A/N: This is it. The last chapter of Green Woods. The Golden Rings will be Part 3 and it will not be posted for a while. Thank you so much for reading my very long story of Thranduil, Elrond, Gil-galad, and Mairon. Especially to all those who sent me comments and left me likes, thank you so much. Each comment and each like encouraged me and helped me go on.
Until Part 3, Gold Rings, I may come in occasionally to answer questions, edit, post music lists, and also post paintings made by the-red-butterfly. I have several drawings she made, but I just didn't have time to upload it. Thank you, the-red-butterfly.
Amon-thon. March 24, SA 723
"OROPHER, they are coming," Glineth's excited voice tore Oropher's gaze from the tallest fir tree at the edge of the common grove.
The chieftains from each of the twelve settlements were all up there with Lord Laegir and Galenhir. This gathering was the first large-scale gathering since the Midsummer last year. With the new year only a week away, the Wood-elves and their leaders seemed determined to make changes. The chieftains from all twelve settlements in Greenwood have brought their people. Even Amdir had come from Lorinand, bringing many people from his small kingdom.
Lorinand had separated from Greenwood as an independent kingdom now, but many still considered it part of Greenwood and as the chieftains are deciding whether to relinquish part of their authority for one central figure, Amdir had been invited to join in their discussion.
After the terrible Orc raid and the abduction of Istuion's family and the Wood-elves, Oropher had delivered the report on his findings to the Silvan lords. Lord Galenhir had returned to Amon-thon with him from Dorwinion, and, to Oropher's surprise, admitted his mistakes to the Silvans gathered at his father's telan. The Sindarin lord had been especially grateful to Galenhir for stating to the people that he had been wrong to suspect the Sindar's motive for moving into the forest.
What happened at the river, as well as Galenhir's return to Amon-thon caused much talk, and the chieftains and their people had returned to their settlements with much on their minds about the future of the Greenwood.
Oropher moved over from where he stood when a throng of people pushed, trying to get to a better spot in the grove's edge. The chatter and the laughter of the people rang through the forest.
For these people who had limited encounters with the Orcs and their cruel ways, the incident was not only an occasion of great sorrow but of great fear. And the past year had been difficult for the residents of Greenwood. Oropher did what he could to reassure the people and bring comfort to those who had lost loved ones, providing as much assistance as he could spare out of Amon Lanc.
Knowing how difficult the past few months had been for the people, Oropher was glad to see so many Wood-elves here who attended this gathering with enthusiasm and optimism. Their resilience and strength moved Oropher greatly. And seeing them, hope grew in his heart that his son would also find joy again.
Thranduil had made the difficult decision to let go of the past. And while that was an important first step, Oropher knew the real work lay ahead and would take years. Even for him, who had faced the tragedies of kinslaying as an adult, the trauma of the events had been debilitating. For Thranduil, that trauma would go deeper and farther.
"They are here! Oh! Oh! He is far ahead." Glineth clapped her hands as a murmur rose among the people.
The number of people about him surged. Oropher grabbed the petite nurse and placed her on one of the tree branches above his head. And he made himself smaller to make more room. He chuckled when he saw Seledhel had been pushed far from him and Himion had given up his ground and was lost somewhere. He had not expected this much turnout among the Silvans. It seemed there were more people gathered at Amon-thon this year than all the previous years he had seen.
As he had presented all that he could and said all that he wanted to say to the chieftains, Oropher had decided the rest was up to the Silvan lords to decide and had excused himself to spend time with his son who surprised him by joining in the obstacle course race. He rather enjoyed being just a spectator in the crowd.
The surrounding crowd cheered and clapped, some whooping out loud. Glineth shouted in glee with them. Oropher turned and stretched out his neck along with the crowd nearest him, then moved with the crowd when they ran to the edge of the hill to watch the runners make their last climb up the steep hill.
