Chapter 28: Change of State
Thranduil felt Tauriel's presence more than saw her. It was only a blink he endeavoured in her direction as a result, making certain that the mother of his baby was indeed sitting by the bed, nose deep in some herbalist book, looking inquisitive and fascinated more than anything else. It was a good look on her, but then again, which one wasn't. Thranduil even enjoyed the way her eyes would sparkle in defiance on many occasions, not that he was very keen on igniting them right now by making her aware he was conscious. He had to admit that if she honoured this occasion with another slap, he would have surely merited the treatment this time. Duelling Legolas had been rather foolish, even if he did not anticipate himself to become so feeble and useless, but then again it was Tauriel who his son threatened to take away from him.
"I wish you left behind this habit of scaring me," Tauriel said sadly, not lifting her gaze from the book, giving clear indication that she knew he could hear her.
"I am sorry," he got himself up on an elbow, disregarding the resulting smarting in his side. It was only the stitches pulling and he wanted closer to her, conveying sincerity.
"So you should be," the redhead pursed her lips in a peevish manner.
"About scaring you only," Thranduil manoeuvred himself into a sitting position now and swung his legs don't onto the floor. "Not getting injured. I have heard you. I have heard you then as well, tending to me. I am quite certain my mind was not playing tricks on me, I have heard you say you love me."
Tauriel's breath caught in her throat and her eyes snapped up at him for the first time during the conversation. After some consideration, she finally settled on, "all the same, I don't think it should come as a surprise to you?"
"You have no idea how happy you've made me, meleth nin."
"No, I don't," Tauriel made a designedly confused face to make a point and set her book down for the confrontation, "shouldn't you be healing faster if you were? Not have vomited?"
"Tauriel." Thranduil reached for her hand to set his atop and slid off the bed to kneel at her feet. "Le melin. Le uivelin. Laer lin matha faeren, orthach 'uren ir tirach enni. Estelio enni, estellion allen. Guren min gaim lin. Le melithon anuir."
"How can you say that? Forget the possibility of fading, how can you promise me forever? Don't you have a wife waiting for you in Valinor?"
"There's a locution that says that 'if you love two people at the same time, choose the second. Because if you really loved the first one, you wouldn't have fallen for the second.'(*) And I love you. The thought of losing you drives me insane. And I thank Legolas, because I should have done this a long time ago. Please marry me Tauriel, allow me to care for you as my esteemed Queen in front of all the lands."
"I...I...I'm not sure if that's wise?" Tauriel remained cautious, not daring to open her heart to the possibility, fearing uncertainty from several angles. "Some are already rather weary of us disregarding tradition."
"I wouldn't be the first elf to do so. But I'm still leaving this part of the new unions optional for everyone else and at the discretion of couples as specified in the Edict."
"What about Legolas?"
"What about Legolas. Have you changed your mind about him?"
Tauriel huffed, "certainly not after what he had done to you. What about your health?"
"Don't you believe in my love. Our love," he rectified, psyched by the notion of being able to say so after her admission.
Tauriel slid onto the floor herself, kneeling knee to knee, hips pressing against hips and grasped at the hands searching for hers. Her heart was beating rapidly all of a sudden in overwhelming hope. "I want to, so much," keen, adoring, desperate eyes told him, "I want nothing more than it to be true. But how can I? I don't think much has changed."
"It did! Ask Galion, any of my servants, I was well! I did not have one bout of sickness for weeks! I was preparing to tell you, but I must've overstrained myself after all. It doesn't mean I can't get well, I will, I promise, especially with your support. Will you help me, meleth e-guilen?"
That was another address that had Tauriel taken aback so much that a shiver went through her, opening up channels in her fea she did not know she was capable of. Nothing else mattered. It also convinced her. Thranduil wouldn't lie, not about something like that. She searched his face, putting her hands on his chest, letting them roam as if doing that could have had him signed over into her possession, and solved all his problems at the same time. "There must be some way to cure you, something we're missing, it has to be. If our love is a given, it should have healed you already," she fussed, not able to give herself over to happiness over their reconciliation for worry over his well-being.
"I agree. Which is why I've written to Mithrandir for advice. The Wonderer might be a rather irritating and know-it-all individual, but my father trusted him and his knowledge cannot be disregarded. But until then, I have missed your belly rubs," he looked into her eyes suggestively before planting a warm, tentative kiss on her lips. After all, "you haven't answered my question yet. Will you marry me?"
tbc
(*)Note: Quote by Johnny Depp.
Glossary:
I love you ~ Le melin
I will always love you ~ Le uivelin
I will love you forever ~ Le melithon anuir
My heart is in your hands ~ Guren min gaim lín
I believe/trust (in) you ~ Estelion allen
Trust me ~ Estelio enni
Your song touches my spirit/my heart ~ Laer lín matha faeren/'uren
You lift up my heart when you look at me ~ Orthach 'uren ir tirach enni
Love of my life ~ Meleth e-guilen
