21. TAKE THE MOMENT
Sara could not prevent her gaze from falling on the faces beneath the elven helmets.
She smiled at the thought that apparently young faces belonged to millennial creatures!
Aranel and Lucilla looked around in amazement, being dragged by the hand, thanks to which they managed to stay with their mother.
The half-elf held Hanna's hand, while Lucilla's Sara's since each of them held one of the twins in her arms, with the other.
"Welcome my ladies! It is a pleasure for me to meet you. The King is waiting for you!" An elf with long brown hair greeted them after passing the first line of guards.
The elves of Rivendell left with Kalos after a respectful greeting and the girls found themselves following the kind elf.
It was not only in the ways, but also the expression on the face did not hide the happiness and curiosity he felt in seeing them.
"You say it's him? The conseiller (councilor)?" Sara asked whispering in her friend's ear, changing the last word as soon as she remembered that they didn't need to talk in a low voice.
"Or the captain of the guard!" Hanna ventured.
"Unlikely! He should be busy doing something else instead of coming to welcome us!" Sara reasoned skeptically.
"Let it bet?" Hanna challenged her.
"What?" The friend asked, more than willing to accept.
"We decide later!" Hanna replied pondering whether it was the right choice.
Frightened by the possibility of losing and having to regret having left the field free, unaware of what she was facing, Sara decided it was worth the risk "I'm in!" She finally said.
"Nana, where is Ada?" Aranel's question frightened her mother more than she should.
They had put cotton bonnets on the twins and the girls wore hooded cloaks to protect them from the wind, so the peculiar traits of the elves were concealed for the time being.
It was a precaution.
She did not know if Thranduil had informed them of the existence of the children and the word dad in Sindarin made her glance at the elf who was leading the way.
She trembled when she saw him turn around, cast a curious glance at his daughter and then turn around again.
"We will see him soon!" Hanna replied before adjusting Aranel's hood better so as not to show her shiny blonde hair.
The butler, Captain or rather, the unknown, led them to what had the air of being the royal apartments. Columns and decorated walls appeared before them and guards stood on either side of each door.
Aranel hugged her mother's arm and even the twins hid their faces in the women's breasts, intimidated by this new environment.
Hanna felt a slight annoyance at the curious glances that the guards threw at them, while Sara was enthusiastic and gave everyone a big smile, only to be disappointed when she saw them look away or bow their heads as soon as their eyes met. .
The elf stopped next to large dark wooden doors that two guards opened and closed as soon as the girls had crossed the threshold.
"Ada!" Aranel immediately broke away from his mother and ran towards his father.
Hanna smiled happily, she had never seen Thranduil so happy as he lifted his daughter in his arms, kissing her tenderly on the forehead.
An iron grip on her arm made her turn to Sara and saw that she was frozen and trembling with an excited look on her face.
Only then did he notice it.
Legolas really looked like Orlando Bloom with a nice wig on his head!
He was slightly shorter than his father, but his posture and serious expression gave him the air of a handsome dark man that put her in awe.
Maybe he wasn't softer and more open than his father ... surely this elf was different from the one they had read about, having been forced to reign for many years in the absence of the parent.
"Legolas!" Thranduil's voice made the girls relax and they let out a big sigh, unconsciously restrained "They are Sara and Hanna!" He introduced them, indicating them with a fluid gesture of his hand.
"It is an honor for me to make your acquaintance. I'm Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood!" Legolas said with a slight bow.
"The honor is ours, your Highness!" Sara replied with a curtsy, taking her adoring gaze away from the elf for only a few seconds.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet Legolas!" Hanna said looking into his eyes and approaching his companion. "Aranel, this is your brother!" Thranduil told his daughter noting the curiosity in her eyes as she stared at Legolas.
"Aranel is a beautiful name. And you are much more beautiful than I thought!" The Prince complimented him by bringing his face close to that of his little sister.
Aranel hid his face in the hollow of his father's neck, intimidated by that big, fat stranger.
"Leas!" A little voice attracted general attention. Elanor, dropped from Sara's arms, approached the elf not at all frightened.
"Aaye!" (Hello!) Said the little girl waving a hand.
Legolas knelt in front of her and the little girl ran up to her father, clinging to his rich robe.
"She is Elanor!" Hanna introduced her "Our daughter!" she said trying to remain impassive in front of the surprised look of Legolas who immediately diverted his little sister's attention by staring at her.
The Prince stood up and watched her closely. He wasn't surprised when he saw them.
His father had warned him of the presence of another human and found it strange that referring to her, he had called her a "dear friend".
He had waited impatiently to find out who was the mother of his brothers and until then he had been disappointed.
She just looked like a lonely and frightened child.
How had she managed to win her father's cold heart?
"He is Galador!" Lucilla said screaming an octave above normal when Hanna gave her son to her father who took him without any problems even though she already had Aranel in her arms.
"Who are you?" Legolas asked surprised to notice that she was a human child with no traits in common with the girls she was with.
Aranel came down from her father's arms and ran to her friend's side, putting an arm over her shoulders "She is my best friend, her name is Lucilla!" she said with a big smile.
"Legolas, would you be kind enough to show Sara the palace?" The King asked, making the girl almost faint. "As you wish father!" The Prince replied bowing his head, being interrupted by two little girls full of enthusiasm "Yes! We come too!" Aranel said jumping on the spot "Wait for us Sara!" Lucilla yelled as she ran towards her, followed by Elanor.
Sara thanked all the gods known until then for having saved her from that awkward situation and from Hanna's evil gaze who hadn't done anything to help her!
"Get Galador!" Thranduil said handing her his son "I think he would like it too!" The King removed the funny cap from the little elf, making the girls understand that there was no danger.
After the girls and Sara had also put down their cloaks, they came out driven by the enthusiasm of the children.
Hanna smiled to see Legolas hold out his hand to Aranel who took it smoothly as Lucilla ran forward driven by curiosity.
"You don't look happy to see me!" He provoked her.
"I didn't want to be cheesy in front of Legolas!" Hanna clarified "I think she took it well!" she said getting even closer.
"He is a good-hearted young elf. And I think he always wanted brothers!" Thranduil calmed her before closing the gap still present between their lips.
Hanna caressed his back, squeezing him tightly and deepening that kiss she had missed as if it were a plant deprived of the sun.
They lost control for a moment, crashing into a piece of furniture.
Hanna laughed "Have you cleared all doubts, my lord?" She asked happily.
"I've never had and never will!" He replied trying to kiss her again.
She stopped him by putting her index finger on his lips "Was Galion the elf who welcomed us?" She asked, unable to contain the curiosity and impatience present in the voice.
A light knock interrupted them "My lord, lunch will be ready soon!" The elf in question warned them as if he knew they were talking about him.
"You have to tell me this!" He provoked her by looking at her maliciously.
Hanna smiled as she saw the great Elven King being defeated by a one-year-old boy.
The father tried in vain to steal his precious blonde locks from his son's grasp.
Elanor, much calmer than her brother, tried to get anything stretched out by Sara who was much more easily corrupted than her mother.
The atmosphere in the dining room was ... strange.
Yes, Hanna found it correct to call her that.
Tauriel had returned from a long patrol of the southern border, and the brief glances she gave did not bode well.
Besides, it didn't have to be a coincidence that she had returned on the day of their arrival.
Legolas appeared tense, how not to blame him, but he seemed intent on talking mentally with the elf, through his penetrating gaze, with the captain who seemed committed to ignoring him.
