Chapter Fourteen: Adonnenniel's POV Takes the
Spotlight and Dialogue is Vastly Overused
DISCLAIMER: The fact that this chapter is way too long is not my fault. My characters started talking to each other, particularly while I was trying to sleep at night. I simply had to write down what they were saying. Hence the ridiculous amount of dialogue in this chapter. Also, at the request of several reviewers, much of this chapter is from Adonnenniel's point of view. Hence how incredibly quirky certain parts of it are.
Author's Note: Guess what I spent my Friday afternoon doing? Baking cookies with my best friend. After that we walked to a playground and had a who can swing the highest contest. Then, we went on a walk in the woods and pretended we were in Narnia. Once we got to a really secluded area, we pulled out our iPods and blasted songs from Disney Princess movies. We danced and sang along loudly. Afterwards, we went back to her house, locked ourselves in the basement, and watched Star Wars for the tenth time while painting our nails rainbow and eating frozen yogurt. We're just that cool.
Okay. So I think this is the longest chapter yet. I could have easily divided it into two separate ones ^.^ Let me know if you like the chapters when they're lengthy, or if you prefer them concise so there's not too much going on at once. Obviously there will be fewer chapters in the story overall if I do the first option, but there will be a lot of chapters if I do the latter. Just let me know what you guys prefer. I put this in bold because I want people to see it and give me their opinion. Thanks :)
Brief Recap: They are still in Lothlorien.
Random Quote: "Today, I discovered that its illegal to take your flamingo into a barber shop in Alaska. So. Tempted." ~mylifeisaverage dot com
"Lady, you have slept past sunrise!"
Adonnenniel groggily opened her eyes. She squinted around the room and saw a petite figure dressed in white opening the curtains.
"No, please don't!" Adonnenniel shrieked, but it was too late. The light poured into the room, effectively waking her up. "God, I am so not a morning person…" she groaned.
"Adonnenniel!" said a second voice. She raised her head from beneath the blankets, and saw Merry standing in her doorway. "Would you like to come with us?"
"Where to?" she asked, sitting up straight and yawning.
Pippin appeared behind Merry, closely followed by Sam and Frodo. "On a walk," Pippin told her. "I'm not quite sure exactly where we're going, but it's better than lazing around all day," he said pointedly.
Adonnenniel gawked at him. "But…but…It's summer back home! Is it really such a crime to sleep in past sunrise?"
"Not a crime, Lady, but certainly unusual," said the person who had opened her windows. Adonnenniel peered up suspiciously at them, and then realized it was Bellethiel. She gracefully walked over to Adonnenniel. "You should get out of bed," she suggested.
"Hello, Belle," Adonnenniel said cheerfully. "Are you coming with us again?"
Bellethiel looked pleased. "If you wish. I know the Lorien realm quite well, and have been wishing to show you a certain place I think you will find fascinating."
Adonnenniel nodded. "Thanks! We've got a local tour guide again, guys," she said to the hobbits. "Thanks, Belleth…Belley…"
"You may simply call me Belle, Lady," said Bellethiel in her lilting voice, smiling warmly at her.
"Okay, cool." Adonnenniel was beginning to perk up. "I just need to get dressed, and then I'll meet you guys outside my room in ten."
After the hobbits and Bellethiel filed out of the room, Adonnenniel went into the bathroom. She splashed water on her face, speedily ran a brush through her hair, and then glanced at the pile of dresses draped over a chair in the washroom. Estela had taken the sleeveless pale green dress she had been planning on wearing. That's what I get for being the last one to wake up, she thought. Ugh. I have to wear the yellow one instead. Gross.
Adonnenniel was slightly disgruntled, but emerged from the washroom ten minutes later wearing a bright yellow dress with small sunflower embroideries on the lacy sleeves.
"Ugh. I look like a freaking Barbie doll," she muttered as she joined the hobbits and Bellethiel outside her room.
"A Barbie doll?" Bellethiel said as they started walking down the staircase.
"Yep," Adonnenniel said. "They're these dolls that children back home play with. It's deceiving though, because if Barbie were a real person, then she wouldn't be able to stand. Her feet would be too tiny to support the rest of her body, and the weight from her...umm…bosom…would make her fall forward on her face because the rest of her is stick skinny." The others were staring at her as if she had three heads, but Adonnenniel was oblivious. "I'm ashamed to admit it, but I had a major Barbie doll phase when I was a kid. Estela never did. She had a fuzzy sock phase, though. In winter, she would run around the house on the rugs and static shock people. It was a weird phase."
