When they arrived in the dining room, every eye turned toward Aida.
Resisting her urge to turn away in embarrassment, she stood erect and
proudly faced the inquisitive strangers. Legolas turned to her and gave a
reassuring smile before guiding her in to the pleasantly full room. As
they walked, tall elves to either side asked about the lady's health, and
Legolas made all the introductions flawlessly. Aida, being, after all,
only human, had difficulty telling the elves apart at first; after a while,
though, her sharp eyes began to see subtle differences in posture,
expression, and features. "And which one is your father, Legolas?" she
asked.
"He has not yet arrived. It is customary for the king to enter last of all. I don't think he'll be in a very good mood tonight, though," Legolas replied.
"Why not? It isn't about me, is it?" Aida asked, worried that she had done something else to disrupt life in the palace.
"No, not really. We quarreled again today. It's been happening more often lately," he confided.
"What was it about?" Aida asked.
"Nothing, really...here, let's sit," he said evasively. Aida accepted his secrecy, knowing she had been unwilling to answer some of his questions. She sank gracefully into the chair he pulled out for her. Looking around, she saw that the chair at the head of the table was indeed empty. Legolas had taken his place at the king's right, and she was placed in the next chair. Everything was wonderfully decorated - each piece of silverware was a work of art. It was all exquisite without overwhelming the natural beauty of the room. She felt somewhat out of place as the only human in the room, but the prince's regal presence gave her strength. He leaned over and whispered, "Don't worry if you see them staring at you. It's just that you are the first human we've had at this table in many, many years." Before Aida had time to reply, every elf there suddenly turned toward the head of the table, and she twisted around to see what they were looking at. Thranduil had entered the hall. To her eyes, he was like one who wears a mask. On the outside, he was the very personification of royalty and pride. Inside, though, he carried many worries. Those worries were beginning to show through the outer mask. He walked in slowly and stood at the head of the table. Then he raised his arms parallel with the table, palms up, and began a song in which all the others in the room quickly joined in:
A Elbereth Githoniel,
silivren penna miriel
o menel aglar elenath!
Na-chaered palan-diriel
o galadhremmin ennorath
Fanuilos, le linnathon
nef aear, si nef aearon!
Aida sat in wonder, listening to her first experience of elvish singing. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard, and for several minutes after the song was over she sat silent, trying to let it sink in. She did not understand the words, but it didn't matter. It was more than just singing, somehow. Later, she could never quite describe it to others. The closest she ever came was saying, "It was like a river, a tangible river of pure emotion, and you felt that if you just knew where to put your hand, you could reach out and touch it." The song had a permanent effect on her, and seemed to embed itself in her memory. After hearing it, there was something different about her manner which had not been there before. If you were to see her, all you would notice would be a feeling of distance, as if she were always lost in a memory or dream. Legolas saw her intense reaction and wisely let her sit in peace for a few minutes. When she finally turned to him with that distant look in her eyes, he softly said, "Welcome to our world. I knew you would love it!"
The incredible experiences of that night were just beginning, however. At the king's nod, waiters began bringing in the food. Aida's eyes widened at the variety and amount of food, and her cravings seemed to grow at each exquisite-looking dish she saw. There were baskets of bread, light and fluffy, with everything from thick honey to creamy cheeses garnishing them. There were huge platters of varied fruits, of kinds Aida had never seen before. Legolas picked out a small piece of some greenish fruit off the plate and held it out to her. "Here, try this," he said. She took it from his fingers and popped it unhesitantly into her mouth. It melted slowly on her tongue, releasing its light and refreshing flavor gradually into her mouth and giving her a general sense of well-being. "Do you like it?" Legolas asked. Mouth still full, she nodded very enthusiastically and took a few more pieces. The dishes were still filling the table: richly garnished game from the forest, whole wheels of cheese, and, of course, more varieties of wine then Aida had ever seen.
She turned to Legolas, guessing him to be something of an expert on the subject of wine, and said, " I've never had wine before, except for that extraordinary concoction Leida gave me, and I don't expect you serve that at meals! What do you think I would like?"
