Thank you Nott01 for your review, it's so good to hear that you like the last chapter and are interested to know what's ahead. I hope the other 90 of you following Evie's story are enjoying it too! It's an amazing feeling to know that you're all on this journey with me.

So Evie is back in the palace and all is well once again between her and Thranduil. Let's find out what happens next…

Enjoy your reading and don't forget to review! x

Chapter 38

Evie POV

The next morning Evie was seated at the table in their private dining room dressed in a mint green short sleeved dress with wildflowers embroidered on the skirt that swished when she moved.

Her red curls had been swept half up away from her face in an intricate braided bun, the rest hanging down her back.

The heart shaped crystal around her neck was nestled in the valley of her breasts shown off well by the v neckline.

Evie couldn't quite believe her eyes to be with her two favourite elves as they ate breakfast.

To see them smiling and chatting, their faces a reflection of the joy they felt having her back with them, brought a small involuntary smile to her face.

All the while, she could feel the love radiating down the bond she shared with Thranduil, which made her heart feel full. Right at this moment, life was perfect and she could almost forget the horrors of the world. Almost.

Taking a sip of her tea, she shifted her green eyes to focus on the elfling seated across from her, currently giggling into his oatmeal covered in honey and raspberries. Her eyes trailed over his fair face, so young, yet had grown so much in the time that she had had the privilege to know him.

His bones held the promise of a chiseled and handsome face when he reached maturity, just like his Adar. The full lips turned up in a smile made his whole face light up and his blue eyes were bright as they sparkled with a light she never wanted to see go out.

For a moment, the vision in front of her was replaced with the vile imagery of his small body in a heap on the forest floor, those blue eyes lifeless as they remained forever frozen.

She shook her head to dispel the memories. Never again, she vowed, would she allow anyone to get inside her head. She was angry more than anything that she hadn't picked up that it wasn't real, just blindly reacted driven by emotion.

She felt she should have had the strength to know that Legolas had been perfectly safe in the palace with his Adar.

Like he knew the turn of her mind, a large warm hand settling over hers on the table top startled the red head out of her dark thoughts and she turned her head to make eye contact with her beloved.

She tried to smile at him reassuringly, but they both knew that it took more effort than usual for she was nervous about the conversation they needed to have.

To his credit, he had not pushed her for answers, despite the curiosity swirling in his eyes, and she was grateful.

After their lovemaking the night before, they had cuddled and fell asleep revelling in the comfort of each other's body.

When Evie had woken in the middle of the night, Thranduil had simply held her to him, whispering loving words in her ear until her breathing had returned to normal.

It had quickly escalated, ending with her riding him hard until they found their pleasure again, but it had felt like the most magical thing in the world to have him back with her.

Putting the horrible images that she had seen into verbal words was going to be difficult, but it was her shame that she wanted to hide from him, but knew she could not. She wouldn't be surprised if he already felt it.

Still it was going to come out, so perhaps it would be best to approach it like a band-aid and just rip it off in one go.

"Did you know Naneth?"

She looked at the little elf Prince.

"What was that Honey?"

"I said, the wizards are here, did you know?"

That surprised her.

"Wizards. You mean more than one?"

It was her husband that answered in his deep voice.

"Much has transpired here, my love, just as it has on your…journey. Mithrandir arrived not long after you left with Radagast the Brown, who normally resides on the edge of the forest caring for the animals. They brought unsettling news. I was going to wait until the right time…"

She squeezed the hand that still held hers.

"it's alright. We have much to talk about."

"Of course, he has made a pest of himself, not leaving until he had seen you. You can imagine his displeasure at having just missed you."

She laughed then, clearly Thranduil's patience with the wizards was wearing thin.

"What are your plans for the day honey?"

"I have lessons with Sven and then archery practice."

"Ahhh still no love lost between you then." She responded with a cheeky smile, glad some normalcy remained.

"come now, little leaf, it is not all bad. Tell Evie what happened in her absence."

"Oh, do tell!"

The little elf then got a cute smile on his face before answering softly into his finished bowl.

"Speak up son."

Evie tried to give him an encouraging smile.

"I got to take Malthen into my lessons."

The red head looked at the Elvenking with wide eyes, recalling an incident a few months before.

"Seriously?"

"You think it a joke, my dear?"

"I just never thought Sven would ever let her be in the same room again. I'm glad for you Honey."

He gave her a beaming smile in response.

"Thank you Naneth. I should be off, Sven is does not tolerate tardiness."

She watched him hop off the chair, walk around to her side of the table and reach up to place a kiss to her cheek.

"I will see you later Honey."

"Of course. Have a good day Ada!"

And with that the elfling ran out the door in search of his four legged sidekick, leaving Evie and Thranduil on their own in the dining room, their hands still connected.

She looked to him.

"Do you have a lot on today as well?"

His blue eyes were so bright and fully focused on her, that it took her breath away.

"There is nothing that cannot wait a day."

And then he brought her hand to his lips and left a soft kiss. Her next question came out softly.