"La joie de vivre!" (The joy of living!) Said Sara, indicating the elf with her head.
"Essayez de vous conteir!" (Try to contain yourself!) Hanna took her back.
"La maternité vous a rendu ennuyeux!" (Motherhood has made you boring!) Sara complained.
"Même celui-là ne pouvait pas le faire!" (Not even that one could do it to you!) Her friend stood up to her. "The real beauty of this place pales in the face of the stories I've heard! King Thranduil sincerely thank you for your warm hospitality!" Kalos said, bowing his head slightly.
"It's not just for the debt I owe you boy, that I allowed you to stay in my palace!" The King stopped him.
"I wish to know who you really are! I thought the magic you use was only three people who could use it in all of Arda!" He said referring to the three Istari present in Middle-earth "It is powerful, but dangerous if not used correctly!" The elf scolded him.
"Wish granted!" Sara made herself heard "It was the Istari Alatar and Pallando who instructed him. I thought they had simply disappeared! Not that they had opened a school of witchcraft and wizardry!" She commented aloud.
"It's impossible! I knew they had fallen, missing their mission!" Legolas interrupted her.
"Mission?" Hanna whispered in Sara's ear.
"They were sent by Valinor to help the free peoples of Middle-earth in their fight against Sauron..." Sara froze at a fiery look from Tauriel.
"What's up?" She asked pretending to be innocent. That elf was perhaps worse than Morgoth's Balrog "Elrond gave me a history lesson during our stay in Rivendell...my lord..." Sara wisely decided to change interlocutor "I am allowed to enter to the library?! It is my great desire to be able to broaden my knowledge!" She begged him.
"Permission granted!" Thranduil replied, bringing his attention back to the young man.
"The blue sorcerers have not finished my training because...they have disappeared!" He began to tell "I went in search of Gandalf, the greatest and wisest, because I am aware that if not controlled, this power could kill me!" he confesses.
"And what will you do, once you have this knowledge?" The King did not yield, continuing to scourge him with questions.
"It's a big dream of mine, to be able to help people!" Kalos replied sincerely "I have no specific goals. I'll travel and see where the wind takes me!" He said, reminding the ancient elf, how few years he had lived. The youthful exuberance was still strong in that young magician and the inexperience showed through his every word.
"Do you wish to meet Radagast?" Thranduil knew the wizard well and even though he was an old friend he was not sure he could be a good teacher.
"Yes my Lord! He too could answer many of my questions and dispel some of my doubts!" Kalos replied with joy, as if he had just offered a sweet to a child.
"I'll send for him. In the meantime you will be my guest!" The King said rising to his feet, holding his son in his arms, before leaving the hall.
There were only two possibilities for that boy: he could have been a valid ally, or become the most terrible of enemies!
That evening, after the children were put to bed and Sara retired to her rooms, Hanna found herself following an elven ruler who enjoyed being mysterious.
"What did you want me to see?" Hanna asked, covering herself with the splendid shawl Thranduil gave her when she arrived.
The cool of the evening was colder than she was used to.
"Follow me!" Hanna smiled.
Others could have bothered by that aura of mystery that cloaked every gesture and word of the elf, but she had always been attracted to it.
Maybe because she knew that nothing would harm her as long as he stayed by her side. Even when they weren't together, in that cold, dark cell, she felt safe and at home!
At the moment, however, she was busy getting carried away by an elf who was in a hurry towards an unknown destination.
They entered a limestone cove, some torches were scattered around the cave creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
The play of light and shadows was breathtaking and looking up he could see the irregular ceiling in which some minerals seemed to be stuck, shining like precious stones.
It seemed to be by the sea, and instead that water was part of the stream that crossed the kingdom, the river of the forest.
Hanna knelt on the edge like a child seeing water for the first time and was surprised to feel the warmth of the water that made her more and more to dive even with all her clothes still on.
"This inlet collects water, which heats up during the day thanks to the properties of the rock to retain the little heat present in the air. The evening is perfect to wash away all worries!" Thranduil told her hugging her to steal a quick kiss before a guard interrupted them demanding the King's attention.
Hanna stayed in that magical place and the sound of the water brought back memories she didn't think she had.
The sound of a big dive was the push needed to take off the clothes, leave the slip and follow Milo trying to surpass him in skill.
Hanna had never tried her hand at diving, but she still wanted to try and managed to do a half somersault due to the lack of momentum and proximity to the water.
Sara gave a deadly belly!
The scorching summer heat could finally be faced with a nice refreshing bath. It had been too long since Hanna and Sara could not enjoy such a privilege!
Thranduil sat on the grass without losing sight of Aranel who, having recently learned to walk, moved uncertainly on her legs.
He gave a dirty look to Proximo who had dared to get too close.
The man wisely decided to turn around, aware that the elf could shoot at any moment.
She was trembling with the desire to confront him again, but she knew that provoking him, approaching the child, was a bad idea!
The only one who could dare so much was Hagen, but the warrior had never dared to take her in his arms of his own free will, letting one of the lovers give it to him.
Aranel ran into the arms of Atticus who laughed, lifting her into the air, spinning in circles.
The little girl was happy when she was so high up, able to see very far.
Ariadne dived into the clear water of the sea disappearing into the waves, before reaching Cassia who was engaged in a splash fight with Sara and Hanna.
The coast on which they were located was for the most part rocky, but more internally there was low vegetation perfect for camouflaging in case they spotted Roman relays.
Hanna put her foot no longer finding the rocky bottom but a ravine where many sea creatures probably lived and disappeared under the surface, only to reappear when she put the other foot on that natural step. The voice of Aranel calling her made her return to the shore and climbing up the rocks, being careful not to break yet another pair of sandals, she silently admired the salt and minerals that transpired among the rocks bathed in sea water.
During a war, moments of peace like that were rare and now she was sure she would never forget them. She decided to wander a little longer among her memories, waiting for Thranduil to return, not wanting to be too selfish and start that hot bath alone.
The next morning Hanna woke up finding it very satisfying to stretch from the moment she woke up. Thranduil was still asleep, his nightgown wasn't even wrinkled, yet he moved a lot in his sleep!
Damn perfect elves!
Hanna got up and walked out of the room ready to browse.
As soon as she arrived she had spent all her time wandering around the castle, ending the wonderful day with a relaxing bath with the King.
This had prevented her from carefully observing Thranduil's chambers. He remembered that during the war he was always very orderly, and with the passage of time he had learned many things.
Cooking, washing clothes, peeling vegetables ...In short, he had become a good house elf, as the wizards called them, only in Middle-earth he was a noble.
On the desk was an unenviable pile of documents and some were written in Sindarin.
He had only recently seen him write, when he returned to Mirkwood they had exchanged animated correspondence.
It had never been necessary before as most rebels were uneducated.
And also because they were always united, there was no reason to write letters, not to mention that they could represent a danger in case of interception.
His handwriting was elegant and decisive, like his voice and it looked a lot like one of the characters that office word offers you as a possibility.
In the living room there was a large bookcase, full of books that looked old, but still in good condition. Unfortunately they were also those in Sindarin, so it would have been essential to learn that language well, like French.
The furniture was all well crafted, with intricate but wonderful designs in the wood.
Perhaps it was because the elves were able to move without making the slightest noise, but there was a supernatural quiet and in a moment of peace like that, she decided to express happiness and all the feelings she had with her body.
She resumed making determined, graceful and elegant dance steps.
If elves were comfortable in the trees, she felt alive when she could express herself through dance.
