So I messed a little with Tolkiens's timeline and I stole a few lines from the White Council meeting of first hobbit movie… just if you are wondering where you have already heard Saruman talking such nonsense. ^^
So I think now Thranduil is going to be more and more ooc.
Elrond was the last person to enter the gazebo overlooking Imladris. Gandalf was just taking the seat opposite to Saruman at the table in the middle of the gazebo, while Galadriel was looking over the valley below them, standing with her back to the others being present. Celeborn was standing to the side facing inwards, bowing slightly when his eyes met Elrond's. Elrond returned the greeting and greeted Gandalf and Saruman the same way. He decided not to sit down and went over to one of the columns.
"I think we should begin now.", Saruman suddenly said.
Elrond wanted to object but Galadriel beat him to it.
"I think we are not yet complete.", she said quietly still not facing them.
Three heads turned simultaneously to Elrond. Celeborn raised a questioning brow, while Gandalf and Saruman just gave him questioning looks. Elrond sighed and looked at Galadriel who had turned slightly giving him a warm smile then his look wandered back to the Istari.
"At the moment I have a guest here in Imladris and I invited him to participate in this meeting. I think, he will be a great asset."
He just hoped that it would work out, knowing Thranduil and his rather short-lived temper, especially since Thranduil was used to acting alone, his kingdom being isolated for so long a time.
"This is not some public meeting everyone can participate in. I would have preferred to know about this addition beforehand.", Saruman said with a slightly annoyed undertone.
And again, before Elrond could say anything, Galadriel had already done so.
"I am looking forward to seeing him again. We haven't met for quite a long time."
She smiled at him, her eyes glimmering in the sun and he knew what she was doing. She was showing him that she supported his decision to invite Thranduil and it kind of relieved him to know that she was on his side in this matter.
"I sent for him. He will be there any minute."
Saruman sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"Well then.", he said but not without giving Elrond another annoyed look.
And Elrond already felt like returning to his library.
"Do not let him bother you. You did the right thing in inviting him. Things are going to change now.", she told him.
He just hoped she was right.
"Have faith in him and his headstrong, arrogant character!"
"This character of his is what is bothering me the most!"
"This character of his is what makes him so different from all of us, what makes him the perfect asset, Elrond."
Elrond wasn't entirely convinced but he didn't have the time to contemplate it any further.
"Thranduil, King of the Woodland Realm!", Celeborn suddenly exclaimed, looking past Elrond down the path that led to the gazebo.
Elrond turned and together they watched Thranduil ascend the slope leading to the gazebo.
When Thranduil entered the gazebo he saw five people looking at him.
"King Thranduil." Celeborn addressed him first, bowing his head slightly.
His wife Lady Galadriel stood by his side and greeted Thranduil in the same manner. But in contrast to her husband she awarded him with a smile. Thranduil didn't bow his head. In Middle-earth they ranked below him. The same applied to both of the Istari who were present. They might be Maiar in Valinor, a land that meant nothing to him, but here in Middle-earth they were just two wizards, ranking far below him. He would only ever bow to king. Gandalf inclined his head.
"King Thranduil."
But when Thranduil looked at Saruman the White, the wizard did neither bow to him nor welcome him at all.
"Finally we can begin." , was all he said and Thranduil despised him from that moment on.
He owed him respect for he was the one that outranked him, he was the only king present! Just as he wanted to open his mouth to say something he saw out of the corner of his eye that Elrond made a step towards him, halting him. Elrond had invited him to this meeting, so technically he was his responsibility. He closed his mouth. His first action wouldn't be to put the Peredhel to shame, to make him regret inviting him, not when he owed the Peredhel so much. He took a deep breath and decided to be at his best behavior at least as long as possible. He turned away from the Istari and went over to one of the columns, leaning against it, watching the meeting unfold in front of him.
Saruman folded his hands on the table top.
"So Gandalf tell me, are you happy now that the dragon and Thorin Oakenshield are dead?"
