Warnings: Elensar gets moody.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Waiting and Wondering

By my third month home, I was settled in, and just as well; the bitter cold of Meridian winters kept us ensconced safely in the Palace where no weather induced harm could befall anyone. I had reacquainted myself with the daily routines of a Princess, and the nightly patterns of the dance. A semblance of peace had been drawn up between Evadne and me; she did not insinuate anything and I did not reveal her plotting to anyone else.

By the time that winter had been pushed aside for the happier (warmer) days of spring, Evadne and I could speak easily to one another without wondering if the other would say something to disclose all. I had finished the shirt that I had been working on for Owen, and started on another for Father.

Father had forgiven me for my unseemly rudeness, and I was once more basking in the light of his favoritism. He would call me especially into his chambers just to show me little things that he thought I would enjoy; if he found the way the light spilled onto his floor beautiful, he would show me. We slipped back into the loving, simple relationship that we had had before, forgetting and forgiving with ease.

I often attended the Petitioners' Court that was held weekly; my long separation from my homeland had made me realize how much I loved it. The entire day would be taken up by this special, open session of Court, and everyone who attended could take part of the refreshments that the royal family provided. The only down side to my newfound interest was that Evadne was always in attendance as well; although we were able to speak politely and act civil towards one another, neither of us particularly enjoyed being together for such an extended period of time.

When Owen returned to Camlate from his numerous princely journeys, he would surreptitiously invite me to a practice duel with Dhal or another of his men. I would enjoy watching the sport until Evadne or one of the servants she sent found me there.

At first, Owen implored me to try my hand at the sword, but as I kept refusing, he soon stopped. I saw no point in being able to whack someone else with a sword just for fun- I had seen the bruises that the soldiers sported when they came out of the ring and I felt no such need to inflict pain upon myself.

Even as I slipped back into the daily rhythms of my previous life, Adrian made a quiet exit from my thoughts. I no longer drew his portrait at every chance I got, choosing instead to do a study of the horses in the field, or Alyssa working at her embroidery. I tried to capture Owen and Dhal in a duel once, but that proved to be too difficult for my artistic abilities.

I still had the original drawing, as creased and worn as it was, but I had put it into my desk drawer for safekeeping and it had stayed there. When I was bored, and my mind wandered, my thoughts would turn to Adrian at times, but more often than not, I was thinking of something else.

Only at night, after the dance and staring at the ceiling, would I truly let my mind free to think of him. I remembered his kisses, his touches and the graceful way that he danced. The acrimonious insults we had thrown at each other came rushing back to me and brought a smile with them; it had been entertaining to say the least.

"Adrian," I whispered, remembering the taste of his name on my lips. It had been eight months since I had seen him, and his name had lost some of the magical qualities that it had once possessed.

I realized, quite suddenly, that I was falling out of love, and I was falling fast. I hadn't even noticed, but I had.

"Adrian?" I tried again, questioning and confused. "What happened?" I put my hand to my lips, frowning. Was there something wrong with me that I no longer seemed to care for the one that I had once loved? "Adrian?" I asked once more, trying desperately to recall the special feeling that his name had once evoked.

Nothing.

I felt my eyes start to burn, and a tear slid down my cheek. I tasted it, and it was salty on my tongue. I curled up, under the covers, and soaked one of my fine pillows with tears.

As my tears abated, I began to wonder what exactly I was crying for. Was I mourning for the love that I had somehow lost, or was I crying because I still wanted to love him?

I sniffled, and came to the conclusion that if it was the latter, I still had hope. If it wasn't…then I was bereft of love entirely. I sincerely hoped that I cried because I still wanted to love him.

"If I still want to love him," I mumbled into the pillow, "Doesn't that mean that I still love him, somewhere, somehow?" I sighed and rolled over. "I'm confused…" I stared at the ceiling, and started to count ceiling tiles. Counting the tiles, however, reminded me of Adrian, and I started crying all over again.

I was going to have one hell of a headache in the morning from all of the crying that I was doing.

