My Guiding Starlight (Thranduil x OC)

Chapter 2: Healing Rooms

I was awakened by a faint chirping sound. When I opened my eyes and turned to look, I noticed a pretty little Nightingale perched on my water-filled cup. Every moment the sun hit its stunning blue-brown feathers, they would shine. While I watched the bird, it turned to face me and twittered a lovely tune before dropping its head to my cup and sipping some water. I smiled as I gently pushed myself so I could sit while I took in the spectacle.

I twitched ever so slightly, brought back into the present moment by the pain from my right wing. I sighed softly and cast a sorrowful glance towards the bird. I extended my left index finger and saw the bird settle on it before turning to face me.

"A bird was by your bedside the entire time you slept. Nobody can dispute the affinity you share with these lovely animals."

I reached out with my right hand finger to gently pet the bird as I gazed up to follow the sound. My attention fell upon a pretty elleth. She had on a gown that was deep green. Her amber eyes looked like sunflowers, and she had brown hair that made me think of trees. While keeping a respectful distance from my bed, she had a soft smile on her heart-shaped face. I smiled back at her and bowed my head slightly in greeting.

"You might say that we have a unique understanding." I stated this teasingly, softly moving my left wing, but not too much. The elleth chuckled lightly, but I noticed the sadness in her eyes upon mentioning my wings. I didn't pry it, however. My focus was on the bird that started to chirp happily.

"You have such gorgeous wings, my dear feathered friend. Do not make the same mistake as I did and underestimate how precious they are."

The bird chirped cheerfully in response to my warning, fluffed its feathers, and spread its stunning wings with pride. That made me chuckle. I gave it one more gentle head scratch before offering my shoulder to it so I could freely use my hands. Without hesitation, the little bird leaped from my finger and settled on my left shoulder.

"I... I wanted to apologize, my Lady." Again speaking, the elleth caught my attention. She was fidgeting with her hands and staring down at the ground. "I am to blame for how things are right now. When Prince Legolas informed me that your right wing was malfunctioning, I failed to take attention and did nothing about it. I-I didn't think its injury was that bad. Forgive me, please."

I took another glance at the elf in front of me and studied her outfit. Only then did I notice her little white apron and the belt adorned with tiny brown pouches. She must be one of the healers in the King's Halls. The healer who attended to my care. And she was apologizing for my broken wing. I was unable to harbour resentment or lay the blame for my situation on her. It wasn't her fault that she was abruptly confronted by a feathered elleth. It was fair to say that she likely lacked knowledge of what to do. To be completely fair, compared to her administering the incorrect medication, this was a better result, which may have led to the loss of my feathers. Or worse...

I put on a kind smile while dismissively waving my hand. "Such behaviours do not require an apology. Because you were at a loss for what to do, you did nothing at all. It is an improvement over administering the incorrect treatment, don't you agree? Now, could you help me stand up, please?"

Baffled, the elf gave me a confused glance before scurrying to my side and grabbing my outstretched right arm. "But my Lady, you need to rest! Your wounds-"

"Will recover in time. Also, moving around while exercising my muscles will be beneficial."

It wasn't difficult to get out of bed or stand. My feet and legs were both free of any wounds. However, when I moved forward, the discomfort became apparent. I was in pain for several reasons, not the least of which was the deep wound on my thigh. I soon learned that the amount that one depends on their stomach muscles for absolutely everything was astounding. Including walking, standing, and, yes, breathing.