Child of Frost

by Nuredhel

Sometimes the end is just that, the end, but sometimes destiny has a few tricks up her sleeve. When a prophecy seemingly is naught but a cruel lie a young elleth has to discover her true strength and determination. Can she adapt to a world so very different from the one she is used to, can her dreams ever come true? or where it all just a childs dream?

3. Of what the heart sings

Chapter 3: Of what the heart sings….

The valley was buzzing with rumours by now, they all knew that the female had awakened and that she most likely would make it, Elrond was as shut as a clam but the others did speak and now the inhabitants knew that her name was Aytha. They also heard of the things Elrond had discovered by entering her mind and most were absolutely stunned by it. A whole race of elves? Eradicated? It was horrible and everybody felt very sorry for her and wanted to do their outmost to help her adapt. Elrond sighed and felt trapped somehow, it was great that everybody wanted to help but it could prove to be too much. She wouldn't be allowed to meet that many elves at once, it would simply be too overwhelming for her and Elrond kept her in the infirmary and only allowed Lindir and Erestor access to the room she was in, and then the healers of course. Her burns did heal rather well and he had seen the fissure she had fallen into, it was a miracle she had survived. The frostbite was easily explained too now and Elrond made sure that she was fed often and well. Most elves doesn't need to eat that often, but she needed a lot of sustenance now to recover and Elrond had given the chefs very specific orders. They boiled the bones of large animals and removed the marrow and she ate that with glee, even liver and kidneys and other things few would even bother to cook.

He suspected that her people had been accustomed to eating whatever they could whenever they could, the threat of starvation always a doom hanging over their heads. Aytha did put on weight rather fast, and Elrond realized that he couldn't keep her in there any longer. She was getting frustrated and even if he tried to teach her some words of their language she struggled with it. It was apparent that her own language was very different from Sindarin and the way words were pronounced completely different. Her language sounded a bit like a cats meows, very soft with some sharp almost hissing noises and some sounds made in the far back of the throat.

She managed yes and no and thank you, sort of. But she didn't manage to learn very fast and she showed a sort of curiosity which was a bit shocking. She had no restraints, like a toddler. She tried to grab onto the handle of a kettle Elrond brought even if it was very hot and when they put a dress on her she almost tore it apart trying to figure out how it was made. Elrond knew that his friend had been right when he said that this would be like taming an orc, it would be a monumental challenge. But she couldn't be kept indoors any longer and so he decided that she first and foremost was to be taken to the baths. She needed to learn how to keep herself clean and he ordered two of the female students to take her there in the late evening when it was dark.

She got very excited when she realized that she was to leave the room, she had been out of the bed for many days now and was growing restless. It was obvious that she was very confused when it came to the elves she met, she kept trying to touch their ears, and she was constantly grasping onto their clothes, and their jewellery. But she was also in fear of doing anything wrong, she would wince and cringe whenever she thought she had done something bad and her ears would hang and her eyes went narrow. It had to be her way of showing submission or shame and Elrond was fascinated by her. She was obviously used to a whole different system of showing rank and status and Elrond did remember from her memories that her society was one where the females were in charge. She acted as if she didn't know what to think about the females she met, she acted with a sort of authority around males, even him, but the females made her appear nervous.

Elrond had to grin, she was very submissive when an elleth entered the room, probably out of fear of insulting someone of a higher status than herself and he had picked two ellith who were self-assure and experienced. Dilloth and Meril were both kind and patient and they treated Aytha with respect but they were not going to spoil her in any way, they were demanding in their own way and both held her hand as they showed her the way to the bathhouse. It was empty at this time of the day and Aytha didn't see that much since it was dark. Elrond had thought it smart to take her outside in the dark, she wouldn't be overwhelmed by everything she would see then. Still her eyes did flicker from one side to the other and she was shivering, the scents there were so alien and the stars she saw up overhead unfamiliar. And there was grass there, and flowers, and trees! No ice there at all and that was a relief but she started to realize that she really was in a whole different world.

