~An Unwelcome Confrontation~
On my way over to the stables, I was waylaid by a group of younger generation elves. There were about eight of them, but I only had my eyes on one. It was she, Jesine, the one that Legolas was kissing yesterday. They were all at least half a head taller than me and that was no surprise since I was considered one of the shortest citizens of Rivendell. I lifted my chin in an act of open defiance.
"Good afternoon," I stated pleasantly, "Is there something you wanted?"
Some of those in the group grinned and two exchanged glances and chuckled behind their hands. Was it odd that I noted all of them were girls? Guess not.
Jesine took a step forward and now, so close was she that our toes nearly touched. I turned my head to the side and then looked up at her, a brow raised in indifferent question.
"Just wanting to know why you were stalking Legolas and then spying on the two of us." She grinned in a mirthless manner and I frowned, trying to compose my panicky insides.
"I did not stalk Legolas and I was not spying on you two," I raised my voice, as she was about to continue. I hadn't had such an idiotic confrontation for many years now. "I wanted to visit my old haven, but unfortunately you two had already taken up the space. So I left and returned your privacy. Do you not thank me?"
"That's hellfire," she stated, "And you're a bloody bitch."
I guess that was the statement for the others to leave because then, one following the other, they left a few yards away and started talking.
"Oh?" I jolted my head back in feigned surprise. Why did I know that would come?
"I know what you want, you stupid imbecile," she continued.
As she was about to open her mouth again, for the first time in my life, I interrupted someone. "Oh what, pray tell, do you know what I want?" I emphasized my last four words. She was starting to anger me.
"You want Legolas," she sent me a smug smile, "But he'll never want you."
This would be amusing, I thought.
Then she spat out, "Legolas needs and wants someone of beauty, elegance, intelligence, skill, and grace," she lifted a corner of her mouth in disdain and then picked up the hem of my dress, reveling my still stained knees. She dropped it and then gave me a smile filled with malice, "The qualities that you don't and never will have." Swinging her head around as she said that, I had a feeling she practiced that in front of the mirror this morning.
I was about to open my mouth and start an argument, but intellect and old habit forestalled me. I was a good girl and forever will I be one...until her next remark.
"He'll never want a whore, Lily," she smiled as she spoke, "and that's just what you are. Just like your mother."
As she started talking, I fisted my hands in effort to control myself. Jesine was almost the height of Legolas, shorter than him by an inch or so and he was, in fact, taller than me by nearly a foot. But as she spoke of my mother, fury I never imagined burned in my stomach.
Quietly and slowly, I asked her, "What did you say?"
"I said, Lily, that your wonderfully dead mother was a wh-"
For the first time in my life, I struck a person. And I did it with much pleasure. Right before she could finish the word, I swung my right hand up and slapped her across the cheek as hard as I could.
Never had I done such a thing before, but aided by the archery practice the day before as well as fury, I could tell I delivered a hard one.
She, of course, was never suspecting and then lost her balance and fell onto the wet grass. I hoped her white gown became stained.
I spoke and I was surprised at how calm and quiet my voice sounded. "Never, Jesine, never speak such things of my mother. You'll come to regret it, that I swear." I shook my head sadly as I spoke my last line. That was when I saw the blood trickle down her cheek. When I started to calm just a bit, I felt my hand stinging rather painfully. I ignored it.
The ring I found at the pond had been on my right hand and while she had been talking, I had been toying with it and at the end when I struck her, the heart and stars were on the palm side of my hand. It cut through skin, and at the rapid rate that blood was flowing, I imagine it a rather good amount of damage.
Her friends started coming over and then, shooting her my own look of disdain, I turned and walked off toward my room, the stables all but forgotten.
Behind me I heard people rush to the beauty's aid.
I didn't look back.
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~Emergency~
Five minutes later I had locked myself in my room.
So, now I knew what my weakness was. My mother.
I thought of her, her soft, amazingly sweet features and everything else about her. I'd never be like her. She was everything Jesine said I wasn't.
