Chương 67: Chapter 67: Title at the end

[General POV]

–Aldril–

"I will kill Smaug."

At Aldril's bold declaration, Thalwen frowned slightly. It was a brazen statement, and in her long life, there had only been one other person with the same audacity. Sighing, she looked at her husband, who returned her gaze with the calm expression she had grown accustomed to. They were complete opposites, if she was like the radiant and vibrant light of summer, Thranduil was like the serene moonlight that illuminated the dark night, a tranquil and peaceful glow.

When their eyes met, they both understood what the other was thinking, a silent understanding born from the countless years they had spent together.

"There is no doubt that you are her son," Thalwen said, sighing softly. A subtle gesture that carried extreme delicacy, Thranduil was captivated. Time didn't matter, he always admired the elegance and grace in every one of her movements.

His wife was a work of art, a reminder of the beauty the great Eru could create, a woman who had brought light into his darkest moment.

"But I'm afraid you don't have the strength to face that terrible dragon alone," she continued. "After all, you are still young, and your strength has not yet fully developed. I wouldn't recommend risking your life." Placing her hand alongside her husband's, Thalwen explained her reasoning. She knew these words might hurt the pride of Tindómiel's son, but she would not allow him to put his life at risk, she had promised Tindómiel.

Thranduil stopped admiring his wife's beauty and nodded at her words. "I understand this may upset you, but all of this was because of the dwarves' request, wasn't it?" he said, looking Aldril directly in the eyes. "The dwarves will likely use you only as a distraction. Their goal is the gold, and most likely, while you distract the dragon, they will sneak in and take part of the treasure. They don't care about you."

He watched as Aldril lowered his head slightly, deep in thought. Thranduil guessed he had been traveling with the dwarves for some time, which meant he had likely grown somewhat fond of them. Without hesitation, he added, "I know better than anyone how greedy those dwarves can be. When they see the mountains of gold, they will leave you to your fate, abandoned."

Thranduil's words held some truth, but Aldril was certain that the members of the expedition were, in some ways, different from ordinary dwarves. This had been demonstrated in the film, but was it truly the case? He had already deviated far from the plot of the movie, and it was possible that, upon seeing Erebor's treasures, the dwarves would abandon him to face Smaug, just as Thorin had done with Bilbo.

Clenching his fists slightly, Aldril lifted his gaze and looked at the two elves standing before him, determination shining in his eyes. "I know, I know I'm not as strong as my mother. However, I trust in my abilities, and I'm sure this group of dwarves is different from the rest." His declaration caused his hair to shine like a starry sky, something both Thalwen and Thranduil noticed with mild surprise. This was a symbol of the blessing Vala Varda had bestowed upon Tindómiel. Thalwen knew better than anyone what it meant, as she had been there when Varda gave her blessing.

"Here shines the light that will brighten the darkest moments, a luminance that even the Dark Lord himself will not be able to extinguish. This light, immutable and eternal, is such that not even Ungoliant, in all her greed, could devour it, a symbol of unbreakable will," Thalwen murmured softly, as if entranced, reliving that moment beneath the starry night.

Tilting his head with concern, Aldril watched Thalwen's trance-like state. Her words stirred something deep within him. It wasn't just his hair that glowed in that moment, his twin blades also shone in harmony with their wielder's hair. This sight left each onlooker with mixed emotions.

Thranduil, understanding his wife's trance, looked at Aldril with newfound respect. If the blessing of the great Vala Varda was reacting, there was a meaning behind it that he unconsciously understood.

It was like the giant eagles. Men saw them as just large creatures, but the elves knew better than anyone how important they were. After all, they were the watchers of Middle-earth, messengers of the great Vala Manwë. If one appeared at an event, that event could not be altered, for it was the will of Vala Manwë.

In this case, when a starry light shines under a resolute will, it is because Vala Varda wills it. This meant that they had no right to prevent the young man standing before them from fulfilling his goal.

His wife had once spoken with him about it, the time when Tindómiel faced the Balrog of Khazad-dûm. On that occasion, they urged Tindómiel to abandon the nearly impossible task of freeing Moria from the terrifying creature. Even Galadriel had urged her to give up. After all, battles with Balrogs always ended in tragedy. Very few had survived.

Even Glorfindel, one of the most powerful elves in all of Middle-earth, perished in his fight against a Balrog at the pass of Cirith Thoronath. However, his death had defended the few survivors of Gondolin, among them Aldril's great-grandfather, Eärendil, who was later resurrected.

However, Thranduil did not know that Glorfindel had been released from Vala Mandos and that Manwë had revived him, allowing him to live again under the grace of the Elves. This caused his spirit to grow, making him more akin to a Maia. As for Tindómiel, she refused to back down, causing her hair and Anguirel to glow, a clear sign of Varda's command.

Remembering Tindómiel's sword, Thranduil paid special attention to Aldril's black sword. If both swords glowed in unison, it meant that this sword was Anguirel's lost twin, Anglachel, the sword once wielded by Beleg and later by Túrin Turambar.

