"Adar...?" ("Father...?") Thranduil turned his head ever so slightly. "I-I'm...sorry," Ellendil said, looking at her feet.
"Sorry does not fix things, Ellendil, you know this," Thranduil said, turning to her, a glass of red wine in his hand.
Ellendil couldn't help it as she said, "Adar, im reallui don't heni-" ("Father, I really don't understand-")
"Ellendil...," Thranduil said warningly.
"Why do I have to-"
"Quiet, Ellendil!" he ordered, sweeping forward in his white robes, gazing down at her.
Ellendil fell quiet and looked away, avoiding his gaze.
"Ceri- cín apologies foeg nothing?" ("Do your apologies mean nothing?") Thranduil demanded. "Eithel?" ("Well?")
Ellendil closed her eyes and took a breath then looked up at him. "Forgive me," she sighed, "But I've heard the land beyond Greenwood is-"
"How would you know Ellendil? You know nothing, because I have kept you from those dangers," her father said; his voice slightly rising.
"But not EVERYTHING is dangerous out there!" Ellendil argued, not breaking eye contact. "What of Lord Elrond and Riverdale> THEY'RE not dangerous. Or Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn in Lothlórien? Or-"
"Dain," ("Silence,") her father ordered, cutting her off.
Ellendil fell quiet and looked back at her feet.
Thranduil tilted his chin up and said quietly, "Cin're just like Elerrian ." ("You're just like Elerrian.")
Ellendil froze. There had never been any mention of her mother; ever. Ellendil looked up at him, her eyes glistened with tears, but she did not let them come.
"Ellendil," he said, his voice serious again, barely more than a stern whisper. "Do not go on believing in this dream. I lost your mother. I mustn't lose you. Understand?"
Their eyes met again and when she did not respond he said, "Ellendil...?"
She blinked. She loved her father dearly..., and yet he was asking her to give up something she didn't want to give; her dream. Ellendil closed her eyes for a moment, thinking. With a shaky breath she looked away, "Im don't know if im tur-." ("I don't know if I can.")
Ellendil did not say anything else for a long moment.
"Do not throw away your life for a world that is not meant for you," Thranduil said quietly, breaking the silence.
"It is nothing more than a dream," her father went on, and as he did the claws dug deeper into her heart. "You are not a curious dwarf or a man that simply wants adventur. You are an Elf of Mirkwood. My daughter, and my subject. You are more than this Ellendil."
She looked away, because she knew he was right.
"Did cin hear nin, Ellendil?" ("Did you hear me, Ellendil?")
"Yes, adar," ("Yes, father,") Ellendil said quietly.
"A ceri- cin heni-?" ("And do you understand?")
"Yes, adar," ("Yes, father,") Ellendil said, meeting his gaze. "Im heni-. Ha was just a fantasui, a ha'll never happen." ("I understand. It was just a fantasy, and it'll never happen.")
With that Ellendil walked away, her heart split in two. One leaning towards the love for her father, and the other longing for adventure.
* * *
5 days later...
Ellendil stepped into the woods. She had been permitted to go in the woods again, and she couldn't look at her father right now, so why not go for a walk?
Ellendil closed her eyes and took in the fresh air before padding deeper into the woods. She found a clearing and sat in it, looking up at the sky of branches. She sat there for long hours in her thoughts till a rustling caught her attention.
She instantly whipped her bow out, her arrow pulled back. "Come out, or I will shoot."
Ellendil blinked in surprise as a white wolf pup padded out. She didn't lower her arrow though. Where there was one, there were more.
She instantly had her arrow at another spot where the bush has started to tremble. Ellendil watched as two more pups stumbled out. If they were here where was their mother?
The pups looked hungry, you could see their bones. One was brown, one black, and one white. She gazed at them a moment longer, then she decided they weren't a threat and sheathed her bow and arrow.
"Where ever you came from," Ellendil said as they hobbled forward, "I suggest you go back. My people will strike you down before you can get the chance to eat again."
The pups payed no attention only padded shakily forward. One tripped over a branch and the other tumbled and fell on its back at her feet.
Ellendil stared down at it for a long moment then sighed and bent down. "Who am I kidding, you're no threat."
Ellendil pulled out some berries and lied them before the pups. They devoured them hungrily. "Hm, you are hungry."
She smiled and sat down again. She let them climb over and into her lap and she scratched them in between their ears. "I'm not being very elf like right now, am I?" she said quietly as if talking to them. "I don't plan to get attached, but you need names."
The brown pup barked.
