Chapter XXV: (EXT) Battle in the North (Pt. II)
“I entered my study filled with my council and my commanders stoically waiting for me. As they bowed, Fëaluin took his place at my side by my table with the princes of the realm. I took my seat and motioned to Eldôr.
“His Majesty will lead small few warriors against the orcs at the borders, but the rest will leave before the sun rises toward Dol Guldur and await the elven forces from Lothlórien.”
“Who will lead them,” Nimlos asked.
“Tarthôn,” I said. “And with him will go Ardôr, Orísil, Aruilos and Elendôr.”
Tarthôn looked at me and nodded.
“Once our fight is done, we will join you,” Eldôr continued.
“And who will protect the palace then,” Elendôr asked.
“The guard, of course,” Fëaluin answered. “There is no need to engage them unless there is a direct threat.”
“My brother and I will see to that,” Elenadar said. “Do not worry for your family. Concern yourself with your return. You will stand against an evil like no other. Save your strength and your thoughts on that.”
The doors of the study opened and closed and voices were heard speaking in whispers. I stood up as for elves walked out of the shadows and stood before me. I looked at Fëaluin—his face fell into his hands.
Before us stood Sîrandor, Sîrandír and their twin cousins Sílrandor and Sûlrandír.
“My sons,” Elenatar and Elenadar said approaching their children.
“Your Majesty,” Sílrandor began. “We have returned to fight. The words of war are on the lips of everyone.”
“Even in Mithlond,” Sûlrandír said.
“Does your mother know you have returned,” Elenadar asked.
“Yes, Ada,” Sîrandír answered. “She and Elenlúin have long since sailed.”
“We did not come alone,” Sîrandor said.
“We came together, Sîrandor,” Sílrandor said.
“You know what he means, Brother,” Sûlrandír answered.
“Please, do not stand so close to one another,” Fëaluin said. “Any one of you.”
“Sorry, Ada,” Elenatar said as the stepped away aside. From behind them Êlenuil stepped forward and bowed reverently.
“Yes, Ada,” he said. “I have returned to fight beside my brother and my king.”
Elranduil looked at me—a smile slowly crossing his face as he attempted to conceal it from everyone. I came from my place and stood before Êlenuil. I looked at him and thought of his children sleeping in their room not far from mine. I was proud of him but could not find the words.
“Then you will ride with your brother,” I said.
He smiled and bowed and went to his father and brother happily.
I motioned for Tatháron to come. He came quickly.
“You know what I will ask of you,” I whispered. “Do it quickly.”
He bowed and left quickly.
“Where have you sent Tatháron,” Fëaluin asked quietly.
“To fetch something for Êlenuil,” I said. “He will need it far more than I will.”
I looked around the room the elves in my presence. I knew them all since my youth and others since I became king. As they spoke among themselves, I thought about things my father had told me. I had seen so much—through part of one age and nearly all of another. I knew then I would return home again one last time from the field of battle.
“Let us not tarry any longer,” I said. “As I speak an army of orcs march toward our gates. They are not the first but they will be the last. Tarthôn, I would like a word with you. Everyone else to your place.”
As the room emptied, Tarthôn stood before me.
“Yes, Ada,” he asked. “What did you wish to say to me?”
“I wished to say that you will see me again,” I said. “When I ride to you toward Dol Guldur.”
“I know,” he said. “And I will fight beside you as my father before me. I look forward to that moment.”
“I look forward to the moment you return home to your family,” I said. “Should I not return, it is you that should welcome your brother home in my place.”
“Do as I ask, Tarthôn,” I said.
“No,” he said. “I will not do what you will be able to do on your own. You will return home. You always have and you always will. When we return, we can both be here to welcome Legolas home.”
I embraced him tighter than I had before as I felt tears come to my eyes. I had no words that could express the pride I felt for Tarthôn in that moment. I remembered the first time I held him as an infant and every moment thereafter but none as powerful as that moment. I did not want to let him go, but I did slowly.
“I will see you soon,” he said as he bowed. “Until then, Namárië.”
He turned and left quickly. I stood alone waiting for my servants to bring my armor. When the door opened again it was Êlenuil.
“How are my children,” he asked softly. “I wanted to know before I went into battle.”
“You know where they sleep,” I said. “Why not go to them. I am sure they would want to see you. I know you want to see them.”
“Let them sleep,” he said. “I just want to know how they are.”
“They are very well,” I said. “They are growing quickly as children will.”
“Should I live, I will return to Mithlond, Thranduil,” he began. “I still carry her memory in my mind and I am afraid my children will make it worse.”
“You wish me to pretend I never saw you this day or any other,” I asked. “You do not want your children to know you fought valiantly for them and this kingdom?”
