A Long Strange Journey

Becoming More Familiar

Hannah awoke the morning following the feast feeling refreshed. The feast had been long and continued deep into the night, and she had slept late into the morning. She got up out of bed, rinsed her face with the water placed on a small table beside her bed, and got dressed for the day. She wondered where she should go to get breakfast. She wandered about the halls of the Elvenking at random, until she came to sort of a courtyard that was open to the sky and held a lush garden with a fountain at the center. The dancing water gleamed like silver in the light. She was surrounded by jewel-bright greens and blooms of every color that glowed in the sunlight. The leaves and flowers were without corruption, so Hannah wondered if this was were the greenery that had decorated the feasting halls had come from. Many flowers appeared to be blooming out of season. She reached out to feel the soft petals of a tall white lily flower, and a strong hand gripped her wrist. The one who had stopped her was none other than the Elvenking himself. Hannah was startled to realize he was standing right behind her. He hadn't made a sound. She could feel her cheeks warming.

"You can look, but don't touch," said Thranduil with his voice next to her ear. Hannah nodded to show she understood. He released her wrist, and she lowered her hand. He was dressed in a resplendent robe that fell to the floor; his long hair flowed down his shoulders from his unadorned head. "No one is to pick these flowers without my permission."

"I wasn't going to pick it," said Hannah; "I just wanted to feel the petals."

"Don't do that either," he said. "It takes a great deal of care to grow a garden like this here. The shadow has begun to lift now that the Necromancer is gone, but we are not free of it yet."

"This reminds me," said Hannah; "I brought you a small gift."

"A gift?" said Thranduil.

"It isn't much," said Hannah, "but I've brought you some small jars of Beorn's honey, which, believe me, is some of the best honey you will ever eat. And some seeds from my rose."

"Your rose?" asked Thranduil.

"It's a rose my grandfather bred himself," said Hannah, smiling proudly at the memory of her maternal grandfather. "He created it for my mother." She had the seeds in her pocket when she traveled between worlds, to give to her teacher at school, but Mrs. Williams had been sick that day. Elrond had allowed her to plant those original seeds in Rivendell. The seeds she offered Beorn and Thranduil had come from that rosebush. "It's very hardy, so I thought it might do well here. They're white with a soft lemony smell."

"Your grandfather breeds roses?" the Elvenking asked.

"It was his hobby," said Hannah. She reached out the touch the lily again but stopped herself. "Roses relaxed him."

Thranduil regarded her for a moment. The way Hannah continued to refer to her grandfather in the past tense, he was certain the man was dead. She was plainly very proud of him. "I shall accept your gift," he said.

"You will?" Hannah said. She was so pleased that she glowed. "I'll go get it."

"Give the seeds and honey to Galion, my butler," said Thranduil. "You will most likely find him in the feast halls, cleaning up after yesterday's festivities."

"Brilliant," said Hannah. "I'll go find him now." She turned to leave.

"Hannah," Thranduil said, stopping her. "You are free to wander as much as you wish, but try to avoid invading my private chambers."

"Your private? Is this part of your chambers?" she asked, surprised. She hadn't seen any guards.

"Look just over there," said Thranduil, gesturing to another door across the way. Squinting, Hannah could just make out the two guards flanking it. Their armor blended into their surroundings so well that she almost couldn't see them. She took another look around the courtyard and noticed balconies on the level above that overlooked the courtyard. The balcony directly over the door was clearly separated from the others and had curtains that were still drawn shut.