Conversations of the Wise

Elrond showed his visitor to a seat beside the fire at the far end of the chamber, at some distance from the harps and singers but close enough for the strains of the music to form a backdrop to their conversation. There were things he wished to discuss that he did not want to be overheard.

Winter was casting its spell upon Rivendell and though there was a great beauty in it there was also a freezing wind. The occupant of the other chair had travelled far against its bitter blast, yet he seemed unaffected by the shill despite the shabbiness of his robe and cloak.

They had eaten and spent some time with the wider company but both knew there were matters that concerned them alone and so they withdrew to the further ends of the chamber where they could talk privately.

"You have been to Lothlorien? How goes it there?" Elrond asked when the other was settled and provided with wine.
"Well enough. The Lady is fully restored to herself and Lord Celeborn has doubled the watch on Dol Guldor."
"You expect Sauron to return there then?"
His visitor shook his head as he settled himself more firmly in the chair and reached into his robe for his pipe.
"No, he will stay in the east now that he has been discovered, but there are others of his servants who might return in time."

Elrond gave the pipe a short look of resignation and moved his own chair slightly to increase the distance between them; the inhalation of smoke from a burning weed was habit of the children of men he had never been able to understand. Even less did he understand why his visitor had adopted it. As his companion coaxed the mess of dried weed within the bowl of the pipe to flame and then smoke, he concentrated on the muted strains of the harp in the room behind him.

Finally his companion was satisfied that the pipe was to his liking and spoke again
"The news continues much as you already know. For the moment the fortress is silent and apparently deserted, and the evil that had flowed from it these last centuries has been stemmed and is fading. Greenwood is not yet itself again but matters are improving. Even so a close watch must be kept upon it, for it will not do for us to be caught unprepared again. I have visited both Celeborn and Thranduil and they are of the same mind, in future we must be prepared to think the worst and not the best where Sauron is concerned."
He gave a small huff.
"Thranduil always has of course and would have had us take action some time ago, as would I."

Elrond nodded.
"As matters fell it would have been better had the Council followed your wishes rather than Saurman's, better too if they listened to Thranduil's arguments with more sympathy. To have dealt with Sauron when weaker would have cost the Lady less pain and we might have prevented his flight to the east. Yet what reason was there to do so, it seemed better to wait. "He frowned, "but in that opinion we were wrong and in our assessment we were deceived. That being the case I am still uneasy that we did not follow him immediately, again at Saurman's insistence. Perhaps I should not have listened to his assessment so readily and have been more forceful on the matter, but with the Lady in such distress….." His words tailed away as that unease he felt whenever he recalled that assault upon Dol Guldur stirred again. He waved a weary hand.
"There must be regret too that the people of Mirkwood have borne so much the weight of his malign influence, when it might have been prevented had we listened more kindly to the protestations of their king. We must hope it does not prevent them from taking heed of us in the future."

He shifted slightly in his chair to better look at his companion.
"I have sent letters to Thranduil with his son, but as yet I have received no answers. I confess that as time passes this causes me concern. They contained many things I would not have trusted to another messenger and my fear is that they have been lost, though I find it hard to believe that Prince Legolas would have been so careless, and wonder if there is some dread news that has not reached me. If that is not the case then the worry must be that my letters have been received and their content not viewed with any favour." He looked back to the firelight and his grey eyes were sad.
"His people have good reason to doubt our intentions and there is much history between Thranduil's line and the Noldar that might yet cast long shadows. Such shadows as could lead us all into even greater peril. The matter of the Lonely Mountain may make things even more difficult."

The visitor said nothing but puffed harder on his pipe as if in deep thought and said nothing.

Elrond watched with some frustration as a fog of foul smelling smoke obscured the other's face and hid his expression. With a slight shake of his head he looked away and down into his wine as he continued.
"With Smaug gone there needs to be accord in the lands between the Long Lake and the Grey Mountains, yet is this possible? Whilst he might have no difficulties in his dealing with the men of the lake or Dale Thranduil has no reason to love the dwarves, none who dwelt in Doriath could ever forget such injuries, or set them aside completely. This business with the king under the mountain might well have rubbed at old wounds.
His companion by the fire still remained silent and fog shrouded so he tried a different approach
"I have received some reports on the matter at Dale, but there is always room for misunderstanding in such tales. They suggest that the dwarf Thorin dealt meanly with the men of the Lake, knowing that not all he claimed was his to own, and that Thranduil took their side. It is true that Dain seems to have dealt fairly with the Lake men however, and recognised that some portion of the treasure of Smaug was drawn from others than the line of Durin and should be returned. This should ease the tensions between the dwarves and the men of the lake but the reports tell of taunts by Dain of the Elvenking which may make for strained relationships. Yet we need all the friends we can muster, and old grievances must be set aside if we are to prosper." His voice became sad. "I see a darkness advancing that cannot be stemmed, Grief awaits us all I fear."

