[Lyra Greenleaf]

Emilia smiled as Adrama catapulted into her. Now that was something you would never catch Emilia doing. As she helped Adrama up she noted creases in her gown and hair which looked in need of brushing.

"Adrama, what's wrong?" she asked with a note of sympathy injected into her voice. That was the best way to deal with her. Adrama and Emilia might not know each other that well, but she was one of only a few women Emilia would count as friends and that was sometimes important.

"You look horrible" she added, with her nose wrinkled.
"Oh, Emilia!" Adrama said with great drama. Emilia tried to stop her lips twitching at the thought of how appropriate her name seemed.
"It's so good to see you. I can't stand to look at Finduilas another moment."

Emilia smiled wider. This seemed like gossip, and gossip was her greatest passion. Well, she recollected, her second greatest.
"Why not?" she asked, considering her words with care. A trembling lip and full eyes showed her that Adrama clearly needed even more careful handling than she had realised. "Adrama, do tell me what's wrong."

"I-I l-l-love him" Adrama stuttered. Emilia sighed. Perhaps the gossip would not be as good as she had hoped. Still, she would be meeting that cook later, to see what had been picked up below stairs and that might provide something of more import than a love story. With divided interest she listened to Adrama's story. So she loved Denethor? That would explain irrational hatred of his bride-to-be. And the fact that Emilia had first been drawn to Adrama because, unlike every other female at court, she did not appear to be competing for the eligible males.

I don't care what my mother and father say to me," Adrama completed her tale. "I hate Finduilas, and I will not behave to her otherwise. She's absolutely ruined my life, and I won't forgive her for it."

Emilia considered. Where should her loyalties lie? In the complex spider-web that was court life; one girl's hatred for another meant little. However Finduilas was the more important of the two, as the bride of the future steward. Still it was important for Emilia to keep her friend, for there were times female companionship was necessary. There was Dryea, of course, but Adrama in this state would make it easy for Emilia to be in control. With Dryea it was sometimes disconcertingly the opposite.

"That's terrible" Emilia said, reaching a decision. "Denethor should have chosen from Minas Tirith. What is the world coming to that he has to choose a foreign girl? She's not even that pretty."

Yes, for now at least, Adrama was the right choice. She would calm her down and then go into the party for Finduilas. If she was lucky Adrama would return to her rooms and then Emilia would get the chance to speak to Finduilas. Oh, and perhaps do a little husband hunting for herself- maybe the party from Dol Amroth had included some guards? She understood that there were noblemen, but they would probably be little different to the ones already here, soft and weak. An image of the city guard floated into her mind. With a grimace Emilia banished him again and turned her attention back to Adrama. She needed to think of an excuse to leave her.

[ July 04, 2003: Message edited by: Lyra Greenleaf ]