Chapter Text
A Love Found Among the Greenleaves
Chapter 4: Desperation in the Forest
TA 1050
Thranduil eyed the white gems before him, smiling with excitement at the plan that had come to his mind. Soon would be Ethiriel’s birthday and he had come up with a gift for her. The White Gems of Lasgalen were previously her parents, passed down to her after their deaths, but Ethiriel didn’t know what to do with them, leaving them to Thranduil.
They had been sitting away in a vault…until now. He was going to give them new life in the form of a necklace fit for a queen.
“What do you think, Galion?” he asked his butler inside his room. “These gems rightfully belong to her. Do you think she will like it?”
“Yes, your highness.”
Little did they know, the Prince had overheard their conversation, running into the garden to relay the message.
“ Naneth !” shouted the young elfling, greeting his mother from behind.
Ethiriel paused, greeting her little one and taking him into her arms. “My little leaf!”
This had become a common routine for the royal family.
At first, Legolas spent most of his time with his mother, inheriting her love of nature, speaking with the trees and wildlife around them. He preferred it more to learning how to rule and fight alongside his father.
“Although I’m overjoyed to have your company, I thought you were supposed to be with your father.” Ethiriel said, giving him a concerned look. She noticed the look on her son’s face that spoke it all and sighed. “Let me guess: he’s busy with another one of his meetings.”
Lately, the elvenking had been making secret arrangements that he wouldn’t even tell his wife about. It wasn’t like Thranduil to do, but everytime she asked him about it, he would give that smile of his that let her know he was up to something and wouldn’t tell until ready.
“I think Adar is working on a surprise!” Legolas suddenly blurted out, making her eyes go wide.
“Why do you think this, my little leaf?”
“I heard him speaking to Galion about gems.”
“ Oh, was he? ” At this, Ethiriel’s face started to become stern, knowing of her husband’s obsession with gems before shaking her head and sighing. She muttered something in Silvan that Legolas came to understand meant annoyance. “He should be helping you with your studies, not gawking at jewels! And he calls me silly… ”
Legolas chuckled, grabbing her hand. “Can you teach me instead?”
“Legolas…”
“Please?!”
She couldn’t help but give into those blue eyes that were so much like his father’s. She would have to give Thranduil a talking to later on his deeds, but for now, the elvenqueen would take this opportunity with her little boy who was growing up so fast before her eyes.
Leaving a kiss upon his forehead, the mother heard him chuckle. “ Naneth , is that a yes?”
“Yes, ioneg .” Ethiriel giggled, starting to shower the young elfling in kisses along his face.
He broke out in a fit of laughter, but tried to maintain a serious look. “ Naneth …stop doing that! Adar says I should start acting like a big ellon now since I’m a prince and prince’s don’t get kisses!”
The mother paused, pointing out a fact. “Your father is one to talk.”
“I’m sorry, but I won’t be little forever, Naneth .” He stated, wiggling free of his mother’s grasp. Legolas didn’t notice the brief look of sadness wash over his mother’s face at the truth.
Ethiriel swallowed, forcing a smile and letting him do his own thing. “Of course…but you’ll always be my little greenleaf to me.”
The young prince glanced away, trying his best to act like someone who didn’t need their mother before he started to pout, reaching up for her again. “ Nana… please forgive me. I don’t want to grow up yet. I’m always going to need you.”
Ethiriel picked him back up, wiping away his tears. “You don’t have to. You aren’t even 50 yet.”
“Is Adar going to be mad at me?”
“No, he loves you, Legolas. Your father just wants the best for you and goes about it in the only way he knows how.”
At that moment, a member of the guard came running forth into the garden, out of breath. “Y-Your highness! Orcs have started to invade the borders along with other creatures. We think it’s him .”
Ethiriel felt her heart drop. “Have you informed the King yet?”
“I’ve sent others to tell him. I’ve come to collect you and the Prince and take you to safety.”
The elvenqueen nodded. “How long do we have?”
“Not very long.”
Without any hesitation, Ethiriel gave him orders like the Queen of the Woodland Realm she was. “Then take my son to safety. I’ll try to give you as much time as I can.”
The guard protested. “Your highness, I can’t—”
“Nana…” the elfling prince said, trying to get her attention, but she handed him to the guard.
