In the happy forest town of Oridiath lives Prince Aramil, son of Lydion son of the Great King Horatus who was the founder of Oridiath and killer of His Ugliness Grorp (the late Goblin King). Our story begins on a brisk fall morning in September in Oridiath. Aramil is awoken by a commotion outside. He sits up; the ruby red sunrise shining on his luminous turquoise eyes and the rings on his long pointed ears. Aramil deciphers little details among the clumps of words. Aramil begins to understand that an old and grumpy wizard has arrived and won’t tell anyone about what he is doing until he speaks to the leader of this town. Aramil, still very tired this early in the morning, stretches and climbs out of bed. He dresses, and walks downstairs still yawning a bit.
Currently, Aramil is watching over Oridiath because his father is very ill from the poisoning of a goblin arrow. Lydion had ventured to the Misty Mountains in search of something that he would not tell anyone about, not even his own son.
“It must be something very important,” thought Aramil, “and evil.”
As Aramil stumbled down the royal stairs outside of his palace, his bright silky long hair dancing in the breeze, he noticed an old raggedy-clothed man pushing through the Elvin crowd. When the wizard sees Aramil, the only elf with the bright regal clothing on the palace balcony, Gandalf stumbles in his direction.
“Hello Aramil, nice to see you again,” the old man croaked.
Aramil, not knowing who in the entire world this is, replies, “Um…how do you do Mr.— ”
“Just call me Gandalf,” said the old man, “that’s right you probably don’t remember me, for you were just a mere 17 years old.” And how correct Gandalf was! Even though Aramil looked like a teenage boy, he was 697 years old and probably if anyone was that old he wouldn’t remember anything from when he was only 17.
“Well it’s great to see you again,” replied Aramil with a yawn.
“So I haven’t been to Oridiath in quite a while, is Lydion still in charge here?” asked Gandalf urgently (apparently not tired at all).
“No he is dreadfully ill, so I am put to rule for now,” said Aramil, “What is it that you need?”
“As I have heard; I am sorry Aramil,” exclaimed Gandalf with a calmer expression, “But I had thought that he was doing better.”
“No, the poison in his leg is too powerful.” Aramil said softly.
“Well I was going to try to help your father with his—” Gandalf was cut off by an Elvin nurse.
“Arama—ARAMIL!” she shouted, “You must come at once!”
“What is going on?!” Aramil shouted fearfully.
But the worried nurse had already scampered upstairs. Aramil followed seconds later, and Gandalf behind him. Upstairs, Aramil sensed gloom and sadness. He was afraid to walk another step, and when he did he saw the most horrific sight in nearly all his years. Lying on the floor lay a pale elf. His long arms and legs sprawled on the floor with deep red blood seeping out of the corner of his mouth. Lydion was dead. Aramil felt like screaming but no words came out. Aramil’s eyes swelled and his tears like liquid diamonds trickled down his smooth face. Aramil threw off his quiver and bow, knelt, and embraced his dead father. Gandalf was also very sad but didn’t show it. Gandalf had known Lydion from the day he was born and visited him almost daily in Lydion’s early years.
Gandalf tried all of the spells in the book, but the only benefit was a charred beard and some burnt hands. Gandalf was too tired and worn out to even say another word. All he did was shake his head in sadness and despair.
After a couple of hours, all people of Oridiath knew of this tragic death. The next day they crowned Aramil their new king and people felt a little better. Aramil, of course, did not feel better at all. Gandalf tried to comfort him but this did no good. Finally Aramil regains his emotions and begins to reassure the rest of the elves. That night, Aramil can’t sleep. He wouldn’t stop thinking about the death of his father and the responsibilities of ruling over all Oridiath.
In the morning Aramil woke up very early to find that Gandalf had left with a note saying that he had business elsewhere with a bunch of dwarves and a hobbit. Aramil felt betrayed, lost and extremely confused. He thought that Gandalf would help him with Oridiath and give him a head start. But to find that Gandalf had left him to deal with dwarves was just appalling. Aramil was just about to snap in his anger! He couldn’t imagine how he would run the WHOLE city of Oridiath by himself. Then he remembered his father, How could those goblins even dare to kill my father? He thought, Why, just WHY? I now vow to avenge the goblins that killed my father even if it means my death! And with that Aramil tightened his belt and marched outside in a huff.
Aramil stopped in his tracks. It hit him, he felt as if being in all of that anger made him think things he didn’t mean to. For now he had remembered that Gandalf had only come to help. Aramil had seen Gandalf’s subtle sadness at his father’s corpse. Aramil felt horrible for saying those things about him. Also, he had really only known Gandalf for a short five minutes or so, and Gandalf had even looked as if he were in a hurry at the beginning, why did Aramil expect help from Gandalf in Oridiath? How rude of me to expect that of Gandalf, Aramil thought, at least he had stayed long enough to try to help Lydion. Aramil still mourns the loss of his father, as anyone would, to this day. But he knows he had learned a lesson he will never forget.
THE END!
By @TitanDYLAN
