"Dear friends, when I first heard of King Ryldors death, my heart shattered. It's very hard for me to see his family in such pain. I grew up with him as a friend, fighting with him in many battles. We went through everything together, falling in love, seeing each other wed, raise children, and become Kings of our land. But now I look and he is nowhere to be found... and I carry that heavily in my heart. I would do anything... anything, just to spend one more day by his side, to see his friendly face." King Thranduil was standing up at the edge dinner table, making a speech about the dead king. Many guests had arrived to pay their respects to King Ryldor's family. Aragorn's son Virion came in place for his father. Aragorn was ill in his Kingdom of Gondor. Elves from Lothlorien, served as messengers from Lady Galadriel. A few dwarves from Moria were there.
Delani sat and griped the sides of her chair trying not to cry out. She wanted to scream, run, and ride into battle to avenge her fathers death, but her mother reminded her it was a time of mourning, not killing nor hatred towards her fathers enemies. She looked across the table to see Perion, one of her old friends. Perion was a man, mortal blood ran through his veins. His light brown hair always fell in pieces in front of his brown eyes. Delani knew Perion since he was born. He was raised by his mother and father in Gondor. Seeing that she had lived for 3,000 years at that time was fully grown, she watched Perion become a young boy, to a young man.
Perion was sitting up straight in his chair, listening to King Thranduil. He seemed to be very much interested to what the King of Mirkwood was saying. Delani tried to get into the speech, but with so much going through her mind it was to hard to listen.
Thranduil had finished his speech and everyone sat up to walk around the room and socialize. Delani quickly raised herself from her seat and left the room. She walked out and down a hallway, which were lit with torches. She opened a door that opened up to a balcony that viewed all of Neverwinter.
Delani walked out on to the balcony, she rested her hands upon the rail and looked out over her kingdom. Candles and lanterns seemed to be lit in every window. She breathed deep, the wind from Mourning Cloud picked up, and brushed her body, this time for some reason it soothed her. She closed her eyes, and rolled her head. She enjoyed the silence, the peace. She had hated standing there, welcoming guests. They came up, bowed and said how sorry they felt for her and her family with the passing of her father. She loathed it.
Arms quickly wrapped around her waist. Delani gasped at the sudden embrace. The warmth from the arms enclosed around her stomach. She knew at once who it was.
"I didn't even hear you sneak up." She said with a small smile curling upon her lips. She turned around to face Celendir.
"As your brother I am supposed to," he said with a smile. He looked at Delani, she was growing so fast, almost a full maiden. His smile left his play full gaze, his eyes turned into a look of concern, "What is wrong Delani? You've been floating around like a ghost." Delani turned away from him, and placed her elbows on the rail of the balcony and looked out over Neverwinter.
"We have no father, that is what." She said flatly. Celendir then realizing that was stupid question. But that was not what he meant. He leaned on the rail along side his sister, and turned his face to look at her.
"Yes that is one reason. But you know something, you know what's going to happen don't you?" He said pressing her to answer him. She turned her head to look at him. Her eyes showed pain, she didn't feel that it was her right to tell him about the journey they were about to face. "You know something don't you? Tell me... Delani in all that is good tell me!" She hesitated, she was afraid to say what was to happen, for fear he would not take the route that father had told Delani he had to take. Celendir did not take commands easily from elves younger than him. Delani knew that getting him to go to Lothlorien.
"Indeed she knows something." The both turned around, to find Thranduil standing before them.
"What is it with everyone sneaking up on each other all time?" Delani huffed, then turned around again. Thranduoil walked up to Celendir. He sighed and started the long process of coaxing Celendir to take this journey that lay before him.
"When your father lay on his death bed," Celendir tilted his head to the side and winced at the sound of that. Thranduil stopped, and then continued, " he had told your sister that she was to take you to Lothlorien, to Lady Galadriel. She will give you guidance, and tutoring of being king. I was sent here to see through it that this journey happens, and that while you were away I would watch over Neverwinter." Celendir became enraged at this. He turned to Delani and griped her shoulder.
"Delani tell me this is not true!" She did not look at him, she looked down from the balcony where they were above trees. She wish she would've fallen off the balcony at that point. "Delani, I don't need Galadriel's guidance, I need you, mother and Neverwinter. I am king now aren't I?" He heard Thranduils voice.
"Yes in tradition you are King, but believe me when I say, if you see Galadriel you will be more at ease when she tutors you." Delani looked up at her brother, stubborn he was, she knew he would do it, but he would not give in easily. She saw that in his eyes.