"Walk with me?"

"It would be a pleasure, my love."

They both rose from the table and Evie happily took the arm offered to her by the tall elf, slowly strolling by his side out the door and down the corridor.

They turned left, went up a flight of stairs and left again, before exiting the palace and finding themselves In their private garden.

They kept the leisurely pace and it was a comfortable silence they shared as Evie wondered where to begin.

Finally, when they came to a bench surrounded by the most beautiful fragrant roses, she found her voice.

"Please, sit."

She let go of his arm and gave him a nudge towards the seat, which she was grateful he obeyed without compliant, and then turned towards him.

"I need to share some things with you, but I don't want to repeat any of it, so let me finish and then you can ask me whatever you like. Promise me?"

"As you wish." And then he gestured for her to begin, sending calming waves down the bond, having felt her growing anxiety.

She took a deep breath.

"I'm sure that Feren and the others have already given you an account of our expedition, but there are some things they don't know, didn't feel or see."

She closed her eyes and began to pace in front of him, not able to stand still while she recounted it.

"The first few days of the journey were fine, the forest was just as it is here, green and full of life, birds, insects, flowers, game and we didn't have any trouble with anything sinister. As we got closer, we could see the devastating effect the evil was having on the forest and that was in fact spreading like a growth of mould.

The life we saw was gone, trees were decaying, awful shades of black and grey were everywhere and the air became thicker as we went on and as a result, had more rest breaks. Feren warned us not touch anything and about a fell voice that whispered nasty things and not to listen, which didn't seem to affect the others, but it did effect me. It began soft but got louder and louder right inside my head. I tried to block it out. I really did.

And all the while I could feel my magic under my skin fighting to be released, like it knew the evil we were surrounded by and it took so much of my energy to keep it contained. I stopped when were close to the centre of it and Conall came back to get me and I followed him a few steps, but then I saw it. A sapling, so small and vulnerable amongst the tall trees already affected. The tip of it was still green while the rest was dying.

I can't really explain what came over me, but I just reached my hand out and my magic jumped at the opportunity to come out, blindingly bright and stronger than I'd ever seen it. The minute it attacked the decay, I felt a great pressure in my head, fighting back, fighting me. It exploited my weaknesses against me. It was awful. So many elves dead, but there was one image that made me react worse than any others. It felt so real. I screamed and screamed as my heart felt like it had been ripped open. And then I couldn't hold on anymore, my power went out and I fell to the ground. I remember being lifted and carried, but my mind couldn't unsee the horrors…"

Tears were openly leaking out of Evie's eyes and down her cheeks as she spoke and then when she was finished, she collapsed on her knees, bring her hands up to cover her face.

She couldn't look at him in case she saw disgust.

She flinched when she felt large hands gently pry her hands away from her face and lift her chin so that her green eyes met bright blue showing nothing but concern, his deep voice was softer than usual.

"What did you see?"

Her voice cracked and the tears began again.

"Legolas…he was on the ground…he…oh Thranduil. I can't say it! Don't make me say it out loud."

For some time her sobs were the only sound in the garden, even the birds had gone silent.

"Listen to me very carefully Evangeline. I love you. You are incredible and even the strongest of elven warriors would have fallen in the wake of such evil, you are not to blame. Let go of the burden you carry and in time you will heal from this trauma. I will help you. Legolas will help you. We will be with you always."

Evie let out a huge sob of relief as she lurched forward and hugged him around the neck with a fierce strength she didn't know she possessed. How lucky was she to have such a loving and supportive elf by her side.

They sat there on their knees cuddled together for a time, before the red head moved back to kiss him passionately, trying to convey all her love for him into the kiss.

When they finally parted, Evie cupped his face, slightly afraid of one more thing she had to tell him.

"I have to go back."

"I know."

"You won't stop me?"

"It has been pointed out to me that you have a purpose that is beyond even my power to control, so I will do everything to help you succeed, including coming with you. I do not wish to be parted from you again."

"I'm going to be better, stronger next time."

"Of course. You wish to see Mithrandir."

"How did you know that?"

"I may not be an Elemental my love, but I have ruled this Elven kingdom for a long time. You pick up an thing or two."

She laughed at this, the first real free laugh she had had since she came back. She felt better for sharing her misadventure with her other half. And the best part, despite the evil, they had grown together as a couple making them a stronger force to be reckoned with.

"Come, I think Amos has made some strawberry tarts today."

She allowed Thranduil to help her up, wiping her tears with the hankerchief that he offered and then took his hand in hers as they took their time walking back. She wondered about something and couldn't help her curiosity.

"Did you lose your temper?"

"I might have caused the destruction of my study."

"Thranduil!"

"What? I promise to help you, but i don't have to like it, or those that bring grave news. I really think once this is over that we need to be more careful about who we allow in to visit."

The next chapter will involve some training for Evie, a flashback or two and then after that maybe i can finally share an exciting chapter i've had written for ages and just been waiting for the right time in the story to slot it in.