Aeleeniar, though called Lena by some, was an elegant and graceful creature. From the top of her golden crowned head to the tip of her dainty feet, she was beautiful. She was beyond beautiful. More importantly, she was intellectual, studied everything she could, and skillful in all the arts and works she could get acquainted with.
Not like me, I thought. I have been kept in Rivendell every since I was brought here. Never was I allowed to even step outside the edge of the territory. I wasn't even allowed near it. I sighed. How can my life be so great if I had no freedom, no hope, and no dreams? Ever since my mother died, real, bubbly laughter couldn't even come to me without me needing to force myself to laugh.
I sighed again. "Mum..." Just speaking the word brought tears to my eyes. I smiled slightly. "How am I supposed to live without you?"
There was a knock on the door and I granted permission for the person to enter. It was Darien, the young elf that kept the stables well and clean.
"It's your babies, Lily!" his shrill voice rose, "They're ill and hurt!"
"What? It can't be! What happened, Darien? Tell me what happened!"
"I don't know!" he sputtered, "One second I saw they were all fine and then the next, Atla was down on the floor, whining like mad and Arty had a deep cut on the side of his leg. It's bleeding bad!"
While he spoke, I was already running and he finished his words right at the doorway into the stable. From there I could already hear Atla and Arty neighing in acute agony.
I rushed forward and forgot everything else, all my concentration given to the two that gave me will to live.
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~Tender Care~
For the next five hours straight I was in the stables, tending to both my horses. I had already bandaged Artemis' leg. It wasn't as deep as I first thought, but it still required stitches and good, tending care or else it would be infected. That thought brought a shudder.
My dear Arty was lying on his side, on his non-wounded leg and was sleeping now.
Atlantis wasn't as easy to take care of. It didn't take me long to figure that someone had fed her poisoned food and she ate nothing but a healthy balanced diet of wheat, oats, and fruits. Had someone sprinkled some sort of powder into her food? I rather not think about it as of yet.
I crooned and baby talked her until she calmed down a bit. Darien had gotten Master Elrond before, yet he was busy with a meeting and then came about ten minutes later. He helped me clean Artemis' leg, apply medication to it, and then bandage it, but he could not do more with Atlantis. She wanted me and only me.
Of course, Elrond brought me healing flowers and such, but he could do no other. I sent him back after another half an hour of just watching.
Although she refused to eat, I was able to slip a few drops of Zenolia oil into her mouth. It helped calm her aching belly for a while. The risks was that her stomach would reject it and have her heave what's left of anything left in her stomach up. That was a great fear, but my worrying wasn't necessary. She kept it down.
I asked Darien, who was still standing by my side, to go out and cut some more Zenolia flowers. I had some growing in my garden, but he refused to leave my side and sent another boy under his teaching to go get it. The boy's name was Raollin, and he was a rather nice boy and trustworthy, so I didn't care much. He wouldn't do anything to it.
When he came back I had Darien wash it, dry it, and start grinding it in case we needed more. I could tell he was glad to have something to do rather to just stand around and watch.
It was another long half hour before I had Atlantis also settled down and sleeping quietly. Darien and I cleaned out the stalls and replaced the old straw with new straw. That didn't take long.
As soon as I was satisfied with what I saw, I ran back to my room to get cleaned up and changed out of my dress. Then I donned a pair of trousers, a shirt, and a vest. Grabbing an overcoat, I ran back outside and into the stables.
I stayed there through the night.
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~An Upsetting Argument~
The next morning I awoke, not because of the sunlight beaming down on my face, but because of the lack of it. Someone was standing above me.
I opened my eyes, my vision was blurry from sleep and I hastily rubbed them, careful not to disturb my still sleeping patients.
Looking up at who it was, I withheld a groan of agony.
It was the prince.
"Morning, Legolas," I said as quietly as possible.
Then I attempted to stand. To my dismay, he didn't reach over to help me up. I nearly laughed aloud when I figured what that meant.
Either Jesine or someone else had told him of what happened and he was, indeed, upset with me.
I shrugged out the stiffness in my shoulders and shook out the pieces of grass in my hair.
