Chapter 3
Remembering Isal
Narawen climbed into bed after taking a long bath. It felt so good to be clean. She couldn't remember the last time she had been able to bathe with soap and water. She had found enough water while being stranded on the mountains, but there certainly wasn't any soap.
For a while she just lay in bed trying to find sleep, but it would not come. So she just thought about the day's events. She hadn't remembered King Thranduil being so nice to 'intruders' in the past and was wondering why he had been so nice to her.
She pondered this thought for quite some time before a deep sleep claimed her and not long after her sleep became a dream. Maybe not a dream, but more like a memory, a memory that had been long forgotten over the years.
~*~
"You're betrothed!?" Narawen asked her cousin in complete shock. Eowulia only smiled and nodded her head. They were sitting on a bench located in one of the many gardens of Mirkwood. Hethien and Eowuclya were on another bench that was across the path from theirs.
"That is wonderful news!" Hethien said as she ran over to hug her friend.
"Who is he?" Eowuclya asked excitedly from where she sat.
"You will meet him later. A hunting party is leaving this evening and he is going with them. I thought I could introduce you to him then, that is, if you want to," Eowulia said.
"Of course we want to!" Narawen said, finally coming out of her state of shock. "I have one question though, if he has been courting you for some time now why have we just now heard of him?"
"I didn't know how you would react. You never seemed to like the idea of change and, well, this is a big change," Eowulia said. Narawen just shrugged.
Eowulia had been right; they did meet him later that day. It was just after dinner and many elves were gathering to see the hunting group off. They would be gone for six months, not a very long time for elves, but the lovers made it seem like they would be gone for eternity. Narawen couldn't blame them though, after all, this hunting trip could take the lives of many of the elves.
Narawen was standing by herself watching everyone say goodbye to friends and family. She had only been there for five minutes when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. When she turned around to see who it was she came face to face with her cousin. Standing behind her was a tall elf with white- blonde hair and brown eyes. He must be her mysterious beloved, she thought.
"Narawen," Eowulia said smiling. "There is someone I would like you to meet. This is Isal, the one I was telling you about earlier."
Narawen smiled as Isal said, "It is nice to finally meet you, Lady Narawen, I have heard much about you from both Eowulia and your father."
"You know my father?" Narawen asked. She thought it strange that her father had never mentioned him before.
"Yes, my father is on the king's High Council along with your father. I met him once when I accompanied my father to a meeting. That is also how I met Eowulia," he said turning back around to look at her cousin. Before they could finish their conversation he was called away for it was time for him to leave. That was the last time she ever saw him because a month later she left with her parents to go to Rivendell.
~*~
Narawen was awoken from her dream when she felt someone shaking her slightly. She opened her eyes to see the maid that had brought her to the room, Lomadia, as she had said her name was.
"I am sorry for the disturbance, Lady Narawen, but King Thranduil wishes to speak with you now," Lomadia said. Narawen nodded and got out of the comfortable bed. Lomadia handed Narawen a tunic and some leggings. "He told me to give this to you. The rest of your wardrobe has already been put away." Narawen gave her a questioning look. "The rest of my wardrobe? I've only just arrived and the only clothing I had with me was what I wore. How do I all ready have other clothes?"
Lomadia smiled. "Someone heard you were back and brought the clothes that you had left here. I don't know how anyone found out, but the person who brought your clothes said she was your cousin. I didn't get to here her name because King Thranduil sent me to get you. Do you know whom it is I speak of?" she said noticing the smile that had crept onto Narawen's face. Narawen nodded.
"Her name is Eowulia and I think I know how she found out I was here."
"How?"
"About a month before I left, she had told me that she was betrothed to Isal. Isal is one of the King's guards. He was in the group that escorted the messengers from Rivendell and me back here to Mirkwood. That is the only way I can think of that would explain how she knows I'm here."
"That's probably what happened," Lomadia said then she finally remembered the whole reason for her being there. "Now you must hurry and change. King Thranuil said he wanted you in the throne room as soon as possible."
Narawen changed as fast as she possibly could and was once again led down the hall to the throne room. When she entered she noticed that it wasn't only Eowulia who was there, but the rest of her friends and some of her other family. Everyone who was in the room stopped whatever they were doing and looked at her. They couldn't believe she was back. It had been so long and they didn't know if they could truly believe what their eyes were showing them.
