Author's note: Thanks to my faithful reviewers, some of you have kept me company all the way along. I really appreciate this.
I hope you enjoy this chapter.
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Chapter 27 – To Make A Choice
King Thandruil was slightly annoyed. His departure to Lothlorien had been delayed by more than a week because a delegation of men from Laketown had arrived to negotiate various trade agreements and hunting rights. Finally everything was agreed and signed, and the men had left that morning.
Thandruil had decided that he would take an escort of ten warriors. The King of Lasgalen could not afford to ride with a smaller group, it was too risky, particularly when having to ride along the old forest road before turning south and following the river to Lorien. Thandruil had no doubt that Elrond had already arrived.
Thandruil turned to the warriors who had volunteered to accompany him. "We leave early in the morning and ride hard. I have been delayed for too long already." There was a murmur of agreement, and Thandruil began on the tedious task of ensuring that his advisors had all the signatures and paperwork they would need in the next few weeks.
Later that day, he put together his travelling pack. Thandruil decided against taking many of his court clothes and robes. Two sets of formal robes would have to be enough – they could not burden themselves with too much nonessential luggage. Whilst he was assembling his pack, Thandruil realised with a shock that it had been decades, if not centuries, that he had left his own realm.
He sighed. When he was a much younger elf, he had enjoyed exploring the lands around the Woodland Realm. His father, Oropher, had allowed him to do as much exploring as he wished to do, as long as he did not travel alone. As he looked at his wardrobe, he realised that there was little now that was suitable for a longer journey by horseback. For a moment he wondered if any of Legolas' clothing would fit him, his son had always dressed for the wood rather than court.
Suddenly a vivid image of Legolas came to his mind. It had been a clear, sunny day in spring one year when Legolas and Estel had gone on a ride. Both were riding bareback, and had obviously raced their horses when they arrived back at the courtyard. They were teasing each other, and Legolas turned to Estel, saying something that Thandruil did not catch. His son's light hair shone pale gold in the sun, and his eyes sparkled with such happiness that Thandruil's heart clenched. The moment only lasted a flash second, but it was engraved in Thandruil's memory for ever after.
Recently this image of Legolas would come to him often when he thought of his son. Thandruil wondered why he had not thought of this moment many more times in the past, that day in spring some years ago. The king realised that he missed his son much more than he wanted to admit to himself or others.
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Elrond and his party had crossed the mountains and were nearing the Anduin river. Elrond looked at the riders before him. Immediately in front of him rode Estel with Legolas at his side. The day before, the young elf had been permitted to ride his own horse again, much to his relief. Elrond had queried him hard in the evening about any pains and aches in his leg, but apart from some minor muscle stiffness there had been no further effects of the injuries.
Elrond had insisted that Legolas kept his arm in a sling, since the double fracture took somewhat longer to heal. Equally, he still wore tight bandages around his ribs, more protection now than support. But otherwise, the young elf had bounced back with surprising speed. He also slept better, and Elrond expected that by the time they arrived in Lothlorien, he would be fully healed, at least physically. The elf-lord also had no doubt that Legolas would always have a deep dislike of underground places. But usually elves did not venture much in such places, so this was not likely to cause any problems in the future.
Estel was riding next to Legolas, looking healthy, relaxed and happy. His hair had grown out enough again to be braided in a single, albeit fairly short, plaid in the back, a style that Estel had always liked.
Halbarad, too, looked much better than at his arrival in Imladris. Caring for Estel on the road had been hard for him, too, and it had taken him some time let go of the responsibility that he felt towards the younger man. But he, too, had relaxed in Imladris, and Elrond had noticed with pleasure that the ranger truly cared for Estel. At least he knew that his son would have one friend when he returned to the rangers.
The twins were riding next to each other, occasionally quietly talking. Elrond wondered how they felt about seeing their sister again; it had been a long time since they all had been together as a family.
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In Lothlorien, Arwen Undomiel and her grandparents shared a simple mid-day meal. Celeborn decided to bring up a topic that needed discussing, but had been avoided a long time.
"Arwen, how do you feel about your father and brothers coming here?"
Arwen looked at her grandfather thoughtfully. She had asked herself the same question many times. She had not been in Imladris for about fifteen years, and she knew that her father missed her. But she could not forget how he had looked at the Dunedain woman, Estel's mother. Arwen appreciated the other woman's beauty, for a human female she was very attractive, almost elven in looks, with a tall willowy body, grey eyes and dark hair. But Arwen could not understand how her father could betray her mother.
