Algun watched the King follow the bookkeeper into the woods, and then she whipped her head and searched for Ein with her eyes. He sat on the side of the camp, leaning on a tree, smoking peacefully, with his eyes closed. Algun simply couldn't understand how he could be so ignorant– or was he just hiding his emotions well? Had he guessed of their association earlier, during that ridiculous discussion of whom the girl was supposed to share the saddle? How could he have remained so calm, so merry, if the truth about his object of passion had become known to him?! And then suddenly his eyes half opened, and she saw him throw her a squinted side glance. His bright green, brilliant eyes were twinkling - and suddenly her cheekbones flushed with an almost painful blush. Guilt and shame flooded her - and she couldn't understand where they came from. It felt as if he'd surmised all her angry, unworthy thoughts of late. She sat frozen, while he watched her with his half-lidded eyes - and she jumped to her feet and dashed away from the camp.
"Mistress Algun?" one of the guards, their look-out Dwarf, called after her, but she ignored him and walked away, in the direction opposite to where the King had gone.
She stopped on a small clearing, greedily inhaled a few gulps of the crispy damp air, and then exhaled noisily. She simply couldn't understand what was happening to her!
"Mistress Algun," the voice came from behind her, and she twirled on her heel.
And of course, it had to be Ein. He stopped on the edge of the woods, and Algun gritted her teeth.
"Is it safe to approach you, or you might decide to stab me to improve your mood?" he asked and chuckled.
"What?" she answered, her voice once again unpleasantly brittle. "What are you even–"
"If looks could kill, Erebor would be kingless and queenless, Algun," he said and grinned widely.
She opened her mouth to rebuke him - and then the meaning of his words reached her understanding.
"So you know," she gasped.
"Of what?" he asked innocently.
His frolics suddenly made her livid. He even had the nerve to bat his lashes like a doltish flirting maid!
"You know, don't you?" she hissed. "That your precious Master Eorwyn–" She stumbled over her words, and clenched her jaw.
"Ah, that," he drew out, and leaned against the nearest tree. "That I knew."
Algun turned away from him, gathering her bearings. She looked up, hoping to see stars, but the night sky was overcast. Moonlight shone through the slits and tears in the clouds, but there were no stars.
"I'm sorry then," she said, and heard another of his throaty chuckles behind her.
"I think you should be, but I wonder if we're speaking of quite different regrets," he said.
She looked at him over her shoulder.
"I'm sorry your feelings are… unrequited," she said.
"That seems to be quite a common happenstance." She could see his teeth glimmer in one of his wide smiles. "But again, I don't see how that is an aggravation. It just shows I have a good taste. You, on the other hand..." He trailed away.
Algun bristled. "What about me? I am not harbouring any feelings for an unattainable person."
"Oh, so your recent conniptions aren't the wrath of a jilted woman?"
"What?!" She was so shocked that her exclamation came out like a coarse bark. "How dare you?! It has nothing to do with my personal history with the King!"
"Oh?" He once again had that feigned naive surprise written on his face, and Algun saw red. "What seems to be the trouble then?" He raised his eyebrows. "What vexes you, Algun, daughter of Birni, if it's not the longing for the man?"
"How can you– Are you out of your mind?! I was the one who ended our betrothal! I'm not– not longing for anyone!"
"Ah, how foolish of me," he said and picked up his pipe from his belt. "I once again misunderstand a woman's heart."
Algun turned to him and frowned.
"How can you be so… unconcerned, Ein?" she grumbled. "I expected you to–"
"To what?" he asked.
"I thought you had feelings for her. And she is–" Algun once again wasn't sure how to put it into words.
"What is she?" he asked and lit up his pipe. "And I do have feelings for Master Eorwyn. And so do you. It's quite sad how she will now have to deal with everyone's 'feelings' regarding her. I'm sure she'd prefer to spend her life in obscurity, but she has no choice, I'm afraid."
"It's not the same! Everyone's feelings regarding her, and your feelings!" Algun exclaimed and fisted her hands. "Or are you going to say she is to you what she is to everyone else?" 'And undeserving usurper of the place near the King,' Algun added in her mind. "Are you going to claim you aren't infatuated with her?"
"Oh I am, very much so," he said with a small laugh and gave her a cheeky squinted look. "Unlike some others, I think Master Eorwyn is exactly the treasure the King sees in her. But there's a difference between my fondness for her and your jealousy."
"I'm not jealous!" Algun cried up and stomped her foot.
He burst into merry laughter.
"Oh Algun..."
He shook his head, and she lunged to him and was right in front of him. She shook, and some sort of rage made her point her finger at his face, against all possible rules of decorum.
"Don't you dare presuming–"
"That you'd forget your duty of a Khuzd just because you are envious?" he interrupted, and she recoiled.
"What–"
"She is your Queen, Algun," he said quietly, but for some reason his words had the effect of a strong blow in her chest.
Her breathing caught, and she swayed. Silence quivered between them like the mist of a frosty morning, and then Algun took a stumbling step away from him.
"Just as I thought," he said and lifted his pipe to his lips.
"She is, isn't she?" Algun said in a hollow voice. "He chose her."
"He did." Ein exhaled a small cloud of smoke. "And it's time you accept it."
"I just don't think she... deserves it! She's the worst possible–" Algun started, and suddenly he was right in front of her.
She winced away from the view of his face twisted in an ireful grimace, his eyes narrowed and cold.
"Watch you words, Algun," he growled. His scowl deepened, and he jerked the pipe from between his gritted teeth. "She is your Queen. She is the wife of Thorin, son of Thrain, of your King. You do well to remember your place."
Her heartbeat thrashed in Algun's throat. He was right, wasn't he? But then she stubbornly frowned and glared at him.
"You don't seem to remember yours," she hissed. "You... flirt with her! What was all that drivel about with whom she'd be riding?"
His face softened, although his eyes remained cold. He chuckled and shook his head sardonically.
"There's still so much you need to learn, Algun," he said, and she jerked as if he'd slapped her.
Who did he think he was, to speak to her like that?!
"I jest with her because she allows it. I'm fortunate - and honoured - to hope she'd consider me her friend," he said. "And because she needs it more than ever now." He nodded to his thoughts and then gave her a tight-lipped smile."And it entertains the King, so no harm done."
Algun felt even more taken aback now. "Do you think causing him jealousy would gain you favours with him?"
Ein barked a laugh.
"He's not jealous, Algun, can't you see? He's enjoying the banter. He trusts her, and he likes that I make her laugh. You're the only one who isn't having fun." He smirked lop-sidedly and put his pipe into his mouth again. "You need to learn to loosen up a tad, Algun, daughter of Birni."
She opened her mouth to finally tell him what she thought of his manners, and how he was the one who needed to know his place, and– but he already turned around and started walking away.
"Don't stay alone in the woods, my lady," he threw over his shoulders. "You don't want to be eaten by a bear."
Shouting insults after him would surely make her look even worse, so Algun just stomped her foot again, crossed her arms on her chest, and stayed put, huffing and puffing. In a minute or two, she considered the prospect of being eaten by a bear, and started back towards their camp.
When she came back to the fire, the King and the girl still hadn't returned. Ein was eating and conversing with the guards, and Algun joined them. She took her bowl of stew and sat down on her bedroll. She made sure not to meet Ein's eyes and to only address her other companions.