The White Istar focused on the Gandalf, who averted his eyes, looking at his hands that lay on the table top.
"I really don't know why we are meeting again after so short a time."
So they must have talked about the quest of the dwarves, Thranduil thought.
"I told you, I wasn't in favor. I knew it would not end well."
"But the Kingdom under the Mountain has been restored.", Celeborn interjected.
"This could prove quite useful in the future, even though it was dearly bought."
Thranduil closed his eyes, trying to fight the surfacing memories of the dying men, dwarves and elves.
"Useful for what purpose?"
Death is upon you. The flames of war are upon you. Thranduil still saw the orc kneeling in front of him, laughing at him and his son. He had to agree with Celeborn. The restored kingdom under the mountain would indeed be useful when Sauron returned.
"There is something at work beyond the evil of Smaug. Something far more powerful. We can remain blind, but it will not be ignoring us, that I can promise you."
My master serves the One. Thranduil's blood ran cold.
"So first it is Smaug that troubles you, now it is Dol Guldur. What is it next time, Gandalf?"
Gandalf looked around before focusing on Sarum again.
"Trolls have come down from the mountains. They are raiding villages, destroying farms. Orcs and wargs have fought against us at the foot of Erebor."
"More and more orcs are crossing the Bruinen. Just this morning we had to fight off another horde of orcs. The third this month", Elrond added and Thranduil remembered the many times the Peredhel had left Imladris right after breakfast since he himself had been in Imladris in order to fight orcs.
"I don't see what this has anything to do with Dol Guldur."
Gandalf shook his head helplessly.
"A sickness lies over the Greenwood.", he tried another approach and Thranduil perked up his ears upon hearing his home being mentioned.
"The woodsmen living there now call it 'Mirkwood'"
Five heads turned to him, obviously waiting for his confirmation or contradiction.
"Hordes of orcs and the children of Ungoliant are infesting the Greenwood in such high numbers that my men can barely eradicate them and their nests. They are coming from Dol Guldur."
Saruman sighed.
"So let us examine what we know. Single Orc packs have dared to cross the Bruinen. Last time you showed me a dagger from a bygone age that has been found. And according to Radagast and some woodsmen a human sorcerer, who calls himself the Necromancer, has taken up residence in the ruined fortress. And spiders are infesting the Greenwood. In fact that is not so very much, after all."
Thranduil couldn't believe his ears. The White Istar had to be joking. How could he not see, what all of them saw? How could he be so blind and not notice what was happening around him? That something was happening around him, something evil.
"Six thousand orcs and five hundred wargs fought against us at the foot of Erebor. If single hordes of orcs, a Morgul blade, a necromancer and giant spiders are not so very much at all, what is an organized army to you then?"
"They were after Thorin Oakenshield and the treasure of Erebor."
Thranduil pushed himself off the column he had been leaning on and turned towards the exit of the gazebo. It took him every ounce of self-control he had not to shout at the White Istar. He decided to leave before his temper got the better of him.
"Where are you going?", Elrond asked.
Thranduil stopped and turned to face them.
"I'm going to do something that is not such a waste of time like this meeting. Maybe I'm going to count the trees on both sides of the Bruinen in this valley so that I can compare their numbers in order to determine on which side the soil is more fertile."
"King Thranduil, this Council discusses serious threats to Middle-earth."
"Really? All I see are four people that care for Middle-earth and one person that is blind to the latest events that point to a revival of evil."
"There are no events that point to a revival of evil, Elvenking!"
Eru knew he had tried to reign in his temper but he couldn't anymore, not when he had to deal with such hopeless stubbornness.
"Just in case the message didn't reach you behind the thick walls of Isengard. My kin together with dwarfs and men were slain, fighting a battle against orcs and wargs at the foot of Erebor only a few months ago. If this isn't a serious threat, what is?"
"It was an unnecessary battle caused by a few greed-driven dwarfs. They willingly risked the established peace!"
