I Feel Pretty

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Islime sighs deeply as she walked behind Telume trying to get her for her. The small woman was currently ignoring her. "For the last time Telume I AM sorry. Truly truly sorry."

Arwen who was at current following the two girls hid a smile behind her hand. For the better part of the day Islime had been trying to apologize to Telume, but the dark haired woman would hear nothing of it. In all the years Arwen knew the small girl she had never worn a dress for reasons unknown to all, except when forced. Even her father could not figure out why she refused.

"You're sorry Islime? You're sorry isn't going to work." Telume said as her eyes teared up slightly. "You put me in a nightgown. A NIGHTGOWN! You know how much I dislike dressed but you know, KNOW, I hate nightgowns. For the love of Valor Islime I sleep in a tunic. And all you have to say over and over is you're sorry?"

Arwen smiled sympathetically as she walked over to Telume and wrapped an arm around the poor girls shoulder. "Now now Telume. To be fair she was extremely distraught when you came in here pale as a ghost with black poison visible running through your veins. And she knew that the moment you saw the nightgown you would freak out and she would hear you and know you were well." She paused looking at Islime who looked thankful. "Right Islime?"

Islime smiled and nodded. "Of course. How else was I supposed to know when you woke up Telume? Besides it's not as though someone you liked saw you in your nightgown." Both Arwen and Islime gave Telume an apologetic smile.

Telume for her part knew what Arwen and Islime was doing was bunch of rubbish, but she didn't really care. Tom had taught them in cases like this it's better to get even. Not mad… well she did get mad… Ballistic almost. Sighing she looked at Arwen and Islime. "Fine. Forgiven."

Arwen smiled and linked arms with Islime. "Then we shall see you later my friend. WE have a dress fitting that needs to be taken care of."

At Islimes puzzled face Telume knew Arwen was lying but merely shrugged as she turned the opposite direction towards the training grounds. As she grew closer she could hear the clashing of steel on steel. When she arrived she took a seat on a nearby stone bench and watched fascinated as the man, Boromir, sparred with a dwarf.

Watching the fight she had to admit the man had skill. Though he relied on his strength and shield mainly. Still looking at the shield she could see that it was reinforced with steel. Which would explain why the dwarf was barely making a dent.

Looking closely she could see that sweat was beading on Boromir brow, and she smiled fondly, studying his face. He had a strong jaw covered in a fine layer of stubble. It added a bit of ruggedness to the man that she found pleasing to the eyes. Looking at him she could tell he was a solider. A defender of his people. She knew that from her studies Gondor rested against the land of Mordor, and as such the Gondorian people oft kept the orc forces at bay. His brow and cheek bones where high. Bone structure that signified he was of noble ancestry.

Her eyes shifted to his hands. From where she sat she could see them. One wrapped around the grip on his sword, the other his shield. He'd decided to forgo gloves, and she could see calluses on the man's hands. Those where the hands of hard working man. One not afraid of menial labor as many in the higher society of cities shied from.

So deep in her thoughts she had not noticed the dwarf had called it a draw a neither one of them sparring could land an actual blow.

"-lady? Mi' lady?"

She started slightly as she looked up from her place on the bench, feeling her face heat slightly. "Huh?"

Boromir smirked slightly at the woman's blush. He remembered her from that morning, though he knew not yet her name. "I asked if there was anything wrong."

Telume smiled. "I think that you're the first person not mistake me for a lad."

He could tell she was highly amused by the tone of her voice. "I know not about the Elven people, but the sons of man rarely keep their hair as long as yours."

She smiled nodding. "I suppose then that makes sense." She looked around briefly before her eyes wondered back to Boromirs' face. "What happened to the dwarf?"

Boromir raised a brow with a teasing smile. "He had decided to call it a draw as neither of us where landing a hit and he had a meeting he had to attend." He paused thinking for moment. "Milady forgive fore this may be a bit forward, but perhaps you might grace me with your name?"

Telume stood from the bench and looked the man over. He was well almost two feet taller than her with broad shoulders that oozed strength and courage. He was giant compared to her. Smirking she pulled her dual swords from their hidden sheaths. "I'll make a wager with you Lord of Gondor. You make it past my defenses and perhaps I'll tell you my name."

He smiled at the challenge as he un-sheathed his sword and walked back to the fighting ring. "And should I lose?" He asked taking a fighting stance.

She smiled as she took her stance. "Should you lose you must wear a dress and dance like a mad man after the feast tonight." She giggled slightly at that mental image.

Boromir laughed but nodded his head the same. "As mi' lady wills it." He quirked a brow. "But why after?"

"Simple. Where you to wear it during the feast you would ruin it. Trust me when I say there is nothing worse than dancing with a stained dress."

Telume smirked as she and Boromir stood there watching one another. Looking she could tell he wasn't the type to attack first. 'So he's patient.' She thought to herself as she charged the man thrusting at him with her swords in rapid succession, testing him.

