Her heart skipped a beat and she stood there momentarily frozen. The guards still stood there in front of them in complete silence, both pairs of eyes looking expectantly at the Crown Prince's copy. The King was here. Her father was here, in Palace. Was he alone? Where were her mother and other siblings? Were they all here as well? And then another thought crossed her mind, a wave of fear coursing through her body that nearly made her shiver. What if it was not her father? What it if was something else? Just like this standing next to her who pretended to be her eldest brother? No…she would not think about that.
"Where is he?" There it was again, that voice that sounded exactly like Arahaelon, once again making cold shivers run down her spine. For a fragment of a second the fresh memory of the flaming eye flashed inside her mind, her heart drumming wildly inside of her. This thing…she had known the resemblance to her brother was not a natural coincidence…and now she could it sweeping around his tall figure, so perfectly concealed it was almost impossible to discern, but it was there, and it was a type of dark power, dark magic, that she did not ever wat to encounter again. It was the same presence she had felt when they had found her mother alive, the same type of terrifying magic that had even managed to break the bod she had shared with the King. But the magic was not coming directly by the figure. No. it was as if it was burrowed, as if whatever this thing was, it was only a faint echo of its actual full power.
"Arriving through the Main Gates, My Lord. They will be at the Palace in a few minutes." The dark haired guard replied almost immediately, bowing his head respectfully as he spoke. The replica of the Crown Prince nodded his head once in silence, those emerald eyes looking at the guard peacefully, so much like her brothers that she could not bear to look at them.
"They? Are my brothers with him?" As if the sound of his voice did not held enough similarity to Arahaelon already, the faint concern easily audible in his voice even made her doubt for a split second if it was not really her eldest brother. For a second she wished for the guards to say that they were not there, that it was only her father. No matter how much she wished to know that her brothers were both safe and well, she did not want them here, not when she knew that this place would be far from safe. Why was here father eve here in the first place? Why would he return to the Palace?
"Yes, Your Highness. The Princes are both here as well, My Lord, and her Majesty the Queen." The oblivious guard nodded his head, as if he was giving good news, a small gentle smile present on his lips. But she guessed that perhaps to the guard the King's presence was good news. It meant things had returned to normal. But it was all a farce. Things were far from normal.
"Thank you." The Crown Prince's replica sounded relieved as he spoke, nodding his head in one of Arahaleon's gentle authoritative dismissals that needed no words to be obeyed. And the guards did obey, bowing their heads respectfully once more before quickly walking away through the long corridor, their footsteps echoing feebly on the tall stone walls.
She stood there in place, feeling Elladan move a little closer to her, his face a stoned mask, as if trying to anticipate any move that the fake Crown Prince might made next. And then, without a word, the figure walked down the long corridor, slowly disappearing from view, his pace not even rushed, no, it was once again Arahaelon's perfectly graceful and patient pace.
She did not dare ask questions, part of her too confused as to why that figure was simply walking away, and yet the other part of her was relieved that momentarily it had disappeared. She had no idea where the figure was headed, but it was easy to assume that perhaps to the main courtyard of the Palace. Or would the figure even want to meet her father? And truthfully all she wanted was to get away, as far away from that figure that looked just like the Crown Prince as possible. Her green eyes met Elladans' liquid silver irises, and she could also his confusion and relief through their bond. Her father was here. Her mother, her brothers were here.
She did not need for Elladan to say any words out loud, her eyes capable of reading the words through his, and then she was walking, already rushing through the long familiar corridor. She suddenly stopped, another thing suddenly popping inside her mind as she rushed past a very familiar elegantly carved wooden door. Lossenel.
Without even knocking on the hard surface, she turned the golden knob, ignoring how cold the precious metal felt in her fingers. For a second she could not see anything, the room too dark for her eyes to notice shapes clearly. All the ivory curtains had been pulled over the long pointed windows, and she took a couple of slow blind steps into the room while her eyes adjusted to the darkness.
"Lossie." She whispered as she reached the large bed in the center of the room, one of her hands gently but urgently shaking her sister's delicate shoulder. Part of her felt guilty for walking her older sister, knowing that she must have been exhausted, but then again there was no way she was about to leave Lossenel alone and asleep at the moment. "Lossie, wake up."
Delicate fingers slapped her hand away, her sister groaning softly before rolling over on the bed, her back now facing her. She could not contain a small chuckle form leaving her lips, even though part of her wished to roll her eyes at her sister's behavior. A long waterfall of now clean and brushed platinum hair fanned over the pillows, now facing her, the strands looking white in the darkness, and for a moment it only made her too aware of her own still dirty hair. She must look awful. But there was no time for that at the moment.
"Lossie, wake up." She shook her sister's shoulder again, the later groaning again and pulling the place ivory covers harshly over her head, as if to hide away from her view.
