The Woodland Realm

Chapter I – Rising from the East

Year 3429 of the Second Age

Silent as the cat that stalked its prey did the woodland elves of Greenwood the Great move unhindered across the gnarled roots of the trees, their sights set on the prey who stalked unwelcomingly within the wood. Orcs. The king's company had tracked them coming up south from the brown lands a land that held great sorrow, not in centuries had orcs dared approach the great forest and they would learn the error of their mistake that day. The company of elves were garbed in firm leather armour and wielded short recurved bows in their hands whilst curved swords hung at their hips, each had an arrow nocked ready to be loosed. The company reached their target a few minutes later as they reached an overlook that gave them sight over the forest path below, their keen eyes picking out the orcs instantly as they scurried along whilst unaware of the danger than lurked in the trees. Their black speech began to reach the ears of the woodland elves who sneered in disgust at the foul creatures, galled by the confidence the orcs must have felt to dare trend on the elven paths, snapping from their daze the wardens spread out amongst the trees and drew their bows.

The soft sound of hooves on the mulch of the forest floor sounded behind the wardens yet no elf turned to meet the sound, for they knew whom stood at their backs. The elvenking. He made no sound as his silver-white furred elk stepped forward to observe the ambush that was about to take place, the orcs were about to cross the path before them, the pack numbered about sixty. The elvenking's grey eyes looked up ahead and spied the second half of his company that positioned themselves on the other side of the road, they too had their bows drawn. The captain of the wardens turned to look him in the eye, asking for consent to order the attack and after a brief pause the elvenking nodded his consent.

"Leave one alive" he commanded. The captain nodded before pulling the horn from his hip to his lips and letting loose a long call. As the horn sounded the orcs on the path stopped instantly, snarling and drawing their crude weaponry as they looked to the source of the sound, as they did tens of arrows raced from both sides of the path, dropping half of their number with one volley. A second volley came and crashed into orc flesh, as the second volley left the bows of the woodland elves the elvenking sprang into action as his elk leaped out of the trees and charged into the fray. The remaining orcs turned to flee, the king wielded a long spear and pointed to an orc he wanted alive, his men heeded the order and shot the remaining orcs down before descending to finish off any wounded with their blades. The remaining fleeing orc tried to turn into the forest thinking to seek shelter from the large forest creature and its rider, however the spear of the king caught it first as the leaf shaped spear blade pierced the orcs hamstring with such force it shattered the bone beneath. The orc shrieked in agony as it crumpled to the path unable to crawl away as the king's elk stamped down on its healthy leg, causing the air to split with an almighty crack.

"Silence filth!" barked the elvenking from atop his mount, the orc being unable to roll over looked up over its shoulder with fear evident in his yellow eyes. The bloodied spear hovered mere inches from the orcs face, and as the creature looked up he could see a tall and fierce elf astride his mighty forest elk, it seemed the orc would suffer greatly for its arrogance in stepping into the forests of the woodland realm. "Why do you enter my forest orc" spoke the elf in a low and dangerous tone.

"Not yours, not for much longer" the orc snarled, hatred overcoming fear in that moment. The creature felt a hot flash of pain as the spear was driven into its shoulder, pinning it to the earth.

"Answer the question" the elf asked more firmly, twisting his spear and inflicting agony on the orc.

"Soon elf, your forests will burn, and your people shall be slaughtered. You will not be so mighty astride your mount as your men are butchered and your women and children are hand fed screaming to the war…" the orcs tirade was cut short as the elvenking slammed his spear point into the throat of the orc, nearly severing its head from its shoulders. The king sat motionless for a moment and then began wiping the blood from his spear on the corpse of the dead orc. Flith he thought, no one hated the spawn of Morgoth more than the elves, not even the dwarves could claim that.

"My king Oropher" called the captain of the guard from over by the mass of dead orcs, the king urged his large forest elk to trot over to his royal guards who were ensuring the orcs were slain and retrieving their arrows. Oropher observed the carnage before him, it was the fifth orc group that had strayed into their borders in the last two weeks whereas they had been at peace for the servants of Morgoth for many centuries, he had already ordered the population to move further north, he feared they may need to yet move further. "All dead I am sure Faendil? This is becoming troubling indeed, I want the watch doubled at the borders nothing is to enter this forest without my knowledge" the king ordered.

"Of course, my king, I will see to it that the patrols are increased at once" Faendil replied, his shoulders squared as he addressed the king. The silvan elf had served as Oropher's captain of the guard for nearly a century and always carried out his duties without equal.

