The Valar Child: The Desolation of Smaug

Chapter 4 - Darkness in the Greenwood

I found myself free to wander the woods with my new position in the Kingsguard. Tauriel knew my desire to roust the spiders permanently from their nests, and she gave me free rein to do as I wished. Without telling Thranduil of course. If he learned I spent most of my time in the woods, he would not be happy. When I first started to show signs of not aging, Thranduil traveled to the Golden Wood of Lothlorien to seek the wisdom of the Lady Galadriel. I had never met her, but I had heard of her, and her husband Celeborn. Elrond of Rivendell was also sought on that matter. When he returned, he was quiet and withdrawn. Even Legolas could not pry from him what the problem was. That was when Thranduil started becoming distant from me. It was as if he did not understand me anymore. We spoke a separate language.

I walked along the thick branches of the trees, my bow in hand. My boots were the soft kind used for tracking and hunting, not the thick riding kind. I had walked these trees for close to two hundred years, I was sure a foot. Finally, I reached the top of the great edifice and I leaned out, holding onto the topmost, sturdiest branch. The wind blew in my face and I closed my eyes. A darkness flashed before my face and I saw a shadowy fortress. Iron was twisted into spikes like teeth. I felt myself getting pulled into the pit and there was the Lord of Darkness himself! My soul felt like it was on fire! A single, burning, lidless eye! My own snapped open and I found myself tumbling out of the tree. As I desperately tried to save myself, I hit several branches. Finally, I landed on the ground and groaned in pain. The sound of hurried footsteps reached my ears and I sat up slowly. Soon, I was seeing two Legolas' and two Tauriel's. "Would one of your twins go away that I might see clearly?" I queried. Legolas chuckled, but Tauriel clucked. They helped me to my feet and I grumbled at my discomfort.

"The healers will need to look at you," Tauriel told me as she relieved me of my quiver and bow. I frowned, but I kept my hand on my sword.

"What happened up there? You're usually so nimble," Legolas pointed out.

"I had another vision. I saw a dark fortress, abandoned, but still, there was something there. Something older and darker than anything I've ever seen or felt before. It saw me!" I said, feeling like I had been discovered by something. Tauriel glanced at Legolas before they looked back at me.

"I'm sure it was nothing Beren. You've just hit your head hard. I'm sure falling from one of these trees will do that," Legolas told me. I raised my eyebrow, because he always believed my visions, no matter what I said had happened.

"I know what I saw, Legolas! It was unlike anything I've ever seen before. It's evil!" I insisted. Tauriel did not let Legolas respond, and simply led me away.

"I believe you, Beren, but you need somebody to see you. I'm sure you'll be pretty badly bruised by your fall," she told me. I growled but allowed her to lead me back to the palace. She had always swooned over me whenever I was injured.

"Nothing serious. Just a bruised back and a few scratches," Irian said when he had examined me. I was sitting on a white bed, my shirt tossed to one side with my tunic. My dark brown hair was strewn over my shoulders, and my hands gripped the wood of the bed frame. Tauriel was studying me, one finger resting lightly on her lips. I smiled at her while I let Irian put the salve on my back. He was almost done, when the door to the healing room opened, and Thranduil entered, followed by Lord Sildarin, and Lord Carien. Tauriel stood to attention, and I tried to, but my muscles did not agree with my desires. I knew the look on Thranduil's face. He was very angry, but still maintaining his mask of complete control. A mask he only ever lost around Legolas or myself.

"How did this injury happen?" he asked between gritted teeth. My eyes sidled to Tauriel as she stepped forward.

"A training exercise with myself. I am sorry my king if you feared the worst," Tauriel answered. Both nobles snorted, but Thranduil's hand shot up and everyone became silent.

"I did not ask you, Tauriel. I asked Beren. And he should be the one to answer," Thranduil said sharply. I knew it was not good to lie any further. I did have my honor to think about.

"I am sorry, your majesty, but, I was out in the woods. I was walking through a tree and I slipped," I responded. Yes, I had not told him I had another vision, but that would have displeased him more. Thranduil's jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed. He stepped toward me and that was when I stood slowly to my feet. I would look into his eyes, like we were equals. His eyes appraised me up and down, before he waved his hand, and everyone began to leave. Tauriel was last, giving me one last pleading look, before she closed the doors behind her. They left me alone with the man who had been my father, and was now my king.

"That is not the truth, Beren. Ever since you were young, you had never slipped in the trees. Legolas and Tauriel taught you to be nimble of foot and sure of judgment. What really happened?" Thranduil asked again, the edge still in his voice.

"What do you care? You haven't cared what I've done to myself these last hundred or so years," I responded. I really did not mean to say that, but it slipped out. My frustration was starting to show. Thranduil paled and his hand went up. My own was raised to block his blow. Instead, his hand rested on my shoulder and squeezed it.

"I took you in! Gave you a home and training! Not everyone who felt the dragon's wrath received the same treatment you did!" Thranduil snapped.

"And I will be forever grateful for your patronage-" I started to say before he cut me off.

"Patronage? That's what you're calling it?! I was your father!" he shouted and that was when my own words came out.

"Then treat me like your son, not some burden you can't be bothered with!" I yelled back. Thranduil's hand connected with my cheek and I took a step back. My back screamed when I hit the wall, but I only winced. Thranduil withdrew his hand, his fingers twitching like he had not intended to strike me. I glared at him, my lips tight. "What has happened to you? You used to care! Ever since you went to that meeting of the wise, and came back, you've treated me like I don't matter to you!" I hissed.

"But... you... do..." His voice was almost too quiet for me to hear, but I caught those three words. He reached out for me, but I was afraid of his touch, and moved away from him. "I meant not to strike you!" he told me, pleadingly.

"Than what has given you cause to lose your mind and hit me like you just did?!" I yelled back. The door opened and Tauriel entered, followed by Legolas. They both looked startled between their king and the man who was their brother. Tauriel looked at me and I am positive she saw the bruise I now had on my face from Thranduil's knuckles.

"Father! What have you done?!" Legolas asked. Thranduil looked back at me, but that was when my eyes rolled back into my head. My whole body shuddered and I felt myself losing control. I began to fall, and that was when Thranduil and Legolas caught me. I began to convulse as I saw something else. I was standing before the forest, between the lake and the mountain. Dark clouds were coming from the mountain and lightning flashed overhead. Elves poured out from behind me. Men came from the lake, and dwarves issued from the mountain. The girl I had seen before, was running toward me. Her clothes were covered in blood, and her face was pale before my sight. A sword was brandished in her hand, and it was the greatest weapon I had yet seen. As she raised it, lightning struck the metal and blinded me. When I finally managed to open my eyes of my own accord, all three elves were looking down at me.

"Darkness! A darkness in the Greenwood! Darkness on the lake! Darkness from the mountain! Darkness everywhere!" I said, knowing that what I had seen was the sure signs of war!