20. IT IS STUPID TO FEAR WHAT YOU CANNOT AVOID
Sara's very high scream rose from the bushes.
But what was the point of hiding?
Hanna approached the hedge and with a closer look she realized that the leaves were thorny, similar to holly, with less pungent edges, but enough to feel them in case someone jumped into them.
The hilarity overwhelmed her and forced her to place her hands on her stomach when her belly began to hurt from too much laughter.
She was forced to take refuge behind a tree when she saw Elladan and the little twins emerge from behind a column.
Galador had inherited his father's intelligence and resembled him while Elanor had many of his mother's traits.
Hanna smiled to see how attentive and kind the elf was to the children.
She had recognized him only because she had a different way of relating to them than her twin, who was looking for them at the moment.
By deception, they managed to smash his face on a splendid cake, sacrificed for a just cause!
But even though he was calmer than the noisy Elrohir, she knew that Elladan was loyal to him, so she hid from his sight as well.
Although it would not have surprised her if she had already known where she was.
The elves had built-in radars and even if they used the excuse of her heavy breathing, she was sure they used them to locate her even when she found perfect hiding places and according to her, unobtainable. They were taking a break before lunch, which alas, would have been without dessert!
"Aren't you tired of pretending all the time?" Hanna took a hit.
Kalos had grown more stealthy. Being with the elves was doing him good!
"Would I be an actress?" She asked not really wanting to talk to him.
"Actress?" He repeated confused.
Hanna laughed. She really had to explain everything!
"One who pretends to have her feelings!" She cleared up his ideas.
"Then you are!" The young wizard said.
"Are you saying that I lie?" She asked curious to hear the answer.
Over the years the Romans had invented absurd stories in order to find an explanation for the fact that Azrael had never killed her, that he appreciated her presence!
"I realized that this is no ordinary wood elf from the way Lord Elrond addressed him!" Kalos said looking her straight in the eye.
"You have guessed!" Hanna was really good at acting since she managed to remain impassive.
"I know what you're aiming for!" More than a statement it seemed like an accusation!
"Oh, he knows!" Hanna said laughing once again "Enlighten me!" She urged him.
"You gave the elf the children just to have an unbreakable bond with him! Who is he really? What treasure or power are you aiming for?" Kalos asked, getting alert.
"I'm for free speech, but you talk bullshit!" Hanna replied, stiffening.
She had never liked it! But could that two-bit wizard be dangerous?
"My bullshit, it's true!" The young wizard admitted with a victorious smile.
"You don't know anything!" Hanna exploded "You don't know how we met, what we've been through! You don't even know us as people!" She yelled at him.
Sara approached in pain, attracted by the screams.
"Then tell me!" He replied with equal impetus.
"Oh he is so mysterious but then he expects the others to open up and tell him every single secret!" Hanna was fed up with so much irreverence ... towards her!
She didn't trust the boy and the fact that he tried to extort the truth from her by throwing absurd accusations made her go mad!
"I was introduced to magic by Alatar and Pallando!" Kalos understood, from the faces of the girls who looked at him as if he were an emeritus idiot, that they did not know who he was talking about.
"The blue sorcerers! The other Istari present besides Gandalf, Radagast and Saruman!" The young wizard explained himself.
"I have to review this piece of history!" Sara admitted "But it is true that there are other Istari! I knew, in fact their fate was unknown!" She reasoned hoping that the young man could dispel his doubts.
"It is! They disappeared. This is why I went in search of Gandalf, he is the only one who can help me, teach me!" Vain hope!
"Well, now it's your turn!" Sara looked at Hanna, from whom the evil wizard was demanding answers.
"But who ever told you that in exchange I would tell you the story of my life !?" She defended herself. "Looking for Gandalf, right?" Sara interjected, he nodded while continuing to glare at the other "Well, then come with us to Mirkwood, the King will certainly be able to help you!" She invited him.
"Sorry, but at this point why doesn't Houdini ask Elrond for help?" Asked Hanna who wanted to get him out of the way.
"Because on the edge of Mirkwood Radagast lives and he, as well as helping him with magic, I think he can track down Gandalf!" Sara wasn't quite sure.
"Believe?" Kalos asked her in amazement.
"Oh, is it too much to ask for a little gratitude?" Snapped Hanna, whose patience had long since run out. "Why? You haven't done anything yet!" Sara with a look blocked her friend from answering him in kind. "We want to help you though!" Sara said crossing her arms over her chest "And if you really want to know our story..." she began to say, slowing down as she saw a smile of pure satisfaction spread across the magician's face "...you can ask the elf according to you I'm manipulating, once we are in Mirkwood!" Hanna finished for her with a victorious tone.
"You're slow Estel!" Aranel laughed as he ran swiftly through the gardens of Rivendell.
"Aranel, wait for me!" Lucilla called her after she had lost ground by tripping over a step.
When they arrived at their destination they saw Estel waiting for them comfortably seated on the ground "It's not fair! You are bigger!" Lucilla complained while Aranel decided to ignore him so as not to have to admit defeat.
They entered the stables happy, determined to put their plan into practice: to show Estel that Aranel really knew how to ride a horse!
"Are you sure Aranel, these horses are very tall!" Lucy was the youngest and most fearful, but this gave her a bit of forethought that the other two lacked.
"Ada made me ride Aegnor! I'm expert with big horses!" Aranel boasted.
"Elrohir and Elladan also taught me a lot, come and I'll help you saddle one!" Estel said opening a fence.
The horse ignored the little rider and went out cheerful, trotting fast towards a fresh and safe meal outside. "Didn't you foresee this ?!" Aranel asked amused by his friend's astonished face.
"In my head it was different!" Estel admitted.
"But what if we take your mother's horse?" Lucilla asked hoping she had a good idea.
"No!" Aranel replied dryly "Why? You are scared?" Estel teased her.
"Because my Nana didn't train him well! Elf horses are better!" Aranel said as he headed for another enclosure.
"Mani marte?" (What happened?) A voice outside made them flee instantly.
They had time to hide in some bushes to see an elf carrying the horse that had escaped inside.
"Do you want to train?" Estel asked as if nothing had happened.
"Okay, but tomorrow I'll show you I'm not a liar!" Aranel answered before running to the training camp. They found him busy, so they took refuge in a clearing.
"Leg, arm..." Estel listed, aiming at the points indicated while Aranel parried easily "...head!" "Head? Ouch!" Aranel complained when he struck the large helmet taken as protection that fell before her eyes from the blow.
