A/N: New week, new chapter. I'm going to try and update twice every week if I have the time/energy. Thank you for all the continued follows/favs/kudos and comments, I'm glad you guys are enjoying it. I'm sad to see that I've lost a few readers because of the Maggie/Fili/Elrond pairing. Representation is important because poly relationships happen in real and it may not be canon to Tolkien's work specific, but that's why this is fanfic and so, I won't be changing it :)

Let's see how Thranduil reacts to Erebor and Millie's drunken wanderings!

Enjoy!

Chapter Thirteen

Surprises

I should be the first one to say that I have witnessed many strange things in my life and I am hardly surprised anymore. Yet, finding Millicent drunk and lost, stumbling into my room caught by surprise. I had retreated from dinner early to tuck young Eira into bed and after that, I found myself invited for a drink and discussion in Elrond's guest-study, along with Fili and Master Óin. Perhaps the right thing to do would have been to escort her back to her own bedroom, but given that she fainted, I am almost certain moving her through the long corridors would have made it worse. Besides, I was not particularly tired and I could keep an eye on her, in case she would throw up again.

Rather thankfully, she did not.

I had to admit that so far, Erebor I was quite enjoying this visit to Erebor. It was different from the Erebor I knew during the reign of Thorin's grandfather. Truthfully, I was impressed to see how Fili and his kin had rebuilt Erebor from the ruins caused by Smaug to the thriving kingdom it was now. After attending a few council meetings, I began to think that it might not be impossible to reconcile some of our lost diplomatic connections. Perhaps with Maggie and maybe even Millicent as a connection to the people of Dale, that was also a long since burned bridge we could rebuild.

That was, assuming Millicent would remain in Middle-Earth for that long.

I was a little taken aback by how easily I had included her in future plans, without so much as a moment's hesitation. In my mind, I had of course accepted that she was staying in Middle-Earth indefinitely, but there was no indication of whether or not she would stay in Mirkwood. Even though we had only been here a few days, I knew that Millicent was enjoying Erebor. I could see how easily she interacted with those around her. Given how gifted she was with empathy, it came as no surprise to me, but it did make me wonder if she would still be happy returning to Mirkwood with me. Our doors have been closed to the outside world for so long, that to others, it is nothing but a desolate kingdom with a reclusive king as its ruler. At least that it was what I had come to realise the general perception was.

Not that I cared.

Or at least I never used to. Yet now, that also appeared to have changed. For thousands of years, the Sylvan elves have been known to host great parties that were talked about centuries afterwards and during my father's reign, we were known for our hospitality and came to the aid of those who needed our help. I can barely recall the last time the sound of music echoed in the halls of my palace. Was it too late to change that? Had the people of Middle-Earth set their opinion of us in stone or could it be remedied? Maybe that was another conversation I could have with Elrond, if an opportunity presented itself.

At the moment though, it seemed as though that could take a while. I had noticed some lingering tension between Fili and Elrond and while at first, I thought that my presence had something to do with it, I gathered something else was going on. Elrond was a good friend, but he was also quite private when it comes to his private affairs. I was also aware that I had not been the best at asking Elrond about what was on his mind and a part of me felt guilty. I had been quick to judge his romantic entanglements because I did not understand them, but the past few days had given me new perspective.

All thanks to Millicent.

Had she not appeared on my doorstep those months ago, none of this would be possible. Six months ago, I would not have even fathomed entertaining the idea of a friendly diplomatic relationship with Erebor, let alone attend council meetings with Fili or tuck his daughter into bed at night.

I watched Millicent exhaling heavy breaths in and out as she slept. Every now and again, a snore escaped her lips and I found myself smiling. Sometimes, her hands twitched and she muttered in her sleep, as if she was dreaming. No doubt about Charles, who seemed to be a frequent visitor in her mind. I wondered if she was having nightmares now and also if they would plague her for the rest of her life.

Such a terrible fate to befall somebody so young.

