Concerning Us

Chapter Three: Grave Foresight

Legolas had gone to the throne room in search of his father, but it had turned out that King Thranduil had already retired for the night. As of late, Thranduil had been isolating himself in his bedroom chamber earlier than before. It was not that he always went directly to bed, but it was often that he wanted to be by himself, unbothered. Legolas met two guards standing watch outside his father's room, and naturally they moved to barcade the door with their spares, denying Legolas entry. "I must speak with my father!" he stated as he attempted to push the spares from his way, but the guards remained constant. "My lord, it is not the best idea to disturb the King in his chamber unless it is dire", the first guard said. Legolas perched his lip and said dryly, "I come back from war, alive, and you think my own father will not welcome me this very night?". Upon hearing that, the two guards looked at one another before deciding to raise their barricade. Legolas then proceeded to reach the door. 

The prince cracked the door open a fraction and pared in to see his father laying on his back upon his spacious feather-bed. The king looked at most peaceful in his stillness, breathing gently in his position gripping one of his slender sword over his chest for protection. Legolas had widened the door enough to allow his width to pass before gently closing it behind him, "Ada?" Legolas made his way carefully in the direction of his father as he whispered, "Ada?" He didnt get too far before Thranduil stirred. The sword was quickly pointed in Legolas direction, even as Thranduil remained on his back with eyes shut. Legolas stopped whispering to speak, "Father, it is I. Legolas." Receiving that Thranduil withdrew his blade back unto his chest, "Welcome back, son. And congratulations, evil has fallen.  But say, what matters are there that you must speak with me of that can not wait until the first light of tomorrow?" Legolas stepped further forward, "The elleth in the dungeon cells". Finally Thranduil opened his eyes and turned his head to face his son, "Ah, she is quite beautiful. Isn't she?" The king did not give the prince a chance to answer again before he allowed his eyelids to fall once more over his eyes, "Still, it is a matter for tomorrow. Leave me." Legolas stared intensely at his father and Thranduil, still sensing his presence in the room, repeated himself, "Leave me."

The next morning Legolas did not visit the cells, nor did he enter the storehouses for food or wait in the dining to be served breakfast. Instead he had awaken very early to wait upon his father. "You are awake, and quite early," Thranduil stated upon entering the throne room and finding his son there. The king took his seat upon his throne and crossed his legs,"What reports are there this morning?" As routine, a guard stepped forward in order to give the morning news, but he was stopped from proceeding. With a raise of a hand, King Thranduil stopped the frightened guard in his tracks and said, "I address my son". Legolas looked conflicted at his father, "Ada, the 119 are still in the guest quarters and the 1 they wait for you are still imprisoning. Why?" Thranduil smiled with his eyes as he responded, "I did not want her leaving while you were still away." Legolas squinted his vision into a suspicious glare, "She has her own father and kingdom to return to. Ada, do you not know what she has braved?" Thranduil uncrossed his legs and planted his feet firmly on the ground, "Her father is in debt to us my son." Legolas rolled his eyes and drew out impatiently,"What debt between two ancient elves is there that it is necessary to jail one's daughter?" Suddenly a forest guard made his way into the room and out of breath he erupted, "My lords, it appears on the edge of our forest's farthest west that in the distance Harlond royalty is approaching quickly on horseback!" 

Within the next hour King Barathon had arrived in Thranduil's outdoor courts. He and the elves that came with him dismounted their horses before he broke the sky with a shout, "THRANDUIL!!" Upon hearing his name, Mirkwood's king made an appearance over one of the balconies that overlooked where they stood, he was not threatened. The two kings stared at one another from where they stood until one of Mirkwood's guards came to show the company of Harlond the way into the throne room. Once inside, King Barathon was met with King Thranduil, who sat far too comfortably in his throne, and his son Legolas who stood beside him availiable. Before any conversation had started, Dartha was brought into the room by one of the guards. When their eyes meet, they ran into each other's arms. "Ada, dear Ada forgive me for leaving but I had to! I had to!", Dartha cried into her father's chest only to receive his comforting words, "I can not stay mad, I am over thrilled that you are very much alive!!" he held her small body against himself. When they pulled apart, he saw that she appeared paler then he remembered, "You look sickly!" he said in horror. Dartha pressed her hands to her cheeks as she told him that she hasn't been eating. Barathon's eyes shot like daggers at Thranduil who remained looking bored, "Food was provided, it was she who refused."

