Concerning Us

Chapter Seven: The Eve of Adventure

Two days had passed and it was now the eve of the ceremony. Dartha had been disappearing and reappearing through out both days that passed, and no one, not even Oneth, knew where she was going. She had forsaken her hiding place, signaling to him that she did not want to be found. "Where is your sister!" Thranduil intruded into the room. The elf princes were conversing at a table laden with untouched food. It was Sigil, whose name meant 'dagger', who spoke up first, "Why do you seek her?" he asked defensively as he stood up. His four other brothers shot up after him, "Her whereabouts should not be your concern". Thranduil glared at the prince who was unpleasant towards him, "She has not arrived yet from the outside, on the night before her betrothal! I only concern for her safety". The princes returned to their seats before Oneth took the initiative and spoke, "It is still not your concern. She is strong, and though she may lose herself in the daytime, she always arrives home safe". Thranduil watched the prince take to his hand a roll and half it with his knife,"Do not worry, she shall not be missing her betrothal tomorrow", Oneth said as he spread butter unto both halves. Thranduil's attention seemed to drift into his thoughts, then his entire demeanor darkened, unconvinced. He took his leave from the room and quickly acted upon the belief that she had intentions of running away. He stormed out to find the princess's father and upon nearing his hall, he overheard several guards discussing the king's strange behavior that night. 

Legolas laid on his side, facing the wall. Though his mind be spiraling, he was trying to turn off his thoughts and get some sleep. When he heard the door open he quickly pressed his eyes shut, in pretend slumber. He father was relentless in pestering him that evening. He listened as his father entered the room and crept across until his presence was felt hanging over the bedside. Legolas could no longer contain the eerie feel upon him that he finally forced his eyes to open as he turned his face from the wall. "I have every reason to believe Barathon is seeking an intervention," Thranduil breathed over his son, "I overheard the guards talking about how he went into his bedchamber with all sorts of scrolls and books and that he has not left his room since morning!" Father looked down upon son, awaiting a response or reaction, but when none came forth from Legolas, Thranduil pulled him out from the bed. With their faces only a few fractions from each other, the king asserted himself, "A year long betrothal is too long of an opportunity to give. Tomorrow will be the wedding!" Legolas broke from his father and refused to comply, "The ceremony was promised to be betrothal Ada! You gave that mercy!" 

"I am not about to be fooled!" Thranduil shook as he paced in front of the bed, "Whatever Barathon is preparing in his room, his daughter awaits it to flee from us". Legolas looked upon his distressed father and realized that he was overlooking something, "Father, she will not flee from her commitment to her kingdom", the prince spoke reasonably unto his king. " She knows her elves will not be able to survive if all that they have is stripped from them". Thranduil seemed to turn over his son's words in his mind before he weighed his own thoughts, "What wisdom does Barathon have? Is it not his foolishness that has doomed his daughter? I worry for nothing!" he concluded with a laugh. Thranduil was about to leave when one last thought resurfaced. In the threshold of the door he turned back to look at his son and asked, "Be watchful of the one called 'Large Lake', I have every right to believe she has been hiding away with him these passed days". Legolas remembered Ailin, for he was the elf that was pursuing Dartha into the forest the day they arrived. Thranduil held his voice at a whisper,  "I had asked the princes days ago 'Who is the one you call 'Large Lake'?' and the princes looked at one another as if deciding if I would be given the truth or a lie and which of them would be the one to answer me with it. Finally it was Eleyond, the eldest of all the brothers that answered," Thranduil rolled his eyes in annoyance. "How did he answer you?" Legolas beseeched his father. "He is a friend of theirs and one of their bravest that returned from war," The king spoke subtly before departing from his son.

Legolas was already conflicted on how he felt about his father and the princess. He hated, loved, feared, and respected Thranduil collectively. With Dartha he knew he was infatuated with her the moment he first laid eyes upon her, but he was not sure if he had yet grown to love her. Now he had to determine his stance on Ailin. Was he feeling jealousy or threatened at the thought of Dartha spending her last days of disattachment hiding away with another elf? All those questions remained unanswered in his mind when his door reopened a few minutes after his father had left him. It was Dartha that stood in the doorway. It was evident that she had been crying. Out of her lips fell the words, "Please. Is there not anything you can say or do to prevent the ceremony tomorrow?" Legolas turned away from her, "There is nothing in my power to do." The princess crept across the room and knelt before Legolas. Legolas sat up in bed as he looked at her in confusion. Dartha grabbed a hold of his hand and brought it to her chest. Legolas was forced then to feel her heartbeat. With his hand still pressed over her pacing heart, a few tears escaped her swollen eyes,"I have just been with the elf I love". Legolas withdrew his hand from her fluttering chest in fear as his eyes enlarged, "In what way?" She found strength to laugh weakly in her sorrow, "I am still do not have a husband." Legolas sighed with relief that Ailin did not take her to be his wife. It was after he thought he had lost her that he knew truly how much he wanted to take his chance being betrothed to her, "I do not have the right words to say that will provoke you to love me by tomorrow's ceremony but I can promise that I will be quick to fall in love with you through the year of our betrothal." Those were not words Dartha wanted to hear. She did not want his love. "I see that you have fully sided with your father on this matter!" She rose up in anger. The princess allowed her voice to escalate as she stormed for the door, "I spent many months away helping to fight darkness, but the real evil existed in Mirkwood all along!"

Every sort of geography, biology, and medicine scroll and book that could be found in Harlond's library was laid out on every flat surface in Barathon's room. He labored in documenting and recording every known threat that his daughter and Legolas could encounter on their year long journey. He had gone without eating and seeing his children today, for his focus was to provide Dartha with a map that would give her the advantage in order to out survive the crowned prince. He located territories inhabited by orcs, wargs, spiders, and other fell things. With his delicate hand he painted small images of plants known to carry poison and inscribed how to cure them. He plotted areas of fresh water and natural edibles in which she could find nuts, berries, and fruit. Barathon thought of everything as he poured his efforts into creating the map for his daughter in  what  he believed to be her only hope in escaping marriage at the end of the year. Apart from the ceremony tomorrow, he planned on working to perfect the map until the betrothed couple would depart for their trip. Then he would gift it her in private, instructing her to keep it from Legolas's knowledge. He heard a commotion outside his door which sounded like the guards fighting amongst themselves. He was about to deliver his wrath upon them for having disrupted his concentration, but then he heard Thranduil call out to him and he froze bent over his scrolls.