After we had eaten, Alassé walked me to another bedchamber. It wasn't quite
as big, but was still huge.
"You sleep here," Alassé said. She had been oddly quiet and reserved since her fight with Legolas.
"Alassé... are you OK?" I asked.
Alassé hesitated, and shut the door before replying, "I am sorry you had to see an argument."
"It's OK," I shrugged. Maybe not the best answer, but what was I meant to say?
"Legolas has been...badly affected by our mother's death," Alassé sighed.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know," I apologised. "When was it?"
Alassé looked at me, then turned away. "A week ago," she replied.
"Oh," I said. I really had no clue what to say in a situation like this, but luckily Alassé was doing a lot of the talking.
"I was never as close to her as Legolas was, but she gave me some of her jewellery before she died, Legolas the rest." Alassé stared out of the window, then turned to me. "Actually, I think I was a bit hasty in giving her things away so soon... you wouldn't mind if I..."
"Oh, no, not at all," I replied quickly, and handed the necklace back regretfully. Dammit, I thought, I'd really wanted that.
Alassé slipped the necklace back into the recesses of her dress and started staring into space again. I knew I really shouldn't ask, but I so wanted to know-
"Alassé?" She turned. "I...shouldn't ask, but, well...I thought elves were immortal."
She gave me a sharp look. "Broken heart," she explained. "She died of a broken heart."
"Oh," I said. I should have left it there, but I was stupid enough to push my luck. "Why-?"
"My other brother was killed. Shot by an orc arrow," Alassé interjected. She turned to look at me. "He and Legolas were always her favourites," she said bitterly. "Figures."
There was an awkward pause, during which I tried and failed to think of a suitable response, then Alassé said curtly, "I must retire. Sleep well," and left the room, closing the door sharply behind her.
"You sleep here," Alassé said. She had been oddly quiet and reserved since her fight with Legolas.
"Alassé... are you OK?" I asked.
Alassé hesitated, and shut the door before replying, "I am sorry you had to see an argument."
"It's OK," I shrugged. Maybe not the best answer, but what was I meant to say?
"Legolas has been...badly affected by our mother's death," Alassé sighed.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know," I apologised. "When was it?"
Alassé looked at me, then turned away. "A week ago," she replied.
"Oh," I said. I really had no clue what to say in a situation like this, but luckily Alassé was doing a lot of the talking.
"I was never as close to her as Legolas was, but she gave me some of her jewellery before she died, Legolas the rest." Alassé stared out of the window, then turned to me. "Actually, I think I was a bit hasty in giving her things away so soon... you wouldn't mind if I..."
"Oh, no, not at all," I replied quickly, and handed the necklace back regretfully. Dammit, I thought, I'd really wanted that.
Alassé slipped the necklace back into the recesses of her dress and started staring into space again. I knew I really shouldn't ask, but I so wanted to know-
"Alassé?" She turned. "I...shouldn't ask, but, well...I thought elves were immortal."
She gave me a sharp look. "Broken heart," she explained. "She died of a broken heart."
"Oh," I said. I should have left it there, but I was stupid enough to push my luck. "Why-?"
"My other brother was killed. Shot by an orc arrow," Alassé interjected. She turned to look at me. "He and Legolas were always her favourites," she said bitterly. "Figures."
There was an awkward pause, during which I tried and failed to think of a suitable response, then Alassé said curtly, "I must retire. Sleep well," and left the room, closing the door sharply behind her.