Chapter Three
Thranduil had been waiting for them, for he knew he was not mistaken in his son's intentions to ask for Candria's hand in marriage. This troubled his mind, and he wished to speak with Legolas about his worries before he agreed to their request. Legolas eyed his father curiously, but Candria simply curtsied and walked out of Thranduil's hall.
"Why are you being so rude father? She thinks you to be displeased with her now." Legolas felt indignant at Thranduil's dismissal of Candria just as they had been ready to ask for his blessing.
"My actions are justified, for there is something of great importance that I must ask you before I allow you to wed Candria." Here Thranduil paused, and allowed his son to take hold of the gravity of the situation. "Candria has a gift, but that gift has come with a price that she does not yet know. Every time she heals someone using her life force, it pulls away years from her own life. She had already become weaker, and less able to handle the stresses placed upon her. I do not mean to say that your marriage would harm her…but if you intend to have a child, the risk that it would kill Candria is very great indeed. I tell you this only to be sure you understand; I wish you to know the full weight of your responsibilities and actions." Legolas sat down, his legs unable to support him as he stared ahead, his clear eyes now glazed over and confused. Thranduil could find no way to comfort him, and so let him resolve his inner conflict without any other words spoken to him. For the first time Legolas felt his heart break, the idea of marrying Candria now a painful wish he could never attain. He could not live with her and never know the touch of her skin, never feel her warm, resting in his arms as they awoke in the morning sunlight.
When he emerged, Candria looked up at him in concern, he seemed to look older and more saddened. Legolas looked down into her bewildered eyes and did not have the heart to tell her what he had been told.
"Do not ask me to tell you the words of my father, for they have wounded me to the heart and I hardly feel able to stand." He shook violently, and for a moment, Candria thought he would fall over into her arms.
"Why carry your knowledge alone? I am here for you to share the burden, do not let your heart break from weariness. Tell me what troubles you Legolas." Try as she might, Candria could not tear from him what grieved him so. She felt it must have something to do with her, for every time he looked into her eyes, or gazed upon the teardrop resting on her forehead, his eyes would brim with tears.
They parted that night, without another words spoken of their union. Candria could not understand Legolas' unhappy state, and it poured sadness into her heart as well. That he would not tell her his worries only coupled her grief, and as she cried bitterly all through the night, she wondered at what she had said or done wrongly.
She awoke the next day to the bright sun of mid-day glaring off of the brilliant white snow. Her room was filled with coldness, as she had not lit a fire nor cared to close her windows the night before.
She dressed mechanically and threw her cloak around her shoulders, the smell of Legolas still hanging upon it. Candria looked on her bedside table, Legolas' small silver crown resting upon a fold of cloth. She did not have the heart to look at it or wear it, and so wrapped it in the cloth and bid her maiden take it to Lord Legolas.
Candria walked out into the hall to find it unusually busy, there were elves walking everywhere, anxiously looking about and speaking in low whispers.
Through the crowd Candria spotted Halafin, carrying an armful of bows towards the main hall. She ran up to him and begged to know what had happened to bring about the sudden rush of activity in the castle.
"War is coming my Lady. Thorin Oakenshield of the dwarves has insulted King Thranduil and our armies march upon Erebor to aid the armies of the men of Esgaroth. The King is demanding compensation from Thorin which he has been loath to return, and now we leave to fight him" Candria felt her heart heave with sudden fear, was Legolas amongst those who had left to fight? She reached out and grasped Halafin's wrist, panic coursing through her entire being.
"Legolas? Was he among those who left?" Halafin suddenly realized the urgency behind her eyes; she was in love with the son of the king. He pitied her, she now seemed weakened and much smaller, the fear of Legolas' departure eating away at her heart's strength. Halafin hardly had the heart to affirm her darkest fear, his eyes shifted to the ground and Candria knew. She released his wrist, as though all strength had left her body. She slowly made her way back into her room and locked herself inside, refusing all visitors and barring all the windows shut, silence and candlelight her only companions.
Candria had thought of leaving the city and trying to find Legolas, but she dared not betray the trust and faith of Thranduil. Although her heart ached at the thought of Legolas dying or being wounded beyond the reach of her aid, she dared not let her emotions cloud her responsibilities again, she had been shown the folly of her ways.
As the weeks crawled by, she ventured outside in search of news, for none of the armies had returned, but more and more soldiers were leaving. She had not thought the dwarfish armies to be such a threat, and a shadow of fear had crept into her heart.
She stopped a young servant as he made his way towards the great hall, and inquired as to the situation of the elfish armies.
"My Lady, there is news that an army of orcs and wargs, hideous wolves of unnatural size that we were until now unawares of, descended from the mountains just as we were about to attack Thorin Oakenshield. The elfin and men forces joined with the dwarves, they are fighting together as we speak, although many of the enemy have fallen, we have lost too many to count as well." He quickly went about his business and left Candria standing alone.
