20. Whispers
...
- At Mirkwood -
Logistics at the Woodland Realm had turned hectic since Thranduil's return.
Merely two days after the party's arrival, the Elvenking made a public statement about Loitar and his declaration of war against all the Elven realms in Middle-earth.
He also informed his people about the existence of the nation of Xandor and the collaboration that was to take place with the Red Queen in order to fight the lurking evil on the rise.
As expected, Thranduil was met with a lot of questioning from his officials following the statement.
The notion that an Elven realm had remained hidden and unnoticed for thousands of years was inconceivable for many of them, understandably so.
The king, however, followed through with his planning despite their skepticism.
Perhaps the most tedious task to date had been persuading his councilors into investing a considerable number of resources to properly accommodate the upcoming Xandorian party and begin their intelligence operations accordingly.
Thranduil had to make several compromises, but he was ultimately successful in gaining their support.
The unusual number of tasks ahead was overwhelming for the servants at the realm. Nevertheless, the Mirkwood elves remained loyal to their king and were following his instructions to the best of their abilities.
All of them were aware of the menace that had already reached their lands and claimed lives. Thus, they were doing everything in their power to help the king protect the realm, no matter what.
Thranduil would occasionally throw one of his tantrums, but he had always kept their nation safe from external threats at all costs. That unquestionable fact was compelling enough for them to trust his leadership and follow his instructions all the way.
Once the king was able to gather all the required approvals to move forward, he began delegating key responsibilities to his most trustworthy subjects in order to better navigate the Sun-elves' visit.
That morning in particular, he summoned Feren, Galion, Tauriel, and Nedril to his office for that one purpose.
Per their current roles, Feren was serving as the senior lieutenant of the Mirkwood army, and he acted as a royal messenger for the king on special occasions. Galion was the head butler of the king; Tauriel was the captain of the Mirkwood patrol guard; and Nedril was the seneschal managing the king's household.
Nedril, in particular, had served the royal family since Thranduil was a young prince. Thus, she was well acquainted with the family's history.
The king went through formalities and began discussing preparations once all of his subjects were present.
"How are the lodging arrangements coming along, Lady Nedril?" Thranduil asked in typical commanding fashion.
"The rooms for Queen Reiya's subjects are already in place, my lord. The only task remaining at this time is choosing a chamber for the lady herself and proceeding with accommodations accordingly. Do you any in mind that might properly suit the queen's station, sire?" Nedril inquired.
Thranduil pondered the question for a brief moment.
It was customary for the king to personally select the quarters for distinguished guests visiting the realm for the first time, and Reiya was no exception, of course.
His face remained impassive as he quickly came up with a room that he deemed ideal for the Lady of Fire in the midst of the circumstances. Having made up his mind rather quickly, the king voiced his choice.
"Yes. You may give her the unoccupied master room at the main corridor." Thranduil responded in a nonchalant manner.
The four elves widened their eyes at the statement.
Nedril cleared her voice after a few seconds of silence, then proceeded to reconfirm his instruction.
"Pardon me, my lord, but are you referring to the Queen's chambers? As in, your late wife's apartment?" She asked with some degree of hesitation.
"Yes, that would be one." Thranduil responded. "Lady Reiya is a monarch and sole ruler of an Elvish nation. Therefore, she is to be hosted as a guest of the highest distinction per our costumes." He left it at that.
Tauriel, Feren, and Galion subtly exchanged looks, and with good reason.
The king had kept his late wife's chambers as a sentimental shrine since her passing, despite the fact that her belongings had been removed from the room long ago.
He never let anybody stay in that room, ever—not even Galadriel, who was the most decorated Elven ruler in Middle-earth.
The choice itself went to show how serious Thranduil was about his coalition with the Red Queen, a ruler that he had just formally met on their previous trip to Imladris. Understandably, the way his subjects reacted to his decision did not come as a surprise.
Unknown to all of them, however, diplomacy was not the only factor driving Thranduil's choice on the matter. After all, the Queen's chambers were only a couple of rooms away from his own.
