Beginnings of a Prince

Chapter 11: Tragedy

The week continued like this as the two waited for the lady of the house to return and bring even more warmth to their happy home. However this was not to be for tragedy struck while the iron was hot.

Thranduil continued with his paperwork and kingly duties as Legolas laid there in his crib taking his afternoon nap. It was then Thranduil heard loud hooves clapping against the ground and a man who sounded in distress. Thranduil got up from his desk and looked out the window to find a soldier riding on a horse covered in blood with something lumpy under his cape ride into the courtyard. Thranduil's heart quickened as he recognized the soldiers to be one of his wife's guards from her journey. He ran to the courtyard leaving Legolas in his crib upstairs to go see the soldier outside.

"What happened! Why are you covered in blood" Thranduil asked frantically.

"My lord, We were attacked by a battalion of orcs on our way back from our journey"

"My wife the queen is she alright!"

"I'm...afraid..not my lord" the soldier said practically sobbing.

"What! Where is she"

"She is right here"

The soldier lifted his cloak to reveal a blood and stab wound covered queen limp and cold on his back. Her beautiful blond hair soaked in blood, her body looking like a beast mangled it, her skin with no glow of life left in it, and her clothes torn asunder.

Lorraine's body fell from the ripping straps around the soldier, and Thranduil dove to catch her in his arms. Thranduil was sobbing into his wife's body as thoughts swam through his head. Who will be there to love me, who will I be with through all the ages, who will be there to help me rule, and who will help me raise Legolas.

It was then a foolish maid came out with an already upset Legolas who woke up from his nap to find no ada in sight. Legolas saw his father and then saw a mostly red thing in his adas arms and as the maid came closer he recognized it to be his nana only she was dead. Legolas's may have been a little elfling but he learned things quite quickly including the concept of death. His little mind didn't know how to handle such news causing him to wail uncontrollably in the maid's arms. This brought Thranduil out of his depressed daze causing him to look up, and he was mortified at what he saw. Someone was foolish enough to bring an elfling to the awful scene, and worst of all his son to the sight of his dead nana. He gave his wife's body to one of the guards and ran to his mortified little leaf. He glared at the foolish made and ripped his son from her arms then immediately started to cradle and rock the poor babe.

"How dare you bring my son out here to this wretched scene!"

"I'm so sorry my lord, he woke up and was crying so I went to comfort him then I heard all the ruckus outside and went to investigate"

She was terrified, on the verge of tears and was a still as a stone statue with fear coursing through her entire immortal being.

Thranduil stared at the terrified maid and saw how much she was shaking and began to feel bad for her. He knew she didn't mean to do anything wrong, but he just couldn't believe Legolas had to see such a scene.

It was then he took a deep breath and said "I forgive you my dear, I know you meant no harm but please be more aware of your actions, you may leave now"

The maid bowed her head relieved that she was forgiven and ran back into the castle.

Thranduil then focused solely on his son trying to comfort the little elfling who was feeling unbelievably overwhelmed by tragedy. He rubbed the back of his son, and calmly shooshed him, rocking him back and forth till the little elfling fell asleep.