Author's note- Wow, what a weird day to post on. Anyways, sorry this one is late, but it's rather long, so yay! Thanks for reading, remember guys, suggestions are very much welcome, and I would still LOVE to hear what you think of, well... Anything. 12 will be out soon, I promise! And thanks for your reviews, you guys are angels!

Chapter 11- A Want to Run

It dawned the morning of Thranduil's coronation, today the Wood would have it's King, it's leader. Excitement filled every corner and every crevice of the city, it had, of course, been a long time since any Kings were crowned, and this wasn't just any King, this was Thranduil.

The Prince'd returned from Lindon, he couldn't stay forever, surely if he could have he would have. But he knew that if ever he had to, this was the time where he had to step up.

Thranduil walked through the lane-ways of the city. There were still several hours before the ceremony and many preparations were still taking place. He had time to spare, so he spent it. As he walked past the colorful stalls of the marketplace and festive banners (for the occasion) a thought came to him, this was a place that Oropher forged, with heart and soul, and it a truly wonderful place. But now, he was gone, and everything was left to the people and his son, Thranduil was honored to stand under the leaves of Oropher's forest.

Thranduil was abruptly aware of someone behind, and turning he saw a small golden-haired Elfling . She barely reached his knee, and so he knelt down to eye level.

"Hello young miss, how may I help you?" She didn't seem to be accompanied by an adult, and shied away at his words.

After a moment, Thranduil smiled reassuringly. She bit her lip, and quickly thrust a small white flower in his direction.

"For me?" The Prince asked softly.

She nodded.

"Why thank you. I shall wear it with pride." He said inserting the flower into his silver shirt pocket. It matched his attire quite well, in fact.

"A pretty flower from a pretty lass I have received, I must tell everyone I know." The tiny Elfling giggled at this and skipped away.

Thranduil stood up, smiling brightly, vaguely he remembered meeting the child before, Seren, her name was.

Èarasmë woke the same morning, and watching the fog lift from the city, she realized that in only a few hours the Prince would become a King.

Thranduil, last night he returned from the grand city of Lindon, and Èarasmë hadn't seen him since he left. She dressed quickly and quietly, wishing not to wake her father.

Èarasmë closed her bedroom door silently behind her, she tiptoed down the hallway past her father'a room and-

"Where are you going?" Èarasmë jumped at Saein's voice.

She didn't reply for she did not need, nor desire, Saein on her tail.

"Hmmmm..?" He continued, arms crossed against his chest. Saein had always been the more responsible of the two, and sometimes this got on Èarasmë's nerves.

"I was going to the marketplace." She said, also crossing her arms, at least it wasn't a complete lie.

"Sure you were." Saein faked belief. "I've lived with you for a long time." He leant in closer and whispering, "I can tell when you're lying."

Saein regained his posture after a lingering moment. His knowing ways irritated Èarasmë, though deep down she knew he only wanted the best for her.

Èarasmë did not reply, Saein raised an eyebrow.

"Fine, I'll just assume it's got something to do with the Prince." He smirked.

"Does not!" Èarasmë defended.

"Does too, and you know it!" Saein fought back.

"It has nothing to do with him!"

"RIGHT THE NEXT ONE WHO SPEAKS CLEANS THE WINDOWS FOR A MONTH!" Gildin's voice broke the siblings' yells.

Saein and Èarasmë were silent, neither wanted to clean the windows. Both stood stubbornly solid for what felt like an eternity.

Saein sighed, Èarasmë knew that was her green light to go. As she started down the stairs Saein had a change of thought.

"Èarasmë." Saein said in a tone of voice that Èarasmë had never heard him use before, it was sympathetic and loving, but cautious.

She stopped before the bottom of the stairs to listen.

"I know Thranduil. He will treat you well, but... You can't expect him never to hurt you."

Èarasmë listened, but she wasn't sure that she agreed with Saein. Thranduil mayn't have been perfect, no one was, but he wasn't unkind, and it was hard for Èarasmë to fathom how he would... Could, hurt her more than she'd never hurt before.

She nodded before leaving the small house. Saein sighed, Thranduil had been strong this long, he'd saved Èarasmë from the ensnaring darkness by chance, perhaps. But he wasn't made of iron, and he wasn't invincible... Even if he was a good man.

Èarasmë walked quickly to the marketplace, she wasn't sure that she'd find Thranduil there, but it seemed an obvious place to start. The marketplace was especially crowded today, of course it was, it was the King's coronation.

She scanned the crowd, no Thranduil. Perhaps she would have better luck in the courtyard.

Èarasmë turned to leave the markets when she noticed a small Elfling at her feet. Èarasmë smiled down at the tiny child, and she smiled back.

Thranduil sighed, he was glad it was over. The ceremony had been long and tiresome, and of course, there was a celebration to be held directly after, but it was over.

He stood to one side of the hall, watching the dancers. Disappointingly enough, he hadn't seen Èarasmë yet.

"Ada, I think- ." He stopped short, only to realize that he wasn't talking to Oropher, or anyone at all, really. This was the spot he stood years ago, only last time he stood next to his father, and last time he was a Prince.

Thranduil's eyes filled with tears at the memories, he hadn't understood his father then, but now, things were... Things were different.

He looked down at the little white flower in his pocket, he'd worn it all through the ceremony, and he didn't intend to remove it anytime soon.

Thranduil made his way through the crowded hall to reach the grand balcony, overlooking the city. But he didn't look down, no, he looked up.

"Ada. Ada if I could turn time back, if I could do it again..." He whispered to the wind. But none heard his voice.

"Thranduil." Èarasmë breathed. "Thranduil." She said a little louder.