I fell asleep that night, with the wet pillow pressed against my cheek, and dreamed of him.

The next morning, when I woke up, my mind instantly returned to the previous night's topic: Adrian.

Did I love him? Was he nothing to me? Where did I stand with him? I ran a hand through my tousled hair, trying to tame it. The headache that I had predicted pounded away in my skull, keeping time with my heartbeat.

"Good morning milady," my maid greeted me meekly.

I stared at her with tired eyes, looking at her but not actually seeing her. "What?"

She pursed her lips in annoyance, and repeated, slightly louder, "Good morning milady."

"Oh, good morn to you too." I stretched and pulled the covers up higher. It wasn't cold at all, but I liked the comforting feel of my blankets around me. For the month of June, it was actually quite warm.

"Milady, your father bids me remind you that today is the day of the Petitioners' Court, and he extends his invitation to you to join him." The young woman curtsied respectfully and continued with her morning announcements. "Your brother hopes that you might join him for an afternoon ride, and your eldest sister, Crown Princess Evadne, presents her wishes that you might sup with her this evening." She curtsied once more, and then discreetly moved off to the side.

After delaying for a few more precious minutes, I pushed the covers back and slipped out of the huge bed. "Raquel, could you find something for me that's light but still formal looking?"

"Yes, milady." She disappeared into my rather intimidating closet; it covered all of one side of my room and went back for at least two rows of clothes. I had always been afraid of the things that might hide in there as a child, and I suppose that some of that illogical fear had remained from so many years ago.

For a few minutes, I sat waiting, wondering if the closet monster had made a reappearance and eaten Raquel. My fears were assuaged, however, when Raquel returned with a pale, summery-looking dress.

I eyed it with interest, "That's a pretty color."

Raquel bobbed a curtsey, "If milady says so." I sighed; this was proving to be a torturous day already. "If milady would kindly turn around, it would be a great help to me." I did so. "Thank you, milady."

"You're welcome." I tried to inflect a smile into my voice.

The silly girl gasped, almost stuck me with a pin, and protested, "Oh, but milady! There is no need to thank me! I only do my job, nothing more!" Slowly, her professions of self-depreciatory comments abated into trickle of worried murmurs. I gave up any hope of conversation.

Soon enough I was ready to be begin the day's activities. Raquel, for all that she lacked in conversational skills, was incredibly gifted at styling my hair and making sure my dress looked absolutely perfect. She swept up half of my absurdly long hair into a cascade of manufactured curls, and left the other half to tumble down my back in a series of loose waves. The dress, light mint in color, was altered quickly by Raquel to present me in a flattering light.

I wondered who would win if Raquel and Marianne had a contest to see who was better.

I walked into the Court as it was just about to convene; Father was sitting down, and the rest of the court along with him.

"Good morning, my daughter." He greeted me with a smile.

"Good morn to you as well, Father." I smiled and kissed his hand as etiquette required.

"It seems that today would prove to be an interesting day, my dear, for there is a great crowd today!" Father patted the cushion that lay near him. "Come my pet, make yourself comfortable."

I pulled the cushion to me and folded myself up onto it, carefully spreading my skirts over my knees so as not to give the various people who came to see my father and inadvertent show. They could go to the taverns if they wanted to see smut like that.

Many of the petitioners wanted the King to settle simple disputes, like who owned such and such, or what should they do if so and so took what rightfully belonged to them and wouldn't give it back.

There were always the interesting cases though, where someone claimed that the daughter of another was really his, and therefore his son couldn't actually marry the poor girl. The young couple was in tears for the majority of the time, and it took a decent amount of the day for the King to sort the whole mess out.

In the end, it was discovered that the one man just didn't like the other family and had lied to try and prevent the marriage. Father sentenced him to a month in public services; it would have been without pay had he not had a family to provide for.

By noon, I was getting stiff, and so were many others of the nobility who had stayed. A brief recess was called for a little bit of lunch, and the lower and middle class people were invited to join as well, and they liberally partook of this advantage.

