A/N: Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of this story's first posting! I am honored to have received so much positive feedback so far. Hang in there as we build toward another turning point.
70 - Inventories
Anarrima and Elluin walked arm in arm toward the healing rooms. The singing of Elves and birds would have been almost too loud for them to talk over, had their Elven hearing not allowed them to pick up the sound.
"It greatly pleases me to have so much more time to practice my skills in healing," Anarrima said. "Though I feel you will spoil all the council members, now that we have more leisure time."
"Not at all," Elluin answered pleasantly. "There are many useful things that advisors do when not occupied in meetings. For one, they spend more time perusing and purchasing wares at the market, and that makes for wealthier people. And wealthier people pay more tributes to the royal treasury, and are better able to help their neighbors who would otherwise come to the palace for help in need. And the more wares the people sell, the more they practice their crafts in making more, leading to products of higher quality that can be used for trade with Men or Dwarves at even better prices."
"I did not know you to be so determined to increase the kingdom's wealth, Elluin," the older elleth mused.
"That was certainly not my primary motivation," the Elvenqueen conceded with a dreamy smile, making Anarrima chuckle.
"No, I suppose not. Now, forgive my delicate question, dear…" Anarrima cast a sidelong glance at her companion and lowered her voice. "It is rather obvious that you and Thranduil are spending a great deal of time together, as is expected from Elves that have only been married for three years. And I know it is soon, but…"
"Aunt, it is entirely too soon to be thinking of children," Elluin interrupted cheerily. "I am far too enchanted, still, with waking up to Thranduil's eyes greeting me like windows onto a bright winter morning, and feeling as if we are the only two people in all of Middle Earth." She sighed as Anarrima grinned. "A little one, I believe, would make such moments more rare. And though a child would be a great blessing, we do not yet feel the time is right."
"Ah, but do not wait too long," Anarrima said, her eyes on the colorful autumn canopy about them. "How I would dote on your child… Or perhaps I should not say that. I suppose you would not wish for me to spoil your little one so much as I wish to."
Elluin patted Anarrima's arm. "I am hoping you will be equally willing to spoil as to teach our Elfling the right way to behave."
"If the way I treated Thranduil when he was small is any indication, I'm afraid I can make no such promise."
The ellith were still laughing when they reached the door to the healing rooms.
"My queen, my lady," greeted Gwedhil happily with a curtsy when they walked in. "Welcome."
They exchanged greetings and pleasantries as the chief healer led them to her office to discuss the inventories.
~.~.~
It was late in the evening before Elluin finally made her way into the royal rooms. Thranduil, who had been attempting to concentrate on some reports to distract him from his longing for his wife, quickly jumped up to pull her into his arms.
"Good evening, husband," Elluin said happily into his shoulder as they enjoyed each other's closeness for a while.
"Good evening, my heart. Where have you been?"
"We were making plans to replenish our stock of healing herbs," she replied, turning her head to tuck her nose into his neck.
Thranduil willed his mind to keep from straying in the direction of the sensations his young bride stirred. "Will you tell me of the plans?"
"Tomorrow or the day after, I was thinking to take a few palace servants to the eastern edge of the forest. Our supply of healing herbs has grown unwisely low, and there are some that only grow where the trees are thinner and the soil is more dry."
The king pulled his head back so he could meet her eyes.
"Are others unable to perform the task in your stead? I do not like risking your safety so far from the palace."
"I'm afraid that among all the council members and servants, I have the best knowledge of where to find each of the herbs, what state they should be in for harvest, and how much of each we need."
Thranduil's brows puckered as he considered Elluin's open gaze. "How many servants?"
"If I take five ellith with experience in the healing rooms and in the palace, and we have no rain or untimely snow, we should be quick enough to be home for dinner," she said cheerfully, absently running a hand up his arm.
"You must take a dozen soldiers with you," he countered, "in addition to your Silent Guard."
"Very well," she conceded readily.
"And you will take horses, to make the journey more swiftly."
She nodded, her eyes shouting her adoration.
Thranduil was about to accede to their unspoken desires when a thought resurfaced in his mind. He sighed and led his wife to the small dining table, laden already with the evening meal. As they picked at the fine offerings, Thranduil glanced sidelong at Elluin before returning it to his food.
"My heart, would you have enough to occupy you tomorrow if you were to stay all day at the palace?"
"By all the stars, yes," she answered vehemently. "I have been indulging rather much in idleness, though I daresay it was well spent." She smiled brightly at him as they thought of their many carefree hours in the forest in recent weeks. "Several of the weavers wished to discuss plans for the year, and Bronadis mentioned some discrepancies between ledgers that will need a careful review. Galion also requested my opinion on expanding the library that Pedirion will soon be arriving to oversee. Tomorrow would be as good a day as any to manage those issues. Why?"
