"So...you're not..." Elros trailed off.
"Yes...I'm not Caesar. My name is Thranduil Oropherion. Sorry for our first time encounter. It's not started too good"
The twins stared at Thranduil dumbstruck.
"That's mean you...I'm so sorry!!!" Shoutes Elros.
"Why?...I'm just arrives here..."
"Sorry! Sorry!"
Galadriel,Elrond and Thranduil just stare at Elros who is nodded his head over and over again while keeps repeating 'I'm Sorry!'
Thranduil just shaked his heas slightly and sigh. 'This gonna be a long trip,I wish I could get some peace' he thought. Elros still muttering sorry to him. 'What in Valar name is he doing?!' Putting a hand on his temple he rubbed it,
"What are you sorry about Elros? Stop say sorry!"
"Forgive me for calling you an old man! Now I understand what the guard said!" He blurt out.
'Ah...about that huh? Pitied'
"Fine...I already forgave you"
"Really?! Thank you! Thank you!"
Elros jumped over Thranduil and hugged him tightly. Thranduil just let him be. Ignoring him.
"Well...you know what Thranduil..." Elros whispered.
"What?"
"You still far too short compare to me!"
After he said that,he released the hug and ran out from the garden. Cackling madly. He thought Thranduil is going to ran after him like another youngster did,but he was wrong. Thranduil just stood there and shrugged it off.
Galadriel shocked that her sons tell the truth about the elfling the met in Greenwood. Just the diffrent is Thranduil is playing a mere ambassador in Greenwood and a son of the guard. She never knew any prince that willing to play a low class character.
The other description he receive about 'Caesar' is the thruths. Thranduil is acting far too mature for his age. And his expression is hard to be read. Thranduil is not a bright elfling,but a high intellect one and he os being to serious in his role. That is a good characteristic for a prince,but he's still far too young to be thinking about his future realm problems. He's the one who hear them out,he's the one who thinking about them,and he's the one who solved them. What is Oropher works?! Why he let his son wasting his elflung time?!
He already suffered in his life without a mother,and now he must defending the realm with his own! 'Oh Iagwen, why must you left him so early?!' Think Galadriel. She can sense that they are something wrong with Thranduil but she going to find out about that later. First, she must bake something for Thranduil.
"Elrond,keep him here for a while or keep him close with you will you? There is something about him"
"Alright Nana" Elrond replied without any objection. He knew about what his Naneth said.
"I take my leave first Thranduil"
"Alright"
Thranduil just stare at the garden and the flowers. They all bloomed in a good condition. 'Pretty...' He thought. But,there is one plant is not really healthy. The plant sat in the corner of the garden. Looked gloom. He walked over the plant and carress it softly.
"It's too dark here..." It's whispered.
"Yeah I know" Thranduil replied.
"Can you help me?"
"What is it?"
Elrond watched Thranduil intensely. What is he doing? Talking all by himself. Elrond just watched him. Suddenly Thranduil picked the pot and move it to the open space. What...
"Thranduil,wait! What are you doing?"
"Moving this plant?"
"Yes,but why?"
"She needed sunlight Elrond,not a total darkness" Thranduil answered expressionless.
"But..this plant can't be under sunlight for too long"
"Rubbish"
Thranduil keeps walking to the open space and put the pot down. Then he mutter a 'welcome'.
The plant soon turn into more green colour than the ussual and a bud is being formed. Elrond gasped, looked like the plant asking for Thranduil help to get sunlight. That's why they never saw the plant flowering. The plant NEVER got any sunlight.
Thranduil then poked Elrond hand.
"What is it?"
"I'm bored"
"Let go to the river shall we?" Thranduil just nodded.
Elros is come along with them. When they arrive,the twins suddenly jump into the rivers. Thranduil eyes widened at their action.' What were they thinking?' Elros splashed the water to Elrond and Elrond splashed it back. Elros now splashed it to Thranduil. Thranduil yelp a little at the sudden coldness touching his skin and his wound. He hissed in pain slowly. Far from his knowledge that the twins heard his hiss. They looked to each other and nodded.
'There is something not right'
'Yeah,he just hiss in pain'
'Maybe can dig something...'
'But how?'
'Make him entered the river'
'Or make him opened his shirt'
"Hey,Thranduil! Come join us! It's fun you know?" Elros invited.
"No,thank you"
"Owh,come on!" This time Elrond plead.
"This part of the river is not deep. You can feel the ground"
"I don't like to get my clothes wet"
"Well then,open them up!"
"N-no" Thtanduil start panicked.
They twins telepath to each other,thinking about a new plant.
"If you said so"
'I act drowning'
'And I act like I don't know how to swim'
Elros walked to the deeper part of the river. He acted like he slipped one of the rocks and fall backward. He flung his hand franticly and shouted for help? Elrond start panicked.
