Chapter 15
Morning came and Legolas did not waste any time. He leaped from his sleeping place and ran swiftly to Halin's tent. Entering without permission, he scanned the room. In the corner was Halin busily writing on a piece of parchment.
"Halin. Did she stay?" Legolas asked hopefully.
"As far as I know. Her possessions are still over there." Halin replied, pointing behind him without looking. He seemed very preoccupied. "She said that she would be back before noon. Something about talking with your father."
"What?"
But Halin didn't say anything else. He had gone back to writing whatever it is he was and acted as if Legolas had already left.
"Fine. I get the point. I'm leaving." Legolas rolled his eyes and ran out of the tent and up toward his fathers. He slowed to a walk once he was a few feet away. Keeping out of sight he listened at the conversation being had inside.
"Miss Elenhith, I know you mean no harm to my son but I just don't think it's wise to let you too spend so much time together."
"Why? What harm will come from it?"
"If Legolas has feelings for you, he will not move on. And if he doesn't move on then we'll never have a princess."
"Why must he be forced to marry one of royalty? How does that change anything?"
"It's a tradition and one you don't seem to understand. A prince must marry a princess. That's just the way things are."
"So I'm right. There is no decent reason as to why he must marry one of royalty. Then why can't you change that? It's foolish."
"You are walking on thin ice here, Miss Elenhith."
"Well then it's a good thing I'm light-footed, now isn't it?"
"You have courage to say a thing like that to someone with so much authority. Why do you counter me?"
"Because it's not fair."
"What's not fair?"
"The fact that you force your own son to follow a foolish tradition even though it may make him unhappy for all of eternity."
"I think you are overreacted."
"And I think you have a control problem."
"That's it! I-"
"Father, that is no way to talk to a lady." Legolas stepped into the tent. He tried his hardest not to laugh at his father's red face and Lorelein's determined one.
"Legolas, you know better than to interrupt me when I'm speaking with another unless-"
"Unless it is necessary." Legolas finished his father's sentence. "And I find it necessary to join this "discussion" for it involves me."
"Now, Miss Elenhith, there's a reason as to why he should marry into royalty. You've been a bad influence on him."
"I shall marry who I please, father. Nothing you do to Lorelein or I will change my mind. Besides…I do not plan to marry anyone in the near future."
"Whether you marry soon or not, you must marry one of royalty."
"Royalty…hah! All royalty is is a rank. It has nothing to do with the person. Look at Lorelein's father. He was of Elrond's highest royalty and yet evil to the core." He glanced at Lorelein and saw her wince at his word. Giving her an apologetic look, he turned back. "Our rank is just a useless badge given by birth and nothing more. If you judge your people by their status then a fool of a king you must be and an embarrassment to the entire line of Greenleaf's. Never would I be so shallow." Legolas' eyes burned with fierce honesty and his words struck Thranduil hard. Full of hurt and furiously angry, he spoke loud and demanding.
"Legolas Greenleaf, you will speak never to that wench again! Leave here now and don't turn back. You have led her to her death. She will be beheaded tomorrow at sundown and she has you to thank."
There was a great silence. Legolas looked at his father in disbelief but could not find his voice. Turning to face Lorelein, her expression was emotionless. She just stared back at him.
"You're bluffing." His voice didn't reach above a whisper.
Signing a piece of paper, Thranduil handed it to an elf beside him. Then looking up his son, he glared and spoke to his messenger.
"Announce it to the people. The beheading of Lorelein Elenhith will be at sundown tomorrow morning for blatant disrespect toward to the King. If any doubt the statement, show them the paper. I have written my approval." And with that, he stormed out of the tent leaving Lorelein and Legolas to themselves.
And for the first time, Lorelein saw a tear roll down Legolas' cheek. Not one of fear. Not one of aggrevation. Nor of disbelief.
It was a tear of anger. A tear of misery.
A tear of defeat.
Morning came and Legolas did not waste any time. He leaped from his sleeping place and ran swiftly to Halin's tent. Entering without permission, he scanned the room. In the corner was Halin busily writing on a piece of parchment.
"Halin. Did she stay?" Legolas asked hopefully.
"As far as I know. Her possessions are still over there." Halin replied, pointing behind him without looking. He seemed very preoccupied. "She said that she would be back before noon. Something about talking with your father."
"What?"
But Halin didn't say anything else. He had gone back to writing whatever it is he was and acted as if Legolas had already left.
"Fine. I get the point. I'm leaving." Legolas rolled his eyes and ran out of the tent and up toward his fathers. He slowed to a walk once he was a few feet away. Keeping out of sight he listened at the conversation being had inside.
"Miss Elenhith, I know you mean no harm to my son but I just don't think it's wise to let you too spend so much time together."
"Why? What harm will come from it?"
"If Legolas has feelings for you, he will not move on. And if he doesn't move on then we'll never have a princess."
"Why must he be forced to marry one of royalty? How does that change anything?"
"It's a tradition and one you don't seem to understand. A prince must marry a princess. That's just the way things are."
"So I'm right. There is no decent reason as to why he must marry one of royalty. Then why can't you change that? It's foolish."
"You are walking on thin ice here, Miss Elenhith."
"Well then it's a good thing I'm light-footed, now isn't it?"
"You have courage to say a thing like that to someone with so much authority. Why do you counter me?"
"Because it's not fair."
"What's not fair?"
"The fact that you force your own son to follow a foolish tradition even though it may make him unhappy for all of eternity."
"I think you are overreacted."
"And I think you have a control problem."
"That's it! I-"
"Father, that is no way to talk to a lady." Legolas stepped into the tent. He tried his hardest not to laugh at his father's red face and Lorelein's determined one.
"Legolas, you know better than to interrupt me when I'm speaking with another unless-"
"Unless it is necessary." Legolas finished his father's sentence. "And I find it necessary to join this "discussion" for it involves me."
"Now, Miss Elenhith, there's a reason as to why he should marry into royalty. You've been a bad influence on him."
"I shall marry who I please, father. Nothing you do to Lorelein or I will change my mind. Besides…I do not plan to marry anyone in the near future."
"Whether you marry soon or not, you must marry one of royalty."
"Royalty…hah! All royalty is is a rank. It has nothing to do with the person. Look at Lorelein's father. He was of Elrond's highest royalty and yet evil to the core." He glanced at Lorelein and saw her wince at his word. Giving her an apologetic look, he turned back. "Our rank is just a useless badge given by birth and nothing more. If you judge your people by their status then a fool of a king you must be and an embarrassment to the entire line of Greenleaf's. Never would I be so shallow." Legolas' eyes burned with fierce honesty and his words struck Thranduil hard. Full of hurt and furiously angry, he spoke loud and demanding.
"Legolas Greenleaf, you will speak never to that wench again! Leave here now and don't turn back. You have led her to her death. She will be beheaded tomorrow at sundown and she has you to thank."
There was a great silence. Legolas looked at his father in disbelief but could not find his voice. Turning to face Lorelein, her expression was emotionless. She just stared back at him.
"You're bluffing." His voice didn't reach above a whisper.
Signing a piece of paper, Thranduil handed it to an elf beside him. Then looking up his son, he glared and spoke to his messenger.
"Announce it to the people. The beheading of Lorelein Elenhith will be at sundown tomorrow morning for blatant disrespect toward to the King. If any doubt the statement, show them the paper. I have written my approval." And with that, he stormed out of the tent leaving Lorelein and Legolas to themselves.
And for the first time, Lorelein saw a tear roll down Legolas' cheek. Not one of fear. Not one of aggrevation. Nor of disbelief.
It was a tear of anger. A tear of misery.
A tear of defeat.