Chapter 20
Thranduil POV
A few weeks passed in quick succession with no misadventures to be reported.
The King's guard were monitoring the severity of the forest sickness, which for now had almost stopped.
Evie and the Elvenking had not had another occasion on their own, much to his displeasure.
Every interaction seemed like a tease, for his eyes could look all he wanted, but he could not touch.
Not yet.
The King was seated at his wooden desk one afternoon, the red head distracting him from his work.
He had read the blasted report three times and still had no idea what it said.
All he could see was the enticing way the woman had moved her hair over her shoulder, making her floral scent waft towards him.
The creaminess of where her neck met her shoulders. He wondered if the skin there was a soft as silk.
He swallowed hard, remembering the way her little pink tongue had poked out to lick her spoon, then retreated as, in the next breath, she had brought the spoon to her lips and sucked.
It had been such an innocent action and yet she had no idea of the effect it had on him.
Damn it! He thought as he wacked the parchment back on the desk and sat back, hand over his eyes.
He didn't look up as he heard the door opening.
"I am not to be disturbed."
There was no response, just quick footsteps and then a small hand touched his left arm.
"Good afternoon Ada."
His blue eyes looked up then to appraise his young son.
"I need your help."
His gaze softened and patted his knee, indicating for his son to sit.
"What do you need, little leaf?"
The little elf smiled at the endearment, but soon turned serious.
"the starlight feast is not far away."
"yes."
Thranduil himself had been directing the decorations, for it was his favourite celebration of the year.
"I want to ask if I can escort Naneth."
Blue eyes blinked at this for a moment.
He hadn't even thought of asking himself.
"so, ask her?"
It came out as a question.
"it has to be special."
"hmmmm. I'm sure she wouldn't deny you."
"I can't take that chance! Gwenth confirmed there was a ellon trying to court her!"
The elvenking had a good idea on who that elf was, but said nothing.
His son leaned forward to whisper in his ear.
"She said it was Lord Galion!"
He couldn't help but chuckle at the unhappiness in his son's tone.
"So, what do you need my help with?"
He smiled at the big grin the little prince had on his face.
"Well…"
If someone were walk into the King's study that afternoon, they would have found two blonde heads bent over the desk, scheming.
Evie POV
(Earlier in the day)
Evie hummed as she entered her suite after breakfast.
She felt pretty in her soft prink dress.
The sleeves went three quarters of the way down her arms and the skirt rustled the floor when she moved.
She couldn't deny that she had selected it on purpose for the extra bit of cleavage it allowed to be seen.
She giggled as she remembered the King's momentary stunned expression that morning when she walked in.
He thought he'd been discreet when his eyes had drifted downwards and lingered longer than was proper.
The truth was that his hungry gaze made her feel feminine and desired.
Ever since their almost kiss, she hadn't been able to think of anything else.
It had got to the point that it had invaded her dreams. And just like in real life, she woke up everyday disappointed at not being kissed.
She stopped when her green eyes spotted a vase of wildflowers that had not been there previously.
Stepping over, she leaned in, closed her eyes and sniffed the delicate floral scents mixed together.
Holding a breath, she reached for the folded parchment that was next to the vase with her name on it in flowing script.
"Nîn bain
I Ithil ned nîn fuin
I tinu ned nîn hen
Nîn maethor
I caun ned nîn dîn
I athrad ned nîn men
Nîn meleth"
Inside, her heart melted and she smiled widely.
She looked up at the door being opened and smiled wider when she spied the blonde haired Prince enter.
"Look at this, Honey!"
Curious blue eyes roamed over the parchment.
"Who's it from?"
"I don't know, it's not signed."
"hmmmm."
She saw his little brow furrow.
"everything ok?"
Blue eyes snapped to hers and his little face was blank once more.
"yes, of course. I have to go meet Sven."
She stepped forward and placed a kiss on his head.
"Have a good day, Honey."
"You too, naneth."
The little elf was quick to leave.
Shrugging his odd behaviour off, Evie placed the parchment back on the shelf and went to find the book she needed to return to Haleth.
Every few days, little things would appear in the woman's room, sometime accompanied by a note, sometimes not.
First it was cookies.
Then more flowers.
A drawing.
More flowers.
Hair clips with little stars.
More flowers.
Strawberry tarts.
And then one morning she returned to her room being filled with different types of birds, flying unrestricted.
She stopped short when she saw Gwenth trying to capture a yellow bird, just out of reach.
"What on earth is this?"
"Your lover, the last word came out as a hiss, has bestowed another gift."
Her green eyes narrowed.
"Bit hard to have a lover when I don't know who it is."
Gwenth laughed at her.
"how do you not know?"
"how do you know?"
She watched as the dark haired elf successfully placed the bird in a small cage waiting on the bed.
"Who else, but Lord Galion."
"What!?"
"Who did you think it was?"
Evie saw red. Angry suddenly at the elf that had persisted relentlessly despite her not giving him any encouragement.
