Chapter two: May justice be served…

Candriel was staring at her king with wide eyes, when she met him that evening he had been pale with rage and she had realized that she never had seen him like this before. He had been angered on many an occasion but never like this. She felt a bit nervous, she had never seen him like this.

Thranduil had called for her as soon as he was done with his duties that day, he needed her to calm down, to find himself again. Telling her of the incident had been hard, he didn't really want to take those words into his mouth but he had to, she too needed to know the truth. "What are you going to do to him?"

Thranduil was pacing around the room like a wolf caught in a cage, she could see that he was tense like a bowstring and he was grinding his teeth. " I wish I could order his execution, his crime is punishable with death but he is above the law as an emissary from another realm. I cannot touch him that way."

Candriel tilted her head. "Then how?"

Thranduil sneered and stared at the flames in the hearth. " By making sure that he wants to leave, that he never will return to any elven realm, that he regrets the day he was born!"

Candriel swallowed hard. " You have a plan?"

He nodded, the fire in his eyes intense. " Indeed I do, a very good plan too. But I will need your help Candriel, and there is some risk too."

She stared straight at him, she was brave and she felt sorry for the poor servant. The healers had guaranteed that he would survive but he would be suffering from the terrible memories for ages and he would most likely chose to sail as soon as possible. No elf should have to endure something like that, and absolutely not at the hands of another elf. She had heard of warriors who were abused by orcs but that was in war, they were prepared for the dangers. This was a young ellon, hardly an adult and yet his innocence had been ripped away from him in the most cruel way imaginable. It was horrible.

"What must I do my lord?"

Thranduil smirked and told her and she let out a small gasp, the plan was audacious but it would work, the culprit would probably regret he ever wanted to go to their realm in the first place. She nodded eagerly. " I am ready my liege, it will be my pleasure"

Thranduil walked over to her and kissed her passionately. " I know, and now please help me forget what I have been through today. I will find no rest nor peace of mind right now, I am too tense. "

She sat down on the bed and smiled, she knew exactly what he needed and she grasped his robes and pulled him closer to her, he looked down at her with simmering heat in his eyes and she smirked and opened his pants. He did nothing to stop her or correct her, he just stood there as she got his cock out and started to caress it. It filled out immediately, and he closed his eyes in bliss. She had long since realized that he was the kind of person in whom the connection between body and soul is very strong. If his mind was tense and ill at ease so was his body and vice versa. She took him deep right away, knew exactly how to make him forget even his own name, she enjoyed this immensely for she loved to give him pleasure and see him for a short while become relaxed and free of sorrow and once more youthful and carefree.

Before long he was heaving for air and making keening sounds, struggling to control himself so he didn't hurt her by thrusting into her. Candriel was making some humming sounds while using her tongue with wicked technique and he tensed up and rolled out the white of his eyes as he howled and came surprisingly hard. He had been angry, that sometimes worked almost as an aphrodisiac to him, he was never more vigorous than when he had been seething with rage for a while. Candriel did lick him clean, slowly and meticulously and he shivered and moaned, eyes closed and beads of sweat on his brow. " Candriel, you are a savior of souls, I am sure!"

She just purred and finished with a wicked lick along his softening shaft and over his balls. It earned her a whimper and he shuddered a little. " You little minx, you know how sensitive I am right now!"

She just chuckled and pulled herself further into the bed, she pulled her skirt up slowly and deliberately and spread her legs with a naughty grin upon her face. He tilted his head and stared at her exposed cunt with a lifted eyebrow and a devilish expression in his eyes. " So, the lady wants the favor returned?"

She leaned back and winked at him. " Indeed I do my lord, you have such a talented tongue."

He climbed onto the bed and she was glad to see that he had forgotten about the whole calamity, if only for now. " I have heard that yes, nobody should doubt my oratory skills"

She giggled and then she shrieked as he grasped her by the hips and went to work with zeal. He was really very good at this and before long she was writhing and gasping and she came suddenly and with great force, it made her scream his name over and over again and he enjoyed the scent and taste of her as she calmed down. Then he pulled his pants down and got her onto her stomach, plunged into her from behind and it didn't last long before both had forgotten everything but their lust and pleasure.