Thranduil had been waiting for them, for he knew he was not mistaken in his son's intentions to ask for Candria's hand in marriage. This troubled his mind, and he wished to speak with Legolas about his worries before he agreed to their request. Legolas eyed his father curiously, but Candria simply curtsied and walked out of Thranduil's hall.
"Why are you being so rude father? She thinks you to be displeased with her now." Legolas felt indignant at Thranduil's dismissal of Candria just as they had been ready to ask for his blessing.
"My actions are justified, for there is something of great importance that I must ask you before I allow you to wed Candria." Here Thranduil paused, and allowed his son to take hold of the gravity of the situation. "Candria has a gift, but that gift has come with a price that she does not yet know. Every time she heals someone using her life force, it pulls away years from her own life. She had already become weaker, and less able to handle the stresses placed upon her. I do not mean to say that your marriage would harm her…but if you intend to have a child, the risk that it would kill Candria is very great indeed. I tell you this only to be sure you understand; I wish you to know the full weight of your responsibilities and actions." Legolas sat down, his legs unable to support him as he stared ahead, his clear eyes now glazed over and confused. Thranduil could find no way to comfort him, and so let him resolve his inner conflict without any other words spoken to him. For the first time Legolas felt his heart break, the idea of marrying Candria now a painful wish he could never attain. He could not live with her and never know the touch of her skin, never feel her warm, resting in his arms as they awoke in the morning sunlight.
When he emerged, Candria looked up at him in concern, he seemed to look older and more saddened. Legolas looked down into her bewildered eyes and did not have the heart to tell her what he had been told.
"Do not ask me to tell you the words of my father, for they have wounded me to the heart and I hardly feel able to stand." He shook violently, and for a moment, Candria thought he would fall over into her arms.
"Why carry your knowledge alone? I am here for you to share the burden, do not let your heart break from weariness. Tell me what troubles you Legolas." Try as she might, Candria could not tear from him what grieved him so. She felt it must have something to do with her, for every time he looked into her eyes, or gazed upon the teardrop resting on her forehead, his eyes would brim with tears.
They parted that night, without another words spoken of their union. Candria could not understand Legolas' unhappy state, and it poured sadness into her heart as well. That he would not tell her his worries only coupled her grief, and as she cried bitterly all through the night, she wondered at what she had said or done wrongly.
She awoke the next day to the bright sun of mid-day glaring off of the brilliant white snow. Her room was filled with coldness, as she had not lit a fire nor cared to close her windows the night before.
She dressed mechanically and threw her cloak around her shoulders, the smell of Legolas still hanging upon it. Candria looked on her bedside table, Legolas' small silver crown resting upon a fold of cloth. She did not have the heart to look at it or wear it, and so wrapped it in the cloth and bid her maiden take it to Lord Legolas.
Candria walked out into the hall to find it unusually busy, there were elves walking everywhere, anxiously looking about and speaking in low whispers.
Through the crowd Candria spotted Halafin, carrying an armful of bows towards the main hall. She ran up to him and begged to know what had happened to bring about the sudden rush of activity in the castle.
"War is coming my Lady. Thorin Oakenshield of the dwarves has insulted King Thranduil and our armies march upon Erebor to aid the armies of the men of Esgaroth. The King is demanding compensation from Thorin which he has been loath to return, and now we leave to fight him" Candria felt her heart heave with sudden fear, was Legolas amongst those who had left to fight? She reached out and grasped Halafin's wrist, panic coursing through her entire being.
"Legolas? Was he among those who left?" Halafin suddenly realized the urgency behind her eyes; she was in love with the son of the king. He pitied her, she now seemed weakened and much smaller, the fear of Legolas' departure eating away at her heart's strength. Halafin hardly had the heart to affirm her darkest fear, his eyes shifted to the ground and Candria knew. She released his wrist, as though all strength had left her body. She slowly made her way back into her room and locked herself inside, refusing all visitors and barring all the windows shut, silence and candlelight her only companions.
Candria had thought of leaving the city and trying to find Legolas, but she dared not betray the trust and faith of Thranduil. Although her heart ached at the thought of Legolas dying or being wounded beyond the reach of her aid, she dared not let her emotions cloud her responsibilities again, she had been shown the folly of her ways.
As the weeks crawled by, she ventured outside in search of news, for none of the armies had returned, but more and more soldiers were leaving. She had not thought the dwarfish armies to be such a threat, and a shadow of fear had crept into her heart.
She stopped a young servant as he made his way towards the great hall, and inquired as to the situation of the elfish armies.
"My Lady, there is news that an army of orcs and wargs, hideous wolves of unnatural size that we were until now unawares of, descended from the mountains just as we were about to attack Thorin Oakenshield. The elfin and men forces joined with the dwarves, they are fighting together as we speak, although many of the enemy have fallen, we have lost too many to count as well." He quickly went about his business and left Candria standing alone.