To Live Again: Waiting Between Worlds {Lord of the Rings Fanfiction}

9. Power Play

The Woodland Realm -
Council Chamber
of the King
SA3441

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{Clara POV}
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"Do you understand what I am saying?"

I don't lift my eyes; I just stare - fixated at the one spot - on the sharp end of the letter opener that lies delicately in front of Galour's hand.  My jaw twitches as my mind conjures up an image of me taking that knife and driving it through the traitors hand - I want his pain. I want him to feel, just for a moment, the sensation of being stabbed. For this is what he had effectively inflicted on me, he has stabbed me in the back, and I have never known hatred like it!

"Clara?" Galour gruffly commands my attention again, and I simply let my cold eyes flit upward to meet his, but I don't speak...I cannot; "Oh for the love of the Valar...what would you have me do? I am not trying to rob you of your titles, this is protocol, and this is politics...honestly I feel like I am dealing with an elfling!"

"There must be a mistake?" Calanon pleads, as he rummages through the books of law in front of him. "I know the King left orders for Clara to reign in the event of his death, until Thranduil could return and take up his claim as heir, or if Thranduil too fell, Clara would rule until Legolas came of age. I know this for I was there when he verbalized such intentions...I know it was written."

"Well there is no evidence in any of the King's archives, we have found nothing of such agreements," Galour replies stiffly, his eyes twitching in irritation at my advisor...he is lying...his whole stance speaks of a liar. "In any case, in uncertain times such as these, control falls to the most senior council member to lead the Kingdom. It is a burden not lightly taken, and it is with a heavy heart that I take up such responsibilities Calanon...besides Clara is to young, and so terribly grieved by these events to be in any fit state to rule...would that not be your expert healer's opinion?"

"And you are not my lord?" I speak up softly, before Calanon can answer for me. Galour's hard eyes meet my cold ones, and he knows he has made a great mistake in underestimating my ability to resist injustice; "You seem so quick to come to the conclusion that my husband will not likely return, that I will be widowed and that our beloved Kingdom will lie in darkness for many long years until my son is of age to take the crown. I am at loss as to how flippantly you disregard the great pains this causes all of us?"

For added effect I gesture around the table to the handful of other nobles present. None of them are particularly influential; none of them would have the power to come against Galour without proof of his accusations. I know I stand alone in this, I know this is my word against his, and I know without a doubt I am going to fail unless I find written evidence as proof of Oropher's intentions in an event such as this. This is why I do not shout, or wail, or cause a nasty scene...it would do me no good. If I was to lose it, that would be all the invitation Galour needs to prove I am not capable of running this realm. Truth is I probably am not very equipped to do so, but it will be a cold day in hell before this traitorous and power hungry beast takes command of the realm my King fought so hard to raise!

"You mistake my sense of duty as disregard?" Galour spits and I suppress a dark smirk as I watch his unspoken intentions unravel before me. If he could speak of his hatred and disgust towards me he would gleefully, I am the only thing that stands between him and full power, in fact I wouldn't put it past him to murder me for it; "Your grief blinds you Clara, I will not sit here and reason with your anger. You are forgiven your insensitive comments now, but do not expect such leniency again! Whether you accept it or not, you are addressing your regent and I will demand a level of respect from you, even in your time of grief. You do realize I could make this worse for you, don't you? I could remove all your privileges, and that includes your daughter!"