Weaving a Song

Chapter 91

Late February 3019 TA

"We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death, not while we have strength left." Aragorn sheathed his knife. "Leave all that can be spared behind, let's hunt some Orc." Legolas smiled at the roaring 'yes' Gimli let out before he followed quickly.

Forth the Three Hunters.

*

Legolas spent the nights he stayed awake whilst Gimli and Aragorn slept thinking on what he had learned in Lórien and the battle that had happened shortly after. He was worried for Merry and Pippin, and watching Boromir die had brought it closer to home than he dared admit. No matter what might happen, his people were going to war soon enough. Sauron had some special hatred for his father and would not let an opportunity to attack Mirkwood slip by him. It was not the hatred he felt for the line of Elendil, it was something more subtle. The past Age was primarily responsible for most of Thranduil's isolationist mindset. It was not intentional in most circumstances, but the mistrust Sauron had bred between Thranduil and the others who should have been allies had not completely gone away. Such it was Mirkwood had mainly been left to stand on its own. Until Aiwendil took special interest in them.

Still, the Maia was not allowed to directly interfere and as such they mainly still fought for themselves. And with a coming battle, and Legolas' encounter with a death near to him, he felt trepidation and a restlessness overcoming him. Almiel was not the only life at stake in this war, no matter that he had worried over her since his father first warned him.

"You had a prophesy of her?"

"Yes." Thranduil answered. "You wondered that we even had her."

"Yes, of course I did, can you blame me?"

"Not at all." Thranduil said walking over to his desk and glancing through some papers. "Your mother felt the same way. We had no choice in the matter."

"That is impossible."

"Perhaps." Thranduil sighed. "A desire for another child never awoke in us after the last died. Almiel was given to us, but not because we sought a child."

"So then what? Why now? Could not the Vala have let another of them live? Did you not want a child?"

"Of course we did. But we had given up." Thranduil said, a darker look in his eye. "And even after we learned she was carrying a child, she had doubts."

"Yes, yes. You said before it was not until the patrol I came back from that you truly were assured. By if they were so keen on giving you a child, could not any of the other three do suitably?"

"Ai, las. You are asking questions I am not prepared for. Ones I have asked myself. But that said, there was a prophesy. I awoke in the middle of the night after she had already been conceived."

"You were actually asleep to be woken?"

"Yes, it was a miracle in and of itself." Thranduil said nodding. "That evening I had felt unusually tired. I suppose they wanted it to be more dramatic, I never would have fallen asleep otherwise."

"And? After you woke?"

"I heard my name. Your mother was still asleep and would not wake. I was reaching for a weapon, but a voice stopped me. They said she would not wake. Then they said that she was carrying a child. A child that would have gifts others would not."

"What gifts are these?" Legolas asked.

"They did not say." Thranduil said pausing and glancing up at Legolas. "There was more."