Hey guys here's another update for you. I've been typing away for you lot so enjoy!
In this chapter, I believe this holds most of the important information so far. We are going to learn the main story behind the dissention ritual. Just bare in mind, the reason Legolas doesn't know the true story is stated at the beginning of the book he reads – evidence have been burned. We also have more knowledge of the Wraith….but don't take everything at face value. I'm getting close know to revealing the story's secret and I think in this chapter if you think really hard and outside the box I made you read within, you could work out a theory of your own – if so, do let me know!
Legolas and Isil are together but not in the way we think, the bond is what connects them for the moment.
I don't write Isil as a stereotypical woman warrior, she is one but she had to claw her way to gain respect after what she been punished for. I do sometimes read stories and find that the lead heroines are a bit predictable, beautiful and all a bit the same….. I love writing Isil for her flaws which I hope you also love, they are what makes her who she is.
Tiffany 45 – sorry about using double negatives – I wasn't aware of such a thing. My grammar is crap and thank you for pointing it out!
Another point is, as stated in the last chappie – Isil never had a daughter, Amillo is someone else's daughter of great importance!
So read on and review cos I live for reviews!
Don't owe anything to do with Tolkien, LOTR or the films.
Warrior code – Be ready for anything.
Dawn came, and with it brought a new day and its new hours for the living to use well. Heralded by the chorus of birds in their disarrayed harmony, the first of the warm sun's rays pierced the dark canopy created by the trees, chasing away the fingers of night and its long shadows. Legolas stirred lazily for it had been a long time since he slept such a deep, gentle slumber. For a long while he stared at the curtained window and watched the hues of light change with the rapid approach of day and the shadows of dancing leaves upon the tan canvas.
Remembering he didn't sleep alone, he rolled his head to the right to see rumpled sheets where his former bed occupant has once slept before rising. Sitting up, he was now curious about where Isil could be and if he strained his ears, he could hear the rapidly approaching footsteps of someone running to the room.
"Legolas! You're up! Quick Keay needs us for she's giving birth!" Isil stumbled in bewildered, "I, the fool I am sent Arkle on patrol!"
"Shall I search for him?" Legolas was already out of bed and pulling his boots on when Isil nodded, "We both know how important it is for both parents to be present at a child's birth for them to ensure a bond between them. My horse is at the bottom of here, I sent that patrol out eastwards towards the water pools."
There was little interaction between them as they hastily climbed down the rungs of the ladder and clambered on the same horse, Legolas at the reins with Isil behind him as their guide.
She directed the rider and her hose upon a little known path amongst the thickest of trees, the horse's hooves cantered like thunder across the plains and Legolas saw approaching them was the marshy lands surrounding the water holes. The horse cantered on, ignoring the icy, cold spray it sent up by its very hooves, but both elves gasped from the bitter cold yet urgency forced them to ride on. Isil looked from her wet, mangled hair, she knew her thin shirt was soaked and stuck to her like a second skin, already the breeches she worn were chaffing her thighs but the thrill of feeling Legolas against her over-rode all her dazzled senses. She could feel his taunt muscles flex with every motion of her horse and the raw feel of power combined with his masculinity made her senses sizzling as he shouted to her over his shoulder, his hair stuck to his face as he pointed, "Is that them?"
She strained over his broad shoulders to see a line of horsed riders on the edge of the forest and she yelled, "That's them!"
He nodded and kicked the hose to gallop faster to which the horse complied and thundered over the marshy land, weaving between the potholes of water and both the riders felt the thrill of being alive.
"Arkle!" Legolas yelled, his voice carried over the din of the noise made by their horse, a rider broke away from the line and from the worried face, they both knew it was Arkle who guessed something was wrong for his lady and the prince to come personally to fetch him.
"It's Keay, the baby's coming!" Isil shouted as Legolas wheeled the horse round and thundered back on the path they cam with Arkle galloping behind them. Urgency and panic was their fuel and their horses could sense the need to get to their destination fast, let fly over the lands they were born to ride. They only slowed when they reached the tree line of Lothlorien and trotted to the talans where high above them came the shrill scream of pain.
