Chapter 3: The Gray, Arid Day
It was a dark day, as Lailomeiel could sense it. Though she could tell it was okay, the weather was outcast, Arid. "Oh grey, arid days." She sighed, for she wasn't used to that. She loved sunny days, when the birds would wake her up when they start to eat on some bread crumbs she left the night before on her balcony, and the scent of the roses that came from the garden. She stretched herself to take off any trace of drowsiness she might've had, and went to the curtain covered part of her room which was were the tub was, and also served as a dressing room. She smiled as she slipped from her dress and touch the water, feeling it was warm. Mrs. Dewberry, their female butler, knew what she wanted on a grey, arid day. She dipped herself in the warn water, it pleased her. She felt unperturbed, relaxed. Then she thought of the day ahead…
Legolas didn't sleep that night. He just simply couldn't. Now, the morning, which his father told him that he, would tell her. The day his father would tell Lailomeiel the truth about who she is. The day, father dreaded to come, but he has no choice of hiding the truth. Legolas feared, what might Lailomeiel's reaction, but he feared her getting hurt. He knew she would, of course, but to what she might do to herself afterwards… With that, he gets himself dressed and started to walk to Lailomeiel's room.
"Just a second!" Lailomeiel said, as the young she elf took one last look at the mirror.
Another knock…
"Wait!" She said as she pulled her long dress and climbed the two steps as the door to her room was a little elevated.
Legolas almost knocked on her head not on the door, as she swiftly dodged his hand.
"Oh sorry", Legolas said, quite surprised, as Lailomeiel was dressed.
"Guests…" she trailed off, when she noticed that he was looking at her.
"Guests…" he said as he also noticed her looking at him with the "you-too-kind-of-look".
"So shall we go?" He asked as he held her hand, which she gladly accepted, and led her to the hall for breakfast.
Legolas still doesn't know how to treat her, how to act towards her, now that he lost his sister, not actually lost, but the fact he once known, it was gone.
The breakfast was like the weather. Dull. No one spoke a word or two. With their host, Thranduil who was pale and barely ate his food, and Lailomeiel's occasional "cheer up" lines. The other guests left early that morning for they have important matters to attend to. The only guests left were Elrond, Arwen, Nathan and a handsome old elf... handsome because the older the elf, the more beautiful he / she looks, still she can tell he was old, she also remembered that he saw that elf the night before that she never had a chance to meet or get introduced because she was too busy with her own company. Also, she find it amusing that that particular elf kept giving her the " you – look – very – familiar – like – someone – I – know " look. After Arwen and Nathan excused themselves, Lailomeiel almost stood up when Thranduil asked her to stay.
Lailomeiel was quite taken aback by her father's actions these past few days and by the way he looks, but she heeded nothing and obeyed what her father's asking her.
She also caught Elrond, Legolas, and the unknown elf exchange looks in which she is so curious and rather annoyed by their game.
"Oh c'mon quit the mind games" Lailomeiel jokingly said, but when everyone looked solemn, Lailomeiel gave up, and felt a sudden surge of fear flooded her chest.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Lailomeiel cried
"Father, you should…"
Elrond gave Legolas a piercing look… as to stop him from blurting out everything he knows.
"What?" Lailomeiel asked. "Father should what?"
"Everyone, Thranduil said. Everyone please, let's not talk about that matter here."
"Lailomeiel, everyone, please follow me to my study."
Everyone was silent, serene, as the weather. It was surprising that Legolas took her side and never let go of her left hand, which felt numb, because he was holding it too tight.
When they reached the study, Thranduil sighed as he pulled the oak doors open. As if it was very heavy and as if he didn't open that door for a thousand years.
They all stepped inside; it was then that she found something new in her father's office, a large rectangular object covered in deep brown velvet cloth.
Lailomeiel, curious as she always was, asked her father immediately of what that object might be.
