For over an hour they walked and talked... or perhaps to better describe it, they walked and Glorfindel talked. In all her years, Evelyn had never met another creature who could so easily babble in such a joyful and exuberant way. Yes there were many many she knew who could gossip or whine or vent for hours upon end... but never had she met a soul who could spend hours in speaking with not a single complaint falling from their lips.
Instead, Glorfindel laughed and joked. He told stories of his elven warriors, marveled at the flowers- skipping over the rather obvious brown patch of a missing bush, and joked about his own adventures. He was courteous and had learned his lesson well to avoid the topic of Evelyn's past... but he could not resist but make remarks about his past encounters with her both in life and in the realm of Lorien.
Overall though, Evelyn found herself enjoying the walk. Even riding upon Nightshade's back however was tiring. Her injuries weighed heavily on her and as she had been refusing medication, her healing progression was slow. Due to this, they took a break to sit beneath an elegant gazebo beside a fountain. The water was so cool and fresh that Glorfindel drew forth an empty flask and filled it with water. Before he handed it to Evelyn however, he pulled out a small, metal flask and held it up to the light.
"Tis Miruvor... the cordial of Imladris," Glorfindel explained, his face open and earnest. "A few drops added to the water will help to revitalize you."
"I have made it clear-"
"You take substance from Estel."
"That is different."
"As he is no elf?"
Evelyn went silent. How could she explain to him that she simply could not trust? How could she express the pain that still rippled through her mind each night when she found herself once again trapped and enclosed... locked away in the bowels of a cave... young and alone and afraid?
"You've been wronged by my kin before," he spoke half in question, half in a resigned sigh. When Evelyn's eyes fell to her lap and her hand to Nightshade's neck though, it became obvious to Glorfindel what the answer to his query was. "Raven..." he waited until she lifted her gaze to meet his. "I promise you that I am not them."
"You promise?" he voice was bitter and mocking. Oh she had heard promises before...
She had been locked in the cell for longer than she could recall... long trapped in the dark where day and night were determined by which guards stood at her door. She had not been spoken to for months at least... total solitude with no companions to speak of. She thought that she had lost all hope, that the dripping of water leaking through the cave, the silent treed of elvish guards exchanging shifts, and the occasional musical flow of their language would be her only companions in the dark.
Then he came... and elf who dismissed the guards at her door with a wave of his hand. He sat with his legs closed in front of her cell and handed her a fresh apple! She was hesitant and scared, but after a kind smile she became brave enough to try a bite- it was heaven. The crisp crunch of that first bite as white flesh as sweet as the purest honey in all the worlds exploded across her tongue. She closed her eyes in silent bliss as it was the first hint of freshness that she had tasted in months... maybe years where her diet consisted of cold gruel and stale bread.
She looked up at the figure who granted her such a treat. He had blond hair with fine braids holding back the sides... the braids of an archer. His face was as pale as most of the elves in the fortress, but his eyes were an icy blue that were so brilliant, they were almost alien. His face was far softer than that of any elf she had met, and Evelyn dared to hope that there was kindness or caring in his eyes.
"I am called Legolas... and you are the mysterious trespasser that my father found."
Legolas! Evelyn's mind cried out in alarm. He was the Mirkwood prince who was destined to join the Fellowship... whose bow saved the lives of the other eight walkers so many times... he was young... considered naive... but most of all he was described oft as kind. A small surge of hope filled Evelyn as she realized that this might be her chance... that perhaps if she let just enough slip then maybe he would believe her. He needed to go to Rivendell eventually, perhaps she could convince him to take her and maybe Lord Elrond would understand her plight more.
"H-hi," she choked out softly. It felt strange to talk after so long spent in silence.
"Hello," his smile was warm and oh so genuine. "I'm certain that you don't like being in here."
Evelyn only nodded in response. What kind of a statement was that? Was there any should who enjoyed being imprisoned for months- years... where did time go? Perhaps the elves thought less of it for they were immortal... perhaps her prison sentence was the equivalent of a timeout to an elf. Either way she found her throat supremely dry.
"Do you mean my people harm?"
"No!" she cried in alarm. "I don't and I never did!"
"How about this," as he spoke he leaned closer to the bars of Evelyn's cell, so close that she might even be able to touch him if she reached through. "If you promise to tell me the absolute truth... and if indeed you mean us no harm... then I will ensure that you are moved from here to a guest room... one with a window that opens and with real food. After that... we can proceed from there."
"You will?"
"Yes," he placed a hand over his heart. "I promise that I will ensure it done. Will you promise to tell the truth?"
Evelyn found tears rolling down her cheeks... a chance to be in a real room with a bed... with a window so that she could feel the breeze through her hair, the sun on her face. It was almost too good to be true. Even if the room had a locked door, it would still be better than the hell that she was caught in.
"Yes," she sobbed. "I will... I promise!"
"Very well then," he took a deep breath. "What are you?"
"I... I don't know," another tear rolled down her cheek at her helplessness. "I was just a regular girl... an average kid and then... one day... I went to sleep and woke up like this in your forests. I have no idea why I have wings- I don't even know if I can use them- and I have no idea how I arrived in Mirkwood."
Legolas frowned, but continued with his questions.
"King Thranduil stated that you spoke of things that no child of man should know... how did you know about the occurrences of these woods?"
"I... well it's complicated." Evelyn paused and considered her options... perhaps he doubted her and needed proof. "Where I am from... your life... and the lives of many here are a story... a piece of fiction. Where I'm from... elves don't exist."