The main corridor at the royal quarters extended by quite the distance, but the relative proximity between the two rooms would help him keep a closer eye on Reiya should things turn sour at any point.
That one detail would never reach his subjects' knowledge, of course.
"Understood, my lord. Do you have any additional instructions regarding accommodations for the Red Queen?" Nedril inquired.
"No, that would be all for now. You may proceed and take care of everything else as you see it fit."
"Yes, your highness."
Nedril bowed to the king and left the room to fulfill her task promptly.
Feren, Galion, and Tauriel remained in place as Thranduil continued voicing his instructions.
"Tauriel, you will continue your watch duties throughout the Xandorians' visit, but you will also undertake a temporary role as a diplomatic liaison for the Red Queen and her subjects." Thranduil pointed out.
Tauriel looked surprised by the king's command, given that diplomatic appointments of that nature were usually assigned to elves of a higher station.
Nonetheless, she became intrigued by the notion when Thranduil proceeded to explain the expectations for her role.
"In your position as liaison, you will help Lady Reiya and her servants better adapt to our way of life and costumes here at the realm. More importantly, you will be the first person to welcome the queen at the time of her arrival and act as her escort when required." The king explained.
Tauriel couldn't help but smile lightly at the prospect of getting to speak with Reiya once again and learn more about her many travels in the outside world.
Sensing her growing enthusiasm, though, Thranduil issued a word of restraint.
"Nevertheless ,you are notto disclose confidential matters of the realm with the Xandorians or lead them into areas prohibited to outsiders. That applies to Queen Reiya as well. Are we clear on that, captain?" The king warned with an authoritative tone, as his sharp gaze remained on her.
Tauriel widened her eyes slightly at the warning and nodded in understanding.
"Yes, my lord. I will make sure to be cautious in that regard." She assured him.
"Very well." Thranduil responded. "That will be all for you at this time. You may go back to your post." He instructed.
Tauriel bowed to the king, then proceeded to exit the office.
Thranduil was aware of the traits that his captain shared with the Sun-elves and the positive rapport that she built with Reiya at Imladris, which made her an ideal choice for the liaison position in question.
However, he was no stranger to the fact that Tauriel had also developed an unforeseen sense of admiration for the Red Queen in the short time they had interacted with one another, making her slightly biased in her views towards the female monarch and yet another victim of Reiya's many charms to some degree.
Hence, that was the reason why he went to the extent of reminding Tauriel about the boundaries that she was expected to enforce in her role as liaison.
The captain had served the realm faithfully for centuries, and he wouldn't doubt her loyalties since she reaffirmed her vows. Nonetheless, he still had to make sure that Tauriel's judgment wouldn't be compromised in the presence of their Xandorian visitors, who happened to be her kin.
Following that lead, Thranduil was now in need to appoint other tasks of importance to subordinates who would remain more impartial towards the Red Queen. Hence, that is where his two remaining subjects would come in.
"Feren and Galion, you are to act as my eyes and ears here at the realm throughout the Xandorians' visit." Thranduil remarked. "Our need for their intelligence at this dire time is unquestionable, but they are still strangers to us in many regards. Hence, we should still keep some degree of caution, even in the midst of solidifying diplomatic grounds with them."
The two ellyn nodded in understanding.
"Galion"
"Yes, my lord." The head butler stepped forward.
"Place wardens and rotating servants throughout the common areas that will be either occupied or frequently used by the Sun-elves here at the realm. All of you are to keep a discrete watch on their activities, without stepping your boundaries." Thranduil instructed.
"Understood, sire." Galion responded.
"You should also inform the guards at the gate that the Red Queen will be allowed to venture in and out of the realm whenever she pleases, and thus, they should grant her passage accordingly."
Feren and Galion raised an eyebrow at yet another unusual command on the king's end, considering his strict policies on access and departure at the points of entry.
Thranduil himself frowned quietly, remembering that Reiya was the one who imposed such a condition in their contractual agreement.
In any case, the king had already come up with contingencies to leverage some ground to his advantage in that regard.