"You are very good with the sword!" Estel said waving the small wooden sword.
"Not enough! In the village there were younger children who were much more dangerous!" Lucilla remembered.
"What kind of village do you come from?" Estel asked in amazement.
"Warriors!" Aranel replied "The sooner you learn to fight and the sooner you can get out of the walls!" She explained.
"Your father is a great warrior!" Estel said remembering how much fear the tall and serious elf instilled. "Yes, the best! But my brother is also very good!" recognized Aranel as she recalled his father's stories.
"Do you have another brother?" Estel asked curiously.
"Yes, it's called Legolas!" Lucilla replied that for the first time, she could pronounce that difficult name well. "Legolas? The King of Mirkwood?" That question sent the two girls into total confusion.
"Legolas is the King of Mirkwood…so he was a Prince before, when your father was King! Are you a Princess?!" Estel was stunned.
She didn't look like a princess at all!
"Really?" Lucilla asked euphorically.
"I don't want to be a Princess!" Too bad Aranel didn't share their enthusiasm.
Thranduil took off his hood without taking his eyes off his son's.
They observed each other for a long time, before Legolas broke that uncomfortable silence with an icy tone.
"What do you want stranger!" Those words erased the small smile that had formed on Thranduil's lips. "When a family member comes home you don't greet him like any other merchant!" He admonished him more surprised than angry.
"You are not a relative. Even if you seem to have taken on forms and movements!" Legolas replied.
"Show respect, and bow before King Legolas!" A young guard, whose name he did not know, told him staring at him with hatred and drawn sword.
Thranduil blocked his emotions, letting a mask of indifference fall over his expression.
With Hanna he had forgotten how to do it, something that had characterized him for centuries, after the untimely death of his wife, no longer seemed familiar to him.
He bowed his head and his back slightly. Kneeling had taken on a different meaning because of the Romans!
"Lead him to his rooms. I have no time to lose!" The King ordered.
Thranduil decided to indulge his wishes and followed the guards who led the way.
It seemed that time had stopped, leaving things identical to how he had seen them last time.
Walking through the corridors of the palace he saw many servants looking at him and fleeing in terror.
The news had spread quickly, but he hated being looked at as if they considered him Azrael, the angel of death.
He froze as he noticed that he was not in the royal apartments, but those reserved for guests.
It's okay that Legolas was the king and he had to make sure he wasn't Sauron's puppet, but that was outrageous.
He swallowed the bitter morsel and failing to prevent anger from showing through his features, he entered the room. Once the door closed he listened.
The guards had remained stationed outside! It was good that the children were in Rivendell. It wouldn't have been right to frighten them unnecessarily!
He was served lunch, but other than that, he was not paid attention. Thranduil found a way to pass the wait.
He took a long bath, wrote a letter that he would soon send to Rivendell, and began to read.
More than reading, he got lost in his own thoughts.
Seeing his son again after so long had warmed his heart. Legolas was a good King, witness was the people's loyalty. But could she get closer to him?
Even before their relationship had been close, as he grew up he had drifted away due to the austerity he had shown him. Would he ever forgive him?
So the evening arrived and the meeting with the son was announced.
"The King awaits you!" An elf said coldly after opening the door without even knocking.
He was led into the dining room and saw that a seat was on the opposite side from where Legolas was.
He sat down and began to eat the food already on the table and on his plate.
Some dishes took him back to episodes of his childhood and he ate more than he should.
Two hundred years in the life of an elf are not many, but finding himself enduring the unspeakable, millennia had appeared to him!
Legolas was silent the whole time, giving him a few fleeting glances.
He spoke only after the meal "What brings you to the kingdom of the elves?" Churches.
"The desire to see my son again. A son I thought was lost forever!" Thranduil answered sincerely.
"My father was a noble elf. Not a tramp! He would never have abandoned his people so lightly!" Pointed out Legolas sour.
"Things are often not what they appear to be. And I don't think you really believe that I left of my own free will!" tried Thranduil again.
"You will be free to roam the kingdom tomorrow, but you will have to inform me what you intend to do so that I give you permission and the guards don't find themselves forced to lock you in a cramped cell!" The King said with a streak of satisfaction, ignoring what he had just heard, before retiring without even taking his leave.
In Rivendell, life went on quietly.
The inhabitants enjoyed the breeze that blew light and warm announcing the end of winter.
Nobody knew that soon, the heat would overwhelm them...but not as expected!
"Aranel, Lucy!" Estel came out of a bush running towards her friends "We have to get everything back to Elrond's study! He's coming back!" He warned them for fear of bad consequences for breaking into his study without permission.
Lucy set down her inflatable cube made from the papers she found in the room.
There were also a crane, a frog, a swan, a dog...the rabbit had come off badly.
It looked more like some weird species of spider!
She really liked origami so much.
Since Sara had taught her how to make them, she never missed an opportunity!
Both the writings on those sheets were incomprehensible, instead of throwing them away he had used them to make something beautiful!
"Ugh already?" Aranel complained, obeying the major, however.
But only she decided when the game was really over, so after putting away all the objects stolen from Elrond's desk, she only took a magnifying glass to be able to have something to do during that moment of pause.
"Ants look like giants!" Lucy exulted when she saw the precious object carved in silver and gold, glistening in the sunlight.
"Do you want to see something really cool?" Estel asked extending a hand to Aranel in a silent request.
She didn't hesitate and handed him the lens.
They ran after a large bush, so if Elrond noticed the theft it would take him much longer to find them.
The friend pointed it on a dry leaf on the ground and this began to burn until it disappeared completely. "Cooool!" Lucy was the most impressionable, indeed she was the one who gave it to see with her voice, reaching octaves never discovered by the human voice.
Aranel, like her mother, used her body to convey her mood and at that moment she jumped on the spot. Soon afterwards an argument began between Aranel and Lucy who both wanted to try to do what Estel had done.
The friend sighed having foreseen this and looked out of the bush to see if Elrond was looking for them. While Lucy succeeded in the enterprise, Aranel caused other dry leaves to end up on the leaf out of spite. These, however, caught fire at the same time and Lucilla instinctively hit them with the lens making them land on a root.
"You scared me!" Lucilla accused her "It's your fault that you didn't let me try!" Aranel replied offended.
