Light and Shadows (Thranduil's story post BOTFA)

Pure Starlight

Disclaimer: I don't own this video. I like it and I think it fits well with this chapter.  'Let me out of this dream...' Song - Sleepwalker by Adam Lambert.

Note: It is known that after the BOTFA, the dwarves led by Dain agreed to give the men of Dale a share of the treasure and also Bilbo convinced the dwarves to return the elven jewels back and he personally gave them to Thranduil. Thranduil calls him 'elf-friend' for that. So the story follows after these events. 

Another day had passed and the evening was falling over the fortress, all its gates shut again and watched by woodland soldiers out of the order of the King. It was a beautiful starry night outside the gates but none could wander around the forest anymore, especially in the evenings, except for the watchful scouts who were patrolling the borders, ready to send word in case of danger.

Thranduil was left alone in one of his royal halls, thinking of Legolas and having in front of him a half-written letter. He missed his son's presence more than he would have thought. He did not know how to express everything he wanted to tell him without sounding melancholic or weak. He wanted desperately more news from his son but he did not even know if their communication would last as it had become hard to send messages outside of Mirkwood safely. He could not tell Legolas to come back even if he truly wanted it. All he could do was hope Legolas was safe. 

He stood up from his chair, abandoning the poorly written parchment. Thranduil was rarely disturbed in that room. It had belonged to his father and it was the place where Oropher would keep meetings with the other Sindars, long ago. Later, it became a sort of family hall, where he, his wife and Legolas would often spend time. Many memories were kept in that room, many items were carefully placed on the beautifully carved wooden furniture. 

He cast aside the melancholy and thought Galion was late with the usual plate of nibbles and wine for the evening. He needed wine more than any other time and that room never had a stock of its own. He knew Galion sometimes overindulged in the wines from the cellars, it was a sort of bad habit that came with the job as a butler. Thranduil remembered in a flash the incident when, because of Elros and Galion, the dwarven company had escaped his dungeons. He hoped Galion would have learned his lesson. For all he had a reputation of being stern and unforgiving, Thranduil rarely truly punished in a harsh way his loyal subjects and would tolerate their little weaknesses and mistakes. He probably wouldn't have had any more subjects to rule if he hadn't done so, since the wood elves were always a bit mischievous. 

'Ah, where is Galion, that wretched servant?!', Thranduil thought to himself annoyed. He stepped outside of the room to search for him. The kingdom was unusually quiet. He only passed by a few guards in the halls as he was making his way near the area with the dungeons and cellars. So much for being a King when he had to go fetch his own wines. He only trusted Galion with the task as nobody in the kingdom really knew his different preferences in terms of wines or how much he drank. 

As his steps were bringing him deeper into the fortress, towards the cellars, he passed by the hallway leading close to the dungeons. Thranduil sensed a familiar presence. His steps took him closer to a secret doorway that only a few elves in the kingdom knew of, a doorway leading towards the river bank. That doorway was of course sealed now and guarded. He was surprised to see Tauriel, out of all people, lingering there, near that doorway, seemingly lost in thoughts. 

'Tauriel.'

She turned, looking at him with surprised eyes, a little bit nervous, and bowed her head. 

'My lord... I did not expect to see you here.'

'Neither did I to see you', he answered. 

'I was... patrolling.'