Chapter Fifteen: Through Another's Eyes
Susan stood awkwardly in the center of the hall as Elsa glared after Rhianna's departing form. Finally, the Dryad spun on her heel and flounced off to her room, nose in the air. Smiling sheepishly at Ahlejandra, Susan excused herself and followed after Rhianna. The door to the elf's rooms was already shut, but not locked. Cautiously, she entered the parlor. "Rhia?" she called, shortening her friend's name so that she would know it was her.
"In here," the elf's voice responded. Susan was again struck by the lilting, melodic quality of Rhianna's speaking voice; it betrayed the true power she possessed as a Dreamsinger.
Entering the bedroom and leaning against the doorframe, Susan watched as Rhianna kicked off her shoes and opened the wardrobe. "Are you okay, Rhianna? Elsa said some pretty unkind things to you."
"Nothing that wasn't true." Rhianna's voice was slightly muffled as she bent to the bottom of the wardrobe and rifled through the folded items. "I did serve as Peter's bodyguard in the war – and before that – I was not raised as a "decent woman", and I am not a princess, nor any kind of royal. And I don't presume to be."
"You told me yourself that your parents were the heads of your people, Rhia. That makes you royal by birth. If you ask me, I think Elsa is just jealous of you."
Rhianna scoffed, but said nothing else.
Susan shifted a little. "So, what do you think of them? Peter's guests, I mean."
"They're remarkably beautiful. Both of them. And I like Ahlejandra – she seems to be reasonably intelligent," Rhianna said, disappearing into the washroom for a moment and then returning, dragging the full-length mirror out into the room.
"You're beautiful too, Rhia," Susan said quietly. It was true. Rhianna was among the loveliest girls she had ever met. Years of long, hard struggle for life had toned the elf's body to perfection – her muscles were perfectly defined and lean. Rhianna most reminded Susan of a long, slender steel blade, perfectly sharp. Anatomically, the elf was perfect as well. She had long legs, small hips and a slender waist, just enough curve to her chest to be attractive, but not too much, and long, lean arms, slender shoulders, and an elegantly graceful neck. Her face was the most striking of all: tapered, elegant eyebrows framed above her endless blue eyes; high, fine cheekbones slanted smoothly down to a set of shapely lips and up to her elegant pointed ears. Her eyes, so expressive, revealed a depth and wisdom beyond her tender years, and they had a perpetual sparkle that accompanies youthful vitality.
Rhianna blushed slightly at Susan's praise. "Thank you, Su."
"Well," Susan said, straightening, "I need to get ready."
Author's Note: This is just a short, sweet chapter that I felt I needed in order to develop the bond between Susan and Rhianna a little more and also to provide you guys with a little more comprehensive picture of how Rhianna really looks, through Susan's eyes. I hope you liked it.