Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reads, comments, reviews, favorites, and follows! I love you all and I am very glad that my story can make you smile Rhavaniel. Anyway thank you all again. I might be a little slow with updates in the next few weeks because of University but I hope you all will be patient even if there may be some amount of delay. :)
As they rounded the corner into the crowd Thranduil knew he'd be leading. Feeling Himelon pull backward when everyone had looked at them had been rather disconcerting. For a moment the Elven King feared Himelon would slip out of his grasp and leave all together but with a little coaxing Thranduil had managed to convince the raven haired elf to take a few steps forward. As they had moved across the chamber there had been a few bold enough to mutter and more than a few glares. In truth Thranduil was grateful Himelon didn't scuttle off to a corner to hide like he'd done in the market. It was, however, less than pleasing to see the way the raven haired elf looked down rather than up. On a few occasions Himelon had looked up and returned a few glares, but for the most part he kept his eyes down. The progress across the room was slow but in time Thranduil led Himelon through the crowd and over to one of the more elegantly furnished lounge sofas.
"You don't need to look down," Thranduil cooed softly stroking the other's hair, "They are beneath you. Not the other way around. They only mutter and glare out of jealousy." A small grin wormed it's way over Himelon's features as he looked up as the starlight haired male. A bit confused by the sudden change of expression Thranduil tilted his head to the side a little.
"Elrond once told me something like that," Himelon chuckled slightly as his eyes wandered over to crowd which had now begun to go about their business again, "He said 'A king should always keep his head up when those beneath him are looking'." Thranduil was even more confused now. Not just by what Himelon had just said but by said male's sudden movement to one of the nearby tables. Naturally the starlight haired King followed and was quick to take up the lead again.
"You are friends with Elrond then?" The words had left Thranduil's lips as he spotted what Himelon was going for, "And you like then wine." Thranduil's slender hands had gotten to the goblets first and before Himelon could respond he had already deposited one in the hands of the raven haired elf. A little amused at Thranduil's actions Himelon let out a chuckle as he took a long drink from the golden goblet.
"He was once like a son to me," Himelon let the warmth of the wine spread through him and ground his mind, "And who doesn't like the wine? It is eerily similar to the wines of Valinor is it not?" There it was again. The confidence that Thranduil had glimpsed in the throne room when they'd first spoken. It seemed to come and go with the circumstances which left Thranduil wondering if perhaps Himelon wasn't hiding something. Or maybe even experiencing an odd version of depression. Most elves who suffer from it would simply grow pale, cold, and apathetic until they either left or faded. But self isolation could be a manifestation of the condition and all the side effects of being isolated for so long could be an extension of depression. As usual Thranduil found himself lost in thought and oblivious to his surroundings. It was only when he felt a strong hand clasp his shoulder that he was drawn out of his thoughts. As his eyes darted around Thranduil became very aware that he was laying down. The next thing that he noticed was Himelon hovering by his head with a firm grip of his shoulder.
"Why am I laying down?" It was a natural question that left Thranduil's lips. Last he remembered he'd been standing and now he wasn't. Anyone would have been confused.
"Either you fell asleep standing up or you were very lost in thought," Himelon explained with a slight tilt of his head, "I thought it would be safer if you laid down rather than stood in the middle of the room." Thranduil blinked a few times as he sat up and sought out his wine. Now the starlight haired King was just embarrassed. Not only had he ignored his guest for goodness knows how long by spacing out like that, but it had likely looked less than proper to anyone who might have seen.
"I was just thinking," Thranduil's explanation was non-substantial but it seemed to be enough for the raven haired elf, "How long was I like that?" The question was accented with a slight blush and gritting of teeth. Thranduil hated to ask. Once he'd done that when he was younger and had been unresponsive for half a day.
"Long enough for me to start a fight between two elleths," Himelon half chuckled as he finished off another goblet of wine, "Something about who was prettier I think. I'm really bad at complimenting women apparently." The last statement had been followed by a soft chuckle from both Himelon and Thranduil. In truth Thranduil didn't have much trouble believing that. Himelon was socially awkward at best and very easy to misunderstand it seemed.