“No,” he said. “I know you, Thranduil. You will speak of it to them no matter what I ask. It is not in your nature to keep anything from anyone.”
“I keep many things to myself,” I answered. “It is just never the truth.”
“I ask this because I know I will see them again,” he said. “But not in this world. This world has taken from me many things I do not care to remember.”
“It has for me as well, Êlenuil,” I answered. “Many things I have lost and do not care to remember. But I do remember. I have to remember because should I forget, I will not know what I am fighting to keep. This world has taken my father, my friends and more of my people than I can count. But it also has given me my father, my friends and my people. I lived with them and loved them and they gave me strength to live long after they were gone. You have everything to lose for your fear of remembering what you lost rather than what you have left.”
“I am not as strong as you,” he said. “You are the great Thranduil. They speak of you beyond these borders with such fervor. There is no one quite like you in all of Arda. Not among elven nor men nor dwarves. There will never be a star that will rise or fall brighter than you. Not even the Everstar. All I ask is you not tell Nenduîl and Tárimë I was not here so that they can remember the father that left them never to return.”
“You told them you would never return, did you not,” I asked.
“I will not tell them that I saw you or even said your name,” I began. “But if I grant you that request, then you will grant me one as well.”
“You will not leave this world without your children.”
He stared at me—his eyes filled with tears that did not fall until that moment. I knew he could not refuse my request—not one given by his king.
“When the time comes, I will send them to Mithlond and then you will sail with them into Aman. Do I have your word?”
He nodded slowly as the doors opened again with my servants carrying my armor.
“I will see you at Dol Guldur,” I said. “Go see Tatháron. He has something for you.”
He bowed and left as Fëaluin, Eldôr, Elranduil and Nimlos returned while I was being dressed. Eldôr was in his armor as he always had been before a battle.
“I know better than to ask why Êlenuil left in fear for his life,” Elranduil said. “He will tell Ardúin and I will hear it eventually.”
“Sîrandor, Sîrandír, Sílrandor and Sûlrandír will join the palace guard and will stay behind with me,” Fëaluin said as he rolled scrolls together quickly. “Please return quickly. I love my grandsons very much but I can only be around them for so long before I will lose what sanity I have left.”
“I will return for you as soon as I can then,” I answered. “I cannot have the head of my council lose what sanity he has left.”
“Or what he was born with,” Elranduil said to himself.
Nimlos laughed as he stood before me.
“So here we are again,” he said. “Off to fight another battle. I must say, I never thought I would enjoy fighting beside you but that was before I got to know you.”
“You mean before you got to know Elranduil,” I said.
“Thranduil,” Eldôr said looking over a scroll.
“At least I can hit a moving target with an arrow,” Elranduil said as servants began to dress him and Nimlos.
“The trees never fared well with Thranduil around,” Fëaluin said handing off a scroll to a guard.
“Fëaluin,” Eldôr began. “This is why I returned. None of you have changed since you were children.”
“Thranduil has,” Elranduil said. “He has gotten taller.”
Nimlos and Fëaluin laughed as Elmîr entered.
“Yes, Elmîr,” I said as servants began to leave one by one after finishing their task.
“Aradin has taken the north side of the river,” he said. “Father and I will remain with you from here to Dol Guldur. Aramír, Aramoth, Findôl, and Sildôr will take North, South, East and West. Nînuir has accompanied Tarthôn and the others to Dol Guldur. Eldúir will stay to defend the palace. Árelë sent word of a force of Easterlings seen moving toward Dale from the south. Better cover ourselves on all sides.”
“Thank you, Elmîr,” I said.
We stood in silence as the last of the servants left and we stood dressed in our armor looking at one another. I took a deep breath.
“Look after my children until I return, Fëaluin,” I said. “Look after Êlúriel.”
“Yes, Thranduil,” he said.
“Once more,” I said. “Let us fight once more.”
Eldôr, Elranduil, Nimlos and Elmîr followed me out of my study and into the hall toward the main gates. As they opened for us, I could see that dawn had not yet come. We walked into the darkness—the air still crisp and cool and not yet filled with the rancid stench of orcs but the sound of their feet had begun to shake the earth beneath our feet. We would take them face-to-face and ride later to Dol Guldur. Armored elven warriors stood prepared to fight again.
We took our positions at the furthest distance west of the bridge and waited for darkness to fade into the light of day. We waited patiently for our first battle during the War of the Ring to begin.
The dawn seemed to come slowly but the anticipation had risen before with the sounds of orcs marching through the forest—their monstrous feet crushing the earth beneath them. I nodded and Elranduil and Eldôr to take position. We planned to surround them and kill all that dared to march upon Mirkwood. I could hear the faint sound of the archers pulling their bowstrings from across the Forest River.
