Third Person's POV

Walking on those long-forgotten paths, reminded him, how cruelly time was giving life, and taking it back from every creature in a shorter or longer blink of an eye. It was the right way, he knew, but still, it was like he would have been walking in an unknown part of the world. Everything had changed. Not even a single tree, a bush, a familiar bend of the river welcomed him from the old times. He took a deep breath, when finally reached the ancient ruins, and was leaning on his ornate stick for a minute. Despite the magic, he could use even now, every part of his old body was screaming from the several week long journey on foot.

The old man stepped to the edge of the rocky balcony, from where he could take a good look at the whole realm. In front of his feet, a huge forest was lying, as long as the eye could see, and the million leaves got warm red color at the dim light of the dawn. The sun was just waking up from its light slumber in the east, muting the night-birds, that accompanied him along his last miles. Its first rays brought the hope of the immortality of the great light. Looking to the west, he saw dark clouds hiding the sky, changing the beautiful forest to the servant of death. His heart ached with every beat.

Fortunately, he could enjoy a hint of ignorance, because the frightening when and where, even the who and how many was unpredictable. However, he wasn't that lucky to not know, Evil would come. Soon. He let out a heavy sigh, and his gaze landed on that part of the forest, where the well-hidden palace was found.

'The time, we see each other again is coming, my friend Thranduil, son of Oropher. Until then, you have to survive.' a small smile appeared on Gandalf's tired face. 'Now, I have to find a hobbit.' he added, turned back and continued his way, whistling old songs, there was not a living person, who could remember of.

Noira's POV

It was like a pointless, waking dream. I looked down and saw, I was flying above colorful lands and huge seas. Two white doves showed me the way, until grey patches appeared just before us. Suddenly, the little birds started to burn, and disappeared as I had been always all alone. A pleasant, relaxing voice called my name from behind, again and again, but I could not turn, just fly into the nearing black mass. Dark thoughts were filling my mind, when I felt a sharp pain pulsing in my head. I automatically tried to touch it, but couldn't move my arms. Nor my legs. It didn't have any sense. I found my eyes closed, so opened them, but closed again at the next wave of pain.

'How you sleep, even a dwarf would be envious' a bored voice said, pronouncing the word dwarf with a great disgust.

I tried to move again. I was probably bound, my feet didn't even meet the ground. I finally looked toward the voice only to find Thranduil already staring at me with emotionless face.

'And you hit like a toddler' I hissed back, but on the inside, I could scream. How could this happen?! I remembered, I run into the king himself, while was trying to escape and now, I was bound in a cell, what was even darker, than the previous one. A typical 'nobody would hear you scream' place. And what if somebody would hear me? What if?!

Nothing.

'I am patient. I don't mind, I had to wait nearly a week long, but now, it's time to speak, traitor.' the king's rigid voice literally froze my blood.

I was out a week long? If I count correctly, a human would have died for now of starvation. Actually, a blunt pain really pulsed in my belly, so I looked down.

What the...

My bare skin was painted to dark red by the dried blood. I just didn't have the slightest idea where and when I earned these several new injuries.

'If you fight against me, you win or die.' I heard the answer, and looked at the ellon in disbelief. He just lifted an eyebrow. He did this to me? 'You should be thankful.' his deep voice cut the cold air of the cell as a sharp blade. My jaw fell to the ground. Seemingly, my reaction amused Thranduil enough to show a barely noticeable smirk. At that point, I allowed myself a little daydreaming and imagined, what I would have done to him at home.

Meanwhile in Mirkwood, Thranduil was studying my face, and looked confused after hearing my involuntary chuckling. I stayed in my head, where I could find more comfort, and was thinking about my actual situation. I hoped better circumstances before my arrival, yes, I had big plans with my life. People of this era had goals, like becoming a hero on the battleground, or finding a connection with the royalty and becoming rich ( I could not understand this one), but for now, finding a place to live, a work to do and a man to love would have been more, than enough for me, after I felt sick from just hearing about wars or rulers. When I arrived here, I had a little strength to earn this. As long as you have hope, you'll always have that little strength.

But for now, I just felt weakness. My once powerful body and mind broke from the several days of hurt, loneliness and starvation. The idea of death didn't sound so bad anymore. I'd lost so many things in my life... everything and everybody I loved, was gone. Why exactly did I insisted on life this much?

Usually, I was crying at this point, but I just had no remaining tears.

Accepting the End calmed me down, as I was just sitting at the beach, drinking my honeybeer. I smiled at Thranduil, before I could stop myself, even if he thought me a completly idiot for that. His face immediately softened somehow. Maybe it's only in my head...

'I...' I started, pierced my gaze into his, and he tensed as drank my every word ' I fell down here from another land.'

*silence*

'From another time. Another life. I was running from the Evil itself, when I ended up on your beautiful land, your highness...' then my smile died '...but I've never thought evil would be found here, between these wonderful walls too.' I turned away from his confused gaze. 'So, my king, just be kind and let me die finally. I tried to make my world a better place so hard...' I shivered from the remembrance 'now I need a rest.'

