Chapter 27

The door sounded with a thud that echoed through the air. Leanna stood at the center of the room that was Thranduil's bed chambers and felt her stomach twisting in distress. She found herself continuously at a disadvantage when dealing with the Elven King and she was growing weary of it. She breathed deeply, waiting for Thranduil to state his business as she was sure was the reason he brought her here.

"You chose to attend tonight's feast" Thranduil said while pouring himself a cup of wine from a tall slender pitcher.

"I did not think my Lord cared about what I did with my free time" Leanna said dryly. Thranduil raised an eyebrow at her tone and gestured to a chair near the table he sat at. Leanna looked at the chair indifferently as a response. She did not plan or wish to stay long.

"Surely not everything must be translated into a command you're obliged to follow Lady Leanna" said Thranduil. He was in no mood for her sass this evening and could certainly do without it.

"Sit"

"Why?" Leanna asked, her head tilted upwards in willful pride.

"Because I wish it" Thranduil tilted his head sideways almost daring her to refuse his 'request'. Leanna being the wiser, sat in the chair. She would not test waters she had no desire to venture near if at all, regardless of how hard Thranduil made it for her to be civil.

"Why did you bring me here?" Leanna asked. The quicker she got to the bottom of this, the quicker she could leave.

"I was merely curious over your decision to attend tonight's feast" Thranduil said, bringing the wine cup to his lips as he looked at her.

"And you needed a private moment in your chambers to do so? Do you have any idea what people will say come tomorrow? What they're saying now?" Leanna shot to her feet in outrage, anger coursing through her as she looked at the smug ellon still calmly sipping his wine.

"I did not give you the command to stand Lady Leanna or has it by chance escaped your memory…that I am king and not you"

"You are right, which is why I will do as I please! Starting from this moment" Leanna as she walked briskly to doors and yanked it open, she did not care who saw her coming out of the king's chamber by this hour for she was too angry to bother. Thranduil and all his demands and ill sense of reasoning be damned.

She felt herself yanked backwards and the doors banged shut with the breath knocked out of her as she was slammed against it. A large hand placed itself under her chin to force her head up and meet the angry gaze of Thranduil. She clenched her teeth in a bid to brace herself for whatever Thranduil was planning. There was nowhere to go with his hand blocking her escape route. On realizing their proximity, the memory of the kiss flashed through her mind and she looked down to his lips before looking down.

"I thought you cared for opinions of others too much to be seen leaving my chambers" Thranduil said, his hand still holding her chin up despite her efforts to look elsewhere.

"What does it matter anymore? You do as you please, take as you please with not a care for anyone but yourself…how foolish of me to hope for better" Leanna looked at him coldly as she spoke. Thranduil smirked at the fire in her eyes and responded in kind.

"You think to presume you know me Leanna of Dale, a mistake on your part not mine or did Galadriel not give you sufficient counsel" Thranduil said. His eyes fluttered to her lips and back to her eyes which were cast elsewhere away from him.

"Oh believe me, it's a mistake I will never make again, if the other night in the forest in anything to go by" Leanna whispered angrily, blinking the moisture from her eyes as she spoke.

"A kiss and nothing more, as it should be" Thranduil said huskily, his mind filled with taste of her as he remembered the flush of her skin and the feel of her body. He wanted to experience it again and why couldn't he? There was nothing stopping him now.

"To you it would not be, you whose bed is constantly warmed by elleths clawing at each other for your favour, I have no doubt, you'd had your fill of experience there" Leanna said fiercely, afraid he act again as he'd acted that night, afraid that she might not be able to stop him if he went further. Most of all, she was afraid she would want it. Thranduil looked into her eyes for moment before speaking again.

"It's seems your title holds true…tell me Lady Leanna, was that by chance your first kiss?" Thranduil asked and he smirked widely knowing he had received his answer as she looked away quickly.

"Who would've known?" Thranduil chuckled lowly.

"It matters not anymore. You took from me that which was of no concern of you…"

"And yet the thought no other man holding such a privilege does nothing but pleases me so…" Leanna looked at the elf before and shuddered at the sight she was met with. His eyes were far darker than she remembered and she wondered what was going through his mind at the moment. Thranduil watched her lips and wondered if it'd be the same…if her soft pink lips would taste just as delectable as the first time. He moved away suddenly, turning away from her and said nothing.

"Why?" Leanna dared to ask.

"You may go" Thranduil said, ignoring her question. Leanna knew she would not receive an answer that night. She turned and left the chambers in anger, the room noticeably colder as she left. Thranduil looked at the place she had just departed from and let his gaze linger. He did not mean for the things to turn out this way. He had felt her distress and sought to calm her by bringing her to a quiet place but now, he had caused the rift between them to widen.

He stilled at his thoughts in dismay. Since when had he begun to care what she felt? What was wrong with him, he wondered. It irked him, angered him even that such a little woman deigned to upset his mind. He looked down at himself and noted his arousal was evident still, sighing he called for a guard.

"Send word to Lady Athiniel at once" Thranduil clenched his jaw as he said so. It felt wrong to even think of another at such a time when he craved the touch of another. Ever since the kiss, he had been unable to ignore her presence in his mind or the feel of her. He would not be reduced to a wanton ellon pining for a mortal woman and intended to prove his will dominant over his desires.

Athiniel arrived quicker than expected, as though she had been hoping he would call for her at any moment. He looked over her attire once before turning to his wardrobe to undress, in a cold voice he commanded the elleth to disrobe. The eager elleth did as told.

