[VanimaEdhel]

Menelya had been riding not too far away from the confrontation. She saw her daughter drift away from Melost as the quiet struggle ended. Quickly, the nosy woman rode over to her daughter, who still had icy diamonds staining her flawless skin. Anwaelme made no move to block her mother's approach, apparently having given up on nearly everything after this rejection by her lover. Menelya took a breath and began to speak quietly, a rare thing for the Elf to do.

"Daught-...Anwaelme," Menelya said, addressing her daughter by her name. The Elf maiden turned, not used to this quiet tone from her mother, "I heard what just transpired."

"How could you not?" the girl said quietly, "It happened but feet from where you were listening."

"Anwaelme, listen to me. You must not let him get away. You must fight for what is rightfully yours," Menelya said, a desperate tinge in her voice as she struggled to keep it low.

"And how is it mine, Mother?" Anwaelme asked in a patronizing voice, looking at the Elf woman, "Most of this was your doing. And anyway, I shall not let you force us into doing something we do not desire."

"If children knew what was right for them..." Menelya began coldly, but then changed her direction, "You love Melost, yes?"

"Is that my love or yours, Mother?" came the answer.

Menelya paused, thinking of how to verbalize what she wanted to say. Inside, she was boiling. How could this man reject Anwaelme? After all Menelya had done, for the engagement to be called off would be a travesty. It would embarrass the whole family, too, for such a thing to happen. Menelya and Anwaelme were so close to that life they - well, at least Menelya - needed. That life was what was best for Anwaelme as well. If Anwaelme could not see it...well, she would know that it was what she desired once she finally obtained that lifestyle.

"Are we finished, Mother?" Anwaelme said, a slightly stronger tinge of annoyance in her voice now.

"No, we are not, Anwaelme," Menelya said, "If you cannot see that Melost is the best selection for you, then you are not as intelligent as you make yourself out to be. You need him. He needs you. I cannot put it into any simpler language, you stupid girl."

"That is certainly the way to win back my affection, Mother," Anwaelme said with bitter sarcasm tinging her words, "Calling me 'stupid' always just makes me feel absolutely lovely towards you. If you love Melost so much and think that he should be a part of the family, why do you not marry him? My feeling for Melost extends only as simple caring, if that even at this time. I do not feel what is necessary for love or marriage. You are the one who is creating the entire relationship and now you expect us to be grateful to you? Forcing both of us will only drive us away further from you than we already are."

Menelya struggled not to blow up at the girl, but was beginning to lose her temper completely.

"You selfish swine," Menelya said bitterly, remembering only after she said the words to keep her voice down, "If you will not straighten things out, then I will."

Menelya moved to ride towards Melost. She saw that it was nearing the time when they should make camp for the night. However, no one had suggested the camp. The women behind them were twittering and cackling like excited hens, continuing to gossip about everyone they knew.

Anwaelme reached out and grasped her mother tightly. Menelya turned and could see the look of fury in her daughter's face.

"If you move towards that man, Mother..." Anwaelme, said, trailing off.

"What shall you do, Anni?" Menelya asked, using the nickname that she knew Anwaelme would hate.

"I shall leave," Anwaelme said simply. She continued, "I shall ride off right now. I care not where I ride: I shall ride merely to be rid of you, Melost, and this entire disgusting predicament. I shall leave you once and for all. You shall be nowhere without me, Mother. Your status in society is waning. You know that as well as I do. You shall grow older and older with your idiotic friends and soon all you will have left are those trolls riding behind us and giggling. Is that how you want to spend the rest of this world's existence?"

Menelya looked at the cold girl, wondering if she should believe what she was saying. The look in Anwaelme's eyes said everything, though. If Menelya dared to make any moves towards Melost, Anwaelme would most certainly bolt. Menelya knew that Anwaelme was typically an Elf maiden that kept her word. Looking first at Melost, then back into Anwaelme's eyes, Menelya gave a sigh. It was not worth risking the loss of her daughter for the man. He would come to her senses, Menelya assured herself. No one could resist Anwaelme. Anyway, it was fate, Menelya could feel it. The two were deeply in love. Maybe...just maybe...when she next got out of Anwaelme's sight and Melost was alone. Yes, Menelya would just have to wait until she could corner the soldier alone. She would have to have more conversations with Anwaelme at a later time as well. The girl was irrational now. If Menelya just waited a few days...yes, that would be wise...

"Shall we be stopping soon?" one of the ladies asked, sounding much like a cawing crow in her calling. Her shout broke Menelya out of her thoughts and her plotting. Menelya looked back viciously at the woman, who quickly shut her mouth and turned to whisper to the other women, most likely about Menelya.

Anwaelme was right. If she was not careful, Menelya would not only lose all of the status she possessed, she would also lose her Elf friends.

It was settled, then: Menelya would have to interfere quietly if she interfered at all from that time forward. Her silence would be of the utmost importance. Menelya rode alongside the stony Anwaelme, pondering the best way to join the two children again. If not for Anwaelme, the joining was now essential to the slightly frantic Menelya and her shrinking social level.

[ July 04, 2003: Message edited by: VanimaEdhel ]