Thranduil was hard to miss. It was not just because of his impossible height or his pale hair which caught the afternoon sunlight and sparkled like a gleam of a stream. Among the two dozen young people running, he was far ahead of all of them, running up the steep hillside as if it didn't cost him any effort.
The crowd cheered as Thranduil cleared the last obstacle of a cluster of rocks in the path with a leap and a bound.
"THRANDUIL!" Glineth shouted at the top of her lungs, making Oropher look up at her wide-eyed. For the petite woman that she was, she was loud. Glineth shrugged down at Oropher, then continued to shout Thranduil's name. And soon, his son's name was echoed by others.
"Thranduil! Thranduil!" the crowd chanted, clapped, and screamed. Once he entered the grove, his son turned around and slowed down visibly with only a few feet to the great fir tree which stood at the end of the grove.
Glineth screamed Thranduil's name again and waved wildly, jumping up and down where she stood, the branch swinging dangerously under her. Oropher grabbed the branch to support it in case it broke under her feet. His son turned toward Glineth, then his son's eyes found his. Thranduil beamed, flashing teeth; he turned to them, waving his hand, his face flushed.
"Son, wat-"
Too late. Thranduil ran headlong into a clump of underbrush just shy of a few feet from the great tree, and tripped, headfirst into the grass underfoot.
The group of runners behind Thranduil, both Silvans and the Sindar, rushed over, jumped over the bush and Thranduil, leaving the blond Sinda behind.
The crowd rushed into the grove following the runners, leaving Oropher where he stood. Thranduil got up, dazed.
Oropher laughed out aloud. "That's what happens when you are overconfident, son." He knew Thranduil was never this relaxed enough to make such a blunder. And his heart was glad to see it.
"Well, I got here before everyone." Thranduil sat up, shaking his head full of dry leaves.
"The race ends at Lord Laegir's tree." Oropher pointed to the great fir tree where the runners were gathered, out of breath, their chests heaving, surrounded by the adoring crowd.
"I thought I would never see the day you coming last in anything," Glineth laughed as she dusted Thranduil's head and face with her scarf. Her eyes sparkled with warmth. "But then, I not think you would ever join in the race. That alone is a cause for celebration." She wrapped her arms around Thranduil as he got up. "You deserve the big plate of tree mushrooms I have grilled for you."
"Thranduil!" Aron beckoned among the runners. Galion and Durion who were near Aron, their chests heaving and bent over their knees, got up and waved at Thranduil to join them.
The blond Sinda looked over at Oropher. He and Thranduil were to dine with Lord Laegir and his guests. But he knew his son would rather go with Aron and the other younger elves than accompany him.
"I expect you back at least an hour before the New Year's celebration starts," Oropher said, giving his son his solemn face.
Thranduil's face brightened. Oropher's heart warmed to see his son smile widely. A genuine smile, one that brightened his whole being.
"I have packed some food for you and others," said Glineth as Thranduil turned to go. "Stop by my tent and take the two large brown bags I have packed. I grilled some tree mushrooms and packed some Dorwinions." She gave Thranduil a look.
His son kissed Glineth's cheek, making her giggle before he sauntered to others.
"Now, Glineth. How did you even know that I was going to let him go?" Oropher frowned down at the petite nurse.
"I have known you since you were a child, Oropher. I think I know you by now. Hmph!" Glineth said before joining the other ellyth about her.
Oropher shook his head, but he could not help but smile.
By the look of things, it would be days, perhaps even months, before the Wood-elves could come to some agreement. Deciding to unify under a king was a monumental decision. And such a decision required unanimous consent among the chieftains. Otherwise, instead of unity, it would only break everyone apart.
And once they decide to unify under one central power, an even more important decision had to be made. They would have to choose a king. But that would be an even harder decision. It could take months, perhaps years. He wasn't complaining. Thranduil could take some needed time off to explore and learn more about the forest and its people. Perhaps instead of waiting for next year, he could take time off upon returning to Amon Lanc and travel with his son for a while, letting Aron and Seledhel manage Amon Lanc for the time being. There was no rush. Cendir and Ethir had reported that there was no further trace of Sauron in the regions surrounding Greenwood. He could have Himion implement the guard training regimen which he had prepared for future use should the need arise.
