When I opened my eyes I saw that through the window the morning sunlight
was pouring through. The curtains were opened and now I had a headache from
the sunlight. I could smell a familiar, relaxing scent. I looked to the
door and Isilme entered. She was carrying a tray and on it was some food
like that of yesterdays and in a small vase was a plant. I immediately
remembered the smell. I had smelt it in the magical garden, and Ilhan had
told me its name.
"That is the athelas plant is it not?" I asked. I continued to breathe in its beautiful scent.
"Yes it is. It has such a soothing scent, it is great for mornings. And I had forgotten that mortals sleep for long periods of time." She said. She laughed lightly.
"I didn't sleep that long did I?" I asked a little shyly. She shook her head and continued to laugh. "Eat now, and when you finish I shall show you around. I'm sure you are curious about the elvish ways." She said.
I took the tray from her and she left the room. I quickly ate what was on the plate, and drank a white liquid that was very refreshing. I got up from the bed and I quickly dressed into one of Erowan's gowns. I chose a simple blue one, which I was sure Erowan wouldn't miss. She had so many gowns and the ones I took she barely wore anymore. I quickly put on the gown and went to find Isilme.
I went into the dining room but she wasn't there. So I decided to try the library. I opened the door and I saw many shelves all full of books. I had never seen so many books at one time. I quickly looked around and there didn't seem to be anyone in the library. I decided to take a quick look around. At the far end of the room there was a desk. I quickly walked up to it and started going through the papers on it. Most were maps, and I saw one, which had Rohan on it. When I saw it on the map I suddenly felt homesick. I began to miss my family, but I also realised I missed Eowyn too. I did wish that she and Erowan were here with me.
Suddenly I heard a voice. It was a mans' and he was talking to me. "Do you see anything you like?" The voice asked. I turned around and saw Isilme's husband, Aglareb. He looked at me with his blue eyes.
"I'm sorry I was looking for Isilme, do you know where she is?" I asked. I was a little ashamed and scared. Aglareb smiled at me.
"Yes I do know where she is but you didn't answer my question." He said.
"I was just looking at this map, I was remembering my home, Rohan." I said. My voice sounded distant, and I knew this was because I was thinking of Rohan.
"The map is yours, I would like you to keep it, as I have no use for it. I have many maps and it wouldn't hurt if you had one." He continued to smile at me. I couldn't help but smile back.
"Thank you!" I said. I was shocked, I didn't expect him to be so nice to someone he found going through his papers. I took the map from the table.
"Isilme is in her room. She is waiting for you. I hope you like Mirkwood." He said. I was already out the door and only heard the last few words. I stopped and answered him.
"Yes Mirkwood is a wonderful place." I said, then I began to walk to my room. I put the map in my bag and began walking to Isilme's room. When I arrived at her door it was slightly ajar. "Isilme are you in here?" I asked as I knocked on the door.
Suddenly Isilme was at the door. I hadn't heard her footsteps. But then I remembered that elves were light footed and didn't make a sound. "Are you ready to leave?" She asked excitedly.
"Yes!" I exclaimed. I was very excited, and I couldn't hide it. But Isilme seemed excited too. I realised Isilme was different to most elves. Most elves didn't show much emotion but Isilme does, and I realised that she is more like a mortal. We walked out her front door on onto a small path. It led past some elf houses. They were all similar and the only differences were the flowers growing around or on the houses.
"I am going to take you to a place you call the market place I think it is. This is where we get all our food, and just anything we need. And please do remind me to teach you some of the elvish language." She said.
"I sure will, it is such a beautiful language I cannot wait to learn it." I said. We finally arrived at the market place. It was a large tent full of elves and supplies. We entered and we walked around. It seemed a lot bigger on the inside than it did on the outside. Not only was there food but there were also jewelry and different kinds luxuries. Isilme took me to the jewelry but nothing there took my fancy even though they were all beautiful. I'm just not a jewelry type of person.
I looked around and then suddenly everything disappeared. All the elves, the food, jewelry, everything. I looked around but I couldn't see anything. Then someone came towards me. At first I couldn't believe my eyes. A small man came towards me and he was carrying an axe. He had a long brown beard which was plaited. I was scared and I wanted to run away but my legs wouldn't obey me.
"Humph! I hate when they do that. They always disappear. What's this, how come you didn't disappear with them?" He asked me.
He seemed irritated but he continued to look at me waiting for an answer. "I, I" I stammered. I just couldn't answer him. He looked at me confused.
"You are not an elf. Elves are more graceful and don't stutter. Maybe they disappeared because of you. That explains everything." He said. It seemed he was talking to himself. Suddenly I felt offended by what he said.
"Actually I was just with the elves and they disappeared because of you. I am not an elf but I am their guest. My name is Fatima and I am from Rohan. Who may you be?" I asked. I was shocked at myself. I didn't know where I suddenly got the courage to speak to the man like that. I looked at him more closely and I realised he was a dwarf.