She made a turn letting his arms swing up and down as he turned, then lowered and bent his legs slightly, working the biceps which found themselves supporting the weight.
She let his torso sway like the willow branches she had admired from the window the night before and his arms followed the movement.
She could clearly hear another Sia song, Unstoppable, in his head.
Very apt: encouraging, motivational and perfect to start that day that would have been very tiring!
She took a light run to do a split in the air and land to immediately get on the tips.
Thranduil on the day of their arrival, which incredibly was only yesterday, had been with them almost always, apart from that time spent entertaining the children.
But today he had to go back to his duties!
So she had the whole day at her disposal to figure out if the elves liked her or not.
She bent his back back, braking the fall with her abdominals, finding herself in the bridge position.
She lifted one leg, immediately following it by the other, sending the legs in the air and then landing again, completing the somersault.
Legolas had appeared very cordial to her, but it would take her some time to understand if it was possible to create a friendship between them.
She pulled one leg all the way up, doing a standing split, clinging to the one that was pointing against the ceiling.
She remained in that pose when instinct led her to turn around and only then notice three elves staring at her with wide eyes.
Thranduil had felt disappointed when, upon awakening, he found the other half of the bed empty.
But it was normal for Hanna to be curious! He could even turn a blind eye!
The girl in question came running in jumping on the bed and as she bounced on it pulled the covers up, hiding quickly.
Maybe he had to close both eyes ... what had happened?
Despite the heat felt, Hanna decided to stay under the covers.
Her face was glowing and she was sure Thranduil had noticed it!
When had they arrived? Why hadn't they knocked? Hanna gasped inwardly. How much had they seen?
Not to mention that she was in her nightgown!
The King raised both eyebrows when exiting the bedroom, he saw Galion holding onto a chair while laughing under his mustache.
The breakfast was placed on a tray on the table and there were also portions for the children, as he had ordered to be able to spend some time together.
He had noticed that the guards were putting his children in difficulty and for that first morning they could make an exception without having to eat in the dining room.
Galion, who was waiting for the King's permission to go get Aranel and his brothers, tried in vain to contain himself and when he saw him he avoided his gaze, increasing the sovereign's curiosity.
Galion had been his father's advisor and butler.
They had always been friends, and only he had the courage to be bold and to challenge him. He had always been very confident, seeing him waver was new to Thranduil.
"Will you answer me if I ask you what happened or will I have to find out for myself !?" He asked amused. "If Lady Hanna gives me permission, I will answer each of your questions Sire!" The butler answered that he had regained his lost attitude.
A voice stopped Thranduil from insisting "Don't you dare!" Despite the blankets Hanna had heard everything.
"Did he play a joke on you?" The King asked worriedly.
Milo didn't have the habit of making jokes.
He had had good teachers who were covered by his enthusiasm and energy put into each floor.
"What he did didn't harm anyone, but he was...unique! Something I've never seen!" Admitted the butler. The King understood perfectly what he was talking about.
He had thought the exact same words as Galion the first time he had seen the girls dance in that wild, out of control way.
"I understood my friend!" Thranduil said as his lip curled into a smile, only to give in to a little laugh "Humans will never cease to amaze, even millennial creatures like us!" He recognized the pleased King. Galion smiled too, but it wasn't the girl who made him feel such happiness ...
"My lord, I no longer remember the day you laughed. I honestly didn't hope to be able to attend you anymore! I'm happy to be able to say I was wrong!" The butler refrained from rolling his eyes when Thranduil changed the subject by sending him to fetch the Princes.
Stubborn and proud!
That elf would never have changed!
Hanna was stunned to see Thranduil put the crown on his head.
He had always had a regal bearing, yes something that intimidated humans, both in his eyes and in his movements, but finally seeing him for who he really was could define him as spectacular.
"A King must always show his best in front of his people. I am their guide, they must see me strong and confident. The slightest uncertainty can destroy the entire kingdom!" He said encircling her hips with his hands.
"You have a knack for putting people at ease!" Joke Hanna finding it absolutely gorgeous even though she had to admit that the crown had something funny about it.
Yet looking at him, no one would ever want to laugh. No, anyone would have looked down in fear of the mere presence of him.
"I have to go and attend a board meeting!" Thranduil informed her after giving her a kiss on the forehead "I'll send someone to help you!" He said aware that Hanna still had some difficulties in putting on the precious elven clothes.
The King stopped in front of the door, noticing the tension in the body of the companion who was standing rigid, looking at the ground, lost in who knows what thoughts.
"Is there any problem?" Thranduil asked cautiously.
"Not at all! Sara's enthusiasm will make the day interesting!" Hanna replied playing the part perfectly and looking happy and relaxed.
The girl forced herself to mask her emotions, she was the King's companion and had to show that she was up to it!
Besides, she had always been honest with Thranduil and that worked to her advantage.
She was sure that with the passage of time these insecurities and fears that made her feel tense would also go away.
Shortly after, Hanna was gazing in the mirror while the handmaid tied her dress.
Hanna felt uncomfortable. Never before had she had a handmaid or servants who obeyed her slightest sign. Being served and revered could be very fulfilling, but it only caused her great discomfort.
She felt the tension diminish when she found herself sitting on the ground in the royal gardens, with the children playing happily in the bushes.
Sara also appeared tense, although perhaps it was more the thrill of being in a place she had always dreamed of and admired, being a simple guest of the King.
Kalos was nowhere to be seen, but perhaps because he was forbidden to enter the royal quarters.
Hanna, got up from the chair she was sitting on to enjoy the scent of the flowers, turning to Galion "Could you keep an eye on them while I take a walk?!" The elf replied with a smile and a nod, lowering his head. Hanna hesitated for a moment.
There were two guards plus him to monitor his children, in addition to all those scattered around, so he decided to let himself be guided by curiosity.
She was able to swear mentally and non-verbally when she tripped for the umpteenth time in her huge green skirt, managing not to end up lying on the ground.
Sara, as always not helpful, let out a muffled laugh to repeat the exact same scene a few seconds later. Karma had a certain style in presenting itself!
Their curiosity had no precise objectives, making them lose several times in their wanderings.
"My Lord!" A voice distracted him from his thoughts "Did you call me?".
"Tauriel. I am delighted to see you strong and confident as never before!" He welcomed her, turning to the young woman.
"And my heart has been lighter since you returned, against all odds!" She said raising her head.
"How is the situation on the eastern borders?" He took care to ask the King.
"Manageable! Small groups of orcs give us a way to keep fit!" Tauriel replied with a satisfied smile.
"Legolas did well to appoint you as captain. Knowing that he had you by his side eased my worries and my faults!" Thranduil said as he turned towards the pond to his right.
"You know?" Tauriel asked in fear.
"Yes. Legolas informed me!" The sovereign replied with an icy calm.
"My lord, it was not my intention to disrespect you..." Tauriel said knowing full well how attentive the King was to the lineage.
"You must not. I have a more open mind now and I am convinced that if it is love, it is not my right to hinder it!" Tauriel stiffened at those words.
How could he do such a thing? The sovereign seemed to really care about the human.
Realizing that she was playing with her feelings would be a blow.
How could she do that to him when he had shown her such kindness !?
"Is there any problem?" Thranduil asked noticing how lost she was in his thoughts.
It was strange, because Tauriel's virtue was being very attentive and always alert.
"Strangers are not welcome in the kingdom. This has always been the case!" Tauriel dared to say without taking his eyes off his King.
