Weaving a Song

One Song at a Time

She's my Daughter

c. 2050 TA Mirkwood

Having said earlier that the young Princess, Almiel of Mirkwood, enjoyed taking her curious nature and running with it, here follows the accounts of one of the more exposed adventures. She was only six in human years at the time, and she had long been trying to follow everyone much like a shadow.

This time, she wanted to follow her father. Legolas was gone on a patrol, and her mother was in Lórien because of her Queenly duties. The servant who had been charged with following her was having trouble keeping up. The Elvenking, who was busy with kingly duties, was currently in the throne room. Not that that fact particularly bothered Almiel, on the contrary, it encouraged her to continue. It was different with her father. Her father, well, Almiel did not exactly know what would happen if she interrupted Thranduil.

She had never succeeded in actually getting that far before.

Given her father's stubborn and proud nature, it really should not have been a surprise that she was so determined to do what everyone else had stopped her from doing. As it was, the servant certainly did not expect this to happen.

Almiel woke up that morning, her goal clear in her mind. She ate breakfast as she was expected too, and then she let the servant take her to the room she was supposed to be doing her studies in. Being six, she only was learning basics now, and she only studied until lunch. It was then that she had to make her move. With her plan spinning in her mind, she set herself down to her studies, confident what would happen later would make up for the pain of these studies.


Thranduil did what he did every so often, though this particular Kingly duty had to be the worst of them all. He sat on his throne, letting people come to him with their complaints, sometimes even stupid ones, and listened as best he could while Elves drawled on about what was going on in their lives.

Some of them were actually interesting, but few required a king to solve them. With all the ones who were easily taken care of, they were tossed to the Council who rotated on who had to take care of the problem, complaint, whatever it was. Unusual though it was, sometimes a complaint was serious enough that the King not only took care of it, but it turned into a full on court trial. These were rare, as Elves were generally good hearted people, and avoiding crime was of upmost importance to an immortal race.

Thranduil usually had to keep himself from outwardly sighing during these days, but years of being King and keeping his cool demeanor on an entirely blank face kept him in his people's good grace. Occasionally, his rough reputation helped him get out of potentially dangerous situations, such as the time two Elves were fighting over a family heirloom and it threatened to get violent. Thranduil smiled wryly to himself. That had ended amusingly for him, not so much for the two Elves who were fighting over the heirloom.

Today, today was different. Today the ellon in front of him actually seemed to have an interesting, and possibly serious, case. He was explaining even now how he had always carefully tended a garden and it had never in all his life withered. He was an Elf of course, and Elves have a certain magic over plants, but now it seemed to be dying, for no reason.

"Do you suspect foul play?" Thranduil asked. It was unthinkable that any Elf would sabotage a garden, but Thranduil supposed it was possible.

The Elf actually looked shocked. "No! Of course not! I mean… what Elf could possibly do that, Your Majesty?" Thranduil looked at the Elf, contemplating if it realistic, wondering if it might have been Spiders or Orcs.

"Where do you live?" He asked.

"Less than a morning's walk from the Palace, to the North." The Elf answered.

This case might actually get interesting. Thranduil thought. Then another thought gave him an inward chuckle. It's not even mid morning.


Almiel was given a short break halfway through her studies when she liked to go and sit on her balcony and admire the woods around her. She had retained her own room, even though she still slept in her brother's room, for times like this week when her brother was gone which happened more than the young girl cared for.

While she looked out over the woods, she again thought about her plan, finalizing the details in her mind. It would take no small amount of skill, at least that's what she thought as a six year old according to Men. She would have to become essentially invisible so that she could get past the servants and guards. The throne room would be easier to get into. The Royal family had a more secret entrance that would be easy enough for her to get through. No, it was getting to that entrance that would be the tricky part.

She thought about it, but was not sure until the servant came back to get her. Then she realized what she would do, and she smiled.


Thranduil had asked the Elf to wait, still thinking on the matter, and had brought up the rest of the complaints. He did this with speed that amazed even the guards that stayed in the throne room no matter what. Then they figured he wanted to get back to the case that was actually serious.

Finally, the other complaints were all taken care of (surprisingly it was still just after midmorning) and Thranduil called the Elf back. "I have thought on the matter, and I need someone to assess the state of your garden. I believe what you are telling me, but I need to make sure. Do you care if I send someone?"

"No Sire," the Elf answered, though Thranduil asking him was more a formality than actually asking permission.

