9. Enchanting Flower
…
- Back in Rivendell -
Thranduil woke up earlier than usual that morning so he could have more time alone to revisit his thoughts. He was at his guest studio while pondering the events of the previous night.
The hearing exposed an insidious servant of Sauron who had just pledged war against them.
Additionally, other unexpected matters were brought to light, such as the re-emergence of an Elven realm they didn't know existed and the formal introduction of an elf-queen who was the sole ruler of that one nation.
Elrond requested his Elven peers and Gandalf to meet once again so they could discuss their best course of action moving forward. The conversation would not only touch on the conflict with Loitar and his minions, but it would also revolve around Reiya and her kingdom, respectively.
Moreover, they would need to figure out what sort of involvement the Red Queen would have in the upcoming war if a collaboration were to take place. Their first impressions of her would highly influence that discussion, no doubt.
Reiya had clearly won Galadriel over, judging from the senior ruler's approving comments at the hearing.
Elrond had mainly acted as a mediator between them; however, he was the first Elven ruler who openly acknowledged Reiya as queen. That action alone had spoken louder than words.
Celeborn had kept a neutral stance in the matter, but Galadriel would influence his opinions on the Lady of Fire, most likely.
That only left him as the undecided partaker in all of this.
What were his actual thoughts on the Red Queen?
To tell the truth, he was not entirely sure...
First encounters and exchanged looks aside, he did not know Reiya, nor did he know enough about her to form a compelling impression of her as a ruler yet.
Unlike his peers, trust did not come easily for Thranduil, and he was not keen on making speculations based off the unknown.
Fortunately for the Elvenking, he still had an entire day to put his thoughts together before the crucial meeting. Thus, he would do one of the things he did best: observe.
He had been solely an observer throughout the entire hearing with Reiya, and that had helped him discern several things that would have gone unnoticed by him otherwise.
Thus, he would keep studying the Red Queen and her subjects there at Imladris before coming to an admissible conclusion. And then maybe, just maybe, he would speak to the Red Queen himself.
Thranduil did know what to say to his own subordinates in the meantime, at the very least.
The king's attention peaked when someone knocked on the door.
"Enter." He commanded.
Feren and Tauriel made their way into the office and reported for duty.
Thranduil went over the initial formalities and proceeded to discuss the main issue at hand.
"We will not do anything about the Red Queen and the realm of Xandor. At least, not at the moment." He emphasized.
Tauriel and Feren looked at their king with a confused expression.
"Nothing at all, my lord?" The elleth asked, wishing to reconfirm his statement.
"Yes. Treat the Red Queen with the same level of respect and decorum as you would with any Elven ruler. The same goes for her subjects, if you were to engage with them." Thranduil explained.
The two elves nodded in understanding.
It wouldn't be the first time that Thranduil had remained indifferent to conflicts of the outside world, but the events that had transpired constituted an entirely different scenario.
Mirkwood had already been attacked by the elf-warlock's minions. Hence, those were not the sort of orders that they were expecting from the king, all things considered.
"Tauriel, the queen's claims about your presumed ancestry will not change anything either. You will keep fulfilling your role as Captain of the Guard, and nobody is to question your position following such revelations. Is that understood?" Thranduil stated with a firm tone as he narrowed his gaze at the elleth.
"Yes, my lord!" Tauriel responded.
The king nodded, then continued speaking.
"The Elven rulers will have a follow-up meeting on the morrow to decide an official course of action in this war. Until then, you two will resume your duties as usual." Thranduil explained.
Tauriel and Feren nodded in understanding.
"Very well. You may go."
Feren was the first to leave the room; however, the king had one more inquiry for Tauriel before she got a chance to make her way out.
"Tauriel."
The captain turned around at the call of her name.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Should I have any concerns about your allegiances now that this elf-queen has graced us with her presence and made her claims about you?" Thranduil asked with an inquisitive tone as he raised an eyebrow at her.
Tauriel widened her eyes slightly at the question.
She had assumed that Thranduil would request a reaffirmation of her vows now that her connection to the Sun-elves was out in the open. That much had been anticipated.
However, she was not expecting him to address the issue so soon after the audience took place. Luckily for the captain, she was ready to provide an answer—one that would ease the Elvenking's concerns and please him at the same time.
