His shoulders still hot from the sun, Thranduil walked to the garden spring to wash off the dirt on his hands after weeding with Ivy. Nimrethil followed him, kicking the pathway.

"Can you believe an apprenticeship costs five hundred gold?" Nimrethil complained. "We cannot possibly ever pay that and that mean Hafia keeps turning me away."

Thranduil looked sideways at her as he washed his hands in the wide pool that made the garden spring. "Perhaps you ought to try fighting for an apprenticeship with someone else."

Nimrethil shrugged. She followed him out of the garden and into the pantry. As Thranduil filled a basket with food, she demanded, "Where are you going?"

"Nowhere," Thranduil said.

"Huh," Nimrethil said. She snatched the basket from Thranduil. "If you are trying to have a secret picnic, you will not feed yourself well with this chaotic mess! Let me show you how to pack a meal."

"I bow to your expertise!" Thranduil snapped.

Nimrethil grinned and handed him an apple out of the crate on the floor. Shining and red, Thranduil bit into it. Swinging the full basket, Nimrethil followed at his heels.

As he headed into the trees, Thranduil sighed, "I suppose I cannot get rid of you."

Nimrethil crunched into her apple. "I do not know why you try."

Thranduil retrieved his wooden sword from its hiding place under a broad log. "You know, if you really want to learn from Hafia, you should cook her something."

"I bet she would think I was trying to poison her," Nimrethil replied, but her blue eyes turned the color of the sky.

Thranduil found Hyrondal down on one knee, fending off an invisible enemy with his sword. At his approach, the elf turned.

"She would not leave me alone," Thranduil said quickly. "But she is a friend."

"I brought you some food," Nimrethil announced and tossed the basket to Hyrondal. She plonked herself down on the grass. "I see why Thranduil thinks you need it."

"Nice of you to bring alone miss sharp tongue," Hyrondal said to Thranduil. He sat down at the base of a tree growing at the edge of the knoll and dug into the basket. "While I eat, show me what you can do."

Conscious of Hyrondal and Nimrethil's eyes on him, Thranduil raised his sword. He thought of Yuai standing in front of him and conjured the elf to life in his mind, walking through the routine he had practiced that morning.

Hyrondal shook his head. Nimrethil said, "I could beat you with a wooden spoon."

Hyrondal chuckled and his drawn face broke into a grin. "Well said!"

"I might as well return to the fields, the way you two act!" Thranduil cried.

Hyrondal threw his apple core away and stood. He put his hands on Thranduil's shoulders. "Drop the sword. Have you ever danced?"

"No, but I am sure ballroom lessons will be added to my repertoire," Thranduil said gloomily. He tossed his sword to Nimrethil.

Hyrondal pressed on Thranduil's shoulders. "Stop resisting me and move! You are like a pole; you are so stiff."

Thranduil wiggled his shoulders and relaxed. At Hyrondal's urging, he moved, catching himself when he stumbled. Hyrondal came behind him, a graceful mirror of his actions as he pressed Thranduil low and allowed him to duck up again.

"You may not know it," Hyrondal said. "But we are dancing to the song of the forest."

"He did not know it," Nimrethil declared.

"Feel it," said Hyrondal. He raised one arm above his head and dropped the other out straight. "We are trees, Thranduil." He dropped to the ground, rolling over his shoulder blades. "Now, a rock. Or perhaps you would rather be a bush?" He knelt on the ground with his arms crossed before him.

"Where did you learn?" Thranduil panted.

"The forest taught me," Hyrondal answered. He put his hands back on Thranduil's shoulders. "You will learn to listen to its song. After all, you cannot hope to teach me if you have not learned yourself."

The elflings tumbled until Thranduil's back and thighs ached but his ears seeped with the sounds of the trees. They danced until Thranduil's feet were raw and Nimrethil left them. They danced until Thranduil could roll to the ground without groaning and his fingertips mimicked branches when he stretched them.