“Don’t worry, my little leaf, I’ll join you soon, but right now I need you to be a big ellon and go find your father.”
Ethiriel kissed his forehead, having a terrible feeling in her gut telling her of the risk she was taking, but as long as he was safe, that was all that mattered. Just like any mother, she would die to protect him.
Turning away from her son, she snapped at the guard. “GO. NOW! THAT IS AN ORDER!”
At the rare sound of the queen’s anger, the guard got onto the horse, holding the prince close. Legolas gave one last look at his mother, worry shining in his blue eyes. “NANA!”
She watched them leave, making her way into the forest, determined to protect her people, her family, and the place she called home. Running her fingers along the trees she often spoke to, Ethiriel started to will them awake, asking for their help in warding off the enemy.
The branches followed behind their queen, the animals scurried away, running to get forces. If she could just hold the Orcs back for a little bit and give everyone time to evacuate and then have Thranduil join her with the guards, things would be okay. They would win this.
However, that hope within her was starting to flicker away just like the forest she held so dear. The closer she got to the Southern border, Ethiriel could feel the disease that was invading the Greenwood, spreading fear within her.
“It’s the queen!” an Orc called out.
“Capture her!” snarled another.
Feeling the anger within her boiling, Ethiriel stood tall despite her worry. It was in that moment that she knew this would be her death, but just like any queen, Ethiriel would gladly die to protect those she loved more than life itself.
“GET OUT OF MY FOREST!” the Queen of the Woodland Realm roared, commanding the tree branches to reach out towards them and throw them back.
But it was a losing battle with only one woman against an army.
The moment Thranduil had received the news, he instantly sent the guards into action, starting to move their people. Just when he was about to get upon his elk, he noticed a guard returning with his son. His heart dropped, realizing his wife wasn’t among them. “Where is the Queen?”
“She went ahead to hold them off, your highness!”
He could have sworn he felt his heart almost stop, feeling dread starting to wash over him. Of course she would be stubborn enough to try to face the battle on her own. But then again, he couldn’t entirely blame her for he knew Ethiriel was doing what she could for her people, trying to buy them time to get away.
“Commander, take my son, some of the guards and our people with you into the North. Galion will show you the way. I’ll take the rest of the guards with me to go after the queen.”
With no delay, Thranduil started to race into the very forest he had often searched for Ethiriel in and found her safe and sound. He was hoping it was the same this time. Along the way, the guards started to do their best, fighting off the spiders trying to nest in the trees and dim the light.
However, when the elvenking arrived, all he found was a patch of trees starting to fade into brown and a trail of blood leading a path out of the Southern border, almost as if someone had been dragged away. In that moment, Thranduil felt as if he would fade away, spotting Ethiriel’s crown upon the ground, covered in blood… her blood .
“Your highness, we've captured one. They are Orcs from Gundabad.”
The elvenking regained his composure, turning to interrogate the creature. “Where is my wife?” he asked.
All the Orc did was let out a dark laugh, snorting. “Probably at Gunabad by now getting tortured until she can’t bear it anymore and fades into nothingness. So much for being a mighty queen…even you can’t save her.”
Thranduil brought out his sword, pointing it at the Orcs neck. “I will not ask you again, filth.”
“She’s dead.” He started to chuckle, watching the misery pass over the king’s face. “Just like this forest and everything within it. He won’t stop… our master is returning and you all will—”
Before he could finish, the elvenking cut off his head as it rolled to the ground. His thumb rubbed the bloody crown of his wife's he held in his other hand, knowing now wasn’t the time to mourn despite how much it felt like his heart was being torn apart.
He had a kingdom to manage and a son to take care of. The last things Ethiriel left behind for him.
Once they had relocated to the north, he had sent a group of guards out to search for his wife, but they always returned with no sign of her. Thranduil would grieve privately, finding it hard to explain to the young Legolas of what happened to his mother. The kingdom was worried for their king, knowing that when it came to the bond of a spouse, such a loss could kill an elf, but Thranduil somehow remained strong.
The truth was: he only closed his heart away, turning it to ice, and doing the best he could to give their son all the love he could, even if his mother was gone.
Thranduil knew that Greenwood had started to become a dark place only because Ethiriel was no longer here to shine a light upon the forest anymore. So, in the years, he started to construct new plans for halls underground in the caves to keep everyone safe and close them away for the forest was home no more.
