Next day bright and early Mistril woke up at the smell of food. Breakfast in Lothlorien was taken on the balcony with the whole family, as she realized when she came out.
"Good morning, Mistril. Please join us." Eloen smiled and pointed at the empty spot between her and her brother. "Oh right, you haven't met yet. Illion, this is our guest from Imladris. Mistril, this is my older brother."
Illion only nodded his head before he returned to munching on an apple. As Mistril approached them he couldn't help but find her rather intimidating as a female elf. In his life he had only seen few female warriors compared to the number of elleths that resembled his sister's softness. But Mistril was a full fledged warrior even if she seemed like she hadn't fought in a while.
"The colour of your hair is unusual." Illion commented when she sat down. Eloen threw him an annoyed look before she excused his rudeness. Mistril didn't seem to mind him, she actually looked like she was enjoying herself.
"It was originally red. My whole family had long dark red hair."
"Quite an irony to how yours is short and orange. Such a change comes only when one has done something very bad." It was obvious he heard about her past or else he wouldn't have brought it up as he did.
"I guess guards talk a lot to each other. What have you heard?"
Eloen leaned back as she watched her guest and brother discuss about what Lord Celeborn told her to ignore. She could feel eyes watching, ears listening in and yet not urging her to interfere.
"An elleth whose light flickers every so often. One whose darkness has filled her soul and forced her to fight against her kin. A survivor of the fallen city who has now the marks of a terrible time." Hearing him speak of the marks she rolled down her sleeves more, an action that he caught on quickly.
"Anyway, what are your plans for today, Mistril? Would you like to take a walk, read in Lord Celeborn's library or-"
"I'd like to train, if possible. My archery needs all the practice it can get." She replied looking at Illion. "Can I borrow your bow?"
Illion raised an eyebrow, his whole demeanor expressing doubt and amusement. But he nodded nonetheless, quite curious what she could do.
Well, realistically speaking the guard didn't have any expectations but Mistril was awful from her stance to the way she was using the wind in her disfavor. He shook his head several times in the first ten minutes before he was joined by two other elves.
"Is that the guest that came with the twins?" Haldir asked looking curiously at the hardworking elleth. "Lady Mistril, right?"
"Isn't she the one Lord Celeborn told us about? The one we should not question." Haldir's brother, Orophin, asked. "She looks like she's fading. The colour of her hair is only the beginning of a long and atrocious death." He added, his eyes softening as he watched Mistril shoot another arrow.
"She's getting better." Haldir pointed out seeing how she was now standing straighter and she was genuinely following the direction from where the wind was blowing.
"That's because she heard you." Elrohir said walking towards the group. "She followed your directions and she's improved her stance and focus." As he said that, Mistril shot an arrow close to the center of the target.
"She's done it before, hasn't she?" Haldir asked leaning on his right foot. "But obviously it isn't her main skill. I wonder how she acts with a sword in her hand. Have you ever seen her fight?"
Elrohir watched her train by herself but couldn't remember a moment when she actually fought against someone. He did hear Glorfindel talking about it but witnessing it closely was another thing.
"Why don't we check?" Illion asked drawing out his sword. Elrohir was not excited, not when he knew what position she was in, especially with her sword Deldhin.
Mistril listened to the Lorien elves carefully and she couldn't help wonder if she could spar and still keep herself in check. She fired another arrow before she walked and placed it on the ground. She heard Illion's footsteps and turned just in time to catch his blade with her bare hands. Illion's blue eyes brightened as he drew back and swayed his sword in order to scare her. Mistril watched him but didn't grab her sword, not that it was there anyway since she didn't plan on fighting soon.
"Should I lend you a sword as well?" he asked, a smirk threatening to appear.
Mistril raised an eyebrow and waited for him to lunge at her before she grabbed her daggers and stopped him, making an X so that she could block the mighty elvish sword. He pushed forcefully, hoping she would break but instead Mistril ducked and moved so that she was behind him. She didn't continue the fight but turned to where the rest of the elves were watching and threw one of the daggers at them. Lord Celeborn caught it easily and smiled as he noticed the hilt.
"My lord, what are you doing here?" Haldir asked surprised that she heard him coming.
"I need to speak to our guest. Illion, prepare for your guarding duty, as should you and your brother, Haldir." He addressed and they nodded in respect. His expression seemed quite the opposite of the one he had when Mistril first arrived; he was the lord of the land, he was strong and wise and he knew how to express his power.
Elrohir smiled as she passed him and assured her it was nothing to be worried about. But Mistril remembered her last discussion with Lady Galadriel and that did not go as expected.
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