The Elvenking hesitated, and cast her another tentative look. "I have been able to clear my schedule for the afternoon and…" He stared at a piece of seasoned carrot as he pushed it across his plate. "I had thought to invite Nidhair on a hunt." The rest of the words came quickly tumbling out. "You see, I have been training with him often of late, and we thought—"
"Thranduil," Elluin interrupted.
He looked up, expecting her either to feel hurt for choosing to spend time with someone other than herself, or to scold him for abandoning his duties at the palace. Instead, her eyes held carefully restrained excitement.
"Are you becoming friends with Nidhair? It would please me greatly." Elluin emphasized the sentiment by reaching over to squeeze his hand. "You are most deserving of friendship." She finally allowed a smile to spread over her lips.
Thranduil returned the expression. "I think he is becoming my friend," he confirmed, relief and happiness in his tone. "Are you not angry that I should take time away from you for such a frivolous task?"
Elluin scoffed. "My love, you never begrudge me time with my own friends. I cherish every moment we spend together, but we are enriched by time in the company of others, as well. Go, with my blessing, whenever you are able. You and I have all the time in Arda to enjoy at each other's side."
Thranduil's heart swelled with joy at his wife's words, until her final remark. He suddenly felt an inkling of doubt at the truth of her words. But he soon dismissed it, thinking it impossible that anything should separate them. Still, a note of disquiet had entered into his mind, and for the remainder of the evening, both his smiles and his embraces were tighter than usual.
~.~.~
The hoofbeats of the mounts in the Elvenqueen's company were muted by the thick carpet of fallen leaves. Autumn had stripped much of the Greenwood's canopy, but green life was still abundant on the forest floor. They had followed the Old Forest Road east at a brisk pace for over an hour, and had come near enough to the edge of the woods to support more sun-loving plants.
After dismounting, it only took a short while of searching south of the road for Elluin and the ellith to find the herbs they needed. The accompanying soldiers, led by Aurados, joined their cheerful singing as they began their careful gathering.
Many bundles of various shaped leaves had already been stowed in broad baskets when the call of a tawny owl from the trees interrupted their work. Elluin recognized it as a warning from her Silent Guards that a stranger was approaching. At a word from her, the ellith stopped their task and the soldiers snapped into a tense circle around them. Hoofbeats could be heard cantering up the road and soon came into view: a tired Man on a tired horse riding as quickly as their limbs could manage through their obvious fatigue. The Man had clearly been sent from one of the villages as a messenger, as he carried few supplies and was armed with only a slim dagger sheathed at his belt.
"Rider! Halt!" cried Aurados in the Common Tongue from Elluin's side.
The Man seemed startled and reined in the horse abruptly, peering through the few trees that now separated him from the Elven party. He relaxed as Aurados stepped forward into view.
"Hail, Elves of King Thranduil," the Man called, glancing between Aurados and the rest of the Elves. He held up a hand in a gesture of peace, though his words held urgency. "My name is Hadden. I come from the village called Stony Bend under Chieftain Borgel. His son Garren bid me seek the aid of the Elvenking with all haste."
"Master Hadden," Elluin said, coming to stand by Aurados' side even as more soldiers flanked her. "I am Queen Elluin. Tell me what aid our allies request."
The Man admirably disguised his surprise and quickly bowed low in his saddle, relief and joy blooming on his face. "My lady, I deem that fortune is smiling upon my people, that I should have met none other than the Elvenqueen so swiftly on the road. Here is the letter."
He quickly reached into the satchel attached to his saddle and placed it into Aurados' waiting hand. Once it was given to her, Elluin broke the seal and scanned the parchment. Then she looked about her, examining the five ellith and dozen ellyn of her party, and the supplies they had gathered. Finally, she addressed them.
"It seems that the One is determined that we of the Firstborn should be of help to our neighbors this day," she said. "There is a plague in the village, and more of their people are dying by the hour. We have just gathered enough of the precise herbs to be of help to them, and our horses are rested enough for the journey by now. I know all of the ellith have at least some experience assisting in the halls of healing. Are you all willing to come with me?"
The sorrow on some of the Elves' faces at hearing their neighbors' news quickly turned to reluctance at Elluin's proposal. They exchanged glances uneasily.
Deliril, an elleth of many years, dared to speak. "My queen, I believe I have enough training under the healers to lead this undertaking. Allow me to go to the village with our companions and a few of the guards, while you return to the palace."
"Let us go to the village together," Elluin countered. "I would see what ill has befallen these Men for myself, and see what other aid we could send. A visit from a member of the Elvenking's council would be just as valuable to them as our immediate help in herblore, I think."
Nidhair suddenly dropped out of the trees to land beside Elluin. The Man unsuccessfully stifled a yelp and even some of the Elves started in surprise, but the queen quickly held up a hand to forestall any action from the soldiers behind her who had not previously noted his presence. Nidhair impatiently saluted the company and bowed before Elluin. Rising, he took a step toward her, speaking softly.
