Birdie had been enjoying herself throughly, playing the role of ambassador with Mithadan and Pio. It had been hard to find any Elven finery on the ship that would fit her smaller stature, but the women-folk of the Star had managed to put together a very fetching ensemble. And though in a few places they had to rely on the placement of a few pins to shorten or tuck in some dangling hems, the little skinchanger had been quite pleased with her new robes and upswept hair.
Now while a change in form could come in very handy, especially when one had to fight or flee, a change in dress could have definite advantages as well. Bird had glided regally beside the splendid figures of Mithadan and Piosennial, trying to absorb some of their reflected glory and drawing herself up to appear as tall as possible beside them.
She was not unaware of of the few appreciative looks from some of the courtiers and captains they passed on their way through the city; though most glances lingered on the lovely form of the Elf-woman, not a few had turned to the more human, assessible figure of Bird, and she chose to reward a few with a slight inclination of her head and a what she thought of as her hint of a "regal smile". It was all quite heady, and Birdie was relishing her play-acting as "a fine lady".
But when they arrived at their destination, the glamor started to wear a little thin. The droning, diplomatic tone of the negotiations between Mithadan and Ardamir were starting to make Bird's head feel thick and foggy, and the weight of her upswept hair had started the hint of a headache. Also, one of the pins in her gown had worked loose, and it was all Birdie could do to resist not reaching under her robe and scratching. Mith and the city representative talked on and on, and not so much as a glass of wine or a small cake were offered to them.
Pio's sudden "attack" had come as an almost welcome relief, and Bird solicitously led the Elf-woman out of the room, trying hard not to favor a foot that had gone asleep from sitting for so long. But she was not at all happy to hear the real reason for their retreat from the council room.
"Those wooly-pated little gad-abouts!" she hissed angrily, then turned and offered a demure smile and a polite refusal to a servant offering assistance. When he was gone, she continued with her rant. "What were they thinking? Taking off into the middle of this city as if they were taking a stroll in a meadow? If this is the way they are going to behave here in Middle-earth, we'll be lucky to have any Halflings left by the end of the Third Age. They'll have all been killed off by their own stupidity!"
As Bird followed Pio down the hall, trying not to scuff her delicate slippers, she muttered crossly to herself "This little rescue mission better not cause me to ruin my dress!"
[ December 12, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]
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