She was trembling like a leaf when they reached the bathhouse. Dilloth saw that Aytha didn't understand the building, she touched the walls and was stunned by the size of it and even the act of opening a door was unknown to her. They had to show her how to open it, and close it. That made her stand there grinning from one ear to the other, shutting and opening the door a dozen times and Meril smiled and took her by the hand, dragged her inside firmly but gently. Aytha had never seen a hut like that before, so huge, and made by wood? There had to be a lot of wood then, to enable them to do something like that, and what sort of tools did they use? The hut was so warm, and she followed the two females with huge eyes, there were many rooms and they entered one and shut the door, then they gestured for her to take off the dress and they too did undress. Aytha was nervous, she had no idea of how to interact with these females, they wore no signs of their age nor their status within the tribe and she felt very exposed. Her tattoos had been her pride but now they felt like a brand of shame, why she didn't know.

The two females were so pretty, so lithe and elegant and she stared at her own body and felt ugly. She had more curves than these women, wider hips, larger breasts, she was sure they saw her as flawed. She followed them with her head bowed and they entered a huge room with a pond in it. Who puts a pond in the middle of their hut?! Dilloth gestured for her to come closer and Aytha hesitated but did obey, she felt like a mere child again, having to obey the adults. The water was warm and Meriel did slip into it, it was deep enough to reach her chest and Aytha did understand, they were bathing. It was brilliant, then they could bathe even in winter, how smart was that. She remembered the long winters when a bath was impossible if you didn't want to freeze and how horribly everybody had smelled when spring came, the males in special.

She carefully entered the pool and it felt divine, she let out a gasp of relief and hoped that she didn't cause offense by her behaviour. Dilloth grasped a jar of soap and showed it to Aytha, then she rubbed a handful into her own skin and started to scrub, vigorously. Aytha smelled that the goo in the jar had to be made from fat but there was a scent of something flowery too and it did smell very good. She hesitated, then she took a little and rubbed it onto her arm. Dilloth nodded and Meril smiled and Aytha realized that this was what they did to stay clean. She soon rubbed herself all over and was relieved to feel that her body was returning to its old self, she no longer felt like a skeleton and even her breasts had gotten their shape back. Soon she would be ready to find a male again but she realized that these elves could have very different habits from the ones she had been used to. What if she would be regarded as too ugly? What if none of the males wanted her? That idea made her feel cold, what then? A female no male desired was an outcast, she was useless, someone not capable of sharing her strength with anyone.

Meril wetted her hair and found another jar, that too smelled good and she rubbed the greasy looking content into her dark locks. Aytha copied her, watching everything she did and the foam she created made Aytha giggle. The two helped her wash her huge burgundy mass of hair and afterwards they did comb through it, using bone combs. Aytha was fascinated by them, she recognized the material but she had no idea of how they were made. They did look so nice, so elegant, and they were efficient too. Dilloth did braid her hair and put metal clasps into it, Aytha was intrigued by the metal, she had no idea of what it was, it was so hard, and cold and it didn't crack like rock when she tried to hit it. Dilloth sighed and finished the braids. "There young one, you look amazing. I wonder if all of your people were that beautiful."

Aytha tilted her head, trying to understand but she couldn't, and whimpered. Meril touched her cheek. "Worry not, in time you will understand."

Aytha blushed, she wasn't used to being touched by other females, some did favour women like themselves but she didn't think that these two were like that. It was just a friendly gesture to encourage her and she smiled in gratitude. She had realized that her teeth were a bit different from the ones of these elves so she didn't smile that often, she had the teeth of a predator and she didn't want to startle anyone. They returned to the dressing room and got their clothes back on and Dilloth petted her back. "Tomorrow we will show you the halls of fire, and you will meet new elves."

Aytha just tried to smile, she realized that they were telling her something but again, she didn't understand anything. They did take her to the park in the middle of the city and showed her a lot of wonderful plants and trees and she was like a child, eagerly taking everything in. They tried to teach her the names of trees and such but she failed completely at pronouncing the words. They came out as something nobody would recognize and she did hang her head and whimper. Dilloth did hug her. "There there little one, it is alright, fear not"

They showed her statues and art and Aytha didn't understand the point in anything, it was pretty but why make things like that? They didn't serve any purpose? She was impressed by the skill though and when they did take her back to the room she was tired and fell asleep the moment she laid down. The soft bed and the odd soft blankets were such a blessing, no lice and no stench and she wondered how it all was made.

