There had not been a smiling face in Doriath in many moons, Thingol and his family still mourned the passing of Luthien. He had the Silmaril sent off to be made into a necklace in his daughter's memory. The members of Thingol's court whispered to each other, unsure of when their king and his family would recover…if they recovered.

Thranduil could not stand on the sidelines, watching his friend and the figment of his affections wither. He changed from his armor and walked the familiar path to the halls containing the royal apartments and knocked on her door.

Her maid opened the door and bowed her head to him, "my lord, Thranduil, what brings you here?" she asked.

"I wish to see your mistress," he announced, looking over her into Itarille's bedchamber. He didn't see her, but he could hear her sniffles. "May I enter?" he asked, but it wasn't a question.

"Eirien, you may let him through," Itarille's broke voice sounded from within. The maid did as she was told and let Thranduil into the chamber.

He saw Itarille lying on a couch, staring at her fireplace with tearstained cheeks. "How are you, Mellon?" he inquired, though he knew the answer.

Her blue eyes met his and her lip quivered as if she were to start crying again. Thranduil kneeled before her, "please, do not weep, I wish there were a way I could take your pain as my own," he said, resting his hand on hers.

"Mellon, come with me, let us go riding. I will even let you ride Muindor," he offered.

For the first time in a while, Itarille smiled and it pleased Thranduil. "I will accompany you, Mellon, only because you have been so kind to me and your presence always brings me peace," she agreed. She wiped her face and stood from her seat.

"I am pleased to hear that I bring you peace, Mellon," he said, though his heart was pounding erratically in his chest. Getting up, he bowed his head to her, "I will meet you in the stables," he vowed before leaving.

As soon as he'd gone, Eirien smirked at her mistress. "I do believe the lord Thranduil has developed a feeling for you, my lady," she teased.

"If I am entirely honest with myself, Eirien, I have long since developed a love for him. He has always been my closest companion and the keeper of my secrets," she confessed. Eirien helped her change clothes and the whole time Itarille entertained the notion of loving Thranduil.

Meanwhile

Thranduil took advantage of what little courage his encounter with Itarille had given him and sought out the king. He found Thingol in his usual place by the fire in his private study.

"Forgive my intrusion, your grace," he said bowing before Thingol.

The king set aside his book, surprised to see Thranduil. "Have you come to report, Lord Thranduil?" he asked. He'd been so consumed by his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed how much time had passed.

"No, I have not, though I can inform you that all is quiet in your realm," he assured his king. Thingol nodded and motioned for him to continue.

"I know that I am hardly worthy of your daughter, but I have come to ask your permission," he said, bowing his head. He remembered well how the walls vibrated when Thingol informed a guard that Itarille was too good for the likes of him. Thranduil agreed and tried to stop himself from loving her, but he hadn't succeeded.

"My permission? Permission to do what, exactly?" he inquired, he was genuinely interested now.

Thranduil bravely looked him in the eye, "permission to pledge myself to Princess Itarille," he said boldly.

Silence fell between them and Thingol stared at Thranduil for long minutes. The latter braced himself for what was to come. He'd known from the start that Thingol would not approve of him, but he had to try anyway.

Thranduil was surprised and slightly terrified when a smile appeared on the grieving king's face. "Of course you have my permission, I could think of no one better to marry my daughter. You have proven yourself worthy time and again," he said getting up from his seat and patting Thranduil on the back.

Though he smiled, Thranduil was utterly speechless. "I have offered to take the Princess out for a ride, if you will excuse me, I must meet her in the stables," he said bowing to his king.

"Be safe, Lord Thranduil," Thingol said by way of dismissal.

Muindor took them to a waterfall and Thranduil lay a blanket down on the grass for them to sit. "I have brought some berries and wine for us to share," Thranduil announced producing the basket he picked up from the kitchens.

"I believe you have thought of everything," Itarille laughed. Turning away from Thranduil, she took in the scenery around her. She couldn't remember the last time she'd left her father's halls, surely since before Luthien married. Itarille closed her eyes and enjoyed the breeze coming off of the waterfall.

She opened her eyes when Thranduil touched her hand, pulling her towards the blanket he'd laid out. "Come, let us have a snack," he said.

Itarille sat with him and reached for a strawberry, "thank you, Mellon, for bringing me here…I had not realized how much I missed this whilst locked away in my grief. I knew my sister loved the forest and nature, she would not want me to shut myself away from it," she said thankfully to her best friend.

Thranduil stared at her, trying to work up the courage to say what was in his heart. Her blue eyes met his in questioning. Sitting up, he cleared his throat, "You need not thank me, I could not bear it any longer to see you in such a state," he said honestly.

Her cheeks reddened, but she couldn't look away from him. "For so long you have been my friend, and I cannot possibly say when my feelings of friendship changed to those of romance, but my heart beats for you and though I tried to stop myself from loving you…I could not," Thranduil rambled nervously.

Itarille rested a hand on his, stopping his train of thought. "My dear Thranduil, there are no words to properly explain how happy you have made me. I have known for a long time that I loved you, but hardly thought myself worthy of someone as kind and loyal as you."

It was Thranduil's turn to be struck speechless, how could she possibly think herself unworthy? Did she not see her utter perfection? How could she not know that she was the brightest star in the night sky? "It is I who is truly unworthy, my star," he assured her, but she shook her head and told him that he was perfect for her. He was her most trusted and loyal friend, also her fiercest protector.

A blissful silence fell on them as they sat together, holding hands and enjoying their berries and wine.

F.A. 485

The halls of Doriath were alive again as they celebrated Thranduil's and Itarille's marriage. There had been a small and private ceremony the day before and now Thingol hosted a lavish feast for his kingdom to celebrate the joyous occasion.

"Lord Thranduil, if we may, a word with our daughter," Thingol said interrupting the happy couple and Thranduil reluctantly released his hold on Itarille.

They walked away from him, "We wanted to tell you just how proud we are of you, Iellig," Melian said to her daughter. The three of them looked at the bridegroom, who was now talking to his father.

Itarille's cheeks warmed and her smile widened, "a part of you always knew it would be Thranduil," she said accusingly to her mother. Melian winked at her daughter, she'd known far more than she let on.

Thingol handed his daughter a velvet pouch, "we wanted you to have this," he said and watched Itarille open the pouch. She reached inside and pulled out the necklace he had commissioned in Luthien's memory. "Now she will always be with you," Thingol smiled.

"I will cherish this until the end of my days," Itarille promised her father. She placed the necklace back in its pouch and hugged her parents before returning to her husband's side.

"Did you miss me?" she asked, interrupting Thranduil and his father.

Thranduil smiled brightly, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her close. "I did miss you, but I know that you will always be with me, Elentari," he said dropping a tender kiss on her temple.

The sound of her rarely used name made her blush, as it was now an intimate term of affection between her and her husband. Itarille looked up into his piercing blue eyes, Thranduil Oropherion was her husband.