Note to Readers: I don't own LotR or any of Tolkien's fantastic characters. Mikuras is, however, of my own unique mind. This will not be a normal love Legolas fic. If you've come here looking for that, better hit the back button before you're disappointed. However, I will say that the two have a few bumps along the way, so be on the look out for what's to come! Mik is a rogue, albeit an honest one, and she still has a past, which will eventually work itself into the story. And since I'm starting from Rivendell, it's going to be a slow build so please be patient. If you like what you see, please leave kind reviews! If you don't like what you see, please leave constructive criticism. Thanks! -- Blake
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Dusk was just beginning to settle around Rivendell when Lord Elrond had bid the party a safe journey. As promised, Arwen attended her father in sending the fellowship off. Although there was no time for words to be said, Mikuras gave her cousin a nod letting Arwen know she intended to keep her word and come back home. The group set out with Gandalf in the lead, followed by the four hobbits, then Gimli, Borimir, Aragorn, with Legolas and Mikuras bringing up the rear. Sam held tight to Bill's reins as they pushed their way through the undergrowth of the forest. They had taken little gear for war as they were hoping to fulfill this mission with secrecy. Mikuras carried naught but her two daggers concealed beneath her tunic and a short sword strapped to her side.
The night passed quickly and they had covered a good distance. They continued to walk for a couple of hours after the sun had risen in order to find a safe place to make camp for the night. After they had found a small clearing, they gathered around a small fire and began cooking a small dinner of rabbit in a thick broth and bread.
The company lingered around the fire for a while longer, as no one was eager to let their eyes rest. After Mikuras had finished her meal, she walked away from the fire to a small patch of nearby trees. She fingered her daggers through the soft material of her sleeves, thinking over the events of the last couple of days.
"Lady Mikuras?" a voice said from behind her, snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Legolas," she said. Already she had distinguished individual voices, one of her many skills acquired through endless nights at the taverns. Plus, he was the only one of the group who would be able to walk up behind her undetected.
"Do not wonder too far from the group. We do not know what evils await for us." He stepped beside her with his bow in hand. She glanced to her side and watched him as he drew an arrow from his quiver and nocked it, pulling the string tight.
"Target practice?" she asked. He simply nodded his head and then released the string, sending the arrow into a dead tree.
"Forgive me if I sound rude, Lady Mikuras - " he started to say.
"Please, simply call me Mikuras. I am no Lady," she said as she eyed the arrow jutting out of the tree.
"Very well then, Mikuras," he said, "As I was saying. I'm just curious as to why Elrond allowed for you to come."
She turned on her heels and cast him an icy glare. "Allowed me?" her voice was harsh with annoyance. "You think I requested to come along?" He nodded solemnly as she continued; "You are gravely mistaken, young Prince of Mirkwood. I would much rather be back in Rivendell, where I belong, than travel to Mordor!" What gave him the right to question her being here?
"Then what are you doing here?" he asked looking her over. "I mean no harm, but it just seems odd Elrond would send you with the company."
She rolled her eyes at him, cursing his male pride under her breath. "As I have already told you; I am no mere woman. I can take care of myself, I assure you. So please don't feel as if you must protect me." She tried to read the expression on his face, but was only met the usual masked façade all elves wore. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "As for why I have been sent with you, I do not know that myself. Lord Elrond called me into council yesterday and insisted I come." Then, she repeated the words Arwen had spoken to her only a day ago, "Fate often hands us things we do not understand, Legolas."
There was a brief moment of silence between the two elves as they stared at each other. "Are you through now?" the taller elf questioned and was answered with a simple nod, "I did not mean to offend you, Mikuras. I just find it curious that your only choice of weaponry is a short sword. You do not carry the usual gear of the warriors. Why, you do not even carry a bow!" he said as if it was blasphemy.
