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Chapter three: Welcome to Mirkwood, part 1
Legolas and Déorwin looked at each other and then down at the girl on the ground. They hadn't expected her to faint. Legolas turned to his friend. "Give me a hand and let's get her onto my horse. We need to take her back to the palace and have one of the healers look at her to make sure she's alright." His companion nodded and helped hoist the young maiden onto Legolas's horse, then took hold of the reins of the other horse as he mounted his. As soon a the Elf prince had mounted, and placed an arm around the girl to secure her, they rode as swiftly as they could back to the palace.
When they reached the palace, Déorwin called out to one of the guards. "You there! Go fetch the King and a healer! Tell him we have a young lady who needs to be looked at!" The guard nodded quickly and rushed inside the palace. Déorwin then jumped down from his horse and ran over to Legolas. The prince handed him the girl and jumped from his own horse and both rushed into the palace. On their way to one of the guest chambers, they met one of the healers coming towards them.
"Is this the young girl?" the healer asked.
"Yes," replied Legolas. "We found her in the forest. She had been attacked by an orc and fainted shortly after, though we do not know if she had been injured." The healer nodded, assessing this information, and motioned to Déorwin.
"Would you fetch some palliative solution from my study?" The brown haired Elf nodded and handed the girl to Legolas. The healer turned to him. "Now, my Prince, if you would take her to a place where she could lay down."
"Of course," Legolas agreed. He then led the way to an empty chamber next to his. The Elf Prince walked swiftly over to the bed and gently laid the young girl on the covers.
The healer then began to examine her. He checked her heart rate and looked for cuts of any kind. The old elf then removed her boots to check her legs. After a few moments, he stood back and cleared his throat. "Well, my Prince, she seems to be alright. There are a few bruises, and she may have a headache when she awakens, but she should be alright." Just then, King Thranduil entered the room with Déorwin following closely behind. King Thranduil walked to the bedside and studied the girl his son and friend had brought in as Déorwin handed the bottle of palliative to the healer. The healer then handed it to Legolas. "Here, take this. When she awakens, give her this. It should take care of any pains she may have."
Legolas nodded and placed a hand on the healer's shoulder. "Thank you, Garand. Your help was greatly appreciated." Garand then bowed to the Prince and King, and took his leave.
Déorwin also bowed to them. "I will take my leave as well. Perhaps I will see you later, my Prince?" Legolas inclined his head and his friend left the room. The Elf Prince turned and watched as his father reached out a tender hand and gently brushed a strand of hair off the maiden's face.
"The guard who informed me of you two bringing in a strange girl from the forest was very brief. Tell me what happened and how you came to find her."
Legolas sat in a chair beside the bed and stared at the mysterious maiden. "Déorwin and I were out for a morning ride when we spotted some orc tracks. We armed our bows and proceeded to follow the tracks. Not even a minute after, we heard a young woman cry out for something and a large black horse came barreling through the trees at us. As soon as the horse saw us, it stopped and turned to face the direction it had come. Déorwin took hold of its reins, and we rode swiftly in that direction. We then came upon a clearing where an orc was attacking this girl. We shot our arrows at the creature, killing it upon impact. The girl was terribly terrified after the attack and still was when we showed ourselves; it was almost as if she had never seen our kind before. She did then confirm the black horse as hers, but fainted before we could get her name or why she was out there by herself."
King Thranduil smiled at looked at his son. "It is then a good thing you and Déorwin were out this morn."
"Yes," replied Legolas. "A good thing indeed," he murmured more quietly to himself.
His father chuckled as his Elven ears picked up his son's last comment. He walked to the doors and said before leaving, "I take it you are going to stay here until she has awoken?"
"Not at the moment, but I will be back later to check on her."
"Very well, send one of the servants to me when she awakened. Tenna' telwan (until then), Legolas." With that the King left the room and headed back to his study to finish caring for the legal affairs of his kingdom.
Legolas gazed at the young maiden one last time before standing. 'Who are you? Where did you come from? And why do you somehow make me feel complete?' he thought to himself as he left the room, leaving the girl to her dreams.
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It was several hours later when Cali began to regain her senses. She slowly opened her eyes, only to have the dull ache in her head somewhat intensify. Cali slowly sat up, as to not jolt her head, and gazed at her surroundings. She was in a large bed with the softest linens she had ever felt and a soft off white in color. The room she was in was slightly larger than her room at home. It was fairly open with a warm breeze blowing through. The walls were a soft gleaming blue with several paintings hung on them. The pictures were of things she did not recognize. Some were of animals, others of regal mountain ranges or flowing fields and meadows, and a few held portraits of .. Elves. Most of them had the same blonde hair and blue eyes. 'They must all be related,' she thought with a smirk.