Elrond put his hand on Thranduil's shoulder and then Thranduil nodded, as if it was a very heavy task. Unknown to her, it really was indeed a heavy task. Thranduil then slowly pulled of the deep brown velvet cover and revealed a portrait that shocked Lailomeiel, and Legolas.
The portrait was of a couple, a Royal couple, for they had a seal, the seal of the Great Lands as she knew it was, and if her knowledge served her right. The king had long dark ash blonde hair and deep green eyes, while the Queen, the Queen; she looked as if Lailomeiel was looking in a mirror. The Queen had dark brown hair the same shade as hers, the same sparkling grey eyes like hers and the complexion she had, rosy white skin, when some times in a particular day gave of a rosy – woodsy kinda color that glows with radiance, not the ordinary elven ones… to make it easier, the Queen looked exactly like her.
"Mani"? (What?) Is what she just managed to say.
"They are your…" Thranduil said, almost in tears.
"Father? They are my what?" Lailomeiel didn't know what was going on, or a clue of what is going and is going to happen, she was scared of something, by what everyone is acting towards her and everything that they are saying…
"Father?" She asked, now weak with the conflicting emotions she is feeling right now.
"They are… they are…" Thranduil took a deep breath and said, "They are your parents". As tears suddenly flowed from his eyes. "They are your real parents Lailomeiel."
With that, Lailomeiel was taken aback, as if time had stopped, and she felt as if she couldn't breathe. She felt like fainting, but still managed to compose herself.
"I beg your pardon?"
"They are your real parents Lailomé." Thranduil cried.
"Lle lakwenien?" (Are you joking?) As tears started to roll down her cheeks. "Tell me you are, that I am mistaken… Tell me father! Please tell me," as she gave of stifled cries.
"Tell me you are lying," "Father please…"
"He speaks of the truth "Arwen en amin, Ainaladriel "(My Lady, Ainaladriel) it was the unknown elf who stepped up and with a moving look in his face. "He is not lying; they are your parents, the late great Arcilleon and Eldarin Silverwind, King and Queen of the Great Lands. "
Lailomeiel felt like she was some caged bird; she didn't know what to believe, what she should believe and what she shouldn't. She felt so helpless, like falling in to some deep abyss without any sign of help from above.
"Father…" she looked at Thranduil, as if it's the first time she met his gaze.
"Is he? Is he telling the truth?"
"Yes, child, he is. I am sorry, Lailomeiel, I didn't want you to know…"
"Amin caela n'noa" (I have no idea) "Lle wethrin amin" (You deceived me) all this time father…"
"And you, she turned to the unknown elf… "Amin sinta lle"? (Do I know you?)"
It was then that Elrond stepped into the conversation, "He is Briarvale Eversborrow, your father trusted the Great Lands to him before they died."
"I don't understand," Lailomeiel said, as she was already weak, and she slopped herself to the carpeted floor, "All of you…"
"King Arcilleon, your father, and Queen Eldarin, your mother, were slain by orcs on their way here for the solstice. An unfortunate tragedy their deaths it is."
"But how did I…?"
"Thranduil and I came late, since it took us some time, but we were so lucky to find an orc who tried to kill you. The orc's dagger almost got its way until Thranduil shot it with an arrow." Elrond said.
"Since then," Thranduil, said, weakly as he was sitting on the desk's front chair, "I took you as my own, since they, I mean your parents are my best friends… Also, Legolas was 9 years old then,"
"And yet you didn't tell me? All these years father… and you, you knew all about this?" She asked Legolas.
"I just found out last night." He stammered. "I'm so sorry Lei, I didn't mean to …" as she cut him off…
"All of you, you … " Lailomeiel wanted to tell everything she feels, but she couldn't, she didn't know which one to say first, then the second, to whom, also, too many questions to ask, her mind couldn't make up anything…
"All of you, Lle wethrin amin, Amin dellotha lle! Amin dellotha lle!" As she managed to stand up and run out of the study…
Legolas and Thranduil tried to run after her but Elrond stopped them.
"Give her time," He said. "Time".