"I'm on my way Keay!" Arkle climbed the ladder and was pulled up by Glorfindel who pushed him into the talan quickly.
"Galadriel on her way." Glorfindel told Isil and Legolas once they both reached the top of the ladder.
"What do we do!" Arkle yelled out in panic, with her womanly instincts taking over her, Isil pushed pass the males who stood flapping their arms in panic and bellowed orders, soon there was order in chaos as Legolas brought the towels and hot water to the bed where Arkle was trying to sooth his wife as Isil looked under her skirt.
"The baby's crowning, it won't be long." She said, looking over at Legolas, she told him to give a damp towel to Arkle to cool Keay's skin then told him to give her a hand.
"But I never delivered a baby before!" he replied in some sort of sick horror.
Grabbing his hand and pulling him down to the floor next to her, she lowered her voice so Keay nor Arkle could hear.
"You need to help me; I've never delivered a baby before either! From what I know, it's like helping a mare give birth to her foal, now you done that before haven't you?"
"Yes but this is different." Legolas objected his usual composed face was now a jumble of mixed emotions from horror to what looked like nausea.
"Too right it is now help me!" Isil snapped, as Keay gave another cry of pain. Isil lifted Keay's skirt and Legolas blanched at the bloody sight before him.
"Stay with me!" Isil ordered as she estimated how long the baby was due.
"I'm here." Legolas replied in a wobbly voice.
"Get behind me, I need your arms to help pull the baby out!" Legolas shifted around and she felt his chest against her back, he handed her a towel as she wiped some blood away and told Keay to push down on her next contraction. The elleth looked a state with a thin film of sweat upon her brow which was dabbed by Arkle and his damp towel as he ushered soothing words and allowed her to squeeze with finger breaking force on his hand.
"It's coming!" Keay wailed as she screamed and pushed down with much pressure she could.
"Legolas, support the head!" Isil ordered and Legolas's arms reached round her to cup the baby's head as it crowned whilst Isil encouraged Keay to push once more.
"Legolas, be ready to catch the baby, he's almost here." Isil said, when she heard no reply, she turned to see he had his eyes screwed shut as if in disgust.
With her hands busy elsewhere, she nudged her forehead against his cheek and the spell broke, he exhaled and nodded weakly, "You're doing good, stay with me." She smiled and then turned to Keay who screamed as another contraction raked through her body.
"Legolas!" Isil cried as the small baby boy was forced his way into this world, kicking and screaming. He was caught by Legolas's hands who carefully handed him to Isil who wrapped him in a towel and handed him to Keay as to not interrupt their bond which was fragile.
Wiping her hands on a towel, Isil watched the new parents cry over the life they bought into the world, their son was the beginning of their little family. Tears stung her eyes as she watched the baby settle in his mother's arms and grabbed his father's finger and sucked it.
"You need to cut the umbilical cord for the bond to be complete." Isil handed Arkle the knife who wiped his tears and did so, severing the baby from his mother. With the bond intact, Isil rose to her feet and accepted another towel from Legolas.
"Am I too late?" Glorfindel reappeared with Galadriel following and the lady of the sword and the prince made way for the lady of the light as she blessed the family and finished Isil's job.
"We best clean up." Isil looked up at Legolas who was watching the family with devotion she had never seen before.
Without a word, he turned and exited to the kitchen.
"What's wrong?" Isil asked as she followed him to the sink where they both washed their bloodied hands.
"Nothing. It's nothing….except Keay and Arkle's family should have been here….they should have been home in Eryn Lasgalen for the birth of a child is joyous times." Legolas quietly admitted to Isil as he passed her the soap.
"I know."
"It was our doings that put them here at the order of my father." Legolas shook his hands then dried them. Isil sadly smiled, not sure what she should say for he was correct. "I think its best we left them to get settled." She tactfully changed the subject. He nodded and they both quietly left the talan. It was only at the bottom of the tree did they look at themselves and their current state and wonder at the quick turn of events that morning.
"I'm going to get changed." Legolas averted his eyes from Isil's body which he could see due to the wet shirt dappled with blood.
