Disclaimer:  see chapter 1

Author’s note:

Again many thanks to Erulisse and to Selene Aduial for beta reading this story for me. 

Chapter 19:  epilogue

………………………Thranduil´s face sobered as he remembered these dark days. He looked at Legolas; Saeron had been his age, a mere elfling, when it seemed that he had no chance to survive…

When Legolas had disappeared around a corner Thranduil´s thoughts snapped back to reality. He smiled apologetically at his guests which gazed at him with amusement. Elrond stepped closer.

“I think I know where you have been with your thoughts,” he whispered while winking at the surprised King. Looking at Glorfindel Elrond got the confirmation that his advisor had equally guessed what event in the past the King had been thinking about.

Shaking his head Thranduil tried to get rid of these not so pleasant memories. “That is all long past, but I’m still grateful how everything turned out back then. Without your help Saeron would be dead and we would most likely not be standing here with my youngest.”

Elrond only nodded and Thranduil looked intently at the healer. “Most of all, however, I’m very glad you arrived home in time to rescue your sons too.”

Elrond nodded again, still shuddering when he thought about the desperation that had driven him then and the anguish he had felt all the way home perched on the back of the great eagle. Despite the swiftness of the journey he was nearly mad with worry that he would lose his sons despite their efforts.

Feeling that the joyful greeting was drifting into a melancholic mood Glorfindel cleared his throat. “We should let the past rest and enjoy some glasses of your excellent wine, my Lord,” he hinted and earned a laugh from the King.

“You are absolutely right, Glorfindel,” the King agreed and motioned for his guests to follow him inside. Looking over his shoulder Thranduil was glad that the serious expression on the healer’s face had vanished after Glorfindel´s request. Galadhion and Saeron excused themselves but not without promising to join them later.

Opening the door to the private quarters for his guests Thranduil gestured them inside. After they had all taken their seats the King leaned forward, a glass of wine in his hand just like his guests. “Now tell me what brings you so unexpectedly into my forest.”

When Elrond did not immediately look up and kept staring into his wine Thranduil frowned. This was no simple visit then. As feared there must be some serious reason behind it. Had his scouts not reported that the two elves entered the forest from the direction of the Golden Wood? Were there some new developments in the South that he was not aware of?

When Elrond finally looked up, Thranduil braced himself for the news the half-elf would soon deliver and he feared he would not like it. Looking directly at the King Elrond took a deep breath.

“Half a year ago our border patrols registered increased orc activity in the mountains. Travelling across the mountain path, and even at the base of either side of the pass, had become extremely dangerous.

“There was no party going over the mountains that came across without being attacked. It got so bad that I stopped any trade or movement over the pass. But before that we had forty five dead to mourn.

“Messages between Imladris and Lothlorien can only be delivered by carrier pigeon since then, and even some of these birds don’t return. But on top of all that the orcs have been growing more and more bold and have pressed us hard, even to our very borders. As if this is not enough they have some sort of new poison that they use regularly now; a new substance that can kill within an hour.

“Once brought into the body there is no remedy. I have never seen anything like it before, this substance is completely unknown to me. Many have died a horrible death and we could do nothing to stop or slow it.”

When the healer had ended his report Thranduil stared at him speechless, the wine in his hand forgotten. The orcs in his forest also used poison occasionally, but if treated quickly and if the elf was otherwise not too severely wounded…no one had died just from the poison.

The wood elves had a lot of experience with poison, considering the great spiders that lived in the forest. But something as deadly as what Elrond had just described he had never heard of. His master healer Thornil was an expert with all sorts of poison and knew every plant that could remedy the after effects, but he had never reported that there was a new poison they were completely helpless against.

Letting the words the healer had uttered resonate in his mind again the King looked up suddenly. “Are you telling me that you cannot find any cure against this new poison?” Thranduil took a deep breath to calm himself. If the orcs over the mountains used this deadly poison, it was only a matter of time until the orcs invading the south of his forest used it too, more so when they got word of the potency of this substance.

