While Amaryllis had stayed with her mother for a week or so, she had let herself imagine what her rather appealing friend, Arloss, was doing. She imagined him on horseback, riding alongside the king's son, Legolas. Then she caught herself imagining him sipping waper from a cool clear stream while resting for the night, his brown eyes filled with joy and laughter as he ran to her and swept her off the forest floor and kissed her so sweetly.
In the afternoon, of the last day she had visited her mother, a messenger arrived at the door. Amaryllis answered and was greeted by one of her friends who worked inside the palace.
"Why, Thalig, what are you doing here?"
The messenger hid his eyes from his female friend for he knew that should he face her gaze, she would see the bad news he could not keep hidden.
"Miss, Amaryllis, I was sent because a terrible terrible thing has happened..."
Amaryllis became wary of each word he spoke and the tone in which it was spoken.
"What? What has happened?"
"Since you were seen with him last, it was decided upon that you should be the first to know..."
A vision of Arloss flashed in Amaryllis' mind. His face bloody, his eyes filled with horror, frozen in death. The tears came and she chose not to fight them. She used all her strength to listen to the rest of what Thalig had to say.
"He was found in the forest... They could not save him... He fought courageously. I'm so terribly sorry, Amaryllis."
Thalig was starting to turn away from the door with sorrowful eyes as Amaryllis burst out of the house and started running. To where, she had no clue, all she knew was that she had to get away. Had to go somewhere where she could weep. Thalig began to run after her but was soon far behind her and could no longer follow her.
She ran as fast as she could into the woods. The branches tearing at her dress. She hardly felt one slash her arm as she headed deeper and deeper into the forest. Blinded by the tears in her eyes, she could not see the log that lay directly in her path. She tripped over it, landing in a puddle of mud, covering herself with the filth and stench. She got up, however, and stumbled into the clearing where two elf girls sat silently. She finally collapsed in a heap of mud, stench, and sobs. She could run no more, her legs throbbed, and her feet were bleeding. As she wept on the forest floor, she gave up on love and all that could make her happy.
[ June 03, 2002: Message edited by: Fair Amaryllis ]
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