Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Nemireth is mine. Dear Ídhil as well. Hands off. The rest is up for grabs tho.


Although the woman was not an elf, she was clearly in need of help. And help will be given to those who are in need of it.

Tauriel saw Legolas approaching while carrying a person in his arms. Curious.

"How was your patrol?" She asked, while eyeing his burden.

"It was fine. The spiders have not yet breached the east part of the forest." Legolas calmly informed her as they both started to walk towards the gates of the kingdom. He fell silent again. As they reached the outer parts of the kingdom a scout saw them and ran back inside the gates. No doubt reporting back to the king that a stranger was about to enter the grounds.

"So, who did you find?" Tauriel asked a little impatiently. Irritation sparked in her brown eyes. Honestly, Legolas couldn't expect her to have no questions at all about this strange person.

Legolas looked at her and smirked. He was always the most patient one of the two.

"I don't know. She was floating in a pond in a clearing near where I patrolled. She's unconscious and I couldn't wake her. I hope a healer will have more success."

This answer didn't satisfy Tauriel's curiosity, but she understood that Legolas didn't have any other information for now. They were past the gates and instead of walking straight over the bridges towards the centre of the kingdom, they walked to the left, going towards the infirmary.

The infirmary was placed on the parts of the land where the trees were less dense, because the healers believed in the many healing qualities of natural light. Patients who were weak couldn't travel up the branches of the trees to soak up the blessing from the sun, so the healers found a place within the kingdom where there was an abundance of sunlight falling into a clearing of the trees.

Most elves have a basic knowledge of the healing properties of plants and some were even capable of mixing up a concoction or two that were beneficial for their health. Needless to say the healer elves have a more thorough understanding of the medicinal qualities of all things growing in nature. In addition, healers have an innate sense of compassion and the desire to help other beings. They were just as capable of fighting an orc as the average elf, but their passion was in healing, not in destruction.

Tauriel and Legolas entered the infirmary. Ídhil looked up and immediately pointed to a bed left from her, where Legolas gently lays down the unconscious person. Ídhil hurries over, her long braid bouncing on her back with her movements.

"What happened? Who is this?" she asked while doing a quick check-up on the strange woman.

"I found her unconscious in the middle of a pond. I hauled her out and tried to wake her, but to no avail. I don't know how long she has been in the water for or how long she's been unconscious," Legolas answered her inquiries. "Don't know who she is or where she's from."

Ídhil nodded at his answer and continued her analysis of the woman. She mumbled all sorts of things to herself under her breath.

Tauriel and Legolas patiently waited for the healer to finish her ministrations. While the woman lay motionless on the bed, Tauriel had time to inspect her. The woman wore strange black clothing. Both under- and upper garments were of a strange design and were closely fitted to the woman's body. Tauriel thought that they were meant to be this way, but it could also be because of the water that the clothes stuck to her body. She had long black hair and a sickly pallor to her skin. Tauriel wondered what her eyes would look like once she opened them.

"I think she is suffering from fatigue and perhaps also hypothermia, depending on the length of time she has spent in the water," Ídhil started to report on her findings. "For now I'll keep her here, keep her warm and hopefully she'll wake up soon."

"Alright, thanks Ídhil," Legolas said.

A messenger had arrived. "The king entreats you and Tauriel to come and report your findings, my prince," he said while bowing to Legolas.

"Right, the king must be curious about who you brought in as well," Tauriel said to Legolas.

"Go, I'll send a message when she wakes up," Ídhil said.

Legolas nodded his assent and left the room with Tauriel following behind him.

/\\

Two days had passed. Thranduil was intrigued by the stranger, but not necessarily content with the mysterious nature of the woman. However, as long as she had not woken up there was nothing to do but wait.

At the end of the second day a message from Ídhil had made its way to Legolas.

Woke up, but very confused. Drank some water, but almost immediately fell into slumber again. Good hopes for waking up definitely sometime tomorrow.

The next day Legolas decided to visit the patient after his patrols in the woods. He entered the infirmary in the late afternoon. Ídhil looked up, shook her head shortly and continued her work. Legolas took a chair and placed it beside the bed upon which the woman was sleeping. Some colour had returned to her skin, but she was still very pale. The sun shone into the room from the window and warmed Legolas's back. He sat there and employed his time by thinking.

After an hour or so, the sun was setting and casting a golden glow inside the infirmary, the woman next to him stirred. Her eyes fluttered and then opened all the way. Noticing the shadow of Legolas she looked to the right.

"Hello," he said carefully.

She blinked and her face had a confused look. When Ídhil came and stood beside Legolas her face became even more confused, if possible.

"Do you know where you are?" Ídhil softly asked her.

The woman slowly sat up against the wall and looked around her. Her amber-coloured eyes took in her surroundings. The beds in the infirmary, the medical equipment and the two persons standing next to her. She shook her head.

"Can you not talk?" Legolas questioned.

The woman frowned and opened her mouth. A croak came out and she coughed. Ídhil handed her a cup of water. She threw her a thankful look and drank it.

"No.." her voice was soft. "I don't know where I am."

"I'm Legolas and this is Ídhil, a healer," he informed her. "You're currently in the Mirkwood kingdom. Who are you?"

The woman opened her mouth to answer. Then closed it again. She furrowed her brow.

"I.. I don't remember," she said. "I don't remember anything."

The two elves looked at each other. Apparently the mystery continued.