It'z been a while since i updated, huh? Well, hopefully this pretty long chapter will make up fo' it. I have to warn you that there is slight kissin, not much detail, but nonetheless there is kissing. Well, enjoy...
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The mist cleared, and Kasumi stared at her surroundings. The room consisted of black marble floors, and the same columns that she saw in the other rooms. In the center of the room was a large bath, which looked more like a small pool, about six feet long, and four feet wide. There were many elves kneeling by it, tossing in rose petals, and they all soon took notice of her.
"Hello dear," one of them greeted her, as she stood up. "You must be Kasumi, our new guest. Your bath is ready, and those vases there," she pointed to a row of silver containers by the bath. "Are filled with your soaps and oils." She clapped her hands twice, and all of the others exited the room, "That is all, thank you ladies." She turned back to Kasumi, "After you bathe yourself, there will be several ladies in your bedroom waiting to show you your clothing, then you will head down to the banquet hall. I hope to see you there," she bid Kasumi farewell, and exited, shutting the door.
Kasumi, raised her brow, amusing herself with the irony of her situation. She had run away to be free, and to escape being waited on, and now she was captured, not free, and was once again being waited on.
'O well,' she thought, walking toward the bath. It's fresh smell was too tempting, and the week's dirt on her body urged her to jump in, right there and then. She tossed her clothes into a neat pile next to the bath, and slipped in.
She sighed as the dirt washed away, and rubbed the water along her arms. The petals proved to be a slight difficulty though, they stuck to her skin, and entwined in her hair. She shrugged, and decided that she didn't care, and the smell was pleasing anyway.
She opened the vase of soap, and sniffed it. The scent of lavender seeped through her nose, and memories flooded her head: her second day free, the bath incident with Manwein. She laughed and shook her head, it had been so long since then, and they had grown up so much. She shook away the thought, and resumed to lathering the soap on her body.
Her thoughts returned to Manwein, and she wondered if he was being treated as well as she was. She realized something just then, it was a thought that her mind had tried to avoid, it was about Manwein. She admitted that she had strong feelings for him, but she had always thought of it as a friendly feeling, but now...She shook her head. It couldn't be, she loved Legolas.
'Maybe it's just a phase,' she thought, rinsing off the soap. 'I probably just miss Legolas so much. I'm so confused.' She splashed water onto her face, hoping that it would help her think straight. However the thought remained lingering in her mind. 'Is it possible to have two loves?' she considered. She had never heard of such thing, and the idea seemed impossible, but lots of things had seemed impossible to her before now.
She thought of Legolas, and she thought of Manwein, comparing the feelings she felt when she was around either one of them. They both were the same, and if having two loves was impossible, then Kasumi felt the impossible. She pouted suddenly, she could not have both of them, she could never have both of them, but now wasn't the time to choose. Her fingers were soaked down to the bone, so she stepped out, and wrapped the towel around her body.
She pulled the drain from the bottom of the tub, and watched as the rose, and bubble filled water swirled down. Kasumi grabbed her clothes, and rushed into the next room, hoping that she didn't leave a trail of water behind her, and that if she did it wouldn't be too much of a problem.
She was met by five ladies, and they approached her quickly with warm, fluffy towels. They dried her body from head to toe, and threw her a new pair of undergarments.
"Please slip on these miss," the lady requested.
Kasumi slipped into the lower undergarments, and soon realized that they had given her none for her upper body, she figured that they probably meant not to. Then she stood before them for further instructions. They handed her a dark midnight blue gown, made of silk, and she stared at it in wonder. It was made to resemble the night sky, with its dark blue background and silver little dots adorned on it like stars.
It had been handed to her in a bundle, and she unwrapped it slowly, then gasped at how little of the fabric there really was. She held it up, and looked at the ladies.
"Are all these holes meant to be here?" she asked skeptically.
They nodded. "The weather shifts from time to time, and tonight is foretold to be very warm," one of them told her. "When you go outside you'll be glad."
Kasumi nodded her head, not wanting to argue. They knew more about their land than she did anyway, and she did not want to be an inconvenience to these ladies who have so far treated her as a guest.
