Disclaimers: I don't own any of the characters or settings from Lord of the Rings or Xena the Warrior Princess

Author's Note:

Warning: Concepts contained in this chapter include a few dark implications, you were warned.

This is a LegoRomance (slow-burn)

~ LXIX: Unspoken memories... must be kept forgotten ~

Woodland Realm, 3019 TA, March 16

The Elvenking raced across enormous courtyards and passageways in natural stillness. He was worried when Tauriel found him and informed him that Amethyst had slipped into the throne room numerous times, while he was riding to meet the enemy in combat. Pushing a pair of large wooden gates open without a second look at the astonished guards, he went through in the direction of his throne believing he would find the intruder there. This time he would explain his point of view for her and her father to realize that he was the King of his Halls and not them.

The hallways were whirling around him, causing him to put his palm to his hurting temples. He never imagined that his generosity to the moonlight elves would cause so many troubles for his kingdom. The troops of Sauron grew every day, Mirkwood had been invaded several times, and Thranduil forged new alliances. He rode out with Glóin son of Gróin and his troops, as well as Bard II great-grandson of Bard the Bowman, and his warriors. Lothlórien was under assault for the third time, while Imladris was attacked at its boundaries. War had erupted across Middle-earth, and the adversary ensured that his enemies would experience his wrath and darkness.

Despite this, Thranduil returned to his Halls to ensure everything was in order. He always left his finest men and Tauriel behind to keep an eye on Dínenion and his daughter, who had become a significant concern for the king, and had he not been at war, he would have barred them from entering his land. But he could not subject them to such cruelty, even if they deserved it.

The Elvenking stood in front of Amethyst, tall and slender, with wide shoulders and the athletic build of a superb warrior and ruthless ruler. Long light blonde hair and ice-blue eyes like the cold gazed at her from under an ash grey cloak and a crown of wildflowers, indicating a noble heritage. I have no time for such stupidity, he thought incoherently.

"Some may imagine that a noble maiden is observing in curiosity. I myself suspect a more prosaic motive: attempted to sit on a throne thinking as it was yours." The Elvenking spoke in superiority making himself known inside his throne his voice echoed loudly through his Halls and she was not prepared to find him there. "You have found a way in. You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule: my son and a broken oath."

"I was only admiring your throne, my king, this wooden throne and its design attracted me," Amethyst responded while seated on the throne and corrected her posture as if she were an integral part of the throne. She adjusted her gray-purple robe and crossed her legs while glancing at the king as if he were her equal. "You are aware that the oath is still binding, King Thranduil. Your son will become mine!" She grinned and refrained from saying anything nasty because she believed that Your son would not escape. I am aware of how to capture him.

His hand lingered on the hilt of his sword, and the idea of killing her was so enticing. I could slay her in an instant, but it would be yet another foolish deed. "Today, I will allow you to return to your father unhurt, but the next time you cross my throne and address me in such a way, you will not be spared."

"A favor for a favor. I shall quit appearing and sitting on your throne, King Thranduil. If it is so bothersome to you. I had no intention of offending you, but an oath is an oath. And Legolas is mine! How can you disregard an oath your father took? Are you concerned about losing your son or your throne?" Amethyst questioned him while uncrossing her legs and awaiting his response.

Amethyst was the daughter of Kings; she was born into a kingdom and reared in a noble environment. If her father had not trusted the Necromancer and let him cross with their country without alerting the other Eldar in the hope that their realm would be spared, she would now be the queen of their kingdom. However, they were betrayed and assaulted by the enemy. And every time her father attempted to defend their realm, calamity ensued.

She accepted that Thranduil was a competent king and ruler because he had proved himself to be such. There were not many elves who could endure the darkness and suffering he had endured and yet stay on Middle-earth to govern with such vanity and ego. The image of the Elvenking made her consider her own father, who was not as powerful as the Elvenking, to be petty. She was tough and harsh because she had had a horrible destiny herself.

