"I don't want to be awake."

Belegur and Riniel looked at each other before their doubtful glances turned to Elrond who nodded hesitantly.

"If this is her wish, then we will let her sleep." Elrond turned to Thranduil and motioned him to fulfill Tinnueth's desire. Thranduil was reluctant but then she had been crying for hours and was terribly exhausted. It was a truly piteous sight to see her in such a condition. The king stepped forward, making her drift out of consciousness once more. He let out a sigh when Tinnueth began to breathe peacefully and the king continued to gaze at her for several moments before he turned around and left the healers' ward followed closely by his son. Legolas followed his father for some time until he realized that the king did not walk into a specific direction. He wandered through his halls and kept silent.

"Ada?"

Thranduil stopped and looked at his son who eyed him with uncertainty.

"Are you sure that it is a good idea to let her sleep? I'm afraid it will not improve her current condition. Her wounds will certainly heal, but her mental state will not improve by sleeping. I dare say that it might make it worse."

Thranduil gazed at his son through anxious, sunken eyes. He looked exhausted, his hröa and fëa utterly strained by the anxiety he had suffered the day before. He let out a long sigh.

"I know that what you say is right. But if Tinnueth wishes to sleep, we should let her sleep. For some time, at least."

Legolas nodded reluctantly. "But..."

Thranduil interrupted his son. "There are no 'buts'! Let her sleep, at least for a while. Her body's pain will lessen with time and when she wakes up again she will have one problem less. At least this is what I hope for."

Legolas felt sympathy for his father's feelings. "And when are you planning to wake her up?"

The king shrugged his shoulders. "I do not know. I will have to speak with Elrond. But not now. I need some rest to get a clear head. Everything has changed."

Legolas nodded slowly. "Then I will leave you alone. I will go and see Esteleth. Should you need me, please call for me and I will come to you."

Thranduil nodded and walked away from his son whose eyes followed his father for some time. Tinnueth's hröa had been saved, but what about her fëa? Only time could answer that question. Legolas shook his head, worried about Tinnueth and his father who had come under the influence of love. He turned around and walked away into the opposite direction.

Legolas found Esteleth with her parents and excused himself before he pulled her out of their chambers and along the corridor. When they had walked into his private chambers, he closed his door and turned around, pulling her into a passionate kiss. His hands traveled all over her body, caressing her while he deepened their kiss. Esteleth felt the urgency in his kiss and enjoyed his passionate approach greatly. She moaned into his mouth, encouraging him to go on. Legolas pinned her against the wall and began to grind his hips into hers, feeling his own arousal deepen while his tongue explored her mouth adventurously. Esteleth's breath quickened when she felt his swelling manhood pressing against her. Suddenly Legolas pulled away and broke their kiss. The surprise in her face made him smile widely.

"We had better control ourselves. Otherwise we will go too far." He chuckled. "One year in our life is like a blink of an eye to us. Yet, I would have never thought that one year would seem so long."

Esteleth grinned at him."And this one year has not even begun."

Legolas rolled his eyes in annoyance and groaned out before he pulled her close and kissed her with renewed passion. His tongue invaded her mouth, tasting her while his hands roamed over her body, causing her to moan once again. When they broke their kiss, Legolas eyed her with frustration.

"Why did they have to make the betrothal time so long? It is certainly out of place."

Esteleth laughed. "Why don't you change it?"

Legolas was surprised. "Change what?"

She gave his hand a squeeze. "The length of the betrothal time. You could make it shorter."

Legolas burst into laughter. "What makes you think that I could do this?"

"You are a prince. If you cannot change it, then you father might do so. It might even be in his best interest. Who knows?" Her hands roamed his chest while she gave him a sly smile.

Legolas arched a brow at her. "And what reason should I name for such change? My inability to control my... ahm... urges?"

Esteleth was fascinated when she saw that the prince actually blushed. Legolas chuckled and shook his head.

"No, my dear, such things can't be changed. Not even by a king. But it was nevertheless a very good idea."

Esteleth smiled at him and the prince grabbed her and pulled her into another longing kiss, leaving her breathless. She laughed when he finally let go of her.

"What was that?"

Legolas took her hand and walked her over to his settee. "That, my dear, was but one expression of my love for you."