He stepped back as I attempted to pass him. I walked over to the water bowl Darien had set for me last night and calmly washed my hands and rinsed some dirt off my face.
Taking the clean towel laid beside the bowl, I patted my face and hands dry.
Then I moved over to the next stall and then sat down in the corner, amused that the prince would just hover near the entrance before actually stepping in and then just standing there.
I looked up at him expectantly.
He shook his head, saying quietly, "Don't give me that look. You know why I'm here."
"Actually," I replied, my voice still a bit groggy from the deep, exhausted sleep, "I don't. Not really. Figured you've come to hassle me about the incident that happened yesterday, I may assume?"
"Don't mock me," he stated flatly, "I do not intend to play games with you."
"Same here," I shrugged. His gaze flickered and I concluded he was trying to keep his `elvanly grace' and `calmness'. I hesitated and then said, "Speak, dear sir, before the sun goes down. In moments my horses may awake and then I will have no more time for you."
For the first time in my life, some elf other than Elrond glared at me. I could barely restrain a bitter laugh.
He strode to me, anger hardening his features. "You, Lilana, can not restrain yourself from anything, can you?"
I tilted my head to the side. If he wanted an argument, I was up for one. Too much pent up energy. "Mayhap, mayhap not. Decides what you're talking about, prince."
"You know what I'm talking about! That `incident' as you so nicely put it, was all but necessary! You know as much as I do that Jesine would never say anything mean or distasteful, yet you still struck her! Why, Lilana? Why did you do it?"
Pausing, he glanced at my horses, still sleeping peacefully, and then continued, "Well? Was it because of the way she presented herself? That she had more grace and beauty than you? Or was it just because you were jealous, having seen us kissing and all?" Now I laughed, I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. I stood up and shook my head, still laughing.
"What's so funny?" he hissed.
I harrumphed and then my laughter abruptly stopped. To my ears, the silence was deafening, but my laughter was worse. It was filled with contempt, anger, as well as irritation.
I didn't hesitate in speaking.
"What do you want me to answer first, dear prince?" I snarled and then took a step forward, speaking before he could answer, "Why not all of them, huh?" Narrowing my eyes, I felt myself becoming angry again.
My gaze pierced his.
"In correction, you weren't there to hear what she said, dear prince. Nothing! And if you truly think, no, know that she would never say anything so mean or distasteful, you're stupider than I thought. I do not have a care the way she presents herself, if she is more beauty or more grace than I. Look around, Legolas! I am in a city of elves! Everyone here is more graceful and beautiful than I!"
I took a breath and plunged forward, even though I could see that he was surprised that I was now yelling at him.
"Jealous?" I shouted, "You think me jealous of her? Of you and her?" I shook my head and started laughing again. "Why in the godforsaken name of Mordor would you think that I would be jealous of her- kissing you, no doubt? Did you think I liked you, Legolas? I can see from the surprised look on your face that's exactly what you were thinking. No, dear prince, in there you have assumed wrong. And, in answer to your question of my mirth, I'll tell you what is so funny!"
From the corner of my eye I saw Atlantis fidget so I lowered my voice just slightly.
At my pause, he seemed to have wanted to say something, but I think I might have scattered his thoughts and maybe even stunned him quite a bit. I took advantage of his brief silence and rushed continued as I still had my thoughts.
"What is so funny is the fact that you would think you know so much, accuse me of doing what you have accused me of-without reason, might I point out, and yet you know nothing! Nothing about it! Next time, dear prince," I spat out, "before you jump to conclusions, I bid you to hear both sides of the story. You weren't there! You couldn't have known what had transpired! You didn't hear a thing! So I ask you," my voice dropped down to a whisper now, "how can you think you know so much, yet know so little?"
I tore my gaze away from him as Atlantis struggled to sit up and then I shoved my way past him and went to tend her.
He made no sound as he left, but I felt his presence gone, the tension and feeling of foreboding leaving along with him.
I wiped the remaining droplets of water from my unkept hair, wondering why I had such an overwhelming urge to cry.
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~Unsettling News~
Artemis had been long awake and after I cleaned the wound again, applied new ointment and re-bandaged it, I had him looking up at me pleadingly.
