It wasn’t long before Mistril met the prince. He was very excited to see her walk and breathe and he was waiting in the room she woke up in. His eyes widened at the sight of her figure and pure happiness flew from the depth of his heart.
“I knew you were alive!” he said smugly yet still sounding childish.
Mistril smiled widely, her eyes sparkling with joy at the sight of this young elf. Legolas was quite tall compared to what she imagined but she could see it in his eyes, he was still so pure, so young.
“I’ll always be in your debt, prince Legolas.” She said as she bowed to him, “Thank you for saving my life.”
Legolas blushed faintly, not ready to see her so lively now that she was awake. She looked so sour before and now it seemed like a new elf emerged from all that dirt and blood.
“My name is Mistril,” she introduced herself, knowing the prince must have been curious about it. He was incredibly easy to read.
“Will you be staying with us for a while? I’d be more than pleased to have you at the banquet tomorrow.”
“I’d love to but will that be alright?” she asked turning to Gweluven. He raised an eyebrow, surprised that she asked him for his approval.
“Of course it will! It’s my birthday after all! I decide who comes,” Legolas answered sassily.
“That isn’t exactly how it goes but you do have a word in the guest list.” Gweluven interfered since the teenager was growing a bit commanding. “I’m afraid Mistril needs more rest if she wants to attend the banquet tomorrow.”
“Sure, sure. See you around, Mistril!” Legolas said with a wide smile as he waved the two goodbyes. Mistril waved right back, confused how someone could be so bright both in personality and in spirits.
Gweluven led Mistril to her room, one that couldn’t have been deeper into the kingdom even if they tried. Her keen eyes noticed that if she were to move more towards the left side, she’d probably be going down to the cellars; she could feel cold air brush her hand from that side. But Gweluven led her to the right, where a room was prepared for the guest.
“We arranged this room because you will need a healer to watch over you as your condition evolves. Miluinir will check on you every day since we would like to keep you alive since the Valar gave you a second chance.” Gweluven explained seeing her measuring how far she was from the rest of the kingdom.
Mistril frowned at the mention of the Valar but she also frowned at how the healer could read her expressions so easily.
“I will have someone bring you a second dress and maybe you will find her presence more comfortable than mine.”
“I find your presence soothing,” she said quickly, not wanting the healer to get the wrong impression. Gweluven smiled softly and nodded before he left Mistril get used to her room.
The bedroom proved to be more than Mistril expected. She might have lived through worst because the simple sight of a clean bed and a window were more than satisfying. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she saw a dresser as tall as her and a mirror in the corner next to the window. Growing curious of the sight beyond the four walls, she rose and approached the window. Mistril smiled at the view over the forest. It was not the greatest and it was not towards the way she came from but it made her happy.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkPpmJbl5m
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“My lady,” a soft voice came from the doorway.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFapdBmnzI
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Mistril turned her head, her short orange hair uncovering her green eyes as she looked upon the elf.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡce7tOnTbQW
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“Your robes,” The newcomer said as she walked in and placed them carefully on the bed.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOU38AawFv
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“What’s your name if I may?” asked Mistril walking to the elf with curiosity. She wanted to know more about the wood elves and their kingdom.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxO2OIOzTC
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“Edenith. I am a musician at the court.” She explained, her soft voice making Mistril wonder if she wasn’t maybe a bit wary.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzfReZETtY
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“I’m Mistril.”443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGRFkTGsCm
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“I know. Everybody does, we saw you when you were brought in and then sent to meet the king. Do not worry, we don’t believe you are here with vile intentions but most of us are curious.” Edenith explained blushing when Mistril came right in front of her.
The truth was that Mistril was imposing from both afar and near. Edenith was a short and fragile elleth, with elegance and construction of a person whose life revolved around the court. Compared to her, Mistril was rough around the edges, maybe as tall as Gweluven and even in a dress anyone could see her body was bulkier than a musician’s. It was clear for Edenith that the elf in front of her was not one to play songs and write poems but one to run and fight.
“I’m not here to bring anything. I’m not even sure how I got into the forest.” Mistril started, placing a warm hand on Edenith’s shoulder. The musician froze at the contact and not because it was a strong grasp but because her grey eyes noticed the rune on Mistril’s wrist.
“I believe it’s time I take my leave. I will come back again later or if you will be too tired, tomorrow morning.” Edenith said and excused herself swiftly, almost running out of the room.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsnPdw7tQ8
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Mistril watched the elf hurry out with eerie. Something about her seemed to make the others wary and she did not enjoy it. Elves were supposed to help each other and probably that was the main reason King Thranduil didn’t kick her out yet.
