Notes: I wrote up this chapter before typing it, and due to new revelations, I'm not sure whether or not it will go over well. I personally, hope it does, but doesn't every author. I had to type it up quickly, I hope the dialogue isn't that hard to read.
The first time I met Isilder was the day before our wedding. If that could be considered a meeting. My father led me along into the throne room, and suddenly I felt as if I would pee in my pants, for the king was on his throne. He smiled at me and immediately him and my father began to speak together. Thrilled as I was, I was quickly bored, and my eyes wandered over to a small table across the room, where a young man sat reading a book. Apparently my disinterest wasn't as subtle as I had hoped, for the king glanced away, and started to laugh, "apparently the details of her wedding, do not interest her as it would other young ladies," he said to no one in particular, than to me, " If you'd like you can go and speak to my son, your future husband", the king said in a fatherly like tone. "Yes, my lord (I must admit I was beat red by that time) but where can he be found?" "Right behind you" I turned and the only person in the room I could see was the young man, still reading, who had not even bothered to look up when we had walked in. okay, I thought, well if he doesn't wish to speak to me than I might as well speak to him. I may well understand he's the authority in the marriage, but I may as well test how much he finds annoying. I'm tired after all, me and my father have road quite a distance, and I am not used to such, I can always use my exhaustion as an excuse for my misbehavior.
Now that I had decided, I began to walk towards the table and realized all too quickly that I had forgotten to bow. Turning swiftly to the king, I smiled, curtsied and said "my lord, permission to walk over to your son" again the king laughed, and I began to think he enjoyed making me squirm, "yes of course. I already said you could," he said in an obvious tone, as if I was dumb. Yes, he defiantly likes to watch me flustered, I sighed, I must be beet red by now. I arrived at the table and waited for the young man to look up. I waited for about three minutes, then glanced at the king. Both he and my father were watching me, my father looked slightly angry, while the king looked even more amused if that was possible. The king called me over, I walked towards him. "Yes my lord" "You're going to have to speak to him if you expect him to speak to you. He's not the type to give respect to a lady, just because she walks over" Okay, what did that mean? Starting to freak out now, might as well pretend I understand. "Yes my lord, of course my lord." I bowed and walked over to the table. "um, Prince Isilder?", I said. He didn't even look up. "Your father said I should get to know you." A light lie, but whatever it takes. At this new revelation the young man looked up and started to laugh. So like his father. "Oh that is funny. You think I'm lord Isilder; well no I'm afraid you're wrong. I'm just a monk. I don't know where Isilder is off to, he was in here for a little while but now I appears he has gone off." Apparently not. He said this with such a straight face, such a kind face, that I was suddenly sure the king was playing a prank on me. I blushed, muttered thank-you and walked over to the king. Thinking not to give him the pleasure of having made me flustered again. I bowed, smiled smugly and stood there pretending nothing had happened, the king gave me an odd glance, then moved over to glance at the monk, then back to me. "Well, lady if you would just follow your father, I have told him where your room is to lie." I followed my father, who looked angry at me, but for what reason I had no idea. Then again he always looked angry. I had already supposed I was to have a room to myself, so I wasn't surprised when my father huffed off. I wondered briefly when I would get to meet the real Isilder, but I supposed the longest the wait would be, would be tomorrow when we got married. This scared me, I had wanted to meet him before the wedding, but I supposed there was nothing I could do about it. The king had given me grant to leave, and though my father had given me a look, that said all too clearly I better stay in my room all day and not cause trouble, I decided to go take a look around anyways.
I quickly found the library, which delighted me. As I said before, I had always loved to read. I noticed when I walked in that there were only to tables, free of books. One, had the monk reading at. My god, is he following me? No, he was here first, if anything he would think I was following him. He, for once, actually looked up, and looked very shocked, but even more so when I calmly walked to the other table. I can only guess now, what he was thinking. As the other table was big, I didn't think the two ten year old looking boys would mind sharing the table with me. Apparently they did. They walked over to me, "Who are you miss?," they said innocently enough. But when I told them I was to be Lord Isulder's bride they got a mischevious glance in their eyes. "What are you here to do, miss?" the meaner looking one asked. "What does it look like I'm here to do. I'm here to read, and maybe write, like everyone else who ever comes here plans on doing." "But miss," again the ruder one said, "misses aren't supposed to be able to read. That's disrespectful to your future husband miss. You're disobeying him." I got kind of scared for a second one of them would find my father and tell him. Unlike most men of Gondor, he would likely beat me to a bloody pulp, lest he learn I could read and write. I realized, I was in trouble but that it was too late. "Why, does Isilder not like woman who can read and write?," I tried to sound nonchalant, but I think my sweaty palms gave it away. "Write too, miss? Why no, miss. I know Isuilder personally and he'll harm you if he finds out such things. Better to never bring it up, never touch a book again, if you know ht's best for you." The boys walked away after that, leaving me alone. I suddenly heard a chair squeak, and turned my head to see the monk getting out of his chair. He looked quite serious and regal, and I wondered just how powerful a monk he was. He came over to me, and whispered in my ear, though there was no one else in sight with in the library. "Does your father know you read and rite miss, I couldn't help but see him in the throne room. I should think he's not the type to teach his daughter such." Surprised, I squeaked slowly and quietly. That no, he didn't know, and then asked with a pleading tone that he not tell him. He smiled; looking rather handsome, and I felt myself hoping Isilder looked something like this young monk. It had been one of my fears, since I had never seen a picture of the young prince, that he would be very ugly looking. "Don't worry my lady, I know him quite well, too and if anything, he'll be quite happy to have a wife who knows how to think for herself." And with that he walked out of the library, leaving me quite confused.