She attempted several times to put it on, but soon gave up, clueless as to how it was to be worn. One of the ladies dismissed the others so that they could get themselves ready as well, and giggled as Kasumi once again failed on putting it on correctly.
She directed the dress over Kasumi's head, and when she was through Kasumi cringed at the amount of skin that it left unadorned.
Kasumi turned to mirror on the wall and gasped at the shocking sight she saw. This fit around her tightly, hugging at her form. There were slits at edge of her skirt stretching all the way to the tops of her thighs, and slits at her sleeve all the way to her shoulders, which were tied only at her elbow, and upper shoulder. However, what most appalled her was the drop of the neck line, the fabric was gathered together and fell in folds, which is not what bothered her, it dropped all the way to the middle of her stomach, revealing a slightly wide strip of her skin between her bosom, and that is what appalled her.
She folded her hands across her chest, trying hard to cover herself up. She squeezed her legs together, and no mater how much she tried it was impossible to cover up all her skin.
Kasumi stared at the lady, her face reflecting embarrassment, and distress. "Must I really go outside in this...," she thought of what to call it, for it surely could not be considered a dress. "...tablecloth?" she spurted out.
The lady smiled and nodded. "Yes," she told Kasumi, walking towards her. "Why are you so modest? Beauty is a girl's best asset, and you yourself are very beautiful. Why would you not want to show it off?" she asked her, obviously stunned at her modesty.
"I can think of many reasons why," Kasumi said. She was confused, these elves lived so differently than any she knew, but maybe they didn't. Maybe she was not accustomed to these ways because of her restricted life in the palace, but she knew it would do her no good to argue, so she finally surrendered, and agreed to wear the garment.
'It could have been worse,' she reminded herself. 'Their custom could have been to not conceal their chests at all. Which I am very glad it wasn't.'
"Your pendant," the lady said, pointing to the gem dangling from her neck.
Kasumi shook her head vigorously. "No," she insisted . "You cannot take it."
The lady laughed. "Do not worry, I had no intent of taking it. It is just that you cannot wear it now."
"Why not?" Kasumi asked, grasping it.
She opened a case, which held a set of jewelry. "The King has sent you a gift, and a gift from the King is very rare."
Kasumi gave in, and placed the pendant into a small box the lady had given to her. The lady handed her a necklace made of mithril, and from it hung a sizeable lavaliere made of a dark blue gem, and carved into a star. She held it between her fingers, and stared at the lady questioningly.
"It is a rare jewel that is native only to the mountains around our land. We call it Daelena 'Shadow of the Stars'. There is a story behind it, and if I have the time I will tell you it later," she said, walking behind Kasumi to clasp the chain around her neck.
Kasumi looked at it in the mirror, and loved the way it rested at her chest. She slipped several bangles onto each of her arms, each encrusted with the same stone. She groaned exasperatedly as the lady handed her a set of anklets. It seemed ridiculous to wear so much jewelry, and Kasumi feared that the weight of it all would make her fall through the floor. However, once she had all of the jewelry on: the bracelets, the necklace, and the anklets, she realized that the weight was light, and no where near overpowering.
The lady then stood behind her and combed her hair. "I will leave your tresses down, and just braid in little gems. Is that fine with you miss?" she asked, as she brushed out Kasumi's long straight hair.
"Yes, that would be nice. Thank you so much for your kindness, and help," Kasumi said, looking at the lady in the mirror. She admitted to herself that she did in fact like the way the dress, and jewelry made her look, and thought that maybe staying here wouldn't be all too bad, as long as she was still alive.
The lady finished, and Kasumi looked at her hair in the mirror. It reached down to the middle of her back, and sparkled slightly from the gems braided in.
"Thank you, very much," Kasumi told her. "By the way, what is your name?"
"Kaeliona," she answered, with a sweet smile. She was slightly taller than Kasumi, and looked to be about Maliana's age.
Kasumi sighed, she missed Maliana, her good friend, and...Legolas. She longed to return to her loved-ones deeply, and though some of her life free, had been wonderful , she wanted so badly to return.
"I must go now, Kasumi, and prepare myself for dinner as well. Do you remember Lauriana?" Kaeliona asked. Kasumi nodded. "She will come and escort you to dinner, I hope to see you there," She said, as she exited.
