An Unexpected Companion
Chapter 16
Arguments of the Broken
Tiki was certain of one thing regarding her wood elf captors: she had a feeling that not only did they not bake cookies, but they also were likely not even interested in such a wholesome activity.
Not one of the soldiers spoke a word to her. Their leader, the golden-haired one, only uttered sharp commands in elvish, although it sounded like a different dialect to her ears than the one Elrond and his kin in Rivendell used. The thought of encountering a different elven culture like this would have fascinated her if she wasn't feeling so miffed about being bound and led along toward a possible prison. She wasn't as studious as some of her old friends in Ylisse were. No doubt Miriel and her son Laurent would be enthralled by this moment, regardless of the circumstances.
Her steps faltered. Miriel had a son? That's right, she and Vaike married not too long ago. At least, she didn't think it was long ago.
Still fuzzy on those details.
Her brow furrowed. There were other children, now that she recalled. Princess Lucina stood out in her mind. The girl was the heir to the Exalted Throne. Such a person would be difficult to forget. For some reason, Tiki's memories of her blended together. One moment, she saw, in her mind's eye, a young girl with a radiant smile, filled with hope and excitement for grand adventures. The next, she saw a hardened warrior with a look of steel in her eyes. All mirth, and happiness were long gone as she wielded her father's sword.
There were more, yes. Each one of her friends had a child. She knew their names. They were on the tip of her tongue. Teasing her mind. Yet, for the life of her, she struggled to recall them.
I've grown forgetful during my time here. Tiki mused, bowing her head and sighing to herself. Then again, I woke up just as confused as I am now, so not much has changed.
The lead elf snapped something in Elvish. A pair of his soldiers rushed ahead as the trail they followed broadened into a dirt path. Soon, stone pavers appeared on the path. Tiki raised her head. Her mouth opened in wonder as the Elves managed to impress her once again.
A wall of wood stood before her. Not a palisade, like one would build around a temporary fort. She had seen many of those and often considered them drab and lifeless. Spending time on those was a quick way to boredom. This wooden wall though was made of tree limbs, endlessly tangled together into a solid knot, yet they were smooth and formed ramparts that towered over the path in the forest. Elves in the same green plate stood vigil before a set of wooden gates and upon those ramparts, unflinching, unmoving. Perfect attention.
Showoffs.
The gates swung open. When Tiki passed through, they revealed a city in the trees. Golden leaves fanned out from massive branches, making it seem like a golden sunrise hovered perpetually over the entire city. Winding walkways made of soft earth weaved through the dense tree trunks. All around Tiki, elves moved, going about their lives. Several stopped and gave respectful bows to her captor. Others stopped and stared at her, puzzled, even a little dumbstruck. She saw one she-elf go into a tree that had a door on it. When she saw that, Tiki smiled to herself.
They might not bake cookies, but they do live in trees.
She was urged toward a bridge made of interwoven roots, all of them full of life, sprouting smaller roots that acted as binding ropes. Not once did she lose her footing across the bridge. Somehow, the knotted roots were as smooth as a stone bridge. Once across, she faced a palace whose walls were made of many tree trunks. The roof was nothing more than branches and leaves, interlaced with such precision that it would have made the finest of Ylissean architects green with envy, and those were the same architects who had the Temple of Naga, the Exalted Palace, even Ylisstol's mighty walls on their resume.
These elves either like to build, or they have way too much time on their hands.
As they approached the doors to the palace, they opened. A she-elf with auburn hair marched out. She paused beside the golden-haired elf, sharing a few words with him before giving Tiki a cautious glance. Her brow furrowed and she nodded, moving on and letting the elven soldiers lead Tiki into the palace.
The interior was as exquisite as the exterior. A fine golden rug with intricate patterns that spiraled and flowed in the stitching, ran toward a raised wooden dais. On the dais sat an elf that could give Elrond competition for the sternest gaze and Galadriel a fair challenge in regality. Long, flowing robes of glittering emerald and gold covered his slender form. His sharp chin was raised, causing his icy eyes to look down upon the Tiki and the approaching soldiers. A crown of gold, shaped like a wreath of small antlers, sat on his head. When Tiki reached the base of the dais, she watched the soldiers bow to the Woodland Realm's king, then she watched the gold-haired elf move to stand beside the throne. Tiki tilted her head.
