"Then what happened to the Orcs?" - Thranduil

20th August/Urui T.A 3010, The Woodland Realm, Mirkwood

Calenamath gestured for Legolas to lower his guard, noticing that the wounded ranger was more frightened than aggressive. "Mae Govannen Mellon nin. It appears that you require some aid," he said, observing the trembling blade still pointed in his direction.

"Leave me alone," whispered a thin feminine voice. Calenamath and Legolas exchanged looks. There had been no female Rangers since Arathorn's time and this one sounded very young. Unless this young woman was not a ranger.

"Summon a healer," he whispered to Legolas, who immediately dashed off. The ranger groaned and slid further down the tree, revealing traces of blood on the bark. "That wound must be painful. Will you not let me help you?"

"The Orcs said it was poisoned."

"I can help. If you will let me. I mean you no harm."

The ranger retracted her arm and slowly released her grip from the blade. Calenamath moved it aside. He gently lifted the hood and saw a young maiden barely out of girlhood with a pair of silver eyes. Her short, roughly cut, raven hair framed her gaunt, bruised face. Lord Elrond's missing daughter.

"Lady Anberenien, I presume. Did the Eagle leave you here?"

The girl nodded. "Meneldor said help would find me, instead it was the Orcs."

Calenamath glanced back at the dead Orcs. "My apologies for our lateness, my Lady."

Calenamath carefully lifted Anberenien's cloak and examined the wound as gently as he could. The arrow had gone straight through, which meant she would bleed heavily unless it was carefully removed. Anberenien did not cry out, but he could tell she was in a lot of pain. They were three days' ride away from the Elven halls. Legolas returned with a healer from the river village.

She examined Anberenien, gave her an antidote potion and another to ease her pain. "She is very weak, hir cóon nin. But we cannot wait to remove the arrow." The Elves made a stretcher and carried Anberenien to the river village. She barely made a sound as they walked through the forest, and Calenamath feared she was fading. But something about her eyes reminded him of his youth in Doriath. And at once, he understood what had happened to the Orcs.

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27th -30th August/Urui T.A 3010, The Elven Halls, The Woodland Realm

When Anberenien stirred, she found that she was lying in a large comfortable bed covered in a fine red coverlet, blankets and sheets. The frame above hung with heavy drapes matching the coverlet. Her aching shoulder brought back memories of the arrow and the wood Elves who had come to her aid.

She turned her head towards her shoulder and saw bandages peeking out from under the clean white linen shift she was wearing. A smiling Elven Lady with long silver-blonde hair and a silken gown of pale green sat on an elegant chair by her bedside."Mae govannen, híril nin! You are back with us at last. Quite the talk of the halls you are."

Anberenien tried to prop herself up but felt dizzy and the pain in her shoulder prevented her from doing so. "Allow me," said the Elven lady. She plumped up some pillows and helped Anberenien into a sitting position. "You must take things slow, híril nín, it will be a few days yet before you will be well enough to leave your bed."

"Where am I? Who are you?" Anberenien whispered.

", Celephinniel, híril i eneth nín, as to where you are? You need not fear, híril nín, you are in the Royal Palace of the Elven Halls."

"But how did I get here? How long....?"

"You were brought here several days ago, and we have cared for you ever since. Now that you are awake, you must build your strength up and eat."

Anberenien could now see that her bed was on the upper level of a large chamber carved out of living rock. Just below the ceiling, natural light poured through small round windows of opaque glass. The crystal lamps around the chamber created a pleasant, calming atmosphere, and the scent of woodland flowers hung in the air.

Celephinniel stood by the rail and clapped her hands and a short time later, a female Elf brought up a tray containing a bowl of warm porridge. Her soft brown hair was neatly braided off her face, and she wore a simple green gown with the small outline of a beech tree embroidered on it in golden thread. "Mae govannen, híril nín! Erresil, i eneth nín!" she said in a soft cheery voice.

Erresil laid the tray on the bed before Anberenien."Eat slowly, híril nín, or else you will be sick." Celephinniel dismissed Eressil and continued to keep a watchful eye on Anberenien as she ate. The porridge was thick, creamy and sweetened with honey. It slipped down with ease and calmed her growling stomach. It was the best thing Anberenien had eaten in a long time. At that moment, she became aware of the peculiar silver bracelet on her wrist. It fitted snugly around her wrist but was too tight to fit over her hand. There was a silver panel with: 'Ward of The King' engraved on it in Sindarin.

Anberenien frowned. "What is this?"

"The King will explain in due course."

For the next few days, Anberenien remained in bed and her strength began to return. Celephinniel and two female Elves were in constant attendance, Erresil and a dark brown-haired Elf called Golviel. Then one morning after breakfast, Celephinniel ordered Eressil and Golviel to prepare the pool. "The King shall visit you today, híril nín, so you with bathe and dress."