Dilloth and Meril went to Elrond and sat down, both made grimaces. "She is trying my lord, she wants to learn our language but she is unable to pronounce even a single word right."

Elrond sighed, "I am starting to believe that her throat and tongue could be the problem, she could be physically unable to make the sounds our language is made up from."

Meril sighed. "Poor thing, then she will be as good as mute for the rest of her days, too bad"

Elrond nodded, it was really too bad. "But she did bathe?"

Dilloth made a wide gesture. "Oh yes, for sure, She did enjoy it too, I bet she hadn't taken a good bath in a very long time for she was like a kid. And the shampoo did work wonders on her hair, it is absolutely gorgeous."

Elrond had to admit that Dilloth was right, Aytha was gorgeous, and way more sensual than most ellith. That body of hers was probably going to make more than a few Ellyn stare and want to pursue her too. Oh damnation, he would have to talk to the population about that, from what he had seen in her mind her tribe had a very different view upon sex than his own. He had to make sure that nobody got hurt and no misunderstandings made. He would make a speech then, before she was introduced to the others.

The next day everybody gathered in the halls as usual, to have breakfast and share the latest gossip. Most would eat there and only the ones out on patrol weren't present. Dilloth and Meril had awakened Aytha and made sure that she got dressed and prepared her for the day. They managed to explain that they were going to go somewhere to eat, and she followed them eagerly enough until they exited the door. Now she saw everything and her jaw dropped, she suddenly grasped onto the nearest pillar like a scared kid and Meril had to talk to her for a long time before she let go. There were so many colors, so much she didn't recognize at all and her eyes were enormous as she followed the two. The hall was the largest building of the valley and it made her stop again, absolutely flabbergasted and she spent a long time admiring the carvings upon the doors and walls.

Elrond had gathered the elves in front of him and he had told them that Aytha would be introduced soon. He did also tell them of what he had seen, and warned them that her people had a very different culture and that misunderstandings could occur. He did specify that her race probably had no concept of what the elves of middle earth would define as monogamy and that she could become very confused by this. That made a few raise an eyebrow or two and some did snicker. The three ellith did enter the room and Aytha was so stunned by the sheer size and the many large hearths she didn't really notice the elves assembled at first. Then she did see them and froze up, there were so many of them! And they were staring at her and she tried to hide behind Dilloth. She did see that most were taller than her people, she had been a very tall female but here she was no longer among the tallest, and the males were all larger than she was used to. She whimpered and she was shaking visibly, Meril took her by the hand and practically dragged her forth.

Elrond smiled and placed her next to him by the table, then he gestured towards the crowd. "Everybody, this is Aytha, I trust that you all will welcome her and treat her well"

Some cheered and others just smiled and Aytha sat there and felt both a bit scared and a bit curious. She saw elves of both genders there and they all wore these odd clothes and did look healthy and strong, it had to be a good place to live. Then she did see some elflings and her heart did skip a few beats, she gasped and stared, these people did also get cubs. Perhaps her dreams could come true after all. The little ones were curious and came over to take a look at this strange elleth and Aytha was beside herself with joy. She loved cubs like all of her people and let them play with her hair and literally climb all over her.

Elrond did see that she had a very good hand with the little ones, and probably a lot of patience too. If he remembered it right her race did cherish their offspring and saw them as something incredibly precious. Perhaps she could work as a baby sitter? Someone came with a bowl of porridge and a glass of milk and Aytha sniffed and looked a bit confused. Elrond had to show her how to eat it and she did empty her bowl with a speed that was rather shocking. It was rather obvious that she was used to a meat based diet but she could eat other things too and that was good for the chefs would only prepare meat for special occasions. Many came by to say hello and Aytha blushed and hid her face and tried to smile but she felt so nervous, she was shivering. But there were many handsome males there and they appeared to like what they saw and that gave her new hope and new energy.