"I have accepted the notion that I am a Sun-elf by nature, my lord. I am inclined to believe Queen Reiya was not lying when she made such a claim." Tauriel stated.
Thranduil narrowed his gaze at her following such an affirmation.
"However, the Woodland Realm is my home, and you are the monarch that I serve. My commitment to you and the kingdom has not changed in that regard. I intend to continue fulfilling my duties for as long as I am capable." The captain reassured him in an assertive manner.
Thranduil was slightly relieved by the statement, but he masked his reaction rather quickly as he spoke back to her.
"Very well." The Elvenking stated with an impassive tone. "It looks like you have made the right choice in that regard, then. You are free to leave." He instructed before shifting his attention to the royal parchments on his desk.
Tauriel bowed to him and proceeded to make her way out the room.
She pondered the king's words as she was walking to her post downstairs.
The right choice?
Was Thranduil going to demand that she choose between him and Queen Reiya after those claims were made? Did he actually believe her commitment to the Woodland Realm was that fickle? Or was he just concerned that he would lose her to the Lady of Fire due to the unforeseen circumstances?
The king could be quite hard to read due to his insular demeanor.
There had been a few instances when Thranduil had opened up slightly, like the one time he comforted her as Kili laid lifeless in her arms. Nevertheless, those exceptions were very few in between.
In any case, she was just glad they had cleared all doubt regarding her allegiances and everything had gone back to normal, at least for the time being.
…
Thranduil finished inspecting the documents on his desk and stood from the chair to attend to other matters. The time had come for him to fulfill his next endeavor of the day: observe.
He made his way out of the room and stood outside, ready to undertake the task at hand.
…
The sun had not yet risen. Nonetheless, the house of Elrond was already filled with activity as several elves had begun their daily errands.
All the chamber apartments were located in a section of the manor that had a courtyard on the outside. Thranduil's chambers were on the third floor of that complex, which allowed for a good view of the whole area.
The Elvenking stepped into the exterior corridor and walked towards the fence in a regal manner. Two of his royal guards stood at each side of his chamber apartment door, keeping watch at all times.
The Woodland Realm banners, which consisted of a silver antler sigil over a green cloth, were also displayed at the door.
Thranduil contemplated his surroundings as he stood in the corridor. However, his eyes were quickly fixated on a door on the second floor that was located at the right side of the building.
Three female guards with spears stood in front of the door in question, while another pair of banners were also displayed close to it. The banners, which matched the guards' apparel colors for the most part, consisted of a golden sun sigil over a red cloth.
Thranduil raised an eyebrow in realization.
Those were the banners of the Xandorian Realm, and the Red Queen was the guest staying at that chamber apartment, most likely.
He could not help but notice the striking differences between his royal guards and Reiya's.
For one, his guards were completely uniformed. All of them presented themselves in the exact same manner, from their hairstyles to their outfits and armor.
The Xandorian royal guards also wore the same apparel, but each of them had a slightly different hairstyle, suggesting that Reiya had either allowed or encouraged some degree of individuality amongst them.
There was also the manner in which the two units conducted their watch duties.
The members of his King's Guard were always vigilant, but they displayed a calm demeanor that helped them blend in the background when they were on call.
The Xandorian Queen's Guard was completely different in that regard, however. Those ellith appeared to be somewhat on edge, and there was an underlying intensity to them.
He was not entirely sure if all the Xandorian guards presented themselves in such a manner due to the ongoing war. Nevertheless, it seemed like those ellith deliberately wished for their presence to be known, and they were ready to retaliate against anyone who dared harm their queen.
That trait was especially apparent in the guard that stood in the middle of the other two. She was the tallest amongst them and seemed to be the most experienced warrior out of the bunch. Her uniform also displayed additional iconography compared to the other guards; likely a symbol of a higher rank of sorts.
She was constantly on alert and looked ready to engage in combat at any given moment, if necessary.
Thranduil's attention was further peaked when the guard in question stepped to the side and turned her gaze towards the chamber entrance.
The door was gradually opened, and the one elleth who had spurred so many questions in the king's mind over the last couple of days finally made her appearance.
Thranduil's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the Red Queen in all her splendor.
That was Reiya, no doubt. However, the way she presented herself at that moment was notably different from before.