"Ouf! Help! Urgh! Help!!!!"
"Elros!"
Thranduil head snapped up to Elros direction. His eyes wide in alarm. Looks like it worked out perfectly.
"Thranduil! Help me!" Shrieked Elrond.
"N-no!"
"Please! I don't know how to swim! Please!"
Thranduil just jumped into the river and swam excellently to save Elros. He hiss loudly when his back make contact with the cold water,but he just shrugged it off and continued swam toward Elros. He hugged Elros with one hand and swam backward to the shore. He laid Elros on the ground and panted. His clothed already wet and sticking to his back. Blood tainted his clothes,and his thin clothes made his skin visible.
The twins shocked at the sight of his back,bit just keep quiet. They thanked Thranduil and invited him to their room to changed the wet clothed.
Thranduil mind already raced about hpw he's going to be punished by his king. How scarred he is. Thranduil shaking violently. Elrond soothed him with saying that they gonna kept the scret by themself. Thranduil tried to believe that. It sooth his fright heart a bit. Thranduil and the twins changed into a more comfortable cloth. Their hair still wet but they don't care.
The twins already thinking that they must tell Galadriel about this. There no way that Thranduil got any of this in a battle. He's still under age for that. They met Celeborn and Glorfindel in their way to the kitchen. Celeborn flashed a toothy grin and walked with them. Thranduil prayed that the king won't know about the incident earlier. But luck not on his side.
"Couldn't keep a secret are you?" Oropher voice entered Thranduil's ear.
He start shaking violently and hugged his body. Elrond and Elros already pale. They know that Thranduil scared with his Adar but they didn't know the reason. Meanwhile Celeborn and Glorfindel just hanging in confussion.
Oropher step into the sight holding Thranduil's wet and stained blood shirt. Thranduil take a step back in fear. His eyes start watering. This is hell.
"I'm just asking you for a thing and you can't keep it!" Oropher shout.
Thranduil hitch and take a step back again. The twins moved in front of Thranduil to protect him. Glorfinder start gripped his sword handle while Celeborn his in alarm. Oropher strode toward Thranduil with a dagger in his hand and he stomped strongly. Thranduil covered his head with his hands like a shield. The twins already afraid of Oropher might done to Thranduil. Out of their expectation,Oropher managed to passed Elrond and Elros and slashed Thranduil arm.
Thranduil yelp loudly and back away. Celeborn quickly held Oropher's waist tightly while Glorfindel tore the dagger away from Oropher grip. Oropher thrashing and demanding to be let go. Elrond ran to the kitchen to get Galadriel.
"Let me go!"
"What are you doing Oropher?!"
"He is your son!" Shouted Glorfindel whommoved closer to Thranduil to checked hia wound. He can see from a far that the wound is deep.
"That brat never be my son! NEVER!"
Elros cowered to the side. Just keep quiet. Galadriel then came into view and gasped at the sight of Thranduil bleeding badly and Oropher who is being held by Celeborn. Elrond lready informed Galadariel what happen. Galadriel rufused to believe that but now,she did.
"Oropher!"
All of the males turn to her. They know that they will never escaped her wrath. She is known woth her loved side but never messed up with her. She can turn quiet scary.
"What are thinking?! He is your son! Iagwen offspring! The best gift she left you!"
She strode toward Thranduil,she touch his ahoulder and he scramble away from here. Protecting himself from any harm. Now she know why Thranduil not acting like his age. He is trauma with his father behaviour. Poor child.
Oropher is not an elf,he is a barbaric human! Tortured his own son! Valar! She never knew that elf can hurt their own child. They are blessed! Not a burden!
"Oropher,you are removed from his parenting. From now on,he's stay here! Under my care!"
Oropher eyes widened with her statement.
"What?! You can't take him just like that! He is fully under my care!"
"And it's looks like you don't even CARE about him! I can removed you from your throne,but Thranduil is too young to take your place! Be gratefull of that Oropher!" She snapped back.
Oropher freed himself and glare to them.
"I won't let it happen!" And then he strode away. Galadriel sigh in relieved. She moved closer to Thranduil.
"Thranduil..."
And...Thranduil cried. He cried out all the things he buried inside. He cried loudly and broke into pieces. Not thinking about his promise,he just want to escaped this.
Gladriel felt her heart broke with Thranduil's.
How bad has this elfling suffered? She asked Thranduil to showed his back,but he refused it hardly.
"Pleased...Thranduil,I need to know"
He showed his back to Galadriel and she gasped. She quickly take Thranduil in to embraced. Carefully held to avoided all the bruised and cut.
She held Thranduil close and sooth him. Thranduil keep crying until he fell asleep.