Wayfarer of dawn

XIV. In which we reunite

Thorin slowly lowered his bow, until it was aimed at the floor. "Thorin," Eleniel muttered warningly. He sighed and relaxed the bowstring, easing the arrow back into the quiver it came from. Eleniel nodded, content, and turned to the Prince. "Caun Legolas, lle maa quel" "Amin sinta lle?" A soft flood of laughter shot past Eleniel's lips. "Nae saian luume'" she said softly. "Mani naa essa en lle?" his question was filled with the confusion his eyes showed. "Surely, mellon, you have not forgotten me?" Eleniel asked him, fully aware that her hood was still hiding her face. "Show yourself, then we shall know," Legolas' voice took on a hard edge now - annoyed by the game Eleniel insisted on playing. "Aw," she muttered as she tossed her hood back, "where's the fun in that?" "Eleniel," he muttered softly. And Eleniel smiled, "Caun Legolas," and then she dipped her head in respect.

And then it seemed as if Legolas turned a switch, his soft words and eyes turned cold and harsh. "Search them!" in the distance an elleth repeats it in Elvish - and within seconds the Dwarves are being searched by Elven warriors. Legolas takes something from Gloin's pocket, making Eleniel look over as she is shrugging off her weapons - handing them to the Elves. "Give it back, that's private!" Gloin calls, appalled. "Who is this?" Legolas asks, "your brother?" "That is my wife," Gloin mutters angrily. "Now that's not very nice," Eleniel mutters, but gets ignored. "And what is this horrid creature," Legolas continues, "a goblin mutant?" "That's my wee lad," Gloin mutters, "Gimli." Legolas raises an unimpressed eyebrow as Eleniel calls, "don't listen to him Gloin!" causing a guard to smack her on the back of her head, a way to keep her quiet.

"Would you not," she hisses at the elf that smacked her over the head. And he does it again. "Damn you," Eleniel mutters and takes a swing at him. A loud yell escapes the guard's lips as his nose cracks - breaking. Within seconds she has two guards pinning her down, and a third holding an arrow under her chin. Legolas ignores her cry of disbelief and continues his conversation, "where did you get this?" Thorin stares at him, "it was given to me." "By whom, her?" Legolas asks, yerking his head towards the pinned girl.

The Dwarves give some outraged shouts when they notice the situation Eleniel is in. "No, no, don't!" She quickly shouts. "I am perfectly fine! Don't do anything stupid, I'm just having a small chit-chat!" Thorin glares at Legolas one more time before they get taken away. And as Eleniel gets dragged past Thorin, still restrained, she mutters "Thorin, where's Bilbo?"

It is not until the convoy of guards and prisoners reach the front of the gates that Eleniel begins to struggle, trying desperately to get away from the guards holding her - away from the gates. Legolas quickly walked up behind her, and ordered the guards to let go. Yanking her upright he places a dagger under her chin, "my words will only do so much. I cannot protect you from my father if you break another guard's nose." Eleniel smiles sadly as they enter the castle she so vehemently tried to avoid. "Your words will not save me, it does not matter what you say." Legolas frowns, but pushes her onwards, "Holo in ennyn!"

Legolas locks the door to Eleniel's cell silently, not looking her in the eyes. And then he walks off. Once he is gone Eleniel sighs and slumps down the wall, realising he separated her from the Dwarves. "Ràna!" Her head shot up, and she looked out the cell - on the other side she could see Fili, and next to him, following the stairs upwards, were the other Dwarves. "Fili," she said with a soft smile. "Are you alright?!" She pondered a while before answering, "No, no I am not!" Outraged cries left the other side and she smiled sadly. "Calm down lads, the lass will be fine," she heard Balin hush the group. And then she heard the guards come down again - the soft patter of foods against stone. "King Thranduil requires your presence," one of the guards said as he stopped in front of her cell.

A soft sigh left Eleniel's lips as she got up straight, and stuck her hands out through the gap the guards had made as they opened the door - who quickly bound her hands and dragged her out of her cell. With two guards in front of her, and two guards behind her, Eleniel started to walk up the stairs. And when she reached the end of the stairs she knew enough - there would be no kind words for her upon seeing the king.

And she was right. The moment she walked up with the guards the king rose from his chair, "Eleniel Irithilion," he hissed. "King Thranduil," she muttered politely, dipping her head in respect - though she had none for the king. "Do not act as if you still respect me, I know you better than that - you would have returned ages ago, had there still been a sliver of respect." Eleniel nearly snorted, but she remained silent as she looked the king dead in the eyes. "That is better," Thranduil mused, "now tell me, Eleniel Irithilion, why do you travel with Thorin Oakenshield?" Eleniel laughed dryly. "If you think I am going to tell you that you have become daft, king Thranduil," she said - though the 'king' in front of his name was said mockingly. "I have not gone daft, stupid girl," he hissed, "you forget who I am. What I can do. You will rot away in those cells, until I deem it fit to kill you - if that is what I please, and no one will stop me." Eleniel glared at him. "Now, tell me," he said as he descended the stairs leading to his throne, "why do you travel with the Dwarves?" Eleniel scoffed, and turned her head away. "Talk, little girl," Thranduil mused as he walked up to her. "I will talk, but not about that," she said with a grin. "I will make you talk, you -" "Hir nin, the Dwarf, Oakenshield - he request you to leave the girl alone." A guard said as he walked up to them.

"I see," Thranduil mused as he looked from the guard to Eleniel, "he has grown attached to you."

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translations:

"Caun Legolas, lle maa quell" - "Prince Legolas, you look good"

"Amin sinta lle?" - "do I know you?"

"Nae saian luume'" - "It has been too long"

"Mani naa essa en lle?" - "What is your name?"

Mellon - Friend