Anberenien remembered Bilbo's tales about the scary Elf King and his dark dungeons. "Do I have to see the king?."

"Yes, híril nín. He is concerned for your welfare. And it is high time you got up on your feet. You have gained strength, but your limbs are weak. It is time to use them and restore your muscles."

Erresil brought a bedrobe to Celephinniel, then returned to her duties. Celephinniel moved the covers of Anberenien's bed and encouraged her to get up. Reluctantly, Anberenien swung her legs around. They looked like two twigs stripped of bark and when she tried to stand, they buckled under her weight.

Celephinniel caught her before she fell to the ground, helped her to stand and wrapped the bedrobe around her. "The first step is always the hardest, but each one will get easier." Celephinniel then helped Anberenien to navigate her way down the steps to the lower part of the chamber. The colour scheme was red and gold and it was furnished with beautifully carved furniture depicting the four seasons. Wall Tapestries carried a similar theme. In a lower alcove, a curtain covered steps that led down to a small bathing pool and a Privy. There was a parlour with cushioned seats, a daybed, and a desk with bookshelves. Large luxurious rugs covered the stone floor, warm and soft under Anberenien's bare feet. A door by the bathing area was used by the attendants and an external door was halfway up the steps that led to the bedchamber.

Anberenien's legs trembled as Celephinniel guided her over to the pool where the attendants were waiting. At first, she resisted their attempts to undress her, but Erresil put her at ease. "We shall be gentle,híril nín, We know about the bruises."

Once they had undressed her and removed her bandage, Celephinniel helped Anberenien into the pool. The warm, relaxing water soon eased her discomfort. When she examined her shoulder. When Anberenien examined her shoulder, she noticed that the wound, though still red and angry, had practically healed.. The attendants insisted on bathing her and washing her hair.

"I can wash myself. I am not a child," Anberenien protested.

"You are wounded,híril nín, you must let us care for you," replied Erresil.

After bathing, Anberenien's attendants dried and dressed her. "Can't I even dress now?" she complained, but the attendants smiled and ignored her objections. Over the top of a clean under shift, they placed an over-kyrtle of dark green linen. Her hair they brushed and left loose, commenting that it would grow back in time. Golviel placed dyed green leather shoes on her feet and Erresil put her arm into a sling. Celephinniel helped Anberenien to the daybed in the Parlour. She then sent Erresil to inform the King that the King's Ward was ready for visitors.

"Why do you call me that?" asked Anberenien.

"The king will explain when he visits you," replied Celephinniel.

"I do not feel well enough to see him. I wish to go back to bed."

Celephinniel felt Anberenien's forehead and took her pulse. "You seem well enough to me."

"You are very bold for a servant."

"I am not a servant! My father was the brother of the late King Oropher. Did Lord Elrond not teach you any manners in Imladris?"

Anberenien sat in stunned silence. No one had ever spoken to her like that before. Celephinniel's condescending manner was beginning to annoy her. But there was no time to reply as the entrance door opened. Erresil had returned and with her, the two princes in their scouting uniforms, followed by the King. Although he looked almost identical to Calenamath, he was noticeably taller and wore a crown adorned with forest flowers. His green robes were covered with embroidered leaves in silver thread. Making the other Wood Elves look dull in comparison.

He stopped for a moment at the entrance, observing Anberenien as if she were an exotic creature. He looked at Calenamath, who nodded, then back at Anberenien. Giving her a reassuring smile as he glided down the steps.

"Be at ease, Lady Anberenien. I only came to see how you are recovering. I am King Thranduil. You have met my son Prince Legolas and my brother and Steward, Prince Calenamath." He seated himself in the chair opposite Anberenien and the Princes sat on either side. Celephinniel dismissed Erresil and Golviel but remained standing by the daybed. Although the three of them smiled and asked about her health, Anberenien felt there was more to this visit than a simple enquiry.

"Your father is much relieved to hear you are safe," said Thranduil.

Anberenien's heart jumped at his words. "You have heard from my father? Is he coming for me?"

Thranduil exchanged a glance with Calenamath. "By the time you are well enough to travel, snow will be covering the High Pass. We do not expect Lord Elrond to arrive before the spring."

Anberenien was relieved at the news. She hoped by then any anger Lord Elrond may have felt at her elopement would be diminished. She would only need to bide her time a little longer before she would be reunited with him. Now that she understood herself better. Anberenien resolved that she would put things right by making it her mission to protect Rivendell and the Dúnedain.

"Calenamath gave me your belongings for safekeeping. I return them to you now." Thranduil produced Anberenien's pouch, her father's pin badge and her mother's brooches from his robes. He gave them to Celephinniel, who passed them to Anberenien.

She fingered each item with delight before setting it down beside her on the daybed. "I thank you for returning these, King Thranduil, but I am missing my blades. They were my grandmother's and passed to me upon her death. They are all I have of her. I must have lost in the forest somewhere?"