He scanned the wines in front of them and replied, "Well, you won't want anything very strong: you don't want to drink yourself witless on the first night you meet most of the palace's inhabitants. Something sweet, I think...yes, this will do nicely." He took one of the decanters and filled Aida's glass. "Try that," he said.
She picked the glass up and took a sip. "Mmm...I could certainly get used to living like this," Aida said, smiling at her companion. Then, she engrossed herself in her meal.
Legolas was glad she was enjoying herself, and even more glad she had not noticed the tension between he and his father. Thranduil had not so much as looked at Legolas, and had only taken one brief glance at Aida before muttering something and turning away. Legolas pitied his closed- minded father, but felt guilty about this whole ordeal. After all, they were elves, and they were royalty. They were supposed to be above these petty matters. Maybe the wisdom of the Eldar was fading faster than anyone had realized. A worried expression flickered across his fair face for just a moment before he regained control, and his features returned to an amused look as he watched Aida. She was lovely, and growing lovelier each day, it seemed. She had a pale and drawn look to her, though, which worried him. He would have to ask Leida about it...he certainly didn't want her to relapse now.
When he saw Aida chatting happily with the elf to her right, he tapped her shoulder and whispered, "I'll be right back. Enjoy yourself." She smiled warmly at him and turned back to her conversation. He stood gracefully and went to talk to Leida. "Does she look pale to you?" he asked, pulling her aside.
"Unfortunately, yes. She should be regaining her health and be fully recovered in a few days. She has a very strong constitution, and the effects of cold and lack of food are fading. She doesn't look quite right, though. Maybe she's been affected by something else - a sickness, perhaps. I'll look at her again tomorrow after she's had a good sleep. Meanwhile, I hope you can find out something about her history. Maybe that will give us some answers," Leida replied.
"All right. Thank you, Leida," he said gratefully. The meal was almost over, and he went to collect Aida.
He led he up through a network of tunnels she had never seen before, and soon they came to the magnificent front gates of the palace. When Legolas approached the doors, they began to rise. Taking Aida's hand, he drew her outside into the crisp night air. An expression of joy crossed her face, and she took a deep breath. "It's so nice to be out in the open again!" she cried.
"Do you like it here?" Legolas asked, bringing his face close to hers. She looked around at the glade. Even in the midst of winter, it was beautiful. The surrounding trees were tall and stately, and some still held their leaves. There was fresh, white snow carpeting the ground, and winter flowers popped up through it. Turning, she saw the majestic gates; they seemed to flow right into the natural landscape.
She faced Legolas again and said, "I love it!"
"Good," he replied. "Let's walk." Linking arms, they found a path and began to stroll along it, going deeper into the forest. They said nothing, allowing their senses to revel in the nocturnal sounds of the wood. After a while, Legolas stopped and pulled Aida back from where she was standing.
"What is it?" she inquired.
"This is the edge of our realm. Further in, it gets dark. Can you not feel it? Once, this was Greenwood the Great, and you could walk freely through any part of it without fear. Times have changed, though. Everything seems to be darkening, and something is going to happen; I can feel it. I wanted to show you the border, so you will never accidentally cross it and lose yourself in the darkness. Come, let's go," he said, and began to turn back. Aida didn't move. "Aida? What is it?" he asked, but she remained motionless, giving no sign she had even heard him speak. She was staring into the blackness, as if frozen. Legolas put a hand on her cheek and gently turned her face back to the light. She was deathly pale, and seemed shaken by whatever she had seen. "Please, what's wrong? Tell me," he pleaded.
Shaking herself, she replied, "It's nothing. Come on, let's go." She took off down the path, almost running. Legolas ran after her, easily overtaking her position. Suddenly, Aida tripped on a stone in the path and tumbled into the trees.
Legolas ran to her, frantically asking, "Aida, are you all right?" She began to pick herself up, but when Legolas wrapped his arms around her, she sank into him and went limp. He sat gently on the ground, still holding her, checking for wounds. The back of her dress had been ripped to shreds by the tearing branches, and Legolas saw some of the scrapes beginning to bleed. He didn't pay more then a second's attention to the tears, though, because Aida's back was a myriad of scars. The skin was raised in some places and sunken in others, and long, harsh marks crisscrossed from her neck to her hips. He couldn't tell what they were from, but he knew this hadn't all been caused by one thing. He wondered what other scars Aida had hidden from him. He reached out a hand and tenderly touched her back. Aida suddenly brought her head up and looked into his face; then, she broke down and began to cry. They stayed like that for a moment, and then, cradling her in his arms, Legolas once more set out to carry her home.