After they had eaten Elrond took her to show her the valley and they first walked to the kitchens. Aytha was shocked to say the least, she had never seen food being prepared like that and she had to be kept under guard the whole time for she didn't realize that metal containers get warm whence put over the fire. She had no idea of what flour was or sugar, and she didn't recognize any of the ingredients except from some fish and meat. But the food did smell good and she wished that she did understand so she could learn. Then they walked down a narrow path to where they kept the livestock and Elrond had to hold the elleth still since the sight of a cow scared her witless. He had to show her that the animal was harmless and wouldn't charge and the dairy workers showed her how they did milk the cows. Aytha was in shock, why would the animals let them do that? And why did they keep the cows there without eating them?

Then she was shown chickens and geese and even some sheep. She still had problems understanding that these animals weren't for eating, they did demonstrate that they sheered the sheep and Elrond showed her where the wool was prepared, combed and spun and then they went to where the weavers worked. Aytha was suddenly very eager, she understood the technique once she saw it and she couldn't believe that her people hadn't thought of that. She even was allowed to try and she laughed and giggled and Elrond had to drag her away from the weaves. He did find her odd behaviour refreshing, almost endearing and she was so innocent and yet no child.

Then they walked to the stables and the horses made Aytha even more curious, she had started to understand that these elves kept animals without eating them, and these huge animals were very beautiful but she couldn't understand what purpose they had? She had seen animals which looked a little like them before, but they were smaller and stockier with an upright mane and all were dun. She giggled when Elrond's own horse licked her hand and she was eagerly scratching it behind the ears. The animals she had been used to had been afraid of people and these seemed to like people instead? Then one of the guards returned mounted and Aytha gaped. She just stared slack jawed at the rider who elegantly stopped his horse and swung himself from the saddle. In that moment Aytha had a revelation, the rider carried a spear and she could see how a rider like that would have been able to fell much larger prey, safely, than otherwise.

She just stared and Elrond told the warrior of her and why she reacted the way she did. Then Aytha was suddenly lifted and placed in the saddle and she did shriek and clung to the mane like a monkey. The horse did only walk and she was terrified at first but then a smile grew on her face and her ears did point upwards again. The warrior even let the horse trot a bit and she let out a peal of laughter and was obviously enjoying it a lot. Elrond couldn't help it, it did remind him so much of when Arwen was teaching how to ride. In the end Aytha was helped down, still giggling and she petted the horse and appeared to be fascinated by the tack. It was made from leather and richly embroidered so Elrond took her to the building where the tanner worked. It did stink and Aytha coughed and held her sleeve in front of her nose. She saw animal hides hanging around and she suddenly realized what they were doing at this place, but her people had buried the hides in animal dung and let them lay there over the summer. She got very curious yet again and the tanner had to show her how the hides looked after the bath in chemicals and other nasty substances and before long she did reek to high heavens and the tanner was so charmed by her enthusiasm she had gotten some very nice pieces of leather.

She carried them with her like a trophy and Elrond did show her the rest of the workshops as well. The metal workers did frighten her, she realized by now that this was something rather dangerous and she was afraid of the forges and only the silver smith did catch her attention for she saw some very nice green stones on his bench and she has seen rocks like that before, as a child. He showed her that they put crystals and rocks into necklaces and rings and she was very fascinated by it, as all females she liked to make herself pretty and she had seen that the other women there wore these shiny things around their necks and wrists. Then Elrond took her to the main buildings and she saw several portraits on the walls. She had to touch them to make sure that they weren't real people and she remembered the images the shaman would paint upon the walls. They were much simpler and she tried to wrap her head around the fact that someone actually had made them. She saw the portrait of Celebrian and noticed that Elrond looked sad, and she did also see the paintings of the twins and Arwen. They did look so much like him they had to be his offspring and she wondered if they were dead or somewhere else. She hoped they weren't dead, he was so nice and the idea of him losing all his cubs was terrible. Elrond tried to explain to her that they all were alive, just not there at the moment, except Celebrian.

