Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. I repeat. Do not own.


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

Waking up and not knowing anything is disorientating. It is also disconcerting to not remember your own name, assuming that you had one at all.

After a silent conversation between the two people in front of her, Legolas was it..? And.. Ídhil? The woman, the healer, clapped her hands.

"Well no matter. I'm sure you'll remember everything once you're patched up again," she said in a cheery voice.

Legolas mouth turned up into a reassuring smile. "And for now, you'll just have to borrow a name. Any name especially in your favour?"

She shook her head.

"That's alright. Names are usually given anyway," Legolas said. "What about Nemireth?"

"Nemireth..?" The syllables flowed from her tongue in a strange manner. "What does it mean?"

"For you to find out while you are restoring your health," Legolas said, with a twinkle in his silver eyes. "Well, I really should be on my way. May good fortune speed your recovery!" And he left with a quick bow to her, the newly named Nemireth, and a nod to Ídhil.

After Legolas left, Nemireth devoted her day to eating healthy and energy reviving food and drinking various fluids including strange mixtures of water or milk with foreign herbs. She soon decided to never be ill again so she would never have to taste those bitter health smoothies again. After expressing her distaste for the mixtures, Ídhil frowned.

"What are smoothies?" she asked.

That was her first clue that Ídhil and Legolas lived in a place far away from the one she came from. The second was soon to follow.

Having tended to her bodies' first needs, Ídhil showed Nemireth the way to a bathroom so she could freshen up and change into new clothes. The fabric and design were strange to her and different from the clothes she had almost drowned in, but the green-coloured outfit was light and comfortable to wear. Nemireth looked at myself in the mirror for a few moments and questions started to pop up. She folded her old garments and walked back into the health ward's main room.

"Ídhil?"

"Yes Nemireth? Do the clothes not fit?" Ídhil replied. She had been using the name more often than the conversations warranted, seeing as they were the only two persons present in the room, but she was probably helping her get used to the new and unfamiliar name.

"Oh no, they are a perfect fit," Nemireth quickly reassured her. "There's just this thing. Just now in the bathroom I noticed something. We.. we are different aren't we?"

Ídhil looked at her for a moment. Then she nodded. "We are of different races. I am an elf and you're a human."

After having seen herself in the mirror and observing Ídhil right now, the differences between them were glaringly obvious. Ídhil's skin was pale with a silvery sheen, almost of ivory quality. While Nemireth's skin was pale as well, it was clear that it was a sickly pallor, her real skin colour somewhat darker, maybe olive-toned after she had fully regained her health. Ídhil wore her light-brown hair in a braid that reached to her middle, her ears were visible and slightly pointed at the end. She was also taller and more slender than Nemireth.

"Then where did I come from?" Nemireth wondered.

"We're not exactly sure. You were found by Legolas while floating in a pond and, while you are human, your attire is very strange," Ídhil said while thinking out loud. "Your memory loss isn't exactly helping, but I'm positive that the King will try to solve the riddle you are as soon as possible."

"The King?"

"Oh right, you know nothing about us and our history and customs. Let me enlighten you," Ídhil said. They sat down and Ídhil told Nemireth about the elves in Mirkwood. That their Lord was the great Thranduil, King of the Elves of Northern Mirkwood. That his son was Legolas, the best archer in Northern Mirkwood. Mirkwood was located in Middle-Earth, a place where humans, elves and dwarves lived together. Not on the same grounds, but breathing the same air nonetheless. Naturally, to balance the light there was also the dark in Middle-Earth. Strange unnatural beings lived in the shadows and more than once humans, elves and dwarves alike had to take up arms to combat these mysterious dark forces. For now, there was peace, and the inhabitants of Mirkwood usually kept their own council anyway. This and more was told by Ídhil to Nemireth. The soothing tones of Ídhil's voice painted the lines and coloured the picture that represented Mirkwood.

This ode to Mirkwood could have gone on for quite a while had Legolas not coughed to gain the attention of Ídhil and Nemireth. They both looked up to see the Prince of Mirkwood standing there.

"The King requests your presence Nemireth," Legolas said.

Nemireth looked at Legolas and when their eyes locked something seemed to spark between them, but just as quick as it was brought to life it was dispersed again.

Nemireth blinked and seemed to snap out of it. She stood up and said goodbye to Ídhil.

"Will I return to the health ward again?" She asked Legolas.

"I'm not sure, it all depends on the mood of the King," Legolas replied. "Come, let us not test his patience." He briskly walked out of the infirmary. Nemireth quickly followed him. They emerged on a path and through a series of turns and twists they slowly approached the centre of the kingdom, walking towards the largest tree Nemireth had ever seen (but with no memories one could never be sure). Whilst passing the elves and their homes she admired the way the elves seemed to live with nature instead of forcing nature to bend to their will. If not for the various patrolling guards and visible weapons, Nemireth would have believed that being an elf equalled serenity and peace.

They entered the castle in the tree and massive oaken doors gave way to a throne room and at the back of the room, on the middle of a dais, a throne seemed to have grown out of the wood. The elf seated on the throne was everything Nemireth thought a king should look like. Tall, slender, majestic, grave, graceful.. Nemireth thought she didn't have enough adjectives in her vocabulary to describe the Mirkwood King.

Legolas stopped in front of the throne and bowed, so Nemireth followed his example.

"Ah, the mysterious human stranger," the King said. He looked at her and his eyes seemed to pierce her soul, judging the depths of her being and deciding whether she was worthy. Of what? Who knows. No one could tell what lied at the depths of Thranduil's mind.

After the silence stretched on and Nemireth became more and more uncomfortable, the King seemed to have completed his assessment, for now.

"It has come to my attention that you have no memories of your previous life. You have not even retained your true name," the King continued speaking as if there was no break from his previous sentence.

Nemireth nodded, not trusting her voice to speak out at the moment.

"A shadow follows you and that shadow might have stolen your memories. It seems you have escaped its clutches in time, but for how long will you stay in the light?" The King mused. Nemireth could only frown after hearing this cryptic message.

"And I suppose you remember nothing of that pendant you are wearing?"

Nemireth looked down at the pendant hanging around her neck.

"No your majesty. Unfortunately not."

"It's curious, the pendant seems strangely familiar to me, although I am certain of never having laid eyes upon it before," the King said while squinting at her necklace. (Of course the squinting happened in an entirely dignified manner). "Well, as a favour I will permit you to stay within Mirkwood for the time being," he said, suddenly snapping out of it. "Of course, in due time I will expect you to return that favour, in whatever form I deem adequate. You can return to Ídhil's care until I find a suitable home and guide for your stay."

"Thank you, your majesty," Nemireth said in a relieved voice.

"Also, Tauriel will act as your guide and guard. For your own protection, naturally." Thranduil beckoned Tauriel forward. Tauriel inclined her head to Nemireth, so she nodded back. "That will be all."

With this clear dismissal, Legolas, Tauriel and Nemireth walked out of the throne room.

"Well, it seems Father is interested in you, for now," Legolas said. "I must attend to some business, so I will leave Tauriel to guide you. I hope you will enjoy your stay in Mirkwood." With that, Legolas turned around and walked away.

"If you will follow me Nemireth," Tauriel said. "I will give you a tour around the grounds and then I will show you your new home."

Nemireth nodded and quietly followed Tauriel. A new home and a new life. If only she could remember her old one..


A/N: I kinda spoiled Nemireth's name last chapter where it is mentioned in the disclaimer, but not used in the chapter. Oops. Well, the name is officially in use from this chapter on peeps!