The sunlight was slowly starting to abandon Mirkwood as a few of the green leaves on the trees were rustling.
Ninel sighs deeply closing her eyes as she sat quiet on a stone bench.
Quiet footsteps could be heard coming towards her.
"Ninel? What are you doing all alone?" The Elven King questioned upon finding her sitting on the stone bench.
"Nothing." The young woman answered.
Thranduil sat down next to Ninel.
The young beauty rests her head on the king's shoulder.
Finally the Elven King broke the silence with his deep voice.
"Is there something troubling you mell nín?" he asked concerned. He knew Ninel well enough to tell something was not right with the young woman.
Ninel slowly closes her eyes again, memories of the kiss dancing in front of her.
"It's nothing ada. I'm just tired."
Liar. You lie. Her conscious screaming.
"Then maybe someone?" offered Thranduil.
She stared back to the Elven King. What? No, he couldn't have known what happened.
"It's nothing I assure you. There's no need to worry ada."
"You are not a very good liar, Ninel. A forgivable flaw, I must add." Thranduil said holding her hand.
Silence again.
Understanding that no answer would come from the young woman, the Elven King got up from the bench slowly.
"Come along mell nín, it seems a storm approaches." He said, looking to the grey sky.
Ninel followed Thranduil descending the long staircase to join the Elven King at the Dinner Room.
Memories playing on her mind again and again.
The sound of light but firm footsteps took her from her thoughts. There, at the end of the staircase, it was him.
The elven prince. His blue eyes fixed in the young woman.
She stops abruptly in the middle of the staircase.
His scent invading her personal space.
"Ninel, aren't you coming?" The deep voice of Thranduil brought her back to the world of the living.
"Uh? Yes, of course ada." She managed to answer resuming her walk down the stairs, passing by Legolas with her head lowered.
There was total silence within the long corridors. Both following the Elven King, without looking at each other.
The young prince also wondered over their last meeting. In his memory, it played over and over, a querulous sort of echo.
To have kissed her was horribly unhealthy.
Ninel was uneasy with his presence, scared even. She has not talked with him directly since.
Fear.
She tried so hard to hide it, but Legolas could see the fear in her eyes.
Truth was, it didn't came out as he expected.
He closes his eyes taking a deep breath as they approach the Dinner Room adorned door.
As the rainstorm poured and pounded, the mistral sung the last song. It was about a sad love one has never had.
She sighs deeply. Ninel was sitting by the Elven King side in the big wooden table.
"You barely touched your food Ninel." Thranduil pointed out.
"Sorry ada, it's just..I'm not very hungry." She told him, a small smile to reassure that besides her lack of hungry, everything was in fact alright.
Lying again.
Ninel was trying to avoid Legolas's eyes, since the young prince was continuously glaring to her through the entire dinner.
Yet he was silent.
What he was supposed to do?
"How was the morning patrol io nín?" Thranduil voice took Legolas from his thoughts.
"Morning patrol? Yes, … it was fine."
"Fine?" asked the Elven King.
"Yes… I mean, nothing new."
"I see." Thranduil said while sipping some wine.
More silence.
"Well, since both of you seem to have lost your tongues, I must tell that I received a letter from Lothórien this morning, urgent matters." The Elven King informs, looking serious.
Ninel and Legolas frowns instantly.
"Are you leaving to Lothórien, ada?" The young woman asks.
"Yes, Ninel. But I'll be back soon, don't worry mell nín."
"But ada…" The young womans says looking worried.
"Besides you'll be in good hands, Ninel. Your brother will be taking care of everything while I am away." Thranduil said, this time looking to his son.
Legolas was about to interrupt but decided to just nod his head silently.
"So I advise that, if you both have some unfinished quarrel, to stop with it at this moment. I will not allow this kind of behavior coming from any of you, even more when I'm away. Did I made myself clear?" Finished the Elven King while sipping more wine.