Summary: There is a tale about four Stars that will help save Arda from its destruction. One of the Stars is lost and one other is in fact the dark Lord of Mordor himself. Little did most know, was that the lost Star has just been found and is within the heart of Mirkwood. AU
Things you might want to know before you read:
1) DISCLAMER! : I don't own it :(
2) The idea about the stars is mine. Please do not use without my permission
3) Title means "In the beginning."
4) This is a prequel to "Hannon le Mellon-nin" and takes place ten years after "The stars of Arda"
I' tel' supëltíe
Chapter 1 - I worry for him.
King Thranduil of Mirkwood was sat beside his beautiful Queen and Wife, Estelwen, stroking a stray strand of her golden, silver hair from her face as he watched her sleep peacefully, her fair hands wrapped around a small bundle within her arms. The King looked down at the small babe and smiled. The small child's perfectly pointed tiny ears stood out against the small golden locks on top of his perfectly rounded head that he inherited from his father. The chubby babe's hands were scrunched up together in tiny balls as he slept peacefully inside his mother's arms.
On first seeing his beautiful new baby son, the thing that stood out most was the deep see blue eyes the Elfling had inherited from his mother. They sparkled like the stars above and the King could have sworn he felt the calm, warmness enter the room when the first light of the Morning sun showed itself over the hills.
Thranduil smiled and then lifted the small Prince out of Estelwen's arms and placed his child within his own. It would be the first time he would have taken care of a baby and with no support from his late father and mother; he knew it was going to be very stressful "Now, my little leaf…" Thranduil whispered down at his baby boy "…Promise me that you won't wake your tired Naneth up while she sleeps during the night." The King looked down in amazement as he watched the tiny head nod.
Soon, the beautiful eyes of the Elven Princeling opened and Thranduil felt himself looking in wonder at the small sparkles that shone deep within the orbs. The babe looked up into his father's eyes and held out his little tiny, chubby hands at the King. The Woodland King lifted up his spare left hand and watched as the tiny hands of his sons curled around his fair fingers, inspecting to see if he could trust the one in front of him.
"I think he likes you." A fair voice from beside Thranduil made him jump slightly which made the child laugh softly at his father's scare.
Thranduil looked down at his wife beside him and lent down and kissed her brow. He then looked back up at his tiny babe and said "Now, now, tinith-las, we can't have you laughing at your Ada, can we?" *Little-leaf*
Both parents watched as the little babe they had named as Legolas, laughed softly in Thranduil's arms and then slowly began to shut its eyes. Sleep fast approaching the small child.
"Losta eithel, Laegolas." *Sleep well, Greenleaf.* Estelwen whispered to her now sleeping child and then watched as her husband and King gently stood up from the bed she had been sleeping on and walked over to the little cot the Prince was to be sleeping in for roughly a year. The Queen watched as the King walked back with silent footsteps and laid down beside her. Estelwen turned to her side, softly stroking the Kings face with her finger and hand. "He is beautiful, Thranduil." She sighed with a large smile apon her face.
"Ai, that he is." The King agreed and then he looked into his wife's eyes, much sadness was within them.
Estelwen stopped her hand and furrowed her brow "What is it? What's wrong?" When she got no answer from the one she loved, she began to panic "Is he alright? Is Legolas ok? Please Thranduil, you must…"
"Shh." The King interrupted and silenced his Queen with a gently kiss on her rosy lips "Everything is fine with Legolas, do not worry." He answered but still the Queen persisted.
"There is something wrong." She sat up straight and looked at the cot where her sleeping child was "Thranduil, I have told you many times that I can see your emotions through your eyes." The fair Elleth *Female Elf* then turned and faced her beloved once more "Please, you must tell me meleth-nin." *My love*
Thranduil then sighed and hugged his wife on the bed. "It pains me to say this but have you noticed it also?"
Estelwen pulled away from Thranduil's embrace and furrowed her brow "What do you mean?" She asked, clearly confused at the question the King had just given her.
"When Legolas was born, did you feel something?" Thranduil looked deeply into his wife's eyes, scanning those that were so much like his new-born child's.
"I felt a warmth spread throughout my being and I felt strengthened by it…But that is all." The Queen answered still confused as to what Thranduil was getting at.
"Legolas was born on the first day of spring and the first light of the Morning sun." Thranduil replied back "Do you not remember the tales, my love?" He asked, searching her eyes for the answer that was buried deep within her being.
