Thranduil lay back down on his back as the tears began to sting his eyes.
He heard a muffled crunch sound as he rested his head back on the bed of
hay. He reached behind his head and felt something small and smooth. He
clutched and brought before him so he could see it; it was a folded piece
of white paper.
Carefully he unfolded the little parcel. A silver chain slipped out from the folded paper as he lifted it up. He picked it up and examined it closely. Threaded onto the chain was a pure white stone in the shape of a heart. Falling instantly in love with the gem Thranduil immediately slipped the sliver chain around his neck and admired it.
He continued to open the folded paper and read the beautifully handwritten letter carefully:
Thranduil,
I am so sorry I left so early, I wanted to wake you but you looked so peaceful in your sleep. I'm sorry but I had to return home before my father began to worry. Please understand.
I promised last night I'd never leave you and I haven't. I can't wait to see you again. Wait for me at sunrise the day after tomorrow. Le Melon
Laurea.
Thranduil took a deep sigh of relief and clutched the note to his chest tightly, smiling to himself. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep till he saw her again. He slowly folded the blanket back up and sat it back where he got it in the stable.
Thranduil couldn't even remember getting dressed, his mind was too busy on what had happened the previous night, it seemed like a dream. He also began to wonder how he'd tell his parents the good news.
He made his was back to the palace, sneaking back into his bedchamber from the secret doorway outside. Suddenly, the door handle turned. Quickly and ran to his bed, jumped in and pulled the covers over his head before the door swung open.
In came a happily singing and dancing elf maiden, clutching a tray filled with fresh juice and all kinds of fruits.
"Come on sleepy bones! You need a good breakfast to see you through the day!" Said the woman.
Thranduil grunted and moved under the covers. "Rina..I'm not really hungry."
"Oh don't be silly! I've been feeding you every morning since the day you were born, now sit up!"
Thranduil sat up and Rina placed the tray on his lap. "Come on now, I want to see you eat" Rina made herself comfortable sitting on the edge of his bed.
Rina (short for Rinawen) was Thranduil's personal maid but she was more like a second mother. She was a cheerful looking woman, her cheeks were rosy and she had long silver hair. Rina was unmarried but she preferred it that way and she always made Thranduil laugh when he was upset with her fun outrageous personality.
As Rina watched him eat he pulled something from his hair. "What's this young one?" She held before him a long strand of hay. How did he miss it?
"Um, er, well, I." Thranduil stuttered. "Ah of course! Doing what you used to do young one?" She exclaimed happily.
"Er, what was that Rina?" He questioned
"When you were young and you couldn't sleep, you always used to go down the stables and visit your horses for a little while. We usually found the next morning asleep on the bails of hay!" She answered cheerfully.
"Oh! Yes! That was it! I really had a terrible night sleep Rina. I think I shall retire early tonight." He laughed nervously but happy the adrenaline subsided. He cursed at himself for being so paranoid.
Thranduil and Rina sat and talked for a little about many random things while he finished his breakfast.
"Good lad!" She collected his tray and began to walk out the room but before she closed the door of his room she turn round. "Oh, and next time dear, try and keep the noise down and make sure you tell your parents as soon as possible!" And with a wink she closed the door, leaving Thranduil sitting up in bed shocked.
Carefully he unfolded the little parcel. A silver chain slipped out from the folded paper as he lifted it up. He picked it up and examined it closely. Threaded onto the chain was a pure white stone in the shape of a heart. Falling instantly in love with the gem Thranduil immediately slipped the sliver chain around his neck and admired it.
He continued to open the folded paper and read the beautifully handwritten letter carefully:
Thranduil,
I am so sorry I left so early, I wanted to wake you but you looked so peaceful in your sleep. I'm sorry but I had to return home before my father began to worry. Please understand.
I promised last night I'd never leave you and I haven't. I can't wait to see you again. Wait for me at sunrise the day after tomorrow. Le Melon
Laurea.
Thranduil took a deep sigh of relief and clutched the note to his chest tightly, smiling to himself. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep till he saw her again. He slowly folded the blanket back up and sat it back where he got it in the stable.
Thranduil couldn't even remember getting dressed, his mind was too busy on what had happened the previous night, it seemed like a dream. He also began to wonder how he'd tell his parents the good news.
He made his was back to the palace, sneaking back into his bedchamber from the secret doorway outside. Suddenly, the door handle turned. Quickly and ran to his bed, jumped in and pulled the covers over his head before the door swung open.
In came a happily singing and dancing elf maiden, clutching a tray filled with fresh juice and all kinds of fruits.
"Come on sleepy bones! You need a good breakfast to see you through the day!" Said the woman.
Thranduil grunted and moved under the covers. "Rina..I'm not really hungry."
"Oh don't be silly! I've been feeding you every morning since the day you were born, now sit up!"
Thranduil sat up and Rina placed the tray on his lap. "Come on now, I want to see you eat" Rina made herself comfortable sitting on the edge of his bed.
Rina (short for Rinawen) was Thranduil's personal maid but she was more like a second mother. She was a cheerful looking woman, her cheeks were rosy and she had long silver hair. Rina was unmarried but she preferred it that way and she always made Thranduil laugh when he was upset with her fun outrageous personality.
As Rina watched him eat he pulled something from his hair. "What's this young one?" She held before him a long strand of hay. How did he miss it?
"Um, er, well, I." Thranduil stuttered. "Ah of course! Doing what you used to do young one?" She exclaimed happily.
"Er, what was that Rina?" He questioned
"When you were young and you couldn't sleep, you always used to go down the stables and visit your horses for a little while. We usually found the next morning asleep on the bails of hay!" She answered cheerfully.
"Oh! Yes! That was it! I really had a terrible night sleep Rina. I think I shall retire early tonight." He laughed nervously but happy the adrenaline subsided. He cursed at himself for being so paranoid.
Thranduil and Rina sat and talked for a little about many random things while he finished his breakfast.
"Good lad!" She collected his tray and began to walk out the room but before she closed the door of his room she turn round. "Oh, and next time dear, try and keep the noise down and make sure you tell your parents as soon as possible!" And with a wink she closed the door, leaving Thranduil sitting up in bed shocked.