I went to visit Belegorn as soon as I was scrubbed clean and dressed in clean clothes. Thranduil had finally announced that I passed inspection, and had even admitted that he had a few "important matters" that required his attention. When I entered the boys' bedroom, I saw that Belegorn was animatedly telling Legolas about the events that he had witnessed, and Legolas was watching his elder brother with wide-eyed awe.

"Would you give us a moment to speak alone?" I addressed my younger son.

Legolas nodded at me and walked from the room as if in a daze. I wondered briefly if he regretted that Belegorn had experienced the adventure instead of himself.

I sat in the newly vacated chair, and looked at Belegorn straight in the eye. "How are you feeling?" I asked, crossing my arms across my chest. I would stand for no nonsense, and he knew it.

"All right," he said. "It was scary while it was happening, but now it is far removed and I feel much better."

I grunted, indicating that his answer was not as thorough as I required.

He gave into my piercing glare, and dropped his eyes. "I thought I was going to die," he said in a low voice. "I would be dead. You scared me. I have never seen you fight, and you had the most feral look in your eyes as you were killing the orcs. But I want to fight like you! I want to be able to defend myself. You won't always be around to protect me. Father rarely lets me train in combat, but I hope he changes his mind about my fighting now."

I raised my eyebrows.

"And I don't want to go south again. That place was creepy," he said hurriedly, as if ashamed.

"I hope you are wiser now for your experience."

"I am not going to do anything reckless," Belegorn rolled his eyes, as if I was accusing him of such ridiculous designs.

I made to leave. "I will speak to your Father about weapons training. And don't you dare romanticize these sorts of adventures to your brother!" I called back as I left his rooms.

…

I assumed that the important matters that Thranduil had referred to including alerting the council to our adventure, and so I made my way to the council hall. The members were deep in conversation when I entered.

"Ah, Caradel," Thranduil cleared his throat, interrupting the elf that had been speaking. "Would you give us an account of the events?"

I took my seat to his right before relating my tale once more. Apprehension was written on the faces of all present, except perhaps the king's. Silence followed my words.

"I cannot deny this troubles me greatly," Narya said slowly. "I suggest that we meet this menace head on, and extinguish its evil and the misery it causes."

"I repeat your proposition," I spoke up. "And I add that the fate of Middle Earth may rest with our decision today."

More silence, and I saw several uncomfortable glances pass between those present.

"We shall consider it, then, and discuss possible solutions in the coming days," Thranduil said, looking very stern. "We will break until then."

Chairs scraped across the stone floor, but the king and I remained seated. For his promise of a solution, I felt as if I should have a victory, but the sense eluded me. Only foreboding and unhappiness simmered inside of me.

"You have converted some to your sentiments," Thranduil said drily.

I sighed. "And yet I still wonder if it's too late."

He covered my hand with his, smiling to give me ease.

"I met Aiwendil again," I said abruptly.

"Oh?"

"He spoke of an infection inhabiting the birds that live near the fortress."

Thranduil looked thoughtful. "I cannot deny that I already know this."

My eyes narrowed. "If I did not know you better, I might say you purposefully deceive us."

"I do it consciously."

This was not, however, a very appropriate time to pick apart any motives, and so I did not pursue them. "And what do you make of the spider?" I asked.

Thranduil drummed his fingers on the armrest of his chair. "They are no natural creatures. I feel the forest around them when disturbed, but they are outside our realm. I believe they are created by sorcery, for they were never innocent beings. Their hearts are dark."

I slumped heavily in my chair. "You should have spoken so at the council."

"There was no need, a decision was made without any clarification from me."

I pursed my lips in annoyance, but was disinclined to pursue that quarrel either.

"How is Belegorn?" Thranduil asked.

"He will be quite alright, I believe, he is merely shaken," I replied.

"And so he has your resilience?" the king asked wryly.

"Perhaps, and your obstinacy," I retorted.

Thranduil chortled, standing, and reached out for my hands, drawing me to my feet. He led me from the council chambers, and I remembered my promise to Belegorn as we passed the twins' chambers. "Is it true that you disallow Belegorn from combat training?" I asked.

Thranduil swept me into our living chambers. "Yes. Are you going to lift that ban?"

"Yes," I said simply, pulling him through to the balcony, where we stood quietly for a few moments, watching the birds titter and fly around the nests they had built in the nearby trees.

