The History of Legolas - From Light to Shadow

Author’s Note: First off, The Lord of the Rings and all associated characters belong to Tolkien and his estate. I am not making any profit off of this story, save the enjoyment I had making it.



A week after the army’s return, there was an official ceremony to honor the fallen, including the King. The week after that, there was to be an official ceremony to join Thranduil and Almwen together in matrimony, and to crown them king and queen of Greenwood.

The afternoon of their ceremony, Thranduil stood in his room, staring at his father’s sword, which he had kept ever since the last battle. The sword was sheathed and propped up against a chair that sat in the corner of the room, glinting in the light of the sun that came in through the window.

The wedding and coronation was not far off, and Thranduil was wearing his ceremonial white tunic, adorned with intricate silver and gold stitching of leaves and curling vines. Fastened to his shoulders was a long, white cape that bunched on the ground behind his feet. Upon his forehead he wore his circlet that he was given when he was crowned prince of Greenwood, for he had not yet taken up his father’s seat on the throne. His golden hair was pulled back, but the warrior plaits that normally appeared at the top of his ears were left as hanging strips of hair over his ears, signifying the end of war.

Sighing, he took his father’s sword up in his hands and gripped it tightly in its sheath.

“It is time.” He said.

~

Almwen, who was in a room nearby, was staring at herself in the mirror as her mother and a few other elleth buzzed about her, polishing her look. Almwen’s ebony hair spilled gracefully about her shoulders, contrasting with her purely white gown. The gown was heavy, due mostly to the knee-length sleeves and long train. The silver circlet on her head was fashioned after an ivy vine that curled down onto her forehead into a circle, and in the middle of the circle was a pearl.

“You are beautiful, iell nîn.”* Her mother said, looking over her daughter’s shoulder.

Almwen blushed. “Hannon le, Naneth.” She replied quietly, looking at her feet.

“Alas, you are missing something!” Her mother cried, feigning concern.

“Whatever could it be, mother?” Almwen played along and looked back into the mirror to see her mother’s smiling face as she unfastened a chain from around her neck. She took the chain from her neck and put it over Almwen’s head.

Almwen looked at the necklace closely in the mirror as her mother clasped it behind her neck. It was a simple silver chain with a silver leaf charm in the middle of the chain. Nonetheless, Almwen thought it was beautiful.

“This was my mother’s. It was given to her when she married my father. And it was given to me when I married your father. It is tradition to pass it down to the next child as we give her away.” Her mother explained, squeezing her daughter’s shoulders.

The two women smiled to each other into the mirror. Almwen was admiring the chain around her neck when movement in the mirror caught her eye. She looked to the corner of the glass and saw the reflection of Thranduil walking passed the open door behind her, carrying a sheathed sword. A puzzled look came over her face.

“Almwen?” Her mother asked, seeing the confusion reflecting back in the mirror.

“I will be back shortly, Naneth.” Almwen said, turning from the mirror to follow her husband.

“Do not be late for your own wedding!” Her mother called after her, teasing.

Almwen smiled mischievously as she walked out the door, making her mother chuckle.

~

Thranduil exited the palace walls and entered the garden where there was a stone that Oropher had often gone to sit upon when he was deep in thought. It was in the middle of the garden, surrounded by flowers of white and yellow and evergreen bushes.

The prince kneeled in front of the stone and unsheathed his father’s sword and held it in front of his face for a moment, half of his face reflecting in the blade. Momentarily, Thranduil thought he could see his father in the reflection. He shut his eyes and shook his head of the thought and then thrust the sword into the ground before the stone so that it stuck in the ground about six inches. Tears stung in his eyes and a lump rose in his throat, but he held his emotion back.

Just as he did this, Almwen, having followed him, had found him and was perplexed at his behavior. Seeing that Thranduil was near tears, she was going to go to him and comfort him until suddenly, he began to speak.

“Ada…” Thranduil said softly, looking at the hilt of the sword. The prince stopped short in his thought, not knowing what to say.

Almwen stopped and hid herself behind a tree, realizing that Thranduil was giving his final goodbye to Oropher. She wished not to leave, but neither did she wish to leave Thranduil alone.

“Today, Almwen and I shall pronounce our bond before our people. I’m nervous, Ada. Not because I have second thoughts. Nay, my love for Almwen is steadfast and never changing. I have never been so sure about anything in my life than binding my life to hers.”

The hidden elleth smiled and she felt her heart sigh with Thranduil’s words, but she stayed hidden and quiet and let Thranduil continue with his goodbye.

