She jumped with a gasp as she heard banging on her door. She quickly reached up, and drew the latch on the door. She knew it was Dani, but she just didn't want to look as if she'd been crying in the floor. She wiped away the tears, straightened her hair, and fought to put on a smile, but all she could manage was a quaky calm. She opened the door and met Dani on the other side, being completely aware that something was wrong. Dani wasn't a fool, she had a guess at the situation, but only part of it. "Um, hey. What is it?" she asked, trying to sound casual. "Um, well I was going to check on you, and if you'll pardon, recommend that you eat something." she said.

"Um, right, yes. I'll eat later. I just need a bit." she said. Dani nodded, "Of course, my lady. If you need anything just call me." she said before turning away. She closed the door and stood silently. What now? What was her next move? She supposed her mother should know. Better now than later. But what would she tell her? She had to have some explanation. Her mother would be furious, but there was nothing for it. She would have to know.

She tidied herself up some and stepped out the door. She stopped as she noticed the guards. She wasn't sure what they had heard, but they said and did nothing, only stood. She walked away looking around for her mother, preferably alone. She saw her, engaged in conversation with someone. "Mother! Um, can I borrow you for a second?" she asked. "Ah, Elayin, Lyrl, you know my daughter?" she said, turning to the woman she'd been speaking to. "Elayin, this is Lyrl, you remember her? She was a close friend of your uncle's wife. She has a son about your age." she said. "Um, right, hi. Mother-"/"Elayin, dont be rude!" exclaimed her mother. "Mother, I really need to talk to you!" she pressed.

"Honestly you are impossible!" whispered her mother. "But this is really important!" she insisted. "Well if it's so important then just tell me." said her mother, putting her hands on her hips. Elayin instantly fell silent as she peered expectantly. "Well?" said her mother. "I... I cant just tell you like this..." she stumbled. Her mother rolled her eyes. "Elayin, I swear to all that is good... Just tell me later, and try not to be rude to family friends again." she said turning back to Lyrl.

Great going, Elayin... She mentally scolded as she turned away. Its one thing after another. The one time she really needed to talk to her mother and she didn't want to talk to her. It was a while till she managed to catch her mother alone, only for her mother to ignore anything she said and drag her to the dining hall. The last thing she needed was to go to one of these damn things. But she sat silently beside the king as the people rose in deafening conversation.

She tried to ignore everything, but the words of those around her invaded her thoughts. "So, how's the family?"/ "Hey how's that girl of yours?"/ "Would have thought they weren't raised properly!" Ignore it, just ignore it! She chanted to herself. "How old is yours now?" why was it so hot? "ah well, two is enough for me!" she didn't even know if thats what they were talking about, but it sounded like it! "Oh, now dont be a child"/ "Seems only yesterday he was this tall!" could they just shut up!! "Thank goodness im not alone on this"/ "She's a lovely child" Child. A child. Her child. "Im with child..." she said, as if it had occured to her for the first time.

It was a moment before she realized she'd spoken out loud. She wasn't even very loud, but it was too late. All the wrong people heard it. Those that heard it went silent, as did those that hadn't, but only from confusion. Her heart just about stopped as she looked up to those around her, her face turning white. The king stared in confusion. He could tell something was wrong, and now he knew what. Her mother stared across the table in slack jawed astonishment, too many emotions running through her mind to let her pick one.

Elayin instantly rose to her feet and ran out of the room. She ran. She didn't know where, she didn't even go to her room, she just ran. Down halls and past doors till she came to a darkened dead end where she curled up and sat in the corner. What had she become? Some how she'd managed to make all the wrong choices. There she sat, like a lost child. Looking over herself, she unlaced the corset she wore and threw it away haphazardly. No point in acting like this wasn't her now.