Silenced past and so did the minutes as the Queen tried to think of what her dear husband was talking about. Soon, she gasped and looked in horror at the King she loved and began to shake her head in denial. "No…" She whispered, almost soundlessly "…No, it can't be true…He cannot be…"
Thranduil embraced his love once more and listened to her mumbles of denial. "I have sent word to Elrond and Celebrían, along with one to the Lord and Lady of the Golden woods. They will arrive within the next few days." Thranduil told his wife, a sense of dread now claiming him.
"When…" The Queen of Mirkwood whispered "…When did you arrange this? When did you know, Thranduil?" She asked, wanting to know if her husband had known all this time without even telling her about the important matter.
"I knew from the moment you began to sleep after you had brought Legolas into this world and spoke to him while he slept in your arms." The King whispered back, gently brushing his fair hand down his wife's back and through her blonde, silver hair. "After about an hour, I wrote the two missives to our dear friends and asked them to come urgently. I have not told them why."
"Ai, Thranduil, meleth-nin." Estelwen cried within her husband's hold "Why our son? Why must he know be connected to that monster?"
Thranduil quietly sung to his beloved as he heard those two questions. His dear soul mate had been in pain, constant pain, throughout the entire pregnancy, thinking something to be wrong with their fair child and now this confirming that there was, was slowly breaking her healing heart. "Shh, my love, all will be well." He began to sing again to his beloved and rock her back and forth.
"Nan'…"
"No but's, meleth." Thranduil continued his gently rocking and soon found Estelwen slowly beginning to nod off.
Estelwen's cries died down as she had slowly begun to feel weak and in need of much sleep. She felt her weak body lift into the air by strong arms and soon felt the soft bedding underneath her form. The Queen sighed and felt the gentle sheets being pulled up towards her neck, covering her form and then the musical voice of the one she loved so much in this world drifted through her pointed ears.
Thranduil song soon came to an end and he smiled sadly at his dear wife sleeping in peace. The King turned his strong body and walked over to the cot where his sweet child lay and whispered as he looked at the fair Elven babe "You must be strong, Greenleaf, no matter what happens, please be strong."
With that, the King walked silently over and gently laid himself back down next to his wife and Queen.
He could only wish that Elrond and his family would arrive quickly.
Many hours past and the King and Queen went undisturbed by the people of their realm. As the Evening sky begin to fall apon the realm of the Wood Elves, many of the maids began to prepare for the evening meal, placing tableware onto the grand table and fresh jugs of water and a cup of wine for their King.
The King of Mirkwood was different to most members of royalty. He hated eating alone. After his father had passed away, Thranduil was left alone, a King who was slowly dying of grief, having many friends that had died within the Great War that had happened those many, many years ago. He had asked the friends that were saved to dine with him every morning, every lunch and every evening for he hated to feel such loneliness all because of Oropher's death.
He was not always happy with those around him for his true friend ruled another great Elven realm; the one named Imladris, protected by its Lord, Elrond Peredhil. The King and Lord had been friends for as long as they could both remember. Thranduil, in his days of loneliness always sent word to the Half-Elf wondering how things were in his realm. The two were fine friends and many praised them for their great friendship.
The King awoke with a gasp, his bright eyes opening quickly. Thranduil sighed "Just a dream, it's just a dream…" He thought as the memories from the Great War came back to him during his sleep. "When will I ever be rid of these terrible scenes?" He felt a movement at his side and smiled down at his beloved, as her own eyes slowly began to open. "Quel Undome, meleth-nin." *Good evening, my love.*
Estelwen smiled at her husband and leaned in to kiss him. "Quel Undome." She replied as she broke the kiss.
"We must get ready for our meal, Estelwen." Thranduil sat up apon his and his wife's bed. "You have not eaten all day."
Estelwen sat up as well and smiled "Oh, great King of Mirkwood, you forget…" She raised her hand and pointed a finger at her beloved "…You have not eaten either."
"I have a meal right in front of me." Thranduil pushed his wife down gently on the bed and straddled her, all the while, kissing his beloved wife and then leaving butterfly kisses down her neck.
Estelwen laughed at Thranduil's soft kisses he placed on her jaw line "Should we be doing this in front of Legolas?" She questioned and her King began to undo her nightdress.
"He cannot see out of his cot, meleth…" His fingers worked with the many ties on her dress as he continued to kiss her softly "…Sit back and re…"
Thranduil was interrupted by a knock on his chamber door. He grunted and then called "What is it?" to whoever was on the other side, annoyed that they had stopped him from devouring his sweet meal beneath him.