"He has not yet arrived. It is customary for the king to enter last of all. I don't think he'll be in a very good mood tonight, though," Legolas replied.
"Why not? It isn't about me, is it?" Aida asked, worried that she had done something else to disrupt life in the palace.
"No, not really. We quarreled again today. It's been happening more often lately," he confided.
"What was it about?" Aida asked.
"Nothing, really...here, let's sit," he said evasively. Aida accepted his secrecy, knowing she had been unwilling to answer some of his questions. She sank gracefully into the chair he pulled out for her. Looking around, she saw that the chair at the head of the table was indeed empty. Legolas had taken his place at the king's right, and she was placed in the next chair. Everything was wonderfully decorated - each piece of silverware was a work of art. It was all exquisite without overwhelming the natural beauty of the room. She felt somewhat out of place as the only human in the room, but the prince's regal presence gave her strength. He leaned over and whispered, "Don't worry if you see them staring at you. It's just that you are the first human we've had at this table in many, many years." Before Aida had time to reply, every elf there suddenly turned toward the head of the table, and she twisted around to see what they were looking at. Thranduil had entered the hall. To her eyes, he was like one who wears a mask. On the outside, he was the very personification of royalty and pride. Inside, though, he carried many worries. Those worries were beginning to show through the outer mask. He walked in slowly and stood at the head of the table. Then he raised his arms parallel with the table, palms up, and began a song in which all the others in the room quickly joined in:
A Elbereth Githoniel,
silivren penna miriel
o menel aglar elenath!
Na-chaered palan-diriel
o galadhremmin ennorath
Fanuilos, le linnathon
nef aear, si nef aearon!
Aida sat in wonder, listening to her first experience of elvish singing. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard, and for several minutes after the song was over she sat silent, trying to let it sink in. She did not understand the words, but it didn't matter. It was more than just singing, somehow. Later, she could never quite describe it to others. The closest she ever came was saying, "It was like a river, a tangible river of pure emotion, and you felt that if you just knew where to put your hand, you could reach out and touch it." The song had a permanent effect on her, and seemed to embed itself in her memory. After hearing it, there was something different about her manner which had not been there before. If you were to see her, all you would notice would be a feeling of distance, as if she were always lost in a memory or dream. Legolas saw her intense reaction and wisely let her sit in peace for a few minutes. When she finally turned to him with that distant look in her eyes, he softly said, "Welcome to our world. I knew you would love it!"
The incredible experiences of that night were just beginning, however. At the king's nod, waiters began bringing in the food. Aida's eyes widened at the variety and amount of food, and her cravings seemed to grow at each exquisite-looking dish she saw. There were baskets of bread, light and fluffy, with everything from thick honey to creamy cheeses garnishing them. There were huge platters of varied fruits, of kinds Aida had never seen before. Legolas picked out a small piece of some greenish fruit off the plate and held it out to her. "Here, try this," he said. She took it from his fingers and popped it unhesitantly into her mouth. It melted slowly on her tongue, releasing its light and refreshing flavor gradually into her mouth and giving her a general sense of well-being. "Do you like it?" Legolas asked. Mouth still full, she nodded very enthusiastically and took a few more pieces. The dishes were still filling the table: richly garnished game from the forest, whole wheels of cheese, and, of course, more varieties of wine then Aida had ever seen.
She turned to Legolas, guessing him to be something of an expert on the subject of wine, and said, " I've never had wine before, except for that extraordinary concoction Leida gave me, and I don't expect you serve that at meals! What do you think I would like?"
He scanned the wines in front of them and replied, "Well, you won't want anything very strong: you don't want to drink yourself witless on the first night you meet most of the palace's inhabitants. Something sweet, I think...yes, this will do nicely." He took one of the decanters and filled Aida's glass. "Try that," he said.
She picked the glass up and took a sip. "Mmm...I could certainly get used to living like this," Aida said, smiling at her companion. Then, she engrossed herself in her meal.
