We did agree to ride the following day, though Thranduil insisted that we stay within view of the forest. I had called my own mare so that we could ride separately, and thereby enjoy the speeding landscape. I wistfully watched the mountains to the north, and decided that I would find a way to get there someday.

We rode the following day as well, and the day after was spent in the river, searching for fish, which we found were hatching – though we did not eat any.

Our honeymoon lasted near a fortnight. We did not grow tired of spending time alone – nor of marital intimacy. The solitary sojourn would have lasted longer, but on our final night at the hut, Thranduil took my hands solemnly and told me that he needed to resume his kingly responsibilities, though he would rather stay and perfect his husbandly duties.

"Not that they need perfecting," he finished with a smirk, and I laughed at his audacity.

"And what will I do now, king? Have you any commands for your new queen?" I asked.

He leaned back on the bed, thoughtfully. "I have several considerations."

"Then council with me."

"Very well – one option is that you could continue travelling as a envoy. Of course, this is not my first choice, even though it is what you were trained for. I would miss you far too much."

I smiled, patting his hand. "What is the next option?"

"You could mother my heir."

My mouth fell open, and it wasn't until he started laughing that I realized he was teasing. I could have hit him. "Dunce! You know me well enough to know I am not ready for those duties."

"I know it nearly as well as you do yourself – perhaps better," he was still chuckling at my response. "And you should know I would not bully you into such a thing. But someday," he turned stern. "And – I want a daughter first."

I pursed my lips, irritation burgeoning. "You should move on to my next option."

"I am in need of an overseer for the watch posts. I think that this might suit you best – you could still go adventuring, but you would remain close enough to give me comfort," This was clearly Thranduil's choice, he squeezed my hand earnestly as if I needed to be convinced.

"I propose a compromise."

He raised his eyebrows at me.

"I would enjoy checking on the watch posts – but I still desire to travel abroad. It is the only way I get to see my cousin! My proposal to you is that I remain here in Greenwood most the year but still travel to Imladris once a year – to council or anything else you desire."

"I can accept that," Thranduil conceded – eyes sparkling at my words.

"Really? I thought you would have fought it more."

"Certainly not – I know how stubborn you are. Besides, you will always come home to me, right?"

I snuggled closer to him in response, ready to rest for the following days, but the king did not have rest on his mind.

…

Patrolling the watch posts turned out to be simpler than I expected. A few were located far enough from the city for me to be away from my new husband for over a week, but even so, whenever I returned he did not hide his relief at my safety. I could have easily grown annoyed at his persistent protectiveness, but I could not blame him – I also let out a sigh of relief to see him happy and healthy upon my returns, though he was in less danger than I. Perhaps it was the growing loneliness – being so far from my husband so soon after our wedding was taking a toll on my spirit.

My coronation took place on Midwinter Day. It was not customary to wait so long – but I had been kept busy running around the forest, and Thranduil's own duties were tiresome, and constant. We had grown accustomed to spending little time together, but I was grateful on Midwinter that he had cleared his schedule – not just for the ceremony, but for afterwards, when we were alone.

The feasting continued on in the hall after we retired together. I was exhausted – I had only returned from a trip to the southernmost tip of the forest at dawn, and hadn't had a chance to rest. Still, I wanted to stay conscious for this time with Thranduil. After he poured me a glass of wine, he sat me on a stool by the fire.

"Relax," he said softly. "I know you're tired – and I am too, but I am determined to make this a special night." He began to undress me, starting with my new circlet, which was silver with pearl blossoms. I closed my eyes as his fingers moved to the buttons on my dress. "I am very proud of you," Thranduil continued in a whisper. "You were so elegant today – after I crowned you I wanted to take you in my arms and have you right there. But I thought it might be inappropriate. You are so beautiful – you were positively glowing."

I hummed in response. "You could have fooled me! I thought you to be carved from stone. You are getting far too skilled at hiding your emotions."

He did not reply immediately, and I felt my dress fall from my shoulders. "I wish I could always keep you here."

I turned and smiled at his forlorn face. "My love – if I could calm my own spirit I would gladly do so for you. I have missed you so much these past months. They have not been what I thought our first months of marriage would be!"

"I did not make the mistake of setting expectations," Thranduil smiled and tucked my hair behind an ear. "Bar those of the love we would share."

I kissed him, unable to resist any longer the tantalizing pull of his presence. I had not been lying when I said that I missed him – though I misled him into thinking that the ache when I was away from him was bearable. I was ashamed of the amount of tears I had shed, camped in faraway parts of the forest, alone except for aloof wardens that treated me too much like a true queen. I had chosen my duties, and I would carry them out. But I would never stop missing my husband.

Our lovemaking that night was urgent on my part, but slow on Thranduil's - he held back and kept me wanting more until I could nearly scream from frustration. He found this deeply amusing, until I finally refused his ministrations and rode him hard, joining him in laughter after we were spent and I was finally sated.

"I am sorry," I said, nibbling behind his ear as his stroked my back with his long fingers, my heart beating fast. "I could not help myself! Your self-control was too much tonight!"

"It has its place," he whispered back, hands lingering on my hips. "I did not realize you had such a need!"

"I do need you," I pulled away from his embrace and rose, stroking the fire back into existence. A chill had crept into the room, despite our burning activities. Returning to bed, I crawled into Thranduil's arms, closing my eyes as my body began to relax.

"Will you consent to postponing your next trip?" he asked quietly. "I am loath to give you away so soon after today."

"Gladly," I murmured, and finally rested.

…

I stayed in the city much longer than I intended, using as excuses the many council meetings and the need for me to learn the basics of running the royal household. I had not expected those duties – but I decided that if I was needed here, I could rotate my responsibilities to the watch posts to my responsibilities at home. I perhaps took advantage of my place as queen, quietly changing Thranduil's schedule so that he could have time in the evenings to share with me alone. He was not blind to my actions.

"I thought I was meeting with Narya tonight," he told me after returning to our quarters one night, soon after the sun had gone down. He hid his suspicious tone well. "Perhaps you know how she got the idea that I postponed the meeting until midday tomorrow?"

"I arranged it with her," I said mildly, pulling my shoes and stocking from my feet, having only arrived moments before Thranduil.

"Oh? And what of the meeting with the head groomsman tomorrow regarding the expansion of the palace stables so conveniently already scheduled for that time?" He crossed his arms in front of his chest stiffly, looking down at me with level eyes.

"I met with him," I said. "No need to get upset – you already discussed what you had planned to tell him with me so I thought I might tell him myself, and you would not have to worry about it."

"Hmm. I suppose that's alright," he finally sat down by me, clearly having delayed the action based on my answers. "But you should have told me."

"I would have. But you were busy all day."

"I'm always busy, Caradel!"

"You're not right now," I purred. "I arranged this so that we could have some time together."

"Lousy queen," Thranduil huffed, but I could tell he was pleased.

"And a good wife," I said cheekily, and that was the end of his complaints.