ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɢʜᴛ [ᴀ ᴛʜʀᴀɴᴅᴜɪʟ x ᴏᴄ]

Chapter 9- Lady Galadriel

Getting out of Mirkwood had been a little bit of a challenge but we had managed. By 'we' I was referring to myself, Laeanna and Astra. Astra was an elf Thranduil had tasked with relations with the other elven kingdoms. She was coming with Laeanna and me on our journey to Rivendel.
We had walked swiftly through the forest coming across and few spiders on the way but thankfully, for the most part, the forest was silent.
By the time we made it out of Mirkwood, the pale moon was sat high in the sky. We made camp for the evening ready to continue our adventure tomorrow.
"So why is it that you are going to see the lady Galadriel?" Astra asked me as we sat around a fire we had built.
"I have questions I believe only she alone can answer, " I replied.
"Why now though?"
"Because I stopped caring about the questions I had but I now have a reason to care about them again, " I replied not caring how cryptic my answers seemed. They were my reasons and I didn't have to share them. Astra seemed nice but she did not have my trust yet like Laeanna and Thranduil did.
"So what is your relation to the King?" Laeanna asked.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well you do spend an awful lot of time with him and he gave you a sword, " Astra pointed out noticing where Laeanna was going.
"We're friends," I said. Both of them gave me a look that told me they didn't quite believe that.
"I doubt that's all there is to it," Astra smirked.
"Thank you. I thought it was just me who saw it," Laeanna cheered.
"Great so now I've got two of you on my case, " I huffed.
"That's correct, " Astra said. Maybe we would get along after all.
"Well as much as I would love to discuss my very platonic relationship with Thranduil I think it's about time we all get some rest so we can continue our journey early tomorrow," I said hoping they would leave it alone. Honestly, not even I knew how I felt about him at this point.
"Fine but this is not over Araniel," Laeanna said pointing a finger at me with a mischievous smile plastered on her pale face.
***
The sun warmed my face as I woke the next the day. I flicked my hair out of my face and collected my things as the others got up. I tightened the strap on the sheath of my sword before drawing the blade. I smiled as I examined it.

"Quit daydreaming Araniel, " Laeanna laughed walking past me.
"I'm not daydreaming," I replied.
"Fine stop fantasising, " Astra said.
"I'm not doing that either, " I said.
"Sure, " They said together.
"Let's just get going," I sighed.

The journey to Rivendel was fairly long and was made even longer by Astra and Laeanna constant prying into the time I had spent with Thranduil and what we had talked about. I began to realise that I may have feelings for Thranduil that I may not have for anyone else. Ones that I had never felt before or was even aware I was capable of given my dark elf father. I had questions that needed answers and now more determined than ever yo get them I walked faster and faster despite my companion's objections. They stayed with me however and before we knew it we had arrived.

We were greeted by Lord Elrond who I had only heard of him but there had been a lot to here about.
"Astra it is good to see you again," he smiled.
"It is always good to see you, Lord Elrond,"
"I see you have bought others along, "
"Yes though they come for their own reasons. This is-"
"Laeanna and Araniel, " he cut it. "The Lady of Light is expecting you," he said.
Another elf stepped forward. He had long brown hair and dark brown eyes. Lindir was his name.
He led Laeanna and me through the beauty of Rivendel to the Lady Galadriel. At which point he bowed and left us.
"Hello My lady," I greeted with a bow.
"You have come far young one," she said and I supposed that only being 1162 was young although I didn't necessarily feel that way about it all the time. "And you have questions, " she added.
"I do, "
"And you may ask them, "
"Do you know what happened to my father?"
"He lives in the shadows and leads the darker of our kind further away from the light. He leads them now and is planning something but that I am unable to see," she answered.
"My Father is the leader of the dark elves, " I clarified. She nodded in response. I paused for a moment before asking my next question. I knew my father would have to be dealt with but I hoped I would not have to do that for some time.
"Can dark elves love?"
"No. Not truly, "
"Can I?" I asked.
"I believe you already know the answer to that question. Your heart belongs to another already,"
"So you do like Thranduil," Laeanna butted in. I sent a glare her way.
Galadriel smiled at Laeanna
"You two share a close bond. One that will only grow closer as the years pass in more ways than you know, " she said.
"Is it possible to come back from being one. A dark elf I mean," I asked.
"It is not possible for one that is fully dark elf. The children of two dark elves is born corrupt and likely will not ever escape it,"
I frowned thinking that my cause was indeed hopeless.
"But one of only half can be. It is yet to be done but it is possible, "
I was filled with a new hope. Maybe I could be redeemed. Although I may still enjoy some of the things I've done. There was always some amusement to scaring people and some of the mischief I got up to but I never did anything really close to what I had seen so many dark elves do whilst I was with them.
"Can I ever get rid of it completely?"
"No. The darkness is a part of you but whether you allow it to draw you away from the light is your choice and yours alone,"