After a few minutes of silence Elrond raised his eyes to look at the King. “Over four months now I’ve tried to counter this poison but to no avail. We could slow the dying of the afflicted but the result was always the same. After some hours, or a day, the unfortunates died in agony.”

When Elrond did not elaborate further Glorfindel stood and walked toward the window. “Because of this we travelled to Lothlorien in the hope that the Lady of the Golden Wood could provide some help, but….” Glorfindel trailed off and Thranduil looked back towards the healer, understanding what the golden warrior had left unsaid.

“This is bad news indeed. And if even Galadriel cannot help in this matter what do you think to accomplish by travelling here?” he asked with a slight irritation in his voice. His warriors had enough troubles with the evil creatures invading his realm day by day; he did really not need any more complications.

Hearing the undertone in the King’s voice Elrond took a deep breath. “Thranduil this is no threat only to Imladris and Lothlorien. The use of the poison will spread and soon you will have many dead warriors to mourn. But informing you is only half the reason why I’ve come here.”

Gazing back evenly at the healer Thranduil braced himself for what would come next. Seeing the lips pressed into a thin line in the King’s face Glorfindel snorted and turned to look out of the window. `You are as stubborn as your father` he thought, already wondering if it was a good idea to come here.

He closed his eyes wearily. They had mourned too many good warriors of late. Young elves he had trained and led in his patrols every day. This had to be stopped now. He knew what Elrond would request but he doubted that they would find the cure here. Maybe Elrond was too involved in this to see a possible solution.

Not turning he listened nonetheless when the healer started speaking again. “Thranduil, the reason why I’ve come here is to ask your Master Healer for assistance.”

The King’s jaw nearly dropped. The best healer in all of Middle Earth was really asking the wood elves for assistance and in a matter of healing no less? Regretting his sarcastic thoughts already, when he looked into the serious face of the healer, Thranduil swallowed. He realized that this request showed clearly how dire the situation was.

Guessing the King’s thoughts Elrond ignored the furrowed brow of his old friend. “Thranduil, Thornil is a real expert with all sorts of poisons and we have at least discovered that the poison is not only made from a plant but also from an animal - a spider. Judging the potency it must be a really big spider. It is some mixture of poisons and therefore very dangerous. Because of that I had wondered if your Master Healer would be willing to help me in this matter.”

Having regained some level of calm Thranduil leaned forward. “Of course, I will ask Thornil if he is willing to help, and I know he will be. But tell me Elrond. Why would the orcs produce some new poison from the spiders around Dol Guldur and then use it hundreds of miles away, not directly against my warriors?”

Elrond sighed. He had asked himself that very question many times. “Thranduil, honestly I do not know. Maybe the orcs knew how trained the wood elves are when it comes to spider poison and they wanted to test it first on elves not so accustomed with it. Or perhaps there is some other reason behind it. The fact is that this new poison is extremely dangerous and always deadly. I do not want you to have the same experiences with it that we have had.”

Swallowing Elrond lowered his eyes. He had fought for so many lives in the last few months and always lost the fight. His sons were out there day by day and it was only a matter of time before one of them would be brought home infected with the poison. If that happened he would again be unable to help; he would have to watch until the spirit would flee heeding Mando’s call after hours of agony.

Feeling the desperation rolling in waves from the healer Thranduil stood and laid a reassuring hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Elrond, I will call for Thornil immediately and I’m sure together you two will find a remedy. Many years ago he was helpless to help you with the plague, and believe me it has tormented him until today. But in this matter he’s the one who can help you. There is no poison Thornil has not investigated.”

Sighing gratefully Elrond lifted his head. “Thank you, Thranduil, I had hoped as much.”

Smiling back Thranduil was already turning to ask the guard waiting outside to call for his palace healer. Thornil would be pleased to help and maybe an old debt could now be repaid.

To be continued…………….. for all who want to know how Elrond arrived at Imladris.