“my mother was kind, good, a loving soul,” ecthelion’s jaw set, gaze far away, as though he weren’t present in the moment. he wasn’t, as thoughts of his mother came to his mind, memories, all that he had left of her. “never hurt a fly, couldn’t even lay a blade to an orc. thranduil watched her die and did nothing. her, my brother, my father, they are gone because of him.” tears sprung up at the edges of ecthelion’s eyes, overwhelmed with emotion as he was. “i do not care what he did or did not have to suffer through, i do not care what good he has done in his life for all of it has been for his own inclinations, to save face, to contort others to his will. many go through this world suffering yet they do not act as he does. cruelty has no place in this world that we’ve fought for, and i will not suspend my sword any longer.”
finally, ecthelion glanced at andune once more. “i know what i appear to be, a self serving monster no better than him. that is all i have ever been, i have accepted my fate. this is not just for me and my family, but for others who have suffered because of the elf king’s inaction. the dwarf kings of erebor were conceived based on thranduil’s lies, their mother an object of desire and revenge, nothing more. many amongst middle earth share similar tales. if i am to be cruel, it is out of necessity. this is for those who cannot fight, for those long gone, for those who have never had a voice. i will do what i must. i do not blame you if you cannot understand that.”
"i mean not to disrespect your grief. arda is lesser for their loss, i am sure of it.” andune has seen enough grief to know that it is not a thing of logic or reason. it is an aching wound, the feeling of red raw skin torn so wide that the healing itself will leave a permanent mark. “yet there has been greater evil than thranduil on this earth and there will be greater evil even after his passing. he is a symptom of shadow, not the shade; a long life and the belief that you are right above all else is bound to create atrocities, lest you forget it.”
there is no cruelty meant to her words, no venom or anger even in response to the pain in his voice. her tone is even and steady as they walk, footsteps silent even across the dry leaves of summer; the gift of stealth is one often found in elves and she has never known how to exist without it. “i understand more than you believe i do, ecthelion.” a small shift in her tone, almost a chiding undercurrent. it is not his fault; he knows little of who she is. “my father was left to die by men driven by an oath to do good against the greatest evil arda has ever known. my uncle perished in those same woods, a child left to starve by those who believed with every single part of them that the cruelty they inflicted was a necessity.” a slow breath and, just for a moment, her words catch in her throat. “you cannot fight a shadow in the sunlight. take care not to become what you seek to destroy.”