Impurities

Chapter Twelve: Unraveling

"The library is impressive", Ezra told the guard awaiting him. If he were being honest, he would have spoken of his hatred of reading and that he had only stepped foot in the library because of Annawrete. He remained in act, speaking about books he had never read and authors that did not exist, until he came across Tauriel. She had been present at a number of his interrogations and looked very surprised to see him outside the unit they had contained him to. "Thranduil has released you?" she asked in disbelief. "He has", the man answered. Motioning to to the guard, he mocked, "He's also given me a bodyguard and permission to choose a wife from among your people". The guard captain rolled her eyes. He wasn't free, he was just given a leash. "You are not worth giving up immortality for", she said with eyebrows down-turned. At that moment Charlotte walked past them and Ezra recognizing her as a friend of Annawrete's.

In the library he had tried to kiss Annawrete---twice. It was as she was showing him the Elvish-Mannish dictionary and her written response to his previous note, that he leaned in causing her to gasp and turn away. When he persisted the second time, she pushed him into the shelf. Ezra was surprised that she would refuse him in such a manner, but he was not put off. He would be patient for he only knew how to thrive by deceiving people. With gaining the trust of others, he was capable to acquire sex, drugs, knowledge, riches, and power. A con artist taught from an early age, he knew the game and he knew it well. "You were never first choice anyway", he responded to Tauriel once he refocused. The guard captain narrowed her eyes at him. Not having a better rebuttal, she uttered, "There are few good men". She then stormed off offended. Charlotte could still be seen down the hallway. "You there!" Ezra called out in hopes that she spoke Mannish. Though she turned around to face him, it did not reveal whether it meant she understood.

"Do. You. Un-der-stand. Me?" he spoke slowly in fragments. Charlotte stared as he moved his lips. When he was through, she responded very clearly, "Yes, I'm not an idiot. You don't have to speak like that". Ezra was dumbfounded, "Not all speak Mannish here". Charlotte shrugged, "Mannish was removed from our schools 2000 years ago. Most elves under that age don't know it." Ezra nodded in understanding, "So that makes you..?" "2015", the elleth answered.

"You entered the dining hall with Annawrete", he began then continued, "What is her story?" Annawrete's eyes were so unusual, she had to have been begotten by a man he knew that possessed the same eyes. Charlotte took steps away from Ezra, "It is not my place to tell her story". He held her from leaving, gripping her wrist tightly. It caused the guard that supervised him to move from his spot. Immediately releasing her, Ezra rephrased his question, "Would you be willing to translate between her and I?" Scrawling now because of the way he had handled her, the elleth was in no mood to help him. "Why should I?" She spat. Ezra needed to be convincing quickly. Knowing that the heart is a weakness among females of all race, Ezra took aim. "Haven't you ever been in love?" he wore the mask of a lovesick fool. The elf prince passed in the window they were facing and Charlotte looked down at her feet. Ezra had found his translator.

Thranduil had listened and waited for a long time in hiding before a loud gasp from Annawrete was heard. It was not long after her outburst that several books collapsed to the floor. One could only imagine what Thranduil thought was happening before Annawrete had reappeared and left the library in a bit of a hurry. The man had taken his leave a few minutes after.  "Have everything moved", Thranduil said with his hands folded behind his back. Prince Legolas was bewildered at his father's sudden order for all of Annawrete's things to be moved elsewhere in the palace. "Her room should have been moved when she first started guard training", the Elvin king gave his excuse. Annawrete had crossed him and this was one way he would punish her for it.

Upon returning from the library, the young woman was confused at seeing multiple guards taking her bedroom items. "What is the meaning of this?" She asked one who was carrying her full length mirror. "You're being displaced to a room in the guards quarters", he responded. The guards quarters were shared rooms with no private showers. All guards washed in the public baths located in the depths of the caves. "For how long?" Annawrete questioned, thinking this was a temporary move. The Elvin king stepped out from her room and she froze staring up at him. "There is no space nor use for half your possessions anymore", he spoke with his usual tone. "Some will be thrown away and others sold", he reached for the emerald around her neck. "No, not this", Annawrete said a little too quickly as she pushed his hand away. "A guard does not need jewelry so fine. Have you grown fond of it so quickly?" He worded his question in order to test her.

Being that it was only a week ago that she had lied about possessing it for quite some time, she was not to fail his testing so easily. "When it has been mine since I was 18, it is worth more to me than what it can be sold for", the young woman gave the perfect response. "How did you acquire it at 18?" Thranduil asked and questioned further, "Your wages could never afford something like this. Was it a gift? Was it found? Stolen?"