Hogwarts wizards who signed in to Middle-earth.

Chapter 119 Holy White Fruit
Dui and the other two came all the way to the outside of the dark forest.

As soon as we arrived here, the elves from the Woodland Kingdom were already waiting for us.

Dui was surprised to see the person coming to pick him up.

"Your Highness Legolas, why did you come here in person?"

"When you first arrived near Long Lake Town, the patrolling guards saw the silhouette of a giant dragon from afar. My father knew you were coming, so he specially asked me to come and greet you." Legolas said with a warm smile.

Then his eyes couldn't help but fall on the giant dragon behind the three people.

Although I had seen him before on the battlefield of Lonely Mountain, I still felt a little scared when I saw him again.

"Please follow me, my father has prepared a banquet for you all."

In order to prevent Smaug's appearance from causing unrest among the elves, Dewi asked Smaug to stay outside the forest. Then the three of them followed Legolas to the Woodland Kingdom again.

Thranduil sat high on the throne, dressed in gorgeous robes and wearing a crown woven from fiery red maple leaves and blueberries. He looked noble, majestic and elegant.

He is like an elf king who rules the endless forest.

Different from his attitude during the last meeting, this time Thranduil took the initiative to step down from the throne, his attitude reserved yet somewhat friendly.

"Welcome, welcome back! I've prepared a sumptuous feast of fine wine and delicious food. Please be sure to come and enjoy the meal!"

Gandalf, the diplomat among the three, leaned on his staff and nodded slightly in greeting. He smiled and said, "We are honored to have the honor of attending your Majesty's banquet!"

Thranduil asked Xiang Dui: "Why is there no sign of the dragon Smaug?"

"Smaug's body is too big and will crush the trees in the forest, so we have to let him wait outside the forest," Dui explained.

Thranduil nodded,
"That being said, we cannot neglect the dragon. I will have someone arrange another banquet for it outside the forest."

Dui didn't expect Thranduil to consider this, so he thanked him and said, "Thank you very much, Your Majesty!"

Then, led by Thranduil and accompanied by Legolas, everyone entered the banquet hall to attend the banquet.

Unlike the elves of Rivendell, whose diet tends to be light vegetarian, the elves of Mirkwood eat a mix of meat and vegetables.

And maybe it's because the elves here are close to the dwarves of Lonely Mountain, but the wood elves also like to drink, and they can even drink to excess. Although their gestures are elegant, they are more unrestrained.

During the banquet, accompanied by melodious music, the elf girls sang ancient elven epics, and the elf servants gracefully shuttled around the banquet, pouring wine for everyone.

Thranduil and Gandalf discuss the situation in Middle-earth.

Dewi and Bilbo listened to Legolas translating for them the Elf epic sung by the Elf maiden.

During the conversation, they inadvertently mentioned the wood elf Tauriel who chose to be with the dwarf Kili.

Legolas was a little down, grieving the impending loss of a friend.

Although he did not understand why Tauriel gave up her eternal life for love, she would die of a heartbroken death just a few hundred years later because of the death of her lover.

But in the end I chose to bless.

The atmosphere at the banquet was just right. Thranduil looked at Dui and told everyone a piece of news that surprised them.

Thranduil planned to send Legolas out for training.

He also asked Dui to let Legolas accompany them when they left this time.

Legolas was also surprised by this sudden announcement. Obviously, his father had not told him in advance.

Dui was surprised by Thranduil's request, but not surprised.

When planning for your children, you should think long-term.

Thranduil wanted Legolas to go out and see the world so that he could grow up quickly and be able to stand on his own.

If Dui had not appeared, Thranduil would have let Legolas go out to gain experience soon, and even let him join the future Fellowship of the Ring and become the only elf in the team.

But this time with Dui's presence, after seeing Dui's abilities, Thranduil obviously had the idea of ​​letting his son gain experience in advance.

"His Highness Legolas is an exceptionally skilled marksman and elven warrior. It is our honor to have him with us."

Dewi naturally would not refuse Thranduil's request. He had a good impression of Legolas and was not averse to having such a companion.

Thranduil was also very happy to hear that Dui readily agreed.

At his signal, an elf held up a golden tray and placed it in front of Dui.

Dui looked at a small box inlaid with various jewels and jade on the tray with a puzzled look.

He looked at Thranduil: "Your Majesty, what do you mean by this?"

“This is a token of gratitude.”

Thranduil said sincerely.

"For not being destroyed in the Battle of Five Armies!"

"Of course, there is an additional request."

"What request?"

"I would like you to make a wand for Legolas."

Dui was not too surprised to hear this request.

He still owed Elrohir, Elladan, and Arwen their wands, and with the mindset that he might as well herd one sheep or two, he agreed to Thranduil's terms. However, this also filled him with curiosity about what was inside the treasure box.

