"Tinwe."
The elleth moaned softly in her sleep as she shifted slightly.
"Tinwe."
"What?" she said softly without opening her eyes.
"I just came to tell you Frodo has woken up, and would like to see you when you're ready," Legolas said softly, his hand on her shoulder as he bent over her.
"Mmm, thank you," she said, still not moving. "I'll be with him as soon as this bed stops being so comfortable."
"I'm afraid you'll never see him then," Legolas said jovially. Tinwe smiled, her eyes remaining resolutely shut.
"Fine. I'll see him once I manage to get my eyes open. It may take a while, but I should succeed before dinnertime."
"I wish you luck with that," Legolas said. Tinwe felt the bed move ever so slightly as he got up of the edge. "I will leave you to it then."
Tinwe heard the door shut with a click, and lay in bed for another half hour or so, listening to the sounds drifting through her window, of man and beast alike.
With a sigh, she eventually opened her eyes, and hoisted herself up off the bed. Not in the mood to do much of anything, she neglected to change out of her nightgown, or put on shoes. She walked silently down the hall toward the bedchamber of the little hobbit she'd tended, thinking about all the things Sam had told her about him.
When she reached the room, she knocked softly. The door creaked open, and Pippin stood in the doorway.
"Good afternoon, Master Took. May I come in?" Pippin smiled and opened the door the rest of the way. Tinwe entered, smiling at the four hobbits occupying the room. Her eyes came to rest on the one sitting upright in the large bed at the room's center.
"It is wonderful to see you awake at last, Frodo Baggins. I have heard much about your adventures these past months."
"And you must be Tinwe of Mirkwood. It is an honor, and thank you for healing me."
"It is the least I could do, for you have saved us all with your bravery. It is I who should be thanking you."
"How is it that you came to be here anyway, my Lady?"
"Well, that is a tale," Tinwe said, sitting in a chair beside the bed. The hobbits listened intently as Tinwe told her story, hanging on her every word.
There was a knock on the door about an hour or so later. Tinwe had finished telling them of her journey to the White City about twenty minutes ago, and they were now discussing what the happenings would be in the Shire at that time of year.
"Enter," Frodo called. A small woman entered timidly, curtsying as her eyes moved onto Tinwe.
"I'm sorry miss. But your presence is requested in the kitchens." Tinwe looked at her questioningly, but stood up to leave.
"Oi, I'll come too. I'm famished," Pippin said, following the elleth as she left, Merry tagging along as well.
Once they reached the kitchens, they stopped in the doorway. Tinwe, flanked by the two hobbits, looked at the strange scene. On one side sat Hindil, with an evil look on his face. Holding him in the chair was Brith, and the person whom the evil look was directed at was Legolas.
"What is going on here?" Tinwe asked the room at large. At her voice, they all turned, and Hindil made to get up, but was held firmly by Brith.
"This little terror decided to attack Mr. Legolas with a frying pan," Brith said, giving the little boy a stern look.
"What'd you do? Eat his pastries?" Pippin chuckled merrily. Tinwe looked over her shoulder at him with a raised eyebrow. He withered under her gaze. "Sorry, I'll just…get something to eat…" He quickly went and took a loaf of bread, some cheese, and fruit, before hurrying out of the kitchen with Merry hot on his heals.
"So what's this about a frying pan?" Tinwe asked once the hobbits were gone.
"I hadn't seen you in ages! I thought somethin' happened to you!"
"Oh, I'm sorry I haven't been to see you lately," she said, walking over and crouching down in front of him. "I've been looking after a sick hobbit. But why were you attacking Legolas?" Tinwe asked, tilting her head curiously. Hindil looked evilly at Legolas who stood with his arms folded across his chest several meters away.
"You spend all your time with him. I thought, maybe, he'd locked you in a tower somewhere, like in the stories." Tinwe smiled at the boy.
"Do not worry about me. I can take care of myself. Next time, I will tell you first so you don't have to worry, alright?"
"Okay."
"Good. Now, don't you have some cooking to do?"
Hindil grinned, and hopped out of the chair, hugging Tinwe, and hurrying off towards another part of the kitchen.