After the Court was called back to order, several more cases were heard and decided upon. I was just about to take my leave to go and ride with Owen, when a series of shouts and short trumpet blasts stopped me dead in my tracks.

"'Ey, you! What d'ya think you're doing?" A merchant, who didn't look to be to well off, addressed a soldier in a black and green uniform.

The soldier took one look at the man and laughed, "I'm making sure my King is safe."

I gasped, hit by a sudden realization. Green and Black were Delrina colors. The Delrina King was Adrian, and if that soldier was protecting his King, than Adrian must have arrived. Slowly, frozen with shock and disbelief, I sank back into my seat so that I wouldn't fall down.

"Well if you's a soldier for the King, I'll eat my 'at!" The merchant poked the soldier in his plated chest. "Our colors ain't those nasty dark colors; we's be proud to sport the crimson and silver." The little merchant puffed out his chest and smirked.

The Delrina soldier glowered at the smaller man, "Don't bother taking it off your head, I serve King Adrian Theylell of Delran!"

The pudgy merchant reddened suddenly and sputtered, "That's that one that's been taking our sweet Princess!" He huffed angrily and jabbed on stubby finger through the air at me. "That there Princess, our sweet Elensar! Your King's be taking her for his own, but we ain't gonna deal with any of that, now are we?" The merchant puffed with pride as the soldier looked toward me.

"Milady," He bowed deeply, gracefully bending himself in half.

"Good sir." I nodded in return, just slightly overwhelmed by everything that was happening.

I would have said more, but at that moment, Adrian strode forth from the ranks of the soldiers. "Elensar!"

All of my doubts came rushing back in the moment that he said my name. Did I love him? Did I care? Why, oh why had he come now?

He walked over to me and pulled me up to him gently, holding my hands in his. "Elensar," He said my name again, softly.

I refused to meet his eyes. My mind softly repeated its litany of why why why why why why?

One of his hands released on of mine, and he tilted my chin up so that I had to look at him. I tried to avoid it, but I knew it was inevitable.

I looked into his eyes, and was lost.

His face drew gently nearer to me, and then my arms snaked around his neck and pulled him down so that we kissed.

By all the Saints, demons, Gods and whatever Celestial Beings there are in the world, it was wonderful.

Even wonderful would be an understatement.

I was so happy just to simply be in his arms again, kissing him again, loving him again that I forgot precisely where I was. I forgot who I was standing in front of, to be more exact.

My father cleared his throat several times before we took heed of him. "Would anyone care to explain what this foreign dignitary is doing in my court, and why he and my daughter are behaving in such an undignified and intemperate manner?"

"Your Majesty," Adrian bowed low, blushing slightly pink. He dropped my hand as if it burned and stepped slightly away. "I have come to ask you for…um…your youngest daughter's hand in marriage." He coughed slightly. "I realize that I haven't made the best, er, first impressions, but I do hope that I can still petition you for Princess Elensar's hand."

The King regarded Adrian with a cool that an ice cube would envy. "I agree; you have not made the best first impressions." He turned that chilling stare onto me, and I dropped my gaze away from his. "Elensar, I did not expect such a display of affection from you after all that you had told me." I snuck a peek at his expression, and saw that his face was set into a grim mask of displeasure.

"Father, I can explain…" I sincerely hoped I could.

"Oh?" He crossed his arms. "You can explain why you omitted things in the telling of your tale to me, and you can explain why you have humiliated me in front of the entire Court with your rash actions?" The King stared at me stonily.

I laced and unlaced my fingers repeatedly, searching for something, any thing to say. "No…?" I finally ventured.

There was silence, deafening to my burning ears.

"I see." The King waved his hand as if to shoo me away. "If I am not mistaken, your brother awaits with horses for the two of you. Go, now, and get out of this room before you profane it further."

"Yes sir." I curtsied unsteadily, tossing a quick glance Adrian's way before spinning and running off.

