The whole way back to the Halls was interesting. From Tudor's point of view, it looked like Mistril was growing incredibly fond of Glorfindel and she was doing nothing but watch him. He was not bothered by it because he was doing the same when she was not looking.
As soon as they arrived, a guard went up to Thranduil's chambers and informed him of his guest. Glorfindel took his time, staying as close to Mistril as possible.
"What may I owe this unannounced visit to?" Thranduil asked making his way to Glorfindel.
"I have news from Rivendell. Lord Elrond has an important message." The golden haired elf replied in a business tone.
Hearing that, Thranduil glanced at Tudor and Mistril. The archer left, sensing the hostility in his king’s tense figure but Glorfindel grabbed Mistril's hand for her to remain. Seeing such an action, Thranduil couldn't help but sneer.
"I see you have met Mistril," Thranduil said feeling quite uncomfortable at how compliant Mistril was.
"We have indeed, after so long." He said looking at the elleth with warmth.
"He knows who I am." Mistril said with amazement in her voice. "Please tell me now. Tell me how we know each other."
Thranduil invited both to sit while he decided to stay on his feet. Finally someone had the answer he wanted and that was Glorfindel out of everyone else. He was looking forward to having this puzzle solved but at the same time it meant Mistril’s prolonged stay in Greenwood might be cut short.
"Mistril, daughter of Valdaglerion. It's been too long since I saw such green eyes that convey both the past and present." Glorfindel started smiling at the woman in front of him. "You have grown into a beautiful elleth."
"Who was my father?" She asked feeling insane happiness.
"Valdaglerion was Gondolin’s treasured blacksmith. He forged many swords, mine included. His wife was a musician at the court. His two sons were warriors I had fought alongside and his daughters...one was a musician at the palace and the other was more interested in the army than anything else."
"Is that why I am so fond of swords?"
Glorfindel laughed whole-heartedly, "You were fond of fighting in general. I can still remember this elfling that enjoyed sneaking into the training grounds with her wooden sword. Your brothers taught you well but you wanted more...you wanted to actively fight into my army."
Glorfindel could still see her running around saying she could take him on any day. Thranduil sighed relieved by what he heard. If Mistril had always had this peculiar attraction to fighting then nothing changed. She was still better at sparing and patrolling rather than helping around the kingdom.
"What happened to me?"
"I do not know for sure. I lost sight of you and your family during the fall of Gondolin." Glorfindel answered looking into her eyes with worry.
"He died heroically."
For some reason Thranduil's remark sounded more like he was annoyed rather than joyful. Glorfindel was a hero in the eyes of every elf that lived and Thranduil had immense respect for him but not at that particular moment.
"So then I come from Gondolin?" She asked still not very sure. But some of those memories were coming back to her slowly. Glorfindel's face was like a tip of the trail leading her to her happy memories.
"Gondolin fell a long time ago." Thranduil said.
"So then my family...is dead?"
"I cannot say. It was a bloody and messy battle and many have probably sacrificed their lives."
"Very few survived the memory." Thranduil added watching Mistril.
"But what have I done from that moment on to my discovery in Greenwood?" She asked still having just one small piece of the puzzle.
Glorfindel didn't have an answer for that. He was worried because the elfling full of happiness he knew became an elleth of much suffering. Her eyes were the best mirror to her soul and everything she lived but could not remember. Unlike the other elves, Glorfindel had a certain way of looking at her –with genuine care, Thranduil will realize later on- and she was an open book in front of him because of that.
"I'm sorry. I should have searched for all the remaining survivors when I returned."
She closed her eyes and frowned at a memory that hurt just as much. She was somewhere very dark and cold and she hadn't eaten in a while. She felt tired and wanted nothing but to close her eyes forever. That did not happen and a tinge of pain inflicted her heart. She wasn't sure for how long she had been there but it didn't even matter. Nobody was going to save her, not even her hero Glorfindel.
“No one will save you. You’re mine now.”
