A/N So there was a problem with the first upload of this chapter, hopefully its fixed now! Anyway...Sorry for the late update, but life has decided that it has its own ideas about what I do with my time, so this story will no longer have regular updates. But I will try to update at the very least, once a month-hopefully more than that, but I don't want to break any promises. This chapter is shorter than the others, but I figured it was better that I updated with a shorter chapter than to wait longer. I would also like to thank everyone for all the comments and kudos, its a better reception than I had anticipated, and I promise that I will see this story to the end!
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They had mostly small talked during the meal, well Susan and Lucy mostly carried the conversation, with Edmund occasionally commenting. Peter himself stayed silent for the most part and took the time to study their guests. He knew them all in a vague sense. Their differences were in their appearance-dark, blond, and silver-it was all he really knew of them. It was not right, and he intended to fix that. So he just watched and listened.
Thranduil liked the apple cake, Elrond the raspberry scone, and Celeborn had yet to taste any desert. Celeborn only spoke if it was necessary, which surprised Peter, who had thought that it would be Thranduil that kept quiet. Yet it seemed that Thranduil enjoyed changing topics at whim. While Elrond did not seem to mind carrying the conversation. It was all very interesting, and they were very good at small talk. They talked of the different animals that had come up to introduce themselves and how nice the trees were, and nothing about themselves.
At last the meal was over and it was time for the real talk. Peter wanted to know who these elves were that he had let into his kingdom and eat at his table. "Why don't we sojourn to the balcony, and then we can talk about the matter of your arrival," he said.
"That sounds like a great idea," Edmund agreed.
The afternoon sun glinted off the grand balcony as they all sat. His siblings waited for Peter to speak first, though he took a moment to weigh his guests. They did not flinch at the High King's gaze.
"Tell your story now, friends," he spoke at last, "and leave nothing out."
Peter listened as they began to speak. They told of a different world that seemed to be in constant battle. Peter knew evil. He had fought it as a boy-an impressionable child. And it had impressed itself upon him. He had felt it in the cold smile and still colder eyes, and at times he can still feel it as he too bares his teeth in war. Yet to fight it for millenia, it is a burden. A burden he does not know he could carry. Yet there is a part of him that knows he would, for his family, for his people, and to the detriment of himself-he would. He's High King.
And with that knowledge, he looks at the elves, and knows they have left something out. They are leaders, and they carry that burden. Peter can see it. But they do not speak of their status, merely the state of their land and how they arrived to this world.
"Tell me," Peter said when they had finished speaking, "Who are you in your world?"
"Pardon, Your Majesty?" Elrond asked.
"In your world, what was your status? It is easy to see that you are leaders. What are you leaders of?" Edmund inputted.
The elves looked at each other as the silence hung heavy. Then they looked at the sovereigns and Elrond spoke, "We are Lords." He gestured to Celeborn and himself.
That made sense, Peter thought, then he looked at Thranduil and their eyes met. For a moment it was as if the sky and sea warred in their gazes, until at last the two forces realized they could both hold sway of the same earth. And then Thranduil spoke, "I am king."
That also made sense, Peter looked between the three elves. Though they had all acted as equals, not two beings subordinate of the other.
"Are you all of the same Kingdom then?" Susan asked. Her thoughts must have been running in the same vein as his. Though if Peter were a betting man, he would bet that all four of their minds were running in the same vein. It is what gave them the ability to run a Kingdom together.
"No, Your Majesty," Celeborn said, "We are all heads of our own realms.
"Well then," Peter said, "It would seem that we are then on equal standing." He then stood up. "Thank you for telling us your story. My sibling would greatly enjoy hosting you for the afternoon, and though I too would enjoy it, I am afraid I have affairs to attend to." And with a slight bow of the head, he left.
He knew Susan would take him to task later for seeming rude, but he had things to think about and security to look over. There were dark creatures in his forest and he would not stand by it.
On the way out he ran into General Oreius. "General. How is our forest?" he asked.
"I have troops combing it, Sire. So far we have found nothing."
"Alright General, keep me apprised."
"Of course, Sire."
"Oh and General, remove the guards from our guests. They are to be treated as royal dignitaries from now on."
"Sire?"
"I will explain later Oreius," Peter said as he walked off. He had many things to think about, as well as meet with the captains of the troops that were patrolling.
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Thranduil let Elrond and Celeborn tell their story as he watched the sovereigns. After the battle they had spoken and decided that if asked they would share their true statuses. Even though the oldest of the Kings and Queens had barely touched into adulthood, there was a knowledge about them. They would know when they were being lied to. And as they finished, Thranduil looked at the High King and knew what the next question would be.
He did not want to divulge that he was King. It was dangerous, but they needed this alliance. It was a dangerous world, and they could not afford to lose the only allies they had. So he watched as the High King let the story soak in and then asked the question Thranduil was waiting for.
He made eye contact with the High King and let his gaze turn hard. It was the gaze he used to pass judgment and stare across battlefields. It weighed. But the High King did not bend under the weight, but instead held it in his own gaze. And in the strength of the blue gaze across from him, Thranduil made his decision, "I am king," he told them. And they did not seem surprised.
He watched the High King leave, and then turned his gaze to the remaining king and queens. He still felt uneasy at how young they all were. He did not see how they could be of any help in getting them home, but he had seen how their people loved them. They led by example and by a steady hand. And for their age they were not vassals, as Thranduil had seen in some mannish kingdoms, to be moved and swayed to another's whims.
"We will help you in finding your way home," King Edmund spoke, "I will send out some friends to keep their ears to the ground. You would be surprised all one can find if only they listen."
Thranduil studied the younger king, he was as different as night and day from his brother. More prone to the background, and Thranduil realized that's how this king liked it. There were deep things in his dark gaze.
"Thank you," Celeborn said, "We cannot say how much we appreciate your help."
"We are more than happy to help in anyway we can," Queen Lucy said with a warm smile
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"Of course, we always look after our allies," Queen Susan added.
And the fact that things would most definitely change should they prove to not be proper allies hung in the air. Thranduil looked at who he had heard referred to as the Gentle Queen, and instead of being distracted by her beauty, as he assumed most men were, he took in the intelligence in her gaze. This could be a dangerous diplomat, he thought. Up until this point the only sovereign he had spent any time with was Queen Lucy, and though he could never fault her bravery, he questioned how such carefreeness could run a country. But he now understood. Her carefreeness did not run a country, it was only one fourth of a whole. A whole that overall seemed very capable and they would do well to keep on their side.
Thranduil raised his glass as they all toasted to allies.