"Will you explain your actions or will you stand there in silence until nightfall?" the King's voice carried throughout the hall.
Elwion flinched slightly at the words but still could not bring himself to look up from floor. He found himself utterly embarrassed and ashamed as he stood before the throne. "I just miss the forest sometimes," he murmured.
"You just missed the forest," King Thranduil echoed slowly, eying his youngest subject with a steady gaze, "is that why you ventured alone into the spiders' territory?"
"Yes, my King."
"And you did not think to remain in the safe parts or the woods or to bring someone with you?"
As if anyone would every allow him to go anywhere if they knew, he thought, but bit his tongue, "no, my King."
"No one knew where you were, you did not think before entering dangerous ground, yet despite being aware of the risk of your own life you still saw fit to face dozens of spiders in order to save… a little girl?"
The young elf felt himself fidgeting with his leather gauntlets before finally gathering the courage to look up, albeit very carefully, and met the indifferent eyes of his king.
"Yes, my King," he said.
"How very… noble of you," Thranduil mused, "and what exactly had you planned on doing with her?"
What had he been thinking? He could not even remember. He had wanted to lead her out of the forest, maybe drive her to the elven scouts so they could lead her to safety. "She was hurt, I just wanted to lead her somewhere safe."
"Yet the two of you were nearly killed by spiders when Beridhren and his band found you," He said dryly, and watched as Elwion once again turned his eyes to the ground, "you will not go past our safe borders again and while you are outside the halls… Asgaron will watch you until we deem otherwise."
Asgaron would be his watcher?! Elwion's head jerked up in surprise and he barely managed to hold back his protests. Of all people they could have picked they chose the one elf he could not stand, surely his King already knew- ah, yes, of course he knew and he found it amusing. Thranduil's expression betrayed nothing, but Elwion would bet his left hand the ancient elf in front of him was chuckling on the inside, no doubt pleased with the punishment, and the reaction.
Elwion tried to relax his face and be indifferent, but he knew he was failing miserable when he saw the slight amused glimpse in Beridhren's. He pressed his lips together in a thin line and stubbornly refused to look at Asgaron where he stood next to his captain.
"Yes… my King," the young elf managed to press out. Inside he decided he was not going to step outside the gate until the sentence was over, be it a year or fifty. No, scratch that, he was not going outside his room until the sentence was over, for Asgaron and Malgelir would never leave him alone otherwise. Of course it was doubtful if they would leave him at peace even if he stayed in his room. Knowing them they would surely pester him until he buried himself under rock.
"Good," was the only reply he got as Thranduil turned his gaze to Beridhren, "now, where is that… girl?"
"Thaleth is with her, I sent Malgelir to summon them," the captain answered.
Elwion was not sure the smile that appeared on Thranduil's face was a good or a bad sign, but before he had the time to think much about it the grand doors to the hall opened.
Malgelir walked up first and Elwion moved over to the side to make space for the new arrivals. Then Thaleth brought forth the girl that curiously was looking around the room with seemingly no worries at all.
Both Malgelir and Thaleth bowed and then walked to their own positions: Malgelir by the guards standing on the sideline and Thaleth next to her brother. The girl was left standing in the middle of the floor but even though she stood right in front of the King it took a few seconds before she turned her head from the ceiling and walls to meet his eyes. The carefree action made Elwion grimace; that was not a good first impression on a King as stiff as Thranduil.
The whole room was silent as they awaited their King's reaction.