#wendigo reader

'It's not her. It's not her. It's not-'

Hannah's shrill scream overshadowed Ashley's own cries of shock as the wendigo sprung up from the trapdoor, having caught her completely off-guard.

Before the poor girl could react, her head was caught between two large hands that twisted her neck, a sickening and squeamish crack following suit. Her now lifeless body dropped to the floor, head landing beside it with a splat and her eyes losing whatever light remained in them.

Within the shadows of the mines, you could only watch in sadness as her corpse was dragged beneath the door, to where Hannah could feast on her newly-obtained prey without disruption.

Fortunately, she wasn't aware of your presence at the moment.

At least she granted Ashley a quick demise, but you wish it didn't have to come to this.

Because both of them used to be your friends..

Somehow, the wendigo's curse had all but corrupted your humane side. While the hunger was constantly present, and you could no longer speak like a normal person...you refused to kill any of the group members who returned to the lodge. Instead you've been observing them quietly, with none of them ever noticing.

You don't know why they came back to these mountains; this horrible place where Hannah and Beth met their fates that cold winter night.

Part of you recalls chasing after them through the blinding snow, only to become horribly lost and unable to find your way back. Not to mention something was stalking you, pushing you further into the surrounding woods. At the time you were certain it was a wolf, but now you knew it very much wasn't.

Then you remember nearly starving to death, eventually coming across the flesh of something--or rather someone. You didn't know who it belonged to, but you found yourself craving more and more until there was nothing but bones left.

Next thing you knew, you've become this horrible beast. A violent creature of the cold who only knew hunger, becoming acquainted with the ones who met similar fates in a mining incident ages ago.

But unlike them (and Hannah, who ended up being possessed by the dominant wendigo spirit), you tried to sustain your endless appetite through raw animal meat, opting to hunt the local deer. If you felt like eating a small snack, you'd find a squirrel or bird instead.

The curse didn't keep a strong hold on you, which is why you're able to lurk around your old group of friends with easy restraint, unwilling to hurt any of them.

They must have known you went missing, too, but obviously couldn't recognize you nor Hannah anymore. To them, you were just monsters who struck when they least expected it, moving at inhumane speeds and manipulating them in horrible ways to make them your prey.

One such example was Hannah imitating Jessica's voice, which Ashley unfortunately fell for. And now she was doing it again to lure somebody else.

Dropping down from the ceiling, you wandered over to the cellar to shut her up for good....when something soft brushed against your foot, making you look down in curiosity.

And you froze.

It was Ashley's red and pink beanie, stained in blood.

Fresh blood...human blood-

'No...I can't..' Hissing, you looked the other way, but your pale eyes eventually wandered back to the hat. The urge had passed, thank goodness, allowing you to crouch down and pick it up.

Aside from blood's stickiness, you could also feel its softness between your long claws, a hazy yet fond memory coming to the forefront of your mind:

A small birthday party, with you, Ashley, Chris, and the others hanging out at the lodge--where you gifted her this exact beanie.

She always whined about her ears getting cold, and after you shopped around the mall, you found it for her, seeing that it practically had her name written all over it. And sure enough, she loved it to death, wearing all the time during the cold season.

You'd never expect it to come back into your possession like this.

Now it was nothing more than something to remember her by, as she was gone forever.

'I'm sorry, Ash...' You clutched the beanie with remorse, wondering what to do next-

"I'm coming, hold on! I'm coming."

Hearing the voice of Chris, you dropped it out of instinct and darted back into the shadows, realizing he was the one unknowingly answering Hannah's call.

That's right.

You forgot all about him.

You had nowhere else to go, and you didn't want him getting the wrong idea, so you stayed as quiet as possible.

Through thermal vision, you saw his form limping into the small room, possibly looking for his friend--or rather his crush.

You faintly remember all the years you, Sam, and Josh spent teasing Chris over it, wondering when he'll finally grow a pair and ask Ashley out. The three of you were certain it'll come any day, but every time he tried going for it...he chickened out again and again.

Yet tonight's events seemed to have brought them closer together....as you could see the look of devastation that crossed the blond's face the moment he recognized the beanie on the ground.

A shaky gasp escaped him, further constraining your heart with guilt as he broke right there and then, kneeling down.

"O-Oh no..oh my god!" He began to sob, picking up the beanie with a trembling hand. "Oh my god, Ash!! No, no, this can't be real! This can't be real!!"

The flashlight accidentally slipped from his other hand, which rolled to reveal your hiding spot, and you instinctively hissed at the brightness that blinded you.

It was brief, but enough to expose your presence to Chris, who gawked in terror upon seeing you and grabbed the flashlight, keeping it on you as he scrambled to his feet. "Holy fuck--y-you....WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!!" He screamed with such anger, tears streaking his face.

God, he wishes he still had that shotgun.

He thought he was a goner the moment he saw you, but strangely enough..you didn't immediately leap at him.

You didn't seem to be hungry for his flesh.

The only thing you did was....stare. And not with anticipation. You were just trying to figure out how to tell him that you didn't murder Ashley, even though it looks very obvious.

The longer he stared back at you, fear seizing all of his nerves, the more he began to recognize the clothes you had worn exactly one year prior, now stretched and tattered. Even that silly friendship bracelet you, Ashley, and him wore in freshman year was somehow still on your thin wrist.

'Wait, don't tell me that's....'

"[Y/n]...?" Chris muttered, eyes widening when you responded with a small chirp, giving him the confirmation that it was indeed you.

As if this night couldn't get any worse..he realized you too were subjected to the wendigo's curse. All along, you've been in this mountain, eating and killing to survive, but unlike the one that killed the stranger...you weren't trying to harm him in any way.

You still knew who he was.

You didn't see him as prey, but as your friend.

"Th-This is insane..you...after all this time you were here..?"

Nodding solemnly, you wish you could give him a hug, but you're sure he wouldn't want that. Not after what he's seen.

"You're not gonna eat me, right?" He cautiously asked. "I-I mean. If you're still..uh..you..there's no way you could have killed Ash.."

You shook your head, once again confirming he was correct. With a huff, you glanced at the bloody trail leading down into the cellar door, relieved that Hannah was quiet, but after hearing another choked sob come from Chris, you saw his knees give out.

The realization that he lost his three best friends in different ways hit him like a truck. "I-I'm so so sorry, [y/n]...it's...i-it's been a fucking nightmare. First..Josh lost his head and tricked me into thinking I murdered him, t-then Ashley's gone..and...and now you're a.....oh god! I'm so sorry...w-we...we tried to find you, I swear..."

You tried finding your voice, but all that came out was an odd scratchy sound, which did nothing to comfort the crying blond in front of you, torn by pain and exhaustion and betrayal.

This wasn't the kind of reunion you wanted.

It should have been in the lodge, surrounded by the fire's warmth and your closest friends..not in the bowels of these cold mines where you couldn't even console one who was grieving.

You don't know what Josh did to Chris, but it must have been bad enough to traumatize him-

"Chris!"

Blinking through tears, he snapped his head up, looking to the trapdoor. "A-Ashley? Is that you?!" His voice trembled.

"In here! Help!!" The voice cried out.

"You hear her?! She's alive!" Chris got up, but before he could take even a single step towards the cellar, you pounced on top of it. Least to say, he was bewildered by your actions. "Huh?! What are you doing?!"

'Saving you, idiot..' You thought, growling lowly. 'Of course Hannah would do this now...'

"[Y/n]. You need to move! She's trapped down there!" He tried getting closer, annoyed that you weren't budging. But as you snarled a second time, he flinched back in fear. "Th-That's not cool, dude.."

While you admired his initial bravery, he was quick to cower away as you just stared at him, unwilling to let him open the door and meet the same demise as her.

