Chapter 34

The door swung open with explosive force but due to some miraculous elven design only emitted a polite sounding thump when it hit the wall. Aevon and Lilluil jumped a foot in the air every nerve tensed to flee. Kirel flanked by two grim elven guards marched into the room and halted accusing glares leveled at the two. Lilluil was the first to recover.

"Since when are chats with friends against elvish law?" she asked, trying to put firmness in a voice that was still shaky with uncertainty.

The taller elven guard cocked his head, a close to bemused smile on his face. "Never, however if certain illegal things are to progress, chats have been off limits since you returned."

Aevon frowned. "What illegal things?" she asked Lilluil.

Lilluil gave her a scant glance and sighed. "I intend to go back to the north."

Aevon snapped around to face her. "You're leaving again!"

"Aevon it's not like I can stay and bein-"

"You just got back!"

"-g betrothed to Lord Rodariel-"

"We haven't even talked until now! And already-"

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Off again on some dangerous adventure quite possibly fatal!"

"It's not as if you haven't done those!"

"All the way up in northern territory, I can't even imagine!"

"Nothing compared to getting lost in the woods, three days before we found you!"

"That was an accident! This is.! Intentional!"

"So what? Wouldn't you!"

Aevonien paused. Opened her mouth to speak and closed it without saying anything. Lilluil sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. "Besides it's not as if Legolas can stay here in the south."

There was a moment of silence. Then Kirel, already somewhat peeved by the delay rolled his shoulders and beckoned Liluil up. "All very true, which is why in your best interests it's time to go."

Curiously, Aevon looked up at Kirel. "Go where?"

The tall boarder guard crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. "Then what would be the point, if she's trying to hide?"

Her curious expression dropped. "I'm in awe of your trust. Honestly, do you think I'm going to tell them?"

Kirel smiled but didn't waver. "I don't think so, either way. And you're not coming either if that's what you're thinking of doing."

The frown changed into a glare. "I don't know who put you in charge but in this city I can go wherever I wish, that includes wherever Lilluil is going. Besides how are you going to stop me?"

He shrugged and helped Lilluil out of her chair guiding her towards the door as she looked on pensively. "I don't think it'll be that much of a problem. Good afternoon Lady Aevonien." He steered Lilluil out following closely.

Furious Aevonien leapt to her feet and stormed towards the door. The two other elves that had come with him smoothly blocked her path, stepping in front of the open doorway and casually obstructing her path. She spared them only an angry glare before dashing back to the window in time to see Lilluil and Kirel turn a corner and disappear into the maze of buildings. Kirel was awfully arrogant for a boarder guard, it really got on her nerves sometimes, but he did plan things out thoroughly and with calculated precision. However there was one that was more calculating and clairvoyant than the pompous boarder guard. Gisrean Rodariel had arranged for the construction of this house, and that meant that every room had two exits. A smug expression crossed her face as she walked to a lengthy tapestry hanging down the wall and easily brushed it aside to reveal the door behind it.

"Kirel, where are we going?"

"How much do you know about royalty Lilluil?"

"Not that much, why?"

"And you're expecting to marry into the royal family of the northies?"

"Yes."

"Well I'm taking you to go get some lessons, can't have you embarrassing the south can we?"

"Really? You found someone who'd teach me all that?"

"Yes, a friend of Simvynel's offered to teach you all you'd need to know."

"This is wonderful, I was worrying I know what to do or how to act, thank you Kirel. But how are we going to pass this off, won't it be obvious what I'm doing there?"

He grinned mischievously. "No need to thank me but you're welcome anyhow. And no, it's perfectly acceptable for a lady to get to know her husband before they marry."

"What!"

Turning a final corner the sprawling elegant home of Lord Rodariel, cousin to the king cascaded down the side of the rocks. Rooms carved out of the natural black rock melded into the beige sandstone structure that coated and swelled above like lichen on the rock that hovered at the edge of the ocean.

A lone elf stood outside elegantly wrought gates that were covered with a deep green ivy. As they approached he looked up from the drawing he was idly drawing in the sand with the toe of his slipper. Soft brown with streaks the color of sunlight pronounced him royalty even before she noted the regal politeness with which he waited. The top half of his hair was tied back and as he turned to glance at the sea, she saw that silver beads hung from the loose end of the fine leather cord. His apparel was surprising, simple off-white trousers with a tunic only slightly darker in shade. If he had been standing against the sands only his hair would have marked him apart from the shore, the weave was so fine it looked as if it was as smooth as stone. Every inch bespoke wealth and influence, every movement poise and politics. That was until he turned back and grinned waved cheerfully in a very un-royal manner.

She almost tripped in shock as the noble appearance fell away like a mirage. His expression turned sly as he bowed over her hand. "I've been waiting for you, Lilluil."

