We entered the palace and made our way to Alassé's bedchamber. Crowds were
milling outside her room and when Legolas and I tried to enter, a guard-elf
pulled us back.
"I'm sorry, the princess is very upset. Close relations only, please," he said in a bored tone.
"Hello, I'm her brother," Legolas said.
"Is she expecting you?"
"Oh, for Valar's sake," Legolas said exasperatedly, pushed his way past and opened the door. I followed. "Je suis avec le elf," I said by means of explanation.
Alassé was sitting in her bed when we came in. She looked totally miserable. She was crying, but she gave us a weak smile when she saw us. I went over and gave her a hug.
"You must think I'm so stupid," she sniffed.
"Of course we don't," I said. "Er...what actually happened?"
"Tithirön kidnapped me," Alassé said plaintively. "He didn't love me at all, he just cared about the money. He just wanted my father to pay him for my safe return."
"Good job the king's archers are so great," Legolas remarked, not without irony.
"Yeah, but one thing, Legolas, now Tithirön's out of the picture, at least you'll be able to go to the Cou-"
"Shh!" Legolas hissed at me. He obviously didn't want me to talk about the Council in front of Alassé for some reason. Luckily, however, Alassé had blown her nose noisily when I had spoken and hadn't heard what I said. I shot a confused look at Legolas, but he just gave me a warning glance and looked away.
It was night outside the palace now, and the stars twinkle like little diamonds set in the navy sky. Legolas got up off his sister's bed, stretching and yawning.
"I think I will retire," he said. "Yeah, me too," I agreed. "Look, Alassé, don't bother about that Tithirön guy. You're worth twelve of him." I gave her another hug and we left.
Legolas walked me to my room. "Goodbye, Einëssa," he said softly.
I jumped. "Goodbye?"
"No, I said goodnight," he laughed uncertainly.
"Did you?" I could have sworn it was goodbye. "Goodnight, Legolas. See you in the morning."
I turned and walked into my room, but as I did so I almost thought I heard Legolas saying, "Will you?"
"I'm sorry, the princess is very upset. Close relations only, please," he said in a bored tone.
"Hello, I'm her brother," Legolas said.
"Is she expecting you?"
"Oh, for Valar's sake," Legolas said exasperatedly, pushed his way past and opened the door. I followed. "Je suis avec le elf," I said by means of explanation.
Alassé was sitting in her bed when we came in. She looked totally miserable. She was crying, but she gave us a weak smile when she saw us. I went over and gave her a hug.
"You must think I'm so stupid," she sniffed.
"Of course we don't," I said. "Er...what actually happened?"
"Tithirön kidnapped me," Alassé said plaintively. "He didn't love me at all, he just cared about the money. He just wanted my father to pay him for my safe return."
"Good job the king's archers are so great," Legolas remarked, not without irony.
"Yeah, but one thing, Legolas, now Tithirön's out of the picture, at least you'll be able to go to the Cou-"
"Shh!" Legolas hissed at me. He obviously didn't want me to talk about the Council in front of Alassé for some reason. Luckily, however, Alassé had blown her nose noisily when I had spoken and hadn't heard what I said. I shot a confused look at Legolas, but he just gave me a warning glance and looked away.
It was night outside the palace now, and the stars twinkle like little diamonds set in the navy sky. Legolas got up off his sister's bed, stretching and yawning.
"I think I will retire," he said. "Yeah, me too," I agreed. "Look, Alassé, don't bother about that Tithirön guy. You're worth twelve of him." I gave her another hug and we left.
Legolas walked me to my room. "Goodbye, Einëssa," he said softly.
I jumped. "Goodbye?"
"No, I said goodnight," he laughed uncertainly.
"Did you?" I could have sworn it was goodbye. "Goodnight, Legolas. See you in the morning."
I turned and walked into my room, but as I did so I almost thought I heard Legolas saying, "Will you?"