Plinnlim stood on a narrow bench while her mother was hustling and bustling around her, attaching pins, removing them again and talking away happily with her dulcet voice. She had been quite silent yesterday though, right after Plinnlim had arrived home, covered in the yellow dust of the Lone-lands and with a few blood splatters on her clothes. Even more so after pulling a bloodstained craban feather out of her hair. But after a long, warm and scented bath, Plinnlim's skin was clean and shiny again - and at the very moment covered with the luminous red fabric of a new dress. But while from out in the Lone-lands it had seemed a great thing to visit the Hall of Fire when back in Imladris, now she had second thoughts.
"How radiant you look! Just like when you were a small hên, wearing your beautiful gossamer dresses. Remember? The time when everyone still used to call you Merilgwen. I like that name so much better. Before you started playing around with arrows and becoming stubborn as a Gonhir and completely indifferent to beautiful dresses. I just hope this one will be ready before tomorrow evening."
Plinnlim sighed. "Really, there is no need to hurry things, mother. I can attend this occasion next time. Or next year."
"Occasion, occasion. You make it sound as if it was a slaughter, Merilwen."
"No, actually, I wish it was a slaughter. If it was a hall full of orcs, I would at least know what to do. Really, I am much better with orcs. I am afraid I don't know how to behave there."
"You will simply be yourself, just as any other day when walking through Imladris. There will be familiar faces, I am sure. And maybe that nice lady you met in the Lone-lands." While talking, she did a few more stitches here and there and smiled at her daughter lovingly.
Again, Plinnlim let out a sigh. "Maybe I should indeed skip it this time. I won't even know what to talk about. And you could tend to the garden and leave this dress for later."
"Merilwen, think about it as a chance to get to know other elves. It may well be that in less than a century you might want to look for a companion for life. And how will you choose one if you don't get to know anyone?"
"That is it! I am not going! There will be enough opportunities before the next century is over." With an angry movement Plinnlim folded her arms and raised her chin. But when she saw the patient and kind look on her mother's face, she knew that in the end she would be persuaded to go.
