The Mirkwood guards flanking the large wooden doorway bowed respectfully at him, instantly opening the doors to the let him through. He nodded his head once at them, barely even noticing who they were. The deep green fabric of his formal robes trailed deafly on the floor behind him as he stepped through the overly tall stone doorway, gracefully descending the two narrow steps into the large open terrace. It was big, probably one of the biggest terraces there existed in Arda. But it was not their size which made the Imladris' terraces so mesmerizingly beautiful. No. It was the view.
The bright sunlight washed over the space in white and golden rays, glimmering on the old stone floor, highlighting its ever crease and crack, and kissing over the rich green leaves of the ivy that climbed over the thin columns and balustrade. And he was once again reminded of how far down the Valley of Imladris stretched, his ice blue eyes falling over the slopping gardens and many tiny rooftops and balconies far below in the distance. Whereas his terraces in the Greenwood led down towards the gardens, at ground level, here they bordered the steepest cliffs, ending in intricate railings and stone balustrades reminiscent of balcony.
But it was not the view which had led him here. It had not been the enchanting aura and calmness of the terraces what he had come looking for. No. It was something far more beautiful, far more precious. And he found her easily, his eyes gliding in her direction as if her spirit had subconsciously called for his, spotting her there, reclining on a long stone bench close to the railing. Her long hair, as golden as the Sun, fell in waves down her back and shoulders, contrasting stunningly with the pale silver fabric of her dress. She had not yet noticed him, or at least was letting him believe thus, his feet already making their way towards her, eyes unable to depart from her figure. There was a book open on her lap, her hand filling up the blank pages with figures he could not yet distinguish through the distance.
"You finished early?" Her voice floated through the warm summer breeze, her forest green eyes, those that he so longed to see, not lifting from her little book as she spoke. And he could hear the smile on her voice.
"It is done." Was all he answered, reaching the long stone bench and watching her slide her feet back to the floor as to make room for him to sit.
"All of it?" Emerald irises lifted up to meet his, and there was that smile, that smile that managed to make the sun look pathetic. He could not stop himself, pressing his lips to her cheek once before answering her.
"Yes. Everything." And oh, Valar, was he glad it was over. The negotiations were done. It had taken long exhausting days- not to mention the time that it had taken him to recover from the poisoning- but finally, he and Elrond had reached an agreement on their negotiations, having signed all the required paperwork only minutes ago.
She leaned against him, and he instinctively let one arm wrap around her, pulling her closer to him, his long green robes blanketing over her. And it was then that his eyes fell on what she had been tracing over the blank pages, his eyes going momentarily wide.
"Did you do this?" He questioned her, taking the book in his hands and inspecting it more closely, listening to her chuckles as they filled the air. It was the view. The gardens, silver waterfalls, little roofs and balconies all looking up at him from the previously blank pages, perfectly depicted, the lines expertly alternating from thick and black to thin and light to create the perfect illusion of depth.
"May I?" He asked her, motioning towards the other pages in the book. If there were more like this drawing, he more than anything wished to see them.
"There is nothing in there." She chuckled, leaning her head against his shoulder comfortably. And she was right, his hand flipping through the pages only to be disappointed as he found them all blank, yet to be filled by her. Still he returned to the one drawing in the book, eyes not able to depart from it, studying every single line, every single trace and shade. She had never told him she could draw like this. He had had no idea. It was stunning.
"Arya, this is impressive." He muttered, not letting her take the like book from his hands as she reached to snatch it out of him. "You never mentioned you could draw like this."
"You have never asked me." She shrugged, grinning widely at him and making him shake his head in defeat.
"Do you have more?" He looked at her expectantly, falling into those forest green eyes that welcomed him so eagerly, so vivid and alive and yet so warm and calming.
"A few, back home. I do not draw much." She laughed, adjusting her head more comfortably on his shoulder, making him drop a kiss on the top of her head.
"Why not?" He pressed her closer to him, wishing that the stone bench was instead one of the comfortable chaises that populated the balconies upstairs, so that he could lie down there with her next to him.
"I do not really know." She replied honestly, her smile still present on her gorgeous face. "I usually only draw when I am bored."
"And you are bored now?" It was his turn to laugh, shaking his head at her choice of words.
"I would not be if we headed towards the waterfalls." She grinned hopefully at him, and it made him chuckle once more. The waterfalls. Eru, he wished he could bottle them and taken them to the Greenwood with him once they returned if only to gift them to her.
