The breeze flows through my white locks and the leaves fall from their orange limbs. The sun seeps through the shifting foliage and I close my eyes. The road is empty. Why am I searching? What am I searching for?

"Lady Vilora," a voice says behind me that startles me. I turn to see an elven woman with long russet hair standing in the doorway. I had been outside for hours. "You requested me."

"Did I? Oh yes. King Thranduil said you can teach me elvish."

"I can, my lady. Follow me."

"Okay," I say excitedly and run after her.

We walk about the paradise inside and she teaches me different words and how to pronounce them. But we also make conversation, surprisingly. I didn't think I would be able to get to know anyone here. She tells me her name is Niniliath and by her mannerisms she seems not as old as the rest of them, which makes me feel a bit more comfortable.

"Creoso a'baramin," she speaks as I keep my eyes on my bare feet moving across the stone floor. We walk towards the back of the palace in an open hallway, passing other elves who read and visit with each other. I look up at her when there is a pause.

"What did I say?" she asks.

"Welcome... uh... friend?"

She roles her eyes. "Keep guessing."

"Welcome... Balrog?"

She laughs. "Really? Pay attention."

I giggle from trying to kid around.

"I said 'welcome to my dwelling'. Why don't you try and say 'welcome my friend' again?"

"Uhhh... right..."

"What's 'welcome'?"

"Creoso."

"Right. Now can you not remember the rest?"

"Can we take a break? My head hurts."

"Finish this one and we can, Vil."

"Fine. Um is it 'Creoso, mello... namin'?"

"Yes. Good job, mellon." (friend)

I breathe. We have arrived at the back of the mountain and in front of me is an open wall for the view I suppose. Because it's not like I can walk out being this high. But the breeze coming in feels nice. And this particular space isn't crowded. I sit on the bench made from a log that faces the "window" and relax.

"I'll be right back," I hear Niniliath say behind me. I turn around to see a stern look. "Stay here," she commands, knowing that I have a problem with wondering off.

Then she leaves. I am left alone. For a while I think about today and learning my language... but then other thoughts go through my head. One about last night that I push away. I wonder to myself how long it takes to get to Rivendell and back...

I am lost in my thoughts and don't come back from them until a hand touches my shoulder. I gasp and look up. Dang it she always does that.

An amused smile is on Nin's face. "Here, I smuggled some food for you." She hands me a piece of cloth with an apple and a slice of bread folded in it.

I take it with both my hands. "Thanks."

Her eye brows lift.

"Uh I mean 'diola lle'."

"Lle creoso." (you're welcome) I can tell she is proud of her student.

I smile like a child and nibble on the bread. 

She sits against the wall not too far from me and looks out over the hills.

I look as well and then squint. "What's that?"

"That is Erebor. The home of the dwarves of the mountains," she answers staring at the tall mountain that stands alone to the far left of a huge lake.

"Dwarves? Didn't tell me about them."

"Well there are not many elves who like to speak of dwarves. Especially here in Mirkwood."

"Why?"

"The king... and others say that they stole the elves' treasure once and other reasons for mutual hatred but... I do not know what to believe of the world anymore."

"What treasure?"

"Vil," she sighs. "Just eat."

"Ugh... fine." I begin to eat again

After a little while she stands up. "Come on, I need some fresh air." She fixes her chocolate brown dress under her leather corset and walks back to the main door. I guess she is a warrior elf because she doesn't dress as fancy as the other high elves. I myself wear a forest green one with the straps—that are actually the pieces of cloth that cover each breast—that wrap around my neck and then sleeves attached at the underarms, leaving my shoulders bare, and are puffy at the bottoms but cuffed at the wrists. And I wear a leather belt around my waist with my little pouch attached to it.

I follow her from the realm.

The two of us walk around on the outside of the fortress talking. The trees are so magnificent here. Some of them so enormous that could be used as homes. Some of them have roots that make winding patterns on the ground. We wonder past wide white trees and falling red leaves. The sun is pretty low in the sky now. I suspect it is afternoon.