A further examination of the room revealed a door on the right to what she supposed could be a washroom, and a large armoire with a few chests next to it. One wall had a desk against it with a couple of candle stands and some parchment and what she thought were quills of some kind. On the wall in front of her, was a set of two large French doors that she guessed to lead into a hallway of some sort and to the rest of this place she was in. There were also several plants scattered about and even a tree growing out of the floor in one corner, going up through the ceiling. On her left, there were some gate-like French doors, leading to a large balcony.
It was then she noticed him. It was the same blonde man who had rescued her from that creature. He was sitting in a chair in front of the window next to the balcony reading a thick, leather bound book. Apparently, he was so engrossed with his book that he did not notice her sit up. His inattentiveness, she hoped, would buy her a few moments to study him. She recalled that he had told her his name, but she couldn't remember. Judging by his long legs, Cali guessed him to be at least six foot, or somewhere in that range. His blonde hair cascaded over his shoulders reaching to almost the middle of his chest. He also wore a simple thin gold band around his head with an amber stone in the middle on his forehead. He was clad in gray and a light blue, the sleeves of his tunic slightly billowed, and black boots reaching his knees. His features were almost, dare she think it, angelic. Cali then again noticed his ears; they were pointed like hers, which still confused her. Suddenly, he smiled at something in his book, the edges of his mouth quirking. She could tell that his muscles were well toned, upon seeing his broad shoulders, chest, arms, and legs. Cali thought for a moment that if she were dead, if this was heaven. But the ongoing ache in her head cured her of that thought.
"Like what you see?" a soft voice asked causing Cali to jump, startled. The blonde man in the chair broadened his smile and turned his head to look at her. He put his book down and stood, walking over to the bed. Cali eyed him warily and leaned away. He slowly raised his arm and held out his hand to her. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."
Cali looked at his hand, then back at his face. "Where am I?" she asked. "How did I get here, and who are you?"
He nodded knowingly and dropped his hand to his side. He bowed and said, "I am Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thranduil. You are currently in the palace of Mirkwood, which is home to the Northern Elves-"
Cali's eyes widened, not sure if she heard right. "Wait, Elves? There's no such thing as Elves."
The 'Elf' called Legolas, raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean? Of course there are Elves. You yourself are one. I'm beginning to think that maybe you hit your head when that orc attacked you."
She shook her head. Cali was becoming more confused and frustrated by the second. "What is an orc? How did I get here, and where is here?!" she said her voice rising with each word. "Most of all, how can I be an Elf? I'm human!"
Legolas sighed and tried to calm her down. 'Oh boy,' he thought. 'I didn't expect this. Maybe my father, or even Gandalf would be better equipped to handle this.' "I assure you, Milady, neither I nor my people mean you any harm. My companion and I found you in the forest being attacked by an orc, which was that creature you saw. We killed it, and then you fainted shortly after. We brought you here to make sure you were not injured. You are in the palace of Mirkwood, home of King Thranduil, my father. And you are no human, for you are too fair to be one of them. You are an Elf, like me." He then walked to the door and motioned to someone.
Cali moved to sit at the edge of the bed and stared down at her lap, not sure what to say. She couldn't possibly be in another place; she never left the forest. Not to mention he said they were 'Elves', and that she was one as well. But Elves don't' exist. Do they? It did explain her ears and his, though. 'And I can't forget that he said his father was "King" of this place, so that must make him a Prince,' she thought. Cali looked up to see Legolas at the room's entrance talking to a younger looking boy. Legolas then waved the boy away and walked to a small table that sat next to the bed. He picked up a cup of some kind, and handed it to her.
"Here, drink this. It should sooth whatever pains you have." When he handed her the cup, their fingers brushed against each other, causing a tiny tingling sensation to run up their arms, but it went unnoticed by the two.
Cali peered inside at the cup's contents. 'Well, I still do have a headache.' Studying the cup's insides, she found that the liquid substance had no smell, and was a smoky green. She suddenly recalled something Cora had told her once. ~"Never trust something with no smell to taste nice. It will most likely be the worst thing you've ever tasted in your life."~ She looked at the liquid again and slightly cringed. 'She's probably right. That stuff looks nasty!' Cali then gazed up at Legolas, to find his eyes full of sympathy. Taking a deep and closing her eyes, Cali brought the cup to her lips, swallowed a mouthful and froze. 'Oh Kami.' She nearly gagged and struggled not to spit it out. Suddenly, Legolas burst out laughing and sat on the bed next to her, holding his sides. Cali coughed and set the cup on the table. "Ugh! What is that stuff?!"
When his laughter died down, Legolas grinned at her. "It's a palliative. A soothing substance our healer created to rid our bodies of pain. And it's very prompt."
She continued to cough and placed a hand on her throat. "That, is the most horrible stuff I have ever tasted in my entire life! I'd rather live with my headache than have to drink that again." Legolas began to laugh again, and Cali hit him on the shoulder. "It's not funny! You try drinking that stuff!"
He looked at her, smiling. "I know what you're feeling; the healer has had to forced it down my throat on more than one occasion. Now tell me, is your headache gone?"