Frowning, I handed him one of Elrond's orchard apples and he neighed in appreciation, starting to eat it rather enjoyingly.
But Atlantis did not have as good as a recovery as her brother. Thankfully she did not get worse, but she still had no energy to even lift her head, only to whine just a little.
I wondered what she ate and then asked Darien if someone came in there yesterday.
He shrugged and answered me, speaking rather quickly and quietly, "Actually, someone did come in here yesterday," he glanced around as if afraid someone would overhear, "He said he wanted to see your babies, saying he heard that they were magnificent animals and I decided there was no harm in letting him see them..."
The boy turned an amazing shade of red, but continued, "He went in and left rather quickly, not saying anything as he passed. I didn't think of anything odd, maybe that they scared him or something and then continued at my post, watching the sky, but then Atlantis started to whimper and whine. That's when I started worrying and then I saw the deep gash in Artemis' leg, although he wasn't complaining overly much. I then ran to you."
I did not let him see the alarm in my eyes and then asked him, "Who was `he'?"
Surprisingly, he turned even redder. "I didn't catch his name, Lily, I'm...so sorry!"
It looked like as if he was about to cry so I dropped to my knees in front of him. He wasn't taller than me when I stood up because he was still growing, but as I kneeled down, I did have to look up at him somewhat.
"Listen to me, Darien," I smiled slightly, "Don't worry about it. No one would suspect anything amiss, all right? If you remember who he was, then just tell me. Otherwise, just be sure to take good care of Arty and Atla when I'm not around."
He hesitated and then nodded. When he lunged at me and embraced me, I was nearly knocked off balance, but didn't fall over. I gave him a tight squeeze and pulled back a bit, smiling up at him.
"No worry. We'll find whoever did this, right?"
As he nodded again, I slowly stood up and walked back to a still awake Atlantis. I kneeled beside her and caressed her muzzle.
She meekly nudged my hand in effort to show life and reply, but it was barely felt. Tears swam in my eyes and I leaned down and kissed her.
My poor baby...
I took a deep breath and tenderly hugged her neck.
Putting a few drops of Zenolia oil into her mouth, I slowly watered it down with some of the Silver Pond's fresh water.
Adding a bit of Drowsy Rose power into the water, I gave her some more and then seconds later she was drifting into a peaceful sleep.
I stood up then and looked at Darien, who had just suddenly barged into the stall.
"Lily," he said, urgency and panic in his dark blue eyes, "I may not remember his name, but I just remembered that I've seen him with Jesine a great deal of times!"
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~Idea Uncovered~
I didn't understand why the statement was so surprising, but it still was. It was then that the reality of what had happened hit me square in the eye.
Oh, Jesine did not hate me. She despised me, and passionately.
Darien seemed to be waiting for a reply, so I nodded. "Tell me what he looked like."
He then proceeded to explain the features of this suspect, and as he finished, I had a name in my mind already.
The guy was tall, not surprising for he was an elf, but he had real light wheat colored hair with dark, kind of a swampy green eyes. T
he boy lifted a corner of his mouth in concentration, "He was very thin, branch like, you know? And he didn't have braids in his hair, not like Legolas does. It was just pulled back and some knotted with a piece of green grassbush. A clump of his hair fell forward above his left eye and he kept blinking real fast like it was bothering him."
Joagaral Brighton, a weakling of a sort. He only took directions and was the very tense type, jumping at the drop of a feather. His eyes were always shifty and when he was nervous his cheek would twitch.
"Did his right cheek twitch when he asked to see my babies?"
Darien thought for a moment and then shrugged, "He kept pressing a fist to his right cheek, so I wouldn't know. Why? Do you know who he is?"
Now I shrugged and then looked at him. "Darien, watch my babies. If anything happens, send Roallin to get Elrond as quickly as possible. I'll be back soon, my dear boy."
I sent him a quick smile and then left the stables, intent on the search of Joagaral.
If my thoughts were not wrong, he would be at the dancing river, trying to find a victim to prey on.
Well, I thought, I'm going to end his little deceitful dealings.