Aytha understood that the very pretty woman with the silvery hair had been his mate, and the mother of his cubs, she did look very lovely and kind too, she understood that something bad had happened to her. They dropped by the library where Erestor showed her books with illustrations and she was deeply fascinated, Elrond had to drag her out of there. The music room was the next stop and she did find a flute someone had left behind and she did recognize that instrument right away. She had never seen a flute that nice but she could play it and eagerly started playing a merry tune they often sang to during gatherings. Elrond was staring at her, she did have a musical talent for sure, and the song was very nice. Her people were not completely without art then. Lindir showed her a lute and a harp and with her long fingers she could easily become a very skilled harpist. By now it was time for lunch and they returned to the hall. Aytha felt her head spinning, she had seen so much new and wonderful and she was grinning widely as she sat down to eat. The lunch was a vegetable stew and many stared at her as she gobbled through two full plates with an appetite few there could hope to copy. Erestor had entered and sat down next to Elrond. "She eats like Glorfindel!"

Elrond had to scoff. "Yes, but with less finesse"

Erestor laughed. "Oh, don't say that, you haven't seen how he behaves when he is out on patrol, all manners are forgotten then"

Elrond shook his head. "Shush with you, don't spoil the image of the perfect lord now"

Erestor just shrugged and watched as wine was being served. Aytha tossed it back like it was water and the counsellor nodded towards her. "Also a habit they have in common, I wonder how much she is able to drink?"

Elrond made a grimace. "I have no idea, I did see that they had some sort of alcohol but how strong that was I cannot tell."

Erestor tilted his head, made a grimace. "I think we are about to find out!"

Aytha had liked the taste of the red liquid and now she was draining a whole jug of it, fast. A few Ellyn just gaped, shocked by the sigh and the ellith looked impressed. Aytha burped and wiped her mouth and then her eyes seemed to glide out of focus and she swayed slightly. "Not much apparently!"

Elrond sighed and got up, grasped her and held her steady and Aytha moaned and touched her head, she hadn't realized that this sweet drink was like the bulb juice, very potent. She hiccupped and giggled and Elrond found a glass of water and made her drink it. Then he forced her to eat some bread and took her for a walk through the garden. Afterwards Dilloth and Meriel came to take her to the baths again since the visit at the tanners workshop had left its mark on her and Aytha did feel rather odd. Her head was spinning and she was a bit nauseous too. She would never again drink that much of that sweet drink, that was for sure. This time there were more elves present and Aytha immediately went shy. She tried to hide herself with her hair and the sight of several naked males made her squeak and blush. Back home it had felt natural to be naked with others but here she felt different. There was no way to see the age of the others present, nobody wore bonding braids or other signs of living with a mate at the time being and she kept her eyes down and got into the water very fast.

The males were gorgeous though, few had large scars or visible injuries and they were all so healthy. They were talking quietly and none seemed to be submissive. She couldn't help it, her eyes did creep below the waistline of the males present and the sight did make her blush even harder. They were all so…generously gifted as her mother would have put it, and Aytha started to think that maybe this race of elves were a bit different from hers in many ways. Taller and maybe even stronger, and much more wise. It had to be thus, for her people had never thought of attaching string to a piece of wood and use it to hurl sharp objects at beasts, they used spears and threw them or stabbed with them. And the metal? That too was something so new, and the fabrics, houses and animals….

She did wash and she did notice that some of the males did stare at her and they were whispering something between themselves, Dilloth told them to shut up with a rather angry voice so it had to have been something rude. The two ellith took her to the dress maker afterwards, she needed a new wardrobe and she had a very hard time understanding the purpose of underwear and a petticoat. But she did submit and allowed the seamstresses to take her measurements and then she was given a full set of rather simple clothes which had been laying there just as a reserve. The dress was a bit too short and too tight around the chest but it would do for a day or two. Aytha was exhausted afterwards and they followed her back to the infirmary. Elrond was already organizing new quarters for her, a room in a wing of the main building not far from Arwen's and Dilloth knew that it was a very comfortable one which was warm and well sheltered from the rest of the city. Nobody would bother her there and both Dilloth and Meril had become rather fond of Aytha.

