Disclaimer: I am not Tolkien even though I dream as if I were.
Alassë is my creation though! Don't worry, the story will normally be written from Luiloth's perspective.
Chapter 2
"I'm late! Late again!" Alassë grumbled as she ran down the corridor toward the healing rooms. As luck would have it, this was the second time she was late in her first week of training.
How am I going to prove my desire to be a healer if I cannot even show up on time? Alassë badgered herself as she turned the corner.
To be fair, she felt that this time was not her fault. It was her brother's doing. Groveren was so excited about his new horse that he had dragged her to the grazing pastures immediately after she woke up. Always graceful, Alassë had snagged her foot in a hole and landed in the mud, ruining her gown. To make matters worse, her brother had roared with laughter when she fell commenting that she looked better suited to be a stable hand than a future healer.
Already cutting it close by visiting the mare, she sprinted home, threw on a new gown, and raced towards the house hoping she would make it on time.
She didn't.
"Oomph!" Alassë grunted.
She was distracted by her deprecating thoughts and didn't see the serving elleth as she darted around the next corner toppling the both of them over. She, the young elleth, and the tray the elf-maid was carrying went flying. Sliced apples, grapes, cheese, and crackers scattered to the floor.
"Argh!" Alassë shouted. Her hands grasped trying to grab the falling food. She couldn't believe her luck; first the mud this morning and now food all over the floor. I MUST have angered the Valar.
Her eyes darted back and forth between the food strewn across the floor, the elleth stooping to clean it up, and the end of the hall. She knew she should stay and help pick up the mess she caused, but that would make her even later than she already was. She did not have time for this.
"I'm sorry!" she apologized while carefully avoiding the eyes of the elleth she nearly trampled.
"I must go," Alassë explained, propelling herself down the hallway. "I'm late!"
She slowed and stopped in the archway to the Healing Rooms.
Hopefully no one saw that disaster of a start, she thought. She stepped into the hallway with a racing heart. Surely it can only get better from here.
Alassë paused in front of the room Lord Elrond had advised her to the night before. Standing before the tall maple door, she brushed the sides of her dress down, nervously smoothing out any wrinkles her sprint had created.
You can do this! She raised her quivering hand and lightly tapped on the door.
Alassë strained, listening for her cue to enter. She heard nothing. After several long moments she rapped her knuckles louder. Again, she heard nothing.
"Lord Elrond?" Alassë asked as she twisted the knob, opening the door. She peered into the room.
By the Valar! A grin slowly spread across her features. It widened as she opened the door and stepped into the room. Lord Elrond was not in the room! She had beaten him!
She inspected the room eyeing the hand-carved furniture. Warm morning light and fresh air sifted in from the windows on the opposite wall. Alassë loved this room. Even though it was one of the smaller healing rooms, it was her favorite. The room was peaceful and warm. Greenery and vines spiraled through the windows, twining their way across the ceiling and down the bed posts. Sprinkled across the foliage, blooming flowers matched the soft lavender bed linens. The room felt nurturing; as if the plants were trying to breathe life and healing into the ill. And maybe they were.
Alassë found it amusing that although her kind had been around for such a long time, they still did not know all the healing properties in plants. We aren't as all-knowing as we like to think we are.
A gentle breeze brushed the sheets of the canopy swaying them. From the bed, Alassë heard a muted whimper.
She walked over to the canopy and slowly lifted the sheet back, tucking it behind the bedpost. She held back a gasp as she observed the battered elf lying in the bed. Bruises of varying color covered her exposed face and neck. A finger-length gash receded from below her jawline towards her ear. Her grimy hair was pulled into a scraggly plait lying on her shoulder descending down under the covers.
She must have been too injured to be fully bathed, Alassë noted. I can't imagine what she went through. What could have caused this?
A slight knock pulled her from her musings and she turned to the entrance. The door slowly opened and Lord Elrond stepped inside.
"Gi suilon, I greet you Alassë!" Lord Elrond greeted quietly quirking his brow. "I apologize for my lateness. It seems a hasty elleth ran into a serving-elf who was bringing refreshments to our injured guests."
Alassë cheeks colored. He couldn't know that it was her.
"The young elleth was running late," Lord Elrond continued studying her. "You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"
Eldar help me! He knew!
Alassë clasped her hands together at her waist twisting her fingers back and forth. She fidgeted in place shifting from one foot to the other. Not only was she late, but she had also knocked an elf down on her way and Lord Elrond knew. Her heart raced thumping in her chest. She opened her mouth trying to form words, then snapped it closed when nothing came out. Lord Elrond's eyebrows rose. And I thought this day couldn't get any worse.
What if he thinks I'm not fit for the position? What if he thinks I haven't aged enough for the responsibility of a healer? But this was what she wanted to do. Her dreams, her passion. Yes, she was still young, but she was also committed. Healing was her future.
She sucked in a large gulp of air, opened her mouth and stuttered, "Y.. ye-"
A pained gasp from the bed interrupted her confession. The elleth in the bed struggled under the sheets, tossing her head and moaning.
Alassë sprang into action and rushed to the side of the bed reaching for the elleth's hand. The injured elf's back arched up off the bed.
"Av-'osto, don't be afraid," Alassë comforted. "Echuio, wake up."
She gently squeezed her hand, "It is only a dream." She must be in so much pain.
She saw the elf freeze. Her breath came in short gasps. Eyes fluttered beneath her closed lids.
The grip on Alassë's hand tightened.
"Echuio," she encouraged. "Echuio."
Alassë watched as the injured elleth's eyes snapped wide open.
..
..
Luiloth was tied face down on a cold slab of stone. She struggled with the bonds around her wrists. She had to break free from the chains holding her down. She needed the pain to stop.
She arched her back trying to avoid the whip slicing through the air. She gasped as her tattered shirt grazed the slices on her back. Her body tensed as the whip hissed through the air. She waited for the blow to land. For the excruciating pain to bloom across her back and the crack of the whip.
Instead, she heard a soft voice urging her to wake up, that it was only a dream...
Luiloth froze.
She felt someone squeeze her hand. The fingers of her other hand splayed out then squeezed closed around a handful of soft material.
She couldn't be in her cell or the torture chambers below. They didn't have linens. In fact, she had never felt or heard anything soft or comforting in the time she had been in the tower.
Where am I? she wondered.
Be cautious, she warned herself. Just because she felt safe didn't mean she actually was safe.
Luiloth's eyes sprang open. She scanned the room searching for danger.
Her eyes wearily passed over the face of a young woman standing beside her, then continued on. A tall man stood at the end of the bed. His expression was inscrutable. He was the biggest threat in the room.
His face was drawn and beginning to show signs of age. His hair was long, flat, and dark with hints of gray at his temples. It hung past his shoulders and two small braids pulled it back behind his ears. His pointed ears.
It can not be! Her eyes darted back to the young woman searching for her ears. They were pointed too!
Luiloth's eyes widened. They are of the dúnedhel, elves from the West. They are kin.
She gasped. She knew their kind. It was also her kind. She was safe!
Her rusty voice croaked and she urgently asked, "Iesten! Please! Where am I?"
A/n:
Hi guys! I am so sorry for the delay updating. 2017 was an absolute nightmare for my family. So many things happened and we are finally getting back to normal. Thank you for your patience!
I don't have a beta reader so I have done the best that I can. I use a translator for the Elvish so please don't be too harsh on any errors I've made. Constructive criticism is welcomed and appreciated!
What do you think? Do you like Alassë? Can you guess what's going to happen?
Xxx