"And you," I heard the sound echo ominously throughout the cavernous room, "I must speak with you later, King Adrian." I stopped briefly and clung to the doorframe, watching as Adrian stepped out of the eyes of the Court.

My heart hammered in my chest, both from my quick dash to the door and from the adrenaline that had been awakened by Adrian's kiss. I caught his eye once from across the room, but he looked away, ashamed.

I began to wonder again, my doubts assailing me like hail, what I really felt. I knew I loved the way that he could make me feel with just a touch, but did I really love him?

He seemed ashamed even to look at me now, although he most certainly hadn't been when he had first arrived. Why had he changed so quickly? Did he love me?

A guardsman tugged at my arm. "Milady," the voice was soft, but I knew it as Markus's.

I turned at met his gaze.

"Milady, your brother grows impatient." His hand stayed on my arm and I let it rest there as he guided me away from the door. "Your greeting to the foreign King was impressive, to say the least." The smile in his voice was obvious.

"Oh?" I inserted a decidedly nonchalant tone into my voice.

He smiled lopsidedly at me, "Indeed it was. I'm almost beginning to wish that I had taken you up on your offer of so long ago."

I blushed a fiery red. "I see."

He grinned, "Go change. I shall tell your brother that you come."

"Thank you." I watched him stride off and sighed in confusion. Now he decided that he wanted to return my affection? Now?

I wandered into my room, and let Raquel help me change into riding clothes.

I absentmindedly thought of Markus, and how much he was like the storms that tore through the coast line; he was never predictable, and just when I thought I had him figured out, he went and proved me wrong.

I pushed Markus out of my mind and started to wonder what I should do about Adrian.

Did he love me, and, now, more importantly, did I love him?

Author's Note: Well, please, excuse me while I go drop off the face of the earth! Sigh The swim season is so close to being over…so very, very close. And of course that means that there is a flurry of meets to be made up because of snow or some such nonsense. Yeah.

I really hope you liked this chapter. I sure did. D

Thanks to all of you, who have put up with me! You guys are awesome!

I say to you…

Lilred-007: Haha Adrian all the way! No worries!

HalfBludPr1ncess: Well, I'm glad that I could make your day better! Math is evil and it should go…disappear. But I'm glad you liked my story!

Miss Piratess: I did kind of just wander around randomly for a little while, didn't I? Well, the fairy tale starts playing a larger part now so…yay!

Fell4adeadguy: I'm not good with quickly…but I know update! P

LindyLou78: Pretends to be all mysterious All will reveal itself in time…)

Glaze: Here's the scoop on the differing fairytales- I have this absolutely gorgeous book at home that's all pretty and illustrated and that I've had since I was like…two, and so the only version of this story that I've really even known was where the youngest Princess marries the gardener's boy. Then, a few months after I started writing this, what do I find, but a different version! That's the one that you read, with a soldier marrying the oldest Princess, I'm guessing. The King also says, "Okay, Mr. Soldier-dude/Garden Boy, pick whichever Princess you want as your reward," So…yeah. That's my explanation! D

CheekyChik: Well, one of your questions was answered, I believe. Hehe!

Stubble96: I think Johan feels insulted…not. Lol…dancing always makes me think of like…techno music, and I don't know why. Random, whatever…P

Pimpilidimpi: You make me feel special! Thank you! This is quite a jump from HP, no?

Starlight: Ooh goody, I've always wanted to write a pronunciation guide. It will probably be posted with the next chapter! ) Thanks for the review!

Moonlight and Starlight: Yep, Elensar's an elfish name. You know that Elfish Name Generator? I got it off of there…forget what I typed in to get it, but that's where it originates from. Very perceptive of you!

F.A. Starhawk: Did you glomp it? P

ElvisLivesAgain: Thank you so much for emailing me! You prompted me to update! Thank you so much, and I'm sure that everyone else thanks you too! D

You guys are seriously awesome. We've got 183 reviews! Do I see 200 coming? That would be amaztory- I never thought that people would like this so much. D Well, review again and see you next chapter!