The treasure box is of extraordinary value.

What kind of treasure could be stored in there so carefully by Thranduil?
He opened the treasure box out of curiosity, and then was stunned for a moment.

There was a silvery-white fruit stored in the box, padded with silk.

Since it was so treasured, Dui naturally would not think that it was an ordinary fruit.

"This is……?"

"It's the fruit of the White Tree!" Gandalf's surprised voice sounded first.

"Your Majesty Thranduil, where did you get the fruit of the Holy White Tree?"

Thranduil saw that Gandalf was knowledgeable, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, and he explained lightly:

"This is a seed from the White Tree Nimloth. I visited the island of Númenor in the Second Age. At that time, Nimloth had not yet been felled. I plucked a fruit from her and brought it back."

"I tried to plant it once, but unfortunately the Mirkwood is not suitable for its growth, so it never took root and sprouted."

Gandalf was even more surprised to hear that it was the seed of Nimloth, the holy white tree on the island of Númenor.

Even Dui was surprised. Looking at the fruit in the box, he suddenly felt it was a little heavy.

As far as Dewi knew, after the Two Trees were destroyed by the evil god Ungoliant and Morgoth, Yavanna, the goddess of plants, one of the Valar, created the Holy White Tree Galathirion for the Vanyar and the Noldor elves in the image of the Silver Tree.

This White Tree is similar to the Silver Tree, one of the Two Holy Trees, except that it does not emit light.

Later, the elves planted the descendants of Galaxillion on the island of Tol Eressëa and named them Celeborn.

The elves of Tol Eressëa were on good terms with the Númenóreans, so they gave the seeds of Celeborn to the Númenóreans.

The Númenóreans planted the seed in the royal court on the island of Númenor, and it grew into a holy white tree named Nimloth.

The White Tree has since become the symbol of the Númenor people.

Afterwards, Sauron bewitched and corrupted the king and some of the Numenor nobles, and cut down and burned the sacred White Tree Nimloth.

Only Isildur of the loyal faction risked his life to secretly rescue a fruit the night before Nimloth was cut down.

After the sinking of the island of Númenor, Isildur planted it in Minas Ithil in Gondor, and it became Gondor's first White Tree.

But the fate of the Holy White Tree seems to have always suffered hardships.

Later, this sacred White Tree of Gondor was burned by Sauron after he conquered Minas Ithil.

Before Minas Ithil was captured, Isildur snatched a seed and planted it in Minas Anor, which became the second White Tree of Gondor.

But the White Tree died in the Great Plague of 1636 of the Third Age.

In 1640 of the Third Age, King Tarondor of Gondor planted a new seedling in Minas Tirith.

But in 2872 of the Third Age, with the extinction of the royal bloodline of Gondor, the Holy White Tree gradually withered, and no new Holy White Tree has appeared until now.

The fruit of the Holy White Tree given by Thranduil was the seed of the third generation Holy White Tree, Nimloth.

It can be said to be the fourth generation White Tree of the same generation as the first White Tree of Gondor.

If the Dunedain or the people of Gondor knew about the existence of this seed, they would probably get it at all costs.

"Your Majesty Thranduil, this is truly too precious!"

Dui found it difficult to accept it.

Thranduil shook his head.

"You don't have to refuse, Duyle. Although this fruit has historical value, the growing conditions are too harsh. If I hadn't been able to sense the vitality in it, I would have thought it was a bad fruit."

"So don't hold out too much hope. I even doubt that other than a holy place like Valinor, there's no environment that would allow it to break out of its shell and grow."

Seeing Thranduil's firm attitude, Dui had no choice but to accept the precious fruit.

And decided to make the best wand for Legolas.

Otherwise he would feel uneasy receiving the gifts.

The atmosphere at the banquet on Dui's side was good, and it was also very lively on the dragon Smaug's side.

The Wood Elves trembled with fear as they pushed carts of delicious food before Smaug to entertain him.

There were whole roasted lambs and pigs, as well as barrels of wine.

Smaug enjoyed the elves' service like a big boss, eating a roasted lamb and drinking a barrel of wine, squinting his eyes and looking very happy.

I just sighed in my heart that this is what enjoyment is!
Why didn't he think of catching some servants to serve him at the beginning?

Smaug had a big appetite. He ate dozens of pigs and sheep and drank more than ten barrels of wine before he could barely burp.

This scene made the elves who entertained him so angry that their faces turned black.

Especially the elf chefs who were in charge of grilling meat. Their grilling speed could not keep up with the dragon's eating speed, and they were so tired that they just wanted to go on strike.

They no longer cared about being afraid of the dragon, they just wanted to get rid of this Taotie as soon as possible.

If they keep eating, their Woodland Kingdom will face famine!
(End of this chapter)