Oromis had already informed her that the trip would take them two days travelling at a comfortable speed for the dragons, so Leafë wasn't surprised when he turned around to inform her that they were stopping at Osilon for the night. She knew that if Glaedr and Ohen really pushed themselves, they could make it to the Reliquary before daybreak, but they were burdened by not only the extra elves but also their packed saddles. The one on Arva's dragon was noticeably more burdened than the other, which came as no surprise to her: he was not called Ohen the Strong for naught - even among fire dragons, his strength was exceptional.

As he and Glaedr landed, she hurriedly dismounted, wanting to stretch her cramped legs. However, the golden gem had not yet settled, and so she went flying off with a short yelp of surprise. Before she could even think on how she was going to soften her landing, the girl found herself caught in a sturdy pair of arms as Glenwing asked her, "Are you alright?"

Leafë's pale face flushed a mottled shade of red as she glanced up into the älfr's concerned eyes. As she did so, something else flashed in his gaze, and she hurriedly said, "I'd be quite alright if you put me down now."

"Of course, my highness." Once she was on her own two feet, she scurried away, swinging her hair forward to hide her blush as she straightened her tunic for no apparent reason.

You should take more care, little one, Glaedr gently reprimanded, craning his neck to look down at her. The ground would not have been as kind as Glenwing if it had caught you instead.

"I would have been just fine!" she snappily stretched, only later realizing who she was speaking to and hastily amending, "But thank you for the concern, Glaedr-elda."

A snort had her spinning around to glare at Glenwing, whose back was already facing her as he helped his uncle loose the saddle from Ohen's back. With tightened lips, she turned to help Oromis, but he had already removed his own dragon's saddle and was making his way towards an inn for Riders. Feeling quite useless, Leafë followed at a slower pace, which allowed the other two elves to catch up to her.

"Kvetha," the innkeeper said to them, touching his lips but forgoing the usual greeting since there were multiple members of the party. He glanced at all four of them before turning his attention to Oromis. "You wish to lodge here?"

"For the night," the Rider said tranquilly. "Two rooms for us, and a large quarter for our dragons."

"If you plan to dine here, you can pay in advance for access to the buffet for dinner and lunch, as well as a meal for you dragons if they so desire."

Oromis paused, no doubt asking Glaedr his opinion, before looking towards Arva, who nodded with a grin. "Very well, though only Ohen shall be requiring the meal."

"Ohen the Strong?" the elf noted the name with a delicately raised eyebrow. "Would you be his Rider Arva, then?"

"That would be me, actually," the black-haired Rider claimed as he stepped forward. "I'd say I can't believe he's hungry after hunting just three days past, but I can't."

A tentative smile appeared on the innkeeper's face before he turned back to Oromis and named a price. Leafë, who'd had to pay for little in her life, didn't realize just how nice the inn must be until Arva whistled and muttered to his nephew, "Classiness costs, Glen."

"And it also pays," he murmured back, accepting the other room key from the older Rider with a nod. "Does it not, pömnuria drött?"

She barely had time to scowl at his comment before the innkeeper reacted. "My highness!" he exclaimed, twisting his hand over his sternum. "Forgive my rudeness; I did not know it was you. Atra esterní ono thelduin."

"Mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr," she replied in kind.

"Un du evarínya ono varda," he finished, smiling much wider at her than he had at Arva. "You are as lovely as your portraits have portrayed you, Dröttningu."

As she graciously inclined her head, Leafë wryly thought to herself, Which is why you were unable to recognize me up to now, of course.

"Please, except our best rooms, on the house."

"You are too generous," she said. "Allow...us to pay."

"As long as you allow me the humble honor of giving you the best rooms with no extra charge."

She inclined her head once more, glad he hadn't caught her hesitation on the word "us" and making sure to pay Oromis half of the cost. Islanzadí had given her much more than the amount he'd named earlier, and it was the least she could do. Indeed, she should have thought of it earlier.

