Hierarchy
Eleniel: 15
"Eleniel?"
The elleth in question turned her head, smiling faintly as Thranduil opened the door. The King mirrored it in return, taking it as an invitation to come in, and opened the door wider, shutting it quietly behind him.
He had expected the Peredhil family's visit to Greenwood to go well, as it always did, and something enjoyable, but it had been three days and already something had happened.
Anyone who knew Eleniel and Glorfindel knew that the relationship between them was more precious than anything. They were extremely close, and, truth be told, the Elvenking had never known them to have an argument.
Nevertheless, he had witnessed exactly that just this morning.
The elleth had accidentally dropped a glass on his bare foot. She had of course rushed to apologise and clean things up, but the balrog-slayer had been in so much pain that he had snapped at Eleniel, telling her to leave him so she didn't cause any more trouble.
He hadn't meant it, but a shard of glass had cut right through the top of his foot, requiring multiple stitches, and so clearly the pain had overcome his train of thought and he hadn't thought about what he was saying.
Eleniel had had a visit from the twins, who'd tried to tell her that she had done nothing wrong and Glorfindel was very sorry. They said he had tried to go to her, but Elrond had told him to stay exactly where he was, not wanting him to injure himself further. Nevertheless, Eleniel had ignored her brothers completely. She had never been yelled at like that by Glorfindel, and she was so upset that she hadn't – and still didn't, really – feel like speaking to anyone.
The twins had asked Thranduil to speak to her, knowing she would never purposefully ignore him.
"Are you alright?" he asked gently as he walked over to the bed, where Eleniel was sitting cross-legged.
She shrugged, leaning forward until her chin was resting in her hands.
Thranduil sighed. He sat on the bed and shed his robes, moving closer to the Peredhel, who hesitantly lifted her eyes to look at him.
"You know Glorfindel is not really angry with you, yes?"
She shrugged again.
"He would be here right now if your adar permitted it."
Another shrug.
"Is shrugging all you are capable of?" he asked with a raise of a delicate brow, but Eleniel could see the playful glint in his icy blue eyes.
Braving it, she shrugged again, not in the least bit surprised when she found herself on her back, looking up into the smiling face of the King of Greenwood.
"You would dare defy me?"
Eleniel laughed lightly, shrugging again, and Thranduil immediately set to work, launching a ticklish attack on the young elleth underneath him, who started shrieking with laughter. He relished in her happiness, knowing it was the first time she had properly smiled all day.
He stopped after a while and leaned down slightly. "You would dare defy me? The King of Greenwood who has so kindly invited you and your family into my home?" he asked again, and Eleniel shook her head.
"No, my King," she said mockingly, giggling as the blond kissed her forehead before sitting back.
"That is what I thought." He smiled and watched as Eleniel sat up and instantly went to his lap, curling into a ball and sighing in content.
"Is Fin's foot alright?" she asked after a while.
"His foot is fine, little one. Your ada and my healers have stitched it up and he is as good as new, now, apart from a small limp," Thranduil replied. He paused and glanced down. "You do know he is not angry with you, don't you? He was just in a lot of pain. He didn't mean to shout at you, and was getting very worked up about it earlier when he realised what he had done."
"He was?" Eleniel questioned, and the King nodded.
"Of course. He loves you very much, you know that at least, and I do believe we should go and see him now and make him feel a little better. What do you say?"
Eleniel nodded, smiling up at Thranduil as the two walked hand-in-hand out of the room.
Well. If ever the youngest Peredhel was in a mood, the King of Greenwood would be the one to turn to!