"My queen, I would not advise this course of action," he said in a rush, his eyes earnest. "The king, in this situation, would send word to the palace for a pair of his court members and a handful of Elves with knowledge of healing, under a full company of guards. They would first assess, and then assist once the needs are known."
"Am I not a member of the court, and do I not have some knowledge of healing?" she said. "The lives of Men are so fragile, captain. I cannot countenance the idea of delay when lives could be saved by our intervention. And I am well guarded." She raised an eyebrow pointedly.
Nidhair looked doubtfully at the dozen guards waiting with determined expressions to do their queen's bidding, and the five ellith standing nervously beside them. He pursed his lips before he spoke.
"Will you not allow one of your guards to return to the palace to call for more soldiers before entering the village, my queen?" he asked, eyes pleading. "I lack the authority to detain you, but I must voice my objections to you going with so little protection."
"Let Benavorn go," Elluin answered, naming the swiftest of her silent guards, "and call for additional soldiers, if he must. If my suspicions are correct, we will be kept busy tending to the sick Men for some hours. That should be long enough for the reinforcements to arrive in time to escort us back to the palace."
Nidhair sighed heavily, but then nodded gravely. Turning to Aurados, he said, "I need the fastest horse."
Aurados complied quickly, calling a slender gray stallion. Benavorn appeared from behind a tree a stone's throw away, and soon the pair were galloping up the Old Forest Road. At Nidhair's command, Delwion stepped from the shadow of a tree to join the other guards, even as a shuffle was heard in the canopy. Elluin knew that her remaining Silent Guards, Tinalfir and Sadron, would remain as a makeshift outpost to meet whoever Thranduil would send after her company.
She nodded decisively at Aurados, who gave the order to mount. Elluin decided not to think about whether Thranduil would agree with this course of action, and instead mentally reviewed all she had learned of the herblore they would need in the village.
~.~.~
"Sire, just two wagons full of the refined metal would be enough for over a year's worth of crafting," Gelluiven said. The Elven blacksmith did his best to appear matter-of-fact and calm, but it was obvious to Thranduil how badly he wanted his king's agreement.
Thranduil cocked his head to the side. "Soronume?"
"Our relations with the Dwarves are holding strong, sire," the former carpenter supplied from his place beside Lord Derion. "I believe they would be open to another trade agreement."
"I have compiled a list of some items they may be willing to accept in exchange," Galion offered, pulling a piece of parchment from his pile on the small table against the wall of the throne room.
The Elvenking reviewed it serenely. His eyebrows lifted briefly before he turned to his wife's father and handed him the document. "Would they place so much value on berries?"
"Possibly, sire," Soronume said with an amused smile after a glance at the figures. "Though perhaps we should offer a variety of goods instead of just the berries. Many Elves here are quite partial to Dinen's jams."
"Indeed," Thranduil answered, humor twinkling in his eyes. Then he turned magnanimously toward the blacksmith. "We will grant this request, Gelluiven, but these matters take time to finalize. You will be informed when we come to an agreement with the Dwarves."
"Thank you, sire," the ellon said with a deep bow.
He had scarcely turned to leave before Benavorn burst through the throne room doors, flanked by two palace guards. He wasted no time in formalities. Jogging over to kneel before the king, he quickly told them the situation.
Soronume's face paled, as Thranduil's grew more angry with every passing heartbeat. How dare Elluin embark on such a venture without his express consent? She was placing herself and her company at risk, entering into a village of Men. She would be a highly desirable hostage, for what greater prize could there be than an Elvenqueen's ransom? The foreboding in his heart, which had faded after their conversation of two nights past, returned a hundredfold.
Benavorn had barely finished his account before Thranduil turned to his wife's father. "Are you coming?"
Soronume shook his head numbly. "No. And sire, as much as it tears a hole in my heart to say so, you should not go, either."
"What?" the Elvenking demanded angrily.
"My king," Derion broke in, "on the near unthinkable chance that the Men intend ill toward the queen, it would be unwise to risk placing you both under their power."
"No power of theirs would avail them," Thranduil growled, clenching his fists.
"Please," Soronume said, the desperation in his tone managing to gain Thranduil's attention. "Send enough soldiers to make it clear that the queen is well protected. If you go yourself, sire, it will seem as if you expect antagonism. We should not give them any reasons to violate our agreements. There is, truly, little risk to Elluin—the Men could not have known that she was planning this journey, and it is quite easy to believe that they should be beset by a plague during this season and that they came honestly to seek aid. Thus, it is doubtful that her capture was their plan. But if you go, sire, and the trust between our peoples is broken, the Greenwood stands to lose much."
"Trees and animals, certainly, if not their Elven defenders," Derion expanded grimly. "All the work our Silvan council members have done to define fair limits for our trade arrangements would be overturned if the Men were to take offense."
Thranduil fumed for a few tense moments. But finally, he sputtered a reluctant agreement and marched toward the barracks in search of Cembeleg, emotions roiling behind a mask of determination.