"I am here with you, yet you tell me you are bored." He raised an eyebrow high on his forehead. "Am I not entertaining enough?"
"You were not with me for most of the day." She narrowed her eyes playfully at him. "I had to find something to do, Thran."
And there it was, the shortened name that always earned her a kiss. And he kissed her, his lips falling softly on hers just as she had been expecting him to. And yet, her words felt heavy inside of him, even though they had been playful, even though she had been doing nothing more than mocking him. They were true. He was never there with her during most days, only ever free in the late afternoon. And that could never change. His duties would never allow it.
"Do you wish to go to the waterfalls?" He did not really wish to head down to the falls, not feeling like swimming in the pools at the moment, instead longing for a few moments of calmness here with her in the terraces. But he would go with her if that where she wanted to be. He would go wherever it was she wished to go.
"No." She shook her head, as if she had read his mind, as if she could perfectly well feel that he was not feeling up to it at the moment. "I wish to stay here with you."
"So that you may be further bored by my not entertaining presence?" He laced his fingers with hers, arching an eyebrow at her bell-like laughter.
"Precisely. Then I might fill up the book!" She leaned further against him, and he could not contain himself as he scooped her up and sat her on his lap, where both of his arms cold wrap around her.
"Draw another one." He requested, his chin resting on her delicate shoulder, hands placing the open book on her lap. The long piece of graphite she had been using still lay secure on her right hand, but it seemed as though she had no intention of using it again.
"You draw one." She chuckled, her golden locks dancing feebly at the gentle breeze, trying to place the graphite on his hand, but he was faster than her, pulling his hand away to safety.
"No." He stated firmly, trying to get his point across clearly that he had no intention in drawing anything on that book. No other elf would have dared argue with him. No other elf, except Alarya.
"Why not?" She turned to look at him, her emerald eyes grinning in challenge, and he had to make an effort to appear stern as he looked directly at her.
"Because." He answered, watching the fierce look that crossed her eyes at the answer she hated most, only making grin back at her.
"That is not an answer." She immediately complained, as she always did whenever he answered that to her, and, Valar, he wanted to kiss her again.
"I cannot draw." He admitted with a chuckle, pulling his hand away once more as Alarya once again attempted to place the graphite there. She kept insisting. "Arya! No. I will not draw on your sketchbook."
"There is plenty of space in it!" She laughed, somehow managing to grasp his right wrist, even though he closed his fist tight as to not allow her to give him the graphite.
"I will ruin any page I draw on." He laughed along with her, even though he was set onto not drawing anything.
"You will not." She insisted, emerald eyes looking at him deeply, shimmering in accordance to her wide smile.
"You draw and I will watch you." He proposed, placing a kiss to her cheek.
"Thranduil!" She exclaimed in amused exasperation. "Please?"
He considered it for a moment. Eru, he could not believe he even was considering it! He most definitely could not draw. Had never liked it. Not even as an elfling. Drawing was something that never even crossed his mind. Then why was he on the verge of agreeing? It only made him chuckle as he realized the answer almost too easily. Because she was the one asking him. As simple as that.
"If you laugh…." He warned her, narrowing his eyes as he opened his right hand, allowing her to give him the graphite.
"I will not laugh." She promised, and, Eru, he wished she was telling the truth. Of course she was going to laugh. Instead she flipped the page of her drawing, revealing an empty blank expanse and settling the sketchbook on her lap where he could reach it from behind her, leaning her back against his chest.
"Not there!" He complained almost immediately. "Flip more pages. Close to the end of the book."
"What is wrong with that page?" She questioned with a chuckle, although she complied with him and kept turning pages over until he was content.
"I will not draw on the page following your drawing." He explained. As if drawing on the same sketchbook would not already be embarrassing enough, she wanted his atrocity to be right after her perfectly stunning piece! She shook her head at him, but mercifully did not add anything.
"What will you draw?" She asked, her forest colored eyes glued to the still blank page in anticipation. She was having too much fun at his expense.
"You." He decided as he narrowed his eyes, trying to adjust the graphite on his fingers, and finding out that it felt incredibly uncomfortable there. It did not belong there. His hand did not even know how to hold it properly. He liked the quill, the quill and the well-practiced movements of words across a page. But drawing? He did not even know where to begin!