"Celendir, please, don't make this hard. Father requested it, do this for him. He shall be in peace if you just do this for him." She spoke forcefully towards him. Celendir stepped back a little, from shock of his sister's tone of voice. He felt lightheaded, a tingling sensation eroused in the tips of his fingers. His body started to sway. He couldn't control himself. He felt his body start to fall. Before Delani could catch him, Thranduil had his hands under the young King's shoulders. Celendir felt his eyes close. Thranduil laid Celendir on the stone floor.
It was the oddest feeling Celendir ever experienced. It was as if something passed through him. He had felt a certain presence within him, it seemed to have soothed him. Thranduil had looked up to where he was sitting next to Celendir, he felt a presence as well, but of what he could not name.
Celendir felt a warmth of a small hand upon his cheek. His eyes slowly opened only to find Delani staring down at him. She smiled.
"Will you take this journey Celendir?" She said. Celendir thought for a moment. His chest heaved a heavy sigh. He grabbed Delani's hand.
"Yes... I will. You are assured to accompany me?"
"Yes it is assured. That and a group of our elf guards, and I believe Perion will join us as well... we will protect you." She said.
"That brings me to one more thing. My son will also accompany you on this journey." Thranduil spoke softly. He rested a hand on Celendirs head.
"You mean Legolas?" Celendir's heart leapt. Legolas was a child hood friend of his. They had grown up together just like Thranduil and Ryldor. When ever Legolas was not in Mirkwood or on a journey, he was always at Neverwinter with Celendir.
He remembered how Legolas made him play Orcs and Elves with him. Legolas played rough, so he would always end up giving Celendir a black eyes or twisted ankle. But Celendir thought nothing of it, he being an elf always healed easily and was up and about the next day ready to take on Legolas's fighting game. Legolas grew into a warrior, going on many journeys and fighting battles. Celendir gave up his sword fighting days for the study of healing, and wisdome. Learning nature for what is was and what is could do.
Through centuries their friendship was close. They rode off into the woods together, hunted, and went courting with other elf maidens. Sadly, Legolas left for the Council at Elrond, that's where he joined the fellowship. He had not seen his old friend since then.
"Yes that very one." Thranduil said with a chuckle. "Come on boy, get to your feet. Celendir raised himself off the floor. Delani started to brush off the dirt on his tunic.
"Does mother know this yet?" He asked her. She looked down at the floor.
"Yes she does."
"When do we leave?"
"Two days from now." She wrapped herself around his arm. Thranduil led the way out to the hall way, and the two elves who held the fate of Neverwinter in their virgin hands.
Delani sat and griped the sides of her chair trying not to cry out. She wanted to scream, run, and ride into battle to avenge her fathers death, but her mother reminded her it was a time of mourning, not killing nor hatred towards her fathers enemies. She looked across the table to see Perion, one of her old friends. Perion was a man, mortal blood ran through his veins. His light brown hair always fell in pieces in front of his brown eyes. Delani knew Perion since he was born. He was raised by his mother and father in Gondor. Seeing that she had lived for 3,000 years at that time was fully grown, she watched Perion become a young boy, to a young man.
Perion was sitting up straight in his chair, listening to King Thranduil. He seemed to be very much interested to what the King of Mirkwood was saying. Delani tried to get into the speech, but with so much going through her mind it was to hard to listen.
Thranduil had finished his speech and everyone sat up to walk around the room and socialize. Delani quickly raised herself from her seat and left the room. She walked out and down a hallway, which were lit with torches. She opened a door that opened up to a balcony that viewed all of Neverwinter.
Delani walked out on to the balcony, she rested her hands upon the rail and looked out over her kingdom. Candles and lanterns seemed to be lit in every window. She breathed deep, the wind from Mourning Cloud picked up, and brushed her body, this time for some reason it soothed her. She closed her eyes, and rolled her head. She enjoyed the silence, the peace. She had hated standing there, welcoming guests. They came up, bowed and said how sorry they felt for her and her family with the passing of her father. She loathed it.
Arms quickly wrapped around her waist. Delani gasped at the sudden embrace. The warmth from the arms enclosed around her stomach. She knew at once who it was.
"I didn't even hear you sneak up." She said with a small smile curling upon her lips. She turned around to face Celendir.
"As your brother I am supposed to," he said with a smile. He looked at Delani, she was growing so fast, almost a full maiden. His smile left his play full gaze, his eyes turned into a look of concern, "What is wrong Delani? You've been floating around like a ghost." Delani turned away from him, and placed her elbows on the rail of the balcony and looked out over Neverwinter.
