***Some days after the incident in the Throne room***

Starting anew

The king was sitting at his desk deep in thoughts when his friend's presence was officially announced by the guard. They exchanged a nod and the lord of Imladris sat in front of his friend. The silence continued for a while, before Thranduil left himself from his chair and started pacing.

"Elrond, mellon nin, I require your advices."

"Is that why you invited me so suddenly? I have been in Mirkwood for the past week and yet never received such an urgent summon." Thranduil nodded and pursued.

"I feared you would leave before I had a chance to speak with you about this matter...I have done something which I regret. Eveen, she won't look at me anymore, she refuse to address me and treats me like a stranger, even when I invite her to share my bed."

Elrond knew what the king was talking about since he had foreseen Eveena's despair and seclusion. Although he didn't know what exactly happened between the two, in his visions he saw a beautiful spring flower fade as winter had came so suddenly, unnaturally. She fought desperately to survive the winter, alone in the wind and snow. In another, he saw the king walking in the garden and stopping often at the same faded flower who refused to bloom, days after days even though spring had finally came. Many times he questioned if he should just pick it out, but every time decides against it, leaving it be.

"Have you apologized in private after the incident?"

"No"

"Tell me, what have you done my friend?" Elronds' eyes were demanding answers. Even though Thranduil didn't have to, how could his friend be of any help if he refused to answer questions?

"Many years ago, I back handed her for her insubordination. She was speaking out of turn, criticizing my way of educating my son. It was silly really, but the tone she was using and her demeanor made my temper rise."

"You regret the slap you have given her? You seem to say she deserved it."

"No it is not the act in itself, it is the words I had spit in her face afterwards, full of anger. After that day, nothing has been the same. She, I don't know...feared my wrath. I made her feel like a mere prisoner, a servant even a slave to my demands. She would do everything I ordered. If it was just a request, she wouldn't comply with it, until it angered me and would force her to. I am not proud of myself."

Elrond kept silent for a while, picturing what it must have been like after that day. He remembered the Queen to barely make an appearance at formal diners during that time, and sometimes none at all. She would always keep to herself and when obliged, stood next to the king. Thranduil would always excuse her politely, saying the children were exhausting her.

"She moved from the adjacent room to one at the complete end of the palace, saying she didn't like the morning sun in the East but much preferred the setting sun in the West. The sun barely shines in here I am no fool!"

"You've let her?" Elrond's wide eyes were indicating he was displeased with the idea and he wouldn't have complied with his wife ridiculous demands if he had been in the king's shoes.

"Yes, I thought the distance would do her good. I thought she would think about what she had done and what led to my reaction. She was still young in the eyes of our people when I married her. Sure she was of age, but barely out of childhood. I thought her immaturity acting would cease and that she would come to me when ready."

"She never came?"

"Never, I had to make explicit order if I wanted her to share my bed. At first I was requesting her presence, but she wouldn't comply. At some point I started commanding her to come to my chambers. She did, but out of duty. I was rough and forceful with her, relieving myself and letting her take her leave when she thought I was asleep."

"Why did you do such things Thranduil?"

He paused for a moment, looking at the sun light hitting the trees in the forest, listening to birds signing and the wind bristle in the leaves. Autumn was coming quickly since the heat of the sun wasn't as strong as before. He took a deep breath, clearing his mind before continuing.

"I first thought the distance and my indifference would do the trick. It did not. I then tried to be dominating and demanding, thinking she would submit. It did not work. Sure her body I could command, but her soul and mind were pushing me farther and farther away. In the throne room the other day, I accused her of not loving my son as she promised. My children were there, all three. She threw my words back at me, the one I had spit in her face years ago. She remembered them. Each and every one burned me deeper than the dragon fire I have faced. She refused my aid to help her rise. She backed away from my touch when I tried to dry her tears."

The king grabbed the backrest of the chair and looked at the ground emotions clouding his mind. Elrond waited patiently for him to finish since he knew his friend had more to tell him.

