LotR/Hobbit fic -- In the Service of the Elven King

[artaxastra]

A short gen story with Aragorn, Thranduil, and Gandalf. This takes place in the decades immediately after The Hobbit.

Comments

[artaxastra]

Thank you! I'm so glad!

[lferion]

*Instant head-canon*

I love that all three of them have quite different perspectives, but largely one ultimate goal.

[artaxastra]

I'm proud to be instant head canon! :) I can see that Aragorn would learn a lot from Thranduil, and obviously they're on friendly terms later or Aragorn wouldn't take Gollum there for Thranduil to hold onto.

Very different perspectives, and Aragorn is very young. But the same goal. Mostly.

[artaxastra]

I'm glad you think Thranduil works. I'm very pleased with how he came out. Gandalf certainly has a history with Thranduil, I think, though Aragorn can't quite imagine what Thranduil is poking him about!

He was absolutely sulking around Bree! Unshaven! With beer! And tobacco! :)

[artaxastra]

That's a good point -- they really are on a different footing. Gandalf and Elrond are clearly very good friends. I love it in Unexpected Journey when Elrond dismounts and embraces him. Elrond isn't the huggy type. If he's greeting Gandalf that way, they actually are close. And Gandalf seems to (at least) have a big old thing for Galadriel. But he and Thranduil aren't close. It's really different.

[dbalthasar]

Oh, yes, this happened! I love the unexpected kinship between them. And also Thranduil's inability to resist an occasional jab at Mithrandir.

And Aragorn was so sulking in Bree. :-)

[artaxastra]

Thranduil and Aragorn have something important in common -- rash fathers who died untimely. That was the thing Aragorn could have said that would sway Thranduil, though he didn't know it.

No, he can't resist. He just can't. Especially since Mithrandir hasn't been in HIS bed!

He was totally sulking in Bree. Unshaven. With beer. And tobacco. ;)

[dbalthasar]

Aragorn clearly didn't know, and that similarity was the last thing Thranduil ever expected. But it did at least intrigue him, which is.. useful.

And, no, Mithrander has more sense - of self-preservation, anyway! :-)

Well, if you're going to sulk, might as well do it where the beer is good?

[artaxastra]

It was unexpected. As was Thranduil's genuine sympathy. Thranduil says, "I don't care" a lot, but one thing he does care about is his people. As he says in the book before the gates of Erebor, "Long will I tarry ere I begin a war for gold."

Yeah, I think Mithrandir is not interested. Thranduil is too full of motives.

[kathyh]

Of course! This must have happened. I love all the different perspectives here and the gorgeously sharp dialogue, "latter-day Beren" indeed :)

[artaxastra]

Thank you so much! They're all so much fun to write. "A latter-day Beren" indeed! Gandalf has this air of "Well, you've gotten yourself kicked out of school, so I'm going to find you a job."