The stone of landelle chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Confession

When she returned, it was only a little past midday. The house was quiet. "Odd everyone must be out", she said as she grabbed the knob and opened the door.

"Surprise," She heard and jumped as her eyes began adjusting to the light in the room. She noticed everyone was gathered within. The room smelled like apple pie, and sure enough there were three apple pies on the table in front of her. The children had huge smiles on their faces.

"What's this all about?" She smiled weakly and walked threw the threshold, shutting the door behind her.

"We heard you loved apple pie and this is a get well gift, Edlana's idea.” Risha said with a smile.

"I helped," Edland said so not to be left out of the glory, "Donnel and me picked the apples," Suddenly Laucian stepped out of the shadows.

"I helped too,” he said jokingly mocking Edland's enthusiasm. "I told them you liked apple pie," Everyone laughed. Including Eleana, she let her eyes shift in the direction of Laucian who was looking, she could tell purposefully, out the back window of his home. Not meeting her gaze.

"I uh, well I was to tired to help pick apples and knew nothing of baking but I’ll be glad to help you eat them,” Dekin said jokingly. She smiled and laughed again and turned away setting herself down at the table.

"Thank you all for the gift, and I have news, the King wishes to meet with you all at noon tomorrow." The kids started smiling and dancing around, their excitement brought a smile to everyone’s face.

"How is your King?" Risha said as she began slicing the pie.

"He is quite well, full of good spirits," she paused and looked towards Laucian, "and good advice as always." He looked toward her for a moment and then quickly looked away. Setting himself down at the opposite end of the table from her.

"That is good to hear. Kids would you like some pie?" Risha said obviously in a hurry to taste her masterpiece.

"Yes please," they both said at the same time.

"Only a small piece though I don't want them to spoil their appetite, I'm fixing stew for supper." On her way back she'd had a strange urge for her own stew.

"Are you sure your up to it," Laucian said looking at her. At that moment, he looked as if what had happened in the throne room never happened. His earlier mixed looks replaced with worry.

"I am well enough for this." She said never quite looking him in the eyes for more than a moment.

"As you wish, I will not argue with you much on this matter, you know I love your stew." Everyone had a small piece of pie which they all seemed to enjoy.

....

Laucian looked around at those gathered in his home. It was an odd mix of people to say the least but he knew that the people in this room would always be connected by friendship. He looked to the children. Yes they were human. Sadly yes Laucian would probably see them grow old and die. Sometimes the life of one of the Elven was hard. Especially when friendships were involved, not everyone’s life spans were as long as their own. Laucian decided to push this morbid thought to the back of his mind. Now was not the time to think of such things. They were still a long ways away. Laucian noticed Eleana stand and excuse herself to go prepare for the meal. He almost wanted to slap himself for what he had said in the throne room. He meant it, he meant it with all his heart. But it should have been done at a different time in different settings. He also let this feeling go for now there was plenty of time for everything else, but for now he just enjoyed the peaceful situation he at this particular moment found himself in.

...

After everyone was finished. Risha did the dishes. The kids, Dekin and Donnel went outside, and Laucian started looking at some old papers. Eleana began preparing everything she would need for dinner. 'Oh yea butter them up then tell them, that's going to help' she thought. She looked toward Laucian. He always seemed to be studying those papers when he wasn’t busy fighting or helping the King with one thing or the other. Her curiosity nearly got the better of her as she felt the knife in her hand reach the tip of her finger as she was absentmindedly chopping vegetables. She decided to put her mind back on the task at hand. Last thing she needed was to lose a finger because she wasn’t paying attention. After she had finished preparing the meat and chopping up the vegetables and adding the last few ingredients, it was her spices that made it her specialty, everyone ate until their bellies were full and Laucian told them how the kingdom became the way it is today. How the King had once been just a farmer back when King Ehnron was in power. King Ehnron had been a tyrant, who once had a man killed for simply trampling a flower in the palace garden. He sent his armies on quests for treasure and cared not that his kingdom was falling apart. He told them how King Threanous had watched his kingdom suffer long enough and in one brave move took down the tyrant and started his reign of peace.

"I remember that day" Eleana said from her chair in the corner, "I had followed Threanous to the castle. It was actually the earliest memory I have. In fact it was exactly one hundred ninety-five years ago this next day.”

"Wow Eleana your that old," Edlana stated and Eleana and Laucian both couldn‘t help but laugh.

"I'm two hundred and thirty," Laucian said smiling.

"Yes and I’m two hundred we Elves do not age as you do, why I have the body and appearance of a seventeen year old human.”

"Wow!" They both said in unison looking toward each other, clearly amazed.

"Ok kids you've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow, time for bed." Dekin said smiling, apparently sensing the fact that Eleana wanted to be alone with Laucian.

"Just one more story." Edlana said smiling up at Laucian.

"No no, I'll have one for you all tomorrow night, but for now it's time to rest," Eleana said with a smile. They protested a bit but then they got up and started for the bedroom, Dekin not far behind to tuck them in.

"I didn't know you were there," Laucian said as he sat beside her and lit another lantern. It was dark, about three hours past sunset. Risha had gone to bed before the story and Donnel and Dekin had both just said goodnight.

"Yes I was there, Threanous raised me you know," suddenly her eyes began to tear.

"What's wrong?" He said clearly concerned.

"I have,” She paused not really sure weather she should do this or not. “I have something to tell you, I want you to please listen to everything I have to say first before you give me your reaction."

"As always," he said with confusion looking upon her.