The innkeeper introduced himself as Erinlí and lead them to their rooms, still awed by the princess's presence. The girl would have been amused if she could not tell Glenwing already was more than enough for the both of them. She was further shocked to find out that she would be sharing a room with him. Of course, Erinlí was more than ready to provide separate quarters for her; however, Glenwing explained that, as her bodyguard, he had to keep close to her.

Though she stayed silent as the matter was discussed and settled, Leafë didn't think he had to remain this close. After the door closed shut behind them, she turned to tell him as much when he handed her the satchel packed with her scrolls. Since the matter was settled, after all, she took the pack from him with a short nod, quickly turning around so he couldn't see her blush.

After they had all packed away their things, they went down to partake in the dinner buffet. The food was well-prepared, and she recognized all the dishes as ones she usually ate at home though of slightly lesser quality. Still, she gorged herself until she saw the smirk on Glenwing's face. With scarlet-tipped ears, she remained seated rather than getting another plate, turning down the offer of desert even though the chocolate cake smelled heavenly.

She bared her teeth at her stupid bodyguard when he got up for a second slice. The nerve.

The quartet was just preparing to head up for bed when a young brunette boy walked up to her. Leafë looked down at the child, who stared up at her with surprisingly light eyes as he bluntly stated, "I heard Far say to Mor that you're the princess."

"That I am."

Her charming smile flattened a little at the boy's following words. "That means you got a lot of power, yeah?"

Such tact, she scoffed internally, though aloud she answered, "Relatively speaking. My mother has a lot more power than me."

"If I marry you, will I get some of the power?"

Now she was thoroughly baffled. "Ummm."

"Kialandí!" Erinlí suddenly came into view, snatching up the boy's hand. "What have I told you about bothering guests?"

"But she's the princess!" whined Kialandí.

"Which means you shouldn't bother her all the more," the innkeeper stated as he sheepishly glanced at her. "Please excuse my son, pömnuria drött. He's young and obviously not yet learned his manners."

"It's quite alright," Leafë said, grateful the man had arrived before she'd had to figure out an answer to the boy's question.

"See, she says 'it's quite alright', so I can stay!"

"Our highness says that because, unlike you, she knows her manners. Excuse us." Despite Kialandí's attempts at persuasion, his father dragged him off. He threw one last glance over his shoulder at her, and she was disturbed by the surliness in his gaze before he disappeared from view.

Holding back a shudder, she looked back at the three älfar and saw that all were grinning besides Glenwing. "What?"

"It would seem you have an admirer," Oromis said, standing from the table in a smooth gesture.

Arva climbed to his feet, trying to stifle his chuckles at the absolute horror on the girl's face and the absolute jealousy on his nephew's. "Well, it only makes sense that he'd have a crush on such a pretty princess. Isn't that right, Glen?"

The glare he received was answer enough, but unfortunately for the young man, Leafë saw it, too. "What?" she demanded, hands on her hips. "You don't think I'm pretty enough for that boy to have a crush on me?"

"Of course not, my highness," her bodyguard quickly protested - a little too quickly.

Two thin slits of green glared back at him. "You aren't stretching, are you?"

"I speak the truth entirely, my highness."

"Then what's the issue?"

Glenwing opened his mouth, only for nothing to come out, and she knew then that he had been planning on lying to her. Tossing back her hair, she said in her most commanding tone, "I'm going to bathe before I retire, so be sure to wait outside until I am done. Goodnight, Oromis-elda, Arva Shur'tugal."

The Riders twisted their hands over their sternums, and she swept out of the room, finally thanking her mother for all the poise lessons she'd been forced to endure. Only once she was safely squirrelled away in her chamber did Leafë's carefully constructed mask fall away. Her face felt as if it was on fire from shame and anger, and she clapped her hands to her cheeks sharply, as if she could force them to stop reddening.

Stomping into the wash room, she filled the tub and muttered, "Why am I even angry? There's absolutely no need to be upset. I don't care what Glenwing thinks of me! I certainly don't care what he thinks about my looks."

