I have to go see your father about the situation. Meanwhile, I need the two of you to help my guards and all volunteers that turn up. I feel your expertise with the gargoyles is invaluable. Simply please do not let them know anything yet about your gargoyle forms.
The words of their mother rang through Legolas' mind as he paced in front of the Shilorian guards standing in straight lines in front of him. Nanaylia stood several feet away from him as both were wondering where to begin these training exercises. The elves carefully watched the two before Legolas suddenly stopped and faced them.
"We are ready whenever you are, my Lord and Lady. Where do you want to begin?" questioned one of the guards.
Legolas carefully thought about the question as he turned to face the guard. He carefully watched the soldier and stepped up to him.
"I am a bit unsure where to begin for I imagine you and your people are used to performing magic against the gargoyles: Nanaylia and I have always used weapons or hand-to-hand combat," Legolas explained.
"A result of your upbringing, I see. I should have known," another elf muttered.
Legolas and Nanaylia looked to where the voice came from to find a familiar face. They gave an inward sigh as Nanaylia made her way over to him. Narrowing her eyes, she watched him as he folded his arms.
"Alkor, our ways may be different than yours but they have worked in the past," she replied.
The elf began to make his way around her and towards Legolas, who managed to remain calm. It seemed to both Legolas and Nanaylia that Alkor was out to stir up some trouble again.
"I am still taking the queen's threat seriously but remember that there are many in Shiloria who not approve of your presence," he warned them.
Legolas clenched his fists in an attempt to not slap the elf right then and there. Alkor smirked as he circled around Legolas. The head guard tensed up slightly to prepare himself for the possible confrontation. Nanaylia walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Giving him a knowing glance, the guard eased up.
"Alkor, could you tell me who your father is?" Nanaylia piped up.
The elf was caught off-guard by the question and he stared at Nanaylia, an extremely puzzled look on his face. She turned towards him and gave him a cheeky smile.
"You heard me correctly, Alkor. Who is your father?" she repeated.
"My father is Manlin. Why do you ask?" he replied.
Nanaylia glanced over to her brother, a knowing smile on her face. He gave a laugh once he realized what she was doing.
"I ask because I wanted to confirm what I already had known. You look just like your father and your attitude is shaping up similar to his as well. Now, you can either join us or step out of the way," she explained.
Alkor simply laughed as he crossed his arms. He carefully narrowed his eyes and watched the female elf. It was as if he was saying 'you can't show me anything new'. Nanaylia stepped back a few times and held out her hands towards the elf.
"Show me what you have and do not hesitate simply because it is me," she told him.
Alkor stared at her, slightly confused. It took him a moment to react, creating an energy field around himself before lunging forward. Nanaylia didn't seem the least bit fazed as she dropped to her knees at the last possible moment and lunged towards him, tackling him to the ground. The air left his lungs and he lay on the ground for several moments.
"Lesson number one, it does not matter to the gargoyles what defenses you are using. They will find some way to get around it, no matter how long it takes," she explained.
Alkor stole a glare at her, wide-eyed before he managed to climb up to his feet and quickly hurrying out of the area, feeling more than a little humiliated. As she watched him leave, she stepped over to the head guard.
"What does he do when he is not around the palace?" she wondered.
"I am unsure. I shall inquire about if you wish. I am curious to know why you ask such a question," he replied.
She hesitated, unsure if he knew anything of Manlin's deeds. She moved ahead slightly and watched as Alkor slipped out of sight.
"I simply want to settle my mind on where his allegiances lie," Nanaylia replied.
00000
Elladan barely heard the combination of laughing and screeching outside his cell door. Every part of his body ached with pain and he never noticed the door slam open. Shentree stepped inside and gave a laugh.
"You are pathetic, elf, along with every last of your kin!" she yelled.
"Why…do you not just kill me…and get it over with?" Elladan managed to sputter out.
The gargoyle snickered as she moved over to him. She knelt down and gave him a look over before smacking him across the face.
"It wouldn't as much fun to simply tell Nanaylia about your death as for her to actually see it! You seem to have forgotten that we take pleasure in such things," she reminded him.
Elladan mustered enough strength to shoot a snarl towards the gargoyle towering above him. Shentree knelt down to one knee and lifted up Elladan by the collar.
"Take any joy you can get within the next few days for they may be your last ones of 'freedom', so to speak," she told him.
"If you call this freedom," he retorted.
She gave a quick laugh before shoving him back onto the floor. She swiftly turned around and exited the room, leaving a slightly distraught elf behind. Elladan carefully climbed to his feet and made his way over to the door. Glancing out of the window, he hoped that his wife and brother-in-law, along with their new friends, would be able to come up with a plan in time.
00000
"So let me get this straight Elrond. You knew about these elves that could do such magnificent things like Gandalf? And you couldn't say anything about them?" Aragorn questioned.
Elrond barely managed to nod his head in response to the query. His thoughts were still consumed by anger over his son's capture.
"If I did not know any better Aragorn, I would say he was a Shilorian elf. They know such magic," Thranduil pondered.
Aragorn curiously glanced in the elven king's direction. He didn't know what he was looking for, if it were a better explanation from him or a better answer from Elrond. Without being prompted, Thranduil furthered his statement.
"Shilorian elves are supposed to be powerful beings, with almost limitless magic at their disposal. It is only rumoured that Sauron was involved in talks with them long ago. What they discussed has been forever lost in time. Apparently, it was soon after this that they began to retreat from Middle Earth. Mostly out of everyone else's fear of them. The story goes that a few stayed behind and managed to integrate themselves into the Elven colonies here without detection. But these stories are only myths," Thranduil explained.