On my way over to the stables, I was waylaid by a group of younger generation elves. There were about eight of them, but I only had my eyes on one. It was she, Jesine, the one that Legolas was kissing yesterday. They were all at least half a head taller than me and that was no surprise since I was considered one of the shortest citizens of Rivendell. I lifted my chin in an act of open defiance.
"Good afternoon," I stated pleasantly, "Is there something you wanted?"
Some of those in the group grinned and two exchanged glances and chuckled behind their hands. Was it odd that I noted all of them were girls? Guess not.
Jesine took a step forward and now, so close was she that our toes nearly touched. I turned my head to the side and then looked up at her, a brow raised in indifferent question.
"Just wanting to know why you were stalking Legolas and then spying on the two of us." She grinned in a mirthless manner and I frowned, trying to compose my panicky insides.
"I did not stalk Legolas and I was not spying on you two," I raised my voice, as she was about to continue. I hadn't had such an idiotic confrontation for many years now. "I wanted to visit my old haven, but unfortunately you two had already taken up the space. So I left and returned your privacy. Do you not thank me?"
"That's hellfire," she stated, "And you're a bloody bitch."
I guess that was the statement for the others to leave because then, one following the other, they left a few yards away and started talking.
"Oh?" I jolted my head back in feigned surprise. Why did I know that would come?
"I know what you want, you stupid imbecile," she continued.
As she was about to open her mouth again, for the first time in my life, I interrupted someone. "Oh what, pray tell, do you know what I want?" I emphasized my last four words. She was starting to anger me.
"You want Legolas," she sent me a smug smile, "But he'll never want you."
This would be amusing, I thought.
Then she spat out, "Legolas needs and wants someone of beauty, elegance, intelligence, skill, and grace," she lifted a corner of her mouth in disdain and then picked up the hem of my dress, reveling my still stained knees. She dropped it and then gave me a smile filled with malice, "The qualities that you don't and never will have." Swinging her head around as she said that, I had a feeling she practiced that in front of the mirror this morning.
I was about to open my mouth and start an argument, but intellect and old habit forestalled me. I was a good girl and forever will I be one...until her next remark.
"He'll never want a whore, Lily," she smiled as she spoke, "and that's just what you are. Just like your mother."
As she started talking, I fisted my hands in effort to control myself. Jesine was almost the height of Legolas, shorter than him by an inch or so and he was, in fact, taller than me by nearly a foot. But as she spoke of my mother, fury I never imagined burned in my stomach.
Quietly and slowly, I asked her, "What did you say?"
"I said, Lily, that your wonderfully dead mother was a wh-"
For the first time in my life, I struck a person. And I did it with much pleasure. Right before she could finish the word, I swung my right hand up and slapped her across the cheek as hard as I could.
Never had I done such a thing before, but aided by the archery practice the day before as well as fury, I could tell I delivered a hard one.
She, of course, was never suspecting and then lost her balance and fell onto the wet grass. I hoped her white gown became stained.
I spoke and I was surprised at how calm and quiet my voice sounded. "Never, Jesine, never speak such things of my mother. You'll come to regret it, that I swear." I shook my head sadly as I spoke my last line. That was when I saw the blood trickle down her cheek. When I started to calm just a bit, I felt my hand stinging rather painfully. I ignored it.
The ring I found at the pond had been on my right hand and while she had been talking, I had been toying with it and at the end when I struck her, the heart and stars were on the palm side of my hand. It cut through skin, and at the rapid rate that blood was flowing, I imagine it a rather good amount of damage.
Her friends started coming over and then, shooting her my own look of disdain, I turned and walked off toward my room, the stables all but forgotten.
Behind me I heard people rush to the beauty's aid.
I didn't look back.
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~Emergency~
Five minutes later I had locked myself in my room.
So, now I knew what my weakness was. My mother.
I thought of her, her soft, amazingly sweet features and everything else about her. I'd never be like her. She was everything Jesine said I wasn't.
