~ Wynne tries orc food while Sidra tries to explain. It's not easy to forgive their treachery. ~

31. Apologies and Explanations

When Wynne woke up her head felt heavy. How long had she slept? Down here underground there was no way to tell.

The storage room was dimly lit by a lantern in an alcove and empty apart from herself. In a corner she saw the familiar bundles and bags of their packs.

So, the elves were already up then, and must have fetched the belongings they left by the well.

She hoped the horses were alright. Maybe if Legolas was better she could go and check on them later today. They had ridden them so hard last night and she had not had time to see over their legs and feet afterwards.

Her body promptly informed her that she was ravenous and desperately needed to pee. But first things first, before doing anything else she must visit Legolas.

Still in the ruffled clothes she had worn all day and all night, Wynne opened the round door. Outside she heard a mumble of voices from the hall, and a nice smell of food wafted through the corridor, again reminding her she had not eaten anything since yesterday morning.

The spare room was close to the healer's, only two round doors further down the corridor. She didn't knock in case it would disturb Legolas, instead she opened a tiny slit and peeked in.

Both he and his father lay peacefully on their bunks, breathing calmly. Legolas' face had more color today and he appeared to sleep soundly.

With a sigh of relief, she closed after them again. At least he was not worse.

Next, she went down the corridor to seek out the privy the healer had mentioned.

If he had not pointed it out, the smell would have led her there just as easily. It had a stone bench with two round lids and a sign in orc language above each that she couldn't decipher. When she warily opened the lids she saw that one hole contained only urine, the other feces.

Why they would separate those she had no idea, but obediently she chose the correct one to pee in.

There was a bowl and pitcher on a table so she could wash her hands and face afterwards, which made her feel a lot more awake.

Before joining the others, she changed clothes. She had no idea who she would meet during breakfast but it probably was best to avoid looking like a ruffled tramp. She even brushed her hair.

When she got to the hall she stopped in the doorway, shyly peering at the many unfamiliar faces. Around thirty or forty uruk-hai lined the tables under the now lit chandelier, and their conversation echoed between the stone walls. A separate table was laden with food and drink and it smelled even more heavenly this close.

Taking a plate she began to fill it. She didn't recognize any of the dishes, except for a pile of rye bread, but everything had a nice aroma. She would never have guessed orc food to be like this, but then this group seemed very different. The way they talked, laughed and ate in friendly camaraderie was clearly unusual behavior for their race. She doubted normal uruk-hai bothered to spice their meat or even cook it, and they certainly didn't eat vegetables. She could even discern pieces of potato in one of the stews.

Sidra came over to her and took her arm. "Glad you are up and I hope you slept well. It's actually lunchtime already. Come and have a seat beside me and Nugu." She spoke quickly and looked anxious though she tried to sound casual, like nothing had happened.

She probably hoped to be forgiven for her betrayal. But was it possible to forgive something as grave as that? It was Nugu's and her fault Legolas was now fighting for his life. Well, Nugu had stepped in and ended the troll, but he wouldn't have needed to if he had not led them there on purpose.

Sidra tugged at her, now with a pleading look, perhaps reading Wynne's thoughts. "Come. Let's talk over the meal."

Wynne slowly followed, allowing her former friend to lead her toward the end of a table close to the fireplace. A fire was lit in it, with coal instead of wood, and the black smoke disappeared up through a chimney. Were they not afraid anyone would see it?

Walking past the crowded tables, she felt the uruk-hais' eyes on her. So far she had seen no female orc since she met Nanna yesterday, and to be in a room full of males made her glad to have another woman by her side, even if it was such a treacherous one as Sidra.

When seated, she was relieved to see Galion opposite with his favorite orcling in his lap. Nugu sat next to him with the youngest. He briefly glanced up at Wynne before turning his gaze back down, face darkening several shades of gray. It almost looked like he was blushing.

She ate in silence, only replying to the others' inquiries in monosyllables. The food tasted just as good as it smelled and she went twice to get more. When she had wiped the last of the stew off her plate with a piece of bread she leaned back in the chair, feeling a lot better.

Now that Wynne was filled to satisfaction, somehow Sidra and Nugu's apologetic, sad faces touched her a little more. Galion apparently had no more harsh feelings toward them and perhaps it wouldn't hurt to at least let them explain.

