Chapter Twelve – He will face the greatest task soon.
Thranduil and Legolas chose to stay in Imladris for another season, however as the seasons started to change in their hearts they missed home. Thranduil had spoken to Elrond most nights when their sons had retired for the night. Elrond would miss having his old friend in his home where they could talk openly without the risk of their letters been seen. However at the same time, Elrond knew that the time had come for them to return to their own home. The Greenwood Kingdom needed their king and now it's health prince.
Legolas had grown since arriving in Imladris, he had started to grow into a strong, well-trained warrior and stubborn elf just like his father. Legolas was enjoying his lessons with Glorfindel in the training field. He had come along with his skills better than anyone hoped. Aided by Elladan and Elrohir when needed. Legolas had started to make friends with many of the the other elflings, however he had grown very close to Elladan and Elrohir and the three had become three trouble makers and the pranking war that they had started had become a pain to most of the main staff of the house.
However as the time moved closer to the time when they were due to leave, everyone knew that Legolas didn't want to leave. He was enjoying himself too much in Imladris. He also didn't want to miss out of his training with Glorfindel. He had grown very close to the Elven Lord like many of the elves Glorfindel had trained however to put his mind at rest Glorfindel had told him that he knew the King's personal trainer Amathon personally. Amathon would be the one who would be taking over Legolas' training when he returned home.
Glorfindel had sat the prince down after a long afternoon of archery training and told him that he had personally trained Amathon before the last alliance when the danger of attack was worse that now. Amathon was one of the few that had survived one of the worse battles that they had fought. And he was a good friend to both Thranduil and Glorfindel.
Legolas had also asked his Amathon would train him like Glorfindel. Glorfindel trained in a way that was not commonly seen, he had a lot to teach for those who wanted it. Glorfindel had chuckled at the question and answered with a smile. "He is a little bit slower than I." Glorfindel had said.
Amathon was a great warrior but enjoyed the peace more than most. He had lost so much to war and Glorfindel was glad that Amathon had found peace in the greenwood. After the war was over, Amathon had lost most of his family including his brother. With most of his family dead, Amathon had nearly sailed if it hadn't been for the fact that he had by chance meet someone in the Greenwood. He had falling in love with a Silvan elf named Merildes, a training healer. She had made him love life after his brother's death.
One the eve of Thranduil's and Legolas' departure from Imladris, Elrond had organized a great feast, something that was not possible when they had arrived. The eventing had ended with Glorfindel sat next to Elrond and Thranduil in the Hall of Fire enjoying the songs sung by Lindir. However the twins and Legolas had not come, they wanted to enjoy the last night they had together alone so after the feast was over they had retired to Elladan's room. Elrond had allowed this knowing that his sons didn't want Legolas to go as much as Legolas didn't want to leave.
Over time, Elrond had noticed Glorfindel watching Thranduil throughout the evening. And when Thranduil got up to leave he waited for a moment before following him. Glorfindel had grown worried about Thranduil and knew something wasn't right. Elrond had wanted to follow them however he knew that he was needed her as the host.
Glorfindel knew that Thranduil needed to return home but something was wrong but couldn't put his finger on it. He found him stood on the balcony looking at the land before him. The sun had already set and the land was clocked in a dark blue light. The stars had already started to light up the sky.
"What is on your mind mellon-nin?" Glorfindel asked moving closer to Thranduil so the two was stood side by side in the moonlight. He knew that Thranduil would be more likely to open up to him when there was no one else around and when he was caught off guard.
"Will we ever know peace?" Thranduil asked bitterly looking out at the darkening woods.
Glorfindel looked confused at Thranduil at the comment but understood it it. Glorfindel had died in battle after losing everything and had returned when war had started again. If anyone knew that darkness could return he would and know the loss that came with it. "It is not our choice to know peace. It is the time we are giving that is the important thing. War might have ended for the dead and those who believe that we won but where there is light there will allows be shadow. Shadows to which some turn a blind eye too and do nothing about it until the shadow is too great." As Glorfindel spoke his words, Thranduil turned to him looking confused and shocked at the statement he had just heard.
"Do you mean that there is still evil in this world that didn't fall?" Thranduil asked, he hated speaking about the darkness, that darkness had cost him his father. And many of his kin.
Glorfindel sighed and looked at the land around him. He knew that Thranduil would not like the truth that he was about to speak. "To answer your first question, we can ever choose to see the evil and battle it or we can hide and allow others to pay for our courageous. But to answer your last question, I ask you one. Do you believe that it still remains?"Glorfindel asked turning to look directly at Thranduil with a stern look. "Because if you do then remember Thranduil is that all evil times must come to an end. It is only a matter of who will face it. You fear for your son like any father would but I can see that his path will lead him to the hope we all need."
Thranduil could not look at Glorfindel as he knew in his heart that this words were true. And he only hoped that Glorfindel's words about his son was true. Thranduil looked at the peace of Imladris, the hidden valley was beautiful, even in the dark light. There was something about the valley that could bring hope to the most sorrow filled man. However seen the beauty of the valley only made his mind turn to his own kingdom. And the sorrow that he felt that it wasn't like the hidden valley.
Their walls might have been covered with thick ivy and the well guarded however it couldn't hide from the darkness and the danger. His people were alone to fight an attack force nearly every week and he lost more of his kin each day. That angered him that others did not face the same as they did.
Glorfindel watched Thranduil's face, even with it like stone; he could always see what something was wrong and work out what he was thinking about. Glorfindel knew that Thranduil took every loss of his kin personal, and that bitter mood to others who seem to have a better life.
"Thranduil, you may believe that this place is peaceful and it is but you have something we do not…" At these words Thranduil turned and looked at Glorfindel. He had often walked the grounds of Imladris and to him they seem to be protected and have a peaceful life.