Thranduil couldn't control his fury anymore. With a swift movement he brought his fists on the table and his face near to the face of the White Istar, simultaneously letting down the illusion, which covered his face. He could see the appall in the Istar's face, when he beheld the grave injury, fueling the anger and hatred Thranduil felt for the Istar even more.
"There is no such peace, you fool!", he spat. "Maybe for you in your isolated tower but not for us, not in the real world."
He looked into the Istar's eyes, looking for understanding but there was none, instead he saw that his eyes were still fixed on his missing cheek.
"Tell me, Saruman the White, what are you waiting for? For Sauron to turn up in full armor to reclaim what was once his?"
"There is no evidence that he has returned.", the Istar replied calmly.
Thranduil straightened again and a sharp sting drove through his chest. He knew that his previous movements had been too rushed.
"There never is, but someday there will be and then it might be too late. Sauron is no fool. In his supposed weakened state wouldn't it be utterly unwise to leave evidence? He will leave evidence as soon as he is ready to face the free people of Middle-earth again."
He could feel the difficulty his body had taking in enough air and he knew he had pushed too far beyond the boundaries of his weakened body.
"As far as I see, all of us here are ready to risk the lives of our people in order to save their future. So tell me Curunir, why are you so reluctant, you who has no people to send into battle, no people to lose to death? What is at stake for you besides losing your own life? Is it just you being so afraid of dying, putting your life above everyone else's? Or is there something you aren't telling us?"
Again he was looking into the eyes of the Istar, which were now looking straightly back at him and he could see the anger rising in them as well. The Istar wasn't used to someone openly question his views, to someone stepping on his toes, he fathomed. But he couldn't care less. There was so much more at stake than just the temper of one single Istar. He took another breath and when he saw the world spinning for a blink of a second, he knew he had to leave. He wouldn't risk showing his weakened state to the mightiest people of Middle-earth. He faced the others. Celeborn and Gandalf were looking at him in astonishment, while Galadriel was smiling at him. Elrond in contrast had come a few steps towards him, looking quite concerned. He must have felt his uneasiness.
"If you would excuse me, I don't see any point in me partaking any longer."
He turned and started to walk away, recreating the illusion covering his injured face.
"Do you need any help?", he heard Elrond asking in his head.
"I'm fine. I just need some rest.", he answered in the same way and without looking back, he left the gazebo.
Thranduil wandered through the halls of Imladris, his destination being the library. He was deep in thought, thinking that it might be time to return to his people. He was far from being fully recovered but maybe it was for the best to leave Imladris and secure his kingdom against what was to come. The unwillingness to take action he had seen in the White Istar's eyes had concerned him deeply. This White Council was a farce and his guts were telling him to take matters in his own hands… again. They didn't have to fear for their peoples' lives for either they had no people or they possessed a ring of power. He was positive about the fact that one of the elven rings resided in Lothlorien, that Galadriel was the bearer of at least one of the other two elven rings. He knew the story about Celebrimbor favoring Galadriel. Most certainly he had given one of the rings to her in order to win her over, maybe even both rings. He should leave as soon as possible. He turned a corner and stopped dead in his tracks. He was standing in the hallway dedicated to the Last Alliance, a hallway he had constantly avoided, since he had seen it for the first time. This first time he had literally fled the hallway without looking back for a second time. It had been too much for him to bear and it was still, but his feet wouldn't obey his command. His eyes were fixated on the wall painting depicting Isildur wielding the hilt-shard of Narsil, fighting off Sauron. He took a step forward, his feet sinking into the muddy ground, making his every step an additional exertion. Still fixated on the wall painting he took another step forward, feeling the weight of his armor pressing down on his tired shoulders.