"Lossie, Lossie, Lossie, Lossie, Lossie, Lossie, Lossie…" She whispered non-stop, her hand still shaking her sister's shoulders over the bedcovers that now covered her.
"What?!" Lossenel suddenly snapped, a hand harshly lifting the covers from over and jumping to sit on the soft bed. Ice green-blue eyes, the color of fresh aquamarines floating on a winter pond glared at her furiously, only eliciting another chuckle for leaving her mouth. However, this did nothing to help her sister's sour mood at being woken up from her slumber.
"Someone does not like waking up." She laughed teasingly, for a split second forgetting her urgency, merely enjoying the small moment with her sister. Elladan's soft laughter echoed from behind her, and she did not need to turn to perfectly picture ow his silver eyes most have gleamed mockingly at the grumpy Princess.
"You are just like Tadion, has anyone told you that?" the snowy princess growled, shaking her head lightly before throwing herself back down on the bed, a hand already starting to pull the covers once again over her head.
"Lossie! Wake up." she stopped her quickly from falling back asleep, her sister once again glaring at her in annoyance.
"What?!" her sister snapped again, although this time her voice sounded defeated, as if surrounding herself to the fact that her younger sister would not let her sleep again. And then, without warning, Lossenel's aquamarine eyes suddenly widened, a new urgent look crossing her face, suddenly entirely awake.
"Rëa!" Her sister whispered urgently, jumping to sit up on the bed, as if suddenly recalling the event from the past few days, no longer believing that she was merely sleeping on a regular day on her bed. "What happened? What is it? Is everything all right?"
"Ada's here. And Tadion…and the Queen." She explained, watching as a combination of confusion and shock crossed over the snowy Princess's perfectly angled features. She did not know why, but she could not call the stunning green-eyed lady that looked so much like her Naneth…not yet. It felt like betraying her adoptive mother, even if she was dead.
"What?" Her sister whispered, seeming to be at a loss of words. And then, Lossenel was rising from the bed in a swift elegant move, quickly draping an elegant robe over her nightclothes, not even bothering to change as she draped then a cloak over her shoulders, as if ready to go out. "When did they arrive? Why? What happened?"
"I know not." She admitted, also rising from the bed quickly, her eyes only briefly meeting Elladan's liquid silver ones before already heading towards the door. "They will be at the entrance courtyard in a couple of minutes, if they are not there already."
Lossenel nodded her head once, not needing to add anything else before they were rushing through the long corridors stairs and hallways of the Palace. It seemed as an eternity before finally the ample courtyard came into view, her feet rushing down the ample main steps nearly two at a time.
Five figures were already in the ample expanse of green, slowly walking towards the main doors. Her heart nearly skipped a beat, a combination of overwhelming relief and fear rushing through her veins as she caught sight of them.
"Rëa! Lossie!" Tadion's voice floated didn't he air, the sound one she did not realize how much she had missed, even if it had only been a few days. Her brother's clear blue eyes, those that always gleamed with carefree laughter, darted from her to her older sister, coated with deep relief, scanning quickly all over them.
She reached him first, his arms already opening up in a welcome gesture, just as she nearly slammed into him, her arms wrapping tightly around him, for a second not caring if he could even breathe. Both of his arms returned the embrace, but then he suddenly winced. Instantly she let go, her green eyes searching through his face, worry now once again beginning to pool inside her stomach.
"Tadion?" She asked, but he merely smiled at her in return, waving off her concern with an elegant movement of the hand. His clear blue eyes flashed down to his shoulder, and she mentally kicked herself for having forgotten the wound that lay concealed underneath his cloak. "I am so sorry!"
"It is all right, Rëa." He smiled at her again, shaking his head lightly, clear blue eyes, the color of the warm sky above seeming too content with seeing her and Lossenel again, not seeming to care too much about his injury.
"Tadion!" Lossenel had reached their side, and she stepped to the side in order to allow her sister to embrace their brother.
Instead her eyes found Legolas, the later wrapping an arm gently over her shoulders, and she leaned into him, once again relieved to have both of her brothers by her side. He did not speak, merely offering her one of those gentle smiles that reflected in his infinite blue eyes.
"What happened?" She asked him, her voice coming out rushed, eyes searching through his.
"Thank the Valar." Her father's voice suddenly echoed form her right side, just before Legolas could open his mouth to answer. But for the moment, she did not need an answer, her body almost instantly turning around to face the tall elegant figure of the King, strong hands already grabbing softly at her upper arms, worried ice blue eyes seeming to be scanning her intently for any sign of injuries. And then, a second later, those piercing powerful irises were washed with relief, arms suddenly pulling her close to him, and she let her own arms wrap around his middle, that gentle warm feeling of safety once again washing over her, merely at his presence nearby.