Those thoughts played with her mind for the whole night. Once she fell asleep, she had dreams that were so messy she couldn’t extract much from them. And there were other images, snippets of darkness she did not want to see. There were orcs, many of them, and there was a fire. She could hear people shouting in pain and fear while running from the enemy. She turned her head and in that mess she saw an elfling with long red hair and bright blue eyes. They looked at each other, the young one looking scared yet content. And then a sword came through the elfling's chest, killing her instantly. Mistril couldn't do anything but cry out.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxS86lnRNBU
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"No! No you can't! No!"443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeSZV6hvR5
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"Lady Mistril, please wake up. It's just a dream!" She heard Gweluven's voice and opened her eyes. "It was a nightmare."443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIY92SQQoBw
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"No, it was real. It was real." She said, looking at the healer with worry in her eyes. "I witnessed it, must have because it pierced my soul."443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ055JzpXXVR
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Gweluven sighed and wiped the sweat off her forehead. She was so helpless at that point that she grabbed his arm and held it tightly. Gweluven only watched and let her do whatever she wanted.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuD8PjsFJ9j
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"Can you tell me what the dream was about?" He asked, knowing from her eyes that she will tell him.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfOzok4t1S
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"An elfling was killed and I just stood there watching. It was war."443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8bOLe2lrm
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"War? Do you mean against the darkness of Mordor?" Gweluven asked growing curious if she was even around that battle.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJookU03gTV
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"Mordor?" She whispered, the name sending chills up her arms.
“You don’t know about it?” Gweluven asked seeing how it definitely affected her in some way. “Can you remember that name and its meaning?”
Mistril flinched as the voices started to mess with her head, growing louder and louder until she couldn’t hear anything else. Gweluven placed a comforting hand on her back and waited but she did not utter another word.
"She had witnessed war? What makes you think that?" asked the king at the briefing in the morning in his study. He wanted to know everything his guest said or did.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTQOnWzWpN
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"I believe she saw someone dear be killed in a battle. When I mentioned Mordor, she seemed to have an idea of what happened but she didn’t talk about it." Gweluven added with a frown. "And my lord, she sleeps with her eyes closed."443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCLUJMq0Cp
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King Thranduil was surprised, which was not an emotion he felt often. He was also suspicious what Mistril has done up to this point and who she met in her travels. He did not want any trouble in his kingdom just because an elf stumbled in.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNoXupl8am
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"What else?" He ordered.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ov4Rg7gYv
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"Nothing. She will probably have more nightmares and our image of her past will come in sight." The healer said before he looked towards the path to her room. "Maybe you should give her something to do, my king. She is healthy and we can use her services as a token of thankfulness."
"Work?" Mistril asked once Gweluven asked for her in his office. "I am not sure what I am good at."443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJpOhRxcaS
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"What about music?"443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7qgK3KFyO
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Edenith gave Mistril a harp but the sound that came out could be better labelled as noise not music. They tried several more instruments but it was so bad, although Mistril did enjoy making the others run or screech at the sound.
“Alright, maybe music is a bit of a stretch for someone who obviously has rough hands. What about healing? I can teach you some things that will also help in the future.” Miluinir said as they made their way to the healing rooms.
But Mistril knew just the basics and nothing more could be done. Every time there was a patient with a broken bone or just light wounds made while working, her hands wouldn’t stop trembling.
And there were many more things they tried but Mistril was not good at housework or politics. She almost set Faervel’s documents on fire, a first meeting with the head of the army that she did not want to repeat.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QL8QwXNqL
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"I'm bad at everything." She moaned falling on her back.443Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Duy6L56Bd
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Legolas caught sight of her a bit after she started searching for her talent and he couldn't lie: she was really bad at everything.
"Come to my arching lesson and maybe you'll learn how to handle a bow and arrow. Who knows, maybe you have a keen eye!" Legolas encouraged her. "Come on! I'm sure Tudor will be pleased to meet you! Besides, how bad can you be at throwing some arrows into trees and training dolls? Nobody will get hurt.” he hoped so.
In the end, Legolas had to pull Mistril up and half drag her to the woods. Now, she was outside and the fresh air was clearing her head of trouble. Having so many voices sing in perfect harmony, Mistril closed her eyes and let herself dance along. She didn't see or expect the flying arrow coming her way but she heard it from the moment it was pulled out. Mistril caught it with ease before she opened her eyes and met an elf slightly smaller than her but with eyes that were staring into her soul.
"Very well newcomer. Quick reflexes save lives." Tudor explained seemingly pleased by her luck.
"Mistril, this is Tudor. He is an archer and fought in many battles with my father."
"Not that many..." he mumbled, scratching his ear. "But I do know one or two things. So you are the elleth that angered Faervel? I heard he needed to go out into the forest for a few hours in order to calm down. Those were important documents." The archer added bemusedly.
“Yes, that’s me.” she replied visibly uncomfortable.
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