He looked behind him, seeing some of his warriors in fights with orcs, some came to the help of others. One of his men came running to him, saying something to him but he didn't hear a word he was saying, he just heard the sound of an arrow passing by his ear, the movement of air its passing twirled his hair, and the sickening sound of the arrow finding its target, the forehead of his warrior. The warrior stared at him, his eyes wide open in shock and realization that he would die and Thranduil could see how the fear of dying in his eyes was slowly replaced by death itself, as the warrior fell to the ground, where his dead comrades already lay. Thranduil whirled around but the hissing sound he heard already told him what was to come. The impact was a strong one, throwing him to the ground while pain exploded in his left shoulder. He grabbed the thick black arrow and pulled it out of his body, screaming in pain as he pulled out some pieces of his own flesh along with it. He tried to get to his feet again, pushing himself off the ground but his good hand, supporting most of his weight, sank into the ground. When he turned his head to look for a more suitable place to place his hand, he saw that his hand hadn't sunk into the ground but into the torn open ribcage of one of his men, squashing what was left of his innards. He jolted backwards, fighting the sudden feeling of nausea rising in his throat, as he watched pieces of crushed innards falling from his hand drop by drop. He gagged and looked away but just saw elf after elf around him massacred. He fought back the tears that threatened to fall, desperation overwhelming his heart. Why? Why did the Valar let this happen? Why? Sauron was a Maia! They had taught him, given him the knowledge he had used against Middle-earth! Where were they now? Watching from across the sea out of harm's way as elf after elf was slain because of their lapses!
"We are dying here!", he screamed in desperation.
But nobody ever answered. And it was there on the battle plain of Dagorlad that he swore he would rather kill himself than ever demonstrate respect for neither Valar nor Maiar again if he ever came across one.
"Trolls!", he heard someone scream and jerked around.
A horde of trolls came towards what was left of his army. Some of his warriors remembered to form a deep formation, welcoming the trolls with their arrows, trying to wreck as much havoc as possible as long as there were still at some distance, while others unsheathed their swords and mindlessly ran towards the trolls and to their deaths.
"No!", he screamed.
"Come back!" But it was to no avail.
"Come back…", he whispered, as the first of his men were crushed by the trolls.
One of the trolls got hold of one of his man, lifting him from the ground and with both hands the troll tore him in two, while his screams of pain rang in Thranduil's ears. The troll threw away the lower part of the body but kept the upper part of the still screaming warrior to use it like a morning star against the other elves surrounding him, attacking him with arrows and swords alike. The troll howled in agony as one arrow hit him in his eye and he continued to lash out at the elven warriors to his feet, scattering the innards of the elven warrior in his hand over the battle plain. Thranduil fought the nausea back and coldness enveloped his heart like a shell made of cold steel. He took his sword and ran towards the troll. He wouldn't let his people die, while he lived on. If they wouldn't survive then he would die with them!
A horde of orcs came forth behind the troll and Thranduil ran directly towards them, hoping, begging that one arrow would pierce his heart or one sword would slice open his throat so that he no longer had to watch his people being slaughtered, so that all of this horror would finally end, at least for him. He drove his sword through one orc after another not noticing the lacerations he obtained while doing so, for he was far too focused to even care. When no further orc came forth, Thranduil used the opportunity to take a few deep breaths. He was so tired, his hands were shaking and sweat ran down his temples. His legs were so weak, he feared they would collapse beneath him. He leaned on his sword. He just wanted to close his eyes for a moment, he just wanted to sleep for a moment… just for a small moment he wanted peace… he was so tired. Suddenly a bloodcurdling scream resounded over the battle field, jolting him out of his half-sleep. And before he had a chance to even look for the source of the scream, he saw a huge shadow gliding over the countless corpses spread over the battlefield. Thranduil's heart froze as he beheld the silhouette of the shadow. He lost his sword as he recoiled from where shadow was now circling. He didn't get far before he tripped over something most likely another corpse or part of a dead body and fell to the ground. Panic rose in him, clenching his heart, as he crawled away as fast as possible. His heart hammered in his chest as another bloodcurdling scream sounded not too far away. He didn't dare to look back, as he heard the shadow landing not far from him. No! His heart stopped for a second, as silence fell over the battle plain and only the shuffling of leathery wings and heavy breathing could be heard. No! He felt the dragon's fire eat away his face, felt flesh melting away from his bones, felt the pain exploding in his cheek, traveling through the rest of his body until his whole body felt like being aflame, burning, screaming distracted with pain until he had passed out. No! He tried to reign in the panic that threatened to overwhelm him. Not again… it wouldn't happen again! Frantically he looked around searching for any kind of weapon. He saw a hilt poking out of a dead orc lying next to him. Another scream sounded behind him and with the last ounce of courage he had left I him, he took the hilt, pulled the sword out of the orc while turning around and pushing himself to his feet, facing the monster. He stared directly into the throat of the black shadow while his brain slowly registered that the sword he had drawn had been broken and he only wielded the hilt-shard. The beast let out one of his bloodcurdling screams and attacked him. A blink of a second before the monster would have buried his teeth in his flesh, a bright ray of light broke out of the beast. So bright, that it hurt his eyes and he had to cover them with his hand. And to his confusion the scenario in front of him slowly dissolved until everything around him was just bright light and nothing of Dagorlad was left.
