A Corrupting Darkness

Chapter 2

"My Lord," says the head of the healer elves while bowing to Thranduil, "Yes Mairwen, how is that elleth condition?" says Thranduil a lot calmer than when he first brought the elleth to the hand of the head of the healer elves, Mairwen. "Athelas has helped her my King, there are also some small bruises, her fever has subsided as well, but she is currently still unconscious. Nevertheless she is going to be well, it is all owing to you aran nin." Answers Mairwen with calm expression but yet she cannot help to have a bunch of questions for the mysterious elleth, it is not an ordinary thing for a stranger to be mended in the healer room of the Woodland realm. Seeing relieved expression upon her King's face, Mairwen embolden herself to ask a few question about that mysterious elleth, "But my King, if I may ask, who is that elleth? How did you meet her? I believe she is not a part of this realm, especially with that black raven hair." A little bit expecting questions like that, Thranduil then unsurely answers the questions. "Yes indeed, she is not from this kingdom I am sure about that, and I met her in the forest of Forest-River on my way back, that hair also distracted me, with that hair color she must be a Noldo." "A Noldo? It is been a while since Noldor race being here, hîr nin. That is indeed strange." Sipping his wine again, Thranduil remembers in what kind of place he had saved the elleth, "Yes, what makes it even strange is that I found her limping under a Beech tree." "Oh my, a Beech tree my Lord? A Beech tree in the middle of the forest that supposed to only have Oak trees?" now shocked expression has reached Mairwen fair face, but Thranduil only nods his head, he finds it eerie why would Mairwen be so shocked about that. "Uh um, my Lord I do not know if you are going to believe me, but I ever heard of a prophecy, it says if someday there is a single Beech tree among thousands of Oak trees, everything that comes beneath it will bring a bad omen towards the kingdom that owns the land of those trees."

This prophecy has totally captivated Thranduil's interest "Oh? How come did I never heard of that prophecy before?" says Thranduil now standing from his throne with an empty glass of wine. "Every elf in my hometown knows about this prophecy my Lord, they also say that this has ever happened in a small realm of Enedwaith." The head of the healer drops her head feeling intimidated with the cold stare of the Elven King. That prophecy now bothering Thranduil's thoughts, if that prophecy was indeed true then what could possibly happen to his kingdom? While having that thought Thranduil comes down his throne stairs in hope to refill his glass, but right when he reaches the bottom stairs a guard came in with an elleth, the healer elleth whose name was supposed to be Adriel. "My King, this healer has wished to talk to you and the head of the healer." Said the guard, and Thranduil waves his index finger implying the guard to leave the room and with that the guard immediately flew off the room. "My King Thranduil, my Lady Mairwen I am so sorry to interrupt your conversation, but I think it is urgent to tell you that the wounded elleth has been wakened up." Says Adriel right after the guard is gone but still cannot bring herself to look forward to facing her king. Once again in that day shocked expression come to the King and the healer's face, Thranduil immediately gives his glass to Orodion who has been standing near the stairs all this time, the shocked expression has also taken over his face for so he is also curious about the identity of that elleth. Thranduil immediately leaves the throne room heading to the healer room followed by Mairwen, Adriel, and Orodion. Orodion who still accompanied by an empty glass of wine, he maybe will give it to another guard later to be taken care of.

Once again in that day Thranduil bursting into the healer room door, but a little bit calmer than before, he just does not want to startle the exhausted elleth, seeing the well mended sitting elleth in the same bed he last saw her, Thranduil could not help but to stare into her amber eyes which is already staring at the door all this time, wondering who has come to the strange room she is in. "Oh dear, híril nin. Do not feel dismayed, you are safe now, we are not going to hurt you, we are the one who saved you." Says Mairwen immediately after she saw the panic expression from the elleth beautiful eyes, Mairwen slowly approaches the elleth trying to calm her down. The elleth eyes now are fixated to Mairwen's movement, trying to bring her knees to her chest as a form of self-protection but instead, she flinches, she could feel the slight burning sensation on her right side and promptly clutching to it. "Oh no, please lay down my Lady, you are going to be okay, we have got you, now please lay back." Said Mairwen now guiding the elleth to lay back with the softest way possible, trying her best to not frighten the confused elleth. Seems able to make the elleth a lot calmer, Mairwen ask Adriel to bring some water for this elleth, and of course, Adriel instantly goes and pour some water into a glass located near the bed then rushing to Mairwen, taking over the glass Mairwen now helps the elleth to drink the water. "Here drink some water, my Lady. It will calm you more, it is alright, do not worry." Says Mairwen with the warmest smile she ever had. Drinking the water, now the elleth indeed becoming a lot calmer, she breathes in and out, tries to think the only positive possibilities, then with a raspy voice but not as raspy as before she asks, "Where am I?" now examining the healer room, also the elves who have just come. "You are in my Kingdom, the Woodland realm." Says Thranduil who froze at the door since the moment he saw the elleth's eyes, he is fascinated by her eyes, all along with her full appearance, the combination of her perfect sculpture face with the bright amber eyes and long dense raven black hair, she is so beautiful, that is the only thought Thranduil has in his mind all this time. He even thought this elleth beauty could surpass Lady Galadriel's beauty.