They both turned as the crackle of the fire grew louder. Estel just had time to turn around to go back hidden in the middle of the bush when he was overwhelmed by his friends.
Aranel immediately came back and pulled him by the hand, dragging him briefly, before he managed to get back on his feet and let himself be dragged away.
Had Elrond found them? He stopped when a noise attracted attention and opened his mouth in surprise when he saw their former hiding place engulfed in flames.
The elves reacted quickly and managed to stem the damage only to a few plants, but when an object belonging to their lord was found in the center, things got complicated.
Estel followed her friends who extraordinarily showed great courage to go to Elrond to face the punishment.
Lucilla wept silently, more from fright than anything else. Aranel had grown up with the belief that a warrior never backs down, and she knew full well that her father would be even angrier if she went into hiding.
She could only hope that Elrond was better and less severe than his Ada!
Although what scared her the most was her Nana's scolding as soon as she knew what they had done!
Thranduil walked around the gardens looking around curiously.
Human attitudes had influenced him to such an extent that like them he lived moment to moment, as did a mortal creature.
But this allowed him to get distracted in front of his son's icy coldness, finding a distraction in every place he saw again after a long time!
He sighed annoyed when he again perceived a hidden and constant presence that had not abandoned him since he had left his rooms.
He decided to go into the woods in the hope of sowing it and finally being able to be alone to calmly reflect on how to convince his son that he was not an evil artifice, but his father, finally back home!
As soon as he lost his tracks he climbed a tree hearing his whispers, whose branches were moved by the wind, happy with his return.
Yet they complained, the suffering was given by the constant threat of spiders bringing ruin and destruction, killing all the inhabitants of the forest. Instead of tormenting himself with something he couldn't solve, he returned to his present problem.
Legolas was like him, stubborn and suspicious.
Convincing him would have been difficult.
Talking about his mother was not a great idea, it could have annoyed him and lead him to believe she was lying since he had never done it before.
Remembering the moments spent together was a more plausible option.
He got up from the branch he was sitting on but before he could get off, voices announced the arrival of a group of elves.
A hideous sound accompanied the appearance of a group of large spiders who attacked hungrily, looking for fresh meat to feast on.
Thranduil got into position, ready to intervene. When the first guard fell to the ground, unconscious from the lethal poison, he decided to go down.
The elves had backed away, forming a protective shield around their fallen companion and were waiting for the spiders to attack.
Thranduil landed between them, recalling to him the ancient magic with which he protected his kingdom.
"To Elbereth Gilthoniel, Lasto beth nîn. Lacho calad! Drego morn! Gurth an glamhoth!" (O Elbereth, who lit the stars, hear my voice! Flame light. Flee night! Death to evil creatures!) far away the monstrous creatures that fled fast.
Thranduil fell to his knees, panting from the exertion, no longer familiar to him using that kind of protection.
When he raised his head he saw the mighty white deer with which, long ago, he controlled every single corner of his kingdom.
He faded as the voice of more guards reached them, taking his attention away from the magic.
Thranduil stood up, turning to those who had just fought and who were staring at him with wide eyes.
"We owe you our life, Sire!" One said before kneeling.
The others followed suit without hesitation.
"Get up!" Thranduil urged them with a smile. They obeyed.
"Your friend needs care!" He remembered staring at the unconscious elf with concern.
"Blessed be you!" A guard greeted him before putting his friend on his shoulder and running towards the infirmary.
"Boe ammen veriad lîn!" (We need your protection!) Said the only elf who was still on his knees.
The first one who had shown his gratitude ignored the other guards who had just arrived and said "Amin khiluva lle a' gurtha ar 'thar!" (I will follow you until death and beyond!) Showing him the esteem and respect that you owe to a King.
Thranduil was led to the royal chambers.
He was no longer afraid, it was his intention to tear down that wall between him and Legolas.
Waiting had become torture!
"Mankoi lle irma sint?" (What do you want to know?) He asked, remaining calm once in the presence of the King.
"Mani naa essa en lle?" (What is your name?) Legolas asked fearfully, looking at him as if he were a rather bizarre creature.
"Thranduil Oropherion, king of Mirkwood!" He replied avoiding that look.
"Mankoi naa lle sinome?" (Why are you here?) The King continued the interrogation.
Thranduil turned, looking his son straight in the eye "For you!" He said sincerely.
"Mankoi lle uma tanya?" (Why did you do that?) Legolas persisted.
"Mani?" (What?) Thranduil asked not understanding what he was referring to.
"Why did you come back? If it's really you, why have you waited so long to show yourself? Why have you abandoned your people? And where are the elves that were with you?" Those questions confirmed a horrendous truth.
They had not found the burned and torn bodies of the royal guards, the humans had been very good if they had been able to make them disappear without a trace!
Thranduil closed his eyes trying to drive away the memories.
Of the bodies that were being torn apart, the smell of burnt flesh...He felt Legolas study him with his eyes "They're dead!" He answered.
"And you are the only survivor? I do not believe it!" The cold son answered, turning away from him.
Legolas turned "What are those marks on your wrists?" Thranduil stiffened, unable even to breathe, automatically putting his hands behind his back.
No! Not that one! His carelessness had allowed him to see the marks of the chains ...!
They were one of the countless brands that would never go away, scars and darker skin traced the imprint of the iron cuffs he had fought against for decades.
If he hadn't got tired with the spell he just used, he would have put an illusion to hide them from view!
"My father had numerous scars, but none like that!" Legolas insisted.
The elf took a big breath of air and hunched his back, letting his hair hide his face, in a vain attempt to hide the shame he felt.
"They have won!" He whispered destroyed.
It shouldn't have happened!
His son surely knew what those particular scars were due to.
And if he still considered him an enemy, most likely, the hostility towards him would have increased if he had not responded!
"They who?" Legolas asked curiously but remaining alert.
Thranduil did not reply, rubbing his wrist with one hand.
Legolas snorted and opened the door with the intention of going out and not retracing his steps.
"I remember when you were a child you gave up after the first failure! It's amazing how certain things don't change over time." That statement made Legolas stop. He closed the door, but remained with his back to him.
"You were convinced that you would never make it that maybe you were more inclined to the sword like me!" Thranduil continued looking up, shifting his gaze to his son "You haven't listened to anyone but me!"
"The archery exercises were one of the last moments spent together. I allowed you to go into the woods at every goal reached, every center marked!" Thranduil lowered his head in pain "Forgive me it is my fault if the distance between us has grown to the point...that you are no longer able to recognize me!".