Adonnenniel looked up to see five very confused people staring at her. "Umm…you guys don't have to respond to that. Never mind."
"Where exactly are we going, miss?" Frodo interjected, addressing Bellethiel.
"I am taking you to the Nimrodel stream that flows along the edge of Lorien. You and your companions crossed it while entering our realm. However, I wish to show you a part of the stream that is not guarded by the March Wardens."
"How long is the walk?" Sam asked.
"Oh, not too long," Bellethiel replied. "Perhaps several hours there and back at the most."
Adonnenniel froze. "Walking?" she said faintly. "For more than an hour at a time?" This time she was not oblivious to the strange looks she was getting, and decidedly didn't say more.
That was when it started raining.
Ugh, thought Adonnenniel as she trudged through the forest. It made her wish she were back home, sitting in her room on her bed. Preferably facebooking on her laptop, or texting multiple people at the same time while blasting pop music.
An hour or so later, they arrived at the stream.
Adonnenniel gasped, and decided immediately that it had been worth the walk. It was beautiful…The Nimrodel stream ran through two layers of trees with pale white trunks, and a waterfall poured into the stream. Even over the patter of the rain, Adonnenniel could hear the water softly lapping over the rocks.
"Come on, guys," she laughed. She removed her shoes, and waded into the water. Instantaneously she felt refreshed and lively. She felt as if it could walk ten miles without breaking a sweat.
"It is said that these waters have healing properties," Frodo told her. He and Sam stood next to her in the stream.
Adonnenniel closed her eyes, and waded further into the river. She felt the water gently lapping against her legs.
"Do not venture in too far, Lady," Bellethiel said. "The river may seem tame now, but it has a mighty current at times."
"Okay," Adonnenniel said. She looked at Frodo next to her, and saw that he likewise seemed at peace. It was the first time she had seen him look truly relaxed since before Moria.
Suddenly, something splashed in the water and broke Adonnenniel's serenity. She glanced around fearfully, wondering what had made the noise, and then spotted Merry and Pippin. They were standing on the shore, throwing rocks into the river and watching them skip across its surface. Laughing, Adonnenniel pulled up her dress and walked briskly out of the water.
"I used to be pretty good at this," she said as she picked up a smooth stone. "I had this one boyfriend who was a real outdoorsy type, and we went camping a lot." She threw the stone, and it skipped once before sinking. "Aaaw," she said, her face falling.
"It's all in the wrist," Pippin said as he expertly threw one that skipped five times and then landed on the other shore of the stream. "Try putting your index finger against the edge of the rock."
Adonnenniel did as instructed, and this time it bounced three times. "Yes!" she said happily.
Merry challenged her. "I'll bet I can get four!"
"You wanna bet tonight's dessert on that, shortie?" Adonnenniel grinned.
Ten minutes later, Merry, Pippin, and Adonnenniel were having a full fledged rock skipping contest. Bellethiel was leaning against one of the white trees, watching their antics amusedly. Sam and Frodo remained in the water, and looked as if they were having a deep conversation.
In the end, Pippin won the contest, along with two extra desserts.
As they trekked back through the forest, the rain slowly receded into a drizzle, and then stopped altogether. The sun peeked out tentatively at first, and then shed its brilliant light across the forest in dispersed rays that lit the trees and warmed the ground. Adonnenniel felt her spirits lifting.
When they arrived back in the center of Lothlorien, Bellethiel departed and the hobbits went to the practice grounds. Adonnenniel returned to her room, hoping to find Estela. As had happened for the past few days, when she woke up this morning, Estela had not been there.
Adonnenniel climbed the winding staircase, taking the steps two at a time, and the burst into her room. No Estela. Adonnenniel's face fell. She felt as if she never saw her sister anymore since they had been here. Back home, her and Estela were inseparable, except while they were in school. Here, the only time she got to see her sister was at dinner and sometimes at night before they went to bed. Adonnenniel sighed, and then decided to join the hobbits for sword fighting.
When she got there, she spotted Aragorn and Gimli, and asked if they had seen Estela.
"No, I have not, but if I see her then I will mention you were looking for her," he told her.
"I will as well," Gimli said gruffly.
"Okay," Adonnenniel sighed, feeling somewhat annoyed with her sister. "Would you like to practice?" she asked Aragorn.
"If you wish," he replied. He handed her a sword, and Adonnenniel grasped it. Its metal felt cool and familiar beneath her fingertips.