"Well then, that explains why everyone listens to you," she said. This wasn't her first attempt at talking to the golden-haired elf, but she had a feeling this would be her best chance at getting a response. "So, are you a very respected captain, or are you a Prince?"
She noticed a pair of soldiers glance at each other with some surprise. Tiki nodded.
"Prince it is. Good to know. I am glad I held my tongue when we first met, although I must say that I feel quite rudely treated. Now then, as for-"
The King raised a hand, and Tiki fell silent. Then, he spoke. A rich, powerful voice floating into her ears.
"The messages I received from our outer sentries have been disturbing, though I would have never expected the origin of them to be a member of my kin from a tribe I do not know," he said. "Tell me, who are you, and from where do you hail?"
Tiki pursed her lips. What was it with people in Middle-Earth demanding to know who she was without introducing themselves first? The Shepherds weren't so rude to her when she first met them, and they were quite literally fighting for the lives on the Mila Tree at the time.
"Yours first, your majesty," Tiki replied.
"You are in no position to make demands," the King replied, his voice calm, and level, but there was an iciness to his tone that made Tiki grimace. "I take quite seriously threats to my kingdom and my people."
Tiki blinked. "Have I been threatening?"
"Scorching a section of our borders with wildfire would normally be considered a threat, yes," the Prince said.
"Legolas," the King warned, silencing his son.
Tiki furrowed her brow. "I wasn't aware that an area overrun by vile spiders could be considered the borders of such a magnificent kingdom. Seeing as how those spiders are now gone, I say: you're welcome."
The King's eyes narrowed. "Do you have any idea how dangerous one spark is to the forest? For that matter, how did you manage such an inferno? Did you have a torch? Although, if you did, the sentries would have spotted you much sooner, and likely would have prevented your foolishness. Or, did you merely start the fire by accident? But, judging by your words of contempt regarding my ability to safeguard the borders, that was hardly the case. So… by what ill means did you conjure fire?"
"Ill means?"
"You're no wizard. And such magic among elves has grown rare of late," the king answered. "Correct me if I am wrong, but you are not an old elf, are you?"
Tiki let out a small chuckle. "Old depends on perspective, your majesty."
"Do you recall the Two Lamps?"
Tiki's brow furrowed. "The what?"
"What about the Two Trees?" The king took a step down from his throne. "The Silmarils? The Kinslaying on the shores of Beleriand? The War of Wrath and the Fall of Gondolin?" Another step down. "The War of the Last Alliance and the great blight that was Sauron?"
Tiki remained quiet. The king reached the final step.
"I see none of those are familiar to you, hence you are young, and should be quite incapable of such magic."
Tiki bit back a snarling retort. Gandalf's caution filled her thoughts. He referred to her as an elf to the dwarves and the hobbits and the men of Bree. While he trusted Elrond and Galadriel, it was clear that they were far friendlier than the Woodland Realm's King.
I wish you were here, old man.
The king glared at Tiki, meeting her emerald gaze. "I will not ask again."
Tiki inclined her chin. "I do not wish to either, but it appears I must. Your name first, please?"
There was a spark of surprise in the King's eyes. He did not expect defiance. He expected her to be cowed. Little did he know he was not speaking with a simple she-elf, but that was a tidbit Tiki decided to keep close for now.
The King scowled. "I am King Thranduil."
Tiki blinked. Normally, she would have replied with something a bit quippy. A nice little jab to show that she got her way. However, she recalled Gandalf's task for her. And this time, she only managed one word in reply.
"Oh."
Tiki paced to and fro, antsy about being left alone for several days in a row. A huff shot from her lips when her pacing ground to a halt. She stared at the small bed against the wall in front of her, the sheets haphazardly tangled on the mattress. Evidence of a terrible rest. She hadn't slept well at all since arriving here, despite the modest amenities.
The room she was given was small and cozy, which surprised her, simply because she was given a room and not shoved into a dungeon. King Thranduil was less than friendly to her, so she expected the worst. But, he must treat his kind better than other prisoners. That being said, she could still smell the guards on the other side of her door. She could hear them doing their best to not make a sound. They were doing a decent job, but her senses were sharp, and if she focused enough, she could hear them taking relaxed breaths with ease.
