[Arien]

"I hate Finduilas." Adrama uttered under her breath. Her eyes flashed with a sudden coldness and whatever Alethea had expected her to say it certainly wasn’t those three words. It was too late now to cover her shock over what she had said, but Alethea suspected Adrama thought the shock was over the shock was over the fact that it was a terrible thing to say. But it wasn’t, it was a pleasant shock. Of course, Alethea wanted to blurt out that she held her in contempt too, but that was too brash for a lady like her. Maybe she would go about the matter in a Dryea like way. Or maybe not. A small smile broke across her face.

“Really?” she laughed. Adrama’s eyes were still cold, and Alethea could see that this was no act she really did loathe the woman. Which was not a surprise. And then the question fell upon to Alethea’s lips. Why? Of course it was either one of two, that this girl actually believed the rumours that he sister and mother had been spreading, or, or she actually wanted to marry Denethor.

Would it be impolite to ask, maybe if she did Adrama would think her too brazen and not converse with her any longer. She did not want to loose the girl as a potential friend, as she was much like herself, in personality that was. But she would not have had said it without knowing that Alethea would seek out why she did hate Finduilas.

“Why?” she ask her curiosity nagging her. Adrama’s head dropped down to her dress and then she looked up again.

“I hate her, I hate…” she repeated it with such fury in her voice that Alethea was once again taken a back, “..her…”

“Yes, but..” but Alethea’s protest was cut off by the announcement that lunch was ready, a scurry of women headed towards the lusciously decorated dining room. But Alethea pulled back Adrama’s arm as she got up. “So do I…but we cannot talk properly with them,” she nodded her head towards their mothers, “ watching over us.”

Adrama smiled, she seemed complacent with the fact Alethea shared her opinions. “Well tomorrow we might speak. But for now let us eat and at least be seeming to enjoy ourselves and we will talk of our meeting at the end of the lunch.” Alethea nodded and the two joined the table.

[ July 28, 2003: Message edited by: Arien ]