A/N: Before I continue I'd like to thank Lady in Red, Melee, and Iluvenis for their constructive reviews. I appreciate them very much. I hope you all keep reading because it all goes downhill for Arathia and Legolas from here on out. Now to disclaim, I don't own it, don't sue.
Flee
Thranduil paced around his chamber after the guards had taken Legolas to the dungeon. It had been an almost rash decision, but after seeing Legolas and Anorwing, no Arathia, in love for so many years it seemed the only way to keep his son from leaving. And even if he did what of it? Legolas would be forced to watch his wife decay under mortality and see his daughter struggle with the decision of which fate to choose. Legolas would suffer in ways that he could not imagine. There was only one choice for Thranduil. Arathia and Miriel must be forced from Mirkwood. Thranduil summoned Thalionsul.
"My Lord," Thalionsul gave a quick bow before his king.
"A matter has come my attention Thalionsul that must be remedied immediately."
"I will do as you command me my Lord," Thalionsul replied.
"I know you will. This is what I command you to do. My son has taken to himself a mortal to wife." He waited for Thalionsul's reaction. Legolas had not named the other two elves were who knew of Arathia's identity, but he could guess who one of them was at least. Thalionsul had been Legolas' friend since they were children.
Thalionsul looked shocked and opened and closed his mouth several times before speaking. "I had no idea my Lord." He hoped that he sounded believable. Thranduil regarded him for a moment before continuing.
"Not only has he married this mortal, but a child has been begotten from it. It is my son's intention to leave our realm and take a mortal life with them. I cannot let this happen so for the time being he is being held in our strongest dungeon with orders not to be released except by me. This is your duty: you and a group of your finest knights must drive this mortal and its spawn from Mirkwood. But drive them away so that they become disoriented and lost. The spiders or the orcs will complete the job. Use any means necessary, but do not kill them yourself. Only drive them away. Do you understand?"
Thalionsul couldn't believe it. Thranduil had learned of Arathia and Miriel and not only that, he was commanding there deaths! And to top things off he had imprisoned his own son! Thalionsul's face did not betray his thoughts as he replied with another bow, "As you wish my Lord."
Thranduil nodded. "Very good Thalionsul. There is one other thing I command of you. There were two accomplices with my son who knew of this mortal and were witness to their nuptials. I know not whom these traitorous Elves are, but it is your duty to find them so that they may be brought to trial for treason." Thranduil's gaze was intent. Thalionsul knew he suspected him, he mustn't give himself away. So again he bowed and answered; "I will find these traitors of Mirkwood my Lord."
With that Thranduil dismissed Thalionsul who quickly left the chamber. Thalionsul had to do something and quickly! It would be nightfall soon. He couldn't disobey his king he had taken a vow as a Knight of Mirkwood to obey all his king's commands without question. He couldn't go to Legolas without revealing himself as one of the accomplices, Thranduil already suspected him and rightfully so. There was only one choice, Thalionsul had to warn Arathia and help her escape. The beginnings of a plan started to formulate themselves in his mind as he went to Legolas' chamber. Hopefully no one would be there and he wouldn't be put under questioning from prying eyes. Thalionsul didn't know how many knew of Legolas' imprisonment and news often got around quickly in the Wood. Fortune smiled on Thalionsul that day and no one saw him enter the prince's chamber and retrieve what he needed. With that he went as fast as his elven feet could carry him to Arathia's home.
He found Arathia nursing Miriel as she sat on the large rock watching the sun set. Her things were in a large backpack that was leaned against the doorsteps. She looked worried as Thalionsul entered the glade and slid down the rock as she saw him.
"Mae govannen Thalionsul. Where is Legolas? He has not returned." Arathia's voice was steady, but it still revealed her concern.
"He has been imprisoned my Lady by his own father."
Arathia's face paled at Thalionsul's words. She quickly recovered.
"What do you mean my friend?"
"The king knows of what has come to pass and he forbids Legolas to come to you. Not only that he has commanded myself and a group of my finest knights to come this night and drive you from Mirkwood."
Arathia gasped and covered her mouth as she held Miriel closely. She tried to speak, but no words came out. The shock was too great.
Thalionsul placed a hand on her shoulder before he continued. "I must obey my king, but I will not let my Prince's wife and child die. Listen to me. You must flee now to Lothlorien. You know the way there, correct?"
Arathia nodded. She had passed the Golden Wood many years ago, but she had never ventured into it.
Thalionsul continued. "Good. My kinsman, Haldir, is captain of the guard there. Give him this." Thalionsul handed Arathia Legolas' emblem of the House of Thranduil. There were only two other in the world and those were buried with Legolas' fallen brothers. "He will help you. And more then likely so will the Lord and Lady after they see this. They are kin of Legolas and therefore your kin as well."
"But what of Legolas? What is to become of him?" Arathia asked.
"Thranduil has commanded that only he may release Legolas. More then likely he will make up a story of your deaths or of you abandoning him. I will not be able to see Legolas until he is released and only then will I be able to tell him the truth. It may be a long time till you see each other again, but I promise you that he will know the truth and will come for you. But only when it is safe."
Arathia nodded and quickly picked up her pack and hugged Thalionsul. "Thank you so much my friend. I can never repay you for what all you have done for us." With that she and Miriel sped off into the Wood that she knew so well.
Thalionsul went next to Calawen's home and explained what had happened along with the rest of his plan. She was to play proxy for Arathia. Calawen agreed without question. That night Thalionsul did as his king commanded him. Calawen played her part well. None of the other knights even suspected that she was anything but a screaming mortal and her child fleeing for their lives.