"Lossie!" She could hear Legolas' voice echoing from next to her, out of the corner of her eyes catching embracing his older sister so strongly that he momentarily lifted her delicate form from the ground.
"Are you all right? Are you hurt?" Her father's ice blue eyes pierced through hers once he pulled apart, seeming to need to her the answer from her, as if not fully trusting what his eyes could tell him.
"I am fine." She nodded her head, her lips unable to curve up in a gentle smile, and for a moment he returned it. And then, his face went stern, serious, those ice blue eyes that looked at her so gently and concerned only seconds ago now piercing through her fiercely in a manner that made her want to suddenly hide from view at the fury written inside those ocean colored eyes. And yet, even though he was angry, his face did not hold that cold furious look that she had seen him direct at others.
"What were you thinking?! Disappearing like that!? Disobeying me?!" He suddenly hissed, and almost immediately her eyes dropped down to her feet, somehow suddenly feeling like an elfling again. An elfling who was in big, big, trouble. "Do you have the slightest idea how worried I was?! Or how dangerous it was of you to leave?! Look at me when I am speaking to you."
Immediately her eyes lifted up to meet her father's stern one's, already dreading the reprimand she knew she was about to get. For split second she had forgotten that the King would be most probably furious with her and Lossenel. After all they had ran away from the protective caves without his knowledge…and against his ordrs.
"You, ad your sister….I will talk with both of you later!...Look at me " Her eyes lifted again, even though seemed to want to look at the floor almost involuntarily. And yet, the fact that she felt like such an elfling at the moment made her want to smile. She did not know why, but suddenly, standing here, with her furious father reprimanding her for misbehaving felt so oddly comforting. He had never chastised before. Not like this. True, she had never truly given reason to lecture her, but still, hearing her father's angry voice reprimanded her made her feel oddly warm and happy. It made her feel less of a stranger, less of a new daughter that he barely gotten to know. It made her feel…refreshing, normal, as if she had always been in the Palace with her family, fully belonging there. Was this something she would be sued to had she grown up at the Palace? Would she have caused frequent trouble?
"Do not think for once that I will let this go without consequences!...Are you laughing?" Her father blinked at her, momentarily looking at he as if she was the strangest thing he had ever seen, but she could not contain her chuckles from escaping her tightly closed mouth.
"I am sorry." She muttered, trying to compose herself and get ready for the continuation of her lecture. "It is just…you have never chastised me before."
"Well, you are not supposed to enjoy it." He added, and even though his face remained stern, for a split second it looked as though he was fighting back a smile that was threatening to break through his composed expression. "This conversation is not over. You and your sister will report to me later."
However, the gesture only lasted for a fragment of a second, his eyes suddenly flashing in Lossenel's direction, who had started to approach them. And she saw him repeat the same careful study on her older sister, once again looking for any sign of injuries before starting to lecture her as well. The Princess, however, did not seem to enjoy it in the slightest, even though she had the decency to at least look ashamed of her actions instead of laughing like she had.
But she was not paying attention to them anymore, her eye suddenly distracted by the nearly hundreds of elves that had suddenly walked out into the courtyard from the Palace. It looked as though every single elf inside the Palace had walked outside, eager and joyful to see their King again. Curious relieved eyes looked at all of them, some muttering among themselves, updating those who had only just arrived. Her father's presence had been missed.
"My Lord." "Your Majesty."
A group of royal guards were already rushing in their direction, eager to help in any way they could should their presence be required, or should the King need anything. But her father's piercing blue eyes, so powerful, so royal, merely flashed silently in their direction, the guards halting on their way and bowing respectfully in silence.
And then, her eyes met her. The Queen was standing a little behind her father, still draped in the King's own travelling cloak, which was a little too long for her frail looking figure. Galion, her father's butler, stood dutifully close to her side, one of his hands gently curled over her right arm, as if helping he remain upright. She still looked weak, as if a mere wind could blow her away. Her long golden hair, too long and unkempt during many years swayed languidly at the wind, a wave of sunrays that cascaded down her back. And even though her body seemed frail and worn, there was no denying the soft yet firm will and authority on her face, her emerald eyes, the same color and shape as her very own, filled with a strength and fire that would not be easily quenched. And yet, she did not miss how her father' eyes, even though still chastising Lossenel, kept darting in the Queen's direction every two seconds, as if needing to constantly see her to believe that she was indeed still there.
For a split second, forest green eyes met hers, and she nearly jumped in surprise, unable to look away from those gentle and so incredibly warm emerald irises. A faint smile drew on the Queen's eyes, lighting those emerald eyes that swirled so powerful, so strongly and open. But she did not approach her mother, merely retuning a small smile form the distance. She knew so little of her, a figure she had imagined and re imaged so many countless times. And here she was. Alive. Standing right in front of her. But she did not know her. Could not even remember her, even though she wished she could.