"I’ve been with Threanous since the day I was born, my mother died in his house shortly after having me. When my father learned that she was pregnant he poisoned her, in an attempt to kill me, if it wasn’t for one of the healers there I would have died. She escaped and headed here, but the poison had taken it’s toll on her and she was deathly ill. My father and my mother were not wed. I came about as the result of a rape. My mother was human and my father was an elf. My father was a very greedy elf. My mother had been kidnapped from a nearby kingdom. She had been entrusted with some serious information from an Elven friend. She was beaten until she told him what he wanted to know.” She sighed knowing that she was rambling, but didn’t know how to put into words this terrible secret. “Laucian my father is Delvin and my mother is the one that told him where the stone was. I am the offspring of the very man we hunt. The very man who's creatures nearly killed me." She was now crying too hard to speak, her stomach in knots. She laid her head down on the table not wanting to see his reaction. Here she was, a proud Elven warrior. Crying like a child. It sickened her. Laucian placed his hands on her shoulders forcing her head off the table.

"Why have you kept this a secret for so long,” Laucian said full of hurt. She turned her head away to stare into the fireplace.

"I didn't think it would be accepted. I thought you all would think me a traitor."

"Have I not told you that I loved you Eleana," He put his hand on her cheek and forced her to look into his eyes. "Eleana, you are who you are because of your choices not your parents."

"But-"

"No buts, you are a great warrior, one of the best I’ve seen and you are a good Elf. I mean just look at the children, they love you.” He said and this time he averted his eyes slightly. “and I love you.”

"Laucian, the children are still so frightened, and they won’t understand. And the others” She paused and sighed. “Well I shudder to think what they will have to say about the matter."

"Yes Eleana, your right about the children. They won’t understand at first. But both of those children are wise way beyond their age. It won’t take long for the realization to hit. They will realize that you are the same person, that told them stories, that has comforted them these past few weeks. Despite the fact that they now know who your father was. And as far as the others go, each one of them knows that all beings in the world, are both good, and evil. And just because your father made the decision to walk his path, doesn’t mean that you are destined to follow."

"I hope you’re right."

"I know I’m right, now go to bed, rest, you'll feel better in the morning." She sighed. Her heart somewhat lighter.

"I’ve decided to tell them tomorrow during the meeting with the King."

"It's your decision whatever you decide I’ll stand behind you."

"I may need you to stand in front of me for protection." And despite herself she laughed a bit.

"I don't think that will be necessary." He said with a slight smile.

"I hope your right. Are you coming to bed?"

"I have some things I need to do I will join you later."

"As you wish," Eleana got up and started heading for the bedroom.

“Wait a moment” Laucian said getting up from the table and walking over to her. He wrapped his arms about her waist and kissed her on top of the head. She merely leaned into his embrace a moment and then sighed and pulled away walking toward the bedroom.

…

Laucian knew that Eleana’s sleep would be troubled, and wanted desperately to be there. To hold her when her dreams turned to nightmares. But he couldn’t do it. He was a two hundred and thirty year old warrior elf, and was afraid of the declaration of love he had made. He hadn’t really expected her to say it back. But he had expected some sort of reply from her. He knew she had so much on her mind and that was what had kept her from discussing his declaration. But it still did little to ease his troubled mind. He sat down at the table in front of the papers. His most prized possession. But not his love. She was in his bed, probably crying, as he just sat there. But he didn’t know what else to do. He knew sleep would not take him this night, he grabbed up the papers and began reading until mornings light.

…

"Eleana, Eleana wake up it's time to get ready to go." Laucian said sitting on the side of his bed gingerly shaking her.

"Did you sleep?" She asked setting up and stretching her tired shoulders.

"A little, I'm going to go wake the others" He said with a slight smile and somehow she could tell he was lying. She merely nodded and smiled. Her sleep had been troubled with nightmares. She saw the children crying and hiding behind Dekin. Dekin shielding them as if she were about to charge at any minute. Risha and Donnel saying, ‘lets chain her up before she decides to go help him.’ It was only a dream but it made her even more nervous about what was going to happen at the meeting.

"Eleana, Eleana," Laucian moved to kneel in front of her placing his hands down on hers "Eleana."

"What," She said blinking and looking right into his eyes, this action having broken her concentration.

“Are you going to get ready, we'll be late if we don't set out soon?”

"Oh yes I was just," he interrupted her by grabbing the back of her head and pulling her into an embrace.

"Worrying,” he said finishing her sentence for her. “Don’t worry, everything will be fine the King and I will not let any harm come to you," that said he released her and headed off to wake the others with out another word. She washed up in the tub of water he left for her beside the bed and then got dressed in her simple riding outfit and robes. She usually wore this when not planning to do battle or was in the mood to dress more lady like. She headed into the kitchen, everyone except the Dwarf was waiting for her, setting around the table. Everyone was already dressed, and Edlana was wearing an old dress of Eleana's with some alterations of course. Eleana walked over to the children and knelt between them pulling them both into an embrace. Edland fighting this for his collar was already choking him enough. The children had insisted on dressing up for the meeting with the King. Though it seemed whoever dressed them had never dressed up in their life. Eleana fixed Edland’s collar and heard a few laughs escape from Risha and Donnel and turned to see who had dressed the children. Dekin was wearing his shirt and trousers seams showing and yet he still tried to button it. Eleana couldn't help but laugh heartily at the sight before her.

"What? Does this not look right," He stated clearly not seeing what everyone was laughing at. With a few pointers Dekin went back down the hall and came back with everything correct, well almost, he was still buttoned crooked. After fixing his shirt they set off for the castle.

Eleana was nervous, she wasn’t sure how the others would take the news. She thought of turning back and running several times but knew that Laucian would stop her. She was stronger than this, she knew it. Yet she felt weaker now that she had after being attacked. She saw the castle coming into view and knew it was her last chance to run. Laucian, apparently sensing her thoughts, grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly reassuringly.

"Rishantra lea encarta leamon vicantra," He said and with that the gates were opened, and there was no turning back now.