A/N – Sorry this took so long guys! I think it's part that my school schedule is so hectic, and part that I'm subconsciously trying not to finish this story since I love it so much. Sorry!
MyArwen – I know this is going to sound nitpicky, but it's Donovan, not Dovanno. Sorry, that was just bothering me. :)
Chapter 27After lunch, which was filled with questions for Venitia, Venny decided to spend the day on her own. She changed into a simple dress, and headed outside and into the market. She had missed being around normal people, women mostly. She strolled, unnoticed, through the stone street. She occasionally stopped to look at something in a stand, but continued to wander down the street.
Eventually she began to ponder what she should wear for the other two days of the masquerade. Her mind was completely blank. She knew her sister Almira wished to be the moon, the sun, and a leaf, of all things. Muriel, who was only allowed to stay for an hour each time, was only going to dress up in a fancy gown.
She could be a star? That was an idea. Not exactly an original one, but at least it was an idea. She eventually ran out of street to walk on, and was about to turn around to walk back up, when she saw Legolas in the field teaching, or attempting to teach, a group of youngsters how fire a bow and arrow. Venitia rolled her eyes and walked toward them.
He saw her coming and gestured to the boys to continue practicing.
"It's hopeless," he said softly to her. She laughed as she watched the boys try to string the bows.
"It's looks like it," she said.
"You seemed to be thinking about something," he said.
"Well, I need another idea for the masquerade, but I can't think of one," she complained.
He pondered this for a moment. Suddenly, a familiar glint came into his eye.
"I know exactly what you are going to be," he said mischievously, and then without any explanation at all, turned back to the impossible boys.
Venitia made a bewildered gesture, then walked up behind him and tapped a finger on his shoulder.
"And just what is your brilliant idea?" she asked.
"It is a secret," he said, seeming shocked she would ask.
"A secret? You can't keep it a secret!" she exclaimed.
"Oh yes I can, and will, as a matter of fact. I shall bring it to you the first day of the masquerade," he said, winked and turned back around.
"It had better be wonderful," she said warningly as she turned around to walk back.
"It will be!" he called after her.
Venitia rolled her eyes as she walked back to the street. On the surface she appeared worried, but she knew she could trust Legolas.
By the time Venitia returned home and changed, it was dusk. After a large dinner, she returned gratefully back to her bed. She still had not recovered all her sleep.
***
The next day, Venitia hurried down to Annette and told her about the star idea. Annette loved it, and said aside to her, "It's better than Almira's leaf idea."
A week and a half passed quickly, and Venitia fell into her old routine once again. It wasn't until the Tuesday before the ball that anything out of the ordinary happened.
Venitia was out riding her horse in the afternoon as usual, when she noticed a speck riding toward her. She nudged Crystal to run faster, and they galloped toward the ever-growing spot.
It turned out to be the general of all people.
"Your highness!" he exclaimed as he got closer. They both dismounted, while Venitia saluted and the general bowed.
"We believe we have found the answer to the mystery you uncovered," he said.
"We believe," the general was saying as the princess and he sat in the study, "that the victims were humans hiding from an army of orcs during the War of the Shadow. However, they met a much worse fate, it seems. The goblins, most of which you killed by the way, would not join with Sauron, but they continued to haunt nearby villages. When most of the people in that area had the good sense to get out, there were none left for them to kill, as they were no nomadic people. So they eventually found the hiding place of these humans, and massacred them." He stopped and retrieved something from his belt. "This for you," he said, laying a split sword on the table.
Venitia picked it up. It was engraved in that same odd dwarfish language, and the green jewels seemed oddly familiar…
"This is the sword of the one who dragged me off the cliff!" she exclaimed.
"Yes, and he also seemed to be the captain. We found only two other cowering in the forest. The rest were dead, thanks to you."
Venitia held the malevolent sword in her hands, watching it glint in the light.
"Convert to…anger; blunt…not the heart, en…enrage it," she said slowly.
"Come again, your highness?" the general asked, confused.
"That is what is says on the handle," she said simply, pointing at the writing.
The general only nodded, still quite baffled.
"Are you coming to the masquerade, general?" Venitia asked, sitting back down.
"Yes, we all are," he said. "But I am afraid that I must leave now." He stood up.
"Oh, of course," she said, standing as well. She led him to the door, and he left.
Venitia picked up the sword and went off on a search.
Her search led her to the library, where a man sat with his back turned away from her, reading next to the fireplace.
"Father," she said, hurrying toward him. "Look at what the general gave me."
She kneeled down next to him like a little child, and the king took the sword in his hands.
"The captain's sword, I presume?" he asked, still examining it.
"Yes," she answered.
"The one you killed, I also presume?"
She smiled and nodded.
"Well, we must hang it somewhere!" he said with a flourish, standing up. He led her to the gallery, which was really just a room with a lot of important paintings, objects, things of that sort.
"How about…right here?" the king said, striding to an empty place next to an old painting of the defeat of Morgoth.
Venitia smiled and nodded. Her father hung it on the wall, and stood back and looked at it.
They stood there for a few minutes, when suddenly the king leaned over and kissed his daughter on the head. She smiled widely to herself, and leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Like father like daughter," she heard him murmur softly.
****** Next…the first day of the mask! Yay! (also note how the subconscious thing made this chapter kinda short.) :) Also, the quote on the sword is from Macbeth, as that is my favorite Shakespeare play. Again, kinda morbid, just like Ringwraiths! Yay Ringwraiths! Go Ringwraiths, you're so evil, go Ringwraiths…OK, I'll stop.