As her and Aragorn practiced, Adonnenniel felt her annoyance with her sister fade. Sword fighting was a unique experience for her…At home, she did not play any sports and the only exercise she ever got was walking to the bus stop every morning. It had therefore shocked her when she had discovered that she possessed some amount of hand eye coordination. She found that she was best at sword fighting when she simply let go and let instinct take over instead of focusing too hard.
Also, it was just plain enjoyable for her. She loved the moment of anticipation before their swords met. She loved the elated feeling that engulfed her when she parried a strike or made a good offensive maneuver.
"Excellent," Aragorn nodded. "You are improving rapidly. I admit that I was surprised when you showed an interest in swordsmanship."
"It's very fun," she replied.
Gimli let out a noise that sounded like a laugh. "You had better pray it remains simply for your enjoyment. A real sword fight…Now that is something I would not describe as fun."
Adonnenniel made a face at him. "Don't be raining on my parade, Gimli."
"Excuse me?" he said gruffly.
She rolled her eyes. "Never mind." The fact that nobody understood half the things she said could be really annoying sometimes.
She refocused on parrying Aragorn, and she skillfully blocked him and then swept his sword to the side with a flick of her wrist. She knew that he was not trying very hard at all, and was in all honesty letting her win so she could practice offensive maneuvers, but the small victory made her ecstatic and renewed her efforts. When she paused for a breather, Aragorn said, "You have improved rapidly."
"Thanks," she panted.
"I happen to think that you would stand a chance of momentary survival if we were confronted with a real fight," he continued graciously.
"Momentary survival? Jeez, thanks..."
Aragorn grinned and came at her stronger this time. She thought ahead, trying to predict and mirror his fluid movements. At some point during their practice, Adonnenniel had this incredible moment where the sword felt as if it were an extension of her arm instead of just a piece of metal.
Though after another hour or so of practicing with him, Adonnenniel was spent. She panted heavily as she slipped her sword into her belt.
"Ugh," she groaned. "My arms feel like jello. You know what I mean? And I think my legs are gonna explode. Like confetti."
Aragorn and Gimli exchanged a 'she's crazy' look. Adonnenniel had grown to recognize that look lately. She sighed, and then without thinking about it walked over near the trees and sat down on the ground.
"Eeew!" she screeched, jumping up and being careful not to turn around.
Aragorn looked concerned. "What is the matter?"
"Mud," she whimpered. "I forgot it had rained, and I just sat in it. Ugh. I know I was hating on this dress earlier, but now I feel bad for ruining it." Adonnenniel shuffled slightly, embarrassed to turn around because of the large brown blob on her butt.
Figuring out her dilemma, Aragorn laughed. "I suppose that Gimli was correct in saying that swordsmanship has its risks. You were weary, so you did not think before sitting."
"Humph," Adonnenniel huffed. "I don't know if this is worth it." She shuffled back to her room with Aragorn's laughs following her. "Women," muttered Gimli.
Despite this occurrence, Adonnenniel continued to return to the practice grounds daily. She was improving quickly, and basked in this newfound talent. As their stay in Lothlorien lengthened, she progressed to more rapid fights and felt her usually stick like arms becoming more muscular. She found that she could actually walk around Lothlorien with Bellethiel and the hobbits every morning without getting tired right away.
Meanwhile, Estela was improving with Sindarin at the same pace her sister was with sword fighting. After another two days of teaching her, Legolas started a conversation in Elvish with her as they were walking back to their rooms at night. It had been a long day…Estela had done archery with Legolas in the morning, practiced sword fighting until she had depleted Boromir's patience, and then studied in the library. She was continuing to rapidly improve in Elvish, and Legolas was taking to starting spontaneous conversation with her in the language.
"Mára aurë, Estela," he said.
Catching his drift, Estela responded, "Suilaid, Legolas."
"Manen nalyë?" (How are you?)
"Im maer, le hannon," she said. (I am well, thank you)
Legolas appraised her approvingly. "Man tolthant i 'waew?" (How is the weather?)
She felt an urge to laugh at the randomness of the question, but responded appropriately. "Hû nîn mant han, man sâd telil." (The sun shone earlier, but now it is slightly cold)
He smiled. "Excellent, Estela! Now try asking me a question."
"Ummm…. Manen orchal le?" (How tall are you?)
Legolas laughed.
"Daro i!" Estela smiled. (Stop that!)
"Estela, lasto lalaith nîn," Legolas admitted. (I am laughing at you)
Estela gaped at him, unsure of what to say. She decided to go with prattling off a random phrase. "Hey, Legolas, tiro na i ninniach vanui!" (Look at the beautiful rainbow)
Legolas' head shot up. "Where?"