The king was standing there for a while, without a word, forgetting even getting angry for I called him evil. 'I can see in your eyes, you're telling the truth' he said quietly 'I... Just tell me who you are.'

I looked at him in surprise. 'Oh, how rude I am. My name is Noira, just as a matter a fact. I've got it after a black rose, my beautiful mother got from my father, on their first date.' too much information, I know.

The king's lips parted.

I was waiting for some reaction, but got none. Nevermind. 'Before you, King of the Ice, go back to hating, perhaps torturing me, I wanted to tell you, I am grateful for your hospitality.' I smiled 'I've always wanted to die on the battleground, but this way is much better, than being eaten by dirty orcs.'

I felt a new wave of pain and started to breath hardly. The ellon's face was still, he was like a living statue.

What the hell happened with him?

'Did you go mute?!' I lifted my eyebrows and he suddenly came back to me.

As a child, I was always lost in my thoughts, and after a sort time, got the name daydreamer. My parents said, it was a cute nickname, but I felt a shame for it. But now, as I was watching his majesty's empty look, I had to admit, he was really cute as hell!

'You know' I breathed 'you're frozen'

His cold blue eyes were searching for something in my dark ones. It seemed like he didn't even hear me. I leaned forward, our faces were inches from each other now.

'You. Are. Frozen.' I repeated on a low voice, my face was stone cold. His eyes widened, he immediately stepped back, and just stared at me. Stared at me, as he would've forgotten how to move or speak.

My sight went blurry, I had to blink to clear it a little. The well-known iron taste of blood appeared in my mouth, and I knew, my injuries were more dangerous, than I thought. I started to pass out, and he was just standing there, with his jaw on the ground.

'Are... you dead?' I breathed, and his still face went pale. I mean, snow white!

Thranduil's POV

- Flashback –

I heared the awful sounds of war from somewhere far. Roars echoed between the northern mountains, and heavy axes cried as they met the strong elven shields. It informed me, that my soldiers were killing the last orcs, ending this bloody war finally. The dark sky slowly filled with silver stars, as I forced myself not to look down to my lap. Maybe deep breaths would help. I mustn't cry. How could the night sky stay so calm, when below, a living horror taking everything precious away from us, who left behind?

'I love you, Thranduil. Please, keep it in your memory.' started my dying wife, I was holding in my arms. I closed my eyes tightly as exhaled a long-held breath.

When I opened it again, I looked directly in her deep, blue eyes and did my best to make a smile, even if that was fake. 'How could I forget? You'll be on my side.'

'Thranduil...' she looked at me disapprovingly 'Slowly... time forgets me' she pushed her pretty face into my chest 'If I'd been only a dream.'

'Silivren! Don't speak, lirimaer!' I tightened my hug. 'I will heal you... Am... amin mela lle...'

'We both know, it is not possible'

'It is! You'll be the greatest Queen in Middle Earth, until the very last ellon leaves this world' I said as I was stroking her head. Her soft, golden hair was dark from the fresh blood, and I felt I couldn't breath anymore.

Facing the sky again, I roared mutely, so she could not notice it.

She smiled, even with her beautiful, half closed eyes too, as always, and put her shaking hand in her packet, pulling a little silver thing out of it.

'Tell Legolas, I love him and... I tried to... keep my promise.' she said to my chest between breaths. That was the moment, I realised what was that. She placed the little picture into my palm, and melted into my hug, if she was just taking a rest.

I was shocked.

My mind turned off. I was just kneeling there, holding her light body, and my brain just gave it up.

Legolas...

'Will you?' I heard her quite voice, but couldn't answer. 'You are frozen. Why?' she asked me sadly. I suddenly took a deep breath, I didn't even know, I forgot to breath. With that movement, my silent tears started to run down on my face unstoppably. I couldn't hold them.

'Th... Thranduil... Are you... dead?!' were her last words, before her body went limp, and she slowly passed away.

And left me behind.

'SILIVREEEEN!' I cried, until I had air in my lungs, and I just held her tightly, while she was becoming colder and colder.

- End of flashback –

'Forgive me' I whispered into the nothing with glassy eyes. 'Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me! Forgive me ...' I repeated, until slowly returned into the reality, felt the cold, coming from the stone walls of the cell, and hazily saw Noira's limp body, hanging in front of me.

How long was I out?

I found myself sweating and breathing loudly, every single inhalation cruelly burnt my lungs. I was in shock, my body didn't want to move. After a minute of standing there weakly, I somehow leaned forward, tried to control my shaking hands, and cupped her face to see if she was alive. Seeing her closed eyes, as I'd seen my wife's eyes closing just a moment earlier, froze the blood in my veins. My hand rested on her neck, checking her pulse. Feeling the weak but steady beating, made my eyes tearful.

She was alive.

I swallowed, and quickly went out of the dungeons, leaning to the wall, because I was still light-headed. Surely looked like, I was drunk.

'My King' a guard greeted me, when we met at the entrance, but bowed his head down, trying not to show me, he noticed my state.

'Take her to the healers' I said hoarsely, and continued my way to anywhere, just far from there. I felt sick.