Just then the Silvan chieftains, Istuion and Amdir among them, came down from the telain above the great fir tree. They were followed by Lord Laegir and his son. Galenhir supported his father who leaned heavily on his son as they descended onto the grassy grove. Ever since he lost his younger son, Lord Laegir's light had dimmed noticeably.
Oropher's heart clenched, knowing the elder elf had little time left. He had hardly come out of his residence. It was the reason the meeting took place in his telain, so it was unusual to see him come down to the grove.
A murmur spread among the people who were dispersing once the race ended. They gathered in the grove surrounding Lord Laegir as if they knew without being told that the elder lord wanted to talk to them.
Oropher moved along with the crowd. He looked over the heads of the Silvans and Sindar to see if Thranduil was around, but he and his friends were nowhere in sight.
"Dear people," Lord Laegir said, his voice warm and soft. There was a faint quality to it, as if it was an evening light just about to go behind a mountain before it set. People hushed, and the grove filled with solemn silence.
"Not too long ago, we faced one of our greatest of losses. We lost dear friends, fathers and brothers. People who were dear to us. Your chieftains from your settlements have told you that we stand in the throes of change. The world outside this forest is changing. There are people we had never met coming into this region. Some are friends, and some are foes. But what is important is that we cannot go on as we have. We need to be more vigilant, more informed. More aware. But more than that, we need a leader who is wise and knowledgeable, someone to lead us, to keep us prepared to face whatever is to come. Keep us safe. And this decision is important enough that all settlements must agree. Today, the leaders from your settlements have agreed to do so."
Everyone talked now. A murmur rose into a clamor. Oropher was glad to hear that most of the voices agreed although few did not.
"But who should we choose?" Someone asked. "What does the Mother say?"
"Mother understands the decision to have a king is our own. She has already told you of this," Laegir said.
"Lord Galenhir!" someone from the middle of the crowd shouted. "He should be our king."
Lord Laegir raised his hand, and the crowd fell silent.
"We have made our choice with Mother's blessing," Laegir said. "It was a unanimous decision from all twelve of our chiefs and our neighbor from Lorinand, King Amdir."
A murmur went through the crowd. Oropher had not expected this. He knew it would take time for the Silvan chieftains to choose to have a king. That alone was a tough decision, as each of them had to give up part of their authority. But that they have already agreed on a person? And Oropher knew it could not be Thranduil. Most of them did not know his son yet.
"Galenhir! Galenhir!" some Elves chanted.
"And it is not my son," the elder lord said.
The clamor rose again at that until Galenhir raised his hands and then lowered them, calming the people.
"I thank you for your trust in me," said Galenhir. "But as I have confessed before, I have made a terrible mistake in choosing to work with men and their leader, who turned out to be someone with evil intentions. I have judged the Sindar, our kin from the west, before I had given myself a chance to know them. I realize now that we need their wisdom and their knowledge. We kin. We one people. I should not have judged them without knowing them first or listened to talk from people I do not know, people who are not our kin. I paid a dear price for that, losing my beloved brother and my dear friend. You deserve someone better than me. I will do what I can for Amon-thon and protect the vineyards while Lord Istuion and his family are away. That is all I can manage now. The one we have chosen, he has done much for all of you through the years, keeping this forest safe, taking care of the people I should have been taking care of." He looked up, then looked around the crowd until his eyes rested on Oropher.
Galenhir bent down to whisper to his father who also found Oropher among the crowd.
"Ah, there you are, Lord Oropher."
As if he had uttered the words of power, people parted in front of Oropher, leaving a wide-open path to him. Before the Sindarin lord could say anything, Lord Laegir kneeled, followed by Galenhir and the chieftains. The people who stood about in silence followed their chiefs.
Oropher frowned. This wasn't what he had hoped.
Dear Valar!