"First let me get some clothes so I can bathe." Isil said as she led them back to her talan, Legolas stood back and watched Isil whirl around in her own living space as she collected her clothes and departed to give him privacy, shouting to him that if he needed a bath, the best place was down at the bathing pools.
With that in mind, Legolas delighted in the idea of the natural hot springs soothing the adrenaline away from his muscles which were taunt from the severe actions of his tasks that morn. Grabbing his clothes which were folded on a chair for him, he climbed down the ladder and set about the shot walk down the quiet path to the pools. The sun was already up and he knew from the stillness of the area he was in, the elves were about their daily activities in far trees and fields. Privacy was now his and he walked for a while judging individual pools till he found one he was satisfied with. Shucking his shirt and breeches over some tree branches to dry, he dived into the water to feel it's soothing properties take the stress away from his limbs.
Naked, he lazily swam from one end of the pool to the other, unaware that from above on top of the gully where the rain water ran down to gather into the steaming pool, someone was watching him.
A pair of blue eyes shifted from between the pool Legolas was swimming in to another nearby where it was occupied by a naked Isil, who too was enjoying the pools and their heated waters.
A smile curved the lips of the elleth who pulled a sword from her belt and began her laborious task of climbing down the gully as quietly as she could to avoid being detected.
She reached the rocks surrounding the pool where its occupant drifted on its lazy current with eyes closed. The stranger rose her sword and let its point hover at the elf's throat as she quietly cleared her throat.
"Valar!" Isil jerked to her feet, the water rising to her waist as her long, wet hair stuck to her back. Her eyes widened in momentary fear, regained their sharpness as Isil crossed her arms proudly across her bare breasts, nudity was something elves weren't shy with.
"What are you doing here?" Isil asked, a tone of agitation disturbed her voice as she regarded the elleth with a look of boredom.
"Just checking you're keeping away from Legolas." The elleth speared the sword into the ground and leaned on its hilt.
"Hope what you see keeps you satisfied." Isil turned her back and resumed swimming; her eyes alert about her for being seen with this elleth was a highly dangerous move.
Trust her to break their plans.
"It is my daughter's sake in your hand." The elleth pointed out, Isil cringed as she swam back towards the elleth, which was a point needlessly pointed out.
"I'm well aware of that!" Isil hissed, "And you're endangering her by placing yourself here. Now go!"
"Hush your tone sweet lady, for Legolas is in the next pool over." The elleth replied, she saw the look pass through Isil's eyes. A look men often not see but one every woman, whatever the species recognised.
It was the look of the highest regard and adoration for the man in her heart, and if it was in any other situation, she would be in much favour of such a suited match but not when her very fate depends on Isil.
"My daughter is in the hands of Thranduil and already his threats are now aimed at my newborn. Both my daughters are to be killed and I and my husband will surely fade." The elleth retorted.
"I can only do so much. This is a pressure I wish upon no one and yet you make it worst by being here. What if someone sees you? They only need to look upon your face and the whole truth will come out and all of us will suffer, including your daughters and Legolas."
"And that I cannot allow, but I'm driven by the insanity of what a mother could only go through. He took my son once along time ago for my wrongdoings, and now threatens my daughters. I cannot allow this any more."
"Nether will I, I'm giving Legolas some information tonight that will reveal the truth on one part out of all this chaos, but be aware, the end is coming and anything will happen. Even Galadriel's mirror refuses to give anyone a hint of what's to come." Isil warned, the elleth nodded and went to pull her sword from the ground when they both heard a faint gasp.
Both women warriors looked at each other with sickly horror as they realised someone have watched their interaction and without thoughts, Isil grabbed her sword from the ground nearby and vaulted up the mud banks, ignoring her nudity or the startled cry of Legolas who grabbed his cloak to shield his modesty. Her eyes seek and found her prey as she grabbed a head of brown locks and yanked the elf from the foliage they tried to hide in.
"Sana! What evil doings are you about now?" Isil roared as she raised her sword to the neck of the panting elleth who only looked down where the mysterious lady had been moments earlier, talking to Isil.
"The White Wraith!" she screamed and Isil acted on instinct, knocking the elleth out with the butt of her sword and whistled loudly. From the trees came Kes, swift as the wind and he swooped down to his mistress's call and carried her hasty message on the wind.