"Alarya. Let me see to you." The fiery green eyes that had held hers suddenly turned away the newcomer, her own eyes turning to find the tall regal figure of Lord Elrond suddenly approaching the Queen, his silver eyes those of a healer and not a powerful Elf-Lord.
Galion quickly relinquished the hold on the Queen hand's the moment Lord Elrond had taken over, the Elf-Lord's gentle voice asking something in that musical sound she wished she could understand. The King's eyes had turned in that direction as well, even though this time he allowed Lord Elrond to examine his wife without a fuss, his ice blue eyes vigilant, not once leaving the Queen's frail figure.
"Ar!"
Her heart skipped a beat as Tadion's cheerful exclamation reached her ears. Her head flew up, a shiver rushing down her spine as she caught sight of that figure, that thing, that looked, and moved, and talked like the Crown Prince, elegantly rushing down the front steps and into the courtyard, those emerald eyes so perfectly feigning worry that she almost believed them. Tadion started to rush in his direction, and she opened her mouth to stop him but the King's hand has suddenly gripped Tadion's shoulder, halting him in a swift move.
For a second it felt as if all of her insides dropped, Tadion's clear blue eyes lifting to gaze at his father, suddenly confused but staying in place, not moving forward. And yet, what made her heart race inside her chest like a caged bird was the wary, suddenly sharp look in the Elvenking's ice blue eyes, so powerful, menacing, yet entirely unreadable, piercing at the approaching Crown Prince. For a split second it felt as if the air had gone cold, the temperature dropping, the hundreds of elves that had gathered outside in the courtyard exchanging frantic looks among themselves yet not a single one spoke, nobody understanding the King's cold reaction to what was his firstborn son. So the King knew. He had to.
"Where is my son?" The King's cold slow hiss hung menacingly in the air, the sound making her hairs to rise, and she could see some nearby elves flinching. Never before had she heard such coldness, such danger and threat in a voice. It would make even the strongest of elves shiver, her father suddenly looking enormously powerful, every inch the mighty King he was.
The figure of the Crown Prince had stopped just after the last step, standing patiently, tall, looking so much like Arahaelon that it made her want to launch at him and rip that façade with her own finger and nails, finding it so insulting that he had the courage to pretend to be her brother.
"I am- " The figure started, seeming willing to continue the charade, but her father stopped him mid-sentence.
"You are not my son." Once again the sheer power in the iced voice, filled the sharpest of venoms made her nearly shiver. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Tadion and Legolas exchanging looks, both of them suddenly alert, senses sharp. Around them, bystanders elves suddenly moved further to the sides of the courtyard, as if suddenly wanting to get as far away as possible from what still looked so much like their Crown Prince, confused, yet suddenly scared.
And then, the figure's lips curved up in the coldest of sneers, the expression one that would haunt her dreams for years to come, making it impossible for her not to rage at such cold display of malice on her brother's ever gentle features. It looked so wrong, and at the same time it made cold shivers run down her back. Slowly the figure's right hand slipped inside the pocket of Arahaelon's robes.
In a flash the guards closer to her father drew out their swords, tips aimed at the figure of the Crown Prince, ready to strike at the King's command. So these guards were those still loyal to the King. At least that felt somewhat relieving, even though little. Still her eyes remained focused on that thing that looked like her brother, the hand slowly taking something from his pocked before throwing it in the King's direction.
Her father's hand caught the small object with quick reflexes, turning it around in his fingers for a split second before his ice blue eyes, suddenly more menacing than before, flashed in the figure's direction, so sharp, so cold and filled with venom that for a split second the figure looked about to take a step backward in fear. Her own heart skipped a beat, cold fear gripping through her as she caught sight of the tiny object still on her father's fingers. It was a ring. Even through the short distance her elven sight allowed her to see every singly tiny detail in it, immediately recognizing it. It was Arahaelon's ring, the Crown Prince's ring, similar to the one her own father always wore. She had seen it countless times, always in her eldest brother's index finger.
Suddenly her father closed his eyes, and in a flash she felt a rush of overwhelming power suddenly fill the air, the force so great that it nearly threw her off her feet. The figure's eyes widened in momentary shock before they closed too, face creasing in pain and concentration, but it only lasted a short second, her father's strength too great for him to fight. And then, a loud blood curling cry filled the air, the sound distorted, more like an echo of a thousand voices than a single one. The elves around the courtyard let out a collective cry, and she quickly stepped backwards as a sudden burst of back vapor, like a ghost, erupted from the figure that had looked exactly like her bother, quickly flying through the air as if it had been expelled from its host, vanishing with another bloodcurdling cry into the forest, like a black gush of wind. So she had been right. Whatever that thing had been it had been nothing but a shadow of what it really was. Not strong enough to put up a large fight against the King. But what was it?
