- Damn it! - The king was furious tore the sheet, crumpled it and threw it into the corner. He kicked the table fiercely and threw it into the guardhouse:
- When did they leave?
The guards were frightened. At first, they could not understand what the angry lord was trying to get from them. Then they started to explain that the queen and her parents left the day after the king's departure, even before dawn. A small group of Nandor, the queen's most loyal fans, drove with them. None of the residents of the palace could even imagine that the nador had left against the will of the Forest King.
- Catch up! Immediately! Return it! - Like a madman, Trandil rushed to the gate.
A few moments later, a small cavalcade of horsemen drove out of the gate. We went out and... stopped. Where now to look for fugitives, in which direction?! Which way could they go to Imladris: along the elven path, along the dwarf path, or by the north way, to bypass Zelenolessia and the Mglistye Mountains?
The trackers and hunting dogs could not attack the trail - apparently those who led the detachment knew what they were doing - were very skillful in turning everyone's eyes. Moreover, it has been a few days already... Having sent useless helpers, Thranduil closed his eyes and tried to feel the aura of his wife or son... Deaf. The spell of carelessness gossip, apparently, Lorinor - and compete in the songs of power with Noldo is not enough for anyone under the power.
The abandoned husband had to return to the palace alone. Thranduil went up to his own place, fell into a chair, clenched his head with his hands. "Here you are, then, as with me! The word of the husband and the father of the child means nothing to you! She wanted to and left. And Legolas took away, and the boy is still the royal heir. I will never forgive you for such neglect!
The monotonous and dreary days stretched out. While the king was doing business, attending ceremonies, dinners, and song evenings, he pretended that everything was fine. He wouldn't let anyone talk about the queen and heir as if they never existed. But as soon as he was alone in the royal chambers and saw the doors locked on half of his wife, Thranduil began to go mad. The resentment, anger, and longing did not pass. On the contrary, they became stronger every day. The abandoned husband rushed through the rooms, suffering from insomnia, not knowing what to do with himself. But he did not want his subjects to guess his condition. In the morning, the king again put on a mask of impassivity and let himself into the main hall. But the pale face and circles under his eyes gave him away...
One day Istannen decided to talk to the king. He chose the time and entered Thranduil's room with the servant. He waited until he left and sat in front of the king.
- What do you want? - The king was not happy with the murmurings, looking forward to weaving his fingers. It wasn't so easy to play the icy calm all day, and Trandyll desperately wanted to be alone.
- Your Majesty... Maybe you shouldn't kill yourself like that? - The advisor spoke quietly.
- What?!" the king immediately stirred up.
Istanen hurried to talk until he was pointed at the door.
- She was really sick. Literally melted every day. And she was sure that her idea was the only cure. Maybe, when she comes back in the autumn, healed, strengthened - everything will improve in your life?
Thranduil jumped out of his chair and walked through the room. Then he stopped abruptly in front of the advisor and said clearly:
- When she returned in the autumn... If it is still kind enough to return... I'll tell her to go where she came from. She is not my wife anymore! The son, of course, will stay with me. Because of his mother's prank, Legolas did not stop being the heir to the throne.
- Your Majesty, you are now spoken of by resentment and wounded ego. But listen to yourself more carefully: You need Ellerian. You love her no matter what. And if you really love her, you can forgive everything!
The adviser rose quickly and, without waiting for an answer, came out of the royal chambers. Thranduil stayed in the middle of the room. In his head feverishly spinning pieces of thought: "You can forgive everything ... If you love... You love... How stupid it is, pity, unworthy of the king... But it is true - I love her. And I can't do it without her..."