The Stranger and the Woodland King

At Death's Door

The group returned to Mirkwood. They brought the injured woman to the healers. Thranduil made sure she was safe before going into his private chambers. He needed time to think about what he felt when he looked at the strange girl. Thranduil sat on the edge of his bed and sighed deeply. After much thought, he concluded that he had felt a connection to her somehow. A connection he last felt in his wife. He brushed this off as a lie. After all, elves only married once. Not to mention she was a complete stranger and potentially dangerous. Even so, he couldn't lie that the connection was part of the reason he brought her to Mirkwood instead of leaving her for dead.
    His thoughts were interrupted by one of his servants coming in.
    "Sorry to interrupt your majesty but Lord Elrond has made an unexpected visit," the servant said.
    "I'll see him right away," Thranduil responded.
   " Also, the girl you found in the woods is slipping fast. We need a more experienced healer..." the servant informed him.
    Thranduil nodded at this. Perhaps it was a blessing that Elrond had dropped by unexpectedly. The man was a renowned healer. Probably the best care the mystery woman could get. Thranduil hurried to meet him.
    He found Lord Elrond in the throne room waiting for him.
    " Forgive me your majesty but you look very troubled," Elrond said.
    " No need to be so formal Elrond my friend. You come at a good time. There is someone who needs your healing skills," Thranduil said.
    " Oh? Well show me to them and I'll do my best," Elrond responded.
    Thranduil led Elrond to where the healers were. They were busy trying to stabilize the mystery woman. Elrond instructed them to step aside so he could examine the woman's wounds.
   " I see why you called me. These wounds are deep and already infected. Some are filled with poison as well," Elrond said in a quiet voice.
    " Do you know who could do such a cruel thing?" Thranduil asked.
   " I'm not sure. Even most mortal men wouldn't be this savage. She is odd looking as well. I've never seen this kind of clothing," Elrond said.
    " Will she live?" Thranduil asked.
   " I'm not sure. She is pretty far gone," Elrond said, " but I'll try."
   Thranduil stepped back as Elrond began to clean and wrap the wounds in healing herbs. After some time, Elrond stopped.
    " She is stable but there is a chance she might die. The wounds are clean but very deep. I'm surprised she's not dead. She had a wound on her chest that if it was deeper, could've killed her," Elrond informed Thranduil.
    The king nodded. On some level, he was worried about the mystery woman. She could very well die in his care and the thought of that was upsetting. Elrond and Thranduil left the room to discuss other affairs.
    That night, Thranduil made a stop by the healers' place. They were tending to the woman's wounds which were in fact healing. She was still asleep but was stable. He dismissed the healers so he could be alone with the woman. Once they left, Thranduil gazed at her.
    " Who would do this to someone like you? You are truly strange. I've never seen anything like you before. You are foreign to me in every way. But, if you recover, I promise to protect you," he said to her.
    Thranduil then noticed her eyes open slowly.
   " W...where am I? What is this?" she asked groggily.
    " Shhh, get some rest. You've been hurt pretty badly," Thranduil said to her.
     Her eyes closed again, trusting his words. Thranduil smiled and then left the room.