An Unexpected Trip

Chapter 24

Milana's POV:

The room was beautiful.

A domed ceiling with evenly spaced arches to form the walls around the room, giving the entire space a very open and relaxed vibe.

The bed was a full-sized mattress with beautiful white comforters with  golden swirl-designs. There was a good-sized trunk at the foot of the bed.

The floor was solid slated grey stone, swept clean of any dust or leaves that may have traveled in.

Over-all the room was quite simple in the sense that it had its bare necessities and some minor adjustments for comfort.

Up against the far right wall was a gilded  eight-foot mirror with white silk curtains on either side, blowing inward from the small breezes coming from the outside. Next to the mirror was a medium sized wash-bowl on a rather simple-looking vanity table.

On the far left of the mirror, an ordinary wash-basin was put up against the wall and just a few feet from it was a dark, mahogany wooded dressing screen.

I turned to face Yariel and she asked, "Is everything to your liking?"

I eagerly nodded my head , before deciding to give the bed a try.

I gave a small shout as I ran to the bed and leaped onto it with a gleeful sound.

It was absolute heaven. Not too firm, not too soft.

I sighed as I lay down and closed my eyes for a moment.

I could lay here even after the world ends eventually.

My ears perked up at the sudden sound of metal scraping against stone and I peeked my eyes open to find Yariel dragging the wash-basin over to my right side of the bed.

"What are you doing, Yariel?"

The elleth stopped, looked up at me with a puzzled brow, and said," I'm just assissting you with your bath, miss. It's part of my job as a servant in the House of Elrond."

I internally cringed at the thought of someone else being forced to help me with anything, and I hastily jumped off of the bed to help her dragging the heavy thing the rest of the way.

" Really, Yariel. You don't have to help me take a bath. I know it's your job and all, but I won't tell a soul. Don't worry, alright? But, uhh...actually could you help me get some water in here first? I have no idea where you guys get it from. After that, you can go and enjoy the rest of your night, alright?"

Yariel gasped before tears sprung to her eyes like a leaky faucet.

Immediately concerned, I took the few steps to Yariels end of the tub, scanning her from head to toe for any injury.

What's wrong with her? She didn't bust an organ somehow just by moving this wretched thing over here, did she?

I didn't hesitate to voice my thoughts aloud, but the outcome only grew steadily worse, much to my great confusion.

"Yariel? Please, stop, I don't like it when people are upset over something."

Yariels' body started  racking as she shook with great sobs.

I tried wrapping my arms around her crying form,like my mother had done every time I had had an aweful nightmare.

Slowly, very slowly, Yariel began to quiet down and a little while later, her form stopped shaking completely.

I retracted my arms and waited for Yariel to look up.

"Yariel? Are you alright, now? Should I go and get somebody to find a doctor? What is it?"

Yariels hair was covering her face, like a curtain between us, so I couldn't see all the raging emotions that flashed across her face in a split second.

I stood up, and crouched before her, taking in her puffy eyes and still slightly-runny nose.

"Milana."

I stilled at the tone of her voice.

Misery.

Pain.

All hidden away under a shy mask.

"Yes?"

A minute of silence followed my reply.

"I-I-I'm sorry. No one has ever showed me an ounce of kindness like you have done."

I gave her a small smile, though she could not see it as her eyes were currently shut.

"You're welcome. Is that why you were crying? Because I was being nice to you? I thought you had an internal bleeding or something that was giving you pain."

Yariel suddenly stood up, and I noticed how her fists were clenched so tightly, her knuckles were paler than the moon.

"No. I'm sorry."  

I stood up as well, my brow now furrowed as I took a step  towards Yariels' still form.

"For what then?'

I had just placed a hand on her shoulder when a powerful jolt erupted from the tips of my fingers and all the way up my body, and down again.

I doubled over as a nearly unbearable pain struck my body like a giant fist had just punched me in my abdomen.

My face was screwed up in pain, but I could see Yariels' eyes as she bent down to stare into my own wide ones.

"Y-yar-r-riel. Wha-Ughhh!!!"

Yariels' hands were ice-no, colder than ice- as she placed one on either of my cheeks.

"Shhh... the pain is only temporary, little lizard. But, Master will be sure to make it permanent if you do not obey him."

No.

My whole body went slack as I watched Yariel transform into a hideous old hag. 

" Come, little one. It is time to face your fate."

My mind screamed at me to get up, to flee. 

But, to flee where? I have no way of getting home.

There's no on- Thrandruil.

My mind was shutting down, just like the rest of my body, I could feel it as the old hag started cackling.

Thranduil. Please-

Everything was consumed by darkness.