Estela grinned at him. "You do realize we're standing in the middle of a forest, right? And given the time of day, the only celestial objects in the sky right now are the moon and stars."
"Aaah," he said slowly. "I thought you were being serious. Oftentimes it is difficult to tell with you."
"Oh. Sorry. So you like rainbows, then?" Estela said.
"Yes, I suppose so," he said decidedly.
"Do you also like fluffy clouds, prancing bunnies, and poetry?" Estela bit her bottom lip to prevent herself from laughing.
Legolas narrowed his eyes at her, as if trying to decide if she was making fun of him or not. "Yes, I am rather partial to such things," he said carefully. "Particularly poetry."
"Lovely," Estela said, trying her hardest not to lose her composure entirely. "Though I suppose enjoying poetry is admirable."
Legolas shook his head. "I fear I will never quite understand you. Returning to Sindarin, Estela, your word choice was somewhat strange, though I suppose it worked."
"Okay. Strange word choice. I can fix that. Anything else?"
"Yes," he nodded. "What happened to your pronunciation? It began excellently and then deteriorated."
"Hû nîn mant han, Legolas," she said seriously. (My dog ate it)
Legolas laughed. "Do you know what you just said, Estela?"
Estela found, not for the first time, that his laughter was quite contagious. "Yes, I know what I said." She joined in with his laughter, and for a while neither of them could stop.
"Okay, okay," Estela said after a few minutes, regaining her composure slightly. "It wasn't that funny."
"Truly, Lady Estela, it was," Legolas smiled.
"Not as funny as Newton's law was to you," she joked.
Legolas did not respond. She at him and saw that a distant look had passed over his face. From spending time with him, she had learned that usually when this happened, he was contemplating something profound. Estela left him to his thoughts and did not speak.
They walked in silence for a moment, and then at last he spoke again. "Teaching you is quite strange."
She gaped at him. "Um…thanks?"
"No, no," Legolas said quickly. "Do not take it the wrong way. I am not referring to your…aahhh…peculiarities. What I meant is that it is not as if I am teaching you another language which you have never heard before. It is as if you know what I am teaching you already, and I am merely awakening your memories. I have thought on this for a while, and I think it possible that someone, perhaps your mother, spoke Sindarin to you when you were a child, and you simply do not recall. And yet you must recall it on some level, because clearly you have retained knowledge of the language subconsciously."
Estela started. "That's an interesting theory."
"I think it quite plausible. It is an incredible feat that you are able to have a conversation in Sindarin, however short, and also retain excellent pronunciation without prior knowledge to the language."
Estela mulled over his theory for a moment. "You know what?" she said finally, "I think you might be right. I…I don't exactly remember my mother, but the language did sound familiar when I first heard it spoken here."
Legolas did not respond, but merely nodded in her direction. He appeared to be lost in thought again, and Estela didn't speak again so she wouldn't disturb him. They walked in silence back to their rooms, but the silence wasn't awkward or unpleasant. It was simply present, and Estela knew that she didn't need to fill it with words.
When they reached the bottom of the winding staircase, Estela looked around. This night was particularly beautiful. The silver light fell in shimmering pools on the staircase, and reflected softly on the trees. "It's pretty here," she said suddenly.
Legolas smiled. "One would think you might have noticed that by now."
Estela rolled her eyes. "Of course I've noticed. I just felt like reiterating it. It's worth extra emphasis, don't you think? Especially after Moria."
"Moria was indeed horrible," Legolas said, suddenly looking forlorn. In that moment, Estela was more tempted than she had yet been to tell him that Gandalf was not actually dead. She bit her lip, and looked away from him.
"I wish I could have seen it before the war started," she settled with saying.
"Me too," Legolas nodded. "It would certainly have been quite a spectacle."
"Like one of the Seven Wonders of the World," she said without thinking.
Legolas raised his eyebrows. "Pardon?"
Estela laughed briefly. "Back home, there are these stunning places referred to as the Seven Wonders of the World, because they are the most notable sites of our world."
"What are they?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious.
