A Lasting Legacy [ Thranduil X OC ]

Chapter 9

The next morning, Arden arose happily.
She had never slept so soundly before tonight and could only attribute it to sleeping on a bed for the first time, indoors, in over 1,000 years.
She would never complain about her tent, for it got the job done, however she wouldn't lie by saying she did not enjoy a real bed way more.
After getting up, she quickly moved around.
She would need to get back to her people as soon as possible and begin building/location plans.
She had no doubt that in the end she would get what her people had been waiting for.
It was barely dawn when she left quietly without a trace, the other dignitaries still sleeping.
When she arrived back, it was late afternoon and everything was as she left it.
Tomorrow she would request an audience with King Thranduil so they could go over his proposed plan in more detail.
At first she had thought he was requesting her and her people be little more than servants and do menial tasks, so she was much happier that all he asked was she train his soldiers more alongside Tauriel.
If Arden ever had children, she hoped they would be like Tauriel, it was a joy working with the young woman who had become her only real friend.
Back in her regular clothes, Arden felt like she could breathe again and mounted her horse.
Making rounds to oversee training, she thought of what their kingdom would look like.
It would be magnificent.
She would personally see to it.

Thranduil was overseeing the supply books and orders when a guard came to him.
The guard said that Queen Arden Of Ardor had requested an audience with him, specifically on the arrangement they had spoken of earlier.
Scoffing, he shut the book and made his way to the front hall.
As soon as he saw her, he was a bit disappointed.
He knew she wouldn't take to wearing dresses just because she wore one to a celebration but he realized he really enjoyed it when she wore them, rare as it was.
Nonetheless, she was still breathtaking in her tunic which was obviously designed for the female form.
Clearing his outward thoughts, he waited until she spoke.
"I apologize if this is an inconvenience however I am eager to begin this process. The other night you spoke of training did you not?"
Thranduil nodded his head and motioned to a chair for her, after he sat himself.
As she sat down, she seemed to be surprised as to how courteous he was being.
"My ranks are in dire need of attention. I have no doubt that you will address them nicely and clean them up. As I said before this will greatly sway me in my decision pertaining to the land, I of course make no promises."
She seemed to consider his words.
"But how long will it take me training them for you to come to a decision? How do I know that your not just leading me blindly to do the dirty work for you?"
Thranduil chuckled at this,
"You don't."
She nodded and stood.
"When do I begin?"
He followed in suit and replied,
"As soon as possible. Routine is key here and I will request your services at least two times a day, maybe three."
At this her eyes widened.
"Surely you know I must keep my own men up to standards as well?"
He shrugged.
"They are not of my concern and will not be permitted to train with my high ranking officers. Figure it out."
Turning in dismissal of her, he stopped last minute.
"Oh, one more thing. I will request you spend your nights in Mirkwood, that way you can be here in time for the dawn training session."
She nodded reluctantly, looking slightly annoyed.
"And where will I be sleeping?"
Once more Thranduil shrugged, feeling ornery.
"Again this is of no consequence to me as long as you stay outside. You will not be permitted in the palace."
At his words she reared back, feeling like she had been slapped.
Her face heated in anger and embarrassment as she could tell he had barely refrained from saying something like "With the rest of the animals".
Without responding, she turned and walked out.

Fun fact;
While Tolkien wrote The Lord of The Rings largely during wartime years (starting in 1937), it was not published until 1954, a time in which the atomic bomb ruled imaginations.
Many correlated the One Ring in being an allusion to the atomic bomb, one that Tolkien quickly denied despite his negative disposition on the bomb.
He pointed out that his idea had been fully formed long before he had any idea of the activities of atomic scientists and released a public statement in 1956;
"Of course my story is not an allegory of atomic power, but of power exerted for domination."
Later he would go on to conclude that his novel certainly did not exclude atomic power however.