It may not be a prison cell, but they are certainly treating me like a prisoner.
She walked across the room toward a small window barely big enough for her to squeeze through. However, that route of escape was not an option considering the long fall from the peak of this tree. She could wriggle out and then attempt to activate her dragonstone, but then what? Where would she go? She still had to find Bilbo, Thorin, and the others. She also still needed to deliver Gandalf's enigmatic warning to Thranduil, who gave her no room to speak once it was established that she was not an immediate threat. He simply had her hurried away. An insignificant annoyance he could deal with later.
The rudeness knows no bounds. She huffed and flicked her eyes to the door. One of the guards sat down. They aren't entirely perfect, are they?
She moved away from the window and caught a glimpse of her reflection passing through a mirror. She paused, peering into the silvery disc. She looked thinner than she remembered. Then again, it had been… how long since she'd actually scrutinized herself like this? She hadn't done so in Rivendell because of exhaustion, spending time with the dwarves and Bilbo, and trying to get Elrond to relax and not see her as a terrible danger.
Her cheekbones were much more pronounced; a clear sign that she was not eating enough. Rations on the road could cause that. They were filling but seldom enough. She was still a dragon, and she needed meat- lots of it. That part of her diet had been unfulfilled for many days now. Faint circles sat around her eyes; evidence of exhaustion kept at bay by pure stubbornness. The robes given to her by the Eagles and Gandalf hung a tad loose over her shoulders, billowing more than hugging like her old red tunic and pink cape had. The ends of her green hair were frayed. She uttered a small snort.
No wonder the elves were so concerned about me. I look a bit scary right now. She flicked her eyes to the base of the mirror, where a small table sat. There, on the table, was a hairbrush. Without thinking twice, she picked it up and began raking it through her hair, wincing as the bristles caught on some knots.
Mirkwood did a number on me.
She let the brush fall from her head to in front of her face. For a second, she thought it looked familiar. She owned a lovely brush like this once. Anna sold it to her, but it was not for her. It was for someone else.
There was a brief flash of a memory in her mind. A little toddler with green hair like hers sitting on a stool, fidgeting as her shoulder-length hair was brushed. The sunlight in the memory was warm and happy; summertime in Ylisse. She could smell fresh bread resting on a windowsill nearby, while Robin shooed a bee away from it. She could hear his voice. Some witty comment that always gave her a laugh and caused the little girl in front of her to wrinkle her nose, both puzzled and a bit grossed out.
She clung to that memory for as long as she could, until she heard another voice pierce the pleasant fog that had consumed her mind.
"Lady Tiki."
She was staring in the mirror again. Behind her stood the brunette she-elf that spoke to Prince Legolas upon her arrival in the palace. She had stern eyes, like most of her kin. There was a slight frown on her lips too. Not because she shared the room with Tiki. There wasn't any disdain on her face for her. She was simply sad. Tiki wondered why.
"Yes?" Tiki replied.
"King Thranduil wishes to speak with you again."
Tiki furrowed her brow. While she wasn't happy about being forced to wait on the King, she was still surprised by how soon this second meeting came. Then realization dawned on her. Thranduil kept up a different appearance in court than he did in private. He was sizing her up politically beforehand, but now he was going to measure her personally. A shrewd monarch. She had met few like that.
Tiki set the hairbrush down. "Do I have time to make myself presentable, miss-?"
"Tauriel," the elf replied. "And the King was insistent. It's not often he has a moment away from his duties to evaluate an oddity."
Tiki wondered if that was a thinly veiled insult, but it was not. Tauriel spoke the truth. She was an oddity. However, what was even more of an oddity was the elf herself. She was not some messenger girl or servant. She carried herself tall and proud, a warrior's stance. Those sharp eyes were on the lookout for threats. There was mud on her boots. She wasn't a palace resident.
"Why send you?" Tiki asked as she turned to walk with Tauriel out of her "cell".
Tauriel's stride did not falter. "The King and Prince trust me."
"And he doesn't trust a messenger?"
Tauriel glanced at Tiki. "I volunteered. I was curious."
"Mmm, so I'm not just an oddity, I am a curiosity. Should I stand inside a glass box and pose?"
Tauriel gave Tiki a puzzled look. Tiki sighed.
