Suitors arrived in Doriath to gaze upon the faces of Thingol's daughters, each fairer than any maiden to grace middle earth. Itarille left her father's throne room after having met some of their visitors; she joined her sister in the forest. She danced to the music provided by Daeron, it was their favorite pastime. "That is a beautiful song, Daeron," Itarille commented as she sat against a tree, watching her sister dance.
He nodded his head at her in a silent acknowledgment. "Come, dance with me, sister," Luthien beckoned, but Itarille shook her head, she wasn't the most graceful of dancers. "Did you have a nice visit with Ada?" She inquired and Itarille nodded, telling her that more visitors had come to see her.
It seemed that more people came to see her and her sister than to meet with her father. "Ada says it is time that I marry, but I have no love for any of these visitors," she sighed.
The mention of marriage stopped Luthien's dance and interrupted Daeon's song much to his displeasure. "Does he mean to make you marry someone?" she questioned in disbelief.
Itarille shook her head; their father would never force them to do anything. "Of course not, he worries about us," Itarille told her sister honestly.
Daeron dismissed himself, promising Luthien that he would play for her again soon. The sisters watched him return to the castle and linked arms, venturing to their mother's gardens. "Ada fears that I will be alone to the end of days," Itarille told Luthien, and the elder sister frowned at the thought.
"I do not think I could live alone," Luthien sighed. Neither of them was used to being alone, they had many wonderful friends in their father's kingdom. "I want to see the world beyond our home before I marry," Luthien commented, this wasn't news to Itarille. This was something her sister often spoke of, she was curious by nature. They spoke of it in confidence as it upset their father that his one of his beloved daughters wanted to venture off on her own.
"What do you imagine you will find outside our forest?" Itarille asked curiously. Perhaps it was something specific Luthien searched for that she knew she wouldn't find in Doriath. The elder sister only shrugged, unsure of what she wanted much less what she was looking for. They heard a commotion and followed it to find an elf being carried into the castle. "Who do you think it is?" Itarille inquired as her sister was half a foot taller than she.
Luthien told her that she couldn't tell who it was, but urged her along as they entered the castle. Alimer, captain of Thingol's guard walked past Itarille and she caught him by the arm. "Who has returned wounded?" she inquired, though it sounded more like a demand.
Alimer bowed his head to the princess and informed her that Lord Thranduil was being taken to the healing pavilion. Releasing her hold on the captain, she dismissed him and turned to her sister with a deep frown. "Ada mentioned that he sent a company of soldiers to quell a legion of orcs," Itarille told her sister, but her father neglected to mention that her best friend Thranduil was amongst them. "I must go see him," she said to her sister and left Luthien standing by herself in the hall.
The healing pavilion was a wing of her father's realm that she never entered. Thranduil lay in a cot looking pale and disoriented while the healer mixed herbs to help cure him. "Is it serious?" A voice inquired and Itarille knew it hadn't been hers.
Turning on her feet she saw Thranduil's father Lord Oropher. "No, it is not serious," the healer informed Oropher. Itarille let out a breath and turned to face the guard who was still rather disoriented.
"Princess, what are you doing here?" Oropher inquired, acknowledging her for the first time.
She tried to think up an excuse that didn't involve her coming to see her friend. "He is a member of my father's guard, I want to inquire as to his wellbeing," she countered and he nodded his head lightly and turned to leave the healing pavilion.
Itarille watched the healer press herbs onto Thranduil's wounds, his incantation precise and sure. The healer stepped away from Thranduil and Itarille took his place, staring down at her closest friend. The healer told her that he had to rest and it would be best if she returned to visit him at another time. Nodding, Itarille gave Thranduil's resting form the smallest hint of a smile and left the healing pavilion.
On her way to her own chambers, she was stopped by Goren, her father's advisor. "The King would like to see you in his study," he informed her. Itarille followed behind him as he escorted to her father's sanctuary. The one place he could be himself with his family and closest friends.
Her father sat upon his chair, with his wife beside him. "Nana, Ada," she greeted upon entering.
Melian asked her daughter to sit down, "Lord Oropher tells us you were visiting the wounded in the healing pavilion," she said to Itarille, who sat across from her parents. Itarille confirmed, telling her that Thranduil had been injured and she wanted to see him.
Her father gave her a knowing look, but thankfully said nothing to her. Instead he told her about the upcoming feast for their guests, "Our kin from Gondolin have arrived and I expect you and your sister to attend the feast in their honor," he informed her. Itarille nodded and promised to wear her finest jewels for the occasion.
Later that evening
Itarille carried the stacks of books in her hands to the healing pavilion. It seemed less crowded now than it had been earlier in the day. Thranduil's color had returned to his face and when she approached him, his blue eyes opened to stare at her. "What are you doing here?" his deep voice questioned.
Itarille set the books down on the table beside his bed, "I came to bring you books to read, I do not know how long the healer will keep you," she told him honestly.
Thranduil glanced at the books and gave her a silent sign of appreciation. He sat up in his bed and reached for one of the books while Itarille found herself a chair to sit in. "How are you feeling?" she inquired softly, she wasn't sure whether or not he'd wanted to talk about it. She knew that this was the first time Thranduil had ever seen battle outside the safeguard of Doriath.
"I am fine," he replied, but his voice gave him away. Thranduil and Itarille had been friends long enough for her to know when something was bothering him.
"You can talk to me, Thranduil," she assured him in a soothing voice. He set his book down on his lap and looked across at her. Itarille had given her undivided attention and she was staring expectantly at him.
Casting his eyes downwards, he tried to find his voice. Thranduil knew that Itarille would never judge him, "Battle was not what I thought it was the noises and the gruesome sight. I was unprepared for what I witnessed today," he stated.
Thranduil explained how fragile life seemed now that he'd seen so many of his kinsman slaughtered at the hands of the orcs. "Think of how many deaths will follow in light of this battle, Itarille. The loved ones of those fallen soldiers will have no reason to carry on," he said in a broken voice. Itarille rested her hand on his, silently giving her support. Nothing could make this better, but she wanted Thranduil to know that he was not alone.