Revelations

A smile graced her lips and her heart soared lighter than ever as she stepped out of the house which was once home. Upon the lining of the gaping hole in her heart left by Laerdil, bloomed a hope of healing, as there would be nothing against their love, as she would be able to stay beside him forever.

That is only if he wishes to take you back.

That thought was dropped immediately, so as not to dampen the mood of the best day of her life. The stag carried her swiftly through the plain as the sweet wind and gently swaying grass bid them farewell and crossed the eaves of the once Greenwood, trading the warmth and air of the plain for the damp, dark forest. Chilling winds crept through her dress as there was no cloak to shield her. They weren't moving fast enough for her heart leaping in her chest. The stag made a sound, as if it had sensed her thoughts. Together, they flew through the decaying trees, under the bare canopies, as the wind whipped her fair hair like a golden flame in the dark.

(***)

To say that Thranduil was agitated would be an understatement. He was practically screaming at everyone. The afternoon was slowly turning into evening and there was no news of her whereabouts. Those who last saw Erenien had caught only a glimpse of her running away from the palace, towards her favourite spot beside the waterfall. They had let her have some lone time as she had seemed to be already on the verge of tears. Thranduil personally searched the entire area thrice, not even resting for once, yet finding nothing.

You failed her once.

You have failed her again...

From the fidgeting group of her friends and unusually stammering Eiliandil and the mumbles of Findir about certain misunderstandings, Thranduil had understood that she was deeply upset. Without further explanation, the reason for this came to his mind. He silently berated himself for giving the boy such an honour as that which conveniently sent him away.

But he asked me! It was him who had wanted to be gone.

He didn't know how Erenien had happened to know about that. The entire arrangement was supposed to happen without her knowing, at least the date of his departure.

Legolas entered in urgent footsteps, interrupting his thoughts, shortly followed by Tauriel. Anxiously, he looked at them, not caring to maintain his mask of composure in front of familiar minds. Their faces gave off nothing hopeful, which meant Erenien hadn't gone in the two directions which they had been sent to. Not south either, according to the report of the guards of the Southern border. The West was not a feasible option as a sheer cliff blocked a direct path which forced any traveler to take a much twisted path. Thranduil was fairly sure that she wouldn't go that way, as it was the same place where she was captured a year ago. Which meant that she was still somewhere within his realm. He only has to mount his elk and search for her.

Maybe she must have been lost. Maybe she must have been put to sleep by the enchanted waters.

Maybe the spiders...

He shuddered at the thought. No! His Erenien was safe, as he hadn't felt any distress from her mind through the parental bond which he had with her. But why isn't she back home yet?

Defeated, he put his head in his hands. The high throne which he currently sat upon, a position of authority and assertiveness, suddenly felt the most helpless place to be. There he had to meet the gazes of his son and his captain. His heart beat painfully against his chest, as if a great weight was laid over it. Fear gnawed at his entire being, along with the periodic stab of his own conscience that he had failed to protect his precious child. She had been young and inexperienced, not even fully equipped to defend herself if she needed to be.

He caught himself then. No! She is not lost. He will search for her, until his entire being collapses. Every cell in his body wanted to jump up and search for her. He knew what he had to do - to mount his elk and dash through the forest, call her name and search for the familiar presence of her mind. Ah! Only if the trees were alive. They would surely have told him about her whereabouts. She might be lost, or might have tripped and fallen. He only had to reach her and gather her into his arms. Only if he could get up and go back searching for her? But this restlessness was put on a leash by a growing despair, the two feelings warring within him, rendering him weak, keeping him chained to his very seat. Thranduil felt utterly powerless, so that he couldn't even look at the face of his son.

As if far away, he heard faint shouts, followed by swift footfalls in the outer corridor. Suddenly, the doors to his throne room opened.

Erenien burst into the throne room, to meet the agitated faces of Thranduil, Legolas and Tauriel. Thranduil stared at her blankly, allowing his mind to slowly grasp the fact that she stood in front of him and was not in any danger and remembered to let out a breath. Just as the air left his lungs, he scrambled to his feet and climbed down the stairs as quickly as his robes allowed.

Erenien was smiling.

