21.Opposites

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- At Mirkwood -

Fortunately for the Sun-elves, the company was not ambushed on their way to the Woodland Realm, and the trip had gone smoothly enough, given the circumstances.

Just like Reiya and Eldrec forecast, there were Mirkwood guards already in formation at both sides of the road when the Xandorian party got to the bridge in front of the fort gate.

Tauriel, Feren, and Galion were also at the gate area, awaiting the Sun-elves' arrival.

Galion and many of the Mirkwood scouts widened their eyes at the sight of the Red Queen riding her massive dire tiger since that was their very first time witnessing such a creature.

The more reserved Feren kept a neutral expression, and Tauriel smiled lightly at the familiar scene.

Once the Xandorians made it all the way through the bridge, Reiya raised her hand, gesturing for the company to halt. She then dismounted Veryo and went to meet the Mirkwood subjects at the gate area.

"Mae lovannen (Well met), Queen Reiya." Tauriel smiled and bowed to her. "It is such an honor to have you visit our realm and count with your counsel at this time of need, my lady."

"Suilad (Greetings), Captain Tauriel. It is good to see you again as well." Reiya smiled back at the elleth and performed her royal salute. "The honor is all mine for receiving an invitation of such distinction from the Woodland Realm. I cherish the opportunity to help eradicate the lurking evil in any way possible." She remarked.

Tauriel nodded in acknowledgement, then proceeded to introduce Feren and Galion before sharing further instructions.

Per the king's orders, Reiya's dire tiger would be allowed to remain in the Mirkwood forest, and Tauriel was to escort the Lady of Fire to him once the Xandorian company was settled.

Reiya gestured understanding and asked for a brief moment so she could set Veryo free.

The queen walked back to her mount companion and took the creature's large head in her hands as she voiced soothing commands.

"Veryo, you are free to roam this forest, but do not venture too far off, okay? You should still remain close enough to hear my call whenever I am in need of you." She instructed.

The dire tiger moaned lowly in response, and Reiya smiled at him in a nurturing manner.

"We will see each other again soon, friend." She stated.

Veryo chuffed and rubbed his head against the queen's shoulder in a gentle display of affection.

Reiya's smile remained unchanged as she petted the creature's head slightly.

"Very well. Off you go." She instructed.

The dire tiger moaned a bit louder then turned around to make his way into the forest.

Most of the Sun-elves smiled at the whole scene, while the Mirkwood scouts stared at the massive creature in awe as it faded behind the vast trees.

Once Veryo was out of sight, Reiya shifted her attention back to the elleth in front of her.

"We are ready to proceed as instructed, Captain Tauriel. Lead the way." She stated with a light smile.

Tauriel smiled back at her and nodded.

"Understood, my lady. Follow me."

- Somewhere in the dark -

Fernor frowned at his insects' projections when they showed the Krisha and her company entering the Elvenking's Halls.

Prompted by a sense of urgency, he left his quarters rapidly and went to request an emergency summit with Loitar and the other Dark Generals to discuss the latest development.

In the meantime, the flying insects continued recording the events unfolding at the gate of the northern Elven settlement.

- At Mirkwood -

Tauriel took the Xandorian party inside the palace and led the queen's subjects to their designated rooms.

Once they reached their destination, all of them had a brief break then began unpacking their bags.

Thus, the captain proceeded to escort Reiya and a smaller fraction of her company to the Elvenking, while Feren and Galion stood behind to help accommodate the rest of their visitors.

Eldrec, Urien, and Zila were in the Xandorian convoy heading to the throne floor. They were also joined by four Spear-maidens and two ladies-in-waiting carrying some of the queen's belongings, including Toby's puppy bag.

Reiya and her subjects took an opportunity to contemplate their surroundings more closely as they were making their way through the cavernous halls of the Elvenking.

The Mirkwood palace was much different from their own royal estate back home. Furthermore, the interiors of the palace did not provide as many open spaces as the Xandorians were used to.

They also sensed several Wood-elves watching them from nearby areas.

Some of them seemed intrigued by the sight, while others appeared more suspicious of their presence, in spite of the fact that the whole realm had already been informed about the Sun-elves' visit, as stated by Tauriel.

Even in the midst of the few unwelcome stares, the Mirkwood servants paid their respects to Reiya and bowed to her per their customs as she made her way through.

The Xandorian group politely responded to their courtesies and ignored the suspicious looks altogether. They were already aware of the distrusting nature of Wood-elves, so their mixed reactions had been expected to some degree.

The convoy followed Tauriel through multiple passages and small bridges before taking a path towards the center structure of the palace.

At one point, Reiya was able to distinguish a pair of folded legs from the side sitting in a chair of sorts on the highest floor.

Figuring that was the king most likely, she discreetly averted her gaze as she preferred reserving direct contact with the fellow monarch for their actual face-to-face encounter.