"Good," Thranduil motioned to one of his servants. "Find Sanya, she should be in the servant's quarters." The servant nodded and went off in search of the woman. "Sanya is the Chief of those who take care of the gardens in the Palace. She also still has some magic still running through her veins and is good at sensing if something is off. If there's a misplaced spell in your garden, she will find it." He explained to the Elf.

"Thank you, My King." He said, bowing once more. Thranduil simply nodded. They waited a minute longer before the woman came into the throne room. "Show Sanya your garden, explain to her what you did to me, come back before lunch is ended. You can take horses to shorten your journey." He then stood. "Dismissed for now." He said. He strode from the room, the two Elves left bowing as he passed them.


"So this is the garden?" Sanya asked.

"Yes, I have been tending it since I moved from home." The Elf said. Sanya half closed her eyes and began singing, occasionally touching the plants. She stayed like that for a good half an hour. Then she stood and looked at him.

"I do not want to believe what I am feeling, but there is a spell on this garden. I do not think you placed it, for it does not feel like it came from you. Someone else must have." The Elf looked worried.

"I do not understand who. I have no grudge with anyone."

"Sometimes people do not need grudges to do ill deeds." Sanya commented. "I have seen enough. Let us return."

In the shadows, an Elf watched the other two depart. How truly you speak. Unfortunately for you, the Elvenking now knows, so you will pay the price.


Almiel ate her lunch contentedly, but on the inside she was brimming with excitement. She told the servant she wanted to go to her room to change after that, and the servant agreed. Almiel then disappeared into her room. The servant waited what she thought was a good long time, which equaled about fifteen minutes, before she opened the door. "Almiel! Now I know…" Her voice trailed off as she realized the Princess was no where near her room. "The King will kill me for this…" The servant said, extremely dismayed.

Almiel had stuffed some supplies into a bag on her back, and then she had climbed down her balcony. She was a Wood-Elf after all. She then smiled, looking up at her room. She would be found missing in a few minutes, but it mattered not. She planned to be with her father soon enough anyway.

She snuck into the servant's quarters, where she changed into the clothes she had brought with her. Occasionally, Legolas would take her on picnics or the like, and at times like that she wore passed down servant's clothing to keep her from dirtying her Princess clothes. At least, that was what Legolas called them, for he more readily wore warrior clothing than Prince clothing as well.

After changing, she braided her hair back. Then she hurried out the door, intent on reaching her destination.


"So then it is foul play?" Thranduil asked Sanya. She nodded.

"Yes Sire, I am sure there is an ill spell on that garden." Thranduil sat silently, now wondering how to get the wrongdoer in the open. Right now, there was no evidence, but there had to be some way to get the person, whatever he was, to come forward.

"Do you think you could sense the person who did it if they were near you, having felt the spell?" He finally asked.

"It's possible," she started, "I probably would not know before until I touched them though." Thranduil nodded slowly. He was deep in thought, and it disturbed him that someone could do what they did, in an Elven kingdom. Not that he would actually tell that to anyone. How do I find them? He wondered. How do I get them in the open?


The Elf waited for the woman to come out of the throne room. He had a plan. He would grab the woman, and threaten her with killing one of the servants unless she took the blame. The garden would then have to return to normal, of course, her spell being destroyed, but there were more fish in the sea.

The woman would, of course, fade or be called to the Sea soon enough.

He had then been forced to find a servant to threaten the woman with. That had been easy enough. He had found one, a young one at that, simply coming out of the servant's quarters. The girl in question was now staring at him, in curiosity not fear, with her big green eyes. He almost felt bad, she seemed so young, but it would not matter because she would not actually die.

If he had known he had actually grabbed the Princess of Mirkwood, daughter of the Elvenking himself, he would have abandoned his plan and ran for it while he still had time.


Almiel had been simply walking, dressed now in servant attire, to the throne room to see her father, when she had been grabbed from behind. The man had then told her to be quiet, or he would hurt her, and kept her at his side.

She felt no fear from the man, surprisingly, only pain. Some deep rooted pain that was the cause of the situation he had now caused for himself. She knew that her life was actually not in danger at the moment, but she was worried about the woman he was waiting for. Almiel did not want her to get in trouble for this, though she had been told that if she said anything to anyone after the fact, she would mysteriously disappear. She highly doubted that, she was well enough connected with her father.

Besides, he had never said anything about not saying anything during the fact. Or about telling anyone mentally. Though, in a way, she actually felt bad for the man after her father found out… He was a little overprotective.