Aeleeniar, though called Lena by some, was an elegant and graceful creature. From the top of her golden crowned head to the tip of her dainty feet, she was beautiful. She was beyond beautiful. More importantly, she was intellectual, studied everything she could, and skillful in all the arts and works she could get acquainted with.
Not like me, I thought. I have been kept in Rivendell every since I was brought here. Never was I allowed to even step outside the edge of the territory. I wasn't even allowed near it. I sighed. How can my life be so great if I had no freedom, no hope, and no dreams? Ever since my mother died, real, bubbly laughter couldn't even come to me without me needing to force myself to laugh.
I sighed again. "Mum..." Just speaking the word brought tears to my eyes. I smiled slightly. "How am I supposed to live without you?"
There was a knock on the door and I granted permission for the person to enter. It was Darien, the young elf that kept the stables well and clean.
"It's your babies, Lily!" his shrill voice rose, "They're ill and hurt!"
"What? It can't be! What happened, Darien? Tell me what happened!"
"I don't know!" he sputtered, "One second I saw they were all fine and then the next, Atla was down on the floor, whining like mad and Arty had a deep cut on the side of his leg. It's bleeding bad!"
While he spoke, I was already running and he finished his words right at the doorway into the stable. From there I could already hear Atla and Arty neighing in acute agony.
I rushed forward and forgot everything else, all my concentration given to the two that gave me will to live.
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~Tender Care~
For the next five hours straight I was in the stables, tending to both my horses. I had already bandaged Artemis' leg. It wasn't as deep as I first thought, but it still required stitches and good, tending care or else it would be infected. That thought brought a shudder.
My dear Arty was lying on his side, on his non-wounded leg and was sleeping now.
Atlantis wasn't as easy to take care of. It didn't take me long to figure that someone had fed her poisoned food and she ate nothing but a healthy balanced diet of wheat, oats, and fruits. Had someone sprinkled some sort of powder into her food? I rather not think about it as of yet.
I crooned and baby talked her until she calmed down a bit. Darien had gotten Master Elrond before, yet he was busy with a meeting and then came about ten minutes later. He helped me clean Artemis' leg, apply medication to it, and then bandage it, but he could not do more with Atlantis. She wanted me and only me.
Of course, Elrond brought me healing flowers and such, but he could do no other. I sent him back after another half an hour of just watching.
Although she refused to eat, I was able to slip a few drops of Zenolia oil into her mouth. It helped calm her aching belly for a while. The risks was that her stomach would reject it and have her heave what's left of anything left in her stomach up. That was a great fear, but my worrying wasn't necessary. She kept it down.
I asked Darien, who was still standing by my side, to go out and cut some more Zenolia flowers. I had some growing in my garden, but he refused to leave my side and sent another boy under his teaching to go get it. The boy's name was Raollin, and he was a rather nice boy and trustworthy, so I didn't care much. He wouldn't do anything to it.
When he came back I had Darien wash it, dry it, and start grinding it in case we needed more. I could tell he was glad to have something to do rather to just stand around and watch.
It was another long half hour before I had Atlantis also settled down and sleeping quietly. Darien and I cleaned out the stalls and replaced the old straw with new straw. That didn't take long.
As soon as I was satisfied with what I saw, I ran back to my room to get cleaned up and changed out of my dress. Then I donned a pair of trousers, a shirt, and a vest. Grabbing an overcoat, I ran back outside and into the stables.
I stayed there through the night.
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~An Upsetting Argument~
The next morning I awoke, not because of the sunlight beaming down on my face, but because of the lack of it. Someone was standing above me.
I opened my eyes, my vision was blurry from sleep and I hastily rubbed them, careful not to disturb my still sleeping patients.
Looking up at who it was, I withheld a groan of agony.
It was the prince.
"Morning, Legolas," I said as quietly as possible.
Then I attempted to stand. To my dismay, he didn't reach over to help me up. I nearly laughed aloud when I figured what that meant.
Either Jesine or someone else had told him of what happened and he was, indeed, upset with me.
I shrugged out the stiffness in my shoulders and shook out the pieces of grass in my hair.
He stepped back as I attempted to pass him. I walked over to the water bowl Darien had set for me last night and calmly washed my hands and rinsed some dirt off my face.
