To Mirkwood
Chapter 16: The White Rider
Don't own.
Reviewers:
Haldir's Heart and Soul: Indeed he is.
Aranel of Mirkwood: Thank you for your opinion. It helped… a lot.
-- -- -- --
Dawn neared. The sky became different shades of pink, orange, purple, and blue. A horse, a white horse, was riding across the lands. Rivendell was close. He would be there soon.
"Hurry, Shadowfax, for I fear if we delay any longer, then we will lose him. " The rider said to his horse, and the white horse quickened his pace.
-- -- -- --
"A white rider approaches!" An elven guard called down from his post. Another guard soon joined him and looked down at the rider.
"That's Mithrander!" He cried. The guard ran down from the lookout post. He relayed his message, and soon, it reached a servant in the House of Elrond.
The servant made her way quickly up to his study. When she opened the door, she found him asleep on his desk, a large book open, being used as a pillow. "Lord Elrond." She said quietly. He stirred, then sat up. He rubbed his eyes quickly and looked at the servant.
"Yes?"
"Mithrander approaches." She announced. Elrond leaped up from his chair and followed the servant out to the entrance to Rivendell. She waited behind him as the white rider came ever closer.
-- -- -- --
"A message was sent out to me. It was a messenger from Mirkwood. From what he told, he wasn't instructed to go, but he didn't trust the man who seemed to be overthrowing the throne in Mirkwood." Gandolf explained to Elrond as they moved swiftly through the hall of Elrond's home. They soon reached the room where Thranduil was being houses.
"I have not yet heard the story of what events took place in Mirkwood." Elrond said. Gandolf nodded. Elrond opened the door. Legolas and E'thane were still asleep. Wizard and Elf Lord moved into the room to awaken the sleeping princes. Legolas was the first to awaken. He blinked his eyes and rubbed them.
"Mirthrander!" He cried in surprise. Gandolf nodded.
"I am here." He said.
"Please!" Legolas begged, grabbing onto Gandolf's sleeve. "Don't let my Ada die." Gandolf placed a hang on Legolas's head.
"Do not worry. I may know what's wrong." He said. Legolas nodded and moved out of the way. After E'thane was awakened, the two princes sat off to the side while Gandolf inspected the sickly Elf King.
-- -- -- --
After about an hour, two sleepy twins appeared at the door. They were still in their nightclothes. "Mithrander!" They cried. Gandolf smiled and nodded to them. Then the twins looked to Legolas and E'thane.
"You two look terrible. Come. Bathe, change, and we will go to breakfast." Elladan said, pulling Legolas up from the chair. Legolas sighed and followed his friend, while E'thane followed Legolas.
Soon, the four of them were down in the dinging hall, eating breakfast. "I hope Gandolf can save Ada." E'thane commented. Legolas nodded.
"I'm sure everything will be fine, mellon-nin." Elrohir said, trying to comfort the distressed princes. "Gandolf knows everything." There were small smiles on the faces of the elves at the table. It seemed that Gandolf knew everything, anyway.
-- -- -- --
Gandolf sat beside the bed, holding a small bowl in his hands. He was mixing some herbs and special solutions in hopes that it would cure the king. He had seen a case like this only once before. It was many years ago in a human village outside of Mordor. Somehow, the entire village had been infected with the poison. It had been in the water supply. Someone was trying to rid of the entire village, and when Gandolf found out about it, he came as soon as he could. He had spent a while trying to figure out the remedy, and he had finally come up with it.
"Let us pray this works." Gandolf said as he raised Thranduil's head. He parted the King's lips slightly, and poured the liquid into his mouth and down his throat.
Thranduil coughed after the liquid had gone down. Gandolf stood. "Give it a few hours. It needs to work it's magic. Now, let us go have a talk with Legolas and E'thane." He said. Elrond followed the wizard out of the room to go in search of the princes.
-- -- -- --
By the time the whole story had been told, it was midday. Legolas and E'thane had resisted the urge to break out into tears when they talked about the death of their mother. Luckily, Elladan and Elrohir were there to comfort them in the best way they knew how: by challenging them to an archery match. Gandolf had told his story about the village he had saved many years ago, and it seemed to put Legolas and E'thane at ease.
E'thane and Legolas borrowed bows from the weapons house, and the four went down to the archery fields. Despite the sadness that resided inside of him, Legolas was determined to beat the twins and his brother in a match.
-- -- -- --
Gandolf was watching the match from the balcony in Thranduil's room when he heard something from inside the room. He stepped inside and rested his staff against the wall. Thranduil was thrashing around in his sleep. His eyes still remained closed. Gandolf sat down in a chair beside the bed and placed a hand on Thranduil's forehead. The king calmed.
