jealousy." The word came bitter from his mouth. "It has always been a part of Men's heart. Being a daughter of Bern, the people of Rohan wanted to claim her. But now that you are marrying her, do you think they accepted it with smiles on their faces?"
Thranduil poured wine on Glauron's goblet as he answered. "If there will be any conflict, Miriel and I will take care of it. You should not worry."
"Before we depart to Valinor, I want to see our kingdom prosper even more under your reign." Glauron placed a hand on his shoulder. "I loved your father as much as I loved you. I can even see that you surpasses him, and that is what makes me proud of you. If the Valar permitted this marriage, then so be it."
Glauron has been a close friend to Oropher, Thranduil's father. But when he was slain in the War of the Last Alliance, the Elder was left with no choice but to give the crown to Thranduil even if he was still suffering from the loss. He stood alongside Oropher's son, and guided him to become a better king. Though Thranduil's stubbornness sometimes annoyed him, he did not give up. He nurtured and loved Thranduil, like his own son.
"Thank you." Thranduil said. "I will never forget everything that you have taught me."
~~O~~
Mirialia made her way to the balcony where Glauron was waiting for her. When she found him, he did not smile nor warmly greeted her. Instead, he looked at her from head to foot and circled around her.
"It is an honor to meet you, my lord." Mirialia bowed. "I thought King Thranduil is here."
"He has been summoned to the throne room." Glauron coldly answered.
There has been a few minutes of silence, while the Elder kept staring at her. Mirialia, on the other hand, became uncomfortable and avoided his gaze.
"I don't like you."
Her hands became cold the moment she heard the words.
"You do have Elven beauty, but you are still a half-mortal. Whether you will be a good queen or not, I cannot tell." Glauron noted sharply. "However, I sensed that Thranduil's love for you is strong...and with possessiveness."
Mirialia stayed silent.
"Being possessive is in Thranduil's nature, you should be able to handle it." the Elder pointed out. "I will be watching you, Miriel. I want to see if Thranduil did not make a huge mistake of marrying you."
With that, he left Mirialia alone at the balcony. Tears started to form in her eyes but were immediately held back when a soft voice called out to her.
"So you are the bride to-be." the female elf smiled. "My name is Amariel. Glauron is my husband. Oh, please forgive him for being so cold to you."
Mirialia tried to smile. "Pleased to meet you, my lady."
The elleth hugged her and cupped her cheek. "Do not cry now, young one. Let me tell you that Glauron didn't like Thranduil's first wife either." She slightly chuckled. "Well, let's not talk about that."
Suddenly, three elf maidens approached them. Mirialia immediately recognized that two of them have identical features.
"Oh, Miriel. These are my maidens, the twins Nauriel and Nemiriel. And this is Lenneth." the female Elder introduced them.
The elf maidens bowed to her and Mirialia did the same. Looking at the twins, she noticed that Nauriel has reddish brown hair while Nemiriel's was brown, and Lenneth's was black.
"She has Anvanya's eyes, my lady." Nauriel commented.
"Oh yes, she does." Amariel agreed. "Come with us, child. We have brought dresses for you to wear once you become queen."
Amariel slipped an arm on her waist and they all walked towards the Elder's chamber.
~~O~~
When the day finally came, all invited guests have arrived. Eomer and Eowyn, of course, for Rohan. Aragorn and Arwen for Gondor, with Faramir at their side. Galadriel and Celeborn for Lorien also came. Elrond, with his twins Elladan and Elrohir, and alongside Glorfindel to represent Rivendell. The Lord of Dale, Bard II was also present, with his council. Others who came were a group of Woodmen traders, representatives of Dorwinion and noble families from distant lands.
Gandalf the White preceded the ceremony.
"Let the bride come forth." He announced.
Thranduil waited for her, while Glauron stood beside him. The king wore a long green silk velvet, with heavy flora and fauna embroidery in silver on the cuffs and on other portions of the garment. Instead of wearing his usual crown of berries, a silver circlet with an emerald on its center was placed on his head.
The bride, when she entered the courtyard, wore a long silk white gown, decorated with white and green flowers. A yellow gold chain-like jewellery was placed down across her chest and on her waist. Her veil, with light green lace at the edges flowed onto the ground. Placed on her forehead was a silver circlet with a pearl at its center.
When she stood beside Thranduil, they held each other's hands while Eowyn walked towards them. She hang a silver necklace with a sapphire pendant around Thranduil's neck as a gift to him. She then placed her hand on top of the two, "May Elbereth Star-kindler hear Thranduil's and Miriel's calls, and may Eru the Father of All bless them."
Glauron, in turn, put an emerald necklace on the bride's neck and placed his hand on top of theirs. "May Manwë, Lord of Wind watch over Thranduil and Miriel, and may Eru the Father of All bless them."
The couple gave each other a gold ring which they put on the forefinger of their right hands. Thranduil placed his forehead with hers and they smiled at each other.
"Here we now have the King and Queen of Northern Greenwood." Gandalf echoed. "A king and queen of Eryn Lasgalen, will always be a king and queen."
Applause and cheers were heard all over the place, Thranduil could see in her eyes that Mirialia was very happy. He trailed his fingers on her cheek, when a pink petal dropped in the middle of them.
"Petals?" Mirialia asked him.
When they looked up, pink petals were being thrown down by who else, but the sylphs.
"The theme should still be pink." Fain cried, while throwing the petals.
"Oh come now, Fain. Let's be happy for them!" Liath smiled as he comforted him. They flew around the courtyard, and happily cheered for them.
~~O~~
The festivity lasted for seven days, and the kingdom served a never-ending feast. During the third day, Mirialia was officially crowned as queen by Glauron. She received several crowns from the guests as gifts, one of them was made by Elrond himself. Galadriel gave her a blue gown, embroidered with flowers.
~~O~~
Meeting the guests and joining the feast drained her energy. She tiredly went back to their new chamber and lay on the bed.
Meanwhile, Thranduil entered the room and found his wife asleep. He observed the way she breathed with her mouth slightly opened, her chest gently rising and falling, and the way she moved to a more comfortable position. Before, he kept on denying everything he felt for her. But now, it was a different story. He remembered how soft she was, how smooth her skin felt. Like those words, he got lost. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her nose...and getting encouraged, her lips.
They were soft and incredibly sweet, as always.
To him, she was like an unconsumable delicacy. Everytime he felt he had enough, the more he wanted her.
He had only meant to plant a butterfly kiss on her lips, but as he pressed harder, the more inviting her lips became and so he kissed deeper until he felt her stir. He broke the kiss and looked into her eyes.
"My lord.." She whispered uncomfortably.
"This is not your king." He whispered back. "This is your husband."
And he pinned her to the bed once more with his kiss.
~~O~~
* References:
"Pink flowers, pink ribbons, pink dresses, everything should be pink." - Mulan 2 (Mushu)
"So, yellow and snow? Uh-uh, no go. Am I right?" - Frozen (Olaf)