Taking the clean towel laid beside the bowl, I patted my face and hands dry.
Then I moved over to the next stall and then sat down in the corner, amused that the prince would just hover near the entrance before actually stepping in and then just standing there.
I looked up at him expectantly.
He shook his head, saying quietly, "Don't give me that look. You know why I'm here."
"Actually," I replied, my voice still a bit groggy from the deep, exhausted sleep, "I don't. Not really. Figured you've come to hassle me about the incident that happened yesterday, I may assume?"
"Don't mock me," he stated flatly, "I do not intend to play games with you."
"Same here," I shrugged. His gaze flickered and I concluded he was trying to keep his `elvanly grace' and `calmness'. I hesitated and then said, "Speak, dear sir, before the sun goes down. In moments my horses may awake and then I will have no more time for you."
For the first time in my life, some elf other than Elrond glared at me. I could barely restrain a bitter laugh.
He strode to me, anger hardening his features. "You, Lilana, can not restrain yourself from anything, can you?"
I tilted my head to the side. If he wanted an argument, I was up for one. Too much pent up energy. "Mayhap, mayhap not. Decides what you're talking about, prince."
"You know what I'm talking about! That `incident' as you so nicely put it, was all but necessary! You know as much as I do that Jesine would never say anything mean or distasteful, yet you still struck her! Why, Lilana? Why did you do it?"
Pausing, he glanced at my horses, still sleeping peacefully, and then continued, "Well? Was it because of the way she presented herself? That she had more grace and beauty than you? Or was it just because you were jealous, having seen us kissing and all?" Now I laughed, I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. I stood up and shook my head, still laughing.
"What's so funny?" he hissed.
I harrumphed and then my laughter abruptly stopped. To my ears, the silence was deafening, but my laughter was worse. It was filled with contempt, anger, as well as irritation.
I didn't hesitate in speaking.
"What do you want me to answer first, dear prince?" I snarled and then took a step forward, speaking before he could answer, "Why not all of them, huh?" Narrowing my eyes, I felt myself becoming angry again.
My gaze pierced his.
"In correction, you weren't there to hear what she said, dear prince. Nothing! And if you truly think, no, know that she would never say anything so mean or distasteful, you're stupider than I thought. I do not have a care the way she presents herself, if she is more beauty or more grace than I. Look around, Legolas! I am in a city of elves! Everyone here is more graceful and beautiful than I!"
I took a breath and plunged forward, even though I could see that he was surprised that I was now yelling at him.
"Jealous?" I shouted, "You think me jealous of her? Of you and her?" I shook my head and started laughing again. "Why in the godforsaken name of Mordor would you think that I would be jealous of her- kissing you, no doubt? Did you think I liked you, Legolas? I can see from the surprised look on your face that's exactly what you were thinking. No, dear prince, in there you have assumed wrong. And, in answer to your question of my mirth, I'll tell you what is so funny!"
From the corner of my eye I saw Atlantis fidget so I lowered my voice just slightly.
At my pause, he seemed to have wanted to say something, but I think I might have scattered his thoughts and maybe even stunned him quite a bit. I took advantage of his brief silence and rushed continued as I still had my thoughts.
"What is so funny is the fact that you would think you know so much, accuse me of doing what you have accused me of-without reason, might I point out, and yet you know nothing! Nothing about it! Next time, dear prince," I spat out, "before you jump to conclusions, I bid you to hear both sides of the story. You weren't there! You couldn't have known what had transpired! You didn't hear a thing! So I ask you," my voice dropped down to a whisper now, "how can you think you know so much, yet know so little?"
I tore my gaze away from him as Atlantis struggled to sit up and then I shoved my way past him and went to tend her.
He made no sound as he left, but I felt his presence gone, the tension and feeling of foreboding leaving along with him.
I wiped the remaining droplets of water from my unkept hair, wondering why I had such an overwhelming urge to cry.
0x01 graphic
~Unsettling News~
Artemis had been long awake and after I cleaned the wound again, applied new ointment and re-bandaged it, I had him looking up at me pleadingly.