"How long have you known it was him?"
"the first vase of flowers. Who do you think put them there?"
"give me that!"
Evie took the caged bird and stopped towards the door.
"You can't interrupt their council meeting, Lady Evie."
"Watch me."
And the door slammed shut behind her.
Thranduil POV
He was bored.
This meeting had gone on for hours, round and round in circles while his council members disagreed with every agenda item.
He exhaled a large breath and was about to put the matter to rest when the door to the chamber opened with a slam!
Annoyance cursed through him at the interruption, for no-one had leave to do such a thing except himself.
The eyebrows above his cold blue eyes rose when he sighted the red headed woman, clad in a plain dark blue dress, striding into the room with intent.
From across the room, he could see her eyes blazing like green flames.
Inwardly, he hoped that he was not the reason for anger.
"Lady Evangeline, you can't come…"
"I bloody well can and I will."
One of the council members rose in indignation. "My Lady, you cannot address the King in such a way."
He was amused to see her give a huff of annoyance but turned to him and gave an exaggerated curtsey.
"Oh great Elvenking, you must forgive me for the interruption."
Sitting back in his velvet chair, the King waved a hand in dismissal.
"What can we do for you today Lady Evangeline?"
He watched as the woman did not reply but continued her war path and stopped next to his chief adviser.
She gently placed the caged bird, that he only now noticed she carried, and then seated herself on the edge of the dark elf's desk.
Calm fury laced her words as she spoke next.
"this stops right now."
"I don't know what you're talking about Lady Evie."
"don't play coy with me. I know you've been leaving gifts in my room."
She didn't let him say anything in response.
"The flowers were nice, but do you know what I found today?"
Thranduil couldn't see his adviser's face from this angle but heard him swallow.
"the question wasn't rhetorical, My Lord. Do you know what I found? Birds. A dozen birds flying without purpose in my chamber."
She had said this with such force, that the King laughed, not expecting such a thing.
"Evie, it wasn't meant…"
She held up a hand.
"No. no more. You will not attempt to court me again."
And having said her peace, the woman glanced at the King as she hopped off the desk, dipped into a quick curtsey and walked out without a backwards glance.
Stunned silence in the chamber for a moment. Two. Then the sniggering began.
A voice came from the King's left.
"She certainly told you, eh Galion!"
And then further down the table.
"I'm no expert, but birds, Galion, are probably not the way into a maidens' heart."
Thranduil found the situation highly amusing, but used his self control to bring his face into a neutral mask and brought the elves back to the agenda.
"shall we move on to point 26?"
Evie POV
The next day Evie found herself wandering aimlessly around the King's halls.
The kitchens were preparing for the upcoming feast and so Amos had kicked her out. Legolas was in lessons.
Feren was galivanting in the forest again.
Her green eyes brightened when she saw a golden haired elleth skipping towards her.
"Oh Evie! I'm so glad I found you!"
"What is it?"
"Here."
She handed the woman a single, long stemmed red rose.
"What's this for?"
Haleth just giggled and pointed her down the hallway.
"Just keep walking."
And then she was gone, leaving Evie a bit confused.
Walking cautiously, she came across Gwenth holding out another rose.
"What is going on?"
But the dark haired elleth just gave her the flower and pointed her on with a smile.
One by one, elves stepped in her path to give her a red rose each, never answering her questions, just prompting her to keep going with knowing smiles.
Eventually she came to the entrance to the private garden.
She turned to the path on the left and her breath hitched.
Seated on the bench, a red rose in his left hand, was none other than the Elvenking.
She willed her feet to move and by some miracle she did.
Seeing her coming towards him, she saw a smile grace his fair face.
Her heartbeat quickened and her wetted her lips nervously.
"Naur emel."
He had taken her hand in his and raised it to his lips.
"Thranduil."
He released her hand and held out another red rose.
Her face fell, the hurt stinging her heart.
With a knowing smile, the King waved his arm to the left.
"Prince Charming awaits…"
Turning her gaze away from the blue orbs in front of her, she saw a familiar blonde haired elfling waiting under a nearby tree.
She smiled, feeling foolish as she made her way to the little Prince.
When she stopped in front of him, he took her free hand that wasn't supporting the collection of roses, and gave it soft kiss as he Adar had done and got down on one knee.
"Naneth, you are the most beautiful maiden in the Greenwood. Would you make me the happiest ellon by allowing me to escort you to the starlight feast?"
Her heart melted and joy filled her.
Smiling broadly, she answered without hesitation.
"Yes."
The little elf gave a cry of delight and she fell back from the weight of his hug.
Understanding suddenly cursed through her.
"You left me the tarts."
"mmmmhmmm Ada helped me."
"Your Adar? In the kitchens?"
He laughed at her shocked expression.
Well, she thought, I now have a date, all I need now is a dress.
*My beautiful
The moon in my night
The star in my eye
My warrior
The outcry in my silence
The crossing of my road
My love