The next morning Thranduil appeared rather late for the first meeting of the day, he looked a bit like a cat which have spotted a huge and lame mouse trapped in a corner and the three elves he was meeting felt a bit nervous. They were representatives from one of the silvan tribes and they were there to discuss some changes in the routines regarding the patrols, the area they came from had been almost flooded with spiders lately and they needed more help to stop the monstrosities spreading further. The king sat down and he smiled at them, the smile was dangerous and his eyes sharp as the edge of his blade. " My lords, there is something I wish to discuss with you. If you hear me out I will let you have all the warriors you need to get rid of the spiders, now and in the future."

The three stared at the king with huge eyes, what was this? "We are listening Aran nin?"

Thranduil grinned, a dark fire sparked within his blue eyes. " Excellent, now, this is serious and listen well, I will only say this once"

Half an hour later the three left the room in a hurry and rode hard back to their village, they had things to prepare and they were truly eager and also very angry. The servant was a silvan like them and they knew that the king's plan was a good one. There is something called poetic justice and they wanted to see it served.

Thranduil then went to another council meeting, feeling as though he was going to retch watching Aravan's smug face and he managed to stay calm only because of his long practice. He tried to ignore the completely outlandish suggestions the ellon made and he saw that the other council members soon had reached the end of their patience. Several threw him some glances that couldn't be misinterpreted and he tried to reassure them with small nods and winks. Aravan didn't notice any of it, he kept rambling about possible solutions that even a retarded orc could have done better and Thranduil had started to believe that the elf was both stupid and corrupted.

When the meeting finally came to a halt all were exhausted and they hadn't gotten any further at all, several days had gone to waste by now and even though time is something elves have in abundance the situation was getting tenser by the day. There had to be a way to fight off the enemy from several fronts if it came to it, but Aravan seemed to make suggestions that would enable their old foe to do pretty much whatever he wished for. Maybe he in secret was a servant of the dark lord? That wouldn't surprise Thranduil at all.

He was heading back towards his study when one of the council members approached him, it was one of the elves that had served his father before him and he was old and wise and had been among the ones born at the Cuivienen. Thranduil had the greatest respect for him and Morenil had often proved to be a most valuable member of their society. Thranduil stopped and stared at the elf who swallowed and bowed his head, obviously distraught. " My liege, there is something I need to tell you."

Thranduil swore to himself. " Oh let me guess, Aravan has approached you with some sort of terrible suggestion, claiming to know something he can use against you right?"

Morenil went pale and then he nodded slowly. " Aye, he has. He came to me last night, rather late. He had…He had proof that I had cheated on my wife, or that was at least what he was claiming."

Thranduil sighed. " Morenil, I know you, heck we all know you. You would never do that, not anything in the world would make you betray Orolinde thus."

Morenil nodded. " Yes, and I never have but once I travelled to the havens and I escorted a young elleth out of Imladris, of course nothing happened between us that wasn't completely decent and proper, I saw her almost as a daughter, but he claims to have written confessions from witnesses who claim to have….seen us…engaging in acts normally only wedded couples ought to do."

Thranduil's eyes got narrow. This changed things a lot, Aravan had planned this ahead hadn't he? He knew who the members of Thranduil's council were before he even entered the realm, and he probably had something on everyone. This was grave, he had to make sure that Aravan didn't manage to get a grip on anyone. " What did he want?"

Morenil wetted his lips, he looked shocked and nervous. " He wanted to become head of the council, to replace Nerelan and maybe Orovan too. He wanted me to make sure that they stepped back."

Thranduil felt his hands tremble with rage, the audacity of that ellon! Nerelan was young and maybe not the most experienced of lords but he was able to see things from a fresh new perspective and Thranduil admired that. Orovan was his least favorited counsellor but he respected the grumpy old ellon and knew that he was a master at strategic thinking. Losing him would be a disaster! Morenil swallowed and stared down at the floors. " My lord, what do you suggest we do? This cannot continue!"