At some point, Thalwen snapped out of her trance and looked at Aldril with newfound clarity. This young man had already caught the attention of the Vala Varda. It was clear that, by Manwë's command and Varda's blessing, Aldril was destined for greatness.

Smiling delicately, Thalwen looked into Aldril's eyes and, with unparalleled grace, spoke, "Very well, we will help you in every way we can." With a gesture of her delicate hand, she caught her husband's attention, who nodded in agreement.

"As my dear wife said, we will help you in every way we can. For now, I will release the dwarves on your word," he said. Everyone stood up, even Tauriel, who had been lost in her daydream, was awakened.

Aldril's confident words and the starry glow he displayed had captivated her. Lost in her thoughts, she had ignored the conversation that had just taken place, which Thalwen noticed with a smile. After all, Tauriel was showing the same look Thalwen had when she first looked at her husband after he saved her from an orc ambush.

"I thank you, Your Majesty," Aldril responded with a slight bow. He had been incredibly nervous just moments ago, but for some reason, his will and determination surged like water from a dam, giving him the confidence to speak on behalf of the dwarves, who, despite being rude and impolite, were still his friends.

"There's no need for such formalities; you can call me Thranduil. After all, I have a good friendship with your mother," Thranduil said, raising his proud face. He liked to be shown respect, but this boy was the son of one of the few people he could call a friend in all of Middle-earth.

At this, Aldril nodded in gratitude. "Thank you for your trust, Lord Thranduil, and Lady Thalwen." With the conversation concluded, everyone stood up and walked toward the exit as Thalwen spoke quietly with Tauriel, who displayed a serious expression as she nodded, showing that their conversation was important.

Before leaving the garden, Thranduil stopped Aldril for a moment with a slight warning, "Be cautious with the dwarves. They may be your friends now, but once you reveal your Elvish nature to them, their attitude toward you may change."

"I appreciate your concern, Lord Thranduil. I will be careful," Aldril replied. With that, Thranduil nodded and turned to a nearby guard. "Go with him to the dwarves' cell, release them, and give them a place to rest, but ensure they do not leave their room." After giving his order, he followed his wife, who was guiding Tauriel. It was time to reveal who her father was and give her the last gift he had left her before his death.

-With the Dwarves-

"Hey! What do you think they're doing to Bilbo and Aldril?" Nori asked, clearly trying to make conversation in the uncomfortable silence that enveloped the cell area.

"Maybe interrogating them?" Ori responded doubtfully.

"Didn't you see how that elf was looking at Aldril? I'm sure they're torturing him to get information," Glóin replied with contained anger in his voice. He had clearly misinterpreted the way Tauriel was looking at Aldril. After all, the expressions of love among their race were very different; Dwarven women always frowned and never gave loving looks, only grunting when showing affection.

"Damn it! As long as they don't hurt them, I won't worry," Dwalin shouted. Despite being the grumpiest of the dwarves, he was one of the most loyal to his friends. Aldril had earned his respect after the first ambush, and Bilbo had earned it during the fight with the trolls, so he already held him in high esteem.

"Or maybe they're enjoying better treatment than us. After all, they're not dwarves," Bofur said lazily. Little did he know that this was the truth, as Bilbo was currently sleeping peacefully in a large Elvish bed.

"Don't be stupid don't you see how they were looking at them? I'm more inclined to believe they're extracting information from them," Dwalin dismissed his comment, unable to imagine that they were receiving preferential treatment.

"Who are you calling stupid?!"

Just as the dwarves were about to argue, a cold yet authoritative voice cut through the noise, silencing them instantly. "Silence, it doesn't matter where we are; what we need to focus on is how to get out of here," Thorin explained calmly. He was a bit tangled; the story told to him by that elven king left a bitter taste. But haven't the elves also been at fault? After all, they didn't help my people when we were driven out of Erebor.

His thoughts were interrupted by footsteps outside the cell. With a cold expression, Thorin looked at those approaching, only to raise an eyebrow when he saw Aldril being escorted by a guard.

"Ah! Look! They're bringing Aldril," exclaimed Bombur, who had woken up at some point. It was a shock for him to wake up in a dark cell; after all, the last thing he remembered was touching that forest river.

"Aldril! Are you alright?" shouted Glóin as he pressed his face against the bars and looked outside.

Hearing the dwarves starting to stir, Aldril shook his head with an ironic smile. He was sure that no matter if he spoke of his lineage, the dwarves wouldn't belittle him. After all, they could be called friends; a quality of men, regardless of their species, is that if they live together for months, it's natural for them to become friends, especially these dwarves who greatly value their friendships.

Approaching Thorin's cell, Aldril shouted to the others, "I'm fine; I've come to get you out of here!" Shortly after his shout, the elven guard pulled out some keys and opened the dwarves' cell one by one.

They were clearly a bit confused by their release. They wanted to attack the elven guard as they left, but the fact that Aldril was accompanied by the guard and appeared to be fine made them reconsider. Soon all the dwarves were freed and quickly gathered around Aldril, who patiently explained what had happened. This moment was interrupted by the elven guard.