Frowning, I handed him one of Elrond's orchard apples and he neighed in appreciation, starting to eat it rather enjoyingly.
But Atlantis did not have as good as a recovery as her brother. Thankfully she did not get worse, but she still had no energy to even lift her head, only to whine just a little.
I wondered what she ate and then asked Darien if someone came in there yesterday.
He shrugged and answered me, speaking rather quickly and quietly, "Actually, someone did come in here yesterday," he glanced around as if afraid someone would overhear, "He said he wanted to see your babies, saying he heard that they were magnificent animals and I decided there was no harm in letting him see them..."
The boy turned an amazing shade of red, but continued, "He went in and left rather quickly, not saying anything as he passed. I didn't think of anything odd, maybe that they scared him or something and then continued at my post, watching the sky, but then Atlantis started to whimper and whine. That's when I started worrying and then I saw the deep gash in Artemis' leg, although he wasn't complaining overly much. I then ran to you."
I did not let him see the alarm in my eyes and then asked him, "Who was `he'?"
Surprisingly, he turned even redder. "I didn't catch his name, Lily, I'm...so sorry!"
It looked like as if he was about to cry so I dropped to my knees in front of him. He wasn't taller than me when I stood up because he was still growing, but as I kneeled down, I did have to look up at him somewhat.
"Listen to me, Darien," I smiled slightly, "Don't worry about it. No one would suspect anything amiss, all right? If you remember who he was, then just tell me. Otherwise, just be sure to take good care of Arty and Atla when I'm not around."
He hesitated and then nodded. When he lunged at me and embraced me, I was nearly knocked off balance, but didn't fall over. I gave him a tight squeeze and pulled back a bit, smiling up at him.
"No worry. We'll find whoever did this, right?"
As he nodded again, I slowly stood up and walked back to a still awake Atlantis. I kneeled beside her and caressed her muzzle.
She meekly nudged my hand in effort to show life and reply, but it was barely felt. Tears swam in my eyes and I leaned down and kissed her.
My poor baby...
I took a deep breath and tenderly hugged her neck.
Putting a few drops of Zenolia oil into her mouth, I slowly watered it down with some of the Silver Pond's fresh water.
Adding a bit of Drowsy Rose power into the water, I gave her some more and then seconds later she was drifting into a peaceful sleep.
I stood up then and looked at Darien, who had just suddenly barged into the stall.
"Lily," he said, urgency and panic in his dark blue eyes, "I may not remember his name, but I just remembered that I've seen him with Jesine a great deal of times!"
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~Idea Uncovered~
I didn't understand why the statement was so surprising, but it still was. It was then that the reality of what had happened hit me square in the eye.
Oh, Jesine did not hate me. She despised me, and passionately.
Darien seemed to be waiting for a reply, so I nodded. "Tell me what he looked like."
He then proceeded to explain the features of this suspect, and as he finished, I had a name in my mind already.
The guy was tall, not surprising for he was an elf, but he had real light wheat colored hair with dark, kind of a swampy green eyes. T
he boy lifted a corner of his mouth in concentration, "He was very thin, branch like, you know? And he didn't have braids in his hair, not like Legolas does. It was just pulled back and some knotted with a piece of green grassbush. A clump of his hair fell forward above his left eye and he kept blinking real fast like it was bothering him."
Joagaral Brighton, a weakling of a sort. He only took directions and was the very tense type, jumping at the drop of a feather. His eyes were always shifty and when he was nervous his cheek would twitch.
"Did his right cheek twitch when he asked to see my babies?"
Darien thought for a moment and then shrugged, "He kept pressing a fist to his right cheek, so I wouldn't know. Why? Do you know who he is?"
Now I shrugged and then looked at him. "Darien, watch my babies. If anything happens, send Roallin to get Elrond as quickly as possible. I'll be back soon, my dear boy."
I sent him a quick smile and then left the stables, intent on the search of Joagaral.
If my thoughts were not wrong, he would be at the dancing river, trying to find a victim to prey on.
Well, I thought, I'm going to end his little deceitful dealings.