"Things change Tauriel!" Thranduil replied not at all piqued.
"You would never have said that two hundred years ago!" The ruler stopped and gave her a piercing look full of anger.
"As I just said, things change! You know well that I hate having to repeat myself! " Thranduil growled.
"My lord, forgive me if I allow myself. The human one is using your children to have a bond with you that allows her to stay! Those of his race are greedy and liars. They could be spies. She doesn't love you, she lies..." "Just because I raised you doesn't mean you're allowed to use that tone with me and make insinuations like that!" The King exploded indignantly at certain absurd suppositions.
"I'm warning you!" She tried Tauriel again in shock to realize that convincing him would be difficult.
"And I suggest you not to talk about things you don't know!" The sovereign warned her.
"She is a mortal! His time will come!" The elf consoled herself.
"Silence!" Thundered Thranduil.
"You offended me Tauriel. Is this the gratitude you show after I have given you my blessing?" He asked furiously.
"I do it for the good of the kingdom! Protecting him is my duty!" Tauriel replied, bowing his head once more out of respect.
"It is equally important to obey your lord. Stop seeing dangers where there are none!" Thranduil warned her.
"It's impossible for me to do it without being sure!" That elf was very stubborn.
"You are the captain of the Tauriel guard, we must trust each other otherwise doubt could bring the kingdom to ruin!" It reminded her of the King.
"It's not you I don't trust!" The elf did not demorse.
"And instead it is so. Those girls are my responsibility. Don't you take my word for it when I tell you they don't pose a threat?" Thranduil asked curious to hear the answer.
"I don't believe in them!" Tauriel admitted fearlessly.
"Then you leave me no other choice!" Thranduil nodded to the guards "In our prisons you will have the opportunity to reflect, understand your mistakes and think about how to remedy them!" He said with his back to her "I understand that with Legolas you could have allowed yourself to say certain things, but now I'm back, you don't have this chance anymore!" He whispered a moment before the elf disappeared, dragged by the guards towards the prisons.
The sun was not strong enough to warm the cold morning weather.
Aranel shook Lucy's hand when they found themselves in front of the school entrance.
Galion, his father's steward, stood composed before them.
A week after their arrival, the fateful moment had arrived! Many other children were entering and the curious looks were more for Lucilla than for her, which reassured Aranel a little, who in his short life had always had the eyes of humans on him!
Galion led them along a wide corridor and stopped in front of an elf who apparently seemed to be more severe than their previous teacher from Rivendell.
In the Hidden Valley they had had a private tutor at the request of their father and Aranel did not understand why his Ada had not wanted her to continue the lessons with Lucilla ...
"Aranel, Lucilla, this is Khalan, your Sindar teacher!" He introduced her to Galion.
"It is a real pleasure to be able to make your acquaintance Princess..." Aranel pursed his lips in a grimace very similar to his father "And yours too!" The elf said, turning her gaze to Lucilla with her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Please follow me to class!" Khalan invited them. The school was built by King Oropher when he was crowned King, at the beginning of the second Era.
There were both theoretical and practical lessons and even if the elves grew more slowly than humans, there was a tendency to demand that they finish their studies within a certain time frame and with full marks.
There were various classes divided by age.
Some were formed by few students, due to the few births that took place in the darkest periods and with more frequent attacks by orcs and spiders.
Fortunately, their class was large.
After being presented, the lesson began and with pride, Aranel was able to correctly answer many of the questions that were asked, forcing the teacher to call others so as not to always answer only her.
Towards mid-morning they were led out for their archery lesson.
The teacher, Alyon, addressed them very politely, before starting to illustrate the exercise of the day. "That's true then! The one we have been talking about for days! You are Princess Aranel!" Said an elf with light brown hair approaching her classmates, while the teacher was busy correcting a student.
Lucilla smiled enthusiastically, Aranel tried to ignore him, but it was impossible since with that simple sentence, everyone turned to look at her.
"My name is Fanon. My father is one of the King's guards, he told me you were very nice..." the companion began to say and Aranel smiled at him, these boys were much better than the students of the village! "... but he didn't tell me you're an arrogant know-it-all!" Lucilla immediately snapped "Don't make fun of my best friend!" Only to find herself confusedly asking "What does know-it-all mean?" Having understood only from the tone that it was not a compliment.
"I think he's just envious because I know a lot more about him!" Aranel replied before taking his arrow and bow and preparing to hit the farthest target, not giving Fanon time to respond.
After having done many centers Aranel was busy helping Lucy who, out of despair at not even being able to shoot an arrow, had sat on the ground with her arms crossed with a pout.
The fact that the Master ignored her didn't help ...
"Why did you give up?" Asked a dark-haired elf.
"I'm not an elf! I'll never be as good as you are!" Lucilla replied staring at the grass.
"Yes, but you can become the best of humans!" The newcomer tried to encourage her.
"There are no humans here!" Fanon shouted laughing at his statement along with some of his friends. "When will you come back to them!" He tried to remedy the companion.
"Will he come back to them?" Aranel asked lowering the arch "Are you going?" She asked scared.
"Never!" Lucy reassured her.
"I meant when you grow up!" The elf corrected himself.
"But I don't know what I want to do when I grow up! Do you have any advice?" Lucilla complained.
"I will become captain of the guard!" His companion replied making Lucilla smile who looked at him with a look full of admiration, shouting a "What a loud!" Extremely powerful.
"Who are you?" Aranel asked, annoyed by what her companion had said.
Lucy would never have left her alone!
"I'm sorry, my name is Annael. My father is also a guard, but not just anyone, he is part of the royal guard!" He said proudly.
"What is the royal guard?" Lucilla asked, anticipating her friend.
"It is the elves who protect the King!" Annael replied, surprised that they did not know.
"You know many things!" He looked at Aranel. Annael nodded.
"Can I ask you some questions?" The Princess asked.
"We are friends?" Annael asked fearfully. Aranel and Lucilla exchanged a look before smiling and replying "Yes!" In chorus.
A huge smile opened on Annael's face "You can ask me anything you want! But first, would you like to meet my friend Lothìriel?!" He asked elated.
"Guys, I said everyone in the class!" The teacher took them back.
That day finally, Hanna and Sara would begin training under the strict guidance of Elros, the general of Mirkwood's army!
The best fighter in the kingdom, after Legolas of course.
As soon as she woke up, Hanna was not surprised to notice that Thranduil was already out.
His days were always full of commitments.
From early morning until late at night, yet he did not fail to take advantage of every free moment to be with her and the children.
Relations with Legolas were not idyllic, but they had to give him time to get used to the change.
"Good morning my lady!" Calien's voice made her jump to her feet.
That elf who seemed to be less than twenty years old had met her for the first time the morning following her arrival.
She was his handmaid and he took care never to let her lack for anything.
"Did you sleep well?" Calien asked with a smile "How could I sleep with the King if not well ?!" Hanna teased with a grin.
"You are right my lady, mine are stupid questions!" she apologized.
Hanna sighed. Calien had the same adoring gaze as Sara whenever the ruler was mentioned.
She esteemed him, it didn't rain on this, but as for her friend, she loved to put her in trouble!
"Not at all! It is I who am rude!" tried to remedy Hanna.
"No my lady! Our lord would not be happy to hear you speak like this!" Calien said she looked scared as if she was calling her rude.
"When we first met you told me we would be friends!" Hanna began to say.
"Of course my lady!" Calien reassured her smiling at the idea of being able to create a good friendship with her.
