Evelyn woke slowly, eyes fluttering as she attempted to force them to open.

She was in pain.

Shifting her body slightly, Evelyn took stock of her injuries. Her left upper arm was wrapped tightly, a searing pain at her attempt to move it informed her of a rather large gash. Her side ached and she vaguely recalled a blade slicing through her thin leather vest in the middle of the battle. Working her way downward, she found her right ankle was bound to something hard- a splint?

Most worrying however, her left wing was not responding to her. One wing was perfectly fine, fluttering about as she attempted to move, but the other only tugged weakly. The alarm of this situation full woke the rest of her senses and Evelyn's eyes snapped open.

It was dark.

Looking around, Evelyn spotted an oil lamp on the little table next to her, a roaring fire in the hearth, and a little chair beside it on the opposite side of the room. She looked down and found herself laying upon a bed with white sheets- she was wearing a different shirt. Looking towards her feet, she found that she was still dressed in the same leggings as earlier, but her shoes were gone and her ankle was splinted. Her weapons were nowhere to be seen.

As Evelyn felt along her body with her right hand she found the places that she noted earlier as injured. When she came to her wings however, she found one of her wings bound to her body, long strips of white cloth held the wing close to her back and prevented her from moving it. Just as she was reaching up to tug away the bindings, she noticed where she was, the full memories of the fight coming back to her.

Elves... she was found by elves for orcs do not take prisoners.

Her mind surged to a panic as she saw where she was: a dark, stone room. The door across from her was closed. Her wing was bound and her foot was in a splint. She could not walk or run. She was trapped.

Panic made her breathing increase as she found that Nightshade was nowhere nearby, she was separated from her one companion. She was alone, trapped among the elves in yet another cell.

"I can't," she brought a hand to her face and stared in shock as she drew it back, wet with tears. "Not again... I can't-"

Images of cold stone, of manacles and the laughter of guards who refused to speak to her. The cold gaze of an arrogant King, condemning her to rot in loneliness and isolation for the sole crime of not knowing and knowing too much. All she ever wanted to do was help the elves, and every time it exploded in her face, every time she suffered for it.

She tried to warn Thranduil of dangers approaching and he threw her in his dungeon.

She tried to save Glorfindel's life and found her home raided by orcs and men alike.

She tried to stop the orc scouts from reporting on Imaldris and she was tracked down.

Now, she tried to save the patrol and she was once again captures, locked up, imprisoned.

As her breathing increased, Evelyn noticed almost absentmindedly that she was hyperventilating, but she didn't care. She had to get out.

Pulling up every ounce of strength within herself, she pushed upwards, sitting up in bed. She could feel the stitchings in her side straining and her ankle screamed in pain, but she ignored it.

I have to get out, I have to get out-

FInd Nightshade,

Escape,

Kill anyone who gets in the way.

The words were repeated over and over again in her head, like a mantra she repeated them as she gritted through the pain, forcing herself to sit up. She reached for the oil lamp beside her bed and threw it at the hearth, instantly shattering it and thus clearing the bedside table. She then leaned over and lifted said end-table above her head, a cry of pain escaping her lips as she crashed it down agains the bed frame, breaking off a leg.

Taking the wooden leg, she examined how one end was splintered to create a jagged edge which she ran her fingers along carefully- it was sharp. They may have taken her weapons, but Evelyn figured that this wooden stake would have to do. She had been merciful the last time she escaped for she did not kill a single elf. This time, she would not make the same mistake. She would do what was necessary.

Just as she was about to attempt to climb out of bed, the sound of a key clicking echoed through the little room and the door opened. A tall, broad shouldered elf with dark brown hair walked in. It took him less than a second to sweep his eyes across the room, to see the broken lamp in the fireplace, the shattered table, and Evelyn bearing the broken table-leg like a club, ready to strike from her bed. The pair stared at each other, a challenge in Evelyn's fierce gaze and an unreadable expression in the other.

"I think we've finally gotten him to lay down for-"

"Erestor, fetch Glorfindel," the elf standing in the doorway spoke crisply to the faceless voice behind.

