InsaneJournal

Anairë had taken her time on the walk to the palace in Tírion today. She had given herself plenty of time so that she could absorb how wonderful this new development in her life was. She had truly been asked to make the wedding gown for Findis, the eldest daughter of King Finwë! With all the seamstresses in Tírion, it had been her work that had caught the princess's eye, and her work that they had chosen to display in such a glorious way.

It was the chance, the break that she had been waiting for. It was what her family needed. Surely now there would be many, many orders of rich Ñoldor ladies wanting dresses from the girl who had made the princess's wedding gown! And her family would have enough, at last. Her childhood had not been a bad one, not by far! But they had also always had to be careful with money, and she had never been able to have the lovely things that she had always wanted; she couldn't even afford her own dresses.

But this - this one dress could change all of that.

It didn't matter that Findis was in many ways unpleasant or demanding, or that she was going today for the tenth fitting because of how incredibly picky the princess was. It was all worth it, knowing what this could do for her, and for her family.

Reaching the tower, she turned and looked back over the white city, and the sea beyond, hope soaring in her heart. She felt that she had reached the peak metaphorically as well, through her own hard work, and through the blessing of the Valar. She smiled, her eyes shimmering in the light of Laurelin, before turning to knock on the door, the light still illuminating her face.