The Eastern Woman

Rain

"Something is happening to Legolas, Father." said Haldir, slowly approaching Thranduil.

The King was observing the evergreen forest from the large eastern terrace. A strong wind shook the tops of those imposing trees.

"I know. The wind tells me." the Elf King answered softly. "His mother's voice resounds in the air and in my mind."

"Is he in danger?" the young Prince asked.

"I'm afraid so." said Thranduil.

"Won't you go to him?" Haldir asked again. His long blond hair was ruffled by a sudden gust of wind. His hair was wavy, another characteristic inherited from Roswehn.

"No. Legolas has to win all his battles...on his own." Thranduil replied coldly.

"Then I will go." answered Haldir.

The King turned abruptly to look at him. "What?!"'

"I will go. I will not leave my brother alone." was the prince's reply.

"Don't even think about it. Your place is here, in this Palace you're protected. You know it." retorted Thranduil. Then he looked back at the view. "Yesterday I entered your room. I saw that the volumes you should read are still closed. You are ignoring your duties. On those pages there is everything you need to know to prepare yourself for your future."

Haldir crossed his arms over his chest. "No. I'm studying hard, as you asked. But my mind isn't free. I'm worried about my brother." answered Haldir. "You should have let me go to the Elrond's reign. I should have attended that secret meeting. Why didn't you allow me to go there?"

"Because you are too important. You cannot leave these boundaries. It is something I have repeated to you over and over again." Thranduil explained, with all the patience he was capable of. His son had also inherited the unbearable stubbornness of his human mother.

Haldir looked so much like Roswehn. Enough to hurt him every time he looked at him. Haldir's face was that of the woman: the same eyes, the same soft lips, the same delightful, permanent grunt. He was more beautiful than Legolas, and probably also than Thranduil himself.

"You went to Dale two nights ago." Thranduil continued. "I don't understand why you insist on disobeying me."

Haldir looked at his father. "How do you know it?" He was surprised.

"Morath told me. She and her daughter say that every month you go in the territory of mortals, and many times. Why? I told you not to do it." said Thranduil.

"Because my mother lives there. You can't ask me to forget about her ..."
the prince retorted. "... like you did." he added in a whisper.

Thranduil gave him one of his icy looks. "Do not say such a thing again. Never again."

Haldir did not feel intimidated. He was angry. "Why don't you ever go to see her, father? She's old, it's true, but she's still alive. She doesn't have many years left. I ... I don't understand why you never go to verify her conditions."

"Because we both swore things would go like this. I promised never to go to Dale, after her decision to return to her people. She wanted this, Haldir. And I, I respect that oath." Thranduil explained.

"But don't you miss her? You loved each other so much ..." his son asked.

"The Roswehn I loved is gone. You said it yourself, she has changed."  replied Thranduil.

"Yes. She's indeed very old, and sometimes she doesn't even recognize me. But she is alive, her heart is still beating and you are here. Far away from her. I find it ... wrong."  he turned to look at the wooden statue that stood in the center of the terrace.  "You always come here to look at this piece of wood. I noticed it. Father,  why don't you go to Dale ..."