Chapter 26: King Thranduil
I watched as Grandfather stared off into the distance beside the steps that would lead up to his throne. The throne room consisted of a stone floor and stone walls where several guards were standing upon. Scattered along the ledge where stone pillars made to look like trees.
Grandfather and I in succinct turned to watch Naneth lead Gale in with multiple guards trailing behind her. When they made it to the stone circle, Grandfather dismissed both guards leaving just Gale, Naneth, Grandfather and myself.
"How do really treat people who come here?' Gale hissed struggling as Naneth glided over to me. "A coward brings a man in chains before him."
"Only the ones I find bothersome," Grandfather answered with a harsh tone adding to the overall coldness that he had.
"It still doesn't change the fact that you are a coward," Gale rebutted.
"Gale, don't," I said with a hint of warning to my voice. I was too late. At that moment Grandfather had pulled out his sword pinning it against Gale's neck.
"Careful of what you speak, boy," Grandfather addressed him. "You have yet seen a battle, yet you thirst for one. I have seen pure utter destruction under either side."
"Does Grandfather feel threatened?" I asked Naneth.
"No," she answered, "you will know." I turned my attention back towards Grandfather waiting for something to happen as he pulled away.
"How many have you killed?" Gale sneered.
"How much blood do you thirst for?" Grandfather asked circling him. "You wish to decimate an entire city including the innocents. I had heard of your stunt against my Captain of the Guards, whose child you were pursuing in the woods. I had noticed the way you hated all that you saw when you entered my halls."
"Your people have stood by and done nothing while the people of Panem are murdered and oppressed," Gale answered as though he had long considered this question anticipating it. "For over seventy years we have lived this way, and yet you never helped us. You never showed yourself."
"Panem was a name but only as of twilight yesterday did I know of it," Grandfather answered. "You accuse that I neglected the pleas for help from your people when I never received summons from them. At the same time as your pitiful rebellion those years ago, a threat was rising in the shadows. A threat that only the elves remember who survived those times eons ago. My kin remained in their woods, their halls, and seldom traveled far from them. Years passed, and the shadow grew. It was but five years ago that the I inhabitants of Middle Earth fought it. Tell me now, do I have a clear enough justification for you?"
Gale was left speechless at Grandfather's justification. I watched as Gale moved his head to keep from having to look at him. Grandfather cleared his throat trying to tell Gale to answer his question.
"Answer his question," Naneth ordered glaring him in the eye.
"I do not need to justify myself to you," Gale spat at her.
"Taking your hate out on the people of this realm will do yourself no favors," she answered her voice study, head erect, and shoulders squared.
"Do not antagonize my Captain of the Guards," Grandfather roared.
"Are you married to the elf the Capitol has in custody?" Gale then asked.
"He is my husband," Naneth answered.
"The Capitol will torture him, kill him," Gale started. "I know about your other daughter. I helped take care of her with Katniss. They will harm her after they are finished with your husband."
Naneth twirled her knife out at his attempt to get a rise out of her and Grandfather. Grandfather stepped in front of her with his hand stretched out to stop her.
"You will not speak of such a fate for my son and granddaughter," Grandfather growled in anger leaving Gale dumbfounded. He raised his hand to summon the remaining guards at the entrance. "I am a patient, and I can wait for you to answer my questions without depriving yourself to lunacy." The guards pulled Gale to his feet and marched him back to the dungeons.
"You are not surprised by his behavior?' Grandfather asked me as Naneth left heading towards the gates.
"No," I answered. "Before," I stopped myself trying to find the right word.
"No need to speak of those deplorable contests, "Grandfather finished to urge me to continue going on.
"He spoke of the two of us running away with his mother, brothers, and sister and my adoptive mother and Prim," I answered. "He is bitter given the situation we were raised under."
"And of his father?" Grandfather asked.
"Died the same time my adoptive father died," I answered.
"I know that you were cynical of me when your father revealed his full heritage to you," Grandfather continued. "Tell me, the conflict, who do you blame?"
"What?"
"To right the injustices, would you take it out on the Capitol?" he asked.
"Not everyone," I answered.
"Go on," he answered.
"The majority of the people are clueless to the real meaning behind these games and what they are used for," I answered.
"Who would you strike then?" he asked.
"The leaders," I answered.
"Come," Grandfather beckoned me leading me somewhere.
