Goneril kept her sword pointed at Aragorn's throat. She looked at Gandalf, who had entered the room where she and the ranger faced each other.
Taking advantage of the woman's momentary inattention, Aragorn grabbed the blade of the sword with one hand and pushed it away from his face. He cut himself, and a rivulet of blood ran down his wrist.
"Here, now on my sword there is the blood of a King." the warrior grinned, looking back at him.
"Did you hear what I just said?" the Wizard said.
"I only heard nonsense." She answered. "... Are you implying that I could be Théoden's lost daughter?"
"Precisely. I'm more than certain." retorted the old man.
"And why are you so sure?" the Generaless smiled, obviously skeptical. "...'cause I look like a woman who lived here a long time ago? Do you base your powerful deduction on this?"
"You will ask Théoden. You and he have much to talk about." said Gandalf.
Meanwhile, Legolas and Gimli also arrived.
"What's going on here?" the Dwarf muttered. "... is this a secret meeting?" he grumbled, annoyed.
"No, my friend. Don't worry." Gandalf smiled. "... where is the king? Has he remained by Théodred's tomb?"
"Yes." answered the Elf. "The pain for him is still too strong."
Legolas had never attended a human funeral. It had seemed to him a very sad and, to some extent, grotesque ceremony. He could not imagine a body buried under six feet of mud and left at the mercy of worms.
He noticed that the woman was watching him. She looked at him from head to toe, with that cold and evilish expression that Legolas was learning to detest.
"Before Théoden bores me with his questions, I would like to exchange a few words with you, Elf." She finally told him. "In private."
Aragorn, Gandalf and the Dwarf looked at each other in surprise.
Legolas nodded. "Agreed."
"Come with me. In there." she said, and headed for a small room, furnished with red and yellow tapistry. Goneril closed the squeaky door as soon as the Elf entered.
"Tell me. What do you want." he asked.
"So, dear Prince... how is your brother?" asked Goneril, while her cat eyes stared at the elf's equally feline ones.
Legolas winced. He was silent for a moment, then answered. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play with me. I know everything about your family. I'm talking about your half-breed brother, who lives in Greewood, hidden from everyone's eyes ..." she said, with her usual wicked smile. "Your father's second son, whom the great elf king had with a human woman, sixty years ago."
Legolas looked down.
No, he thought.
" I know the secrets of your family, in every detail. And I'm asking you, how is your half-brother." she said.
Legolas murmured. "How did you find out?"
Goneril sighed. "Well, it's a long story. Let's just say, I met someone who came from your realm long time ago. An ... old subject of yours. A Healer. He was banished by your father precisely because of that affair. He told me the story. "
Legolas' face was crossed by a flash of understanding. "Amon ..." he whispered. "That false, vile traitor ..."
"Oh yes." she commented. "It is unbelievable the vindictive impetus that can be born in the hearts ... even in the pure ones of you Elves. Your Healer was so angry with your father ... that he told me everything. Every sordid secret of your dark kingdom in the woods. "
Legolas looked at her. His blue eyes glowed with anger. "Why do you care about my brother?"
"Not much, to tell the truth. As far as I'm concerned, your father could have half a dozen bastard children scattered around Middle-earth. It's not my problem. Of course, it's curious that he betrayed the memory of your mother. I thought the Elves were absolutely monogamous. It's quite amazing that he rediscovered the joy of love with a woman ... a mortal woman. " she smiled.
"This is not your business. My father loved that girl very much. She saved him from loneliness and despair." retorted Legolas.
"And where is she now? In Dale?" Goneril continued, merciless.
"Maybe she's not even alive anymore. You talk about past events, and I don't understand why you insist on asking." Legolas answered. He was starting to have enough of that conversation. For all the last decades, he had kept his father's secret in his heart. He had managed not to even talk about it with Aragorn, despite the deep friendship that united them.
And suddenly that mercenary warrior, emerging from some kind of hell, brought up a story that should have remained confined within Greenwood.
"Because you see, even if I don't care what your father does in his bed, and I don't even care about the consequences of his lust, someone else can be interested ... and a lot, from what Amon told me. " she explained. "... he told me that the child generated by that union is very important. He is a creature who in the future will probably become a tool in Morgoth's hands, through which the ancient evil spirit will subdue the Earth."
Legolas feigned surprise. "Amon would have told you such a lie? Did you believe him?"
"Yes." she answered simply. And she didn't add anything else. Goneril wanted to see how the prince would react, how he would reply to her questions. She had put him in a corner, she knew it.
"Listen, dear elf, I have a problem now. I had come to this realm hoping to earn another couple of heavy gold chests, but my project failed, thanks to Gandalf. Those damned sorcerers ..." she complained. Legolas had the impression that she was mocking him.
"But the fact is that I need that gold. I need it, a desperately need it. And I'll get it somehow. Certainly not here, at this point." the woman continued. "But maybe ...in Mordor."
