Concerning Us

Chapter Nine: More Dangerous and Less Wise

Legolas was looking over his betrothal ring on his finger when he was startled by the door. Four of the five Harlond princes filled into his room without his consent and he couldn't help but feel defensive reaching for his sword. Eleyond, the eldest, raised a hand at the nervous Green Leaf prince and said, "Do not draw your blade. We are not seeking to do harm unto you". Legolas did not take up his sword but he did position himself away from the room's corner. "The morning has come quickly, is it time to depart already?" Legolas held his glance on the slender elf with dark brown hair and even darker eyes. "There is still time before your departure," Eleyond answered him as he looked over the belonging Legolas had laid out on his bed. Three days had passed since the betrothal ceremony and it was now the day in which Legolas and Dartha would embark on their year long travel. There was bad blood between the Harlond princes and Legolas due to the fact that they did not understand each other. It had been the righteousness of Fael, whose name meant 'fair minded', that led to the decison of the prince brothers  to make an attempt to understand the prince of Mirkwood. "Words whisper faint that you were very much a hero in the war," Eleyond stood still as he addressed Legolas. "We were also fighting in the war, and as you know our brother has fallen..." Sigil had spoken up only to have his voice trail. Maen supported him by continuing, "He had said your purpose is always tied to whatever makes you angry enough to fight". A fragment of silence hung in the room until Fael took a step towards Legolas who retracted backwards, "We believe he served his purpose when he parished from this life, but we live still because we have purpose remaining to fulfill. We have not known you before, until you came into our kingdom for our sister. Easily you have been a villain to our eyes, speak now and tell us why we should listen to the faint whispers that say you are a hero".

"My father is only looking out for our elves when he envisions the joining of your sister and I, but I assure you that I will treat your sister well and Harlond will not experience any tragic loss",  Legolas spoke confidently before his future brother in-laws. The dark eyes of Eleyond jaded at the blond haired prince before he spoke, "I suppose you see it just that Mirkwood grow 20% richer while our kingdom suffices on less". Legolas took some offense in Eleyond's tone and furrowed his brows, "The numbers are not my concern. Your father struck a covenant with my father who saved your entire kingdom from destruction hundreds of years ago. You were an elfing then I do not suppose you would remember". All of Barathon's sons were older than Legolas, only the three eldest were alive then but they were believed to be quite young to comprehend at that time. Fists formed at the end of Eleyond's arms as he listened to the elf several hundred years his junior disrespect him, "How can I forget the very thing that killed our mother!" he raised his voice. The remaining brothers reached for him so he could not move from where he stood, "Our father tried to ease her that giving one daughter was not too much if they had multiple, but my mother could never depart from any of her children in such a way. I watched anxiety take over my mother for years after your father forced my father into making such a promise. Pregnancy, which should be celebrated, became a fear in our house. Each time my mother was with child she would fall into a deep depression worrying that she could be carrying a daughter. She was blessed with three more sons before the birth of Dartha took her life!" At this point Eleyond was trying to break loose but his brothers held him as he continued to yell at Legolas, "You say we will not suffer any tragic loss when you take our sister but I've learned while I was young that dealings with Mirkwood always end with loss, for Mirkwood elves are more dangerous and less wise!"

Dartha had long since packed for the departure and she was making use of her free time to evaluate her life as she sat at the bottom of the abandoned well. Her betrothal ring felt foreign to her and she could not help but take it off when she felt it to be too tight. In reality it was a perfect fit, but in her mind she believed it was not fashioned for her finger. She placed the ring down before she laid on her back, anticipating that at any time now it would be time to depart and Oneth would come looking for her. She was surprised when she heard her father's voice, "My daughter!" The princess quickly opened up her eyes and her vision focused at the top of the well to see not only her father paring down at her but also her brother Oneth. "I can not strength to come down my daughter, you must come up," King Barathon echoed into the well. Dartha stood to her feet, "Is it the hour to depart already?" Her father, who she hadn't seen since the ceremony, looked exhausted, "There is still time, not too much but there is some remaining". Dartha was about to ascend the well wall, but when she placed her hand on a stone before her face, she realized her fingers were all bare. She turned back to collect the jewelry before climbing up to join her brother and father.

"What is this?" She asked as she looked down upon what her father held out to her. Dartha's eyes looked over the long brown scroll paper etched heavily with her father's markings, "Is this a map of Middle Earth?" she asked astonished. Her brother answered with just as much excitement, "It is a survival guide! Father has labored much to produce this!" he grinned. King Barathon gave a smile of his own before he looked seriously at his daughter, "I have studied all the useful texts in our library. You will find it very useful and valuable if you keep it from Legolas's knowledge". Dartha took the map into her hands and saw that her father had detailed it greatly with danger warnings, fell creature territories, enemy and friend lands, harmful plants, fresh water locations, food sources, hidden passageways, medical cures, and other resourceful information. She did not know what to say as she stared at such power in her hands. "Middle Earth is vast and dangerous but you are a warrior AND a healer my daughter, you already had the advantage over Legolas even without this map for he can not heal himself. Now I have given you everything in order to return to me, so be sure to return to me", he smiled before he embraced her.

Later that afternoon both royal families had gathered by the horse stables. King Thranduil was the only one speaking endlessly, "Why such depressing expressions upon the faces of the house of Harlond? It is only a year length journey, what is a year in our immortal eyes?" His eyes seemed to glow of excitement as he looked at Barathon's sons. Each one held eyes of sorrow expect for Oneth and Eleyond. Oneth's held a hope behind them that matched his father's but the eldest son seemed to be scrawling at the Mirkwood prince as he prepped a horse. Dartha came up to Legolas with a horse she selected, but he prohibited her from starting to prep it. "Two horses would mean another stomach to feed and more noise stirring in dangerous forests. We will ride together on one horse". King Barathon looked ready to object but Thranduil side eyed him. Oneth seeing that, spoke up for his father, "But if one horse gets ill or is slain, there will be the other". King Thranduil knew that a second horse would prevent the prince and princess from growing close if they did not ride together. The more intimate their setting is the chances were that they could possible wed before the year is over. "If the horse dies then they will make the rest of the journey on foot. Taking a second horse is far too risky", he said with a bit of matter-of-fact annoyance. "They need to be off and make use of the daylight! Let them take one horse if it pleases you," Eleyond spoke irritably as he finished the rest of his thought in his mind, hoping that Dartha would take a knife to Legolas's back at some point while riding. His brothers looked to him sensing such anger built up form what had happened earlier that morning and they knew that it was the begining of a grunge that he was forming.

The single horse was fully prepped and Dartha was embraced by each of her brothers before she felt the comfort of her father's kiss on her face and warm arms around her. Legolas looked up to his father who gave him a look back, "Don't bring back any dwarfs". Legolas rolled his eyes and embraced his father anyway and pulled back in time to catch the smile that tugged on Thranduil's face before it faded. He then mounted the horse and looked down awaiting Dartha who was still in the arms of her father. He took the opportunity to address her brothers, minus Eleyond, with his eyes. He gave them a nod, which they returned before setting their glances to the soil at their feet. When Dartha was ready, she let go of her father and took Legolas's offered hand, lifting herself into place behind the prince. They were so close. The prince of Mirkwood anticipated her arms around his waist that he did not pick up the horse's reins to begin their ride until he had felt them. After one final look back, they started for the forests of Harlond and their loved ones watched their ride until they had vanished beyond the trees.