"We have no father, that is what." She said flatly. Celendir then realizing that was stupid question. But that was not what he meant. He leaned on the rail along side his sister, and turned his face to look at her.
"Yes that is one reason. But you know something, you know what's going to happen don't you?" He said pressing her to answer him. She turned her head to look at him. Her eyes showed pain, she didn't feel that it was her right to tell him about the journey they were about to face. "You know something don't you? Tell me... Delani in all that is good tell me!" She hesitated, she was afraid to say what was to happen, for fear he would not take the route that father had told Delani he had to take. Celendir did not take commands easily from elves younger than him. Delani knew that getting him to go to Lothlorien.
"Indeed she knows something." The both turned around, to find Thranduil standing before them.
"What is it with everyone sneaking up on each other all time?" Delani huffed, then turned around again. Thranduoil walked up to Celendir. He sighed and started the long process of coaxing Celendir to take this journey that lay before him.
"When your father lay on his death bed," Celendir tilted his head to the side and winced at the sound of that. Thranduil stopped, and then continued, " he had told your sister that she was to take you to Lothlorien, to Lady Galadriel. She will give you guidance, and tutoring of being king. I was sent here to see through it that this journey happens, and that while you were away I would watch over Neverwinter." Celendir became enraged at this. He turned to Delani and griped her shoulder.
"Delani tell me this is not true!" She did not look at him, she looked down from the balcony where they were above trees. She wish she would've fallen off the balcony at that point. "Delani, I don't need Galadriel's guidance, I need you, mother and Neverwinter. I am king now aren't I?" He heard Thranduils voice.
"Yes in tradition you are King, but believe me when I say, if you see Galadriel you will be more at ease when she tutors you." Delani looked up at her brother, stubborn he was, she knew he would do it, but he would not give in easily. She saw that in his eyes.
"Celendir, please, don't make this hard. Father requested it, do this for him. He shall be in peace if you just do this for him." She spoke forcefully towards him. Celendir stepped back a little, from shock of his sister's tone of voice. He felt lightheaded, a tingling sensation eroused in the tips of his fingers. His body started to sway. He couldn't control himself. He felt his body start to fall. Before Delani could catch him, Thranduil had his hands under the young King's shoulders. Celendir felt his eyes close. Thranduil laid Celendir on the stone floor.
It was the oddest feeling Celendir ever experienced. It was as if something passed through him. He had felt a certain presence within him, it seemed to have soothed him. Thranduil had looked up to where he was sitting next to Celendir, he felt a presence as well, but of what he could not name.
Celendir felt a warmth of a small hand upon his cheek. His eyes slowly opened only to find Delani staring down at him. She smiled.
"Will you take this journey Celendir?" She said. Celendir thought for a moment. His chest heaved a heavy sigh. He grabbed Delani's hand.
"Yes... I will. You are assured to accompany me?"
"Yes it is assured. That and a group of our elf guards, and I believe Perion will join us as well... we will protect you." She said.
"That brings me to one more thing. My son will also accompany you on this journey." Thranduil spoke softly. He rested a hand on Celendirs head.
"You mean Legolas?" Celendir's heart leapt. Legolas was a child hood friend of his. They had grown up together just like Thranduil and Ryldor. When ever Legolas was not in Mirkwood or on a journey, he was always at Neverwinter with Celendir.
He remembered how Legolas made him play Orcs and Elves with him. Legolas played rough, so he would always end up giving Celendir a black eyes or twisted ankle. But Celendir thought nothing of it, he being an elf always healed easily and was up and about the next day ready to take on Legolas's fighting game. Legolas grew into a warrior, going on many journeys and fighting battles. Celendir gave up his sword fighting days for the study of healing, and wisdome. Learning nature for what is was and what is could do.
Through centuries their friendship was close. They rode off into the woods together, hunted, and went courting with other elf maidens. Sadly, Legolas left for the Council at Elrond, that's where he joined the fellowship. He had not seen his old friend since then.
"Yes that very one." Thranduil said with a chuckle. "Come on boy, get to your feet. Celendir raised himself off the floor. Delani started to brush off the dirt on his tunic.
"Does mother know this yet?" He asked her. She looked down at the floor.
"Yes she does."
"When do we leave?"
"Two days from now." She wrapped herself around his arm. Thranduil led the way out to the hall way, and the two elves who held the fate of Neverwinter in their virgin hands.