Chapter 8
That was how Malia found them in the morning. Legolas holding her hand as Tally slept. He was unmoving, watching her as she slept. Tally had had nightmares and talked much in her sleep that night. All through it Legolas had stroked her hand and whispered words of comfort in her ear and sang to her soft lullabies he had heard as a child. They seemed to calm her until the dreams began again. Sometimes Tally would fight whatever was there and sometimes she would cry, tears rolling silently down her cheeks and a sweat forming on her brow.
Legolas motioned to Malia not to wake Tally. She nodded in reply. Ten minutes later she appeared with two breakfasts on a tray, smiled and left. Tally slept on as Gandalf and Elrond came to find Legolas. In a hushed conversation Legolas explained the nightmares and it was agreed that Tally would be given a sleeping draught that night to give her undisturbed, dreamless sleep. Council would be postponed until Tally was fit enough to take part and she had learned more about her history and place in the world. Elrond and Gandalf would teach her. She would also need to learn how to fight. Legolas volunteered for this. By this time, Tally was stirring. Legolas rushed back to her side as she opened her eyes. She stretched up and yawned, but quickly put her arms down and pulled the sheets up to her chin as she realised she was in a room with three other men. "Do not be distressed, Lady Natalia. We shall leave now. Come Legolas. I will call Malia to you." Said Elrond. Legolas left, his breakfast untouched.
Tally ate much of hers, finding herself surprisingly hungry, "It must be the country air," she thought. Malia came and helped her wash and dress, tending to her wounds again. Tally knew she was being watched by Malia as she washed. "Malia, thank you for last night, for not telling anyone and for helping fix me up. It will not be happening again."
"Lady Natalia, I am very sorry to tell you this, but I did tell someone. You trust in me has been misplaced and for this I am deeply sorry."
"Who did you tell?" Natalia spun around to face the elf
"I told Master Elrond. He wished to know how you were, in yourself, in your mind. I am sorry but he said it may be very important and that if I didn't wish you hurt, I should tell him all I knew. I am sorry." Malia looked at the floor.
"It is alright, Malia. If it was Lord Elrond, I do not mind. He would have had some reason for asking. Just do not tell Legolas, please." Malia gave her as strange look and then a half-smile, nodded and left.
Tally found another new dress to wear laid out on her bed. It was mid blue. It wasn't as formal as the one from the night before which was still hung up in her wardrobe. Tally hoped she would be allowed to keep it, she'd never worn anything so pretty before, and she liked the reactions of everyone else when she wore it too! Malia helped her dress as before and presented her with a small box. Tally opened it and saw a beautiful necklace with a pendant of a shamrock leaf with her two pale pink earring stones and a larger darker pink one in each of the three leaves, "Oh Malia," she gushed, "It's so beautiful. Thank you so much. Who did this for me? I must thank them. Will you take me to them?"
"I took them to the best smith we have. He just happens to be my husband, Timmas." she said proudly, "We can go and see him now if you like? He will be working so we may not stay long. He does not get to work with much jewellery now, but he enjoys it so much. Most of the time they are forging weapons now. Such a waste."
Once Tally had brushed her hair, Malia took her on a tour of the Sanctuary building. There was a library and the Great Hall, plus many bedrooms and meeting rooms. The building was beautiful and the atmosphere was jovial and relaxed, people smiled and bowed to Tally as she walked about, but there were some whispered comments once she'd walked past. They walked and talked for several hours and Tally found it was lunchtime by the time they'd finished the tour.
"Today you have lunch with Master Elrond, Mithrandir and Prince Legolas. There will be other people there too. You will be introduced to them formally, but I will tell you that they are other elves of high importance and descendants of lesser lines of Men. Do not be afraid," she saw the worried look on Tally's face, "I'm sure you can handle a bunch of men very well!" she laughed and left Tally in front of the open door.
That was how Malia found them in the morning. Legolas holding her hand as Tally slept. He was unmoving, watching her as she slept. Tally had had nightmares and talked much in her sleep that night. All through it Legolas had stroked her hand and whispered words of comfort in her ear and sang to her soft lullabies he had heard as a child. They seemed to calm her until the dreams began again. Sometimes Tally would fight whatever was there and sometimes she would cry, tears rolling silently down her cheeks and a sweat forming on her brow.
Legolas motioned to Malia not to wake Tally. She nodded in reply. Ten minutes later she appeared with two breakfasts on a tray, smiled and left. Tally slept on as Gandalf and Elrond came to find Legolas. In a hushed conversation Legolas explained the nightmares and it was agreed that Tally would be given a sleeping draught that night to give her undisturbed, dreamless sleep. Council would be postponed until Tally was fit enough to take part and she had learned more about her history and place in the world. Elrond and Gandalf would teach her. She would also need to learn how to fight. Legolas volunteered for this. By this time, Tally was stirring. Legolas rushed back to her side as she opened her eyes. She stretched up and yawned, but quickly put her arms down and pulled the sheets up to her chin as she realised she was in a room with three other men. "Do not be distressed, Lady Natalia. We shall leave now. Come Legolas. I will call Malia to you." Said Elrond. Legolas left, his breakfast untouched.
Tally ate much of hers, finding herself surprisingly hungry, "It must be the country air," she thought. Malia came and helped her wash and dress, tending to her wounds again. Tally knew she was being watched by Malia as she washed. "Malia, thank you for last night, for not telling anyone and for helping fix me up. It will not be happening again."
"Lady Natalia, I am very sorry to tell you this, but I did tell someone. You trust in me has been misplaced and for this I am deeply sorry."
"Who did you tell?" Natalia spun around to face the elf
"I told Master Elrond. He wished to know how you were, in yourself, in your mind. I am sorry but he said it may be very important and that if I didn't wish you hurt, I should tell him all I knew. I am sorry." Malia looked at the floor.
"It is alright, Malia. If it was Lord Elrond, I do not mind. He would have had some reason for asking. Just do not tell Legolas, please." Malia gave her as strange look and then a half-smile, nodded and left.
Tally found another new dress to wear laid out on her bed. It was mid blue. It wasn't as formal as the one from the night before which was still hung up in her wardrobe. Tally hoped she would be allowed to keep it, she'd never worn anything so pretty before, and she liked the reactions of everyone else when she wore it too! Malia helped her dress as before and presented her with a small box. Tally opened it and saw a beautiful necklace with a pendant of a shamrock leaf with her two pale pink earring stones and a larger darker pink one in each of the three leaves, "Oh Malia," she gushed, "It's so beautiful. Thank you so much. Who did this for me? I must thank them. Will you take me to them?"
"I took them to the best smith we have. He just happens to be my husband, Timmas." she said proudly, "We can go and see him now if you like? He will be working so we may not stay long. He does not get to work with much jewellery now, but he enjoys it so much. Most of the time they are forging weapons now. Such a waste."
Once Tally had brushed her hair, Malia took her on a tour of the Sanctuary building. There was a library and the Great Hall, plus many bedrooms and meeting rooms. The building was beautiful and the atmosphere was jovial and relaxed, people smiled and bowed to Tally as she walked about, but there were some whispered comments once she'd walked past. They walked and talked for several hours and Tally found it was lunchtime by the time they'd finished the tour.
"Today you have lunch with Master Elrond, Mithrandir and Prince Legolas. There will be other people there too. You will be introduced to them formally, but I will tell you that they are other elves of high importance and descendants of lesser lines of Men. Do not be afraid," she saw the worried look on Tally's face, "I'm sure you can handle a bunch of men very well!" she laughed and left Tally in front of the open door.