"As will I," Kasumi called after her, and thanked her.
Kasumi plopped down onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. A sick feeling grew in her stomach, and she suddenly realized how much she missed all of the people she once knew. But then again, it could have just been the sick feeling of doubt she had, because of not knowing what would happen to her in this dark city.
She laid there on the bed, for what seemed like a lifetime to her, reminiscing every moment of her life that she could remember. Some made her smile, and some even made her laugh, but there were some that made her eyes well up, and water. She sat up suddenly, as she heard a knock at the door.
Kasumi got up and walked to the outer room, and opened the door. A familiar elf stood their, and Kasumi greeted Lauriana warmly.
"Ah, I see you have received the gift from the King," she noticed as she walked inside. "Do you like your attire?"
Kasumi gave her a weak smile. "Well...," she couldn't think of anyway to explain.
"It is too revealing for you?" Lauriana asked, as if she had read her mind.
Kasumi nodded, looking relieved that she need not explain.
"Yes, we are very different from the elves you know of in the outer realms. However, you must agree that is very comfortable once you are accustomed to it?" she asked.
Kasumi couldn't deny it, the way the dress hung loosely around her made her feel free, and the fact that it was secured around her body so that it would remain in place, comforted her doubts. She smiled innocently and agreed.
"I thought so," Lauriana said. "Well, we better be off. I want to get you there early, so I can get you acquainted with some of the King's close friends, and later on I will bring you to meet the King."
Kasumi followed her into the hall, and walked close to Lauriana so she would not get lost.
"Um, Lauriana?" Kasumi asked shyly.
The lady turned to her, "What is it?"
"My friend, where is he?"
"He should be there already, you'll see him in time," Lauriana assured her.
Kasumi followed her down several flights of stairs, until they came to the floor where she had been earlier. They passed by the open courtyard where Kasumi had seen the King, and after several turns, and walks down hallways, they arrived a large wood door engraved with pictures of elves eating, dancing, and being entertained.
There were two guards, each at one end of the door, and they grasped the handles and slowly opened the entrance.
Kasumi followed Lauriana in, and before them was a wide stairs, reaching down to a large dining hall, filled with rows of tables. There were already others there, filling up the first few tables, engaging each other in conversation. From one of the tables Kasumi caught a glimpse of Manwein waving at her, and she smiled back.
Lauriana lead her down the steps, and guided her to the largest table at the front of the room. Manwein was seated in the chair one seat away from what seemed to be the King's throne, and he pulled out the chair next to him, the one closest to the throne, and beckoned her to sit. Lauriana nodded, and left Kasumi there for the time being.
Kasumi sat down, and smiled widely at Manwein, she hugged him tightly, and sat back down. "I'm so glad you are here in on piece," she admitted.
"As am I," he said. "Did they treat you well?"
"Indeed. It feels so good to be clean again, but I am not too fond of this dress," she said, standing up to show him her attire.
Manwein looked her up and down, and laughed merrily. "I see nothing wrong with it," he joked.
Kasumi gave him a stern look, and he stopped.
"It is not all too bad," he said truthfully. "You look beautiful in it."
Kasumi smiled, and her face blushed a light pink. She sat back down, and looked at Manwein. They had dressed him in a shade of blue slightly darker than that of her dress. He had on a lightweight tunic, with silver leaves and vines sewn into the fabric. His leggings were a dark brown shade, and made of a sturdy fabric.
"Well, you have no reason to complain. Your attire is very acceptable," she told him.
"Yes, but I must admit, I have never worn anything so fine in all my life," he confessed. "However, you must be accustomed to such apparel, considering your early life in a palace."
Kasumi turned away, his tone of voice suggested that he was attempting to pry into her past life, and she didn't feel all too comfortable telling him about it, though she didn't quite know why. "Yes, their treatment was very similar, to that of the palace," she answered calmly, not wanting to go on with the conversation.
He nodded understandingly, seeing that her happy expression had faded, and her eyes went blank when he mentioned her old home.
