Noira's POV

Our way to the dining halls seemed like an eternity. There was a point, when I was sure, the maiden was lost. Once, we were going down, and down, and down, till we reached an old door, and stepped outside. The blondy glanced at the sky, and found it dark.

At night. Surprise.

Then turned back, and we continued our travel – this time, to the highest floor - and then, on a hidden corridor, we went down again. I wanted to ask her if this was her very first day in the castle sooo much.

We were panting a little, when she opened another door, bowed, and with the two guards, she disappeared where we came from. The wind carried a pleasant lavender scent, and after I stepped out, I was just standing there with opened mouth. The miracle I saw melted my heart and froze the blood in my veins at the same time. Well, It was not a dining hall.

In front of me, tall trees grew in a big circle, and their green and purple leaves almost hid the night sky. I stepped forward slowly between the lavender, and another wonderful flower, I could not identify. It had blue leaf, and I could swear, it was moving. Not just because of the wind. The little nightlings were lightening the way, leading me forward, till I caught a glimpse of something bright between the plants. A little silver lake. I stopped.

The colors, the lights, the smells... As if I was standing on the great land of Crystal Woods. I used to play there a lot with my friends when I was only a little elfling. There was a secret cave, we always hid in. My nenneth worried so much, when she didn't find us.

I had to force myself not to cry from the beauty and the memories. I took a shaky breath.

A tall figure moved in the shadow, at the opposite side of the water, and now was watching me. I exhaled, and stepped to him. The moonlight painted his red robes almost lilac, and his skin and hair white, as if he was a statue. I saw him so perfect at the moment. So noble. So royal. And unreal. As I was not that long time ago, in the mirror. He was holding a glass in his hand, and as I arrived, his gaze landed on the silver mirror.

'I am glad you accepted my invitation' sounded his emotionless voice, and I glimpsed an ornate table, what was standing next to him. It was full of wonderful, exotic things, I didn't know, but I was sure, I would love. There was a strange red fruit on the nearest plate. I'd made my choice. I'd eat that firstly. What could I say? I was terribly hungry.

Then, I noticed, he was staring at me. His face was unreadable, and he didn't say a word, just looked. From head to toe. And wrinkled his forehead.

Okay. In this queeny-light-silky-shining purple dress, with my clean, braided hair and clean skin, there's no way, I am that ugly. Right? Than what's that?

'Lighter than the freshest snow' he whispered.

Excuse me?

'But her eyes' he pulled my jaw up very gently, and pierced his gaze into mine 'her eyes are just like deep black moons' I opened my mouth to ask him what he was speaking about. 'That bastard' he laughed, but somehow I was sure, he was not that amused. He took his hand away, and stepped to the edge of the lake.

'My son told me, you had a very important part in saving my life. I wish to express my deep gratitude' he bowed his head. 'I ordered my servants to move you to a comfortable chamber where you will have everything you need. Of course, only if you choose that' he slipped one from his glass, still staring at the water.

Well, I was surprised. Very. 'Your... Highness' I bowed 'I-I am glad, you are in a good health again and I appreciate your kindness, but what I did was not a big thing, I just band-' I was interrupted by the elven king lifting his hand.

'Do not lie to me' he said on his deep voice, what made me silent. 'Legolas saw a blue light leaving your palm'

How. The. Hell? I didn't even know, I used magic!

'Sit down, and share this dinner with me' he turned back. 'Maybe, later you would share with me your past too, what I so much desire to know.'

We sat down and the dinner started. I tasted the several light meats, vegetables, exotic elven food, and I felt as my stomach revived.

'How do you like the dress, I've chosen?' he asked suddenly, on a monotone voice.

I hated, that I had to answer these careless questions.

'I am glad to wear it, your highness. Even if you know, I am not able to take a step in it...' I responded with a deadly sarcastic tone, what visibly amused him. He knew very well, it can be very uncomfortable for an ex-warrior.

'One day, maybe you will replace your deficiencies.' the answer sounded, and I didn't know if I heard it correctly. But I thought so. So my head went red, like a tomato.

'It seems like you also have some, my lord. For example in discretion.'

