The night was still...uncomfortably so, thought Arshalous as she glanced at the window, the scroll she was reading falling unheeded to the floor. Again the thought of her wedding day haunted her and she tried to not remember that she would soon be married to the lost king of Pashtia...
Dread filled her, numbed her with its chillness. She had not heard from the Princess, and she feared that the few who would stand and fight would consider her lost to the Enemy. That must not happen, she thought fretfully as she began to pace before the fire.
And yet, weren't they right if they thought she was lost to the Enemy? What could she do....there was nothing she could do with the Emissary lurking everwhere...
She slumped to the floor and wished that Semra was here to brew her a cup of tea. Speaking of Semra where was she? She had been sent to bring some flowers to the lady Hababa...Arshalous' stomach knotted unpleasantly at the thought of Hababa...she feared she was dying...another person lost...
Semra should have been back by now...what kept her in the dark?
And then, it seemed to her, that she heard a horrible sound -- a faint sound of screaming, and terrible cries...
The door slammed open and Semra hurled herself through it. Her face was white, eyes wild with fright. "They are slaughtering the elves, my lady!" she cried, her body shaking with fear.
Horrifyed, Arshalous glanced out the window, wondering if more orcs were coming for the innocent, for those who plotted for the demise of the Emissary and his friends...And it seemed to her that she heard footsteps echoing in the air...would she soon hear the chants of orcs, lusting for blood?
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