Elrond hurried down the hall and he soon came across his sons.
"Did either of you see a book?" he demanded.
"Book?" repeated Elladan.
"Manlin would have had a book with him. Where is it? Have you seen it?" replied Elrond.
"Actually, I do remember seeing a book in the throne room, in the chair. It might still be there. Why? What's this all about?" Elrohir replied, becoming a little confused.
"I'll explain later Elrohir. I will explain if my suspicions appear to be correct. Right now, all I have are theories," Elrond replied before heading away from them.
He hurried towards the room and headed inside, towards the chair sitting in there. In it, he found the book he was looking for.
"Maybe I can help this person, whoever she is," he quietly told himself before hurrying back to the room.
***
Once there, he sat down in the chair next to the bed.
"What are we going to find in here? I hope I find something," he said in a quiet voice.
He began to read the book before him, hoping to find an answer to what was happening to the gargoyle sleeping in the bed before him.
***
Over the next several days, he read the book over and over again while staying in Narcissis' room. He insisted that he alone enter the room and take care of her. He saw the gargoyle slowly changing before his eyes as the days passed and he could tell that she was turning into an elf. The wings on her back were the last to start disappearing.
He sighed as he placed the book on the table next to the bed. He had read the book countless times without any success in finding a solution to her problem. He looked over at the elf in the bed, taking notice that the wings had completely disappeared from her back now.
"What am I going to do if I can't help her this way?" he wondered as he placed the book on the table nearby. "What if I can't help her at all?"
Elrond had to took twice for he saw the figure moving in the bed. He hurried to her side as she began to raise herself slightly.
"Lay down, you are still injured," Elrond told her as he gently placed his hands on her shoulders.
She looked at him as she placed a hand on her head.
"I want to help you but I don't know where to start," the elf told her in a soothing voice.
"Start. Manlin. He gave me something to drink soon after he took me in. Soon after that, the transformation began," she quietly said as she lay back down onto the bed.
"Do you remember your life before Manlin?" wondered Elrond.
Narcissis had to think for a moment before shaking her head.
"No, I do not. None of it at all," she replied quietly. "At least not yet, if I will at all."
Elrond looked the female elf over. She seemed familiar to him with her blonde hair and fair skin. He placed a hand on her neck, not knowing where he saw her before.
'I still feel it faintly. The magic within her. Whatever she drank that day must remain in her system," he thought to himself. 'Yet the effects of the transformation dwindle because she's no longer near a living Manlin.'
Then he thought of something else at that moment. Something that could help him with finding her identity.
"Can you tell me your name?" he asked.
"M...my name? It's Na...Na...Na... I can't say it. I don't know. I have two names in my mind and I do not know which one is my real name," she replied, turning her head away from him.
She soon turned her whole body away from him, so that her back was facing him. Elrond narrowed his eyes confusion as he noticed something on her lower back. He gently swept a hand over the area before realizing who it was. He recognized the small birthmark on her lower back.
'It can't be her! She...she's...' he screamed to himself in his mind. "I'll be back soon. Stay still."
He hurried out the door and down the hall, still not believing who it was.
***
"Why did Father get us out of bed so late at night? Why couldn't it wait until morning?" wondered Elladan, placing a hand over his mouth to stop a yawn. "I cannot see why it would be so important."
"You're asking me?" Elrohir asked his brother, standing beside Aragorn, who also tried to suppress a yawn.
Chimone and Arwen were both out of bed as well and both were also wondering what was going on at the moment.
Elrond soon walked up to them. He looked over each and every one of them before beginning to speak. He knew they were very curious to what he had to say.
"I have something to tell you but we should get Thranduil and meet in Legolas' room before I do so," he told them.
"Get Thranduil out of bed? Is it that important that you get him out of bed as well?" wondered Elladan.
"Yes, it's that important," Elrond replied in a stern voice. "And I will go wake him. I want you to head towards Legolas' room but don't go inside until I come with his father."
The group nodded, each of them sighing as they headed down the hall towards Legolas' room.
***
Elrond knocked on the door and he heard a 'come in'. He walked inside.
"What is it? Is whatever you want so important that you wake me up?" wondered Thranduil as he sat on the side of the bed.
"Yes, it is. It deals with the gargoyle you were first unfamiliar with. I know what you're going to say but you have to know something about her now," Elrond replied as he gazed over the visible injuries on Thranduil's body. "It cannot wait until morning. It is something very important."
Thranduil gave a sigh before standing up and followed the elf down the hall towards his son's room.
***
"Legolas, we would like to come in. Elrond has something to tell us," Thranduil called into the room as he gently knocked.
Legolas had been reading a book as he was unable to get to sleep. Something nagged at the back of his mind and he couldn't stop thinking about it. Something about what the Nanaylia in his dream had said to him. He called for them to come in and the group of six walked in. They all faced Elrond as Legolas placed the book on the table next to the bed.
"What is the matter?" wondered Arwen.
"It must be important. You would not have gotten us out of bed if it wasn't," Chimone said.
"It is about the gargoyle," he replied.