The wizard on the other side of the fire at last lowered his pipe, allowing the fog of smoke around him to thin. The deceptive face of an old man emerged from the haze, only the fire in the eyes betraying the lie of the skin's appearance. His voice was low and firm but laced with a musing note.
"Indeed they must I have said as much to all involved, for I fear that you may be right and that the grief of this age may yet equal that of the past. Yet I do not think all is lost, I still hope that the worst of outcomes may be avoided."
Elrond turned his eyes back to his companion.
"I hope that you may be proved right in that, but I see dark days ahead. Darker still if the trust between the enemies of Sauron proves frail."
The pipe smoker shook his head.
"Do not fear that, at least not on Thranduil's account my Lord, nor worry about your letters reception. He is a good and wise king, and as such each of his elves lost is a grief to him, that pain will not fade quickly and he may wish to lick his wounds for a while. But he is long an enemy of the darkness and a warrior of some renown, as you know, and he will be stalwart and stand friend to any who seek to destroy Sauron whatever earlier crimes they may have committed against him."

Elrond gave a small smile.
"I hope so; from all I have heard of him this Thorin was neither the most gracious nor the most reasonable of dwarves. I recall his grandfather and though I had few dealings with him none of the experiences were easy. Even his own kin gave him a wide berth and were reluctant to give aid, or to take his people in, when the dragon stole the mountain."
His companion nodded.
"That was so, which was why I was surprised to see the Lord of the Iron Hills come to Thorin's aid so swiftly. Though they were both of different generations of course, and" his tone became dry and sharp, "the lure of gold has powerfully soothing qualities in such family squabbles."
Elrond nodded and a wry expression crossed his face.
"Indeed it can. Just as it can divide. In this case it was well for all that he came so what was it that that brought Oakenshield to claim the mountain at this particular time?"
The wizard looked slightly uncomfortable.
"That was my doing, and I had reasons for doing so that I cannot discuss at this time. But I did not know of the second army of orc and for that I own my fault. Nor did I foresee that Thorin would wake the dragon and send it to attack the men of the lake again. As for Thranduil, I had warned them to keep to the path through Mirkwood, and had they done so the elves would have ignored them. But they ignored my warning and with Thorin dead there is no way of knowing why."

Elrond sighed.
"If Thorin and his company left the road and wandered into Thranduil's realm at such a time and refused to give fair account of his reasons then I would expect his welcome to be cold. No Lord, elf, man, or dwarf, with a realm to defend could be expected to be any thing but suspicious in such circumstances. Yet from the reports it seems that the dwarf held a grievance at his treatment and that he shot arrows at Thranduil when he took the up the Lakemen's cause. Dain was no more polite to him it would seem."
The wizard puffed on his pipe for a moment then nodded.
"Yes, I confess I wpuld not have expected a dwarf lord such as Dain to forget his manners to quite to the degree that he did. It is true to say that Thranduil had good reason for his anger and I would not have blamed had he responded with less restraint than was the case."

Elrond was silent for a moment as he stared into his glass with narrowed eyes, looking back over certain memories of the past.
"Thranduil was never a fool and he is a Sindar of a long and noble line, he would have been schooled to manage his anger early in his life, In the course of which life he has seen most forms of foolishness and evil and he will have learned to tell one from the other. I would expect that it would take much to push him into a rash act."
His companion nodded.
"It is true that the fight between dwarf and elf was all of Dain's making, but once the Orc emerged all of that was forgotten and elf and dwarf fought together on the Plain, though it is true that there is a new cause of dissention between the two that must now be overcome." A sad looked passed across the deceptive old man face. "More were lost than I had hoped might be the case."
He puffed on his pipe for a momentlomger then shot Elrond a serious look.
"But that is as might be and much of the army of the dark was also destroyed, which may yet prove to be a great advantage, As for your letters my lord, have no fear, no harm has befallen them I expect as the kings son may not yet have returned to Mirkwood, though my informants tell me they saw him on a course for the forest road and so his return will not be much longer delayed. By my reckoning Thranduil has not yet received the package entrusted to Legolas."