The figure had collapsed on the ground, and for a second all she could see were Arahaelon's elegant robes still swallowing it from view. A second of utter silence followed, nobody even daring to move. And suddenly, the figure stirred, rising to his feet before the guards, who were still petrified in shock, could approach him.
A collective gasp filled the air, followed by sudden rapid murmurs and a couple of surprised and frightened cries. Standing right in front of her eyes, still wearing her elder brother's formal robes was an elf. Dark hair fell down his back, the robes suddenly a little too long for him, now that he was not Arahaelon's height any longer. Pale gold eyes were wide, maddened, wild, that horrible blood-curling sneer still present on his face, not seeming to care that he had been discovered any longer. And that only made her fear intensify.
"That makes no difference now." The elf spoke, a maddened quiet laugh leaving his lips, as if he was out of his mid, insane. Wild fear gripped his eyes, but it was not fear at his King, or at the armed guards, it was as if something else had him so scared out of his mid that he could not care less what the King could possibly do to him. It was a look she had seen before. In Amrudir's face the night he had even dared to shoot an arrow at Tadion. "You came. That was all that was needed."
In a flash, the guards had suddenly closed around her father protectively, reacting almost instinctively at the elf's silent threat.
"Boridhren." The King sighed, ice blue eyes looking in shock and horror at the elf that he clearly could recognize. But the elf merely sneered at him, the maddened malice in his face making her cringe. And then, in a swift move, her father's hand lifted in the air in a silent command, the guards suddenly dashing in the direction of the elf, swords ready.
And yet, the elf had not moved, his poisonous smile not even fading only growing as the guards approached him, a look that made her stomach churn. It was not right. Something was off. Why was he so calm, waiting for the guards to reach him? He was only one, and looked unarmed. There was no way he would be able to fight against the guards.
A scream suddenly tore through the air, followed by another, and then another, the guards momentarily stopping mid-way, a suddenly commotion breaking through the crowd of hundreds of elves that were closer to the Palace's main doors. The elf's lips curled further up, white teeth showing as he smiled in anticipation.
"I would stop if I were you." The maddened elf whispered at the guards, and out of the corner of her eyes she saw her father quickly raising a hand in a command for them to halt, the guards stopping midway, even though their swords did not lower.
The elves closer to the entrance of the Palace were rushing away from it, their eyes wide in shock, fear, letting out cries as they covered their mouths in horror. Another gasp filled the air, but this came it came from her own throat, her body paralyzing, heart stopping.
Seven figures had suddenly emerged through the majestic pairs of front doors, covered from head to toe in black cloaks, the hoods pulled over their heads and faces as to not be recognized. They were armed too. She could see a combination of silver swords, daggers and bows gripped in their hands. They were only seven, no match of the guards, or for the many other elves in the courtyard she knew were trained warriors. But it was not that which was keeping every single elf frozen in place. It was not that which made her father' ice blue eyes wide in the rawest fear she had ever seen displayed in them and made the Queen let out a strangled cry of fright.
Another figure, held tightly by two of the cloaked elves walked outside into the courtyard, patiently, elegantly, obeying the hands that pulled at him forcefully only because of the sharp silver blade pressed to his throat. A tight black cloth had been folded over the Crown Prince's eyes, both of his hands behind his back, most probably tied from what she could tell. And yet not once did her eldest brother flinch as he was forcefully dragged into the courtyard by hands that were far from gentle, his figure standing so tall and elegant that had not been for his tied hands and blindfolded eyes it could have been easy to forget that he was being held hostage.
Arahaelon. For a second, every single organ inside of her seemed to have turned into ice, sinking painfully. He had been here? Inside the Palace? All along? He was alive. That much was a relief. And walking. Her eyes frantically searched through her eldest brother, watching the rest of her family doing the same thing. He looked entirely unharmed, standing tall and royal, but she could not tell if that the truth or mainly a façade. She could see little of him from underneath the stained travelling cloak he still wore, his light blond hair suddenly matted and dirty. His skin was paler than it should be, though, that much she could see, even his lips seeming to be lacking color.
Her terrified eyes searched through the crowd of nearby elves, knowing exactly where to look, lading on the pair of endless silver eyes she had been searching for, standing just a little to her family's left. Elrohir had joined him without her noticing, both of the twins' looking at her for a short moment. And she could tell the same questions were plaguing their minds. Had her eldest brother been at the Palace the entire time? How could they all have missed that?
"I think we have something you want back." The elf's voice cut through the silence, the cold laughter in the sound making her rage even more. But she did not dare move. Nobody did. Not when there was a sharp blade threateningly against her brother's throat. And it was no empty threat. She knew it, and by the irate piercing look in her father's eyes, he knew it to. These elves were beyond reason, beyond caring. Something had them too scared to act rationally anymore. If tempted, the blade would not hesitate to slice her eldest brother's throat.