I wanted to help somehow, but I wasn't sure if she would let me. There was no doubt in my mind that Millicent Thomas was a strong young woman of both body and mind. She was able to look after herself and certainly did not need any help in that regard. Independence was an attractive personality trait in anyone, but the more time I spent with Millicent, the more I realised it was her independence that made her shine.

Yuletide was approaching with impressive speed and I knew it was customary to exchange gifts. Naturally, I wanted to give something to Maggie and Fili as a way to thank them for their hospitality, despite our initial differences. I also wanted to give something to Millicent, but I had no idea what. Nor did I know if she would take kindly to receiving gifts from me, given that things had been a bit unsteady before our departure. We hadn't exactly had much time to to talk with how busy things were and I certainly did not wish to be inappropriate.

There it was again.

Concern and anxiety. I exhaled a frustrated sigh and wondered if maybe I should ask if Millient wished to go for a walk in the orchards, just for a chance to speak. I was curious about her thoughts, especially now that it seemed more clear than ever that Gandalf was nowhere to be found.

"Oh God.."

I had just begun to press my quill onto the parchment of my journal when I heard Millicent's voice and the shift of her body. It was cruel, but also almost impossible to hold back a grin upon seeing the horrified expression on her face. I wondered how much she remembered from the previous night, although if her reaction was anything to judge by, that seemed to not be the case.

"Ah, you are awake." I said "How are you feeling?"

"Oh God…" Millicent groaned and I saw her cheeks turning red.

"Yes, dwarrow wine rather has that effect." I said "You should be feeling better after a meal, I believe breakfast will be served shortly."

"Oh God….."

Embarrassment was an understandable side-effect after a night of overindulging in alcohol, but it had happened to the best of us. I was certainly no exception, although it was rare these days. Nevertheless, awkwardness lingered in the air, but I wanted to assure Millicent that there was certainly no need to feel ashamed. I watched as her eyes traced the walls of the room, as if it would help her remember the events of the previous nights and when her gaze fell on the doorway, she buried her face in her hands.

"I am so sorry," Millicent apologised "I don't know what got into me. I was enjoying a few drinks with Nat and Maggie and thought I was in my room, but apparently not."

"There is no need to apologise." I assured her. "Besides, these dark hallways are confusing for anyone who isn't accustomed to them. Let alone someone without dwarrow or elven sight to navigate the darkness."

"Oh God…."

"I am not sure who God is, but if this is going to be our main method of conversation, perhaps I shall need to enlist Maggie as a translator? I have noticed that you two seem to use similar colloquialisms."

In that moment, three knocks sounded against the bedroom door and before I was able to say anything, the door pushed open and Elrond stood in the doorway. To my own surprise, it wasn't Millicent's face who blushed first, it was mine. It took a couple of seconds, but Elrond's expression shifted from surprise to amusement and I immediately knew that I would never hear the end of it.

"I appear to have intruded on a private moment." Elrond teased, "I do apologise, I shall leave you both to it."

"I can assure you, Elrond." I began nervously "This is not what it looks like. I would never-and certainly not with Millicent…I mean, she's a-"

"Thranduil is right," Millie agreed "This is definitely not what it looks-"

It immediately dawned upon me what words had escaped my lips and I bowed my head in regret. A rather awkward silence hung in the air and when I looked up, I saw Millicent hurry out of bed and reached for her shoes on the floor.

"Millicent, I did not mean…" I started, but words seemed to fail me. A strange ache began to take shape within my gut and when I tried to speak again Millicent turned to me.

"No, there's no need to explain." she said plainly, "In fact, you've made it all very clear and I'm sorry to have troubled you. He's all yours, Elrond."

Just like that, Millicent was out the door and I was left sitting at my desk, feeling like an utter fool. Elrond still stood in the doorway, with his arms crossed and no doubt several opinions he was willing to share. Although, instead of a smug expression, the lord of Rivendell genuinely seemed concerned.

"Not a word, Elrond." I warned him and I certainly was not in a mood for a lecture. "Why are you here?"

