Chapter Fourteen
Disclaimer: It's not mine, yadda yadda yadda, because if it was do you REALLY think that I'd be posting my work here instead of getting it published?
They went into the room in which they had spent over an hour in yesterday. Everything was neatly in its place and slightly cleaner than they had left it. Jaena put the books on the floor and sat cross-legged in front of them. Emeriel went over to the bookcase and selected three books from it. Estriel and Alcarin sat either side of Jaena. Emeriel joined them and completed the circle in which they were sitting.
"One book titled "something, something, Hophopholeese," read Jaena from the first book in her pile. "Old. Big. Kinda dusty." She passed it to Estriel on her left. "Another book called "Hophopholeese, something, something. Smaller. Pretty green cover." She passed this one right to Alcarin.
"What am I supposed to do with this?" asked Alcarin.
"Hit yourself over the head with it..." said Jaena sarcastically.
"Here," said Emeriel, ignoring Jaena's comment and passing Ali her Elvish dictionary. "I hid it in here yesterday," she explained. " I figured we'd be back."
"Good thinking, batgirl," said Estriel. Alcarin and Jaena fought over the dictionary until they had completed their first sentences.
"Ha!" said Jaena. "I've got it. It says, 'Genarwen Syndarys Hopholeese was born and raised not far from Greenwood."
"Oh my lord, what a breakthrough!" said Alcarin sarcastically.
"Yeah? Well like what you've got is any better," said Jaena huffily.
Ali cleared her throat. "Hopholeese was born to an Elven father and a human mother."
"Somebody contact the press, he was a half-breed!" said Jaena, mockingly shocked.
"Children, children..." said Estriel. "Well, working together Emeriel and I translated a whole paragraph."
"Why does the together bit seem to be directed at us?" said Alcarin. "Who knows," said Jaena.
"Emeriel, will you do the honours?" asked Estriel, handing her the book and fluttering her eyelashes.
"Look, it's like the Brady Bunch, but in Middle Earth," said Jaena.
Emeriel took the book, and read:
"Hopholeese was a much respected philosopher. He created many philosophies, wrote many books and numerous prophecies in his time. A statue of him may be found in the gardens of Greenwood's palace." Emeriel finished and looked at Jaena and Alcarin triumphantly.
"Well, I guess that's...some...progress," said Jaena, begrudgingly. "So...let's go look for it," said Alcarin.
"Yeah!" said Jaena. Jaena and Alcarin both stood up and went over to the door.
"Well?" said Alcarin expectantly. Emeriel and Estriel rose.
It took them ten minutes to find out how to access the gardens. They did this with the help of Madeline, a cook, a parlour maid and Greta, the stern head maid. The gardens were beautiful. Perfectly kept, they were huge.
"So, how do we find this dude?" asked Estriel.
"Es," said Jaena scornfully, linking arms with her. "It was hundreds of years ago. They didn't have dudes then."
"Fine. How do you find this philosophical bloke?" she said.
"Let's ask someone. We'll never find it by ourselves," suggested Emeriel sensibly.
"No, it will be fun to explore," said Alcarin.
"Well, how about we explore, but if we see anyone we'll ask them," said Jaena.
"Good idea," said Estriel, and it was decided.
They looked around for about twenty minutes, finding flowerbeds, vegetable patches, horse stables ("Down, Emeriel!") and a garden shed. They had almost given up when a young gardener walked past.
"Er, Excuse me," said Jaena. "Could you tell us where the statue of Hoph...oph...oph..." she looked over at Estriel pleadingly.
"Hopholeese," she said.
"Is?" finished Jaena.
"Hopholeese the great philosopher?" asked the gardener, puzzled. "No, Hopholeese the cook!" said Alcarin sarcastically.
"Oh," said the gardener, taken aback.
"She's joking," said Emeriel in an apologetic way.
"Oh, well, in that case," continued the gardener, still looking a bit confused. He gave them directions.
"Thanks," said Jaena once he had finished, wondering how she was going to remember all that.
"Pathway, tree, pebbles, path, woods," said Estriel under her breath.
The man's directions were good, and the four girls soon found the statue. It was crafted out of marble and portrayed an old man standing proudly with a book in his hands. The statue itself was quite large, a little taller than an elf.
"There's a plaque!" said Alcarin.
"Genarwen Syndarys Hopholeese," read Estriel. "An inspired writer and a great man."
"May his prophecies come true and his family mourn with contented hearts," finished Jaena.
"There's some Elvish at the bottom," said Alcarin. "I wonder what it says."
"May his soul rest in eternal peace," said a husky male voice behind them, making them jump and turn to face him.
"Legolas," said Alcarin.
"So this is where you have been," he said. "I have been looking for you, my father has been worried."
"We are very sorry, we just wanted to see your beautiful gardens," said Emeriel.