"Then stop it with this lady of mine!" Hanna said making her eyes widen.
The first time was a few days before, but for Hanna it seemed to have been a long time ago.
"When the King is not around you can call me Hanna and say what you think openly! If the friendship is to be true, I need to know what you're thinking!" She cleared up as Calien helped her tame her hair.
"I think you shouldn't insist on going with the next patrol!" Calien took courage.
"Are you taking it too?!" Hanna asked, tired of having no one to encourage her to take up arms.
"I'm sorry my lady!" Calien said lowering her head with a guilty look.
"Who is this lady of mine that you keep naming?!" Hanna asked, trying to ease the tension that had built up. "It is true that the King does not approve, but I do not intend to hang around just because Thranduil considers him dangerous. It is my duty to fight to protect the place I consider home and the future of my children!" She tried to convince her.
"Well said sister!" Sara entered without even knocking followed by her maid.
Luthien was older than Calien, which is why she highly respected etiquette and always showed respect to Sara and her.
Although Sara, since they had dated longer than Hanna and Calien, had specifically told her several times that she could call them by name.
She behaved like an apprehensive mother, making sure they learned the ways of the nobles they would deal with in the future.
Especially Hanna if she became the wife of the King and Queen of Mirkwood.
There was no lack of reproaches for Calien that the young woman forgot every time she found herself alone with the girls, as in that moment.
"You have to hurry, your lesson will start soon!" Shooting Luthien.
It hadn't been hard to get Thranduil to train them with the guard. They had always been very capable and independent warriors on the battlefield and improvement was what they wanted. And the King understood that it was essential to be able to feel comfortable.
Their curiosity would surely have gotten them into a lot of trouble!
"I can not wait!" Sara exulted taking a few running steps before stopping, trying to emulate the elven demeanor.
"You don't notice it at all!" Hanna teased her by stopping to admire some elves practicing.
Their movements were delicate, but to watchful eyes they were lethal.
Like an elegant and precise dance.
"Welcome my ladies! It is an honor to be able to teach you!" Elros welcomed them in the training camp.
"The honor is ours!" Sara replied enthusiastically "Let's just hope not to waste your time!" Hanna joined her.
"Impossible! The King has informed me that you have some basics of combat!" Erlos said observing them carefully.
"More than anyone! It was he who taught us!" Sara informed him receiving an elbow in the side from her friend.
The general's eyes widened, but was able to recover from the surprise rather quickly.
"Then I'm afraid my task will be very short!" He said with a smile.
"It depends! We haven't been fighting seriously for a while!" Sara admitted.
"And the King expects the best from us!" remembered Hanna before taking a sword and openly challenging the captain.
She had already trained with Thranduil.
Elros would certainly have seemed less demanding!
That evening Aranel, Annael, Lothìriel and Lucilla were engaged in a race to see who was the fastest.
Galion smiled, happy to see that Aranel had settled in well despite her early years with humans.
Hanna had told him about a village in the land of Rohan, but she didn't go into detail, but she made him understand that the Princess's early years had been lived among humans.
The butler stiffened when he saw the Princess running towards Prince Legolas who was probably passing by the direct route, to check one of the guard points.
"Big Brother!" Legolas winced at being called that but especially when the little girl clung to his leg smiling at him.
He had made a commitment to avoid his "brothers" but apparently it was more difficult than he thought.
"I don't have time now!" He said moving her away and increasing the pace.
He had never felt a strong attachment to his brothers.
Perhaps it was because of them that his father had delayed returning.
Or because he feared that Hanna had conceived them for the sole purpose of manipulating the King!
He could not afford to become attached, otherwise he too would have been a victim of the deceptions of humans, whose purposes were still shrouded in darkness!
The following day Thranduil bitterly noticed that his son had waited for the girls to go to training, before joining him in the study and talking to him.
"How dare you!" Indeed, start a discussion.
"Good morning Legolas!" He greeted him toneless.
"Why did you have Tauriel locked up?" Legolas had only discovered the fact because he had searched for his mate for a long time before finding out where she was, only once he returned from patrolling.
Seeing himself forced to return to his quarters due to the ban on seeing her imposed by the King.
"Ask her!" Thranduil replied not recognizing his son in that aggressive and suspicious young man.
"I want to hear your answer first!" Thranduil snorted.
"He has to learn that I don't tolerate any kind of rudeness and disrespect me is something I don't let go so easily. Not even with her!" The King clarified, feeling the anger return to the memory of the absurd insinuations made by the Captain.
"Your way of acting is a serious lack of respect for me!" Legolas accused him.
"I didn't lock you up and I never would!" Thranduil said after rolling his eyes.
"It's as if I did it!" Legolas insisted.
"Don't make a hurricane out of a breeze!" His father admonished him.
"Well, since it's not serious, then I'm going to free her!" His son challenged him.
"Stop!" Ever since Tauriel had returned, Thranduil could hardly recognize him.
He had become much more impulsive!
"Not if you speak but the human one!" Legolas accused him with obvious concern that showed in his eyes. "Tauriel disrespected me, not her!" The sovereign specified.
"He just tried to open your eyes! Humans are weak and corrupt!" Thranduil couldn't help but smile.
It was no wonder that he had influenced his son with the convictions of when he looked at other races from above, without even bothering to make judgments before having known them.
"I see he has infected you with his petty suspicions!" He took it back, remembering that Tauriel had said almost similar words.
"I'm not if your life is at stake!" Thranduil froze, staring his son in the eye in dismay.
Did he really believe it?
"Ada..." Legolas approached him and the King's sense of guilt returned to seeing enormous suffering in his son's tormented eyes "...you gave her too much freedom!" "What troubles you so?" Thranduil asked, becoming attentive.
"For a long time I regretted what we had not told each other, our silences and misunderstandings had become burdens I had learned to live with..." the King cursed the Romans for inflicting so much pain on his people, in particular to the one who loved most of all! "...but the thought of seeing you die ...without doing anything to prevent it, knowing that there has always been danger, it could break me!" Legolas whispered turning as if he were ashamed "I can't lose you! Not again!".
"Not gonna happen! Nobody can get me away, I won't allow it!} Thranduil reassured him by putting a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down.
"Legolas..." the father's voice made the elf turn around "...such a love cannot be the result of deception! Hanna and I discovered it after a long time spent together. Aranel, Elanor and Galador are a sign: it was destiny that our paths would cross!" She tried to convince him.
"Why did it have to happen this way?" Legolas asked, giving voice to a question he had never dared to ask. A half-elf was a gift from the Valar, he could not and should not diminish this reality.
"No one understands the way the Valar act, but we must not lose faith. Despite everything, we found each other!" Thranduil smiled making his son smile as well.
"I believe you Ada!" Legolas said darkening immediately after "But if you do something to make me doubt, I will not hesitate to react accordingly!".
The King used all the strength he had to conceal the terror he felt at hearing those words.
He knew that his son loved him, but he feared that mistrust of mortals was blinding him, tormenting him with suspicions that he would not normally care about.
Before Legolas came out his father's voice made him hesitate for a moment on the threshold "Don't let your distrust of humans deprive me of someone I care more than life...".
"Damn elf!" Hanna hissed that morning.
They had just finished training and the girl had not yet managed to beat her opponent.
"Love is in the air this morning!" Sara teased, who didn't need words to figure out what Hanna was about, was angry.
"Where are the twins!?" Kalos asked before biting into another sweet.