"So how old are you?" I ask.

"One hundred twenty-two," she responds.

"Oh that's not... too bad."

She laughs. "What about you?"

"Twenty-three..."

"And they call me a child."

"Rude."

She laughs and so do I.

I feel the soft forest floor under my bare feet and it feels so much better than the floor of the palace. Though I wish I was wearing trousers instead of a long skirt of a dress.

"So what was your world like?" Oh yeah I told her about that. Not sure if I was supposed to but I did anyway.

"Well um... the sky was colored black because of all the ash and pollution so much that you would sometimes choke on it. The smell of rotting flesh was constantly in the air. There weren't really many plants or trees any more. They died because of the nuclear poison. I can't recall ever seeing any wild animals that often, if ever. So basically dead, lifelessness, and darkness everywhere."

"Sounds like how the books describe Mordor... How did you all die, old age?"

"Not exactly. They were all taken... by beasts of shadow. I cannot say what they were, for I don't know."

She thinks on that for a few seconds. "And you still want to return? Are there others still living there?"

"If there are survivors I want to save them. It is the world I grew up fighting for. I don't know where or what I will do from here."

"A lot of us don't know our paths but you will find yours, mellon."

"I hope so."

We have walked far now and when I look back towards the mountain I see, on a royal balcony, King Thranduil standing there looking over the see of orange leaves. He doesn't see me, in fact he looks deep in thought.

Once Nin and I make our way back, just before we enter the door I look over my shoulder at the empty road leading west...

"Vilora?"

I don't respond.

"Vil, mani naa ta?"

I hesitate but then turn and follow her. "Nothing," I mutter and pass her. (mani naa ta: what is it?)

But the time has come for dinner. All the High Elves gather in the dining hall and I realize that she is also one. She introduces me to a captain named Kel (he didn't mention this about him before). Unlike the royal family his dark brown hair isn't done, but falls loosely on his shoulders. He bows politely with a cute smile. "Arwen en amin," he addresses me.

"Heru en amin," I respond with a curtsy. "You did not tell me you were a captain, my lord."

"It was not relevant, my lady."

"Well the rules of formality tell me I should address you as 'my lord' or 'Captain Nithweln'." We stand side by side facing the room.

"Which is why I did not wish to tell you of status," he says with amusement. "Then you would have to call me by 'Kel' which is what I prefer."

"Well I am not a high elf so it would be inappropriate."

"Only in the volume others would hear perhaps... or if you wanted to impress King Thranduil."

I look over at the king who stands in the room. He holds a goblet in hand and speaks to his 'unnamed' steward. But when he catches my eye he smiles subtly and lifts his glass to acknowledge me.

I smile bashfully and look down.

"Do my eyes play tricks? Or did our king just smile?" Kel asks.

"Eh it was a smirk." I shrug.

"We haven't even seen such a thing in many years."

"Really? A sour taste is he?"

"Aye. Sometimes at least. Quite a serious elf he is."

"I guess a tried life would do that to one. I am surprised I am able to smile still. I suppose I am just blessed."

"...And human."

"What?"

"It seems other races than ours tend to be much happier in life. After you have lived for hundreds or thousands of years, things like that are stripped from you."

"...I didn't know happiness had an expiration date..." I say solemnly

"Well I believe in these dark times we have all grown a bit sullen..."

"Perhaps things will get better," I look at him finally.

He returns my gaze down on me—all of these elves seem to look down on me quite literally—with thoughtful eyes.

We continue to speak after changing the subject.

And after, Nin introduces me to another fellow female elf named Nodwen. She is nice and she has long curly brown hair pulled back with braids.

But once supper starts I sit in my usual spot. As I eat I look up in front of me... at the empty seat... But once sorrow comes back I look down and continue eating.