"They are still in my keeping for the time being. You are in no fit state to use them, anyway. In the meantime, I must ask you some questions. It might be distressing to answer. But I must know of any threats to my borders. Do you understand?"

Anberenien nodded, hoping his questions would not be too prying. The King questioned her as to why she had run away from Imladris. "I made a grave error and hurt a friend."

"Surely it cannot be as bad as all that. Children are always quarrelling and getting into fights," said Legolas.

"It was not a child and I do not wish to speak of it again!"

Thranduil raised an eyebrow but changed the subject to the events that took place in the Misty Mountains. Anberenien relayed all she had endured when held captive by the traders, the Temple of Melkor, Glorfindel's attempt to rescue her and the Eagle taking her from the mountain. When she had finished, the Elves were silent and seemed genuinely moved.

"I thank you for your courage in relating this to us," said Thranduil.

"Perhaps we should continue another time," suggested Celephinniel.

"No, as difficult as this is. Lady Anberenien must tell us all she knows, else we cannot protect our realm sufficiently." Thranduil then asked Anberenien how she had passed into his realm without being affected by the protective enchantments.

Anberenien thought very hard before replying. "There was a doe, with pure white fur. I did not think she was real at first, till she let me touch her. She led me to a stream where a bramble bush was growing, then disappeared."

Legolas looked intrigued. "She let you touch her?"

"You have seen this creature before, Legolas?" asked Thranduil.

"I have Ada, from time to time. Watching me from afar. I thought she was a forest spirit."

"There are many strange things in our forest. But not all of them have evil intent," said Calenamath.

"Lady Anberenien has answered enough questions, cousin. I must insist that she rest now," said Celephinnel.

Thranduil glanced at Calenamath before replying. "I only wish to ask one more question before I leave your charge in your care. Lady Anberenien, I know you killed one orc. However, you could not possibly have killed the others. Who.... came to your aid?"

"No one...... came to my aid."

Thranduil looked intrigued. "Then what happened to the Orcs?"

Anberenien choose her words carefully, though she suspected the king already knew the answer. "One of them loosed the arrow into my shoulder. I was so angry, it did not hurt at first..... I wanted to crush them, for the ground to swallow them whole. Then the ground opened, the Orcs fell in, and then the ground snapped shut."

Legolas looked shocked, but Thranduil and Calenamath did not seem surprised. Thranduil, seemingly satisfied with their first meeting, glanced at the bracelet.

"As my ward, you are a member of my household and we will expect you to behave as such. I am very busy ruling my realm. So Lady Celephinniel and Prince Calenamath shall be responsible for your care and education. However, your identity is dangerous in these parts. Priests and bounty hunters will no doubt come looking for you. You will be known as Lady Thorwen, the King's Ward. 'Eagle Maiden' seems an appropriate alias under the circumstances. From now on you may only speak Sindarin, no one from outside of this realm must know you are not an Elf, save your kinfolk.

The bracelet on your wrist is enchanted. It allows me to keep an account of your whereabouts. You will find it much harder to slip out of my realm than you did entering it. I am the only one who can remove it, and I strongly suggest you not attempt to do so. It will also glow should you be in any danger."

"Ada, is this necessary?" asked Legolas.

"I'm afraid so. Have you not forgotten our little mistake with the Dwarves?"

Anberenien unsteadily, she rose to her feet, glaring at the Elven King. "I am Lady Anberenien of the Dúnedain, daughter of Beren, adopted daughter of Lord Elrond of Rivendell and Aragorn's heir. You cannot take my name and liberty from me! A cage is still a cage, no matter how gilded. What makes you any better than the Temple of Melkor?"

Thranduil stood and took a step towards her, towering above her. "Is that all you are, Lady Thorwen? There is no other name or title you may have left out? I was born and raised in the court of King Thingol and his Queen Melian the Maia, your direct ancestors as it happens. The apple does not fall far from the tree I see."

Anberenien stared into his cold blue eyes. He knew her true nature, perhaps even feared it a little.

"If you were my prisoner, you would certainly not be residing in the royal apartments. I have other places to keep my prisoners, Lady Thorwen! If you are a good little girl, you will find that I can be very generous. But be warned, Lady Thorwen, whilst I have no intention of replacing your father, if you defy me, I will be worse than a thousand fathers to you. Now, is that clear?"

Anberenien still looked at him with defiant eyes, but his were just as firm. "Yes, my Lord King! Lady Thorwen!"

"Yes....... my Lord King," she replied sarcastically. "Lady Thorwen?" Celephinniel whispered as her hand weighed heavily on her shoulder, obliging Anberenien to resume her seat. Though she was Anberenien no longer.

Thranduil turned and walked towards the entrance of the chamber, closely followed by Legolas and Calenamath. "Celephinniel and Calenamath will begin your instruction as soon are you are well enough. I bid you a pleasant day, Lady Thorwen."