Hello my faithful mellyn! As you can see this is the 35th chapter! As such I will be taking a 2 week break per my schedule. I need to readjust to doing school online and get moved back into my house. I pray you all will not be too mad. I am not abandoning this story, I just need some time to get back into a new routine. Be safe and I will look forward to reading the reviews :)

Thank you to my faithful Beta ElvenMaia!


Out of Mirkwood

Scribbles-on-Parchment

March 21, 2020


Chapter 35 – Blame

Kélion could not help but sigh internally as he left himself coming out from the comforting darkness that had been enveloping him. The prince let his eyes flicker open as he heard arguing voices nearby,

"Thranduil is not in the palace. We have searched everywhere. We also can find none of the healers that are missing and there are several healing pouches that are unaccounted for."

The Sinda recognized the voice of Thalion. Kélion let his eyes flutter closed once more as he listened to the ellon continue,

"I swear that if Úmmon or Narril are in league with this dark elf and have injured the king, then so help me I will kill them with my own two hands."

The crown prince felt sorrow at the Silvan's angered words. Legolas has just been lost; this was not the time to also loose faith in their people. The elves that he spoke of where loyal and kind healers not capable of hurting a soul. They could not be responsible for this.

"Do you not hear yourself mellon?" Meldir's voice now reached Kélion's ears, calm and full of authority, "Now is not the time to be making accusations about one another. If we divide ourselves and point fingers in blame, then we will fall. The Greenwood will fall, and Legolas will never be avenged. Is that what you want?"

There was silence from the other ellon.

"Thalion, we must not lose faith in each another. If we do that then the darkness has already won. Now come, Kélion will wake soon and we must find the king before he does."

"Though I fear in what state we will find him in," Thalion's voice rang like a clash of metal in the prince's ear, "If what you have told me is true then I greatly worry if Thranduil has already passed on his powers to Kélion. If this is the case, then we can assume that he has already crossed into the Halls of Mandos. Perhaps he has already followed Legolas to the Halls of the Dead."

The Sinda's eyes flew open at this even as Meldir snapped,

"Do not speak of that which you do not yet understand mellon. Many ears may be listening and not all of them are meant to hear these words. You may give up hope, but I refuse to."

Kélion sat up in the plush bed he lay in, feeling ill. He looked around and saw that he was in the royal healing room. The large place was empty, and nothing moved save the flames of a fire that burned in the corner of the room, warding off the chill of night.

But the prince could focus on none of these things. Instead a horrible empty feeling was growing in his stomach. His adar was missing presumed dead? Why had they given up hope so easily?

This was too much to think about and the Sinda quickly pushed back the thin sheet that had lay over him and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"I would not stand up if I were you."

Kélion started at the sound of Êmand's voice beside him. He jerked his head over to see the ellon leaning against the wall, arms crossed.

"Valar, you frightened me. I did not think anyone was in the room. I heard raised voices outside the door and figured…"

The prince's voice died away.

"You figured that they had left you in the room to care for yourself with an unknown assassin still at large in palace? Truly your mind grows slow with age mellon," The older elf gave a smile before his face grew stern again, "However not perceiving anyone to be watching does not give you the ability to run around the palace as you please. You passed out and will mostly likely fall over if you try to stand now."

Kélion glared at Êmand. He had always been the one who would follow directions, yet the desperation he was feeling in his heart was making it impossible for him to simply lay back down. Instead he let his feet touch the cold hard floor,

"I will not lie here while my adar is missing. I cannot do that. My heart will not let me."


Êmand watched the prince pull himself to his feet. He raised his eyebrows, not overly surprised at this act. The ellon drew close to Kélion, ready to catch the Sinda if he should fall. But the crown prince only swayed for a moment before steadying himself and casting a quizzical look at him,

"I am not an elfling. You need not watch over me like a mother bird."

Êmand stepped back, giving the ellon his requested room,

"You will forgive me. My emotions are tense at this moment."

As he finished speaking the door to the healing chambers burst open as a rather frustrated Meldir stormed in. A look of shock and concern spread over his face as he took in Kélion standing.

"Mellon nín, why are you out of bed? You are not well. You fainted not an hour ago, you must rest."

Êmand watched from his place by the wall while Meldir rushed to help the prince back into bed, only to be shooed away.

"I am fine. Just leave me be," Kélion's voice came out deep, with a bite to it, "I am not the one that is missing."

