Author's notes: It seems my threat not to update unless I get reviews isn't
having an affect. Either that, or there are only two people who've bothered
reading this far. Please review, it doesn't take much time. Just go and
click that little 'submit review' button at the bottom of the page. It
doesn't have to be long, just let me know that you're reading. Please.
***
The storm had passed by the time Rion woke, and the sun was showing faintly as a patch of lighter grey behind the thin clouds above the palace. His eyes felt strange from crying so much the night before. They seemed to ache slightly.
A tray of food was on the table, and clean clothes had been laid out for him. He must have been deeply asleep not to notice when the servants came in. Once he had eaten and dressed, he tried the door, even though he knew it would be locked. That fact established, he decided to try the windows. To his surprise, they would open. He opened one wide, and felt the cold wind with its tang of salt. Perching on the window ledge and swinging his legs over it felt almost as though he was outside. After that terrible journey and his brief stay in the cell, it was extremely good to feel that.
He closed his eyes and just sat there. He didn't even bother looking round when he heard the door open. It was probably just Captain Graynal bringing more orders from the king. Well, his demands could wait. Rion felt that he had suffered enough, and wasn't going to hurry to ease things for them.
"Get back inside!" It wasn't the voice Rion had been expecting to hear, and there was a note of panic in it that surprised him. Curious, he turned, bringing his legs back inside the room. As he stood, he was able to get a good look at the person who had spoken. She was a girl, about the same age as him. She was pretty, dark-haired and wearing a beautiful dress. Around her head was a circlet of silver, with a silver star in the centre of her forehead. It was the worried expression on her face that surprised him the most.
"I though you were going to jump," she said. That puzzled Rion. Not that she might make that mistake from seeing him on the window, but that she would be concerned about it. These people had abducted him from his home, why should they care if he was hurt?
The girl obviously saw his puzzlement and mistook it. "I'm sorry," she said, "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions." There was a short silence. It seemed the girl didn't know what to say, and while Rion had a million questions he wanted to ask, he wouldn't risk asking them in case he ended up in that cell again.
"You don't look quite like the other elves I've seen," the girl said at last. This seemed to be Rion's day for getting surprised.
"I'm half elf," he said, "well, slightly under half, since my mother isn't a full elf either."
"You're Prince Eldarion?"
"Yes. You didn't know?"
She shook her head, "I only knew that Graynal brought two boys here, I didn't know who you were."
"Then how do you know just from knowing I'm part elf?"
"Elves come here sometimes," she explained, "Not very often, but I talk to them when they do. I heard how the daughter of Elrond Halfelven was marrying a mortal. They seemed to think she was marrying beneath her status." She gave a soft laugh, "Strange, isn't it? Most people would think a king was the highest status you could get."
Rion decided that she wasn't going to have him locked up for curiosity, and so asked, "Why did you come here?"
"Curiosity," she admitted, and Rion almost smiled at the irony, "I saw you yesterday, and your friend, and I was interested in you."
"Mir's alright?" Rion couldn't keep the urgency out of his tone as he asked.
"He seemed to be, but I only caught a glimpse of him. He seemed to be threatening my father."
That didn't sound like Mir. "He hasn't been hurt though?"
"I don't think so. I could find out for you."
"Please. I need to know that he's alright."
The girl nodded, and there was another long silence, but this time Rion was the one to break it.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Oh! I'm sorry. How rude of me. I'm Princess Ariessa, daughter of King Ramel of Tharden."
"Tharden?"
Now it was Ariessa's turn to be surprised. "You don't know where you are?"
"I wasn't exactly given an invitation," Rion said bitterly.
"Why did Father bring you here?"
"I've been wondering the same thing since that monster had me abducted."
"DON'T SPEAK ABOUT MY FATHER LIKE THAT!" Ariessa shouted.
"HOW ELSE DO YOU EXPECT ME TO SPEAK OF A KIDNAPPER?!" Rion shouted back.