"Pay that comment no mind. It's nothing." Besides, it was not the first time people viewed her more as an object to observe rather than a person. Being a religious figure back home could do that. Though, Tauriel did not need to know that.
Tauriel did not speak anymore. She guided Tiki through the winding halls of Thranduil's palace until they passed through a set of double doors. Once through, they entered a garden with many exotic plants flowering and blooming in exquisite ceramic pots. The intoxicating aroma of the flowers smacked Tiki across the face, forcing her to block her sense of smell a little bit.
King Thranduil was at the center of the garden, facing a small fountain. A few songbirds chirped along the fountain rim, washing. They weren't afraid of the king. If anything, as he remained still, they drew closer, thinking him to be a statue rather than a living being. He somehow sensed her and Tauriel's arrival, because he turned right as they neared the fountain.
Tauriel bowed her head then silently left, leaving Tiki alone with King Thranduil. Unlike in the throne room, the king did not look down on her. Instead, he returned his attention to the birds on the fountain.
"You came in the company of others, didn't you?"
Tiki blinked. "According to your sentries, I came on my own after burning a bunch of spiders to a crisp."
"But according to my guards, your first instinct wasn't to look around at the splendor of the great hall, but instead to seek out the way down into the dungeons. You were searching for someone. Multiple people, perhaps?" The King looked over his shoulder at her. One of the birds flew away at the movement. "What is an elf doing in the company of dwarves?"
Tiki drew back. How many times were the elves going to catch her off guard? She didn't know. But, now she knew that Thranduil wasn't some haughty ruler with a penchant for grumpiness. He was perceptive and intelligent and apparently enjoyed cutting right to the heart of an issue. From her experience with Elrond and Galadriel, she had a feeling there would be no dancing around the topic with him.
"Where are they?" She replied, eyes narrowing, anxiety swelling within her.
The corner of Thranduil's mouth twitched into a nigh imperceptible smirk. "Not here, if that's what you were wondering. They were residents of my dungeons for a brief time, but they escaped. By what means, I have yet to gather. Obviously, you had nothing to do with it though. You were too busy stumbling through Mirkwood, burning as you pleased."
"Oh, come off your high horse. I did you a favor regarding the spider infestation," Tiki scoffed. She folded her arms. "Forests regrow. Spiders don't. You're welcome."
Thranduil did not thank her. He turned to face her, frowning now.
"Why are the dwarves making for the Lonely Mountain?"
"Why do you care?"
Thranduil's gaze darkened. Tiki smirked. She was getting under his skin. Unlike Elrond and Galadriel, she was capable of rattling him.
The king managed to maintain his composure. "Tell me, Tiki, what do you know of our kin?"
Tiki furrowed her brow. "I fail to see the point of this line of questioning?"
"So, you know little." Thranduil folded his hands behind his back. He started circling Tiki, watching her every move. "The tribe you are from must be quite isolated for that to be the case."
You have no idea.
Thranduil drew in a breath, and his facade shifted again. His posture and tone took on an almost professorial appearance.
"The elves are Illuvatar's firstborn. His song created us, and he created us with perfection in mind. He wanted us to be graceful, strong, wise, powerful, and immortal, and so we are."
"Humility seems to be lacking," Tiki jabbed.
Thranduil bristled. "Have you ever seen an elf die, Tiki?" The question silenced her. "Do you understand what it means for such a thing to happen? We are immortal, Tiki. A thousand years is a dozen lifetimes for men, several for a dwarf, and a blink for us. During that time, when generations of men are forgotten, left to become dust, elves forge bonds that become nearly unbreakable. We know each other in ways other races in Middle-Earth could never understand." His words faltered. Tiki watched his throat bob. "Then… when that bond is severed by something so sudden, so traumatic, as death, you feel just as much pain as the one that was slain. Except, for you, the pain remains. It lingers. A festering wound that will never heal, only scar. And yet, you must continue on, forever." His eyes locked with hers. "I already bear the grief of thousands of slain kin, from the first age to now. I will not allow more tears to be shed because some dwarves who will not even live to see the end of this age want revenge against a beast they can never hope to defeat."
Tiki's jaw tightened, but she found it difficult to refute Thranduil's words. In a way, he was right, and she knew that firsthand. Why should he allow his people to be put at risk for the quest of dwarves who will be long gone soon? But, at the same time, his words sparked fury inside her heart. It took all of her self-control to not snarl at him with a draconic growl.