"I-I don't understand. She was literally JUST calling for help-!"

"Not her."

Chris went completely silent, his jaw dropping he heard you imitating his own voice, your mouth moving like a normal human being's. "Did...Did you just...?"

"Not her." You repeated firmly, hoping he'd finally get the hint.

"....s-so..wait, wait, wait.....you can mimic our voices now?!"

"Always have."

"...damn, that's...insane." He muttered, wondering why the stranger never mentioned that somewhat important detail. "But..that means...she's really gone."

You regrettably nodded, watching his shoulders slump. "I..I-I shouldn't have fallen behind. I should have stayed with her. I...I-I never even got to tell her...." But he stopped himself, looking at you with such defeat and hopelessness. "I don't know if I can do this anymore, [y/n]. How can I go on without-?"

"Live for her." You spoke in his voice once more.

While you hated using mimicry, it was the only way that whatever remained of your humanity could still get through to Chris--letting him know that despite all appearances..you weren't totally gone.

You wanted him to leave this cursed place alive.

Ashley would have wanted him to.

"S-Sounds like I'm giving myself a pep talk. But...alright." With a barely audible chuckle, Chris wiped at his tears, deciding to put the beanie in his pocket. "I'll live for her....and for you, too. Don't think I'll ever forget about you, pal. Thanks for saving my neck."

Although you couldn't smile, he could see your attempts to form one and was a bit amused.

As he started heading out of the small cavern to rejoin the group, you decided to follow him closely, certain that some other wendigo was waiting to pounce on him.

Fortunately, you didn't sense any nearby. They must have thought you were tracking him as your prey.

A lot of them were smart, but not even Hannah caught wind that you never intended to eat him or any of your friends.

Even though you failed to protect Ashley, and you couldn't let the others see you, you'll do your best to ensure they all lived to see the sun rise.

First off Price often helps Gaz with preening, removing any loose or damaged feathers but Price can’t always help. You notice one day that Gaz’s wings look a little shaggy, like he'd ruffled them and they weren't settling.

“Yeah, I haven’t been able to preen them very easily. Hard to reach places and all.” He says.

“Could I help?” You ask. Gaz shrugs.

“Sure. Just be gentle, and only the loose ones.”

At first he does it while sitting on a stool but this proves a bit difficult, as you can’t easily tell which ones are loose when they’re folded. Gaz gives in and lies down on his stomach letting the wing stretch out for you to see the loose ones better. You’re able to get them much easier and set the feathers aside. You take some time to look at the feathers more closely, and he lets you keep one of them which you manage to braid into your hair for ‘good luck’.

Horangi was shifted one day and reclining in the rec room. He did this sometimes to just be alone from any humans, though it didn’t really work on the other hybrids. You come into the rec room and he looks up at you before putting his head back down. You sit down next to him and trying to sketch him while he’s resting.

When it comes to contact though, your intrusive thoughts can take over. You can’t help but want to try and pet him. You did it with Soap when he was shifted, and Horangi was also a shifter. Your brain puts these two thoughts together and you pet him, giving gentle neck rubs. He makes a sort of annoyed growl until you find his sweet spot. That’s when your eyes widen and your ears perk up. He was chuffing! You give him more neck rubs, going for two hands and he lifts his head for you a bit as he continues chuffing. You giggle a bit finding it surprisingly adorable. Someone enters the room and he shifts back to human lowering your hands. You’re still snickering.

“What is so funny?” He asks.

“You were chuffing.”

“I don’t chuff.” He says a little red.

“Yes you do.” You say with a big grin. “Don’t worry about it. Soap does the same thing, except it's his tail.”

Horangi raises an eyebrow at that. The big bad wolf, wagging his tail like a happy puppy. Knowing you, it's not surprising.

This one you’ve done a few times before it’s just become a habit at this point but Soap gets restless during the full moon. You and him have started calling your difficult times during the month full moons. Both of you are there to help with those times.

When you have cramps or are feeling stressed and emotional he makes sure you’re doing better and have what you need. He even calls on Hunter for a couple of things to help you out. If you get overly frustrated or angry, he's firm with you, reminding you to go cool off, and take a minute to yourself.

Originally you didn’t know about his full moons but at one point you overheard growling and a couple of howls from outside and went to go and see it, unable to sleep yourself. You found Soap in a field not far from the base, simply howling up at the stars. A twig snapped underfoot and he caught notice of you in your pjs and hoodie before striding over to you. He pressed his snout into your shoulder and you gave him some hesitant pets before you noticed his tail wag. Then you went all in with the scratches, not even caring there was a full grown man behind all this fur. He was on the ground rolling over for a belly rub and you can’t help but laugh and rub away.

When you both finally returned to base Soap was exhausted, and finally went back to human. You comforted him and helped him back to bed so you wouldn’t wake up Hunter. Ghost was waiting and helped you get him to his room. Since that night you don’t always go out with him but you notice him awake and wandering the base around the full moon. It becomes a sort of ritual between you too, and though he often insists on you going back to bed you insist on making him something for you to both snack on.

As a girl you have your own full moon and the scent is not impossible for Soap to notice. ‘Full moon’ sort of becomes a safe word for you two, asking if the other is okay or if they need some company or comfort.

One night you’re sick and had to stay in your room for a while. Food was proving difficult for you, and Hunter had others to tend to. Hunter had been stretched rather thin and Soap knew of it. Recruiting some of the team, he got Hunter to take a break. Rudy and Gaz took them to get food and some relaxation. Meanwhile other medics tended to any wounded or injured. The problem was, they were fairly weary of you, aware that you were struggling to keep food down. Once the base had gone more quiet that night, Soap comes into your room after knocking.

“Oi pup. You dead?” He jokes. The only response he gets is a small groan. Soap opens the door and sees your pale face and laying form in the bed. He doesn’t let you make another sound before he wraps you in your blanket and carries you to the rec room, where there’s also the small kitchen. He sets you on the couch, and makes sure you’re cozy and you have a face mask on. He works on getting you some food, simple grilled cheese and a mug of soup. May not be Ma’s but it’s enough. You take small bites and small sips, thankfully keeping some of it down.

Alejandro doesn’t really like pets. At least the nagual doesn’t. Alejandro is fine when you want to curl up with him and will even offer his lap to rest on. But the nagual is more prideful. It shows affection in a way, taking the occasional head scratch or pet, but keeping the signs of affection minimal.

Or rather, it has other ways of showing affection. Like fighting you.

Alejandro is a good sparring partner and despite them not being the most friendly with each other, he and Horangi work well. Alejandro talks and shows you through various maneuvers, and goes slow. Horangi is a nice enough sport to be a practice dummy though he will take advantage of your vulnerable positioning and Alejandro instructive distraction to drop you like a sack.

Alejandro tends to shake his head but your giggles make it hard for him to be frustrated. Then it’s back to the beginning.

The nagual side on the other hand is a bit of a different story. It doesn’t hold back on you, and since discovering your wendigo form it takes full advantage to get itself acquainted with a new enemy. He may not run your tracking sessions as often as he used to, but when he does it’s full hybrid mode. Sometimes he takes you on night hunts if he needs to blow off steam, which makes tracking him harder for you. The Panther form is used for stealth making him harder to find even for you. Sometimes you try to hunt each other leading to a pretty rough fight. Alejandro doesn’t hold back unless he knows he’s going too far.

One of these nights, you hadn’t seen Alejandro for some time. You had also just come back from a rough mission. It hadn’t gone well and Alejandro had to step in more than once to keep you safe. He had requested you join him for a late session. You were in wendigo form for sometime until you found a place to rest and relax. It was a miracle you hadn’t passed out from exhaustion. Once you found cover on the ground, you returned to human, taking a moment to breathe.