"Do not be quick to judge me, Prince of Mirkwood," she shrugged her shoulders, "I have plenty of ways to defend myself. There are other things to pelt enemies with than arrows." As she said that, she bent her wrists slightly and felt the smooth hilt of her dagger against her flesh. For the first time, Mikuras watched Legolas's face as he gave her a quizzical look. That was all she needed. Through instinct she flipped her hand and produced a small dagger with a black leather hilt, grabbing the tip of it with her fingertips. She paused long enough to eye the arrow he had previously shot into the tree before she let it fly from her fingers.
Craaaaaaaack
Mikuras cocked her head to the side, crossed her arms, and watched Legolas. He had followed the dagger as it whirled through the air and saw his arrow being splintered as if in slow motion. Then, as if he didn't believe what he had seen, he walked up to the tree that held the coupled arrow and dagger.
Legolas bent down and rocked back and forth on his heels, steadying himself. He leaned forward, inspecting his spliced arrow. Perhaps this female had more to her than met the eye. If he had not seen her pull the dagger from her sleeves himself, he would have sworn she had conjured it out of thin air. No doubt she had another one hidden up her other arm as well. It was most unusual for a warrior to carry anything under their sleeves as it usually hindered their fighting. Though they seemed to be a part of Mikuras rather than just a tool of war. He pulled the dagger free from the tree, catching the arrow with his other hand. Upon a closer inspection, he noted a small star etched near its pommel. This was the work of skilled blacksmith, one he had never seen in all of Mirkwood or Rivendell.
He stood up and walked back to her, holding the dagger by its tip. "So, you are skilled with daggers," he said as he handed it back to her. She nodded her head slowly then slid it back under her sleeves. "Forgive me for my assumptions, Mikuras. I was wrong."
"Nothing to forgive, Legolas," she gave him a tiny smile. "Just remember, things aren't always what they appear to be."
"Mikuras? Legolas?" Aragorn's voice interrupted them.
"Coming, Aragorn!" called Legolas. He faced her again and added, "We should be going now. Everyone is probably settling in for some sleep." She nodded and followed him back to camp.
Upon their return, it was decided Legolas and Aragorn would take the first watch then Borimir and Mikuras were to take over. With her bedroll spread out beneath a young willow, Mikuras laid down and slipped into the familiar world of dreams. The four hobbits had also opted to make their beds under the tree as well and were soon snoring contentedly. The dwarf, Gimli, and Borimir decided to sleep near the warmth of the campfire using their arms to shield their eyes from the sun; while Gandalf slept a little further out from the fire.
Meanwhile, Legolas and Aragorn had decided to keep watch from a nearby tree. Each sat with their back against the harsh bark of the tree, peering off into different directions for any sign of enemy attack. The first hour of their shift went by silently with nothing out of the ordinary happening in the world around them.
"Aragorn?" Legolas said as his eyes scanned the rugged terrain before him.
"Yes, Legolas?"
"What do you know of the Lady Mikuras?" he asked.
"I know enough not to call her Lady," his friend answered with a smile.
Legolas chuckled to himself and replied, "Yes, she warned me against that earlier. She is a most curious elf, is she not? Did you know she has a pair of daggers hidden in her tunic sleeves? And she's pretty efficient with them too! Why she even ripped one of my arrows in half with one."
"I have known Mikuras for as long as I've known Arwen," commented Aragorn. "Though they call themselves cousins, it is unknown as the how exactly Mikuras came to live with them."
"How so?" asked the elf.
"From what I have gathered, Mikuras just appeared in Rivendell about 800 years ago. It was Arwen who found her wandering the woods in ragged clothes that barely concealed her with cuts and bruises all over her body. At first the mysterious girl was very apprehensive, but somehow Arwen coaxed her into going back to Lord Elrond with her. The little elf could not talk for the first few months she was with them; couldn't even tell them her name. Though it is uncertain whether it was because she couldn't speak or because she couldn't recall her name. Arwen finally gave her the name of Mikuras and when she did manage to talk again, Mik thanked Arwen for it. Soon after that, Elrond decided to adopt the child as a niece and tried to give her the best upbringing he could. Mikuras was to be school with Arwen, but held no interest in books. Later, it was decided she would be trained as a warrior; yet she lacked some of the necessary skills, specifically archery. Although she has trained with the warriors of Rivendell, she is not one of them since rules wouldn't allow for anyone who could not wield a bow. However, from what I have been told and what I have witnessed as well, she is a very capable fighter."