Legolas remained silent as he approached slowly, staring at him suspiciously.
"You didn't let me down Legolas! Even if you have always maintained that you did not want to become King, because you feared that this would lead to my death...you proved yourself up to it! I was sure about that!" Thranduil's eyes rested on him "A true King does what is right for his people!" His father said looking at him with an affection that for many centuries he had not shown his son "Elrond has seen it right!" He admitted.
"Have you been to Imladris?" Legolas asked surprised both by the last statement and by that news. Thranduil nodded.
"There I sought refuge. The orcs attacked me along the way!" He recounted remembering those terrifying moments when he believed that the enemy would take the life of his children.
"Ada!" Legolas' voice reminded him of his presence and he froze to hear him so close "Ada, only you could know that phrase you repeated to me until exhaustion, if only to annoy me: a King does what is right for his people!" The son said in an affectionate voice that he had missed too much.
"No! The one you knew died long ago!" Thranduil replied, stepping back and lowering his head so as not to show the pain that transpired from his eyes.
He couldn't fool him that he was the same elf as he was two hundred years ago.
He wasn't sure either!
"It's not true! You talked about the last moment spent together. During the quarrel that separated us before your trip, I did it too, accusing you of being distant and reminding you of how small I was when you still showed concern for me!" Legolas insisted. He seemed to be convinced!
"Ada, look at me!" begged the son "Now I'm sure it's really you!".
"No, I'm a monster! Born of inauspicious events. Which came to life out of necessity!" Thranduil continued managing to comply with his request.
"Im avo goston o le!" (I'm not afraid of you!) Legolas admitted "Is it about the new scars?" He asked "What happened to you? Who did this to you?" He asked sorrowfully.
Thranduil did not answer, turning away.
He shouldn't have known!
Not everything at least!
How could he avoid it?
"Ada!" He called him worried "Sedho!" (Calm down!) She whispered to him.
They were silent for an infinite time before Thranduil took courage and began to speak "Thalion, Narwain and Galdor!" List.
Legolas patiently waited for him to continue.
"Only they had survived...the attack by humans!" Unveiled.
The son gasped and horror mixed with anger was painted on his face.
"It is only thanks to the help of some human prisoners that I managed to escape!" He confess.
The army created by Spartacus was more numerous than "some humans" but it was a detail that at the time did not matter.
"And the others?" Legolas asked agitated at the idea that some elves belonging to their people were still prisoners.
But it was enough to observe the expression of the father to understand that they had gone to the classrooms of Mandos!
Thranduil closed his eyes letting fatigue and relief take over.
"My son, you don't know how much I prayed to the Valar to be able to see this day! I'm really sorry I caused you so much anguish!" He said gently placing a hand on the young King's shoulder.
Legolas felt a tear run across his cheek. The Valar had heard his prayers too!
Though wounded and broken, his father was still alive!
"I realized it was you when they told me what you did, but a part of me was still afraid of deluding itself. Do not apologize for having aroused emotions that only the deepest love a son feels for his father can evoke!" Legolas said placing both hands on the parent's shoulders.
"Thanks to Elbereth's mercy this pain has ceased. You are here in front of me, as I no longer hoped could happen. The most precious of all blessings!" Legolas hugged him holding him tightly and starting to cry with joy feeling the tension disappear completely, when a sob escaped from his father's lips.
Some time ago they would have hesitated to indulge in expressions of affection, clearly showing the love they felt for each other.
But after the years of anguish and pain, Legolas made that gesture without hesitation and his father immediately welcomed him, giving the impression of having waited and hoped for him.
"Im melithon le an i uir!" (I will love you for eternity!) He said grateful to be able to have him again next to me.
That morning Hanna and Sara were busy cooking real food.
Not that the elves were bad, but when Elrond gave them permission, they had decided to make omelets stuffed with salted meat and cheese or salted meat and bacon.
The children seemed to have gone mad.
It had to be their human side to make them react like that, since the three men were no less.
Kalos looked much more skeptical.
"But why didn't you prepare this food of the gods in the village as well?" Hagen asked, gulping down the almost whole sixth omelette.
"Because we didn't have the ingredients!" Sara answered as she brought the third tray to the table, followed by some elves who had cooked their share anyway.
"Isn't calling it that a bit exaggerated?" Kalos asked, who had finally turned down their cuisine to fall back on the elven one.
"Are you criticizing them?" Tigris asked threateningly.
"I was just expressing my opinion!" That boy wizard had a nice chutzpah.
"See what I can do!" Sara interrupted them as she put some omelette on the spoon before throwing it in the air.
It goes without saying that that bad example was seen in a completely different light!
"I HATE YOU!" Hanna hissed when the three children followed suit and the twins, unable to hold the spoons, used their hands directly.
Elanor was waving in her mother's arms and Sara picked up Galador before Felix lost his grip, frightened by the energy that such a small child was able to show.
Hanna began to rail at Sara "I don't have four children, but five! Is it possible that after all we've been through you still behave like..." she stopped abruptly, turning to Felix "Did you throw jam in my hair?" She asked to incinerate him with a look that demanded revenge.
"To sweeten you a little!" The boy answered.
"For the Middle Heaaart!" Sara's scream started a fight and a waste of food never seen in the history of Arda.
The elves present escaped showing themselves to be great cowards, or wise, depending on the point of view.
Kalos made the mistake of throwing a whole apple that made Sara capitulate to the ground when she fell into her plate making her jump in fright.
Tigris replied as if he had hit his daughter and for the wizard it was not enough to protect himself with a plate no matter how strong the blow was.
The Gaul threw an apple at him with such force that it shattered against the plate, snatching it from his hands and knocking him down.
Galador sat comfortably on the table and clapped his hands laughing at the funny faces that warriors made. Elanor, in her mother's arms, tried in vain to reach her brother at the center of the action.
Hanna intercepted a flying muffin, decided it was too good to send it back, and made it disappear in three bites.
Hagen, who despite his size was very agile, managed to dodge many of the blows.
Felix took advantage of the momentary distraction to grab the jug full of juice and empty the entire contents onto the mallard, only to be thrown across the room.
At first Aranel had taken the side of men, but tired of being a squire she had engaged in a personal fight against Estel.
"Stop moving! So I can't hit you!" She shouted running after her friend who even got on the table just to have an advantage.