Mistril opened her eyes and looked at the golden haired warrior, her whole body tensing at how much disappointment she felt. Glorfindel's hand reached towards her but she slapped it away harshly.
"I was there, alone and hurt, for a long, long time. I wanted to die but I couldn't. Why- why did nobody come after me?" She whimpered, her teary eyes letting both Glorfindel and Thranduil speechless. "Why did no elf come searching for me? For all that time." She asked her eyes moving on Thranduil.
The Elvenking was shocked. Those green eyes, always blank in front of him, were finally unveiling themselves. She was hurt and fragile and he couldn't believe he thought she was a threat for his precious peace. But his eyes fell on her wrists and doubt resisted in his heart,
"Where is that? Who took you?" Glorfindel asked.
Mistril didn't want to remember. She shook her head and jumped up.
"No, I don't want to remember. It was worse than death." She said glancing between the two. "I'm going back to my room."
Glorfindel watched the orange haired elleth run away, her beautiful green eyes in tears. That was a sight he rarely saw when she was young. Thranduil turned to the Balrog slayer with one eyebrow rose, especially seeing how affected he was by a blacksmith daughter.
"What exactly was your relationship with Mistril?" Thranduil asked.
Glorfindel looked at the Elvenking and sighed.
"She used to come to me and play or do errands for her father."
"So she is the daughter of Valdaglerion. She should be able to forge her own sword if she wants to." Thranduil thought out loud, finally realizing why she liked to hang around Miluinir's family so much.
Glorfindel watched the king with a suspicious glint in his eyes. Thranduil wasn't the friendliest elf and everyone knew that.
"Did you make her feel unwelcome?"
Thranduil would have almost scoffed if it wasn't for the memory of the last few years. They fought only hours ago over the same subject: her wrists.
"What makes you believe that?" The Elvenking asked eyeing Glorfindel suspiciously.
"I am only wondering."
"If she wanted to leave she had many opportunities. She was not kept as a prisoner but as a guest. She spent more than 100 years here." Thranduil added pissed off that he was being incriminated for something he didn’t do.
Glorfindel sighed feeling even worse than before. Mistril has been in Greenwood for more than 100 years and he didn't even know. He didn't search for his people and just went along with the Valar's choice of returning him to Arda. He never assured himself that all the survivors from Gondolin were found.
"You shouldn't blame yourself. If she was indeed taken by orcs then you couldn't have found her even if you searched every cave." Thranduil said once he noticed the discomfort on Glorfindel's face.
"I was her hero and I let her down." Glorfindel whispered.
"You died for your people. Even if she feels appalled by you at the moment, it will soon fade away. Besides, she is right. Not one elf bothered to search for the rest of the survivors, not even after the war against the darkness." Thranduil added, walking to his table to pour himself a glass of wine. There was much to be considered now that bits of her past came into view.
Mistril was going to her room when she felt a slight breeze behind her.
"What are you doing messing around? Don't you have to help Gweluven?" She asked in a scolding tone, surprising the blond.
"Is that a way to speak with the prince?" He asked glaring playfully at her as he put his sword down.
"I remember you telling me not to behave with you as if to a prince. If I do so, then you should treat me like a stranger."
Legolas was taken aback by her sudden seriousness.
"You're not a stranger, Mistril. What happened?"
It was quite clear that something bad happened to her; Legolas would have believed it was about his father again. Thranduil was excellent at making Mistril feel unwanted although it seemed she also had the tendency to remind him that she was not a wood elf.
"Mistril!"
Both turned their heads towards the man running down the hall. If her face softened at the sight of Legolas then she became the same empty shell like when she first met the Elvenking.
"Glorfindel? When did you arrive?" Legolas seemed extremely pleased to see the warrior. "Mistril, this is-"
"I know who he is. “ She hissed before spinning around and rushing to her room.
Legolas blinked in awe. He had never seen her so angry before, not even when she had to go to Dol Guldur.
"You must have done something great to get her so mad." Legolas stated turning to him.
Glorfindel couldn't argue with that.456Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8hxzBXdnT