"For Eru's sake, where were you?" Thranduil asked, finally standing in front of his daughter and grasping her in a tight embrace, both relief and annoyance warring for dominance on his fair face.

The smile turned into a grin.

"Couldn't you at least tell us before vanishing...? Why are you grinning?" Legolas asked, coming forward, eyes trained on her.

"What happened? Did you stumble upon any mushrooms?" Tauriel asked, equally puzzled by her strange behaviour.

Erenien shook her head vehemently. Holding her at arm's length, Thranduil scanned her dusty dress and frowned. "Are you going to tell me what happened?" His voice had a stern edge to that, even though he desperately tried to avoid it.

She finally controlled herself, not wanting to test the limits of her father's patience. "I don't know how to say this," she began, looking each of her audience in the eye. "I don't know when or how this happened. But I think it is after the incident with Orcs. I have been feeling strange lately." She lightly tucked her hair behind her ear.

Silence. Nobody moved and Legolas' jaw fell slightly open. Erenien but her lip and resisted the urge to giggle at the scene of the three elves staring dumbfounded at her. Could elves go into shock? Thranduil looked at her intently, eyes flitting from her ears and back to her face, unable to decide whether this was a dream or reality. He raised a trembling hand and cupped her cheeks.

"I saw them, Ada. I saw my parents," she said, eyes twinkling.

Thranduil stared for a moment. His ears and brain took a bit too long to coordinate, it seemed. Finally, he breathed, "You did? How?"

She retold the entire events of the day, from her visit to the strange house and the dream fight between orcs and her family and the last stand of her parents. Lastly, she added the message from Elerien, the late Queen of the realm. Tears flowed freely, of happiness, of the memory of everything lost and of hope of reuniting with loved ones one day.

(***)

"I shall ask Lord Thranduil to revoke Laerdil's transfer," Tauriel said as she escorted Erenien back to her chamber. "I shall tell Findir everything that happened."

"Don't you want to meet him again?" She added, as Erenien didn't respond.

Truth be told, Erenien didn't know how she felt about the situation. She had wanted to see his face when she told Findir herself. She liked him, maybe a bit more than how much she liked orcs. Laerdil was entirely another matter.

"I don't know whether I want to see him?"

"Who? Laerdil? Findir?"

"Both."

"Why?"

"It is true that we once loved each other so much. But he was too quick to abandon it. He left me and went far away. He didn't even bother to say goodbye." Her reply came out as a mutter.

Tauriel placed a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes were kind. "He was suffering, just like you."

"Just like me!" she scoffed, nudging the hand on her shoulder away. "No, he didn't suffer like me. Why? Because he had everyone. Lots of friends to take care of him. There were many who supported him. I, too, was here, equally broken. Nobody cared about how I felt. It was me, not him, who had to suffer everyone's hate," Erenien muttered, each word laced with anger.

Tauriel was taken aback. "Ery," she sighed. "It is just...we didn't know how you were feeling. And we didn't hate you, as you think. You looked fine. That's why none of us came to you."

"Just because I didn't whine in front of you lot doesn't mean that I was well!" Erenien stalked forward, Tauriel in tow. At the door to her chamber, Tauriel caught up with her.

"I am sorry. I didn't know. I don't know how this turned out to be, but all of us were convinced that you were alright with the arrangement."

Erenien paused, frowning. "I know who is behind this," her face darkened. "Findir," she muttered.

"That is not true!" Tauriel exclaimed, in an attempt to placate her.

"Who else would do that? He doesn't like me. I am sure of it. Though I don't know why," her voice broke. She turned away, to blink off the tears. But Tauriel caught her arm and made Erenien face her, who didn't meet her eyes.

"Findir doesn't hate you, Ery. He was only concerned about Laerdil. Now that you are one of us, I don't think that he would oppose you anymore. If he does so, just leave him to me."

Erenien wasn't fully convinced. Finally, she looked up and nodded with a sigh.

"Good," Tauriel said as she gently nudged her into the chamber. "It is one of the best days of your life. Do not dampen its mood. Now go and clean yourself up, you are a mess."

Erenien closed the door behind her and let out a sigh. The muted light filtering through the curtains seemed golden and bright. Her faint smile turned into a bright one at the thought of the defeated face of Findir.