Epilogue
Houses of Healing,
Tol Antanë,
The medical unit was quickly detached from the hovercraft and transported to one of the Houses. Amras spoke a bare few words before taking off after the medical unit.
"You will stay here." Amras said firmly and left before Thranduil even opened his mouth to protest.
"Best leave it be." Celegorm advised, coming up to him. "Amras takes his job seriously. He would not like it if you come in the way. He will call for you when he is done." Thranduil looked him over and noticed he was ready for travel.
"Are you going somewhere?"
"I am going back to my city. There are some things that I must see to, now that we have no mists to protect us. We will meet again in the Red Palace, for Glaweth's funeral." Maglor was taking Maedhros and Glaweth's body to the Red Palace. After brief farewells, with Celegorm and Maglor, they left Thranduil alone to wander the gardens.
It was three hours later that Amras had sent a child seeking him. Thranduil was led back to a comfortable room, the smell of athelas heavy in the air, with Arodien lying on a bed, her face as pale as the sheets around her body.
"She is responding wonderfully." Amras said as soon as he saw him. Thranduil's shoulders sagged in relief. "Her body will heal."
"What do you mean her body?"
"She is in a traumatic shock. I do not suppose she saw violence before?"
"She has, but not deaths in cold blood, and certainly not someone she was as close to as Glaweth."
"That would explain her condition. She is showing signs of Fading, but it is very mild. At the same time, added to her wound and her pregnancy, it is dangerous."
"How can it be helped?"
"Talk to her, be with her." Amras said simply. "Give her something to hold on to."
"I see." Thranduil nodded. "And the baby?"
"Yes, that is another concern I have."
With practiced hands, Amras quickly readied a probe and placed it on Arodien's belly while he watched the screen.
"Do you see that?" Amras asked, pointing at the screen. "With all the kicking and turning, the umbilical cord has wounded itself around the baby's neck. If it stays that way at the time of delivery, the baby will be strangled. That is what I am concerned about. Luckily, your wife has five more months to go. The baby will turn a bit more in the last trimester. Maybe the cord will unwind then."
"And if it doesn't?" Thranduil asked. Amras wiped the probe clean and gestured at a nurse to tend to Arodien.
"Then I will consider a caesarean. Your wife will be fit for the procedure but for the moment, Arodien must not do anything that would make the baby turn more or the cord will tighten. That is why she will be placed in a bed rest and she will live here in my city until she gives birth."
"Arodien might not be persuaded to stay here."
"Then I will force the bed rest." Amras said firmly. "No patient will leave my care until I deem it fit. And I do not deem it fit for her case." Amras glanced at Arodien. "I must go. I have other patients to see and some of them are unfortunately conscious to be stubborn." Amras took Arodien's hand and placed it in Thranduil's. "Talk," he said simply and left.
Thranduil stared at his wife. She had become a better Queen than he had imagined, hiding such a secret from him. He looked her over. She was slim and tall, with heavy black locks, and a fair face that was pale at the moment. Her fingers were tapered, soft, without any calluses of a weapon-bearer.
"Do you remember when I told you I had a vision of you dancing among the Ellyth at night among the trees?" He said suddenly. The machines around her gave steady small beeps. Not wanting to sit on the bed beside her, and not wanting to lose his hold on her hand, he knelt on the floor. "It came true, you know, that night when you forced me to dance with you."
His imagination was good enough to make him believe her breathing changed to be slightly deeper, healthier.
"Mother was beyond excited about your pregnancy. She wanted to plan every single thing for you." He looked down at the marriage ring on her index finger. "You know I was terrible at court when it came to Ellyth. Father always told me I was clueless. The point was I never really bothered to look around. Winter nights and patrols were for me. I was never really meant for the life in court." The style of his kingdom changed when Thranduil became king. "I had this friend who was my comrade. He loved to play tricks on people. One time he managed to convince me that the bathing rooms had changed." Heat rose on Thranduil's cheeks. "I found myself in the ladies' bathing rooms. I was a fresh soldier then. Thankfully there were only a few Ellyth there but they smirked every time I passed them in court. I could never live that one down."
He did not know how long he had talked, except that Arodien's breathing seemed to be much easier, much fuller. Their bond was steadier than before, and Arodien felt more tangible. Thranduil's throat was parched but he sat there by the bed, still staring at her.
"Excuse me, my lord, I thought- Thranduil?"
Thranduil turned to the strangely familiar voice.
"Cassie?"
In the months apart, Cassie looked… different. Her hair was cut boyishly, and there were some wrinkles around her mouth and eyes. She looked older, but she had aged beautifully. The maturity added to her beauty.