"I have given her every reason to shy away from my hands, yet she had never done it before. It is not pride or immaturity of a child I saw that day. It was fear, sadness, despair and loneliness. Eveena, she doesn't have friends. Since that day, she has been roaming the gardens alone, taking strolls in the woods with herself as only companion, going to the stables on her own, and staying in her room playing the harp with no one to listen. I know since many times I have sat outside her door listening for hours."

Silence enveloped the two grown elves for a long while. Elrond was processing everything quietly and analyzing the situation at hand. Thranduil looked at his friend expectantly while he sat back down, crossing his legs and taking a sip of his wine.

"I think you have explored two different paths and it is time to change your tactic. How about you bring her back to the ellyth she was before that incident, the ellyth that was a trembling leaf in your hand."

"You want me to scare her?"

"No! Not scarring her. More like bringing her to the vulnerable state she was back then, the one without walls. Even if she built them on her own, you gave her the bricks and the cement yourself. Surely you know deep down where to hit to make it crumble. Teach her again."

"I'm not quite sure where to start, I messed her up so bad."

"Spend time with her, where you are not only pulling her legs apart to take advantage of her."

"She doesn't talk to me, merely responds in the shortest and easiest way possible." The king was rubbing his temple searching for peace after all that was said.

"Then don't talk. Trust me my friend everything will work out in the end between her and you. She was very young when you first took her and made her yours. It isn't so long ago. Remember that she was forced to grow up too fast. When the times come, you will know what to do. She isn't as caged in her fortress as you seem to think. You are her tyrant and her savior at the same time."

Elrond took his leave, promising to be back for Legolas' birthday at the end of autumn, after his visit to Galadriel. With a heavy look, he bowed respectfully to Thranduil and disappeared from court.

The king finished his wine, pondering on what to do. They hadn't seen each other since his accusations. She always avoided him, but now it was worst. She even let the caretaker play often with Amara and Sariel so she can escape the keep. She would spend every evening locked in her room feigning sleep so her husband wouldn't call on her.

But tonight, tonight she was in her private gardens, sheltered from the world. The king step on her balcony which was overlooking the gardens. She was quietly sitting on a rock surrounded by bushes of roses and she was fixed upon the setting sun. The last ray of lights made her hair glow a bright shade of red. She was indeed still as beautiful as the first day he had lay eyes on her.

I knew he was coming towards me, not that he was making any sound, he was actually very silent in his approach, but I could still hear the rustling of his long robes when he was close enough to me. I did not turn around or great him in any manner. Maybe, just maybe, he would simply go away.

"You should come inside, winter is approaching and the nights are cooling." I nodded very little, indicating I had indeed heard him though I made no move to rise from the rock I was sitting on, knee tucked under my chin. I could feel the cold breeze on my bare feet and through my loose hair, but this coldness didn't bother me much. After all, the northern plains were much colder.

"Come inside." I was used to this. Not requesting anymore but ordering me to.

"I wish to remain here a while longer." I know he wouldn't simply let me do as I wish, but it was still worth a try. He walked a little closer and grabbed my upper arm tightly.

"If you wish to enjoy the night sky you will do so in my chambers, by the fire. The stars are already starting to show. Come." He squeezed more painfully and forced me on my feet. I stepped on a thorn under the bush and winced in pain. If he noticed my discomfort he didn't show it and dragged my form up the stairs. I pulled my arm away forcefully and straighten my dress. He turned to protest and grab my arm again but I backed away.

"I will clean up first." He eyed me with a warning.

"You can do it in my apartments." He wasn't leaving much for discussion. It is hard to tell if he planned my answers beforehand or if he just got too accustomed to my excuses.

"Then I will get a spare of clothes."