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The next morning after breakfast I walk around alone because Nin has disappeared. Here I am alone with my thoughts again. I stare out the balcony at the red trees that lie under the morning sun and piled clouds like a painting. The breeze of the morning tugs very gently at my skirt and a little with the stray pieces of hair from my triple braid I have it in. This morning Nin was talking to me about it and said it would look great with my hair color. She says she's only seen white hair on rare occasion. Thranduil's is the only hair of my color (or at least very close) I have seen yet here.

But she pulled it back into two half up braids before connecting them and then down by my neck is where she bound my locks into the intricate plait.

I stand there with thoughts that wonder from the language I am trying to learn, to thoughts of other races and wondering what places are like elsewhere in Middle Earth. What form of government do they have? I suppose it's just each little realm or kingdom has a king. Do the hobbits have a king?

I hear footsteps stop behind me and I turn to see Kel there.

"My lord. What can I do for you?" I ask.

He smiles at my formality. "Nin has asked me to fetch you. She is outside in the training grounds."

"Oh, thank you." I run past him and down the steps. What is she up to? I make my way through the gates and into the outside air.

Is the "training grounds" where I spoke to Legolas a few nights ago? I make my way down there through the trees after pulling my dress up so I won't trip, and sure enough there she stands.

She holds a large wrapping of items in her hands.

I approach her. "Mani naa tanya?" I ask. (What is that?)

"Ta naa ten' lle. King Thranduil caele ta yala naa ten'." She sets it down on a large root. (It's for you. King Thranduil had it made for you)

"He did?" I say in surprise and follow up behind her, observing what she unwraps.

There the cloth contains a short sword, beautifully crafted by the High Elves and even has something written on the blade. Also there are two gleaming silver long knives and a small dagger. A long dark wood bow with designs carved in it sits as well with the items and a quiver of red feathered arrows.

"This is very generous of him. Did I do something that pleased him?"

"My lady," she laughs. "You are not a wolf who needs praise. He and I thought you should have some weapons in hand if you journey else where or if we are under attack..."

"Well, thank you and please tell the king I thank him too."

She gives me a challenging smile. "Are you any good?"

I stare at her for a moment before I pick up a long knife and look at it. Then I look up at her. "Wanna find out?"

She laughs and pulls out an elven light sword from her belt.

I excitedly place back down the weapons and run inside for proper fighting attire. I sprint all the way to my room, almost running my shoulder into Kel on the way there.

I fumble through the he-elf clothes in my storage and choose a light grey, almost white tunic over dark steel blue trousers and tall, laced up coffee brown boots. And I wear a leather half corset/chest plate and bracers that I found in the armory.

I run back down to the training grounds, getting more stares on the way, now looking like a cross dresser.

Nin wears something similar but made for her, a leather vest and arm bracers over a long, navy blue fitting tunic that reaches below her knees but is slit on the sides, front, and back. And she wears skinny black trousers with brown boots. She has her wavy, russet hair that is usually down, back in four braids that meet together into a low ponytail, two short locks left out in front.

My hair is left down, but part of it is twisted and pinned to the back of my head.

After I strap on my weapons and pull out my short sword she backs up a ways...

"Caela ie'lle," I say darkly.

She lunges forward. I hold my blade out to the right, facing down just in time after her spin and strike towards my right side. The clashing sound rings in our ears. (Caela ie'lle: have at thee)

I swing her blade off mine hard and throw down a blow at her head which she blocks quickly, but I kick the back of her leg and she almost loses her balance.  I swing my sword to the left and come up at her right, stopping it before it hits her neck.

She swings her blade to cut off my head and I duck, elbowing her in the gut. I spin around before she can do anything else and come close to stabbing her back but a swift movement of her sword blocks it. I spin left and strike her blade again, her taking out her dagger with her other hand and swiping my corset. I kick her in the side and do a flip around the opposite direction, coming back with a swing at her torso that she blocks and comes at me again with her sword at my neck that I block once more.