Thranduil called for food to be brought in for the princess before he proceeded to the political affair at hand, "Dishonest elf! You've been thieving from me for many years and you would have continued to do so if it had not been your very daughter who came to my people for help". Dartha stood up straighter to assert herself, "We did not need your help, what help did you give? Only tired of making the forest floors our bed, we asked for ONE night in your realms!" Thranduil leaned forward in his throne, "We fed your elleth, gave them pillows to lay on, and we clothed you," he said as he motioned to the beautiful forest green Mirkwood dress that hugged her flesh, "Do not say we did not help you!"  the king said just as the food of which was called for had finally arrived. Instead of receiving it, Dartha, who had reddened in anger, threw the platter unto the floor, causing it's contents to fly from the hands of a very alarmed guard. Thranduil shot up enraged, "If it were not for your being a fair elleth, I would have flogged you for your relentless behavior!" Barathon shot back with his own verbal assault, "I would have you dead before you do any harm to my daughter!" Legolas drew a blade in which he had kept away hidden, "There will be no bloodshed among my people". 

The room suddenly erupted with all four of them screaming at each other all at the same time, and in the mist of the heated chaos, Dartha finally fell. She withered unto the ground in weakness but remained conscious. He near fainting caused everyone in the room to stop. Barathon knelt next to his daughter before looking into Thranduil's eyes, "Do not take her from me. She is my only daughter!" King Thranduil appeared to be thinking over, but when he finally pushed his thoughts away he tilted his head at the Harlond king on the floor, "You are indeed a poor elf about to be made poorer." Legolas turned to look at his father, "Ada, what is this all about?" Barathon had helped his daughter carefully to her feet again and as she leaned upon him, he spoke, "Hundreds of years ago part of my kingdom was captured by both orcs and spiders. My people had retreated unto about 30% of our land. In one afternoon Thranduil and many of his elf soldiers, traveling Middle Earth in search of battle experience, overcame the fell things that drove us out. Mirkwood elves defeated the orcs and spiders that once terrorized us and took over our land. Your father wanted to reclaim the land as his territory, an extension of Mirkwood, but I pleaded with him for my land. At that time I had only 3 sons and my wife was still living. Thranduil fancied the fairness of my wife and in seeing that I convinced him that in exchange for my land I will give him a daughter to wed one of his sons."

In hearing that, both Legolas and Dartha looked at each other in shock before turning to look at their fathers. Dartha wore upon her face a look of hurt as she leaned against her father, "I made that promise then, not knowing that I would only have one daughter and no wife to bare me more!" King Thranduil started to applaud, "How unfortunate of a situation you have placed yourself in"  he gritted through a smile. Legolas shot a look of disbelief at his father, "Ada! You can't expect me to bond my life to her!" King Thranduil closed his eyes as he sighed at everyone's incompetence, "Do you not see that this will indeed be done? How is it that even you, Legolas, have over looked Barathon's even graver hidden mistake?" From under his throne cushion Thranduil brought out an aged scroll that would be enough evidence to justify his actions to the Elvish Council, "For many year I had thought you to be dead with no elleth offspring, I had fully accepted the idea of never having to use this contract against you," he said waving the scroll in the air, "But not only did your wife bare a daughter, you kept her a secret all these years!" 

Still holding unto his withered daughter, Barathon tried to justify himself, "She was only kept from your knowledge because she looks so much like her mother and I expected to be given other daughters! How can I give away my only!" Thranduil looked unmoved, "You still continue to overlook your greater mistake. I will use it to my full advantage. When your daughter bonds with my son, whatever value inheritance belongs to her will then be added unto my son when they marry and thus Mirkwood will still claim part of your kingdom. The one thing you were trying to avoid years ago." With his matter-of-fact expression he caused the king of Harlond to be moved with emotion, "Only 5 of my sons have returned to me from war. I grieve the loss of one already!"  Dartha stirred in order to balance herself on her own, "I will not marry your son. I will give up my inheritance!" Thranduil started to laugh at her choice sacrifice, "It's not that easy fair elleth!" Legolas looked confused, yet angered at his father, "Ada! She offers wealth to Mirkwood without marriage! Why continue with this ploy?" King Thranduil smiled into the face of his son and met his cheek with his hand, "Because, I want beautiful grandchildren."