"How do you know? You all saw Sarcoy with your own eyes transform into a wolf and back again," Elrond whispered.
Thranduil hesitated, a bit unsure how to respond as Elrond slowly climbed to his feet and walked over to the king.
"Shiloria exists, Thranduil, and that is where your children have been taken for their own protection," Elrond calmly replied.
Everyone stood there silently for several seconds before Elrohir began to quietly laugh. A smile crossed his face and the others couldn't help but stare at him.
"Ada, Shiloria has always been a bedtime story that Alarya told Elladan and me when we were younger," Elrohir said.
Thranduil stepped forward, crossing his arms and a smile creeping onto his face. The disbelief that the king felt was obvious to everyone.
"I have to agree with your son, Elrond. For all we know, Sarcoy could be a spy and he could be from the Far East or even the South," Thranduil questioned.
As he was speaking, the group barely registered hearing the door opening, allowing a figure to step inside. It was Aragorn who first noticed the newest arrival. The others soon followed his stare and Thranduil blanched when he saw who standing before them.
"But Sarcoy was not lying to you and neither is Elrond," she told everyone.
"A…Alarya, how can you be alive? I gazed upon your dead body myself!" demanded Thranduil.
He rushed up to her in order to embrace her but she held up a hand. With a sad gaze upon her face, it looked like she was about to cry.
"It is possible because I am Shilorian. I know you have heard the stories about us," Alarya replied.
Thranduil nodded as Elrohir and Aragorn turned towards him for an answer. By this time, Elrond stepped back and decided to remain silent.
"Shilorians cannot die by any means, save by the hand of their own people," Thranduil gulped.
Alarya nodded as her stare rested on Elrond, who tried to avoid her gaze. Elrohir carefully stepped over to Aragorn's side in order to listen to what the elf had to say.
"I am the queen that Sarcoy has already told you about. I have come to you in order to request your help," Alarya explained.
They glanced at each other, the surprise evident on their faces. The Shilorian queen faintly smiled at the reactions for they were all mixed. Elrond remained calm while Aragorn and Elrohir were quite interested. Thranduil, on the other hand was almost to tears.
"I know what all of you are thinking: why am I asking you for help when we are supposed to be such powerful beings? The reason is simple. My people do not have the expertise as you do concerning the gargoyles, despite the fact that they have been our enemies for centuries. We have barriers which have kept them out this long but they are starting to dissolve and they are able to get through now," she explained.
The group was completely silent, unsure how to respond. Thranduil stepped back until he fell into a nearby chair. His hands were shaking terribly as he placed his head into them.
"I realize this is hard to accept but I do need your help. Consider this: if you care to see Elladan, Legolas or Nanaylia alive again, it might be in your best interests to help. It is up to you to decide whether you join me or not," Alarya replied.
Aragorn and Elrohir glanced at each other, slightly taken aback by the request. Elrond stepped forward when no one else said anything.
"Then it is true that you do need our help. If that is the way it has to be, I am with you all the way; despite the fact I am going to greatly regret this, like what I have with everything else," Elrond replied.
Elrohir stepped forward and placed a hand on his father's shoulder. Aragorn stood directly behind them as they nodded their heads.
"I would go to the ends of Middle Earth if it means I can save my brother from certain death," Elrohir replied as Aragorn nodded.
Alarya gave a smile as her stare went from the three of them back to Thranduil, who remained silent the entire time. Elrond silently motioned to his son and Aragorn, who slowly took notice and followed him out of the room. The queen of Shiloria began to reach towards Thranduil but he inched his stare away, closing his eyes. The tears poured down his face as he placed a hand over his face. It was clear that he felt somewhat betrayed by her actions.
"Thranduil, please do not hate me for this. I have always loved you and our children and I never wanted to leave any of you but my duties as the queen of Shiloria called me away. You know how hard it is to rule a kingdom," she whispered.
Thranduil listened to her words, shaking his head faintly. He managed to take a deep breathe and he lifted his head enough to stare at his long-lost wife.
"Alarya, we missed you so much. I still cannot comprehend why you could not have told us," he wondered.
She gave a small laugh, a cheeky smile crossing her face. He narrowed his eyes, curious as to why she was suddenly laughing.
"Would you have believed me?" Alarya posed.
"Well…" Thranduil started.
He thought about the statement for a moment before giving a sigh and shaking his head. Glancing downward, he gave in to her question.
"I like to think that I would have said yes but in the end, I do not think I could have believed you," he finally admitted.
"I thought as much. I know you are upset with me over what I did and I cannot change that. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I will be there," Alarya replied.
She began to make her way towards the door. Before she stepped out, she hesitated for a moment. Alarya glanced back at her husband, taking in the heartbreaking look on his face and her own heart dropped.
"If it makes you feel any better, I had someone keep a close eye on the three of you. I enjoyed every new tale my aide told me. In the end, she had become quite fond of you and my children. When I asked her about the experience, she had become more than delighted to have served you," Alarya called back to him.
Closing the door behind her, Thranduil barely heard the words she spoke. Several seconds had passed before he fully took in what she had said. Staring at the door with his jaw to the floor, he found himself unable to speak. After a few long minutes, Thranduil managed to find his voice again.
"A-a Shilorian elf w-was serving…me?" he asked out loud.
TBC…