Boromir grunted softly as he blocked attack after attack from the small spitfire. He had expected an easy win against her, but it would seem as though it would be hard fought. Her attacks where quick and accurate, her movements fluid and graceful. Then she smiled, and he found himself doing so as well. His smile however, disappeared when she caused his shield to fly from his arm.

Telume smiled as she watched his shield fly from his arm. "Forfeit?" She asked cockily as she sheathed a sword.

Boromir smiled. "Not a chance milady."

"Then by all means attack me afore I grow bored and lay you on your arse." She said with a playful smirk.

Boromir quirked a brow before laughing. This had to be one of the most unusual women he'd ever met. He charged at her slashing his sword downward only to have it blocked. This is what he had been waiting for. She relied on speed and momentum. Now all he had to do was get her buckle. He pressed down on his sword feeling her push up against his straining to do so.

Telume cursed softly to herself as she blocked Boromirs attack. The man was trying to use his brute strength against her. Drawing a deep breath she allowed her sword to go lax as she rolled to the side watching as Boromir stumbled forward and lunged. Her eyes widened as her attack was met with sword. The look on his face told her he was not expecting her attack. Least of all expecting to block it.

He parried her sword as he attacked her again, watching, looking for a weakness. There. She was favoring the left side of her body, the window that she left open for attack was small but with timing he could manage a hit.

Telume growled softly as her attacks where blocked again and again. She knew that she had yet to fully recover, and knew that if she were he would be face down in the dirt by now. She jump skipped back ward to avoid an attack glaring when she noticed he's sliced her tunic around her mid-section.

Boromir smirked inwardly as he noticed he sliced through a small section of her tunic. He watched as she looked down- NOW. He lunged forward striking her left sword and cheered inside when he sent it flying. "Yield?" He asked taking a defensive stance knowing one so proud as her would never yield.

Telume sneered as she switched her remaining sword to her left hand. "To quote you 'not a chance." With that she dashed forward attacking. Smiling as she slashed across his chest only to have it blocked before sending a jab with her right hand to his stomach. She laughed softly as she watched his eyes bulge as he tried to gain back his breath. She dropped down onto her toes as she turned sweeping his legs out from under him and pulling his sword from his hands as he fell. Oh yes. She still had it. Even at half of her normal strength and speed she had it.

Boromir gasped as she rolled to his side drawing deep breaths. Blinking he saw Telume above him smirking pointing her short sword at his throat as he tried to regain his breath. He had not expected this. At all. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back. "I yield." He said softly feeling the blade come away from his neck. He opened his eyes and saw the woman holding out her hand.

"If it makes you feel any better you've done better than many."

She smiled down at him. And he felt his heart skip a beat. Taking her hands he allowed her to help him sit up. "It does not." He said as he stood and walked to collect his sword and shield. He stood as he waited for the young woman to find her missing sword.

"Our wager does not hold you know. I was not serious." She said as she kneed down to look under a nearby bush and reached under it pulling out her sword. She looked to him across the training ring. "I was raised with a sense of propriety. You are a Lord and as such should never wear a dress, though amusing it would be." She finished with a smile.

He let out a deep breath. "I thank thee milady for I must admit I was not looking forward to supper this night if our wager still stood." His smile grew as she laughed. It was the most unique laugh he had ever heard. It was not light and airy like some women, or even high pitched or sounded like bells. No it was somewhat deep but one could still tell it was a woman's' laugh. It was rich and breathy. There where so many words he could think of to describe it.

He watched as she stood with a smile. "Would you have not shown then Lord of Gondor?"

The way she said it made him bristle slightly. "I would have shown and dressed accordingly, though it would be a hit to my pride I hold true to my word."

Telume nodded thoughtfully. "Then you are a bigger man than most. All the men I know would've ditched supper." She paused and noticed his confused look. She'd done it again. "Uhh. Not shown up." Smiling she turned and walked away.

"Will I ever know your name milady?"

She heard Boromir call after her. Without turning back she replied. "Perhaps one day you shall."

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Boromir smiled as he watched the small woman leave before turning and slowly making his way back to the building that housed him. As he walked he thought back to the end of their fight. How her smile had made his heart flutter. That had never happened to him before, and he did not know if that was a good or bad thing.

He knew not about who she was or where she was from, yet he found himself interested in her. She had a strong will, was a spitfire of a woman. It made him think of who had raised her. Where she had spent her youth. Her fighting skills were more then what one would assume from someone her size.

When they had sparred he had thought she relied only on the speed at which she attacked to tire out her opponent. He lifted a hand to rub where she hand punched him knowing she would have a bruise on the marrow. That punch. It had proven him wrong. The woman had strength to back her speed and accuracy. There was much he wanted to know about her. That however, would have to wait. He had more important things to attend to.