When the light finally began to fade and his surroundings became clearer once more, they were totally different to where he had just been. Elegant wood carvings appeared in the corners of his eyes.
"King Thranduil."
The voice was commanding but soft and helped him to focus on the bright figure standing directly in front of him. He blinked a few times and the brightness lessened gradually until he could identify Galadriel as the figure standing right in front of him. He felt her hand on his chest, which was rising and falling quickly and when he looked down at her hand, he saw a brightly shining ring on her finger… the Ring of Adamant.
"King Thranduil.", she said again and he focused on her face.
She was smiling at him, a soft smile.
"Remember where you are."
He tried to remember but he was too confused. He had been at Dagorlad not a few seconds ago. He had fought against orcs and trolls, had seen how his people had been slain. What was she doing here? Here… He looked around. He was standing in a wide and open hallway with elegant woodcarvings everywhere. It seemed slightly familiar but he couldn't quite place it yet. But when he saw the many Noldarin elves looking at him with wide eyes it began to dawn on him. He was in Imladris, where he was recovering from a serious injury, over three thousand years after the Battle of the Last Alliance. Slowly he raised his right hand which had wielded the hilt-shard he had pulled out of the orc. It was still there, being cold to his touch. But it wasn't just any hilt-shard… It was the hilt-shard of Narsil, which had been on display in this very same hallway. Hi gaze wandered to where the shards normally lay… they were gone, lying scattered on the floor. He had lost control… again. He let go of Narsil and it hit the floor with a loud clanking sound. He had lost himself so utterly and completely… He numbly backed away from Galadriel, all the while looking at his now empty hand with wide eyes. When he hit a nearby wall with his back, he slumped down to the floor and only then did he look up at Galadriel again.
"I'm losing myself.", he stated bleakly.
All the while Galadriel had watched him silently but suddenly she sprang into action.
"Leave us alone!", she commanded and all the elves surrounding them obeyed.
A few seconds later they were alone.
"I have touched you with Nenya, so your memories won't bother you for some days.", she said, kneeling down in front of him, all the while smiling at him warmly.
"But they will resurface like they always do."
"Isn't that what memories normally do, the bad and the good ones?"
"I know.", he ground out.
He was no elfling anymore. But he had so much more bad memories than good ones.
"Do not despair, Elvenking. I can feel that you have been frequently touched by Elrond."
"Vilya eases my pain."
Galadriel laughed.
"I wasn't talking about Vilya. The power of the Elven Rings is limited. Compassion and love aren't."
"And yet he wasn't able to heal your daughter, his beloved wife."
"All is lost, when you fight alone. Elrond fought, but my daughter wanted to leave Middle-earth behind. It was her decision, not his."
She sighed and Thranduil was certain that for the blink of a second he had seen weariness in her eyes.
"He has fought alone for such a long time. I'm glad he again found someone to fight with."
She was looking at him and he was sure she was talking about him.
