The Stranger and the Woodland King

The Girl in the Woods

It was the 4th age of Middle Earth. After the fall of Sauron and the destruction of the One Ring, peace had spread to the land. Many of the elves had already left Middle Earth but there were still a few to be seen. Thranduil, king of Mirkwood, being one. However, the king had grown quite lonely; more than usual. What with his wife long dead and his son Legolas living elsewhere with his partner Gimli the dwarf. A fact that Thranduil resented deep down. The king had no one really to speak to about more pressing matters. Matters he wouldn't tell his subjects. Despite all this, he'd still stroll through Mirkwood and the surrounding woods. The spiders had been driven out so it was now safe to do so. In fact, it was one of these private outings that he met someone who'd change him forever.
    Thranduil was wandering through the woods, close to the edge of his lands. He whistled a tune to himself as he admired the trees. The breeze was gentle. Spring was turning to summer. All seemed peaceful. However, the moment if relaxation was interrupted by another elf, one of the border patrol.
   " My king, we have a situation," the slim male elf with dark hair said, his tone filled with worry.
   Thranduil turned to him, slightly annoyed by the interruption.
    " What, may I ask?" the king said, in an exasperated tone.
    " We found a stranger in the woods. They are wounded badly," the elf replied.
   " Show me," Thranduil requested.
   The elf led him to the other patrols who were standing under a large oak tree. At their feet was what appeared to be a human woman with grievous wounds.
    " We found her like this. We tried to wake her but she's fading fast," the elf said.
    Thranduil looked down at the woman. She was wearing odd clothing with materials he'd never seen. However, the wounds on her clearly were from that of a blade, or several. There was something in her that spoke to the king. Something he had only felt once before.
   " Take her to the healers. Quickly, before she dies on our lands," Thranduil ordered.
    The scouts picked her up and carried the woman back to Mirkwood. The king followed behind them.