Tauriel eventually stopped at the structure preceding the throne floor.

Reiya and their subjects also halted and tilted their heads up to contemplate the scene in front of them.

Zila and her Spear-maidens remained neutral at the sight; Eldrec narrowed his gaze slightly at the figure sitting in the ornate chair, and the rest of the ellith in the group, including Urien, parted their lips in surprise.

Even Toby took a small peak, as he lifted his small head from the puppy bag.

Reiya's demeanor went completely still when she glanced at the Elvenking. He remained seated on his high throne, surrounded by his own royal guards.

Unsurprisingly, Thranduil's calculating gaze had already been fixed on her since the moment she stepped into the lower platform, and his expression was as emotionless as ever.

"Lady Reiya?"

All the Sun-elves shifted their attention to Tauriel as she addressed their monarch.

"The king awaits your presence on the throne floor, your majesty. You are more than welcome to take your company up there with you, if you see it fit." She stated.

"Understood. Thank you for your assistance and courtesies, Captain Tauriel. Much appreciated." Reiya responded, smiling kindly at the elleth.

Tauriel returned the smile and bowed to her, then stepped aside so the queen could walk up the stairs whenever she was ready.

Reiya's expression shifted to one of calm awareness as she spread her arms slightly.

Understanding her cue, Urien walked to her friend and gently helped adjust her bell sleeves.

The queen then addressed her two ladies-in-waiting as she voiced further instructions.

"Rineth, Erial, I wish to wear my golden wedge sandals and anklets at this time. Would you be kind enough to assist me in putting those on? It will help save time." Reiya stated.

"Yes, my lady!" The two ellith responded in unison as they took the requested items from the bags that they were carrying and approached the queen.

Eldrec extended an elbow at Reiya for support while her ladies-in-waiting carefully removed her traveling boots and put the wedge sandals and anklets on.

Thranduil, who had been quietly studying the queen since she made her appearance, raised an eyebrow at her sudden actions. Being the observant ellon that he was, he couldn't help but notice the subtle but visible differences in her semblance that day.

The golden crown circlet that Reiya was wearing at the time had three emerald stones, with the one in the middle being slightly larger than the other two.

Likewise, her golden cuffs and earrings were clearly meant to complement the crown circlet, as they exhibited matching green gems.

The queen's red velvet dress was slightly more intricate than the ones she had worn before. Moreover, the skirt of the dress had two slits in the front area, which ran from the section below her knees down to her feet.

Once the ladies-in-waiting were done helping their monarch change her footwear, Thranduil's eyes widened slightly at the sight of the shiny emerald stones hanging from Reiya's golden anklets.

Her choice for those accessories in particular was quite strange for him, as he had never seen ellith wearing jewelry in that area of their bodies before.

The king had to remind himself that Reiya was a queen from a different realm and continent altogether, so perhaps such fashions were common in the Xandorians' customs.

In any case, those accessories set her apart from other ladies of station, and the anklets did not look bad on her, to be honest.

Thranduil suddenly recomposed himself and averted his gaze from Reiya's anklets as he realized his attention had been drawn to the feminine curve of her calves, now exposed by the dress skirt.

His expression shifted back to the hardened impassive mask following the realization.

That elleth… She had yet to ascend his throne floor, and she was already being that distracting, for Eru's sake.

In the meantime, Reiya, who had been completely unaware of Thranduil's wandering gaze, was clearing the invisible wrinkles on her dress and making a few last adjustments as she got ready to meet the Elvenking.

Zila, the commander of the Xandorian royal guards and Reiya's guardian, walked towards her.

"Would you like us to accompany you to the throne floor, my queen?" She asked.

"No, that is fine." Reiya stated. "I appreciate your support as usual, Zila, but I believe it will be more proper for me to greet the king on my own this time around." Reiya responded with a polite smile.

"Understood, your majesty." Zila bowed to the queen in a respectful manner, then swiftly returned to her position at the front of the Xandorian royal guards.

Eldrec discreetly approached Reiya to voice words of his own.

"Are you sure you do not want your Queen's Guard up there with you? You know, to make an impact? Show off a bit in front ofhimand the sort?" Eldrec mumbled in a more informal manner, clearly speaking to the Lady of Fire as her childhood friend and brotherly figure at that moment.

Reiya let out a low chuckle at his comment, and Urien smiled as she was in listening proximity.

"I will be alright, Eldrec." The female monarch assured him. "Our royal guards command respect with their outstanding presence, indeed, but I highly doubt that alone will make much of an impact for the Elvenking, as he himself has many guards and formidable warriors at his service." She explained in a discreet manner. "Nevertheless, an elf-queen from another realm walking up there by herself will certainly make a strong impression, don't you think?" Reiya emphasized as she finished her last adjustments and smiled at him kindly.

Eldrec returned her smile.