The next days she was shown to the hall where they were weaving cloth and she was shown different materials and techniques and she loved it. She tried to learn the names of the methods and even though her attempts at pronouncing them caused some laughter she felt that she was accepted and even liked. The weavers did in fact like her a lot for she made them think about what they were doing in a brand new way and Aytha loved trying everything out. She had to be almost carried out of there when it was time for food and she did eat with a lack of sophistication then which made many just gape. She had to finish so she could return to her work. In just a few days she did weave a pretty large blanket and the head of the weavers did praise her a lot. The blanket wasn't perfectly woven but for a beginner it was very good and Aytha was beaming with pride.

Her new room was incredible, she couldn't believe that it was all her own and her new clothes too made her want to weep with gratitude. Everybody had noticed her laughter and her smiles and they had grown fond of her. Elrond tried to keep his distance though, he was afraid he would grow too fond of her for she was obviously not much older than his daughter and he had a peculiar feeling when he watched her. He just knew that she wasn't for him, that the ways of her race would cause him heartbreak. It seemed as if the females of her people would become bonded to males who were a genetically perfect match for them and these bonds could last for just a night or for a lifetime. He had tried to sort through her memories many times to see if she had bonded but since she never had given birth she probably hadn't. He just wished that he could have understood what he heard while visiting those memories.

She was too easy to fall in love with and so he backed off, he was sure that she would find someone perfect for her, someone who could give her children and a happy life. But it was tough, he decided to regard her as a relative, a niece or something like that. It was safer that way, he was after all not really a widower and he would meet Celebrian again whence it was time to sail. The knowledge of her experiences made her even more tempting, to her it wouldn't mean that much if he tried to sleep with her, it would just be something they did for fun, for pleasure. There would be no commitment, no heartbreak, and no emotions involved. He did have needs, and they hadn't disappeared even so long after his wife's departure. He would often dream of her and the dreams could be very erotic and he did feel a bit ashamed of himself but he did masturbate from time to time. It had to be his human blood, it made him unable to control his desires the way elves did.

No, trying to sleep with Aytha wasn't right and he feared that she would get a bad reputation if someone found out too. Instead he left her to Dilloth and Meriel and they reported to him every day. She did make progress, some words were almost understandable now and her zeal did impress him. She was soaking in knowledge like a sponge and Erestor had given her a few books and some pens and paper. She would sketch every evening and revealed a huge talent, her sketches were exquisite and showed images from her home and Elrond was stunned by them. They showed a world very different from their own, and some of the images were a bit unsettling. She did draw dead or dying hunters, injured by their prey, she drew mammoths, trapped in deep pits dug into the ground. She also drew funerals and mourning relatives and Elrond decided that the infant had to be burned since that was the custom where she had come from.

They held the ceremony the next evening and Aytha was very sad but she managed to stay in control of herself and the laments which were sung did make her feel melancholic. Dilloth and Meril came over and hugged her and she accepted that, it felt soothing and good. She had started to make plans for the leather she had been given and her mood was a good one, she was looking forward to each new day, to meet new wonders and new people.

Then one evening there were horses spotted entering the valley and Elrond rushed to the look out point, it was his sons and some others returning and he let out a sigh of relief. He changed and ran to meet them and he was glad to see that nobody was missing, in fact a group of Dunedain rangers did accompany them and they did also bring some young men of more normal background. Elrond saw that Elladan and Elrohir looked a bit grim and he understood that there were grim news awaiting them all.

The twins embraced him, then they bragged about how many orcs they had slain, two hundred and twenty three in all and then they dragged him aside. The humans were there because their village had been sacked by orcs, these were the sole survivors. The dunedain had agreed to take them in and train them since all were relatively young men who had been out hunting when the attack came. Elrond did feel that there was something his sons didn't tell him and he knew that they would speak, whence in private. He smiled and welcomed the guests and the servants came for their horses. The young humans seemed to be utterly stunned by what they saw and it was a reaction the elves by now were rather used to.

Elrond put an arm around each of his sons, feeling overjoyed by the fact that they both were unharmed and back where they were safe. He took them to his office and both got rid of their armour and helmets and sat down, obviously tired. Elrond waited, he would let them speak first and Elladan pulled his hair back and sighed. "The orcs are getting more and more vicious ada, but that is not what worries us."

