"This is interesting," Gudrun said between mouthfuls of venison. "I am unfamiliar with this seasoning."
"It is called wild garlic. It grows abundantly in the southern part of the Greenwood," Elluin answered, passing a platter of roasted vegetables to the old woman further down the table.
Thranduil remained mostly silent throughout the meal, as did all of Gudrun's companions, allowing the Elvenqueen and the Woman to converse. They kept to the topic of food, for the most part—herbs found in their realms, farming practices, and how they prepared what they hunted to eat. There were strictly no specifics about numbers or difficulty, for that would be too much like business. Pedirion's research was, it seems, still relevant in this area. Gudrun spoke the Common Tongue rather well, though her accent and cadence differed from what was usually heard in Rhovanion.
When at last all their guests had set their dishes aside and had politely declined further helpings, Elluin gestured for servants to clear the table. Thranduil became hopeful that he would be able to join the conversation at last, to discover the reason for the foreigners' visit. But he had a while to wait, yet.
"So, Elvenqueen," Gudrun began in a friendly tone, "you may not know there are Elves that live in the forests beside the Sea of Rhun."
Thranduil's eyebrows rose. "Are they of the Avari?"
Gudrun furrowed her brows as she regarded the Elvenking. Turning to Elluin, she asked, "You allow him to speak at your table?"
None of the books had mentioned this custom. It must have been something more recently developed in their culture. Thranduil was about to voice his offense when Elluin quickly forestalled him by setting a gentle hand on the table in front of him.
"I know it must not seem so to you at the moment, good lady," she told Gudrun with a conspiratorial smile. "But my husband is usually impeccably polite at table. I'm afraid that our customs differ in this regard from yours. Our men are at liberty to participate in dinner time conversations here in Greenwood."
Gudrun snorted. "Well, it is not our way, but I suppose each woman will do as she pleases in her own home."
Elluin briefly bowed her head in acknowledgment, hiding a glance toward Thranduil. In it, he read her resignation to leading the questions on her own. He clenched his jaw but remained silent.
"Now, Lady Gudrun," Elluin continued, "do tell me of those Elves."
The Woman seemed pleased that she would not be imposed upon to endure a male interjecting his thoughts where they would not be welcome. "I do not know their heritage, but they have been living in that forest since the first dawn, they said. I do not know if that means anything to you—our histories do not go back so far. Those Elves sometimes treat with my people and seldom with other neighboring tribes, but generally I think they do not look on us favorably."
"Most Elves tend to keep to their own affairs," Elluin said mildly. Thranduil would probably have mentioned the Noldor and the meddling with realms outside their own that contributed to their downfall, and then pointed out those of Greenwood's policies that would protect his sovereignty while allowing for favorable agreements with friendly foreign entities. Elluin, however, simply took another sip of wine and sat listening, as if she were conversing with a friend instead of a potential threat to their realm.
"I thought as much," Gudrun answered, "until your trade representatives approached us about our wine." The Woman chuckled. "Or were we the catalyst for some change in your policies?"
Elluin smirked. "Dorwinion wine is powerful in many ways, Lady Gudrun, that is certain. We had never before traded with a realm so distant as yours."
Gudrun nodded with a satisfied smile. "Now, those Elves in the forest of my homeland…" She leaned forward slightly, her expression becoming serious. "They told us that your people can be trusted, if only you do not attempt to sway us in any way politically. They have in their histories stories of other Elves who have tried to rule over Middle Earth, to the detriment of many."
The Elvenqueen hummed in understanding. "You know, we have the same stories." She dared a glance at Thranduil, who was trying his best to keep his face blank. Pedirion had told them that business was not to be discussed at the table. How was Elluin to manage continuing this conversation when the Woman had laid this trap? He swallowed his offense once again and gave Elluin a nod so small that only she would perceive it.
Her eyes softened in gratitude, and Thranduil knew she sensed his encouragement and his belief in her.
"I was under the impression that we would not be discussing trade conditions this early in our visit," Elluin said calmly. "But I will say again that Elves tend to keep to their own affairs. How Men govern themselves is of no concern to us."
Gudrun nodded thoughtfully.
"There was, in fact, an incident only yesterday evening that will prove as much," Elluin continued mildly. "Another tribe of Rhun attacked a settlement of Men that is one of our trade partners when their defenses were weakened from plague."
"Did you interfere?" Gudrun asked, a little too quickly. Thranduil knew then that the Woman was aware of the plan to attack, if not the outcome. He saw the warrior Man's muscles tense from down the table as he cast a surreptitious glance toward his mistress. Here was the danger, then. Elluin's answer would determine whether peaceful trade with Gudrun's tribe could continue, or whether they had just opened their doors to an enemy.
"Those warriors made the mistake of attacking the settlement of Stony Bend while I was in it," Elluin said, looking soberly at the Woman. "They had asked for our help as healers, which I granted, and I was still at work there with a few of my ladies when the attack began. You will understand, then, that Greenwood's forces were deployed to protect me and my charges."