“But also today, we shall be crowned the king and queen of Greenwood. I am nervous to take the throne, Ada. You have always guided me, and been there for me in times when I did not know what to do. You have always been strong and wise, and steadfast in your love of all things.” His voice broke as memories of years long past flashed in his mind.

Almwen felt her heart break as she heard Thranduil’s voice stop short in his emotions.

“How will I ever manage without you?” Thranduil said quietly, finally letting his tears go. He stopped speaking and covered his face with his hand, leaning forward so that his forehead nearly touched the hilt of the sword.

The hidden elleth nearly left her hiding spot and ran to him, wanting to comfort him, but she stopped short again as Thranduil began to recover and speak.

“It would be so easy to give in right now, to just stop living and wait until I fade into the pine trees of this forest, but I will not, Ada. I still have much of my life to live. And I swear I will live it to make you proud.” Thranduil held his head up again and looked at Oropher’s sword, a sad, but determined look on his face.

“I once told Almwen that if she kept me in her heart, I would never leave, even if I were to perish. Ada, I shall keep you in my heart always. And you will always be with me.” He concluded softly.

“Namärié, Ada.” Thranduil said, kissing his hand and touching it to the sword.

Almwen chose this time to emerge from behind the pine tree and go to Thranduil’s side. He looked up at her, but not in surprise as she knelt down next to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Though he was not expecting her to be there, he did not mind her presence. In fact, he welcomed it.

“I will miss him terribly, Almwen.” Thranduil sighed, shaking off the last of his tears.

Almwen kissed him on the cheek and smiled at him. “He is always with you, meleth nín.” She said, putting her hand over his heart.

Thranduil took her hand from his chest and kissed the back of it. He looked deep into her dark eyes and smiled.

“I think that I am ready.” He said.

~

Thranduil took the ceremonial ring that was on his finger and slipped it onto Almwen’s. It was a simple ring – a silver band with the word “love” inscribed on the outside. Elven marriage rings were never extravagant – it was the bodily bond that held them together, not what they wore on their fingers.

“I thee wed.” He said, looking into Almwen’s eyes and smiling.

Almwen smiled back and took her ceremonial ring and put it on Thranduil’s finger.

“I thee wed.” she said.

Veryandil, who was presiding over the ceremony, took both Thranduil and Almwen’s hands in his own and smiled at them. Traditionally, the fathers of the bride and groom would bind them together, but for apparent reasons, only Almwen’s father was able to give his child away.

“And thus I present you as one. May your new life be blessed.” Veryandil said, placing Thranduil’s hand on top of Almwen’s.

The Great Hall of the palace filled with applause from all in attendance as Almwen’s father presented the couple to them. Thranduil and Almwen kissed each other lightly on the lips and then turned to the audience.

Veryandil held up his hands and the crowd silenced themselves. Thranduil and Almwen turned back around to face Almwen’s father.

“Now, Thranduil, son of Oropher, are you prepared to take the throne of Greenwood in your father’s stead?” Veryandil asked. Thranduil nodded.

“I am prepared.” He said.

“Then kneel.” Veryandil said. As Oropher’s highest councilor, Veryandil was charged with crowning Thranduil the new king of Greenwood. Almwen’s father had never been so happy to honor his dear friend, Oropher’s, memory by crowning Thranduil as the next king.

Thranduil kneeled and bowed his head. Almwen removed the circlet from his forehead as her father turned to the pedestal to his right, on which sat another circlet with a thicker band than Thranduil’s. It was golden, and designs were engraved on it in mithril.

“Thranduil, son of Oropher, as high councilor of Greenwood, I name thee King of Greenwood. May your reign be long and blessed.” Veryandil declared heroically as he placed the circlet on Thranduil’s head.

The ellon** squeezed his eyes shut and sighed deeply as he felt the circlet fall onto his head. It was heavy, like the responsibility that was being laid on him. He paused for a moment after Veryandil stepped away from him before standing again, letting the rush of emotions that was going through is body settle before he attempted to present himself to his subjects.

Opening his eyes, Thranduil slowly rose to his feet and turned to face the crowd, which erupted in applause. He cast a glance at Almwen, who was smiling proudly at him. The new king of Greenwood held out his hand to his wife and she took it, and the two strode down the aisle of the Great Hall and out to their new life together.

I will not let you down, Ada. Thranduil thought as he exited the hall.


~

* “My daughter”
** The masculine form of “elf”.