The Great Sacrifice

Reflections On A King's Life

He turned around and saw her busying herself at her workbench. She had wiped the bloody blade clean and she walked past Thranduil to retrieve the stool. Returning to the workbench she began to carve again in silence. She had to deliver it by the next morning.

Thranduil took seat in the chair in which Ari had sat before and watched her at work. He could see and sense her pain but she said nothing. He tried to calm his agitated feelings. Never before had he been overwhelmed by such a kind of emotions. It was mesmerizing, yet terrifying at the same time. With a smooth move of his body he regained his controlled posture.

They shared a bond. He tried to come to terms with this fact but it was not so easy. His intellect preached to him about the troubles and difficulties that such a bond would bring along. His heart reminded him of the beauty of it. Where did Thranduil's loyalty lay? In his intellect or in his heart? He let out a silent sigh and allowed his mind to wander.

No matter how wonderful it had felt, she had decided to walk out of this situation. Probably for the best, he thought bitterly. But why had she done so when she had felt the same? He had sensed that her emotions too had stirred. Were those strong emotions emerging from within him or were they hers? Thranduil suddenly felt confused. He could not tell.

'By the Valar, she is beautiful!', a voice within him sighed. Her blonde hair shone golden bright under the rays of the sun. Long and well groomed, it adorned the fine features of her face like a delicate, silk frame. A small hair clip prevented the stream of hair from falling onto her face when she worked. He had never seen her wear her hair loose. Most of the times she would be clad in a cloak, with its hood over her head. He had in fact noticed her hair for the first time in his halls the day he had spoken to her about the engravings on the pillars. Its silky smoothness had been apparent to him then, though braided. Thranduil did not like the idea of that. She would not braid her hair in the future, he would see to that, he smirked. It should always be free to flow down like a river of pure gold below her slim waist. She was dressed in trousers and a very long tunic which almost reached her knees. Her clothes covered the female parts of her body nicely. There was not much to see and he wondered if she dressed like this on purpose.

Thranduil felt restless. His old heart suddenly felt so youthful again. What was he to do now? How and why was this happening? He shook his head and focused his full attention on Ari. Thranduil imagined her wearing a fine gown made by his best elven seamstresses. She would look radiant in it. Like the light at that moment of the day when the sun peaked above the highest trees of his forest, its rays embracing the forbidden gem above the round mirror in his chambers, reflecting its powerful light. Thranduil cherished that moment of the day. And he would worship the splendid sight of her at that moment of the day for the rest of his eternal life if she would be his. His own. And his alone. He suddenly felt very possessive over her. Yes, she would be his for eternity. ...Eternity?

He snapped out of his train of thoughts. She was no elf. His mood instantly grew gloomy. She was human. Human. Thranduil rose to his feet. He was extremely troubled by the fact. He glanced over to Ari who was almost finished varnishing the stool. This was not good. He had to clear his head. Now. Without saying a word, he left the building, closing firmly the door behind him. He went down the narrow alley with long, measured strides. Not much further down he would leave the town behind and he would be able to think freely.

Galion had waited outside after chastising the guard. His king meant everything to him. He knew the moment he had entered Ari's workshop, that he had stepped into a situation that had never before existed in Thranduil's life. A mighty form of energy had been present which Galion had never before felt emerging from his king.

Galion had known that since she left the realm. Thranduil and the human girl shared a bond. But apparently the king had not realized what was happening. Not until now. He wondered how Thranduil was going to deal with it. His friend and king did not like changes at all.

Galion had served king Oropher. He had loved him with all his heart. Thranduil had been trained by his father to become king one day. He was therefore well prepared for the state of kingship, but not for the pain and sorrow that would be unleashed upon him when his father passed to the Halls of Mandos. Nothing could have prepared him for that. Galion was there in the battle long ago. He had witnessed the accursed moment the king had died. As Thranduil grew colder, he could only wait and pray for him, never failing to serve him with dedication.

Oropher had been worried for centuries. The darkness had been creeping further into Middle-Earth. There had been many evil signs which indicated that dark times lay ahead. As wars raged again and again he decided to take measures to ensure his bloodline would not be broken. He arranged for Thranduil's marriage to Lady Ardelwen. It was Galion who had to deliver this news to Thranduil, not knowing how the prince would react.

He was always confident that Thranduil would make a great king one day but it was the young ellon's reaction to his father's request that made Galion realize what kind of great king he would become one day. His heart was loyal and brave. There was a lot of yet unknown potential in the young prince.

"If my father says so, I will gladly oblige. If he says that my love for this elleth will grow with time, then I trust his judgment. Please let my father know that I gladly accept his request."

Galion remembered the happy smile that was drawn all over king Oropher's face when he had brought him Thranduil's reply.

The day when the unwanted occured had arrived too soon, though. The king was slain in battle. The war had been a long one. By the time the remaining army forces had returned home, everyone knew that Oropher had died in battle and Thranduil was celebrated as their new king. The sorrow over his father's death had been too heavy for him to bear and plagued him all the way home; and that had been such a long journey. The pain in his heart was stilled a little when he saw that his wife had born him a son during his absence. She had named him Legolas.

But the loss of his beloved father was not the only incident that Thranduil had to endure after the great battle. His pain would only increase when his wife decided to sail west. A road Ardelwen's mother had taken when the queen was but an elfling. Her beloved father and brothers had died in the same battle as Oropher had. Her sorrow could not be lessened by neither Thranduil, nor Legolas. She had never been able to bond with Thranduil as they had not found each other by the natural way of the elves. They had simply been brought together, an arranged marriage. She had been selected for Thranduil by Oropher, their king. Both had agreed and had made many sacrifices for each other but love between them had unfortunately never truly flourished. Thranduil had felt betrayed by her and his mood darkened even further after her departure.

Galion thought about Thranduil's life and realized that fate had once again not been kind with the king. The elleth that had become his wife had sailed to the Undying Lands after failing to bond with him and now he shared a bond with a mortal human girl. Galion shook his head. By the Valar, was there never to be peace in Thranduil's heart and life?

Galion spoke to the guards who had remained with him after the king had left and followed the path he had taken. He would always be there for him. Especially now.

The guards began to watch Ari's house during the absence of the king. They kept a good distance, as their elven eyes would notice every detail even from afar. It was Arlos who caught their attention when he approached Ari's door.