Cali wanted to argue and say it didn't work .. when, she felt no throbbing in her head. She hung her head in defeat and said, "Fine, you win. It's gone."
Legolas chuckled. "Good I'm glad. Now-" but before he could get anymore words out the doors to the room opened to reveal and older man who looked remarkably like Legolas, only older, with a goblet in his hand. She presumed this was his father.
"Ah," he said in his gentle deep voice, "I see that you have awakened Milady and have met my son." He walked over to them and handed her the goblet. "Here, drink this. I will presume that Legolas had you drink that awful substance our healer calls a pain reliever. This should get rid of the taste."
Cali looked into the goblet. It was a light purple and had a sweet smell. She looked at Legolas's father. "What is it?" she asked suspiciously. She wasn't taking any more chances with strange drinks.
He laughed softly. "I understand your need for distrust of it. I assure you though, it is just a fruit drink. I believe it is made from a berry humans call, 'grapes'."
Her eyes lit up. "Finally," she muttered, "something I recognize." Quickly breathing in its sweet smell, Cali drained the entire goblet. She then set the empty cup next to the other one, which she scowled at. She turned back to the two men and took the hand Legolas's father held out to her, who helped her to stand.
"Now if my son has neglected to tell you yet, I am King Thranduil and I welcome you to Mirkwood, Milady.?"
"Oh! Forgive me." Cali blushed in embarrassment. "Calithradë. My name is Calithradë, but everyone calls me Cali."
King Thranduil smiled and nodded. "Lady Cali it is then. And seeing as it is nearly noon, I would ask that you would honor us with your presence and join us for lunch in the dining hall?" She hesitated, then nodded. "Very well then. I shall send for a maidservant to come and prepare a bath for you and bring some other clothing so you may bathe and change into some clean clothes."
Cali swallowed and stammered, "Th-thank you, your .. Highness. I would very much appreciate that."
Legolas smiled and bowed to her. "I shall be back in an hour and a half, Lady Cali, to escort you to the dining hall."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "An hour and a half?"
The blonde 'elf' stared at her. "Is that not enough? Would you need more time?" Cali could almost detect a hint of desperation his voice.
She shook her head. "No, of course not! It's actually a bit too much time, but alright."
He sighed in relief. Legolas had panicked for a moment, thinking she would ask for more than just an hour and a half. "Alright Milady. I shall see you later then?" Cali nodded in agreement, and the father and son took their leave.
Just as they reached the door, Cali thought of something. "Wait! Legolas!" They stopped and turned to looked at her.
"Is something wrong Lady Cali?"
"My horse. I had two bags on the saddle of my horse. I need them."
Legolas nodded. "Yes, I recall the bags. I will get them and have the maidservant bring them to you."
Cali smiled appreciatively. "Thank you." Legolas smiled back and he and his father left the room, closing the door after them. Cali then sat on the bed and leaned back wondering what else the day had in store for her.
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When they were far enough away from the Lady Cali's room, King Thranduil turned to his son. "Calithradë. Does that name sound familiar to you?"
The Elven Prince leaned against the wall. "Yes, it does. Do you think she could have any relation to the Whitelance family? I seem to remember them having a daughter with a name like hers."
"I agree, and Lady Cali does bear a striking resemblance to Lady Ambriel. Did you happen to notice the pendant around her neck as well? The symbol on it almost matches the pendant worn by Lord Elric and his sons."
Legolas nodded solemnly, thinking to himself. "Father, do you think it's possible that Lady Cali could the missing daughter of Lord Elric and Lady Ambriel? I recall that their daughter went missing nearly two decades ago."
"It is highly possible, Legolas, although let's not presume that she is their missing daughter just yet. I think we should learn more about her past before jumping to conclusions. Lord Elric and Lady Ambriel and their sons may very well be at the festival in Rivendell. Why don't you invite Lady Cali? I'm sure the experience would be good for her, and maybe we'll be able to figure out if she is their daughter or not." King Thranduil smirked and leaned in closer to his son. "Besides, then you won't have your mother nagging at you to court every pretty female there."
This caused Legolas to laugh out loud. "You have a point, father. I will ask her." Legolas removed himself from the wall and began to head down a hallway. "I will see you later. I must fetch Lady Cali's bags from her horse. Namaarie (farewell)."
"Namaarie, my son." Watching as his son walked in the direction of the stables, Thranduil headed to his study to ponder about Lady Cali, and writing a response to Lord Elrond, saying they would be attending the festival.
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'Thirty-five . thirty-six . thir- no wait, that's not one . Okay, thirty- seven .' Cali was currently laying on the bed staring up at the ceiling, trying to count the number of bird-like shapes she saw etched into the large design. She was getting bored, it's been at least ten minutes since the two males left her there. Suddenly, the doors opened and Cali sat up to see who it was. It was a girl who looked about her age, with large brown eyes, and honey colored hair. The girl had Cali's bags and a few other articles of clothing draped over her arm. She walked over to Cali and set them next to her.