Elrond sat back and frowned at his companion in some surprise, and a note of deep concern entered his voice.
"Yet the year has changed more than once since he was here. How can he have not returned? Are the stories true then? I had hoped not."
The wizard looked over the top of his pipe with narrowed eyes.
"Which stories are these, my Lord?"
"That the son drew sword upon his father and king and issued threats."
The shrewd eyes in the old face narrowed and a look of concern flared within them
"Where did you hear that, from your informers?"
"Not as such. There was a journeyman travelling west, a man of Bree but who had been working in Dale at the time of the dragon's death. He fell from his horse during a spring storm and was carried to a lonely inn in the shadow of the mountains with some injury. We were asked for help and sent a healer to treat him, but in his fever he fought the healer saying that he would have no strange elf near him, that he had no trust in elves when their kings could not trust their own blood. When pressed he spoke of elf attacking elf at the battle of Erebor, that the attacked was the Elvenking and one of his attackers his son. He had not seen it himself but had been told the story by a man who had fought alongside the elves in the streets of Dale."
Elrond gave the wizard a hard look.
"The healer reported to me alone and this talk has travelled no further within Rivendell, but for the wider world I cannot speak. I find it hard to believe that kin slaying has emerged in Mirkwood, and involving the king himself, and yet I do not think the man lied as such and that whatever happened he believed his version to be true."

He leaned back and stared towards the rafters thinking back over the prince of Mirkwoods visit and when he spoke again his voice was low and sad.
"When Thranduil's son was here it was clear that something was much amiss, that he laboured under some great grief and horror. There was a deep shadow that wrapped him, not of evil, but of fear and pain, and though he might some times forget his trouble in a song or a sight of beauty, it was always there hovering, waiting to envelope him again. I thought related it their long fight against the creeping evil of Dol Guldor for he had mentioned a desire to visit that place. Kin slaying or revolt never occurred to me but there was something there in him that might become a sickness which as yet was simply a grievous loss. I would have helped if I could, however slight the relief offered, but he was careful to avoid any opening that might give a listener cause to ask. The only time he betrayed himself was when I asked about the nature of the battle and the numbers lost. It was clear that he did not know, and that the realisation was a part of his pain, from which I read that he had not taken part in the battle himself and that he had left Dale during the fighting or very soon afterwards."

The wizard sighed.
"Well it was too much to hope that none had seen it, but I wish it had been witnessed by elvish eyes alone."
Shock and sorrow showed in Elrond's look and voice.
"It is true then?"
"Yes, and then again no. Whether it would have gone as far as elf killing elf I cannot be sure, for one of the parties involved is little known to me, but of Thranduil himself I have no doubts. Even with greatest of provocations he would not kill one of his own illegally. Nor were there threats of any substance, at least not made by the king's son. But it is true to say an unfortunate…. incident… occurred, a misunderstanding more than anything else."
"Yet the journey man spoke of arrows aimed at the king and swords drawn. Is that not the case?"
The question brought a sigh and a weary shrug from the visitor.
"Well it is true that one did issue threat and insult to Thranduil, and did aim an arrow at him. But he disarmed the assailant quickly enough and no harm came of it. It is also true that he held the offender at sword point for a time, though if he hadn't then his guard would have been forced to action, with elf blood being spilled by elf. An ugly incident I grant you, and the more so for the time and place of it, but no more than that."
"And Legolas? What was his action in this? Do not think I seek to pry for curiosity's sake, but I would not err in my dealings with the father by ignorance of the actions of the son."