"Do not laugh." He warned again, and ironically she laughed at his warning.
"You have not even started. There is nothing for me to laugh at yet." She shook her head.
He took a deep breath, trying to figure out what to do first, where to start. The head. Of course. Everyone started with a head. Feeling slightly pleased with himself, he let his hand trace what aspired to be a circle on the center of the page. It was not easy.
"What is that?" Alarya asked almost immediately, bright emerald eyes looking curiously at his work.
"The head." He replied, his chin still resting over her shoulder, her body perfectly nestled on his lap. "Can you not tell?"
"Very round, I see." She chuckled, just as he attempted to draw two things that might resemble eyes. "And my eyes are very far apart."
"Stop complaining." He tried to sound warning but could not contain a light laugh. Why had he even agreed to draw anything! "There, you are smiling."
"A very flattering smile." She kept laughing lightly, her giggles like silver bells singing on the air as she looked at the little 'u' he had drawn as a smile. "No nose?"
"How do I make a nose?" He had no idea how to do it. A line? A curve?
"It is your creation, Thran, however you wish." She was not being very helpful, but he decided to make a little dot where the nose should have been. Luckily she did not laugh at it.
"And now, your hair." He narrated as he drew, clumsily tracing a squiggly line at either side of the ugly head.
"It is very wavy." She added, inspecting the undulating lines he had just drawn, and they both knew very well that it looked absolutely nothing like her hair really was.
"It is flowing." He defended himself, trying in vain to contain a defeated chuckle. "In the wind."
"Of course." She agreed with him, even though the grin on her gorgeous face told him that she was indeed having too much fun at his expense. "Draw me a dress."
"Patience." He told her, not looking forward to the challenge of drawing her dress and the rest of her body. The head had already been hard enough. An elfling would have done a better job at it!
"Now, your dress…" He traced a long triangle on the page, the tip of it touching the base of the head. "…and the embroidery, of course…" He proceeded to drop little dots at the bottom of the triangular dress in an attempt of depicting the intricate embroidery that her dress actually carried.
"Such attention to detail." She grinned at him, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"I will not have you wearing a plain dress without any sort of embroidery." He added as he kept dropping points at the bottom.
"My arms?" She requested with that excited smile of hers.
"Your arms." He agreed, drawing a straight line at either side of the dress, wincing slightly as he noticed that were not even the same length! "And five fingers on each hand." He added five lines protruding from the end of each line-arm. Valar, it looked horrible! Why had he agreed to this?
"And a pinecone." He added, feeling a little too pleased with himself for having though of that to add, drawing a little spikey ball on of her 'hands'.
"Why the pinecone?"
"Because it is Winter's Solstice in the drawing." He answered her, placing her lips to her cheek once. "The pinecone is the one you will give me."
"Why can it not be that one you gifted me? And that is why I am holding it?" She proposed, that smile that could outshine the Sun never leaving her face. A soft breeze danced through the space, rustling the leaves of the high trees that stretched through the Valley.
"Because I am drawing it, and I say this pinecone is for me." He replied.
"Well, if it is Winters' Solstice, make it snow then." She requested, one of her fingers pointing to the blank background of the drawing.
"All right." He agreed, making little circles all around the page and tracing a line at her feet that would indicate the ground.
"There!" He chuckled in defeat as he dropped the graphite on her lap once more. "Finished."
Her emerald eyes were still glued to the pathetic drawing, her smile so wide it threatened to rip her cheeks, delighted giggles leaving her mouth, which only made his eyes narrow at her once more.
"Do not laugh." He warned her again, shaking his head once more at his absurd lack of talent. "I told you I cannot draw."
"We should have it framed and hung at the Palace." She added, smiling widely up at him as her forest green eyes sparkled mischievously.
"No." He said firmly, knowing that she was joking and yet not wanting her to get even the slightest of her ideas. "I will have someone expertly paint your portrait and hang that."
"This one is perfect." She said, turning her face to look at him, emerald irises as endless as his forests, swirling depths making him drown in them, so open, welcoming him to her every thought and emotion. And he could not stop himself, feeling her spirit there with his, latched to his, letting his lips press onto hers, kissing her deeply, and never wanting to break apart.
"Draw another one." She asked once the broke apart.
"No." He stated as he closed the book on her lap, making his point clear this time. "You already laughed enough."
