An Unexpected Trip

Chapter 20

Thranduil's POV:

I watched in silent anticipation as  Elrond sat perfectly still on the edge of Milana's bed and took one of her small hands in his and the other, he placed upon her brow.

His eyes were closed in concentration and after a moment, Milana let out a cry as she began to thrash around in her state of unconsciousness.

I raced to her side and held her down with my hands placed over her mid-riff.

Quite shockingly, she stilled immediately under my touch and I let out a small breath of relief.

What was going on?

I turned a questioning gaze to Elrond, only to find that his hand holding her own was shaking and a small bead of sweat was running down his forehead.

He was muttering something under his breath, but I couldn't hear it even with my acute sense of hearing.

It felt like a lifetime was passing by before Elrond suddenly stopped and let go of Milana's hand.

It fell limp at her side and her breathing was no longer shallow, but only a little more steady than before.

Her dark hair was plastered to her face and she was sweating rivers as she shivered from some unseen cold.

"Elrond? Tell me, what did you see?"

Elrond's light panting could be heard from the other side of the room before he took a deep breath and exhaled quite audibly.

He shook his head as he stood up to face me.

"There is a dark fire than burns within her. Something I have only seen once in my whole lifetime.

She is the daughter of an amlug and a curuni. I now see why the Dark One's servants wish to obtain her. She is both powerful and vulnerable. Her memories of her true self have been locked away by a spell of an old witch, one I thought had died over ten centuries ago."

I could not believe what I was hearing. The sickly human girl before me was the offspring of a dragon and  a witch.

How could this be? The only dragon known to be in the service of the Dark One had died over seventy years ago, yet this girl in front of me was barely over seventeen of human years.

Elrond placed a hand on my shoulder while I was contemplating all of this new information.

Our eyes met and I noticed the sorrowful look in his eyes.

"Elrond, what is it? Do not think to conceal what you have found from me. This is my kingdom and I will not have such a thing happen."

There was a pause. Too long of a pause for my taste.

"She's dying, Great King. Her powers have been suppressed too long and they are killing her from the inside out. If we do not act quickly then I fear she will not last much longer."

I froze. My heart stopped.

No. It had only been venom in her system. Surely that would not kill her so swiftly, especially when my healers had purged from her blood.

"How? The venom could never do such damage to her. Tell me how!"

My blood ran cold at his next words.

"I do wonder if she was given a certain substance-of an orc's blood and that of the Dark One- to awaken the darkness lying in her."

It dawned on me.

" Saruman must've kept some of the Dark One's blood all these years for that specific reason- to capture her and use her for his own dark purposes. Those orcs were sent from his tower."

Elrond nodded his head gravely.

"We cannot wait any longer, King of Mirkwood. If she is to be saved, she must travel with me back to Rivendell. There, she can be healed or at least the darkness inside of her will be bound permanently.

It is the only way."

The only way.

" She will not make it in her condition. She needs to stay in a bed at all times, with someone keeping constant watch."

My fists were clenched at the thought of my little human girl leaving me and possibly dying without me being there.

Elrond studied my features closely before he asked his question.

"Do you care for the child?"

I hesitated.

Did I really care for her in the sense that I wanted to see her get better just so I could finally hear her snarky comebacks and see her smile brighten up the room?

Yes.

Elrond seemed to already know the answer to that question for he abruptly turned around and gently scooped up Milana into his arms.

"I will have my servants ready your horses. I pray that your path lit by starlight never fade."

Elrond replied, " And your path as well, Great King."

Five minutes later, I watched from my balcony  as Lord Elrond and his men rode out from my castle and disappeared into the thick canopied forest beyond.

Take care of her.