A/N – Sorry! This took longer than I expected because I suddenly have a lot of schoolwork to do, so it might be a little slower than usual for the next couple of chapters. Sorry! But here's this one!
P.S. Oh and by the way, I think most people have a pretty good idea who Dorian is, but the question is – how? *raises an eyebrow*
~Emma~
Chapter 26The ride home was slow and leisurely. Venitia almost fell asleep as she became lulled by the warm sun and consistent trotting of her horse. Her father didn't try to speak to her; he could tell she was tired.
The White City grew closer and closer, and its white-gray buildings stood gleaming in the setting sun. Venitia felt a smile creep onto her face as she watched her home come nearer. She realized with a pang how much she had missed it.
They entered the city, and the citizens came out to watch them trot by. Venitia smiled broadly; she knew her black hair was tangled and messy, and her normally blue eyes were dull and shiny, but the people didn't seem to care one bit. Her father waved to them as they bowed, and one little girl ran up to Venitia and handed her a flower. Venitia put it in her hair and laughed as she heard the little girl say, "Mama, did you see me? She smiled at me!"
The palace came into view, standing proud on the hill. She glimpsed a face at the window, which disappeared quickly with the sound of a shriek. Before she knew it, her mother was flying out of the front doors and running toward them. Venitia laughed as she watched all of her mother's elvish grace leave as her she ran toward them. Venitia hopped off her horse and ran toward her as well.
"My darling!" Arwen said as Venitia ran into her mother's arms. They hugged tightly for a while, until Arwen broke away and examined Venitia.
"Are you alright? You do not feel any pain?" she asked worriedly.
"No, I am fine, Mother," Venitia answered with a smile. Arwen returned her smile, and linked their arms and walked toward the palace.
"Well then, this deserves a party, do you not agree?" her mother asked.
"Mother, must we have a party for everything?" Venitia asked amusedly.
"Well, no, but this does deserve a party," Arwen answered. Venitia knew there was no denying her, so she nodded.
"Oh good, because I have already began planning it. What do you think about this – a masquerade?" Arwen said with a flourish of her arms.
"Sounds wonderful," Venitia answered as the walked through the doors. She stopped and took a deep breath in; it smelled like flowers and bread, just as it should smell.
"Venitia, Venitia!" Muriel came running down the hall, and Venitia hugged her as well.
"You've grown taller!" Venitia said in surprise.
"Yes, I have. I'll be almost as tall as you by the end of the summer," Muriel said.
"No doubt you will," Venitia said, laughing.
"Venny, you're home!" Almira was the next one to come down the hall. The two sisters hugged and then examined each other.
"You look older," Venitia commented.
"You look…browner," Almira said. They laughed, and then all four of them linked arms and headed toward the dining hall.
"I am starving," Venitia announced. Suddenly, servants came swooping in and filled their plates. Venitia ate furiously. Their father joined them a few minutes later and began to eat furiously as well.
"Did they not feed you?" Arwen asked jokingly.
Venitia sat back in her chair some minutes later, stuffed. The family then pounced with their questions.
The sun had set, the moon and stars had come out, and the clock had rung eleven times by the time they were finished. Venitia yawned widely, and announced she was going to bed. She couldn't wait to get to her own room, with her own bed, and her own space.
She staggered the halls to her room, caught sight of her bed, smiled to herself, and then collapsed on top of her bed and went straight to sleep.
**********
"Two weeks, that should be long enough for you to get settled in…not to mention enough time to order everything, have it prepared, and invite everyone." It was ten o'clock in the morning, and Venitia had just woken up. Her mother had brought her breakfast, and now was sitting on the edge of her bed and chatting away about the masquerade. It was to last three days, as most masquerades do, when on the last day you reveal yourself from under your mask.
"Oh, and you should pick what you want to be, especially for the last day, so Annette can start on your dress and mask and all." This brought Venitia attention away from her toast and to her mother.
"What I want to be?" she asked.
"Yes, you know, an angel, a horse, a bird…" Arwen began to talk about other things. Venitia, on the other hand, had just had an idea.
After breakfast, and after breaking away from her mother, Venitia hurried down (still in her pajamas and bed hair) to the library, grabbed a book, and then went to the sewing rooms where she found Annette.
"There you are child! You came home!" Annette embraced her. "What did they do to you child?" she said, eyeing her frizzy hair and purple eyes.
"Oh, no, that's because I just woke up. Annette, I presume Mother has already told you about the ball?" Venitia said.
Annette nodded.
"Well, I think I have an idea what I want to be." Venitia sat down and opened the large book. "See that?" she pointed to the page she opened to.
"What a beautiful bird! Look at the colors!"
"Yes, it's called a nehipox. I want to be one for the last day of the masquerade," Venitia said.
"Child, it is going to be hard to find those colors…"
Venitia sighed and slumped her shoulders.
"But I will find them, no matter what," Annette finished with a smile.
"You will? Oh, Annette, thank you!" Venitia hugged her again. "I had better go clean up."
"Yes, you should."
Venitia laughed, left the book, and went back to her room.
This was the part Venitia had been looking forward to the whole time. She went into her bathroom and turned on the bath. She poured in a lot of scented soaps and oils; she was sick of smelling like dirt and sweat. Then she stepped into the bath, and sighed. She felt the grime of the camp slide off of her.
Her thoughts turned to Dorian. I wonder if he will come to the ball. She found she really wanted him to, just so she could have the chance of seeing his face. His eyes… something about his eyes was strangely familiar, as if she had seen them before. She closed her own eyes. Instead of Dorian's face coming up, Donovan's did. Her eyes snapped back open. No, I don't want to think about him…but of course, she did anyway. She wondered where he was, what he was doing… even if maybe he had fallen for someone else. I suppose I should just be a spinster, and never marry. She laughed. Then she wondered about Dorian. And if he had ever been in love, or if he had been in love when she knew him but she just couldn't tell. Not wanting to think about men, especially ones whose names began with a D, she shut her eyes and the smells of the room soothed her overworked senses.
When she got out, she felt like a woman again, and went straight to her closet to find an extremely girly dress. She was extremely sick of wearing pants. She picked a pink, slightly ruffled summer dress that was edge in lace.
"Perfect."
**********
Clad in her light, summery pink dress, Venitia left her room and walked the halls of the palace aimlessly, soaking it all in. The day was warm but not humid, so she went outside barefoot and walked around the field. She strolled into the forest to her thinking spot. She stood there for a while, her arms outstretched, letting the breeze and the sun take away all her thoughts. A soft chuckle interrupted her calmness.
"Princess, you become more like me every day." Legolas the elf leapt down from a nearby tree.
"Do I? How so?" Venitia said amusedly, raising an eyebrow.
"You are beginning to get carried away with nature."
She laughed. "Yes, I suppose so."
He walked toward her, and they sat down together on a broken log.
"I want to hear everything," he said after a while.
"Everything?" she asked, surprised.
"Yes."
"Don't you usually save that for Almira?" she asked.
A hint of sadness crept into his eyes. But then he smiled and said, "I want to hear about slaughtering the goblins."
"By myself, might I add," Venitia said with a laugh.
He laughed as well, and said, "I am very proud of you. As is your father, in case he has not told you."
"Oh, he's told me," Venitia said, smiling. She then began her story, and the elf sat rapt with attention until she was done.
"Impressive," he commented.
"Are you staying for the masquerade?" she asked.
"Of course, why else would I come?" he joked.
The lunch bell sounded, and they stood up.
"Might I escort you?" he asked, bowing slightly and offering his arm.
She laughed, but instead of putting her arm in his, she clasped hands with him, and they walked off.
