Linnah breathed in deeply the night air and the smells of the garden around her. She was glad she had let Adriel talk her into escaping the busy kitchen and come outside. Even though the garden was well lit with standing torches, she still was able to look up through the mountain's opening and see stars in the dark evening sky. Many thoughts ran round in her mind. She wondered if she should tell Adriel and Selihl about what happened in the prince's chambers with Lord Orlindel. And what had the prince been feeling when he looked at her the way he did at the banquet table? She also thought about the gruesome creature and why he stared at her so intently. She thought about why, before the Lady asked it of her, had she never contemplated her chosen (and not by her) position as a servant. Besides all of these things, which by themselves would be enough, the outsiders coming made her deeply aware of the world beyond the Great Gates, a world that she never really considered. She pondered once again where she came from before being discovered here. Who were her parents and for what reason was she left?
Overwhelmed with thought, Linnah walked over to a low bench and sat down. A plot of beautiful violet flowers was before her. This was her favorite place in the entire garden. She looked down at them with her hands in her lap and started to sing.
Linnah did not know the origins of her song, but she had been singing it for as long as she could remember. It had a haunting quality and something in her core would respond to it. As is a gift of some Elven people, when Linnah sang this song, just as they had before, ghostly apparitions appeared in the air before her: A tall, dark man and a beautiful fair Elven maiden. They seemed to be dancing together. The maiden clung tightly to the man, her eyes closed and her head resting on his shoulder. The man had his arms around her and spun her slowly in circles. The apparitions did not disturb Linnah, she was used to them and in fact the vision was soothing to her. She sang to herself for several moments.
When he came upon her, the apparitions at first reminded him of his own life; a dark haired human male and the Elven maiden. But, he knew it was not his lady that she was singing of, for the maiden was fair and his own love was dark like the elf maiden seated before him.
"Your song is quite sad and beautiful, My Lady." When he spoke, it was in her tongue. She was at first startled and the visions immediately disappeared. His voice was so gentle though, she felt all at once at ease.
She looked up and into the ruggedly handsome face she recognized from his arrival and in the Banquet Hall. Though there had been a few human travelers that had passed through their realm in the past, she still marveled inwardly at his appearance. "Thank you kind sir, but you flatter me, for I am of no noble birth and therefore no Lady."
"I find that hard to believe," said the man smiling at her. "You carry yourself well, then. Had you said you were the Queen, I would have believed it. I have known many an elf maiden in my day, but few as dark and beautiful as you." He placed a hand over his heart and bowed. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn at your service."
Linnah blushed. She stood and curtsying said, "I am Linnah. Though just a handmaiden, I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. And as for my song, it's only special to me, I'm afraid, for no one can tell me of whom I sing."
Aragorn smiled at her kindly and then looked around the garden. "I was told that these were some of the most magnificent gardens in the entire world. I now see that this is true."
"Yes, I have to agree, though I have never been anywhere else to compare them," said Linnah.
"Is that so? Are you not allowed to leave this castle?" asked Aragorn.
"Oh, yes. Of course I am free to leave if I so chose to. It's just that I wouldn't know where to go, really. I have heard talk of wondrous places inhabited by elves, such as Rivendell and Lothlorien. But I also hear the roads reaching them are fraught with peril," said Linnah.
Aragorn offered Linnah his arm and for a moment Linnah was unsure of what to do. Noticing her hesitation, he said softly, "Come. Let us walk as we talk, as I would like to see more of this impressive garden."
Linnah smiled at him and put her arm in his. They slowly made their way along the path that wound through the garden. She realized then, that she had never walked in this way with a male before. It made her feel very special and far removed from her position as a servant.
"I understand your concern, Linnah," said Aragorn, continuing their conversation. "But there also lies a great deal of danger in not venturing out of what is comfortable. I am not saying that you could not spend all your days in this castle and be content. It's just that, you were right about there being wondrous places beyond Mirkwood. I believe you would be missing out on a great deal, Linnah, if you were never to see them." Aragorn stopped walking and turned to face her. He said kindly, "Linnah, I would be blind if I did not notice that you were very different from the others in this castle. You could not have possibly been born here as I have seen no others like you."
"No, My Lord, you are right. I was not born here. I was brought here, though I do not know by whom or why. I was just a mere babe when the king took me in." She hesitated, but then lowering her eyes she continued, "I am very different than the others here. I am not a Full Blooded."
Aragorn lifted up her chin to look into her eyes and said gently, "That is not something to be ashamed of Linnah."
Linnah smiled. "Thank you for saying so, My Lord." She looked up at the castle saying, "My lesser feelings don't change the fact that I love being part of this place. There are good and noble elves here who have never made me feel ashamed." Then thinking of Orlindel and Legolas and without meaning to speak aloud, she said,"There are a few, though, who make me feel very uncomfortable."
"Oh?" said Aragorn raising an eyebrow and thinking of the prince's exchange with her earlier.
At that moment they were interrupted. "Ah, Aragorn! How good to see you here!" said Legolas walking up to them, smiling broadly. He hadn't expected to find the ranger and in his surprise, blurted out, "And I see you have met Lady Elessa's handmaiden."
"I have met Linnah, yes," said Aragorn not missing the slight the Elf Prince had made. "She has been telling me all about the...hidden beauty in this place." Aragorn smiled and winked at Linnah. Linnah blushed slightly and looked down at her feet again.
"I see," said Legolas, glancing back and forth between them. Internally, he was chastising himself for his cruel words. "Well, I have much to discuss with you, Aragorn." He turned to Linnah and said evenly, "Linnah, if you would excuse us, please?"
Linnah curtsied and said, "Of course Your Highness, I was just about to see if Meena needed my help in the kitchen."
Before she left, Aragorn stopped her and said, "It was very good to meet you, Linnah. I hope we may talk again before I leave...or better yet, maybe you could sing again for me."
"She was singing for him?" thought the prince.
Linnah curtsied again and said, "I would like that very much, My Lord." With that, she left the two of them alone to talk and her wondering why the prince behaved so rudely to her.