You Must Have Faith

Chapter Fifteen

Days, weeks, and months passed unheeded in the Greenwood, while the outside world was in the midst of chaos the Greenwood remained calm.  Its darker inhabitants had disappeared, evacuating Dol Guldor less than a week after Vera's investigation.  Their absence concerned Thranduil more than their presence had, at least while they were living in the fortress he knew where they were, now he had no idea.

After the eventful first days of Thranduil and Vera's relationship, they settled into a routine of sorts, where Vera trained and scouted, reporting back to the King when necessary but avoiding him whenever possible.  To everyone around her she seemed apathetic, speaking only when spoken to or when politeness demanded, and in a tone so pleasant and monotonous that everyone soon grew tired of talking to her.  Once the initial excitement of her presence had worn off, it was as if nothing had changed in the palace.

Thranduil was very nearly unchanged as well, the only difference being the aura surrounding him.  Before Vera's arrival he oozed calm, collected confidence with a generous amount of pride and smugness.  With Vera's arrival and the news her initial scouting trip had brought to his attention, he exuded an aura of carefully contained anger, along with his usual pride and smugness.  His face seemed just a touch more careworn than before, his brow a bit more drawn.  He gave the appearance of a hawk, poised and ready to descend on his prey.

For two months the army trained night and day, but as time passed and no attack came, they grew lax once more.  The tension gradually faded into the background for the majority of the Greenwood's inhabitants, with only a select few still aware of the danger lurking just outside the borders of their forest.

~~~

It was around the six month mark when a single elvish rider came trotting up to the palace doors.  Vera followed him in from yet another uneventful scouting trip, running to catch up to the rider and eavesdrop on his conversation with the guards.

"What is your business with the King?"  One of the guards hailed him in Elvish.  The elf responded in the same tongue.

"My business is not with the King, but the Lady Vera Koroleva."

Vera froze in her tracks at the name.  She hadn't heard it spoken aloud in nearly 2,000 years, not since she had left her benefactor behind to return to her ancestral home.  Regaining her composure, she swiftly walked in front of the elf's horse.

"You have found her.  State your business."

The elf lowered his cloak, revealing his identity as Orophin, one of Haldir's two brothers.  Vera smiled slightly.

"Orophin!  It is good to see you again, my friend.  What news do you bring me?"

Orophin looked grave, sorrowful, even.

"I am here by order of Lady Galadriel.  She wished for me to inform you of the death of my brother Haldir."

The blood drained from Vera's face, leaving her pale as a sheet, though still composed.

"Did he fall in battle?"

"Yes, My Lady.  In the battle of Helm's Deep.  He and part of our army was sent to reinforce the forces of the Rohirrim and to aid the Riders of the Mark in their fight against Saruman's forces.  He fought bravely, and felled many orcs.  I was told that he died protecting the rear of the retreat into the keep."

Vera nodded carefully, swallowing thickly. 

"You may want to tell the King that his son was also present at the battle, accompanied by Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and Gimli son of Gloin.  All three of them survived the battle."