Legolas was glad she was enjoying herself, and even more glad she had not noticed the tension between he and his father. Thranduil had not so much as looked at Legolas, and had only taken one brief glance at Aida before muttering something and turning away. Legolas pitied his closed- minded father, but felt guilty about this whole ordeal. After all, they were elves, and they were royalty. They were supposed to be above these petty matters. Maybe the wisdom of the Eldar was fading faster than anyone had realized. A worried expression flickered across his fair face for just a moment before he regained control, and his features returned to an amused look as he watched Aida. She was lovely, and growing lovelier each day, it seemed. She had a pale and drawn look to her, though, which worried him. He would have to ask Leida about it...he certainly didn't want her to relapse now.
When he saw Aida chatting happily with the elf to her right, he tapped her shoulder and whispered, "I'll be right back. Enjoy yourself." She smiled warmly at him and turned back to her conversation. He stood gracefully and went to talk to Leida. "Does she look pale to you?" he asked, pulling her aside.
"Unfortunately, yes. She should be regaining her health and be fully recovered in a few days. She has a very strong constitution, and the effects of cold and lack of food are fading. She doesn't look quite right, though. Maybe she's been affected by something else - a sickness, perhaps. I'll look at her again tomorrow after she's had a good sleep. Meanwhile, I hope you can find out something about her history. Maybe that will give us some answers," Leida replied.
"All right. Thank you, Leida," he said gratefully. The meal was almost over, and he went to collect Aida.
He led he up through a network of tunnels she had never seen before, and soon they came to the magnificent front gates of the palace. When Legolas approached the doors, they began to rise. Taking Aida's hand, he drew her outside into the crisp night air. An expression of joy crossed her face, and she took a deep breath. "It's so nice to be out in the open again!" she cried.
"Do you like it here?" Legolas asked, bringing his face close to hers. She looked around at the glade. Even in the midst of winter, it was beautiful. The surrounding trees were tall and stately, and some still held their leaves. There was fresh, white snow carpeting the ground, and winter flowers popped up through it. Turning, she saw the majestic gates; they seemed to flow right into the natural landscape.
She faced Legolas again and said, "I love it!"
"Good," he replied. "Let's walk." Linking arms, they found a path and began to stroll along it, going deeper into the forest. They said nothing, allowing their senses to revel in the nocturnal sounds of the wood. After a while, Legolas stopped and pulled Aida back from where she was standing.
"What is it?" she inquired.
"This is the edge of our realm. Further in, it gets dark. Can you not feel it? Once, this was Greenwood the Great, and you could walk freely through any part of it without fear. Times have changed, though. Everything seems to be darkening, and something is going to happen; I can feel it. I wanted to show you the border, so you will never accidentally cross it and lose yourself in the darkness. Come, let's go," he said, and began to turn back. Aida didn't move. "Aida? What is it?" he asked, but she remained motionless, giving no sign she had even heard him speak. She was staring into the blackness, as if frozen. Legolas put a hand on her cheek and gently turned her face back to the light. She was deathly pale, and seemed shaken by whatever she had seen. "Please, what's wrong? Tell me," he pleaded.
Shaking herself, she replied, "It's nothing. Come on, let's go." She took off down the path, almost running. Legolas ran after her, easily overtaking her position. Suddenly, Aida tripped on a stone in the path and tumbled into the trees.
Legolas ran to her, frantically asking, "Aida, are you all right?" She began to pick herself up, but when Legolas wrapped his arms around her, she sank into him and went limp. He sat gently on the ground, still holding her, checking for wounds. The back of her dress had been ripped to shreds by the tearing branches, and Legolas saw some of the scrapes beginning to bleed. He didn't pay more then a second's attention to the tears, though, because Aida's back was a myriad of scars. The skin was raised in some places and sunken in others, and long, harsh marks crisscrossed from her neck to her hips. He couldn't tell what they were from, but he knew this hadn't all been caused by one thing. He wondered what other scars Aida had hidden from him. He reached out a hand and tenderly touched her back. Aida suddenly brought her head up and looked into his face; then, she broke down and began to cry. They stayed like that for a moment, and then, cradling her in his arms, Legolas once more set out to carry her home.