We go at each other like that for a while, but eventually I get tired. Of course she doesn't though, being tireless completely like Ry.

So she wins. I have had combat training with everything you could possibly use as a weapon since I was four but it still might not be a fair putting me up against an elf that has had more than a hundred years of training.

"Have you ever shot arrows before?" she asks me.

"I shot acorns out of a homemade crossbow before. Does that count?"

She just laughs, probably having no idea what I just said.

I pick up my long bow and slip the quiver of arrows onto my back. I look at the target that I used to fire my gun at a few nights ago and notch and arrow into the string.

I pull back like how I think I should... but it is very wrong. Because Nin laughs and walks up to me. She corrects how I hold it and my posture. I don't get close to the center but after a lot of practice I get there. I practice with the bow for hours because unlike the sword or knife I haven't had an experience with this. And as I do, Nin goes over phrases with me in her language.

And after that we sit in a neat spot up in a tree and talk. She shares stories about her life and I share some about mine. Hers are more interesting though. And she also talks about the history of Middle Earth and of her people. I learn a lot from her about it. And I make the conclusion that I never wish to meet a dwarf. They don't sound too pleasant.

After she heads inside I stay out, swinging my weapon around and practicing some of the drills and moves I have learned over the years, some even from when I went to school. I fire my bow and marvel at the trees. It had been so long since I had seen trees this colorful. It had been so long since I saw land this beautiful...

I stay outside and practice my phrases and words, remembering what Nin taught me. I know I lot of their language... well at least the things I will most likely hear and use here.

I repeat the words in my head, practicing rolling my tongue a certain way. I have to get the accent right or I'll sound like a fool.

Then I go over the weapon techniques, imagining that I am fighting a demon like before.

I grasp the sword in my hand and twirl it in a circle using only my fingers. I swing it into an upper cut... then I hold it with both hands and yank it down, doing a spin with the handle and bringing it up and over behind my bac—it clashes with another blade that is held firmly, startling me. I feel my eyes held wide open and I hold my breath, my heart skipping three beats.

Who holds a knife, with a twisted antler handle, much fancier than mine or Nin's, is none other than King Thranduil. He holds his blade above his head where I would have hit otherwise, a normal expression on his face despite the look on mine.

"I see you found the weapons I had forged for you," the king says with his deep, but smooth voice. Now it makes so much more sense why he appears as the same age as his son. Elves are immortal. They grow but do not age so technically each elf is the same age (or look the same age I suppose). Interesting.

"Uh yes I did, forgive me I was going to thank you in person but it is just so beautiful out here I couldn't leave." That's when I realize that the sun is absent and I have missed dinner. I take my sword back and slide it into my sheath.

He does the same with his knife. He looks to the left with a thought on his mind. Then he walks to the center of the training station. "I remember when my son built this. I can see he has put it to good use," he says touching an arrow stuck in a tree that Legolas left.

"Did Legolas build this?" I ask, making sure he isn't referring to Ry...

"He did..."

"So why didn't you go to the meeting instead of him?"

"I see you spoke to him..." he looks back at me. That's when I notice he is not wearing his crown. "He is going because I have duties to attend in my realm. I cannot merely leave my kingdom for eight days." He speaks with a business tone still, slow and soft, but stern, making me feel like a client or just another lowly peasant.

I need to say something to break the tension but what? "Do you and Legolas get along?" I blurt out. Crap. I shouldn't have said that. That was being a crowbar.

I did just sound purely curious... but...

He seems to frown and look back at me like I said something way inappropriate. He acts surprised and a bit taken aback. "Now I am certain you two have spoken. Is this how you normally speak to a king in your realm?"

"I am sorry. Please forgive me, sire. I shouldn't have said that..." I look down feeling embarrassment crowd my thoughts. And my expression shows that. Regret. Ry had always said that I look like a puppy when sad or regretful. Not sure what he meant.

