Poor, Funny Looking Creatures
Willa's point of view
"Princess Wilfreda, Your Majesty." Straightening my dress from behind one last time as I'm announced, Tamsin whispers that no matter what the outcome is she appreciates my effort.
"I hope he appreciates it too. This is becoming tiresome," I whisper back before entering. Relaxing back in his seat, grateful for a reprieve from important matters, my father greats me with a tender smile as I curtsy deeply enough that my knee brushes the floor. "Your Majesty."
"So lovely," he praises as he gestures for me to stand. "But please don't strain yourself for me, Willa." Insisting that it is no trouble to show him respect, I accept Tamsin's help in standing again before dismissing her. "Come, come. How are you feeling this week?" Gesturing to his knee, Father puts his arm around me as I sit as lightly as I can, balancing so as not to aggravate his achy bones. Politely pretending to believe that I am feeling fine, he casually adds that it good to see me back at court, finally. Stiffening, I quickly change the topic. I'm not ready to talk about that today.
"Thank you. I was… disappointed, however," I begin cautiously, "not to see Ellar here."
"Ah." Chuckling to himself at having been caught off guard, he adjusts my weight in his lap so that he can settle further into his throne for this discussion. "I should have known this was not an innocent visit."
"I haven't been put up to anything! However, I do feel somewhat responsible-"
"Willa, do you know how long it took to round up those cows?" Hesitating, I reply that I've heard it took quite a while. "Two days. Not to mention the compensation for damage – wait until I'm finished, please. Suffice to say that it has been one of his more expensive pranks."
"And he is willing to make restitution. You know why he did it, Father… he was angry." Nodding, he pulls me closer so that I can lay my head on his shoulder.
"I was too, Willa-the-wisp," he confesses. "But being angry is something a man should be able to control at Ellar's age. And, while it may have been hurtful, Donnel did not do anything wrong – technically." I can see that explanation of my very public humiliation offers him as little comfort to say as it does for me to hear. I know that in time my father may make Donnel suffer for embarrassing me, but that will also be of little comfort. As I tried to explain to Ellar… there is nothing that can be done to make me feel better. I'll have to make peace with it in my own way. "Come now, no more talk of this unpleasantness… what would you like for your birthday? Another pretty gown?"
"Your magnanimity is gift enough," I answer politely, earning a smile of approval. "And I already have everything I could wish for. But perhaps..." Thinking of the success that my 'pet project' has seen over the last year, I mention my hope of being able to expand our efforts concerning the welfare of the needy in our kingdom. "If it would please you, of course."
"Your heart for service pleases me very much," He takes my hands in one of his, reminding me again of how small I still am next to him.
"And if I may ask one more thing?" Waiting expectantly, he sighs in defeat when I add my request to have Ellar attend dinner tonight: both of us knowing it is unlikely he would deny me such a thing.
"Only for you," he teases as he pinches my nose, the way he has since I was a child. "But I'm holding you responsible for his behavior," he warns. "You're the only one he behaves for." Hardly, I think to myself as I cross my fingers behind my back in hopes that the visits he has made to Tamsin under the guise of spending time with his 'dear sister' don't come to light.
"Thank you, Father… he will be a paragon of proper behavior, I promise."
"Indeed. And, speaking of your natal feast…" Playing the same game as when I was a little girl, he pretends to produce a small trinket from my ear, as if by magic. "...this is in honor of you." Accepting the silver coin with a puzzled smile, I examine it closely. The face is my profile in relief and the reverse is a tiny swan above my royal motto: The love of the people is my reward.
"My own coinage? Father, I had no idea!"
"You may distribute some of them as alms this week. They will go into circulation officially after the feast."
"It's beautiful! But you shouldn't have," I argue, only to be cut off.
"Of course I should!" Taking my palm and resting it against his cheek, he explains softly that the day is coming when we will no longer celebrate the date of my birth together, likely sooner than either of us want to admit. Leaning down to hug him tightly, I want to say something that will express how I feel… but find that my throat is too strangled with emotion.
"Your Majesty?" Sighing at the interruption that always seems to come between us, my father asks what it could possibly be now. "You asked to be informed, sire, when King Thorin arrived." Straightening up immediately, Father nods and instructs that he be shown in right away.
"Imagine that… I'm half surprised he actually came!" King Thorin? Confident that I know the names of all sovereigns we are in league with, I search my memory for this one but come up empty. I know it is not my place to ask however, and force myself to put aside my curiosity as I wait to be dismissed. The realm's business is my father's business… today all I am concerned about is my brother's reinstatement. "I'm sorry, my Willa-the-wisp," Father prods, gently letting me know that I am excused.
"Of course," I quickly curtsy again and thank him humbly for his many kindnesses to a lowly daughter. But as soon as the door of his hall is shut I allow a small smile to my lady in waiting, feeling quite pleased with myself.
"Ellar is right… you do work miracles!" I ask where he is so that I might inform him of his good news, only to be pinched in my ribs from behind.
"Ow! Ellar! What are you doing –" Spinning around, I come face to face with none other than he who was banished from court until only a minute ago.
"I knew he'd never say no to you," he jokes, giving a nod over my head to his usual circle of friends, mostly ne'er-do-well sons of lords. "And he knows I'll only get into more trouble if I'm not here where he can keep an eye on me!"