Too bad he found himself surrounded, with Lucilla clinging to his leg screaming "I've got it! He is my prisoner!" While the war around them continued to rage.
"What is going on?" Elrond was surprised that these humans displayed a disposition he had always attributed to dwarves.
Loud and confusing.
Lindir behind him looked terrified of being on the battlefield.
"Exchange of views!" Sara replied, sitting down again at the table as if the hurricane had never passed and then reminded the last of the child she had left on the table.
She was dumbfounded to stare at the Lord of Rivendell as she gently reached out her hands to Galador "May I hold him?" Churches.
Instinctively Sara turned to her mother and received a nervous nod from her with a "What are you waiting for stupid!" reflected in his eyes, he decided to obey.
The little boy did not seem frightened in the arms of a stranger, but perhaps because at that time he had seen his father interact with him several times.
"It's splendid!" Elrond complimented him as he sat down in his seat.
Oddly or fortunately that part of the table had been spared. Lindir remained standing beside him.
"Estel lay those eggs!" Elrond ordered a very embarrassed boy who had tried in vain to slip away without being seen.
Hanna sat down trying to look as relaxed as possible.
It really was, but the rigidity Hagen and Tigris assumed negatively affected his initial intentions.
Could it be that by training with the elves, they still didn't trust their lord? "Are you going to leave for Mirkwood?" Elrond asked breaking the awkward silence that had fallen.
"As soon as Thranduil gives us permission!" Sara answered playing with what was left of the breakfast. Elrond sighed "As happy as I am to see a love that had long since disappeared, I cannot hide my anguish!" Said the ancient elf.
"You are mortal creatures. Soon your nature will consume you and you will wither in the face of the passing of the seasons!" Elrond sighed "May the Valar protect him! Thranduil, for the second time, will have to suffer the loss!" He recognized.
Galador laughed, as if wanting to cheer up the sad elf, grabbing the long brown locks to draw attention to himself.
The girls looked at each other for a long time before starting the same fight, accusing each other "Didn't you tell them?" Sara asked, blushing with embarrassment.
"What?" Hanna didn't ... now she understood what she meant!
"You know it well!" Sara felt like she was reliving the same discussion she had with Thranduil years ago. "What?" They asked in chorus for Hagen and Tigris lost.
They had lived together for years, what was they missing?
"But does it always have to be my job ?!" protests Hanna in trouble, it was never easy to reveal such a secret!
"What?" Felix didn't think his friends would ever hide anything from him.
"Guys, could you leave us ?!" Finally Hanna asked, understanding that the subject had to be treated with pliers.
"Why?" Hagen asked cautiously.
"Because he won't hurt us and we have to talk about very personal things!" Sara tried to silence them. "Why with him yes and not us?" Now Tigris was getting on too.
"Do you want to talk about monthly blood with the healer?" Hanna's class was back.
"Yes, if that means keeping you safe!" Pure the stubbornness of the Gaul.
"The elves ... they won't hurt us!" Hanna had learned to scare her eyes, just like Thranduil…she had had a good teacher!
"We will wait outside. Ready to fight!" He threatened Tigris as he slowly stood up.
"Lindir please take care of the children!" Elrond ordered pointing to the three older ones who were covered with food from head to toe.
The elf bowed in front of his lord as a sign of respect but an expression of one who is cruelly punished appeared on his face.
"Is there something you need to tell me?" Elrond asked once they were alone.
Well without ears that could understand.
"We are immortal!" Sara choked on the juice making the twins laugh.
"What's up?" Hanna asked when she gave her a dismayed look.
"Is it too much to ask for a little tact?" Sara growled as soon as she had enough breath to speak.
"How did you want to tell him?" Hanna asked as if it were the most normal thing in the world to throw bombs like this into people's lives, without the slightest scruple.
"Not like that!" Sara replied waving her hands.
"Sometimes you are insatiable!" Hanna accused him.
"Who did it?" Elrond's question brought the first round to an end.
"Please continue!" Sara said making a sweeping wave of her hand to invite Hanna to explain everything. She took a big breath of air while rearranging her thoughts.
"When we were taken prisoner by our fellow men...we discovered that Thranduil..." Hanna realized that she had gotten into a lot of trouble "…well...that he too was a prisoner!" She said.
Fortunately Elrond was not impatient and politely waited for her to continue on her own, without pushing her in any way.
"After a short time, we saw two more elves. More young people who were part of the royal guard who escorted Thranduil when he was captured!" Now she had to proceed cautiously "He knew they were imprisoned, but they had been separated for many years!" About a hundred and fifty years old, was that a lot for the elves? Maybe for those in chains, yes.
"When they sentenced them to death, they gave us the gift of their immortality!" Unveiled in the end. "Why on earth do such a thing? Did you know them?" Elrond asked confused.
"Not great!" Hanna admitted.
"They said we could help their King!" Sara specified.
"What do you mean?" Elrond understood that the vitality of those girls must have benefited his friend, but it was not enough to justify the action of the two guards!
"Well...maybe they had seen that she was already crushed on him...holy Christ!" Sara complained when Hanna spilled the entire contents of the glass on her.
"Did you know who he was?" At that question, the friends exchanged a look trying to appear annoyed.
"Of course not!" Other than architecture, Hanna had the makings of an actress.
Sara laughed, mixing lies and truth together "At first we didn't understand why Narwain and Galador were scandalized when we were too informal or rude to him!".
"Then once we understood, we calmed down!" Hanna explained refilling her glass.
"Was Thranduil just a prisoner?" Asked the Lord.
"What did he tell you?" Hanna wasn't going to take the bait, she wasn't stupid.
"That humans had made him suffer but others had given him hope!" The elf answered calmly.
"That's right!" Sara confirmed hoping that Elrond would finish the interrogation.
"It's curious, talking about beautiful things is done quickly, without second thoughts. Instead, from burdensome or frightening things you can draw a good story, or at least a long story!" At Elrond's words they understood that it was a polite invitation to speak, but they both remained with their mouths closed. "How did the young guards die?" The elf did not give up.
"Slain by humans!" It was true!
Hanna wasn't lying, she just didn't tell the whole truth!
"Why were you prisoners too?" Elrond felt that those girls had something special.
He had confirmed it that morning: he had never seen the dishes they cooked, they must have come from far away!
"We've gone too far from home!" Sara replied feeling at peace with herself now that she wasn't lying. "Don't you wish to return? Even just to say hello to your families?" The elf asked with sincere concern.
