Oxygen! His body cried for oxygen and he wasn't able to give it. The strong hands of the king were still clasped around his throat. Elrond tried to fight him but they both had fallen on the floor and now Thranduil's whole weight was pinning him to the ground.
"You and your men have forsaken us at Dagorlad!", the furious king was leaning over. Their noses almost touched. "You did nothing to help us, to help my father! You let him be slaughtered! You do not deserve to live!"
Elrond summoned the last bit of strength that was left in him and punched Thranduil as hard as he could. His fist collided with the old wound on the kings left cheek. Thranduil howled and loosened his grip for a few precious seconds. But that was enough for Elrond to draw breath and call for Legolas. He hoped that it had been loud enough because Thranduils hands wrapped themselves around his throat again. This time with much more force, if that was even possible.
Thranduil screamed at him. He didn't sound like an elf at all. It was more the scream of a hurt and angry animal. It filled out the whole room.
Elrond felt how life was leaving him. Drained of his strength, burning lungs and twitching limbs, he waited for death to come. Not in his darkest nightmares would he have thought that he would meet his end like this. Killed by one of his own kind! He closed his eyes.
All of a sudden the weight on his torso disappeared and his throat was released. He heard fighting and the deep and frustrated growl of Thranduil. "Let go of me at once!"
Elrond sucked as much air in as he could and was relieved when his blurry vision turned to normal again.
Legolas had lunged at the king to throw him off Elronds body. Now the prince pressed Thranduil face down to the floor, holding him in a firm grip.
The Peredhel got up, unsure if his legs would carry him, but he had to act. As fast as he could, he made his way to the herbs Legolas had brought him before. He found the dried valerian root and since there was no time to make a tea with it, he decided to use it in its natural state.
"Legolas, open his mouth", Elrond said and knelt down next to the kings head.
"What are you doing?! Leave me alone, you traitor!" Thranduil screamed and his son had a hard time to keep the king still. With one hand he helped Elrond to open his father's mouth, so that the Peredhel could put dried pieces of valerian root inside. Then Elrond forced the king to keep his mouth closed and even held his nose. "Swallow it", Elrond said, "It's medicine. Swallow it and we will release you."
It seemed to take forever but finally Thranduil gave in and swallowed the root. Elrond let go of the kings mouth and nose and took a deep breath. The only thing they could do now, was wait for the medicine to take effect. It should not take too long though. Elrond had given the king quite a large amount of the root.
"Why did you do it?" He heard the king say. "Why did you abandon my father, me and our men?"
Elrond sighed. "I did not abandon you. Gil-galad didn't abandon you. No one abandoned you! All that happened on this day was an ill fate. Oropher made a decision and it turned out wrong. There was no time to react, to come to your aid. We were all engaged in fighting. There was death everywhere. I am sorry if you think I've let you down, Thranduil. I swear...if I could turn back time and safe your father, I would do it this instant. But I can't. I am terribly sorry."
Elrond expected another fit of rage but instead there were tears visible in the kings eyes.
Legolas saw it too and released his grip immediately. Thranduil got up without saying a word and walked to a corner on the other side of the room. There he stopped, leaning his head against the wall, his back turned to the two puzzled elves. They looked at each other. Legolas whispered: "What's going on?"
Elrond shrugged.
"He tried to kill you.", the young elf said.
"Yes. But he is lost in his mind, he can't help himself. I know he didn't mean to do it. At times he's swept away to moments and events that have long been gone. Right now, I believe he is relieving the days after the battle of Dagorlad and his father's death. I think..."
A sob coming from the other end of the room, stopped their conversation abruptly.
"Stay here", Elrond said to Legolas as he got up. He made his way through the chaos and when he reached Thranduil, he carefully laid a hand on his shoulder. He did not anticipate the reaction that followed.
Thranduil turned around, hugged the Peredhel and buried his face in the other ones shoulder, crying.
"My father is dead", Elrond heard him sob. "He will never talk to me again, never be with me again. How can I rule this kingdom without his wisdom, his help, his guidance? I am so alone!"
Thranduils whole body was shaking. Elrond had never seen him cry so heartbreakingly.
Maybe the king had pushed aside his grief for his dead father for too long. After the battle, Orophers subjects looked up to Thranduil. As their new king he had do make decisions, had to take action, had to make sure that they returned home safely. There was no time for grief.
Elrond knew that he was on to something.
Maybe Thranduil never once dealt with his pain. What if he ignored all the pain that he would have had to face over the years? His father's death, his wife's death, and the countless elven warriors who had perished in numberless battles? What if he never let himself grief?
It would explain a lot. The kings behavior, the depressing atmosphere in the palace and the state of the trees outside. Grief was a powerful thing, especially if you blocked it out for thousands of years.