In the aftermath of the Battle of the Five Armies, Thranduil finds the world within his Halls empty. He struggles to come to terms with the absence of his only child and the loss of the one he raised as if she were his own daughter. He begins to r...
A brief interlude between Thranduil and Tauriel only strengthens his desire for her and further complicates the struggle within him where Legolas is concerned. The palace is brimming with excitement as the Winter Solstice Festival has arrived, yet there is danger lurking in the shadows.
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Closing his eyes for a moment, Thranduil grasped the thick oaken mantel above the hearth as he struggled to regain control himself. The soft fragrant aromas of lavender and lilac lingered on his robes yet it was the scent of her and the heat of her body that tormented him. It felt so right as she slipped easily into his arms, molding her body against his own. The softness of her full lips, the slight tremble he felt in them as she opened her mouth, surrendering to him had more than stirred his desire for her.
Shaking himself as he pushed himself away from the hearth, he strode purposefully toward his wine cupboard. Frowning into the goblet as he filled it, his frustration only deepened with his realization that everything had suddenly changed. He had only intended to steal the chance to be with her, to talk to her and make peace between them. Angering her in his study to get her drop her guard was something he disliked immensely. Having known her for her entire life, he knew exactly how far to push her to ignite the fire within her, yet he was completely unprepared for a fire that burn with such passion.
Walking back toward the hearth, he sank heavily into his favorite chair as his thoughts turned to Legolas. There was a part of him that knew he was struggling to justify himself, nevertheless he had not allowed himself to acknowledge his feelings for Tauriel until he thought he had lost them both. Gazing into the flames, he found his mind and heart divided. Now that he had opened his heart to her, could he close it again even for his son. The guards had kept him informed of his sons' movements within the palace since he was so determined to constantly shadow her when he was not making an annoyance of himself with the forest patrol. The last thing he wanted was another confrontation with his son.
Taking a long drink from the goblet, he grew more frustrated. Captain Lárasarnë had privately confided in him over his concerns for the tension between his son and Lord Elvändéruil. It was clear that his son was jealous of the relationship between Tauriel and the young lord, making his choice even more difficult. He would not tolerate having his son calling into question decisions he made when it came to Tauriel. In many ways Thranduil credited himself for her stubbornness as he had never shown her any preference, rather he pushed her to challenge him because he knew she had it in her to be better than she thought she was.
Banishing her had been the most difficult decision he had ever had to make, one that had hurt far more deeply than he cared to admit. The only justification presented to the council had been that she had already departed the palace and was unaware of his order therefore should not have been held accountable for having disobeyed him. Whether he wanted a confrontation with his son or not, he now realized that it was inevitable. The decision to abolish the hereditary oath was in truth personal and he could not deny it, regardless of the fact that his son had abandoned the realm, leaving him little choice. Still, there was the fact that the line of succession to the throne was weak and he could not bring himself to advocate an arranged marriage for his son or himself.