"My Lord-"

"Now," was all he said as he took a step inside. Evelyn could hear a slight shuffling from behind the elf as the other scurried away rather quickly. Evelyn still did not speak, she was poised and ready to strike, taunt and wary.

"Hello Lady Raven," he spoke gently slowly approaching until Evelyn lifted her chair leg as a clear threat. "I am a friend of Glorfindel... I will not harm you."

"I don't care who the fuck you are," she hissed, pushing herself as upright as she could manage. "Where's Nightshade? If you killed her then I swear by all your petty Valar that I will kill every last elf in this house," she hissed her words, forcing herself to keep the fear out of her tone. Nightshade was her last and only friend, the loyal companion who stuck with her always. She couldn't stand the thought of losing her.

"Nightshade? I assume that is your wolf's name," he spoke calmly, seeming to ignore her threat. If he thought her incapable of acting on it then he clearly didn't know Evelyn well. "She is safe. We had to tranquilize her to treat the both of you as she was very protective of you once you fell, but she is locked in a cellar with a large supply of fresh meat and water. A minor gash in her shoulder was bandaged by myself and I can assure you that she is otherwise perfectly healthy."

"If she's in a cellar than am I in your dungeon?"

"Why ever would you think such things? You are no prisoner. This is a private room in the Healing Halls of Imaldris," he spoke gently, over enunciating each word as one might for a child.

"Then I am free to leave?" Evelyn challenged.

"You are in no condition to be walking about right now. Your ankle was practically shattered and I had to split it. The stitchings on your side are about to come undone with all your movements, and the gash on your arm was rather severe. Once you are healed however, you are free to stay or leave Imaldris as you choose."

"Ha," she laughed a dark and bitter chuckle. "What a lovely way to tell me that you're keeping me here, locked in your dungeon. I know your kind. I know you have no intention of unlocking that door."

"Please-" Elrond began but was interrupted by the door slamming open to the wild figure of Glorfindel.

The blond elf was quickly followed by another dark haired elf, though less broad in shoulder than the first. The second elf merely shut the door quietly behind them and stood in front of it, hands folded gently in front of his body as he waited patiently, observing.

Glorfindel was not so patient and surged forward, only to be stopped by Evelyn's rather pointed threat with her improvised wooden stake. She glared at the elf and could not help but bring one hand to brush across her face. Of course- her mask was gone.

"Raven-" he hesitated, lowering himself to a crouch so that he could look her in the eyes without hovering about her as she still was confined to her bed. "It is me, Glorfindel. I would say that this was the third time you saved me, but perhaps it is the fourth."

"Let me out of here," she hissed. She didn't care that she had healed him, saved him before. He was an elf, she was locked in a stone room. She was a prisoner, he was a jailor.

"Please, you are injured-" as he reached a hand towards her, Evelyn made a wild swing with her stake that clearly missed, but it did force the elf to jump backwards. He continued speaking nonetheless."This is Lord Elrond..." he tried, gesturing to the first elf that Evelyn saw upon waking. "He is a healer, he tended to your wounds just as you did mine. He is a friend and he means no harm."

"Where is Nightshade? Bring her to me now." she continued to demand, reaching behind her back and yanking at the bandages which kept one of her wings restrained.

"Please, do not do that," Elrond spoke, getting slightly closer as she tugged harder. "Your wing is bound for the bone is cracked, it must remain in place to mend properly."

"Get away from me!" she screamed, throwing her weapon at him in a fit of rage and panic. "I don't need help from the fosterling of kinslayers!"

She could hear an audible gasp from the elf by the door and watched as Elrond froze in shock. She did not know if it was because she dared to call him such, or shock that she had known such things to begin with.

Once she had offered her knowledge of their world to them as a gift, now she would spit it at them as a curse.

"Raven, please," Glorfindel was practically pleading, inching his way closer to her. "We are trying to help. You have nothing to fear from us."

Evelyn ignored him, panic filling her with enough adrenalin to overcome the pain of her injuries, she succeeded in tearing her bandaging from her wing, quickly unraveling the bindings and releasing her wing which instantly dropped to the ground. She let out a cry of pain as the bones were jarred. That cry seemed to awaken Elrond from his shock and he surged forward to stop her.