With her mind she knew that her parents' marriage had not been a love match, her grandmother had made no pretences about this, but in her heart she felt that her father should not betray her mother by desiring another, even though Celebrian had left to the Undying Land quite some time ago. This was an unresolved conflict for Arwen and the reason why she had not returned to Imladris.
Arwen lifted her eyes from her food. "In all truth, I do not know. I am looking forward to seeing Elladan and Elrohir, and young Estel. I wonder what he looks like now? ... My father, I just don't know. I know he has missed me from his letters but I still feel what he did was so very wrong."
Celeborn looked at his granddaughter. "And what exactly has he done that is so unforgivable? I know of course why you came here, and what you accuse him of doing. But has it not occurred to you that your father must be very lonely at times and probably has some other needs too that he would like to satisfy..."
Arwen looked at him with a look of utter shock. She had never thought of her father in those terms, he was her father after all.
Celeborn continued. "You have had a long time, Arwen, to come to terms with your mother's departure. Try to understand your father a bit better. He loves you, you are hurting him deeply by refusing to see him."
Galadriel laid one long, elegant hand on her husband's arm. "Do not be too harsh to her, Elrond was ill advised to take the mortal woman and her child in. They should have stayed amongst their own. Raising a child apart from his own kind can only lead to grief."
"Galadriel, they are his kin. You would not have left any of our own defenceless and alone."
Galadriel sighed. This was, of course, true. She turned to Arwen. "Arwen, with your father and brothers young Legolas Greenleaf from Mirkwood will arrive. I have thought about this much. You still have not found a partner, he would be more than appropriate in rank and I have been told that he is very attractive. You should think about this, there are not many young elves left here and even fewer of them can you consider as mates."
Galadriel decided not too mention Legolas' relationship with Estel. Arwen was beautiful, it should not be too difficult for her to catch Legolas' attention.
"Bar his name and the fact that he is Thandruil's son, I know hardly anything about him. How could I think about him as a possible partner? Arwen's expression was incredulous.
"Arwen, both Celeborn and I have told you this before. Marriage is finding a suitable partner. If you are fortunate, you will love your partner or learn to love them, but often you will simply find companionship and mutual respect. Your parents' marriage was of this kind, and both of your parents acknowledged this. Sometimes people in this situation have another companion whom they love, someone who may not be suitable as an official mate. I have always been surprised that neither of your parents chose this option, they both yearned for it, and the other would have given them the space to find that happiness."
"Your father was never untrue to your mother, only after she had left he let his eyes and heart stray. But even then he did not act on his desire. And you are still rejecting him for this. It is time that this stops. I love you dearly, granddaughter, but fifteen years running away from the truth is enough."
"Accepting your parent's marriage for what it was will also give yourself more options. Think about a union with Legolas, in all regards he is a good match for you."
Arwen was too surprised to really answer her grandmother. She had not expected to be presented with a possible candidate for marriage this lunchtime. She tried to remember what little she knew about Thandruil's son. She knew that he was younger than her, but probably past his majority, if Galadriel suggested a possible marriage. She had heard rumours that he was an outstanding archer, and he was supposed to be as beautiful and cold as ice. She had never heard of any dalliances or affairs involving the Prince of Mirkwood, which in itself was unusual. It would certainly be interesting to meet him.
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A few days later.
Elrond's party had reached the Lorien borders. They had been spotted a long time ago, and the border guards awaited them just inside the trees. Their leader introduced himself as Haldir, marchwarden of Lorien. Estel was struck by how similar the Lorien elves looked to Legolas. Of course, he had seen elves from Lorien before, as messengers or at various functions. But as a group, they looked completely different from the elves in Rivendell or the wood-elves in Mirkwood. All of them had silvery blonde hair and grey or blue-grey eyes, and were clad in clothes of grey which melted into the trees.
Elrond introduced each member of his party to the Lorien guards. Haldir, tall and slender, with a beautiful, slightly arrogant face, acknowledged each name with a small bow, but paused when it came to Legolas. The two elves looked at each other, their eyes locked for a brief moment, and something passed between them. Then the introductions continued.
Only Elrond saw that brief instant, and he recognised it for what it was. He had seen it before, more than once. Elrond sighed deeply. They had only just arrived in Lothlorien and the complications had already begun.
TBC. Please review.