Authors Note: Hello again! I am sorry to say that after having actually looked at what remains of my summer schedule, it turns out that I am booked pretty solid. My family has a general "No internet while on vacation" rule and though it is loosely enforced it appears that I will literally have no internet connection at all for the next three days for the family reunion. It also appears that the rest of my summer will continue in the same vein, with long stretches of vacation. I'm excited, but it appears that I won't be able to keep a regular posting schedule anymore. I will still do my best to keep posting whenever I am in town and not horribly jetlagged, but I can't promise anything. That said, do not fear! This story will be finished if its the last thing I do.
Happy fourth of July!
She slipped out of her room and walked back down the long hallway to the stairs. Halfway down it, a door opened. The man from last night walked out of it, wearing a green vest. She stopped and waited for him to notice her. He seemed distracted, as he leaned against his door murmuring just below her range of hearing at the thick book he held. He stood there, in the middle of the hall, and showed no signs of moving. After several awkward moments, Snow cleared her throat, "Excuse me?".
He jumped and turned around, and Snow realized that it was not the same man after all. Though this man shared the same skin tone, hair color, and pointed ears as the one she had spoken to last night, this man had green eyes. Brilliant green eyes. And he was staring at her with unconcealed shock.
"Ah, hello." He looked as if no one had informed him of her presence, and she was unsure what to say. She needn't have worried, it appeared he hadn't notice she had said anything at all. His eyes went wide, and he was gaping at her openmouthed.
"What are you?" He exclaimed. He leaned forward and critically examined her eyes. Snow leaned back uncomfortably. "Excuse me?"
"How are you living? You don't appear to have any energy." He had slipped behind her somehow and tried to grab her hair.
"Excuse me!" Snow jerked forward out of his grasp and whirled around.
"Yes, yes, your excused." He mumbled distractedly, "A straightforward reading would probably give me a push in the right direction," He pushed forward again and reached for her hands, "hold still for a moment."
"Grenarin. Control yourself." Snow turned, and with relief, saw the elf who had welcomed her last night. "Do try not to bother our guest unduly."
The green vested elf, Grenarin, evidentially, jumped back in surprise. "Navormall. Of course. Excuse me." He left quickly, leaving Snow wondering if she had imagined the anger that had disappeared as soon as it appeared in the face of her navy-clad host. Whose name was evidently Navormall.
Grenarin in green. Navormall in Navy. Snow forcibly attempted to push the names into her memory. Names were important to remember, she knew they had power. Fortunately, a lifetime of attending courtly functions with people she barely knew had provided ample opportunity for her to become adept at memorizing names.
That the skill had become so vital now almost made it worth it.