The queen clasped her hands over her waist in a courtly manner and stood in front of the fence on that one floor as she contemplated the scene downstairs.
Reiya was wearing a red velvet dress with a wide neckline that contained golden-laced ornaments and a sun-shaped brooch at the bottom tip of it.
Similar to his robes and Galadriel's garments, her sleeves and skirt extended all the way to the floor sliding slightly behind her feet, giving her a majestic look that distinguished Elven rulers from all the other beings in Middle-earth.
She was also wearing a gold jewelry set that consisted of a girdle belt accentuating her waist; a ring in her right index finger displaying the Xandorian sun insignia; a pair of Elven ear cuffs with ornamented chained links; earrings with green pendants; and a crown circlet with an emerald stone, which complemented her bright green eyes and long red hair.
Thranduil was startled by the view.
The Lady of Fire could burn anyone and anything that stood in her way, and yet she looked as graceful and refined as a delicate flower in that particular moment.
Reiya had been fierce fighting against Loitar's monsters. However, she was quite feminine when presenting herself as a queen and noble lady, it seemed; even more so than other ladies of station, as far as he could recall.
Her beauty had already caught his eye before, but that semblance of hers had been completely unexpected for him, in all honesty. She looked so... enchanting.
Thranduil's face hardened when he remembered the main purpose of his task.
Reiya was a queen from distant lands who wielded a terrifying power, and he was there merely to observe her in order to gather information. He couldn't allow himself to get distracted by irrelevant matters.
Having cleared his thoughts, Thranduil continued paying close attention to the queen with that objective in mind.
The Lady of Fire made her way to the first floor, followed closely by her royal guards.
Once she stepped into the courtyard, the Xandorian male soldiers rapidly formed two lines in between the pathway leading to the fountain at the center.
Another higher-ranked soldier stood at the end of the formation with his back to the fountain, while Reiya's maids also waited for her nearby.
"All hail the queen!" The higher-ranked soldier exclaimed at the moment Reiya made her appearance.
The other soldiers immediately placed a fist on their left shoulder and kneeled to the Lady of Fire when she walked amongst them. Her maids followed suit and bowed to her in a courtly manner.
Reiya's steps were gentle but assertive, as she displayed her immaculate presence with each stride.
Her all-female Queen's Guard unit followed her proudly, making for an even more impressive sight to behold.
Reiya walked past the higher-ranked soldier and stood in front of the fountain. Her subjects then turned in her direction and looked at the sky as the sun rose on the horizon and its light graced their faces.
"The flames of hope and the radiant sun shine upon us all on this day. Let us remember those who sacrificed themselves so life could prevail. May they rest in peace and be praised by the Valar for their heroic deeds." Reiya stated, creating flames over her palms as she raised her hands towards the sun and closed her then-shimmering scarlet eyes.
All her subjects followed suit, joining her in the peculiar costume.
Everybody else in the surrounding areas had momentarily stopped their activities to witness the rare Xandorian ritual with intrigue and wonder.
Soon after, Reiya's flames dissipated from her hands, and the scarlet glow left her eyes when she opened them.
The Sun-elves then shifted their attention back to the queen as she turned around to speak with the higher-ranked soldier who had announced her entrance.
"Lieutenant." Reiya addressed him with a kind smile on her face.
"My queen." He replied with a discrete smile of his own as he proceeded to speak to her.
Thranduil, who had been silently observing the whole scene with a neutral expression, raised an eyebrow at the exchange of greetings between the Lady of Fire and her lieutenant.
That expression of hers had been a bit too friendly for greeting a mere subordinate.
Thranduil looked even more confused by the rare display of familiarity between the two culprits when Reiya extended her hands slightly to the ellon.
Acknowledging the cue, the Xandorian lieutenant held her hands in a somewhat intimate but respectful manner as they continued speaking and smiling to one another rather informally.
What was the significance behind such a gesture?
Was that ellon a friend of hers? Or a lover, perhaps?...
Thranduil's intuition was leaning more towards the first assumption. Nevertheless, that lieutenant seemed to hold a level of trust with the Red Queen that clearly transcended his station. That bit of insight could prove useful in the future, perhaps.
The conversation between Reiya and her subordinate seemed to have shifted towards a more serious topic when he handed her a map scroll of sorts.