" However, you will keep me informed on her whereabouts outside our borders, as well as her activities whenever I ask of it. She will be the only visitor bearing such a privilege as long as those measures are put in place. Is that understood?" The king emphasized with a serious tone.
"Yes, my lord. I will relay your instructions to the guards accordingly." Galion responded.
"Very well. See to it."
Galion bowed the king and proceeded to leave the office.
The king then shifted his attention towards the last remaining subject in the room.
"Feren, I have a task of importance in mind for you as well."
"Understood. What is your command, sire?" The lieutenant inquired.
Thranduil stood up from his seat and paced the office in a regal manner as he pondered his thoughts.
"It is no secret that many nobles enjoy whispering amongst themselves without a regard for peaking ears." He pointed out as he folded his arms behind his back.
Feren raised an eyebrow, wondering where the king was going with this.
"Following that lead, I am sure Queen Reiya gave the lords and ladies of Imladris plenty to talk about in the light of her untraditional ways and the spectacle that oftentimes followed her public appearances. The spreading rumors must have reached most of our guards and servants in attendance, I assume. You were there yourself, so you know what I speak of." Thranduil remarked. "Thus, I wish for you to meet with each of our expedition party members on an individual basis, and gather everything that was said about the Red Queen at Imladris." He instructed.
Feren nodded slightly, acknowledging the veracity of the king's statement.
Several Elven lords and ladies of station did, in fact, like gossiping about the latest developments without caring for their subjects tuning in.
Servants were no strangers to rumors themselves, and they would occasionally join in with the whispering on controversial matters. Furthermore, nobles took the unpunishable act of spreading the word to a whole different level.
Standing out as an exception perhaps, Thranduil was one of the few lords of station that did not partake in such exchanges due to his own preference for privacy.
Understandably, Feren's expression shifted to one of slight confusion as he wondered why the king had suddenly taken an interest in such talks.
In any case, the lieutenant acknowledged his orders and would follow through as instructed.
"You have a week to gather as many recollections as you can on Lady Reiya and report back to me. I will need that intel prior to the Sun-elves' arrival, so it's crucial that you are punctual with this task in particular. Are my orders clear, lieutenant?" Thranduil asked in his grave tone, shifting his attention back to the ellon.
"Yes, my lord! I will get to the task promptly and report back to you as soon as your instructions have been properly fulfilled." Feren responded.
"Very well. I expect a full report." Thranduil responded.
Feren bowed to the king, then retrieved from the area.
Thranduil took a long glance at his window as he pondered thoughts of his own.
He had already delegated key responsibilities amongst his most trustworthy subjects. Furthermore, he believed he had set a fair balance for the tasks at hand, with Tauriel and Nedril serving more on the diplomatic front with the Sun-elves, while Galion and Feren would operate more on the surveillance end of things to enforce an additional layer of security in the presence of their visitors.
As far as Feren's task was concerned, he was well aware that rumors were often exaggerated and even inaccurate at times. Nonetheless, the whispers involving the Red Queen would lay a foundation for him to get some leverage on her, no matter how small.
A picture of Reiya's vivid red hair and bright green eyes crossed his mind as he reflected in silence.
Thranduil indulged the mental sight and smiled smugly at the prospect of uncovering the whispers surrounding the vexatious elleth.
…
A week passed since the king's summoning, and Feren fulfilled his task in a timely manner, as requested.
He knocked on the door of Thranduil's study while reviewing the contents of a scroll that he was holding in his hand.
"Enter." A deep voice commanded from the inside.
The lieutenant stepped in and paid his respects to Thranduil before proceeding to speak.
"My king." He bowed. "I've come to present my report on the... um, speculationslinked to Lady Reiya, as you asked." Feren embellished the statement.
"I see…" Thranduil responded, effectively hiding his newly found interest in the subject as he stopped reviewing the documents on his desk. "What were you able to gather, then?" He inquired, laying back on his chair.
Feren opened the scroll further and proceeded to go over the contents.