The instant he touched her injured wing, Evelyn lept into action. Weaponless, she grasped him by his hair pulled him to his knees. Before anyone in the room could act, she pulled a tiny dagger from seemingly nowhere and had it to his throat.

The room froze.

Glorfindel had his mouth half open to speak when, at perhaps the worst moment possible, the door opened and in walked two identical faces.

"Erestor, we heard that she was-" their words tapered off in shock as they saw the scene. A wrecked room, Glorfindel with his palm extended outward, Erestor pale as a sheet as he clutched the doorframe, and their father on his knees with a blade pressed against his artery.

In an instant both twins had their weapons drawn.

"Release him this instant!" one of them ordered.

"Come any closer and your precious Ada is dead," she hissed. Then, looking to Elrond she spoke in a low, but clear voice. "These are the famous twin sons of Lord Elrond, aren't they?"

"Stop!" Glorfindel cried, stepping between the two parties, hands outstretched on both sides. "Stop this please. Elladan, Elrohir, put down your blades."

"Listen to the Balrog slayer, children," Evelyn cackled at her words. The build up of pain, fear, adrenaline, and anger was pushing her over the edge. Her voice was half manic as she spoke. "One little flick, one little flick is all it'll take. Ask Glorfindel what this little poisoned dagger can do. Ask him how quickly it can kill a man and guess how long it takes to kill an elf who is half."

The twins looked to Glorifndel who barked something at them in Elvish. They slowly lowered their weapons, eyes still glaring at Evelyn on the bed. The blond elf then turned to Evelyn, sadness clear in his eyes as he spoke slowly and calmly.

"Raven, please. Release Elrond. He has done nothing but try to help you. If you were able to leave then I would escort you out myself, but you are severely injured. You slept for three days after the battle and your wounds are nowhere close to set. The first frost has already fallen outside and you would not make it out in the wilds. Whatever happened to you in the past, whoever harmed you... that is not us. Remember the kindness you showed me? You saved me, you saved my people. I wish to return the favor, but please, let my friend go."

Evelyn hesitated, his words striking a part of her heart that she thought long gone. She looked down at the face of the elf she had locked in her arms, but saw that same impassive expression that he wore when he first walked in and saw the destruction she wrecked on the little room.

"Get Nightshade, bring her to me and I let him go," she spoke quickly, locking gazes with Glorfindel.

"She allows no one go near her," Erestor finally spoke from where he stood in the corner. "There is no way for us to move her."

At that, Evelyn tipped her head backwards and released a long, low howl. The sound was so deep, that the elves could feel it reverberating beneath their feet. She paused for a moment and a similar sound, very faint but present echoed back. Evelyn smiled- she is still alive, her heart sung with joy at the confirmation.

"Open the door to her cage and so long as no one stands in her way, she will come straight to me."

"Do as she says," Elrond ordered before anyone would protest. Erestor frowned deeply, but nodded once and turned to the twins.

"I want the two of you to clear the hallways, ensure that everyone is behind a closed door, quickly now," he ordered and, after a few whispered words of Elvish they reluctantly left the room, not before tossing angry glares across towards where Evelyn still had their father in a death grip. This left Evelyn, Elrond, and Glorfindel.

"You didn't have to do this," Elrond spoke eventually, breaking the tense silence that had fallen in the room. "I understand that you are scared, but you have nothing to fear. You saved the life of my Captain many times, and three nights ago you saved the lives of my sons. Imaldris and I owe you a great dept."

"I don't trust your kind," she replied.

Silence fell again, Glorfindel still gazing at Evelyn with a mixed look of pity and remorse in his eyes. Evelyn couldn't stand it and was grateful for the distraction of another howl. She tilted her head backwards and repeated the sound. The next howl was closer and Evelyn knew that Nightshade found her.

