Silhouettes

Chapter 1

"Come along Soph!"
The young prince called from the top of the tree.
"I can't, I'm afraid of heights!"
Sophia called back.
The prince clambered down the tall oak, through the green leaves, scraping his hands and cheeks on little twigs on the way down.
"Oh Thran, you've ripped your shirt."
Thranduil looked down to see a large rip in the side of his silver shirt.
"Oh woops. Father won't be pleased about that."
"No, he won't. And he won't be pleased if he finds out why your brand new shirt is ripped. Do I have to remind you? I'm not to associate with you anymore!" Sophia said in alarm.
"Its fine, its fine. He won't find out. Besides, he's probably drunk as a nut down in the cellars." Thranduil replied trying to sound reassuring, but to Sophia it just sounded offensive that he could talk about their king like that.
After a moment silence and consideration from Sophia about what the king would look like whilst being intoxicated, Thranduil spoke.
"Well come on, my mother prepared a cake!"​

As the two young elves were out in the woods, Thranduil's mother had been placing a number 20 made out of Rose petals, on the birthday cake for him.
The pair of muddy, dirty elves came rushing into the kitchens following their noses.
Thranduil's mother was sitting at the bench with a warm, freshly baked cake and a knife ready to serve it up.
"Good evening darling." She said warmly to her son.
"Hello Sophia, dear. What did you two do that made you so dirty?"
"We were climbing trees! Well I was. Sophia didn't want too."
Replied Thranduil as he scowled at Sophia.
"Well we're not eating until you've cleaned yourself up. And Thranduil, honey, please stop ripping your clothes. I just had these made for you."
"Sorry mother. Well clean ourselves up presently."
The two elves ran up the countless carved wooden staircases, one to the royal chambers, and the other to the public rooms.

Sophia and Thranduil made their way to the kitchens after cleaning themselves up, prepared to stuff their faces with cake.
They laughed about the adventure they had had that day climbing trees and having wars by throwing acorns at each other, although the laughing was stopped dead in its tracks as they entered the kitchen and were met with a scowling king and father.
Thranduil's mother sat silent. The two had obviously had an argument; probably about Sophia; and were now not on speaking terms.
"Thranduil send this peasant back to public quarters. She has no business here."
"Please father. She is my best friend. It's my birthday! At least let her eat with me on my birthday."
Thranduil begged.
"I don't care if it's your birthday, and she is certainly not allowed to eat with you. You are royalty, you are the heir to the throne. You do not dine with peasants."
His father retaliated.
Throughout this heated discussion, Sophia stood still and listened as one man argued for her and the other against.
"You don't understand, my son! You are not to speak to her. You are not to be with her, understood?"
Thranduil opened his mouth to argue but instead was struck by his father, leaving a bruise on his eye and a cut on his upper lip.
Thranduil pulled back from his father, as his mother shrieked.
His father looked around at the hurt in his wife's voice and saw the tears in his son's eyes.
"My son? I'm sorry-"
"I am no son of yours."