Playing with Fire [Legolas/Tauriel]

3: King Thranduil and Queen Anona

Chapter 3

Thranduil watched his son carefully. Legolas did not seem like himself ever since he had mentioned the possible engagement to Eyela of Rivendell. It wasn't such a bad idea. After all, they had been best friends ever since Legolas could remember.

"Legolas, don't look so agitated all the time." From the end of the table, Kelda spoke, her voice like a thundering waterfall. Her hair was out of its regular braid and she wore her gold circlet. Her eyes were narrowed at her brother, as if she was analyzing him.

"I'm sorry," Legolas mumbled into his plate. "I was just thinking."

"Legolas." His son looked up at the sound of his voice, and Thranduil took a moment to enjoy the ellon in front of him.

There was no greater joy than raising Legolas Greenleaf to be a handsome, strong, willing prince. All loved him and his archery skills were precise and deadly. His son had come so far from the days when Anona and he would dance around in the glade, enjoying the breeze and the cool spray of the waterfall. I'm sure he misses that.

"Yes, father?"

"Arwen will be arriving today and she will be bringing Eyela with her this time. I was thinking you two could spend some time together-"

"Father, please. I still have so much to learn, whether it is about ruling this kingdom, or about myself. Please give me some time to think about this betrothal."

"You're being so difficult. Is there a she-elf here who you are more interested in?"

Legolas froze, and Thranduil's deepest suspicions were confirmed. Tauriel.

They had been good friends as long as he could remember, but over time it seemed that Legolas's mere affection for her had turned into something else. Something bigger.

She wasn't a bad girl for him, or a bad elf at all, but she was not a High Elf. Eyela was Elrond's niece, and a princess. If there was one thing he was keen on, it was that Legolas marry an elf from his social class.

Besides, Tauriel was too reckless and disobedient. She would not make a good wife to his obedient, loyal son.

"May I be excused?" Kelda's bored voice broke into his thoughts. "I want to go read something, and this conversation has nothing to do with me, so..."

"Fine, fine." Thranduil just waved her off. After all, who knew when her fever and vomiting would return. Might as well give the girl some freedom.

"You need to understand something, son. I just want what's best for you-"

"I will not marry someone who I do not love, Ada." Legolas cut him off. "You know I will follow your every order. But I will marry for love. That is the honorable thing to do."

Thranduil slammed his hands on the table. "Do not speak to me of honor!" He hissed. "Don't you understand, child? This marriage is not about you. This is about bringing Eyela into or family and joining our kingdoms."

Legolas's eyes flashed. "So you want me to be your tool for success? You don't care about how Eyela and I feel?"

"You will do as I tell you." Thranduil leaned back. "There is no choice for you. I wanted to make this easy, but you refuse to let me help you, so let me say this." He leaned forward again, his nails digging into the table. "It is your duty to follow orders from your king, Legolas. On your honor." The last words were a whisper.

Legolas simply stood up and walked away. And he watched his only son go.

"By the Heavens," Thranduil put his head in his hands. "What am I going to do with him?"

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"Enter." Anona's voice seemed to revitalize him. He was awakened by it, like a sleeping dragon awakened by the sound of gold.

She smiled when he sat by her bedside, and for a moment he forgot about Kelda's illness and Legolas's marriage. He forgot all the troubles of ruling a kingdom. She still loved him. Everything would be all right.

"Melamin[my love]," he took her pale hand in his and kissed it. "How do you feel?"

"Now that you are here, much better." She frowned. "But you seem troubled, a'maelamin[my beloved]. Mani naa ta?"

Thranduil sighed. She could read him so easily. Of course she could. She was his everything, his world. But how could he tell her the problems that had been on his mind for so many months?

"Anona, you don't have to worry-"

"I worry no matter what you say," she said gently. "What is troubling you?"

"It is Legolas..."Thranduil trailed off, and stared at the elaborate ceiling in the healing chambers.

"What about him?"

"He refuses to get married to Lady Eyela, our choice for him when he was very small. But it will join our kingdoms together, and I need this marriage-"

"But is he happy?"

"What?" Thranduil looked at her in surprise.

"Melamin, there are many evils in this world which you have vanquished. There is much you have faced, and much you have forgotten. Can you remember your words to me when we first held our infant son?"

"I said..." Thranduil remembered that day, gently cradling Legolas in his arms, brushing his fair hair away from his tiny forehead. "I said that all I wanted for my son is-"

"-is that he is happy, in the end." Anona finished. She rested her hand on his. "Will this marriage ensure our son's happiness?"

"His happiness lies in a marriage I cannot bless." Thranduil pulled his hand away from her. "I will not... no, I cannot allow our son to be married into a life of unhappiness."

"Who is the elf he loves? Is she-" Anona broke off, as a coughing fit consumed her. When she brought her hand away from her mouth, it was streaked red.

Thranduil flinched. "I should not keep you talking." He kissed her forehead and stood up.

He turned to leave, but she grabbed his hand. "Amin mela lle[I love you]," she croaked. "Do not forget that."

He tried to smile, but it seemed that in his sorrows, he had forgotten how. "I will never forget, Anona."

She smiled, as if his words brought her peace and closed her eyes. He waited until she was asleep to leave the room.

Once outside, Thranduil paced the halls, his mid swirling with what Anona had said. "Make sure our son is happy," he murmured. He swept out of the healing halls and sat down in his throne. "Where is my son?" He asked a guard in Elvish.

"He is with the Guard, my lord. They are clearing out the spiders in the forest."

"And Tauriel?"

The guard seemed confused. "She is with them as well, my lord. Would you like me to fetch the young prince?"

"No." Thranduil leaned back on his throne. "He will come to me later with a report."

The king was almost grateful for the spider attack. It provided a distraction for Legolas. As for Tauriel...

He knew exactly what to do about her.

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Author's Note: What do you think King Thranduil will do? We still haven't met Legolas's potential betrothed yet, but we'll get to that in later chapters. The song on the side (or at the top at the beginning of the chapter), I feel, represents Thranduil and Anona's love for each other <3

Next chapter, we'll be visiting Mirkwood and the elves in action o_o

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