Suddenly, from the open door came a blur of black fur and Nightshade lept onto the bed in one jump, shoving her nose into the crook of Evelyn's neck. The girl instantly released Elrond who took a quick step back as she re-sheathed her dagger somewhere in her leggings. Evelyn threw her arms around the wolf's neck as the creature made small yipping sounds of joy and comfort. The utter love and innocence of the scene contrasted starkly with the previous rage and fury in the girl's eyes.

After several moments of a deep embrace where Evelyn leeched comfort from her companion, she pulled backwards and looked deep into the wolf's eyes. The pair shared a silent discussion, Nightshade informing Evelyn of how she fell beneath an orcs club and the pair were taken to Imaldris unconscious. She expressed that the wound in her shoulder was not so great that she could not carry Evelyn if necessary, but if she were to do so for a distance in the next few days then her wound would like grow. In turn, Evelyn informed Nightshade of how her own wounds were rather severe and she didn't think that she could move.

Despite being drugged, both of their wounds had been dressed and they were not treated poorly. Now, they were reunited and thus were stronger together. The pair agreed that they would trust these elves only sparingly, and leave the moment they were able to. Once their sent conversation ended, Evelyn turned to the elves, all five now that Erestor and the twins rejoined them.

"We agree to stay until we are well enough to travel," she hesitated a moment, looking to Nightshade whose fur she still had her hand tangled in. "However, we are not to be separated."

"Well then I say that we establish a rule of no more insults or attempted asassi-" Erestor was cut off by Lord Elrond who managed to seem remarkably calm for a being threatened with imminent death mere moments before.

"I am certain that such has all gotten out of our systems," he spoke with a gentle smile. "Imaldris is famous for its hospitality and I offer it freely to you." He gave a short bow and Erestor leaned over to whisper something to the twins who quickly vacated the room. "Now, Lady Raven-"

"Raven," she corrected bluntly.

"Well, Raven," Elrond continued in his pleasant, undeterred voice. "Will you allow me to re-bandage your wing? I understand that you do no like it bound, but it is the fasted way for it to heal."

"You're willing to come near me again?"

"If you wished to kill me then you already had your chance. I do not fear you."

"You should."

Despite her words, Elrond gently approached and lifted the bandagings from the floor. After a quick inspection to find them still clean, he wound them loosely and placed them on the edge of Evelyn's bed. He then shuffled over to the door and whispered a few orders to a figure lingering at the door. After a few minutes, someone returned and Elrond accepted a small wooden bowl, shutting the door behind him.

"This is a tincture for pain. The bones in your wing are cracked severely and when I move your wing to set it, it will be incredibly painful."

Evelyn accepted the bowl and smiled wryly as she noticed that the elf was careful to give her a smooth bowl of thin wood that would be difficult to turn into a weapon. She then presented the bowl to Nightshade who sniffed deeply and nodded her head once- there were no sleeping drugs known to them in the tea.

Bringing the tea to her lips, Evelyn was pleasantly surprised the the elves had added honey to ease the bitterness and coat her rather sore throat. That pleasantness had a hint of bitter thought however as she found it to be a rather fitting metaphor for the elves themselves- sweet, honeyed words and appearances to mask a bitter foundation. She grimaced as she swallowed the last of the tea and waited patiently for it to take affect. As the minutes ticked by, she found the pain in all her injuries to be dulling and Elrond seems to take notice for he set to work. When he first approached Evelyn however, Nightshade released a low growl and bared her teeth in warning. Evelyn had to keep one hand planted firmly on the wolf's head to keep it from launching at Elrond. The elf for his part seemed to proceed slower after the warning growl as he carefully folded her wing into a proper resting position on Evelyn's back before wrapping the soft bandages around her body, securing her wing in place.

Once he was finished he stood and bowed politely, opening the door a second time to accept another small table with a tray of fruits, breads, and cheeses upon it. He used the side of his foot to sweep the broken bits of the old table to the side and set the table beside her bed. Walking to the door one last time, he returned with a wooden pitcher and cup filled with water, and a bowl for Nightshade. He placed these wordlessly on the table and floor before informing Evelyn, that none save himself, Glorfindel, and Erestor were permitted access to her rooms. And, even though she could not walk, he handed her a key that he demonstrated to work on the door.