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Islime sighed deeply as she watched Arwen get fitted for a dress. It would seem that Arwen had not been joking about the fittings as she had hoped. Though she did not like dresses she didn't hate them like Telume. However, getting fitted for one was one of her most disliked things to do. After all one just stood there and let the seamstress do whatever she did.

"Oh come Islime there is no need for that." Arwen voiced.

"I beg to differ my friend. Telume is one day out of bed and probably at the training grounds. I worry for her future."

Arwen looked at Islime curiously. "Her future?"

Islime nodded. "Aye. Her future. At this current point in time there is no man I know of that would take her to wife. None. Does she know how to cook and clean? Aye. How to make clothing? Once more aye. However her temperament. Ugh. Her temperament is what keeps men from being interested in her Arwen. We must do something!."

Arwen felt her eyes brows shoot up. To say that Islime's little rant had surprised her would be an understament. "What brings about this line of thought my friend?"

Islime sighed as she turned to look at Arwen. "Simple. While I was trained here I've had three men ask your father to court me. Of course they were asking the wrong man for such a thing. But Telume. Telume has had none as far as your father and Legolas tell me. I know that she says she if fine being alone, that she needs no man, but someday she will be old. She will wish she had found someone to love her. A mans kind of love…" She turned to look out the window. "I do not want that for her. For her to be old and regret such a thing, for by then there will be nothing she can do. Nothing…."

Arwen nodded sadly. She understood what her friend meant too well. She tapped the seamstress and nodded to the door silently asking for privacy. Once she left Arwen stepped down from the pedestal. "Then I suppose we must. How do you plan to help her?"

Islime blushed. "I-I haven't actually thought that far. But we must do something."

Arwen nodded. "Agreed. However if we are to help we would first help her… change? I suppose that would be the word. All her life she has been free to do as she wished, speak how she wished. How we are to do this I've no idea."

Islime sighed once more. "Neither do I. I'm beginning to think there is naught we can do to help at this point Arwen. Telume is stubborn and will change. We both know that."

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Telume stood in the shadows outside of Arwens room. After she had changed she wanted to find and see what her friends where up to. She had not expected this. She felt her eyes water slightly. Both where right. She had known since she was a child she would not find love. That there was no man that would take her, but to have it said out loud by her friends. It made it more real. More painful.

The fact that Islime had three possible suitors… it hurt. And Islime was right. Though she said she was fine she did want love. She really did. Sighing deeply she listened as they formulated a plan to get her in a dress. Showcase her beauty to those at supper tonight. How they though to do that though was beyond her. Taking a deep breath she smiled and pushed her way through the door noisily.

"Hello." She said brightly. "How was the fitting?"

Islime smiled quickly as did Arwen when Telume entered. "The fitting went well sister. How was… whatever you did?"

Telume rolled her eyes. "I sparred with a complete stranger." She smiled. "It was interesting."

Arwen and Islime looked at one another and nodded. Islime stood and smiled as Arwen walked behind Telume.

"Whaat's going on with you two." Telume eyes widened. "What are you two plotting?! I know those looks-"

Arwen caught Telume as she fell. "was that really needed Islime?"

Islime nodded. "Defiantly. She would have fought tooth and nail. Valor knows how it would have gone then Arwen."

Arwen sighed deeply as she lifted Telume and set her gently on a chair. She took a knife Islime offered her and carefully began to cut Telumes clothing off of her. "How long will she be out?"

"For a while. I did pinch her nerve a bit harder then I should have. I say we have at least an hour or two at most till the end of the feast."

Arwen nodded as she and Islime pulled the cut clothing off of Telumes small frame carefully. "We should hurry then. We wouldn't want her to wake before we do her hair."

Both of the women laughed at what they thought Telume would do to them.

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Telume moan softly as she felt her back muscles cramp. She kept her eyes closed not yet wanting to wake up. She paused in her movements as she heard voices. Listening she could tell they were Arwen and Islime. Opening her eyes she found them. Arwen was sitting in a chair as Islime did her hair in an intricate braid. Islimes was done in a similar manner. Sighing she stood and stretched noticing the conversation between her friends had stopped she looked at them.

"What?" She asked as she finished stretching.

From the looks both women wore she wasn't sure if she should yell at them or not, as her sleep addled mind had not made the decision.

Arwen stood. "Come Telume, and see yourself."

Telume moaned loudly. "I dread to see what you both have done to me this time. Last time you said those words Arwen you had put paints on my face in my sleep."

"She did what?!" Islime asked shocked. "You sly fox you."

Arwen smiled at Islime praise. "I swear my friend I've done nothing of the sort... This time. Now come. Look." She said gesturing towards a mirror that stood as tall as the wall from ceiling to floor.