"So what exactly happened?" Tinwe asked Legolas as they walked through the gardens a little while later. Legolas smiled, keeping his gaze forward.
"I came into the kitchen looking for Gimli. But upon seeming me, Hindil grabbed the closest thing he could reach, in this case a frying pan, and came after me. I had no idea what had provoked such an attack, but Brith managed to restrain him and get him to sit still in the chair. For my sake, please tell the boy before you go on another extended leave of absence from the kitchens."
"I will do my best," Tinwe said, smiling as she looked at the pale pink flowers blooming to her left. As she looked at them, her eyes went out of focus as she fell into her memories. She remembered these flowers. They grew in the garden of Imladris as well. These flowers had once saved her from a fate worse than death.
It was many centuries previous. Tinwe had been traveling through Middle Earth, in the regions well known to her people. But on her journey, she'd been forced to battle Orcs and Goblins and other dark creatures. One battle did not end well. She had, at the time, been traveling with a human she'd met in a little town to the north. His name was Ereforn. He had showed her many skills such as hunting, tracking, and navigation. But, when Orcs ambushed them, Ereforn fell as an arrow pierced his throat. It was a horrible death, and Tinwe was sure she would never get over it. She buried her friend, and began walking, with no destination in mind. She managed to stumble upon Rivendell, where she stayed for many years. She was silent and unsocial, speaking only single words at a time.
But one day, whilst walking in the gardens, Tinwe met up with Lady Arwen, daughter of Lord Elrond. Arwen had asked her why she was so quiet and why she was so sad. Tinwe had told her of Ereforn and his death, crying as she did. Arwen comforted her. She said that his death was not the end of things. Like a flower that dies in winter, Tinwe's life would eventually escape the frosty chill and bloom again for all to see. The elves had been standing beside a garden of pink flowers, and as she finished, Arwen picked one and handed it to Tinwe. She said that it was time for spring. Her words stayed with Tinwe, and the elleth was able to get past her grief. Those flowers had been able to get her past the first real tragedy of her existence.
As her thoughts were filled with images of the past, Tinwe didn't notice as Legolas picked one of the pink blossoms. He gently pushed her hair behind her ear, and placed the flower in her hair. Tinwe came out of her trance, and looked up at him.
"These flowers grow all over Middle Earth. It seems fitting for one who has seen it all to wear one."
Tinwe smiled warmly up at him. They were so close; she could see the individual threads making up his silk tunic.
"Legolas!" Both elves looked around as Gimli's voice drifted through the gardens. When he came around the corner, the elves had moved away from each other subconsciously.
"Where've you been? Aragorn was looking for you."
"For?" Legolas asked, looking down at his friend.
"He's organizing a group to go hunt down the Orcs that are scattered across Gondor. He figured you would be willing to lead a company."
Legolas and Tinwe exchanged looks.
"Well I'm not getting left behind on this," Tinwe said matter-of-factly. "When do we ride?"
The company returned after three days, having cleansed Gondor of Orcs. They had lost only a few men, who had been buried where they fell. A few more had been injured, but only one had sustained a major injury. He now rode in a stretcher carried by two tired-looking soldiers.
"We have removed the Orc's from the kingdom," Legolas said, addressing Aragorn as he approached the company. "Only small bands still wander, but they will soon leave."
"Thank you my friend," Aragorn said, smiling up to the elf upon his horse. "I am sure you are all hungry. Better hurry, or the hobbits will eat everything."
"We will be there shortly."
Legolas assisted the men carrying the injured soldier to the infirmary. Upon entering he found Tinwe already there, talking with Eowyn as she tended to one of the soldiers. She did not notice Legolas entered, as she was focused on the gash on the man's arm. Legolas noticed the man watching the elleth warily. Many of the men were in slight awe by the elf maid, and did not know how to behave around her. Legolas looked back at the injured man he was assisting, pushing Tinwe from his thoughts. They had often drifted to her as of late. He found himself staring off into space, picturing her in his mind's eye, hearing her voice drifting softly on a breeze. At first he'd associated this to merely relishing the fact that he was with one of his own people, no longer alone among men. But lately, he had become less sure of this.