Finally, his eyes opened. They were bloodshot and red, but they were open. Gandolf sighed in releaf.
"Gan… Gandolf…?" Thranduil asked, looking at the old wizard beside him. Gandolf nodded.
"Yes, my friend. I am here." He said. Thranduil attempted to sit up, but a pain in his stomach forced him to remain lying down.
"What happened?" He asked.
"I do believe you were poisoned, my friend. However, from what your sons told me, the man who did it, Tylen, is dead now." Gandolf explained at ease. Thranduil visibly relaxed.
"They killed him? He is finally dead then…" He said quietly.
"Indeed. Legolas and E'thane are very brave." Gandolf said. He hoped that soon, Thranduil would realize that Legolas was there in Rivendell.
"Legolas is here?!" He cried suddenly, sitting up despite the pain in his stomach.
"Yes. He is here. He is having an archery contest with E'thane and the twins." Gandolf explained to him. Thranduil sighed in relief.
"Thank Arda." He whispered.
"Thranduil!" The elf king and the wizard looked to the door. Elrond had appeared. He moved into the room and smiled down at his friend. "How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Better." Thranduil replied. Elrond turned to Gandolf.
"I insist that you write down the remedy for that poison in my books so that, should this ever happen again, I shall know how to fix it." Elrond said. Gandolf nodded. He turned back to Thranduil. "If you are feeling up to it, perhaps we could bring you down to your and my sons' archery contest." He suggested. Thranduil nodded, and with the help of Gandolf and Elrond, they had him dressed and cleaned up.
-- -- -- --
"Your turn Legolas." Elladan said. Legolas took his place before the target and pulled out an arrow. He fitted it to the bow and took careful aim.
Behind him, Elladan and Elrohir heard footsteps. They turned, their mouths hanging open. Elrond put a finger to his lips. The twins smiled mischeviously and turned back around. E'thane wasn't paying any attention.
Legolas finally felt sure that the arrow would hit the center. He let go of the arrow, and it cut through the air, hitting the target in the bull's eye. He turned in triumph, and saw Gandolf, Elrond, and … Thranduil! He dropped his bow on the ground and stared. E'thane followed his gaze.
"ADA!" He cried, and ran across the grass and threw his arms around his father. Thranduil hugged his youngest son tightly. "Oh Ada! I thought you were going to leave forever!" E'thane sobbed into his robes.
"I'm alright now, ion-nin. Gandolf is a life saver." Thranduil said, comforting his son in the way that only a father could. When E'thane let go, he stepped aside. Thranduil looked at his oldest son. Legolas was just staring at him, thanking Arda over and over again for allowing his father to live. Thranduil smiled and opened his arms. Legolas knew that Thranduil wanted him back, so he broke out into a run and crossed the grass as E'thane had, and hugged his father.
"I'm so sorry Ada." He whispered. Thranduil wrapped his arms around his son.
"No, ion-nin. There is nothing for you to be sorry about. We both know what really happened, and we'll leave it at that. No explanations needed." He said. "Come back to Mirkwood. I'm sure the realm will be happy to know that you are back." He said. Legolas nodded. Legolas stepped back a little and let E'thane into the family hug.
Gandolf had slipped away to let the family have their time. Elrond watched the king and his sons, and felt a tug on both of his arms. He turned around and Elladan and Elrohir were standing behind him. He smiled and pulled his sons into a hug.
-- -- -- --
-looks off into the distance- Is that it? I think it is… it's…
THE END!
Haha! Well, I hope you're satisfied with that ending. It was sweet, Thranduil lived, and it had a WONDERFUL… -cough- father/son theme in it. Haha. I thought it was a good ending. Haha. Please review and let me know how you liked this story!!! Or didn't like it! It would be much appreciated!
So, I have written the first chapter of my POTC story already, so that will be up probably at the same time that I upload this story. Watch for it!
Also, if you'd like to know via e-mail when my LOTR Sims album is ready, drop me a line at I'll e-mail you when it's finished with the link so you don't have to keep checking my profile for it. Or, you could just mention it in the review you'll give me -cough-hint-cough- and I'll get back to you on it. Thanks!
So this is Banana Nut Muffin, signing off, with a final quote…
"Inspirational" Quote:
"Here's a tip! Put a pinch of sage in your boots and all day long a spicy scent if your reward." -Martian Prince from the episode from the Simpsons when Shelbyville steals Springfield's Lemon tree.
Later all-
Banana Nut Muffin