Hello my dearest reader - Things will begin to speed up now in preparation for the end of this story. I hope you enjoy...

For silverarrow: I think it just depends on the people present if the clearing would have gone quiet or not. I guess I was feeling that I wanted noise :) And in terms of awkwardness I totally agree! It is mega uncomfortable - I will not refute that! I am already sorry for this chapter as well *hides face and realizes that this chapter has 2 separate cliff hangers*

For Nymiriel: Vielen Dank mellon nín! I appreciate your review! In terms of if Thranduil will see what he is doing... we will have to see! (just do not give up hope yet! We still have a whole nother book to get through ;)

For my guest reviewer: Ahh yes and a good question it is! Fear not i did not forget about this fact. It will be important in this chapter fear not! Thank you taking the time to review and for being so diligent in pulling that out and commenting on it! It is appreciated!

And thank you to elvenmaia for helping me craft Arda in a way that lets my imagination run wild! Thank you mellon nín!

Out of Mirkwood

Scribbles-on-Parchment

November 21, 2020


Chapter 68 – Elrond's Letter

Thranduil was fuming. He could not believe that his own sons would speak out against him in such a manner. Though he had come to almost expect it from Legolas, Kélion's own disobedience was startling to him. Could he truly trust no one?

The king could not believe that this was happening to him. He had just gotten his family back together and now all he was succeeding in doing was driving them away. Was he doomed to forever to rule a kingdom that was falling apart while he could do nothing to stop it and to have sons that hated him?

After the crown prince had spoken, the Silvan ellyn had instantly done as he had instructed and quickly backed away from the Noldor to give them their freedom once more. Thranduil had not said a word only stood, back straight and blue eyes blazing, watching the scene unfold around him. He felt humiliated beyond belief and it was at the hands of his own sons that these feelings had been inflicted upon him.

The elven king saw the two Noldor twins hurry away to go back to tending to the wounded while the edan stayed where he was for a moment. Grey eyes met with blue for a brief moment before Thranduil tore his gaze away and the young human and walked off.

If Elrond's elves suddenly turned against them and slaughtered them all, Thranduil would not be at all surprised. He did not trust anything that came from that wretched ellon, least of all his offspring. Thranduil had known it would not be long before the Noldor came back and he was disappointed that his very own sons seemed to have fallen for the charade; he vowed he never would.

"What has happened to you mellon?"

Thranduil was pulled from his dark thoughts and whirled around to find Tamír standing next to him, brown eyes full of sorrow.

"What do you want?" The elven king growled his voice low, "Have you not already gotten what you wished for? Is this not what you desired all along? To be welcomed back into the Greenwood with open arms. Well, some of us do not forget and forgive the past as easily as others."

Tamír's face fell and his eyes grew guarded.

"What has happened to you Thranduil that has caused such a change in you? You are not the ellon that I served, respected, and loved as a brother. You are changed and it is not for the better. What has produced such anger in your heart? You were not always like this."

"I am the same ellon you abandoned all of those long years ago, just older and wiser. I have learned not to trust anyone, either Silvan or Noldor."

"And what of your wife? Has she not said anything of this to you? Or have you lost your trust and love for her as well."

This caused a reaction that Tamír had not expected. The ellon's emotionless mask slipped for a second allowing the ellon so see a great look of pain cross the elf king's face. Then as soon as he had seen it it was gone.

"You have been gone long for my wife died many years ago. She was murdered by the very same yrch that attacked us here. They found a way to slip unseen into the palace and I had no knowledge of it until it was too late."

This new revelation cut at Tamír's heart and he began to see Thranduil in an entirely new light. No longer did he see the angry Sindarin king standing before him but rather a bitter and heartbroken eldar. The anger, the frustration, the overprotection; it all made sense to him now. The ellon had lost his beloved wife and was now scared half to death that he would lose more.

"Naethen. I did not know she had passed on. It grieves my heart to hear of it."

"Why?" Thranduil's voice was as cold as before, "It is not like you were here when the life faded from her eyes and her súlë fled this accursed world. You were not here when I almost faded from grief. You were not here Tamír - you have come back too late."

The king watched the mixture of emotions flash over the Silvan's face before the ellon responded,

"Yet you also forget hîr nín, that I too lost that whom I had given my heart to. I know the pain you feel, for I have had it tearing at my heart for hundreds of years now. I understand you will never forgive me mellon but know that I will always forgive you."

Tamír watched the Sinda's brow wrinkled and a brief flash of confusion passed over his face,

"You do not know, do you."

"Know what?"

"Narril, your wife, she still lives."

With these six words Tamír felt as though his entire world had just been flipped upside down. His Narril, his sweet wife and joy of his heart, was alive? How? The Silvan turned his distraught face away from the king,

"But how can this be? How is she still alive? You do not speak the truth, you taunt me."

"Then you may continue living as though she were dead. It does not matter to me," Thranduil took a step away from the eldar, "She has lived for many years without you and I think she can continue doing it for a while longer. She has raised your son without a father and he turned out to be a very respectable ellon."