"You won't need one." Defeat was written on my face. My shoulder and head dropped. I followed him barefoot to the other side of the keep. We went up a set of stairs and arrived in the royal apartment. He let himself slide in his armchair by the fire and picked up a couple of missive he had received today. I moved to the small heated pool on the other side of his room, closed the gigantic heavy velvet curtains that led to the balcony, not only for decency but to keep the night air out. Even though the keep was mostly underground, barely letting the sun through the dense forest, Thranduil's room was higher in the trees and gave on a ravine where the sun would hit at midday. It was truly the most breathtaking place, reminding me a bit of Rivendell. Everything else was so dark in here. I undressed knowing his cold gaze watching me intently, and engulfed myself in the pool.

It had been so long I bathe here I had forgotten the smell of the aroma around me. It smelled like him, lime-tree and mint. That's when I noticed a small bottle of infused oil on my right with cassis, moringa flower and green tea. I could tell just by smelling it. He remembered I use to wash my hair with it, still do. I couldn't tell if he put it there especially for tonight, or if he kept one around just in case I would bathe after our nights of passion.

After some time, he approached and hanged one of his dressing gowns on a tree branch that was crossing the room twirling toward the cathedral ceiling. I don't know if it was a clue for me to get out of the water, but with his cold gaze sizing me up, I decided against it and finish massaging my long hair with the scented oil. My fingertips were starting to wrinkle when I realized his patience now was growing thin.

I pulled myself out, drying my skin and slipped on the robe he had offered earlier. I didn't really enjoy doing anything around him because the starring wouldn't stop. I could hardly tell if he was pleased, displeased, indifferent or if he was appreciating my presence, I could only tell when he was angry or annoyed. I never know what to do, where to sit, where not to sit, if he wanted me gone or no, so I just sat on the floor by the fire and busied my hand with the task of drying my hair and untangling them. We sat in silence for what seemed like forever.

"Aradhan." The said elf entered the room and bowed to his king. "Get a maid to bring my wife her green velvet gown first thing tomorrow and her wood autumn crown. You can take your leave for the night I will require nothing else." With another bow his assistant left the room. I heard his step all the way down the stairs since the silence was so thick, only the burning wood would sometimes make a cracking sound. This was new. He was now deciding on my wardrobe for me. He had done it in the past, when I wasn't use to the formal and informal dresses I was expected to wear for each occasion. He had taken his time, explaining the complexity of it all to me. I barely remember his words but I remember that dress, it was a gift to me the day I presented our first daughter to the lords. He wanted me to dress formal then, I wonder why.

"Come." He rose from his seat and walked toward the bed like he was doing every time. I did as told in a mechanical way, like a robot without emotion would have done. He undid my dressing gown not waiting a moment to grab my breasts roughly. I looked at the night starts beyond him and let my mind wander far away, in the plains of my home, where the horses would graze softly under the sun, my brother smiling broadly at me with his smug expression, puffing his chest out, pointing to his arrow which was splitting mine in two at the farthest target. I pictured our rides on the land, the thundering sound of the hooves under us, the scolding face of my mother when we would come back dirty beyond imagination. I felt him push me on the mattress. I pictured my younger sister tackling me on the ground in a playful manner. Memories kept then pictures of my childhood running through my head as he took my body.

I don't remember if it was rough or not this time, my mind was so far away to protect what little was left of me. Eventually, he got off of me and turned on his back, covered our form with the blankets and then feigned sleep. I got up slowly as if I didn't want to wake him. I am pretty sure his eyes were watching me as I dressed in my previous gown and left in the quiet of the night.

All right, this chapter is less long, but I liked the way it ends. As you now understand, Thranduil is starting to realise he has misjugded her character since the fateful day as I like to call it. Although, he isn't quite sure where to start to put everything back in it's rightful place. Since she doesn't come on her own he wants to force her to stay with him and by doing so, he will be able to analyze her. Also, it might be a bit confusing for the reader but the story will keep going from the futur to the past and so on, although I will always indicate in the text where we are in the storyline. Please review :)