Wildest Storms | Love of Royals: Book III

III: Pretence

Search parties are sent out for Gollum—parties led chiefly by Legolas, who understandably doesn't offer for myself, Alëaren, or Telamír to accompany him.  Each time he brings with him the best trackers in the Guard, and a selection of what had been Gollum's personal guard who had been tasked with taking him to climb trees every day rather than keep him permanently cooped up inside.  The creature often used to refuse to come down from the trees, so Legolas's thinking is that he made his way through the forest via the treetops.  There has been no luck so far, and day after day Legolas returns with a dwindling supply of hope until it seems he has none.

The arguments are rife. Of course, it is never total peace what with the multitude of strong personalities in our court, but this is worse than it has been in years. After every court meeting, my father will emerge fuming and my mother the very height of stress. The tensions remind me of that era of my childhood in which Fíria and Fírion were first interacting with us and preparing for war against their father. I fear this coming war that everyone has been speaking of will put even that to shame.

I don't have the slightest clue as to what strategies the court and higher guards are discussing behind those oaken doors every day.  It reminds me more than ever that I'm just a symbol rather than a player in this game, and my attempt at an excitement to rival their warfare just landed me in trouble. Trouble such as being grounded within the lower halls and not allowed outside. My parents may as well be keeping me prisoner.

Though I suppose I may have earned it. I should have thought my plan through far more carefully; acting on impulse is more Telamír's area of expertise. There were other ways we could have had an adventure, but I let my desire for it get the better of me. Next time I won't be quite so foolish.

Next time should be sometime soon, as this afternoon we depart for Imladris, just in time to make it for Lord Elrond's meeting. I've also been separated from Alëaren and Telamír these past few days, so as far as I know, Alëaren could have drafted a full hour-long apology speech for him.  I myself am planning to improvise.

Just after straightening out my brand new teal riding gown, I hear my parents breeze into their chamber next door in the middle of a heated conversation.  I stop in my tracks, my hand frozen before the door handle.  This isn't just any marriage dispute—it never is with my parents.  It's always something concerning people's lives.  That is what you get when you're King and Queen, after all.

'Meleth, we have to tell them,' my father says sincerely. 'We've waited this long. I have endured sharing my kingdom, my rule with them for over sixty years. This throne doesn't feel like mine anymore.'

He means Fírion and Tauriel.  And Fíria and Legolas, to some extent.  I can hardly recall the days before they were here all the time, holding their own authority and raising their children.  Part of my court, and part of my family.

'We can't do that. Not now,' my mother replies, 'there's already too much going on, and they'll be off on their journey in an hour.'

'When they return, we find a solution. A place for them. I'd only just felt like these lands were mine again, and then they came. They took from me one of the only things I was sure of, Elena.'

'But not everything?'

'Not everything. I still have you, and our daughter. But I was, first and foremost, a King. I stood for this compromise for decades, but a King should know what is his and what is not his.'

I hadn't noticed that my hand in front of the door handle is shaking.  He cannot be serious.  Now, of all times, right when Sauron's forces declared themselves hostile for all to see... now my father decides to dredge up old grudges.  It's ridiculous.  Ridiculous and selfish.  He needs the others—we need them.  This kingdom needs them to help rule it, and if he cannot see that, then he is more blind than anyone could have thought.  Have they not shown themselves to be worthy of staying here forever?  Is that not what the deal was?