He now seemed shocked. "Excuse me, my lady. I am Gimli son of Gloin, at your service." He said, then he bowed. Gimli, that name was familiar to me.
"You are the dwarf that was part of the fellowship that destroyed the great ring of power." I exclaimed. He seemed very proud and pleased with himself. He suddenly stood up tall and proud.
"Yes I am Lady Fatima, I am here to see my good friend Legolas but these elves always disappear like this before I have a chance to let them know who I am." He said.
"Prince Legolas-" But I was interrupted by the return of the elves. Isilme came to me.
"I'm sorry Fatima that I left you like that on your own, but I had forgotten you are not an elf." She said very apologetically.
"Oh never mind that. It was an honest mistake and no harm came of it. Now where is that dwarf." I said looking around. I could no longer see him.
"He is over there talking to an elf." She pointed to him. I saw him and he then saw me. He came over to me.
"Lady Fatima you were saying something." He said. I couldn't remember what I was going to say.
"Oh never mind it wasn't important." I said. My attention was then taken by the elf that entered the tent. It was Prince Legolas. "Actually Lord Gimli, your friend Prince Legolas has just been sighted." I said. I pointed towards the prince.
Lord Gimli quickly wondered off towards Prince Legolas. They shook hands in the elvish way and then began to talk. Then I saw Lord Gimli pointing to me, and my eyes met with Prince Legolas's. They both came towards me, and I quickly turned to Isilme. She looked at me confused but then she must have seen the prince approaching.
"Lady Fatima, I am glad I have found you." Prince Legolas said. I turned to face him and I couldn't help but smile. It was a strange sight to see a dwarf and an elf together. "If you will please come with Gimli and myself to my father's chambers." He said.
"Yes if you will just give me a moment to farewell Isilme." I said. I turned to face her. "Farewell Isilme for now, I hope to continue this tour with you later on, but I am wanted." I couldn't help but giggle.
"It must be very important that the Prince came to find you himself. Farewell!" She said smiling. I smiled back and then turned to the elf and the dwarf.
They led the way and I followed close behind them. They seemed so caught up with their conversation it didn't seem like they knew I was there. They were catching up, as they hadn't seen each other for a few years. Finally we arrived at King Thranduil's chambers and Lord Gimli motioned with his hand for me to enter the hallway before him.
"Thank you Lord Gimli." I said. I looked to Prince Legolas and he seemed a little irritated. I guessed that Lord Gimli and Prince Legolas were a little competitive, as then Prince Legolas motioned for me to enter the room before him when we arrived at his father's council chamber.
"That is the athelas plant is it not?" I asked. I continued to breathe in its beautiful scent.
"Yes it is. It has such a soothing scent, it is great for mornings. And I had forgotten that mortals sleep for long periods of time." She said. She laughed lightly.
"I didn't sleep that long did I?" I asked a little shyly. She shook her head and continued to laugh. "Eat now, and when you finish I shall show you around. I'm sure you are curious about the elvish ways." She said.
I took the tray from her and she left the room. I quickly ate what was on the plate, and drank a white liquid that was very refreshing. I got up from the bed and I quickly dressed into one of Erowan's gowns. I chose a simple blue one, which I was sure Erowan wouldn't miss. She had so many gowns and the ones I took she barely wore anymore. I quickly put on the gown and went to find Isilme.
I went into the dining room but she wasn't there. So I decided to try the library. I opened the door and I saw many shelves all full of books. I had never seen so many books at one time. I quickly looked around and there didn't seem to be anyone in the library. I decided to take a quick look around. At the far end of the room there was a desk. I quickly walked up to it and started going through the papers on it. Most were maps, and I saw one, which had Rohan on it. When I saw it on the map I suddenly felt homesick. I began to miss my family, but I also realised I missed Eowyn too. I did wish that she and Erowan were here with me.
Suddenly I heard a voice. It was a mans' and he was talking to me. "Do you see anything you like?" The voice asked. I turned around and saw Isilme's husband, Aglareb. He looked at me with his blue eyes.
"I'm sorry I was looking for Isilme, do you know where she is?" I asked. I was a little ashamed and scared. Aglareb smiled at me.
"Yes I do know where she is but you didn't answer my question." He said.
"I was just looking at this map, I was remembering my home, Rohan." I said. My voice sounded distant, and I knew this was because I was thinking of Rohan.
"The map is yours, I would like you to keep it, as I have no use for it. I have many maps and it wouldn't hurt if you had one." He continued to smile at me. I couldn't help but smile back.
"Thank you!" I said. I was shocked, I didn't expect him to be so nice to someone he found going through his papers. I took the map from the table.
"Isilme is in her room. She is waiting for you. I hope you like Mirkwood." He said. I was already out the door and only heard the last few words. I stopped and answered him.
