Lorinand Memoirs: The Bough Breaks

Chapter - 17

"It is not my intention to offend, hiril vuin." (My lady) Thranduil said quietly as he clasped her hands, allowing her to assist him to his feet. "Why..." He hesitated for a moment, his frown replaced with a guarded sort of curiosity as he looked into her eyes.

"You have many questions pen neth nîn." (My young one). Galadriel told him, a soft smile brightening her face as she squeezed his hands reassuringly.

"I am not afraid to say that I do not understand." He said quietly, his voice breaking off as his frown returned. "Nor admit that I am not comfortable with..."

"You must learn to trust your own mind and your own heart." She interrupted him as he paused to gather his thoughts. "The most difficult part for you will be learning how to set aside that which you have been taught."

"I know my own mind and heart hiril vuin." (My lady) He stated more firmly, narrowing his eyes as he sought to read her expression. "What I do not know is what it is you want from me. I assure you, my Adar (Father) pays little mind to my counsel." He added, unable to conceal the slight bitterness in his tone.

"One day you will return to your fathers' halls." She replied quietly, meeting his darkening gaze without reservation. "Until that day, I ask only that you use your time here wisely, to be open to what you can learn from others here. What you choose to accept is up to you." She told him, smiling to herself as she watched the strange play of emotions swirl within the depths of his eyes.

"He is wise enough to think far more than he speaks." Lenwës' earlier words drifted through her mind as she studied him. "The answers you seek are not so easily explained. There are some things you must see and experience for yourself before you can even begin to understand them."

"You are right, yet you are wrong in some ways." Thranduil began, pausing to clear his throat as he slipped his hands free of her gentle grasp. "Trust is something that must be earned yes, but it is also not one sided, you need to know that I do not share my fathers' views about a great many things." He said, his voice was thoughtful and calm as he stepped away from her toward one of the open windows.

"When I first arrived here." He continued as he stared up into the darkening velvet sky, his gaze lingering on the spray of glimmering stars. "I felt out of sorts if you will as if the world..." He paused as he turned to look at her, his eyes narrowing questioningly. "More pointedly, I felt my world shifting. I cannot say that trust is as much of a concern to me at the moment as my need to understand why."

"Ah." Galadriel nearly chuckled, noting the strange smirk the young prince barely concealed behind his questioning gaze. "In order to believe what I tell you, you will have to trust me." She told him, her tone slightly challenging as a soft smile curled her lips.

"You want to know why you are here, now, in this place." She stated more than asked, her soft blue eyes sparkling in approval of the sudden change in his demeanor. "I have not been privy to all that it entails and can tell you only that it was not your fathers' decision. The Fates have now turned their eyes toward you, things have now been set motion that will bring about changes in more worlds than your own. What changes are felt within the Woodland Realm are up to you."

"My father is not one easily dissuaded once his mind is set." Thranduil stated, his questioning expression fading to one reflecting concern accentuated by a deep frown. "Forcing his hand in any matter is never a wise decision, there are always consequences."

"True." Galadriel agreed, nodding as she walked toward him. "We all have secrets Thranduil, your Adar (Father) is no different." She continued quietly, glancing at him briefly before she turned to the window, her gaze followed his own toward the stars.