"And this amazing statue," said Emeriel.
"Ah, Hopholeese the philosopher, he was a great man," said Legolas
"Yeah, it says so there on that plaque," said Jaena. She obviously still had not got over their argument that they had had when they first met.
"Did you know him?" asked Alcarin.
"No, he died when I was very small."
"How did you know he was a great man, then?" asked Estriel.
"My father told me about him, and I have also read a great deal about him, it is an honour to think that he was born and raised just a short way from here," he said.
Alcarin opened her mouth to say something, but Jaena caught her eye and shook her head. She promptly closed her mouth and gave Jaena a questioning look. "Tell you later," she mouthed.
The four girls followed Legolas back inside the palace. Thranduil was standing in the hall talking to Gandalf as the girls came in.
"Oh, well done, Legolas, you found them," said Thranduil.
"I apologise if we caused you any hassle, we merely wanted to see you magnificent gardens," said Estriel.
"You are wearing more fitting clothes since I saw you last," said Gandalf.
It was true. The Elvish clothing that Ukira had made them was perfect. Long white, flowing skirts and dark green tops. Off-the-shoulder for Ali, halter- neck with a light cardigan for Estriel, v-neck with lace for Jaena and boat- necked for Emeriel. They all had silk green sandals to match. Much to the girls' delight, all their tops had long and flowing sleeves.
"Yes, Elvish clothing is extremely beautiful," said Estriel.
"What time will we be expected at the ball?" asked Alcarin.
"Ukira will come and fetch you a few hours before to help you to get ready," said Thranduil.
And with that, they returned to their room.
"Right," said Emeriel. "We've got work to do."
"You don't seriously expect us to be Nancy Drewing when there's a ball in a few hours?" said Jaena.
"She's right, Em," said Estriel. "We've got better things to think about."
"Like puffy dresses," said Alcarin. "And a certain elf."
"And his certain friends who are twins," said Estriel.
"But what about helping them?" said Emeriel.
"It can wait until tomorrow," said Jaena. "Or at least until after the ball," said Alcarin.
"Go on, please?" said Estriel with her puppy dog eyes.
"Fine," said Emeriel with a sigh. "But you'll wish that you had been working when we get sent back to boring school because you were too-" she was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.
"Come in," said Alcarin pleadingly.
Ukira peeked her head around the door.
"It is time to get you ready," she said.
The four rose and excitedly followed her, forgetting even to gloat to Emeriel.
Disclaimer: It's not mine, yadda yadda yadda, because if it was do you REALLY think that I'd be posting my work here instead of getting it published?
They went into the room in which they had spent over an hour in yesterday. Everything was neatly in its place and slightly cleaner than they had left it. Jaena put the books on the floor and sat cross-legged in front of them. Emeriel went over to the bookcase and selected three books from it. Estriel and Alcarin sat either side of Jaena. Emeriel joined them and completed the circle in which they were sitting.
"One book titled "something, something, Hophopholeese," read Jaena from the first book in her pile. "Old. Big. Kinda dusty." She passed it to Estriel on her left. "Another book called "Hophopholeese, something, something. Smaller. Pretty green cover." She passed this one right to Alcarin.
"What am I supposed to do with this?" asked Alcarin.
"Hit yourself over the head with it..." said Jaena sarcastically.
"Here," said Emeriel, ignoring Jaena's comment and passing Ali her Elvish dictionary. "I hid it in here yesterday," she explained. " I figured we'd be back."
"Good thinking, batgirl," said Estriel. Alcarin and Jaena fought over the dictionary until they had completed their first sentences.
"Ha!" said Jaena. "I've got it. It says, 'Genarwen Syndarys Hopholeese was born and raised not far from Greenwood."
"Oh my lord, what a breakthrough!" said Alcarin sarcastically.
"Yeah? Well like what you've got is any better," said Jaena huffily.
Ali cleared her throat. "Hopholeese was born to an Elven father and a human mother."
"Somebody contact the press, he was a half-breed!" said Jaena, mockingly shocked.
"Children, children..." said Estriel. "Well, working together Emeriel and I translated a whole paragraph."
"Why does the together bit seem to be directed at us?" said Alcarin. "Who knows," said Jaena.
"Emeriel, will you do the honours?" asked Estriel, handing her the book and fluttering her eyelashes.
"Look, it's like the Brady Bunch, but in Middle Earth," said Jaena.
Emeriel took the book, and read:
"Hopholeese was a much respected philosopher. He created many philosophies, wrote many books and numerous prophecies in his time. A statue of him may be found in the gardens of Greenwood's palace." Emeriel finished and looked at Jaena and Alcarin triumphantly.
"Well, I guess that's...some...progress," said Jaena, begrudgingly. "So...let's go look for it," said Alcarin.
"Yeah!" said Jaena. Jaena and Alcarin both stood up and went over to the door.