"MY FATHER IS A GOOD MAN!"
"KIDNAPPING DOES NOT ENTER MY DEFINITION OF GOOD!"
"HE MUST HAVE A GOOD REASON TO HAVE DONE SO!"
"WHAT REASON COULD POSSIBLY EXCUSE TAKING SOMEONE FROM THEIR HOME BY FORCE?!"
There was a pause. "I don't know," Ariessa said more calmly. There was another silence, this one more awkward than the previous ones.
"I should probably go and find out about your friend," Ariessa said at last, turning to leave. Then something on the floor caught her eye. She picked up the circlet that Rion had flung aside and checked it over for damage.
"You should probably take more care of this," she advised, "Traag can get rather angry if his gifts are mishandled."
"Who's Traag?"
"Not someone you want to anger." She placed the circlet on the dressing table and went to the door. When she opened it, Rion saw the guards on the other side, alert in case the wrong person came through, and he heard the lock click as soon as the door was closed again.
***
"Your highness," Ari stopped and turned to the servant who had spoken, "his majesty wishes to speak with you."
"Thank you," Ari said. The servant left with a bow, and Ari headed to her father's study, feeling rather worried. Her father only summoned her when she'd done something wrong. She wondered if it had been such a good idea to visit Prince Eldarion.
She entered the study a little nervously. "You sent for me, Father."
"Sit down." Ari sat down in one of the chairs opposite the desk where the king sat working.
"I gather you have been to visit our guest," he said, "Why?"
She decided that saying curiosity would probably just make things worse. Her father often that her overactive curiosity was her worst failing. "Pity," she answered.
The king nodded. "And what did you speak of?"
"You're not angry?"
"You would not be the daughter I love so much if you did not pity one who suffers. What did you speak of?"
"Not very much. He says that he was kidnapped. Why?"
"That I cannot answer."
"Why?"
"Because you have too great a heart. If you learn why he was brought here, your pity would move you to tell him, and that I cannot allow. He must not learn why he is here until he has already served his purpose." If her father was trying to diminish her curiosity he was definitely going about it the wrong way. How could she not be curious when he said mysterious things like that?
"What else did he say?"
"He's worried about his friend."
"That is natural. And encouraging." Ari wondered what he meant by that as well.
"He wanted me to tell him about his friend," Ari said.
"Then you may tell him he hasn't been hurt."
"You're saying I should go and talk to him again?"
"If you want to. I expect the prince will not object to having company of his own age."
"I want to," Ari replied. By spending time with Prince Eldarion she might gain some answers to the questions that were plaguing her. Besides, she really did pity him.
***
Rion looked up hopefully as the door opened, but this time it was Captain Graynal who entered.
"The king has sent for you," he said, and then looked pointedly at the circlet still resting where Ariessa had set it. Rion took it and quietly set it on his head. There was no point in arguing after all. They had reduced his guard to only two soldiers, probably thinking he wouldn't try to escape again. They were right. What was the point when home was still unreachable?
He was taken to what was unmistakably a study. The king was seated behind a desk. He motioned for Graynal and the guards to leave, and Rion stood alone just inside the door. It was strange that the king would be willing to risk himself alone with a prisoner, but Rion could see the sword at the king's side, and knew he wouldn't be a match for him anyway.
"Sit," the king ordered softly. Rion went and sat in the chair on the opposite side of the desk from the king.
"I understand that you have spoken with my daughter," he said.
"She came to visit me. If you object to it I suggest talking to her about it," Rion said.
"I already have spoken to her. I gave granted her leave to visit you if she so chooses. I sent for you to warn you. If you even try to harm her in any way. . ."
"I'm not the one who hurts innocents." Rion interrupted. Something flickered on the emotionless face for an instant but was gone before Rion could decide what it was.
"You have not been harmed since you were brought here."
"I was snatched away from my home and my family by force. Isn't that hurt enough?"
"Are you so against kidnapping because you are the victim, or would you feel this way if it were another I held here?"
