… THIS IS A DISCLAIMER!!! *everyone peers at the disclaimer, which
thoroughly states my non-ownership of all SM characters*
Sabriel's note: Ok, I know you all wanna know how they were separated, but I promise that it will all come out. I'm not sure where, but I think it'll be either about halfway through, or at the end.
--- Together in Pain
Ariana entered the ball room and looked around, to her disappointment Alden wasn't there yet. She curtsied as she walked to her seat beside her mother, the Queen Earen, and felt the beginnings of a headache from all the pointless conversation as courtiers were introduced one by one.
"Sir Nathaniel, of the Rose Kingdom."
Ariana plastered on a fake smile as Sir Nathaniel approached. As he finished speaking to her mother and turned towards her, she had to hold her breath to keep from laughing. Sir Nathaniel was a short, balding man, with a face that was a mottled red, as if he had been holding his breath for his whole life. She greeted him, and then waited to hear who the next person was, without looking up.
"Prince Alden, of the Rose Kingdom." Announced the courier.
Ariana's head snapped up as he walked over. She waited in agony as he spoke with her mother first. Finally he came to speak with her, and swept her off onto the dance floor.
She and Alden danced all night long, until the ball was over, and then (since Alden would be staying in a guest room of the palace… two doors down from Ariana) Alden walked her to her room and lightly kissed her before walking to his room.
That night Ariana couldn't sleep, *I guess I'll go pay a visit to Alden, what harm could that cause?* She crept down the hall, her robes hanging open a bit, and her cheeks flushed in anticipation of seeing him again. She knocked lightly on his door… once, twice… and a third time. After hearing no answer she pushed it open, waiting for her eyes to adjust, and catch sight of his sleeping form.
*NO!* she screamed silently in her mind, Alden wasn't sleeping… and he wasn't alone either. She saw her hand maiden Faene lying within the protective circle of his arms, in his bed.
Alhana laughed as she first danced with Daemir, and then Andre. She was having a great time, and couldn't believe that Ross wasn't there yet. Last week Ross had brought her to meet his Grandmother Lonia, who was in town visiting him. She believed that soon he would propose, and already knew her response… she would, of course, say yes.
Alhana walked outside for a breath of the fresh, cool air which was characteristic of their village in the huge mountains.
*I wonder what the princess is doing right now… it must be exciting being Princess of Galadhriel. People have said so often that we look alike… I wonder if that is true. Oh well, father did promise that someday he'd take me to the palace and allow me to meet her. That's always something to look forward to. Although it seems a little strange that they will let us in to see her… us being from this small herding town. The guards will probably stop us at the gates, but father would be so disappointed!* Just then Alhana saw a movement in the woods to her right. She crept over to see what was going on, and her heart squeezed painfully in her chest.
"Ross…" she whispered, on the verge of tears. Both people quickly looked up, and she saw that it was him… with Lucenia. *NO!* she screamed silently in her mind. The thought seemed strangely echoed, as if she wasn't the only one going through this… as if someone over the distance of space and time shared her pain.
Sabriel's note: Ok, I know you all wanna know how they were separated, but I promise that it will all come out. I'm not sure where, but I think it'll be either about halfway through, or at the end.
--- Together in Pain
Ariana entered the ball room and looked around, to her disappointment Alden wasn't there yet. She curtsied as she walked to her seat beside her mother, the Queen Earen, and felt the beginnings of a headache from all the pointless conversation as courtiers were introduced one by one.
"Sir Nathaniel, of the Rose Kingdom."
Ariana plastered on a fake smile as Sir Nathaniel approached. As he finished speaking to her mother and turned towards her, she had to hold her breath to keep from laughing. Sir Nathaniel was a short, balding man, with a face that was a mottled red, as if he had been holding his breath for his whole life. She greeted him, and then waited to hear who the next person was, without looking up.
"Prince Alden, of the Rose Kingdom." Announced the courier.
Ariana's head snapped up as he walked over. She waited in agony as he spoke with her mother first. Finally he came to speak with her, and swept her off onto the dance floor.
She and Alden danced all night long, until the ball was over, and then (since Alden would be staying in a guest room of the palace… two doors down from Ariana) Alden walked her to her room and lightly kissed her before walking to his room.
That night Ariana couldn't sleep, *I guess I'll go pay a visit to Alden, what harm could that cause?* She crept down the hall, her robes hanging open a bit, and her cheeks flushed in anticipation of seeing him again. She knocked lightly on his door… once, twice… and a third time. After hearing no answer she pushed it open, waiting for her eyes to adjust, and catch sight of his sleeping form.
*NO!* she screamed silently in her mind, Alden wasn't sleeping… and he wasn't alone either. She saw her hand maiden Faene lying within the protective circle of his arms, in his bed.
Alhana laughed as she first danced with Daemir, and then Andre. She was having a great time, and couldn't believe that Ross wasn't there yet. Last week Ross had brought her to meet his Grandmother Lonia, who was in town visiting him. She believed that soon he would propose, and already knew her response… she would, of course, say yes.
Alhana walked outside for a breath of the fresh, cool air which was characteristic of their village in the huge mountains.
*I wonder what the princess is doing right now… it must be exciting being Princess of Galadhriel. People have said so often that we look alike… I wonder if that is true. Oh well, father did promise that someday he'd take me to the palace and allow me to meet her. That's always something to look forward to. Although it seems a little strange that they will let us in to see her… us being from this small herding town. The guards will probably stop us at the gates, but father would be so disappointed!* Just then Alhana saw a movement in the woods to her right. She crept over to see what was going on, and her heart squeezed painfully in her chest.
"Ross…" she whispered, on the verge of tears. Both people quickly looked up, and she saw that it was him… with Lucenia. *NO!* she screamed silently in her mind. The thought seemed strangely echoed, as if she wasn't the only one going through this… as if someone over the distance of space and time shared her pain.