The Eastern Woman

A new life

"Father!"  cried Haldir, as soon as Thranduil made his appearance.  The king still had his eyes fixed on Goneril, and from them a fierce, obstinate hatred overflowed. The King was completely unaware of what had happened: only a few moments earlier the woman had saved his son's life.

The Prince ran to the King. "Father ..." he said again.  "We killed him! The Wraith ..."

Thranduil's slap made him fall flat on the ground.  Its sound was muffled by the black gloves that the King was wearing.

Thranduil turned his cold gaze on his son, who, after a moment of disbelief, brought a hand to his face and began to weep.  Never before that day did his father hit him.

"This is your last disobedience, Haldir."  the King said. "I have tolerated enough your impudences, your hostility towards me, your continuous acts of rebellion. You have escaped, leaving me and your mother in anguish. And ... you dared even steal my properties. "  he bent down to pick up Oropher's sword, which had fallen to the ground.  "A father's love for his son has protected you from my anger so far. But since I can no longer accept this behavior, from now on I will not be a father to you. I will be only your King, and, as your King, I'm going to punish you. Hazel! "  he called.

Immediately, Nim's husband, along with his archer Elves, reached the King. "Lord Thranduil! Many orcs have been killed. But some have managed to escape. We must follow them!"  he said.

"Haldir is under arrest."  Thranduil answered, instead.  "Tie his hands behind his back. And even that cursed woman ... is a fugitive. Arrest her!"  the King commanded.

Five soldiers ran to Goneril and surrounded her, pointing their arrows at her.

"Here we go again ..." she sighed.  "You're just wasting your time, your Majesty."  She told him.

Haldir and Hazel, meanwhile, looked at each other, completely confused. Arrest the prince?

Thranduil noticed the general bewilderment.  "So, Hazel? I gave you an order."  he commanded again, waving his father's sword in the air to clean it of the mud.  Then he went to Haldir and grabbed him by the arm, forcing him to stand up.  "Tie him up."

"Father ... why are you doing this?"  cried Haldir.  "... don't you understand?"

"I understand only that two days ago I went to Dale to see your mother, I brought her back to us ... for you. Because you two could be reunited. And you ran away and left her alone, not caring about the pain you would have given her. You deserve to be punished, you know this."  the King said to him.

"She is dead, father."  revealed Haldir.

Silence fell.

Thranduil seemed struck by a lightning.  His glacial eyes opened wide, and at that moment Goneril saw clearly in his face the agonizing grimace of one who feels his heart break in thousand pieces.

The King grabbed his son's shoulders.  "What did you say?"

"I felt her spirit die out. Her heart stop. I sensed her farewell to the world. We were both far away from her. So if you have to arrest me, do it for this reason: I let my mother die alone. But if this is a crime.  ... you are guilty too. "  cried Haldir.

Thranduil turned to Hazel.  "I don't know anything about it, Your Majesty. I left Roswehn with Nim, she told me that her health was good ..." the captain said, confused.  "A sudden death?"

"If my son says she is dead ... it's true."  the King murmured. Finally it had happened.

Roswehn.  His human love, the second great love of his life.