The lieutenant took an opportunity to scan their surroundings while she inspected the map momentarily.
Driven by his sharp sense of awareness, he directed his gaze to the third floor and raised an eyebrow when he realized the Elvenking was looking at them quite closely. Oddly enough, the king's attention appeared to be mainly fixated on Lady Reiya, for some reason.
Thranduil turned his sight to the Xandorian lieutenant almost immediately and glared at him rather coldly.
Slightly confused by the king's ill-tempered reaction, the ellon discreetly diverted his eyes away from him.
Reiya handed the map back to her subordinate soon after and nodded approvingly. The ellon nodded in response, and they smiled at each other once again as they continued discussing other matters.
Thranduil had been so immersed in his observations that he did not notice the Elven ruler of the highest station walking close by in the corridor.
He was aware that Galadriel and Celeborn were also lodged on the third floor, but he had not seen or spoken to either of them since the hearing took place the previous night.
Galadriel stopped walking ahead of him in the corridor and looked at the scene downstairs. She then looked at him briefly and smiled to herself as she went to join him, standing at a respectful distance.
"King Thranduil." The Lady of Lórien greeted him politely.
Thranduil was slightly startled by her sudden appearance, but he collected himself rather quickly and returned her greetings.
"Lady Galadriel." He stated with his impassive demeanor, bowing respectfully to her.
The two Elven rulers shifted their attention back to Reiya and remained silent for a brief moment until the Lady of Light voiced her thoughts.
"The sun is shining brighter than usual this morning, don't you think?" Galadriel stated with a light smile on her face while looking at Reiya engaging with her people.
"Yes, it is." Thranduil answered in a nonchalant manner, not really grasping the intention behind such a remark, as he got distracted by the sight of the Red Queen yet again.
Galadriel discretely chuckled at his reaction, or rather lack thereof, and continued pressing her case.
"Why don't you go down there and ask her?" She inquired, now being more specific about the object of the king's attention.
Thranduil's eyes widened slightly, knowing quite well who Galadriel was talking about.
"Ask her what, exactly?" He inquired with a confused expression.
"The various things that you so eagerly wish to know about her." Galadriel responded, turning her face towards him as her secretive smile remained unchanged.
Thranduil's gaze remained on Reiya as he contemplated an answer.
He had never been enthusiastic about Galadriel's ability to read minds in every situation. Sure, her power was highly valuable when they needed to gain insight into unforseen threats. However, he did not appreciate the way she would intrude his thoughts at every turn because he was a very private elf and preferred keeping things to himself for the most part, regardless of the senior ruler's acclaimed wisdom.
He did wish to know more about Reiya, of course. That was the whole point of his observation task. However, his goal was not to engage directly with the Red Queen at that moment.
Not wishing to go into much detail, Thranduil proceeded to answer her question rather objectively.
"It is not the time for that yet. There is still much to consider." He left it at that.
"I see…" Galadriel replied, directing her attention back to the scene downstairs.
Reiya gave one last look of approval to her lieutenant before he exited the fountain area, followed by his unit of soldiers.
The Red Queen then proceeded to speak with her maids in the same welcoming manner.
"She is rather… different, isn't she?" Galadriel pointed out. "All the elements may have originated from the same source of life, but the nature of fire is much more exuberant than that of light." She added looking at the Elvenking from the corner of her eye.
Thranduil contemplated her words for a brief moment.
Reiya did seem to be somewhat untraditional in the way she approached her people. However, he was not entirely sure why Galadriel had made that one comment to begin with.
He did not often have conversations with the Lady of Lórien due to that distinctive quirk—her cryptic way of speaking; a common trait among Noldor elves like herself, which Sindar elves like his late father considered quite unpractical for the purpose of ruling.
Henceforth, Thranduil did not respond to Galadriel's remarks, but instead asked one of the questions that he had been on his mind since Reiya revealed her identity.
"Can she be trusted?" He inquired with a hardened expression while looking at the Red Queen.
"You must decide that for yourself, as should we all, King Thranduil." Galadriel responded in a thoughtful manner. "Nonetheless, I can tell you this with certainty; her heart is genuine." She emphasized with a light smile on her face once again as she looked at him.
Thranduil raised an eyebrow at Galadriel following her comment.
