I entered a huge resonant hall. Thranduil sat on a golden throne at the
other end. I walked towards him, flanked by Legolas and another elf who had
joined us from the door. My every footstep echoed horribly around the hall
and again I felt conscious of my clothes and appearance.
It seemed it took forever to reach the throne. Thranduil's eyes were closed. I looked at his face. It was older than Legolas', but practically the same, except that the nose was bigger, and there were more worry lines.
I stopped about six feet from his throne. Thranduil's eyes were still closed. I wondered if he even knew we were here.
"Father, I bring the girl," Legolas announced, thllen he and the other elf took a step back, leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed. My heart beat hard. My throat felt dry.
Thranduil opened first one eye, then the other. His eyes were the same piercing blue as Legolas', but instead of looking unfriendly, they looked amused at something. I turned slowly to look at Legolas, but he was staring straight ahead and wouldn't meet my eye.
Thranduil began to chuckle. It was a deep, throaty chuckle that filled the cavernous room. Then he began to laugh softly. The guard elves standing by his throne looked at each and started to laugh. Thranduil started to laugh louder, and the attendant elves, and the one behind me, joined in. Soon Thranduil was roaring with mirth, and I giggled nervously, though I was not sure why everyone was laughing. The chamber rang with laughter. The only person in it not laughing was Legolas, whose face was as straight as his hair. Sourpuss, I thought.
"Tell me, child," Thranduil called to me, wiping tears from his eyes as the laughter died down, "why do you wear such funny clothes?"
I looked down at my soggy jeans and crumpled T-shirt, and grinned. "Well, I -" I began.
"Father, I thought we agreed to discuss the matter at hand: the destruction of your fountain," Legolas put in, frowning, for a change.
"Oh, the fountain can be fixed," the king waved a hand in the air carelessly.
"She still must be punished," Legolas, who I was beginning to like less and less, replied. "She trespassed in your gardens. She disturbed the Golden Waters. She-"
"Oh, consider yourself forgiven," Thranduil winked at me jovially.
"Thank you, sir," I replied.
"But she-" Legolas began.
"Legolas! Learn to live a little," the king snapped. Legolas looked as though he had been slapped, and stepped back.
"Now, what did you say your name was?" Thranduil asked benignly.
"She says her name is Erin," Legolas sneered, again with obvious distaste.
"Erin? Now that is an unusual name. Now, how did you come to Mirkwood, Erin?"
I thought hard. "I don't know. I just opened my eyes and there I was," I shrugged.
"And you know of no way to return to your home?"
I shook my head.
"Well, I shall arrange for a horse to-"
"Oh, I don't think you can reach my home by horse," I interjected. "It's in another world, you see."
Thranduil looked as though he didn't see at all. "In that case you shall have to remain here for a while. You shall be made most welcome," the king smiled.
Legolas, who had been staring at the floor, raised his head in surprise. "Stay here? Here in Mirkwood?"
"Of course," Thranduil nodded. "She will be in your charge. Oh, and Erin, if you are going to stay in Mirkwood, you must have an elven name. I shall call you 'Einëssa'. It means 'moondance'."
"Father, I really must protest," Legolas cried.
"You will go now," Thranduil said, and closed both his eyes again. Legolas and I were ushered out of the chamber.
It seemed it took forever to reach the throne. Thranduil's eyes were closed. I looked at his face. It was older than Legolas', but practically the same, except that the nose was bigger, and there were more worry lines.
I stopped about six feet from his throne. Thranduil's eyes were still closed. I wondered if he even knew we were here.
"Father, I bring the girl," Legolas announced, thllen he and the other elf took a step back, leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed. My heart beat hard. My throat felt dry.
Thranduil opened first one eye, then the other. His eyes were the same piercing blue as Legolas', but instead of looking unfriendly, they looked amused at something. I turned slowly to look at Legolas, but he was staring straight ahead and wouldn't meet my eye.
Thranduil began to chuckle. It was a deep, throaty chuckle that filled the cavernous room. Then he began to laugh softly. The guard elves standing by his throne looked at each and started to laugh. Thranduil started to laugh louder, and the attendant elves, and the one behind me, joined in. Soon Thranduil was roaring with mirth, and I giggled nervously, though I was not sure why everyone was laughing. The chamber rang with laughter. The only person in it not laughing was Legolas, whose face was as straight as his hair. Sourpuss, I thought.
"Tell me, child," Thranduil called to me, wiping tears from his eyes as the laughter died down, "why do you wear such funny clothes?"
I looked down at my soggy jeans and crumpled T-shirt, and grinned. "Well, I -" I began.
"Father, I thought we agreed to discuss the matter at hand: the destruction of your fountain," Legolas put in, frowning, for a change.
"Oh, the fountain can be fixed," the king waved a hand in the air carelessly.
"She still must be punished," Legolas, who I was beginning to like less and less, replied. "She trespassed in your gardens. She disturbed the Golden Waters. She-"
"Oh, consider yourself forgiven," Thranduil winked at me jovially.
"Thank you, sir," I replied.
"But she-" Legolas began.
"Legolas! Learn to live a little," the king snapped. Legolas looked as though he had been slapped, and stepped back.
"Now, what did you say your name was?" Thranduil asked benignly.
"She says her name is Erin," Legolas sneered, again with obvious distaste.
"Erin? Now that is an unusual name. Now, how did you come to Mirkwood, Erin?"
I thought hard. "I don't know. I just opened my eyes and there I was," I shrugged.
"And you know of no way to return to your home?"
I shook my head.
"Well, I shall arrange for a horse to-"
"Oh, I don't think you can reach my home by horse," I interjected. "It's in another world, you see."
Thranduil looked as though he didn't see at all. "In that case you shall have to remain here for a while. You shall be made most welcome," the king smiled.
Legolas, who had been staring at the floor, raised his head in surprise. "Stay here? Here in Mirkwood?"
"Of course," Thranduil nodded. "She will be in your charge. Oh, and Erin, if you are going to stay in Mirkwood, you must have an elven name. I shall call you 'Einëssa'. It means 'moondance'."
"Father, I really must protest," Legolas cried.
"You will go now," Thranduil said, and closed both his eyes again. Legolas and I were ushered out of the chamber.