Chapter Three

The journey was only long because of my broken ankle, which was becoming an increasingly irritating injury. We stopped outside of a pair of ornately carved doors. It almost looked like a story was carved into them using pictures and it was all mixed and meshed together to make a beautiful collage. It was rather dark in the hall and we only stood outside a moment before the doors were opened from the inside by attendants. I was starting to get nervous. This didn't look like we were going to meet Legolas' parents. It looked like we were going to meet the king of Mirkwood himself!

Legolas noticed my anxiousness. "Don't worry, it's not quite as frightening as it seems."

"What isn't? I thought we were meeting your parents," I whispered frantically.

He gave me a strange look, and we continued to walk forward to the pair of thrones ahead of us. I guess we were meeting the King of Mirkwood…. A beautiful woman rushed forward from the thrown on our left and embraced Legolas as I stood there just trying to keep my balance. She spoke quickly and motherly in Sindarin to him and cupped his face. I assumed this was his mother. She didn't look a day over twenty five. The immortal thing was something that always took getting used to when I was around other elves. His father said something then, and gestured toward me.

"She doesn't speak Elvish, father. This is Alasse. We found her being attacked by a rogue warg in the forest and saved her, though not before she sustained a few injuries. So I took the liberty of bringing her here to be properly looked after." He smiled at me again, and I prayed to the Valar I wasn't blushing. The king looked surprised.

"My apologies, Miss. I have never met an elf who could not speak Elvish," he said rather bluntly. "I am Thranduil, King of Mirkwood and this is my wife Elowen."

"I must apologize for my husband, he speaks very forwardly," Elowen said, amused at her husband. I couldn't help but like her immediately. I smiled. "It's no problem, m'lady. I grew up in a human town just west of these woods. I only ever learned Westron."

"But, dear, how old are you?"

"I am twenty two," I replied.

"So young…" her sentence drifted off. "Volinde," she called gracefully. "Please help Alasse to the healers, then to a guestroom. A female attendant nodded and walked over to me. "Shall we, m'lady?"

"You can just call me Alasse," I mumbled, not used to being treated so… well, properly, I guess. She nodded and took my waist to support me as we left the room. The healers, unfortunately, were on a different floor altogether. We stood at the bottom of the staircase as I dwelled on the daunting size of them.

"Perhaps it would be better if I just carry you up the stairs?" She gave me a reassuring smile.

I laughed a little, "That would probably be the best way to go about it."

She lifted me with ease and we were up the stairs before I could even be uncomfortable about it. Once we were up the stairs the healers were nearby. I was told that Legolas and Isal did a wonderful job with splinting, they put a salve on my wounds to help them heal and changed my bandages after Volinde helped me bathe. Then it was up another staircase and down a long beautiful hallway. The stone was tan, but there was a light coming through a window at the end of the hall that almost made it seem rose-colored. There were paintings every so often, as well, of landscapes from around the earth. I was pleased that my room was to be near the window at the end of the hall and that there were numerous windows in my room. I loved the outside. The bed was shockingly large with burgundy drapes hanging around it that could be closed on cold nights, I imagined to help keep the heat in. There was also a window seat under a large window with burgundy pillows to sit on. A bathroom was attached, for convenience and privacy. And there was a magnificent wardrobe to match the mahogany bed frame.

Another maid brought in a tray of food, for which I was grateful. I shoveled it down in a very un-ladylike manner and fell into the bed wondering how in the world they made it so comfortable. It was only then that I remembered again why I was here and not home with my family. And I fell into a not-so-comfortable sleep, exhausted from the past few days.