He urged her sit down on the settee and sat next to her. The prince looked at Esteleth with a sorrowful expression.

"I cannot imagine my life without you. When we were in the forest there was a time when we believed that Tinnueth had been killed."

Esteleth eyed him with concern. Until now no news had spread revealing any details of Tinnueth's rescue. The only thing the elves knew was that she had been found and brought back to the palace by the king.

"Why did you think that she had been killed?"

Legolas sighed deeply. "Elrond found a piece of her dress stained with her blood. After that I found one of her fingers."

Esteleth grew pale. "You found her finger?"

Legolas nodded and swallowed hard while he tenderly stroked her back. "Yes. Until now we do not know what exactly happened out there. We can only guess. Tinnueth has not yet spoken about it. As soon as my father brought her back to consciousness, she began to cry. After she had wept for hours, she only said that she wished to sleep. My father fulfilled her desire. Elrond did his best and he said that her wounds will heal with time, but it's her soul that we worry about."

The prince sighed again, his expression sorrowful. "When Elrond found the piece of her dress and I found her finger, I saw the pain in my father's eyes. His pain of losing her was so deep that I could physically perceive it. I wondered what I would have done if you had been in her stead, having been killed out there." He looked over to his window and gazed at the forest for a moment before his glance returned to Esteleth with a certain kind of sadness. He held her hands tightly within his own.

"I love you and I want you to know that no matter what I might do, and no matter which duties will be mine to bear, you will always remain my priority."

Esteleth smiled at him and placed her hand on his cheek. "That sounds as if I should expect us to return to your father's realm after we have visited the north?"

Legolas nodded. "Yes, I will certainly return home. This kingdom is my place in this world and its king is my father. No matter how many mistakes he made in the past, he has definitely learned from them."

He sighed deeply. "My father is not like those brothers. They had requested the sorceress to bewitch Tinnueth and their plan fortunately failed. Instead of accepting their defeat, they forged another plan, getting themselves killed. And Tinnueth got very close to losing her life, too. If you truly love someone, how can you put them into such peril?"

Esteleth looked at him shocked. "The brothers are dead? Did your father kill them?"

Legolas shook his head. "No, he did not. But there is no doubt in my mind that he would have done so if he had the chance. We found parts of their bodies in the forest. They lay spread on the forest ground. The brothers had been ripped to pieces and partially eaten by orcs. It was a horrific sight to behold."

Legolas felt how Esteleth's body shuddered and he cupped her cheeks with his hands. He kissed her brow gently, trying to sooth her as he beheld her terrified face. "Please, do not worry. It is over now. They got what they deserved."

Legolas pulled her closer and Esteleth rested her head on his chest. She felt his chest vibrate when he spoke.

"I have thought a lot about my father during the last hours. He could have bewitched Tinnueth to achieve his goal, as he had done with my mother before. But my father chose not to use witchcraft. He had learnt from his experience, which had proven disastrous. My father lost my mother forever, and I am absolutely certain that he did not want to lose Tinnueth as well. He must have looked for other possibilities to win her heart. He was patient - a quality which is normally not my father's strength when it comes to matters of the heart. At least that's what other elves say. To me that shows his strength. And not only his strength, but also his apparent love for her."

Legolas looked down at Esteleth. "I hope that I have not disappointed you by changing my plan."

She gave him a kiss and smiled. "No, not at all. It shows your strength, too. I am proud of you for acting wisely."

He gave her a small peck on her lips and smiled lovingly at her.

Esteleth furrowed her brows. "Does Tinnueth know about your father's feelings for her?"

Legolas let out a sigh and shook his head. "No, she does not know."

She sat up feeling slightly excited. "And what does your father intend to do?"

The prince shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea. I guess that for now he will do nothing. She is sleeping. And I am sure that he will handle this matter very delicately."

Esteleth shook her head slowly. "Tinnueth has never wanted to marry. What to speak of marrying a king who has such a bad reputation. And living in your father's forest, whose inhabitants, the orcs, almost got her killed? I doubt that your father will ever receive her love, even though I wish he would."

He sighed. "Yes, I fear that, too. But who can tell?"

