EVERYONE READ THIS:
THE REASON I UPDATED THREE TIMES THE EXCACT SAME CHAPTER WAS BECAUSE
I. THE COMPUTER UPDATED IT
II. I REALIZED MY STORY WOULD BE DELETED IF I DIDN'T ADD DISCLAIMER ECT. ..
So please.. .I'm very sorry if this annoyed you.
Once again as I do every single chapter. My amazing beta MISTOPURR betaed this for you guys, making it what it is now, more presentable to read. She's awesume, please go read and review her stuff!!
I want to thank all of my precious reviewers.
God and V, Dreamer11563, ... , TheStoryGypsy, Halatir, Anariel Goldenarrow, LupinandHarry, somekindasuperstar, ShinigamiSaisei, Ampria,
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AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE KIND PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO READ MY STORY BUT FAILED TO REVIEW IT! (Glares)
Chapter 4
Thranduil urged his horse faster, even as the rain poured harder all around them. Finally after what seemed a lifetime to him, he stopped his horse at the base of his tree. Already another elf was climbing up the ladder; he feared it was one of Oropher's blindingly loyal officers. Using a feat he had often practiced as a child, he stood up on his obediently still horse's back, and jumped as high as he could onto the second platform, right behind the unknown elf. It was Aramas who turned around, with wide eyes.
"Caun…(prince)...what are you doing here
Thranduil gritted his teeth, water pouring down his face like tiny waterfalls. "What in the name of the Valar are you doing here, Aramas? Following one of Oropher's orders again?"
Aramas stood at a loss of words. "Caun, I didn't…" He continued to talk, but Thranduil's eyes focused on something else, a red liquid dripping from the floor of the entrance.
"Oh Elbereth." He shoved Aramas aside and ran up the further flights of stairs, leaving the officer only half way through his explanation. He immediately followed, and watched as the prince threw open the door to reveal the mutilated body of his love.
Thranduil sharply inhaled, "Elranna…" His eyes widened in pure dread, the worst thing imaginable had occurred. Upon Elranna's disfigured body was written:
"You took away from me my only love. Now I take away yours"
Thranduil closed his eyes in revulsion, but fear for his child overtook it just a second later. His son, where was his son? .
"Legolas," he whispered. "Legolas, where are you?" He looked around the room, desperate to see his son. A rustling came from under the divan and Legolas crawled out. His front tunic and hands covered in blood, his cheeks covered with fresh and old tears.
"Oh Valar…" Thranduil immediately rushed to Legolas and held him at arms length. "Is this…your blood?"
Legolas shook his head and burst into a new set of tears. Thranduil enveloped the child in his arms, the blood that would obviously stain his attire horribly visible to his eyes, but too far away in light of his pain to notice. Legolas' pitiful crying wrenched a knife deep within his heart. The grief of the loss of his wife hit him with such force, his strength or pride could no longer keep him from expressing the agony he felt.
As Legolas clutched his tunic, he wrapped his arms tighter around his son and his tears began to fall. Though the pain did not, could not lessen, Legolas took some comfort in his father's presence and relaxed into the strong arms. Thranduil seized the moment and gently placed his hand on Legolas forehead. He was gifted with the ability to put elves into a deep slumber. Thranduil did such with Legolas. The child went limp, his eyes closed tightly.
Thranduil slowly stood and carried him to his room. He changed Legolas' tunic and threw the other away; the stains would wash out, but that did not mean they would be invisible. After wiping the blood off of him, he left the room. Aramas had closed the door and sat on one of the nearest chairs, but he stood when Thranduil entered the room.
If Aramas had to describe the pain worn so openly upon his prince's face, he knew the words would not come to him . Thranduil looked as though he himself had died; his face was ashen and his eyes insanely bright. He sat slowly on a chair, unwilling to lay a finger on the destroyed body of his wife. Aramas had covered her half naked body with a white sheet and waited for Thranduil's order.
"My prince…Oropher did this."
Thranduil touched his temple, a stunned gesture in spite of the knowledge that burned inside of him. "I know, Aramas…I know. Come…let us bury my wife while my son sleeps. It would be better if he never saw her again. Not like this." Aramas stood slowly.