But then, why had they taken her eldest brother? Why had they captured him and held him captive only to suddenly be using him as the only shield they had against the King and his guards? Had Arahaelon only been taken for this elf to play his charade? It did not make sense. There must be something else. The elf, Boridhren, waved a hand, and one of the cloaked figures suddenly snatched the blindfold from Arahaelon's eyes. The Crown Prince's powerful, impenetrable, emerald eyes glared at the figure holding him by the arms so fiercely, that for a second the figure flinched, seeming to take it a second to remember that he was the one holding the blade and that Arahaelon was unarmed and with his hands tied.
"What is it you want?" The King hissed coldly, raged easily seen in his powerful face, suddenly looking more menacing than before yet not daring to move for fear of his son's life. He was cornered. They all knew it. Her father would not dare attack the figures with Arahaelon in the line.
"Drop the weapons." The maddened elf commanded, that cold mocking smile still glinting on his face. He seemed to be the only one doing the talking, for his identity was already known. The others, still remained hidden, not a feature visible through their hoods and cloaks.
For a moment the King hesitated. No. she wanted to yell, no. They could not be unarmed and leave the figures with arms, even though the figures were much less in number. And yet, her father's hesitation did not go unnoticed, the crazed elf not seeming to have much patience at the moment. It was as if he were running against some sort of clock, seeming to be in an inexplicable hurry. But why?
"I said drop the weapons!" The elf hissed again, in a swift move replacing the elf that had been holding the blade against Arahaelon's neck and holding it himself, his free hand restraining the Crown Prince from behind. But Arahaelon did not even flinch, still somehow reaming so perfectly calmed, his figure looking so strong and powerful, so elegant, emerald eyes glaring fiercely at his captors. Ever so lightly, the elf pressed the blade a little closer to the Crown Prince's pale neck the latter throwing his head almost instinctively to get away from it, but unable to do so because of the crazed elf standing behind him. A tiny drop of crimson trailed down her brother's neck, the blade barely cutting through the skin at all, but it was enough for the King to immediately acquiesce.
Instantly, and not without another dangerous glare at the hooded figures, the King lifted his hand, the guards obediently placing their swords, daggers, bows and arrows on the grass in front of them, their empty hands raised in the air.
"All the weapons." The elf specified, his pale gold wild eyes travelling from the King to his sons and then through the crowd. "Everyone!"
Once again, the King hesitated, standing unmoving for a few seconds, so tall and mighty that she wondered at how could the elf not go running away in fear. And yet once again her father obeyed, not needing to see the blade slice through his son's throat deeper than it already was. Ever so lightly, her father nodded his head. A silent command. His hand reached for his own sword, the only weapon he carried at the moment, dropping at the grass by the other swords. Immediately, every other elf that carried a weapon followed suit, slowly walking forward and dropping daggers, swords and even a couple of bows into the pile in the middle, even Tadion, Legolas and the twins obeying. Btu they would all obey, she could see it in their eyes, in the eyes of the crowd of elves surrounding the courtyard. None of them wished their Crown Prince to be harmed, fear so clearly evident in their eyes.
The crazed elf nodded his head in the direction of small pile of weapons, and two of the cloaked figures rushed forward, collecting them all piece by piece, and rushing them inside the Palace. Where they were taking the weapons she did not know, but suddenly had the feeling that they would not be seeing the weapons again. They were unarmed for the time being. And the Valar knew for how long. Btu why? What was happening? What did they want?
"Let my son go." The King demanded again, his voice so powerful that any other elf in his right mind would have immediately obeyed. But the elf in question only sneered once more, seeming to be torn between wild fear at something she could not understand and at the same time enjoying the situation.
"No." The elf whispered with a cold laugh. "Not yet."
"We have no weapons. We will not fight you. What is it that you want?" Her father tried to reason with the elf, for a second his face seeming desperate, wanting more than anything for his firstborn to be returned to safety. And she wanted that too. Out of the corner of her eyes she caught sight of the Queen, her frightened green eyes glued to her eldest son, the look on her face as if ever red drop that trailed down Arahaelon's neck was a lethal wound inflicted on her. "Le my son go, and I will let you leave the realm freely."
"Fight?" The elf laughed, that sound, so humorless and filled with posing once again making her cringe. "We will not be here when the fighting starts."
"What do you want?" The King pressed again, seeming to be running out of patience, his worried ice blue eyes never leaving his son. Still she could not understand what the elf had meant. What fight? What was he talking about?
"Lift the enchantments." The elf's sold voice requested, and for a second she saw a shadow cross the King's face, as if he had been asked too much. "Open the gates."