"Hm, I'll name you Haemir, and you," she looked at the black one, "Wait-"
Ellendil furrowed her eyebrows. It looked like their fur was falling off. "Wait a second...." She brushed at the brown and black ones fur and mud, dirt, and tree bark fell out. She stared in wonder as she brushed away the debris to reveal white pups. "You're all white. Well, that changes things. How can I tell which is which?"
She scanned them. "Ah, you, Haemir have a scratch on your nose, and you," she turned to the second of the white pups, "Ettrian, have a torn ear."
Each pup had the same blue eyes and white fur, but they had unique features. The one she named Haemir had a scratch on his nose, the one named Ettrian had a torn ear, and the last one had a scar down his eye.
"And you, the little warrior," she said to the one with the scar down his eye, "Will be Alfhillid."
She watched the pups with a smile. "If only I could have the freedom you have. Well, here," she said, setting down three pieces of bread and more berries. "You can have these. I must get back."
She got up, patted them each, and then walked on towards the kingdom. She heard a scampering behind her and turned to see that the three pups were following here, Alfhillid leading the charge. They had abandoned the food.
"Oh, dear me, you stubborn pups," Ellendil sighed. "Look, you must go on, okay?"
Of course, they did not understand. Ellendil got up to leave again, but they tried to follow.
"Elena help nin...," ("Stars help me...,") Ellendil sighed. She bent down again. "You're going to get me in trouble." She gently picked up Alfhillid and set him in her satchel. "Sh," she said and then grabbed Ettrian and wrapped him in her green cloak. He whimpered. "Quiet now," Ellendil said. She then picked up Haemir and set him in her other bag.
She carried Ettrian, who was wrapped in the cloak and approached the bridge. She took a deep breath, nodded to the guards and walked by. "Ha worked...," ("It worked...,") she said quietly.
She continued up the steps till she was in her room. She quickly walked over to her bed and emptied the pups out who barked. "SHHH!" Ellendil said sternly and they instantly fell quiet. "Hm, interesting," Ellendil said.
"Ellendil?" there was a knock at the door.
"Dwarves and orcs," Ellendil cursed and shoved the pups under the sheets. "Yes, Legolas?"
Legolas walked in and his eyes immediately narrowed. "What is it this time?"
"Nothing, sorry - what?" Ellendil said nervously.
A bark.
Ellendil closed her eyes and bent her head, her hand on her hip with a sigh. "Y'know I tried," she said and pulled the cover off of the three pups. "And you just blew it."
Legolas walked over. "Ellendil, what were you thinking!?"
"I-," Ellendil laughed humorlessly. "Wasn't?"
"We're taking them to the forest, now," Legolas said.
"Yeah, your right," Ellendil said, "But look at the poor things, they're starving."
"Ellendil...," Legolas said warningly.
"Oh my dwarves, you sound just like father! Fine! I'll return them to the forest, okay?" Ellendil said angrily, picking up Alfhillid.
Legolas grabbed Haemir by the scruff of his neck and held him out in front of him. "Wolf filth....."
"Oh, don't be mean!" Ellendil said. She grabbed Ettrian and glared.
Legolas eyebrow cocked and then he said, "Let's go." Holding him out in front of him, Legolas carried Haemir, and Ellendil carried Alfhillid and Ettrian.
They padded down stairs, Haemir whining.
Ellendil ignored the guards expressions as they passed them and went into the woods. Legolas dropped Haemir and Haemir scrambled back on his paws.
"Oh, stop it," Ellendil said, setting Alfhillid and Ettrian down gently. "Come here, Haemir, are you okay?"
"You named it?" Legolas said disapprovingly.
"Of course I named him," Ellendil said as Haemir placed his head into her hands and she looked him over.
When she was sure he was okay she stood.
"Ellendil, you should've killed them. Their mother could be near by," Legolas said.
"Their mother is probably dead, Legolas," Ellendil replied. "And you know I can't kill innocent things."
"They aren't innocent, they'll grow to be beasts," Legolas said.
They watched each other for a long moment, Alfhillid, Haemir, and Ettrian climbing over Ellendil's boots.
"Look, I'm saying bye, okay?" Ellendil said and bent down to pet the wolf pups. She patted them each and then whispered out of Legolas's hearing, "You stay here, and I'll come find you tomorrow."
Ellendil stood and said, "There. Now let's go," Ellendil said coolly and walked away, Legolas following.
Ellendil smiled. The pups were staying.
And she would be there tomorrow to see them, and the next, and the next, because if she couldn't see what was beyond Mirkwood, why not enjoy what wandered into Mirkwood? But, one day not just creatures wandered in Mirkwood, but an elf. An elf that would change Ellendil's life, forever.