۶ Statue of Love and Loss

Noira's POV

Thranduil did not let go of me, even when we were sitting on the ground like two little wet birds already. I also tightened my hug around his waist and hid my face into his neck. Then, I was just listening to his deep voice, as he was speaking.

He told me, how deadly drunk he has been, and that he simply threw his robe down after the second time, he has almost fallen in it, while has been trying to reach his garden. It had to be the wind, that has blown it into the water. Then he has just fallen to the ground and the next thing he remembered was the sound of me jumping into the pont. He has known very well, that pond was enchaunted, and has been a lot bigger from the inside, so he has done the same all of a sudden. The moment, he has taken a look at my unmoving body, the panic has washed everything else out of his mind. His heart has literally ached, when he has grabbed me and seen me opening my eyes again.

'Promise me, you'll never try to save my life again. Ever' he looked down at me seriously. I nodded hesitantly, just to calm him down, then lifted my look at the stars above us. There was three brightening one in the middle, as a triangle. In my homeland, these stars belonged to those people, we loved the most. They were little lights, signing to us when darkness reached our souls.

Who were they – I was thinking. Thranduil was glaring at them too, but said nothing and I chose to be quiet aswell. The chilling autumn weather reminded me a little of the icy winter of my land. I lied my head onto his chest and was listening to his steady heartbeat. He sighed deeply and stroked along my back. That made my shiver.

'Let's go back and change these clothes' he said softly. 'You'll freeze to death'

'I will not' Without a hint of agreement, he sighed again and stayed still. I was sure, he was just far too tired to complain. Or far too tired of my nature. For I was arguing all the time, what could be strange to him. In his own realm... As I think a little. Maybe in the land of the dwarves. Yes, in their land, it would have been alright for sure, but not at my race. I've spent too much time with strangers. It's just indecent. Rough men and rough dwarves...

I almost forgot about them.

I turned back to him and opened my mouth to ask the question, just when Thranduil's lips planned to touch mine. However, my question left my mouth anyway.

'Why haven't you helped the dwa-' I felt his hot breath, as he kissed me deeply once again. I did not know, how long did it take, I felt his hot skin under my palms and opened my eyes just when his voice broke the silence.

'What was the question?' he whispered, taking my black tresses behind my long ear. I looked into his cloudy eyes, while found my thought again.

'Oh, yeah. The dwarves. Your... perspective'

'Oh... You'll allow me to tell you this time?' he asked, with his eyebrow running high on his forehead.

'If you allow me to know' He took my hand gently and helped me up. Just when I was standing again, glimpsed a little path not that far, that I haven't seen last time.

'Where is it going?' I asked curiously. Thranduil turned there, but stayed silent. I walked there happily, watching the several white flowers glimmering in the fading moonlight.

He followed me into a little garden silently. That looked like the forest itself, since, it was a mess, the grass grew high, and excepting the little white flowers, there was nothing there, what I've seen in the other gardens next to the palace. As if nobody had visited this place at all. It had its own strange beauty. I saw white pillars in a circle, and a statue stood in the middle, proudly. I stepped closer. It was an elleth. Her kind face showed sadness, almost as if she has missed something precious. Or the creator did... Maybe, her life, I thought. Nobody creates a statue like this for a living person. The air became heavy around me, as I was reading the pretty face, and I realized, Thranduil wasn't next to me. I turned and found him sitting on a stone bench behind me, looking forward blankly.

'What is this place?' I asked, looking, as the sunrise painted everything orange, adding a little lightness into the massive silence. 'It looks like, everybody forgot about it.'

'Well...' he cleared his throat 'I am the only one, who comes here sometimes. Nobody else is allowed' I glared at him in surprise. 'She is...' he nodded toward the statue 'She was the queen of the Woodland Realm. Once. On my side'

I gasped. How stupid idea was just be walking around here and come here without asking! He waved me to join him, so I walked there slowly and sat down next to him. He was speaking about his past, while crossed his arms around me. He told me about the alliance between the three nations, about an evil creature, who had been an elf long ago, Sauron. About the peaceful years, when he met Silivren, the future queen. He told me, how everything went wrong, how Sauron became their worst enemy, how the One Ring ruined their peace and alliance at once, and how his father died in the Great War, forcing him to rule this land. About the king of the dwarves, who did not give any treasure from the mountain to the other kingdoms, to the men and elves. After that, Thranduil also did not give any respect to him, as a response. About the short happiness, the wedding, the elfling Legolas, and finally, about the growing darkness, the fight against the orcs, and the death of his wife.