Thranduil nodded. " You are so right, it must be stopped and I do already have a plan ready. Would you and the other members of council perhaps consider helping me out?"

Morenil nodded eagerly- " Yes, oh yes my king, we will do whatever you wish for, that menace has to be removed."

Thranduil almost growled. " And removed he will be, now, this is the plan!"

Later that evening there was an announcement coming from the king, there would be a masquerade to celebrate the old custom of the wild hunt. It was an avarin custom stretching back to the first elves and it was still very important to the silvan and nandor elves and also for the avarin tribes. There were still some avari elves living in the area and they were regarded as rather feral still and they refused to live in the palace. Thranduil had already sent an envoy to them and had gotten an answer back, they were very eager to participate.

The masquerade was just for the sindar and more high standing silvan elves, the ordinary population would join the avari in the woods and there were plenty of preparations going on. Some were carefully hidden and nobody except a few knew of them. Thranduil tried to hide his strange mood, he wanted Aravan to think that he had won , that he had struck gold indeed. He wanted the bastard completely crushed, all power taken from him and his outrageous self-confidence with it. Yes, he would love to watch the elf squirm, but he wouldn't stoop so low as to kill him. The days of kinslaying were long gone and Thranduil would make sure that Aravan left these shores for good. Maybe the valar would be able to rehabilitate him but he had his doubts.

The masquerade was to be held the day after, when the sun set, and the palace was buzzing with activity. Thranduil made Galion spread some rumors with the help of his servants, all aimed at Aravan, then he sent for one of his most trusted guards. Halaron was a sinda like Thranduil and he was so alike the king in build that some had suggested that perhaps Oropher had been sowing some wild oats. He was just an inch shorter, a wee bit more lithe and he had the same silvery blond hair as the king. The face was rather different though, he had a square face compared with the kings long oval one and he had deep green eyes and a crooked nose. But during a masquerade that would not be visible and Halaron was being carefully prepared for his job.

Thranduil didn't like to share Candriel with others, but this time he had to, Aravan had to believe that he really was seeing the king and his mistress in action and Halaron was prepared to play the role to perfection. With the same robes on and a mask the two of them would be hard to separate, at least in the dark. Thranduil was feeling how his heart was beating faster, and he was shivering with excitement. This was more thrilling than any hunt, he was so eager to see whether or not Aravan would swallow the bait.

The next day there were no meetings, the feast was being prepared just outside of the palace and Galion could report that yes, Aravan now probably knew of every rumor Galion had spread. The elf would be very ready for the evening to come. Thranduil got ready as the sun started to head towards the horizon, he knew that everybody else too were ready and he sent the mirror a very strange grin as he left his private chambers. It was a sneer, a grimace that reminded him of a dragons growl. Aravan would know what pain and fear was at the end of this night, yes, he would be taught a lesson he never would forget!

He had made sure he wore the same clothes as Halaron and the guard was hiding, waiting for the right moment. It had to be perfectly timed. Thranduil had ordered that his goblet was to be filled with just cranberry juice that looked like wine and everybody was to act as normal, as if this was an annual event and a normal feast. But everybody gathered knew that this was a ruse, a trap. They needed Aravan to believe that he could catch the king himself doing something stupid.

Galion was prepared too and he was filled with glee, yes, he was so eager he was shivering as he went through his part of this in his mind. Everybody had come to know that Aravan was a very culturally stupid person, he saw everybody not a noldo as something lowly and frankly speaking not worthy of interest. He had no idea of what the silvan and avarin cultures were about, and he would easily be fooled into believing just about anything. Oh this was going to be wonderful.