She wrapped her arms around the prince and kissed him gently. "Perhaps this experience has changed her. Let us wait and see. Time will tell."

He kissed her back. "Let us hope that it did. My father deserves to be loved and he definitely deserves Tinnueth."

"You deserve to be loved, too". Esteleth cupped his face and kissed him deeply while Legolas wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap, holding her close.

Thranduil was in his chambers, rummaging through a drawer when Elrond walked in.

"Are you too busy right now or do you have time for a conversation with me?"

The king looked up and shook his head with excitement. "I will speak to you later."

Elrond approached the king. He could clearly sense his agitation. "May I offer you my help with whatever you are doing there?"

Thranduil looked up at him, his face filled with desperation. "I cannot find the keys to the shackles."

Elrond stepped closer. "Do not worry, we will find a way to unlock them without the keys. She is sleeping now and she does not feel them. There are more important matters which need your attention."

Thranduil looked at him with rage. His voice trembled. "I want them to be removed NOW! I want the keys NOW! I know that she can feel the shackles. And she does not like them! I don't want to see her like this any longer!"

Elrond walked around the desk and placed his hand on Thranduil's shoulder. "I understand you. Then let me help you. Where can I search for them?"

Thranduil's expression was surprised but then he nodded. "You can look over there." He pointed at a shelf with many compartments and returned his attention to the drawer which he had been rummaging through when Elrond entered his chambers.

After searching through many more places, they finally found the keys. Together they walked to the healers' ward.

Belegur and Riniel stepped aside and Thranduil unlocked the shackles and removed them carefully. Elrond had treated the wounds on her wrists the previous night but only superficially, as he could not work beneath the iron shackles. Now that they had been removed, they could see the whole damage the shackles had done to her wrists. Elrond began to clean the wounds thoroughly and applied a tincture on them before he bandaged them. Thranduil sat next to her bed and held one of her hands protectively while Elrond was busy with her other hand. The king caressed Tinnueth's hand and seemed to study her face with great concern. From time to time Elrond looked over to the king and felt the soothing energy which Thranduil tried to send to her fëa.

When Elrond had finished, he returned his glance to the king. "Are you ready for a conversation now, or shall we speak later?"

Thranduil sighed. "Yes, I am ready. Let us go to the healers' garden."

Together they sat down on a bench and remained silent for some time. The king's fingers ran over the cold iron of the shackles which he had taken along and his mood was gloomy.

Elrond watched Thranduil for some time before he spoke. "The parents of the brothers have not yet been informed of their death. This should be done immediately, before rumors begin to spread. After that, the rest of the elves should be informed of their death, too. There are certain rites which come along with the death of an elf. You are the king of this kingdom and these rites should be performed here in your halls. You must permit them to be done."

To Elrond's surprise the king nodded. "Yes, they must be performed as soon as possible. A group of elves should be gathered to ride back to the spot where the remnants of the brothers lie and recover them before the animals of the forest remove them or eat them. And if the parents desire so, they can join the elves on this mission. But I do not wish to inform them about their sons' death, neither do I want to organize the brothers' rites. Will you please be in charge for all those arrangements?"

Thranduil looked questioningly to Elrond, who nodded in agreement. "I will certainly arrange everything."

The king got up from the bench. "Then I will leave you now. If there is anything you need, please inform Galion. He will be glad to assist you."

Elrond saw the king walk away and sighed. This situation was strange indeed. A smile crossed his face and he thought about the change the king apparently underwent. He would keep a low profile about Thranduil's feelings. But it would be only a matter of time until others noticed. Tinnueth's family was certainly aware of it. The king's behavior the previous night had been all too obvious.

Belegur and Riniel sat at their daughter's bed and waited. They waited for her wounds to heal, for her to wake up and smile again. Something they feared might not be easily achieved, though. She had been wounded deeply. A dangerous thing to happen to elves, who could easily wither away if they faced great tragedy or went through traumas. Tinnueth had been through a lot in the last few days. A fact which greatly worried her mother and father. They sat beside her bed and held her hands or caressed her body, trying to reach out and sooth her fëa which was resting far away. They found a little strength in the hope that time might heal all wounds. But deep in their hearts they feared that this wound was too severe and too deep to heal easily.

