Chapter 5
When Pennanto stopped the next day, she seriously considered turning back. Doing this would cost her everything. The words of Lord Elrond came back to her, reminding her that Fëaeledh would not want to live at the expense of her life, especially when Pennanto knew that that would be the cost.
The moment of indecision passed, and she renewed her resolve to go to the one place forbidden to her. She was ready.
---
Fëaeledh was up and about in a few days, though on slow and shaky feet. Legolas was trying his best to help her remember the things she'd forgotten, but it wasn't working. Over and over he prayed that her friend would arrive soon.
She seemed to remember places and names, but many memories were just out of her reach. Most of the time she was reaching for a memory just out of reach. She could feel it was there, but could not grasp it.
From the outside looking in, it was frustrationg, but from the inside, it was maddening. To know that others know thing that you do not and should, was creating a feeling of helplessness that Fëaeledh did not like.
---
Lord Elrond's sons discovered Pennanto missing late the next morning. Pennanto almost never got up until after the sun had completely risen, so when she was late for breakfast, they were not worried. But when she did not appear, they began to worry. Elrond sat at the head of the table, quietly eating, which also was not unusual, for he was not one to speak for the sake of speaking.
When the twins got up to look for their friend, Elrond spoke softly, but loud enough for his sons to hear, "You will not find her."
The twins stopped dead in their tracks.
"What do you mean?" Elrohir asked.
"She left last night, " Elladan opened his mouth to say something, but Elrond silenced him with an uplifted palm. "There was nothing we could do. We gave her our opinions, and she made a decision. That is why we are leaving, we will follow and try to save her."
The elf lord stood and made his way to the stables, already having had the servants pack traveling bags. The twins stared after their father a moment, then hurried to follow him.
---
The doors of the king's hall opened with a bang. Everyone in the hall stopped what they were doing to see what had caused the noise. Two gaurds came in, and between them was a limp elf maiden. She was dragged between the gaurds, not even trying to walk by herself. They threw her unceremoniously in front of the throne, where she sat still, hunched forward over her knees. Her fair hair had come loose from it's bonds and spilled over her shoulders to veil her face. When she did not look up, one of the gaurds roughly jerked her head back while the other pulled her shoulders back, forcing her to sit up straight and the king could see her face. The elf shook the hair from her face and glared defiantly as she struggled with the gaurds who held her. Shock was apparent on the king's face as he realized who it was he was looking at.
"You!" he gasped.
"I--" she began.
"I will not listen to your lies!" Thranduil roared. "Take her away!"
---
In a side passage stood Fëaeledh and Legolas stood, watching the commotion from a distance. As the elf's face was revealed, Fëaeledh gasped. She began to run towards the throne. She jerked to a stop as Legolas held her back.
"What is it?" he asked.
"That's my friend...I remember now."
When Pennanto stopped the next day, she seriously considered turning back. Doing this would cost her everything. The words of Lord Elrond came back to her, reminding her that Fëaeledh would not want to live at the expense of her life, especially when Pennanto knew that that would be the cost.
The moment of indecision passed, and she renewed her resolve to go to the one place forbidden to her. She was ready.
---
Fëaeledh was up and about in a few days, though on slow and shaky feet. Legolas was trying his best to help her remember the things she'd forgotten, but it wasn't working. Over and over he prayed that her friend would arrive soon.
She seemed to remember places and names, but many memories were just out of her reach. Most of the time she was reaching for a memory just out of reach. She could feel it was there, but could not grasp it.
From the outside looking in, it was frustrationg, but from the inside, it was maddening. To know that others know thing that you do not and should, was creating a feeling of helplessness that Fëaeledh did not like.
---
Lord Elrond's sons discovered Pennanto missing late the next morning. Pennanto almost never got up until after the sun had completely risen, so when she was late for breakfast, they were not worried. But when she did not appear, they began to worry. Elrond sat at the head of the table, quietly eating, which also was not unusual, for he was not one to speak for the sake of speaking.
When the twins got up to look for their friend, Elrond spoke softly, but loud enough for his sons to hear, "You will not find her."
The twins stopped dead in their tracks.
"What do you mean?" Elrohir asked.
"She left last night, " Elladan opened his mouth to say something, but Elrond silenced him with an uplifted palm. "There was nothing we could do. We gave her our opinions, and she made a decision. That is why we are leaving, we will follow and try to save her."
The elf lord stood and made his way to the stables, already having had the servants pack traveling bags. The twins stared after their father a moment, then hurried to follow him.
---
The doors of the king's hall opened with a bang. Everyone in the hall stopped what they were doing to see what had caused the noise. Two gaurds came in, and between them was a limp elf maiden. She was dragged between the gaurds, not even trying to walk by herself. They threw her unceremoniously in front of the throne, where she sat still, hunched forward over her knees. Her fair hair had come loose from it's bonds and spilled over her shoulders to veil her face. When she did not look up, one of the gaurds roughly jerked her head back while the other pulled her shoulders back, forcing her to sit up straight and the king could see her face. The elf shook the hair from her face and glared defiantly as she struggled with the gaurds who held her. Shock was apparent on the king's face as he realized who it was he was looking at.
"You!" he gasped.
"I--" she began.
"I will not listen to your lies!" Thranduil roared. "Take her away!"
---
In a side passage stood Fëaeledh and Legolas stood, watching the commotion from a distance. As the elf's face was revealed, Fëaeledh gasped. She began to run towards the throne. She jerked to a stop as Legolas held her back.
"What is it?" he asked.
"That's my friend...I remember now."