She kept this thought firmly in mind as she chose the best smelling soaps and washed her hair until it shone as bright as polished silverware, all of which she did because she wanted too, not because of her beyond stupid bodyguard's comment - or lack thereof. Letting the water drain out of the bath, the girl forced her muscles to remain relaxed as she wrapped the towel around her body and stepped out into the bedroom.

Freezing at the sight of Glenwing perched on the edge of the bed, Leafë just barely managed to keep hold of the cloth wrapped around her as she squeaked, "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"Guarding you," the man answered calmly, as if the sight of her in nothing but a towel was nothing itself. Remembering how he'd been unable to properly answer her question earlier, she realized that he probably thought just that. Grateful that her skin was still red from the bath itself and he would not be able to tell that she was blushing, she feigned a nonchalance similar to his.

"I don't see why you failed to guard me from outside the door."

"Someone could have snuck in from a different entrance." He gestured towards the windows and the doors that lead to the balcony. "And I already checked to make sure there were no windows in the wash room."

"Or what, you would have insisted upon guarding me from inside there?"

Blue eyes turned steely before flickering away. "Of course not. Ridiculousness does not become you, Princess."

Her face turned so mottled that anyone could have told it wasn't from the bath. "I did not think you found me becoming at all."

Hearing something in her words, Glenwing turned around, but found his breath had fled him as the light from the lantern caught the silver sheen of her nearly waist-length hair. She'd picked up the sack with her clothes and was walking back towards the wash room. By the time she glanced over her shoulder, he'd composed himself, though the shimmer of her hair as she tilted her head to look at him with those too green eyes nearly made him lose it once more.

"Now, if you'd excuse me, I'm going to get dressed."

He just nodded, and it wasn't until the door slammed shut between them that he finally realized how he was acting like a lovestruck fool rather than apologizing for misleading her. The hurt and doubt that had crossed over her face earlier before she'd forced them away only served to remind him just how young she was. And not only that, she was his dröttningu. He had no business thinking those kind of thoughts towards her.

But it was hard to convince himself of that fact when he heard the sniffling that came from beyond the door. He was there in an instant, knocking lightly. It was clear she was trying to muffle her crying as she said in a hoarse voice, "Go away."

"Please let me come in, Princess."

"No. Now go away."

His chest hurt at the way her voice cracked. "Leafë, please."

There was silence for but a moment before he heard the door unlatch. Glenwing pushed it open before the girl could change her mind, and he found her standing before him in a pink dressing gown tied over a white chemise. Her head was bowed so that her face was shrouded by her hair, and he reached out to push it back.

With a short gasp, Leafë stepped away. He kept his hand hovering there and told her, "The issue was not that you were being admired. The issue was who it was doing the admiring."

She sniffled, but he waited patiently for her to come to him. He'd been the one to wound her, and she had to be the one to set the pace. There was no rushing forgiveness. Still speaking in the coaxing tone he used with fethrblakeya, he told her, "If you are ridiculous, it is only because you doubt your own beauty. And make no mistake, my highness: you are exceedingly beautiful. I know that my words do not carry much weight, but - "

"Now who's being ridiculous?" the girl interrupted, wiping her nose on her sleeve before peeking up at him through silver stands. "Of course I care about what you think. Why else would I be crying?"

"You admit that you were crying?"

Snorting, she stepped forwards so that his hand became tangled in her hair. "You say that as if I could have lied."

"You could have stretched," Glenwing murmured back, his protest not carrying much weight since his voice had gone soft as he'd tucked the tangle behind one pointed ear.

The tip reddened with this action, and Leafë bit her lip. "I don't think I could have stretched the truth very much with all the evidence at your disposal. My face must be all splotchy."

He raised his other hand to tuck back the rest of her hair, cradling her face between her palms as he said, almost to himself, "You're still beautiful."

The splotches deepened in color, and before he could withdraw, her fingers were gripping his tightly and keeping them in place. Green eyes peered into blue before sliding shut as she stood on her tiptoes to press her lips to his. Caught off guard completely, he leaned forward as her hands slid down his forearms, allowing his own to slide into her silver locks and pull her closer, so that their mouths pressed more firmly together. Her lips were as soft as the petals of a delois, warm as the first rays of the rising sun, and he held his princess to him -

Princess. With that thought now fixed in his mind, Glenwing abruptly pulled out of the kiss, chest heaving from exhilaration that was soon being dispelled by dismay. The girl's lips had curled as she recognized the first emotion, but the smile faded upon seeing the second. "Glenwing...?"

