Ballad of Fallen Angels: Part II
by Elvensong
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"Kayrel, you are insane. Do you honestly think we could ever succeed? Thranduil is well liked by the Elves of our realm, they will not lie down so easily while you slaughter him and his family."

"They will when they see our numbers. For we would not be the only ones attacking, my friend. I have many others waiting on the borders of our realm ready to return to their home."

Everyone's jaw dropped, "You mean the outcasts? The ones Thranduil send into the murky parts of the wood because of their criminal actions?"

"Of course, Natell. They are fully prepared to join us in battle for the chance to rejoin our society."

A grin stretched across the Elf captain's face, it almost seemed as if he invited bloodshed around himself when there was none around. It seemed as if he would create enemies where there were none. He was bloodthirsty and unforgiving, power driven and mad. The sheer power of his will bent others to it and soon there were no objections coming from his men. They would stand with him, or against him, and none wished to be on the other end of his blade.

-----

Thranduil sat with his son, watching him play with his toy, a small arrow with the sharp tip removed. Legolas would imagine it flying threw the air, killing all enemies in front of him. He would imagine himself a great elvish warrior, leading his people to glory.

The youngest Prince did not need to worry about any of that, though. For he would not need to fight, his brothers commanded the two sections of the armies with a very experienced captain leading the ensemble. It was indeed a force to be reckoned with by any that would oppose it.

Shierra stepped into the study where the king and his son were relaxing. Legolas was jumping around the room telling his father about the legend of the Dwarf caverns that he had read that day. He spoke with awe about the creatures that live beneath the ground, creatures he had never seen. The young prince always seemed a bundle of unrelenting energy, and once more, he tripped over himself during his leaping.

"Come, Legolas. Time for young princes to go to bed."

"Father, do I have to?"

Thranduil smiled, when Legolas came him those innocent eyes, he looked just like his beautiful mother. Legolas was going to be quite breathtaking when he grew up, everyone who saw him knew this.

"Yes, Legolas. Even warriors need their rest in order to vanquish their enemies."

Legolas obeyed his father and began walking off with Shierra. When they arrived at his room, there were two other palace workers waiting for them.

"Come, young prince, time for your bath."

"I'm not dirty."

"Yes, you are, Legolas. You've spent all day in the trees again. This is what you get for hiding from me."

"What's your punishment for taking so long to find me?" Legolas looked at her with genuine curiosity, all wide eyed.

"Never mind that for now."

The three gave him his bath, and put him to bed. He listened to the Elves singing in the courtyard below, songs of battles and love filed the air, luring the prince into a quite sleep, breathing quietly under his blankets. The trio left, looking at their little Elf with great affection, for he was sweet and kind, but with a hint of mischief. The fact that he was falling over everything, and nothing, was too cute to them as well. One day those long limbs would come in very handy, but for now, they would constantly irritate him. The moon shone on his fair skin and he dreamed of fighting off evil and saving his trees from beasts of his imagination.

-----

Thranduil sat reading the plans of the next movement of the Mirkwood army. He stood alone, having dismissed the palace help for the night. The king needed to figure out where the next attack from Orcs was going to come from. They had been massing, so reports had indicated, and his own eldest son has shown some worry about the southern boarder. He was broken from his thoughts when someone entered the room.

"Thranduil."

"Kayrel, what are you doing here so late? I told you I'd have orders for you tomorrow morning. Now, I am preparing to redirect my armies."

'I'm sure you are, Your Highness.' Kayrel stepped forward, the light shone on his fair skin, and reflected off his ebony hair. He was heavy set for an Elf, but not with fat, but with muscle. Muscle accumulated over many battles and many victories in the name of Mirkwood, but all of that did not matter anymore.

'Why do you speak to me with such sarcasm and contempt?'

'Oh, I'm sorry, my King. I did not mean to offend you. I merely came to give you these.' He held up two swords, blood covered the blades. He set them forcefully down on the table where the battle maps Thranduil were studying lay.

'What is the meaning of this?'

'Look closer, you might recognize these swords.'

Thranduil bent down, inspecting the light, elven swords. He saw through the blood. He was the inscription they contained.

These were the swords of his two sons.

'What has happened? Tell me what has happened!' Thranduil began to felt panic. His yell echoed through the halls of the palace of Mirkwood.

'My king, we, the military, have decided that we cannot wait around for you to order us to strike out. We need to become more aggressive. I have tried to tell you this, but you have never listened. Now, I, I mean we, have decided that we need to take actions into our own hands. We do not need a king to tell us where and when to fight. This is clearly a land of war, and only the military should lead it. Your time is done, old Elf.'

Thranduil's eyes widened.

'You are staging a coups against me? How many millennia have we served together, Kayrel? How many times have I saved your life, and how many times have you saved mine?'

'The time for us fighting together is over. We need to be a truly warrior race, one not hindered by someone who would rather spend time with family and home than on the battlefield. Face it, you?re obsolete.'

Kayrel raised his blade, preparing to strike down upon his ruler, when Thranduil grabbed one of his son's swords and held it high.

'Did you kill my sons?'

'Of course I did. They were easily dispatched while they were sleeping, and the same fate awaits your precious little one after I've disposed of you.'

'No! Whatever happened, Kayrel, you cannot do that. He is innocent.'

'He is also now the only son of Thranduil left, the only heir to your kingdom. It will be too risky to leave him alive.' The king actually thought he had heard some compassion begin to creep out of his former captain's mouth.

'However, I will make sure to make it a quick death.'

Grief overwhelmed the ruler of Mirkwood, and this grief almost blinded him, making his fight against the battle-hardened warrior a short one. Blood of the royal family of Mirkwood stained the wood floors black.

Shierra had been stirred by the King's voice yelling out in the chambers. She had been reading quietly a short way down the hall. She slowly and quietly made her way to the study where the king was.

She heard what was spoken. She heard the plots and the betrayal. She heard the plans for the young and innocent prince.

Her heart raced in her chest as she went to the other servant's quarters, finding her two friends asleep. She woke them quickly, giving them no time for an explanation.

'Get some supplies together, we're leaving right now and we're taking Legolas with us.'

Shierra left them to prepare, she would not be able to travel so far with Legolas alone. The journey would wear her out if she had to be constantly on her guard. She ran towards Legolas's room.

The Prince was disturbed from his dreams by a voice calling out to him.

'Legolas! You must wake up quickly, Darling. You must come with me now.'

She grabbed his clothes and stuffed them into his bag, scooping him into her arms when he finally stood up.

'What is it? What's wrong?' Sleep was still upon him, and he wasn?t sure what was happening.

'Do not ask questions now, I will explain everything later. For now, stay quiet, do not make a sound.'

He trusted her as much as his father, so he did not speak another word.

She raced back towards the kitchen, where she knew her friends would be waiting for her to return with the Prince.

She had almost made it when she heard footsteps coming down the hallway. Only an Elf clad in the armor of a warrior would make footsteps loud enough for another Elf to hear. It could only be one person standing between her and her destination.

She stood by the corner and could see his shadow coming down the hallway. She stayed near the wall. She saw the shadow of the sword he held in his hand.

Kayrel.


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