The feast started, and everybody carried masks but the king was easy to spot, he was the tallest person around, his robes were the most expensive ones and he carried himself with the grace and elegance of a true monarch. Aravan was watching the king like a hawk watches a limp rabbit, his eyes did barely leave his target even once and Galion chuckled to himself, this was going the right way. He made sure that he delivered a lot of goblets to Thranduil who tossed them back with remarkable zeal, if it had been wine even he would become drunk by all this. Aravan was wearing a rather dull mask with no embellishments at all and his robes were nice but not very elaborate. He couldn't afford anything luxurious but that would change.

Galion sort of sauntered off towards Aravan and gave him a goblet, it was carefully prepared with herbs that left no taste but quite an effect. Aravan just took the goblet without even thanking the butler, he was already certain that he would become the true ruler of this realm before long and he didn't want to bother with the servants. They were way below him anyhow and would have to learn how to obey him soon. Galion leaned against the wall and grinned. "I wonder if the avari will have any luck this night"

Aravan didn't look at Galion at all but he sort of scoffed. " How so?"

Galion shrugged. " It is the night of the hunt you know, it is an ancient tradition, sacred to the wood elves. It is of course a bit barbaric and terribly…shall I say…out of fashion? But it is important to them, it sort of brings them closer to the gods."

Aravan just scoffed. " Uncivilized superstition"

Galion nodded eagerly. " Of course, but you know, they are primitive and blood sports are a part of their culture. "

Aravan frowned. "Blood sports?!"

Galion smiled. " Oh yes, you see, they try to remember the past by reenacting the dark days of the awakening. They were being hunted by the dark hunter you know, and they do this to remember the horrors of those days."

Aravan knew of this, every elf in middle earth did. He made a grimace. " So, what is it that they do?"

Galion shrugged again, tried to look indifferent. " Oh, I am not completely sure for I have no idea of what they really do, only they are allowed to participate in their rituals but I do know that they chose one person who is the target and has to personify the elves being hunted by the creatures of Morgoth."

Aravan swallowed. " Really? But…"

Galion continued with a carefree grin on his face. " The whole tribe will chase that person through the woods, as if he was a deer and they hunters. He has to make it to a certain place within the woods before they catch him or else the whole tribe, well the ellyn at least, is allowed to have their way with him."

Aravan squeaked." All of them?!"

Galion nodded with a serious expression on his face. " Oh yes, they have to. If they don't fuck him thoroughly they will experience a bad year with death and misery. If the target manages to get to the sacred spot only the great hunter is allowed to touch him. The great hunter is a personification of Oromë, and nobody knows who he is for he is always covered with a mask. If anyone sees his face that person is banished forever, it will bring misfortune to the tribe. "

Aravan looked shocked. " But the target, what happens to him?"

Galion smiled. " Oh, if he escapes the hunters and the great hunter claims him he is regarded as a sacred person for a year. He is marked and prepared and for the year to come he is to live within a sacred tree and is fed with herbs that gives him visions, he is treated as a sort of oracle for that year. Afterwards he is to live as a hermit for a decade before he can return to society."

Aravan swallowed. " You said marked?"

Galion nodded and made a grimace. " Oh yes, he is tattooed, everywhere virtually. And pierced too, it is an avarin custom, a rite of passage. He cannot let anyone hear him make any sound at all as they prepare him. "

Aravan frowned. " Piercings? His ears?"

Galion waved a hand gleefully. " Oh yes, his ears, his nose, tongue, lip, I think both nipples, his navel, cock, balls, I have even heard of an unfortunate fellow who ended up with piercings in his eyebrows and the crease behind his knees."

Aravan was pale, so the target had the choice between being fucked in the ass by the whole tribe or having to be pierced until he looked like a freaking hedgehog? What a terrible custom!

Galion smiled " Being the target is seen as a great honor, nobody knows who the chosen one is before the hunt starts, they leave a deer's hide in the woods and the target sort of goes to it and puts it on and then the hunt is started."

Aravan shook himself. " Enough of that, I bet the barbarians are far away and of no concern to us!"

