C H A P T E R 8 - Sooner or later, the universe will give you all your answers
~I will never stop~
A small breeze fell up on her cheeks, breaking her from dreams that held her hostage. Her dreams were confusing, they surrounded a central theme and yet were cut and only showed very little what was going on. She saw fire... and she saw blood. Simbelmynë didn't want to move, let alone open her eyes, she was so comfortable. Is this what death felt like? To be completely at peace? She wondered. Her hands felt the soft furs and silks, eyes blinking open and looking around the room. This wasn't right.
Simbelmynë's eyes widened, head turning trying to understand exactly where she was. There was gold and precious crystals decorating the room, gigantic sheer white curtains covering one wall. It looked like someone royal would reside here. She really hoped not, but inside she knew it was. This was the Kings room.
Trying her best to ignore the pain in her sore sides, she made it to the side of the bed, wobbling on her injured feet towards the curtained side of the room. With great effort, she flung the curtains open, her back aching. Simbelmynë remembered vaguely what happened, a fight with the king, the yells of the dwarves and the fall. After that and the battles with spiders no wonder everything hurt. Behind the large curtains was no ordinary sight, behind it were doors leading onto a marbled balcony that overlooked the whole palace.
It was extraordinary. Breathtaking. Yet it had felt like she had seen it a million times before, whether in this life or a dream.
"My lady?" A calming voice called from behind her. Simbelmynë didn't bother attempting to hide herself or reach for her weapons, she knew they would obviously be missing. She turned around, finding an auburn-haired elle that walking towards her. The elf was taller and had long hair that spun almost tail-like behind her. She was decked in a green tunic, a bow and arrows on her back, daggers most likely on her person.
"Do I look like a 'Lady', to you?" Simbelmynë wondered, turning back to face the view of Mirkwood.
"It is how I was told to address you," The elf stated, "I was also told to have you bathed and dressed and I am happy to fix your hair if you wish." The auburn elleth walked closer until she was standing just behind the blonde.
"How elven of you... only caring about beautification and self care. Nothing else."
"We do not!"
"So self righteous, aren't you?" Simbelmynë continued, turning to face her, "do you have no knowledge of what goes on behind those trees? The fighting, the murders, death and destruction, do you know any of it? Or has your king blind sighted you so?"
The young elf was taken aback, staying quiet and talking low, "I would be careful how you speak. King Thranduil has never shown such hospitality before, he may put you in the cells with the dwarves." How strange. Instead of arguing and defending her king she was warning her, it made her like her more in all honesty. She was also telling her where the company was which was helpful, not surprising, but still helpful.
"What is your name?" Mynë quizzed, turning back to the warrior elf.
"Tauriel."
"A beautiful name... daughter of the forrest... I think it means. I wish not to make your life misery, Tauriel, I will do as you have been commanded to." She smiled, offering a nod to the other elf. Tauriel smiled back, nodding as well before the elf with no land continued, "why exactly do you carry weapons to escort me to a bath?"
Tauriel couldn't help but snicker under her breath, for some reason feeling comfortable in the strange elleth's presence. "The King thought it wise.. for my own safety."
Simbelmynë laughed along, "perhaps he is somewhat wise." The two elleth's laugh, Simbelmynë raising her hand and brushing hair from her face. That was when she saw it. Her wrists. She had never once looked at that piece of flesh in all her memory. It was amazing, and yet frighteningly unnerving.
Tauriel noticed her expression. "The King had the shackles removed." She informed the elleth, expecting her to rejoice and be pleased, one would not expect her to look so angry.
"Where are they?" She spoke through gritted teeth.
Tauriel said nothing, just walking back to the chambers with Simbelmynë in tow, the ottoman at the end of the bed held a wooden box. "The king told me most of your effects are in here," She answered, opening the box and stepping aside.
Simbelmynë shuffled through the random belongings she had, coming across her mask, arms wraps, coins and other little trinkets and her shackles. She held them to her chest as if they were apart of her. In some ways they were. She desired almost to have them back on her wrist, feeling naked and fragile without them. She had tried so long to find someone capable of freeing her from them and yet none could, but now they were finally gone, and all she wanted was for them to be back. How cruel the world worked sometimes. It was too bad, even if she wanted them with all her heart, they were broken and cracked, beyond repair and unable to wear.
"Are you alright, my lady?"
"Simbelmynë," She corrected, putting down the shackles hesitantly, "my name is Simbelmynë, you may call me Mynë if you wish."
Tauriel smiled once more, "Shall I take you to our baths, Mynë?"
"Please, Tauriel."
Mynë was clearly an outsider, a strange elf, and clearly every other elf working in the castle was aware of it. She was aware of the confused and dirty glances they would send her, every time she had met an elf all of their reactions were the same, except with Tauriel, and apparently the king of this land.
She had heard much about this king and yet he had been kind enough to find her a chamber to sleep, food to eat, a place to bathe and a guide. Simbelmynë could not help but wonder what it is he may have wanted from her, but doubted her guide would know anything.
The bath house was large and held multiple large baths within the area. It was normal for elves to bathe like this, shamelessly naked in front of one another, which was off considering how modestly they acted and dressed.
Tauriel had given her a robe to put on instead of her brown garments, it was so comfortable she didn't want to take it off.
"We have to wait a moment, it is boiling hot, freshly made for you as per the kings request." The auburn elf claimed.
"He requests quite a lot doesn't he?" She wondered aloud, not particularly listening to her and instead shedding her robes beginning to step into the alluringly aromatic bath.
"My lady it is too hot!" She warned, collecting the attention of other elves in the vicinity, all looking towards the source of the noise.
Standing on the first step, Simbelmynë could not feel any temperature, she turned around glancing at Tauriel.
Tauriel's breath left her throat as she stared mesmerised by the sight in front of her. It was frightening.
As if some spell had been lifted, Simbelmynë's flesh had changed, turning into its true form. She was burned and scared. Deep. Her entire face and neck were heavily scarred, leaving little of the form she had just seen only seconds before, her back was red and viciously broken, the skin cracking and bending with each muscle. It continued to her entire body. Scared. Red. Broken. The bright blue in her eyes changed murky and Tauriel was sure she had been blinded to some extent. Whatever had burned her showed no mercy.
She looked at Tauriel with pity, "it is alright Tauriel. My true form can be frightening. You can ask whatever you like."
"W-what happened to you?" She stuttered, watching as she sunk further into the bath until she was sitting inside the bath, her hair floating at the surface behind her.
Tauriel moved around sitting at the edge of the bath as to see her face, she could not help but notice where the fire had not touched her, her chest and right breast were free of any damage or burns. She wondered why. Other small parts of her body were clear of scars but none as big as the one on her chest.
The visible muscles on her face flexed as she spoke, her lips burned back revealing teeth, "I remember nothing." Tauriel had helped wash her body before fixing her hair using many treatments and oils she said would bring out the colour and texture before brushing it through.
Simbelmynë had explained to Tauriel about her memory loss, knowingly not mentioning her son or anything else that could be used against her. She liked Tauriel but that did not mean she trusted her completely.
The warrior elf was taken aback by everything she had said and couldn't believe what the elf in front of her had gone through. Still she was kind.
"Surely someone is looking for you?" Tauriel continued with hopefulness. Helping her dry and step back into her robe.
"No.." The blonde answered, "but I will never stop."