Thranduil's fork stopped in halfway between his plate and mouth. He closed his eyes slowly. (How much he hated if someone, he didn't plan to kill, dared use a style like this in front of him.)

'Do not forget who you are speaking with, servant' said on a frightening low voice. Well, I didn't like how he said that last word.

'Warrior, at the first place, your highness' pushed the title 'A warrior, who could destroy your perfect little realm with her bare hands! You should be kind with me!' His majesty just laughed.

Have you really ordered me here for this? Laughing at me, while I am suffering in this damn strait jacket?

Before I could stop myself, I picked my full glass up and poured the wine into his lap. What I didn't expect was, that at the next moment, Thranduil jumped, grabbed my shoulders and pushed me onto the nearest bole. I can tell you, his eyes were deadly.

'Don't...' he hissed 'don't dare waste my wine again, woman' his face was just inches from mine. Then I knew, I stepped onto a sensitive point.

'Oh, I heard it's muck. ' I answered dryly, but on the inside, I was trembling. At that point I was sure, he would give me a black eye.

Nothing happened.

'You think a lot about yourself' he whispered, still darted his eyes into mine.

'Just because you know nothing about me, doesn't mean I am nothing.' I tried to push him away, but he was stronger and didn't move. I shook my head. I remembered, when I hugged the injured ellon in the woods.

'I was so damn stupid when I touched you even with a finger. You could live even more, than ten thousand years, but still couldn't do anything to deserve it!' I explained with great disgust.

'You feel sorry now for saving me?' asked Thranduil quietly. He stepped back and let go of me.

'I am not a monster. I feel sorry for what I did, while we were walking.' I breathed deeply now, that I wasn't on the bole anymore. I expected a satisfied laugh as an answer, but Thranduil was just thinking.

'What exactly?' his visage went serious. And then, my stress chose to leave me on the only way, it could. I couldn't stop myself, and started to laugh.

He doesn't remember! Dear God!

Well, if I was red like a tomato, then he was now a rose-garden. I saw in his eyes, he simply wanted to tier me apart.

'I command you to tell me!' said loudly but tried to calm down. I wanted to stop so much, really, but because of my earlier frustration, it was impossible. I leaned my back to the tree to keep my balance. Then suddenly, I saw Thranduil's strong fist coming. He seemingly lost his patience.

'HOW DARE YOU?' he yelled, and I screamed in fright. I closed my eyes and waited for the pain. BOOM.

But the pain didn't come.

I slowly opened one eye, then two, and saw his bloody fist next to my head, on the hard crust.

'WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?' he roared 'TELL ME NOW!'

But I couldn't say a word. Thranduil was never so mad about me. Funny thing, that I was fighting... my whole life, still, now I was honestly afraid. I was just staring at his boiling eyes and almost let a teardrop falling down. Almost.

'DO YOU REALLY WISH ME TO CUT YOUR STUPID HEAD OFF?' he yelled into my face, when I pushed myself forward and hugged him tightly.

It was like holding a tree from the garden. The ellon didn't move, I didn't even feel him take a breath. So, we were just standing there without a sound, barely breathing. He didn't touch me, but didn't push me away.

I looked up at him timidly, expected his eyes would be like the living hell. No. They were not. But I'd never seen so much emotion in one place in my entire life.

'Enough' he said finally, and stepped back. 'Things are not as simple as they should be.'

I was a little bit confused.

'Maybe you heard, I was nowhere to be found some days long' I nodded. 'Then, maybe you also heard about the arrival of Lord Elrond of Rivendell.' he took some steps, and stopped in front of some beautiful black roses, I didn't notice at first. 'He is known for his special healing talent. The lord can save souls even when everybody else gave it up. There's no cure or poison in Middle Earth, he doesn't know about' I was listening him, and found incredibly interesting, how he was speaking about his own elven race.

'Except what he has found in my veins' he turned to me again. 'That was absolutely unknown to him. And the truth is, that unfortunately... or fortunately' he added 'the only unknown being in my realm... is you.'

As he said that you, it had so much weight, I almost broke under it.