The gates? They were closed? It took her a second of concentration to realize that the gates of Mirkwood, that magic tight seal that only her father controlled was indeed sealed shut, nothing was capable of going in or out of the realm at the moment. When had her father closed them? It must have been while they were at the protected caves, in the heart of the forest, there was the only place where she would have not noticed that change in magic that took for the gates to close. So her father had been holding the gates closed for a long time now. It was no easy task, she knew it. It must be draining on his energy every minute that went by.
"No." The Elvenking said firmly, his eyes widening in both fear and rage at the request, making the crazed elf's pale gold eyes narrow in impatience.
"I said to open the gates!" He repeated, his voice louder now, but the blade did not press harder against her brother's throat.
"No." The King repeated again, unyielding, the urgent look in his eyes making her feel increasingly uneasy. There was something at the gates. There had to be. It was the only reason for her father not to obey the request that was putting his son's life in further danger. His father would never do it, he would have given the elf anything he wished in return for his eldest son. Whatever was at gate, posed a danger that threatened possibly everyone in Mirkwood. That was the only thing her father would dare consider saying no: protecting everyone else in the realm. Every other elf.
"Open them." The elf hissed again, his eyes widening a little more, once again looking wild, irrational, as if he was barely an elf anymore, resembling more a scared wild and dangerous animal. So that was it, that was what had the elf scared so much, that was what he wanted to run from. Whatever was waiting to get inside the realm was something the elf did not intend to be around for. And then, why did the elf want it getting inside anyway? Why did he want the King to let whatever it was waiting outside through the gates?
The King's eyes met his eldest son's impenetrable green eyes and she saw Arahaelon throwing his father a meaningful look, shaking his head even though his movements were highly restricted by the blade. No. Do not open them.
"I cannot." Her father replied again, for a second his voice softening, the conflict he was going through too harshly visible in his face. It was a position no other elf would ever want to be in. For a second the King's eyes travelled flew through the crowd of elves surrounding the courtyard, and she followed the sight. There were ladies, even a few elflings around.
"I will not ask again." The elf had clearly run out of his short patience, holding Arahaelon even tighter. "Open the gates."
"Do not-"
"You be silent!" The crazed elf yelled out at Arahaelon's words, interrupting him midsentence, his hand moving so quickly she barely saw it, the sharp silver blade suddenly lodging brutally on her eldest brother's right shoulder before it was quickly pulled out.
A heart wrenching scream of pain tore through the Crown Prince's throat, who had not been prepared for the coming blow, not having anticipating it. The pained sound made her flinch, her eyes momentarily shutting tight. Next to her Lossenel let out an anguished cry, accompanied by the Queen's gas of fright. Tadion took an instinctive step forward, about to rush to his brother's side, but suddenly stopping, as not wanting the mad elf to do anything else. Arahaelon would not have screamed like that. Not even if the blow had caught him by surprise. There must be other injuries, hiding underneath the stained and dirty cloak he wore. He would not have screamed otherwise. And suddenly her heart sunk, desperate even more than before for the elf to simply her brother go.
However, the cry only lasted a second, Arahaelon's face suddenly composing once more in a perfect mask of serenity, not letting anything through. In a fragment of a second, what little color remained in her brother's pale skin had suddenly drained, looking clammy, momentarily unsteady on his feet. But his eyes, those impenetrable emerald eyes remained unchanged, steady, strong, not letting anything through.
"Should I do the other shoulder?" The elf proposed, his face still holding that sickened smile that made her insides twist in disgust.
"No!" The King replied almost immediately, taking a step forward but not daring approach for fear of how the elf might react.
"Then open the gates." The elf hissed, wild eyes not one leaving the King. "Do not make me repeat it."
"Thranduil!" The Queen suddenly pleaded, her eyes large with fear.
And once again the conflict inside her father's eyes was heart-wrenching, almost torturous to see. And she knew he would have done anything, anything, that the elf asked of him if only to ensure his son's safety. But endangering the lives of every other elf in the realm, that he could not do.
"Is it me you want?" Her heart dropped to her feet at the defeated sound in her father's voice as he proposed. "Just let my son go."
"No. I do not want anyone. I want to leave. They will come for what they want themselves!" The elf shook his head, once again looking impatient. "Open the gates."
Once again Arahaelon shook his head almost desperately, determined eyes looking at the King. No.
"I will let you leave in peace." The King proposed once more, trying in vain to reason with the maddened elf. "All of you. Just give me back my son."
"You do not understand!" The dark haired elf hissed, shaking his head so forcefully that for a second she thought it would roll of his shoulders. "You do not understand! It needs to end! Open the gates!"
"It will not be a fight. It will be a massacre." Her father whispered, eyes for the first time pleading to the elf to understand, his eyes once again looking at the surrounding elves in the courtyard, at his people, ladies, elflings, maids, servants, lords. "We have no weapons."
