Chapter Four

Letter from Athelas to Arwen.

Dearest Arwen,

As you love me, send Gandalf to me immediately! Or your father! At this point either would be the greatest blessing in Arda to me. Daewen is mad, there is no doubt about it now!

Forgive me, dearest Arwen. My heart is in turmoil, and I hope to not only beg your assistance but to calm myself as I write this letter. Let me begin where I left off last time I wrote.

After her behavior with poor Nimeth, Thranduil warned us that if she continued to deteriorate, he would lock her up. The threat of this made an enormous impression on her. Laernis proved more than able to handle Daewen. None of the child's curious behavior had any effect on her. Under her care, Daewen began to settle down, and I blamed myself for not taking the proper measures with her from the beginning. But I had no idea she was so disturbed.

In fact, she improved so much that even Legolas agreed to spend time with her. It was pleasant to think that the girl might be savable. We all began to let our guard down with her.

High summer in Mirkwood has been wonderful, and we have spent several days enjoying the forest. Legolas and I had taken Daewen with us, hoping that nature would help the child remember who she is. It appeared to be working, although looking back now I can see that she still harbored some resentment towards me. At the time I was too blind to see it.

Legolas expressed a wish of spending a day with me in the forest, without Daewen's company. I agreed heartily and began making plans for a day when neither of us would have duties to perform. The night before, I was with Daewen in the Great Hall, and she asked what time she should be ready to leave with us. I explained to her that the day was for Legolas and myself, and she could go out with Learnis if she wished. Her face fell. She had been so looking forward to it, she told me. (Well, not exactly, but if I try to replicate her accent and linguistic limitations in this letter it will go on forever, and I wish to send it as quickly as possible. The messenger is already preparing to leave.)

Arwen, I did not realize I had to explain myself to this girl, especially as regards myself and my husband! She began to rage at me. I sent her to her keeper, (yes, I must call her that now), and went to my rooms. Legolas was there, and calmed me down. He told me I must not blame myself, but I still have feelings of guilt. I should have realized that the hurt to her mind was more than she could bear.

The next day we left before dawn, and wandered far through Mirkwood. The spiders are not as bad as they have been, thanks in great part to Legolas' diligent efforts. He enjoys hunting them down so much. Although he does say if left unchecked, Mirkwood would be nothing but webs. I pretend to believe his fiction, it makes life more droll.

It was wonderful to be free, Arwen. We laughed and sang, and he told me horrid stories of his adventures with Aragorn. As you know, we are neither of us demonstrative in public, preferring to not use any endearments unless alone, so it was a joy for both of us. We are young, we are married, and we are in love, although some may not see it.

Keeping this in mind, you may understand how shocked we were to hear someone approaching us. And that outrage was doubled when we realized it was Daewen! She had run off from Learnis and followed us! Such an invasion of our privacy was bad enough, but then she began to scream at the limits of her power! I cannot repeat half of what she said, I admit I understood less than half, but none of it was good. And the content bewildered me beyond belief.

Arwen, she had not understood that Legolas and I were married!

How could that be, I ask you? She did not recognize what was before her. She had convinced herself that I was Thranduil's daughter! I still do not know what to make of it. And her bizzare behavior was calculated to make Legolas fall in love with her!

I was sick. Legolas was torn between grief and rage. Not at her, you must understand, but that she had be so debased that she did not recognize any of her own instincts. He gathered her in his arms and spoke softly to her. I stepped away from them for a few moments to compose myself. Legolas dried her tears and explained the situation to her. She had deluded herself, but she was not to blame, it was a product of her barbaric upbringing. I came back and he handed her to me. She stiffened when I held her, but I believed it was from embarrassment at having made such a blunder. We took her back to the Hall, our day ruined.

For a few days she avoided me. I did not find fault with her, it was natural. When she returned to me, she apologized, and asked to stay with me. She felt unnerved, she said. My presence was comforting to her. She also stayed away from Legolas, who had found it politic to return to his spider hunting. So we continued for a while.

Daewen was polite and respectful. She asked me how to say "Princess" in Sindarin. I explained to her that I was not a princess at all, and that Legolas was a prince because his father is king. She was attentive, and always addressed me as Lady from then on. I began to hope that this latest humiliation in my charge's life was the last, and that she would apply herself to learning our ways, at least to prevent another such occurrence.

Legolas returned from his hunting trip three days ago. Daewen still sat with me in the evenings, and had begun to prepare tea for us. I was happy, Arwen, that all seemed to be well with her. The night Legolas returned, she made my tea and left us. I lifted the cup to my lips, when I realized from the odor of it that the tea had been contaminated by some medicinal herbs. I poured it out and remade it. Legolas and I discussed the improvements in Daewen, and the next day, I cautioned her about being careful of what herbs she selected for tea and to have Learnis check over her choices. She apologized most tearfully and promised to be more careful.

Tonight, Arwen, while Legolas was in conference with his father, made tea again, and then retired early. The cup was full of a concoction of herbs that would have poisoned me had I drunk it. Daewen was trying to kill me!

I went to her immediately, and demanded an explanation. She became hysterical, something that disturbed me greatly. In her lunacy she had decided that Legolas loved her and not me, and that if I were to die, he would then marry her!

She understands nothing, nothing! I sat down in her chair and held my head in my hands. How could I explain to her what marriage is? Learnis had gone for Legolas and Thranduil, leaving me alone with the creature. I tried to be reasonable with her, but I became angry. How had she come to this, and how had I been caught up in the middle? Thranduil was beyond rage, I have never seen him so furious about anything. Legolas did not even attempt to reason with his father, he was of the same mind. In the face of our wrath her mind must have snapped for she lunged at me, and attempted to claw at my face with her nails! I was too shocked to even defend myself, so it fell to Legolas, who overpowered her easily, and Thranduil had her locked in the dungeons! She is there now.

She is completely insane, Arwen, and I beg you, send me help! No one in the Mirkwood can cure her. Our best hope is Gandalf or your father. Thranduil has finished his message to your father, Legolas is in a passion and the courier is at my door. Please, send aid quickly!

Yours in haste

Athelas