You had maybe rested for 10 minutes when out of nowhere you’re tackled to the ground, and forced to shift before claws can dig into your flesh. You through the heavy mass off of yourself roaring at it to back off, irritated at the interruption. Thankfully the intruder was Alejandro who was able to take the hard blow just as well as you could. You stare each other down, before you shift back to human, catching him off guard a bit.

“Sorry I need a minute.” You say, bracing yourself against the nearest tree.

“No time out in the field Mija.” Alejandro reminds you as he shifts back to human as well.

“I know. Just… I’m fucking tired.” You say, fighting to stay standing. Alejandro comes over encourages you to join him sitting on a fallen tree. Now all you’re fighting is the urge to lean against him. You notice his breathing is heavy as well.

“How have you been sleeping lately?” He asks. You think about it for a moment and honestly with school work, training and missions, not as much as you would like.

“Not a lot.” You admit.

“Why did you say yes to coming on the mission then?” He asks.

“I thought I had to.” You reply.

“You’re young Mija. You don’t need to go on missions if you don’t think you can do it.”

“But I can do it.” You argue.

“You did do it. That’s not the point. You should have rested. König could have taken your place. If this were a real mission I could’ve killed you. When you don’t rest you affect your whole body, you’re not as aware, and you’re not as strong.” Alejandro explains. You fidget, his words leaving a tiny sting. You made everything harder for everyone else is what it sounds like. He notices your drop in expression, and puts an arm around your shoulders for a comfort.

“I messed up.” You say.

“On the contrary, you did very well Mija. Especially with how tired you were.” Alejandro says. “But remember you don’t need to come on every operation. If you want to, you sure can try, but you’re going to tear yourself apart doing it.”

You nod understanding him a bit better. Sleep was needed. No going on missions tired. Get better rest. He smiles at you.

“I’m sorry.” You say.

“Ahh don’t apologize.” Alejandro reassures you. “There were no casualties, and we achieved our objective. Now it’s time for you to rest, and I’ll make Hunter write you a doctor’s note if I have to.”

You smile at that and nod. On the way back you need another break from walking. He offers to give you a piggyback while shifted. You give in and end up passing out. By the time he reaches the base, almost everyone is in bed. Except for Price. He shakes his head at the sight but stays quiet, while he carefully takes you off of the nagual’s back and carries you to your room.

Price didn’t know what to think when your file landed on his desk. Still wasn’t sure what to think now. One thing he did know, was that you were part of his hoard. Which meant he’d grown attached. As long as you were with the 141, he was satisfied.

You were a bit taken back by the sight. The throne room was big and pretty. There were carvings on the walls and vines growing down from the ceiling. There were some flowers which gave a pleasant smell in the air.

You couldn't help but be in awe. You have never seen anything like this before. You have seen the courtroom in Himring, which was cold and made from stones, but this room held beauty and nature. It felt like you were going deeper into a fantasy book.

"Luthien. What is the meaning of this?!" You jumped when you heard a sharp voice cutting through the air. On the throne was a tall elf with grey hair and the most pissed-off look on his face. He held a crown made out of wood upon his head. Beside him stood the elf who spied on you two. Your face paled a little. You were silently hoping you two weren't late to fix this before something terrible would happen to you.

"Father, I introduce you to my friend (Name). She got lost in our forest, and thus I invited her as my guest," Luthien explained. "Your guest? Why wasn't I informed about this?" He questioned while staring at you with a fierce glare. Maybe because you're terrifying as fuck. You silently thought.

"Because she was injured. I brought her to be treated first before coming to tell you," Luthien explained. "Hmm," He looked down on you. You silently gulped, feeling like a mouse under his intense glare. You then noticed elves gathering in the room, watching you all. Great, you have an audience now.

"Human," The kind stated, making you jump in fright. "Yes?" Your voice came out a bit squeaky. "What was your purpose before you got lost in our forest?" He asked, which sounded more like a demand. Your heart raced a bit, nervous from all the attention on you. "I... I was to visit some relatives on the seaside, but then I got lost from the path," You explained, hoping he would take the bait. "Then you met my daughter by consequence, and she brought you here?" He asked. "Yeah, that's pretty much it," You answered, hoping to end this interrogation.

"Then how were you injured?" He asked. You almost froze. How would you explain that?! You exactly can't tell him you got shot by a goddamned spear. And the excuse "I fell." would be too obvious. You felt cornered. There were elves all around you, and you were getting questioned like a criminal.

"Father, is it really polite to question her like she did something wrong?" Luthien interfered. A silent sigh of relief escaped your lips. The feeling of being saved embraced you. "Luthien. Did you know an unknown creature passed through the circle?" He asked. "I have been hearing about it," She said. "And then it vanished without a trace," He said. You were sweating invisible sweat, knowing what kind of creature he was referring to, "And suddenly a human appears into my kingdom, so I find it a bit suspicious, " He glared at you again. "Are you saying she's some kind of an imposter?" Luthien asked. "You should be able to see for yourself that she's a human. Her fea is showing without any restrain," Luthien stated. Her dad then looked down on you, which made you uncomfortable.

"Then, if I may ask. How was this human injured?" He asked, then it all started all over again. You were frozen, and the atmosphere became heavy. Some of the bystanders began whispering to each other, which didn't make the situation any better. You had a terrible urge to give in and confess. Anything to stop the intense silence.

"Thingol," A familiar someone popped beside him. All attention was now on Melian as she stood beside the elf king with a frown on her face. "This interrogation won't be necessary, " She stated. The elves started whispering to each other again. "Your instincts to secure our kingdom are sharp as ever, but this human is not what you think she is," She said. You sweated a bit. Did he suspect you had something to do with last night because you definitely did?!

"Are you sure, my Queen? I see a possible connection between this human and the creature that broke through your circle. And we don't even know what the creature looked like. It vanished before our wardens even could take a glimpse of it," He questioned, looking at you. "But could a mere human do such thing?" Melian asked. "I..." He lost his words. "Thingol. There might have been a chance she encountered the creature herself and thus got injured. I was there when Luthien found her. She was clearly injured, barely walking, and had no recollection of what happened." She explained. "She couldn't have come here even when getting lost. This might be a mere coincidence, or maybe she was meant to find her way here," She said.

Thingol guy stood quiet for a moment. The tension was becoming a bit too tense for you. The bystanders were eagerly waiting for their King's answer like this was a first-rate drama show.

He sighed, breaking the silence. "If you say so, my Queen. I will trust your word," You mentally let out a sigh of relief. Even Luthien had a quick release of breath. "But we shall keep an eye on her. That creature might still be lurking around, and I'm not taking any risks," He stood up and walked away somewhere. "Whatever you say," Melian said. The elves on the sidelines started chattering, discussing the whole ordeal while some of them glanced at you. The Daeron guy gave you a quick glare before leaving the courtroom himself.

"Well, good that we got that out of the way," Luthien said with a smile. You puffed with intense relief. "I might not have crapped myself a couple of times," You stated. "Was it too intense for ya?" She asked. "Uhm, yeah," You said. You glanced at Melian and mouthed, "Thank you" She nodded and left on her own way. "Can we go back to Nelle? I feel like an eyesore here," You asked. "Let's go them," Luthien said, guiding you out of the courtroom. Let's just say you never want to do something like that ever again.

The sun was gracefully out, and the servants were busy with their daily duties. Maglor was brushing the feather pen against his cheek as he was in deep thought. His meal was lying beside his ongoing work but barely had been touched.

"This is a rare sight," Maedhros suddenly sat beside Maglors table, breaking Maglor from his concentration. "You don't usually dine at the balcony unless you're annoyed or want to have some peace," Maedhros explained. "And it seems you're working on a musical piece too since you have your brown feather pen out," He stated. Maglor glanced at his feather pen, which was indeed his brown one. He tends to have different colored pens for certain works.