His companion pulled on his pipe again, the resulting smoke once more obscuring his expression.
"It was in defence of that one assailant that Legolas made some unwise remark. I would not have any make too much of it, as you know feelings run high in battles and things get done and said that would never happen in less tempestuous times."
Elrond nodded.
"Yes the fire of battle takes time to die from the blood, but if the man's words were to be believed this was not the case here."
His companion continued to draw on his pipe and was silent for a moment.
"Perhaps not," he said when he was satisfied with the enveloping cloud of smoke. "The detail of the story is not mine to tell my Lord and as I say I would not see it given an importance it does not warrant, though I know that the events of that day hurt Legolas deeply. As you deduced Legolas felt both grief and shame for his actions, and for the cause of them, and he asked his father's leave not to return to Mirkwood immediately after the battle. This was granted, but for his sake and not by the kings desire."

As Elrond watched him the look in the wizard's eyes slipped past the fire and towards the window where the snowflakes gathered in ever greater numbers. It was clear that his mind had passed beyond this room to another time and place.

In that assumption Elrond was correct for as he watched the snow drift against the background of winters' darkness the wizard was back in Mirkwood in summer, sitting beneath the trees with the Elvenking in whose face and light he could read only sorrow and anguish for his son. Thranduil had the pride and reserve of his race and line, and dignity had been his lot for centuries, but at that moment there had been no king there only a father who feared deeply for his son's wellbeing.

"I have had no word or sighting of him since he left the lands of the Dunedain. Find him Mithrandir, none are better suited to do so than you. Find him and give him what comfort you may and set him on the path home if you can but manage it."
The king had risen to his feet and paced the glade as if he could not bear to be still. The flowers of summer were draped upon his crown as was the custom at this time of year and yet there was no ease or joy in the wearer. The observer of his pacing felt a surge of fear and not only for the missing son. Thranduil's face was as calm and impassive as ever but there was great tension in his movements, as if a bow string was being overstretched, and there was a hoarse note in the deep and melodious voice that spoke of an effort to keep his tone even. Of greater concern perhaps was his dress, for the kings robes would usually be pale at this stage of the sun, the shades of flowers and new leaves, but that day he had worn the greys and silvers of winter as if he could not let go of the season in which he had last seen his son.

A deep unease had stirred in the wizard's mind and he wondered what further damage might yet be done by the events of that day in Dale, and how far its shadow might still stretch. The Woodland Realm needed to be strong if the lands of the east were to be held should Sauron make a bid for Middle earth again, and for that they needed their king to be sure and steady; but what would happen if Legolas did not return, or sought the sea? What would his father do then? As he watched the pacing figure he set himself the task of finding a way through this coil that he had helped to wind.
"I understood why he felt the need to leave." Thranduil had continued, "but with each moon that passes I feel the weight upon his spirits grow heavier and my fears for where it leads increase. I had hoped that when he did not find Strider he would return to tell me so, but he has not. Yet I know from the Dunedain that he has been and sought out the Ranger I bid him find."

"And if I find him? Would you have me send him home?"
Thranduil had smiled sadly, his blue eyes misted with the memory of that last parting.
"No," he said softly, "not if he wills it otherwise. I would have spared him this if I could but I did not see the danger soon enough and the matter went too far to be stopped and far sooner than I expected. Yet I did not think it would go so far and for that I must take the blame. He must take the time he needs, I would not have him feel that he is a scolded elfling who must return to take a punishment, or ask for contrition when he exacts so much worse from himself. Nor would I have him feel that I do no trust in his ability to find his way back to himself."

"Then what do you ask of me my friend?"
"Only that you find him and give him what strength and comfort that you can. He grieves as well as hurts and he must find his own way through the tangle that was of neither of our making. But if you find him I ask that you bring me news of him, good or bad so that I can plan for his homecoming."

As Elrond watched the wizard seemed to push whatever memory had distracted him aside and when he spoke there was certainty in his voice.
"I can tell you with every confidence that Thranduil bears no grievance against his son and would have him back home as soon as it can be arranged."

Elrond looked back with continued curiosity debating with himself what that memory might have been. It was not that hard to guess at.
"When he was here the prince spoke of a quest set him by his father, one that had come to naught. Yet he said no more of it. That seemed strange at the time but I did not press him for, as I have said, it was clear to me that he laboured under some great burden, and I considered that the two might be related."
The wizard nodded.
"Perhaps they were, for there was more to the situation than simply a conflict with his father. The task set for Legolas was always hopeless, it was something conjoured solely to distract the prince and to send him to travel amongst those his father trusted."
Surprise dawned in Elrond's eyes.
"I see, Thranduil considered the possible outcome of his son's grief such that he feared dire consequences if he took no action! The wounds must go deep then, and I can think of only one possible cause that fits the story and your words. If that is the case then my sympathy lies with the father as well as the son. I fear such turmoil for any of my children."
"Yes, any fond parent would, and I fear Legolas has more disillusion on the matter to come to terms with in the process of his healing. Yet the nature of such things is that the worst will now be behind him and it seems he has turned for home. Though I doubt that all his troubles are yet at an end and his home coming will not be one of unalloyed joy."