"Luthien is working on it. I think you appreciate their company more than mine!" Sara admitted.
"You can't compare!" Hanna laughed.
"Thank you, you are a great comfort!" Sara said with a smile.
She too would have preferred the twins to herself.
"That elf is very reserved, but with children she behaves differently! Do you know if he has children?" Hanna asked curiously again.
"But I've known her for just over a week! Do you think I start asking questions like that?" Sara asked, wondering why her friend wanted to find answers to her questions through her.
"Yes. Because your curiosity is more powerful than Sauron!" The mocked Hanna.
"Stop naming him like an old friend!" Kalos protested that he had choked on hearing that name.
"Are you going under?" Sara provoked him.
"You would react like me if you laid your eyes on an entire army of orcs marching a few meters away from you!" The wizard replied, shivering at the memory. The fun was swept away by that statement, replaced by awe mixed with curiosity.
"Army of orcs? Where is it?" Sara asked stunned.
"I'll answer if you answer my questions too!" The awake young man decreed.
"Okay ... cheeky brat!" Hanna gave up.
She trusted him now. It was time to strengthen that bond of friendship, perhaps it was better to call it tolerance on his part, which was born in those months.
"Brat? But if I'm bigger than you!" Kalos boasted.
"Trust us, we are much older than we appear!" Sara joked knowing she had to protect her secret, even from those she considered friends.
"How is it possible?" Asked the confused wizard.
"We carry our years well!" He saved the day Hanna.
Sara's tongue was too loose!
"Repeat it in thirty years! We'll see if it will still be like this!" Kalos said ignoring the reality.
The girls couldn't argue.
With one glance they exchanged the same thought: they would never get old, they would never feel what was normal for people of their race!
It was both alienating and thrilling!
"Yes, I saw the army..." Kalos began to tell the girls away from their thoughts "...I am responsible for the destruction of my village!" Unveiled.
Sara frowned in confusion "And how did you manage to survive?" She asked more and more curious.
"I wasn't there when it happened!" The boy confessed "I saw the orcs go away. I remained hidden for many hours and when I returned to the village..." in the wizard's voice you could hear the obvious shame in admitting that he had been blocked by fear.
"Where did you go? Did you leave your family to fight? Did you already know how to use magic?" Hanna asked with the hope that he wasn't as completely alone as he feared.
"A little tact is required!" Sara scolded her.
Kalos let out a sigh that tasted very like crying.
He didn't look at them, letting his eyes wander across the room.
"I was a novice among the apprentices of the blue sorcerers! As soon as I heard about the orcs I went home...but it was too late!" He said regretfully.
"You were right not to intervene. Your magic is powerful, but if you were just starting out then, you couldn't have done anything!" Sara decided to be honest not knowing how to comfort him in the face of the loss of everyone she loved.
"I don't want your pity!" And for the first time Kalos showed himself aggressive, implying that there was more in him than they saw.
"It is not pity but admiration!" Sara answered widening her eyes but smiling to see the naivety of childhood vanish for a few seconds in those stormy eyes.
"How do I pray?" Hanna and Kalos asked in chorus, amazed by the answer.
"If someone had exterminated my family I don't know if I could be able to dominate the emotions and think clearly! If you had thrown yourself into a raging attack seeking revenge, you would surely be dead and you would never have been able to find Aranel, meet us and be here today...Elrond was right!" recognized Sara.
At the death of Atticus and Milo she was sure that if she were faced with the Romans, she would give free rein to the anger and pain they had inflicted on her!
Eye for an eye! Even though Thranduil had made her understand that revenge does not solve anything, as with it you cannot get your loved ones back!
But knowing it is one thing and the other is believing in it enough to react with your head, without being blinded by feelings.
"So he talked about that to you too!" Kalos laughed remembering the elf's cryptic words about his presence.
"You mean it messed up my brain by increasing my doubts and questions?! Already!" Sara admitted with a smile.
"It's nice to see that we get along on something!" Kalos joked and then laughed outright.
"Why did you choose to become an apprentice?" Kalos frowned at Hanna's next question.
And here it is, the magic touch in bringing bad mood! Her talent!
"To my great disappointment, I am unable to answer this question of yours!" Kalos decided not to lie.
Those girls had proven to be wary, creating a wall around them to defend them from the outside world, but once they found the lock to open the door, they had proved loyal and sincere.
"But at T ... King you said you wanted to help people!" Hanna remembered looking at him suspiciously. "You were lying!" Sara said stunned.
"Witty remark! You have always been an idiot, but over time you are improving yourself!" Hanna scoffed.
"I have expressed my thoughts! But if you order it, I'll stop immediately, my lady!" Sara answered in kind. "Do not call me that!" Hanna screamed, not bearing that title that still didn't belong to her.
"That's the answer I gave myself, but I'm not sure!" Kalos cleared up his doubts.
"Is it an enigma?!" Hanna asked, deciding to ease the tension by joking up.
"Well you couldn't defend your loved ones, now you can prevent others from ending up like them!" tried to advise Sara.
"You are right!" Kalos had to admit he was right.
He felt it within himself that this was what he wanted.
"You are the rulers of the obvious!" They criticized Hanna who seemed bothered by so much complicity. "Then fight with me and let's see if the result is obvious!" Sara provoked her who never missed an opportunity to face her.
"Challenge accepted!" He took the hook Hanna, full of enthusiasm at the thought of yet another victory. "You really like to fight! Couldn't you instruct me on the basics ?!" decided to try Kalos.
"You don't even have to ask! Hanna, could you tell Galion to come and call me in an hour for training?!" Sara asked, standing up.
"Why don't you tell him ?!" The friend asked in return.
"Because you are given more consideration given your position!" Sara said walking towards the door. "Where are you going?" Kalos, unconsciously interrupted the quarrel in the bud.
"In the library! I'm still very slow to translate the elf and I have to finish reading the tales of the battle of Dagorlad!" Sara answered with her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"I come with you!" Kalos said jumping to his feet.
"Do you want to glue yourself in front of a book? Can you read the elf?" He went to attack Hanna.
"No, but I have an opportunity to access the royal libraries of one of the largest and most powerful elven kingdoms of Arda, I will not miss such an opportunity!" Kalos answered calmly.
"I will be delighted to translate for you! I will combine the useful with the pleasant!" Sara said enthusiastically.
"It would be useful to practice translating, and the pleasure to help a friend!" She answered Hanna's questioning look before leaving followed by a smiling wizard.
Thranduil smiled as he saw Galador running towards him in the wide corridor.
The guards moved nervously as the child fell on his face to the ground, remembering that he was half human and Galion hurried to get him to his feet.
"Nthing!" Said the child who could only say a few words.
Thranduil smiled. Although the twins were still small, they reminded him of Sara.
The sovereign picked up his stupendous son at the guards who did not expect him to show such affection in public.
A push and the snap of the guards made the elf turn around and found herself in front of a confused Sara "I know it may seem like she's lying, but I don't do it on purpose!" She apologized, turning red in the face.
"My Lord!" Feren reached the king, stopping at a respectful distance and making a wide bow.
"What news do you bring me?" Thranduil asked, not letting the new presence extinguish the smile that lit up his face.
"Radagast is finally here!" Sara jumped.
They had been waiting for the wizard for months.
The guards had not found him in his small house and had remained alert in case of any sighting.
"Bring Galador to Luthien!" He ordered the King to Galion and then turned to Sara "Where is Hanna?" He asked.
