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

Chapter 44: Escalation

With a quick glance at Rinion, who leant against a bookshelf skimming through a small, leather-bound book, he addressed the king.

"Thranduil," he called quietly.

"Yes?" came the far away voice.

"You are fretting," said Aradan somewhat boldly.

Thranduil turned and narrowed his eyes at his Chief Councillor.

"You grow impertinent, Aradan," he said, but the advisor knew that tone - he was not angry - he was irritated with himself for not hiding his agitation better than he had.

"Well?" prompted Aradan, his own eyebrow rising.

"They are due to leave around now, within the next few days. Handir will return and with him, his younger brother."

"Legolas, yes, or should I say the Silvan - as they are now calling him?"

The king huffed in impatience. "They claim him as their own and yet he is Sinda too. I wonder how he feels about that..."

"He will most likely reject that side of his blood," said Rinion, almost distractedly, "and I wager the only reason he will make the effort will be for his own, personal gain. How can you love someone you have never met?" he commented flippantly as he turned a page in the book he surely was not reading.

"You are so sure of that, my Prince?" asked Aradan.

"No, but it is only to be expected. Most elves would react just so - why are we to presume he will be any different to the rest of the lower-class Silvan warriors?"

"And why are we to do the opposite?" asked the king measuredly. "Do you know any lower-class Silvan warriors on a personal level?"

After a silence, the Crown Prince simply shook his head and said, "No," as if that had no bearing on what he had just said.

"I wish you would think before you speak, Rinion. You are Crown Prince, you cannot afford to be judgemental.

"I am not being judgemental, father. I am being realistic. It is true that most elves would take advantage of such a situation," he said, snapping his book shut and turning to king and advisor.

"Imagine. Poor boy from a working-class Silvan family - or rather single parent, a bastard child with a father complex is suddenly told he is the son of the king. Oh, he may have a moment of righteous anger, deny it is true but when he thinks about it," he stressed, looking his father in the eye without the slightest of self-doubt, "he realises all the advantages this may bring to him, and to his family. His friends and his own ego... He could rise in the ranks of warriors, he could court the fairest maidens, he would be respected - can you not see the danger of believing whole-heartedly that this boy will simply fall into your arms, that he will be loyal to you, to the kingdom. The question is, father," he said slowly and calmly, "why do you NOT doubt?"