The receiver of the message had reacted quickly for a group of Estolians arrived hastily on horses, and in a flurry of activities Legolas saw Isil was wrapped in a cloak, Sana was picked up and they all rode away, leaving no signs of them being there except the faint echo of Sana's scream.
Legolas panted, what he had just seen was someone he wasn't meant to and he knew Isil was at the heart of it. All the mysteries were connected to her, the white wraith, Amilo and the reason why things are so secretive.
It was a dark night, Legolas knew no darkness like it except the night where he fought in Helm's deep where hope was gone, morale was low and death was coming.
Except this time he was alone, no comrades by his side for Aragorn have left earlier to journey back to Gondor, leaving Arwen with her grandparents and friends till their marriage.
Gimli have made other elf friends and he hasn't seen him, though he been told by Glorfindel that the dwarf decided to give Legolas his space to work things out.
Gratefully, Legolas decided that was the best thing he could do right now for the prince couldn't focus his attention to entertaining his friend.
Despite elves lighting their candles in the death of the sun, which was replaced by the moon and stars, Legolas sat alone and in the shadows of night in Isil's talan.
The fire has died a long while ago, leaving gleaming embers in the hearth with the smallest source of heat available; his fingers were temple before him as he stared coldly at the dark floor, his ears ever twitching to the faintest sound of Isil returning home.
The news laid heavy on his heart, Sana have disappeared and elves were developing many theories of their own on where she could have gotten to, her vast long affairs were openly known and this only added wood to the fire as gossiper's tongues wagged in heightened enthusiasm. Only Legolas knew the truth from what he have seen today, but he heard Isil openly claim she knew nothing of Sana's departure and have ordered a brief patrol after the elleth.
Galadriel seemed quiet and he too knew she knew of the actual events that occurred by the pools, Sana screamed she have sighted the white wraith, only to be silenced by Isil who now denies all knowledge of what happened.
Why?
He heard the faint creak of wood and jerked his head round to realised someone was creeping into one of the rooms, quietly he rose to his feet and stalked into the bedroom where an intruder was climbing out the window.
Without hesitating, Legolas hurled himself at the intruder and tackled them to the floor.
"Curse you Isil!" Legolas snapped, he pinned the elleth to the floor where she stared up at him bewildered at his volatile behaviour.
"Get off me!" she attempted to wrestle him, she kneed him in his stomach and managed to scramble up but only to be tackled again, his body crushing her to the bed as both his hands grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him.
Legolas neared his face to her own, ignoring the painful digs her nails tried to inflict but anger overrode all senses.
"What did you do to Sana?" he growled.
"Nothing! Why should you care?" Isil spat as she struggled against him, only to be rewarded by his hands squeezing her cheeks tighter as he forced her to look harder at him, his eyes sparkling with menace and he spoke, "I don't care for Sana but I've seen something today by the pools I shouldn't have and I know you're at the centre of all this trouble and I'm going to find out. Now tell me, what did you do to Sana?"
"Sana's safe and unharmed, satisfied?" Isil retorted, clearly not wanting to give her side of the game away.
"No because I know that's not all. Why did you take her?"
"That is not my news to tell you Legolas, understand this I work for a higher reason that you'll may never understand. Sana saw something she shouldn't have and her loose tongue would have endangered many lives, maybe yours."
"My life is in danger? Who threatens me?" Legolas asked, his hold on her still hasn't softened but his tone lowered as he realised the urgency of her information she was willing to part with.
"That you will soon find out, Galadriel saw something in her mirror and she taken action against it but who knows."
"I heard what Sana cried today before you took her, are you the white wraith as she claims?"
Isil remained silent and from that he guessed he hit the correct mark, he went to open his mouth but Isil beaten him to it, her voice strained as she said, "I only pray you'll understand what I had to do in my part to play, Legolas, and I hope you can forgive me what the time comes when the truth is laid bare. We all have secrets to admit too."
Legolas regarded her for a long moment, oblivious to the fact he was lying against her, limbs entangled as he held her down so close.
