Roswehn of Mirkwood

The King's plan

"Hit it, Hannes! Right between its eyes." Edith exclaimed. "We could make a beautiful winter coat with that white fur."

Roswehn's father remained motionless. He had brought bow and arrows from home, and he was also an excellent archer, but that deer was really splendid. Its fur was as white as snow, and it seemed to be surrounded by an aura of light. It looked like a creature from another world.

"No. Do not hurt him." said Yohlande, entranced. "It's not a deer ... it's a spirit."

Edith chuckled. "A spirit ... don't be ridiculous..."

Roswehn's mother dismounted from her horse, and walked slowly to the spot where the animal had stopped to watch them. It raised its head slightly as the woman approached, but did not escape. Yohlande had the distinct feeling that it was waiting for her.

"Be careful, those beasts can be dangerous." Hannes warned her.

"It does not want to charge, it would have already done it ... how strange, it seems that the deer is staring at us." Edith commented, in a low voice.

Yohlande in the meantime had approached even more. Ten more steps, and she would have touched it. Suddenly, she had an illumination. She began to step backwards with the same caution with which she had approached.

"I know what it is ... it is the spirit of the Queen of Mirkwood." She whispered, without turning.

"Whaaat?" Edith asked, "Hannes, your sweetheart is losing her mind, it must be the rarefied air of this forest."

"It's Thranduil's wife." Yohlande repeated, as if in a trance. The deer stepped forward, and bent its neck downward, in a sort of bow.

"The Queen is warning us not to go forward, not to go any further, and to
leave her where she is." said Yohlande.

"...who? what are you talking about?" Hannes asked. The situation had something unreal, and disturbing.

"Our daughter. Roswehn belongs to the Elves by now. She belongs to him." the woman murmured. "And the Queen blesses this union."

Edith and Hannes looked at each other. "I understand you're worried, Yohlande, but that this is way too absurd. Have you listened, Hannes? Your wife talks to the animals ..." Edith muttered.

"Well, now that's enough ..." the man replied, and quickly shot an arrow towards the rock on which the deer was still staring at them. The animal jumped away in a flash and disappeared into the woods.

"No, why did you do that?!"
Yohlande protested.

"Because I do not want to slow down our march in vain, all we need is to spend the night in this wood." her husband answered.

"We do not have permission to continue, I warned you." Yohlande told him.

"We'll see that, they only have to try to attack us." Hannes retorted.

"Right, well said, let these Elves come forward, and bring their friends gnomes, fauns, and unicorns with them, they do not scare me!" Edith said. "The world belongs to Men, in time these creatures will learn it."

But Yohlande was sad. She did not share the boldness of her two traveling companions. She knew, at that point, that their trip to Mirkwood was useless. She had lost her daughter. She had to accept that Roswehn was fallen into another world. That immaculate deer, that spirit, had given her a message.

Do not separate them. They belong to each other.

"Hannes, let's go home, please ... I do not want to stay here anymore." said Yohlande.