Legolas began striding angrily down a long corridor so fast I had to run to
catch him up.
"Legolas," I panted. "Where are we going?"
Legolas glared at me, and said nothing for a few seconds. Then he said, "We are going to see Alassé."
"Who's Alassé?" I asked.
Legolas reached a door and pushed it open. "My sister."
The door opened into a huge, high-roofed bedchamber. There was a dressing-screen, some full-length mirrors and a towering four-poster bed, along with a dressing table, set of drawers and a wardrobe that was big enough to be a whole other room.
I was just taking in this amazing room when a female elf emerged from a side chamber. She wore a long, floaty dress with big sleeves. She looked a lot like Legolas. Her straight blonde hair went down past her shoulders, but her eyes were hazel-green. She surveyed me just as her brother had done, but her gaze was friendly, and a smile twitched on her lips.
"Who is this girl you bring to me, brother?" she asked. Her voice was light and musical.
"Her name is Einëssa. Father wishes her to stay in Mirkwood. He wants you to look after her."
I opened my mouth to correct him, but Legolas gave me a warning glance and left the room.
"I do apologise. My brother is so rude," the elf smiled at me. She held out a graceful, long-fingered hand. I shook it.
"My name is Alassé Greenleaf. I'm pleased to meet you," Alassé said in her musical voice. "I think, if you are staying, we should get you another outfit, because, no offence, but those clothes won't really do." She waked over to the wardrobe and started raking through it.
"I know," I looked down at my garments and grinned apologetically. "I fell in a fountain."
"My father's fountain?"
"Yeah."
Alassé turned and looked at me with interest. "To be honest, I am surprised to see you are here now." She started flipping through her dresses again.
"Your brother saved me," I explained.
"He is one of the only ones able to survive those waters," she admitted, looking at a purple foofy skirt, but discarding it. Then she picked out a dress from the wardrobe. "How about this?"
"Legolas," I panted. "Where are we going?"
Legolas glared at me, and said nothing for a few seconds. Then he said, "We are going to see Alassé."
"Who's Alassé?" I asked.
Legolas reached a door and pushed it open. "My sister."
The door opened into a huge, high-roofed bedchamber. There was a dressing-screen, some full-length mirrors and a towering four-poster bed, along with a dressing table, set of drawers and a wardrobe that was big enough to be a whole other room.
I was just taking in this amazing room when a female elf emerged from a side chamber. She wore a long, floaty dress with big sleeves. She looked a lot like Legolas. Her straight blonde hair went down past her shoulders, but her eyes were hazel-green. She surveyed me just as her brother had done, but her gaze was friendly, and a smile twitched on her lips.
"Who is this girl you bring to me, brother?" she asked. Her voice was light and musical.
"Her name is Einëssa. Father wishes her to stay in Mirkwood. He wants you to look after her."
I opened my mouth to correct him, but Legolas gave me a warning glance and left the room.
"I do apologise. My brother is so rude," the elf smiled at me. She held out a graceful, long-fingered hand. I shook it.
"My name is Alassé Greenleaf. I'm pleased to meet you," Alassé said in her musical voice. "I think, if you are staying, we should get you another outfit, because, no offence, but those clothes won't really do." She waked over to the wardrobe and started raking through it.
"I know," I looked down at my garments and grinned apologetically. "I fell in a fountain."
"My father's fountain?"
"Yeah."
Alassé turned and looked at me with interest. "To be honest, I am surprised to see you are here now." She started flipping through her dresses again.
"Your brother saved me," I explained.
"He is one of the only ones able to survive those waters," she admitted, looking at a purple foofy skirt, but discarding it. Then she picked out a dress from the wardrobe. "How about this?"