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DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of Tolkien's Characters….
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LEGOLAS
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What better way to make Aliya feel better than to throw a feast? But it seemed, through the quickly thrown together joy, that Aliya did not look happy.
Although her Mauve dress and elaborate braids made her look beyond beautiful, her face still looked distraught, sad.
She moved quickly through the crowd of talking Elves to the Top table, where I was seated and sat down in her usual place, a place she hasn't graced in a long while, for it was usually Miama's seat by my side.
For a fleeting moment I wished for Miama's body next to mine, and then I chastised myself. What was I thinking? It was Aliya I wanted in my life. It always had been.
"How are you Melamin?" I asked, taking her hand in mine and leaning over to give her a small kiss.
She smiled and squeezed my hand, but her face still looked a little distant.
"Please be happy?" I said, but it was more like a plea than encouragement.
"There is something in the air…" she said, her eyebrows furrowed, "I feel something…and it is not good. Not good at all."
I stared at her, my face riddled with curiosity at her words.
"I learned much while I was in Lady Galadriel's care…" she offered to relieve my puzzlement, but her words still haunted me.
What did she mean by that? Something not good…how could anything tonight be not good?
All of the now seated elves rose when my father entered the hall. He moved quickly up to his seat by myself and Aliya, smiling to my children who sat on the other side of the table.
As he sat, so did all of us.
The music began to play softly in the background and I could hear a sweet voice singing to its melody. When I heard this, I longed to hear Ali sing, for I missed her deep, clear song. I would have asked her to sing later that night…
The food was served to us and it was gone from the plates in a matter of the two hours we sat, talking merrily. It seemed more than any other time in the past few weeks, Aliya talked freely. I was glad to see her talk to me like she used to.
Her attention was constantly turning from my father to myself and occasionally I saw a smile glint across her face.
I couldn't keep my eyes off of her and when she asked me why I was staring, I told her this.
"You can't keep your eyes off me?" she laughed, almost disbelievingly, "What happens if I were to leave your sight?"
"I would pine away and wait for your return." I answered, leaning over to her ear, and this time she did not laugh.
It was only when Father stood up and spoke that all the talking stopped and eyes turned to him, "My friends and family! I thank you for this wonderful night and I ask if anyone would like to speak some words now?"
At first no one stood, but then I saw, on the other side of my father, Kaede stand and face the crowd, a sly smile on his pale face.
My son had always been rather distant from me, preferring Miama's company to my own, and it seemed he picked up her malicious nature, for the words that left his mouth stopped my heart.
"It has been long hidden from the court, I think, the matter of my Mother's death," he began, addressing all, "As many of you think, it was not accident."
A ripple of talk went through the tables and I looked to My father and Aliya. My father's eyes were furrowed in a desperate, quick-thinking expression. Aliya's face froze.
"It was Aliya Clearwater, seated here tonight, that brought about my Mother's end!" his voice raised, "She murdered the Princess of this Realm!"
I froze, and watched as the Elves in the room all turned, simultaneously, to look at Aliya. She kept her face blank, despite their critical and angry looks, but I could tell she was worried, her lips were tight and her breathing was slow. I was worried too.
I knew that Kaede had become well loved by the Elves and well trusted, so they would likely believe him, not a woman who just came back from being gone for over 50 years and now was seducing the Prince.
I also knew that my father would have to answer to this accusation, and the only proper way was to send Aliya to the dungeon for now, and have a proper trial the next day.
I leaned across Aliya, who was now trembling a little, to see my Father's face. It was tense.
Kaede looked at him expectantly and so did everybody else.
He stood up, "I have no power to make a judgment now," He said so all could here, "Tomorrow at dawn there shall be a trial. Until then, take the prisoner away."
He motioned quietly to a guard, and the guard stepped forward to speak to him. They talked quietly for a moment. I gripped Aliya's hand, and looked at her weary face.
"Everything will be fine…" I assured her. She nodded.
She stood up, pulling away from me, as the guard took her arms and led her out of the room, in utter humiliation. Her braids hung around her face covering her fear.
My father leaned over to me, as everybody watched her go, and spoke to me quietly, so no one else could hear, "There is always a time to let the bird free from its cage. That time is now." he said, his eyes filled with sadness.
I stared at him, analyzing what he just said, understanding what he meant, "Father? That would-"
He only nodded and cut my words off with his hand.
He had given me the permission. He had given me the strength. I knew what I had to do.
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