TBC...
Flee
Thranduil paced around his chamber after the guards had taken Legolas to the dungeon. It had been an almost rash decision, but after seeing Legolas and Anorwing, no Arathia, in love for so many years it seemed the only way to keep his son from leaving. And even if he did what of it? Legolas would be forced to watch his wife decay under mortality and see his daughter struggle with the decision of which fate to choose. Legolas would suffer in ways that he could not imagine. There was only one choice for Thranduil. Arathia and Miriel must be forced from Mirkwood. Thranduil summoned Thalionsul.
"My Lord," Thalionsul gave a quick bow before his king.
"A matter has come my attention Thalionsul that must be remedied immediately."
"I will do as you command me my Lord," Thalionsul replied.
"I know you will. This is what I command you to do. My son has taken to himself a mortal to wife." He waited for Thalionsul's reaction. Legolas had not named the other two elves were who knew of Arathia's identity, but he could guess who one of them was at least. Thalionsul had been Legolas' friend since they were children.
Thalionsul looked shocked and opened and closed his mouth several times before speaking. "I had no idea my Lord." He hoped that he sounded believable. Thranduil regarded him for a moment before continuing.
"Not only has he married this mortal, but a child has been begotten from it. It is my son's intention to leave our realm and take a mortal life with them. I cannot let this happen so for the time being he is being held in our strongest dungeon with orders not to be released except by me. This is your duty: you and a group of your finest knights must drive this mortal and its spawn from Mirkwood. But drive them away so that they become disoriented and lost. The spiders or the orcs will complete the job. Use any means necessary, but do not kill them yourself. Only drive them away. Do you understand?"
Thalionsul couldn't believe it. Thranduil had learned of Arathia and Miriel and not only that, he was commanding there deaths! And to top things off he had imprisoned his own son! Thalionsul's face did not betray his thoughts as he replied with another bow, "As you wish my Lord."
Thranduil nodded. "Very good Thalionsul. There is one other thing I command of you. There were two accomplices with my son who knew of this mortal and were witness to their nuptials. I know not whom these traitorous Elves are, but it is your duty to find them so that they may be brought to trial for treason." Thranduil's gaze was intent. Thalionsul knew he suspected him, he mustn't give himself away. So again he bowed and answered; "I will find these traitors of Mirkwood my Lord."
With that Thranduil dismissed Thalionsul who quickly left the chamber. Thalionsul had to do something and quickly! It would be nightfall soon. He couldn't disobey his king he had taken a vow as a Knight of Mirkwood to obey all his king's commands without question. He couldn't go to Legolas without revealing himself as one of the accomplices, Thranduil already suspected him and rightfully so. There was only one choice, Thalionsul had to warn Arathia and help her escape. The beginnings of a plan started to formulate themselves in his mind as he went to Legolas' chamber. Hopefully no one would be there and he wouldn't be put under questioning from prying eyes. Thalionsul didn't know how many knew of Legolas' imprisonment and news often got around quickly in the Wood. Fortune smiled on Thalionsul that day and no one saw him enter the prince's chamber and retrieve what he needed. With that he went as fast as his elven feet could carry him to Arathia's home.
He found Arathia nursing Miriel as she sat on the large rock watching the sun set. Her things were in a large backpack that was leaned against the doorsteps. She looked worried as Thalionsul entered the glade and slid down the rock as she saw him.
"Mae govannen Thalionsul. Where is Legolas? He has not returned." Arathia's voice was steady, but it still revealed her concern.
"He has been imprisoned my Lady by his own father."
Arathia's face paled at Thalionsul's words. She quickly recovered.
"What do you mean my friend?"
"The king knows of what has come to pass and he forbids Legolas to come to you. Not only that he has commanded myself and a group of my finest knights to come this night and drive you from Mirkwood."
Arathia gasped and covered her mouth as she held Miriel closely. She tried to speak, but no words came out. The shock was too great.
Thalionsul placed a hand on her shoulder before he continued. "I must obey my king, but I will not let my Prince's wife and child die. Listen to me. You must flee now to Lothlorien. You know the way there, correct?"
Arathia nodded. She had passed the Golden Wood many years ago, but she had never ventured into it.
Thalionsul continued. "Good. My kinsman, Haldir, is captain of the guard there. Give him this." Thalionsul handed Arathia Legolas' emblem of the House of Thranduil. There were only two other in the world and those were buried with Legolas' fallen brothers. "He will help you. And more then likely so will the Lord and Lady after they see this. They are kin of Legolas and therefore your kin as well."
"But what of Legolas? What is to become of him?" Arathia asked.
"Thranduil has commanded that only he may release Legolas. More then likely he will make up a story of your deaths or of you abandoning him. I will not be able to see Legolas until he is released and only then will I be able to tell him the truth. It may be a long time till you see each other again, but I promise you that he will know the truth and will come for you. But only when it is safe."
Arathia nodded and quickly picked up her pack and hugged Thalionsul. "Thank you so much my friend. I can never repay you for what all you have done for us." With that she and Miriel sped off into the Wood that she knew so well.
Thalionsul went next to Calawen's home and explained what had happened along with the rest of his plan. She was to play proxy for Arathia. Calawen agreed without question. That night Thalionsul did as his king commanded him. Calawen played her part well. None of the other knights even suspected that she was anything but a screaming mortal and her child fleeing for their lives.
TBC...