A/N: Thanks very much for any reviews! They really make my day! I'm off school for easter now, somaybe you'll get lots of updates, maybe you won't, but I'll find time to do lots of writing this week, that's for certain.
Here's Chapter 3... enjoy!
Chapter 3: The Visitor
As much as she disliked Eleniel, Mithra decided to heed her words. As oppose to sitting on her bed all day moping around and wasting time, she took to wandering through the woods by herself, basking in the delights of nature. Spring had almost turned into summer, so the sun always shone, casting dancing images on the grass as it fell through the leaves high above her head.
Mithra had barely spoken to anybody since she'd seen Eleniel two days ago, but she was always aware of them watching her. She knew the Elves were anxious about her, she had known ever since overhearing Nelendor, a counselor of Celeborn, talking to Mathas about her many years ago. Unstable had been one of the words to stick in her memory, though some more particularly memorable ones were easily-angered, human characteristics, and even foolish. She had laughed as loudly as she dared, and, needless to say, Mathaspaid little attention tothe words of his superior.
She quickly lost her trail of thought as she saw an unusual sight. Nelendor himself, the very Elf she'd been thinking about, had just passed though the main city entrance with his patrol. In the middle of the group of Elves, there was another figure: a human man, from the look of him.
She saw san elven archer remove his blindfold and untie his hands, but could not get close enough to see him in much detail.
"The Lady has requested to see you," she heard Nelendor say, before leading the man up a flight of stairs.
Mithra was torn. She watched Nelendor and the man climb the stairs, getting further and further away from her, with a look of intense longing. She desperately wanted to know who the man was and what he was doing in Lorien, having immensely enjoyed her time with Boromir and Aragorn, but it was only mid-afternoon, the sun was shining, and the elinor flowers were in bloom: she could almost hear the woods calling to her, begging to walk in them just for a little longer. Mithra tore her gaze away from the trees, looked back up the stairs and made a hasty decision. Biting her lip and knowing she would regret it somehow, she gathered up her skirts and set off up the stairs after Nelendor.
Galadriel's platform was deserted. Apart from Mithra and the man, only the usual guards and hand maidens of the Lady witnessed the entry of Galadriel and Celeborn. Mithra had seen this impressive sight many times before, so only now did she get the chance to study the man in great detail.
He was a soldier- that much was clear. His armour was ornate and richly decorated, hinting that he was of aimportant rank, and he held himself with all the pride and nobility of high birth. He was tall and broad, muscular and strong-looking, with a sheathed sword hanging by his side. As he looked around at his surroundings, Mithra saw his face for the first time. He was handsome, very much so, in fact. Awe was written across his tanned features, and long dark hair surrounded a face in which were set two shining brown eyes, like stars twinkling in a dark sky.
"What is your name, young man?" Galadriel asked him. Mithra glanced at her in confusion- the Lady gave the impression she knew everything about everybody without having to ask. "You see, Mithra here would like to know."
Mithra was startled at being brought into the conversation like this. The man turned round quickly and looked into her eyes, making her knees feel rather weak all of a sudden. She had never known a pair of eyes, however attractive they may be, to have such an effect on her before.
"My name?" he asked.
She nodded. He glanced back at Galadriel, clearly reluctant to give it away.
"Will not you tell us?" the cold voice of Nelendor asked, reminding Mithra of his presence.
"It's Theodred," he said quietly, "Son of King Theoden of Rohan."
Celeborn raised an eyebrow. Galadriel smiled, her eyes twinkling. Mithra had heard of this Theodred, stories had reached lands this far away from his home of his accomplishments in battle.
"And what are you doing here?" Nelendor asked. His austere expression had not shifted.
"I was travelling and needed rest," he said. "The trees seemed like the obvious place to shelter, I had not the energy to defend myself against any orcs that might have found me out in the open."
"I thought all men of Rohan feared this land," Mithra said. Theodred glanced back at her with a small smile.
"Only foolish men of Rohan," he told her, his eyes sparkling mischievously.
"Where were you travelling to?" Celeborn asked, his deliberate, slow tones so familiar to Mithra yet so frustrating.
"Nowhere in particular," the young prince said.
"Then why did you leave your homeland to wander alone in the wilderness?"
Galadriel spoke for him before he had a chance to answer.
"He has lost faith in Rohan and its king," she said softly. A pained expression flitted into Theodred's eyes, matching the sorrow in the Lady's.
"Rohan isn't Rohan any more," he said sadly. "It's not the Rohan I was born in. The king that rules there now is no longer the man I have followed all my life."
"So you ran away?" Nelendor concluded.
"I left," Theodred corrected.
"But with so few provisions? And in your full battle armour?"
"I left from the scene of a battle." Theodred said. "No, I did not desert," he added, taking the words out of Nelendor's mouth with a steely glare.
Before the Elf could reply with more unwanted questions, Galadriel spoke.
"Only now you are gone will you be needed the most," she said sadly. "Your people think you are dead." This came as a sore blow to him, Mithra could see.
"I did not mean them pain," he muttered.
"But you have caused it," Galadriel continued. "You believed your father's love for you was spent, but now that he thinks his line is ended, his love for you will shine through. Your cousins, also, will struggle. They have problems enough from Wormtongue without your departure."
Theodred said no more.
"Mithra," Celeborn called. She stepped forward and bowed her head. She could feel the man's eyes on her again. "This man is granted permission to stay in Lorien for as long as he wishes. I believe there is an empty room near your accommodation. He may rest there and will be brought food and water."
Mithra knew the room they meant, and in spite of being in the presence of figures of such importance, she forgot herself temporarily.
"But that is Mathas' room!" she cried.
"It was Mathas' room," Nelendor corrected. "Do as you are asked, girl."
Theodred looked at her with pity in his eyes, sensing her clear distress. He also saw no need for his captor's cold address of her. If the Lord and Lady of the Wood could call her by her name, he didn't see why the other Elf couldn't.
Mithra curtseyed and nodded, forcing herself to remember her place: shouting at Nelendor would get her nowhere. She could see Eleniel standing behind Galadriel with a look of concern on her face, but tried to push all unwelcome thoughts out of her mind.
"Very well, my lord, my lady" she said meekly.
She motioned for Theodred to follow her and he bowed to Celeborn and Galadriel (but deliberately not to Nelendor) before doing so.
Mithra sighed deeply. From the joys of nature to a prince of the Rohirrim. Was there any familiarity or routine in life any more?
(-End of Chapter 3-)
A/N: Thanks for reading! Now please leave me a review! Ta!
the green lama