I awoke the next morning to the sound of splashing in the river that did not match the waterfall's steady pace. I opened my eyes to an empty hut – the only differences from the night before was that our wedding clothes were neatly folded on a small dresser, where there also sat a basket of fresh berries. Thranduil was nowhere he to be seen, but the continued noise from the river led me outside after I wrapped myself in a dressing gown.

He was sitting on the shoreline, dressed only in rolled up breeches, and his feet were dropped into the water. He was fishing – an odd morning habit. I sat by him, dipping my own feet into the clear water.

"I did not know you woke so early," I said, wrapping my hand around his arm.

Thranduil smiled down at me, kind and dazzling. "'Tis a habit I cannot break – the duties of a king are present even at dawn. I do not have the luxury of resting very often."

"Not even today?" I teased. "Not even for your bride?"

He kissed my nose affectionately, brushing my hair back with his free hand before holding me tightly to him. "I thought to catch you some breakfast."

"Too thoughtful," I rested my head on his shoulder. "I was thinking that I needed a wash – the perfumes I was drenched in yesterday are still too heavy."

"I drew you a bath," Thranduil said grandly, motioning towards the waterfall and river. "I hope it's to your taste!"

I laughed. "I don't think I could bathe in such an open area!"

"We're very alone here," he replied. "No one knows we're here. Besides, I need you to find out where the fish are – I've been at this for nearly an hour and haven't had one bite!"

I stood and de-robed, untangling my hair lazily as I enjoyed Thranduil's hot gaze on my body, before I dove into the clear pool at the bottom of the waterfall. It was cold – colder than I expected, and my hair was standing on end as I resurfaced.

"The water's a bit nippy," Thranduil said, appraising the effect the chill had on m body.

"I noticed," I said, my tone dry, before ducking my head under to scrub my scalp. I was not alone under the pounding pulse of the falls for long – I saw my husband's long, pale form swim towards me as I washed my feet. "Did you give up on the fish?" I asked as he surfaced.

"Yes," he sighed, pulling his wet hair from his face and tying it back into a knot. "At least – I seceded after I saw what fun you were having."

"Fun?" I quirked an eyebrow at his teasing. "This is hard work!"

"I brought the amusement." He ducked under falls once more, and I gasped as I was pulled sharply under. There was a short, underwater wrestling match before I could rise, sputtering. Thranduil followed me to the fresh air, laughing.

"Don't do that," I scolded, splashing him across the face with water.

"Why?" he asked, pretending innocence. "I'm only trying to enjoy our honeymoon!"

"By acting like children?"

"If that is what it takes," he swam close to me, clasping me in his arms and hovering his lips near mine.

"I do not think immaturity is necessary for fun," I whispered, stomach tightening. He claimed my mouth with his, heating the little air that could pass between us.

It was several moments later that Thranduil pulled away to murmur brokenly into my ear, "Last night…divine…"

I hummed in agreement, twining my fingers into his hair. "Mmm…but it will only get better, I hear…"

That seemed to be what he was waiting for, and I was carried to the shore and we made love with our toes still in the river, and sun peeking through the spring leaves onto our skin. Afterwards, Thranduil brought the basket of berries to the river, and we feasted in each other's arms.

"Now I must fish – and be constant in my efforts," the king said when we were finished, stretching back to relax. "I did not bring any more food – nor will any be brought to us."

"You brought me here to survive on your hunting and gathering skills alone?" I asked. I was torn between skepticism and amusement.

"You don't trust me?"

"Should I? I have never lived from the fruit of your labors."

"Very well – if you doubt me, you may hunt," Thranduil was already preparing his fishing rod.

"I will. And not only that," I stood, yawning. "I will return with supper before you catch one fish."

I was merely received a narrowed look from my husband before I went back to the small house to dress properly.

I returned to the glade a few hours later, during the sun's peak in the sky. I had been successful in catching a pheasant, and I had come across a patch of wild garlic during my hunt. I presented my loot to Thranduil, who was looking annoyed.

"Still not a single bite!" he said, exasperated, eyeing the pheasant with distaste. "I do believe that you chased the fish away with your swim this morning."

"I did not swim alone," I said.

"A moot point," Thranduil grumbled. He set the rod down, clearly finished with his fishing, and picked up the bird to inspect it. "The pheasants in the forest have been fruitful this year."

"Oh?"

His eyebrows knitted together, focusing still on the pheasant. "And yet there has not been an increase in foxes or raccoons. Interesting."

"Sorry?"

"The forest has a balance – yes?"

"Yes…"

"The foxes and raccoons eat the eggs of pheasants, and if there are more pheasants you would think that their predators' populations would grow as well."

"Well, yes. But how do you know that there are more pheasants and fewer foxes?"

Thranduil sighed and set the bird down, taking my hands in his. "It comes as part of being king. The feeling – I can sense the whole forest in my mind. If I put my mind to it, I can see a rabbit burrowing beneath a tree, stags fighting each other for a doe, a hive of bees under attack from a lame bear. Most of the time it is simply a nudging in my mind that I must ignore for my other duties."

I could feel power shifting around us – a flow of energy from his hands into mine. My mind went blank for only a moment – and then I could hear – the chirping insects I had not noticed earlier were louder, and not only that – I could see them between the leaves, rubbing their legs together at the setting sun that marked the end of the day. I felt the cool water on the scales of the fish swimming down the river – so there were fish! I could even almost imagine the taste of the bugs that the fish nipped above the water to capture for their supper. I looked at my husband, awed.

"I feel it," I said, hushed.

"Then you can imagine my frustration when the fish don't bite!" The nearly spiritual moment gone, Thranduil let out a clear laugh and released my hands, but I remained speechless. "Now…I do believe that roasted pheasant is in order. Would you mind building the fire?"

I did so, silently, using a knife found in the small house to carve three sticks into a proper roasting contraption. Thranduil set the plucked and skinned bird over the fire, and washed his hands in the river before planting himself by my side.

"Now that this day is almost past, what would my wife like to do on the morrow?" he asked, reaching to rotate the bird.

"Hmmm," I said, gazing blankly into the white foam of the falls. "I don't know. What is there to do?"

"Well, we can return to the city – though that option does not carry my vote. We could explore the woods, go for a ride, spend the day lazily in bed, or swim, as we did today…"

"And what would you like to do?" I asked.

"I would like," Thranduil leaned in close, lowering his voice. "To do whatever my wife would."

I nearly rolled my eyes at his indecision, wondering if he would always be so insecure in deciding matters. "We will ride," I decided. "I know we are near enough the edge of the forest to go beyond."

He snorted. "If you truly think there is anything worth a see this far north – you are very wrong indeed."

"What of the Grey Mountains?" I challenged. "Are those not worth a trip?"

"Perhaps – if you have a deathwish. Which I hope you don't, as we have been married for only a day."

"I've always wanted to see the Heath of Ered Mithrin," I told him. "To judge whether it's truly as desolate as many make it seem."

"Many! I doubt many have seen it – certainly only a fraction has lived to tell the tale. There are dragons there, Caradel!" Thranduil was earnest as he looked beseechingly at me.

"I don't believe it," I said. "Those are simply rumors."

"Rumors indeed - until the forest burns. A ride may not be such a good idea," he turned from me to focus on the roasting pheasant.

"A timid king, to rule among such dangers," I snapped, standing and stomping into the hut to put my bow away.

"And you are naïve to think to judge a king," Thranduil's tone was mild as I returned, huffing before retaking my seat in sullen silence. "I hope you do not retain your disdain past taking your own place as queen."

I had far too much to consider as a new bride.