Roswehn of Mirkwood

The blue-eyed Princess

Sigrid had come visit the next day, while Roswehn was still sleeping upstairs. Yohlande had let her in, intimating her to speak in a low voice, so as not to wake her daughter up.

The girl could no longer wait at the idea of ​​talking to her friend, and had brought her a present: for a portrait that a Laketown painter made for Roswehn on her twenty-first birthday, she had purchased a beautiful frame, decorated in cedar wood, so that the woman could finally hang it, rather than keep it hidden in her closet. It was typical of Roswehn: she always forgot about her things. She had sewn herself a magnificent dress, and she had never worn it, in fact she wanted to give it to Sigrid, who in any case did not have the right body shape to wear it. She had paid a painter ten silver coins to make her a portrait and, after having looked at it for a brief moment, she had put it in a dusty closet, and there it had remained, with the risk that the moths or other little insects would ruin it.

Roswehn had a secret diary, which she had started writing five years before and had forgotten it at home, on the table in her bedroom.

"How is Regan?" the girl asked Yohlande, who had offered her some water with lemon and mint. It was already hot outside and  inside the house, and to keep the windows wide open was useless.

"Yes, she's quite fine, but do not call her Regan anymore, now she wants us all to call her by her real name." the woman answered, rolling her eyes. "You'll find her very thin, and a little tired. Do not ask her too many questions today, remember she only came back last night. " Yohlande added, sitting down at the table.

"No, no, I just want to give her this ..." Sigrid said, pointing at the wrapped frame, wich was adorned with a beautiful bow. "... and talk a little with her. I missed her. "

"Where's Tobey?" Yohlande asked, with a smile. Sigrid blushed.

"I asked him if he wanted to come and see Roswehn with me, but he preferred not, he says he feels guilty because once he and she argued, he's too proud to apologize." the young princess answered. By that time, her relationship with Tobey Cullogh was known to everyone, but she was still embarrassed when people asked her about him. Her father did not like that situation too much, in fact Tobey never visited their house; they always had to meet around in the city, and never let themselves go to cuddles nor tenderness in public. If they wanted to kiss each other, they had to do it secretly, if they wanted to write letters, one of Tobey's friends was in charge of being their personal postman. It was difficult to stay together, but both were determined to carry on their relationship.

Sigrid could not wait to be told by Roswehn all about her short trip. She did not know if her friend had found love in those two months: she had asked her father Bard, who apparently didn't know anything, but she would not have asked Yohlande. Sigrid only knew that Roswehn had a crush on the king of the Wood Elves, who lived in the nearby territory. She remembered the passionate sentences dedicated to him that she had found in her diary.

Sigrid was perplexed about it. It was known that Thranduil was beautiful ... but he also intimidated her.

She had heard of the Elven King so many times: it was said that he was older even than his forest and had a bad temper. In the years spent in Laketown, she often heard things like: "... we must do so not to irritate the King of Mirkwood." or, "... if we do not do this thing King Thranduil will get mad!", and grew up thinking he was a bad and dangerous creature, of which she had always to be afraid. So why was Roswehn infatuated with him?

"Will she stay here now?" the girl asked.

"I'm afraid not, Sigrid ... From what I understand, she wants to leave again ... My daughter is crazy, please do not follow her example, do not ever throw your family into anguish like she does." Yohlande said, putting a hand to the forehead, disconsolate. "I wonder who she got that from. Neither Hannes nor I have ever had this kind of behaviour. " She murmured.