She turned to look at Legolas, who in the meantime had paled. He began to understand her horrible blackmail.
"What would you do if I went to the Orcs and informed them that in Mirkwood there is an Elf descended from a human woman, a unique creature in the world, who might be interesting in the eyes of their supreme master? Do you think they would pay such information a good price?" she asked.
"You evil creature. The Valar should punish you ..." hissed Legolas.
But she continued. "Or ... I could reach your realm with my soldiers, and offer your father an agreement. I will keep this secret with me forever, but ... your father will pay for my silence. Thranduil is the richest and most powerful ruler of the North. Nobody can compete with him in terms of treasures, isn't it? "
Legolas interrupted her: "Don't even think about it. My father will kill you if you only dare name his human lover and their child."
"... I imagine that for him it would not be a great sacrifice to open his chests, and give me some gold or silver or diamonds. Your father loves diamonds very much, right? As your mother loved them in life." she added.
Legolas could not hold back a gesture of anger. He was about to grab Goneril by the arm, but then his elven wisdom stopped him. "... your life will end the day you'll go to my father with a similar proposal."
"Oh. But I'm not going to talk to him. You will, dear." the woman said. "And you will speak in my name. You will bring him my proposal."
Legolas started to walk back and forth impatiently. "And who assures me that the Orcs don't already know about my brother? Who can tell if Amon hasn't already gone to Mordor ..."
Goneril laughed. She never laughed, but that situation was too funny. At least, for her.
"He didn't go there for two reasons: first of, if an Elf showed up at Mordor's borders, he would be torn to pieces immediately. Second, because his intention was to leave for Valinor. He wanted to go west, to the Undying Lands. If he had betrayed Thranduil, if he had betrayed another elf, he would not have been allowed to leave Middle Earth. The Valar would have cursed him. " she patiently explained. "Amon was not stupid, Your Highness."
"He told you, he betrayed anyway." retorted Legolas.
"But I'm not an Orc. I'm not on Sauron's side." Goneril smiled sarcastically.
"Well, you could actually be." Legolas replied.
"So, we have a deal, my Prince?" she asked.
Legolas stared at her. "Forget it."
"So you give me no choice. I'm sorry. Young Haldir will not be able to hide in the middle of the forest forever." the woman replied.
"Do you even know how my brother is called?" growled Legolas. Amon, you filthy traitor ... he thought.
Goneril was about to leave the room, but turned briefly to look at the Elf with her blue/green sparkling eyes. "I know everything. And I have no scruples."
⚜️⚜️⚜️
The two left the small room and found Gandalf, Aragorn and Gimli waiting for them. From the expression on Legolas' face, the Dunedain immediately understood that the woman had told him something serious.
The man of Gondor got close to the Elf. "Are you alright?" he asked.
"Yes." Legolas whispered. Aragorn thought his friend had never looked so far from feeling fine, but he didn't investigate further. He only gave Goneril a reproachful look. She reacted with an ironic grimace.
Suddenly, the big door opened, and Théoden entered the Palace, Gambling was holding his arm. He was pale, his red eyes still wet from crying. Éowyn followed him.
"My Lord, let me accompany you to your rooms. Rest now." his niece told him softly.
"No." replied Théoden. "I must go to my throne. This kingdom cannot remain without guidance."
He looked up at Goneril. "Are you still here?" he asked.
"This Wizard claims you must speak to me, Your Majesty. I hope it will be short." the warrior retorted.
Théoden looked at Gandalf. "What do you think?" he asked him. "Do you believe she's related to Margery?"
"And to you." Gandalf admitted. "Your story was interrupted at the point that interested me, Théoden. Now that Théodred has reached your ancestors in the afterlife, it's time to concentrate on the living. On this woman."
"He believes that I am your daughter. The Sorcerer has a vivid imagination." Goneril smiled.
"Explain him that this is not possible and stop with this pantomime."
Théoden advanced towards her.
"It is possible, instead."
Everyone, Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Gamling and Goneril herself fell silent. The news was sensational. An atmosphere of general disbelief pervaded the dusty and cold hall.
"Please, follow me." said the king to Goneril.
"I've already had a private conversation today." The woman looked towards Legolas. "If you have to say something, say it in front of everyone."
"It is not something I am proud of. It is appropriate for us to retire, just the two of us." retorted the King.
"No." said Goneril. "Speak here, and now, or be silent forever."
Théoden swallowed. That thing was regrettable, absolutely regrettable.
"Very well, then. As you wish." the sovereign surrendered.
Taking a deep breath, he prepared to tell that private and painful story that had weighed on his conscience like a rock for thirty years.
The story of a betrayal, and of a child lost in the world.
⬇️⬇️⬇️
"Haldir" - mentioned in this chapter - is a new character. He is not the Marchwarden of Lothlórien. Just to avoid confusion. 🙂