As the day went by, Hitomi soon learned about the dwarves quest to go to Erebor and to get their mountain home back. She had a keen interest on this, when she heard Elrond's sons muttering about another Elf king. "Thranduil will never let them pass through let alone by his woods without having them shot dead." Frowning at this, Hitomi turned only to see Galadriel behind her. "I guess that's my first task then? Grant Thorin and his company safe passage through the woods of Mirkwood?" She asked as the Lady smiled. "You read my mind child and yes, this is the task I was going to appoint to you." Stated Galadriel as Hitomi nodded. Hours later, she was Tacked up and riding along the trail that Elrond had pointed out to her.
As the days went by, Hitomi kept a steady pace and within a few short days, Mirkwood slowly came into sight. Reining her mount in, Hitomi eyed the dark and foreboding forest with interest that lacked any keenness to it. The forest itself she knew, from having read about it and watched the movies about it, held dangers very few lived to tell about. Giant spiders, and trails that could get even the best tracker lost. Sighing, she looked to the sky and knew that within a matter of hours, the sun would be going down, but from what she understood, no sunlight was able to reach the forest trails and shaking her head, she pulled the cloak that Lady Galadriel had given her, closer about herself as she headed towards the only visible trail. As the coolness of the forest enveloped her, Hitomi gently ran a hand along Blackstar's neck, feeling the mare's tension at being within such a foreboding place.
As the hours went by, and darkness fell, Hitomi soon fell asleep over her mount's neck, having entrusted her safety to her mare's capable hooves of keeping to the and finding her way to a more civilized place. As the night hours crept on, Hitomi soon woke, just shortly before midnight and shivered at how cold it had actually gotten and reining her mare in, and looking about, sighed softly. Her side was bothering her, having left before it had healed fully, and spying a tree that had carvings on it, she nudged her mount towards it before slowly and gingerly, dismounting. Wincing, she rested a hand onto her side, moved to turn back to the tree, only to see an arrow pointed at her and narrowing her eyes, she slowly raised her hand and pushed it aside as she eyed the male elf before her. "You trespass!" He stated as she shook her head. "I come at Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel's bidding, to seek out an audience with your King." She stated as the elf raised a brow before nodding then spied how she held her side. "You are hurt?" He asked as she sighed tiredly. "Healing more or less. I've pushed myself for nearly 4 days to try and get here before any bad weather did." She replied as he nodded again, before beckoning for her to follow.
Deciding not to mount back up, she slowly followed him, rubbing her mount's nose as she did so. Flicking her tail, Blackstar whickered softly, causing the elf and his friend who had joined them a few miles back to look behind them, to see the bond between horse and rider as Hitomi unbuckled her mount's bridle and began to lead her bridless. "We will be at the palace before sunrise." Stated the one elf as Hitomi nodded looking more and more worn out. Soon Mirkwood's woodland realm's Palace came into view. Lit up, it's golden light caused the mare's coat to turn an even darker shade of black. Hearing horns, she looked up, watching as a massive elk came into view before the King dismounted. For Hitomi, she wasn't just struck by him being handsome, but by the coldness that shone in his eyes. The very same coldness that had claimed her father's life nearly 4 years prior to her turning 24. Looking to her mount as the mare stretched her neck to sniff noses with the elk, both creatures, snorted before she nuzzled her riders hands.
"What are you doing in my realm?" Asked Thranduil as Hitomi sighed, and it was then the King saw that her jacket was red stained, and that she looked tired before she began to reply. "Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel bidded me to come here. For whatever reason I'm not even sure myself." She stated as the King nodded before nodding to a healer, who gently lead her to one side, out of the males prying eyes, and checking her injured side, cleaned it back out, and re-bandaged it after applying the healing herbs. "Just take it easy and rest when your body says to do so." Stated the healer, loud enough for the King to hear as Hitomi nodded and sighed. "Thank you." She murmured as the healer nodded before leaving. "You must be tired after your journey. Come, I shall show you to where you can rest and stable your mount." Stated Thranduil as Hitomi nodded, before patting her mount's neck and clicking, watched as the mare began to follow her again.
Minutes later, Hitomi shivered as she pulled her clothes given to her from Arwen, off and re-dressed in her spare clothes, as she closed her eyes tiredly, as she moved to the small balcony that overlooked the small courtyard and to the left, the small paddock in which stood her mount, who had been covered with a light golden blanket, to ward off the chill from her travels. Closing her eyes, she slowly sat down on the small bench, and the next thing she knew, a gentle hand was being laid on her right shoulder and jerking awake, Hitomi blinked as the King tipped his head slightly. "That can not be a comfortable position to lay in." He stated before continuing. "I...knocked but I got no response and the healer said you never showed up to have your bandages changed. I am sorry if my being in here is..inappropriate." He stated as Hitomi shook her head and yawned. "No no, it's fine. I'm sorry, I'm just exhausted. I probably should of stayed in Rivendell till I'd healed up but I just wanted to get going before it rained or whatever."
She stated as Thranduil nodded in understanding. "The Misty Mountains tend to throw weather at us without warning, so you may have decided well on leaving early as I have heard reports from my boarder guards, that it snowed on the outer limits of the forest early this morning." Stated Thranduil as Hitomi nodded. "I should probably get some more rest, if that is okay with you?" She stated as he nodded, and getting up, left the room. Sighing, Hitomi closed the curtains on the windows, blanketing her room in a warm, semi golden darkness and curling up on the bed, she snuggled into the warm blankets, as sleep gently invaded her mind.