Disclaimer: I am not Tolkien, so I don't claim anything that belongs to
him.
Author's Note: Many thanks to my kind readers for their reviews, and I fully intend to string out the mystery as long as possible. (evil laugh)
Chapter 5
King Thranduil's head scout strode into the large front room of the palace. Thranduil immediately paused in the middle of speaking to one of his guards and turned to meet the scout. Ever since word of the ambush on the elven hunting group that contained his son, Thranduil had elves working at all hours of the day to hunt for and find information on the whereabouts of the hunting party.
The scout reached Thranduil and bowed low. Thranduil bowed in return hastily; eager to have the formalities over and hear what news he had for him.
"Well met Elderein," Thranduil spoke rapidly, "is there any word of my son?"
Elderein bowed once more before speaking. "My lord, I regret to tell you that all the bodies of those in the hunting party have been found. All are dead, my lord."
Thranduil sat down quickly in his chair, his mind trying to grasp the news he had just received. But the scout was continuing and Thranduil struggled to hear. "All bodies save Legolas, his was not amongst the dead. However, his whereabouts are yet to be discovered and it seems that fate is against him."
Thranduil lifted his head when he realized what the Elderein had just said. Legolas' body had not been found, that meant he could still be alive. "What do you mean that fate is against him?" Thranduil asked, sitting up taller.
Elderein looked uncomfortable. "My lord, wherever he is, he is alone, and those who attacked the hunting party are not accounted for at all, they had no dead. So we conclude that he was either captured or escaped and is being hunted by the enemy."
Thranduil fought down momentary panic and looked at Elderein regally. "I hold all faith in my son and he is quite resourceful," Thranduil began, "and as is such, I do not want the searching to halt until we know for certain the fate of Legolas. He is not stricken yet, and no matter how ill fate may appear to you, I will not give up on my own son."
Elderein bowed low when Thranduil was done speaking and turned to leave. No matter how hopeless he thought the situation was, he knew better than to try to argue with King Thranduil, especially when his own son was concerned. They would be searching for Legolas for a hundred years until Thranduil was satisfied, for Elderein knew there was no way they would find the young prince alive, no matter how resourceful he was.
Thranduil sat back as Elderein exited and gave leave to the guard standing beside him. The guard bowed low and exited as well, leaving Thranduil alone with his thoughts. He would never give up on his son, not until he saw the body himself. Legolas would return to him, he knew it.
Legolas could see his father again. Scouts came to him saying there was no point in continuing with the search, as all others had been found dead. With a grieved expression, Thranduil conceded.
"There will be a memorial ceremony tonight to honor those fallen, including Prince Legolas." Thranduil's voice sounded pained as he talked.
Legolas himself was enraged. His father would give up on him that easily? Had he no thoughts on the matter, that Legolas was indeed very much alive and in need of help? Legolas watched the group of elven-scouts exit, calling out to halt the search and tell others of the ceremony to be held that night.
That voice came to Legolas again, the low one he felt he could trust when no other was deserving of the same. "Even immortals fear their own heirs, the throne is all they have."
Legolas turned to see who the speaker was this time. It was the dark elf-maiden, the she-devil. "And what do you care of my father's throne?" he asked, immediately suspicious, but still feeling as though he could trust her. He battled with himself, trying to feel certain one way or the other, but he could not do it.
"I care for those who are denied what they should hold. The usurpation of the throne can be done in many ways." She came to stand at Legolas' side as she spoke and looked out onto the scene with him. His father was speaking with a guard, arranging how the night ceremony would unfold.
"Why would he give up so quickly?" Legolas heard himself asking.
"Nay," the elf-maiden replied, "to him, he wasted too much time. Ones in power can never be trusted."
Legolas kept silent. He had many conflicting emotions running in him, but he could not even think of how to voice them. He knew his own father, he argued with himself, and he would never act this way. He cared not for the throne over his own son, Legolas was sure. But the scene before him and the maiden at his side proved otherwise.
"No," Legolas turned and started out of the room, "I cannot believe this, he would not do this to me." Legolas walked quickly, wanting to put distance between him and the room, away from his father and the elf-maiden. He heard a low sound, as if an angry growl from some sort of beast, but he paid it no heed and only continued on. The familial halls he walked in wavered, dimming so that he was finding it difficult to see. Legolas pushed on, determined to leave this place.
But his movements slowed, and he had to fight just to walk. And then his world shattered, and he was sent to his knees in searing pain.
Legolas opened his eyes. He was no longer in his own home, but still inside the locked room in the strange dwelling. Another dream, a twisted dream that tried to show him false images, Legolas was sure of it. But then he became aware of something else, the pain had followed him.