"As far as her endeavors in the outside world are concerned, many of our company members heard that the Red Queen has embarked on multiple travels through Middle-earth. Furthermore, word has it that Lady Reiya has been to several diplomatic expeditions, in addition to her more undercover war missions. It seems like she has a tendency of keeping some facets of her identity secret depending on the purpose and nature of her travels." The lieutenant explained.
Thranduil nodded in corroboration. That one speculation was consistent with his own observations and Reiya's claims thus far. Nonetheless, there was still much more ground to uncover.
"Is there anything else regarding the outcome of her diplomatic expeditions?" The king inquired.
"Yes, my lord. It was stated that the queen has gained many allies through her travels by helping folks in need and defending minor settlements of elves and men from enemy attacks. It is also rumored that she has even gained favor amongst dwarf-leaders. That last claim seems unlikely, understandably." Feren speculated.
Thranduil raised an eyebrow, hinting skepticism as well.
"In any case, all the rumors seem to indicate that most of the Red Queen's diplomatic expeditions have been highly successful, sire." Feren concluded.
Thranduil remained silent for a brief moment as he remembered Reiya's encounter with that peculiar group of hobbits at Imladris.
Judging from that exchange alone, the Lady of Fire seemed to be quite open to interacting with other races. He, of course, was known for adopting a very different stance towards outsiders, as he preferred limiting his allies to a small cohort and not depending on them entirely to ensure the wellbeing of his own people.
"Proceed." He instructed.
Feren resumed his recollections, as ordered. "On the topic of the queen's pastimes, Lady Reiya seems to enjoy reading to a considerable degree. She was often seen at the libraries of Lord Elrond's manor. Moreover, some of our party members claim to have witnessed her discussing several readings with the Lord of Rivendell himself."
Thranduil raised an eyebrow slightly in wonder.
"Um… she also seems to enjoy dancing, my lord." Feren stated, raising an eyebrow at the peculiar observation. "Word has it that she has attended celebrations from other peoples in Middle-earth and joined their local dances. Some servants even claimed that the queen was invited to a hobbit party once, and she danced with the haflings. That last scenario seems highly unlikely, as well." Feren pointed out with a skeptical expression.
Thranduil rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief.
Elves were no strangers to dancing, as they themselves held their own festivities and celebrations, but the notion of an elf-queen dancing with hobbits was just ridiculous.
Feren was about to keep reading the scroll, but his expression turned to one of hesitation as he was silently reviewing the next part of his report. The gesture did not go unnoticed by the king.
"Is something wrong, lieutenant?" Thranduil asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Nothing to raise concerns, your highness. I am just not entirely sure if these whispers in particular are worth mentioning. They seem to lean towards the queen's more, um, personal life, if you will?" He stated, clearing his voice slightly.
The comment fueled Thranduil's intrigue even further.
"I ordered you to gather as many recollections as you could, didn't I? If there is more on her, speak it." The king commanded.
"Right… Understood, sire. My apologies." Feren acknowledged his cue to continue. "It seems like Lady Reiya has not only been acknowledged for her heroic deeds and diplomatic expeditions through Middle-earth. She has also gained a great number of suitors over the years due to her charisma and signature... beauty, sire." He emphasized with a hesitant tone.
Thranduil's expression remained impassive following the statement.
That one speculation did not come as a surprise for him, considering his own recollections of the events at Imladris. Nevertheless, something about that fact still pulled some strings within him, for some reasons he couldn't yet fathom.
The uncomfortable feeling did not discourage him from listening further, though.
"On that same note, word has it that Queen Reiya has rejected many of her suitors to date in spite of their countless attempts at earning her affections, my lord." Feren concluded.
The king's expression shifted back to one of wonder.
"I see… Is there a particular reason for that, as far as the rumors are concerned?" Thranduil inquired.
"Um, yes, my lord. One motive has been speculated. Some people attribute the queen's inaction in that regard to her unwillingness to remarry. Many believe she willingly stales marriage proposals and letters from her suitors to avoid the task altogether." Feren pointed out.
Thranduil raised an eyebrow at the statement.
Remarry?
Had Reiya been married once already? That was quite the surprise.
