[Imladris]

Arshalous glared at Korak before looking again at the construction of the temple. She could see what he was thinking, could see the mean glint of victory like some rat who had outsmarted a cat for a little crumb of cheese without realizing that the cat actually had the whole piece between her paws. "You think you have won cousin, triumphed over me in some petty way," she said, "but you actually haven't."

He laughed at her then his handsome face contorting in disbelief. "Not only are we working together but we are working together for a cause you vehemently disagree with! How have I not won?"

She smiled softly and played with a pebble with her sandled foot. "Because, dear cousin, my helping you build this temple is proof that you simply were not rich enough to do it." She stopped, relishing the look of his face paling, and then turning purple red. "It means that I had to help you...I had to help you get what you want. You couldn't have done this without me. Without me, this temple wouldn't even exist -- or else the sky god would have had to wait a much longer time for his temple. If anything, Cousin," she added, narrowing her eyes, "you should be thanking me, instead of gloating."

She looked at him for a moment, her lips turning into a smirk. "Oh look!" she said suddenly, her eyes pointing at the departing form of the Princess. "There goes your lady love! Will you hasten after her, adoring the very ground her sandals touch, and proclaim your love again before the watching public?" She scoffed. "It disgusts me," she hissed, "the way you pretend to love her."

"Who says it is a pretend love?" asked Korak angrilly.

"Oh do not recite your lies to me, Korak. The people will see soon enough that the only thing you desire is the throne. And if they do not see it and if they welcome you as King then they are fools." She would have gone on to say that the King was a fool for even letting it take place -- for even considering Korak an heir when he had a perfectly good son, but she realized that such rash words spoken before Korak would turn her into a fool and end in a traitor's death.