Galion tilted his head. " Oh they could be anywhere, the whole forest is their domain after all"

He bowed his head and left with a polite grin. Aravan stood there a bit shocked, he had always known that the avari and Silvan elves were primitive and barbaric but not to that extent. This was horrible, and most of the population participated in that awful custom? He shuddered and continued to watch the king, sooner or later he would leave and then Aravan would be on his tail like a pack of wolves after a limp deer.

Thranduil was aware of Aravan, he felt the ellon's eyes on him the entire time, and he smirked underneath the thick velvet mask. He pretended to be drunk, he was in fact a good actor if he needed to be and he made a very convincing performance. Candriel was ready too, when the time was right she came sauntering by and he grasped onto her and pretended to be groping her in a very impolite manner. Then he let her tow him off by his braid, he could sense that Aravan was right behind him and they hurried through the garden, Halaron was waiting behind a column and the two ellyn switched place within the blink of an eye. To the untrained eye it would be very hard to see that it wasn't the king being lead by the masked elleth.

Aravan was following the two and he didn't really notice where he was going. The couple stumbled through the woods and ended up in a small clearing and there they sort of collapsed into a heap of limbs and clothing. Candriel was enjoying this, she didn't mind having other lovers than the king when it was alright with him, and Halaron was good. He wasn't as large as the king and he was a bit less experienced too but he was capable of making the scene convincing enough. Neither took of their masks but to Aravan it had to look as if the king himself was busy fucking his mistress in the woods.

Aravan had taken cover behind a bush and he was staring with wide eyes. He didn't bring his paper and pens, it was too dark for that, but he had an excellent memory and the things he saw was almost burned onto his mind. He was breathing hard by now, not only did the concept of being able to black mail a king turn him on, but the act itself had its effect on him. The elleth was gasping and moaning and the king was rather vocal too. And vigorous too, not the least. Aravan was shocked that someone that drunk could be capable of being that enduring, the king was quite a stud it seemed but Aravan would soon enjoy the same privileges for sure.

He had to put his hand down his pants rather fast, biting his other hand to avoid making any sounds, the elleth was gorgeous and watching the two fuck like that really awakened Aravan's libido. He didn't need much time before he came, hard and long and he saw sparks and stars for a while, the idea of him being the one with the real power there made his orgasm even stronger and he wiped off his hand on the grass and got his pants back to normal, feeling a bit weird. He was slightly dizzy and things were a bit blurred too, had he been drinking too much? He didn't know it but the herbs he had ingested with the herbs Galion had given him had started to kick in. The sounds seemed strange and twisted and he blinked and rubbed his eyes. What was this?

He heard voices and panic struck him, he couldn't be seen there, if the king saw him he wouldn't be able to go through with his plan. He saw lights shine among the trees, somebody was probably coming, looking for the king and he got up and ran in the opposite direction. He ran until he didn't see the lights anymore, his heart was thundering in his chest and he was panting. Now, where was he? He felt so odd, everything was floating and he didn't really see that well, and there were such peculiar noises around him everywhere. He felt as if he wasn't really himself, he was so light and yet he felt heavy and he was completely disoriented. Heck, what was going on?

He entered a small clearing and he saw the stars up ahead and walked to the middle of the clearing, great, he could use the stars to find his way back to the palace, now, which way was north? He was confused, what stars were showing true north? Those? No, that had to be…He didn't remember the constellations anymore! He sat down on a rock and rested his head, oh shit, it was really getting cold, he felt like an icicle. He felt something soft underneath him, oh wonderful, somebody had forgotten a huge fur there. He grasped it and pulled it over his shoulders, it was warm and comfortable and he snuggled against the soft silkiness. These barbarians knew how to make good furs that was for sure. He relaxed and grinned, it would be morning eventually and then he would find his way for sure and then he would make some really explicit drawings of what he had seen, the king couldn't deny him anything from now on.

He heard a horn in the distance, a hunters horn. He lifted his head, a hunters horn? Now? Oh, the hunt, he had forgotten, darn uncivilized moriquendi. Then it struck him, the pelt?!