"Well?" said Alcarin expectantly. Emeriel and Estriel rose.
It took them ten minutes to find out how to access the gardens. They did this with the help of Madeline, a cook, a parlour maid and Greta, the stern head maid. The gardens were beautiful. Perfectly kept, they were huge.
"So, how do we find this dude?" asked Estriel.
"Es," said Jaena scornfully, linking arms with her. "It was hundreds of years ago. They didn't have dudes then."
"Fine. How do you find this philosophical bloke?" she said.
"Let's ask someone. We'll never find it by ourselves," suggested Emeriel sensibly.
"No, it will be fun to explore," said Alcarin.
"Well, how about we explore, but if we see anyone we'll ask them," said Jaena.
"Good idea," said Estriel, and it was decided.
They looked around for about twenty minutes, finding flowerbeds, vegetable patches, horse stables ("Down, Emeriel!") and a garden shed. They had almost given up when a young gardener walked past.
"Er, Excuse me," said Jaena. "Could you tell us where the statue of Hoph...oph...oph..." she looked over at Estriel pleadingly.
"Hopholeese," she said.
"Is?" finished Jaena.
"Hopholeese the great philosopher?" asked the gardener, puzzled. "No, Hopholeese the cook!" said Alcarin sarcastically.
"Oh," said the gardener, taken aback.
"She's joking," said Emeriel in an apologetic way.
"Oh, well, in that case," continued the gardener, still looking a bit confused. He gave them directions.
"Thanks," said Jaena once he had finished, wondering how she was going to remember all that.
"Pathway, tree, pebbles, path, woods," said Estriel under her breath.
The man's directions were good, and the four girls soon found the statue. It was crafted out of marble and portrayed an old man standing proudly with a book in his hands. The statue itself was quite large, a little taller than an elf.
"There's a plaque!" said Alcarin.
"Genarwen Syndarys Hopholeese," read Estriel. "An inspired writer and a great man."
"May his prophecies come true and his family mourn with contented hearts," finished Jaena.
"There's some Elvish at the bottom," said Alcarin. "I wonder what it says."
"May his soul rest in eternal peace," said a husky male voice behind them, making them jump and turn to face him.
"Legolas," said Alcarin.
"So this is where you have been," he said. "I have been looking for you, my father has been worried."
"We are very sorry, we just wanted to see your beautiful gardens," said Emeriel.
"And this amazing statue," said Emeriel.
"Ah, Hopholeese the philosopher, he was a great man," said Legolas
"Yeah, it says so there on that plaque," said Jaena. She obviously still had not got over their argument that they had had when they first met.
"Did you know him?" asked Alcarin.
"No, he died when I was very small."
"How did you know he was a great man, then?" asked Estriel.
"My father told me about him, and I have also read a great deal about him, it is an honour to think that he was born and raised just a short way from here," he said.
Alcarin opened her mouth to say something, but Jaena caught her eye and shook her head. She promptly closed her mouth and gave Jaena a questioning look. "Tell you later," she mouthed.
The four girls followed Legolas back inside the palace. Thranduil was standing in the hall talking to Gandalf as the girls came in.
"Oh, well done, Legolas, you found them," said Thranduil.
"I apologise if we caused you any hassle, we merely wanted to see you magnificent gardens," said Estriel.
"You are wearing more fitting clothes since I saw you last," said Gandalf.
It was true. The Elvish clothing that Ukira had made them was perfect. Long white, flowing skirts and dark green tops. Off-the-shoulder for Ali, halter- neck with a light cardigan for Estriel, v-neck with lace for Jaena and boat- necked for Emeriel. They all had silk green sandals to match. Much to the girls' delight, all their tops had long and flowing sleeves.
"Yes, Elvish clothing is extremely beautiful," said Estriel.
"What time will we be expected at the ball?" asked Alcarin.
"Ukira will come and fetch you a few hours before to help you to get ready," said Thranduil.
And with that, they returned to their room.
"Right," said Emeriel. "We've got work to do."
"You don't seriously expect us to be Nancy Drewing when there's a ball in a few hours?" said Jaena.
"She's right, Em," said Estriel. "We've got better things to think about."
"Like puffy dresses," said Alcarin. "And a certain elf."
"And his certain friends who are twins," said Estriel.
"But what about helping them?" said Emeriel.
"It can wait until tomorrow," said Jaena. "Or at least until after the ball," said Alcarin.
"Go on, please?" said Estriel with her puppy dog eyes.
"Fine," said Emeriel with a sigh. "But you'll wish that you had been working when we get sent back to boring school because you were too-" she was interrupted by a soft knock on the door.
"Come in," said Alcarin pleadingly.
Ukira peeked her head around the door.
"It is time to get you ready," she said.
The four rose and excitedly followed her, forgetting even to gloat to Emeriel.