Between Duty and Love

Beta'ed by HoVis

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Part Two -- The Unspeakable Answer

Early the next morning, the king and the wizard were poring over the palace’s library; at least, the barely organized chaos that passed for one. Every book, parchment, and important document was kept in the small room normally used as storage. Mithrandir sat on the floor in the midst of the chaos, while Thranduil occupied the only desk in the room.

Anything remotely usable was read over at least three times. After poring over several large volumes, Mithrandir held up a piece of paper with a sketch drawn onto it. “What’s this? ‘Thranduil, age three’?”

Thranduil’s jaw dropped in shock.

“Quite talented for such a young one. Is that a rabbit?”

Thranduil nearly dived over the tabletop, upsetting a large stack of documents. He quickly snatched the paper and stuffed it into the pocket of his robes. “It was a tree.” He muttered awkwardly, his cheeks reddening.

“Really? I couldn’t tell.” Mithrandir’s lips twitched slightly.

The Elvenking shot him a look of annoyance. “Could we please get back to work?”

“Of course.” Mithrandir smiled, his eyes twinkling.

Several hours passed, and they still had found nothing. Mithrandir set down the book he had been reading. “If you don’t mind, mellon vell, an old man needs to stretch his legs and clear his mind.”

Without looking up from his parchment, Thranduil nodded and waved his hand, abiding him leave. After a few moments, he tossed the document aside. With a heavy sigh, he reached across the desk to the next one in the stack. “Elbereth, will this never end?” he muttered to himself.

After a quick glance, he threw it into the air. He gave up with the loose papers. They were getting him nowhere.

He surveyed the room, realizing he was literally almost knee-deep in texts, scrolls, and other miscellaneous documents. He shook his head in disbelief. Finding anything even close to what he was looking for could take weeks, months; time which Mirkwood could not afford. At random, he picked up a large tattered book.

Flipping through the pages, something caught his eye. He turned to the spot and nearly fell over backwards in excitement.

“Hirnin ha!” He exclaimed.

Mithrandir strode back into the room. “Na vedui! Dangweth!”

Thranduil was now immersed in the text. Hunched over the book, his eyes darted back and forth on the pages. Suddenly, he suddenly went deathly pale and his eyes widened in terror. Dropping the open book on the desk, he leapt from his seat and ran from the room.

Puzzled, Mithrandir walked to the desk and turned the book around, reading where Thranduil had left. He quickly scanned the last passage, and gasped in shock, just as Thranduil had done:

“ . . . Should Darkness come to Greenwood the Great,
Death will not be the land’s worst fate.
Unless the king wants to lose his home,
Must sacrifice the next male heir to the throne.
Upon the Sacrificial Rock he shall lie,
And by his own father’s hand he shall die . . .”

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mellon vell (dear friend)
Hirnin ha! (I found it!)
Na vedui! Dangweth! (At last! An Answer!)