My Lady Dís

Chapter 16

Callon woke up to Tauriel, and not her grandmother tapping her on the shoulder. "Good morning, sweetie. Gram is feeling a bit under the weather today, so Ásný will be looking after you. Nana has to go to work."

Callon sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Is the king going to have breakfast with us today?"

"He might. Wash up and get dressed."

She went and Callon stared at her feet for a long time. Gram was 'under the weather'. That meant she was crying again, and didn't want the rest of them to see her with a blotchy face. She got up and soon joined her mother at the table. Thranduil was there, drinking coffee and talking to her mother about work. He glanced at Callon as she came in.

"Good morning, Princess Callon."

She nodded and climbed into her seat. "What did you say to make Gram cry this time?" she asked, trying not to sound bitter. Tauriel's eyes widened and Thranduil laughed.

"I didn't. Not this time. I understand Ásný is to be with you this morning. Would you rather spend the day with me?"

Callon tried to squash the excited flutter in her stomach. "But you can't take breaks," she told him. "Kings don't get breaks."

"No, you're right, Good Kings don't. I'm going to be a Bad King for the day. I was thinking about going for a ride."

Callon couldn't help herself. She leaped out of her chair and threw her arms around Thranduil's neck. "I would love to!"

He glanced at Tauriel and she nodded. "Good, then that's settled. Eat your breakfast and then we will go."

She hopped back to her seat and ate quickly. When she was done, she raced back to her room to put on trousers, then joined Thranduil in the sitting room.

"Ready!" She announced. He unfolded his long legs from where he was sitting on the couch and took her hand.

"Ásný, we may be a bit late for lunch." The maid nodded and followed them to the door.

When they had gone, she went to drag Dís out of bed. She was surprised, therefore to see that Dís was not only awake, but up and fully dressed. She was sitting on the side of the bed, staring at the floor. She glanced up as the door opened.

"Where's Callon?"

"She's spending the day with the king."

Dís nodded. "I'm sure she will have a good time." She rose and crossed to her desk. "Ásný, do you like living here?"

"Ma'am?" the maid began stripping the blankets off the bed. "I mean, do you like it here?"

"If you mean living in the Woods, it was an adjustment, but it's not so bad now that we've gotten used to it. If you mean in this apartment, it's quite comfortable."

Dís shook her head. "You've been with me for a long time, haven't you?"

"Over 60 years," Ásný agreed. "The young Masters were still quite small when I came."

"Yes, they were," Dís agreed with a fond smile. "Can you be honest with me, Ásný?"

Ásný sighed. "Ma'am, I think you should marry the king. He's not handsome the way a proper dwarrow would be, but you and your sons were never very proper. He seems to like you a lot, and the folks in the city speak very highly of you and of the little Princess.

They like that fact that you aren't afraid to stand up to him. I honestly don't think you being Dwarrow factors in at all."

"Truly?"