Elrond drew a deep breath.
"No if I read your words rightly there may be those who are less willing to welcome him back than his father. For Thranduil this road will need to be carefully walked if the unity and strength of his Realm is to be maintained."
The wizard nodded.
"Indeed it must, by both of them if Legolas would resume his natural position, and that he must do. What is done cannot be undone, nor its consequences be lightly set aside. Yet Thranduil is wise and knows his people well, he will find a way."

"For all our sakes we must hope that he does; and for the son?"
"No less hard, but if the future we spoke of comes to pass then the lessons he learns now may be vital. As you say, discord amongst the enemies of Sauron is something we must not allow and any who might be players in opposing him must be able to master their hearts when required and so hold on to their heads. Sauron was ever good at exploiting his opponent's loves and hatreds."
The elf lord nodded.
"That is so. Elf, men and dwarf will need to stand together again if Sauron regains his strength. Let us hope that the Elvenking can keep his Realm united for if he cannot then I fear that the lands both north and east may face great peril."

He paused a moment as if unsure whether to explore the matter any further but finally he ventured anther question.
"The other party you mentioned. What of that matter? Has that been resolved? I would have expected to have knowledge of it if a call of treason amongst the woodland elves had been heard and I have not, yet treason it must be."
The wizard sighed.
"No, it is not resolved, quite the opposite. As for the charge, well the elf concerned had already been banished."
Elrond looked shocked.
"It must have been a serious offence for the king to resort to such a punishment in such times."
The other just sighed and shrugged and for a moment a great weariness seemed to hang upon him causing his host to wonder what part the wizard might have played in the drama.

Elrond watched him closely. Intriguing but none of his concern, yet if there were continuing tensions in Mirkwood it might become his concern.
"What choices does he have?" he asked eventually. "No realm is likely to give succour to one who drew an arrow on their king so what does Thranduil propose to do?"
That brought another sigh and a shake of his visitor's head.
"I cannot say, but you are right that his options are few and he does not wish to take any course that might make matters harder for his son on his return."
"I can understand that would be the case, it would be my concern too, were my kin to be involved in such a situation. Yet if it leaves a sore to fester then better the pain now than later."

"Perhaps." His companion responded quietly and it was clear he intended to say nothing more on the matter.

Elrond was silent for a while considering what he knew, not much but enough for one who had lived as long as he had to guess the likely sum of it. Not hard to guess the other party either, he had sometimes thought the king of the wood unwise in his actions there, even though he understood the reasons for them. Perhaps he might find a way to assist in this current dilemma. An elf that threatened Kin slaying and treason could never be brought to Rivendell but he was in contact with other elf colonies that were much smaller and more remote and who might be able to help. After all the people of Mirkwood had been under great pressure since the Sauron returned to Dol Guldor, something might be made of that. He would give it some thought.

The silence stretched and then cast his companion a sideways look.
"What of the halfling, the hobbit, Bilbo I recall his name as being, did he make his way back to the Shire in safety?"
The wizard laughed.
"Indeed he did with many a wondrous story to tell beside his fireside, not least amongst them presenting a necklace given to him by Bard to the Elvenking. Ha, I have never seen Thranduil so lost for words! But he was always kind to Bilbo, valuing his courage and honesty, and he took it most graciously when it was explained that it was in return for his hospitality, both granted and taken."
A thoughtful look flitted across his face and he continued slowly.
"Thranduil always treated Bilbo with respect and yet there was wariness too as if…." The words died away as something flared deep within the wizard's eyes, "but no matter. Bilbo is home in his comfortable hole, safe and sound.
"Yet I shall be seeing him again I think, when the world darkens again." Elrond said softly.

The wizard said nothing but concentrated on creating another cloud of smoke, yet it could not hide the thoughtful look within his eyes.