Chapter 53 ended with:
"Is there something wrong with my son Elros?" Valerie inquired, insisting on the word son, her tone no longer pleasant.
"Nothing," he backpedaled, deciding not to fight Valerie on this. He would let Elrond fight his own battles. He was glad his situation looked brighter than he had originally expected. Valerie's expression told him Elrond's request to be involved in the second upbringing of his reborn brother would not be kindly welcomed by the Elvenking.
Chapter 54 – A stroll under the stars
Year 3018 of the Third Age
One year later
"How could you?" Valerie yelled at the top of her lungs. "What gave you the impression that you had permission, that you had the authority to make such a decision? You were reckless, and incompetent, and stupid! Yes! Stupid! I do not want to see your face ever again! You are the shame of Greenwood! Guards!" she called powerfully.
The entire fortress had heard her by now. Two guards entered, avoiding at all cost to look at the warrior kneeling on the floor in front of their queen.
"Take him away! Put him… put him… in the dungeons!" she decided. "As a replacement for our lost prisoner!"
Legolas was about to protest but shut his mouth when he saw her eyes. Valerie was enraged and could very well hurt the warrior. He actually may be safer in the dungeons than in the fortress. The soldier did not even try to plead with her, his guilt was too great. With an imperceptible movement of his head, the captain authorized the guards to take the culprit away from the room. He followed them, deciding that looking for his adar may be best under the circumstances. Only the king could calm her down. He had just closed the door behind him when he heard an object crash against it. Valerie was continuing the destruction she had started before the guilty warrior had been brought to her. Where was his father when he needed him?
He finally met Thranduil near the entrance of the royal aisle.
"Where is she?" the king asked, having heard the voice of his mate from outside the fortress, where he had been spending some time with his older children.
"In her office." Legolas quickly filled him in, cringing when his father glared at him like he rarely did.
"I will calm her down," the king said. "But you and I will have to talk about the incompetence of your warriors, Captain."
Legolas gulped, knowing there would be consequences, both inside and outside the realm.
OoOoO
"Brethilon thought Gollum would benefit from a stroll under the stars! Gollum! I must have missed the part where this creature is a hopeless romantic who needs to see the stars! Perhaps he wanted to write some poem about his damned ring?" she continued ranting while pacing in front of her mate who was serenely listening to her.
"He opened his cell, and discreetly, like a thief wandering in the fortress, he took Gollum outside by one of the hidden doors and brought him in the forest. For a nice, romantic walk! And this is where it gets better! Gollum was expected! There were some orcs waiting for him, as if there had been some kind of signal! I am not certain how Brethilon made it out alive, but I will surely make sure he will regret not dying while trying to fix his stupid mistake!"
"You do not mean that," Thranduil replied calmly. Valerie liked her two bodyguards, had always been friendly with them. Brethilon had made a major, costly mistake, but not big enough for Valerie to truly wish him dead. He could feel it in her fëa.
"Of course, I mean that!"Valerie denied. "Gollum is gone! He left with orcs! Do you understand what it means?"
Thranduil understood perfectly well the consequences, but allowed his mate to keep on ranting.
"Mithrandir wanted him in our dungeons, to ensure he would not help Sauron's forces. And guess who took him? Sauron's beasts! Who knows where Gollum is by now, what dreadful deeds he is working on! It is another creature that will go after the ring, one who has more chances than any other of finding it because he is attuned to it!"
"At least, the creature is no longer in the same fortress than our children."
Valerie stopped in front of him. "Well… there is that. But think of the shame this has brought on our realm! We will have to send word to Mithrandir. Admit that our warriors were too stupid to just keep Gollum in his cell!"
"It was just one, Valerie. Do not call them all stupid."
"No, you are right. I should not talk that way about our warriors. Only Brethilon brought this on us. He should be the only to pay."
"How long are you intending to keep him in a cell?"
"As long as it takes for him to grow a brain. Are you going to stop me?"
"You are the queen, he is your bodyguard. I will not interfere."
"Can we send a message to Mithrandir? Can we call the eagles?"
"It will not be necessary. I received a missive from Elrond. He is calling for a meeting of many realms. Saruman has finally shown his true colors. He kept Mithrandir prisoner at the top of Orthanc for quite some time. Mithrandir had found the ring."
"Where was it?" Valerie had suddenly forgotten about Brethilon and his mistake.
"In the Shire. Mithrandir had given the ring to a hobbit, can you believe that? Anyhow, the hobbit barely made it alive in Imladris, with the help of Aragorn and Glorfindel. Mithrandir had gone to ask guidance from Saruman. You can imagine the welcome he got! An eagle helped him escape. He is now safe in Imladris too."
"I am glad everyone now knows that Saruman has turned dark."
"They do."
"And Gollum is now free somewhere in Middle Earth. And maybe on his way to Imladris too!"
"It is not inconceivable. We will have to let everyone know about his escape. Our fault is great. I will send Legolas to personally present our apologies to Mithrandir."