That statement had not eased his doubts, to tell the truth. After all, he had seen many individuals with a genuine heart commit acts of great evil in the name of good. Thus, a genuine heart was not necessarily a reliable measure of trustworthiness, as far as he could tell.
Choosing not to comment on such a remark, Thranduil bowed to the Lady of Lórien apologetically, then parted ways.
His conversation with Galadriel did not provide the clarity that he had hoped for, so he decided to take some time alone to collect his thoughts on everything he had seen that morning.
Galadriel watched as the king discretely retreated to his chamber apartment, then she smiled to herself.
It was quite evident that Thranduil had not yet figured out why he was so drawn to the Lady of Fire in the first place. It certainly did not have everything to do with the war or his concerns regarding the realm of Xandor, as he might have believed.
Galadriel shifted her attention back to Reiya as she was making her way to one of the waterfall bridges in the manor, followed closely behind by her royal guards.
Thus, the Lady of Light proceeded to walk downstairs in order to speak with the one elleth that had captured Thranduil's interest so fervently, even if he'd never openly admit to it.
She wished to share a few thoughts of her own with the Red Queen and hear her side of things as well.
…
The areas surrounding the Bruinen river were slightly cooler than other locations at the manor. Thus, the occasional bypassers wore additional layers of clothing when they were in close proximity to the currents of water.
Following suit, Galadriel put her ornate white hood on as she approached the waterfall bridge.
The members of the Xandorian Queen's Guard bowed to the Lady of Lórien with the utmost respect when she walked amongst them. As expected, all of them were quite aware of who Galadriel was and the importance of her many deeds throughout the history of Middle-earth.
Reiya stood in the middle of the bridge while gazing at the waterfall. She also had her Krisha hood on, which complemented her royal dress really well.
Her attention peaked when the senior ruler made her presence known.
"Queen Reiya." Galadriel greeted her with a gentle smile, placing her hand over her shoulder and bowing slightly.
"Lady Galadriel." Reiya returned the greeting with a kind smile of her own as she performed her customary royal salute in reverent fashion.
"It is a privilege to meet the Lady of Fire." Galadriel remarked in a welcoming manner.
"As it is an honor to speak with the Lady of Light." Reiya replied with the same courtesy.
Their exchange of greetings might have been a brief one, but it was still one filled with much significance.
After all, Galadriel was now the second Elven ruler who had officially acknowledged Reiya as queen in a direct interaction with her. Understandably, the gesture did not go unnoticed by the Krisha herself and the other elves standing nearby.
The two ellith turned their attention to the waterfall and pondered their thoughts for a brief moment.
It was quite mysterious—the way life could bring people from different paths together. Galadriel was the eldest and wisest Elven ruler alive in Middle-earth, while Reiya was now the youngest and most novel of them all.
Despite their differences in age and temperament, the female rulers possessed a great power that emerged from the same divine source. Thus, the Lady of Fire and the Lady of Light would always share an unspoken bond that transcended their distinct upbringings and time itself.
Galadriel proceeded to speak as she initiated a more personal conversation with the Red Queen.
"How are you finding your stay here at Imladris, your grace?" The Lady of Lórien asked.
"My time here has been quite fruitful, my lady. Lord Elrond's hospitality is highly regarded." Reiya stated with a smile.
"Glad to hear that." The senior ruler pointed out.
Both of them remained quiet for another moment before Galadriel continued to speak.
"The ritual that you and your people performed this morning was quite compelling to watch. What is the meaning behind it?" Galadriel asked with a keen interest, turning her face towards the younger ruler.
"Oh yes… That ritual holds much significance to us." Reiya pointed out in a reflective manner. "We named it 'Flames of Sunrise'. The custom is meant to pay tribute to our fallen comrades and loved ones. Each morning we remember the doom, and all of those who sacrificed their lives so the rest of us could survive the Fall of the Old Kingdom and continue on living. It is those memories of bravery and sacrifice that inspire us to keep up the fight against the evil threatening Middle-earth at this very moment." Reiya's expression turned visibly solemn as she explained herself.
"Interesting." Galadriel responded directing her gaze to the waterfall once again. "Your subjects are quite devoted to you, as they are to such a cause, it seems. I assume your whole realm has always been on board in making a stand against the elf-warlock?" She inquired.