Sara lowered her gaze trying to hide her eyes full of sadness "We can't! Humans..." what excuse could he come up with?
"They exterminated our families!" Hanna answered dryly.
Sara thought about it.
It was actually being in another world and another era that separated them from their family.
But it was better not to give the elf other holds on which to investigate.
"What did the humans want from Thranduil? Neither of the elven kingdoms has received any ransom demands!" The expression of "Oh, shit!" is painted himself on Hanna's face.
"Why did they brand it with fire?" Elrond asked pointing to his right forearm.
"Why were they having such fun ?!" Hanna pretended to speculate, remembering what she had ignored and tried to forget "Look..." she said sitting up straight "..I don't know what Thranduil went through before we met him. But I never insisted because I know, from the scars he wears, that it's not something he likes to remember!" She clarified.
"What matters is that we managed to escape and that now he is returning to his son!" Sara said without hiding the relief she felt in saying it.
"We are the result of what has been done to us. We can succumb or come out stronger!" Hanna repeated more to herself than to the others.
"You are wise young human. I confess that when you leave, this place will seem lifeless when compared to the time you honored us with your company and your good food!" Elrond said, helping himself to an omelette as Galador carefully watched his every move.
The news in a short time had reached every corner of the Kingdom as well as the excitement that arose in receiving such joyful and long-awaited news.
In a sumptuous ceremony, the wood elves had celebrated the return of the lost king and for him the party had been far too boring. No shouting, noisy laughter or fights ... just music!
"We are here to celebrate an unexpected but long-awaited event! Our beloved long-lost King is back! We show joy in having him back with us! Cormamin lindua ele lle!" (My heart sings when I see you!) Legolas said, bowing his head in the direction of his father, smiling as he received cries of joy from the people in response.
Thranduil raised his arms for silence "I thank you for this magnificent welcome. Too long I have dreamed of returning and I thank the Valar for having answered my prayers!" He said in a powerful voice so that everyone could hear him.
He walked among his people, finally happy to be among them and not feeling the usual annoyance he felt when he was forced to preside over celebrations that did not interest him.
"Aa' lasser en lle coia orn n 'omenta gurtha!" (May the leaves of your tree of life never wither).
"Aa' i'sul nora lanne'lle!" (May the wind blow up your sails!).
"Aa' menle nauva calen ar 'ta hwesta e' ale'quenle!" (May your streets be green and may the wind accompany you).
"Aa' menealle nauva calen ar 'malta!" (May your path be green and golden!) Many appreciations and wishes of happiness were addressed to him to which he replied by smiling with a nod of the head or thanking.
He was called back to the throne by Legolas.
"In these years I have worked hard to be a good King!" He began to speak "But you will agree with me, that it would be an unforgivable shame to turn your back on the true and only ruler of Mirkwood!" Thranduil had to make an enormous effort to contain the surprise as much as possible.
He swallowed in an attempt to stay calm.
"The one who fought against his tormentors for years and with determination to return to us! The one who demonstrated the true temper of a wood elf!" The people fully supported him, without the slightest doubt, with applause and exclamations such as "Aran Thranduil!" Or "Hir nîn Thranduil!" They increased more and more.
"I bow and offer the crown to the ruler of Mirkwood: Thranduil Oropherion!" Legolas said bowing in front of his father and after removing the crown made of branches and leaves from his head, he handed it to his father.
Thranduil hesitated for only a moment. Wondering if he was still worth it.
After living like an outcast for years, having been humiliated, having kneeled before Batitato ... but it is the people who choose their ruler!
If he had pulled back he would have been truly a coward and would have let the Romans win, as well as insulting the memory of his father and everything he had taught him!
It was his duty to provide and protect the Wood Elves.
It would never fail, Roman or not.
He gently took the crown in his hands and turned to the people raising it and the applause almost deafened him as loud as they were.
He placed it on his head with confidence.
Maybe they would talk about it, but he didn't care.
Thranduil hugged Legolas, unable to repress a tear.
He was at home and had found his son!
The teacher sat next to the desk observing the three students "Hello girls, today we will resume the lesson of elven sindar!" He said opening his book.
The Master was a brown-haired, green-eyed elf.
Patient but stern he had managed to win the sympathy of the girls only because they were both eager to improve in speaking the language of the elves.
A noise made her turn to the window and a grimace was painted on her face.
Aranel raised his hand "We have just started, it is impossible that you have to go to the bathroom!" He took it back quietly.
"I just wanted to ask what happens!" Aranel explained making the most innocent face he could show. "Humans are leaving! Now, could you read...where are you going?" The Master asked, looking with dismay at Aranel going out in a hurry without asking for any permission "Come back here!" He called her in vain.
Aranel stopped at the top of the stairs to realize he was right: Hagen, Tigris and Felix were leaving!
"Aramel, wait for me!" Lucy's voice didn't stop her and she managed to catch up with them before they galloped off, forcing them to stop the horses.
"By the gods!" Hagen was surprised "What are you doing here?" Felix asked looking around "You should be in class!".
"Where are you going?" Aranel asked, placing his hands on his hips.
"For a ride!" Tigris lied.
"With food, blankets and weapons?" Okay, now Aranel had transformed into some kind of miniature Hanna!
Tigris got off his horse crouching in front of the elf "The time has come for us to leave!" "This seems to escape me more!" Aranel commented.
"The news has just come that hordes of orcs are infesting Rohan. It is our duty to protect the village and we must leave as soon as possible!" Hagen said, kneeling down in front of the little girl too.
"But ... aren't you staying with us?" Lucilla asked shyly.
"No sorry. Humans have to live with their fellow humans!" Felix replied embittered.
He had known the daughter of the angel of death for a long time and even though he had little interaction with her, he suffered from having to say goodbye.
"I'm a human too!" Lucilla protested.
"My Nana is too!" Aranel gave her a hand.
"Yes, but your father promised to take care of her and you!" Hagen said pointing to Lucilla "For this you must stay!" He tried to convince them.
She would miss that little pest.
"No, don't go!" Unexpectedly Aranel threw his arms around Tigris's neck, who stiffened in surprise.
"Aranel, we must!" The Gaul tried to calm her down "We are warriors, it is our duty to fight to defend..." "Atticus and Milo have never returned!" Aranel cried and began to cry.
The three men looked perplexed.