"All seven of them?" she said with a wry smile. "I'm not sure I can name all of them, actually. Let me think…The pyramids of ancient Egypt are one. I don't think there are pyramids in Middle Earth, but imagine a colossal triangular shaped building with steep steps leading up to the top, and then imagine many of these structures scattered across a desert. And of course the Great Wall of China. It's what it sounds like…A large wall that stretches for four thousand miles over a range of mountains. Also, there's the Taj Mahal, which is a pure white tomb made of marble, jade, and crystal." Estela paused. "This is sad. I can't think of any more. I can think of a million amazing places, but I'm not quite sure which of them are one of the Seven Wonders." She laughed. "I could probably name the seven deadly sins easier."
Legolas did not speak for a moment. "Your home sounds beautiful, Estela," he said after a minute. "Do you wish to return?"
Estela could've sworn that she detected worry in his voice. "I don't know," she said honestly. "I would have to be confronted with the decision and then think about it. My immediate answer is that I absolutely wish to stay here."
"I think this world suites you," he said. "You are eager to learn of my peoples' customs and show a clear affinity for our language."
"And don't forget that I'm turning into an Elf. I think my ears are getting more pointed," she joked.
Legolas took her seriously. He reached out a hand, brushed her hair aside, and lightly touched her ear. "They are," he said, sounding surprised and withdrawing his hand.
"Really?" Estela felt her ear. To her surprise, it actually did feel slightly less rounded on the tip. She suddenly found herself smiling widely. She had a strong urge to say something along the lines of Oh my gosh that's so freaking cool! but restrained, knowing he would stare at her like she had two heads. She contented herself with continuing to smile widely.
Legolas laughed at her expression. "You seem suddenly cheerful."
She shrugged. "I think it's pretty neat. I wonder if I'll grow a few inches as well," she mused.
"I think your height is fine, Estela. I would not wish for you to surpass me in height," he said seriously.
Estela grinned. "Hey, just keep the hobbits and Gimli around. Then you'll feel tall all the time."
Legolas laughed again. "You are of quite a cheerful disposition tonight. It is somewhat contagious."
Estela pantomimed tipping a hat to him. "Glad to be of service. I once got a fortune cookie that told me "Your happy outlook is one of your assets."
"I do not know what a fortune cookie is, but I think it is correct in saying so," he smiled.
They did not speak for a moment. Estela looked around the forest, suddenly noticing just how dark it was. "It's late," she said, abruptly feeling tired. "Adonnenniel is probably wondering where I am. Assuming she's still awake at all. I should probably go to my room."
Legolas nodded. "You should get sufficient sleep. We tend to wake earlier here than I think you and your sister are accustomed to."
"That's true," she nodded. "At home, I sleep in until long past sunrise whenever possible." Estela yawned as another wave of exhaustion roll over her. "Goodnight, Legolas."
She started walking up the steps, but he grasped her hand and pulled her back. She whirled around to face him, and their faces were mere inches apart. "Goodnight, Estela," he said. He raised her hand, and fleetingly brushed the top of it with his lips. Estela's eyes widened. "I will see you tomorrow morning?" he asked, releasing her hand.
Estela was suddenly glad for the darkness, for she was certain she had never blushed so profusely in her life. "Yes, you will," she said, keeping her voice steady.
She walked up the stairs and returned to her room in very, very cheerful spirits.
As Estela bathed and changed out of her dress and into a nightgown, a ceaseless replaying of what had just happened filled her mind. Oddly, despite her initial shock, it had somehow felt perfectly normal and expected. It had certainly surprised her, but it had also felt completely natural. She found herself engulfed with an extremely giddy emotion. She was smiling way too much and had an urge to sing or dance. It was a very strange emotion…It was just simple happiness, coupled with a strong wish to express itself. Estela laughed. This was ridiculous. She needed to just go to sleep.
Later that night after she had bathed and changed into a night gown, Estela lay in bed wide awake. She could simply not sleep, and found her thoughts not only wandering to the obvious, but also to her earlier conversation with Legolas. She kept thinking of what he had said about the possibility of her being able to pick up Sindarin relatively fast. Her thoughts wandered to her mother, and she suddenly felt like talking about it, as if voicing her thoughts out loud would help her make sense of the issue.
"Adonnenniel?" she asked, hoping her sister hadn't fallen asleep quite yet.
"Yes?" her sister replied groggily.
"Do you remember our mom at all?"
Adonnenniel was silent for quite some time. "No. Not at all. Do you?"
"I remember what she looked like."
"Oh. What did she look like?"
"She had long bright red hair, and gray eyes. A strange combination, but she was beautiful."
"Oh," came Adonnenniel's response.
Estela waited for her to say more, but she didn't, and she figured her sister had fallen asleep. She thought briefly of how strange and sad it must be for Adonnenniel to remember nothing at all of their mother. Estela at least had a vague memory of her appearance.