Elrohir nodded. "No, the humans are good lads, except two of them, I cannot explain it but…they feel wrong!"

Elrond knew the feeling, he frowned. "Do you think they could be a threat?"

Elladan shook his head. "No, but they can cause some unpleasant situations I am sure, they are drunkards, and a bit on the rude side."

Elrond nodded. "Alright, I will ask the guards to keep an eye on them both. "

Elrohir stretched himself. "We ran into lord Glorfindel the other day, he will be returning soon but he and his troop just has to finish their job first, apparently there are goblins inhabiting some tunnels way too close to some farms"

Elrond hissed, "Oh I hope he does take care, goblins are nasty"

Elladan snickered. "Eru, you know Fin right? Careful isn't even in his vocabulary, he will charge in screaming something about the fall of Gondolin and then the goblins will be butchered like chickens. Easy as pie"

Elrond had to nod. "That is what I am afraid off, but come now, the fires are lit and there is food ready. "

Both got up and hung their cloaks by the hearth, followed him out. There were lots of warriors celebrating a safe return and both they and the dunedain rangers were singing and hollering and eating with a disturbing lack of manners. Elrond sat down and was handed some stew and the twins flirted with the waitress and were rewarded with an extra huge portion. As they sat there the door opened again and Dilloth, Meril and Aytha entered, the twins had seen the two ellith before but Aytha was new and both stared with huge eyes at the strange female. Elladan dropped his spoon and Elrohir had to clear his throat. "Eru's mercy, that is the nicest pair of…Ah, a very shapely….chest I must say, who is she?"

Elrond sighed, of course the twins did notice her, they did flirt with anything wearing a skirt! He did quickly tell them of Aytha and her story and both Ellyn gaped. "From another world? Are you serious? And they all died, Aiii, that is horrible!"

Elrond took a swig from his cup. "Yes. Tragic!"

Aytha had sat down by a table with the other two and she waved her hand at Elrond and smiled widely, many of the newcomers had noticed her and whistled and she blushed and looked away. Elrond felt a sudden surge of anger, was he jealous? Dan squinted, he did notice that his father for a moment had looked more than a little pissed off and the young ellon stared at him and whispered. "Ada? Don't tell me that you…you know"

Elrond made a grimace. "NO, nothing like that. She is…not for me, I am sure of that"

Elrohir wetted his lips. "Really? She is stunning, imagine you and her together? You would make a gorgeous pair"

Elrond tried to smile but there was an ache in his chest. Dan shrugged. "Or she and Glorfindel, they would look stunning"

Elrohir punched his brother in the side. "Oh give me a break will you, everybody knows that the lord of the golden flower never have looked at a female twice, he prefers warriors, hardy and muscular and reeking of filth and sweat"

Elladan just chuckled. "You are right, Fin is as gay as they get, but honestly ada, why not try your luck? Someone will for sure for she is by Eru the best looking one I have seen in a very long time"

Elrond almost sneered but managed to turn it into a sly grin. "Oh, why don't you try then? It is about time you both settle down and have some kids, I do want grandchildren you know!"¨

Both twins paled, that was a conversation they had had one time too many and they swiftly changed the subject. Now they started talking about orcs instead, and the best method of decapitation. Elrond had to snicker inside, he knew his sons very well.

Aytha and the two others did enjoy the evening meal and then they returned to the weaving but Aytha did notice the newcomers. Some of them did look strange, they had hair in their face and their ears were round and they did smell funny. They weren't ugly, not really anyway, but different and she got curious. What were they? Dilloth tried to teach her the words for human and Aytha mimicked her but as usual it came out all wrong. That made them all giggle and laugh and Aytha was glad she had found friends like these. She trusted Dilloth and Meril, they were nice and she knew that they only wanted what was best for her.

