Bella wakes up in the hospital.
She is not critically low on gem clarity, so she has the next two hours to herself to think as long as she doesn't make noise, which she doesn't, and foxes all the monitors attached to her real quick before they beep, which she does; she could go out the window but she has no plans for this loop which require her to skip town. She clicks her heels together and gets into her costume and pulls out a notebook to organize her itinerary.
Hello, Melian says. Welcome to Doriath. Its peace is dearly bought in times like these. Can I hope you don't bring with you anything that will trouble it?
She looks at her intently and then nods.
She embraces Lúthien. She starts singing. People spill out of Menegroth to watch. The King joins her in embracing Lúthien.
And then they sing. For several hours.
...Bella doesn't know why she didn't expect this. She finds a place to sit and pulls out a book.
Sorry, Lúthien says after four hours of singing. They'll keep this up for a week and it'll be good for things here if we can bear to stick around for that long, want to spend that time getting more accurate information about the Enemy and things and touring Menegroth? We can sneak out for trips that won't have us gone very long if we need to.
So she walks her through Menegroth. It's stunning. People come out to hug her. She scoops up and kisses and compliments small children. She sings. She laughs. She shows Bella the underground river and the rows and rows of trees and bushes that feed the whole kingdom and the entrance to where the Dwarves live - Bella can't even see down there, Dwarves like the dark - and the throne room and finally around to Lúthien's room, "because you look tired," she says in English.
"It could be but it'll facilitate sneaking out so I think we should chance it. People won't be like your parents, they won't jump to wondering or anything."
And letting people hug her and talk to her and ask her questions and reassure themselves she is alive.
Bella can't actually remember which of the kinds of flowers is Lúthien's but she walks in a little circle and determines that the balloon flowers are hers and follows the other set.
And finds Lúthien! Surrounded by people and singing! She waves. Hey! Just a minute, I'll get you breakfast. Did you sleep okay?
Yeah, I was comfy. If it'd interrupt to get me breakfast I can pull something out of my shield.
No, I want you to try all our foods while you're here! And she winds the song to a close and darts away. People expect to see me but they don't expect me to be around all the time, there's too many of them.
To the underground bushes and trees!
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