An Unexpected Trip

Chapter 14

Thranduil's POV:

"Manke  ach  i'  firimar  sii'?"Where is the mortal now? I questioned the captain of my guards, Tauriel, as Legolas stood stoic by her side.

"I' Lathleg tirith pad i' firimar na an Glamog echad os lepenque mile O i'  eryn edrain. " The Guard tracked the mortal to an Orc camp about fifteen miles from the forest border.  " I' Glamog  qoto ach thirty." The Orc count is about thirty.

I felt a sudden rush of anger and confusion rise up in me, but my cool facade hid it from the two elves standing in my presence.

There has never been such a large number accounted anywhere else except for a single purpose- to attack a specific target given by their masters.

Surely these filth do not dare to presume that they will be victorious from an attack on my soldiers with such a large number?

The image of Milana's face flashed through my mind and I gritted my teeth in frustration. Do I help her or leave her to her death? The answer becomes clear as I settle back into my throne chair.

"Im ava risk i' gurth ithri uin en noss an  a lin feir."I will not risk the death of any of my kin for a mere mortal .  I watch as Legolas' nostrils flare in anger and he stares sharply up at  me. I meet his cold gaze with one of my own, and less than two seconds later, he turns away.

" Keep an eye on the Orc's , and should they come any closer to my castle, slaughter them like the filth that they are."

Tauriel bowed with a fist to her chest in salute before she turned abruptly and strode off.

When the throne doors shut with a low bang, I stood up and stepped down from my throne to face my only son.

"What is it, I wonder, that could have my beloved son look at me in such a way?" My tone and gaze were like ice as I watched Legolas clench and unclench his hands.

After another short moment of silence, Legolas turned to face me with a defiant tilt of his chin. The action shocked me for a small moment, bringing with it the buried memory of my first love-Legolas' mother. He resembled her with his silver eyes and  bright smile that I now see so rarely from him.

"Ada, why has your heart turned so cold and uncaring for those in your kingdom? Surely, you know that the human girl will die, if she isn't so already! You cannot sit on your throne and allow these Orcs to cross through our lands unscathed. They are up to something, Ada. Never before, have so many Orcs camped in our woods without something evil happening soon after their arrival. I fear-"

"What? You fear that the Dark One will send his armies against us to claim these lands? You forget, my son, that he has been vanquished. There is nothing left of him to fear." I felt a slight prick of fear in me , though, at the thought that Legolas could be right. The Dark One was vanquished by Gandalf and his mortal friends, along with the help of my son, but that did not mean that those of his servants who still remain on Middle Earth aren't slowly gaining back their powers. It has only been twelve years after all, since the end of the Great Wars.

"Father, our scouts returned a little while ago, and reported that the human was still alive, though her animal companion is not. There are roughly thirty Orcs in that camp, and even as we speak, more will trickle in. They are saving her for something, my gut tells me it is true. If we do not help her, then it will lead to our own downfall in the end."

I pondered over Legolas' words for a short moment, before sighing and nodding my assent to overtake the camp of Orcs.

"Wait for cover of darkness, before attacking. The filth will be asleep, but there will be those who keep the night watch. Slaughter them all and bring the human to my chambers upon your arrival."

A look of relief passed over my son's face before he turned and left my throne room. 

He will be a grand king one day. Compassionate, and very observant, maybe more than myself at times. But, he is still much too reckless.

At the thought of Legolas going after the human girl, an image of her face, full of that burning fire I have glimpsed so often  flashes through my mind and I felt my heart clench.

Deciding that I will not wait here and do nothing, that I couldn't even if I wanted to , though the reason as  to why is unknown to me, I sent for a guard to ready my elk.

If those filth have harmed a single hair on the human girl's head, I will kill them all.

I paused in my step, surprised at the sudden and possessive thought. I do not care for the girl, yet I am willing to actually kill to keep her safe?

No, I am only going to retrieve what rightfully belongs to me, and then to dish out her punishment for trying to escape and  for assault against me and my son.

With a sadistic smirk upon my lips and a swish of my robes, I exited my throne room and made my way to  my chambers to dawn my armor on.

Once I am done with her, she won't ever dare to treat me in such a way again.