"So what's the special occasion? You rarely have the inspiration to write new songs?" Maedhros asked. Maglor was quiet for a while. He was trying to think of a good excuse. He wasn't sure if he should tell Maedhros about his feelings for you. He might not approve it since you were a human and he was an elf, and they had the oath to fulfill. Not that he would care about Maedhros' opinion or the oath. "Just a rare idea I decided to write on a paper," He explained. "Hmmm," Maedhros observed his younger brother's behavior. " If I may ask, has something or someone inspired you with this rare idea?" Maglor stopped writing when he heard the last part of the sentence. Maedhros was hinting at something, and he wasn't sure if he was gonna like it.

"Nelyo. I don't like I when you hint at something, so tell me what do you want to say," Maglor said. Maedhros had a tiny smile on his face. "I'm just curious if someone from the healer's wing has caught your interest this much to make you write a song about them?" He asked. Maglor's eyes wandered off for a moment. His ears burned up a bit for being caught like this. "What if they have?" He asked, waiting for his older brother's reaction. Since he kind of already knew, he might as well go for it. Even though; the fear of disapproval was still at present.

"Then I won't so much," Maedhros said. "Since you're already this far to prepare a love song for them," He added. This piqued Maglor's curiosity. "So you knew already?" He asked. "Maka, it was not that hard to notice how much time you started spending time with them. You even let them sleep in your room, and not gonna lie. I once thought you two skipped the courting part and went down to business," Maedhros explained, which made Maglor choke down on his drink. He coughed hard before turning toward his red-headed brother. "I can assure you that we haven't done anything like that at all," He said. Maedhros chuckled. "Oh, it's already a surprise that you two aren't courting yet." He said. Maglor groaned and tried to wait out the burning in his throat.

"So, you're okay with it?" Maglor asked. "Your personal affairs are none of my concern, but I hope you know the consequences if you proceed with this," Maedhros said. "You do know her time will come, and she will leave this world? Are you willing to bear the sadness when that time comes?" He asked. Maglor thought about his time with you and the life you bore in your world.

The life you bore nothing but sadness and tragedy. You had dealt with terrible things and still live with a curse that had damned you from every good you could have. "I'm willing to bear anything if it means she will have a long, loving life," Maglor said. Maedhros nodded. "Then I shall leave you to it. I hope your pursuit for her love will end well, brother," Maedhros stood up. "Well, the worst end scenario that could happen is that she wouldn't feel the same," Maglor said, focusing back on his work. "I hardly doubt that. At least she's nice. I see her a much fitting choice than your past lover," Maedhros said. "I learned my lesson back then. I can assure (Name) is nothing like... her," Maglor said the last part with hidden resentment.

"Well, it's in the past now," Maedhros glanced at Maglor's ongoing work. "Are you gonna sing your song to her in our language?" He asked. "I don't think the song will hint much if she doesn't understand it," He added. "It doesn't bother her, and that's kind of a point. After the song, I will explain the words and confess my feelings to her," Maglor said. "Hmmm. Smooth, lover boy. You're going all out to charm her, aren't you?" Maedhros questioned, then began leaving the terrace. "Yeah, yeah, fuck off," Maglor chuckled. Maedhros smiled, then left his little brother alone at the balcony.

Maglor continued his work. He glanced at where Maedhros left and smiled. It was a surprise to see Maedhros like that. The last time he was this supportive and teasing was when they still lived in Valinor. It was such a long time. Maglor smiled then continued working on the melody you inspired him to create.

Standing on your toes, you pushed the last book into its place on the shelf. "That should be the last one," You stated. "Yes, thank you, (Name)," Melui smiled. You yawned, then stretched your hands. "How do you have the energy to work around in a library? I don't have anything against books, but they're not that interesting. Unless there is a good novel I could read," You explained as you looked around the place. "I guess. I feel more at home when I'm around books. Reading and studying the wonders of the world was a former passion of mine," Melui explained as he sat down. "Are you a scholar?" You sat down beside him. "I... used to be. In my home city, it's not a common career for an elf-like me," He explained. "How so?" You asked. "My people are keener on living by the sea and sail on the waves. We're excellent boat builders too," He explained. "Ah, okay," You said. "I was teased a lot by my family for wanting to become a scholar. Since most of them are mariners, but I always find it more peaceful at the land than in the sea," Melui said. "My home city is beautiful, though. I recommend visiting it sometimes," He added. "Well, if I get a chance. I'm definitely going," You said, excited about the idea. If traveling wasn't so dangerous nowadays, you would take a chance to visit a new elven city.

"I would so too. It's been a while since I have seen my family. I wonder how they're doing," Melui said, opening a book. "Why don't you go visit and see how they're doing?" You asked.

The atmosphere became tense as the white-headed elf didn't answer the question. His look became heavy, and if you're really perceptive; you could see his ears dropping a little. Your positive mood fell, and you mentally slapped yourself. How can you ask something so stupid? You really know how to make the atmosphere awkward, don't you?!

"Melui. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to" You started. "No. It's okay," He brought his hand up to stop you. "I guess. It's been a while," He set his book down. "It's just. Nelle told me I should recover and wait until I'm able to move my arm again, but after what happened during Dagor dragollac. I found myself too scared to even consider stepping outside," He explained. "I would love to go visit them, but I can't stop remembering what happened to us when we got captured," His eyes had a deep look. "I know, I'm free, but I can't stop... thinking about all the pain and what could have happened to me," He said. "I don't want to go through that ever again," He added. You grabbed onto his shoulder, giving comfort rubs. "Of course, you don't. No one would want to experience something like that ever again," You said, trying to be comforting as possible. "But you don't need to be afraid. You're safe, and I'm sure someone will help you go back to your home city if you just asked. I would gladly help you back home, but unfortunately, I do not know where that is," You said, which made him chuckle. "But if you feel like you're not ready to face the outside world again. It's okay. Take your time. There's no need to rush," You said, hoping that was enough to comfort him.

"Thank you, (Name). You know, you're quite brave, despite what happened at Maglor's gap. You still keep going like nothing happened," Melui smiled. "Like danger is nothing new to you," He said. "Oh, in my homeland. That would be called a normal Monday, " You said, which made him snort a little.

You smiled. You have almost died several times that facing new dangers is just a typical hobby of yours. It should be bad, but it's so common that only your sense of humor had turned for the dark. Hello, darkness, my friend.

"Talking about home. Is there something I can send a message with? I should tell my friends that I'm okay and safe?" You questioned. "We have carrier birds to send letters," Melui said. "A tweet, nice," You stated. "A tweet?" Melui tilted his head in confusion as he looked at you. "Don't worry about it. Are there any paper and pencils lying around?" You looked around. "Right there. I'm going to get the bird," Melui stood up. "Thanks," You stood up as well and went to grab the writing things you needed to write a letter.

You stood beside the table and grabbed one of those feather pens. You dipped it in ink and started writing on the paper. Your brain stopped working after the first sentence. "Fuck," Some ink fell on the paper, creating a mess. You took another piece of paper and worked your brains off to make a good and informal letter to explain your situation to Camilla and Maglor. One of the downsides of living in this world was that you couldn't send a simple text message. Writing letters was a pain in the ass.

You finally got the letter done, and dropped the feather pen on the table. You waved the letter around to let it dry while you looked for Melui. You found him standing near a window with a pigeon sitting on his fingers. He was petting the bird's head which looked adorable.