"Very well." She complied, leaning back comfortably against his chest once more, both of his arms wrapping around her small waist. He focused on the warmth of her body so close to his, of how it perfectly fit there in his arms, every one of his breaths bringing the flowery smell of her long golden hair.
"How do you feel today?" She asked, her voice sounding more serious now, and he only held her closer to him, placing a kiss tenderly on the back of her left shoulder.
"I am fine." He answered her truthfully. Besides there would be no point in lying to her, not when she could feel him so clearly through their bond. Yet, he knew she worried. She had worried too much during this trip, and it crushed his heart to knot that it had been him she worried about. He had scared her, even though unintentionally.
"If you wish to rest-"
"If I wish to rest, I will let you know. I am fine." He finished for her, and she nodded her head, able to feel through their bond that he was indeed all right, none of the poison lingered anymore. He was fine.
"Have they found out anything?" Her eyes searched into his, and for a second he wanted to lie if only not to disappoint her with the truth.
"No." He admitted. Elrond had nearly every single one of his guards searching and investigating for any possible way in which such poison could have ended reaching him, whether it had been by accident or intentionally. Yet, they had had no luck yet.
But that was not what worried and scared him the most. What made fear grip him in its cold claw was what would had happened if the poison had reached Alarya instead. Regardless of whether or not he had been the intended victim, if it had reached him, it meant that Alarya could have been close to it, seeing that had nearly all of their meals together, and were constantly in the same places. He was no stranger to knowing that his title marked him as a high value target for any enemy who wanted anything to do with Mirkwood – although he had never expected anything to befall him when in another elven realm. He was no stranger to the high security measures that always followed him when in foreign land, and perhaps part of him had learned long ago to realize that there was always a possibility of a threat following him. But Alarya…He had not realized it, had not thought about it. She would become a target too, once she was Queen. No. He would never allow that to happen.
Long seconds of silences stretched in the warm afternoon breeze, the wind bringing the dull faraway lullaby of the waterfalls, which fell like thin frail lines in the distance. There were also other matters in his mind, matters that he had also used the opportunity to discuss with Elrond. Times were getting darker. Dol Guldur was no longer empty, and Elrond confirmed to him that the search for the rings of powers had once again begun….And the elfling….the elfling that had gone missing in his forest weeks ago had not yet been found, no matter how many search parties he had scouting the forest day and night.
The light sound of approaching footsteps woke him up from his thoughts, Alarya rising from his lap just as he turned around to face the newcomer.
"My Lord." Galion bowed his head as he continued to walk towards him in long strides, the troubled look on his butler's face making him rise to his feet. What could it possibly be now? He was done with the negotiations and meetings. Was there another meeting he had forgotten about?
"What is the matter?" He asked the second his butler had reached his side, eyes narrowed in momentary confusion as the blond servant handed him a light envelope, the seal on it still intact.
"This just arrived by carrier pigeon, Your Majesty." Galion informed him with another respectful bow on the head. "From Lothlorien."
His ice blue eyes fell on the thin pristine envelope, studying the intricate silvery blue seal. His heart froze inside his chest, hand slowly turning the envelope over, looking at the hauntingly familiar handwriting addressing it to him, the slanted thin letters glancing at him like cold ghosts from a long lost memory.
"From Lothlorien?" Alarya's voice echoed from his right side, so close to him and yet feeling so far away. "How do they know you are here in Imladris?"
"Lady Galadriel has ways of knowing where to find me if needed." He offered as an answer, his eyes not departing from the slanted letters he knew so well, yet had not expected to see again….had not wanted to see again.
"Is it from her?" Alarya's voice had dropped lower now, as if she could feel the sudden dread that had taken hold of him.
"No." He said flatly, ice blue eyes turning to glance directly at his butler, standing tall and royal once more, one again the mighty King he was. "We depart tomorrow a dawn. Have everything ready."
He barely noticed as Galion nodded his head instantly in understanding, leaving the butler behind as he elegantly walked back inside Elrond's house in long strides, aware of Alarya following him closely behind.
"Thranduil?" He could hear Alarya's confused voice as he rushed through the long intricate corridors, going up stairs and through many interior gardens and courtyards. Inside him, his heart still felt like stone, cold and drowning in threat.
He reached the guest bedchambers that had been given to him in no time, not even bothering to acknowledge the guards that opened the doors to let him through. In his right hand, the frail envelope seemed to weight more than it should, feeling as if it was burning him, as if he needed to let go of it and pretend it had never arrived. And yet, he could not let go of it.