"Your bags and a few dresses for you to wear, Milady, courtesy of Lady Lisandrei." She curtsied. "I am Nadia; the King has assigned me to be your maidservant while you are here. I will go and see that your bath gets ready now," the girl said as she walked back to the doors. She opened them further to allow several other servants to enter, each carrying a container of what Cali presumed was hot water, judging by the steam pouring out of the tops. The maidservant next made her way back to where Cali sat and indicated for her to stand. "While the servants fill your bath, we'll pick something for you to wear."
As Cali's small smile faltered, she gazed at the dresses on the bed and shook her head. "Thank you Nadia, but I would prefer to wear my own clothing, if you don't mind." Nadia looked at her confused, as Cali opened her bags. Cali pulled out her black boots and a blue and crème tunic; similar to the one Legolas was wearing. She dug in further to find a rope belt and some black leggings. Cali turned to Nadia, revealing her choices.
Nadia was confused. Why would she want to wear men's clothing? "But, Milady. Why do you wear men's clothing? They are unbefitting for a woman."
Cali laughed softly. "I understand what you mean. You see, I don't really like dresses, and only wear them if it's absolutely necessary."
The maidservant looked at what Cali was wearing. "Then why do you wear a dress now? What were you doing?"
Cali turned and looked out the window and thought about the fair. She wondered what her friends were thinking, and how worried they must be, since she had yet to return. She didn't even know how long she had been gone. In turn, she thought about her parents, if they even knew she was gone. But if Cali knew her friends right, then they would try and cover for her until she returned or for as long as they could. Cali sighed and shook her head. She turned to Nadia. "I was performing at a fair," she said simply and walked past her to stand in front of the window.
Nodding understandingly, Nadia turned and went to the washroom to see if the servants had finished preparing the bath.
Twenty minutes later, Cali stepped out of the tub and wrapped the drying cloth around her body. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She was glad to finally get all that make-up off her face. As she dried herself off, Cali looked around the washroom. It wasn't modern that was for sure. The floor and walls were made of white tiles. The floor, however, were several green tiles arranged to create a tree-like pattern. The mirror on the wall was about half the size of a full-length mirror and surrounded by sliver vines. Beneath the mirror was a small stone table with a hand basin and pile of hand towels next to it. On the wall opposite of the door, was a small window covered with a sheer white curtain. Cali then began to hum to herself as she finished drying and dressed.
Several minutes afterward, Cali sat in a chair in front of a mirror while Nadia fussed with her hair. The female Elf was braiding many small sections of her hair, weaving ribbons into them, and Cali was starting to become a bit agitated. "You know," Cali said. "I can do this myself, and much quicker too." Nadia raised an eyebrow at her but stepped back, allowing Cali to take over.
"If you insist, Milady."
Cali sighed, she was beginning to hate being called that. It was too feminine. "And Nadia, please, call me Cali. I'm starting to really detest being called 'Milady'." She then combed her fingers through her hair, undoing the braids and trying not to rip the ribbons out. Reaching into the make-up bag Cora had insisted she bring with her, Cali removed a number of small pins. Using the comb Nadia had been using, Cali combed her hair into sections and began to twist her hair into several small rows along the top of her head, using the pins to secure them. She also made sure to leave some of her bangs out so they would fall down the sides, framing her face. Once she was finished, Cali glanced at her face deciding that she didn't need make-up but went ahead and added some white eye shadow. Last she placed on the jewelry she was wearing when she arrived and stood in front of Nadia, waiting for a response. "Well?"
Nadia looked Cali over, finally smiling in approval. "Normally I don't see females dressed in men's attire, but on you, I approve."
Cali nodded in agreement and went to sit on the bed to wait for Legolas. "And I suppose Legolas and the others have never seen females wear these either?" Nadia shook her head. "Well, there's a first time for everything." And as the two waited, Nadia began to tell Cali what was to be expected of her when she met the rest of the royal family. In Cali's own words, she was only to speak when spoken to, be very polite, and of course, answer every question they might ask. Nearly twenty minutes had passed before there was a soft knocking at the door. Nadia stood and went to the door to open it. It was Legolas. He stepped into the room, and his gaze swept over Cali. She felt very proud of herself as his eyes widened in slight surprise; most likely at her chosen attire.
He then walked over to Cali and took her hand in his, placing a light kiss on it. He helped her to stand. "Lady Cali, you look .. stunning," Legolas commented after a small hesitation. He then began to lead her out of the room. "Come, my family is waiting for us."
Cali followed him, a bit surprised. She had expected him to make somewhat of a big deal since she was not wearing a dress, where this apparently was a society where females only wore dresses. Not to mention, Cali received the notion that most females were either very timid, or very irritable. She was going to have to adjust. A lot.