"Here is it. Does it know where it's supposed to go to?" You asked, handing the letter to him. "The birds have been trained to go everywhere we tell them to, so your letter will arrive at its destination," He gave a reassuring nod. "Does it know where Himring is?" You asked. "Himring?" Melui questioned. "Yeah. That's where I currently live," You explained. "Ah, okay," He had an unsure expression on his face.

"Is there something wrong?" You asked. "No! It's just -" He trailed off with his words. "Himring is Noldor territory," He started. "My people and Noldor are currently not on good terms," He explained. You were about to ask why but then the kinslaying came to mind, then Melui's people being mariners, and it oddly made sense. Melui was a telerin elf?

"I feel indifferent about them, but if you heard about the kinslaying, then you probably know what I mean. It's been years since it happened, but it's still an unforgivable act," Melui explained. "I know what you mean," You nodded. " I don't mean to criticize you and your choice living there, but are you sure living there is best for you? Do they even know about your... darker side?" He questioned. You smiled at his concern for you. "Don't worry about me. I have been living there for five months now, and only two people know about my darker side," You said. "And they're not that bad. Some of them actually regret for they did," You added. Melui nodded but still held an unsure look on his face. "If you say so, but I suggest you remain careful. Some of them might not be so regretful for their actions, and I do not want to think what they will do to you if they ever discovered the other side of you," He explained, putting the letter in the container on the pigeon back. "I keep that in mind," You said. Melui then whispered some elvish words to the pigeon, then released it through the window.

"It should arrive at Himring before nightfall," Melui stated as you two watched the pigeon vanish into the distance. "Thanks. I never understood how those worked," You said. "I'm glad to help," He said. "I think it's time for dinner. Would you like to join me?" He asked, looking at you. "Thanks, but I think I'm gonna stay at the healer's wing. My social anxiety has not been doing well after what happened today at the courtroom," You hissed, remembering the unpleasant event that happened today. "And I think it might just be weird for me to be there, so I think it might be for the best if I stayed out of sight, " You said. "I understand. Would you like me to bring you something then?" He asked. "Thanks, but I already have a sandwich I have yet to finish," You explained. "A sandwich?" He questioned in confusion. "The lembas. Nelle said only one bite should be enough to fill a man in one day, so I wanted to see if I can finish the whole thing in one day," You explained.

It's been over five months since the Maglor's Gap incident. You have been doing quite well until the wendigo returned. You and Camilla have been struggling to find a medicine that could replace the old one. Camilla has created many prototypes, and you tested them. It was dangerous to use yourself as a guinea pig, but you two didn't have a lot of options. Luckily, the prototypes didn't have any lethal ingredients, just unpleasant side effects.  

Camilla did manage to create one medicine that allowed you to manage your days without the wendigo trying to get control. The problem was that you have to take it every day.

You almost started to miss your old medicine. It was a nightmare to take it because you had to drink it with boiling water, but you only had to take it like twice a week.

You drank the potion which would reverse the prototype you took for the day. The sick twist in your stomach slowly disappeared. You wanted for a minute before testing if your voice went back to normal.

Camilla swiped over the prototype, marking it as a failure. "That's the seventh one already," She stated. "Maybe it was the swamp grass," She said. "Ugh, I knew that stinky herb was no good. The prototype tasted like how it smelled," You said, smacking your lips to dissipate the medicine's taste. You noticed something strange in the mini mirror beside your bed. You stuck your tongue out then your eyes widened. "Egh!" You flabbergasted. It was green like moss.

"We should try adding the white flowers. I heard they have a lasting effect when using them for skin infections," Camilla suggested, holding a patch of white flowers. "Yeah, If I had a skin infection, but unfortunately, I have a spiritual parasite," You sassed. You puffed and stood up from your bed, walking toward the kitchen because you felt hungry. "Hmm, maybe I should not use these because they might cause a rash if I mix them with the mushrooms," Camilla said, reading her notes. You sat down on a chair and took a bite of an apple.

"How about we go to Angband and try to find Fire lilies since it's the only place with active volcanoes?" You suggested. "Only if we are desperate. But let's put that in the back of the list because going there would be a suicide. Do you really wanna go to a place where orcs live like rats? One step forward, and an orc is already attacking you. So going there is a big fat no," Camilla explained. "It's that dangerous. Damn," You said, taking a second bite out of your apple.

"Well, anyway, try this," Camilla gave you another prototype. The liquid inside was white and almost looked like milk.  "I added some protein from a poisonous frog, so come tell me if you feel slightly off," She stated. "Poisonous frog...," You said, then took off the lid. "Alright, let's hope I won't die from poisoning," You drank it all up. "Ew!" You said when you found out the taste. "It tastes like rotten milk with honey!" You described. "Eww!" You almost gagged. "Oh, stop being a baby. You have tasted worse things than this," Camilla said. "And don't you have work to do?" She questioned. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot," You stood up. "You know, delivering letters and stuff isn't so bad as I thought. I almost know every place in Himring," You said, grabbing the bag. "Yeah, yeah, have fun at work," Camilla said, focusing on her project. "This is also better than working under your bossy ass," You grinned then left through the door. Camilla inhaled. "That little shit," She said.

You were humming an old song from your world as you walked through the streets. Himring was a large place, and some humans also lived here. Some people from your old village decided to live here as well. Talla decided to work in a local bakery, and Rath worked with the farmers because they tend to make less fun of his head scar.

You arrived at the house of the healing. You walked through the healer's wing to deliver a letter to a certain someone. "Hi, (Name)," Camilla's colleague greeted you. "Hi, Faye. I got a letter for you," You handed her the letter. "From the old man Ronald again? I swear, you humans are complicated creatures. Why do you wanna reject the help that is given to you?" She questioned while reading the letter. "Well, we like making our lives difficult," You stated. Faye chuckled. Her eyes went up to you and then she frowned. "(Name), open your mouth, please," She said. "Why?" You asked. "Just do it, please," She said. "Okay?" You did what she asked. She looked at your tongue. "Why is your tongue green?" She asked. Your eyes widened when you heard that. Your tongue is still green?!

"Oh, It's just a side effect from Camilla's failed prototype," You covered your mouth. "Again?" Faye sounded disappointed. "Why are you two still making prototypes? Do you know how dangerous it is when you test them on yourself?" She questioned. You mentally whined. You're not sure why you're the one getting scolded all the time. Camilla gets away with everything, doesn't she?

"I know, I know, but at least a couple of our failed prototypes have helped you to treat someone. Wasn't one of them a great cure for a... uhm... damn it!" You forgot the thing the cure was for. "What was it called again, the skin with green spots?" You tried to describe it. One of the patients coughed. They had exactly the same condition you described. "Mold fever?" Faye questioned. "Yeah, that's the one," You said. "(Name), be honest with me. What kind of illness you two are making a medicine for?" She asked. Shit. A question you don't want to answer. Faye was a healer, so pretending to have a fake condition wouldn't help, but telling her about the wendigo wouldn't help either. She was a nice elf too, so you don't really want to lie to her. You felt pushed into a corner. What should you tell her?

"Hm?!" You felt something churn inside you. You tried to hold your grunt because something painful is rising in your bottom, ready to blow out. "(Name), are you okay?" Faye asked. "Nature's calling. Where's the bathroom?!" You quickly asked because you really needed to go. "Right there," She pointed out. "Thank you!" You quickly ran to the door. "Oh god!" You said then slammed the door shut. A loud fart was heard behind the door. Faye flinched when she heard another one. "Oh Vala, I wonder what she ate this morning," She said. She then noticed someone arrive into the healer's wing.

"My lord Maglor," She bowed her head. "What brings you here?" She asked. "I thought I saw (Name) coming here. Is she here?" He asked. The bathroom door was then suddenly opened, and you came out. "Wow! That came out of nowhere!" You said while rubbing your stomach. That had to be the worst number two's you ever had. Your arse was aching like gates of hell were opened.

