The Silvan (Lord of the Rings-Legolas)[Wattys2016]

Chapter 9: Prologue to Part II

Once, the elves of the Great Greenwood had lived in cultural harmony. The Sindar, the Silvan and the Avari had not cared for their respective origins save for the exotic curiosities to be had and the diversity it lent their lives. There had been no division of authority, no casts, no prejudice. Together, they had built a mighty kingdom, a realm that extended from the mountains, where they had built an impenetrable fortress that shielded their true treasure from the rest of the world – the Evergreen Wood, as yet untainted, pure and just as beautiful as the undying lands.

Although it had been a time of relative peace, the king had created an army unequaled by any other elven realm, with thousands of warriors from all the races that constituted the Greenwood. Aye, they were at peace, but that may not last, he had suggested, prophetically, they would come to realise.

And yet along the way, at some undefined point in their history, politics had taken a strange turn, bringing with it a Sindarin majority of politicians. Powerful families, including that of the king, placed their firstborn sons in Thranduil's council rather than on the battlefield, and as the time of war faded in the minds of those young enough to forget, the king found himself in an ever deepening circle of ambitious Sindar who found in their Silvan and Avarin brothers the perfect weapon with which to secure their positions.

They were not racist, they did not speak ill of the forest dwellers, for it was in no one's interest to do so, and yet a division had begun to take hold, and slowly, but surely, the Sindar had found their place of authority, and had taken root in the forest's centre of power – the king's council. Lord Bandorion, uncle of Thranduil, together with his son Barathon, the king's cousin, were foremost in this movement, and Rinion, Thranduil's heir, was sympathetic to their views, however much he was not completely a part of their circle.

Thranduil, as shrewd as he was wise, had hastened to secure his own position, not that it had been threatened in any way but the king was ever vigilant, ever protective of his realm. He had married a Sindarin noble and with her, had fathered three children. It was a time of prosperity and relative peace, a time of security and good government, of bustling trade and abundant harvests.

It was in this time of euphoria, that Thranduil had made his biggest mistake, one he lived to regret every day of his life, for with it had come his wife's departure to the undying lands, and his children's hard, cold eyes.

A passing fancy, they said, a whim, but a momentary blink in an eternal life – it was of no consequence for he is king and kings sometimes err. But whereas his subjects had dismissed the subject as anecdotical, Crown Prince Rinion, Councilor Handir, and Maeneth, Thranduil's only daughter, could not forgive their father this trespass. Their mother had sailed to the undying lands, taking with her the secret of how she had been able to leave her children on the strength of her husband's infidelity alone, and Thranduil – he never spoke of it.

And so the rift widened between those of the royal family, bringing with it an equally escalating political situation that favoured the Sindar majority.

And then, the times began to change. Darkness was once more spreading from the South and the Silvan foresters were hard pressed to harvest their bounties and to protect their families, and although help was readily sent, it was considered insufficient.

Leaderless, the Silvans organised themselves as best they could, appointing Erthoron as their spokesperson at Thranduil's court. New patrols were to be sent out to the East and West, patrols in which half the warriors were novices and most of their officials Sindar. It would not be enough, they said. Crops, trees and lives would be lost and it would be the fault of the Sindar for not organising the campaign when first the Silvans had spoken of their plight.

And amidst these changing times, riding in a patrol bound for the western quadrants, was a young novice they called The Silvan; bastard child of Thranduil, he is as yet ignorant of his origins and his family, unaware of the life and circumstances of his mother for it is his aunt that raised him as her own. Only Handir, second son of Thranduil, is aware of his existence, thanks to Lainion who has confided the truth to his former charge, in the hopes of gaining his help in protecting both the King and The Silvan, not only from those who would use this knowledge for their own gain, but to protect them from themselves, from the shock and the grief that would surely ensue.

All that interests this Silvan-Sindarin child is the fulfilment of his dream; to become a Captain in the king's militia, and to be reunited with his childhood friends and fellow novices Idhrenohtar and Ram en' Ondo.

But destiny is often cruel, albeit unwittingly, and great revelations were about to be made, turning his entire world upside down...

From Greenwood the Great to the Evergreen Wood, from the south-western reaches of a slowly decaying forest to the splendour of Imladris, The Silvan will learn of his past and – of his unexpected future...

List of characters

Legolas / Hwindo / Hwindohtar /  (The Whirling Warrior) The Silvan - bastard son of Thranduil

Captain Turion - commander of the western patrol

Lieutenant Lainion - lieutenant of the western patrol

Carodel - warrior in the western patrol

Angion - warrior in the western patrol

Faunion - warrior in the western patrol

Idhreno / Idhrenohtar -the Wise Warrior, member of The Company

Ram en' Ondo - the Wall of Stone, member of The Company

Rinion - Crown Prince of the Greenwood

Handir - Prince of the Greenwood

Maeneth - Princess of the Greenwood, currently residing in Lorien

Aradan - Chief Advisor to Thranduil King

Bandorion - Brother of Oropher, Thranduil's uncle

Barathon - Bandorion's son, Thranduil's cousin

Hûron – General

Celegon – Commander General

Amareth - Legolas' aunt

Erthoron - Silvan village leader, Lland Galadh

Golloron - Silvan Spirit Herder

Thavron - Silvan forester, childhood friend of Legolas, Idhreno and Ram en' Ondo