"So," Thranduil stopped circling and stood in front of her again, looking down at her, "do you understand my position now? Do you see why I must not allow you to continue on to the Lonely Mountain, or why I locked up Thorin Oakenshield and his foolish company? If Smaug is disturbed, not only will he slaughter all who live near the Mountain, he will turn his sights to my people."
"You hide your cowardice behind benevolence," Tiki snarled.
Rage flashed in Thranduil's eyes. "Cowardice!?"
He stooped down, meeting Tiki at her level. Then, Tiki watched as mist smoked from the left side of his face. Her eyes widened as an illusion of flesh and blood melted away from Thranduil's cheek, jaw, and eye, replaced by the milky gaze of a blind eye and the scarred, burnt remains of muscle and bone.
"Do you think I do not know what dragonfire is? Do you think I fear it? No, I do not. I have fought dragons, Lady Tiki. I have felt their fire, and I survived… but only by a thread."
Her blood ran cold as the King snarled, voice strained. Her gaze stayed fixated on the scared, twisted remains of his face, a once perfect complexion permanently marred. It felt out of place. Wrong for an elf in a way Tiki struggled to describe.
The misty illusion returned as Thranduil took a step back. His face was whole again behind a carefully constructed mask.
"But, I fought dragons in an age of greater warriors for elves, men, and dwarves alike. We are not the pillar of strength we once were, and neither are the dwarves. As for men," Thranduil scoffed, "they are content to slay each other rather than face the true threats of this world. My position is not cowardice, Tiki. It is experience, and it is one I do not wish on anyone else."
Tiki's chest rose and fell. While she still regarded Thranduil with simmering anger, she couldn't help but understand a little more. No, he was not a coward. He was simply broken. An old warrior who had seen too much death and battle, and now wanted nothing more than to avoid it at all costs, regardless of the consequences. Regardless of how it harmed others, even those he called his own. In a way, it reminded Tiki of someone else she never met but always heard of.
Exalt Emmeryn was much the same way if what Chrom, Robin, and the others said was true.
And that realization made her rage die. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
"You're correct," she began, her eyes flicking open. "I don't know much about elves."
"Because you are a young and naive one-"
"No," Tiki interrupted, "I don't know much because, as you have correctly pointed out, I am not one of your kin, your tribe. And the reason I know so little is that my people are already all gone." Thranduil fell silent. "They were wiped out long ago, the last vestiges of their civilization falling to ruin when I was a mere child. There was nothing I could do to stop it, no amount of fighting or bargaining that could prevent it. We simply faded, hunted down or consumed by our own madness, until, at last, there was only a handful of us left." Tiki snorted. "In the past thousand years, I have met exactly two others of my kind." Heavy sorrow hit her heart as she realized something. Another forgotten memory hit her. One she had a feeling she lost on purpose. "One is dead now."
Nowi.
"The other is a mere child, and I am no longer there to guide here." Her throat bobbed. She stepped around a motionless Thranduil, moving to the sparkling fountain with its bathing songbirds. She peered down into the water, seeing her reflection ripple. Hardly recognizable. "I am no longer there to guide any of them." She glared back at Thranduil. "You wanted to know why I wanted to help the dwarves? Why would someone like me bother? It is as you said, dwarves, men, their lifetimes are nothing to us. They lack experience, foresight, patience, and whatever other attributes you want to add to your diatribe against them. Yet, they have something that you lack and that I am only recently beginning to understand."
"And that is?"
"A will to live," Tiki replied. "An unmistakable, unflinching desire to thumb their noses at death despite its inevitability. I used to be the same as you and thought that death could not touch me, but it can, perhaps… no.. considering probability, it certainly will. You cannot avoid it, for that is simply living in fear while you hope it will never finds you. That helps no one, least of all yourself. You can only confront it when it arrives and either show it the door, or walk through the door that leads to the other side with it. Humans, dwarves, and hobbits all understand this, and elves do not. So, elves live in fear, while everyone else shows great courage despite it. Sure, it leads to recklessness, foolishness even, but still, I admire them. I aim to help them because I admire them and want to see them succeed. They need a guide, and I will be that. I do not need a reason more than that."