He turned, and smiled. "My King." Èarasmë curtsied. Glad to see that even as a King, he wasn't afraid to smile.

Thranduil still wasn't sure about the whole curtsying thing, and partially to make himself feel better, but mostly because she deserved it, he bowed in return.

Èarasmë joined him on the balcony in the cool air. "It's a beautiful night." She said.

"It is." Was all Thranduil could say. Èarasmë was not in her usual attire, instead a delicate green dress for the occasion, Thranduil could easily admit that she looked beautiful.

Thranduil noticed something then, a flower, a little white flower woven into her hair. "You got one too?" He asked, curious.

Èarasmë looked at him as confused as ever.

"A flower." He clarified.

"Oh!" She touched the flower in hair gently. "I did."

He smiled, returning his attention to the night sky, she did the same.

Perhaps he was unaware of his actions, perhaps not, but in that moment Thranduil took her hand, and with her hand, her heart, also.

Saein wandered through the hall, he wondered where Èarasmë had gotten to, but before he could wonder, or wander, further, Gildin interrupted him.

"Saein, lad, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine."

Saein turned to see his father, and a young Elf his own age, or thereabouts.

"Evening." Saein greeted the stranger, taking a sip of his Miruvor.

"Dèros, this is my son, Saein. Saein, this is Dèros, he works in the guard of the King." Gildin explained.

"A pleasure to meet you." Dèros said.

The three were silent for a while, watching this or that, thinking this or that.

"Aye well, I'll leave you two, I must speak to a man about horseshoes." That was Gildin's way of saying goodbye.

Neither Saein nor Dèros spoke for some time, both left to his own thoughts.

"It's a beautiful evening." Dèros said.

"Very much so." Saein agreed.

Both were silent again.

"Oropher's son, do you... know him?" Dèros's curiosity broke through.

Saein smiled, "aye, I know him."

"And the lass?" Dèros nodded towards the balcony where under the starlight stood Thranduil and Èarasmë.

Saein followed the gesture, spluttering and almost (but not quite) choking on his wine when he saw his sister and friend.

Dèros was clearly confused and did not continue on the subject.

Saein was... Dazed. Èarasmë, and Thranduil... It wasn't like he didn't already know, but... It, he didn't know what to think. He wanted to go over there and lock Èarasmë away, but he couldn't do that, it wouldn't be reasonable. That's what happens when you're mother spends all her time in Lindon, you start having ridiculous opinions of your sister's relationships. He thought to himself.

Fortunately, Saein's crazed thoughts were broken by the gleeful voice of an Elfling.

"Daddy!" She squealed, leaping into Dèros's arms.

Saein couldn't help but snatch one last glance at Èarasmë before returning his attention to the current, he still felt uneasy, even though he knew he shouldn't have, after all, he'd known Thranduil longer than he'd known Èarasmë.

Thranduil turned around when he heard the voice, to see the little girl and, most likely her father, with Saein, who looked... Thranduil wasn't sure there were words to describe it. Nevertheless, Thranduil was ever so slightly concerned for his friend's mental state.

Èarasmë followed his glance, "I didn't know Dèros had a daughter."

Thranduil pieced together the puzzle, "Her name's Seren."

"Lord Thranduil." Came a somewhat familiar voice.

Thranduil was surprised to see Niphredil there. "Miss Niphredil. I'm glad you could make it."

"I came to visit family, and to see the King in all his glory." Niphredil smiled.

He smiled back, "Èarasmë, this is Niphredil, we met in Lindon," Èarasmë appeared from behind Thranduil, "briefly." He added.

Niphredil lost all her confidence at that point, not that she had much to begin with. Her mother's words rang in her head 'I'm sure he has a pretty lass back in the Wood.'

"Niphredil, this is Èarasmë, she's a... Friend, of sorts." Thranduil continued, scrambling for words that fitted.

Thranduil noticed that Niphredil was panicking, "she's not, we're not... She's Silvan..." He regretted the words before he even said them.

"I mean, it's not... I- don't" He stumbled over his own words.

It didn't help Niphredil's case, in fact, she barely heard a word he said. "I'm sorry, my Lord, I- I must go." Niphredil was gone before he could make anymore mistakes.

He turned to meet Èarasmë's eyes, and for a moment, just a moment, he didn't recognize her.

Tears filled her eyes, and Thranduil knew he was the cause. He wanted to apologize, but words were useless, he'd already made a mess.

Èarasmë was surprised more than anything, she had never thought that Thranduil, of all people... She couldn't find words, I trusted him. She felt misguided, and furious... and afraid.

And then she did something that neither expected. She slapped him. And before he could say a word more, she was gone from the hall.

Thranduil felt it, oh how he felt it, not so much physically, but that, too. He didn't know what had overcome him to say that, he had betrayed her, he had betrayed himself.

Saein saw it all, he couldn't hear what was said so didn't really know what was going on, but if he knew Èarasmë and Thranduil, which he did, the pieces came together fairly easily.

In but a moment Thranduil found himself in a position he'd never been put in before. Lifted above the ground by naught but Saein's raw strength and brotherly instincts.

"What did you do to her?" He said through gritted teeth.

Thranduil could very well say that he was afraid at that moment, and not just of Saein, of himself, too.

"Saein, stop." Thranduil managed.

"What did you do to her!" Saein persisted.

As soon as Gildin saw Saein in his... State, he was worried. It was very uncommon for Saein to lose his temper, let alone take it out on Thranduil. He made his way to the two, who were already being silently watched by almost the whole hall.

"Put him down, lad." The blacksmith said, laying a hand on his son's shoulder.