He stared at it, it was a deer's hide and he got up onto his feet, oh no, it couldn't be? He heard voices, shouting, some sort of chanting, and it got closer all the time. Eru no! It couldn't be true! It wasn't real! He tried to throw the fur off him but it seemed to be stuck onto him and he let out a thin wailing sound and ran. He heard the hunters shout and yell and that blaring horn once again and he knew they were chasing him, probably completely wild with a thirst for blood and the thrill of the hunt. There would be no mercy if he got caught, oh sweet mercy, this was beyond terrible. He really felt like a deer there and then, with the hounds at its heels. He ran as if he was blind and the herbs did not exactly help him for they made his senses dull and made him hallucinate. He thought he saw monsters in every shadow, he was almost pissing himself with fear and he was unable to make any real decisions, he just ran on instinct.

The silvan elves Thranduil had been talking to had gathered the whole tribe, and the avari elves were there too, the population of the palace did also participate and they had had great fun preparing themselves. Everybody had stripped and painted themselves with odd and bizarre patterns, they had attached all sorts of crazy and terrible things to their hair and they looked like a bunch of true barbarians. They wore amulets and weapons of pre historical making and all screamed and yelled and did their best to sound terrifying. Normally the hunt was a very decent and proper ceremony where some chosen ones chased an imaginary stag through the woods while singing hymns and blessings, this year they really returned to the roots and they all knew why.

Aravan caught a glimpse of three warriors, stark naked but covered with paint and grotesque ornaments and he screamed and ran even faster, their eyes were murderous and he knew what his fate would be if they caught him. He was sweating and gasping for air and everywhere there were hands trying to grasp him, trying to catch him. He ran like a deer, eyes wide with fear and he managed to avoid capture but that was because they didn't really try to catch him, they just pretended but that was more than enough. Aravan was a wreck, shivering with fear and he was barely able to stand as he staggered into a clearing where a huge tree stood at the end. He stopped, he was surrounded and he whimpered and fell to his knees, he was doomed.

The elves got closer, hard eyes were staring at him and he felt hands grasp onto him, hoisting him up and he screamed, thrashing in utter panic, his clothes and the fur was ripped off him and he was close to passing out. He sobbed and tried to free himself but there was no chance, he was helpless now. He pleaded for mercy but nobody heard him, hands were groping and fondling and he was dragged over to a log and tied down over it, his ass in the air.

Aravan wished to die, there and then. The halls were salvation and he shivered with fear. The crowd spread and a huge elf wearing a mask formed as a stags head came forth. He wore only a loincloth and strange patterns were either drawn or tattooed onto his skin, this was the great hunter for sure and Aravan remembered what the butler had said. He screamed and continued screaming as the huge elf unceremoniously grasped him by his hips and thrust into him with one hard and rather brutal move. Aravan shrieked, his eyes were bulging and he was unable to breathe, it felt as though he was split in half, it burned, it hurt like nothing else ever had and the hunter started thrusting into him with both force and vigor.

Aravan continued to scream until his throat felt raw, he fought against the ropes and it only increased his agony. He did plead for mercy but the hunter didn't stop even for a second, Oh Eru how could anyone keep going like that?!A huge hand grasped onto his hair, forced his head up and he heard a deep voice close to his ear. " Now, remember that young servant you raped? Imagine how he felt? Well, now you know!"

Aravan opened his mouth in a soundless wail, the hunter grunted and pushed far into him and Aravan was sure he was going to die, he couldn't possibly survive such agony? In truth Aravan was a bit of a sissy and unaccustomed to pain and discomfort. The hunter shuddered and Aravan felt how hot fluid filled his insides, he sobbed. He was ruined, spoiled, defiled! He was broken! The hunter growled. "You have quite a nice ass Aravan, tight and good. Maybe I will keep you here, as my little toy!"

There was something familiar about the voice and Aravan's eyes went wide with horror, he turned his head and the hunter lifted the mask for a second. It was the king! Aravan just gasped, how? He had been in the woods with that elleth, how could he…

Thranduil just grasped Aravan by the chin. " Oh I see how your little brain is trying to understand this, but don't bother. The forest is a world you may never understand, and its powers are immense. I share in on them you know, I know everything about you Aravan!"