"Well, I'll be the one keeping an eye; he's put me in charge of making sure you behave!" Laughing, he kisses my cheek before taking Tamsin's hand with a wink.
"In that case, don't worry, my dearest sister… I'll make you proud. Now, if you would excuse Lady Tamsin from her duties for a little-"
"King Thorin, son of Thráin, son of Thrór, King of the Blue Mountains," my father's court marshal announces loudly. Shushing Ellar when he starts to make a joke about what kind of man comes with such a lengthy title, I stand at strict attention as everyone in the room cranes their neck and whispers amongst themselves. A collective silence falls, but only for a split second, when into the room strides of all things a dwarf. A wave of murmurs breaks out, but if he hears them he shows no response. Instead, he stands as tall as his diminutive stature will allow, with his hands at his sides and a grim look on his face. "Prince Fíli, son of Kalin. Prince Kíli, son of Kalin."
"Well, I'll be…" Delivering an elbow backwards into his ribs, I level a warning look at my brother before turning my full attention to the two princes standing behind their king. I've never seen one dwarf in my life, and now here are three! One, a sturdy blond-haired dwarf, stands impassively behind his leader, calmly waiting for whatever comes next. The other looks ready to escape, equal parts annoyed and uneasy. He's dark like the king, but lacks the beard and squatness I always imaged made up a dwarf's appearance. However, when he rubs his thick fingers across his nose I decide that he is certainly one of them. "Poor, funny looking creatures," Ellar mutters before jumping out of my reach.
"That they are," Tamsin whispers in agreement. "Pitiful, really."
The room seems to be holding a collective breath and it's Ellar's subtle poke into my back that alerts me to the fact that everyone is looking to us for what to do next. Realizing I have been staring at each of them in turn, but have settled on the young one the longest, I feel that awful heat creep over my cheeks and know that I'll soon be suffering from my dreaded flush. Trying to hold it at bay with deep, calming breaths, I step aside to make room for my brother to stand ahead of me in his rightful place. He bows to King Thorin, but only nods to the two behind him as they are his equals. Clenching my teeth in pain, I slowly lower myself to the floor in a deep curtsy. Pitiful creatures or not… a visiting king and princes outrank a princess by any measure.
"Prince Ellar of Enedwaith, Earl of Mitheithel, Baron Eregion. Princess Wilfreda of Enedwaith." I feel unusually insecure of my comparatively puny title when King Thorin nods to my brother, but struggles to spare me a disinterested look. Guessing correctly that I am unimportant to his purposes here, he barely grunts when I lower my chin to my chest and welcome him and his princes to my father's lands. Following our example, everyone in the hall also lowers themselves in supplication – whether they consider dwarves worthy of it or not.
"King Thorin! Welcome!" Rising quickly with an excited fluttering, the crowd turns towards my father as he emerges to greet his visitor personally instead of waiting for him to be announced privately… an honor reserved for the most illustrious or highly anticipated guests. Meeting each other in the middle of the room, King Thorin nods politely when my father clasps his hands on his shoulders and delights in finally having him as an honored guest.
Everyone continues to twitter softly as the two kings disappear into a conference that no one else is entitled to participate in… leaving me unnoticed, still in my curtsy. The third one of the day has proven to be too much for my body, and I am trapped in a position I cannot possibly extricate myself from gracefully. Peeking up, I find Ellar already carrying on convivially with the fair-haired dwarf, having never met a stranger in his life. More distressingly, I spot Tamsin in a whispered conversation with another lady, also oblivious to my predicament.
"Do you need some help… Princess?" A voice above me asks, earning a skip of my pulse. To need help, and for it to come from a dwarf? The idea is unbearable, but the reality is... tolerable. Raising my eyes to his, I melt at the kindness I see in them. Irrationally, I forget for a moment that I am not down here for the purpose of looking up into his face until, finally, he reaches out his hand and starts to pull me up.
"Oh!" I cry in pain as my body betrays me yet again, threatening to send me back down to the floor just as I get my feet under me. Ellar and his new companion turn and spring forward instinctively, but they aren't needed: I am already caught and being held quite firmly.
"Whoa!" He soothes, his quick reflexes taking over despite having to nearly pick me up off of his shoes. "Lean on me," he offers as he sets me on my feet, but instead I pull back with a flinch as the reality of the situation sets in. All the conversation around us has paused as everyone watches with interest… their princess, unable to stand on her own two feet, in the arms of a dwarf.
"Willa," Ellar touches my shoulder, looking guilty at having forgotten me for a moment. "Let me take you to rest."
"M-my lord," I manage to murmur to the dwarf, thanking him while trying to ignore everyone's concern… as well as the memory of his hands encircling my waist.
"My lady!" Tamsin squeaks in horror as she flies out of nowhere to support me. Shaking her off, I force my back straight despite the pain and smile politely to the dwarf princes.
"Welcome," I manage tightly. "Prince Fíli… and Prince Kíli."
"At your service," they reply in unison with a bow, and I nod before turning and fleeing the scene as quickly as I'm able.
"What is your face about?" Ellar whispers with wide eyes as we finally, mercifully, pass the threshold marking the privy chambers. "Was it something he-"
"Now who is the poor, funny looking creature?" I blurt, tearfully, as I hear the whispers resume behind us at a fever pitch and wonder if my indignities will ever end.