Iiten poked the rock wall with the toe of his boot. He would congratulate the southern elves on the security of their prisons.As soon as he was out of it! Frustrated he flung out his foot, wincing slightly as the soft material allowed his toes to get a very intimate feeling of the hard stone. The wall wavered slightly, or perhaps it was his head hazy from the sound of the waves lapping at the back of their prison through the iron bars. Hollil and a bunch of others were busy trying to pry loose the mortar that held one of the lengths of steel tight. They were past their depth, absolutely waterlogged and making no progress as far as he could see. "Where was I? .sixty-seven bottles of.no it was sixty-three wasn't it.sixty something that's for sure.hmm. I'll be diplomatic this time round, we'll settle for a compromise. Sixty-five bottles of wine on the wall. Sixty-five bottles of wine.."

"Iiten, give it a rest! If you're not going to help us don't cripple us with your singing. We need to hear if the guards come you know." Someone shouted from the ocean.

Laying comfortably on the warm sand he merely turned his head. "Whatever do you mean, the guards have been in and back and they don't care a bit. We're obviously not going to get out through there. They didn't even look surprised."

All activity near the sea grate ceased for a moment before the five or so elves began swimming back to the shore area. "You didn't think to tell us before?" Hollil growled menacingly.

Iiten shrugged nonchalantly. "Well it looked as if you were all rather enjoying yourselves. Despite the fact that you all smell a whole of a lot nicer now."

His superior in the group gave him a tired glance before sliding down against the stone wall of their prison. "If I wasn't so tired from battling the ocean I'd throw you in, no doubt the stench in here would be halved."

Another elf settling down next to him cocked his head. "Stench, what stench. You have to admit it's awfully nice in here if it weren't for the fact that we're locked in. There's a nice breeze coming in off our own little piece of the ocean and we're well covered from the elements."

"They probably had nothing better to do. Did you see the city? We might be capable of that if we didn't spend half our time chasing orcs out of the forest, and their boarders! They've got a manned flet running from one end of their boarder to the other! I don't think they've got anything left to do but make their prisons as comfortable as possible for uninvited guests." One remarked sarcastically.

"That probably means we're not getting out of here anytime soon."

"Well, perhaps. It appears they have yet to catch Legolas and Fathiel, there may yet be a chance for escape before they affirm we're from the north forest."

"Do you think they have to? It would take a glance to tell we're not from around here."

Iiten sat up straight. "But it wouldn't they have to be absolutely sure, that requires interrogation and a confession. You know politics and the like. Until then no 'northies' can officially be reported captured."

Holil nodded. "That means we still have a shred of a chance to get out of this mess and save our reputation when we get back. But why haven't they interrogated us yet?"

Another shrugged in turn. "Perhaps they're waiting for the next batch of us to attempt to run past their boarders."

Holil grimaced. "I just hope not too many try, I don't think we're getting out here soon by the looks of it and it would be very embarrassing if we had to be rescued by another group. I don't see how they would though, this thing's practically impenetrable. They'd have to go after the guards." Thoughtfully he turned his attention to the door where the muted voices of their captors radiated from. "Our southern guards who are still susceptible to all things northern guards are."

Iiten's face lit up with a smile. "Like hunger, thirst, fatigue.and we of course are right here to help them along the way. It would only be kind after all they've done to make us comfortable here."

"Lets see, two at the main gate, another two that just guard the room beyond, not too many at all."

"Here guardie guardie guardie." Another elf mocked, "If we all try it at the same time it should hit him like a brick. Exactly like a brick." He reasoned.

Iiten cleared his throat. "GUARD!"

There was a mild scuffling before their guard, a tall elf with dark hair padded into view. He paused outside the bars. "What do you want?"

Collectively they focused on the guard, thinking, willing, pressing sleep and fatigue on him. He seemed puzzled for a moment before his legs gave out and he collapsed on the hard sand floor.

Iiten grinned. "Dang that's gotta hurt."

Luineroth kneeled before his King, and rose with only slight instability due to the drugs that still lingered in his system. "They escaped just before noon my liege."

"Four hours, they have had to run around, four hours to plan an escape and possibly execute parts of it. Four hours that could have been spent searching if you hadn't been so reckless to challenge a daughter, however impudent who has just been approved for mastership in horticulture and herbal lore. Tell me Luineroth, what exactly did you expect to do against two northern worriers and a master herbologist?"

"I expected to delay them long enough for aide while the sound of our encounter alerted those within the vicinity."

The figure on the throne tilted his head, acknowledging the logic. "Your reasoning is clear, however that does not change the circumstance. Lilluil must be found, and if your elder daughter has contracted the same deranged notions as passing our boarders she too must be stopped. I refuse to allow centuries of accumulated wisdom to be stolen by those less cultured communities. Since four hours were lost due to your recklessness, four hours you have to find them both."

Luineroth nodded in complete comprehension and gracefully departed, clearly having been dismissed. Two elves, friends and also warriors fell in step with him as he exited the throne room. The king had not been unduly cruel but four hours was not to be counted as overly kind either. He would work every moment between now and then to have a scant chance at finding the two. If they were younger, he would ground them for eternity for this. Instead he would simply betroth Simvynel off too and let them be someone else's problem. By the gods why couldn't they have been sons.