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Chapter three: Welcome to Mirkwood, part 1
Legolas and Déorwin looked at each other and then down at the girl on the ground. They hadn't expected her to faint. Legolas turned to his friend. "Give me a hand and let's get her onto my horse. We need to take her back to the palace and have one of the healers look at her to make sure she's alright." His companion nodded and helped hoist the young maiden onto Legolas's horse, then took hold of the reins of the other horse as he mounted his. As soon a the Elf prince had mounted, and placed an arm around the girl to secure her, they rode as swiftly as they could back to the palace.
When they reached the palace, Déorwin called out to one of the guards. "You there! Go fetch the King and a healer! Tell him we have a young lady who needs to be looked at!" The guard nodded quickly and rushed inside the palace. Déorwin then jumped down from his horse and ran over to Legolas. The prince handed him the girl and jumped from his own horse and both rushed into the palace. On their way to one of the guest chambers, they met one of the healers coming towards them.
"Is this the young girl?" the healer asked.
"Yes," replied Legolas. "We found her in the forest. She had been attacked by an orc and fainted shortly after, though we do not know if she had been injured." The healer nodded, assessing this information, and motioned to Déorwin.
"Would you fetch some palliative solution from my study?" The brown haired Elf nodded and handed the girl to Legolas. The healer turned to him. "Now, my Prince, if you would take her to a place where she could lay down."
"Of course," Legolas agreed. He then led the way to an empty chamber next to his. The Elf Prince walked swiftly over to the bed and gently laid the young girl on the covers.
The healer then began to examine her. He checked her heart rate and looked for cuts of any kind. The old elf then removed her boots to check her legs. After a few moments, he stood back and cleared his throat. "Well, my Prince, she seems to be alright. There are a few bruises, and she may have a headache when she awakens, but she should be alright." Just then, King Thranduil entered the room with Déorwin following closely behind. King Thranduil walked to the bedside and studied the girl his son and friend had brought in as Déorwin handed the bottle of palliative to the healer. The healer then handed it to Legolas. "Here, take this. When she awakens, give her this. It should take care of any pains she may have."
Legolas nodded and placed a hand on the healer's shoulder. "Thank you, Garand. Your help was greatly appreciated." Garand then bowed to the Prince and King, and took his leave.
Déorwin also bowed to them. "I will take my leave as well. Perhaps I will see you later, my Prince?" Legolas inclined his head and his friend left the room. The Elf Prince turned and watched as his father reached out a tender hand and gently brushed a strand of hair off the maiden's face.
"The guard who informed me of you two bringing in a strange girl from the forest was very brief. Tell me what happened and how you came to find her."
Legolas sat in a chair beside the bed and stared at the mysterious maiden. "Déorwin and I were out for a morning ride when we spotted some orc tracks. We armed our bows and proceeded to follow the tracks. Not even a minute after, we heard a young woman cry out for something and a large black horse came barreling through the trees at us. As soon as the horse saw us, it stopped and turned to face the direction it had come. Déorwin took hold of its reins, and we rode swiftly in that direction. We then came upon a clearing where an orc was attacking this girl. We shot our arrows at the creature, killing it upon impact. The girl was terribly terrified after the attack and still was when we showed ourselves; it was almost as if she had never seen our kind before. She did then confirm the black horse as hers, but fainted before we could get her name or why she was out there by herself."
King Thranduil smiled at looked at his son. "It is then a good thing you and Déorwin were out this morn."
"Yes," replied Legolas. "A good thing indeed," he murmured more quietly to himself.
His father chuckled as his Elven ears picked up his son's last comment. He walked to the doors and said before leaving, "I take it you are going to stay here until she has awoken?"
"Not at the moment, but I will be back later to check on her."
"Very well, send one of the servants to me when she awakened. Tenna' telwan (until then), Legolas." With that the King left the room and headed back to his study to finish caring for the legal affairs of his kingdom.
Legolas gazed at the young maiden one last time before standing. 'Who are you? Where did you come from? And why do you somehow make me feel complete?' he thought to himself as he left the room, leaving the girl to her dreams.
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It was several hours later when Cali began to regain her senses. She slowly opened her eyes, only to have the dull ache in her head somewhat intensify. Cali slowly sat up, as to not jolt her head, and gazed at her surroundings. She was in a large bed with the softest linens she had ever felt and a soft off white in color. The room she was in was slightly larger than her room at home. It was fairly open with a warm breeze blowing through. The walls were a soft gleaming blue with several paintings hung on them. The pictures were of things she did not recognize. Some were of animals, others of regal mountain ranges or flowing fields and meadows, and a few held portraits of .. Elves. Most of them had the same blonde hair and blue eyes. 'They must all be related,' she thought with a smirk.