"It also seems you've drunk more wine," It was easy for Thranduil to pick up the sweet scent on the other's breath and the seemingly more relaxed demeanor seemed to confirm it.
"How else am I suppose to deal with an army of Silvan elves who glare at me like I'm a dwarf?" Another chuckle escaped Himelon's lips as he gently leaned against the sofa. The raven haired elf has seated himself on the floor and was resting slightly against Thranduil's left leg. Thranduil himself let a small laugh loose as he stood pulling the other up with him.
"What kind of host am I?" the starlight haired King announced with a slightly down turned gaze, "I haven't even asked you to dance." Thranduil had come to the conclusion that if left alone Himelon would likely drink the whole festival through and hide in a corner. The starlight haired male had felt it was his own fault for spacing out like that. He said that he'd show Himelon how to enjoy the celebration and he'd completely ignored him while wondering about the raven haired male's personality quirks. Even though Himelon seemed to protest the dancing Thranduil guided him toward the center of the room where there were many others dancing both alone and in pairs.
"You don't understand," Himelon began growing ever more distressed as Thranduil urged him along, "I don't remember how to dance! The only dances I ever knew are ancient anyway!" Thranduil's smile and gentle hands were all the coaxing the raven haired elf needed though. Despite his verbal complaints he was doing practically nothing to resist physically.
"Just let the music take you," the starlight haired King cooed as he pulled Himelon flush against him, "and follow my lead." Himelon had whimpered slightly and blushed darkly when Thranduil had pulled him close, but nothing more. As they both started to sway a bit Himelon did as instructed and just let Thranduil take over. As they glided around Thranduil felt Himelon relaxing more and more into him until the raven haired elf's head was resting contentedly on Thranduil's shoulder. His eyes were closed and for a moment Thranduil might have thought him to be sleeping if it wasn't for the soft humming to the tune of the music. After a time of dancing Thranduil gently moved them both outside into the main outer courtyard. Himelon seemed to be blissfully unaware seeing as how he was firmly attached to Thranduil's chest and shoulder. With a light chuckle the starlight haired male gently pulled the other away from himself.
"Did I wake you?" The playful question had slipped from Thranduil's lips with an amused grin at the way Himelon had let out a soft groan and blinked a few times as he was pulled away from the other's shoulder. To Thranduil it really did seem as though the raven haired male had been sleeping on him.
"No," Himelon replied with a sigh as he looked around at their change of location, " I was just really comfortable." The raven haired elf's reply had succeeded in drawing heart felt laugh from the other. It was something Thranduil seemed to find himself doing more and more as of late. Laughing. It was almost as if every little thing Himelon did or said was somehow amusing to him. In truth the sensation was new and a little troubling but overall pleasant.
"Walk with me," Thranduil's words were the border between demand an request. Himelon hesitated at first. He was unable to discern if going with Thranduil was safe or not, but ultimately followed. Deep into the night Thranduil and Himelon walked in the silver bathed forest. It shone brighter and seemed even more elegant than last Himelon had seen it at night. Thranduil had explained, seeing the other's confusion, that his forest lit up whenever he moved through it because it enjoyed his presence. As the time grew later and they walked deeper into the forest, the darker creatures seemed to become more a more prevalent. Thranduil had been more than prepared to kill a few of them that looked as if they might attack but was stopped by Himelon. Thranduil watched in awe and shock as the raven haired elf moved gingerly over to a snarling warg that had wandered into the outskirts of the forest and began petting it as if it were a common dog. The starlight haired elf watched on as the raven haired male smiled and hugged the creature tightly around the neck before speaking softly to it and sending it off out of the forest. In that moment Thranduil had felt very uneasy. He had only ever seen orcs and other black creatures tame wargs and touch them as Himelon had just done. It had brought back something that Thranduil had nearly forgotten. It had made him think about the shadow that lived in the depths of the other male's mind and that unnerved him. For a moment the Elven King feared something terrible might happen but all he saw was the hurt and confused expression of the other male as Thranduil glared at him.