They believed that at four, she was too young to remember her "brothers"!
Aranel's world had changed completely in no time.
They had stopped living in the tent, the two brothers had disappeared without any explanation, as well as Cassia, Ariadne had not wanted to follow them and now her father's friends would have done the same! "Aranel..." Tigris had never been good with children, but seeing his father interact with her gave him an advantage "...it's not your intention to leave Ariadne and Attilio alone and helpless, right?" The girl broke away from him and wiping her tears whispered "No!" Barely audible between sobs.
"Then we must go! Maybe one day we will meet again, but our place is in the village!" Tigris said not knowing how to make her stop crying, looking around nervously, fearing that the elves might think he was hurting her!
"This does not mean that we will forget you!" Felix came to the rescue.
"But ... we are a family!" Aranel protested.
"And we always will be!" Hagen said without the slightest conviction.
"Listen…" Felix began to speak "…we will be happy in the village! As you will be with your parents and Lucilla! We will always remain a family! We will send you a letter as soon as I learn to write!" He promised uncertainly.
He hated the idea of having to start learning the alphabet.
"We rebels will always be united! Even with those who perished in battle!" Hagen said, punching his chest. Then the three men returned to the saddle, throwing convinced looks at the girls.
"Aranel…" Hagen called her "Once you grow up, kill as many orcs as possible! So we could hear your name become a legend!" He encouraged her by thinking about how the name of Spartacus aroused fear in the Romans just by pronouncing it.
"Are you sure it's a good idea?" Faced with Felix's question, Hagen answered with a questioning look.
"Leave without saying goodbye!" The boy explained.
"We are warriors! Not females who have to greet their lovers who go to war!" Tigris answered sharply.
"I just want to spare the girls this pain! Do you remember how devastated they were when Atticus, Gannicus and Milo didn't return?" Hagen asked that he would never admit to being shot down by that inevitable separation.
"All right!" Felix gave up before pushing his horse into a gallop.
"Good luck!" A cheerful Lucilla greeted them who, having recently met them, would not have missed them. "Ada ... come back soon!" Aranel cried as he continued to stare at the path where part of his family had disappeared.
A light breeze blew through the branches of Mirkwood trees.
Despite the present darkness, the forest seemed to have been reborn from the return of the King.
Legolas felt happy, as he had not done for years now.
Due to the silences and numerous misunderstandings, he did not understand how deep the bond with his father was until he lost it.
The mourning for his alleged death had been hard to overcome, but Tauriel's presence had allowed him to believe that all was not lost.
Now he had to explain to his father the nature of their relationship before he discovered it for himself.
The king had never liked surprises!
"The patrols to the north have cleared out more spider nests! Those to the east clashed with unwary orcs who dared to cross the borders…" Legolas was not paying attention to what his father was saying. "Legolas!" Thranduil could not understand the reason for so much inattention.
"What's up?" Long last.
"Is there something that troubles you iôn nin (my son)?" Thranduil asked, sensing that Legolas had to tell him something.
"I was irresponsible!" Legolas admitted. The king looked up at his son, with an amused air "Really?".
"Undoubtedly a great fool!" He replied "I failed to inform you about a matter of great importance!" I confess.
Thranduil became attentive. His son's nervousness only increased his curiosity.
"Shortly after your disappearance, I started dating a partner!" Legolas said trying to understand if the father approved or not, from his expression.
A smile lit up the king's face "Why are you so reluctant to inform me about such good news?" He asked gladly that Legolas had someone by his side during his absence. In response he received a tense silence and saw how the son was carefully pondering the words to use.
"Who is the lucky one?" He asked, becoming attentive.
"Tauriel!" Legolas decided that by now he could no longer escape and would never lie about the love that bound him to her.
"The captain of the guard?" The King looked shocked.
He had known Tauriel since she was little, having taken her under his wing, raising her like a warrior.
"I know he is not of noble lineage. But, father ... if you saw what he is capable of doing! It is strong and efficient. She has earned the esteem of the entire guard and has always managed to mitigate my character which has not been the best since I sat on the throne!" Legolas told him as tense as he had seen him at their first meeting.
The Prince looked confused when he again saw a small smile spread across the sovereign's lips.
He could call it a miracle: smiling seemed to have become a normal thing for him!
"I cannot nor want to criticize or hinder the choices of your heart Legolas. You have my blessing and I appreciate your sincerity, so much so that I have decided to reciprocate!" The Prince sat down in a chair opposite his father, curious and determined to listen.
"There is something I have to tell you!" Thranduil began while still thinking how to introduce such a delicate subject.
"You're not the type to confide in! What did I do wrong?" Legolas asked amused.
Seeing his father in trouble was a rare opportunity.
The euphoria due to his return had not yet subsided, even after a few months.
"During my captivity ..." the father tried to start thinking about the right words to use.
Legolas became attentive. He had never insisted on this speech, to avoid making him suffer, but the desire to know had not abandoned him.
"I don't know how to explain it!" It was a rarity to see the King of Mirkwood at a loss for words and that day was already the second time it happened.
"Just say it!" The son urged him.
"I fell in love!" Legolas was stunned "I didn't think it could happen again!" The King added with his eyes reliving the happy moments spent with Hanna.
"Are her still alive?" Legolas asked interrupting that stream of memories.
He nodded.
"If you're asking me for permission to make her come, as a son I give it to you, as a king you don't need it!" Legolas said looking calmer than his father expected.
"I will not allow that distance between us to return and I thank you for your support!" Legolas went to the door of the study but his father stopped him "Legolas!".
"Yes, father!" He said managing to hide a smile before turning around.
"If this love were to give unexpected fruits, would you accept them?" He asked looking very worried.
"Sure! But ... is he an elf?" He asked horrified.
How many of their race had been captured by humans?
"No!" Thranduil answered immediately.
"Then it's very unlikely, father!" It reminded him of him.
"No!" The King repeated.
Legolas looked at him confused.
"It happened ..." he whispered lowering his head "Aranel was the blessing of the Valar!" If the subject hadn't been so delicate, Thranduil would have laughed at his son's reaction, who had suddenly stiffened. "Star of the King!" Legolas whispered in disbelief "Where is she?" He asked looking excited "You were alone when you arrived!" I remember.
"I didn't know if you would welcome me! I could not expose her to such a dangerous journey without being certain ..." Thranduil could not finish the sentence.
That terrible alternative was tearing him apart.