OROPHER stood next to Lord Laegir. The tree was all light now, her deep green leaves filled with tiny white flowers which glowed like the white jewels of his wife's necklace. It was the last days of stirring, just a few days shy of spring, but the air here was warm and fragrant. The mother tree hummed joyfully. Oropher had never seen the tree this close or this clear. The last time he was here, the tree had been surrounded by mist.
This part of the forest was quiet, only bell-like chirps of insects… Oropher tilted his head to hear better. No, these were not insects. They were the chants of the sprites; he realized. The undulating tinks and trills were interspersed with soft chirps. The forest music filled the space and the tree sang with it.
The soft harmony between the sprites and the tree differed much from the exuberant tempo of the music at the grove that he and Laegir had left behind. Everyone had been on their feet, dancing and drinking.
He thought some people would rebel at the idea of making a Sinda their king, that they would force their leaders to rethink their decision. But other Silvans had quickly squashed any complaints those people had.
"You must carry the torch, Oropher, until it is time for him," Laegir said. "It was Mother's advice."
"But why me?"
"You know our people. And you love them. Anyone could see that. And a king, a good king, loves his people. When you love, you will do everything you could to protect them."
"But my son…"
"Perhaps one day he will, but he does not know our people and they do not know him. At least, not yet. And he is yet young. He is not ready, and I think both you and I know that. Teach him, Oropher. Teach him what it means to be a king. A great leader is made, not born."
Lord Laegir coughed. Then went on. "I remember when I first met you. I don't know exactly what happened in the west, but I knew you carried this great sorrow with you. Many of your people did, and some still do. But you found joy here, among our people, despite it. I knew then what you would mean to our people. Your son, too, carries a heavy burden, and the weight of it exacts a great toll on him. Show your son. Let him learn by example how grief does not exclude joy, that life goes on despite all the wrongs this world throws, that people are resilient, and that he must believe. Isn't that what a good leader does, Oropher? He goes on. He leads by example how the sorrows and the wrongs in this world will not daunt him. He will scream and he will cry, but he will not forget to laugh despite the tears. That is what you can teach your son, and through him and his strength, our people will persevere, not just endure, but live, as the Valar and Eru had meant for us. In the end, your son will be greater than you."
"I know." Oropher's heart swelled.
Oropher knew in his heart this was where Thranduil belonged. The place his wife had foreseen. He was certain now. And the worry for the future lessened. He just wished Thranduil and he had more time together to be just a father and son without the burden of duty. Being king meant he had to put the needs of others first before that of his son. Even though he knew Thranduil was used to being the second to the duties Oropher owed to the people he led, his heart ached at the thought.
Suddenly, the branch of the tree reached out. Lord Laegir turned to him. The tree was all light now, and it shone brightly behind Lord Laegir. Oropher squinted at the sudden brightness. It was as if the tree had turned into sunlight.
"Time will come when the choice you must make will align with that of your heart, but that time is not now," Lord Laegir spoke, his voice somehow not his own.
Lord Laegir let out a breath, then he slumped. Oropher held him up. The elder elf smiled.
"I think it is time."
"But your son, your family." Oropher turned around to look behind him. "Your people—"
"I have already made my farewells." Laegir grabbed Oropher's hands. "Thank you. I go with my heart at ease because I know you and your son will take good care of our people. And I am sorry that your last day in this land will not be easy. Others will misunderstand, but please know that our people will not."
"Then, that is all that matters." Oropher did not understand completely what Lord Laegir was saying, but he knew that the elder lord spoke with foresight which had come upon him in his last hour.
Amon-thon. March 31, SA 723
THRANDUIL found his father in the forest of dark fir just behind Lord Laegir's residence. The trees here soared several stories tall. There was light still, but under the dense, dark foliage, it was as if twilight had descended. His father glowed pale in his long white robe as if moonlight shone down on him.
Standing with his back toward Thranduil, his father was bent over an enormous owl.