"Lee- Thranduil," Cassie greeted him. "It is so good to see you!" Her eyes were warm, Thranduil noticed. After Dawn's death they had a tint of caution and wariness, but that was gone. There was no grief in her. She had moved on.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, looking her over. She was dressed in a nurse' uniform, her badge pinned to her shirt pocket.
"I work here. I mean, I have rotations and this time I have it here." She frowned in confusion before comprehension dawning over her face. She gave a laugh. "Amras is cunning. I was pulled out from my rotation in the Red Hills," she explained to Thranduil. "He assigned me here. Now I know why." She smiled again at him, and then it faded. "I am sorry about your wife. I heard. She is in good hands though. We will make sure she is alright."
"Speaking of which, why are you here in this room?"
"Oh, I just needed to look over the chart, see if there is anything I need to give." Just like that, Cassie walked over to the charts and looked them over.
"Everything seems to be in order." Cassie directed a look at him. "You look terrible, though."
"I guess I am."
"You look like you went to Hell and came back."
Thranduil laughed.
"I guess so."
"Come on. My shift ends in ten minutes. I will take you to my place. Take a shower and have a bite to eat, rest a bit and then you can come back."
Thranduil looked at her before looking at Arodien.
"I will have them page me if something comes up. And a friend of mine here is free. She can take your place."
Thranduil was still reluctant to move.
"Well, you know I never take no for an answer, so you are coming."
"It is a wonder you did not propose to Riley first." Thranduil said, finally getting up.
"Pshaw, he didn't propose to me. Heck, he didn't even know how to propose properly. I proposed to him."
Cassie had an apartment, just across the street from the House Arodien was in.
"These are temporary for nurses like me, but you can customize them if you like." Cassie said, inviting him into her apartment. Thranduil looked around. The light flowery scent and the homey brown colours of the furniture reminded Thranduil of Riley and Cassie's home back in New York.
"It looks like home." Thranduil said quietly.
"I try. Spare bedroom is at the end of the corridor. Take a shower and I think Riley's clothes are somewhere there. He tends to keep a few with me in case he stops by. Borrow them and I will cook something up."
The shower was refreshing than he had expected. Cassie was right, as always, Thranduil snorted to himself. When he came out, he found Cassie readying the table.
"Juice?"
"Please."
Cassie set the table and placed the dish in front of him. Thranduil looked at it and laughed.
"Mac and Cheese?"
"The meanest of the bunch."
"I remember the twins loving it."
"They still do."
Silence fell as they dug in.
"Sometimes I just wish I was only a Homicide Detective." Thranduil said, drinking his juice.
"And what fun will that be?" Cassie said, raising a brow as she took another spoonful.
"It won't be fun but it will be lesser burden."
"Sometimes you are given a burden because it is known you can carry it." Cassie said. She took a sip from her juice. Thranduil rubbed his tongue on the roof of his mouth, feeling his tongue to be lightly stuffy. Then he shook his head. Strange, it was heavy.
"So how is Riley?"
"Oh, he is in the army now." Cassie said. "He is much better than…. Before, you know. We all are."
"And the twins?"
"Oh they miss their sister from time to time." Cassie turned to look at him. Her eyes were sad. "I can't imagine what it must be like for you, to live with the memory of being there with Dawn but not being able to do anything." Thranduil looked away.
"I am losing everyone I love lately," Thranduil said, staring at his cup. He rubbed his eyes. He felt more tired than before.
"How long has it been since you last slept properly?"
"I do not know. Before the disastrous picnic, I expect." Thranduil began to nod off then he jerked awake.
"You-"Thranduil could not finish as his body suddenly betrayed him and he fell for the floor. Cassie, as if expecting it, lunged and saved him.
"You are a big Elf." She commented. "It should have affected you in seconds."
"You drugged me." His speech was slurred.
"Of course, you idiot," Cassie said, placing his arm around her neck and forcing him to get up. Thranduil did, but his legs were sluggish. "You are so heavy! Move it, Hulk, because I can't take you to the couch if you fall asleep."
"Why?"
"Because you are stubborn," Thranduil felt himself drop onto the couch. Cassie hustled around him, tugging on his shoes and setting his legs on the couch and placing a cushion underneath his head. His eyes fluttered close.
"Armes…"
"I will look after your wife, Lee… I mean Thranduil. Now shush. Sleep. You need it." Cassie placed a blanket over him.
Thranduil slept.
oOo
Tol Antanë,
Arda,
He woke up to the sound of water and the clinks of dishes in a sink. Somebody was washing his dishes. Thranduil's eyes flew wide open. He kept no maid in his apartment here in New York, so how- then memories crashed over him and he remembered that time was long ago and he was in Tol Antanë.