Gudrun pursed her lips. "I understand what a realm would do to protect its queen." She finally met Thranduil's steely gaze, much too boldly for his liking, but he allowed his satisfaction at his soldiers' victory to show on his face. The Woman narrowed her eyes slightly. "I take it that the warriors of my homeland were, then, unsuccessful in their endeavors?"
"I'm afraid so," Elluin answered gravely, again preventing Thranduil from speaking. "But my people are not merciless. Those Men of Rhun who relinquished the attack were permitted to flee safely."
"Merciful, indeed," Gudrun said shortly. She was obviously not pleased with the news, but there was resignation in her manner.
Good, Thranduil thought. The Woman could not find fault in Greenwood's involvement.
There was a long pause during which Gudrun took a slow sip of her wine and studied the room absently as she thought. At last, she sighed and set her glass down, seeming to have come to a decision on how to proceed.
"There is an old man who has acted as advisor to the rulers of my tribe for many generations," she mentioned at last, sighing. "The name we call him, in our tongue, means 'Arrogant Bearded One,' but he says he was once known as Morinehtar. He asked me to bring you a message."
"Oh?" Elluin's face held curious confusion, and Thranduil knew his own did, also.
"He says that under his watch, the regions north of the Sea of Rhun are protected from the influences of the one who was defeated in the south." She raised a brow wryly. "He also encourages you to empty your treasury to me without reserve."
Thranduil's heart froze. The defeated one was, undoubtedly, Sauron. The Elves had discovered long since that at least one of the Nine Ringwraiths, high among the servants of Sauron, was a great lord among the Men of Rhun at one time. Khamul was his name, once, and he was so much an influence in the region that Sauron still had many followers there. Thranduil himself fought against the armies of Rhun who came at the Dark Lord's call in the War of the Last Alliance.
But Rhun was not a nation—it was a region connected by independent tribes that shared a language and, for the most part, a culture. And this, clearly, was an opportunity for people such as this Morinehtar to keep Sauron from bringing the whole region under his sway. Thranduil, through his surprise, felt a wave of peace overcome him. The money he gave Gudrun's tribe in trade, he now knew, would never go toward funding armies loyal to the Dark Lord, if he were ever to call upon them again.
He took his wife's hand under the table in a leisurely way, and squeezed her fingers gently.
Elluin smiled at their guests. "I thank you sincerely for the message, Lady Gudrun. It is a great comfort to us. I think that with advisors such as your Arrogant Bearded One, there is even less cause for the rulers among Elves to meddle in your political dealings. Now, I think, it is time for some entertainment. Will you join us in the courtyard for some music and dancing after the manner of our people?"
Gudrun readily agreed, perking up at the invitation. The evening, to everyone's relief, was spent dancing under the stars. Most of the Men in Gudrun's company that had not been invited into the throne room were among them. Even the old couple joined for a while, with allowances made by their Elven partners for their more sluggish steps. And though the Silvans kept some measure of restraint in the company of the strangers, they made an admirable show of Silvan merrymaking that Thranduil knew his guests would not soon forget.
~.~.~
Pedirion reviewed his entry in the log book one more time before sliding the newly finalized trade agreement into its designated area, in the records room within the library of Greenwood. He locked the door as he stepped out, feeling, he thought, much too pleased with himself. His pleasure at the success of the visit from Lady Gudrun and her court was still plastered on his face as he set the key on the desk in Galion's office.
The steward looked up from his own logs, appearing quite offended by the interruption. "Wipe that smirk off your face, librarian," Galion said with all the seriousness of a bobbing daisy. "Our sovereigns navigate threats of war every day, do they not?"
Pedirion blinked in surprise, staring for several moments at the grave expression on the steward's face. But then, he caught the twinkle in the old ellon's eye. And the twinkle turned into a hearty chuckle as he rose and clapped Pedirion on the back. "I jest, my friend. None before have proven their worth in the royal household so quickly as you. Well done, indeed."
"Thank you, Lord Galion," Pedirion said, touched by the compliment from an Elf that he knew was usually rather severe.
"I hope our sovereigns recognized your contribution?"
"They did," he replied with pride, "as I suspect you already know, my lord. The king and queen have commissioned a desk for me. If Lord Soronume's sketches are at all accurate, it will be the envy of any librarian on the Hither Shores."
"I do know," Galion conceded, and though he grumbled, there was a smile on his face. "I will endeavor not to begrudge you your success as I work at this ancient slab of wood." He fondly kicked his own desk beside him.
Pedirion allowed his eyes to travel over the surface, well worn but obviously lovingly maintained. "How many years of service has it given you thus far?"
Galion blew out a stream of air as he calculated, his eyes bright with memories. "Nigh on four hundred years, I believe. I've registered my share of decrees in that time, to be sure. Not all of them happy."
"Well, I hope the happy ones far outweigh the unpleasant ones, now that we have both King Thranduil and Queen Elluin to guard and guide the realm."
"And to provide us with such excellent wine," Galion added with a grin, abandoning thoughts of the past in favor of picking up a bottle from a small table in the corner. "Will you have a cup with me, Pedirion, to celebrate your part in obtaining it?"
"Most gladly, my lord. But all credit where it is due. I will drink to the king and queen of Greenwood."
"Quite so. To the king and queen!"