"I think he's training with Kalos!" She replied feeling the fear grow at the thought of finally being able to find answers that she was no longer so sure she wanted.
"She must be present!" The sovereign declared as he set off.
"For what?" Sara stiffened as she heard the Prince's voice coming from the corridor to her right.
"These are not matters that need your attention!" His father replied admonishing him through his eyes.
The girl stood next to the King lowering her eyes, burned by the fiery gaze that the Prince gave her.
"I do not agree! If you think Radagast's intervention is necessary, I must be informed in order to express myself about it!" Legolas asserted confidently.
"Did I perhaps give the impression that your opinion interested me?!" The Prince widened his eyes at the icy response of his father, not realizing that he had reacted only once he noticed the evident hatred addressed to the girl.
"You can't be that blind… can't you see how nervous she is?! Tauriel was telling the truth, he's up to something! And I would swear that the wizard is involved in their dark plans!" Legolas growled stopping when his father stood in front of Sara as if to protect her.
The girl hid behind the King, feeling the terror of when she had just been made a slave to return, making her feel vulnerable even to a ferocious glance.
Father and son faced each other for a few minutes before Legolas turned to disappear into the corridors in anger and disappointment.
"Shouldn't you tell him the truth? It would allay your fears!" Sara said when they arrived at the training camp.
"Why should he believe my words to be true if he doesn't even believe in the love that binds me and Hanna? No Sara. My son sees enemies everywhere. He might believe that my words are the result of your lie! Furthermore, I am convinced that informing him of the existence of your world would confuse him more than it already is!" Thranduil said, distressed by the distance that was returning between them. Radagast, true to the stories about him, looked very strange to the amused eyes of the girls.
They parried a lot, telling the magician their adventures, leaving out most of the details regarding the years lived between Pompeii and Capua and Radagast's response appeared both reassuring and mysterious "My ladies, the story told is unique, but I will do everything in my power to reveal the mystery that surrounds it!".
Legolas left his rooms early that morning.
He had slept little and badly and was more than determined not to waste any more time tossing and turning in bed.
As soon as he left his rooms he met Tauriel who, from the look on his face, was looking for him.
"When will we act?" Asked the nervous elf.
Legolas sighed, he understood that he could not act directly against the humans for fear of hurting his father in the spirit.
She had to make him understand that cultured awareness when he had shown his father the fears that did not make him rest.
"He loves her!" He said trying to leverage something that Tauriel had always respected.
"He was deceived!" Except when she was convinced that strong and deep feeling wasn't real.
"He trusts her!" Legolas insisted.
"You are wrong!" Tauriel did not give up.
"If we act, we risk hurting him! We have to be careful!" Legolas decided to speak out.
"I would say we should take a break!" Tauriel said surprising him.
"How why?" Legolas asked who did not believe what he had just heard.
"Because we don't understand each other anymore! I feel that something has changed! Don't get me wrong, it's not what I want but what is fairer!" Tauriel said in an icy tone, beautifully concealing his emotions.
"We never got along on everything. Why is it different this time?" Legolas asked who did not understand why, all those he loved were turning their backs on him.
"Because I don't want to be there when you find yourself covered in the King's blood!" Tauriel replied with a hint of pain that crossed his eyes. But the moment was so short that Legolas wondered if he had imagined it.
"Well, so you're ditching him!" He attacked her trying to hide his suffering.
"I would never dare. Since you don't want to cooperate, I'll have to fend for myself!" She explained calmly. "If you harm the human, whether you are right or wrong, my father will not give it weight!" He revealed the Prince.
"I'm aware of it. But let's talk about the one who raised and protected me. Maybe I didn't suffer as much as you, but I too struggled to accept his disappearance. And I'll give my all, so that it doesn't happen again!" Tauriel said before leaving leaving a Legolas surprised to hear such words.
The prince paused to think for a moment. Tauriel's coldness made him doubt his good intentions.
And on the other hand he was terrified, knowing that his father during the years of his disappearance had lived through horrible experiences, he could not have the strength to face both betrayal and further loss, when time would have extinguished the girl's mortal life.
He passed his father's rooms and would have pulled straight if a scream had stopped his footsteps.
It was the voice of a woman!
He reacted instinctively, sprinting towards the origin of the screams.
It did not occur to him to knock or behave as he had been taught, the urge to rush to the aid of anyone in difficulty made him throw the doors of the King's rooms open with too much force, making them slam against the wall.
His sudden entrance and his presence made menacing by the unsheathed daggers did not in the least disturb the occupants of the room, accustomed to much worse.
Legolas, tried to keep his surprise to a minimum, unable not to widen his eyes when he saw Aranel trying to steal a pillow from his father with too much force.
The fabric gave way and a cloud of feathers obscured the ruler.
The Prince recalled the memories of his youth, when his mother was still alive and lit up every day making the King smile. Legolas saw himself in little Aranel as he threw his arms around his father's neck in a tender embrace, being welcomed by Thranduil who openly showed the love that bound him to his daughter.
"I swear you will pay me this!" Hanna's voice made the Prince's pupils move, while the rest of his body was frozen.
The girl began to tickle Lucilla's belly who began to squeal and squirm in a vain attempt to escape from that torture.
Hanna only became aware of the fifth presence at that moment, doing her best to ignore it, cursing herself for not having noticed it sooner.
Legolas must have heard her scream when the girls woke her up by jumping on her.
She should have been used to it, but instinct still made her react as when they lived as nomads, always alert for a possible attack.
And screaming was essential to alert others and ask for help at the same time.
Indeed, they had been attacked, but they were adversaries she could very well stand up to alone!
He did not know what the Prince was still doing there, standing like a cod staring at them as if he were witnessing a miracle.
But that had always been his home and it was not his desire to make more changes than he had already done.
The Prince was staring at Thranduil and Aranel, who had resumed rolling on the bed, hitting each other with the pillows and for the first time since she had arrived, Hanna could see a smile appear on Legolas' face.
Hanna kept hoping that over the years her body would acquire a good automaticity to allow her to move without forcing herself to ask for directions every two meters.
Hope in vain since since she was little, she still got confused with the light switches, finding herself having to press them all to find the right one! He turned a corner and decided to take a risk to ignore the red-haired elf.
"Human!" Apparently the world hated her "Good morning Tauriel, it's a pleasure to meet you!" Absolute dance "I hope everything goes well!" Being honest in that kingdom was difficult "How can I help you? Don't bother asking, it's a pleasure!" No, impossible.
"Do you consider yourself special?" The smirk on Beelzebub's face convinced her to proceed with caution. "It depends. It is true that I found myself in an elven kingdom, which many consider an honor, but the road to get there was an uphill battle!" She reasoned aloud.
"Do you think you deserve it?" The elf asked "Are you convinced that what you feel for our King is real?" Every word was as sharp as the knives he carried with him.
"What questions you make?" Good.
Now she found herself catapulted into Jackson's film adaptation, only the setting was different.
"We elves love only once. But being a human this you couldn't have known!" Tauriel said victorious.
"You'd be surprised how many things I know!" Hanna answered satisfied. Sara was much more knowledgeable being a diehard Tolkien fan, but over time she too could claim to have become one.
"We are not fickle like you humans. The King will always and only love our queen!" Hanna stiffened made nervous by an issue she had always refused to address.
The elf smiled "Love the memory of her! You are very similar to the queen. Stubborn and rebellious!" Tauriel approached her, whispering in her ear "You are just the shadow of a memory, the specter of a love that will never really be addressed to you!" There was cruel malice in his voice.