Thranduil remained quiet. He was thinking. She could see the pensive expression on his face as he mulled over her words. Perhaps this king wasn't just a broken monarch? Maybe a good philosophical argument could get through his thick skull.
"Death is inevitable, you say," Thranduil muttered. "Yet you fight against it, not just for yourself, but for them?"
"If not me, then who else will?" Tiki replied with a shrug. "I'm sure the dwarves will not ask for your help. Knowing Thorin Oakenshield, he'll more than likely curse you."
Thranduil scoffed, and Tiki let out a small chuckle.
"I guess he already did."
"Crudely so, but yes," Thranduil nodded.
"Help doesn't just mean soldiers, King Thranduil. It sometimes means stepping out of the way and allowing someone's journey to continue unimpeded," Tiki nodded at the garden exit. "One way or another, I'm leaving this place and going to the Lonely Mountain. Those wonderful dwarves and their hobbit burglar will need me when they confront Smaug. I intend to be there and help them succeed in taking back their home. After all, I too know what it is like to lose a home. I've lost several, and I've never actually won any of them back, so doing so would be a lovely change of pace."
Tiki did not give Thranduil a chance to reply. She started to move around him, only for him to raise a hand, making her hesitate.
"You truly think they stand a chance?"
Tiki met Thranduil's eyes. "I know they do."
Thranduil's lips thinned. He lowered his hand and stepped to the side. "Then you best be on your way."
Tiki blinked. Her words worked? She did not think Thranduil would be so easily swayed, but once again, an elf managed to surprise her. Regardless, she wasn't going to question his decision. There was no point in giving him a chance to change his mind. She drew in a deep breath, started forward, then paused.
"Thranduil, you should think about Dol Guldur as well. I was there with Gandalf." Concern rushed across Thranduil's face. "The Necromancer there took him."
"If Mithrandir could not defeat such a beast, then I doubt we can," Thranduil replied, voice filled with regret. "But, I will see what I can do to shore up the borders near there. See if the sentries notice anything peculiar that warrants action."
Tiki nodded. That was better than nothing. Now, she had to hope that Radagast managed to reach Lothlorien and that Lady Galadriel was executing a plan of action to handle the Necromancer and either rescue or avenge Gandalf.
"Tiki, before you go," Thranduil stepped toward her, "I must clarify something."
"Yes?"
"I think I may have figured out how the dwarves escaped, and yet, it still baffles me."
"Go on."
Thranduil gave her a quizzical look. "Are hobbits capable of invisibility?"
Tiki blinked. A wry smile formed on her lips. "Sounds like Bilbo is."
With that, she turned on her heel and marched toward the garden exit. She did not have much time to waste. Thorin and his company had already passed through here, which means they were through Mirkwood, and she was far behind them. If they reached the Lonely Mountain without her, then she feared what might happen. For all their tenacity, it was still only thirteen dwarves against a dragon. Steep odds. Insurmountable even.
They need me.
Tiki marched through King Thranduil's halls, unimpeded. Although, she did notice she had a pair of tagalongs. Legolas and Tauriel were following her out of the woodland realm. She didn't know if they were following the King's orders or not, but she welcomed the company. It meant the road would not be lonely, and the dwarves could use all the help they could get against Smaug.
Once out of the palace, Tiki broke into a run, racing along the Old Forest Road toward the edge of Mirkwood. Within a few hours, she had reached the end of the forest. She stared out at a vast plain. In the distance sat a massive lake with a town floating in the center. To the north of the lake, standing like a sharp tooth amid the fields, was the Lonely Mountain.
I may not be a good guide, Ban-Ban, but I will not fail these ones.
And chapter! An interesting exchanged between these two wildly different characters. Thranduil is one of the most intriguing characters in the Legendarium to me, and I really enjoyed writing him, even if it was only for a small bit (so far). As for the other elephant in the tree, Tauriel: yes, I know she's movie only. Yes, her role in the movie was not good. Actually, her story was not good in the movie. But, I like the idea and design behind her character, and I think with some tweaking and refining, she could be extremely interesting. Anyways, we are nearing the moment you've all been waiting for, dragon versus dragon. Only a few more chapters to go. Let me know what you all think of this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it! And, as always, have a nice day!