"You alright, (Name)?" Maglor asked. "I'm good. Do you need something, my lord?" You asked. "Just wished to talk with you if you're not too busy," He said. "I'm actually done, so I got plenty of time," You said. "What do you wish to talk with me?" You asked as you two walked out of the healer's wing. Faye smiled as you two walked together like it was a normal thing.

"Those two have come closer than ever. I wonder when it's gonna happen. I hope soon because I don't wanna lose seventy gold coins to Camilla," She said, then returned to treat her current patients.

"So how's your brothers? The war is over, so the situation should have calmed down by now?" You asked. "They're all doing fine for now. They decided to reside in other regions for the time being. They can take care of themselves, but I'm worried about two brothers of mine in Nargothrond. They might do something foolish in the future and I don't want my cousin to turn against us for what they did," He explained. You smiled. He sounded like a mother hen sometimes. "I swear my younger brothers are my biggest headaches sometimes," He said. You chuckled. "One moment I turn my back at them, then boom, a disaster happened," He said. You hummed. "I care about them. I really do, but sometimes I wanna strangle them myself for every stupid thing they do. It's a miracle that I haven't started growing grey hairs from all the stress," He said.  You chuckled. Something about him complaining about his family just made you feel happy. You were kinda same when complaining about Kian to your mother. You loved that brat, but sometimes you wanted to strangle him for how annoying he was. You mentally sighed. You missed being an older sister and Kian's annoying shenanigans.

"How's your medicine coming up?" Maglor asked. "It's... Camilla is working on it," You said, not really sure how to describe it. "We have managed to make one medicine to prolong my days, but I have to take it every day which is kind of a problem because the ingredients are going low," You explained. "If you need more ingredients. I can arrange that for you," He said. "I know, and I'm extremely grateful for that. I wouldn't have lasted this long without your help," You said. "Anything to help you. I rather see you as yourself than an orc-eating creature," He said. You looked away for a moment, feeling a bit flustered. The way he speaks to you and smiles makes you feel funny. You're not sure what it was.

A Familiar churn happened inside your stomach. Your eyes widened and your hands clenched around the fabric of your pants. Oh no!

"(Name), are alright?" Maglor noticed your state. You weren't really hiding it because you were leaning backward, and your eyes were wide open like something shocking just happened right in front of you. "No worries! Just having a massive Diarrhea!" You walked faster, almost running. "A diarrhea What?" Maglor asked. "Technically an illness that makes you shit your guts out! Listen, I'm sorry, but I need to go!" You ran away.  

"Shit your... oh!" He realized what you meant.

(Last night)

Melui slowly approached you. "(Name), is that you?" He asked. You unintentionally took a step back with a racing heart. You were so nervous that even sweat was slowly falling from your forehead. "Hi... uhm... how you been doing?" You questioned. You mentally slapped yourself. Really? That's the first thing you're going to ask? You then remembered the flower you were hiding and somehow managed to dig courage to bring it out to him.

"Listen, the thing that happened... I didn't mean to hurt you. I tried to... but then I..." You lost your ability to speak. That came out wrong then it should have. Your mind came back to that horrible memory. You wanted to hurt the orcs. Kill them. You never meant to hurt Melui.

"I'm sorry for what I did to you," You said, trying to control the tears that threatened to fall out from your eyes. You wanted to break down so badly. The silence took over the moment, so it became suffocating. Why are you so emotional?!

"(Name), come here for a moment," Melui said. "Hm?" You looked at him, confused. "Come here. I want to show you something," He had a gentle smile on his face.

The memory brought a smile to your face because what happened after was shocking and relieving at the same time.

"What the shit?!" You said as you felt his finger move. The fingers of Melui's reattached arm were moving. "How?" You asked, looking at him with questions in your eyes. "Nelle used to serve Este, the Valar of healing. Her knowledge and talent allowed my arm to be attached to my body once again," Melui explained. "Nelle is a maiar?" You questioned. "Indeed. It was quite shocking to me as well," He smiled. "So, how long does it take to be able to move the whole arm?" You asked. "I think a few more months. If I keep stretching my fingers and muscles," He said, then looked at you in the eyes.

"(Name), I'm glad to see you alive and well," He said. "Me too, but after I got captured again. I thought something bad happened to you two," You explained. "You got captured again? Even after you turned into that creature?" He questioned. "Oh yeah, and let me tell you, it was not a fun time," You said. " But they soon lost the fortress, and I got free, so everything turned out fine in the end," You said, then took a deep breath.

"Melui, I'm sorry for what happened. The creature I turned into is something I dealt with my whole life. Usually, I have it under control, but under some extreme circumstances... I might snap and lose control," You looked at him in the eyes. "I'm sorry that you ended up in the crossfire, " You said with guilt and shame. "Hey," He took hold of your hands and smiled. "It's in the past now, and I have forgiven you. I was worried for you and saddened when we left without you. I thought you met a horrible fate at the hands of those dark maiars. Even the thought of you dying crossed my mind, so I'm glad to see you. Alive and free," He smiled, which somehow made you feel relieved.

"Well, apparently, I'm too stubborn to die that easily," You stated, feeling like yourself. "I guess it takes a lot more than an army and a couple of maiars to stop me," You asked with a smile. Melui chuckled. "It seems so," He said. The smile on his face brought you a smile and the moment felt like a breeze in a meadow. The flower you gave him rested on his lap, and it felt like a bag of rocks were lifted from your shoulders, allowing you to breathe and feel like you did something right for once in your life.

You felt happy. You made peace with Melui about the arm incident, and it was like a release from all the guilt in the world. You looked up to the ceiling. Sunlight was barely showing from the cracks, and it was a bit chilly in the healer's wing. You laid back down on your bed and wrapped yourself into a burrito. It was pretty early, so you were not going to get up now. Five more minutes or hours, you didn't care. It was comfortable in your blanket burrito.

One thought intruded on your mind before you drifted away. How was Maglor doing? Hopefully, he wasn't too worried since you were in a safe place this time.

Maglor sighed and opened his eyes. He was staring at the ceiling above him as he was resting on his lounge chair. The wind blew against his face from the open balcony. He most likely forgot to close it before falling asleep, or he most likely didn't care enough to shut it after spending the night doing paperwork. He kinda regrets taking half of the paperwork to manage Himring. It was no different when he took care of his fortress at the gap, but he still hates doing them. A waste of paper, if he was being honest.

He looked at the outside world, and his thoughts came back to you. One night has passed. He promised to wait, but he was already feeling restless. The idea of you being in possible danger urged him to go there and find you, but since he promised to give you time to get back by yourself. He will try to occupy his mind during the wait.

Maglor picked up the harp and thought about what he should play. His fingers lay unmoving against the strings. There were many options, but he didn't have the motivation to play them. His thoughts came to you. His fingers started moving by themselves when he thought about your shared time together. The way you spoke about things and your world. The way your eyes would gleam when something happened and the way his world changes when he's with you. His fingers started pulling the strings creating a new type of melody. He stopped when he heard the unknown sound coming from his harp.

His mind came back to one of your night sessions. You were lounging on his chair as he played you a song. You fell asleep after that, but there was a smile on your face, a happy, peaceful smile.

Maglor pulled the strings again and managed to remake the sounds. He smiled as he felt something that rarely happened these days. The urge to create a new song. He put down his harp and went to grab a pen and some paper. He sat back down and began working on a new musical piece.

"Wake up," Nelle nudged you awake. "Hm?!" You snapped your head up, looking around frantically while trying to progress what was happening. Your hair was all over the place, and you might have drooled in your sleep. "Time to check on your wounds, get up," Nelle stated. "Ah, okay," You said, sitting up. You moved your shirt over your shoulder so she could have better access to it. Surprisingly, your shoulder wasn't hurting much, despite you getting shot by a freaking spear last night.