The next day was quiet, many were trying to heal a hangover and so nothing much happened, the guests were placed in some guest houses on the outskirts of the city and the warriors were debriefed and started to repair their weapons and see to their horses. A couple of days went by, Elladan and Elrohir did feel that their father liked the new elleth, and they felt that he ought to pursue her but they did also understand his reasons not to. He couldn't remarry, and it wouldn't be fair to her if he just kept her as his mistress. That wouldn't be accepted by the people and could cause major problems later on. Both found Aytha to be charming and kind and also fascinating but they did face a problem they had faced many times before, they both liked the same female! Instead of becoming upset or even argue they both stayed away from her and let others flirt and try to talk with the mysterious beauty and they knew it was the right thing to do. Nothing ought to split them apart, a female least of all.

Aytha no longer had to be followed around by Dilloth and Meril, she knew her way around the city now and Dilloth had shown her where to find fresh vegetables and even berries and fruits. There were orchards outside of the city and now she was heading there to pick some apples. Aytha loved apples, she had never tasted something like that before and she had found that she loved them and the bowl she kept in her room was empty so she needed more. She was whistling a merry tune as she walked into the orchard and started finding some nice red apples. A group of riders went by and she didn't really think about it, she was used to warriors riding by now and didn't pay any attention to them. One of them rode a giant white horse, and he wore a very nice armour and a blue cloak. He wore a helmed too and had to be an officer and he did for a second stare at her but rode on. Aytha just kept picking, still humming peacefully.

Glorfindel had been half asleep as they rode into the valley, the fight against the goblins had been a nasty one, ugly little critters everywhere and they would bite if you let them but he and his warriors had cleansed the nest completely and burned the bodies. Now he was eager to return to his bunk, a jug of ale and the arms of his latest conquest, Belegorno. He did catch a glimpse of something odd, slowed Asfaloth down a bit. Red? Then they got a clear view and he saw that it was an elleth with dark red hair, picking apples. He had never seen an elleth with that colour before, not here in middle earth at least. Not that he had been looking for females didn't really mean anything to him but she had to be a newcomer, he would have noticed the hair colour for sure, it reminded him of the Fëanorions and he had never exactly loved the sons of Fëanor.

He was eager to talk to Elladan and Elrohir, he knew they had killed a lot of orcs but he could honestly claim to have personally sent three hundred and two goblins to hell so he was pretty sure he would win their little bragging contest. But the female had seemed almost familiar in some way, like he had seen her before but where? He kept trying to remember but he couldn't, it was annoying. But he forgot about it when he reached the city, Elrond did welcome him back and he went to find his two favourite students to empty some jugs and tell some tall tales. Later that night he did bring Belegorno to his room and they did make up for lost time almost until the sun got up and things were as they ought to be.

The human guests did make themselves noticed, the two young men were just as Elladan and Elrohir had described it rude. They would wolf whistle at the ellith, shout obscenities and even try to grope some butts. Elrond was afraid he would have to demand that they were removed from the city and the rangers did give them a rather strict speech which made them behave differently, for a few days. Elrond just couldn't help it, he felt that these two meant trouble, big trouble.

Aytha and Dilloth were out picking nuts and by noon Dilloth had to return to take care of some other work she had promised to do for the head of the weavers. They used nuts to dye yarn and needed more and Aytha had learned to communicate rather well now, using hand signals and drawings. She agreed to stay behind and continue her work and she kept going until it got too hot to do more. There was a small pond nearby so she went over to have a quick bath and dove in. The pond was cool and it felt nice, she swam around for a while before she sat on a rock to do her braids again. She whistled and felt the sun warm her when she did notice that the birds had stopped singing and the forest felt very odd. She raised her head, confused and a bit nervous. Something was off, but what?

She didn't even have time to scream before two rough hands grasped her, one over her mouth and one around her waist and dragged her off. Another set grasped her legs and she wriggled desperately but ropes were tied around her and a piece of cloth pushed into her mouth. She didn't understand, it was two humans, she had seen them among the guests and their eyes, they were so odd, so cold. One of them grinned, he was missing several teeth. "Hello there you little elven cunt, now we are gonna have some fun"

Aytha didn't understand the words but she did understand that these men had some sort of evil intent and she let out a wail of fear which was smothered by the gag, someone had to help her, this wasn't right, this wasn't right at all!