"I knew it! What did she do? Did she attack you? What?" demanded Elrohir, sounding a bit upset.
He was hoping thaat this would be the chance that would end the gargoyle's stay in the palace.
"No, it's nothing like that Elrohir. I have found something about this gargoyle that you should all know," he started as he faced his son.
"She's a gargoyle. That's all we need to know," Elrohir snorted, crossing his arms. "She is no good. She never has been and she never will."
"Perhaps to you maybe, but she is not of the gargoyle race," Elrond told his son.
The group gasped. Legolas was very curious about this news and surprised.
"But she looks like a gargoyle, except different colouring. How can she be a race other than gargoyle?" he asked.
"That's because magic was involved. She told me that a long time ago, she drank something and then the transformation began into a gargoyle. I suspect that the reason it reversed was with Manlin's death. I also suspect that even though she will be her original race, the magic will still be there and she might have the capability of practising it more than we can because of it. Possibly even have after effects of being a gargoyle for so long," explained Elrond. "I cannot be certain yet."
"How did you find out who it was?" wondered Thranduil as he sat next to Legolas.
"By accident when I was taking care of her injuries. Thranduil, she is an elf and she is also from your kingdom," Elrond told him.
"Wh...what?" Thranduil said, not certain he caught what Elrond had just said.
"She is a Mirkwood elf," Elrond repeated.
Thranduil couldn't believe what he was hearing. An elf from his own kingdom of Mirkwood had been transformed into a gargoyle for who knows how long!
"Do Thranduil and Legolas know who this elf is? Have they ever met her before?" wondered Aragorn as he stepped forward.
"Yes, they do know her. Actually, we all do," Elrond replied. "Well, except you Aragorn. You wouldn't have met her. She was before your time."
"Well then, who is she?" wondered Legolas, sounding more anxious by each passing moment. "Tell us, please."
Elrond gave a sigh before sitting down on the bed next to Legolas. But nothing prepared Legolas for what Elrond was about to tell him.
"Legolas, the elf..." Elrond sighed, his eyes appearing sad. "It's Nanaylia."
TBC...
Author's Note-Dun dun dun. Well, how many people were expecting that now? I have a feeling a few of you probably did. And don't you just love me for ending the chapter like that? *innocently smiles* I think I'll shut up now and hope noone comes after me. Oh yes. And Haldir's Heart and Soul? Unless, of course, you have no more questions, I just hope that I haven't scared you into not asking questions anymore. (I just hope I haven't said anything wrong that possibly made a misunderstanding between us. Sometimes, my mouth speaks without thinking and I say the wrong thing with regret afterwards)
"Did either of you see a book?" he demanded.
"Book?" repeated Elladan.
"Manlin would have had a book with him. Where is it? Have you seen it?" replied Elrond.
"Actually, I do remember seeing a book in the throne room, in the chair. It might still be there. Why? What's this all about?" Elrohir replied, becoming a little confused.
"I'll explain later Elrohir. I will explain if my suspicions appear to be correct. Right now, all I have are theories," Elrond replied before heading away from them.
He hurried towards the room and headed inside, towards the chair sitting in there. In it, he found the book he was looking for.
"Maybe I can help this person, whoever she is," he quietly told himself before hurrying back to the room.
***
Once there, he sat down in the chair next to the bed.
"What are we going to find in here? I hope I find something," he said in a quiet voice.
He began to read the book before him, hoping to find an answer to what was happening to the gargoyle sleeping in the bed before him.
***
Over the next several days, he read the book over and over again while staying in Narcissis' room. He insisted that he alone enter the room and take care of her. He saw the gargoyle slowly changing before his eyes as the days passed and he could tell that she was turning into an elf. The wings on her back were the last to start disappearing.
He sighed as he placed the book on the table next to the bed. He had read the book countless times without any success in finding a solution to her problem. He looked over at the elf in the bed, taking notice that the wings had completely disappeared from her back now.
"What am I going to do if I can't help her this way?" he wondered as he placed the book on the table nearby. "What if I can't help her at all?"
Elrond had to took twice for he saw the figure moving in the bed. He hurried to her side as she began to raise herself slightly.
"Lay down, you are still injured," Elrond told her as he gently placed his hands on her shoulders.
She looked at him as she placed a hand on her head.
"I want to help you but I don't know where to start," the elf told her in a soothing voice.
"Start. Manlin. He gave me something to drink soon after he took me in. Soon after that, the transformation began," she quietly said as she lay back down onto the bed.
"Do you remember your life before Manlin?" wondered Elrond.
Narcissis had to think for a moment before shaking her head.
"No, I do not. None of it at all," she replied quietly. "At least not yet, if I will at all."
Elrond looked the female elf over. She seemed familiar to him with her blonde hair and fair skin. He placed a hand on her neck, not knowing where he saw her before.
'I still feel it faintly. The magic within her. Whatever she drank that day must remain in her system," he thought to himself. 'Yet the effects of the transformation dwindle because she's no longer near a living Manlin.'
Then he thought of something else at that moment. Something that could help him with finding her identity.
"Can you tell me your name?" he asked.