Your thoughts came back to that one subject when Nelle was checking your wounds. "Are you a maiar?" You asked. "I am. Did Melui tell you?" She questioned. "Yeah. I wanted to make sure..." You nodded. "But... how did you end up as a prisoner? Couldn't you escape with your maiar powers?" You questioned. "Do you remember the silver collar around my neck?" She asked. "Yeah," You answered, remembering that she had a weird metallic choker thing. "That collar restrained my fea and also made me unable to use any magic. I refused to serve the dark lord, so they gave me that collar and turned me into another slave until I then was forgotten in the masses," She explained as she then made sure the bandages were tight and not falling off.

"That must have sucked," You stated. "It did, but thanks to you. I was able to escape and free myself from the restrictions that, which had been placed upon me," Nelle explained as she checked on your other bruises. "I sought out one of my kin, Melian. And she was able to remove the collar if it wasn't for you. I would most likely still be stuck in that state, so..." She looked at you in the eyes. "Thank you," She said. You kind of felt warm after that. "Well... I'm glad I was able to help," You looked away. "I never thought. My curse would help others in time of need. It usually causes troubles and misery," You explained. "Are you not bothered that I can turn into a flesh-eating creature?" You asked, looking at her in the eyes. "Not really. I have seen what it can do, but if it's just you. I don't feel threatened. I think you're just a weird case of nature," She explained. "Okay then," You feel glad, but also not sure how to react to that. Nelle is a kind of hard person to read, but if she doesn't feel threatened by you, then it's probably okay.

"Now that we're on the subject. Can you now tell me what happened during those times when you had to go aid Maluk on something?" You questioned. "Were you forced to be one of his subjects in his twisted experiments?" You asked. "I was... he wanted to test out what kind of concoctions would be more effective on our kin," Nelle answered. Your face paled a little. "Did he use poisons on you?" The question left your lips almost like a whisper. "He did. Not powerful enough to kill me, but enough to cause pain," She nodded. "Oh god. I'm glad you're okay now," You said. "Well, If you think of a silver lining out of this. My body is now quite resistant. Even spider poison would not be enough to kill me," She said like it was not a big deal.

"Maluk most of the time made me watch his experiments which defiled all the rules of healing to spite me due to our relation," She then explained. That caught your interest. "Was Maluk your sibling or something?" You asked with a confused frown. "Yes. He was my younger brother," She nodded. "I find that hard to believe," You stated while you were even more confused inside your head. Nelle and Maluk were related? They're nothing alike!

"Believe it or not. We didn't get along, but since Maluk was under lord Irmo's servitude while I was with Este. Interactions between us were inevitable," Nelle explained. "Then Morgoth happened, and I have pulled along despite that I didn't wish to serve him. My brother then changed his name and began doing abnormal experiments for his lord," Her voice held hidden anger. You nodded, understanding everything she said. "His most painful way of torture was causing and feeding off from nightmares," She said. "Oh, I know that one. That's why he got interested in me because I kept having nightmares of my past," You explained, then you remembered something. "Wait, did Maluk have a different name?" You asked. Nelle hummed and nodded. "What was it?" You asked, really wanting to know. "Nelo," She answered. After hearing that, you couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Sorry, but that doesn't sound like a name he would have," You said. "Well, he always hated it," She stated. You chuckled.

"Well, I'm unfortunate to tell you that he died after I took over the fortress. Someone from my past helped me out and laid a curse on him, which froze him to death. I'm not sure what happened to his soul. Usually, the soul would be trapped within the body. Sometimes they can be devoured by the curse caster or rare cases. Be released from the body. I'm not sure..." You explained. Nelle stood quiet for a moment, progressing what you told her. "Well... that is unfortunate. Freezing is one of the most painful ways to die," She said. "Yeah. One of the reasons I hate winter," You stated. "Are you not bothered by your brother's death at all?" You asked. "My brother died a long time ago. Maluk was just a shadow of what remained of him," She said. "Okay..." You said, finding that kinda deep.

"Or maybe I just don't care," Nelle stated. "Okay!" You said, the deepness and pity leaving your body just like that.

"You're in a good shape for now. Try not to move your shoulder around and try to rest as much as you can," Nelle said after checking you up. "Thank you," You smiled, pulling your shirt back. "Don't mention it. Are you hungry?" She asked. Your stomach growled that even she could hear it. "Yep," You said, kind of embarrassed.

"I'm going to grab some breakfast for you. Is there anything you like to have?" Nelle asked. You thought about it for a moment, but you don't know what you can get here. "I don't know. What do you recommend?" You asked. "We have Doriath's special salad, different kinds of oatmeals, tomato veggie soup, and a usual lembas," She listed all kinds of food. You mentally frowned. All those sounded vegan. You like all kinds of food, and you're always willing to try something new, but you're not the biggest green lover. Lembas sounded interesting, though. "I would like to try the lembas," You stated, making your choice.

"Sure, but fair warning. One bite would be enough to fill a grown adult," Nelle said. One bite and you're already full. "Well, now I'm more invested. Bring it on," You said like you were accepting a challenge. "Alrighty then," Nelle nodded then left the healer's wing.

Birds were chirping loudly in the trees, and you were just chilling on the grass. The meadow was quiet-peaceful. Despite it being the same meadow you crashed into as a wendigo. The marks on the ground were still visible, and you could see the trees that fell when you rolled down the hill.

A sigh left your lips. You wanted to go out to get some air, so Luthien decided to accompany you since your presence was still a secret to her people. It might cause some trouble if you went alone and got discovered.

"So, princess," You looked at her as you two sat together on the grass. "Please, do call me Luthien. There's no need for formalities when we're alone," The dark-haired beauty stated. "Alright, then you can just call me (Name)," You said. She smiled and nodded. "Are you all technically hiding here since your mom created the circle thing to keep everything out?" You questioned about the circle thing. "You could say that. We do not often interact with the outside world, and my mother's circle was designed to keep our home out of the dark lord's sight," She explained. "We did use to interact with some of the Noldor, but then we heard about a terrible atrocity they committed on the blessed lands. My father cut all ties with them after that," She explained. You frowned, knowing what she meant about the atrocity.

Maglor never directly told you about it, but you heard rumors about the kinslaying he and his family caused. You found it hard to believe since Maglor was one of the kindest elves you knew. And that you had a terrible crush on him. Unfortunately, the rumors were true.

"Doesn't it get boring at all in here? I would find it boring if I stayed in the same place for too long," You asked. Luthien chuckled. "Sometimes, but I find enjoyment in singing and dancing. I often stay in the company of animals, so I'm not too lonely," She said with a smile. You felt squeaky and like a ray of sunshine was glowing from the elven maiden's face. Your heart was also racing a bit. It almost felt wrong to be in a presence of someone like her.

"So, what do you do in the outside world?" Luthien asked. Your heart almost jumped into your throat. "Well... nothing interesting! I try to live my life normally as I can, but sometimes life throws at me unpleasant things, like what you saw last night," You felt disappointed with the last part. "Sometimes I can't sleep well, and I struggle to find a medicine to keep this creature at bay," You said. "Sometimes I feel like giving up and stopping," You added, looking again at the sky. You didn't plan to say it like that. It just came out, and now you feel emotional.

Luthien looked down on you with sympathy. "It must be hard to go through something like that, but do not give up on hope. Maybe one day Eru smiles upon you and grants your wish to be free from this darkness that has haunted you," She said with comfort in her voice. You felt oddly relieved after hearing that. "Thanks... I keep that in mind," You said with a smile. She smiled back.