He got up, pushing the blanket away from him and grinned to himself. Cassie was more wilful than he remembered. But he felt much better now that he was well-rested. He got up from the couch and made his way barefoot to the adjoining kitchen. Cassie was unaware of him, her back towards him as she finished rinsing out the last of her dishes. Feeling mischief creep up on him for the first time in months, he sneaked up to her and placed his arms around her, fully lifting her up. Cassie gave a loud shriek.
"Put me down!"
"You drugged me!"
"Lee, I swear I will kick at you if you do not put me down!"
"Say you are sorry!"
"You needed the rest!"
"You drugged me!"
"I did what I had to as a nurse for my patient's wellbeing!"
"I am not a patient!"
"Put me down! You KNOW I hate being carried." Thranduil lifted her higher. Cassie gave a high-pitched scream.
"Alright, woman, alright!" Thranduil said hurriedly, putting her down on her feet. "Sheesh, so touchy all of a sudden." Cassie smacked him on his arm and instantly regretted it. He had harder muscles than before. Cassie looked at him, suddenly smiling.
"What is it?" Thranduil said warily.
"Sometimes you act like Lee Kraft," Cassie said. "And then I see a whole different side of you and I feel as if you are unreachable. You have changed. I do not know for the better or worse, but you have."
"Well, nobody is throwing vases at me yet, so I guess I am on a better path." A twisted one though, Thranduil added to himself silently. Cassie laughed and then raised her wrist. She was wearing a bracelet of twined red leather with three large brightly coloured beads. For a moment Thranduil did not recognize them.
"Is that-"
"From Dawn's bracelet, yes, the one you brought for us." Cassie lowered her wrist and fingered the bracelet. "We divided the beads amongst ourselves, to have something of her with all of us, you see."
"I see." Thranduil was at a loss of words. He briefly thought of Dawn's statue with a pony in his Halls. He had something of her too.
"I told you that I blamed you a bit for Dawn's death."
"You did."
"And I told you that I might find it in my heart someday to forgive you."
Thranduil watched Cassie gave a short laugh and touch the inner corner of her eye with her finger. She gave a sniff.
"I forgave you months ago. I thought… I just wanted you to know."
"Oh, Cassie." Thranduil enveloped her into a hug. "It is a wonder someone who drugs me starts crying on my shoulder hours later." Cassie gave a watery laugh. Her shoulders were shaking.
"It still hurts."
"I know. It will always hurt, Cassie."
He was due to leave within an hour for Red Palace. Before he did, he went to Arodien's room. He was told that Arodien had remained stable through the night. Bregon he trusted to remain by her side should she awake. A familiar face would do her good. He caressed Arodien's cheek with the back of his hand before stepping away.
"She will be fine here." Thranduil looked up at the new voice and noticed Amras standing in doorway, arms crossed. "She will be looked after and I will make sure she gets the rest she needs."
"Thank you." Thranduil said. He had to admit, Amras' assurances made him feel better.
"Glaweth's funeral is tomorrow." Amras said. "You had best get moving."
oOo
Red Palace,
Tol Antanë,
The grief and sorrow here was just as palpable as it had been back in Redwood Forest.
Glaweth's body was well preserved, and dressed in soft cream coloured's dress, a veil was placed over her head, the crown on her head cleverly hiding the wound that took her life. A small crown was placed over her belly, indicating the life of her unborn son. Thranduil wondered briefly who had taken the task of dressing Glaweth as queen and treated her child as prince, when Maedhros did not approve of being called king. She was to be buried in the Red Palace gardens, under a tree Thranduil was told she loved best; Ash. Maglor was the only one singing amongst all of them. His voice was deep and lamenting. Yet Thranduil was surprised to find words of hope, of comfort amongst them. There were tears in everyone's eyes and before Maglor finished, he felt tears in his own as well.
The two hounds that had protected their mistress so faithfully were buried by her feet, in memory of their loyalty. A tombstone was erected and they stood there staring at the stone until the crowds behind them dispersed and only the House of Oropher and Fëanor stood. The birds began singing their evening songs.
Finally, Maedhros was the first to leave. He turned on his heel, shrugging off Maglor's outstretched hand and marched right back to the Red Palace. All of them watched him go, until Nerdanel touched Thranduil's wrist lightly to gain his attention.
"Go after him for me," Nerdanel said quietly. "My firstborn tolerates only a few people around him when his emotions get the better of him. Not even his brothers have seen him like this before. But you may be some semblance of support. Go. Please."
Thranduil opened his mouth to refuse but Nerdanel's look was pleading. So he closed his mouth, swallowed and only nodded before taking off the direction Maedhros took.
There was no sign of Maedhros when he entered the Palace. He took a few hesitant turns here and there but quickly remembered Maedhros' habits. Maedhros loved wind and heights. And he loved painting and sword fighting. So he took the steps that bore to higher places of the Palace.