"I had rather hoped you might join Fili and I for a discussion," Elrond explained "But if you would rather speak with Millicent-"

"No, I am ready to go."

Besides, I had a feeling that Millicent was not in a mood to speak with me anyway.

I could think of nothing but the awkward incident with Millicent this morning. I do not know why I chose the words I did, but I had meant nothing by it, and I certainly did not wish to offend Millicent. Even though it was no excuse, I believe that perhaps I had spoken those words as a sort of defense. It certainly hadn't been due to some chivalrous attempt to protect Millicent's honour. I had only cared about my own reputation and once again, I found myself wondering why. No wonder Millicent struggled to trust me, when all my attempts at redemption ended in disaster, all due to my own folly.

I spent much of that day in a distant daze and struggled to focus on little else. Elrond had invited me to attend rather an interesting discussion about how to use our diplomatic allies as a way to increase security around our borders. Sauron was long dead, but every so often a few remaining orc pacs found their way to Mirkwood and its surrounding areas, causing havoc where they could and instilled fear around some of the smaller villages. While Sauron's reign of terror had ended, there was still evil lurking within the shadows of this world that needed to be dealt with, and I was of course happy to lend help. I had offered to speak with Hallath upon my return to Mirkwood and coordinate with some of Fili's dwarrow-guard and indeed the people of Dale.

Following the meeting, there wasn't much on the agenda for that day. I avoided both breakfast and lunch, for the sake of allowing Millicent some privacy. I was frustrated with myself for having spoken so recklessly and it wasn't the first time. Millicent had clearly taken offense and understandably so, but I hoped she knew that it wasn't what I meant. Of course I knew she was an attractive woman, but only those foul at heart and of mind would ever consider taking advantage of somebody in an inebriated state.

By early evening, I had found myself in possession of some wine and a quiet place overlooking the treasure horde, which I gathered was the go-to place for contemplation. If my father saw me now, he would no doubt tell me I was a fool for drowning my sorrows over such a daft matter.

"Mind if I have a seat?" Maggie carefully asked as she approached Thranduil.

With a simple gesture of my hand, I invited Maggie to join me. The young queen sat down on the ledge next to me and allowed her feet to dangle freely.

"I would offer you some wine," I said, "But I gather there was rather a lot of that consumed last night?"

"Yeah, turns out even after nearly a decade in this world, I still can't hold my drink." Maggie scoffed "Elrond will never let me live it down."

A slight chuckle escaped my lips and I recalled several memories from my youth where I had once been in Maggie's shoes. Elrond had always been good at reminding me of my mishaps, but then every now and again, he also let his hair down. I wondered if perhaps Yule would be such an occasion. Maggie and I sat there in silence for what seemed like hours, but to my surprise it wasn't an uncomfortable silence.

"She despises me…." I whispered as I drank from the wine, "I cannot blame her."

"Millie doesn't despise you, she's just confused about all of this." Maggie explained "Anyone in her shoes would be."

"You were in her shoes once, did you also feel the same way?"

Maggie seemed taken aback by my question and perhaps that was no surprise. In all the years we have known each other, I had never really asked her personal questions or taken a genuine interest in learning about her. In fact, I had made an active decision to avoid her because up until recently, I had resented her and how she had seemed to entangle herself in my business. These days, I knew it wasn't true and during the quest to Erebor, I also knew that she had only acted as anyone would in her position. Right now, she was also the one person who could help me understand Millicent.

"Yes, I was terrified." Maggie replied "After Thorin died, I was convinced that I would never love again and I didn't want to. I felt as though the world had betrayed me by taking away the one person I saw myself having a future with and like there was no way anyone could take his place. In my mind, my only duty was being a mother to Theo. For the longest time, I tried to convince myself that I didn't have any feelings at all, but eventually I simply knew that wasn't true. Lying to myself made me miserable, but I knew I had to be honest about what I felt, even if perhaps they were not reciprocated."

"Only twice before in my life, have I felt true ear." I said quietly, "Once when I held my dying wife in my arms and watched as the light of the Eldar faded from her eyes. The second time I felt fear, was when I sent my son to attend the council in Imladris. I knew there was a chance he might never come back to me."