"They have indeed, my lady. I am fortunate enough to count with the full support of my people in that regard." Reiya confirmed.
"And yet, despite their willingness to stand with their queen, you have taken it upon yourself to defeat this evil at all costs, even at the expense of your own life?" Galadriel stated as she dug deeper into the queen's thoughts.
Reiya widened her eyes following the elder elleth's comment.
That statement had hit something very personal for her. Nevertheless, she collected herself and her features were more visibly relaxed as she provided an answer.
"I am a Krisha and Queen of Xandor, my lady. Whether by fate or timing, I am the one wielding the power of the Sacred Flame at this very moment. Loitar will lead Middle-earth to its demise if he is not stopped definitively. Thus, you are correct in that regard." The queen stated. "I have taken it upon myself to see that he is defeated once and for all, and I would willingly give my life for the task, should it come to it."
Galadriel smiled at the queen's determination.
"You are very brave, your majesty. That goes without question." The senior ruler responded. "I do have a few thoughts that I'd like to share with you in that regard, however. Some-"
Galadriel suddenly stopped talking when a vision began playing in her mind without notice.
Fire… Death… Destruction… Darkness all around... A girl elfling with green eyes and red hair standing in the middle of it all. Her eyes shocked… scared… terrified. Her soul … broken.
Galadriel's eyes narrowed slightly when the sight finally came to an end.
The little elfing in her vision was Reiya most definitely, and what she saw must have been one of the queen's childhood memories. Moreover, that memory in particular was so vivid in Reiya's mind that her telepathic power picked on it somehow.
The incident in question must have caused some sort of trauma for the queen, and the memories linked to it still haunted her as an adult, it seemed.
Galadriel wondered to what extent that one incident had shaped Reiya's views on the ongoing war. Nonetheless, her intuition was hinting that the task of finding that out was for somebody else to undertake. Someone closer.
"Lady Galadriel, is everything alright?" Reiya asked with a questioning look as she watched the senior ruler go silent all of a sudden.
"Yes, I am well. Apologies, Queen Reiya." Galadriel excused herself. "My mind was just... scattered for a brief moment, but everything is fine now." She reassured her.
Reiya raised an eyebrow in wonder, but she chose not to push the issue further and overlooked the gesture.
"What I was meaning to tell you is that some tasks for the greater good might end up claiming the lives of those undertaking them. That much is true." Galadriel stated. "However, death is not always the answer or the only measure to succeed, your grace. Perhaps other alternative pathways might be at play?" She shifted her attention back to the waterfall as she said that.
Reiya looked at the floor with a solemn expression on her face, seemingly deliberating Galadriel's words. However, her thoughts were soon interrupted when the Lady of Lórien shifted their conversation to a completely unexpected subject.
"King Thranduil told us about the events that transpired at Mirkwood." Galadriel remarked, smiling in a more deliberate manner.
Reiya gazed back at the waterfall, looking slightly confused by the sudden shift in their conversation.
"It was quite peculiar, the way you two first crossed paths?" Galadriel pointed out, looking at the queen with a bit of an inquiring smile.
"It was indeed, my lady…" Reiya responded in a discrete manner, as she wondered why Galadriel had brought the Elvenking into the conversation so suddenly.
"I had the opportunity to meet Lord Thranduil when he was merely an elf-prince. The passing of his father, Oropher, and the fall of their army at the Battle of Dagorlad were quite unfortunate. Nonetheless, that young ellon took on his father's mantle soon after the tragic incident, and he grew up to be a mighty king who now commands the largest army of elves in Middle-earth at this point in time. Or so, that was the estimation before your realm was revealed to us, Lady Reiya. I assume changes are soon to unfold?" Galadriel smiled as she narrated the tale.
Reiya raised an eyebrow slightly as Galadriel continued to speak.
"Thranduil's father resented Noldor elves like myself, and the members of the White Council have had their fair share of differences with the Elvenking himself over the years. However, Lord Thranduil has always responded to our call every time he's been summoned, and his merits as a ruler have been well-earned. Hence, those merits are the reason why I believe he will have an important role to play in this war." Galadriel stated in a reflective manner.
Reiya's expression had turned to one of confusion at that point.
She expected Galadriel to be cordial and respectful to all the Elven rulers alike, considering her station. However, she did not foresee her holding the Elvenking to such a high regard, to tell the truth.