He then glared at Glorfindel who had been silently staring at Evelyn before the pair departed with a promise from Elrond to return in a few hours with another draught for the pain.

Their leaving caused the room to be plunged into silence again, the same silence which Evelyn first awoke to. Every time she looked at the locked door, she would press the metal key in her hand so tightly against her palm, that a small puncture began to leak blood. But, that tiny would was better than the mental anguish of being locked away somewhere she could not escape. The door meant that other elves could not come and bother her, and she had the key to leave whenever she wanted.

Nightshade attempted to climb up onto the bed, but the bed frame was too small for the pair of them, especially with Evelyn's wing bound so awkwardly against her side. Evelyn however, could not sleep in such a place without the warm comfort of Nightshade at her side. Thus, in a process that likely tore more of her stitchings, she dragged herself out of bed, leaning heavily upon Nightshade as she found that she couldn't bear weight on her broken ankle. She then grasped the mattress and tugged hard. Soon, Nightshade gently nuzzled Evelyn aside and took the mattress in her strong jaws, pulling it off the bed frame. Evelyn collapsed into its soft, if a little lumpy on the floor, embrace and Nightshade curled up right next to her.

The pair soon found themselves dosing off, but, Nightshade only half slept. Her ears remained perked, swiveling back and forth as she listened for any signs of danger. She would not allow anyone to harm her friend.

"Glorfindel, please," Elrond spoke with his palm to his forehead, feeling a headache blooming behind his temples. "I heard you the first thirty times... I am aware of who you belive she is."

"But," he cried out, throwing his arms in the air. "It's her! It's really really her. She's Elenya!"

"Really?" Erestor's voice dripped sarcasm. "I don't think I noticed. Pray tell me, was she this hostile towards elves in Gondolin? Are you certain she was not on the side of the Balrog for they seem to share quite a few characteristics."

"Don't you dare," Glorfindel hissed, drawing his sword and pointing it at Erestor. The latter elf was sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the room and Glorifndel made no move towards him in threat, it was more of a gesture to make a point. Nonetheless, Elrond intervened.

"I believe that tempers from a rather long and trying period of time have begun to wear thin. Perhaps we should all take a moment to collect ourselves before we do or say anything too rash."

"My apologies," Glorfindel sheathed his sword and hung his head in shame. He was acting like a brash young cadet.

"Likewise," Erestor added stiffly. Elrond knew that the Councilor was not sorry, but he had too much to worry about for the day to concern himself with that matter. His two Senior Staff members seemed 35% less likely to murder each other at the moment and that was really more than he could ask for.

"By all appearances she seems to be a mortal, the speed at which her wounds heal, the way she shivers in the cold... everything besides her wings and apparent presence in Gondolin," Elrond spoke as he thought aloud.

"Hers is a face that I cannot forget. It was her in the chasm beneath the city... she is the one responsible for the survivors who escaped..."

"But what is she?" Erestor interrupted Glorfindel's pondering. "A mortal girl with the wings of a bird? My Lord, have you ever heard of such?"

"I have not," Elrond admitted slowly. He was known as a great lore master, older than many civilizations of Middle Earth, and yet he had never even heard of such a creature. "There is a chance that another has existed that I never heard of... but if we know something to be not old, then the next assumption would be that said thing is new. She may be a new being."

"Crafted by the Valar?" Glorfindel asked, his interest peaked.

"It is something that we cannot rule out," Elrond spoke gravely. "It is no secret that the Valar hold a particular interest in you, Glorfindel. And, your fate and the maiden's are certainly intertwined."

"Her eyes," Erestor whispered.

"I saw," Elrond replied with a nod of his head. Glorfindel had made such a point about the eyes of his mysterious savior, but Elrond had not imagined them so be such. There certainly was something different about this girl. "However, I suggest that we do not pry too far into her history just yet. Trauma lies in her past and I fear it was at the hands of elves."

"She is terrified of being a prisoner," Glorfindel spoke with a distant voice, he looked out the window at the open sky and remembered the words they exchanged in the cave. "I once referred to her as my jailor in jest and she was ready to slit my throat."