"Father?" unsure whether he should interrupt, Thranduil called softly.
"Ah, Thranduil, you have returned." His father turned to him, and the owl flew over to sit on a branch above his father's head. "I did not expect you until tomorrow."
Warily glancing at the owl, Thranduil rubbed at the back of his head. "Himion found me. He said-, did I hear correctly?"
"I am afraid it is true, son."
"I thought you wanted peace. Spend days fishing."
His father let out a sigh. "Life apparently has other plans." His face was unfathomable. "You know this affects you as much as it does me."
"Do I have a say?"
"I am afraid not."
Thranduil did not think so, but it did not hurt to ask. He wasn't sure what to feel. It had been sudden.
"You will not make me wear those long dress robes and sit behind a desk or force me to sweet talk others?"
His father laughed. "I won't dream of it."
"Then I suppose I can handle whatever comes."
"I will be relying on you. You will be my hand, sometimes my voice. But most of all, my arm."
Thranduil knew that his main duty as a prince would be to protect the people. And fortunately, it was one thing he received extensive training on.
Thranduil kneeled in front of his father. "Command me, and it will be done."
His father laughed again. "So it is that easy, is it? Why didn't I think of this earlier?"
Thranduil got up when his father lifted him off the ground. "But I am not king yet. We have this night before the New Year. Until then, I am just Oropher, your father. Still," his father looked away, "we wouldn't be able to go on that trip we talked about. There will be many things I would not be able to do with you that I had planned." His father's hand rubbed the gold ring on his finger. He looked up at the darkening sky. "I wish she was here."
Thranduil's heart clenched. A lump formed in his throat. His father rarely talked of his mother. For the first time he had seen his father in Greenwood, he seemed so utterly alone. Thranduil wished he had returned earlier. They should have taken that trip they had planned instead of putting it off for next year. They thought they would have time, not realizing how quickly things would change in a short time.
"Father, I am not a child anymore. I don't need you to be with me all the time. Besides, just because you become king, it does not mean we will never have time to do some things together. We'll just have to make time. Like tonight. Let's go fishing. Galion showed me a delightful spot for night-fishing near here."
"Fishing? Tonight?" He gazed at the sky where the first star of the night sparkled like a jewel. "Why not? I have no one tonight to tell me otherwise." Oropher turned to the bird. "By the way, you have met Gwarbilin? He tells me you two have met."
The giant owl flew onto Oropher's shoulder.
Thranduil looked at the bird coolly. "We have met."
"Good. You will take care of him from now on."
"Uh, what? Why?"
"Mother thinks it is a good idea."
"Mother?"
"The Mother Tree. She thinks he will be a good companion for you. You will also have to make time for the Mother. And you could learn much about the forest from them."
"I think I can find others who can teach me about the forest."
"As good as our people are with the forest, how could they know better than the actual forest creatures? They are the guardians of this forest."
The owl chuckled, then winked.
Thranduil groaned inwardly.
Amon-thon. April 1, SA 723
Thranduil had spent the night with his father and watched the sun rise on the new year for him and the people of Greenwood. The whole day had been full of one event after another. After a long day, Thranduil sat alone on a tree branch watching the sun go down and the amber lights in the cities come on one by one. He was waiting for Galion who was due any minute. Already, you could hear the music from the main grove.
"May I interrupt you, my lord?" Someone climbed up his tree. Thranduil looked down and found it was Tinu.
"I thought you would spend time with your family. Isn't Lord Istuion taking your mother to the Grey Havens?"
The young woman nodded, her lips pressed together. "He thought she will have a better chance at recovering there away from here."
"I am sorry about your mother. I see how difficult it is for my father, too. Losing your mate who should be with you through the long years…It must be difficult. This must be hard on you, too." Thranduil glanced at Tinu, afraid he may have said too much. He remembered how much he hated hearing others talk about his brother and mother after their loss.
"I will be traveling with my mother. It is too difficult for my mother to have me so far from her. My grandfather offered to show me the other side of the world. A chance to learn about the world." Tinu sat down next to Thranduil who moved over to make a seat for her.