"But that doesn't explain the daggers around her arms," said Legolas.
"Well," began Aragorn, "there is a small part of the story Arwen never told to me and one I did not learn about until yesterday when Elrond informed me Mikuras would be going with us."
"What is it?" Legolas asked. He could sense something in Aragorn's voice that suggested he might not want to know, but he had wanted to understand Mikuras.
"When Arwen brought Mikuras back to her father after finding her in the woods, she was immediately taken to the healers for treatment. Most of her clothes and body were covered in blood so it was hard to tell exactly what had happened to her." Aragorn paused for a moment, and then said, "While removing her clothes, Elrond found the two daggers sticking out of her body. One was located in the small of her back and the other just above her knee in her thigh."
"How could she survive such a wound? Surely it would have killed any elf to travel that far with two daggers in them, much less a young child." His voice was full of concern and bewilderment. He could not comprehend anyone wanting to hurt a child to that degree.
"That is one of the great mysteries surrounding Mikuras," offered Aragorn. "She holds it well though. Do not confront her about, for she does not recall anything that happened to her before she found her way to Lord Elrond."
"Thank you, my friend. I will keep that in mind."
The two sat in silence for the rest of their shift. Aragorn thinking about the road ahead, wondering where it would lead them; while Legolas mulled over what he had just learned of his traveling companion. The sun had reached its zenith by the time Aragorn decided to wake Borimir. Legolas made his way over to where Mikuras was laying when he heard her cry out in her sleep.
"Aragorn! Come quick!" he called as he rushed over to her. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he tried to steady her as she began thrashing wildly. Her skin was covered in with a slight sheen of sweat and Legolas could feel her muscles tense beneath his hands.
"What is it?" asked Pippin as he walked up beside Legolas. "Is she all right?" he yawned.
"I hope so," replied the elf. By now Mikuras' screams were growing louder, waking up the rest of the hobbits under the tree.
"What is the meaning of this?" grumbled Gimli. Legolas had apparently awakened the dwarf and Gandalf as well when he called over to Aragorn. The fellowship gathered around Mikuras, watching her as her hands and feet fought against an unseen foe.
"Do not wake her!" ordered Mithrandir. "It is very dangerous for one to be woken up during a nightmare such as this. She may be violent right now, but it is small compared to the wrath she may resort to if awoken."
Minutes passed by slowly as the group circled around Mikuras, each making sure she did not roll into the tree or caused herself any harm. Soon her body stopped thrashing and her breathing became steady and then shortly after, her movements ceased completely.
Gandalf knelt down beside Legolas and began chanting in an old tongue no one save he knew. He placed he hands inches from her body, running them up and down as he continued his slow melodic murmur. At last, Legolas felt her muscles relax beneath his hands as he had refused to remove them until she was calm again. He looked up at the wizard with pleading eyes, "Is she okay now, Gandalf?"
"She will be fine," said the wizard, "though she will have no memory of her nightmare when she awakes."
"And how long until then?" asked Frodo. He had been standing by her legs and had a welt on his shin where she had kicked him during her episode.
"Any minute now, Frodo. Be patient," said Gandalf.
Again, the company watched over Mikuras as the minutes ticked by. Finally, her eyes began to move and she sat up. Looking at the faces surrounding her, she asked, "Why did no one wake me? Have I missed my watch?"
Gandalf shook his head at Aragorn who replied, "No, you did not oversleep, Mikuras. However, I believe we should make haste and be out of here soon. I fear we might not be alone here for long." That was only partly true, though he did not want to say out loud what the others were thinking. Mikuras' screams may have alerted the enemy of their presence and they did not wish to see battle today.