Chapter 4

Ava remained at the gate for a few minutes, staring in awe. Strider looked to her, pausing when he realized where she was. "Are you coming?" He asked kindly.

Ava looked uncertain for a moment before stepping inside the opening gate. Strider smiled at her and she was led to a room all to her self. She turned to the young Ranger of the North and smiled at him. 'Thank You.' She mouthed.

He nodded with a sweet smile and left for her to freshen up. She sighed turning to the room. It was a nice set up with a wide bed, balcony leading outside, a couch, vanity, and even a bathroom. She went to the vanity and found several dresses that would fit her, smiling brightly at the beautiful colors of the dresses, holding up a gorgeous blue one.

She looked down at her dirt covered clothing then looked in the mirror. Her eyes widened, searching her mind for a day she remembered how filthy she was. Compared to an elf, she would look like a muddy rag-doll. Her hair was plastered in dried mud. Her face was smeared in dirt as well. She hurried to the bathroom and drew bath water.

She roamed around Rivendell after her soothing and refreshing bath. She was in the blue dress she found. She was in the famous garden she had only dreamed about when a very handsome young elf walked up to her, his long blonde hair braided on the sides and in a herring bone braid down the back. The rest was free to rest along his back.

"Hello." He said in a gentle voice.

Her lips smiled slightly but it faded, resting a hand on her throat. He looked confused at her hand. He gasped seeing the still red scar that was healed completely. "You cannot speak." He stated looking to her face once more. Ava nodded slightly with sorrow in her eyes.

"My name is Legolas." He said with a bow of his head. She smiled at him, knowing the name, curtsying to him. He smiled scanning her face when she straightened. She mouthed her name to him.

"Eve?" He asked trying to interpret. She shook her head gently and knelt to the ground using her finger to write in the soft dirt beneath her feet. Legolas knelt with her to read. "A. V. A." He paused seeing if she would continue. "Ava." Legolas pronounced, smiling at her.

She looked up to him with a bright smile, nodding. She blushed slightly noticing she loved how his voice sounded when he said her name in that musical voice of his. She suddenly realized she was standing beside the Prince of Mirkwood. Ava stood straightening her dress.

Legolas kept a soft smile on his face. "It is a pleasure meeting you, Ava. I hope to speak with you again. I must return to my wife, Alassea." He said kissing her cheek softly, before continuing his walk in the garden.

Soon after that, she found her self at the gate again, when horses hooves sounded like a canter of many horses. It turned out to be just three, but her gaze remained on the one in front of the group. His auburn shoulder length hair framed his slightly bearding face perfectly. His brilliant blue eyes met her and she was met with a smile.

Ava was sure her heart stopped for a moment, scanning his face. He dismounted his horse and handed to a stable boy the reins. He wore clothing that bore the symbol of Gondor. She had always wanted to see the White City. He looked like a strong warrior but his eyes held a storm of emotions. He left the area to go meet the Elven Lord Elrond with his two guards.

She remained there for a long moment, lost in thought. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she did not hear the footsteps approaching her from behind. A gentle hand rested on her shoulder and she gasped sharply looking at an old grey wizard, Gandalf.

"Hello, Ava. I have been trying to find you. And you didn't make it easy for an old man like me." The man said with a chuckle, and a contagious smile. Ava smiled brightly at him and quickly threw her arms around him in a tight hug. Gandalf smiled and hugged her back gently. "So how are you, my daughter? You disappeared on me."

Ava did the only thing she could do, which was to merely keep hugging him, tears filling her eyes. "Ava?" He asked pulling away slightly, looking at her. She let her few tears spill as she lifted her hair for her father. Gandalf's lips were set in a thin line seeing the scar that ran diagonally across her throat. "Oh my sweet girl," He said gently pulling her back into a comforting embrace.

Ava, for the second time, released her tears of pain and sorrow as she melted into the wizards embrace. He felt tears welling in his grey eyes as well. "I will find a way to help you. Orcs did this to you didn't they?" He asked. She merely nodded letting out a soft sob, tightening her arms around him. "I'll help you get your voice back somehow." Gandalf promised. Ava remained sobbing, burying her face in his chest.

"Come on. Lord Elrond wants to talk to you now." He said leading her to the Elvin Lords study. Ava suddenly had a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. She walked alongside her father looking up to him and smiled scanning his face. Lord Elrond was leaning over his desk writing something when she looked to him.

"Hello, Ava. Please, sit." Lord Elrond said pointing to a spare seat. She sat down obediently in the soft chair. Elrond leaned back in his chair studying her with icy blue eyes, his fingertips touching each other. His expression was as she had always remembered him: Stern.

He held up a piece of parchment paper. "I got this from Rose a few weeks ago. I assume she was your healer in Bree?" Elrond said sitting forward, setting the paper down. Ava merely nodded. "She explained everything to me and what she was told what happened. Ava, the orcs that attacked you could have gotten a type of poison in you through the cuts meant to mess up the thought process. You only remember pieces of your attack, but what happened in the times that you don't remember is the most threatening." Lord Elrond said gently.

Ava had tears form in her eyes before they suddenly slipped down her cheeks. She wiped them away with shaky hands, her lower lip trembling slightly. She had always felt that there was more to what the orcs did to her. She was out for nearly a week, hanging on to her life by a thread. The mere thought of passing from this world was frightening to her.

A gentle hand wiped a tear from her cheek. She looked up to Elrond who was now standing in front of her. "We know of someone who may be able to mend your voice. It will take time though." Elrond said gently. Ava felt stinging tears burn her eyes and down her cheeks. She suddenly stood hugging the elf lord tightly.

Elrond looked confused for a second but returned the embrace as she cried softly against his chest. He held her for as long as she needed, whispering soothing words to her until she calmed down enough to stop crying. Ava stared at the fire in the fireplace once she calmed down. She hadn't realized before but they were slightly swaying gently in comfort. She looked up to the ancient being and smiled.

"We have a Council meeting in a few hours. Please be there." Elrond said pulling away. Ava nodded and thanked him. "Let me look at your neck." Elrond motioning her to lift her head back. She did so and felt his skilled fingers expertly feel the muscle in her neck and throat. "It feels as though your vocal cords were damaged pretty badly. But you can still make small noises every once in a while." He explained. "I wouldn't go around trying to scream or talk though." Elrond said feeling other muscles in her neck.

Ava remained still, realizing this was the third person how wanted to feel the muscles in her neck. "Everything looks and feels good. She will have no problem correcting that." He said with a smile. Ava smiled brightly hearing the news and hugged him again. He laughed returning it. "You should get ready." He said pulling away. She couldn't stop smiling and ran from the room to find her father again.