An Unexpected Love

TWELVE

Navaheya closed the solid wooden door behind herself, she turned and pulled the chain of keys around her neck as she locked her home. The rising sun covered her in an orange light as she stepped down the wooden walkway of her home to the dirt path that led up through the village of Greenwood and to the castle. The burnt orange dress brushed the ground as her feet crunched the fallen leaves on the forest floor. Her sketchbook was tucked under her arm.

The wind had seemed to calm down since the night previous. However, the brisk temperatures still remained. Navaheya's steps quickened as the cold made goosebumps appear on her arms. She had forgotten her cloak as she had rushed out of the warm home. Navaheya had spent her evening with Thranduil, looking at different articles of clothing from her closet as well as looking through different items from her home. Once he had left, she had hung up her fall and winter dresses on a few of the curtain racks that hung on the walls of her home. She had then spent the night cleaning her home, leaving only a few hours for her to sleep causing her to wake up late.

Shivering, Navaheya entered the palace, suddenly enveloped in the warm air. There were servants rushing all around the hallways, only giving the seamstress quick smiles in greeting before rushing off to where they had to be. The silver-haired woman did not understand what was happening around her, the halls were never this full in the morning unless there was an event happening soon. Navaheya thought about the event schedule and realized the closest royal event that was ingrained in her memory was the Annual Autumn Festival, however, planning for the event usually didn't start for a couple more weeks. 

Navaheya tried to stay close to the wall and out of the way of the rushing servants as she made her way straight up to the royal halls, where the royal chambers and closet rooms were. In direct contrast to the underground halls, the royal halls were empty and quiet. There wasn't a servant or maid in sight. 

Navaheya entered the prince's closet room, expecting to find him waiting for her with a smile on his face. However, as she entered the room, Sir Larongar Sarcan stood before her, a neutral look on his face as he watched her enter the room. His dark hair was behind his shoulders, small braids fell from behind his ears. He wore a bronze-colored jacket, a tan blouse underneath, plain brown trousers, and dark brown boots. His hands were clasped behind him, he had clearly been waiting for her.

"Good morning Lady Navaheya, I must tend to other duties so this must be a quick meeting," His voice rang out to her in the empty room.

Navaheya slowly stepped further into the room, confused as to why her superior was meeting her and why the meeting was taking place in Thranduil's closet instead of Larongar's office in the palace.

"Sir, if I may, what is the purpose of this meeting?" Navaheya's voice slightly trembled. She wondered if her secret affection for the prince had been found discovered.

"Prince Thranduil's royal duties have been increased, including assisting King Oropher and his royal advisors with planning the annual Autumn festival gala," Navaheya nodded in response to the words of her superior. She was aware of Thranduil's increasing royal duties, he was growing into his role of heir to the Greenwood thrown after all.

Larongar continued, "You will need to find a time in your schedule to complete the prince's fittings that do not interfere with his increased royal duties,"

Navaheya let out a small sigh of relief, this was something she knew came with the territory of the description of her position. Personal royal seamstresses were expected to be on-call, and their schedules widely differed from the normal palace seamstresses as they had to change their schedules around the royal that they were assigned to.

The older elf started walking toward the door behind her but stopped next to her and began speaking once again, "The prince will require a new set of formal attire for this year's royal festival as well,"