"Say, I have a question," She stated. "Yes?" You gave her your full attention. "This might be strange coming from me, but I was hoping you have some kind of experience in a certain subject," She explained. "Well, I don't know all the answers, but I try my best. Go on," You said. "Do you have experience in the matters of love?" She asked. Love? Like what is love? What is she trying to ask?

"What kind of love are we talking about? There is familial love. Platonic love. The love between couples-" You listed. "The last one!" Luthien said. "Oh! The love between two people?" You questioned. She nodded. "Uhm..." You sat up and started scratching the back of your head. "Well, that is a kinda difficult thing because I'm kinda experiencing it myself," You stated. "Are you courting someone?" She asked. You almost jumped out of your skin.

Your mind filled itself with things you and Maglor could do as a couple. All that sweet stuff and romance things your mind conjured made your face heat up a bit.

"No! No! No! We're not courting!" You explained. "I do have a gigantic crush on him, but..." Your eyes drifted away, and a hiss escaped your lips. "Is there something bothering you?" Luthien asked, noticing the uneasiness building up within you. "Well, the problem is... he's an elf, and I'm a human. He's a loving person and has helped me a lot. He even accepted the uglier side of me. I like him a lot, but he might not feel the same because we are both very different. He lives forever, but I will meet my end at some point which might cause him pain. Human life is short, so that's why I'm unsure about it," You explained. Luthien hummed in understanding. "That might be a problem. I have heard many things about love, but I haven't heard if an Eldar and Edain can be together," She said with a thoughtful look. "Love is a complicated thing, isn't it?" You asked, which earned a nod from her.

You groaned and fell back on the grass, looking at the sky with despair. Your life was sad. It was not just the immortality thing that was the problem between you and Maglor. The wendigo was also a possible danger. What if you lost control and that nightmare became a reality? You wouldn't be able to live with yourself if that ever happened.

Maybe you should just suck it up and remain friends with Maglor. That way, you would hurt fewer people and him.

"But maybe..." Luthien's voice snapped you out of your deep sad thoughts. "That's why you should cherish these feelings while you still can," She said, looking down on you with a smile. "It would be so unnatural and yet a wonderful thing if you two would come together as one," She explained. "Maybe, but the worst scenario that could still happen is that he wouldn't feel the same, and our friendship will be over," You said. "He's helped me a lot, and I really wanna have him in my life, but..." Your thoughts trailed off.

"I just don't know!" This subject made you frustrated as hell.

"Well, you never know until you tell him." Luthien smiled down on you. "I can already see that you love him, and thus why you're so afraid to open up to the idea of loving him. Your fears are valid, but maybe that's why you should go for it. I heard hiding your feelings has undesirable consequences, so don't hide it anymore," She explained. Your mind sank into what she said. She was right that you would never know until you tell Maglor about your feelings. Maybe there might be a chance.

"Hmm. You were the one who asked about matters of love, but now you're helping me in my love problem like you have years of experience," You stated. Luthien chuckled. "I might know something about love, but I have yet to experience the feeling myself," She said as you sat up beside her.

"How do you know when meeting someone you want to love and cherish?" She questioned, looking at you. "Hmm?" You thought about it. "I would say it feels like home when you stand beside them," You started. "The hugs feel like the warmest blanket, and the way they smile is like all the bad is gone. They make you feel like yourself," You said. "You're also more willing to share your food with them than with others," You added. Luthien chuckled after that. "You have a deep love for food, don't you?" She asked. You shrugged your shoulders, not denying it. You might even stab someone if they dared to steal your food.

"You're pretty silly for a human," Luthien said. "I'm not silly. I'm just full of personality, " You grinned. "And it's refreshing," She chuckled. "You know, not many speak to me so freely as you do," You frowned at that. "And why is that?" You asked. "They're intimidated by my position as the princess, and some might have tried to gain favor from me because of how I look," She explained. "They sometimes just blindly do everything when I ask. Even though; I just want to have a normal conversation. That's why I prefer the company of animals. I don't get along with other elves," She said. "I understand the feeling. I have trouble communicating with people in general. I get anxious, and some people were quite mean to me in the past," You said, "Which is why I don't prefer the company of many. I prefer being with people I know," You added. Luthien nodded. "I think I understand what you mean, but with me, it's kinda just all about my beauty. Many people tell me I'm the most beautiful of all the children of illuvatar, but to be honest," She took a deep breath. "It's kinda pissing me off," She looked at you. You felt sad for her. She was pretty as hell, but she doesn't seem to love it.

"So, thanks for having a normal conversation with me?" Luthien said with a smile. "No problem. I didn't think it was like that for you. You're a princess and beautiful, but it seems it's not that fun," You said, "You said it," She chuckled. "Sometimes I wish to go to the outside world, but my father is them like..." Her voice turned to pitch, and she made a frown face. "No, Luthien. The world is too dangerous for a princess like you. You should stay in your home where you're safe and do all these princess stuff...!" Her intimidation made you laugh a bit. "Well, if you went to the outside world. You would make so many girls jealous," You stated. She rolled her eyes at you. "But the outside world is dangerous, so if you ever decide to go out, be careful. There are some people, who are worst than orcs, so it's better the stay cautious all the time," You explained. "I keep that in mind," She nodded with a smile. Peaceful silence fell upon you.

"Are you technically a half maia since your mom is a maiar and your dad is an elf?" You asked out of the blue. "Hmm. Technically I am," Luthien stated. "What does that make you then?" You asked. "A maiarf, elfaia, elf maia something," Luthien chuckled at your ridiculous name suggestions. "I don't know. I haven't heard a term for that. I'm pretty much another ordinary elf with some exception of magic," She said. You kinda got excited when you heard that. "So you have powers?" You asked. "I do inherit some of my mother's abilities. I had quite a lot of time in my hands since my father forbade me from doing anything interesting," She explained. You felt shy as you wanted to ask something she hopefully won't find insulting.

"I hope this doesn't come out childish, but could you maybe show what you can do?" You asked like a shy schoolgirl. She looked at you before chuckling. "Sure, watch this," She said as she sat on her knees. You looked at her and waited, excited to see what she was going to do. She inhaled before she started to sing with the most delicate voice you have ever heard. Her voice was smooth and beautiful, like a voice of a siren. You felt hypnotized, which almost scared you. You have met sirens before, and those guys used their voices to lure you into the water and almost killed you once or twice.

The flowers in the meadow suddenly grew and glowed, and more flowers sprouted from the ground, filling the meadow with more different colored flowers. The air became fresh that it was almost sweet to your lips. You then noticed animals approaching both of you. There were rabbits, squirrels, birds, and even a stag. They approached you two with no fear like they knew you weren't a threat. It was so cool you couldn't help out but say was "Wow,"

Luthien smoothly stopped singing and allowed a bird to land on her finger.

"What do you think?" She questioned and glanced at you.

You had a rabbit on your lap, and the birds made a nest on your head. There was also a chipmunk on your shoulder, nibbling on your hair. You looked at her with child's wonder. "I think you're the coolest elf I have ever met, " You said without hesitation.

You both giggled as you petted the animals. You were squeaking inside like five years old. You have never been this close to wild animals, and it was pure fantasy for you, like a childhood dream come true. Those who watched Disney would be jealous of you.

When you two were minding your own business, you noticed something in the corner of your eye. Someone was watching you behind a tree. "Who's that?" You pointed out. When Luthien looked, the person ran off. "Oh no. That's Daeron," Her voice turned serious, and you didn't like that. You immediately sensed something was wrong, and your heart couldn't help but speed up in fear. "He's going to tell my father since he doesn't know of your existence, " Luthien stood up. The animals scattered away from you two like they knew shit about to get real.