Kasumi looked around and saw that the room was now filled, and that their table was fully occupied. She turned to look at the other elves, and found that every one had dark features, except one. A sudden glint caught her eye, and her eyes fell upon an elf with golden brown hair, his hair was cut short, only about an inch away from his scalp. He turned around, and Kasumi was surprised to find that his face was familiar.
"Kasumi!" he called with delight, as he saw her. Haydn stood from his original seat, and went to sit in the seat before her. He stretched over the table, and took her hand. "You cannot imagine what a joy it is to see you once more," he told her as he lightly kissed her hand.
Kasumi smiled widely. "Haydn, if I am not mistaken it has only been several hours," she informed him.
He took a seat, and laughed. "Yes, I know, but it is such a relief to see another light featured elf," he confessed.
Kasumi took a look around, they were the only elves in the whole room with light hair, and now that she thought of it, it was relieving to not be the only one. "Well, I must admit, it is a comfort to see a familiar face," she replied smiling yet again. Then she realized that Manwein had been silent the whole time, and she glanced at him from the corner of her eye. His face was straight, and his right hand was gripping the edge of the table. 'Oh no, not again,' she thought as she realized he was getting protective again.
Haydn noticed this too, and turned to greet him. "Ah, my friend, you must be hungry, and I assure you that by the end of the night you will be well satisfied, I have heard that today's hunt went well, and we will have much to feast on," he said, trying to engage him in conversation.
Kasumi said no more, and left it to Haydn to distract Manwein from his ill temper. She listened as they discussed different hunting techniques, and just as she was beginning to space off into deep thought, the sound of horns filled the room, and the room went silent as the finishing fanfare echoed off the walls, then the sound was carried off by a gentle breeze sliding through the open balconies on each side of the room.
From the grand staircase descended the dark king in all his terrible greatness. Everyone in the room stood as he passed, which confused Kasumi. In all her days in the palace King Thranduil had never requested for them to stand in his presence, for he was a very humble ruler, and requesting for them to stand as he passed suggested that this king enjoyed his power very much. Kasumi stood up from her seat, and waited as the King made his way to the front table and stood at the seat beside her. He took a look around the great hall, and when he was pleased with what he saw he raised his hands above his head, and summoned the elves to bring in the food. He lowered his arms, took a seat, and raised his goblet, which an elf soon filled with red wine, then in a loud, booming voice he greeted everyone merrily, "Now let us feast!"
Everyone then took a seat, and Kasumi watched as food was distributed to every table, and people began to eat while discussing the highlights of their day.
A platter of assorted fowl was set in the center of their table, and before Kasumi could decline, her goblet was filled with wine. Other various meats were set upon the table, along with a mixture of vegetables and fruits, and though she tried to contain herself, Kasumi's mouth watered slightly. A range of smells filled the air, and soon the room was choked with the aroma of herbs, and spices.
Haydn noticed her reaction to the meal, and he laughed amusedly. "If you are so smitten with this, I should advise you to leave room for dessert," he warned her, then turned to Manwein. "Tomorrow I'm joining the hunt, would it be in your interest to come as well?"
Manwein smiled at the invitation, excited to join others in a hunt, for it had been so long since he had had others with him. "Do you think I could decline?" he said, and soon the two were carried off in their discussion.
Kasumi placed a small fowl onto her plate, along with several vegetables, and she began to consume it, trying hard not to show how hungry she really was.
"Won't you try the wine?" a deep voice beside her asked.
Kasumi tensed, and looked from the corner of her eye at the seat at her left. During her eager consumption of her food, the fact that she was sitting by the Dark King himself left her mind. She turned to face him slowly.
"It came from our very own vineyards, and I hear it was bottled in a very good year," he said to her, his voice deep and placid.
Kasumi tried to remain as calm and easygoing as he, and shook her head slightly. "Strangely enough, I am not too fond of wine, though since you suggest it I'll give it a try," she replied smiling. She took the goblet between her fingers, and placed the rim to her lips, letting the liquid slide slowly down the cup and into her throat. The taste was think, and was not as bitter as most wines she had tried before, but instead had a slightly sweet flavor. She smiled at him, "Well, your right, it is the best wine I have ever tasted."
"Thank you, we try our best," he told her. "In fact, the grapes pressed into this wine were specially grown to suit every person's taste."