"Very good, I will send word to King Amdir in Lorinand regarding the latest orc incursions, I would know if the Golden Wood suffers such." Oropher commented, his mind pondering another thought. "Send for my for my wife and son, I would have them close and not in Lindon with the Noldor" Oropher added as he watched the elves piled up the dead orcs. It had been a few years since Oropher had seen his wife, he missed the warmth of her smile and her council and he especially missed his son, Thranduil. He had inherited his mothers golden-white hair over his own silver-grey and he had grown into a fine ellon, though he had not found an elleth to call his own, Oropher hoped he would find one among the woodland elves. He drew himself back to the present and continued to observe the pile of orc corpses, none of his own littered the ground which was a blessing, it was not always the way. "Burn the bodies" he ordered, before urging his elk away from the scene and turned northward to return to his newly founded halls.

The journey was uneventful for the elvenking as his royal guard, ever was it so that the inner forests of Greenwood the Great were silent and clear of evil, thanks to the valour of its wardens. The rushing river was the first indication that this home was near, then the road would widen between the trees and come before a long and narrow bridge, the entrance too his halls which were built to resemble the lost city of Menegroth. Though Oropher's attempts at such a task did not his old city any justice, the halls of the elvenking however were grand and imposing to any outsider, and his legend alone struck fear into even the hearts of orcs, for his deeds in the war of wrath during the first age were many yet were oft unspoken due to the tales of the Noldor. The memories of that war alone brought pain to his heart, for it was then that one of Morgoth's serpents had taken to the field, and his son, Thranduil, in all of his bold youth stood tall before such a beast, his son and warriors indeed brought low the beast, but at great personal cost. The beasts flame had engulfed Oropher's son, burning him completely on his left side and leaving him naught but ruined there, even despite elven medicines and magic, the best they could do for him was conjure an illusion to hide his deformity.

Though he did not lose his son in body, he had instead lost him in spirit. Thranduil rarely laughed anymore and his once outgoing and charming nature vanished with those accursed flames. Oropher was forced from his sorrowful thoughts when his elk keened a calling cry, which was in turn responded too from within the elvenking's halls as they neared the gates to his home. The elvenking smiled and gently brushed his mounts neck, his elk was a buck and recently his mate had given birth to a fawn, who unlike its sire was a rich brown and auburn colour. He thought it a perfect gift for his son for when the prince of the woodland realm would arrive.

"My king" called the guards as he rode by them and into his halls, he nodded in acknowledgement to them before he slipped away and dismounted his noble steed inside the entrance hall. Stable hands came at once at relieved the king of the reigns.

"See to it that he is treated well, he performed beautifully today" Oropher spoke softly as he once again brushed his elk's fur, the creature snorting in agreement with the action. "Ensure he spends some time with his fawn also" the king added before slowly walking one of the many walk ways that would lead to his chambers. It heartened him to see so many elves about his halls, smiling and jovial despite the increasing perils coming from the south, and amongst the many elves of his kingdom two that he was very familiar with approached him with smiles.

"Ah, Gelathon, it is good to see you. I see that Galion is acting as your parchment carrier today then? Has Merrill become weary of you already?" Oropher asked with a hint of mirth in his tone. Gelathon was the first elf that Oropher came across within the Greenwood when he travelled over the mountains, he and his family were beset by a lost pack of orcs before Oropher and his small group of guards came to their aid. The ellon was very esteemed with the silvan elves of the wood and acted as a councillor of sought, and upon hearing of Oropher's part in his rescue they embraced him as their lord and eventually king.

"My wife is seeing to the newcomers; thus, she thought our son could be put to good use with my errands today" Gelathon replied with a smile. He was tall like most elves and had long brown hair like most Silvan's that resembled the colours of the tree bark, and his eyes were of an olive green, a stark difference to the silver-grey mane and grey eyes of the elvenking. Though Oropher was of the sindar, he found that the silvan elves joyous and carefree which was something that needed, and that perhaps Thranduil would need.

"Well I require your council anyway, your son is welcome to join us if you wish him to gain experience" Oropher replied, smiling at the sight of eagerness from the young ellon beside his advisor.

"Of course, shall we away to the council chambers then my lord?" asked Gelathon.

"I will meet you there, for I will be glad to rid myself of my traveling cloths" the king spoke before moving by the two ellon, a signal that they were dismissed.

It was not long before Oropher had changed from his riding garb and into a fine robe of silver and an overcoat of midnight blue, the outfit reminding him of the stars in the vast nights sky. He strode purposefully into his council chambers, finding that Gelathon and Galion were already seated waiting for him, he wasted little time in taking the chair at the head of the table, the two other elves in the room waiting for him to speak.

