To Sandy of Ruatha : Nope, I've never read any of Tamora Pierce's books. I plucked the name of Alanna either out of my own imagination or from Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series. 0)

To Lossenhros : Yeah, it's not fun being the "mature" one sometimes.

Eep! Exams start on Monday!

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Chapter 39 : Always Knock Loudly

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Elboron watched Elfwine carefully over Meren's head. He sat staring off into space, brooding over something he did not care to speak to Elboron of. He smiled as Meren laughed, but Elboron could tell that his best friend's mind was barely on what was currently happening. It was as if Elfwine was off somewhere in some distant land, and everyone else was cut off from it. Elboron frowned; this had never happened before. They had known each other for so long, and had shared so many troubles and worries together. This was the first time Elfwine did not want to talk about whatever was troubling him, and Elboron just could not understand. Even the look in his eyes was foreign, and Elboron just did not know what to make of it.

The sun was almost gone. Meren shivered a little and said, "It's getting really dark and cold now. We should get going."

Elfwine stirred. He unhooked his cloak and put it over Meren's shoulders. "Here, this should keep the cold out," he said rather absently. He got up and began walking back towards the gates of Edoras.

Elboron and Meren exchanged looks, and Elboron shrugged. Quietly, they got up and followed him.

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Elfwine walked in front of the others. He wondered if Meren was still feeling the cold. He thought it unlikely; his mother had insisted that he had the best of materials for his cloaks.

What's wrong with me? Why can't I seem to be what I used to be? Why is it that every time I see Elboron laughing with Meren I have the urge to knock his teeth out? Why can't I just have fun with them, instead of feeling so strange, so awkward?

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"There's something wrong with Elfwine," Elboron remarked, watching his friend disappear into the hall after saying a quick good night.

Meren thought that there was something wrong too, but she had never known him as anything else. "How so?"

Elboron shook his head. "I can't understand it either. Suddenly he's so quiet, so serious. Something's troubling him, I know that, but he won't speak with me about it. I don't understand; we always confided in each other."

"Maybe it's something to do with Rohan, and he can't tell anyone?" Meren suggested.

"Rohan's issues are the problems of the King," Elboron argued. "And Elfwine's been involved in Rohan's affairs for three years now; and this has never happened before."

Meren considered the issue again as they walked along towards her room. He had always been quiet since she had known him, but Elboron had suggested that he was really a much livelier person. Maybe… "Maybe he doesn't like to have me around? Maybe that's why he hardly ever talks to me…" The idea made her sad, because she thought that Elfwine was a really lovely person.

Elboron shook his head once again. "That can't be the problem," he said confidently. "Elfwine told me himself that he thinks you're a nice girl, and he wouldn't lie to me, even if he thought I'd be hurt or angry. We made that agreement when I was nine, that we would always tell each other the truth."

Meren nodded. "Well, maybe it's something he has to work out for himself," she said gently. "It doesn't mean you're any less his friend if you can't help him. I'm sure one day, when he has everything sorted out, everything will be all right again."

"I hope it'll be soon," Elboron muttered. "It's been two weeks already, and I'm going back to Emyn Arnen next week."

"Don't worry," Meren said gently. They reached her little room, and she bid him good night. Then she opened the door and stepped in.

She sat down on her bed, and pulled off the cloak. She held it in her hands, staring at it. I don't have such a fine cloak… Then she realised that it was Elfwine's and she had forgotten to return it to him. As she continued her staring, an odd feeling crawled into her heart, something she didn't understand. Shaking her head and pushing it away, she told herself to remember to return the cloak to him in the morning, then prepared to go to bed.

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The next morning, Meren stood outside what she was told by another servant girl to be Elfwine's room, clutching his cloak. She had woken up especially early to press it, agonising over every little crinkle or wrinkle. She stared at the door, wondering if this was a good idea. It's no use standing out here forever, you know, she told herself sternly. Squaring her shoulders, she knocked lightly on the door, and waited. A moment passed, then two. There was no answer.

That's early for him to be out of his room, she thought, surprised. Should I come back later? Or leave it in his room? Is a servant allowed to enter the prince's room without permission? The debate raged inside her as she stood there. Finally, she made up her mind. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the knob and opened the door…

…And stepped out of the room again, slamming the door shut. Elfwine had been in his room after all, and he had been gaping at her as she entered. Without his shirt, no less! Leaning against his door, she felt the blood rushing to her cheeks at the thought.

The door was wrenched open, and she almost fell if Elfwine had not grabbed her, his shirt half on. He pulled her in and closed the door.

"I'm… I'm so sorry," she gasped. "I knocked, but there was no answer, and I thought… I thought…" She thrust the cloak at him. "I thought I'd just leave this on your bed."

Pulling his shirt all the way down, he took the cloak, his cheeks as red as hers. "Oh… ah… thank you," he said awkwardly. "That was very nice of you."

Meren nodded, and then stood there silently, looking around, wondering what she was supposed to do now. Not only was he standing between her and the door, and not making any sign of moving aside, she had the strange feeling that she did not want to leave just yet, embarrassed though she was. "I'm really sorry," she said again.

"That's all right," Elfwine said. "Thanks for bringing me my cloak."

Meren stared at him, standing there looking as if he wanted to dig a hole and hide in it, and suddenly burst out laughing. "You said that already," she told him.

A smile spread across his face, a genuine smile, unlike the distant one she had grown used to. "Well, you apologised twice," he pointed out.

"I know. I didn't know what to say."

"Neither did I. But the gratitude's sincere."

"So is the apology."

Elfwine smiled again, a smile that made Meren's knees a little wobbly. Why doesn't he smile like that more? She gave him a weak smile, then cleared her throat and said, "I think I should be getting to the kitchens now. Alanna will be wondering where I am."

His smile faded a little, and he nodded. "All right." However, he made no move.

Meren motioned to the door. "Ah… excuse me?"

Elfwine turned and seemed surprised to see that he was standing right in front of the door. He jumped aside and opened the door. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said, flustered. "Thanks again for the cloak. I suppose I'll see you later."

"Yes, I suppose you will," she agreed. Then she left the room, and hurried on her way. As she turned the corner, she looked back and saw Elfwine still at his door, looking at her. When he saw her look at him, he started and went into his room, shutting the door.