"Yes Mirkwood is a wonderful place." I said, then I began to walk to my room. I put the map in my bag and began walking to Isilme's room. When I arrived at her door it was slightly ajar. "Isilme are you in here?" I asked as I knocked on the door.
Suddenly Isilme was at the door. I hadn't heard her footsteps. But then I remembered that elves were light footed and didn't make a sound. "Are you ready to leave?" She asked excitedly.
"Yes!" I exclaimed. I was very excited, and I couldn't hide it. But Isilme seemed excited too. I realised Isilme was different to most elves. Most elves didn't show much emotion but Isilme does, and I realised that she is more like a mortal. We walked out her front door on onto a small path. It led past some elf houses. They were all similar and the only differences were the flowers growing around or on the houses.
"I am going to take you to a place you call the market place I think it is. This is where we get all our food, and just anything we need. And please do remind me to teach you some of the elvish language." She said.
"I sure will, it is such a beautiful language I cannot wait to learn it." I said. We finally arrived at the market place. It was a large tent full of elves and supplies. We entered and we walked around. It seemed a lot bigger on the inside than it did on the outside. Not only was there food but there were also jewelry and different kinds luxuries. Isilme took me to the jewelry but nothing there took my fancy even though they were all beautiful. I'm just not a jewelry type of person.
I looked around and then suddenly everything disappeared. All the elves, the food, jewelry, everything. I looked around but I couldn't see anything. Then someone came towards me. At first I couldn't believe my eyes. A small man came towards me and he was carrying an axe. He had a long brown beard which was plaited. I was scared and I wanted to run away but my legs wouldn't obey me.
"Humph! I hate when they do that. They always disappear. What's this, how come you didn't disappear with them?" He asked me.
He seemed irritated but he continued to look at me waiting for an answer. "I, I" I stammered. I just couldn't answer him. He looked at me confused.
"You are not an elf. Elves are more graceful and don't stutter. Maybe they disappeared because of you. That explains everything." He said. It seemed he was talking to himself. Suddenly I felt offended by what he said.
"Actually I was just with the elves and they disappeared because of you. I am not an elf but I am their guest. My name is Fatima and I am from Rohan. Who may you be?" I asked. I was shocked at myself. I didn't know where I suddenly got the courage to speak to the man like that. I looked at him more closely and I realised he was a dwarf.
He now seemed shocked. "Excuse me, my lady. I am Gimli son of Gloin, at your service." He said, then he bowed. Gimli, that name was familiar to me.
"You are the dwarf that was part of the fellowship that destroyed the great ring of power." I exclaimed. He seemed very proud and pleased with himself. He suddenly stood up tall and proud.
"Yes I am Lady Fatima, I am here to see my good friend Legolas but these elves always disappear like this before I have a chance to let them know who I am." He said.
"Prince Legolas-" But I was interrupted by the return of the elves. Isilme came to me.
"I'm sorry Fatima that I left you like that on your own, but I had forgotten you are not an elf." She said very apologetically.
"Oh never mind that. It was an honest mistake and no harm came of it. Now where is that dwarf." I said looking around. I could no longer see him.
"He is over there talking to an elf." She pointed to him. I saw him and he then saw me. He came over to me.
"Lady Fatima you were saying something." He said. I couldn't remember what I was going to say.
"Oh never mind it wasn't important." I said. My attention was then taken by the elf that entered the tent. It was Prince Legolas. "Actually Lord Gimli, your friend Prince Legolas has just been sighted." I said. I pointed towards the prince.
Lord Gimli quickly wondered off towards Prince Legolas. They shook hands in the elvish way and then began to talk. Then I saw Lord Gimli pointing to me, and my eyes met with Prince Legolas's. They both came towards me, and I quickly turned to Isilme. She looked at me confused but then she must have seen the prince approaching.
"Lady Fatima, I am glad I have found you." Prince Legolas said. I turned to face him and I couldn't help but smile. It was a strange sight to see a dwarf and an elf together. "If you will please come with Gimli and myself to my father's chambers." He said.
"Yes if you will just give me a moment to farewell Isilme." I said. I turned to face her. "Farewell Isilme for now, I hope to continue this tour with you later on, but I am wanted." I couldn't help but giggle.
"It must be very important that the Prince came to find you himself. Farewell!" She said smiling. I smiled back and then turned to the elf and the dwarf.
They led the way and I followed close behind them. They seemed so caught up with their conversation it didn't seem like they knew I was there. They were catching up, as they hadn't seen each other for a few years. Finally we arrived at King Thranduil's chambers and Lord Gimli motioned with his hand for me to enter the hallway before him.
"Thank you Lord Gimli." I said. I looked to Prince Legolas and he seemed a little irritated. I guessed that Lord Gimli and Prince Legolas were a little competitive, as then Prince Legolas motioned for me to enter the room before him when we arrived at his father's council chamber.