"Another orc pack has been vanquished at the southern road" he spoke gravely, the expression on his long-time friend and advisor slipped.

"This is grave my king, this is happening too frequently to be of mere chance" Gelathon responded and Oropher had to agree. News of Sauron's supposed drowning at Numenor had not slipped past his notice, the ever-present malice and darkness was growing once again, a sign that his spirit had endured. His people had been spared the devastation of the war between the elves and Sauron over one-thousand-and-seven-hundred years before, where Lindon and Rivendell were besieged by the forces of the dark lord. He had been thankful that his wife and son were staying in Lorinand across the Auduin during that perilous time.

"You are right my friend, Sauron is making his move and appears to be testing our strength" the elvenking spoke in thought. It was at that moment he thought it unwise to have invited Galion along, the young ellon looking concerned and fearful. "Yet we hold firm, I have heard news that he is more focused on the realms of men to the south, Minas Ithil was recently assaulted by a horde of orcs" Oropher sought to continue and ease his fears for their safety.

"What do you purpose long term?" Gelathon asked.

"I have doubled the watch at the borders, though I fear we may have to give ground. The forest to the south is to vast for our warden's alone, and I do not wish to deploy the army so far from home" Oropher started, not liking what he was going to have to do to ensure his people were safe which was something that took priority. "I purpose we pull everyone back behind the Emyn Duir, we can better hold the passes of the mountains and river crosses than that of the open forest" he added.

"that would mean giving up two-thirds of the realm my king! And what of Amon Lanc?" Gelathon countered in shock at the elvenking's plan. Amon Lanc, the first fortress he built within the Greenwood upon proclamation of his kingship but left abandoned as he moved to distance himself from the lady of the golden wood, Amdir may rule the forests, yet it was the Noldorian ring bearer who held the power.

"I do not do this easily mellon, I will not risk the lives of my people. It is too vast a realm to protect with the threat of Sauron" Oropher countered gently. Greenwood had a force of ten-thousand warriors that could be rallied for its defence, but even that would not be enough for the vastness of the forest realm. "I will appeal to King Amdir for his eyes on the southern edges, if a large host crosses the barren lands we will hear of it" he finished. The room fell silent as each ellon contemplated what might happen in the coming years, whatever it might be, it was not bound to be favourable to the free peoples.

"My wife and son are being sent for, for too long have they dwelt away from this forest. Now that the kingdom is established I seek to bring our people the queen the deserve and a prince. What say you of this Gelathon?" Oropher asked, seeking to move on from such grim tidings.

"The people would be excited indeed! Many are eager to finally see Queen Lalaith, and of course Prince Thranduil, many elleth are excited for the day he will dwell beneath our trees" Gelathon replied. Again, Oropher was amazed by the welcoming nature of the Silvan elves, had an unseen queen and prince come to a Noldor or even Sindar kingdom at that, they would be frowned and unwelcomed even after so long.

"Perhaps Galion would be a suitable companion to my son, what say you to that Galion?" Oropher asked the young ellon who sat quietly besides his father.

"I would be honoured to accompany the prince on his arrival, I could introduce him to a few of the noble's children?" Galion replied eagerly, causing the king to chuckle at his excitement.

"My son is a little dour, the nature of his experiences has dampened his soul some what I fear, but you will do him some good" Oropher smiled and then turned to Gelathon once more. "Have Thalion's company depart to collect them as soon as possible, I will write a letter for them to take with them. I wouldn't want the high-king of Lindon to be surprised by lowly Silvan's turning up at his gates" the elvenking added, his comment on lowly Silvan's was a mocking of the opinion of the high elven Noldor, Gelathon smiled in agreement.

"Very well, I will speak to Thalion at once" announced his advisor who stood from his seat and turned to leave, before catching himself and turning back to the king who looked back with a questioning glance. "Will a feast be required my king?" a smile gracing his lips.

"Oh of course mellon-nin" smirked the king.

…

What do we think?

I intend too do this tale over three shorter stories (fifteen chapters each or so). Spanning the events of Oropher's rule and Thranduil's prince hood, then the war of the last alliance and finally Thranduil returning home and trying to come to terms with his new title.

This will be a work in progress as it's a bit more complicated (I have been researching dates and ages etc etc) and I will be taking my take with it as I am working on an Inheritance Cycle series as well (I find flicking between two types of fandoms keeps it fresh.

Reviews are welcome for guidance and views.