"Estela," Adonnenniel said suddenly.
"Yes?"
"What have you been doing since we've been here? I feel like I hardly see you. Whenever I wake up, you're gone already, and then at night I'm always back to our room before you."
Estela was startled. "I've been going to the archery range every morning with Legolas, actually. I'm a lot better at it than sword fighting." She laughed briefly.
"And then what are you doing all afternoon every day?"
"I haven't told you yet?" Estela realized with a jolt that she really hadn't spoken very much to Adonnenniel since they'd been in Lothlorien. "I'm learning Sindarin."
"Come again?"
"Elvish," she clarified.
"Oh. And I'm assuming Legolas is helping you with that?"
"Yes. I'm also learning about Elvish culture and such. It's really fascinating. You could come with us if you want."
Adonnenniel spoke quickly. "No thanks."
"Why not?" Estela asked, surprised.
"Because…because…" she stammered. "That just seems kind of…final, doesn't it? It's like you're just…giving in."
Estela looked at her sister. "What do you mean?"
Adonnenniel closed her eyes. "I mean that if you're learning languages and cultures from this place, then you're thinking about fitting in here. You're not thinking about going home."
"But I do want to go home." Estela realized even as she said it that the words sounded false.
Adonnenniel seemed to have not heard her. "So no. I won't come with you."
For a long time, neither of them spoke. Estela kept waiting for her sister to fill the silence, but when she didn't, Estela couldn't think of anything to say. She glanced over at her sister, and saw that Adonnenniel had turned away from her to face the wall. Estela sighed and rolled over.
After a while, Adonnenniel suddenly spoke again. "You've changed," she said quietly.
Estela pretended to be asleep and did not reply. She was scared of where this conversation was going. What her sister had just said disconcerted her…The idea that Adonnenniel was clinging to the possibility of going home so tightly caused a mixture of guilt and sadness to arise in Estela.
"It's not a bad thing," Adonnenniel continued, "But it's surprising and strange to me." She rolled back over on her back. "I know you're still awake, Estela."
"How do you think I've changed?" Estela said after a moment.
"You're more talkative and happy. Especially when you're around you know who." Adonnenniel's tone changed, and she suddenly sounded amused.
Estela groaned. "What is this, Harry Potter? You can refer to people by their names, you know."
"Will you kill me in my sleep if I admit that I didn't understand that?" Adonnenniel asked guiltily.
"No, but I will cast an Imperius charm and coerce you into reading Harry Potter."
"…Coerce?"
Estela laughed. "It means to force, compel, or strongly persuade."
Adonnenniel made shushing motions in her general direction. "Stop sounding like a dictionary, it's weird."
"Stop not understanding my dorky references, it's annoying."
"Well sorry," Adonnenniel huffed. "I can't help it."
They did not speak for several moments. Adonnenniel rolled back over, and tried to go to sleep.
"Adonnenniel?" Estela said suddenly.
"What?" she groaned. "I wanna sleep. I've had a busy day." She didn't mind rooming with her sister, but if Estela was gonna keep talking like this every night…
"Sorry," Estela said. "I was just wondering something, and I'd like for you to answer honestly."
"Oh right. Like I'd do that after you didn't answer my question last night." She sighed. "Whatever. What do you want?"
Estela spoke quickly. "If someone told you that you could return home right now, would you do it?"
"Yes," Adonnenniel said instantly. "Absolutely."
"Why?"
"What do you mean why? It's pretty here and all, but I miss my home so much. I miss my friends, my laptop, our dad, my music, certain foods…For goodness' sake, I even miss school at this point. I'd give anything to return home."
Estela considered for but a fleeting moment telling her sister of the Prophecy. But then something selfish rose within her…If she told Adonnenniel, then she would have to face the decision herself on whether to return home or not. Also, revealing that there is a way for them to return home would involve telling Adonnenniel of the Prophecy's dark prediction. Estela couldn't do that to her yet. Adonnenniel was so innocent, so fragile.
"Good night, Estela," Adonnenniel yawned. "I'll see you in the morning. Hopefully nobody wakes me up freakishly early tomorrow."
Estela closed her eyes, but had difficulty falling asleep. Her previous cheerfulness had vanished, leaving her feeling confused and guilty regarding her sister.
Coming Up Next!
-Lots of character tension!
-MORE GIMLI!
-Exotic pink fruit!
Another Author's Note: Remember to let me know: Lots of short chapters vs fewer long chapters. Thanks!