The only thing that remained of it was a statue constructed in her honor outside the border.
Then there was Legolas himself. Even though looking upon him, he resembled Thranduil in appearance, the prince was more like his mother in personality, which was probably the part that hurt more. He was now a reminder of the woman who had died to protect them and so were the White Gems of Lasgalen he had managed to take away with them. Ethiriel would never get to see the surprise he had planned for her birthday.
There would be no smiles or giggles of laughter. No playful remarks. No showering their son in kisses despite Thranduil’s protests. Instead, when her birthday came, everyone spent the day honoring their lost Queen of the Woodland Realm. It took a great deal to hold back the tears and from that point, Thranduil decided it was best to only celebrate it this year, but never mention it again.
It was all too much to bear, realizing he would live the remainder of his immortal life without her.
It had all happened so fast. One minute, she remembered the smell of blood around her, her body was burning and stinging from pain, and she could feel her fea wanting to finally give in and slip away. Then the next, she found herself somewhere else entirely.
Ethiriel was no longer in the dungeons of an Orc stronghold, tied up as a prisoner. Instead, she was in an elven hall. It was so quiet, peaceful, but seemed empty. It wasn’t until she spotted the tapestry depicting all the events of unfolding history, that the Queen of the Woodland Realm finally understood where she was.
Out stepped a dark figure whose expression remained neutral, making her freeze in place. “Welcome Ethiriel of the Greenwood, Child of Ilúvatar. Do you know where you are?”
She nodded, swallowing nervously. “T-The Halls of Mandos, and you must be Mandos himself?”
The ruler of the dead.
The dark-haired elf replied. “You guessed right. You’ve suffered a great ordeal. As you probably already know, this is a place where you can have a period of self-reflection over your life and cleanse your fea for however long it may take. It is your choice if you wish to be reincarnated or if you would remain here, but only I can truly determine your fate.”
Oh Eru, she was dead.
She had died and gone to the Halls of Mandos. The Halls of Awaiting, only told in stories passed down between generations of elves. No one ever knew what it looked like unless you faded away and despite the fact she would be waiting for her soul to get judged, the only concern on her mind was of Thranduil and Legolas, hoping they were safe and sound.
The memories of her torture started to flash before her, causing Ethiriel to clutch her head, feeling her body display the manner of her death that her soul carried.
Mandos' face actually softened slightly. “Easy, child. Now is the time for you to recuperate.” He paused, motioning to the door before them. “There is someone who has requested to see you.”
As Ethiriel began to walk through the doors, opening them, she was surprised to see a group of faces she hadn’t seen in such a long time. Her heart ached with longing, having missed them so much.
“King Oropher… Naneth, Adar …”
She ran into their arms, embracing them, and sobbing out all the despair she had been holding in her soul just like a child would when spotting their parents.
Ethiriel started to lose track of how long she had spent in the Halls of Mandos, enjoying her time catching up with those they had lost. She didn’t even notice how it was helping to heal the damage left on her soul from the torture by the Orcs.
“You have a grandson now…” she informed them, “His name is Legolas. He’s the spitting image of Thranduil, but he has my spirit, or so Thranduil tells me.”
Oropher’s eyes went bright, smiling with joy. “So, you both ended up having a child of your own after all, and a prince nonetheless!”
“I would love to meet our grandson.” Elbereth spoke, causing the smiles to drop and everyone to go silent from the reality at hand.
Ethiriel raised an eyebrow. “But haven’t you already been judged by Mandos yet?”
Callon exchanged a look with his wife and his king, both having a silent conversation they were trying to keep Ethiriel from. However, she was too clever for this and called them out on it. “What is it that you don’t want to tell me?”
Her mother was the one to explain it. “Yes, and he’s deemed us all able to pass and return to Arda if we wish…”
“But you don’t want to.” Ethiriel pointed out, eyes wide with realization. “That’s why you’ve remained here the whole time.”
Oropher came up to put a comforting hand on his daughter-in-law. “Although we would love to return to the world and I would like to be reunited with my son and get to meet my grandson, there are also loved ones we have here that do not wish to leave and we can’t be parted from any longer.”
The words hit her hard, understanding where Oropher was coming from himself. His wife, Thranduil’s mother, was here and Ethiriel’s grandparents were too. It was only understandable, but yet…it still didn't sit well with her.
