#silverslate

This was gifted to me in the @innumerable-stars exchange and it is such a pearl of delight, aaaaa!

Legends often have the most innocuous beginnings.

Or: The first conversation between Celebrimbor of Eregion and the royal architect Narvi does not quite go as expected.

Celebrimbor: *shows up at Aulë's house*

Aulë: So what do you wish for, child? A place in my forge? A gift of knowledge? Do you wish to be greater than Fëanor? I will grant you one wish, anything.

Narví had decided to wear the dress. It would be rude to refuse, on the one hand, and the clothes seemed too fine to be a snub regardless, even if she wished she had thought to bring one of her own fine dresses to Eregion instead of focusing her packing on practicalities.

At least she had not stinted herself on pretties, which made her feel rather a bit better, adorning her hair with the beads and clasps Durin and Rafn had made for her last Name Day, the deep blue sapphires set in finely hammered gold that seemed to almost disappear against her hair. Instead of braiding her wilful curls tight to her skull, trying to keep the locks well away from any fire or workshop calamity, she had let some of it flow in its natural waves and ringlets, keeping her Line braids to frame her face but letting the rest of her marking braids find homes where they pleased in her long mane.

Her nose stud – usually a small ruby – had been replaced with a larger golden ring, attached with a thin chain across her cheek to a cuff along the edge of her ear. More than one Elf had already been caught staring at the jewellery, but not with the revulsion she had half expected, and with more fascination than she would ever have attributed any of her hosts. She had seen no Elves with nose piercings – they seemed to limit such decorations to their ears… or else keep them beneath their clothes.

Similar clothing, because that's what's practical in the forge. (Except for the short sleeves. But it was either that or no apron.) Narvi's not wearing work gloves since you can't hold a quill in them, and right now she's doing some architecting.

In case anyone was wondering, this fic is not abandoned.

(I just got distracted by a one-shot, and papertigress helped me brush this chapter into shape, which took a while.)