Chapter Six: Green Leaves

He put on the clothes that the other elf had brought and somehow felt natural, content. They were loose but not sloppy, they felt light against his skin and fair beyond the make of everything else. He rolled his shoulder blades and a smile touched his lips. After that, he exited the bathing room and met once more with the blonde elf who was sitting with a thin book in his lap.

"Ah, well your clothes are much better," he said standing and placing his book down.

The strange elf nodded and offered a tiny smile. "Do you have a name?" he asked looking over to the fair-haired elf.

"Glorfindel," the blonde said smiling back. He asked of no name in return as Elrond had recommended against. If anything, Glorfindel was patient and he knew he'd find out who this elf was eventually. "Are you ready to see Lord Elrond?"

The other nodded once more and followed Glorfindel from the room.

~*~*~

Horses had been stolen, and the Innkeeper had been taken care of. They were ready to ride.

Wazurk had come back with Oltrak with a smirk on his face. The others weren't sure if this were a positive sign or not, but they would follow him anyway. That was the way it was.

Oltrak had thrown a whetting stone to Skartakh and said to sharpen all his knives then pass it on, as they were going to need the weapons. How he was supposed to ride a horse and sharpen his knives at the same time, Skartakh didn't know. But he did know that it was best not to disagree with Oltrak when he was in a mood like this.

They mounted then, in the early sunlight and were off as a black and grey cloud marring the blue horizon.

~*~*~

"Here we are," Glorfindel said stopping in front of a door a ways away from the healing room. "Elrond's chamber."

He knocked softly on the door, and kindly face appeared a few moments later. "Please come in."

The odd elf and Glorfindel entered the chamber. Gandalf sat already in the room and Elrond motioned for both the newcomers to sit as he took his own chair.

Gandalf turned his gaze to the elf that he had carried from Bree. "Feeling any better?" he asked.

The odd elf twisted in the chair a bit, but nodded leaving his eyes downcast. Glorfindel sighed softly, so much for progress.

Elrond gazed at Glorfindel for a brief second then turned his eyes to the other. His hair had obviously not been combed; it was slightly matted and laid in one big lump on top of his head. But as for the rest of him, it was a vast improvement. Glorfindel had chosen clothing quite nicely; the greens and browns definitely suited this elf. Perhaps he was the Lost Prince…Suddenly the object of scrutiny looked up and met Elrond's gaze with startling silver eyes. A shiver ran up the Elf Lord's spine, and the other quickly looked back down.

"Hm. Welcome to Rivendell. I am Lord Elrond, and this is Gandalf," he swept his hand toward the bearded man. "He brought you here from Bree."

The supposed Lost Prince looked to Gandalf and inclined his head in the same fashion he'd used with Glorfindel earlier. "I thank you, Gandalf."

"Think nothing of it," the wizard said, a smile quirking beneath the fine white whiskers.

"I feel I owe my life to you," he responded a little ambiguously. "I need to ask though, what happened to Hope and the Halflings?"

"Hope? You mean Estel?" Gandalf asked extracting a nod from the odd Elf. "He asked me to bring you here. He should be along in a few days or so."

The other nodded again and folded his hands into his lap. Elrond regarded him once again. "Do you have a name, something we could call you at least? I would hate to refer to you as 'he.'"

He squirmed in his seat again, but did not move his arms at all. He glanced at his hands in his lap then met the gaze of Elrond and held it. "I…I do not remember. "

"Oh. I see. We shall wait to come up with a name for you then, in case you remember something. Tell us if you do, or if there is something that you like," Elrond said rising and placing a palm on one thin shoulder. "Come then, I think dinner is far over due."

~*~*~

Elrond's halls were something to be marveled at. Fair elves were all about, some singing, some just talking animatedly and others still just observing. Various elves said hello to Elrond, Glorfindel and Gandalf, while looking curiously over the unknown elf.

While, the main meal had been served some time ago, many elves still lingered in the dining hall eating and waiting for friends finish to eating. Everything was so relaxed.

The odd elf found his eyes wandering over the room. He'd never been to Imladris before, of course he knew of it and people…people he'd known well before, but couldn't quite remember now… had spoken of it, but he'd never been here himself. It was shocking, the utter reversal of where he had been just a few days ago. From chains to…peace.

Eyes met his in return and other eyes roamed over him. But these eyes were not mean and did not want anything from him, except perhaps to talk.

He found that he was fed until he couldn't eat a single berry more. It felt good with the reassuring weight of food in his belly. Something that he hadn't felt in such a long time, neither the weight of a full stomach or the feeling of good.

Elrond and Gandalf had left a small while ago, and the one who might have been the Lost Prince found himself sitting across from Glorfindel who was watching the other with a small smile and a slight twinkle of humor in his eyes. When the other was completely full, Glorfindel laughed softly and good-naturedly. "Would you like to see your new room?"

He nodded enthusiastically and Glorfindel felt his smile grow as he stood. The other stood also and stretched a bit after he did. They walked from the dining hall in companionable silence.

Glorfindel stopped beside a room and opened the door. "This is it. It's not much, but…"

"It's wonderful," the odd one said looking around. A huge bed was against a wall near a huge window, which looked out into a grouping of trees. Dark green curtains sat on either side of the huge window and the bed looked as though its sheets were satin.

Glorfindel smiled at the other's wonderment. He pointed out a dresser with a small mirror on top. "That is full of clothing, most of it is probably too big but I figure it is better than nothing."

"Thank you."

"Of course. If you need to find me, I am in the last room in this hall." With that Glorfindel left the room.

The other smiled after the door for a second before he went to the window, which he opened wide, and leaned out smelling the fresh air. Somehow it felt wonderful against his skin now that he wasn't captive.

He closed his eyes and let the wind caress his face.

~*~*~

"We need to contact him."

Elrond sighed. "We are not even sure if he is the Lost Prince."

"He is."

"You know that not for certain, Gandalf," Elrond said crossing his arms around his chest.

"For certain, no. What is certain? But I feel that he is," Gandalf stated crossing the room and sitting beside Elrond.

"Fine. I will dispatch a messenger," Elrond answered, relenting. He knew it was best to listen to Gandalf's advice.

~*~*~

He sat on the window ledge, one leg pulled up to his chest and the other dangling down his thin shoe brushing against the wall below.

Everything seemed new. His senses felt keen and his body alive.

He tucked his chin to his knee and observed the trees. Their leaves blowing softly, vivid greens rustling in the wind. The trees were whispering to each other and laughing prettily with the wind.

He smiled and laughed with them. It felt as though no evil could touch him.

Then it came to him. Something he would like to be called. He scooted out of the window and rushed out of his room and down the hall.

He knocked softly on the last door in the hall and soon Glorfindel answered. The blonde offered an encouraging smile.

"Green leaf," he said with a detectable murmur of excitement.

"Green leaf?" Glorfindel asked.

"That is what I want to be called. Green leaf."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~