"Understood, my lady." He stated in a more formal tone. "Go up there and show him who you are." The ellon remarked in an encouraging manner, as the rest of the Sun-elves smiled at their queen with pride.

"That I will, lieutenant." She replied in an assertive manner.

Reiya's demeanor was calm once again as she began making her way to the throne floor.

The queen gently held the skirt of her dress while walking up the stairs with paced steps. Her garments, which were almost as long as Thranduil's own robes, flowed gracefully behind her, giving her the enchanting air that characterized her unique presence.

Reiya reached the throne floor as she stood in the middle of the platform. Shecarefully placed the tail of her skirt and sleeves close to her legs so they wouldn't completely cut off the walking space around her.

She then clasped her hands over her waist in a regal manner and directed her gaze at the king once again.

Reiya took advantage of Thranduil's ongoing silence to contemplate his throne and appearance more closely.

Generally speaking, thrones were often believed to be an extension of a monarch's character, as well as a reflection of their traits to some extent. Her own throne exhibited elements for the purpose of making a visual impact with that in mind.

Thranduil, however, had taken that one principle to a whole different level when it came to his royal seat.

The king's intricate chair was so elevated above the ground that he had his own set of stairs carved into a base of wood and stone. Furthermore, the huge elk-like antlers attached to the chair were so spread out that their span extended beyond the boundaries of the audience floor.

Reiya had seen all sorts of leader seats throughout her many travels in Middle-earth, but she had never witnessed anything quite like the Woodland throne in all its splendor.

That whole scene was, without a doubt, a display of grandeur and spectacle—an extension of Thranduil's ego, no less.

The king's garments called for distinctive attention, as well.

She was keen on wearing accessories that complemented her attires, but every piece of clothing on Thranduil had a shine to it.

There was the silver glitterish robe resembling the bark of trees; the metallic-glazed leather boots reflecting the interior lights; the intricate rings, which adorned his fingers in a sophisticated manner; the branches-shaped brooch that kept his robe in place; and that crown...

Reiya's eyes widened at the sight of the king's elaborate headpiece.

His crown was a tangle of roots and thorns with tiny leaves, berries, and flowers laid into them, which made him look even more imposing but elegant somehow. The elaborate prop stood out from the rest of his accessories, and it further enhanced his already exuberant self-portrait.

Unaware of the visible change in her demeanor, Reiya's gaze moved down the king's face only to find him looking back at her with a smug smile. Her expression suddenly went blank as she became aware of the subconscious slip.

Thranduil had enjoyed the attention that she unintendedly gave him in that moment.

Reiya narrowed her eyes slightly, reminding herself to be more careful with her cues around the fellow monarch to avoid inflating his uplifted ego even further.

Thranduil had been content to incite the queen's attention in such a manner, but he was mainly satisfied with himself for successfully luring the Lady of Fire into his realm,at last.

Multiple rulers had stood before him in that same spot. Nonetheless, never in a thousand of years he'd imagined that an elf-queen from a distant land would be amongst them.

Furthermore, that same queen had walked up to his throne floorall on her own—a display of courage that many of the prior visiting leaders lacked to a considerable degree, as far as he recalled.

She was that bold, wasn't she?

Very well… He would put that confidence to the test, starting now and then.

The king's eyes remained fixed on Reiya as he finally spoke.

"Guards, join Captain Tauriel on the lower flower and escort Lady Reiya's subjects back to their designated rooms." Thranduil commanded in his deep voice, speaking loud enough for all the elves in the nearby areas to hear him.

"Yes, my lord!" The royal guards took their cue to go and left the throne floor as commanded.

Zila raised an eyebrow, and Eldrec's turned cautious following the king's order. However, their concerns were soon put to rest when Reiya raised her hand slightly, gesturing her convoy to follow Thranduil's instructions accordingly.

Thus, the Mirkwood and Xandorian subjects retreated from the site, leaving the two Elven monarchs by themselves.

Once all of them made their way out, Thranduil stood up from his throne and began walking down the stairs in an assertive manner.

Reiya followed him with her gaze and took an opportunity to assess the king's demeanor at that moment, as well.

She could see why so many females amongst elves and men fancied this elf-king so much.

Adding to the combination of the long silver blond hair and the dream-like set of piercing blue eyes, Thranduil carried himself with a sheer elegance and poise when presiding as a lord of the highest station. Furthermore, he exuded a regal air with his gestures that distinguished him from the other Elven rulers.

However, there was also something feral about him. A powerful presence that exerted dominance and ruled untamed.

He felt like a wild animal prowling its territory, ready to lash at anything that stood in his way.

Thranduil had kept that quirk somewhat dormant at Imladris, but that side of him was starting to manifest more openly now that she was in his turf. If the animal within him was provoked, the consequences for the culprits involved would be dire, she assumed.

