Daughter of Arnor - Servant of Fate

Chapter Twenty Three: The Truth will Out!

"I saw you all over her in the Orchard. Working your sickly sweet charm like honey poured over fruit!" - Thranduil.

15th July/Cerveth, 3016, The Elven Halls.

"Hircóon nin! Come see what we have found!" called a scout. Legolas followed the excited Wood Elf, expecting to see a spider nest of some description. Instead, he found members of his company gathered around an animal caught within a net trap. "It's a white Hart, a Doe, Cóon nin. A rare creature. You should make the kill and offer it to the King. It would make a fine addition to his table tonight."

Legolas looked at the struggling creature. She was slight, but strong. Not giving way to her inner fear. But it would not be long before her strength would leave her. The Doe's bright eyes caught his own, and he felt as though time no longer mattered. Silently, he knelt down and freed the Doe from her rope prison. But rather than running away, she sniffed Legolas's hand and gave it a gentle lick and nuzzle. Then, with one last look back, she trotted away into the trees.

Legolas, seemingly out of his enchantment with tears streaming down his face, instructed his scouts to never speak of what happened again. "That Doe is special! The sigil of my mother's house. She is not to be interfered with. There are other Deer within our realm that will grace my father's table just as well."

He rose and ripped the remaining trap to pieces. "And as for these, I do not wish to see such devices used again. When we kill, we kill for food or to end a creature's suffering. As such, it must be quick and merciful. Traps are a Men's device, not Elves. He cast the remains of the trap aside and marched back off towards the Elven path.

That evening, he returned to the halls. Still haunted by what he had experienced in the forest. Thranduil noticed he was quiet at dinner and after Thorwen and Celephinniel had taken their leave, the two of them went into the king's parlour. While they reclined with some wine, Thranduil asked Legolas if anything unusual had occurred during his patrol.

Legolas took a sip from his goblet. "All was well, Ada, nothing of concern to report."

"I see, only I noticed you barely spoke to or even acknowledged Thorwen. How are you going to win her heart if do not make an effort?"

"My apologies, Ada. I am weary tonight."

"Then why not take the day off tomorrow and go riding with her?"

Legolas drained his goblet, thoughts of the white doe still fresh in his mind and left him in no doubt what he must do."Ada, I do not wish to disappoint you. But I do not think that would be right."

A look of concern crept across Thranduil's face. "You can never disappoint me, Ion nin. But I would know what is troubling you. If you cannot unburden to your Adar, who can you unburden to?"

An attendant refilled Legolas's goblet. "I thought of Naneth today."

"That is perfectly understandable. I often think of her too."

Legolas stared into his goblet, unable to look his father in the eye. "The curse, my mother's last words. Do you ever think she is out there somewhere? Not just wandering the Dead Marshes, but out there in the forest."

Thranduil did not reply, and a long uneasy silence passed between them. Then the king dismissed his attendants so that the two of them were alone. "You are having second thoughts, Ion nin?"

"A Queen must walk in the Great Green Wood, to release her. Not a princess."

Thranduil shrugged. 'Will you not be king and queen of Arnor?"