Chapter 33

Tally arrived at the small room which had been taken over by Naela and Tally in effort to make Kaelira decide on her dress and flowers for the wedding. There were many designs. Today there were to force her to choose. Tally's favourite versus Naela's favourite. Coincidentally or not, Naela's design resembled her own wedding and Tally's design was the vision of her own. Kaelira had decided that she needed help choosing and brought Ghilad, Talin and Legolas along with her. The room was a tight squeeze and Tally found her legs pushed up against Legolas' and as she reached out to point at things on various bits of paper, her arm tended to brush his. In the end, Kaelira chose neither and had her own ideas she put forward. The males were unhelpful with Ghilad agreeing with everything Kaelira said and Talin and Legolas remaining almost silent, except exaggerated yawns. Just as the three were finally evicted so they could discuss gowns, Legolas turned to Tally,

"My lady, please allow me to escort you to the feast tonight." Tally was unsure of what to say. She didn't want to say yes, but she couldn't refuse him could she? Tally bit her lip as she thought, a reflex Legolas noted was new to her. In the end, after a loud cough from Ghilad, Tally recollected herself,

"I thank you for the honour, your majesty, but I fear the letters you bought me require urgent attention, and now I must chain myself to my desk to respond to them." She curtseyed, and busied herself organising the papers on the table. Legolas was stunned at her cruel rejection and had to be led from the room by Ghilad and Talin. Kaelira and Naela looked at Tally, they knew her well enough to know she was upset and probably on the verge of tears. This whole situation could not be easy for her, but it wasn't easy for Legolas either so she could have some compassion for him. Tally looked up, "What?"

"That was a bit cold wasn't it?" said Kaelira,

"Kaeli's right Tally. He still loves you and you love him," said Naela bluntly. Kaelira shot her a look and kicked her under the table,

"What do you mean?" said Tally sharply and suspiciously. Before Naela could jump in, Kaelira said,

"Tally, it is obvious he is still in love with you. You should have seen his face when he first set eyes on you today. It was the same look he had on his face when he asked you to marry him," Tally shifted uncomfortably at the memory, "and, well, it's just the four of us, we don't think you're as over him as you think." She stopped to take breath, Naela took her chance,

"Tally, you're still in love with him, wake up and see it and for our sakes do it soon." Tally got up and left. She could here Kaelira already berating Naela as she slammed the door.

Tally spent the rest of the afternoon trying to get to grips with some of the legalities of the most difficult problem she had been sent. She sent for many books of law from the library and poured over them intently. Tally sat rubbing her brow when Talin walked in unannounced,

"Tally, will you please come and talk to Legolas. He is being completely unreasonable. He has locked his door and refuses to leave unless you come and talk to him. Elrond wishes to see him and he must be at the feast tonight. Do you want to drag the entire Sanctuary into this. You are both supposed to set the example." Tally simply stood up and walked to Legolas' room. She banged on the door,

"Legolas Greenleaf, open up at once." She heard movement inside, the key turn in the lock and the door open. Legolas stood in front of her and Tally felt a pang of need, she wanted to touch him. Shaking herself a little she went inside. Legolas opened his mouth to speak, but Tally turned her back on him, reached out and took the key from the door. She walked out and handed it to Talin, "You shouldn't have anymore problems, Talin. Excuse me I have work to do." She went as quickly as she had come. Talin pushed Legolas inside the room intending to give him a good talking to about his stupidity in hurting the one woman who would ever love him, but he was shocked when he saw the hurt look on the elf's face. He asked for Naela and Kaelira to be found. They were better qualified to deal with the emotions he thought. Leaving Legolas in their capable hands, he and Ghilad went to deal with the stubbornness in Tally.

"Natalia, you are coming to this feast tonight and you will let Legolas escort you."

"How could you refuse him so? He is a King after all and therefore demands your respect even if you are a Queen."

"How can you stand to hurt him so much? I know you can feel his pain." They carried on at her until Tally finally looked up from the book she was reading,

"Fine, tell him I shall go to the feast with him tonight. He should come and pick me up at sunset, but I am not sitting with him. Understand?"

"Yes Tally," they both chorused. They issued Malia with some instructions on their way out. The poor elf had spent her day worried sick over her mistress, but now she had been let in on the plan, Malia felt much better.