Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Athelas is from Kingsfoil. I just needed Legolas to be married for this story, so I popped her in.

Chapter one.

Letter from Athelas, Lady Wife of Prince Legolas of Mirkwood to her friend the Lady Arwen, daughter of Lord Elrond of Rivendell.

My dearest friend,

Being advised by King Thranduil that he is sending messengers to Rivendell tomorrow, I take this opportunity to send you greetings and love, and to tell you of the strange happenings in our small kingdom of Mirkwood. I trust you are well, and that you have been able to spend time with Aragorn lately. We continue in good health and spirits, and are enjoying the winter weather.

Arwen, something queer has happened in the past few days. Forgive my plain speaking, but I fear this will be a long letter, even without the formalities. It began a few days ago when Legolas and I had decided to spend the day out hunting. It was snowy, and we traveled some distance from the Hall. I had bagged a few hares, as much for the white pelts as for the meat, when Legolas brought down a splendid buck. As he was preparing to dress it, we heard a sound some little ways away, and turning towards it, saw what we both believed to be a human girl, in some distress. She appeared to recognize Legolas as she called him by name, and then collapsed into the snow.

We ran to her aid, and as I pushed her hair back to check for the pulse in her neck, I was startled to see the pointed ear of an elf! What she was doing there, dressed in tattered clothing more suitable for an evening's entertainment than an excursion in the forest, we could not tell. But she was injured, bleeding from several scratches and cuts, and exhausted and freezing. We determined to bring her to the Hall and tend to her as best we could there. Legolas shouldered his deer and I took the strange elleth, and we ran home.

Once there, Legolas explained the situation to his father, as I tended the child's wounds. Arwen, it nearly broke my heart to see what has been done to her! Someone has barbarically marked her arms and shoulders with what appears to be ink embedded in the skin. As well, she bears the marks of old injuries. She woke for a few moments while I was tending her, and I was surprised to find that she can speak no Sindarin. I tried what other tongues I know, but she failed to comprehend any of them. She babbles incoherently in what Thranduil assures me is not the Black Speech of Mordor, although I have my doubts.

However perplexing her speech may be, her behavior is infinitely more baffling. After attending to her hurts, I had her fed with broth and wine, fearing to give her anything more substantial at that time. Fed, warmed and beginning to be cured, she sat up in bed and began issuing commands in a tone I have yet to hear your father use! Finding that we did not understand her, she became enraged and began calling for Legolas. He is bewildered at how she knows him, as he does not ever remember meeting her in his life. However, hoping to calm the child, I sent for him, as well as a sleeping draught. He came in, and as I explained the situation to him, asking him to give her the drink as I did not think she would take it from me, her demeanor changed completely. She became almost coquettish, lowering her eyes and smiling at him. He spoke kindly to her and asked her name, through gestures, which she gave as Daewen! He introduced both myself and King Thranduil to her, the latter having come in to investigate the commotion. She seemed somewhat suspicious of me at first, and then hearing me call Thranduil father, which as you know, he likes, she seemed to calm down. It seems that she recognized the word father. Be that as it may, Legolas was able to persuade her to drink the potion, and she soon settled into sleep. I asked Nimeth to watch her through the night, and retired myself.

Over the past few days, she has been into everything! I find that although she is physically an elf, she is completely ignorant of all our customs and ways. She pokes about the Hall, upsetting others with her strident voice and frequent bursts of temper. I had originally estimated her as being in her early adulthood, but her behavior convinces me that she cannot yet be out of adolescence. In fact, she seems to have the intelligence and control of a child.

I fear that this poor creature was taken from her rightful home early in her childhood and raised by some savage people somewhere. Pity for her situation moves me to take her under my wing, as it were, and help her find her way in the world of elves. I do not think it will be any easy task however. She does not seem to want to learn Sindarin, or our ways, but for her to have any future with elvenkind, these things must be learned as quickly as possible, and that is the goal I have set for myself. I shall begin with trying to earn her trust and friendship, for I fear the child has had none in her life.

King Thranduil has pressed me to teach her as much as possible. He is sending messages throughout the Elven lands to try and discover her parentage and situation. We can none of us in Mirkwood remember any child disappearing within the time her age and development suggest. Perhaps we will be luckier elsewhere, and our forlorn Daewen may be reunited with her family quickly.

I must finish hastily, my dearest Arwen, as Nimeth has just come to inform me that the child is trying to find Legolas once again. She does not seem to understand that he has other duties besides dancing attendance on her. I can hear her screams now, so I must close,

Yours

Athelas