"I can tell you did not mean anything by it, dear one. I forgive you." I see his eyes look a bit sympathetic towards me. It's probably my expression. That "puppy" I suppose. "And forgive me, for I do not know of how to address to one used to such a different environment and past. Ryohnin did not speak of your world, for when he found it he did not return for quite some time." He eyes the tree again with thought in his gaze.

I don't know why but when he starts talking about Ry all memories of me and him begin to flash back I remember before I met him I used to have nightmares every time I would try to sleep. It got so bad at one point that I nearly became an insomniac but when we met he gave me joy. Something I hadn't had in a long time and the nightmares slowly but surely went away. I should probably say something but I'm afraid that if I try to speak I might cry but—

"Are you alright, my lady?" his voice gets calmer, like that of Legolas, not from what I have previously heard from the king.

But I shut my eyes, that tear that was nesting finally falling. I open them and wipe it away. "Uh yeah, it's alright just some bad memories started to flash back to me but it's okay I guess, sorry."

He takes a step forward. "Do not carry the weight of the dead, little Vilora. He is in a better place than us all. You have made both Legolas and Niniliath smile more in the two days you have been here than the centuries they have spent in Mirkwood."

"But not you," I smirk, looking up at him.

He holds back one, I can tell.

"What can get an old wise king to smile?"

"...'old'?"

I laugh, a bit more than I should have.

But he actually lets a smile show, and a charming one at that.

"So I don't suppose you have any food left?"

"Not at all..." he smirks. "Though I did catch someone sneaking a second helping wrapped in cloth afterwards."

"Oh treason!" I say with an overdramatic tone.

"Off with their head, shall it be?"

"Yes indeed," I say with the same tone.

He chuckles.

"So do you know how to fight?"

He frowns, looking almost offensive. "Perhaps, Vilora. I have fought in over three hundred wars in my time."

"Three hundred wars? Whoa you must be like a trillion years old," I joke bluntly.

He twitches his head. "Six thousand to be clear, my lady."

"That's pretty old. I mean like you're like three hundred times my age. That's old mate."

He laughs.

Oh wow I sound like such a dork right now. But I don't regret behaving this way. Because it makes him smile and even laugh. That is something I feel like hasn't happened in a long time.

"Sorry for being so goofy," I say, still trying not to laugh. "I think Legolas believes I'm a total embarrassment and an odd woman though he is too polite to say so."

"You are different, Vilora. But that does not mean you should be sorry for that," he smiles sweetly, the first time he has ever looked that way at me.

Why is he such a flawless and beautiful creature?

The blood rushes to my cheeks and I look down from his piercing and kind eyes.

"You two are a lot alike," I say after a minute, looking back up at him as he observes the feather of the arrow stuck in the tree.

He turns to eye me. Has he never heard anyone say that before?

"I'm sorry if I pried when I asked if you two got along or not. I swear I was just curious and wasn't thinking too much before I spoke. But since I first met you both a week ago I could see so much of you in him. He is a noble person and so are you..." I try not to look bashful when I speak about the prince. "And you two have similar smiles," I grin.

He reflects my expression warmly. "Is that so?" he asks in a way that doesn't sound much like a question.

I nod like a child.

He smiles widely with a chuckle. "It is late, child. Go inside and rest."

"Oh uh, yes sir," I curtsy and gather my things. I make my way back to the front of the mountain with an arm full of weapons, leaving the king there where he lingers in his memories.

When I get to my chamber I see something wrapped in cloth on my bed. "Oh Nin," I whisper and put down my weapons. I sit on my bed and open up the wrappings that contain a pear, a bread slice, and a handful of green beans. I gladly eat the food and drink out of a goblet of water on my bedside table next to a pitcher. But then I change into a night gown and crawl into bed.

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PS: please please please COMMENT and tell me anything on your mind or what you think so far. I REALLY need reviews if i am to grow as a writer! thank you!