"I have told him that he is too young. I wish not for him to be stained by evil so young," Thranduil said suddenly, in a quiet voice.

"Posh," I said carelessly. "We were younger than him when we began bouting, and with this adventure he now knows evil. Besides, I have been training Legolas to fight, and those sorts of things never seem fair, especially during youth."

Thranduil cast me a glance, looking at me with a mixture of annoyance and fondness. "I truly enjoy having you sojourn here, Caradel, but I can't help but feel your presence throws everything into chaos. Will you be undermining all my decisions?"

I could not help grinning at him. "Naturally. And now I suppose this is a good time to inform you that I intend to take Legolas with me on a short excursion to Lόrien."

"Oh? And when was this decision made?"

"This day," I said firmly. "I wish to discuss with my aunt the danger here."

"I can hardly believe she would have more knowledge of it than I," Thranduil said stiffly.

I pursed my lips. "You shan't change my mind."

"I know."

"Besides, a short holiday is good for anyone's spirit. You should come," I suggested.

Thranduil gave me a look, which I translated as: You can't possibly suggest I would leave my duties for such a frivolous undertaking. I shrugged in response, not giving in to bad humor.

A knock sounded at the door, and at the king's permission, a servant timidly peeked his head through the door.

"My – my lord, the cook is requesting your opinion for the wine tonight, if you could –"

"Ah, yes. I had quite forgotten. There is to be a feast tonight, I had nearly forgotten with your disappearance," he turned to explain to me while the servant waited, looking almost ill with fright. I stifled a giggle to think that my husband, grim king though he may be, could inspire such distress in others.

"Then go taste your wine," I waved him away. "If there is to be a feast, I want to properly attire myself for the occasion."

I could have sworn Thranduil snorted in derision, but he hid it well, kissing my cheek before disappearing with the servant toddling behind him. Feeling feisty, and still mildly annoyed at the king's stalwart behavior, I rummaged through my wardrobe for an appropriate dress. Ah, but appropriate was relative, I thought wickedly to myself. My selection of ornamental gowns had diminished with the increasing time I spent away from the city, but I had a gem tucked out of sight, knowing that Thranduil would have burned it, given the chance. Our ideas of propriety differed vastly.

The gown was the color of fresh cream, long-sleeved and form-fitting, with a triangle cut in the bodice to show a tempting amount of flesh. My favorite part was truly the beaded strips that divided the dress horizontally into several sections, but they were wasted on such a plain silhouette. I studied it for a moment and then tugged on some seams, and the sleeves fell onto the floor. Perfect. All of my most private bits would be covered, but a little shoulder certainly never did more cause a few blushes.

Once I had wriggled my way in, I admired myself in the large mirror that dominated our dressing room, and decided that the gown would be quite set off with my hair up, and so I pulled it high on my head and tied it with a silver ribbon, and the tail fell down my back most becomingly. My feet went into a pair of beaded slippers, and once the ensemble was complete, I began to laugh at my own foolishness.

Your days of fashion are far over, missy, I told myself. Hardly appropriate for a queen and a mother to entertain such vanity. Nonetheless, I did not change my outfit, and I was calmly reading a border report Thranduil had left on a table when the king entered.

He did not see me right away, attention on a pile of papers which he threw onto his desk, apparently disinterested. "The people have already assembled, we must be quick if we want to eat. Have you seen Belegorn and Legolas? They should be –" He stopped mid-sentence, finally taking in my appearance. His eyes boggled, and his mouth dropped open.

"Do you like it?" I asked sweetly, twirling around for the full effect. "I have been so busy lately, I have completely disregarded my love for the experimentation of clothing."

It had been a long time since I had last rendered Thranduil so speechless, and I thoroughly enjoyed the full minute of his sweeping stares across my body.

"You cannot be serious," he finally choked out.

I tilted my head quizzically. "Do I often make jokes of my hobbies?"

"I – no, but…" He finally met my eyes, his own narrowing. "You only do such things when you want something."

"I seek only your admiration," I said, pretending innocence.

A few seconds of tension, and then the king threw back his head and roared with laughter. "That's the woman I know!" he boomed, and he strode across the room to wrap his arms fiercely around me, spinning me around before planting a very passionate kiss on my lips.

"Am I to assume you do like the dress, then?" I pulled away to ask, but in response Thranduil simply reclaimed my mouth. To prevent further sassing, I guessed, but complaining was the last thing on my mind and that is where it stayed.