A further examination of the room revealed a door on the right to what she supposed could be a washroom, and a large armoire with a few chests next to it. One wall had a desk against it with a couple of candle stands and some parchment and what she thought were quills of some kind. On the wall in front of her, was a set of two large French doors that she guessed to lead into a hallway of some sort and to the rest of this place she was in. There were also several plants scattered about and even a tree growing out of the floor in one corner, going up through the ceiling. On her left, there were some gate-like French doors, leading to a large balcony.
It was then she noticed him. It was the same blonde man who had rescued her from that creature. He was sitting in a chair in front of the window next to the balcony reading a thick, leather bound book. Apparently, he was so engrossed with his book that he did not notice her sit up. His inattentiveness, she hoped, would buy her a few moments to study him. She recalled that he had told her his name, but she couldn't remember. Judging by his long legs, Cali guessed him to be at least six foot, or somewhere in that range. His blonde hair cascaded over his shoulders reaching to almost the middle of his chest. He also wore a simple thin gold band around his head with an amber stone in the middle on his forehead. He was clad in gray and a light blue, the sleeves of his tunic slightly billowed, and black boots reaching his knees. His features were almost, dare she think it, angelic. Cali then again noticed his ears; they were pointed like hers, which still confused her. Suddenly, he smiled at something in his book, the edges of his mouth quirking. She could tell that his muscles were well toned, upon seeing his broad shoulders, chest, arms, and legs. Cali thought for a moment that if she were dead, if this was heaven. But the ongoing ache in her head cured her of that thought.
"Like what you see?" a soft voice asked causing Cali to jump, startled. The blonde man in the chair broadened his smile and turned his head to look at her. He put his book down and stood, walking over to the bed. Cali eyed him warily and leaned away. He slowly raised his arm and held out his hand to her. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."
Cali looked at his hand, then back at his face. "Where am I?" she asked. "How did I get here, and who are you?"
He nodded knowingly and dropped his hand to his side. He bowed and said, "I am Legolas Greenleaf, son of Thranduil. You are currently in the palace of Mirkwood, which is home to the Northern Elves-"
Cali's eyes widened, not sure if she heard right. "Wait, Elves? There's no such thing as Elves."
The 'Elf' called Legolas, raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean? Of course there are Elves. You yourself are one. I'm beginning to think that maybe you hit your head when that orc attacked you."
She shook her head. Cali was becoming more confused and frustrated by the second. "What is an orc? How did I get here, and where is here?!" she said her voice rising with each word. "Most of all, how can I be an Elf? I'm human!"
Legolas sighed and tried to calm her down. 'Oh boy,' he thought. 'I didn't expect this. Maybe my father, or even Gandalf would be better equipped to handle this.' "I assure you, Milady, neither I nor my people mean you any harm. My companion and I found you in the forest being attacked by an orc, which was that creature you saw. We killed it, and then you fainted shortly after. We brought you here to make sure you were not injured. You are in the palace of Mirkwood, home of King Thranduil, my father. And you are no human, for you are too fair to be one of them. You are an Elf, like me." He then walked to the door and motioned to someone.
Cali moved to sit at the edge of the bed and stared down at her lap, not sure what to say. She couldn't possibly be in another place; she never left the forest. Not to mention he said they were 'Elves', and that she was one as well. But Elves don't' exist. Do they? It did explain her ears and his, though. 'And I can't forget that he said his father was "King" of this place, so that must make him a Prince,' she thought. Cali looked up to see Legolas at the room's entrance talking to a younger looking boy. Legolas then waved the boy away and walked to a small table that sat next to the bed. He picked up a cup of some kind, and handed it to her.
"Here, drink this. It should sooth whatever pains you have." When he handed her the cup, their fingers brushed against each other, causing a tiny tingling sensation to run up their arms, but it went unnoticed by the two.
Cali peered inside at the cup's contents. 'Well, I still do have a headache.' Studying the cup's insides, she found that the liquid substance had no smell, and was a smoky green. She suddenly recalled something Cora had told her once. ~"Never trust something with no smell to taste nice. It will most likely be the worst thing you've ever tasted in your life."~ She looked at the liquid again and slightly cringed. 'She's probably right. That stuff looks nasty!' Cali then gazed up at Legolas, to find his eyes full of sympathy. Taking a deep and closing her eyes, Cali brought the cup to her lips, swallowed a mouthful and froze. 'Oh Kami.' She nearly gagged and struggled not to spit it out. Suddenly, Legolas burst out laughing and sat on the bed next to her, holding his sides. Cali coughed and set the cup on the table. "Ugh! What is that stuff?!"
When his laughter died down, Legolas grinned at her. "It's a palliative. A soothing substance our healer created to rid our bodies of pain. And it's very prompt."
She continued to cough and placed a hand on her throat. "That, is the most horrible stuff I have ever tasted in my entire life! I'd rather live with my headache than have to drink that again." Legolas began to laugh again, and Cali hit him on the shoulder. "It's not funny! You try drinking that stuff!"
He looked at her, smiling. "I know what you're feeling; the healer has had to forced it down my throat on more than one occasion. Now tell me, is your headache gone?"