"Are you not a little harsh with Legolas by sending him personally?"
"I do not think so. As captain, he is responsible for the acts of his warriors. And I can return the question to you. Are you not a little harsh by putting Brethilon in a cell?"
"I do not think so either," Valerie replied dryly. "He will remain there for as long as I deem it necessary."
OoOoO
"Your Majesty, my father profoundly regrets his mistake. He has spent a month in his cell, I am begging you to reconsider your decision to keep him in the dungeons."
Valerie had to give it to Brannor, the ellon had balls. Balls of steel, like they said in her world. To dare question her will, insist that she reconsiders her decision while his father had made a terrible mistake? Even Cadworon, who was standing beside him, had not dared place a word in favor of his brother. She was certain that Cadworon, although he loved his brother dearly, thought that his brother's mistake was unforgivable for such an experienced warrior.
"Your father shamed the entire realm," she reminded Brethilon's son.
"I know. My father wants to atone."
"How? He is here, safe in a cell, while your captain is on his way to Imladris to present our deepest apologies to Mithrandir and Elrond. If Legolas dies during an attack by orcs, Brethilon's fault will never be forgiven. He will have the loss of the life of the heir to the throne on his conscience for all eternity."
Cadworon paled, Brannor looked about to be sick. In a corner of the room, Asta, who had been taking care of Elros, gasped loudly. Valerie turned her glare to her and Asta returned to Elros rather than listening to the conversation.
"I will give a thought to your request, Brannor. But one thing is for sure. Your father is no longer a bodyguard of mine. If I decide that his punishment lasted enough, he will find himself on duty in the forest until I can bear the thought of even laying my eyes on him."
"You have my gratitude for listening to my plea, your Majesty," Brannor said, knowing his father would be crushed by the demotion. But under the circumstances, this was best for everyone. His father had, after all, made a mistake unparalleled in the history of Greenwood.
"You can leave," Valerie replied with annoyance. "Not you!" she said when Cadworon started to follow his nephew. Once Brannor had left her study, she turned to her sole bodyguard.
"I do not have a choice, you understand?" she asked, knowing Cadworon would be disappointed that his brother would no longer be working with him.
"This is the price for his mistake. I can only agree with you, your Majesty. Will you be looking for a replacement?"
"Yes. If I do not appoint a replacement, you will be stuck in the fortress on a permanent basis, and I know that you like to go in the forest once in a while with the other warriors."
"I do."
"What would you think if I gave the position to Brannor? I am certain that you would like to work with your nephew. I find him quite… persistent. Legolas only had compliments about him too."
"If you ask me as your bodyguard, I would say I would prefer to work with Brannor. As Brethilon's brother, I would say that he may be upset that his son took his position after he lost his position."
"I appreciate your honesty. But Brethilon's feelings are not a consideration in my decision. How do you think I feel, having to admit to the elven leaders that my own bodyguard took Gollum for a walk in the forest at night and that he escaped? I am quite certain that my feelings are more hurt than his will ever be. Please see with Brannor if he is interested. I would not like to force him into this. If he is not interested, then find me a few candidates I can meet."
"It will be done as you requested, my Lady." Valerie waited for Cadworon to have left the room before turning to Asta.
"Asta, sweety, come here," Valerie demanded. Asta took Elros in her arms and walked to Valerie, a happy smile on her face.
"I have noticed that you have a certain… interest for Brannor."
Asta blushed violently.
"Is there anything that makes you think that Brannor returns your feelings?"
Valerie knew it was not the case. Brannor never looked at Asta more than a few seconds before turning his gaze elsewhere. She was convinced that Asta had fallen in love with Brannor when Brethilon had been injured a year ago and that he had spent time in the fortress during his father's recovery. Hopefully, it was simply a passing infatuation. Things would get even more complicated if Brannor became her second bodyguard.
"I do not think so, your Majesty."
"You do understand that a love like this would not be possible?"
"But the king and you..."
So that was it. Asta, sweet girl as she was, was hoping that Brannor would bind himself to her, and maybe she even thought that she would become immortal by the same token.
"I have become half-elven by the will of the Valar, when I was taken to Middle Earth. Those are not normal circumstances, and these cannot be replicated. Your destiny is to remain mortal, Asta, I am sorry."
Asta seemed about to cry. Valerie took Elros from her arms, and Asta asked if she could be dismissed.
Valerie nodded with a sigh. It was to be expected, really, that Asta would have developed such hopes. There were no mortals around her, and she had started to aspire to have the life of an elf. It was quite sad, and Valerie regretted not to have been more delicate with the young mother. Asta was truly devoted to the royal elflings, even now that there was no need to nurse Elros and Gil-galad anymore.
"Asta may have to go back to Lake-town," she told Elros, who grabbed one of her locks and put it in his little mouth, completely unconcerned by the matter.
Maybe not now. Her children really loved Asta and her son Tobias. However her infatuation would have to be managed. Maybe Ninaelil would have suggestions. She was the one who had told Valerie that Asta was in love with Brannor after all.