"Kidnapping is never right, whether the victim is rich or poor, child or adult. It's inexcusable."
"Noble sentiments," the king commented.
"Nobility has nothing to do with it. The lowest born peasant can understand the difference between right and wrong and act accordingly. And even one so high born as a king can act with no concern for what is good." Rion couldn't resist the last comment, but was worried in the momentary silence that followed if it had been a mistake.
Then the king laughed.
"Very clever." Rion didn't think it was, but wasn't going to disagree since he was treading a fine line as it was. "Now I can't punish you for insulting me without proving you right." He laughed. "Practice your subtlety and I think you will have an excellent way of amusing yourself when you're in boring meetings with people you don't like. If you find the right tone to insult them in, they can't be sure you've actually insulted them, and they dare not ask a king." He laughed again, and Rion found himself smiling. There were some people he could name who he would enjoy doing that to.
"Now," the king said, becoming more serious, "since we have established that you're not going to hurt Ari, is there anything that can be done to improve your stay here?"
Rion frowned, unsure of what to make of this offer. He had been kidnapped and kept prisoner, and now the king was speaking to him as if he was an honoured guest. Was this some trick? Watching the king's carefully schooled expression, it was difficult to be sure, but Rion thought the offer was a genuine one.
"I want to see Mir," he said, "I want to know that you haven't hurt him."
"Of course," the king said nodding, "Anything else?"
"I want to go outside. I want to feel the sun and the air and be amongst living things."
"As you wish. You have only to ask your guards and they will take you either to your friend's room or to the gardens. But, if you take advantage of these liberties I'm offering or try to escape, they will be removed and you will find yourself permanently kept in your room." Rion nodded.
It was only when the guards were taking him off to Mir's room that the significance of some of what was said struck him. While he had been advising him how to insult someone, the king had made a comment about not daring to ask a king, meaning Rion. But the only way he would be a king was if he was returned home. Trying to understand this, and the sudden change in the way he was being treated, Rion found himself in a better mood than he had been since the attack. Perhaps things were not so hopeless after all.
***
Author's notes: Please review.
***
The storm had passed by the time Rion woke, and the sun was showing faintly as a patch of lighter grey behind the thin clouds above the palace. His eyes felt strange from crying so much the night before. They seemed to ache slightly.
A tray of food was on the table, and clean clothes had been laid out for him. He must have been deeply asleep not to notice when the servants came in. Once he had eaten and dressed, he tried the door, even though he knew it would be locked. That fact established, he decided to try the windows. To his surprise, they would open. He opened one wide, and felt the cold wind with its tang of salt. Perching on the window ledge and swinging his legs over it felt almost as though he was outside. After that terrible journey and his brief stay in the cell, it was extremely good to feel that.
He closed his eyes and just sat there. He didn't even bother looking round when he heard the door open. It was probably just Captain Graynal bringing more orders from the king. Well, his demands could wait. Rion felt that he had suffered enough, and wasn't going to hurry to ease things for them.
"Get back inside!" It wasn't the voice Rion had been expecting to hear, and there was a note of panic in it that surprised him. Curious, he turned, bringing his legs back inside the room. As he stood, he was able to get a good look at the person who had spoken. She was a girl, about the same age as him. She was pretty, dark-haired and wearing a beautiful dress. Around her head was a circlet of silver, with a silver star in the centre of her forehead. It was the worried expression on her face that surprised him the most.
"I though you were going to jump," she said. That puzzled Rion. Not that she might make that mistake from seeing him on the window, but that she would be concerned about it. These people had abducted him from his home, why should they care if he was hurt?
The girl obviously saw his puzzlement and mistook it. "I'm sorry," she said, "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions." There was a short silence. It seemed the girl didn't know what to say, and while Rion had a million questions he wanted to ask, he wouldn't risk asking them in case he ended up in that cell again.
"You don't look quite like the other elves I've seen," the girl said at last. This seemed to be Rion's day for getting surprised.