Cali wanted to argue and say it didn't work .. when, she felt no throbbing in her head. She hung her head in defeat and said, "Fine, you win. It's gone."
Legolas chuckled. "Good I'm glad. Now-" but before he could get anymore words out the doors to the room opened to reveal and older man who looked remarkably like Legolas, only older, with a goblet in his hand. She presumed this was his father.
"Ah," he said in his gentle deep voice, "I see that you have awakened Milady and have met my son." He walked over to them and handed her the goblet. "Here, drink this. I will presume that Legolas had you drink that awful substance our healer calls a pain reliever. This should get rid of the taste."
Cali looked into the goblet. It was a light purple and had a sweet smell. She looked at Legolas's father. "What is it?" she asked suspiciously. She wasn't taking any more chances with strange drinks.
He laughed softly. "I understand your need for distrust of it. I assure you though, it is just a fruit drink. I believe it is made from a berry humans call, 'grapes'."
Her eyes lit up. "Finally," she muttered, "something I recognize." Quickly breathing in its sweet smell, Cali drained the entire goblet. She then set the empty cup next to the other one, which she scowled at. She turned back to the two men and took the hand Legolas's father held out to her, who helped her to stand.
"Now if my son has neglected to tell you yet, I am King Thranduil and I welcome you to Mirkwood, Milady.?"
"Oh! Forgive me." Cali blushed in embarrassment. "Calithradë. My name is Calithradë, but everyone calls me Cali."
King Thranduil smiled and nodded. "Lady Cali it is then. And seeing as it is nearly noon, I would ask that you would honor us with your presence and join us for lunch in the dining hall?" She hesitated, then nodded. "Very well then. I shall send for a maidservant to come and prepare a bath for you and bring some other clothing so you may bathe and change into some clean clothes."
Cali swallowed and stammered, "Th-thank you, your .. Highness. I would very much appreciate that."
Legolas smiled and bowed to her. "I shall be back in an hour and a half, Lady Cali, to escort you to the dining hall."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "An hour and a half?"
The blonde 'elf' stared at her. "Is that not enough? Would you need more time?" Cali could almost detect a hint of desperation his voice.
She shook her head. "No, of course not! It's actually a bit too much time, but alright."
He sighed in relief. Legolas had panicked for a moment, thinking she would ask for more than just an hour and a half. "Alright Milady. I shall see you later then?" Cali nodded in agreement, and the father and son took their leave.
Just as they reached the door, Cali thought of something. "Wait! Legolas!" They stopped and turned to looked at her.
"Is something wrong Lady Cali?"
"My horse. I had two bags on the saddle of my horse. I need them."
Legolas nodded. "Yes, I recall the bags. I will get them and have the maidservant bring them to you."
Cali smiled appreciatively. "Thank you." Legolas smiled back and he and his father left the room, closing the door after them. Cali then sat on the bed and leaned back wondering what else the day had in store for her.
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When they were far enough away from the Lady Cali's room, King Thranduil turned to his son. "Calithradë. Does that name sound familiar to you?"
The Elven Prince leaned against the wall. "Yes, it does. Do you think she could have any relation to the Whitelance family? I seem to remember them having a daughter with a name like hers."
"I agree, and Lady Cali does bear a striking resemblance to Lady Ambriel. Did you happen to notice the pendant around her neck as well? The symbol on it almost matches the pendant worn by Lord Elric and his sons."
Legolas nodded solemnly, thinking to himself. "Father, do you think it's possible that Lady Cali could the missing daughter of Lord Elric and Lady Ambriel? I recall that their daughter went missing nearly two decades ago."
"It is highly possible, Legolas, although let's not presume that she is their missing daughter just yet. I think we should learn more about her past before jumping to conclusions. Lord Elric and Lady Ambriel and their sons may very well be at the festival in Rivendell. Why don't you invite Lady Cali? I'm sure the experience would be good for her, and maybe we'll be able to figure out if she is their daughter or not." King Thranduil smirked and leaned in closer to his son. "Besides, then you won't have your mother nagging at you to court every pretty female there."
This caused Legolas to laugh out loud. "You have a point, father. I will ask her." Legolas removed himself from the wall and began to head down a hallway. "I will see you later. I must fetch Lady Cali's bags from her horse. Namaarie (farewell)."
"Namaarie, my son." Watching as his son walked in the direction of the stables, Thranduil headed to his study to ponder about Lady Cali, and writing a response to Lord Elrond, saying they would be attending the festival.
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'Thirty-five . thirty-six . thir- no wait, that's not one . Okay, thirty- seven .' Cali was currently laying on the bed staring up at the ceiling, trying to count the number of bird-like shapes she saw etched into the large design. She was getting bored, it's been at least ten minutes since the two males left her there. Suddenly, the doors opened and Cali sat up to see who it was. It was a girl who looked about her age, with large brown eyes, and honey colored hair. The girl had Cali's bags and a few other articles of clothing draped over her arm. She walked over to Cali and set them next to her.