Her mind suddenly went blank when Galadriel made an even more unexpected comment.
"You were already aware of some of the king's deeds. And yet, you do not intend to speak to him, it seems?" Galadriel asked turning her face towards the queen while smiling in her customary secretive manner.
Reiya's eyes widened as she realized the Lady of Light had read further into her thoughts. She collected herself once again as she contemplated a reply.
The idea of speaking with Thranduil had not really crossed her mind, in all honesty.
She did not hold any grudges against the Elvenking for their chaotic first encounter that night at Mirkwood. After all, she was a monarch just like him. Thus, she understood the king's urgency to protect his people and his lands from outsiders at that particular moment.
Nevertheless, that encounter and the events that followed after was also the one reason why she believed avoiding the king altogether was the proper course of action to avoid any further frictions with him.
Judging from her impressions, Thranduil did not seem to be fond of her presence, and the king did not look pleased at all when she came forth with her revelations at the hearing.
Hence, why fuel unnecessary fires where there were none?
Being already set on her choice of words, Reiya turned her face towards Galadriel as she delivered a sincere but modest answer.
"My inaction in that regard comes from an absence of need as other more urgent matters are taking precedence at this time, my lady. An exchange with the Elvenking would not be fruitful in helping resolve those any sooner, I'm afraid." The queen explained.
"Hmm… I see." Galadriel responded directing her gaze back to the waterfall.
She could tell that Reiya's answer had been an honest one, even though the elleth had withheld some of her reasons, it seemed.
Opting to seek further confirmation on a particular matter, Galadriel voiced one of the inquiries that she wished to address from the very beginning.
"And if the Elvenking was in need of your presence throughout the course of this war, what would you do then, your grace?" Galadriel asked with a somewhat serious expression, observing the queen from the corner of her eye.
Reiya pondered the question as more inquiries filled her mind.
Why would Thranduil need her when he had successfully ensured the protection of his realm without the input of other rulers? Moreover, he did not seem to approve of her measures pursued throughout the war either, based off his reactions at the hearing.
To top it all, the Elvenking had not approached her up until that moment—not even to extend a greeting for the mere sake of diplomacy. That spoke loudly about his stance with her at that moment, which did not seem to be favorable by any means.
Hence, Reiya remained unconvinced by the possibility that Thranduil might be in need of her presence at any given moment, and firm on her belief that there was no compelling reason for her to seek him out either.
Coming to such conclusions, the queen voiced her answer.
"I am standing right here as we speak, my lady." Reiya stated with her gaze still on the waterfall. She then gradually turned her face towards Galadriel and concluded her statement. "If the Elvenking wishes to have a word with me, he knows where to find me." She simply remarked with an assertive expression.
Galadriel raised an eyebrow at the Lady of Fire as she had made her stance clear.
It seemed like Reiya was not entirely opposed to speaking with Thranduil, but he would have to do his part by approaching her first.
The Lady of Light chuckled lowly at the two monarchs' obstinance and hesitation to seek one another.
Having made her point, Reiya smiled cordially at the senior ruler and bowed to her apologetically before walking out of the waterfall area, followed by her royal guards.
Galadriel looked back at the waterfall as she kept contemplating her thoughts.
She could see why the Red Queen had ignited Thranduil's interest to such a degree.
Reiya's inner fire burned strong in the midst of all the darkness hovering over them, like a spark kindling life in the face of death. That quality alone forged a distinctive strength of character that was quite unique to the Krisha.
Perhaps that inner fire of hers was awakening something in him that had been dormant for thousands of years.
In any case, only time would reveal how all the pieces of the puzzle were meant to fit together as fate played its course.
And so, the Lady of Light left the waterfall bridge with a renewed sense of appreciation for the bonds that she cherished since they were about to face another evil in Arda.
Galadriel joined her husband Celeborn for the rest of the day as they met with several noble elves from Imladris who wished to pay their respects.
…
A/N: And the stubbornness continues.
In the first few chapters, we got to see a bit of Reiya's warrior persona. Now, we will get to meet a different side of the queen; the noble lady and diplomat :). Hence, Thranduil went from upset to confused, haha.
Galadriel being savvy as heck with these two. She knows what's up lol.