"Have long have you been married?"
Thranduil shook his head wearily. "Over 400 years."
Aramas closed his eyes. "I am sorry my prince…"
"Aramas, do not call me my prince any longer. "Were it not for the blood which flows through my veins, the blood which binds me to Greenwood and her people, I would cast aside all ties to Oropher." I will not ever return to my… the King's palace until justice is served."
"Thranduil, my loyalty will never lie with Oropher, my loyalty is with you. I will stand by your side. Please except my sword."
Aramas kneeled down upon the floor and offered his weapon to Thranduil. As was the custom of an elf to give another his loyalty, the blond immortal took the sword from his hand and barely touched his shoulder, before returning the blade to him.
"Thank you, Aramas." Aramas nodded and left to start work on the burial hole, a task he could not leave to the grieving elf before him. Thranduil reverently lifted Elranna into his arms and carried her down the stairs. The rain continued to fall; it never seemed to let up. He laid her down upon the ground, and said his farewells quietly.
"Elranna…" he whispered, tears mingling with the rain on his cheeks. "Forgive me for not staying…forgive me for not protecting you." There was no response, only silence. "I promise I'll protect Legolas, Elranna. I won't let anything ever happen to him. I swear it."
He wiped away the tears from his cheeks with the back of his sleeve. He began to weep, unabashed in the presence of his new companion. Aramas placed a hand on his shoulder, offering what comfort he could. The tears fell until there were no more left. Aramas handed Thranduil the burning torch to light the body, as was the custom of the day, but as he took it, realization slammed into him, and he thrust the flame back to Aramas. Leaning over his wife's body, he gently held the cold hand.
"The ring," he whispered. He searched her other limp hand, but yet nothing.
"Thranduil?"
Thranduil slowly offered an explanation. "My father gave to me long ago my naneth's ring, to give to the woman who was my equal, my wife. He took it back." Thranduil sighed. "I would give anything to have it back."
Aramas leaned down. "Sir…I can always return to the palace and retrieve it for you."
Thranduil shook his head. "Oropher would wear it around his neck, and you would be caught."
Aramas sighed and nodded slowly.
"Come, we must pack my things and Legolas', and go…somewhere, anywhere away from this place. I will never return to what I thought was my home, never."
With that word Thranduil took the torch out of Aramas' hand and threw it on the body. He could not bear to watch all that was left of his wife burn, so he returned to the tree he shared with Elranna and… No, just Legolas. The rain had not ceased, but had let up considerably. The sky remained dark, a blanket of night. Thranduil did not sleep, but instead sat on a chair with his hands clasped together. He thought of what he should do, and how he should put it into action.
"We cannot stay here," he thought aloud. "We must go somewhere else, somewhere away from Oropher. Somewhere where Legolas can be safe, and slowly heal from this…. brutal separation from his mother. But where?"
"We should go to the Lady of the Golden Woods." Thranduil looked up at his son in the doorway.
Aramas spoke. "Of course…Lady Galadriel, you are related to her, surely she would take you in. But where has Legolas heard of the Lady of the Galadhrim?"
The child walked over slowly and climbed into his father's lap. "The trees suggested it."
Legolas spoke so quietly, almost as soft as a mouse. It was so different from his usual boisterous chatter.
Aramas looked at Legolas queerly. "You hear their song already?"
Legolas nodded and cuddled into his Adar.
"Why did you wake, Legolas?"
"I didn't want to sleep alone." Thranduil nodded and wrapped his arms around him, kissing his forehead. "I love you, son."
"I love you."
"We will leave when the sun rises, Aramas." Thranduil picked up his son and returned to Legolas' room, to stay with him until their departure.
I love everyone who read this chapter and liked it. NOW...PLEASE CONSIDER REVIEWING AND I'LL GIVE YOU A CYBERSPACE COOKIE!! HONEST I WILL!! Please tell me what you think!!!! And go read my Beta, Mistopurr's stories!! SEE YOU GUYS SOON!!