She scowled at the Elvenking, assuring him that she would seize what was his. Your son, your kingdom, the queenship. All will be mine. As she awaited the Elvenking's reaction, her gaze became more expressive of her thoughts. She anticipated that it would not be a nice one since she was attempting to glimpse his nasty side.

"You lack all honor! And you know nothing of this world. My son and my kingdom, are not in your concerns and they never will be. Do not speak to me of oaths!" Thranduil now took a step closer his demeanor changing dangerously "That oath was broken the day your aunt died, and the day I wedded my Queen. Do not misread my aid as weakness."

"We will see," the maiden said, standing up and stepping down from his throne to skip next to him and look him squarely in the eyes. "I have faced my own tremendous fears, King of Mirkwood, and I know how to win my fights. However, I will wait for the return of your son. And to uphold the vow."

"Stay here if you will, and rot. Keep away from my throne. Legolas will never return. There is nothing left here for you, no throne and no Queenship." Thranduil scoffed and then turned away from her and stepped up on his thrown waiting for her to leave. As long as I am king you have no power here, his thoughts continued, do not turn my hospitality into cruelty.

Amethyst decided finally to step out of the throne area and pause the conflict that was rising between her and the king. She was wise enough to know, that for the time being their priority was to win against Sauron. If Sauron won, there would be no future for anyone. She believed strongly that Legolas would return, he would want to visit his father after the war was won.

She thought with a smile, I know what it takes to shatter your son, by letting him remember and steadily whittling away at the confidence you instill in him. How long do you think your son will survive when he remembers the days and nights he spent in orc captivity? How long before the idea of what happened to his mother brings him to his knees? How orcs tortured, slashed, and burnt her for days.

How arrogant are you Thranduil that you have forgotten that my father was there when your son narrated to you all what had happened? Did you believe that my father had not told me about those stories, they had become my favorite bed stories. And how many times I have drifted asleep thinking of young Legolas watching his mother and Queen being eaten. But your biggest fear Thranduil I know, because I have heard young Legolas say that part of the tale from his deathbed. Her thoughts continued as she walked through the corridors towards her bed-chamber with an evil smile and the thought of that night.

The last night before the orcs freed your son, they offered him a stew of ashes. And the starving elfing eat all the bowl of stew and then he was released. But before the orc leader stepped back he told Legolas a secret. She paused her thoughts and smirked recalling the terrifying look on Legolas' face of that night when he kept repeating the same phrase. They had eaten the flesh and burned the bones, and the Queen's ashes were inside that stew. Thranduil you are scared of the day Legolas remembers that he eat his own mother's ashes. And I do wait for that day, to see the look in his eyes, and how that memory will shutter him in so many pieces.

"You will lose your son and your kingdom because I know your real weakness, King Thranduil, it's your only son Legolas," Amethyst mumbled to herself before she disappeared inside her chambers.

The memory had never left his mind, and lately, it was burning his nights. The Elvenking sighed as he sat on his throne. He believed that Amethyst was capable of everything. But he had done one mistake, he never believed that Dínenion would speak of what Legolas had told them. And even if he had, Thranduil could imagine the greed to want a become Queen and even wed to Legolas. However, he never believed that the elven maiden would want to bring any harm to Legolas.

Of all his folk, Legolas had never harmed anyone. There was no reason to want to bring Legolas to his doom. And the last memory of dying Legolas begging his father to let him fade away, as the memory of him dinning the leftover of his own mother was an open wound that young Legolas could not withstand. And Thranduil knew that even old Legolas would not be able to deal with it. And indeed he feared that day and hoped that his son would never recall, why there was no memory of his mother, no body or grave to grief.

Indeed his weakness was Legolas. His only son.

((Upcoming Chapter Seventy))

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Guest: Indeed love is blind... and there is a reason it was marked slow burn hehe. Thank you for reviewing and reading the FF. Let's see how things will go! ^_^