"I'm half elf," he said, "well, slightly under half, since my mother isn't a full elf either."
"You're Prince Eldarion?"
"Yes. You didn't know?"
She shook her head, "I only knew that Graynal brought two boys here, I didn't know who you were."
"Then how do you know just from knowing I'm part elf?"
"Elves come here sometimes," she explained, "Not very often, but I talk to them when they do. I heard how the daughter of Elrond Halfelven was marrying a mortal. They seemed to think she was marrying beneath her status." She gave a soft laugh, "Strange, isn't it? Most people would think a king was the highest status you could get."
Rion decided that she wasn't going to have him locked up for curiosity, and so asked, "Why did you come here?"
"Curiosity," she admitted, and Rion almost smiled at the irony, "I saw you yesterday, and your friend, and I was interested in you."
"Mir's alright?" Rion couldn't keep the urgency out of his tone as he asked.
"He seemed to be, but I only caught a glimpse of him. He seemed to be threatening my father."
That didn't sound like Mir. "He hasn't been hurt though?"
"I don't think so. I could find out for you."
"Please. I need to know that he's alright."
The girl nodded, and there was another long silence, but this time Rion was the one to break it.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Oh! I'm sorry. How rude of me. I'm Princess Ariessa, daughter of King Ramel of Tharden."
"Tharden?"
Now it was Ariessa's turn to be surprised. "You don't know where you are?"
"I wasn't exactly given an invitation," Rion said bitterly.
"Why did Father bring you here?"
"I've been wondering the same thing since that monster had me abducted."
"DON'T SPEAK ABOUT MY FATHER LIKE THAT!" Ariessa shouted.
"HOW ELSE DO YOU EXPECT ME TO SPEAK OF A KIDNAPPER?!" Rion shouted back.
"MY FATHER IS A GOOD MAN!"
"KIDNAPPING DOES NOT ENTER MY DEFINITION OF GOOD!"
"HE MUST HAVE A GOOD REASON TO HAVE DONE SO!"
"WHAT REASON COULD POSSIBLY EXCUSE TAKING SOMEONE FROM THEIR HOME BY FORCE?!"
There was a pause. "I don't know," Ariessa said more calmly. There was another silence, this one more awkward than the previous ones.
"I should probably go and find out about your friend," Ariessa said at last, turning to leave. Then something on the floor caught her eye. She picked up the circlet that Rion had flung aside and checked it over for damage.
"You should probably take more care of this," she advised, "Traag can get rather angry if his gifts are mishandled."
"Who's Traag?"
"Not someone you want to anger." She placed the circlet on the dressing table and went to the door. When she opened it, Rion saw the guards on the other side, alert in case the wrong person came through, and he heard the lock click as soon as the door was closed again.
***
"Your highness," Ari stopped and turned to the servant who had spoken, "his majesty wishes to speak with you."
"Thank you," Ari said. The servant left with a bow, and Ari headed to her father's study, feeling rather worried. Her father only summoned her when she'd done something wrong. She wondered if it had been such a good idea to visit Prince Eldarion.
She entered the study a little nervously. "You sent for me, Father."
"Sit down." Ari sat down in one of the chairs opposite the desk where the king sat working.
"I gather you have been to visit our guest," he said, "Why?"
She decided that saying curiosity would probably just make things worse. Her father often that her overactive curiosity was her worst failing. "Pity," she answered.
The king nodded. "And what did you speak of?"
"You're not angry?"
"You would not be the daughter I love so much if you did not pity one who suffers. What did you speak of?"
"Not very much. He says that he was kidnapped. Why?"
"That I cannot answer."
"Why?"
"Because you have too great a heart. If you learn why he was brought here, your pity would move you to tell him, and that I cannot allow. He must not learn why he is here until he has already served his purpose." If her father was trying to diminish her curiosity he was definitely going about it the wrong way. How could she not be curious when he said mysterious things like that?