"Thranduil?" He hard Alarya ask once more, her hands silently closing the door which sealed with a deaf click behind her back. He looked up to meet her large emerald eyes which stared at his with confusion.
He made his way to the pair of cushion seats by the roaring fire, dropping into one of them, watching as the red and orange flames flickered and twirled to the crackling beat of the burning logs. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see Alarya's delicate figure as she gracefully followed him, lowering herself on the seat next to his. But his eyes were once again glued to the unopened envelope in his hand, looking at the letters that seemed to laugh at him, to revel in delight as they haunted him.
Thranduil. That was all the envelope said as an address. In that handwriting he would recognize anywhere. Her handwriting. Her seal.
"Will you not open it?" Alarya asked patiently, her forest colored eyes studying him closely, waiting. The fire crackled once more, tempting him to just turn the hand, to thrust the envelope into the hungry flames. But he did not do it.
"No." He handed it to her, her hand accepting it as she threw him another confused and concerned glance. He did not need to open it. He knew what it said. Even if he did not know the exact words that the letter contained inside. There was only one reason for her to be writing to him. So she had finally made up her mind.
"May I?" Alarya asked him softly, and he motioned elegantly with a hand for her to go ahead.
His eyes fixed on the burning flames, watching them dance and twirl endlessly in an enchanting choreography. Why now? He could not name what he felt, a mixture of pain and anger that felt all too consuming, burning as the flickering fire. Why did she had to make up her mind now? He could distantly hear the soft tear of paper that told him Alarya had broken the seal, her eyes now slowly dancing over the written message inside in complete silence. And part of him dreaded her reaction. What would she say? He had never spoken about it…the subject never once coming up in their conversations. But he had nor expected to hear from her again, at least not yet.
Long moments passed before he heard Alarya rising to her feet, slowly, patiently, she walked towards where he sat, silently dropping the now opened letter on his lap. He did not look up. And he did not look down, not once glancing at the collection of words written in her narrow slanted calligraphy.
A delicate hand rested over his shoulder, and he reached for it, letting his fingers intertwine with hers in complete silence.
"Will I get to meet her?" Alarya's voice felt like a breath of summer in the midst of a cruel winter night, trying to sound comforting yet not able to hide her sudden shock. And he gripped her hand tighter, not lifting his eyes to meet hers.
"She is not well." He heard himself speaking before he could realize his mouth was moving, his voice sounding flat. "Her mind is not exactly...here."
He heard Alarya sigh softly, the hand he gripped still holding tightly onto his. And he did not let go. He knew she could feel everything that was coursing through him through their bond, his fear, his pain, his anger…and he lost the fight, his icy eyes looking down almost against his will, falling over those slanted words in her handwriting, even if he already knew what they would say. There was only one reason for her to be writing to him.
My beloved son,
I deeply hope my words find you well. Though I have not seen you in long years, there has not been a day that you have not crossed my mind. I use this letter as a means to tell you that it will be my pleasure to travel back to the Greenwood in the next few weeks. I anxiously await to look upon you one more time, and revel in the hope that you might one day forgive my weakness, which has led to our estrangement. There is nothing I regret more in my life.
Forever yours,
Isoradel
He looked up again, staring at the fire, painful anger gripping at his insides. Such a short letter. And she had not even had the courage to put into words the exact purpose of her visit, even though he already knew what it was…
Here is the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it! I apologize for the waits on the stories, I have been travelling for the past weeks and have not had the chance to write.
Also, thank you so much to Dedicated fan for pointing out a little mistake in one of my previous chapters! For everyone: Alarya's brother's name is Laeron, not Aradhel. Haha sooo sorry for that and for the confusion! I will go ahead and correct the chapter that says Aradhel! I had changed Alarya's brother's name in my notes several times as I could not decide on one, and when writing that chapter I accidentally forgot I had picked a different one, basing it on old notes! Sorry! Oops! Haha I hate when such inconsistencies happen in stories and now look at me confusing the names of my own characters! The correct name is Laeron!
Thank you so so much to all of you who left a review! It really means a lot, and I can't say it enough! You influence a lot into the plot line of the story, even if you don't believe me, you do! :) Dedicated fan, AndurilofTolkien, Teddy0407, Irgendwer, Nako13yeh,
Love,
Elena