Narawen climbed into bed after taking a long bath. It felt so good to be clean. She couldn't remember the last time she had been able to bathe with soap and water. She had found enough water while being stranded on the mountains, but there certainly wasn't any soap.
For a while she just lay in bed trying to find sleep, but it would not come. So she just thought about the day's events. She hadn't remembered King Thranduil being so nice to 'intruders' in the past and was wondering why he had been so nice to her.
She pondered this thought for quite some time before a deep sleep claimed her and not long after her sleep became a dream. Maybe not a dream, but more like a memory, a memory that had been long forgotten over the years.
~*~
"You're betrothed!?" Narawen asked her cousin in complete shock. Eowulia only smiled and nodded her head. They were sitting on a bench located in one of the many gardens of Mirkwood. Hethien and Eowuclya were on another bench that was across the path from theirs.
"That is wonderful news!" Hethien said as she ran over to hug her friend.
"Who is he?" Eowuclya asked excitedly from where she sat.
"You will meet him later. A hunting party is leaving this evening and he is going with them. I thought I could introduce you to him then, that is, if you want to," Eowulia said.
"Of course we want to!" Narawen said, finally coming out of her state of shock. "I have one question though, if he has been courting you for some time now why have we just now heard of him?"
"I didn't know how you would react. You never seemed to like the idea of change and, well, this is a big change," Eowulia said. Narawen just shrugged.
Eowulia had been right; they did meet him later that day. It was just after dinner and many elves were gathering to see the hunting group off. They would be gone for six months, not a very long time for elves, but the lovers made it seem like they would be gone for eternity. Narawen couldn't blame them though, after all, this hunting trip could take the lives of many of the elves.
Narawen was standing by herself watching everyone say goodbye to friends and family. She had only been there for five minutes when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. When she turned around to see who it was she came face to face with her cousin. Standing behind her was a tall elf with white- blonde hair and brown eyes. He must be her mysterious beloved, she thought.
"Narawen," Eowulia said smiling. "There is someone I would like you to meet. This is Isal, the one I was telling you about earlier."
Narawen smiled as Isal said, "It is nice to finally meet you, Lady Narawen, I have heard much about you from both Eowulia and your father."
"You know my father?" Narawen asked. She thought it strange that her father had never mentioned him before.
"Yes, my father is on the king's High Council along with your father. I met him once when I accompanied my father to a meeting. That is also how I met Eowulia," he said turning back around to look at her cousin. Before they could finish their conversation he was called away for it was time for him to leave. That was the last time she ever saw him because a month later she left with her parents to go to Rivendell.
~*~
Narawen was awoken from her dream when she felt someone shaking her slightly. She opened her eyes to see the maid that had brought her to the room, Lomadia, as she had said her name was.
"I am sorry for the disturbance, Lady Narawen, but King Thranduil wishes to speak with you now," Lomadia said. Narawen nodded and got out of the comfortable bed. Lomadia handed Narawen a tunic and some leggings. "He told me to give this to you. The rest of your wardrobe has already been put away." Narawen gave her a questioning look. "The rest of my wardrobe? I've only just arrived and the only clothing I had with me was what I wore. How do I all ready have other clothes?"
Lomadia smiled. "Someone heard you were back and brought the clothes that you had left here. I don't know how anyone found out, but the person who brought your clothes said she was your cousin. I didn't get to here her name because King Thranduil sent me to get you. Do you know whom it is I speak of?" she said noticing the smile that had crept onto Narawen's face. Narawen nodded.
"Her name is Eowulia and I think I know how she found out I was here."
"How?"
"About a month before I left, she had told me that she was betrothed to Isal. Isal is one of the King's guards. He was in the group that escorted the messengers from Rivendell and me back here to Mirkwood. That is the only way I can think of that would explain how she knows I'm here."
"That's probably what happened," Lomadia said then she finally remembered the whole reason for her being there. "Now you must hurry and change. King Thranuil said he wanted you in the throne room as soon as possible."
Narawen changed as fast as she possibly could and was once again led down the hall to the throne room. When she entered she noticed that it wasn't only Eowulia who was there, but the rest of her friends and some of her other family. Everyone who was in the room stopped whatever they were doing and looked at her. They couldn't believe she was back. It had been so long and they didn't know if they could truly believe what their eyes were showing them.