Feeling tears fall from her face, she spoke. “But my husband and son are still of the living…I can’t just leave them behind, especially to face the likes of him !” Oropher’s eyes went wide. “The enemy invaded our forest and has corrupted it. I need to know that they are safe, but…” she bit her lip.
Callon reached out for his daughter. “Yet you can’t bear to leave us behind too.”
“It’s not fair!” Ethiriel bursted out.
“That is why the choice is up to you and you alone. It’s not an easy one, but that’s why only one elf has been known to be reincarnated on Arda once again.” Oropher told her.
“I-I’m not sure what to do.”
“Yes you do. What is your heart and soul telling you?”
“I need to return home and help them stop the enemy. After all, you said it yourself once long ago my king: We must unite to take down the one true enemy and bring peace for those we love.”
Oropher exchanged a smile with her. “Then be sure to tell my son and grandson I say hello.”
“Yes!” Callon and Elbereth said in agreement.
Mandos, who had been overhearing their conversation, finally spoke up. “It’s fitting I’ve already judged your soul and you passed. However, before I return you to Arda, there is someone else who wishes to speak with you.”
In walked a figure in blue robes with blue eyes, holding a scepter. It was Manwë, the boss of Mandos who spoke to Eru himself. “Greetings, Ethiriel. This honor has only been bestowed to one other and just like with him, it is for you to choose. Due to your noble actions in protecting your people and saving lives, you may be re-embodied, but if you choose to accept this, then it comes with the task of being one of our emissaries. Do you accept it?”
Ethiriel knew this would be one of the most important decisions of her life and it wasn’t meant to be taken lightly. Thinking it over heavily, she finally nodded. “Whatever it takes to keep everyone safe, I’ll do it again.”
“Then be sure to search for the other reincarnated like you. His name is Glorfindel. And whatever you do: stay sharp. The enemy is cunning and will stop at nothing to keep you from your mission now that you are one of our emissaries.”
Saying the last of her goodbyes, Ethiriel stood still, wondering what she would experience this time, coming back to life. However, the only thing that passed in her mind was her joy in getting to see Thranduil and Legolas again before she was flooded by a bright, blinding light.
TA 2941
Feeling the sharp intake of breath in her lungs, Ethiriel jolted awake, seeing the stars in the sky above her. Her body was cold, having found herself waking up next to a river just like the elves of old did when they first arrived on Arda with Eru’s blessing.
As she began to stand, her head started to spin. Everything seemed so weird and different and dark.
Something was wrong. Where was she? Where was she going?
Ethiriel tried to move her feet and find something familiar in the world, feeling the soft grass under her feet, but everything was so loud and violent and overwhelming for her. She spotted a light in the distance of the night, making her way towards it. It was orange and moving fast towards her.
An Orc face was illuminated by the torch it held in its hands, charginging towards her before she was knocked out of the way by a giant bear who scared them off. Ethiriel was sent rolling across the grass and back into the water of the river, almost being carried away in the current until a man came and picked her up, saving her again.
Beorn looked her over with wide eyes, realizing who she was. Although he wasn’t an elf himself, he knew at least enough about them, especially the ones from Mirkwood. This was the lost Queen of the Woodland Realm who had died a long time ago.
The only reason she could be here was if she had been reincarnated or escaped her torture, but Beorn highly thought it was the first, for no one ever escaped Orc torture except by death.
Ethiriel started to open her eyes. “Do you know where you are?” He asked her with a gruff voice.
Her mind was foggy and it was hard to remember things. Something was clouding her mind. “No…I-I’m lost.”
“Do you know who you are?”
“No.”
“What happened to you?”
Ethiriel’s head started to pound, making it hard to concentrate before she passed out from the pain. Beorn picked up the elf in his arms, knowing he should inform the Woodland elves of what had happened.
But first, it was important he kept her safe and gave her time to heal. She had already been through a great ordeal. He began to take her back to his place of shelter near the river Anduin between Mirkwood and the Misty Mountains.
He would question her again when she woke. The only thing he worried about was if the queen would remember, or if the enemy had already invaded her mind like it did the forest of Mirkwood, trying to keep her from something important.
To be continued in Part 2: “Eternal Love”