He stretched out his arm allowing me to take hold of it. I followed beside him as we wandered through the multitude of caverns. My head swarmed trying to gain ground for where we were going. At first, there was a multitude of elves that seemed to thin out as we moved deeper into the caverns.
"Where are we going?" I asked him.
"Someplace where we would not be overheard," was all he answered in his usual tone of voice.
"Where is that?" I asked.
"You will know when we get there," he answered with a tone in his voice that suggested that he didn't want any more questions from me.
We arrived at a ledge that overlooked a gorge. A thick wall of rock met an overhang that covered the ridge where we stood. There was a break in the wall exposing a view of a large single mountain top.
"What is that?" I asked pointing to the mountain.
"Erebor," Grandfather answered gazing toward if with malcontent. "Surely your father had spoken of it?"
"He did," I answered, "including some battle that had taken place there. The Battle of Five Armies, I think."
"Your friend seemed to have a fairly straight moral compass," Grandfather continued changing the subject. I caught the apparent sarcasm in his words. "Quite a catch."
"What do you mean?" I asked wondering if he went off the deep end.
"Surely you had seen the way he looked at you?" Grandfather asked only receiving a head shake from me. "You looked on oblivious as he tried to get your attention last night as I arrived into your quarters."
"I would have thought he would have gotten over it," I remarked.
"Over what?" Grandfather narrowed his eyes at me.
"It doesn't matter," I answered.
"What happened?" he asked lowering his voice in a threatening tone.
"Several months ago, it doesn't matter why, I was visiting where I was raised, and Gale kissed me," I answered breathing the last words. "It still doesn't matter. Gale will figure out that I am your granddaughter, and it would dissolve anything he thinks he feels for me."
"You are that certain?" he asked.
"Positive," I answered meeting his gaze.
"You are a brave elfling, which will transcend when you become an elleth. Do not be so reckless with it."
"Why am I here?" I asked him.
"There are things which I would rather discuss with you in private," he answered cooly leaving me clueless.
"Which are?" I asked.
"The coming war in Panem which you may yet take part in," he answered.
"You sound uncertain about whether or not I fight in it," I mocked him.
"I marvel that you have yet to see how similar you are to me in regards to our tempers," he growled with his voice becoming more irritated. "I would consider yourself fortunate that I have yet done anything about it."
"That is because?" I asked.
"You are both my granddaughter and an elfling," he answered. "The same bitterness your friend has resides in you also though it does not run as deeply as his. If you do not find the reason why it is that way, it will consume you as it is starting to do with your friend."
"I am not bitter," I exclaimed.
"No you are not, but there are seeds of it inside of you," he corrected. "You are somewhat resentful of me. Given what I had heard of Snow, I do not blame you."
"How have you heard of him?" I asked.
"The bond between your mother and father is different than between an elfling and their parents," was all he answered. "During the past year, your mother opened up to me and told me most of what she and your father would discuss."
"Such as?" I asked.
"You, your sister, the threat of war," he answered before changing subjects. "Your mother spoke of having you converse with the prisoner last night after he had been deposited back in his cell. I will grant you your request given that your mother will be watching if the need shall arise."
"When will I talk with him?" I asked.
"At twilight," he answered, "when your mother will be returning from her duties in the woods."
"That isn't all," I observed as he made no move to either dismiss me or to lead me back.
"No it wasn't," he answered. "I suspect that someone from this rebellion will come soon to negotiate Gale's release. There, they may attempt to persuade you to return with them. There are things I wish to warn you about should you choose to go with them. In two days time, you will meet me at the entrance of my halls."
"Where are we going?" I asked him wondering why he would have me travel somewhere so soon from when I was arriving.
"I wish to show you something," he answered. "Something that has been kept in the Dead Marshes since the first War against Sauron that resulted in his temporary downfall."
"You fought there?" I asked him.
"Whom did you think told your father of those tales?" he asked with a small smile on his face.
In a sour attempt to change the subject I then asked, "What should I bring with me?"
"No doubt your mother will help you choose appropriate attire for you to wear," he answered.
"She knows about it?" I asked.
"It had been partially her idea," he answered. "However, I would advise that you bring some sort of weapon with you."
"Is that all you wanted to speak with me about?" I asked.
"Come, I will lead you back," Grandfather answered in response to my question.
AN: Sorry for the short chapter and the next one will be longer.