Sanya came out, not suspecting anything. Almiel had been shoved in a side room with no escape while the man caught the woman. The poor woman was also shoved in the door, before it was shut and locked. "You!" She said after the man released her. "You placed the spell on the garden!"

"Yes," he said, "but after we are done here, it will have been you that placed the spell on the garden. Or you can say you simply lied about it, and that it was some strange coincidence, and that the garden will return back to normal before the year is done. Either way, the garden will return to normal, and you will leave Mirkwood for the Sea before a year passes."

"You going to make me? Nothing you can do will force me to do so, and I will scream for the King's guard before you have a chance." The man raised an eyebrow.

"Perhaps, but the life of your fellow servant may convince you otherwise." Now Sanya was a strong willed woman. She had years under her belt, was quite used to ordering other people around, and she generally could face about anything and still be strong. After all, she had been attacked by a Spider once and managed to live. However, when she saw the man grab the Princess dressed as a servant and take out a knife, a morbid fear filled her mind and her knees started to tremble.

The man laughed, "Your daughter perhaps?" He released the girl but stayed right behind her with the knife. He felt strange whenever he was touching the girl, and it disturbed him so he decided he could always throw the knife.

The Princess thought this was all rather trivial herself, and wondered how long it would be before he made Sanya go back before her father and she could tell her father everything.

Sanya looked with great fear into the Princess' eyes, realizing she would have to do whatever it took, the Elvenking would be in rage if his daughter died, not to mention her brother, or the Queen, or the rest of Mirkwood… However, when she saw the Princess, the Princess mouthed something at her. She blinked and looked at her again. This time she got the message.

It's okay, I can silently talk to my father, remember. Just pretend.

Sanya looked hesitatingly at the girl, but the girl's eyes were filled with confidence. So much like her parents. She thought silently. Then she sighed. "I will do as you ask. What do you want me to do?"

"Well, that was a lot easier than expected. We are going to walk into the throne room, where I will say I have caught the culprit which I will explain as you. This servant girl will tell the King that she was actually the one who first saw how badly you have been treating everyone, and when you threatened her with death if she said anything, she came to me. Understand?"

The Princess' eyes grew wide. She shook her head. "I cannot! I have hardly seen the King! I cannot lie to him! He would know, he would know…" She burst into fake tears, and Sanya marveled at the skill of the six year old. The man looked confused at first.

"The King is rather discerning." Sanya added. "An unexperienced liar would be easily recognized by him. I think it would be safer if she pretended to be scared of me, and kept silent. Then that would make your story more plausible." The man thought about it, and then nodded.

"Okay, we'll do it your way." He looked at the two of them. "Ready?" Sanya, still hesitant, glanced at the girl. "Remember, if you break the promise, she dies." He said, hiding the knife up his sleeve. She nodded slowly. Almiel walked toward her and touched her hand looking into her eyes.

Remember, he is my father.

Sanya felt a whole lot more confident now, and they left the room, Almiel assuming the position of a scared and nervous servant. The man grabbed the woman and, not so pretending, practically dragged her through the door. He threw open the doors to the throne room, shoving Sanya in in front of him. Thranduil looked their way quite quickly, eyes narrowing when they landed on Almiel.

"I found the culprit." The man said. "This woman lied to you, she placed the spell on the garden. She has been doing all sorts of ill deeds for a while, but no one noticed. No one, except for this servant girl here, who came to me after her life was threatened by the woman if she told anyone. She was too scared to speak for herself after what the woman said, and so now I am speaking for her." Thranduil remained silent on his throne, his gaze drifting toward who the man thought was the servant girl.

What really happened? He asked his daughter.

She retold him everything that had happened, his eyes had flared after hearing that he had indeed threatened her life, but she assured him that she was never actually in danger, that he had never planned on killing her and even felt bad for even threatening her. The Elvenking then turned his gaze on Sanya, who was pretending to sulk. When he met her eyes, she simply narrowed hers.

Silently, she told him something else. The Princess assured me she could tell you what really happened. I am sorry I failed. The Elvenking did not say anything in return, but instead returned his gaze to the man.

"What makes you trust this girl over a servant who has been in my Palace for many years? What makes you think the girl might not be the one lying?"

The man searched inside for an answer. "Because, My Lord, when I first caught the woman, she confessed everything but thought to kill me as well. I was lucky, I expected violence and had a hidden weapon."

Hidden weapon indeed, Thranduil thought, his daughter having told him about the knife up his sleeve. "Do you know what happens to liars?" He asked, directing his question toward the woman.

"They are usually branded, Your Majesty," she said in a seemingly meek voice.