"You are wrong. I'm not one to fight with. There is nothing I could give him save for darkness and madness. This is a one-sided arrangement."
"Now you are wrong, Elvenking. Sometimes companionship of someone who went through the same traumatic events, who understands perfectly well what standing at the edge of despair and black desperation is like, is all that is needed and companionship I see between you two, even though you are not aware of it."
"There is nothing of this desperation left in the Peredhel."
"Maybe not during the day but when the night rises and the shadows reside in every corner, do you know if the Peredhel is able to face his own Dagorlad without fear?"
He looked at her in surprise.
"I have looked into many eyes of warriors returning from the horrors of Sauron's battlefields. Many of these eyes were as dead as the eyes of their comrades that had left for the Halls of Mandos. Others were like yours: dead at first sight but upon taking a closer look a small flame still burning in the background could be seen. There are others like you, even though the young might never grasp what all of you went through, what horrors were burned into your memories, what you suffered to secure their future. But when I look into your eyes, into Elrond's eyes, into the eyes of my own husband I can see that you haven't left every piece of you on the battle plains. All of you brought back an essential piece of you, your fighting spirit, your will not to succumb to the madness that was your sole companion on the battlefield. I don't see any weakness in you, all I can see is your strength, your will to go on in spite of knowing what evil, what darkness lurks in this world, your will to face every new day. You are still here, you are still fighting, you endure the pain, you have not yet sailed."
"And I never will."
And again Galadriel just smiled at him like she knew something he didn't.
"When the time comes it will be your decision alone."
"Thranduil!"
Galadriel turned around and Thranduil could see Elrond running towards him, Celeborn right behind him. Galadriel backed away making room for the Peredhel, who stopped right in front of him, where Thranduil could clearly see the fear in his eyes. Fear for him… Elrond gaze dropped to the ground, where the hilt-shard of Narsil still lay, then the Peredhel's eyes were on him again. Elrond stepped forward, bending down to Thranduil.
"Did you hurt yourself?", Elrond asked while his hands were already searching his tunic for cuts.
"Elrond…"
When the Peredhel didn't stop Thranduil put his hands atop Elrond's hands, halting them. When their eyes met Thranduil just shook his head.
"I'm fine. It was just a hallucination."
Upon hearing this Elrond slumped down in front of him, obviously relieved beyond words.
"Nan belain, you gave us quite a scare, Elvenking.", Celeborn said also relieved but Thranduil had only eyes for the Peredhel in front of him.
Sometimes companionship of someone who went through the same traumatic events, who understands perfectly well what standing at the edge of despair and black desperation is like, is all that is needed and companionship I see between you two. Had he been so blind? Why had he never seen that this was no one-sided arrangement? Because he had never thought that he with his dark and twisted soul could have a positive influence on someone ever again. The Peredhel had proven him wrong…again.
One chapter and maybe an epilogue left! ^^
I decided to mess around a little with the timeline, because I wanted Thranduil to participate in one of the White Council meetings. According to Tolkien the White Council meet and drove Sauron out of Dol Guldur right before the Battle of Five Armies. Here in story I decided go with Peter Jackson's version of the Council meeting in Imladris during Gandalf's stay in Imladris but they never came to a conclusion and thus met for a second time right after Smaug's death to again discuss Dol Guldur and the events of the Battle of Five Armies. So Thranduil, being in Imladris to recover from his injuries could actually partake in the meeting. I'm kind of uncertain if Thranduil ever knew about those meetings and the White Council for he was never mentioned as taking part in them, so I decided that he never heard of it but could have imagined it and thus wasn't too surprised to see that there actually was something like a Council of the mightiest in Middle-earth.