"My King and Queen, Evening meal will be served in Lepenque. *Fifteen.* A soft female voice behind Thranduil's and Estelwen's chambers door sounded.
"Hannon le, Lostariel." Estelwen laughed at her husband's expression as the maid told them the news she had brought.
"Why is it that every time I want to eat…" Thranduil un-straddled his wife, pulling himself off of their shared bed and walking over to the wardrobe, opening it and pulling out a robe and a gown for his wife to wear "…They always interrupt?"
"Oh, come now meleth, they must think...The cream one…" The Queen shook her head as Thranduil pulled out a baby blue gown "…That you would enjoy eating something else rather than your beloved wife. No, the cream one." She sighed and slowly closed her eyes when the King pulled out a silver gown instead. She pulled the covers off of her legs and soundlessly walked over to her beloved, reaching into the wardrobe and pulling out the gown she wanted. "This is the one I wanted."
Thranduil rolled her eyes "I will never understand an Elleth and her gowns." The King of Mirkwood heard the soft laughter come from his wife and he chuckled alongside it. The Wood Elf was the first in the bathroom, freshening up for the meal that was due to take place in ten minutes while Estelwen gently walked over to her baby son in the cot by the window.
The Queen looked down at the small babe and smiled sadly. She lifted Legolas out of his cot and rocked him soothingly in her fair arms, watching as his sleeping face smiled at the gentle movement. "Oh, tinith-las, why must it be you?" She whispered as she felt tears slowly spring to her eyes at the thought of darkness forever holding her son in its grasp. Estelwen blinked back her tears and watched as the identical coloured eyes of her own, started to open.
Legolas watched his mother and a small smile graced his features. He raised his chubby hands towards his mother's face and then looked towards the fair hand that was descending down apon him. The small babes smile disappeared as he took hold of the offered hand before him, wrapping his tiny fingers around the much larger one's before him.
Thranduil walked out, fully dressed and saw the sweet scene before him. He smiled lovingly and the two lives he held more than his own and walked silently over to the two, softly wrapping his arms around his beloved's waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "He has my looks." He spoke through the silence of the room.
Estelwen laughed "He may have your looks but let us hope he does not have your pride and stubbornness." She turned her head slightly and kissed her love on his cheek before saying "I must get ready."
Thranduil took Legolas and replace Estelwen's hand with his own, smiling as the babe took his fingers and began to play with them. "You will bring us joy, ion-nin." The King cooed his beloved child "Much happiness will be in these lands because of you." He lowered his golden head and kissed the small Elfling on his brow, watching as Legolas laughed at his father's action. "Let us hope nothing bad befalls you in the years to come."
The King stood with his babe for a couple more minutes until Estelwen finally reappeared. She took the little Elfling off of her husband and kissed the small babes brow just like Thranduil had done a few minutes ago. The royal couple then began to exit their chambers and walk soundlessly together down the corridor, towards the dining hall.
The door to the Hall was opened by two guards. The royal couple and their new-born son entered, unannounced by the servants for Thranduil had stopped using them many years ago when he had first met the beautiful Elleth at his side this very moment. As the King and Queen walked closer to their chairs, the merry speech of their dear friends quietened as they looked at the golden couple.
Thranduil was the first to sit, placing himself at the head of the table while Estelwen sat at his side, her arms full with a bundle that was wrapped in a pastel green blanket. Many of their friends looked on at the two, most of their eyes wanting to get a chance to see their new Prince. The door behind the Queen and King opened and several servants walked in with their hands full with bowls containing meat, vegetables and fruit.
The head maid, who had notified the royal couple of their meal many minutes ago, served the last bowl near the King and Queen and then bent down next to the King when he motioned her to come towards him. "My King?" She whispered.
"Go and help yourself to whatever you can find in the Kitchens." The King whispered back, noticing all eyes were apon his small child within Estelwen's arms. "Take the other's with you. Tell the cooks, that I sent you there."
Lostariel smiled her thanks at the King and before she finally moved away from Thranduil, she whispered "You have a beautiful son, my King."
"Hannon le." Thranduil smiled back and saw Estelwen smile and say her thanks also as she heard what the head maid had just said about her child.
The King of the Woodland realm picked up his wine glass as he stood and gently tapped it with fork, drawing the attention of many of his dear friends and subjects. "My dear friends, I thank you all for coming today and I hope you all enjoy this fine meal that has been prepared for you all." With that, Thranduil sat down was more and began to pick out different foods from the bowls in front of him, for himself and his beloved at his side.
