The next day passed quickly and without event. Zerameth greatly dreaded the coming of Ohtar that night, but she tried not to show it to Addrynnyn, or anyone else, for that matter. She decided that she would stay up late that night until Mirkwood arrived. She and the servants would be the only ones awake, but she did not mind. She planned to study, and should she get bored she could always wake up Laesien. She felt as if she must be the first one to speak to Ohtar, and not only that, but she also was quite eager to see him in order to discover if she still held feelings for him or not. As a third reason, she was also quite curious at what he now looked and acted like. She knew that since he was an elf he could not have changed much over 5 years, but she still wanted to see for herself, as if she did not quite trust that he was a true elf.
It was a full1 ½ counts past midnight (A/N: my way of saying 1:30AM) when, as she was just nodding off to sleep, Zerameth heard horses outside. She stood up out of her chair in her room and looked out of the window, and saw near 10 elves getting off of their horses and leaving them to her father's servants' care. She was unable to tell which one was Ohtar, for it was dark, but she knew that he was amongst them. Excited and smiling, she quickly dashed out of her room, down the stairs, through the halls, and out the door. She ran outside, then slowed her pace and changed her expression to look significantly calmer as she approached the elves. One of them approached her. He looked familiar, and Zerameth decided that this must be Ohtar.
He, obviously, did not recognize her as she did. "Where are we to rest?" he asked her, taking on a superior tone. "Excuse my eagerness, but each of us is weary, for we traveled with great speed and haste."
"Ohtar?"
"H-how did you…" He looked into her eyes and recognized their gleam at once, and he smiled. "Zerameth! Forgive me; I did not recognize you! What are you doing awake at this hour?"
"I have been waiting for you," she replied. "I could not wait to see you again. How have you been?"
"Quite well, thank you. You have grown so…"
"Yes, but you look much the same."
"I may look it, but I have changed. My father has had quite the effect on me."
"Oh, have you made amends?"
Ohtar nodded. "Yes, we have. He still at times will forget us, and I will still get angry with him, but we are much better than we were last we met."
"I am glad. Is he here?"
"No, not now. He stayed back with the other elves. We-" Ohtar motioned to his party, "sped up, for we are young and eager. The ones who wanted to have their horses remain at a steady walk should arrive by sun up."
"My mother greatly wishes to see him."
"I can imagine. He feels the same."
"Excuse me, you are tired." Zerameth began walking back inside and Ohtar walked beside her.
"You are betrothed now, I hear?" Ohtar asked.
"Yes, it is Addrynnyn."
"What do you think of him?"
"I think that he will make a fine husband. What of you, do you have a beautiful elf-maiden waiting for you in Mirkwood?"
Ohtar shook his head. "No. She is here."
"Oh! Has she come with you, or is she with your father?"
"She is back with him." He smiled mischievously. "She has not the greatest sense of adventure."
Zerameth laughed. "Why, how fast did you force the horses to run?"
"I knew not that they were able to go as fast as we went, that is all I shall say of it."
"I am disappointed, Prince Ohtar. You told me that you had changed, but you seem much the same." That was true, but Zerameth was not so sure if it was a good thing. The old had been the one that she thought she fell in love with. Should he return, then conflict would arise.
"Perhaps I have not changed so awfully much, but it has happened. You shall see it eventually."
"I suppose I shall." Zerameth turned and looked at the party of elves that were following them. "How many are here right now?"
"8. None of us need much rest; we need merely 8 comfortable chairs, and we shall all be satisfied."
"I know not where my parents intended to place you all."
"Do you not have a sitting room?"
Zerameth smiled a small bit. "Yes, we do, but I should feel guilty leaving you all without beds."
"Nonsense. We are elves."
Zerameth nodded. They were, indeed, elves. Was that why she had loved Ohtar so? Because of his race? She had always been fascinated with elves, that was for sure. She remembered her mother telling her that her "love" with Legolas was no more than a friendship mixed in with a physical attraction. Perhaps Zerameth's "love" for his son was just that: friendship, along with her love for elves in general, created a butterfly effect in her stomach five years ago, and that was all. There was nothing more to it. She tried to comfort herself by saying that, and telling herself that nothing was to happen between them now that she had found it out, but her bad feeling would not go away.
Zerameth's feelings were rarely wrong.
