the key (ithacles, iluvatar)
Vedette left early in the morning, before the sun had rose in order to better prepare for what was about to happen. She had no idea how Etain would actually react to Ithacles being here again, or if Etain was as fond of the prince as he claimed she was. She enjoyed the last cool breezes of the night before the first rays of light stretched across the sky. It was then that she actually turned towards the inn in which Ithacles had stayed the night. Would he ask today if he could also stay with Etain? Or did he prefer the inn? Vedette wished they had a mountain home or something, anything, to get away from the heat of the plains. She was going to convince Etain, one of these days, to make them go to a river or something to find 'evidence' or that her memory needed refreshing.
Something cold would have felt nice.
A big patch of ice to stretch across, even a nice river. She could make a flimsy sheet of ice on that, no where near thick enough for a man or even the most light footed elf to stand on, but it would have been nice. She'd take a bite of it and chew the small bits of ice up until her mouth was nice and cold. They'd obviously think she was crazy then but she didn't care. one nice sheet of ice. A cold day. Rain. She'd give anything for rain. Etain would be the only one who would understand it.
For what ever reason Vedette was sure that the older Elven woman would agree to such mischief, but then she might know what Vedette really was. She couldn't, it wasn't possible, but when Etain looked at her... It was like she could see through it all. It was the heat getting to her, Etain could not have known.
Ithacles, on the other hand, could have had an idea for now. Ithunvel could have told him. She waited for the day he'd accuse her of lying to him all along. But it hadn't come yet. Not yet. Perhaps the prince didn't know, or perhaps he didn't care at all. She woke him once the sun was out completely, mid morning. And waited for him outside the inn. Once he was ready she lead him back to the home in which Etain was staying. It was not Iluvatar's home either. Some other elf, once she had not met. Vedette could only hope that Ithacles and Iluvatar would get along, she didn't actually know how well Elves and half elves mixed. From what she'd read they didn't get along at all.
But books about such things could be wrong, very wrong. Dragons did not enjoy eating humans, or at least, she didn't enjoy eating humans. She'd never tried it but she was sure they were much too stringy and all of the bones would be an absolute nightmare to pick from her teeth. Once they were inside both were lead right to the main sitting room where Iluvatar, his second Baila, and Etain were waiting for them. Vedette began with an overly flourished bow and raised only her hand behind her.
They all knew he'd been coming, but she had to announce him either way. Silly human traditions. Or was it an elven one? She didn't have time to ask.
"May I present Prince Ithacles of Faustben, whose presence bestows a grace upon us all." The smile was hidden, if only because her face was pointed more towards the ground. She was not a normal page, or a messenger, or anything of the sort. When she finally rose to her full height she was no longer wearing the smile. Now she was left to wonder how they would get along, or what they would say to each other. She hoped neither offended the other, or that they just downright were at odds because of Etain. And she hoped Etain didn't show any of that madness that she had before.
She was the key to everything.
Vedette did not take a chair, but waited instead for Ithacles to take one. All eyes were on him.