"Follow me, I'll take you to where you'll rest." His indifferent expression angered them. They wanted to complain, but a single glance from Thorin calmed them. He knew it was better not to make a scene; after all, they wouldn't be locked up and could leave the next day, arriving in time at Erebor.

-With Tauriel-

A few minutes earlier, her adoptive parents had led her to her private chamber, a room of noble and majestic appearance. They had something important to tell her, a matter of utmost significance. She had imagined that the conversation would revolve around Aldril, the young half-elf who had made her heart race.

Deep down, she had decided to follow him. She was now older and had earned the right to forge her own path. The desire to join him on his adventure and help him face the fearsome dragon that had once terrorized her people was irresistible. Moreover, she had promised Lady Tindómiel, her role model, that she would watch over her son.

She felt a natural attraction to Aldril, an attraction that seemed to be woven into the threads of fate, a longing to be by his side.

Her adoptive mother, Thalwen, was sitting across from her, enveloped in a serenity that seemed to emanate naturally. Her beauty was ethereal, a reflection of the greatness of the ancient elves. Her smile, full of wisdom and affection, was directed at Tauriel. It was understandable to have such beauty; after all, Thalwen was one of the Vanyar, which explained her deep friendship with Lady Galadriel.

"Are you planning to go with him, aren't you?" asked Thalwen. Her question, though phrased with tenderness, sent a slight warning to her heart, which was racing with fear of her mother's disapproval and the possibility of a confrontation she wished to avoid.

With her heart racing and armed with courage, Tauriel raised her gaze and met Thalwen's eyes. "Yes, I want to follow him," she replied firmly. "I promised Lady Tindómiel that I would look after her future son." Her words elicited a reaction different from what she had imagined.

"I know, dear, and that's precisely why we brought you here." Rising slowly, Thalwen looked toward the entrance, where her adoptive father, Thranduil, entered with a box. His serious demeanor indicated that it was something of importance; normally, he would behave like a loving father in private, but this time was different.

He placed the dark-colored box in front of her. Tauriel looked at the box with curiosity; something within was calling to her, and she felt happiness and recognition. Her furrowed brow was a sign for Thranduil to begin explaining.

"Normally, we had planned to give you the only gift your real father left when you decided to leave the realm." This brought a shock that made her raise her head in surprise. She had only asked once about her parents, and the vague answer she got was that an entity named Goldberry had left her in Thalwen's care. It was a response that satisfied her childhood curiosity, but now, with this, her curiosity about her real parents was rekindled.

Thranduil waited a few seconds for his adoptive daughter to regain her composure before continuing. "It is likely that tomorrow morning, the young Aldril, along with the dwarves, will leave the realm." A silence fell, hinting at an underlying truth. "We understand that you will be leaving with him." With slow and careful movements, he opened the box, revealing a bow made of black yew wood. Gently, he took it out of the box and handed it to Tauriel.

"This is your father Beleg's bow, the finest bow in all Middle-earth," he explained slowly. "Its name is Belthronding. It accompanied your father for countless years. It was his last wish that you would bear it."

Tauriel was fascinated; holding the bow gave her an almost magical jolt, as if the bow were recognizing her. She now understood when Lady Tindómiel mentioned that there were weapons with a will that would only accept their rightful bearer.

Watching her daughter gaze in awe at the bow, Thalwen smiled with great joy. That smile seemed to illuminate and make the plants adorning the room flourish. Not many knew it, but she was the one who kept the darkness of the Mirkwood at bay, thanks to the blessing of Vala Yavanna, which allowed her to bring vitality to places corrupted by dark magic.

"Go on, try it out," urged Thalwen. Tauriel stood up and, in an act of great affection, hugged them both. "Thank you, Father, Mother." With those words, she hurried out of the room, her head bowed in embarrassment.

This behavior didn't bother them; on the contrary, it filled them with joy. Tauriel rarely showed her feelings; she was often strict and serious, even when alone with them. They both smiled and held hands in an act of love.

"Fate has reunited the two weapons that fought against darkness for so long," said Thalwen as she was embraced by her beloved husband. "Anglachel and Belthronding" fight against the evil that threatens Middle-earth once again," she continued.

"It's almost ironic that their children have met and are now setting out together," Thranduil said with an ironic laugh. He might be a stern and serious person in public, but when alone with his wife, he showed the caring man he was inside.

"The daughter of Beleg and the son of Túrin, will they bring about the same changes their parents did?" wondered Thalwen as she sank into Thranduil's arms.

"daughter of Beleg and the son of Túrin"

***

filthy orcs! I was planning to leave the chapter for tomorrow, but here you go! The big revelation about Aldril's father, a hugely important character from the First Age.

As you know, this is an alternate universe where Turin survives. Remember to support me on Patreon, where there are 15 chapters available in advance.

By the way, there won't be another chapter until Friday.

"p@treon.com/Mrnevercry"