"What else did he say?"
"He's worried about his friend."
"That is natural. And encouraging." Ari wondered what he meant by that as well.
"He wanted me to tell him about his friend," Ari said.
"Then you may tell him he hasn't been hurt."
"You're saying I should go and talk to him again?"
"If you want to. I expect the prince will not object to having company of his own age."
"I want to," Ari replied. By spending time with Prince Eldarion she might gain some answers to the questions that were plaguing her. Besides, she really did pity him.
***
Rion looked up hopefully as the door opened, but this time it was Captain Graynal who entered.
"The king has sent for you," he said, and then looked pointedly at the circlet still resting where Ariessa had set it. Rion took it and quietly set it on his head. There was no point in arguing after all. They had reduced his guard to only two soldiers, probably thinking he wouldn't try to escape again. They were right. What was the point when home was still unreachable?
He was taken to what was unmistakably a study. The king was seated behind a desk. He motioned for Graynal and the guards to leave, and Rion stood alone just inside the door. It was strange that the king would be willing to risk himself alone with a prisoner, but Rion could see the sword at the king's side, and knew he wouldn't be a match for him anyway.
"Sit," the king ordered softly. Rion went and sat in the chair on the opposite side of the desk from the king.
"I understand that you have spoken with my daughter," he said.
"She came to visit me. If you object to it I suggest talking to her about it," Rion said.
"I already have spoken to her. I gave granted her leave to visit you if she so chooses. I sent for you to warn you. If you even try to harm her in any way. . ."
"I'm not the one who hurts innocents." Rion interrupted. Something flickered on the emotionless face for an instant but was gone before Rion could decide what it was.
"You have not been harmed since you were brought here."
"I was snatched away from my home and my family by force. Isn't that hurt enough?"
"Are you so against kidnapping because you are the victim, or would you feel this way if it were another I held here?"
"Kidnapping is never right, whether the victim is rich or poor, child or adult. It's inexcusable."
"Noble sentiments," the king commented.
"Nobility has nothing to do with it. The lowest born peasant can understand the difference between right and wrong and act accordingly. And even one so high born as a king can act with no concern for what is good." Rion couldn't resist the last comment, but was worried in the momentary silence that followed if it had been a mistake.
Then the king laughed.
"Very clever." Rion didn't think it was, but wasn't going to disagree since he was treading a fine line as it was. "Now I can't punish you for insulting me without proving you right." He laughed. "Practice your subtlety and I think you will have an excellent way of amusing yourself when you're in boring meetings with people you don't like. If you find the right tone to insult them in, they can't be sure you've actually insulted them, and they dare not ask a king." He laughed again, and Rion found himself smiling. There were some people he could name who he would enjoy doing that to.
"Now," the king said, becoming more serious, "since we have established that you're not going to hurt Ari, is there anything that can be done to improve your stay here?"
Rion frowned, unsure of what to make of this offer. He had been kidnapped and kept prisoner, and now the king was speaking to him as if he was an honoured guest. Was this some trick? Watching the king's carefully schooled expression, it was difficult to be sure, but Rion thought the offer was a genuine one.
"I want to see Mir," he said, "I want to know that you haven't hurt him."
"Of course," the king said nodding, "Anything else?"
"I want to go outside. I want to feel the sun and the air and be amongst living things."
"As you wish. You have only to ask your guards and they will take you either to your friend's room or to the gardens. But, if you take advantage of these liberties I'm offering or try to escape, they will be removed and you will find yourself permanently kept in your room." Rion nodded.
It was only when the guards were taking him off to Mir's room that the significance of some of what was said struck him. While he had been advising him how to insult someone, the king had made a comment about not daring to ask a king, meaning Rion. But the only way he would be a king was if he was returned home. Trying to understand this, and the sudden change in the way he was being treated, Rion found himself in a better mood than he had been since the attack. Perhaps things were not so hopeless after all.
***
Author's notes: Please review.