The Great Sacrifice

Counsel Of An Advisor And Friend

Ari awoke by a gentle touch on her shoulder. A dwarf maid had been sent to lead her to the dining hall. She rose from the bed reluctantly and stood up. The pain in her side had subsided, but it still hurt her like a stab when she took a long breath. The maid walked her to the dining hall, where the king was already awaiting her arrival. He noticed her pallid complexion.

Ari bowed her head with respect and, when she was requested, took a seat next to the king who was sitting at the head of the table. The feast began but Ari did not have any appetite. There was mainly meat served, a kind of food not to her liking, and she declined politely when she was offered wine.

The king looked at her in surprise. "You do not drink wine, my lady?"

"No, your Highness," Ari replied shortly.

The king arranged for water to be brought, which she accepted gladly. "Please, help yourself and enjoy the food," the king said and gestured to the food on the table.

Ari sighed sadly. "I am afraid that I have to decline your offer, your Highness."

The king raised a thick eyebrow now. "And why is that?"

"I do not eat meat," Ari explained almost breathless.

"Not at all?"

"No."

The king was surprised and he laughed loudly. "I have never heard of a human who does not eat meat".

"I guess I was born like this," she replied. With those words spoken, Ari felt suddenly very dizzy and fell off her chair.

When she awoke she was in her bed and a dwarf healer was attending to her. He had discovered the wound on her side and had applied some herbs on it. Ari blushed as she noticed that her chest was bare and immediately covered her breasts with her small hands. The dwarf smiled and motioned another much younger dwarf, who handed Ari a small cloth to cover her breasts. Shortly afterwards, the king walked into the room, inspected her injury and looked at her with genuine concern.

"How did that happen?" he asked, pointing at her wound.

Ari lied. "I don't know."

She did not want to mention the elf king ever again in the presence of dwarves, as she suspected that the reason she was kept in the mountain was the planned lunch with him she had talked about with the dwarf king.

The expression on Dunir's face made her doubt of his belief in her words. He spoke in some strange language to the healer and turned back toward Ari.

"You are my guest. Please, do not misunderstand my intentions. Food is being prepared for you as we speak. It will be served to you as soon as it is ready. You may rest now. I will visit you again in the morning."

He was gone and shortly after him the two dwarves finished their task and departed as well. Ari gave the wound a look. It was deeply bruised. Fortunately it was not bleeding any more. She rested her head on the small pillow and quickly fell asleep.

--- In Dale ---

Thranduil spent the rest of the day and most part of the night thinking about the predicament which had befallen him. He could not believe that these few moments of his long life might have such severe effect to his future. And not just to his own but to all of the elves in his realm. Everything had changed. He felt weak. Mainly because he could not control this situation. He had noticed a very fine but profound feeling in his heart. He had become aware of its presence on the day he had spoken to Ari about the symbols that decorated and protected his realm. But at that time he had not understood its nature. It was their bond. New and fragile, but a bond nonetheless, sacred and pure.