Kingsfoil [Thranduil] LOTR

Recognized

Sorry guys for the long wait for this chapter! I never meant for it to take so long, but RL had me running on fumes and my creative rainbow bridge crumpled like Thor took a hammer to it.

A brief recap: Thranduil easily agrees to Narylfiel's request to visit Dale and Erebor for memorial services to honor the fallen Kings Brand and Dain, but unbeknownst to Narylfiel, Thranduil has a secret agenda: to send his best guards out to capture Wilem, enemy to the crown.

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Four hundred years ago...

"I'm too tired to sleep right away, Aunt Maeben."  Narylfiel's statement was punctuated by an enormous yawn. 

"She should be exhausted," said Thaliniel, poking her head through the door.  "She's been up since dawn, running nonstop from the vineyard to the pond to the house."

Narylfiel yawned again and picked up Bun, cuddled him to her chest.  "We had to, Thaliniel.  We were checking the borders for orcs."

"Hmm." Aunt Maeben hummed noncommittally as she turned down the covers of her niece's bed. "Into bed you go."

"We didn't find any today," Narylfiel reassured her aunt, "but it's better to be safe than sorry."

"That is a comfort, knowing we have you to protect us," she said and patted the space on the bed for her niece. 

Narylfiel grudgingly flopped down atop the cool, crisp sheets and plump pillow, which even she had to admit felt pretty nice.  "It's a big job, Aunt Maeben."

Aunt Maeben smiled and smoothed her niece's hair.  "Ah, but you don't have to do it all on your own, dear.  King Thranduil keeps our lands safe too."

Narylfiel yawned again.  "Hmm. King Thranduil," she said carefully, trying out the name on her lips.  "Tell me about him again." 

"He is king over all the Woodland Realm and lives deep in the woods in halls of stone and living rock hewn from within the mountain side.  He has been our king for many long years. Did you know I've seen him ride past this vineyard?  It was a long time ago, and I saw the line of horses and warriors glittering through our trees from my window.  I ran as quickly as I could to the front gate for a better view and watched them ride past in golden armor, bright in the sun, and their horses so sleek and proud they were.  But not the king, Narylfiel."

She looked up through sleepy lashes.  "But wasn't he proud too?" 

Aunt Maeben pulled the covers up around her little niece and kissed her cheek and the top of Bun's head too, for good measure.  "Oh, he was, Narylfiel.  But instead of golden armor, he had the brightest silver, curled and falling from his shoulders like flames, and instead of riding a horse, he rode an enormous elk.  He wore no helm, and his hair was like white gold in the sunlight."