"…at least you have an affective wall that protects you from the danger that lies beyond it. We do not. Our protection is from our patrols that guard our home and our location been a secret. Without those we would fall." Glorfindel's words started to quickly sink into Thranduil's mind. He knew that his friends were in danger and without their protective wall Thranduil knew that they would have fallen to the darkness long before.
Thranduil sighed deeply and then turned to Glorfindel. He felt ashamed. "It was wrong of me to think those things. I am worried that…" Thranduil said but Glorfindel stopped him before he could finish knowing what was worrying his friends.
"About failing your people and your son?" Glorfindel asked and saw Thranduil nod before turning away. Glorfindel quickly grabbed Thranduil's shoulder harshly spinning the elf around to look at him. Thranduil saw a hint of anger and worry mixed in his grey eyes.
"Hiding like Thingol did in his own Kingdom is what brought him to his end Thranduil. Do not hide in your kingdoms letting the darkness grow around you." Glorfindel warned, he had always thought that Thranduil acted similar to Thingol and knew that it was that behaviour that in the end cost him everything. And because of that he was worried that Thranduil would cut himself off from the world in the thought that he was protect his kingdom. But it would only cause him only more pain.
However there was something that Glorfindel knew would help to stop his friend from turning to the dangerous path, and that was the new friendship between Legolas and the twins. Glorfindel knew that Thranduil would never damage his son's happiness. Not when he had only just got him back.
All Thranduil could do was to nod at Glorfindel's statement before heading to his own chamber, leaving Glorfindel alone. Glorfindel was worried, and not just for Thranduil. He could feel the shadow but could not place it. He could not see it yet as it changes form in front of him. But he had felt it before; a small amount of the shadow was burnt into his mind was now circling him and yet he could not place it. After one more look at the wood around him he retired to his room, however the feeling of darkness coming closer did not disappear.
As he entered his room he could only hope that he had done enough to help his friend. He was worried however that something else was in play that he could not see. He was also unsure if the plan that he had put in place would work tomorrow. He wouldn't know if anything he had done would help his friends move on from the horror that he had gone through.
His mind would not let him rest that night, he knew that he had done all that he could however he still felt the weight of failure growing within him. He had failed many people in his life, friends he could not save, warriors lost in battle and the failure of losing his kings. All those failures only made him more determined to not fail again. Though his thoughts he fell into an unrelaxed sleep.
His dreams however did not give him rest, he was plagued again by memories of his failures. And soon he awoke with a sharp remembrance of his own blade deep within the belly of the balrog. He always hated that dream, the images of his own death. He could not fall back asleep, not after that dream.
However he did not leave his room, he could do very little but sit on his balcony walking the sun slowly rise. He often found comfort in seeing that a new day would begin with a new warmth. And a new day for the kingdom of the Greenwood. And their king. And soon that would be enough to give the Greenwood a new strength that it was looking for. Some new hope.
Three hours later the courtyard was full with the company of Greenwood guard and their horses preparing to leave on their journey home. However soon they were joined by two other horses and their riders. Thranduil looked confused at why they were there. He noticed that they both had enough food for a long journey.
As Legolas entered the courtyard he was shocked to see the twins there and more so to see their horses. But at the same time he was happy too. "Are you coming with us?" He asked them with a smiled glued to his face. At the question the twins both nodded. Thranduil was as shocked as Legolas at this.
But before Thranduil could ask any more someone else spoke who entered the courtyard from behind. "I thought it would be nice for them to company you home before heading to Lothlorien." Glorfindel said as he and Elrond entered the courtyard. Glorfindel looked directly at Thranduil and winked.
Thranduil smiled knowing that Legolas was not happy about leaving his new friends behind. Thranduil pulled Glorfindel and then Elrond in a one armed hug each. "Thank you mellons-nin. For everything." They both smiled at the comment and took the hug openly and returned it. Glorfindel then added with a grin. "You might want to wait until you are home to thank me. Those two are not the best riding company you could wish for."
Thranduil sighed and then glared at Glorfindel who laughed at his friend's facial expressions. Then Glorfindel laughed and added "You were like them once mellon-nin and do not forget it." A few moments after their final words the Greenwood, Thranduil, Legolas and the twins left heading to for the Greenwood Kingdom. However the journey home Thranduil was thinking about the words that Glorfindel had spoken to him on the balcony the night before. However Glorfindel's words had not changed his mind. He needed to protect his people by any means necessary.
Years past and Thranduil had continued to close his borders. And with that he would lose another piece of land to orc attacks or from a new nest of spiders. It was only a few days after the Battle of the Five Armies he had wished he had listened to his old friend. Many of his kin lay dead, and the knowledge of that their enemy had returned. He had lost him again, as he headed north. However the one thing that he could trust with his son was that Legolas' friendship with the twins had changed the young prince.
Sometimes Legolas would travel with the twins and with that he had started to travel more north. And with that he had noticed that Legolas had started to trust the Dúnedain. Thranduil himself had learnt so much about them from the few visits he took to Imladris after Legolas had healed, and he had learnt enough from the elves in Imladris to trust them.
He also trusted hope, it was only then that he understood the true meaning behind Glorfindel's meaning. Darkness had returned in full force and he could not fight the enemy like he had been doing , but face it like Glorfindel had told him too. Sauron had returned and he would fight him again like his father had done even if it meant that he would die trying. Even with the knowledge that some of the kin had started to leave the shores of Middle Earth and return to the Undying Lands. He would not leave his son here alone, as he had a feeling that Legolas would not leave his friends to die when he could fight.
They would fight one last time.