Kasumi looked at him questioningly. "Do you mean to imply that this wine is...," she hesitated.
"Enchanted?" he asked. He nodded, and smiled at her surprise. "Yes, you could say I have a little influence in almost everything here."
Kasumi's fingers fell upon the chain of the lavaliere hanging about her neck.
The King's gaze feel upon it, and he nodded. "Yes, that as well is under my influence. That stone can only be found in the mountains around this land."
"Well, thank you, it truly is beautiful," she told him, and excused herself from conversation so that she could finish her food.
Once everyone had finished their food, the empty platters were taken away, and individual platters of dessert were taken in.
Just as Haydn had promised, the desserts looked delicious. It was a warm souffle type cake, sprinkled with sugar, and topped with a heavy cream and an assortment of berries. Kasumi licked her lips lightly as the sweet aroma filled her senses.
"Now don't you agree that saving your appetite for dessert was a smart thing to do?" Haydn asked, looking hungrily at his own tantalizing platter.
Kasumi nodded eagerly, and picked up her fork. She pulled off a piece, and dipped it in the cream, along with some fruit, and held it before her mouth.
The King beside her noticed her hesitation. "Do not worry yourself, the only influence I had was on the berries, and that was just for them to grow juicy, so you can enjoy your dessert without having to worry about anymore strange enchantments," he assured her.
Kasumi sighed in relief, and devoured the delicacy on her fork. Her eyes grew wide, and she instantly loved it, and in the most dignified manner she could force herself into, she consumed her dessert, and when she was through, she was, indeed, very satisfied.
Soon after everyone had finished, all the plates and goblets were taken away. Everyone then stood, and the tables and chairs were taken and set to the side of the room. Musicians began to play lively music, and some elves paired up to dance, while others sat at the table to consume more wine.
Kasumi followed Manwein to a nearby table, and stood next to him as he took a seat.
"Did you enjoy your meal Kasumi?" he asked her curiously.
"I certainly did, what did you think of it?"
"The finest meal I have ever had," he admitted. "Were the meals in the palace like this?" he asked, only remembering afterwards, her feelings about the palace. He opened his mouth to apologize, but she stopped him.
"They were somewhat similar to this, the food is to some extent different, however," she told him, her voice calm and peaceful.
"Did you ever dance there?"
"I did, but I haven't in a while," she confessed.
He stood up. "Would you care to show me how to?" he asked, holding his hand out. "I've never done it before."
Kasumi smiled shyly, and nodded. "I suppose I could see if I still remember how to," she said, letting him take her hand.
He walked her out to the middle of the floor, and put his other hand on her waist. "That is all I know about dancing, so you'll have to start from there."
Kasumi put her other hand on his shoulder, and slowly showed him the steps. She soon found that Manwein was good on his feet, and before long he had mastered the step. Their feet moved quickly, for the music was light and vigorous, and in a little while, both of them were dizzy.
The song soon ended, and Manwein walked her back to a table.
Kasumi laughed, as she caught her breath, and Manwein sat down to have a drink.
"I must admit that it is harder than it looks," Manwein said once he compiled himself.
"I can't remember the last time I ever danced that fast," she told him, as she brushed several strands of hair away from her face.
"Did you used to dance with him?" Manwein inquired suddenly.
"Did I used to dance with who?" Kasumi asked, already knowing the answer.
"Legolas, the Prince," Manwein said. "Did you ever dance with him?"
Kasumi sighed, saddened that he had brought up the subject of the Prince. "Yes, in fact I did used to dance with him, almost always with him, but not in a long time have I danced with anyone. Until tonight, of course," she added with a smile, causing his eyes to sparkle slightly.
She watched from the corner of her eye as Manwein's hand inched closer to hers, an uncomfortable feeling rising from deep within her. She stood suddenly, just as his fingers were about to grasp her own. "I think I'll go outside for awhile, just for a small breath of fresh air, then when I come back maybe I can teach you another step," She said, and he nodded, smiling.
Kasumi strolled to the opposite side of the grand room, and walked outside into the courtyard. The night sky was alive with billions of twinkling stars, and the moon's shine was softened slightly by the mist, creating a beautiful affect.