Had Thranduil been able to see Tamír's face he would have seen the ghostly pallor and look of shock that spread over the eldar's face as he tried to process what he had just heard. He had a son?

"Why did you not tell me of this sooner? Why was I never aware of this?"

The Silvan's voice was choked with emotion even as he asked these questions in an accusatory manner.

"You never came back and so we assumed you had either been killed or fled like a coward in the face of our destruction. Either way your wife survived. It is not my fault you did not know of these things. You were the one that vanished, never to return. After all of this time I wonder if she will even remember you…"

This was the last straw for Tamír. It was not just Thranduil's snide remarks and mocking tone, but also the great guilt that now spread through him like a wildfire, consuming everything in its path. His wife had lived; she had lived and had been forced to raise an elfling on her own in this dark forest. He had not been there for her even after he had promised her he would be.

The guilt transformed his sorrow and pity into red hot anger, anger at Thranduil. This was the ellon who had kept the Greenwood hidden and so destroyed his hope in ever returning. This ellon had caused his wife to be alone and think her beloved as dead.

"I shall never understand you, mellon. But I will tell you this," Tamír's eyes now matched the coldness of the elven king as he growled at the Sinda, "It is your actions that has caused this all to happen. Elrond would have rejoiced upon hearing of your survival; he would have sent aid, perhaps even come himself. Even now he still has faith in you, but after today I can say that I am sorry I ever did. All I got out of my years of faithfully serving you is a broken heart and a broken family. You are the only one who is to blame for all of this. You and no other."

The Silvan reached inside his tunic and pulled out Elrond's letter. He thrust it into Thranduil's hands,

"You have just lost yourself your most loyal of friends and subjects today hîr nín. I can only pray you will not go on to lose your sons in the same manner."

Thranduil watched the eldar storm off before looking down at the letter in his hands. He would never admit it but Tamír's words had struck deeper than he would have liked. In truth he had been grateful to see Tamír, even relieved. But his temper had gotten the better of him and even now he was greatly regretting the words he had spoken. He had spoken too hastily in his frustration and disappointment that eldar had survived and had never tried, even once, to come back

It was too late now, however. His brash words had just cost him his dearest friend.

The Sinda pushed these haunting thoughts from his mind and read over the fine, delicate lettering on the envelope. It was addressed to him from Elrond. He flipped over the thick cover and broke open the wax seal, pulling out the letter inside. The Sinda began to read.


My lord Thranduil, this has been the hardest letter I have ever had the pleasure of putting in writing. Yes, I say pleasure because I never thought I would ever be writing this message. You must understand how many long years I have imagined addressing a letter to you and now here I am. While I have many things I wish to tell you I shall be brief and try my best to answer some of the questions I believe you have.

From the little I have gathered from your son, the Prince Legolas, it seems as though you believe that I was the factor that almost caused the destruction of your people. I will, in all honesty, say that I also place this blame upon myself. It was never my intention to leave you to fight the yrch on your own but my ellyn and I were ambushed several hours before. I dispatched a letter warning you to halt your attack, though it was revealed to me later that it was never delivered.

Perhaps my greatest mistake was never entering the Greenwood to see if any of you yet lived. After Tamír was brought back at death's door, I foolishly thought that you had all been killed and there was nothing left. I realize now that I was gravely mistaken and I shall take this shame till my last breath.

I understand the great hatred and mistrust you must feel towards me and my people now. This is a rift that I fear shall never heal. I know I deserve every ill word and thought you have ever said about me and if I had the means by which I could go back and change things; I would gladly give my very life to do so.

My only request with this letter is to give you some explanation to what happened and why we never arrived to support you in battle. I am sure you must think of us all as traitors and kinslayers. If you would find it in your heart to let your guard down and allow us to meet in person where I can speak more freely about this manner perhaps then we will be able to tell the whole story in its entirety. However, if you do not and choose to keep you and your people isolated and therefore protected from the rest of us, I will honor this and not seek to find you by any other means. On this you have my word.

I pray to Eru that you will welcome Tamír back with open arms. He only seeks solace that I believe you may be able to bring him. In his heart, Tamír still remains loyal to you and forever will. Do not think of his absence from you as anything less than my doing. Had it been up to him he would have died protecting you and the Greenwood.

I am not delivering this message to you in person not because I either despise or lack bravery to look you in the eye, Instead I would ask you to look into your heart and you shall see that my presence there would have not have been wise. I did not choose to accompany my sons for I did not feel that the time was right. I feel as though my presence would have only made cause to deepen the void between our people and bring more anger between us.

May you read this letter and think better of me and perhaps even one day find me worthy enough to call mellon nín once more. If this is the last time you ever hear from me, then I shall one day meet you in Mando's Halls and there may our friendship be made new.

Harthon gerithach raid gelin a chwest adel thraw lín nalú en-agovaded vín.


Elvish Translations:

mellon – friend

yrch – orcs

naethen – I am sorry or my sorrow

súlë – spirit

hîr nín – my lord

mellon nín – my friend

harthon gerithach raid gelin a chwest adel thraw lín nalú en-agovaded vín - I hope you have green paths and a breeze always behind you until next we meet (elvish blessing)