"M...my name? It's Na...Na...Na... I can't say it. I don't know. I have two names in my mind and I do not know which one is my real name," she replied, turning her head away from him.
She soon turned her whole body away from him, so that her back was facing him. Elrond narrowed his eyes confusion as he noticed something on her lower back. He gently swept a hand over the area before realizing who it was. He recognized the small birthmark on her lower back.
'It can't be her! She...she's...' he screamed to himself in his mind. "I'll be back soon. Stay still."
He hurried out the door and down the hall, still not believing who it was.
***
"Why did Father get us out of bed so late at night? Why couldn't it wait until morning?" wondered Elladan, placing a hand over his mouth to stop a yawn. "I cannot see why it would be so important."
"You're asking me?" Elrohir asked his brother, standing beside Aragorn, who also tried to suppress a yawn.
Chimone and Arwen were both out of bed as well and both were also wondering what was going on at the moment.
Elrond soon walked up to them. He looked over each and every one of them before beginning to speak. He knew they were very curious to what he had to say.
"I have something to tell you but we should get Thranduil and meet in Legolas' room before I do so," he told them.
"Get Thranduil out of bed? Is it that important that you get him out of bed as well?" wondered Elladan.
"Yes, it's that important," Elrond replied in a stern voice. "And I will go wake him. I want you to head towards Legolas' room but don't go inside until I come with his father."
The group nodded, each of them sighing as they headed down the hall towards Legolas' room.
***
Elrond knocked on the door and he heard a 'come in'. He walked inside.
"What is it? Is whatever you want so important that you wake me up?" wondered Thranduil as he sat on the side of the bed.
"Yes, it is. It deals with the gargoyle you were first unfamiliar with. I know what you're going to say but you have to know something about her now," Elrond replied as he gazed over the visible injuries on Thranduil's body. "It cannot wait until morning. It is something very important."
Thranduil gave a sigh before standing up and followed the elf down the hall towards his son's room.
***
"Legolas, we would like to come in. Elrond has something to tell us," Thranduil called into the room as he gently knocked.
Legolas had been reading a book as he was unable to get to sleep. Something nagged at the back of his mind and he couldn't stop thinking about it. Something about what the Nanaylia in his dream had said to him. He called for them to come in and the group of six walked in. They all faced Elrond as Legolas placed the book on the table next to the bed.
"What is the matter?" wondered Arwen.
"It must be important. You would not have gotten us out of bed if it wasn't," Chimone said.
"It is about the gargoyle," he replied.
"I knew it! What did she do? Did she attack you? What?" demanded Elrohir, sounding a bit upset.
He was hoping thaat this would be the chance that would end the gargoyle's stay in the palace.
"No, it's nothing like that Elrohir. I have found something about this gargoyle that you should all know," he started as he faced his son.
"She's a gargoyle. That's all we need to know," Elrohir snorted, crossing his arms. "She is no good. She never has been and she never will."
"Perhaps to you maybe, but she is not of the gargoyle race," Elrond told his son.
The group gasped. Legolas was very curious about this news and surprised.
"But she looks like a gargoyle, except different colouring. How can she be a race other than gargoyle?" he asked.
"That's because magic was involved. She told me that a long time ago, she drank something and then the transformation began into a gargoyle. I suspect that the reason it reversed was with Manlin's death. I also suspect that even though she will be her original race, the magic will still be there and she might have the capability of practising it more than we can because of it. Possibly even have after effects of being a gargoyle for so long," explained Elrond. "I cannot be certain yet."
"How did you find out who it was?" wondered Thranduil as he sat next to Legolas.
"By accident when I was taking care of her injuries. Thranduil, she is an elf and she is also from your kingdom," Elrond told him.
"Wh...what?" Thranduil said, not certain he caught what Elrond had just said.
"She is a Mirkwood elf," Elrond repeated.
Thranduil couldn't believe what he was hearing. An elf from his own kingdom of Mirkwood had been transformed into a gargoyle for who knows how long!
"Do Thranduil and Legolas know who this elf is? Have they ever met her before?" wondered Aragorn as he stepped forward.
"Yes, they do know her. Actually, we all do," Elrond replied. "Well, except you Aragorn. You wouldn't have met her. She was before your time."
"Well then, who is she?" wondered Legolas, sounding more anxious by each passing moment. "Tell us, please."
Elrond gave a sigh before sitting down on the bed next to Legolas. But nothing prepared Legolas for what Elrond was about to tell him.
"Legolas, the elf..." Elrond sighed, his eyes appearing sad. "It's Nanaylia."
TBC...
Author's Note-Dun dun dun. Well, how many people were expecting that now? I have a feeling a few of you probably did. And don't you just love me for ending the chapter like that? *innocently smiles* I think I'll shut up now and hope noone comes after me. Oh yes. And Haldir's Heart and Soul? Unless, of course, you have no more questions, I just hope that I haven't scared you into not asking questions anymore. (I just hope I haven't said anything wrong that possibly made a misunderstanding between us. Sometimes, my mouth speaks without thinking and I say the wrong thing with regret afterwards)