He came upon a staircase with a half-open door that seemed to lead outside. He took it and found himself standing on the roof of Palace, surrounded by beautiful gardens. The roof gardens were breathtakingly beautiful. The plants were arranged in a small, waist-high maze, with red tiles on the pathways. Lanterns swung in the light breeze to greet the coming night. He smelled a sudden sweet scent and he turned his head towards the fragrance.
"Eleanor," Thranduil murmured, bending down to nestle a small white flower between his index and middle finger. "How long has it been since I last see thee?"
Then he shook his head, pulling himself out of his memories. Things from the past quickly turned his mind toward it, reminding him of older versions of his native language.
Maedhros was easy to spot. He was sitting in a square pavilion, with stone statues of Ellyth standing at the pillars. The Elf's height and dark red hair gave him away quickly. He was still dressed in black and red, his cloak falling over the back of his bench.
"Celegorm, I am not in the mood for a babysitter."
"I am not Celegorm."
Maedhros started and looked at him.
"Forgive me, I thought."
"I know what you thought."
Thranduil lingered at the steps of the pavilion unsure how his presence would be taken. That and Maedhros' pale grey but fiery eyes were starting to make him uncomfortable, unwelcome. Then Maedhros looked away.
"This was waiting for me here." Maedhros announced. "Wolf knows his way around." Thranduil took his words as an invitation to enter the pavilion. With long strides, he walked over to Maedhros.
"Him or his spies," Thranduil said, sitting down beside him.
"It doesn't matter." Maedhros said, carefully placing the spear back in its box. The way Maedhros caressed the spear was similar to the way a soldier would handle his favourite weapon… and with the eagerness of battle. Maedhros now seemed more dangerous, more… volatile.
Then the Elf sighed and Thranduil saw a grieving husband and father in the place of the regal, war-loving king.
"Would that I had the comfort of knowing she and my child were waiting in the Halls of Mandos!" Maedhros said, shaking his head. Maedhros spoke Sindarin well, even if it was tinted with the slightly heavy and exotic Quenya accent.
"You will meet her again one day." Thranduil said.
"Do I dare hope?"
"Hope?" Thranduil echoed. "Hope is what keeps one alive."
Maedhros smiled. It was a small forced smile, but it was a smile nevertheless. Thranduil nudged him playfully, and a chuckle escaped Maedhros. The two Kings sat in an unspoken but companionable silence. They watched twilight reach its end. The last of the light fading out slowly.
Then the ground shook.
It was so sudden that they heard the excited calls of servants and guards. The Ellyth below clustered together, far from the Palace. Waters shook in the ponds and the birds were shrieking.
Suddenly the air turned stifling hot, pressing against their chests. The sky turned from its blue-black colour to crimson like blood. Veins of gold sparked through the sky, making a rough network. And they heard a loud feminine scream of pain. Thranduil bent to his knees and placed his hands over his ears to stop the horrible sound, but he could hear it still. Then it abruptly stopped. For a moment there was a momentary relief, with the sky still red and gold. Then another scream shot through the air, this one was male, full of grief and pain before stopping just swiftly as it had started. The ground was still shaking. And laughter echoed in the sky.
"MORGOTH!" Maedhros shouted, his voice seeming so quiet compared to the laughter. The laugh was long, cruel and harsh, reminding Thranduil of many knives dragging against a stone floor. The ground shook harder. Cracks began to appear along the walls. The lantern above them shook violently. Thranduil and Maedhros braced themselves against the bench they had been sitting on.
"Maedhros!"
Thranduil's warning shout made Maedhros look up. The pavilion was crumbling. It would crush them if they do not move out of the way soon. Thranduil grabbed Maedhros' arm and tumbled out of the way before the pavilion came crashing down on the very place they were sitting.
Then it slowly tapered off until they heard it no more. Everything stilled. The ground stopped shaking. The birds were quiet. Above them the stars shone clearly, as if rejoicing the fact that there will be no dawn, no sun to chase them away. The entire sky was decorated with different galaxies and far off planets became clearer. There was no moon no matter how far they looked. And that, along with the tell-tale cracks and debris scattered around them, convinced them that what they experienced truly had happened. It was as if the world had stilled, and everyone had fallen silent. The sky slowly changed colour, this time as black as coal, with bright silver stars strewn across the sky like jewels of a long lost treasure. At last Maedhros spoke, his voice loud in the night.
"So it begins." Maedhros said.
END OF TEMPEST: STRONGHOLD
NEXT: TEMPEST: PROPHECY
Author's Note:
So... anyone up for a sneak peak? It is worth it, I promise.
PLEASE review? Oh Silent Ones, I would like an answer. :)