As the sun’s first light, the glamhoth broke through the trees. Arrows flew through the air as our two armies began fighting fiercely. No sooner had I put down one, another appeared in his place. For hours there was nothing but the sound of metal clashing and battle cries until silence had fallen. I stood wading in the corpses of orcs—not one elf did I see. I began to worry that I was the last to survive.
“It is done,” I heard a distant voice say. “Decidedly so, Father.”
I looked to see Elranduil and Eldôr approaching—their armor covered in orc blood.
“Do not think this is over,” Eldôr said.
“Nimlos,” I cried. “Where are you?”
I looked in every direction and saw only figures shrouded in the mists of dusk. I began to fear the worst as I fell to my knees and started pushing the dead aside in a futile search.
“Thranduil,” a voice said. “What are you doing?” It was Elranduil standing with Elmîr.
“I am looking for Nimlos,” I said frantically.
“Why would I be down there,” Nimlos asked.
I quickly turned to see him standing at my right beside Sildúr. I sighed deeply as I rose to my feet.
“I thought you had fallen,” I said.
“When that day comes, I will tell you,” Nimlos said smiling.
“How did we fare, Father,” Elmîr asked.
“Very well,” Sildúr answered. “There are wounded but none shall die.”
I sheathed my sword and wearily headed for the palace. At the end of the bridge, I saw the gates open—the last thing I remember before I fainted.
**** **** **** ****
It was night when I returned to consciousness. I was laying on my bed my chest in pain, dressed tightly around me.
“How are you feeling,” I heard Fëaluin say from across the room.
“He will live,” Êlúriel said as she stroked my hair.
“What happened,” I asked.
“You were victorious,” he said. “As to be expected. I noticed you were missing a piece of your armor. That would explain your wound. It was not deep but you lost enough blood to faint.”
“I gave my mithril to Êlenuil,” I said slowly sitting upright. “He needed it far more than me.”
He walked to the foot of the bed and stood looking at me—his face lost in thought.
“I thought you did something of the sort,” he said. “You are just like Oropher.”
“How do you mean, Fëaluin,” I asked. “How am I like my father?”
“He gave his to you so long ago,” he said. “The difference is you survived to see another day but even Oropher would not have been surprised. You are a worthy warrior.”
“I almost died,” I said, my thoughts trapped in the past. “I could have died.”
“You did not die and you will not die, I am sure of it.”
“He will never die,” Êlúriel said. “He is too stubborn.”
He walked to the door and paused for a moment.
“Do you feel well enough to receive company,” he asked.
“Yes,” I answered. “Who calls for me?”
He smiled and tapped the doors. One cracked open enough for Nenduîl, Tárimë and Eärluin to slip inside.
“You are alive,” Tárimë said happily as she and brother ran to embrace me.
I winced in pain as Fëaluin smiled and left us with the children.
“Yes, I am, Tárimë,” I said. “But do be careful.”
“Very careful, children,” Êlúriel said. “He is wounded.”
“You came back as you said,” Nenduîl said, climbing on the bed with his sister. “I knew you would return.”
“You did not,” Tárimë said. “You spent the day crying like a little child. I told you he would return but you did not believe me.”
“I did not cry,” he said quietly. “That was Aranduil.”
“You are not died,” Eärluin said, poking me.
“It does not matter now,” I said trying hard not to laugh. “I am here now and it is late. Time for bed.”
“Can we stay with you, Ada,” Tárimë asked sweetly. “We can look after you.”
“Your Ada needs his rest,” Êlúriel said. “You may see him tomorrow.”
“Yes, Nana” they said sadly, hanging their little heads as they climbed down from the bed and walked slowly to the door.
“They can stay for a little while,” I whispered to Êlúriel.
“Are you not afraid to wake up and have their husbands and wife between us,” she whispered back. “You may stay for a little while.”
The children turned around and excitedly returned and curled up around me.
“Wake us up should you need to,” Nenduîl said in a commanding tone. “And we will ring the servants for you.”
They had made up their minds and started to nestle on either side of me. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched them fall asleep. I closed my eyes for moment thinking about all that had happened. I looked at Êlúriel sitting on the bed next to Tárimë, smiling at me.
“Êlúriel, I love you,” I whispered.
“I love you more, Thranduil,” she said.
“That is not possible,” I said.
She leaned over and kissed me again.
“Welcome home,” she said.
“It is good to be home,” I said. “Very good.”––TKWR:BII The Saga of Thranduil (EXT. VER.) by J. Marie Miller 12-20-17
Images: ©2012, 2013, 2014. Warner Brothers Pictures. The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. All Rights Reserved.