"Come back tomorrow," Hyrondal said as Thranduil picked up his sword.

"I will try," Thranduil groaned. He nodded goodbye and stumbled home. At the sight of his sweat-steaked face and clothes tied with dirt and brambles, Harune ran a hot bath.

"Where have you been?" Harune asked as he poured soap into the steaming tub.

"Out," Thranduil answered. He stripped out of his clothes and plunged into the tub. "I met an elf my age who agreed to teach me the way he uses a sword. His name is Hyrondal and he does not fight like Yuai."

Harune sat on the wide rim of the rub and upended a blue cut glass bottle over his palm. He rubbed the shampoo into a lather in Thranduil's blond hair. "You know I do not mind you going out, but I like to know where you are."

"We practice within sight of the sword and archery fields," Thranduil answered. "Nimrethil knows the way to, but I will show you tomorrow." He shivered as Harune dumped a pitcher of water over his head.

Scrubbed down and clean, Thranduil stepped out of the tub into the towel Harune held out and rubbed himself down. Wrinkling up his face he went to change into his high-collared tunic.

Oropher and Natelle greeted him when Thranduil sat down to the dinner table, his wet hair neatly swept behind his ears.

"We are most pleased to see your learning has improved," Natelle remarked.

Thranduil smiled. "Is it not beautiful what the right teachers and atmosphere can do?"

"We hear you are spending a considerable amount of time in the kitchen and kitchen gardens," Oropher said.

Thranduil, studying the neat arrangement of salad on his plate, looked up at Oropher and almost narrowed his eyes. He said, "Yes."

"Your father and I do not like the idea of you associating yourself with servants," Natelle said as she passed the salad dressings in its silver pitcher. "We would rather see you in the presence of your peers."

"I see nothing wrong with spending time among the servants," Thranduil answered. "In fact, I almost feel they deserve more respect as seeing as they are the ones who make our lives easier."

"A job for which they are paid," Natelle said. "No, we have arranged for you to meet more appropriate company in the ballroom. A good Prince dances with excellence of the first degree."

Inwardly Thranduil sighed. Outwardly he smiled. "I shall be glad to learn dance."

"An admirable attitude," Oropher praised.

Thranduil hesitated. "Thank you—for not forbidding me to spend time in the kitchen and kitchen gardens."

"Do not thank me too soon," Oropher replied.

After dinner Thranduil left the King and Queen to enjoy dessert and wine and joined Harune in their shared family room. He flung himself down on the leather sofa beside his father and moaned.

When Harune put down his book and looked at him, Thranduil wriggled to put his head on Harune's lap. Immediately, Harune's hand stroked through his hair.

"I must take dancing lessons," Thranduil explained.

"It is a worthy skill to know," Harune answered. "If I had been a fumbling dancer, I dare say my wife would not have looked at me."

Thranduil grinned. "I am not going to meet my future wife in a ballroom."

Harune patted his cheek. "Come now, ion nin, never say never. Everything is an opportunity."

"I suppose so," Thranduil admitted.

"I saved milk and cookies for us," Harune said and nudged Thranduil upright.

"Warm or cold milk?" Thranduil asked.

Harune pressed a cold glass into his hand. "Why, ion nin, I am insulted! I know how you like it."

Thranduil accepted a handful of cookies. "I—sometimes I think you should not be here. You must miss your wife—and your family."

Harune raised his eyebrows. "Thranduil, I do not sacrifice anything to be with you. I am right where I need to be. You know the people you love you will always understand your dreams."

A smile lit up Thranduil's face. "I love you, ada."

"So much, Harune said, and kissed his cheek.

I do not know how it happened, but I completely forgot to update My Prince yesterday, so I thank you for your patience, and hope this chapter is worth the wait!

Also, you will be happy to know my reviews are fixed so I hope to see you in the reviews' section.

Next Chapter: It turns out Hyrondal has a temper . . .