There was a long silence after his words. I could not react. A real shock stormed throw my mind, my body, and I felt a cool hurt in my head. His gaze didn't leave mine even for a moment, what made me terribly nervous. I could not believe it. This turn was just not possible.

So that was, why none of the elves talked to me or made any contact with me in the last few days. They thought, I was evil. A murder. I was lucky, they had not done something worse to me. Maybe, they were planning to do it... But the king?

Does he think I expected to kill him? How could I be able to do such a thing?

'You can not think that-' I started, but my voice itched immediately. 'YOU CAN NOT!' I repeated it louder. I didn't care, I was shouting, there was no way, I could accept, he thought this about me. I shivered, as he placed his palms onto my shoulders, and turned me back.

'Can you see that little path there, between the trees?' sounded his calm voice from behind. I did not answer. It was hard to even take a breath. What the hell does it mean?

Suddenly I felt, as his fingertips touched the bare skin of my neck, but only for a short moment. I could think it was just in my head. 'If you follow it, you can reach the borders when the Sun's still sleeping behind the mountains. Your way will be cleared from my guards.'

He let go of me, and stepped back, making a terrible space between us.

'You are free'

My tears were strangling me. I was afraid, with a blink, they would leave my eyes, so I was staring forward, at the dark nothing. My shoulders, where he was touching it only a second ago, were literally burning. I could not imagine taking a step toward the path, leaving this place behind. Leaving my prison behind. That seemed so hurtful, my feet didn't work.

But I didn't do anything! I don't have to go!

I turned back, and almost fell as find myself only an inch away from him. I could swear, there was more distance between us. I raised my head, and my gaze landed on his bright blue eyes. I barely see anything from my still held tears, but I could feel my heart biting in my chest as it planned to escape in every minute. His gaze was cloudy, I didn't know what he was thinking about. Being so close to him made my knees so weak anyway, I had to force them to hold me a little more.

'Noira' I heard him whisper. I'd never heard him say it earlier, and the feeling it caused was as unknown, as the poison and myself... It made me weak, as I would have been a young tree in the destroying storm. This ellon was the greatest storm, I'd ever seen in my life. He leaned closer, and as he spoke, I felt his hot breath on my skin. 'I don't think that'

'Your Highness' a loud male voice suddenly broke the moment, exactly when my heart skipped a beat, and we were just blinking at the ellon. 'As you wished, the guards left the woods, and gathered in the great hall' he bowed, and the elvenking looked back at me. After the guard left us, he gently stroke my hand. That was, when I realized, how nervous he actually was. His hand was cold as ice.

When I opened my mouth, he turned, and went back into the palace. I'm not sure how long was I standing there stock-still. Maybe minutes, maybe hours long.

'No. No. That can't be' that was what I repeated again and again. I was staring at the path, was thinking about the future, I would have, after I left the borders, I was thinking about my life, since I arrived to this land, and I could not move, just roared. I was thinking about Zella. She told me, she would show me this garden, even if it was highly forbidden. About Fräynn. He told me, he would ask something tomorrow, he wanted to ask since days. About Legolas. I just got to know him. Tauriel. What a strange elleth... The smiling guard with that brown hair... Lord Elrond. I didn't have any idea, who he was, but I've already missed him. Aleros... The little blonde maiden, who didn't dare to tell me, she didn't know the way...

The king.

My knees finally gave it up, and I collapsed to my heels. I remembered, when I tried to escape from here. When I finally run into his highness himself, who just said, I should have eaten something before my journey. I glanced at the table. Noooo. That can't be. Tell me, he hadn't invited me, just to be sure, I had some food to travel...

He wanted me to go.

My tears found their way to the outside, and now, they were unstoppable. I didn't remember the day, I was crying like this last time. The drops were burning my cheeks. It hurt. Everything hurt. Once, I had others I belonged to, and then I ended up alone. Now I finally had some beings again I thought, I belonged to, and I will end up alone again.

No. Till they don't force me to go, I won't. I am innocent. I like being here. I like my damn work with the plants. I like the others. All of them.

I jumped to my feet, and without thinking, I run back into the palace.

I had no the slightest idea, Thranduil was watching my every move from his great balcony.