"I remember the day when she took her first steps." Belegur looked up at his wife and saw the tears in her eyes.

"Yes, I remember that too. She walked over to her brother's wooden sword and picked it up, trying to copy his moves."

A tear rolled down Riniel's cheek and she sighed deeply. "Never had I thought that my small elfling would have to use her skills to save her life. I had never liked to see her fight. But today I thank the Vala that our daughter learned to handle a sword. Otherwise we would have lost her. I cannot bear the thought that her bones could lie alongside those of the brothers somewhere in the dark forest."

Belegur got up and walked around the bed. He stood behind his wife and gently massaged her shoulders and upper arms, supporting her in her grief.

Riniel's voice was doubtful. "Do you think that he can provide for her what she needs?"

Belegur was surprised by his wife's unexpected question. "The king? Are you talking about our king?"

Riniel looked up at her husband with a slightly amused expression. "Of course. Do you think that I am blind? Our daughter will need much more than a kingdom, jewels and maids. She needs a strong husband - which I believe the king is. But she also needs a lot of attention after all this suffering, a lot of affection and love, care and investment of quality time. The king is a busy elf and his not very positive reputation follows him wherever he goes."

Belegur nodded. "Yes, I know that. And no, I do not think that you are blind. This did not even cross my mind. My main concern is our daughter's present condition and that she will hopefully recover from her wounds, physical as well as mental. But if that matter regarding our king troubles your mind, I will be glad to share it with you. You are her mother and your concern for her reaches further than mine in this moment. The king is definitely strong. And from what I have seen since last night, there is no doubt in my mind that he will take care of any of her needs, no matter how insignificant they might seem even to herself."

Riniel looked up and over her shoulder at her husband. "Thank you."

Belegur embraced her. "Let us not speak about this to our king until he chooses to address this topic by himself. I believe that he needs time to adjust to this situation. Matters of the heart bring great changes and I am sure that our king had no such things in mind before he met our daughter."

Riniel nodded and caressed her daughter's pale cheek. "Then let us not talk about it."

Thranduil paced back and forth on his balcony. His mind was troubled by the latest occurrence within his kingdom. He was a king and one of his duties was to serve justice. In his eyes he had neglected his duty and had endangered Tinnueth's life by his neglect. If he had thrown the brothers into his dungeons after they had bewitched her, she would not have had to suffer pain and fear. To banish them from his halls and kingdom would have surely been an adequate punishment. Why had he failed in his duty as the king? Was it to gain her father's favor by giving him the right to decide about the brothers' fate and punishment? Had he done this to impress her? He begun to question his ability as a king. In his position he should not be influenced by his personal problems. He ought to be steadfast and rule his subjects with utter surety and justice in order to protect them. The decisions he had made during the last few days might raise questions among his subjects regarding his ability to rule over them.
He had let his attraction to Tinnueth cause him to forget about his duty as a king. He was not only a king to Tinnueth, a king who wanted to become her husband, but he was a king to his subjects. This had the same importance than his role as father to his son. Thranduil stopped and turned his gaze over to the forest. Dark clouds gathered in the far distant sky. His slender yet strong fingers began to play with the railing, tracing along the patterns that had long ago been carefully carved into the stone. Back then he had just lost Legolas' mother.

He remembered the day very vividly. The hope that she would be found and returned to him had been strong at first, but after a few days he had realized that this could not have been a coincidence. She had disappeared on purpose. But he had still hoped for the impossible, even though he knew in his heart that she would never return to him. He had despised Elrond for aiding her in her escape. The Lord of Imladris had become his enemy after that, not openly of course, but he had harbored anger in his heart for him for many years.
Surprisingly though, Elrond did seem to support Thranduil's feelings for Tinnueth. The king mused about the fact that Elrond knew about his attraction to her, and yet said nothing against it. Maybe Elrond thought that he and Tinnueth were supposed to be together? Thranduil sighed heavily and grabbed onto the railing tightly. He needed a break. Yes, the time had come to slow down and reflect upon certain things. Tomorrow morning he would go and speak to his son. There would be a few changes. Thranduil fixed his gaze once more onto the forest as he took a deep breath. His subjects might find understanding in his decision. But one question remained. How would Legolas react to his request?