"Why did you lead us to the trolls?" she asked bluntly, making both of them almost jump. "I thought you had decided never to kill again. But letting trolls do the job for you is not really much different, is it?" She threw Nugu a dark look.

"I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt," he mumbled, again blushing gray. "There was only one troll last the time we were there."

"But you knew there was one troll and still you took us to it?"

"It was one of Saruman's tame beasts, not very bright, and we were certain the elves could finish it easily. We just wanted them to be busy so we could escape. But the one that hurt Legolas was a wild mountain troll and it took us too by surprise." He was still not looking up from the table.

"And also, we had just decided to abandon that plan anyway," Sidra cut in. "We knew from the start we couldn't trust Thranduil, but the more time we spent with him and you others, the more we thought it possible to persuade him to spare us – in time, at least. We were going to turn back, we really were. But we got to the troll sooner than we had thought." She again put her hand on Wynne's arm. "I know you are angry. I would be too if someone I loved was hurt. I truly am sorry for that and wish I could make amends somehow."

Wynne felt her own cheeks get warm and hoped none of the elves had heard. Was what she felt for Legolas that obvious?

"I trusted you," she mumbled.

"But when you really think about it... if we had taken Thranduil to this place directly, can you imagine he would sign a peace treaty with Dad? Would he even have allowed him to live?"

"No," she admitted.

"And our babies, and Nugu... Would they be alive now?"

"I don't know." Wynne sighed. "Alright, I get your point. You felt you had no choice."

"I hated to deceive you. I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too," mumbled Nugu. "Especially about how Dad acted when we brought Legolas to him. That ultimatum was unfair and cruel. If I had known... well I guess I couldn't have done anything to stop him, but... after everything, I had wanted to show you we were good and helpful. Not some cunning, scheming sort of fellows." He vividly rubbed his eyes with one hand, glancing at the other uruk-hai nearby as if to make sure they had not noticed.

Perhaps crying was considered unmanly among their lot, warriors as they were.

"I guess he did not have much choice either," Wynne admitted. "He wants that treaty badly."

Somehow she found it easier to understand the old healer's motives. He, at least, had been entirely honest the whole time.

Yet, after hearing Sidra's explanation, Wynne felt a lot better about her as well. She didn't like to bear a grudge, and the more she pondered about it, the more she knew they had not really had another option. In addition, she believed Sidra when she said they had decided not to go through with the plan. The two had argued that day; presumably she had been trying to convince her husband to turn back. And her appalled reaction when the troll attacked had been genuine. Nugu had tried to make her flee with him but she refused.

From understanding to forgiving was still a long way, however. Maybe if Legolas got well, Wynne might, but there were still no guarantees that he would.

Nanna, the old female orc came hobbling, taking a seat as close to the fireplace as possible. "There you are, Nugie love, and the little ones too, bless them." She grinned toothlessly at them before turning to Sidra. "You and the babbies look much better. Dad was right to advise you some time outside. Only to think, babby orcs needing sun, who'd have thought?" She laughed, a hearty laugh to come from such a tiny body.

"It did us good but we missed you terribly. It's good to be back." Sidra kissed her cheek.

"Aww, sweetie. But now with the elf king here we can soon all come and go as we pleases." Nanna put one frail palm on Sidra's hand and the other on Nugu's. "It's a blessing, you hear me. A blessing. This was meant to be."

"You think so?" Nugu's eyes were still red-rimmed. "Was all this really meant to happen?"

"It was. I know it was with every bone in my body. Don't you worry, love, it will all work out. The elf will live, Dad says so, and he can tell these things, you know. He says they heals faster than our sort." She patted the uruk-hai's cheek, wiping off another stray tear. "There now, big boy, you did the right thing."

The uruk-hai relaxed his shoulders, almost slumping where he sat. He must have truly been worried.

Wynne felt herself breathe more easily as well. Legolas would live. For the first time she was sure of it, even though she didn't really know why.

A/N:

I don't think I've yet mentioned my headcanon about elves and sleeping. In my stories they can sleep properly with closed eyes, like Galion and the prison guard did when they got drunk in The Hobbit, but they can also enter a "waking sleep" with open eyes when in a hurry, like Legolas did when he tracked Merry and Pippin in The Two Towers. They need less sleep than humans so they can also go without sleep for a few days.

Image Credits:

From Zendaya's Instagram