The King of Mirkwood

by C.C. Red

After learning of an arranged married to one of her childhood friends, Ithil is moved from Lothlorien to Mirkwood where she meets the realms king, Thranduil and his son Legolas, to whom Ithil has been betrothed too. However, soon after arriving in Mirkwood Ithil realizes that it is not the man she is betrothed to that she longs to be with. I own none of the Hobbit/ LOTR character

Chapter One

Ithil, Lady of Lothlorien

Being raised in Lothlorien was truly amazing. However, being born to the King Celeborn and Queen Galadriel, I was never allowed to do anything. Even though I am a princess, I want nothing more than to be able to explore the lands around our kingdom. Although I know it to be very dangerous, it should simply serve as a reason for my sister and I to know how to fight and protect ourselves, not to keep us locked inside the castle walls. However, when I was very young I was raised alongside the Mirkwood prince, Legolas, who is 20 years older than me. We had grown close and he had taught me how to shoot a bow, along with how to fight with a sword. I'm not sure if I'm still any good with a sword or bow, after not being allowed to touch either of them in almost twenty-nine hundred years.

However, after 25 years, Legolas matured and was expected to take on his duty as Leader of the Guard of Mirkwood, as any young prince would. Here in Lothlorien that duty has fallen to my father and his generals, as he and my mother had only daughters. To me this would be seen as just another reason to train us to fight, but my mother and father were very adamant that my sister and I were not to learn how to fight while living in their kingdom.

My sister is Celebrian, the Lady of Rivendell, while I had been given the title of Lady of Lothlorien, as my mother had held before me. However, I feel as though I bring shame to this title. Not only am I very small for an elf, only being about 5'10, shorter than even some humans, while my mother, sister, and father are all over 6'3. Not only am I very small for an Elf, I also matured very late, at the age of 93, taking me over fifty years since the time spent with Legolas during our childhood. Now I am 2,911 and and am very out of place, even among my own family. My father and sister both have long silky silver hair, while my mother has long flowing golden hair. Mine, while it is also very long, is a dark brown. Even my eyes stand apart from theirs', mine being a dark green, and theirs' being a very light, piercing blue.

Thankfully, for me and the kingdom, I don't believe that I am even a thought when it comes to who will take my mother and father's place if something were to happen to the two of them. My sister's name translates into Silver Queen. While mine, Ithil, means simply Moon. Being the second born princess should come with some freedoms, while my sister is learning how to be queen, should she be crowned, I was learning different languages; Silvan, Black Speech, Westron, Orkish, and English. Sindrian being the main tongue spoken within Lothlorien. Also learning about different cultures and different traditions of the different people throughout the realms.

Sadly, there is only so many books in our library and after over 2000 years I have read almost every book our rather large library has to offer, even having rereading some of them a handful of times. It wasn't until recently that I learned the true reason behind making sure I was well read and educated. An arranged marriage, planned shortly after I was born, to Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood.

Ever since I had heard of this plan, learning of it after overhearing my mother and father speaking about the matter a few nights ago, I had been beside myself. Not upset, but rather shocked and confused. So many questions rolled around in my head.

Why keep this from me? Not telling me my future has already been planned.

Why wait until Legolas and I were almost 3000 years old to have this come to light?

So many questions, so little time to answer all of them.

From what I had heard I was to be informed of this plan and sent to Mirkwood within a fortnight. To take up living with Legolas and his father, the Elven King Thranduil, until such time as the marriage is needed and takes place.

So I will be engaged to a man who can be out in the forest, in the wild, as I wish to be. While I am to spend my time within another castle's walls, spending my life reading and learning all the world has to offer, while never seeing any of it. But I suppose Mirkwood will have a new library with works to read and study, along with new halls to explore.