Daughter Of Lórien || Book 1||

Ch 43 ~ The New Captain

I awake to watery sunlight tickling my eyelids. The curtains are still shut but slivers of light peek through, bright enough to indicate it to be past mid-day. I sit up, yawning as my eyes adjust, faintly aware that I am still in my gown from last night, though now the velvet is rumpled, and someone had taken out the plaits in my hair to let it fall loose. As I clear the sleep from my mind, the events from last night begin to fall into place.

Legolas and I had danced til the sun came up, and then he escorted me back to my rooms. I had asked him to stay for a little while, and we had both been so tired that we'd fallen asleep in the sitting room, sprawled across the plush sofa.

Rising, I slip a robe over my wrinkled dress and walk through the rooms, but the prince is nowhere to be seen. No doubt he'd risen earlier and rushed off to do whatever duties royal life demanded of him. Walking back into the sitting room, I fiddle with the loose waves of my hair. He must have undone the braids this morning. I smile at the thought of his fingers running through my hair, gently tugging at the strands, disappointed to have missed it.

My breakfast tray is nowhere to be seen so I assume Varissë has also slept in after the festivities, or she'd already came and silently slipped back out. A blush rises to my cheeks at the thought of her coming in early and finding Legolas and I huddled under a blanket, tangled in each other's arms as we slept.

Undoing the lacing of my gown, I let it fall to the ground and select a pale blue one from the armoire in my bedroom, made from silky material that ripples like river-water with each movement. I slip into it, the shade coincidently nearly identical to a certain prince's eyes.

My lips tugs into a knowing grin. It would seem my mind is rather occupied with one person this morning. Pulling my hair into a quick plait, I rush out of the room in search of him.

~~~

I arrive in the great hall and nearly slam into Tauriel turning the corner.

"Lady Celebríel," she greets in a soft voice, her green eyes warmer than I've ever seen them. "It's nice to see you out of your rooms."

I only nod, giving her a polite smile, though slightly confused at her sentiment. I don't linger on it though, my thoughts pre-occupied with someone else as I scan the hall, looking for a familiar head of pale blonde hair.

Her warm eyes sadden. "I wanted to extend my condolences to you, my lady. On behalf of both myself and Nëniel."

My heart freezes in my chest, a frown rising to my face as I finally focus on her. To my knowledge, no one beyond the King and Legolas knew about my mother. I would have prefered it to stay that way.

"I didn't expect anyone to know."

Tauriel gives me a pitying smile. "People are observant, my lady, and rumors do spread. I didn't want to believe it but the King confirmed it to be true to Nëniel when she asked him."

I scan the entrance hall below us, searching for the tall elf-captain. I find her standing vigilantly at her post by the palace entrance, straight-backed and steely-eyed, no hint of the playful elf I had come to know.

Those cold eyes meet mine and for a brief moment I could swear something like pity fills them, but it's gone as quickly as it came.

"She asked after my mother?" I turn my gaze back to Tauriel, only to find her watching the captain as well.

"As cold as my sister may seem, there are a select few whom she truly cares about." Her eyes find mine again, a small smile tugging at her lips. "And I believe I'm correct in saying you are one of them. One of her only friends."

My heart twists in my chest.

And I foolishly threw that friendship away in a temper tantrum.

I mentally cringe. She has good reason to ignore me.

I glance down at Nëniel in her simple uniform by the entrance again, eyes narrowing at the sudden thought that crosses my mind.

"Tauriel, why is the captain of the guard serving at a common guard's post?"

I find her watching me with dark eyes.

"You haven't heard, my lady? Nëniel is no longer the captain of the guard. The King demoted her this morning."