"And murderers?"

"Killed," she answered.

"Theives?"

"Branded once more," she said sighing.

"What of threatening a member of the Royal family?" He asked. The man failed to hide his surprise. So he did not know who the "servant girl" was.

"They are considered traitors, either banished or kept in the dungeons." Thranduil nodded.

"Does that cover this woman's crimes?" He asked the man.

"My King, you were right until the last, I do not believe she ever threatened a member of the Royal family."

"Lying to me is the same thing." Thranduil said dismissively. "Therefore you are hereby accused of the following: lying, stealing, destroying another's property, threatening a servant of the Palace, threatening a member of the Royal family, and for now I'll exclude attempted murder."

"Me?" The man asked, "Do you not mean her… Your Majesty?" He said, voice straining.

"No," Thranduil said more decisively. "The thing is, for all your cunning your plan might have worked."

"I do not understand, Your M-"

"You grabbed the wrong servant." Thranduil said. "You said that girl is shy and scared of me. Do you know who she is?"

The man looked at the girl beside him, whose green eyes were far from filled with fear. He looked back at the king. "She is the woman's daughter, it is how she knew what was going on." He said it quite confidently. The King laughed.

"You really might have fooled anyone else. You have audacity, I will give you that much." He paused. "Come Almiel," he said. The girl left that man's side and practically bounded to the Elvenking's side. The man could only watch. Thranduil stood and took Almiel by the hand, turning her around. "You see, she's my daughter." The man's mouth opened slightly. Thranduil pulled his daughter into his arms, wrapping them around her. Almiel, though still wearing a servant's garb, was now revealed in her royalty. Thranduil then set her down, motioning to the woman. "Thank you, for protecting my daughter, perhaps you shall earn a vacation." He said. "Take her to her room, I am sure her own servant has been looking for her." The man paled as the situation sunk in, and he fell to his knees.

"I didn't know…" He said. Thranduil looked at him, his gaze now cold.

"Well, you can now tell me the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and I might take off the lying one. If you do not, I will add the attempted murder. Not only that, but an attempted murder of the Princess has an even harsher punishment than another." The man's face lost any color he had left and his head was hanging in embarrassed shame. "You may begin now." Thranduil said. "Pray I take mercy on your soul."

Whoever said Thranduil was merciful must have been right, for somehow the man got away with only a life sentence. What his sentence was exactly, this tale does not say.


Thranduil came to his daughter's room after the whole mess was over. He opened the door to find her sitting on the railing of her balcony, humming to herself while re-braiding her now wet hair. She was dressed to be ready for bed, it now being late evening.

"Almiel?" He called.

She turned her head to look at him, before she smiled and bounded over to him. "Ada!"

Thranduil laughed as he swooped her into his arms. "I am glad you are happy to see me, it has only been a few hours." Almiel only blushed. "However, I am curious as to why you were dressed like you were in the first place, with Legolas having been gone."

She blushed even deeper. "Well, I wanted to come see you, and that was part of my plan…" She explained her entire plan to him, while he gazed at her, partly in amazement the entire time.

"No one can ever accuse you of not belonging to me anymore." He said fervently. "Dear child, why did you have that whole plan figured out?"

"Because, every time I try to follow anyone, someone always stops me… except Legolas… he just picks me up." Thranduil laughed.

"I think that there is good reason for that." Almiel sighed.

"I just wanted to follow you. No one ever lets me." She had a rather cute pouting face.

Thranduil pulled her closer into an embrace. "Just promise me one thing."

She looked at him, eyes wide. "What?"

"Next time you want to come see me, wear your actual clothes." Almiel grinned and snuggled closer.

"What if I wanna sneak in?"

Thranduil smiled. "I don't care how you get in the door, just make sure you look like my daughter. I do not want you to be kidnapped for looking like a servant again."

Almiel laughed.

Thranduil glanced out at the balcony. "Well, it seems like the two of us are alone tonight…" He said sighing. "Legolas is who knows where, and your nana is in Lórien."

Almiel looked sad, but then her eyes brightened. "I stay with you tonight!" She declared, forgetting the "will" in her excitement.

Thranduil laughed. "I suppose that will do."

A/N: It was, again, Aranel Mereneth who wanted to see more interation between Thranduil and Almiel. I may do some more later. Don't forget to tell me what you want to see in this story! The two chapters I posted here about the establishment of the Greenwood have been moved to their own story because it was more one story than a bunch of One-Shots, and so that people could read them without having to know about Almiel.