Telume sighed still half asleep as she walked to stand in front of the mirror and gasped. There in the mirror was a Lady. Arwen and Islime had put her in a gown of greens and brown. The dress itself had three layers that she could see. The under most which peeked out from under the others at the floor and on her lower arms was dark brown in color and turning she could see it flared around her on the floor slightly.

The main part of the dress was a dark rich leaf green. The sleeves which where this color flared out at her elbows. As she lifted them it reminded her of the sleeves that Arwen oft wore as she was so fond of them. She noticed that the cut of the dress was very modest. A shallow square cut at the neckline that hinted at her, shockingly to her, ample breasts beneath. The hems of this layer where embroidered in silver thread in the shape of leaves and swirls she thought reminded her of the wind.

The last layer, the over tunic, was lighter shade of green with some sort of house crest upon it. She knew it look familiar but she could not place it currently. Her eyes then went to her hair and her eyes widened. Her long black hair was up in and elegant half bun. On her temples where her prized braids that had been braided to the ends and left to drape about her face and over her ears before disappearing into the half bun.

She looked. Beautiful. That was the only way to put it. Smiling she turned and tackle hugged her friends and felt them hug her back. She assumed they had smiles on their faces. "How?"

Arwen smiled. "I had this dress made for you a great many years ago. I saw the aversion you had to most dresses. So I studied you. The dresses you've tried before where nigh on skin tight and the neck line V cut."

Islime patter Telumes shoulder. "Soooo she had a dress made that was a dress commonly used by married women. The square cut neckline is modest and the belt and overtunic make it seem well fitted to your frame though not skin tight."

Telume hugged them even tighter. "Thank you."

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Legolas had to force himself not to sigh as he stood with Lord Elrond as he spoke to man from Gondor. He had come up after their conversation had started, but he knew what the overall conversation was about. He turned as he heard the doors to the dining hall open and smiled. There stood his sister, looking for the first time like a lady of his house. On her stomach she bore the crest of his house on the over tunic he had given to Arwen to give to her.

He left the side of Lord Elrond and walked quickly across the floor, through the throngs of Elves, and smiled as he bowed slightly before her. "I was correct was I not?"

His smile widened as she hugged him and he picked her up spinning them in circles as he just enjoyed being able to see her and hold his little sister once more. He never realized how much he had missed her. Putting her down he placed his hands on her shoulder and held her at arm's length.

"You wear the royal house of Mirkwoods crest." He said and watched as her eyes widened. "Father has welcomed you…" He smirked. "A bit reluctantly, but welcomed none the less Sister." He laughed when she hugged him once more. Wrapping his arms around her he nodded in welcome to Islime and Arwen both of whom just smiled at him.

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Boromir sighed as he closed his eyes. He was getting nowhere. Elrond kept giving him the same answer when he asked when they would speak. The answer was always the same. Tomorrow. Tomorrow. That's all the Lord had said tonight. Not to mention since the early stages of their conversation a blond elf had been standing next to Lord Elrond.

When the blond Elf left Lord Elronds side he sighed in relief only to have the Lord excuse himself after saying something about a meeting tomorrow. His eyes followed the Elvin lord and he saw the blond elf embrace someone. He was about to turn away when the elf held the person at arm's length. It was the woman who had only hours ago beaten him in a sparring match.

The way she smiled at the blond elf made him wonder about their relationship, and the way she hugged him. He turned away with a frown and walked to a table near the high table and took his seat. His thoughts filled with the mysterious woman who had this morning ran into him in her nightgown, and later this day had beat in a spar.

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Lord Elrond smiled as he opened his arms to greet Arwen, Islime, and Telume. Laughing when all three hugged him at once. It always amazed him how these two mortal women had made such an impression upon him and the inhabitants of his lands. Then again it was whispered years ago that these two would change and shape the face of Middle Earth.

When all three had let go he smiled at them all and Legolas, bowing to Telume as he noticed the crest upon her over tunic. "I see congratulations are in order Telume and Legolas. It is not often that your family claims others."

He watched as Legolas beamed as he rested an arm across Telume shoulder. "Arwen will you excuse us?" He saw his daughter quirk a brow but left them to mingle. "Follow." He said softly as he began walking out of the hall knowing he was being followed. He stopped and turned to face them. "Tomorrow there shall be a meeting of the races. Dwarf, Elf, Human, and Istari. Legolas your attendance is required as is yours." He said looking at Telume and Islime. "This meeting must be kept secret. No one can know who does not know already." He said his voice communicating how important it was no one else knew. When he received nods he left.

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".. Well that was… Unexpected." Telume said softly hearing sounds of agreement from Legolas and Islime.

"Shall we?" Legolas asked motioning back towards the dining hall. Smiling as the two women went ahead of him.

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Well so ends another chapter of this story. To all those who have stuck with me know that I WILL finish the story no matter how long it takes. Though it may take me a while to get chapters up know that they will be going up.