"Are you implying that elves have held her prisoner?" Erestor spoke incredulously.

"I think it best we keep her presence in Imaldris a secret." Elrond cut off that line of thought, it was something to be visited another day. "For now we allow her to heal in solitude... although, I do suggest we find her a more suitable room."

"She can't stay somewhere with no windows, it looks too much like a cell... but if her heritage is mortal than the cold of uncovered windows is dangerous."

"If I may," Erestor jumped in. "The room above her current accommodations has a skylight which is covered with a pane of glass. There are no windows to let the chill in... or for her to jump out of," he added in the last bit, finally saying the unspoken concern.

"We shall do it tomorrow," Elrond spoke as he rose from his desk and began brewing a second pain numbing draught for Raven.

"Yes, I will have the twins clear the hall early tomorrow and I will escort her and Nightshade up the stairs," Glorfindel said. "I shall fetch them after supper."

"Why not now?" Erestor's brow raised in amusement as he raised his voice louder. "One would think that after so many years running about with the Dunedain, those two would become more skilled in secrecy and listening at doors."

His remarks were met with an audible shuffling on the other side of the door. Elrond could hear the distinct sound of elbows being jabbed into ribs and muffled curses before Glorfindel strode across the room in three large strides and opened the door in one sweep. With the door came two identical elves falling in a heap for they had been leaning exceedingly close to listen in. Elrond shot his sons the sternest glare he could muster, however they were rather amusing in the pile that they formed.

"We spoke with all members of the patrol," Elladan spoke smoothly from his place on the floor as if he were giving a regular report. "All the guards were informed to keep the mysterious winged girl and her wolf a secret. There are obviously rumors due to the circumstances, but no one outside of the patrol and present company has a description."

"Very good," Elrond could not help the dry sarcasms dripping into his voice. "I assume that you know what your duties are tomorrow?" he asked his sons who both nodded. "Then you are dismissed."

His sons, for all their mock foolishness knew better than to argue with him when he was in this sort of mood, and so they nodded once more, untangled their limbs, and retreated to their chambers. Elrond knew that they were in the same boat as Erestor in being rather unfond of Raven, her threatening to kill him in front of them likely did not aide in their trust, but they couldn't deny that she had saved their lives. There were far more questions than answers around that girl.

Elrond inhaled deeply to summon all of his patience as he finished the brew and handed it to Glorfindel to deliver to Raven. The elf took the bowl with a quick nod and left. Just when Elrond thought that he might receive the tiniest amount of peace, Glorfindel's rather distinctive knock echoed on his door before the blond elf entered without being beckoned forth.

"She was asleep so I left it beside her bed."

"Yes, and you came to report to me because?" Elrond continued to write, not looking up.

"She is sleeping on the floor."

"Pardon?" Elrond was forced to put down his paper at that, looking at Glorfindel with a question in his eyes.

"She moved the mattress to the floor and is sleeping curled around Nightshade... her wolf. She needs a larger bed for the two of them, they always sleep curled around each other."

"None of the beds in the Healing Halls are meant for two elves."

"Then I shall have mine moved to her new room."

"Yours?"

"I sleep alone, I have no need of such a large bed. With your permission I will have it moved tonight."

Elrond sighed deeply. Oh his friend had no clue.

"As you will," he replied, waving off Glorfindel who assumedly went in search of Lindir to have the bed switch arranged.

Glorfindel's departure left Elrond alone with his thoughts. He immediately drafted up a document to request that Glorfindel finally take some leave from work for "vacation." The elf was usually loath to leave his post and Elrond was always forced to all but order him to rest. Now however, he suspected that between the orc arrow in his arm and Imaldris' current "guest," the elf would accept time away from his duties with relish. He was extraordinarily fond of this Raven, but Elrond remained wary. There was something about her that was simply wrong. She was not dark, but there was something inside her... something more. He could not place his finger on it and her very presence in Imaldris seemed to make his life more difficult.

Then again, when was the last time that anyone made his life more simple?