"Yet you knew who I was before you met me?"
"Yes! You're a really important character," she hesitated, afraid of giving away too much... but then again, what choice did she have? "Soon... I think... actually I don't really know when... but in the future you'll be called to Rivendell- Imladris for a council. I... I don't think that I should tell you what will happen... but it's important and you're really important there."
Legolas said nothing, his face going completely blank. As he gazed at her with a sharp and unreadable expression, Evelyn felt her apprehensions grow. Finally, he broke the silence.
"I see you liked the apple... I think I might have something else..."
As he spoke he dug though his pack until he came out with a small pastry. He handed the precious cargo to Evelyn who immediately devoured it. It was like a little hand pie of flakey crust with sweetened berries that burst in her mouth as little pockets of tart juice. Evelyn was so thrilled by her treat, that she didn't notice the grim and slightly stricken expression on Legolas' face until it was too late.
All of the sudden, she started to feel queasy. She found that her body was unable to fully support herself, and she went limp against the wall of her cell. Her head suddenly ached and she felt like her mouth was filled with cotton whilst a drummer was using the back of her eyes for practice.
"What-" she barely murmured.
"I will not tolerate lies from you, spawn of Sauron. A special brew to loosen your tongue might draw forth the truth."
"Please," she whispered, "I'm telling the truth!"
"Speak plainly and honestly. What are you?!"
"I don't know," she cried, the pain in her head and the situation was fraying on her already sensitive nerves. "I'm telling you the truth please! You promised!"
"Only the darkest creatures can resist the effects of this mixture."
"No! I'm telling the truth. You promised that you would let me out."
"You are a liar."
With those words, he turned and walked away. His footsteps were silent, but Evelyn swore that she could feel each one burning into her. He made a promise and then abandoned her.
For many hours... maybe days for she could not tell time in her state, she laid curled in a pitiful huddle on the floor. The cold seeped deep into her bones and forced her teeth to chatter, but the cool stone at least aided in cooling the raging fire in her head. After a while, the pain became worse and her entire body ached, her throat became sore and her nose swelled up. She supposed that whatever Legolas had given her affected her already weakened immune system enough for her to acquire a cold.
She was a miserable huddle for several more days, but eventually her body pulled through and, to her disappointment she woke up lucid.
After that she did not see Legolas again.
He made a promise.
She believed him.
She decided that she should've known better...
"Raven? Raven... Raven!" Glorfindel's shouting abruptly pulled Evelyn from the dark recesses of her mind that she had retreated to. "Raven... are you alright?"
"Memories."
"Oh," his face grew in concern. "I will not pretend to understand... and I will not ask of you to reveal that which you are not yet willing to tell... But I promise-"
"Promises to me have been broken before."
"Not this time," as he spoke he placed one hand over his heart and his other large, warm hand enveloped Evelyn's two smaller ones on her lap. "This promise, I make and I will keep."
Evelyn opened her mouth to speak, but closed it when he continued.
"Raven, I promise that I will stand by your side, that I will not allow harm to come to you."
"Your loyalty will always be with your kin... if Elrond wanted to..." she broke off, not even able to continue with the train of though for it lead her down a dark path. As a child she imagined Legolas and Thranduil as kind and noble figures... she was proved wrong. How could she be certain of Elrond?
"You've saved my life many times... more important, you saved my people. I owe you a debt greater than I can ever repay and I believe that our meetings are the will of the Valar. I promise that I will always stand for you."
Evelyn thought over his words... she considered the sincerity with which he said them, the shining in his eyes, and the kindness and concern that was practically oozing from him. She had made the mistake of trusting too freely before... but perhaps she could try again... one last time.
With tears sliding down her cheeks, Evelyn nodded her head. Glorfindel's smile was bright enough to light up the entire valley as he grasped her hand tighter, wrapping both if his hands around hers and bringing them to his lips. He brushed a chaste kiss across her knuckles and held her for several moments as if overcome with emotion. Eventually, his bliss cooled enough so that he could drip a few droplets of Miruvor into the flask which he gave Evelyn to drink.
With a bit of weariness and a hint of hesitation, Evelyn slowly sipped at the liquid. To her great surprise and delight, the drink was sweet and instantly filled her with a sense of warmth and invigoration. She could almost feel the liquid easing her sore, undressed and overworked muscles as tension flowed from her spine. Seeing the effect it was having on Evelyn, Glorifndel smiled and Evelyn found herself grinning as well.
"I suppose that I could accept some medication if you were to supervise Elrond as he makes it..."
"I will watch Lord Elrond and hover about him like an eagle, though I can also assure you that he wishes only for you to get well."
Evelyne nodded and, after a few more minutes of rest, they proceeded to walk back to Evelyn's room. Though Glorfindel departed after to attend to his duties as Captain of the Guard, Evelyn occupied her time with reading the various volumes brought to her by Glorfindel. She found great delight in the poetry with Common translations and was fascinated by the histories of Middle Earth. So much she was familiar with from having read the Silmarillion, but so much more was also new and fascinating to view from the perspective of the elves.
Reading did however, bring back memories of her past. Late that night, whilst Evelyn was snuggled up beside Nightshade reading, Evelyn found herself crying silently... the feeling of warmth and a the crinkling of pages of a book was all too familiar. It reminded her of home... of her parents... her friends... and even the college that she was all set to travel to. She lost so much... she doubted that she would ever see it again.