Red Snow (The Shadows bk.3)

Chapter 18: Disappointment

Leaning back, Sairene rested her head on the marble edge of the bath and breathed in the rose-scented steam that swirled around her. Closing her eyes, memories flitted across her eyelids, never quite staying long enough to come into focus. Then one came, one with both her parents. They were celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary and the whole kingdom gave them gifts. Sairene saw how her mother graciously accepted each and every gift, no matter how small or simple and how her father watched her with a loving smile. Sairene herself was only four at the time. Remembering her age brought tears that flowed from beneath her closed eyes. If her parents had still been alive, they would have been celebrating their twenty-sixth wedding anniversary in just a few days. Opening her eyes, Sairene sat up and hugged her knees to her chest and rested her head on them. Gentle sobs shook her frame. Despite everything, she still missed her parents terribly and she knew that she always would. Even though she was considered an adult, especially at the age of twenty-five, she still, at times, felt like the twelve year old girl that had cried herself to sleep after learning about her mother's death.

Gently opening the chamber door, the maid that was assigned to the visiting monarch heard what sounded like quiet sobs come from the bathing room. Tip-toeing across the room, she glanced inside, she saw the young Queen sitting in the bath, curled up with her head on her knees; her shoulders shaking slightly. Deciding not to disturb her, the maid folded the towels she was carrying and quietly placed them in the doorway of the bathing room. Backing slowly back into the bedchamber, the maid selected a gown for the Queen and laid it out on the bed before exiting the room as quietly as possible.

Sairene did not know how much time had passed when she eventually decided to get out. Looking around, she noticed the folded towels by the door and a small smile formed. Standing up, she padded across the short distance and picked them up. Wrapping herself in the largest one, Sairene began to dry her hair before wrapping it up and making her way to the bedchamber. There she found a gown of purple and dark blue laid out on the bed. Patting herself dry, but leaving her hair wrapped up, Sairene slipped on the gown and fastened the necessary clasps before reaching up and freeing her hair from the towel. Picking up a hairbrush from the mirror-free vanity (they still hadn't replaced the missing mirror, much to Sairene's relief), the young royal wandered over to the small balcony and sighed when a slight breeze played with her hair. Unaware that she was being watched from below, Sairene proceeded to brush the damp strands.

Upon wandering past one of the many gardens that were scattered around the palace, Legolas caught sight of someone on the balcony of one of the forbidden rooms. On closer inspection, the Prince came to realise that the figure was that of his newly discovered cousin. Never having met his aunt, Legolas liked to imagine that Sairene looked very similar to her. As he watched her calmly brush her hair, he began to wander what exactly she had been like, his father's sister. He considered asking Sairene about her mother but he believed that it might be a bit painful for her and he didn't want her to suffer any more than she already had. Knowing that he would see her at dinner, he quickly left the garden.

Returning to her room, Sairene selected a simple gold circlet. Making sure her glamour was in place, she smoothed her gown and turned to leave the room. While following one of the servants to the dining room, Sairene wandered what the atmosphere at the table would be like now that her cousin knew everything; would Legolas resent his father as much as she did? Would they even be on speaking terms?

"Here we are My Lady," stepping aside, the servant opened the dining room doors for her and closed them as soon as she had stepped through.

Upon entering the room, Sairene saw that her uncle and cousin were already present and were standing in response to her arrival. Taking note of the silence, she smiled a little to herself, perhaps her dear uncle was indeed capable of telling the truth. Taking her seat opposite the Prince, she nodded to both him and his father respectively.

"Am I right to assume that you have been told everything?" Sairene believed it best to dive straight in, she saw no sense in dancing around and avoiding the topic.

"Yes," Legolas nodded and briefly glanced at his father, "my father told me all that I needed to know."

Satisfied, Sairene smiled and nodded, "good, very good."

"What is?" Once again, his cousin's behaviour confused Legolas.

Sairene took a delicate sip of wine before answering, "we are now all on the same page, so to speak. Of course, now you understand why I acted the way I did towards your father."

Remembering what his father had said, Legolas nodded, "indeed I do." Reaching across the table, he gently lay his hand on one of hers. "we all react to the death of a loved one in different ways." He gently squeezed her hand, "it is natural to want to blame someone. I know I did when my mother died."

Throughout her cousin's short heartfelt speech, Sairene felt mixed feelings of confusion, bewilderment and shock. Not reacting to her cousin's gesture, she simply stared before turning to glance briefly at her uncle, her eyes burning with a cold fire. Not being able to form any coherent words, she clenched her jaw and nodded. After a moment or so of silence, Sairene stood up, "if you will excuse me My Lords, it seems as though I have lost my appetite and wish to retire." Without waiting for a response, she left the room with Legolas looking at her retreating form with a confused expression.

All but running back to her chambers, Sairene tried to calm herself, but to no avail. Closing the doors behind her, she only made it a few steps before collapsing in a heap of fabric and tears. "You liar!" The words came out as a low hiss, "I gave you this chance to tell the truth, but you lied!" The last three words were almost screamed and accompanied by the throwing of a water pitcher against a wall. "You lied," Sairene once again collapsed to the floor and hit the carpet with her fists, "you bloody well lied!" She could not believe it! She didn't want to believe it! Looking up after a while, she glared at the closed door, "I swear on the grave of my mother, your sister and my father, the man you hated, that I will make you pay for this. That is a promise and you know me," a cold smile spread across her disfigured features, "I always keep my promises."