"There is something I left you to read, it's on the table." Isil rolled her head on the pillow towards the dressing table beneath the window, Legolas saw upon its smooth ivory surface was a book with a note tucked beneath it, flapping in the night breeze.
"What is it?" Legolas asked her, as he slowly got up, his weight gone to allow her to sit up on the bed and rub her wrists where his hands have been.
"It's a book written of your kingdom and its history, it entire history regarding your family and the dissention ritual." Isil watched Legolas looked at the note which simply stated his name, and picked up the book.
He looked at Isil's troubled face and turned the little red book over in his hands, small enough to fit in his palms.
He looked at its simple embossed cover, wondering at how small an object it was and how large a situation it could stir up….then remembered he once thought that of another object. An object much smaller than the book he held and the trouble it caused the one ring and its doom it brought to them. He opened the first page to see a beautiful drawing of the leaf emblem of Mirkwood, similar to that of his emerald necklace. Turning the pages again, his eyes were filled with text as he skimmed through listless words recounting the founding of his kingdom and home.
"Isil, I….." Legolas looked up as he spoke but halted himself when he saw he was alone, seating himself on the bed and leaning against the headboard, he began reading the book, his mind recalling the historical battles and fall of Orophin to which his young father took the throne.
This was all very well but he knew of this, flapping the pages impatiently to find some form of subtitle that would tell him where to read next, he halted when his eyes picked out the word "Dissention."
Flicking through the pages, he found the beginning of the chapter in history and started to read.
The Dissention ritual came about in the wake of one of the most politically ugly and well hidden interfamily feud in the Thranduillion line. Due to orders of the king of this kingdom, entire chapters of this infamous ritual and its founding have been eradicated from their history books in order to conceal its dark origins. No texts holds any open reference to what royal servants are to undergo when upon employment in the royal household, many of the kingdom's inhabitants are unaware of such dark story behind one of the most secretive yet openly talked about rituals in Middle Earth. Due to second hand sources and what could be complied from fragments of evidence that have survived burning and political propaganda, the entire chapter in this book is incomplete in parts till the day the truth comes out.
Thranduil when took the throne was of single status for a king, though respected by the ladies of the court, he took to finding his ideal partner at merrymaking circles where hence he met Hilona, the kingdom future queen. Unlike being of high status many ladies were, Hilona was a royal maid of no royal blood.
His mother…..a maid?
Things were beginning to make sense in some small ways but he forced himself to read on, ignoring the kick to his stomach as the world he knew started crumbling.
It wasn't unusual for the high class to mix with the low, in fact in merry making circles of Mirkwood as with all elven kingdoms, it encouraged the mix of culture and break down the divide that existed in the court of the palace and throne room.
Smitten by the young maid, Thranduil courted her openly before his court and she was soon embraced as its member. When their marriage was announced, genuine happiness for the couple was widespread amongst the civilians of the kingdom for the king have married an elleth of their low status hence breaking down the divide that once existed. Hilona, by her husband's right side rule as an effective queen, bringing her views that have been shaped from her humble beginnings, offering the king and his subjects an honest view outside the city walls where life was comfortable yet threatened by the dark forces growing about the kingdom.
Sources say that as the increased presence of dark forces gathered in the once beautiful trees of Mirkwood, Thranduil came under pressure as his role as king and despite much support from his family and wife who was pregnant with the kingdom's next heir and Thranduil's only son Legolas, Thranduil became engrossed so much so in his role as king, his former effectiveness was now shaky.
Close sources to the queen state that it was Thranduil's love to the throne that drove her to seek love elsewhere, where she found it in the arms of a stable elf, Cretonian.
Like his father before him, Thranduil was driven by his obsessive will to rule Mirkwood well and because of his determination of such a highly placed goal and his continuous absence from home whilst he strengthened alliancse elsewhere; he overlooked many small situations of the kingdom that festered.
Riots started, wars enraged with the invading wolves of the dark lord and elves were been captured never to be seen again, presumably tortured to their new beings as orcs.
It was after the birth of Legolas did Thranduil caught Hilona in their marital bed with Cretonian, he exiled Cretonian from the kingdom in his fury to more dangerous lands surrounding the kingdom. The royal couple tried to mend their broken marriage and for a while it worked and it was in these years that they nurtured their young son into a happy childhood.