'Another work of the Wizard King, I suppose,' Kasumi thought to herself, as she paced across the garden. She walked through a small labyrinth of hedges, each blooming beautiful white flowers, the aroma filling the air. As she sauntered calmly through the maze, she stopped suddenly, as the sound of flowing water reached her ears. She followed the sound, curious to find what emitted it.
She stopped as she approached what seemed to be a dead end, but the sound echoed strongly from that area. At the corner of the surrounding hedges was a cluster of vines, budding little purple flowers, creating a waterfall-like effect. She slowly parted the vines, and stepped in warily.
She gasped as she looked about her. She was in the very middle of the labyrinth, a beautiful garden of many different beautiful flowers. In the middle of the garden was a white stone fountain, which was the source of the sound, and to the left of it, was an enclosed arbor, made of the very same stone. She walked towards it, running her hands through the water of the fountain as she passed by it. Kasumi slowly scaled the steps of the arbor and smiled as she was greeted by a familiar face.
"I was wondering when someone would find me here," Haydn said in an amused voice.
"Why so? Are you the only person who knows of this place?" Kasumi inquired, walking towards him.
"Well I was, now it's only the two of us that know about it," he told her, beckoning for her to sit beside him on the white stone bench.
"Why is that?" Kasumi asked curiously.
"This place was made a long time ago, even before the current King began his reign. He knows nothing of it, I have hid it from him, I am afraid of what he might do to it. It is already a magical place, it has no need for the King's sorcery," he told her, seemingly uncaring that he had just committed an act of treason against his king.
"It is magical," Kasumi admitted, gazing at the garden around her.
"Would you like to know why I know of this place when no one else does?" he asked, enticing her into conversation.
"Do tell."
Haydn stood, and paced around the inside of the arbor. "My father showed it to me, a little before the reign of the Dark King. He told me not to speak a word about it to anyone, not unless they stumble upon it themselves. Like you have," he noted, stopping for a second, then continued. "He brought my mother here, the very first day they met. He even proposed to her here, on the exact same night."
He stopped pacing, and stood before her. Resting his hand on her face, cradling her cheek in his palm, as he lowered his face to hers.
Kasumi smiled, and put her hand over his. "You're not proposing to me are you?" she asked teasingly.
He smiled back. "No, but if you allow me to, I want to kiss you," he whispered.
"I do," she said softly.
He inclined his head toward hers, pulling her face closer with his hand, his other hand caressing her back, pulling her whole body closer to him as well.
Kasumi closed her eyes, and wrapped her arms around his neck, as his lips touched hers. They embraced each other, holding the kiss for a long time, and when they finally parted, Kasumi realized how much trouble that kiss had just caused her.
Haydn's eyes twinkled happily...just like Manwein's. Kasumi knew that she should leave, that it was only going to get worse if she let herself get attached to Haydn, just like she had gotten attached to Manwein, but her body wouldn't budge, and she remained still as Haydn gathered the courage to kiss her again.
After kissing her one last time, Haydn frowned and sighed.
"What is it, Haydn?" Kasumi asked curiously, disappointed that he had stopped.
"We should be heading back, before anyone starts wondering," he warned.
"Who would notice?"
"Your friend, Manwein," he said, and Kasumi agreed, he would notice if she did not come back soon.
She stood and kissed him one last time, as she headed back to the grand hall, Haydn following several steps behind her, so as not to seem suspicious when they walked back in. Kasumi recovered slightly from the disappointment, and as she walked in she immediately sought after Manwein.
Before the night was over, Kasumi and Manwein had danced three more times. Haydn and Kasumi avoided each other for the rest of the night, and soon everyone retired back to their rooms. Both Kasumi and Manwein relieved that they had gotten through the night alive without being executed or tortured.
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Yea, I kno dat it doesn't seem rite fo' Kasumi to like Legolas, Manwein, and Haydn, but it'z not like she can control her feelings. Think about all she'z been through, and her lack of control will also be explained in later chapterz. Besidez, ppl do have tha rite to like more than one person, but it'z gonna be hard fo' me to decide which guy she chooses. So if u wanna find out, review, cuz tha more reviewz i get, tha more i write. Bye fo' now!