Thinking of being chased away by his own people, by his son, was poignant!
"You love your children more than your own life!" Legolas realized as he approached him.
"Where is it? Where are you and the woman who melted your heart?" He asked curiously.
"You have three Legolas brothers!" Thranduil replied, sipping his wine as if they were talking about business.
"Like?" If Legolas thought that his father's return had shaken his life, it was nothing compared to such a revelation.
"Just got back...to a familiar place to me. Twins were born! Galador and Elanor!" Thranduil told him badly, hiding a laugh at his son's astonishment.
"There's more?" Legolas asked stunned "No, you can withdraw to metabolize what I just told you!" His father dismissed him.
He had always wanted a brother or sister and full of joy he went to carry out his duties.
Unfortunately, the happiness did not last and that evening Legolas' enthusiasm was dampened by the words of Tauriel "What interest can humans have for us? I suspect a much more prosaic reason! I fear that the human could represent a threat to the kingdom!".
The girls stared at the paper found on Hanna's desk with a critical eye, amusement, and anger.
That afternoon the children's teacher had gone to them to complain about the conduct of Aranel and Lucilla.
As if theirs towards the twins were of little importance!
Luckily they had gone hunting for orcs.
Apparently Aranel didn't need a bad example to misbehave!
And if at first Hanna had listened to her, at the news that the men had left she had forgotten the real reason why the teacher was angry.
After searching for them throughout the kingdom, they had come across Elrond who had confirmed their departure.
Furious that they had to find out without being warned, and also disappointed by the hope that they could stay longer with them, they returned to their room, to change for the evening.
Only to find another surprise in the form of a letter of a few lines.
"They might as well not leave us something!" Sara observed.
"They could have come in person, without leaving us this opprobrium!" Hanna said crossing her arms over her chest.
"They are Hanna warriors! What did you expect? A sumptuous ceremony full of cordial and respectful greetings?" It reminded her of Sara.
"They're pappamolli if they can't say goodbye!" Hanna replied "But who knows...maybe one day we will see them again!" she said happy despite everything.
Hagen, Tigris and Felix were great warriors.
They would fight and live a free life in the village, which Spartacus had always wanted!
"Anyway, I agree with you: Hagen will never learn to write, even if he has to live a hundred lives!" she observed rereading that letter which they had struggled to translate.
"Sory, mesage of most impotance. Vilage in dager. We ron to figt againt orcs. You have a bautifull familiy, the goods be wiht you!"
"They have always been tough. Curious that they showed their weak side just when our paths had to part!" criticized Sara, fondly recalling the past years.
She didn't know them well, despite the time they spent together.
Pride had not allowed them to strengthen the bond of friendship, although apparently it had left a mark, as they were unable to say goodbye.
She had memorized every moment when she had allowed them to enter Azrael's inner circle.
Hagen had invited him to join them because, seeing how insistently he was trying to show himself worthy to follow the angel of death, he had decided to give him a chance.
Proud, ambitious and stubborn, he had shown himself to be a good friend even if like everyone else, he tended to be with men to continually show his strength.
Tigris had saved her life. He was very aggressive and violent, but loyal and friendly to those he considered friends.
Felix was the one with whom she had found herself several times to team up and whose character was young enough, inexperienced and in some ways, childish, to be able to make friends almost instantly.
Sara sighed.
They had always been there to protect them and it was time for them to live the free life for which they had long fought!
She would never forget them!
Spring was near. Yet it didn't seem so within the wooded realm.
The air one breathed in the trees was heavy and the girls had the uncomfortable feeling of being watched all the time.
Even though the escort that Elrond had sent with them was made up of numerous elves, they felt nervous and frightened as they had not in a long time, when they were busy escaping from the Romans!
But they knew full well that if they were captured, their fate would be even more painful!
A little over two months had passed since Thranduil's departure, and the long-awaited letter had finally arrived.
The wood elves had welcomed him back with great feasts, thanking the Valar for his survival.
Now he was the King again and Hanna avoided thinking about it too much, so as not to dwell on what would inevitably happen once the elves learned of her and their children.
Distrust? Hate?
Would they have held her responsible for the removal of their sovereign?
Yes, it was better not to think about it!
After a little more than ten days of long travel they had entered the woods realizing that Tolkien's tales, however incredible and well done, did not honor reality.
The misty mountains were beautiful, the biggest problem was the goblins.
A group of them settled under the high pass and to avoid them they had to be very careful to avoid attracting their attention.
Crossing the Anduin had taken a lot of time as the stone bridge had collapsed.
The girls had felt a strange sensation on the way through the woods. They felt confused and tired and were sure it wasn't due to the long journey.
Once inside the walls of the wood elves' palace the tension was gone, replaced by sheer wonder.
The kingdom of the elves was immense, in all directions they could see corridors, tunnels and caves, decorated with the unique and incomparable elven architecture.
It was lit by a large number of torches and lamps, which made it all that much more welcoming.
Small points of light scattered everywhere, like a small mountain village.
All the other caves were connected together in wide corridors lit by torches, and each inlet had its precise function.
Walking within those walls, even if they were only at the entrance, the girls noticed with amazement that, set in the rock, there were white stones, able to reflect the light.
Thousands of elves came and went busy with who knows what tasks.
Their journey was over.
They had finally arrived at the place they could have called home!
Hello everyone!
Kalos has finally revealed who he is!
Alatar and Pallando are the last Istari to land in Middle Earth and we don't know what happened to them.
I liked the idea that they had founded secret cults by passing on magical traditions!
Aragorn makes a strong friendship with Aranel that will last forever.
This idea tickled me right from the start!
The time has come! Thranduil is finally back in his kingdom after about, two hundred years!
The meeting with Legolas was not easy, I admit! But in the end they manage to reconnect.
How could they not?!
I've always liked the idea that Thranduil has the gift of being able to create illusions.
How else could he hide his scar?! Thranduil's past still remains shrouded in mystery for Elrond and Legolas, and the girls will respect his wish!
The time has come to say goodbye to Tigris, Hagen and Felix and they, brave warriors, speed everything up, secretly leaving.
Too proud to acknowledge having grown fond of girls and children ... Legolas seems to be taking the new bombshell well! What do you think?
Obviously Tauriel is ready to put him many doubts!
Hanna and Sara arrive in Mirkwood! Yes, my dear, we will see some good ones !
Comments and advice are awaited!
See you soon,
X-98