He had heard Lord Istuion mention he was taking Pachlas, Lord Galenhir's son, with him along with his daughter and the baby grandson, but he had not known that Tinu would also accompany him.
"I suppose you'll have your cousin to keep you company."
"Ah, so you heard. Puck did not want to stay here in the forest, not after the loss of his uncle. He was very close to his uncle."
"Puck?"
Tinu blushed. "Pachlas. You have not met Pachlas officially. We call him Puck."
"I see. Was Puck willing to go to Lindon? The cities there are mostly Sindar and Noldor."
"My uncle did not give him much choice." Tinu chewed her lower lip, pulling at it with her fingertips.
Thranduil could tell there was something she wanted to say, so he waited.
"I am going to return," she said after a while. "I don't know exactly when, but I know for sure that I will."
"That's good. I am sure there are many people who will miss you."
"And I think… I think I will miss…them, too."
Thranduil nodded. He didn't know what else to say.
"Will you… will you wait for me?" she asked, chewing her lip again.
That was a strange question. He frowned down her. "I don't plan to go anywhere. My father will need me here."
"Oh, of course," she said. She looked down at the city.
Thranduil wondered if she had more to say when she turned to him suddenly and asked, "You have anything to say to me?"
"Nothing particularly, no."
Thranduil wondered whether he should send Elrond's harp with her, then changed his mind. He could not tell Elrond about Maglor. He tried writing the letter several times, but in the end, he gave up. In the end, he decided to wait to tell Elrond when he gets to see him in person. He hoped to visit him when he came to Eregion.
"What is it?" When he did not answer for a while, she asked.
"No. I was thinking of asking you to take something to a friend of mine at Lindon, but I should wait until we meet again."
"Oh? What kind of friend?" She hesitated. "Someone dear?"
"Yes. Very."
Tinu looked taken back. She sat there silently for a long while.
"What kind of person is … this person?"
"Elrond? Oh, you'll like him. He is every elleth's dream. And more." Thranduil chuckled. "Go say hello in my stead. Lord Istuion will go to the White City to deliver a message to the king there about my father's coronation. You should go see the White City. It is beautiful there. And Elrond knows a lot about the city and its history. He knows lore as well as any of Master Pengo's scholars."
"Is he like you?"
"Hardly. He is very mannerly. The first-rate gentleman."
"I like him already."
"Don't give him too much trouble, though. He is a bit of a worrywart."
"For your information, my lord, I am always perfectly behaved." Tinu raised her chin proudly.
"Of course you are." Having seen Galion approach, Thranduil mussed Tinu's head before getting up.
"Don't treat me like a little girl." Tinu glared up at Thranduil.
"But you are. Little, that is." Thranduil laughed before jumping down to meet Galion.
"Was I interrupting anything?" Galion looked up at the branch where Tinu sat still, glaring down at Thranduil.
"Not really. Lead on, Galion."
The Green elf blinked. "Where are we going?"
"Aren't you going to introduce me to your lady love?"
Galion blushed red.
"I thought you didn't want to meet her."
"I didn't say I didn't want to meet her, Galion. Just that I wasn't sure I could…" he took a breath. "But I thought about it. You are Glineth's adopted son, that makes you my brother." Thranduil turned to Galion. "You know that Glineth is my nurse, that she is like my second mother."
"Of course, I know that. But…"
"That means I am your brother. So I will have to see this girl, make sure she is good enough for you."
Galion smiled brightly. "I would like that. Come on, then. Let's go." He sprinted ahead. "Come on!"
Watching him run down the hill, Thranduil smiled widely. His chest swelled. It didn't take that much effort on his part to make Galion smile like that. He understood now what his mother had meant when she said, "World is what you make it to be, Thranduil. You could give joy and receive joy if you are willing to open yourself to it. It is all up to you."
He looked up at the sky. I am going to try, mother. Watch over me and father.