The Red Queen was a fully-matured elleth entering the prime of her life, but she was still fairly young by ruler standards, just like Celeborn had pointed out.
Nevertheless, marriage had always been more of an expectation for monarchs such as themselves. In fact, his own councilors had been annoyingly pushing for him to take on another wife due to all sorts of reasons, so he himself was not entirely free from the long chain of royal expectations, despite the seniority that he held as an Elven ruler.
Regardless of his views on the subject, Reiya never mentioned she had a spouse at some point in her life, so he couldn't help but wonder about that as well.
Who was her former king consort, and what had happened to him?
The only logical explanation he could come up with was that the ellon had either passed away, or sailed into the underlying lands long ago.
In any case, Reiya was not obligated to address the subject altogether, as the topic of faded marriages was a highly personal one, even for him.
Thranduil himself did not speak openly about his deceased wife unless prompted for logistical purposes, such as the arrangements for the upcoming Xandorian visitors. Furthermore, he highly doubted that Reiya would ever want to talk about the topic with himof all people.
In spite of the rumors pointing in that direction, the queen did not seem particularly uncomfortable with Lord Galdor's attentions at Imladris. Thus, he wondered if she was just being polite to him in order to spare his feelings or if there was something more going on between those two, regardless of their difference in station.
Deeming the task of attempting to answer those questions pointless, Thranduil chose to disregard the subject altogether, as it wouldn't serve much of a purpose at that moment.
Hence, the king shifted his full attention back to the report as Feren continued to speak.
"There is another rumor about the Red Queen that seems to be highly debated as well, my lord." Feren remarked.
"Very well. What is it?"
"Lady Reiya has earned several titles linked to her feats, as it is customary for royal leaders. Some of those were seemingly meant to give praise, while others... Well, they appear more aimed towards controversy, sire." Feren pointed out.
Thranduil hummed in a subtle manner, looking more visibly interested in that one whisper.
"Understood. What titles are those, and what is the speculated reasoning behind them?" He inquired with an impassive expression.
And so, Feren went over each of the terms listed on his report while Thranduil listened to all of them with a keen interest.
…
Weeks went by swiftly at Mirkwood, and the day for the Sun-elves' arrival had finally come.
Reiya was riding her dire tiger at the front of her company, while the rest of her subjects followed closely behind with their horses and wagons. Zila, the commander of the Xandorian royal guards, was a few steps behind the queen, while Eldrec and Urien, her childhood friends, were galloping at a relative distance from her on both sides.
Reiya was carrying Toby in her leather puppy bag as well. The dog pup lifted his head out of the bag to take a sneak peek of the road from time to time.
The queen stopped at the entrance to the Mirkwood forest and raised her hand slightly, gesturing for the company to halt.
"Xandorians, to me!" She addressed the group. "We are about to enter the lands of the Elvenking. Remove your concealment masks and raise our banners so the Mirkwood scouts can identify us, as requested."
The Sun-elves acknowledged the queen's instructions and followed suit. Reiya herself removed her mask and cloak as well.
"We are nearing our destination, but do not let your guard down." She warned. "Remain prepared to protect those in our company that cannot defend themselves for any given reason. If Loitar or Suaron's minions were to attack us along the way, I willeliminate them and shield you from harm." The Lady of Fire emphasized in an assertive manner.
"Yes, my lady!" The Sun-elves responded, ignited by their queen's command.
The Xandorian party then proceeded to enter the forest while remaining on high alert.
Several minutes into the road, Eldrec observed the vast trees in their surroundings, then discretely moved his horse next to Reiya's dire tiger in order to exchange words.
"I sensed movements and sounds upon the trees, but no evil intent whatsoever." He stated while keeping his eyes on the road.
"The Mirkwood scouts." Reiya hinted, also looking ahead.
Eldrec nodded in agreement.
"They are already aware of our presence, and if they know..."
"…so will their king." Reiya emphasized as she narrowed her eyes slightly in anticipation.
…
A/N: Back to the Elven realm that we all know and love :)
Things are starting to get a bit juicier lol.