"I may not like you, but you can't talk to me like that!" decided to assert Hanna.
"Why? Will you hide under the king's cloak?" Tauriel asked, mocking her.
"You are impertinent! I may be unmarried, but I am your king's mate! If you disrespect me you disrespect him! Have you suddenly decided to forget what you were taught?!" Attacking elven honor could prove to be a winning weapon.
"Do not scold me, when you, perfidious human, have seduced our sovereign in a moment of weakness. And now you use innocent children for your own purposes!" Tauriel exploded facing her full of fury.
"Are we talking about the same elf ?!" Hanna asked perfectly at ease having dealt with Thranduil's outbursts for a long time.
"Do not make fun of me! I know our King better than you!" Then even the ephli were presumptuous.
"I'm not playing! when will you understand?!" Hanna stood up to her "I know him well too!" she admitted. "Oh really? How many centuries have you spent there? Did you see what he was like with his first wife? No. So you can't confirm that I'm lying!" Tauriel replied with satisfaction, seeing how the late queen made the pathetic human uncomfortable.
"You don't even know, though, how the King behaves when we are alone!" Hanna said before turning her heels towards an unknown destination, but as far away from that hot head as possible.
Months passed.
Hanna and Sara had become accustomed to the routine at the palace, little Aranel began to feel that she belonged to that place as father and son waged a silent war.
During this time of peace Elanor and Galador brought joy by starting to talk and showing a complicity that portended big trouble once they were old enough to move freely in the palace.
And finally the long awaited day arrived.
Radagast arrived accompanied by the young had left with him after their first meeting and to their surprise, Hanna and Sara had to acknowledge that they missed that young man full of energy ... not that they were outdone!
The magician managed to ensnare them as soon as he began to speak, confiding in what he had discovered "The legends tell of a parallel world, a land similar to ours, with its conflicts and its zones of peace, in which men are the prevailing race . It is said that they were a peaceful people. Even if no one has ever been there. Until now there was nothing that confirmed or denied its existence!" Radagast said.
"Encouraging!" Hanna complained.
Legends are always too vague to find clear indications or truth in them.
"My lord..." the wizard hesitated for a moment in front of the elven ruler before plucking up courage and continuing "... I'm afraid your imprisonment is no coincidence. It was fate that you met!" It was the same thought of Elrond.
"Yes, but it would have been easier if he had been catapulted into our world, not into the past!" Sara protested, recalling the years of imprisonment.
"So it was decided! I am unable to understand the actions of the Valar. It may be that they made all of you go astray so that you could be together!" Radagast began to utter cryptic phrases again.
"Sounds even more creepy!" recognized Hanna.
"People know each other in so many interesting ways! But in our case it is necessary to change the adjective!" Hanna thought, regretting not having met a confused elf in the garden behind the house.
"So it's the magic that allowed the two worlds to connect?" Kalos asked as excited and curious as her friends.
"Sorry, but you weren't with him?" Sara asked wondering why they shared this ignorance.
"Yes, but he preferred to share his discoveries only in your presence!" Kalos replied looking offended by the distrust shown him.
"Yes, my young friend. The magic of this world. Bending space is something very complicated, but I thought time was impossible!" Said the magician seeming not to notice the state of his young apprentice "Serious damage can be inflicted if you manipulate the time! You cannot change the past, rewrite it...no, no! You can only learn from the past!" He remember.
"And now we are in Wonderland!" Sara joked trying to relax.
"Already! Now it's too late for warnings!...do you mean that our world has changed?" Hanna asked, frightened by the fact that, unconsciously, they could have condemned both Sara's parents and thousands of innocent people to a different future.
"What are you saying, in the end the Romans won..." Sara whispered, earning an elbow when she pronounced the name of a people who had fallen into oblivion.
"I can't answer this question my lady!...but maybe you could find the answers!" Radagast said as if he had ignored that little exchange or hadn't noticed it at all.
"What?" Hanna asked feeling lost.
"Like?" Sara followed her, feeling the hope rekindling inside her.
"It was the magic that opened the portal. I think...maybe a sufficiently powerful spell could open it! It would only be a small one and it would have a short duration..."said Radagast who seemed confused by his own words.
"You mean I could go and see how my parents are?!" Sara felt she could jump for joy.
Even hope alone had given her immense happiness.
"But this is magnificent!" Hanna cheered, hugging her friend with enthusiasm.
"Yes my ladies. I'll do my best to get you back home!" Radagast promised, dampening the cheerfulness with that statement.
"I'm not following you!" had to recognize Sara.
"Once through, the portal will close behind you!" Radagast cleared up his doubts.
"What?" Hanna didn't want to believe it.
The choice was clear. There was no gray, only black or white!
"Will they be trapped forever?!" Thranduil asked as if he had just arrived.
"My lord, it was a coincidence that the gate was opened when you reached it! You have managed to return...with or without magic, soon this ripple in space will disappear and there will be no return. There is only this possibility and I will do my best to make it possible!" Radagast said, not knowing that such a revelation changed everything.
"No thanks! As much as I wish to see mine again I would never give up on all this! My..." Sara corrected herself "...our life is here now! Thanks all the same for the little hope and availability!" She said devastated feeling the possibilities incinerate and disappear under the weight of a few words.
"My ladies, you are not of this world! It's dangerous! Dangerous to play with...I don't know how to define it!" The insistence and insecurity of the magician was not a good omen.
"No, but I understand what you mean!" Hanna admitted sad.
"Should we go back? Of course?!" Sara asked like a child who has to leave the playground.
"No!" Thranduil thundered "If this wasn't their place they would never have tripped through the portal!" Bringing back hope with a simple sentence.
"So humiliating! Even if true!" Sara thought smiling.
"My lord their presence is dangerous!" Said the magician pointing to the humans with the big stick.
"Did you talk to Tauriel by any chance?!" Hanna was sick of hearing that spiel.
"No!" She said firmly, "Our children are not dangerous! There is a prophecy and I refuse to believe that the Valar brought us together just to hope for it again!" He screamed in full expression of his anger and frustration at such terrible news.
"Children will play an important role in the history of Middle-earth, that's for sure. But maybe...maybe your task has come to an end my lady!" The wizard found himself insisting.
"Are you calling me a mare?" Hanna asked that she would never leave her children.
Not even in front of Sauron himself!
"As I said earlier, I am unable to understand the will of the Valar!" Radagast closed the speech.
And here is the long-awaited meeting with Legolas!
Regarding the school, I like to think that Oropher made changes once on the throne to make himself well liked and prove to be a good King.
One of these is the "public" school, so to speak. I have read in many stories that elf babies are not born in dark times, or at least, they are born less.
But I have decided that the school, while Aranel attends it, will be full of students with whom he will have to deal.
That's why I put a rival and two other friends by my side!
Even Hanna and Sara make new acquaintances and not being used to the etiquette they behave in an unusual way with their maids!
With Tauriel it is open war! Like many elves in Mirkwood, he doesn't trust strangers, especially weak humans!
Legolas is lost!
His partner feeds the confusion with doubts and suspicions!
And the father-son relationship reaches a breaking point! But Hanna will not be intimidated ... I hope! With Kalos, within a few months, the friendship is strengthened.
And on time we have Radagast that brings with it questions, doubts and fears!
Guys, I'm sorry the chapter came out so long! But I can never do what I decide ... I think even the chapters programmed will increase!
See you soon,
X-98