Author's Note: Many thanks to my kind readers for their reviews, and I fully intend to string out the mystery as long as possible. (evil laugh)
Chapter 5
King Thranduil's head scout strode into the large front room of the palace. Thranduil immediately paused in the middle of speaking to one of his guards and turned to meet the scout. Ever since word of the ambush on the elven hunting group that contained his son, Thranduil had elves working at all hours of the day to hunt for and find information on the whereabouts of the hunting party.
The scout reached Thranduil and bowed low. Thranduil bowed in return hastily; eager to have the formalities over and hear what news he had for him.
"Well met Elderein," Thranduil spoke rapidly, "is there any word of my son?"
Elderein bowed once more before speaking. "My lord, I regret to tell you that all the bodies of those in the hunting party have been found. All are dead, my lord."
Thranduil sat down quickly in his chair, his mind trying to grasp the news he had just received. But the scout was continuing and Thranduil struggled to hear. "All bodies save Legolas, his was not amongst the dead. However, his whereabouts are yet to be discovered and it seems that fate is against him."
Thranduil lifted his head when he realized what the Elderein had just said. Legolas' body had not been found, that meant he could still be alive. "What do you mean that fate is against him?" Thranduil asked, sitting up taller.
Elderein looked uncomfortable. "My lord, wherever he is, he is alone, and those who attacked the hunting party are not accounted for at all, they had no dead. So we conclude that he was either captured or escaped and is being hunted by the enemy."
Thranduil fought down momentary panic and looked at Elderein regally. "I hold all faith in my son and he is quite resourceful," Thranduil began, "and as is such, I do not want the searching to halt until we know for certain the fate of Legolas. He is not stricken yet, and no matter how ill fate may appear to you, I will not give up on my own son."
Elderein bowed low when Thranduil was done speaking and turned to leave. No matter how hopeless he thought the situation was, he knew better than to try to argue with King Thranduil, especially when his own son was concerned. They would be searching for Legolas for a hundred years until Thranduil was satisfied, for Elderein knew there was no way they would find the young prince alive, no matter how resourceful he was.
Thranduil sat back as Elderein exited and gave leave to the guard standing beside him. The guard bowed low and exited as well, leaving Thranduil alone with his thoughts. He would never give up on his son, not until he saw the body himself. Legolas would return to him, he knew it.
Legolas could see his father again. Scouts came to him saying there was no point in continuing with the search, as all others had been found dead. With a grieved expression, Thranduil conceded.
"There will be a memorial ceremony tonight to honor those fallen, including Prince Legolas." Thranduil's voice sounded pained as he talked.
Legolas himself was enraged. His father would give up on him that easily? Had he no thoughts on the matter, that Legolas was indeed very much alive and in need of help? Legolas watched the group of elven-scouts exit, calling out to halt the search and tell others of the ceremony to be held that night.
That voice came to Legolas again, the low one he felt he could trust when no other was deserving of the same. "Even immortals fear their own heirs, the throne is all they have."
Legolas turned to see who the speaker was this time. It was the dark elf-maiden, the she-devil. "And what do you care of my father's throne?" he asked, immediately suspicious, but still feeling as though he could trust her. He battled with himself, trying to feel certain one way or the other, but he could not do it.
"I care for those who are denied what they should hold. The usurpation of the throne can be done in many ways." She came to stand at Legolas' side as she spoke and looked out onto the scene with him. His father was speaking with a guard, arranging how the night ceremony would unfold.
"Why would he give up so quickly?" Legolas heard himself asking.
"Nay," the elf-maiden replied, "to him, he wasted too much time. Ones in power can never be trusted."
Legolas kept silent. He had many conflicting emotions running in him, but he could not even think of how to voice them. He knew his own father, he argued with himself, and he would never act this way. He cared not for the throne over his own son, Legolas was sure. But the scene before him and the maiden at his side proved otherwise.
"No," Legolas turned and started out of the room, "I cannot believe this, he would not do this to me." Legolas walked quickly, wanting to put distance between him and the room, away from his father and the elf-maiden. He heard a low sound, as if an angry growl from some sort of beast, but he paid it no heed and only continued on. The familial halls he walked in wavered, dimming so that he was finding it difficult to see. Legolas pushed on, determined to leave this place.
But his movements slowed, and he had to fight just to walk. And then his world shattered, and he was sent to his knees in searing pain.
Legolas opened his eyes. He was no longer in his own home, but still inside the locked room in the strange dwelling. Another dream, a twisted dream that tried to show him false images, Legolas was sure of it. But then he became aware of something else, the pain had followed him.