Forget me not

Chapter 13

Hands grabbed at me, and I heard Elladan and Elrohir approach. I knew that they were close, but it was too late, they would not reach me in time. I felt something press into my side, pricking me, and I tried to escape the grasp of my captors to no avail. I fell to the ground but found that they must have done something to weaken me, for I could not even get off the ground.

I writhed there a moment, trying to get the strength to stand, to raise my hands to my mouth to call for help. I tried to do anything but just lie there, unfortunately, that was all I did. I could see nothing in the dark but heard sounds of people, things rushing about around me, moving and screaming. I couldn’t see them, it was too dark.

Suddenly, a pair of arms found me. Something picked me up. I was scared it was another attacker, but when it spoke to me in elvish, I realized it must be a friend. At this realization, I did nothing more than go limp.

*****

When I opened my eyes, it was still dark, but I was no longer on the ground. I was on something hard and flat, and my eyes would not focus. I was so tired. I tried to sit up but only succeeded in falling from my perch and into the arms of someone who must have been waiting for me to fall.

I looked at the face of my rescuer and could not focus. I recognised him, but I didn’t think I knew him. My tongue felt thick, and I didn’t think I could use it. I tried to speak anyhow.

“Who… who….” He put a finger to my lips and rested me back on the table.

“Don’t speak, milady. You are drugged. You must rest. We have taken the poison from your system as much as possible, but the short term effects still plague your senses. You must rest and recover.” I felt myself lowered onto the same platform I slept on before, and it was no time at all before I was surrounded by the comfort of sleep again.

*****

“Do we know who she is yet, sire?”

“No, she sleeps still, the venom is still in her veins. She will sleep for hours, possibly days. It depends on the strength of her system, her will, the amount of venom, and many things.”

“But if she is not friendly, sire? What then?”

“She is an elf, she will be treated as friend until we know if she is foe, and since we are not in battle directly, we will help her whether or not she opposes us. Just say nothing in her presence regarding governmental matters.”

“She is slipping in and out of consciousness.”

“She will, until the venom is flushed out.”

“Will she come out of this?”

“There is a chance… but that is only if there is a reaction. She looks well enough so far. Come, her eyes are fluttering, we must not bother her until she wakes on her own.”

*****

I opened my eyes, finally, to be surrounded by darkness once more. Night had fallen again, and I didn’t know where I was. I sat up, my head spun a little, but I was otherwise all right. I stood on my feet and tentatively took a few steps. I could see well enough now and realized that I was in a tent and that there were familiar sounds outside of people, animals, fire crackling, and night time sounds. I stepped toward the curtain, which blocked my view of the camp, and peered out into the raucous night time events of these stranger elves.

“You are awake!” I spun, startled and very nearly screamed.

I held my hand to my heart hoping to still it with my touch. “You startled me.”

He smiled. “You are not yet well enough to be up and about, sit down on this chair.” He led me to the chair, which was cushioned better than the table.

I looked around the tent when he lit a candle inside. “Where am I?” I touched my head, feeling still a little tipsy.

“You are at our camp, milady. You strayed far into the woods and spiders, dozens of them, they attacked you, rendering you unconscious with their venom. We hoped you had not been poisoned for too long, for you would not be able to come back if that were the case. However, you seemed fine, and you are here now, so I assume we reached you in time.”

I nodded, trying to take in the words. I could not concentrate enough to remember what happened. I looked up at this elf now, wanting to know the identity of my saviour. His blonde hair sparkled and shimmered with every step. He was thin and lithe and carried a bow as well as two elvish blades. “By the Gods!” I knelt before him. “Your Majesty, forgive me!”

He stood up and took my hand waving his other in protest. “Sweet girl, do not… get up.” He laughed and helped me stand as I made myself dizzy doing this. “Do not worry about royalty here.”

I nodded and sat down again. “Th-thank you, so much. I would never have hoped a Prince would save my life.” I laughed.

He furrowed his brow. “Are you from Mirkwood then? Or do you know my description rather well?”

I shook my head. “I hail from Mirkwood, Sire. I was born in Lothlorien, but Mirkwood has been my home for many, many years.”

“Ah, so you are here from Lothlorien, I take it?” He asked, pouring a glass of chilled tea and handed it to me.

I nodded and sipped greedily hoping to rid myself of the terrible taste in my mouth. “Aye, there have been troubles in these woods.” I jumped up, nearly spilling the contents of my glass. “Inwe! Oh no! Elladan, Elrohir! They are all out there still!” I turned to him, fearful. “Please say you brought the princes back with you here.”

His brow furrowed in confusion. “The sons of Elrond? They were out there? Oh my! That’s grave news indeed. We did not find them. They may have been taken with the spiders, or they may have escaped.”

“We have to look for them! They were only out there looking for Inwe. Did… did you find a young woman, my age, with red burgundy hair and eyes of violet? She was out in the woods, alone, we think. She is unwell!”

He shook his head. “Perhaps we should return you to Lorien.”

I nodded and knew that if they were not here, something terrible probably happened to them. My fascination with my own survival and the Prince of Mirkwood, my rescuer, overtook my mind for a while, and now I realised that something dreadful might have happened to many on my account. I knew they would not leave without a fight, and if it happened that they fought, yet they were not here, then there was a great possibility that they lost.

‘Elladan, if you are out there, I will find you….’