Many furrowed their brows at the very brief speech their King had just given and shrugged it off. They could not understand why the King didn't speak of his new-born child then but then again, they all thought it wasn't something that the King would announce at a time like this.
Once Thranduil had plated his meal for both he and Estelwen, the King turned and faced the Captain of his guard "Tauriel, how goes everything in the forest?" He asked, wondering if the Elleth had seen anything about the strange reports the border guards had handed in.
"My King." The Elleth dipped her head slightly, showing her respect "I have been out to the borders to confirm these reports and I must say it is indeed very strange to see such creatures on our borders."
"What creatures?" Estelwen asked. This was the first she was hearing about this and was now thinking about what danger that could lurk around her growing child.
"Orcs." Haerion, the Kings must trusted advisor, spoke, stealing the words out of the Mirkwood Captain's mouth. "My Queen." He bowed next to show his respect also.
"How can such evil beings come to be?" She thought aloud.
"We do not have any reason as to know why these creatures are close to our borders, nor do we know what leads them." Tauriel explained to her Queen "Sauron died many years ago. It is strange that these foul being still run amok in your forest, your Majesties."
"Tauriel." Thranduil's voice held a warning as she spoke of the dark Lord so lightly. He felt his wife's free hand fall apon his, clenching it softly as she heard about the Lord of shadows. "I will have you speaking of him in such a place." He glared at the Captain.
Tauriel immediately apologized to her King and Queen and resumed her meal. The King's gaze never softened as he thought about the being that had single handedly killed his father. Such much death happened that terrible day and even the Great Elven King, Gil-galad, also died that fateful day as well. Cut down by Sauron in the same way Oropher was.
Time slowly passed and the meal ended with the Queen's tiredness. The royal couple bid goodnight to their friends and subjects and walked quietly back to their rooms. Their little babe hadn't let a single sound out of his tiny mouth since they were within their chambers before the evening meal.
Estelwen was beginning to worry. She was sure that Elven babes were supposed to make a sound, just like that of mortal new-borns but Legolas was silent. The small laughter he made when his parents cooed him or when he played with their fingers was the only time he a loud the sweet sound escape. The Queen watched as her King opened their chamber doors and stepped inside, sighing.
"I am glad that is over." Thranduil walked over to a cream sofa that was facing the already lit fireplace within his room.
Estelwen chuckled "Now, now, meleth, surely you were not that bored?" She raised her fair eye brows at the one she loved dearly.
Thranduil smiled back and motioned her to join him on the sofa he was on. His Queen walked over and sat beside him, she kissed him gently on the lips before turning back to her sleeping child. "What is wrong?" Thranduil asked, furrowing his brow slightly.
"I worry for him." Estelwen kept her eyes apon her babe "He makes no sound except for a little laughter. Elven children are not this quiet surely. Maybe it's because…"
Thranduil cut his wife of as he turned her head to face him. He looked deeply into her deep sea eyes and said "We do not know why but there is one thing that will confirm our suspicions." He told her, looking back at Legolas who slept peacefully in the pastel green blanket that was wrapped around his tiny form. "At the stroke of Midnight. This is when we shall know."
Estelwen nodded "I wish to stay awake and see. If our suspicions are not correct then I will be the happiest being to ever walk this earth."
"And what about if it's true?" Thranduil asked "What if they are correct? Will you not love him as much as you would?"
Estelwen looked at her husband, tears in her eyes. She leaned against her husband's chest and silently let her tears fall "I do not know, Thranduil. I do not know what will happen. I want to love him but what if that…that monster comes and does something to him. What if he corrupts our sons mind and makes him betray us, forever hating the ones that made him and brought him to be in this world?"
Thranduil wrapped an arm around his wife's arm "We will see at midnight, meleth. Come, let us sleep and be rid of these thoughts." He felt his Queen and wife nod against his chest and both stood to put their sleeping son to sleep.
Soon, both royals of Mirkwood changed into their nightclothes and got into bed.
A few hours later, they both awoke from the sound of their precious son crying…
…Dead on the stroke of Midnight.
I hope you all enjoyed reading the first chapter ^^ There will be more chapters after this one so I hope you all look forward to them as well :D
Things you need to know?
1. Oropher and Gil-galad- I have twisted their deaths around a bit. Gil-galad didn't die from the heat of Sauron's body but from a death blow he received from the dark Lords mace instead. Oropher died a similar way :)
That's it I think? :o
Faramir; Finally! You have started the Prequel.
Shut up, you stupid ranger! Now get back to the other story -.-
Faramir; Ok ;-;
Namarië!