"I - you shouldn't have kissed me."

To say she was confused would have been an understatement. "B-but I thought - you kissed me back."

"And I shouldn't have done that," her bodyguard grimly stated, removing his fingers from her hair.

"I don't understand." Leafë held onto his elbows even as he tried to pull away. "If I wanted to kiss you and you wanted to kiss me, then why - "

"Why did you kiss me? I thought you didn't like me." Seeing her look away in embarrassment, he sighed and explained, "That's why you shouldn't have. You're too young, and I can't just take advantage of a girl who doesn't even know her own heart."

"I know my heart," she snapped, releasing him. "It seems that you are the one ignoring yours."

That shook him, and he in turn shook his head, running both hands through his dark hair in an uncharacteristic show of agitation. "You're still young, still learning, still figuring things out - about yourself, about life, about - "

"I've already figured out one thing about myself." She snatched his hands as he was raising them to his head once more. "How I feel about you."

"And how is that?"

Her smile came, slow and steady. "Well, even though you're still incredibly stupid, I like you enough to want to kiss you."

"And that's it." Glenwing tried to pull away, but he only ended up pulling her closer. He stared into her determined eyes and argued, "You're just a girl, Leafë, and I'm a man."

"I don't care."

"But I do."

"You still kissed me back," the girl reminded him. "And don't you dare try to say it was just because I kissed you. Apparently I'm woman enough to kiss."

"You're beautiful enough to kiss," he corrected her.

"You're not really helping your case here."

Groaning, he backed away, but she tightened her hold and just followed him into the bedroom. "There's no case to be made! You are du dröttningu, and I am your bodyguard!"

The back of his legs hit the bed, and Leafë pushed him so that he fell onto it with a thud as she hovered above him, hair tickled his nose. "Who could protect my heart better? Kialandí?"

He couldn't stop himself from scowling at the boy's name, but he sat up and reversed her hold so that her wrists were now shackled in his grip. "I'm sorry, my highness, but my answer remains no."

"Fine." She pulled free, only to lean in lightning fast and kiss his nose. "Good night, Glenwing. Sweet dreams."

The älfr gaped at her as she settled on the other bed, dimming the lantern before snuggling into sleep. If there was anything he knew about his - the, not his - the princess, it was that she was more stubborn than anyone he knew. Once she set her mind on something, nothing could deter her; how else could she have convinced Islanzadí to let her take the apprenticeship at the Reliquary? Well, he made a silent oath then and there that he would not let her persistence wear him down. Besides, he was sure she would give up pursuing him eventually. Despite her words, she was still a girl, and their hearts were fickle. Yes, this attraction would not last long at all.

Glenwing may have been able to convince himself if that wasn't the same thought he'd had when he'd first found himself falling for her...and if he'd sworn his oath in the ancient language.

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A/N: So, totally failed at turning the one incident into a streak, but I made this part double the length as an apology for it being so long in coming. So, what do you think of LeafëxGlenwing? I love writing them so much! And if any of you are confused about Leafë's "fickle" heart, lemme explain it as best I can: she was at the stage where hating the guy was easier than admitting she liked him because if she hated him then it didn't matter whether he liked her back, until finding out the guy did like her, which meant it was okay for her to like him. :D

I don't know about you guys, but I've totally been in her shoes once...or twice...or maybe every single time I have a crush on someone. Brief cameo of Kialandí as well, one of the Forsworn who helped cripple Oromis. If you couldn't tell by his questioning, I wrote him as if he'd been obsessed with obtaining power and status from a young age (which might make a twisted kind of sense since he's the son of an innkeeper), and he worked as a surprisingly good plot device. So I hope you guys enjoyed this update; be sure to tell me in the comments below! (:)