Summary: Thranduil's thoughts about the young king of Erebor

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: K+

Characters: Thranduil


He knew very well that many people thought he was cold and unfeeling, caring only little for his own people and not at all for others. It was true that he had sought only to preserve his own small kingdom with no care of how other people fared. Yet when he saw the young king, or rather king-to-be, his face etched with grief, walking next to his elderly advisor, Thranduil, king of the Woodland Realm, was moved with a compassion he had not felt for anyone, least of all a dwarf, for a very long time. Yet Thranduil also knew that he could not express any sort of pity towards the soon-to-be king of Erebor, though he was only a boy who had had kingship thrust upon him too early and unexpected he was still of Durin's folk, nephew of Thorin Oakenshield and great-grandson of Thror, he would accept no pity.

Thranduil was impressed but not surprised by how well the young king of Erebor managed the rebuilding of his kingdom; he had seen how determined dwarves could work if they set their mind to a task. However, the elves of Mirkwood did not deal much with the dwarves of Erebor so it was only by chance that Thranduil heard about the dwarf king's decision to go to the east to fetch the first group of exiles. Knowing how much trouble the dwarves had faced during their journey towards Erebor and out of a desire both the help them, and to protect his own kingdom, the elf king sent his son to guide the small dwarf party through the treacherous woods.

Several weeks later Legolas returned and to Thranduil's surprise, he brought a message of thanks from the king of Erebor.

"I understand now what you meant about not feeling pity for him." Legolas added thoughtfully after a while. "He is young – barely more than a boy – and still clearly saddened by the loss of his uncle and older brother, but I never feel sorry for him, simply for his loss. Besides; pity will not bring his family back, nor will it let him know how great a king he already is."

Thranduil smiled, knowing that his son was right. Though he had not dealt with the king of Erebor himself, he had heard only positive things about him, for example, how readily he had given Bard the Bowman his well-earned payment for killing the dragon. Something Thranduil knew Thorin Oakenshield would never have done. The dwarf-king seemed determined to prove himself worthy as king, and Thranduil knew that he – strange as it might sound – would have to help him in doing so. Help him by letting him know that he would always feel compassion towards him for his loss, but at the same time threat him not as a child who needed to be comforted, but as an equal; another king.