Author's Note:
By my beard, there's more followers than last we met! Welcome, guys or gals...
A huge thank you goes out to Lady Viola Delesseps , her reviews and messages keep me going on with this here story. Quest. Thing. Be sure to check out her story, Visions in Starlight. It is a truly amazing piece of work. I am so glad that she is finally a Thranduil fan! Another huge shout-out goes to Stardust63. I thank you for your friendship, humor, name, and tolerating my rambling at you at 4am! She too, has a great GoT story out (A two part-er!) called Til I hear you sing once more. It's amazing. Now, before we plow on, raise a glass to the Professor. Without whom, I would not be annoying you with this mess today!
Chapter Ten: All Hearts Could Be Warmer
As he watched Glineth fall to the floor of her room, he could not help but feel disgust for himself well up inside of him.
"Do not dare to tell me that I lack honor. It was honor that saved your life, that slayed my closest friend. Honor has made me break tradition to take you as my Queen. So, my love do not speak to me of honor, when you yourself are lacking."
"You would strike the woman who is to be your Queen? Where is the honor in that?" Glineth asked, as she touched her swelling cheek.
"You are in my Kingdom. You are at my mercy. You could lose more than your pride, when striking a King. Be grateful that we are alone in here. Next time you strike me, it may not end so well for you."
Glineth was terrified, yet enthralled by this King that stood above her. Seeing such a display of his power, hearing his words, Glineth could not help but find someway to find respect for his words and actions towards here. She had never been one to want a partner who was anything less than what she herself is.
Thranduil reached down to her, and took her hand and helped her to her feet.
"I am sorry to have caused you pain, Glineth. I think in time, you will see that I am not a monster. All hearts can be warmer, even mine." he said, bowing and running a finger down her cheek.
Glineth winced at his touched and said, "Our tempers and passion get the better of when we are angry, my King. I am sorry to have behaved in such a way."
"We are quite the pairing, are we not?" he said smiling weakly.
"I am sorry, Thranduil. I should not have struck a King. I will accept what ever punishment you think I deserve." Glineth said.
"There will be none of that. I suppose becoming my Queen shall be punishment enough."
"Don't say that. It surely won't be too terrible, being bonded to you. But please, I must know...what of Nelion. Is loving me such a crime?" Glineth asked, taking his hand in hers.
"It is, to me. A crime I know very well. My jealousy cannot allow him to be free to pursue you."
"He is a good and honest person. He would do you, nor I such dishonor. He respects and loves you as his King. Please, let me go to him."
Thranduil looked into Glineths eyes, and focused on the wounds he had caused her. "No, Glineth. I cannot allow it. Not now."
In the dungeons, Kaylanya was searching for the cell of Nelion. After a few minutes of frantic searching, she came across him.
"Nelion. It is Kaylanya. I bring word from Glineth. We're going to get you out. Tonight. I will take you deep into the Wood. All will be well." she said quickly, keeping a look out for the guards.
" Thank you, thank you. I will wait for you here. " he said, reaching out to take Kay's hand.
She smiled at the young elf, and slipped silently away, thinking 'What a handsome lad. A pity he will never rid himself of his love for Glineth.'
Kaylanya reached the room of her Lady, only to find that she was inside with the King. When she saw the face of her friend, she looked at Thranduil, rage building behind her eyes.
"What did you do to her, you monster!?" she yelled, taking a few steps closer to the seated couple.
"Kay, please. It's fine. We had a disagreement about Nel, is all." Glineth said, trying to calm the situation.
"I will say only this, great King, if you ever lay a hand of rage on my friend again, you will lose those hands, then your head. On that, you have my word." she promised, taking her lady's face in her hand. "Do you need healing, my Lady?"
"No, Kay, I am well. I need rest is all. " she replied.
"I will leave you both alone, for now. I wish to go and rest myself. " Thranduil said.
Finally alone, Kaylanya and Glineth began to speak of their plans to free Nelion.
"What of any guards that try and stop us, my Lady?" Kaylanya asked.
"We stop them first. He cannot waste away down there, Kay. I won't allow it." Glineth said, forgetting modesty and changing into her dark leathers in front of Kaylanya.
"I know where his cell is, the lowest, darkest of them all. There are three guards that are near, but I was able to get past them quietly, twice." Kaylanya said, as they quietly crept down the hall.
"Lead the way, Kaylanya. I do not know this place." Glineth said, as they entered the dungeons.
"Keep following this path down, my Lady. It goes far, and deep. "
It took them another ten minutes to even see the cell that Nelion was being kept in.
"We know you are there! Stop!" A guard called out.
Just as he passed Glineth by, she silently and quickly took out her dagger and brought it to his throat.
"You will release him, or I shall release you from this life. " Glineth whispered.
"Muilon! Raise the al-" the guard was never able to finish his warning, as he made to yell, Glineth pressed her dagger to his neck, and released him from this life. As he fell to the ground gasping out his last, Glineth put her hand to his chest and said, "I gave you the choice, young one. It did not have to end this way." Not able to bear his suffering any longer, she plunged her dagger into his heart. He was no more. Another death that did not have to be. She closed his eyes, and proceeded down the stairs to the cell of Nelion.
"Kaylanya! You came for me! You were not giving me false hope after all!" he exclaimed quietly.
"I came as well, my friend." Glineth said, stepping from the shadows, wiping her blade on the skirt of her armor.
"I am glad. I have missed you both a great deal." he said, smiling with hope and admiration.
Glineth took out the key she had retrieved from the body of Caew and opened the door to Nelions cell. Ecstatic to be free, he threw himself into the arms of Kaylanya and Glineth.
"Now is not the time, you need to get out of here. Kaylanya, take him to the others in the Deep Wood. He will be safe there. I will go to the King. I...I will see you both in no longer than a months time. Go! I love you both! Stay well."
Quietly, Kay lead the shaken but happy Nelion out of the dungeon and into the wood, neither of them knew if they would ever see their Queen again, but were happy to finally be free of the dungeons.
Hours later, Thranduil strode into Glineths room.
"You're late, what has kept you?" Glineth asked Thranduil.
"A guard was murdered, Caew. And Nelion has escaped." he said, removing his crown.
"I mourn him. He was a good young one." Glineth said, bowing.
Thranduil took her chin in his hand and studied her face. "What do you know of this, Glineth?"
"Nothing, I swear on our love, my King. I know nothing of this." she responded, leading Thranduil out on her balcony.
Thranduil smiled at her, and wrapped one arm around her waist. He looked up at the stars, and silently said a word of thanks for bringing this being to him.
"The stars are bright tonight, are they not?" Thranduil said, turning Glineth to face him.
Smiling and touching his face she said,
"All stars could be brighter."
A/N:I hope this one was alright. I'll be doing a Nelion centered chapter soon, so worry not. He will not be forgotten. Thank you for reading and reviewing. Thank you.