That alone would have been enough to discourage anybody from facing this elf-king, but she was not merelyanybody.

She was Queen of Xandor and the last descendant of the Krisha bloodline. She had faced countless monsters and fought in multiple battles throughout her lifetime. Thus, if she had been able to manage all the chaos up until that point, then she would be ready to handlehim, or so she'd hope.

On his end, Thranduil continued scrutinizing the female monarch as he stood in front of her in close proximity, his piercing blue eyes diving in the depths of her bright green ones.

Reiya, who was gradually getting used to Thranduil's imposing presence, did not back down at the sight of his outstanding height.

And so the Elvenking and the Red Queen stared at one another, like two opposite forces of nature finding each other in a tumultuous path.

Reiya was fire incarnated and exerted qualities reflecting that; she was defiant, warm, fierce, and nurturing.

Thranduil, on the other hand, stood as a completely different entity altogether; he was ethereal and proud, but intimidating and cold as ice—a blizzard restraining itself from being fully unleashed.

She was fresh and dynamic as the wind, and he was immovable and rooted as an ancient tree.

She flowed freely through words, while he found refuge in silence.

Thranduil folded his arms behind his back and began pacing around the queen without speaking a single word as he kept his intense gaze on her, like a great wolf stalking his prey.

He made sure not to step over the queen's dress, but remained close enough for her to be slightly overtaken by his overwhelming presence.

Reiya's gaze moved to the floor for a brief moment, as she felt the tail of the king's garments touching the base of her wedge sandals and the edges of her dress as he circled her.

Thranduil, on the other hand, took the opportunity to discern every single detail in her appearance more closely. Her long red hair… her accessories… her dress… her footwear… and so on.

Every single item on Reiya was in proper order, and she looked impeccable by nobility standards—perfecteven, to some extent.

He then stood behind her for a brief moment as she remained calm but wary.

Thranduil came to a feasible conclusion in the midst of his ongoing observations.

Judging from her neat appearance, Reiya took her diplomatic endeavors very seriously. He himself opted to always keep a pristine look, regardless of the occasion; however, that one aspect seemed to hold much more significance to the Red Queen's appeal.

She might have been untraditional in the ways she ruled her people, but there seemed to be a method to her public persona when interacting with other leaders—a certaincodeshe led herself by in order to remain level-headed while showing assertiveness, he presumed.

What would she do if all that control were to falter at any point, he'd wondered?

Thranduil continued pacing around the queen as he made his way back to face her.

Reiya directed her gaze at him as soon as he got in her line of sight and stood in front of her once again.

Thranduil fully realized the weight of the encounter in question.

In his throne floor stood the Lady of Fire emanating her enchanting presence—the constant deceit disguising the terrible power that she possessed.

She presided not only as a queen and sole ruler of an Elvish nation, but as one of the most dangerous beings alive in Middle-earth—aKrishathat could turn everything to ashes in the blink of an eye.

Everybody made notice of her formidable power and distinctive beauty, but something else had captured the king's attention as well.

It washer mind, for the elleth standing before him was a highly intelligent one.

That mind of hers was like a fortress, guarded to the very end, ready to retaliate against his every word whenever she deemed it necessary. Breaking through those defenses would not be easy by any means, but he welcomed the challenge regardless.

He would find a way to get through the Red Queen somehow as he uncovered her hidden thorns.

Pausing their exchange of stares, Thranduil walked to a small table that had been intently placed away from sight.

Reiya raised an eyebrow at his sudden action, wondering what he was up to now.

The king carefully poured wine into two goblets, then he walked back to her with those in hand.

Reiya's expression turned to one of caution following the gesture. Did he intend for them to drink wine at such an instance?

Thranduil's face remained impassive, however, as he offered one of the goblets to her.

Still unsure of his ulterior motives, Reiya carefully took the goblet from his hand, making sure that her fingers did not grace his in the process.

The king then held his own goblet slightly forward as he finally spoke.

"Welcome to the Woodland Realm, Queen Reiya." He stated in his deep voice. "May the coalition between our realms be a fruitful one and help us succeed in this war."

Thranduil raised his goblet in a poised manner, then took a long sip of wine. Once he was finished, he looked back at the female monarch attentively, awaiting her next move.

Reiya was not much of a drinker; nonetheless, it seemed like the toast prompted by the Elvenking had some sort of meaning for him, or so she thought.

Having been educated in the ways of diplomacy for most of her life, the queen lifted her goblet gently to him, then proceeded to take a short sip of wine herself.

A subtle smile showing satisfaction was drawn on Thranduil's face. He took Reiya's action as a sign that she welcomed the challenges ahead as much as he did.

And so, a new endeavor for the two Elven monarchs had officially begun.

Together they would attempt to defeat the new servant of Sauron threatening Middle-earth's very existence, while exerting their authority over one another in a constant push for dominance.

A/N: It all comes to this!

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