"My lady?" said a voice she knew to be Dani. No, not now! "My Lady, are you ok?" she asked but she couldn't reply. She tried but her voice choked on the tears she was fighting. She buried her face in her hands, this being the only line of defense she had. Dani knelt to her and pulled her close as she stroked her head. That was it. Her look of calm fell apart. "Im such an idiot!" she yelled through her tears. "No, my lady." Dani countered. "Ive made so many mistakes, I just!.. I dont know what to do..."/ "Thats ok, you'll make it through." she said calmly. She felt so stupid and sloppy, just sitting there in the dark, crying. She hadn't cried this much in probably her entire life, but she was just so... Afraid.. She didnt know and certainly didnt care how long she had just sat there, but after a time, they stood, and Dani led her back to her room, urging her to bed. She didn't feel like arguing with her and just laid down without a word. She closed her eyes and tried to block out the question that ran on loop. What am I going to do?..

Slowly she woke. Sitting up and looking about herself, she passed her hand over her face with a sigh. She thought to the day prior, and she couldn't help but wonder what Ghash would have said or done if he had seen her like that. She felt all the more stupid, and now everybody knew. Everybody... She supposed they'd find out any way so it was better from her in the long run. She needed to get it together! She wasn't doing any one any good thinking like this! She needed to actually think through what she was going to do!

The door then opened, and all those calm, pragmatic thoughts went into a panic and scattered. Her mother entered the room, closing the door as she did. She turned to face her, her face in a forbidding calm. She was quiet for a moment before she said. "When?.." Elayin looked away as she tried to think, but nothing good to say came to mind. "... A while ago." she said simply. "Tell me." said her mother, maintaining her calm, which concerned her more than anything she could have said.

Elayin racked her brain to find what to say. "Well... I met someone... In the woods..." she said. "And." questioned her mother. "And?"Elayin asked. "Im assuming there's more to this story than that." she replied. "We were together... For a time." she replied. "So thats it." said her mother. "You ridicule me for seeking good, honest men for you, and the moment you leave you get entangled with strangers!" at this, Elayin's face grew hot. "Entangled?" she questioned. "Entangled! Without the respect or decency to even ask my approval, let alone have a real ceremony!" spat her mother.

Elayin rose to her feet, face flushed with anger. "Dont you think I would have wanted a ceremony?! How could we ask approval? My objective was to avoid this place, if I came here you wouldn't have let me leave!" she exclaimed. "So im the one in the wrong? For not wanting my daughter to go running about the wilds of Middle Earth?!" her mother said, "For not letting your daughter live her own life! Besides, even if we did ask approval, you would have said no!!" she shot back. "How much of a shrew do you think me?!" cried her mother. "Shrew or not, you would have said no!"/"So you just ignore any and all traditions for the sake of your 'care free life'?!" said her mother. "We didn't have time, and you know as well as i do that those traditions aren't even necessary!! I would have if I could, but I couldn't!!" she yelled.

"Right, then if you would have married them if you could, then why are you here? Where is he?" questioned her mother. "He... He went to war." she said, "War?" her mother asked, "He went to war, and left me here cause he thought id be safer." She explained, glaring at her mother as she spoke. Her mother was quiet for a moment, then said, "...Well, at least he has more sense than you do." Elayin gritted her teeth, turning from her mother to keep from snapping. "I can thank him for that much. I dont know who all will be willing to marry you now." Elayin turned to her sharply. "Oh for the love of- You know what, I dont give a damn! I dont want to marry anyone!" she yelled. "Fool girl! Dont you realize that Im doing this is for you!!" said her mother. "I dont want you to!" she snapped.

They both stood silently fuming for a long while, till Elayin heaved a sigh. "None of this was done to spite you or otherwise rebel. I never wanted to hurt you, but out there I had a life and one way or another, we're both just going to have to accept that." her mother shook her head. "All I have ever wanted is for you to be happy and safe."/ "Things dont always go as you want them to. Just one more thing we both need to accept..." she replied. Her mother sighed. "Ok. I will still find you a man, if nothing else for the child. I will help you, but you have to start being an adult."/ "I know." she answered simply. "Make your self presentable. Ive got to control the mess you made last night." said her mother before she turned and walked out of the room.

She sat back on the bed, laying her face in her palms. Well, her mother was right about one thing, she'd made a mess, and one that her mother wouldnt be able to "control". While at least her mother would grow to accept the fact that Elayin was to have a child, that didn't prepare anyone, least of all Elayin, for what the child was going to be.