The ellon just stared, in utter disbelief. Thranduil pulled out and smacked Aravan's ass hard. "So, no blackmailing here little bitch, but my offer is standing, stay here as my toy or leave now. Or perhaps you will accept being the deer and stay for a year as our oracle?"

Aravan gaped, everything was spinning and he was nauseous and everything ached. The king leaned forth with a wicked glimpse in his eyes. " The warriors are sometimes allowed to share the deer with the great hunter, I feel very generous tonight. Yes, I think I will let them have a go at it too, your ass won't like it even a bit but neither did that poor youth you took in that storage room"

Aravan found his tongue, he screamed again, a hoarse cry in utter fear. " Oh have mercy, no, please, don't let them do it, Eru! I am dying, please no, no no no!"

The king almost caressed Aravan's trembling chin. " No? was I enough for you? How disappointing. But I trust you will make a very good plaything, maybe I'll even let the council members have a taste of you every now and then."

Aravan keened. " No, oh no, I will leave, I swear, I will never come here again, please for Eru's sake let me leave!"

Thranduil smirked, Aravan was trembling, covered with sweat and in shock. It had worked the way it should. " Very well then, I am disappointed to say the least, I imagined you chained to the throne, wearing only a dog collar as all bitches, and laying at my feet like a good hound. But very well, I will send you to the havens and I recommend you do sail or else I may change my mind and send for you."

Aravan just sobbed and the king nodded. Some ellyn came forth and untied the elf and there was a lot of booing and hissing coming from the crowd. Everybody knew what Aravan had done and the fear and anguish he had created. Aravan didn't understand how the king could be two places at once, maybe the stories about the magical abilities of the wood elves were true? One thing was for sure, he would never dare to cross the king of the woodland elves again. A group of armored warriors rode forth on good horses and Aravan was roughly hoisted onto one of them, he shrieked in pain and nobody did look upon him with sympathy. In their eyes their king had chosen a very fitting punishment, an eye for an eye and this time also an ass for an ass. The bastard would be sore for days.

Thranduil smiled, his eyes were hard. "The drawings and letters and everything will be returned to the people they rightfully belong to, and their secrets will be safe once more."

Aravan was stunned, how could he know…He had to be like a darn maia or something…No wonder why he could do such amazing things. Thranduil stared at the warriors. " Ride straight to the havens and put him onto the next ship, guard it until it sails and make sure he is on it. Then return here, but make sure he doesn't get the chance to escape. Give the letter I have written to Cirdan, it explains everything."

Aravan squeaked weakly. " My lord…I…I cannot ride!"

Thranduil sent the scholar a most wicked grin and smacked the horse across the arse and it bolted off, making Aravan scream. " Oh surely you can!"

The elves watched how Aravan and the warriors disappeared into the woods and the king snickered. Aravan did indeed regret the day he was born. He thanked everybody for their help and the crowd did disperse, now the real feast could begin, with sindar and silvan all mingling and everybody was glad such a threat against their realm was removed. Thranduil enjoyed himself greatly, drinking and dancing and later on that night he and Candriel had some real fun. He hadn't really enjoyed punishing Aravan the way he had, but it was needed and at least Aravan knew what it felt like to be abused.

The next day he wrote letters to may elves and sent the drawings, letters and descriptions with them, he knew that many would be very grateful. A month later he received a barrel of the best miruvor from Elrond and words of endless gratitude. Erestor sent him some amazing daggers and several meters of the best silk and the relationship between the realms got a lot better from now on.

As Thranduil lay there resting in the arms of Candriel he had to admit that Aravan in spite of it all had been useful for at least one thing, he had helped solve a diplomatic pain in the ass, the next counsellor Elrond would send had to be a more reasonable one for sure and when the warriors returned and told how Aravan had gotten seasick the moment he set foot upon the ship everybody was seen smirking, the king most of everyone.