'I could not keep her back from fighting. She was stubborn, just like you. She just thought, she could save me with joining us. I could not make her understand, that would have been my role' he took a meaningful look at me.

He told me, he had made a necklace from pure white gems, and gave it to Silivren, when she was pregnant with Legolas. After her death, this was all, that last from her, and the king of the dwarves found happiness in not giving it back to Thranduil. After that, the originally cold friendship broke into a million pieces, and turned into hate.

'I take the responsibility, Noira. And I accept, if I made a bad choice' he sighed, and leaned his head on mine. 'But since I am a ruler, I get involved into situations again and again, where there's no good choice. That monster in the depths of the mountain was woken up because of the king's greed. It was his fault. I've chosen not to save his kin, but save my soldiers' life instead, and I did not regret it.'

'He... this king, he was the father of the one in the dungeons?' I asked quietly and he nodded. It was now morning, the sun shined down to us, and I can tell you, we looked like as we felt like. Tired.

.

'Change these wet clothes and rest' he said sleepily as we reached the highest fool slowly. He kissed my forehead gently and entered his chambers, being followed by a couple of servants. I was standing there smiling for a moment and was just about to enter mine, when heard strange voices coming up from the hall. Fräynn and at least thirty guards run across the place with bows and arrows in the hand. Something was wrong. I could feel it in the air. Not to mention the shock on the captain's face. Stepping one to their direction, I was about to follow them, but stopped, when I saw, I wore a dress again, I could not fight in normally. I turned to my chamber, thinking. But I didn't have time for this! I turned to them again, but something was still missing. I stormed into my chamber, grabbed my swords and rushed to the door, I saw them going out.

I ran to the gates, into the forest, and to the stony riverside when I finally reached the group. They were already in a fight with the orcs, but what I didn't expect to see was the group of dwarves fleeing along the water. The elven arrows flew endlessly right next to their heads.

I was confused. I had no idea, how could they leave their cells and came out of the castle. I knew, I've done the same earlier, but that was different. There was somebody to help me. I was not ready to see them dead, by the way. For I had no idea if I liked them, or the very opposite. From this now worthless thinking, an orc blade tore me out, which almost cut my head off. I pierced the beast up to a tree, and cut another one with my other sword. I recognized Tauriel and Legolas fighting on the stones, and as they and the dwarves were receding, I grabbed my weapons, and followed them quickly. Stepping on the slippery surface, I almost fell into the water, and my dress didn't help too much. I leaned down quickly, cutting the skirt up a little, when something cold met the back of my head, and the world went black.

.

After a time, what felt like only a seconds, strong hands grabbed my shoulders, and shook me firmly, but still gently. I sensed I was freezing and my head hurt, but could not open my eyes. Listening to the sounds, I thought, I was in the water, or maybe next to the sea. I was slowly lifted up, and two strong arms pressed me against a warm body.

'I don't like swimming' I murmured. 'Why do I have to swim... all the time?'

'Noira, hey! Look at me!' said a familiar voice and cupped my face. I opened my eyes a little only to see Fräynn's worried glare. The sun was high on the sky, it was not morning anymore. I was not sure, I remembered, what had happened. I just made a weak smile. He hugged me so strong, my bones almost broke.

'Oh for the Valar...' he said into my hair. 'When I saw you laying in the river... I honestly thought, you were dead' he sighed tiredly. 'I killed them! All of them, who were gathering around you'

'I cannot be glad enough' I smiled again.

'We have to go back. Now' he said, and started to walk back toward the gates, still holding me.

'Fräynn, I can walk' I looked up at him, but he shook his head.

'I'll put you down at the entrance, if you wish, when you see only one from your environment again' Okay. I could not argue with this. 'Sorry for the hurry, but I sent Tauriel to represent me in front of King Thranduil, until I find you. I don't want her to be beheaded instead of me, maybe you understand' he swallowed.

I was wondering why the hell would the king behead him, but I've lost this thought about the part of the king.

Oh my God! I had to find him immediately! He had to be searching for me... or had to be informed, that I was nowhere to be found. He might have thought, I got hurt, or escaped again with the dwarves, what's more terrible! Each of them had to make him brutally mad. I needed to speak with him now!