"Are you frightened now?"

I turned to Maggie and looked her right in the eyes, while I pondered the answer to her question. Was I frightened and if so, what was I frightened of? My life had taken a strange turn and I did not know how to deal with that change. Yes, Millicent was a grown woman and in charge of her own life, but I also felt responsible for her wellbeing. As much as I hated to admit it, our fates were entwined in ways I did not yet understand. Over the past few months, it was undeniably obvious that she had touched the lives of my kin and also myself. Her empathy towards others was a gift that made her a great healer and it was obviously her calling. For some reason, the Valar had decided to pull her out of the world she was so familiar with and cast her into this one, perhaps because they too saw the importance of her gift.

If it wasn't for Millicent, I would not be in Erebor agreeing to matters of diplomatic importance or having a conversation with Maggie that did not end in sourness and harsh words. I also knew that her past was a complicated one and that she was still hurting from losing Charles. His memory was not one I wished to sully by imposing myself on her and nor did I want her to think I did not care about his memory. I did however, want to understand more about it, but I couldn't help but feel as though my chances of getting close to her were growing thinner by the day. This morning's disaster had not helped.

I knew the answer to Maggie's question, but it also meant that I had to admit things I was not sure I was ready to admit.

At least not yet.

"Yes." I sighed. "I am frightened of what I feel, which if I am honest, I am not even certain what it is. I wish to be closer to her and get to know her, but we barely know each other. Besides, what could I possibly provide for her that she cannot get from a man? My life will be long and hers will be short. If I accept this, then I also accept that I will be forced to watch another love die in my arms."

Love. Damn.

I was not in love with Millicent Thomas, that was ridiculous. I was simply a little curious.

Maggie's eyebrows furrowed and I buried my face in my hands in frustration. The young queen placed her hand gently on my shoulder and when I turned to her, it was kindness I saw in her eyes.

"My brother used to say that it isn't love we're afraid of." Maggie explained "We're afraid that everyone else is going to be just like the last person who broke your heart. It takes time, Thranduil and in case you had forgotten, you are an elf. You literally have all the time in the world to get to know Millie, because I have a feeling she isn't going anywhere."

"Thank you," I said "You are much better at giving advice than Elrond."

"I have had years of practice. If it is one thing my family does well, it is drama."

I laughed again and all of a sudden the weight on my chest lifted. I did want to speak with Millicent and apologise for my poor choice of words earlier that morning, but at that moment, I was enjoying Maggie's company.

"That reminds me actually. Fili, Eira and I are going to be traveling with Elrond back to Rivendell after Yule and New Years. We're all in need of spending more time together and Eira has never been to Rivendell. I wanted to ask if you and Millie might consider joining us?" Maggie asked "It was her idea actually and I thought it would maybe give you both an opportunity to spend more time together outside of Mirkwood. Although, I understand if you'd rather go back home."

"I shall gladly accept your invitation," I replied, quite easily as well. "You have been more than kind to accept us into your home, especially considering our personal grievances."

"Well, holding a grudge never helped anyone."

Maggie stifled a yawn and got back up on her feet. I was sure I could hear her stomach rumbling and it was a reminder that dinner wasn't far off. It would probably be a good idea for me to make an appearance, if anything I knew Eira would be asking about my whereabouts. I thanked Maggie for her company, but before she walked out of the room I called out to her.

"Maggie, will you help me find a Yuletide gift for Millicent?" I asked "I know it's a lot to ask, but I do not know where to begin."

"Certainly." Maggie replied "I'm sure we can think of something."

I hoped she was right.

To be continued…..

Me: "Oh this chapter will be quite a short one"

Me: *nearly 4000 words later* "Ooops"

So, not a super interesting chapter but a few things still happened. I need you guys' help actually because I haven't the slightest clue what Thranduil is going to give Millie for Christmas or vice versa? Any ideas? What did you think about this chapter? Let me know!