"Your bags and a few dresses for you to wear, Milady, courtesy of Lady Lisandrei." She curtsied. "I am Nadia; the King has assigned me to be your maidservant while you are here. I will go and see that your bath gets ready now," the girl said as she walked back to the doors. She opened them further to allow several other servants to enter, each carrying a container of what Cali presumed was hot water, judging by the steam pouring out of the tops. The maidservant next made her way back to where Cali sat and indicated for her to stand. "While the servants fill your bath, we'll pick something for you to wear."
As Cali's small smile faltered, she gazed at the dresses on the bed and shook her head. "Thank you Nadia, but I would prefer to wear my own clothing, if you don't mind." Nadia looked at her confused, as Cali opened her bags. Cali pulled out her black boots and a blue and crème tunic; similar to the one Legolas was wearing. She dug in further to find a rope belt and some black leggings. Cali turned to Nadia, revealing her choices.
Nadia was confused. Why would she want to wear men's clothing? "But, Milady. Why do you wear men's clothing? They are unbefitting for a woman."
Cali laughed softly. "I understand what you mean. You see, I don't really like dresses, and only wear them if it's absolutely necessary."
The maidservant looked at what Cali was wearing. "Then why do you wear a dress now? What were you doing?"
Cali turned and looked out the window and thought about the fair. She wondered what her friends were thinking, and how worried they must be, since she had yet to return. She didn't even know how long she had been gone. In turn, she thought about her parents, if they even knew she was gone. But if Cali knew her friends right, then they would try and cover for her until she returned or for as long as they could. Cali sighed and shook her head. She turned to Nadia. "I was performing at a fair," she said simply and walked past her to stand in front of the window.
Nodding understandingly, Nadia turned and went to the washroom to see if the servants had finished preparing the bath.
Twenty minutes later, Cali stepped out of the tub and wrapped the drying cloth around her body. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She was glad to finally get all that make-up off her face. As she dried herself off, Cali looked around the washroom. It wasn't modern that was for sure. The floor and walls were made of white tiles. The floor, however, were several green tiles arranged to create a tree-like pattern. The mirror on the wall was about half the size of a full-length mirror and surrounded by sliver vines. Beneath the mirror was a small stone table with a hand basin and pile of hand towels next to it. On the wall opposite of the door, was a small window covered with a sheer white curtain. Cali then began to hum to herself as she finished drying and dressed.
Several minutes afterward, Cali sat in a chair in front of a mirror while Nadia fussed with her hair. The female Elf was braiding many small sections of her hair, weaving ribbons into them, and Cali was starting to become a bit agitated. "You know," Cali said. "I can do this myself, and much quicker too." Nadia raised an eyebrow at her but stepped back, allowing Cali to take over.
"If you insist, Milady."
Cali sighed, she was beginning to hate being called that. It was too feminine. "And Nadia, please, call me Cali. I'm starting to really detest being called 'Milady'." She then combed her fingers through her hair, undoing the braids and trying not to rip the ribbons out. Reaching into the make-up bag Cora had insisted she bring with her, Cali removed a number of small pins. Using the comb Nadia had been using, Cali combed her hair into sections and began to twist her hair into several small rows along the top of her head, using the pins to secure them. She also made sure to leave some of her bangs out so they would fall down the sides, framing her face. Once she was finished, Cali glanced at her face deciding that she didn't need make-up but went ahead and added some white eye shadow. Last she placed on the jewelry she was wearing when she arrived and stood in front of Nadia, waiting for a response. "Well?"
Nadia looked Cali over, finally smiling in approval. "Normally I don't see females dressed in men's attire, but on you, I approve."
Cali nodded in agreement and went to sit on the bed to wait for Legolas. "And I suppose Legolas and the others have never seen females wear these either?" Nadia shook her head. "Well, there's a first time for everything." And as the two waited, Nadia began to tell Cali what was to be expected of her when she met the rest of the royal family. In Cali's own words, she was only to speak when spoken to, be very polite, and of course, answer every question they might ask. Nearly twenty minutes had passed before there was a soft knocking at the door. Nadia stood and went to the door to open it. It was Legolas. He stepped into the room, and his gaze swept over Cali. She felt very proud of herself as his eyes widened in slight surprise; most likely at her chosen attire.
He then walked over to Cali and took her hand in his, placing a light kiss on it. He helped her to stand. "Lady Cali, you look .. stunning," Legolas commented after a small hesitation. He then began to lead her out of the room. "Come, my family is waiting for us."
Cali followed him, a bit surprised. She had expected him to make somewhat of a big deal since she was not wearing a dress, where this apparently was a society where females only wore dresses. Not to mention, Cali received the notion that most females were either very timid, or very irritable. She was going to have to adjust. A lot.
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