Meldir glanced at Êmand who just shook his head slightly. The commander bowed his head realizing what had taken place.

"I regret that you had to hear that conversation mellon. It was not meant for your ears."

The prince gazed at his friend for a moment before putting a hand on the Silvan's shoulder,

"I have no ill will against you. But now you must tell me what has been happening for my heart fears what else you have not yet told me."


Nalledir walked along the empty hallway that led to the Halls of Healing. He had not been pleased to leave his naneth or the injured king alone with only Úmmon to protect them. Visions flashed through his mind of returning to them to find them slaughtered by an unknown assassin in the dark. The red blood spilling from his naneth's body, lifeless eyes… Nalledir shook his head banishing these thoughts from his mind. He would not let his mind stray down such dark paths, at least not while he had a task to do.

The Silvan heard voices behind him and quickly froze. What was the possibility that whoever was coming would be friendly? After seeing the king, he was not inclined to trust anyone at the moment.

Nalledir looked around the empty stone hall. There were no doors here so any inclination he had to seek cover would be pointless. Unless he could make a door where there was none, he would have to just continue on in good faith that those who followed would think nothing of him.

The ellon began walking again, this time at a much faster clip keeping an ear out behind him as the voices died away. However, they were soon to be replaced by more coming from in front of him. Nalledir sighed internally. Why could this have not been the day when the halls were empty? Had the soldiers realized their king was missing and were searching the palace? Or was this simply bad luck?

Nalledir continued down the hall even as the voices grew louder. Yet, he was almost to the Royal Healing chambers, and there he could disappear if he needed to.

As the ellon rounded a corner he found himself running into an angered group of the king's guard. Startled Nalledir quickly apologized and started to move past them, but a hand grabbed his arm while another pushed him backwards into the wall. Immediately the Silvan found himself pressed against the cold stone of the hallway a sword tip at his throat and several furious guards surrounding him.

"Where is he? What have you done with the king?"


Kélion stood with his arms crossed and listened to the two ellyn argue between themselves at what was to be done next to find the king. The frustrated look that covered the ellon's handsome face would have caused even the bravest warrior to fear.

After Meldir had told him of the missing healers and the searches of the palace going on, the Silvan had gotten into a discussion with Êmand of the next step of action. This had led into the argument that was now occurring and the prince had had enough of it. He had been standing here for several minutes listening to the two of them squabble like two dwarves. If this did not end soon then he would lose his temper.

But just as Kélion opened his mouth to silence the conversation, the door to the healing room was thrown open and several of soldiers walked in. The two ellyn in the front holding a battered and bleeding elf between them. It was Nalledir, one of the missing healers.

"We found one of the traitors hîr nín," the guard that spoke roughly grabbed the face of the ellon in his hand and forced the Silvan's face up, "He has not revealed what he did to the king, but it will not take us long to find out."

Kélion frowned as he looked Nalledir. The ellon's left eye was swollen, the obvious result of a fist connecting with his skin. A thin trickle of dried blood ran from a cut on his temple ending on his cheek. It looked almost like a tear.

Immediately the prince's heart went out to the elf. This young Silvan had been his friend for many centuries and the elf had helped tend to his family's injuries for many years. His adar had been killed in the great battle before he had been born, his body never found. Tamír, that had been his name. The ellon had been Thranduil's advisor and general.


Nalledir looked at the crown prince, a silent plea in his eyes. He had managed to convince the guards to take him to the prince after they had finished their brutal treatment of him. He knew they would never listen to him, no matter what he said. He needed to speak with someone whom he knew was levelheaded and would see the truth in his words.

The Sinda looked at him with an even gaze, emotions hidden beneath azure eyes, not betraying what he was thinking or feeling.

"I did nothing to h…"

But Nalledir's voice was cut off by one of the guards kicking him hard in the stomach. Pain erupted through his body cutting his breath short. The ellon would have fallen forward if it had not been for the guards holding him upright.

Through his haze of pain Nalledir heard the prince's commanding voice,

"Enough! For Valar's sake, let him speak."

Nalledir looked up green eyes full of pain. He wet his lips before forcing himself to speak,

"I can take you to him. I can take you to the king."


Elvish Translations:

adar – father

mellon – friend

mellon nín – my friend

naneth - mother

hîr nín – my lord