Also I'm wondering why Galadriel never addressed the matter Saruman openly, when she already distrusted him. I mean, well he was the head of the Council but that doesn't mean that you cannot speak against him, especially since she is not some unknown elven girl passing by. I really liked her portrayal in the first Hobbit movie, for you could clearly see that she was already beginning to question Saruman ' s motives by the looks she was giving him but I was kind of freaking out how she never said anything in the movie. So I decided to bring in Thranduil. After seeing Lee Pace's portrayal of Thranduil, I was certain that Thranduil wouldn't have her composure if he had the feeling that Saruman had other plans. Basically I think Thanduil can be quite an asshole and a pain in the ass (which is why I like him so much because it makes him so different from the other elves) because of his arrogant attitude and his indifference for what others might think of him. He is proud and not accountable to anyone for he managed to reign for quite a long time without the help of others, and especially without meddling in the affairs of others, thus he is not part of the "network". This makes him kind of ideal to question the intentions of someone like Saruman without thinking about any consequences because he simply has to fear none. He can just go back to Mirkwood and go on with his isolated life like he did before (in theory^^). I also think, that he wouldn't participate in another meeting after seeing how ineffective the Council is (due to Saruman), more likely he would consider it a waste of his time.
But since it has been years since I read all the Tolkien books and delved deeper into the material, I'm not that familiar with the matter anymore, so I'm sorry, if I overlooked basic explanations of why Galadriel acted like she acted. Basically I dropped back to a level, where it is common knowledge that the Lord of the Rings is about a ring…^^ So please excuse me if I am talking total nonsense.
Aaaand I decided to include Celeborn, simply because I like him… I mean, come on, everyone who can face the powerful Galadriel on a daily base for millennia without feeling utterly useless deserves a medal. Just joking. I like the idea that he has a calming influence on her and keeps her solidly grounded.
I imagined Thranduil mixing up real experiences at Dagorlad (e.g. all the deaths he witnessed) with other memories (e.g. the dragon, which actually was no dragon here but one of the fellbeasts of the Nazgul, since I didn't found any information on dragons actually fighting in the Battle of the Last Alliance) and stuff his mind just invented (e.g. the scene with the fellbeast and the hilt-shard). Basically what I want to say is that in this story Thranduil never faced one of the fellbeasts personally at Dagorlad but might have seen them but in this flashback his mind mixed together his actual experiences at Dagorlad with traumatic experiences prior to the Last Alliance (I decided that he obtained the injury in his face before the Last Alliance when Oropher was still around, since I didn't found any information about the serpent wars Lee Pace was talking about; did they just make them up for the movies?), but since his mind remembered that there were no dragons at Dagorlad it replaced the dragon (one of Thranduil's greatest fears) with a fellbeast and then integrated the shards of Narsil, which were lying nearby just before his hallucination started. Makes sense? Ah, it is difficult to explain… ^^
Basically his mind is playing nasty tricks with him and Thranduil is having difficulties to distinguish between past and present, reality and fantasy if a trigger is present.
So I wouldn't say, that Thranduil's condition worsened, I just wanted to show that depending on how strong the trigger is, his strength of his hallucinations vary. With weak triggers (e.g. the orc talking about the One) his flashbacks are not that strong, but when there are stronger triggers (e.g. seeing the painting of Sauron and Isildur at Dagorlad, since he might have seen Sauron at Dagorlad in person or since the painting painfully reminded him of the unnecessary deaths of his people since Isildur never destroyed the One Ring, when he could have done so and thus ending Sauron's reign forever) his flashbacks are so strong that his mind even mixes reality (the shards of Narsil) with his memories.
Since Nenya's powers are presumably preservation, protection and concealment from evil, I thought that Galadriel touching Thranduil with Nenya would result in him being protected from his bad memories at least temporally. But in contrast to coming to Elrond frequently he wouldn't go to her for further help since it already took all his courage to go to Elrond. He wouldn't seek out and confide in a second person. Also seeking the help of Nenya would be the easy way out since the roots of his traumata aren't really tackled in that way, since it only protects from evil and thus bringing only temporal relief. While Vilya on the contrary is said to have the power to heal and thus might help him to really recover from his traumata, healing the psychic and physical wounds he has.
And last but not least I wish you all a happy new year! Have fun and don't do anything stupid! ^^