And then, in a move incredibly fast, the elf's hand forcefully dug the dagger in the Crown Prince's left thigh, pulling it out with little care. A round of cries of horror and surprise filled the courtyard, and she felt her hand flying to grip at the nearest thing in fright, only barely noticing that it was Legolas' arm the thing into which her nails were painfully digging. However, this time her eldest brother did not even wince, standing tall and elegant as if nothing had happened, seeming to have been prepared for a second blow to land unexpectedly any time. But no matter how tall and composed her brother stood, it did not hide the crimson trails that were now running down his leg, and had already stained his cloak at his right shoulder.
"That is enough!" She jumped as one of the cloaked figures that had remained in silence suddenly yelled, as if suddenly no longer caring if he was recognized or not. In a quick move the figure had snatched the hood from his face, reddish brown hair falling over his shoulder as his pale blue eyes darted in horror between the crazed elf and Arahaelon. "This is not right! The Prince has done nothing to deserve this! did not sign up to hurt him! That is enough. I do not care what happens anymore, but let him go!"
"Not until the gates are opened." The elf stressed, seeming to have been momentarily taken aback by his companion who had suddenly changed his mind. And yet, for a fragment of a second the brown-haired elf's eyes met his King's, and she was sure that never before had she seen more regret and shame in a pair of eyes.
"There is no need to him to remain alive anymore." The maddened elf whispered in a rush, the blade once again pressed dangerously to Arahaelon's throat. "We already got what we needed from him. Now open the gates."
And once again the threat was not empty. The elf would kill Arahaelon if further tested. He clearly had shown no remorse of conflict at hurting him twice already. And there it was again, the torturing agonizing conflict in the King's eyes. He wanted to do it. She could tell. Her father would have done anything to get Arahaelon back to safety. He would even trade places if allowed. But he would not risk his people's lives. How was her father expected to make this choice? His son, or other elves' lives? Other elves' wives, husbands, elflings? And if whatever it was that awaited entry outside the gates….even the King did not believe they could fight.
"Thranduil." The Queen pleaded again desperately, the pain in her voice difficult to ignore. "Thranduil, our son. Our son."
"My Lord." Another voice echoed through the silence. One of the bystander elves, a lord by the looks of it. His pale green eyes looked directly at the King, pained, yet holding such respect and reverence that it was impossible to miss. And then, the elf nodded his head, even though she caught glimpse of his hand holding tightly to the hand of the lady next to him. "Open the gates."
"Open the gates, My Lord." Another voice, a Lady, suddenly spoke, the sound also pained, yet strong, determined.
"We will manage." A servant, standing on one of the back rows of elves.
A collections of nods and words of agreement was slowly growing through the crowd of elves, their eyes shifting from the King to the Queen and to the Crown Prince, and in that short second she understood. Just as her father, the King would protect his people to very end, his people too would not let harm reach any of their royals. She had known her father was respected by his subjects, had known Arahaelon and her other siblings were too. But it was not only respect that which showed in the surrounding elves faces, it was not dutiful reverence to their ruler, not it was admiration, love, and understanding. They were lifting the burden of his shoulder, the weight of having to make a choice that she knew her father could never make, not without potentially sacrificing everyone else.
"I am waiting." The maddened elf hissed again, the blade once again pressing threateningly close to Arahaelon's neck.
A sudden gush of power shifted in the air, her heart sinking once again, finger's digging deeper inside Legolas' arms. In the distance, the trees rustled, their branches and leaves stretching unnaturally. And then, she heard it, piercing through the forest's air like a haunting omen, a high-pitched cry, making her skin crawl and hairs to stand. A couple of minutes passed in silence, nobody daring to move, to breathe, the King's eyes looking desperately at the maddened elf, the later seeming to be waiting for a short while, as if wanting to make sure that whatever waiting outside got safely in before the King could have a chance to close the gates again.
Without a warning, the elf suddenly pushed the Crown Prince forward harshly, the later losings his balance as he was forced to land on his injured leg. And then the crazed elf was fleeing, running as fast as his legs could carry him inside the forest, in the opposite direction of where the cry had sounded. The other cloaked figures followed him in a rush, but nobody else went after them. Nobody care enough to try to catch them. They had larger troubles now. And fleeing…she did not know why but fleeing did not seemed as though it would work.
Hi there! Here's chapter 55! Sorry for the wait, I hope it wasn't too long! Let me know what you think!
Again thank you so much to all of you that reviewed that last chapter! It was an honor to reach all of your words, you brightened my very stressed final's week day! It really means a lot to me. I was surprised to hear that so many of you are still reading this even though it's bene years! As I've said before I will never abandon this story until it is finished! Newgirl5, Amsim, SS, Guest, StarFilledSkies, GondorianElf, brandibuckeye, helenaxo, Flower-Uchiha, ErynielGreenleaf, artvandelay5001, Saum de Smol Teddy.
Love,
Elena