But Thranduil slipped back into his former obsessive nature and Hilona learnt her lover was living on the outskirts of the kingdom and began seeing him once more, picking up their forbidden affair from where they left it.
The absence of their queen drove the royal courtesans to raise the matter with their king, who paid a spy to watch his wife where her affair re-emerged. Thranduil locked his wife in the palace west tower and ordered his soldiers to seek and kill Cretonian.
But unbeknownst to him, Hilona overheard his plans and using ancient doors and hidden pathways within the palace she escaped to ride out and warn her lover of his husband's intentions. It was on her journey out to him she was attacked by orcs.
Cretonian found her in a state far-gone and brought her back to the palace before his king.
Sources become diluted at this point for what happened after this fateful meeting, no one really knows but the outcome is Hilona, so deathly was her injuries passed away to the halls of Mandos and Cretonian sailed to the undying lands in his grief.
This left a grieving Thranduil and his motherless son in his house, and its from here he decided to prevent such an epic affair happen like this again in his court and more so in his house including his son, he banned relationships between members of the court and its staff, re-erecting the barriers he broken in his marriage to Hilona.
To ensure this further, he implored the Dissention ritual in place where every member of staff swears not to fall in various entrapments that could cause the upheaval of the court and kingdom. If this is broken, as it has been recorded a few times, punishment is of the highest form, most unfairly to the low class individual involved, alone. To this day, not many civilians of Mirkwood know of this story for many who lived during that time have either passed away in the many wars the kingdom engaged in, or sailed west, taking their secrets with them.
The book went on to describe further details of the Dissention ritual but Legolas need not read no more, he read enough to know the full reason why his father was so angry towards Isil, the lies he been lead to believe that his mother was killed in an orc ambush upon a state visit. He felt wounded and his anger simmered in every direction, out to Isil for revealing this truth to him and to his father for hiding it. Rising to his feet shakily, he needed air and stumbled out onto the balcony surrounding the talan. The cold night air did more to him than revive him; it reminded him he still had to face the world with his pain.
With unbridled fury, he threw the book back into the talan and roared an roar of anger so loud the birds nearby who were asleep, flew off in pandemonium and elves stopped and halted in their actions to hear such a heart wrenching cry, belonging to a broken man.
The cry echoed far across Lothlorien, the sound reaching Isil's ears as she wiped her tears from her face.
"I can't do this any more." She sobbed, her part in this conspiracy pressurising her to the last.
"Fear not, for the day is coming when Legolas knows all, once he sees through the pain his father have hidden from him, he'll come to realise the bare bones behind what he now knows." Galadriel spoke as she stood beside Isil, both watching out over the landscape before them, where the trees were dotted by orbs of light, the signs that the elves were at home.
"Until then I pray to the Valar that Legolas will forgive me." Isil sniffed, she turned to face Galadriel who looked at her.
"Go, Divine Lady of the sword, leader of the Estolians and caller of the White Wraiths. Lead your wraiths to bear their message now, let Thranduil know his lies are coming to an end and the truth will rise like a sun upon his frozen words. Legolas will forgive and love you as he always done, his tears will dry and his soul will mend." Galadriel smiled and handed Isil her sword, the sword of Horthe that was an earthly reminder of her duties to this land and Legolas's heart.
"As you command." Isil bowed her head and with a wordless command, a silver orb emerged from her hand and shone like a star. A beacon for those who knew where to look, sure enough from the tree lines emerged white-cloaked riders.
"Come my wraiths, we have work to do." Sang Isil, her words heard by all and they bowed their heads to their lady.
"The sun won't rise upon my soul that will be in shadows, till all this have ended." Isil turned to Galadriel as she departed to do her summon, but the wise lady of the light smiled back at her, "Then look at the sky for the dawn has come."
And hope was young, frail but it gave Isil strength to walk from the lady and join her wraiths.
Answers were like an army, they will destroy very foundations civilisations have built themselves upon and Isil was one answer alone, the very answer that threatened and kingdom and its throne.
The dawn was coming and everything was to play for in the days to come.