"I knew the mortal would not satisfy you My Lord, but don't worry I am here now" Athiniel smirked as she slid the sheer layers of red lace off her body and moved to stand before Thranduil who merely whispered his desire, he would forgive the presumptuous tongue of the elleth since she was to be of service to him tonight.

"On your knees" Thranduil said and watched her with heated eyes as she listened and went down. With no further instruction, Athiniel took his member and stroke it slowly before putting it into her mouth. At the feel of her mouth around him, Thranduil threw his head back in pleasure. Grabbing a fist full of her hair, he bucked his hip into her mouth, grunting as he did.

He looked down and saw bright blue eyes staring back at him, with soft golden hair and he shuddered as he came. There was no relief still and he growled, he would find pleasure regardless of what anyone said.

!

!

The figures in the bed shifted, turning to feel a deeper sense of pleasure, not wishing for it to end. Leanna was overcome a feeling she'd never experienced before and sought to have more of it. Large hands caught her hips and dragged her closer as a broad and hard chest pinned her to the bed, intertwining her hand into his. She let out a load moan as she felt his hard member thrust into her, his chiselled face finally coming to view in the dim lit room.

"Thranduil…"

Leanna shot up from her bed and looked around in panic. After confirming her location and realizing she was still in her room, she sighed and whispered out in relief.

"It was just a dream, only a dream" Leanna said and looked between her legs in grimace. It was a dream, that much was true but the wetness between her thighs were real enough. She groaned and dragged her hand down her face in exasperation, she had dreamt of Thranduil making love to her.

She got out of bed tugged the sheet off her bed to hide the shame of dreams and went into the bathroom to clean up. There was no need, she discerned for anyone to come fetch her in time for the departure ceremony. As quickly as she could, she washed and prepared herself in a timely fashion and left her chambers with the partially washed sheets tucked in the corner of her room for the maids to pick up when they came in.

The halls were buzzing as usual, it still felt strange that even at this period in time when she had almost exhausted her time here, she was still treated with the same level or perhaps even greater level of decorum than when she had arrived during the first week. She never cared to ask and decided it would be best she ignore it, like she ignored the many other things she had experienced here in these halls.

In no time and a number of brisk steps, she reached the main gates of the castle and was greeted with the sight of Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond donned in their cloaks with their luggage packed and settled on their horses. Their escorts were already stationed close by, waiting and ready to move at the command.

"My Lords and Lady" Leanna greeted with a bow as she took note of the scene before her, she could tell for some reason, there was tension in the air. She glanced briefly at Thranduil and looked away.

"Lady Leanna, it is with gladness in my heart and a tone of sadness that we part ways. Should you ever feel the need to visit, Rivendell would be most glad to receive you" Elrond said with a smile while well aware of the icy glare cast upon him by Elf King who was standing close by. He moved to his horse and waited for his mother-in-law in silent observation.

"And Lothlorien welcomes you as well in the event you are free from your duties here" Galadriel said with a smile and then cast a glance to Thranduil which Leanna noticed.

"I suppose I'd hope to visit soon seeing that my business here is about to come to an end" Leanna said, clarifying the situation.

"Indeed" Galadriel said but her eyes told Leanna another story. She wanted to ask what she truly meant by her vague words but was interrupted by Thranduil who was evidently irritated.

"Now if we are quite finished here, the day will not wait for us" Thranduil drawled, rudely indicating his impatience over their presence here in his kingdom.

"Try as you may Great King but no matter how much you deny or fight, you cannot escape what fate has destined for you"

"Nothing will change unless i determine it so" Thranduil raised his head up in blatant pride.

" The seed of this flower has already taken root in your garden…to reject it, is to accept a world of pain" Galadriel said in warning to Thranduil who did not respond. He knew she was right, they both knew. But he was bent on finding a way out of this situation, through whatever means necessary.

"Farewell Lady Leanna, may the stars shine upon our next meeting" Galadriel said and with the help of Elrond who had been close by, mounted her horse fluidly. Leanna did not catch the words the elleth had said, her level of sindarin still patchy at best which made it hard to understand the warning she had given Thranduil. And she knew it was a warning, by the stern look on her face she imagined whatever she had said was a matter of importance.

She felt his stare and decided it was time to resume her activities for day, content to ignore Thranduil and whatever was making him upset at this hour. With an indifferent expression on her face, she walked back into the castle reliving the matters she had discussed with Galadriel.

Thranduil watched the young woman return to the castle halls without a word out of her and felt anger wash over him once more. All morning he had been in a dilemma over his current situation and despite his efforts to hide it well from sight, Galadriel had caught on swiftly. No matter what he did, or whom he took to bed, he was to remain dissatisfied, until he submitted to his desires…until he submitted, to her.

A situation he was certainly not looking forward to. He turned and walked back into the castle and to his study, on the way he summoned a guard and had them call for an elleth. Perhaps this time, he would get some respite from heat currently burning through his blood. He stopped briefly at the hallway leading to her room and for a moment, he wondered what she would be doing there at this hour.

His feet moved and he found himself for the first time ever at her doorstep, with thoughts of her reverberating in his mind.

The door yanked open even before he had any time to knock. He looked down and noted the surprise of her face and watched with further disdain as she moved away from the door and permitted him entry with a smirk.

"My Lord" she greeted with a knowing glint in her eyes and shut the door quietly as he entered.