A/N: Hi guys, this is my first story so I'd appreciate some feedback. Just don't rip me to shreds! Hope you enjoy.
Thranduil sighed as he sat upon his wooden throne. The grey wizard Gandalf had come calling a few days ago with his hobbit burglar, Bilbo Baggins, and asked if they could stay as guests for a time. Normally, this would have posed no problems, but his new bride was such a curious and social creature that he had barely seen her in all the time the pair had been visiting. He would never admit it, but the way she had interacted with the two when they first arrived burned and drove him slightly mad in the back of his brain.
"Astraia, I would ask that you please refrain from trying to get the guards to play childish games with each other while they are on duty." As the Elven King addressed his queen, he had quite the trouble sounding stern and hiding his smile.
"Oh my king, I will do my utmost best to-," she started with feigned regret.
"My king, there is a wizard and a child here to request an audience with you," the captain of the guard cut in. He bowed his head respectively to the couple and murmured apologies to the queen for his interruption.
Before he could get a word in, the Elven Queen hopped up out of her seat and clapped her hands together. "Show them in, Erastus!" she crowed excitedly. Her king shook his head in an exasperated manner. Erastus disappeared from the large hall and came back in just a few moments with a very tall wizard in grey blue robes and what looked to be the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins behind him.
Thranduil's eyebrows rose in surprise as they stopped in front of him. "Well, Gandalf the Grey and the burglar Bilbo Baggins are here." He turned to the captain of the guard. "You are dismissed." Erastus left the room with a bow and silent footsteps. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"
Gandalf leaned on his staff and pulled a pipe out of his sleeve. "Bilbo and I have a few things to discuss with you, and we were hoping to stay as guests." At this Gandalf flicked his eyes betwixt the royal couple. "If," he put heavy emphasis on the word, as if it held great meaning to the king, "you would not be bothered by it, of course. We do not wish to intrude."
Thranduil's eyes wandered over to the Elven Queen. He could practically feel the energy rolling off her and see her vibrating in her seat. As he opened his mouth, she practically shot out of her throne like an arrow loosed by his finest archers. She was in front of the pair before them with an unnatural speed. He could do naught but let out a heavy sigh. Why must she be so high strung?
"You are Gandalf the Grey and Bilbo Baggins?" she practically squealed. In the back of her head, an inner voice told her that her mother would have strongly disapproved of this behavior.
"Yes, we are," Bilbo stammered slightly. He wasn't quite shy usually, but something about the elf before him made it a bit harder for him to find words to roll forth from his mind.
"Oh this is so exciting!" the Elven Queen sighed. She was always a lover of tales of great adventure and danger. It was wonderful to meet the Hobbit who stood face to face with the magnificent dragon, Smaug, and stole gold and jewels right from under his smoking nose.
"You are the most beautiful creature that I have ever seen," Bilbo murmured. As soon as the words left his mouth, he slapped his hand over it and stared at her in horror. He had not meant to say that at all! Gandalf nearly fell over in surprise, while the Elven Queen turned crimson. Thranduil's hands tightened on the arms of his throne. "Oh my, I am so extraordinarily sorry, my lady. I meant no offense and I do not know why that came out. Please forgive me," the Hobbit pleaded. He looked so distressed, Astraia had no idea what to do or say.
Before anymore blunders could be made, Gandalf thought it would be best to step in and try his best to diffuse the situation. "My Lady, you seem to have an ethereal aura about you. Perhaps it is your hair, it seems to be made of starlight."
The queen felt much less awkward now. "Well, my name does mean starlight," she laughed.
"It does suit you," Gandalf replied with a smile and respectful inclination of his head.
Before another word could be said, Thranduil rose quickly from his chair. "You may reside here within my halls, friends. May I have a word with Gandalf alone?" he asked. If one would listen closely to his tone, however, it would be easy to tell he wasn't really asking, as much as he was commanding.
Astraia excitedly grabbed Bilbo by the arm and lead him from the hall. "Come with me, you can tell me all about your adventures with the Dwarves. Start from the very beginning!" she chirped. Thranduil tried to pretend he could not feel the slight twitch of his left eye as his Elven Queen left the room with the dirty little hobbit.
When Thranduil awoke from his reverie, he noticed the moon was rising through the sky. He sighed. Would Astraia be stumbling in late tonight, as she had the past few nights? She spent far more time with Bilbo Baggins the burglar than he was comfortable with. The Elven King dejectedly began his trek to his bedroom. It had been a long time since he had truly loved anyone and felt in such a way. Jealousy felt ugly and uncomfortable, festering under his skin. When he neared his chamber, he saw a soft light creeping under the heavy wooden aperture. Delicate singing could also be heard through the door. Thranduil made his way inside as quietly and stealthily as was possible for the tall, imposing elf. He saw his wife brushing her long silver hair in front of the looking glass above her vanity. He noticed that she seemed to look morose. He took a step closer, and that was when she saw him in the mirror. Startled, she dropped her brush on the floor as she ceased her singing and turned to face her husband.
"Oh Thranduil, you frightened me," she sighed. The Elven King sauntered up behind her and placed his large hands on her delicate shoulders.
"You've returned earlier than I would have expected tonight," he commented quietly.
Astraia screwed her eyes shut. She knew he'd be annoyed with her, but she just had so much fun listening to Bilbo's tales. He had so many. "I am sorry, my king. Bilbo's stories are just so captivating, and I love to listen to them." She opened her eyes and met his stormy ones in the mirror. "Please do not be upset."
"I am not upset," Thranduil shot back venomously. Of course his self control would betray him at a time like this.
"You are transparent, my king," Astraia shot back. "I do not understand why you are so upset with me." At those words, his hands tightened slightly on her shoulders, then released them. His hands clasped behind his back in his signature 'I'm angry, but I can control myself' power pose.
"I thought that I was your husband," the Elven King spat through gritted teeth, "not a filthy little Hobbit." He whirled around to face his wife and was shocked by the absolute hurt and anger in her eyes. His hands dropped to his sides.
"So that is why you have been so cold to me as of late?" she whispered past the lump in her throat and tears in her eyes. "You believe I am an adulterous flirt? You believe I would betray my husband with a Hobbit I just met not four days ago?" The tears began to overflow. Thranduil noted that even when she was crying, Astraia's beauty transcended that of any other he had ever met. "What have I done to deserve such distrust?" Her last question was sharp and met with stunned silence. It cut through the Elven King like the sharpest of Elvish blades. She was right of course, she had never done a single thing to earn his distrust. Astraia stood and made to march past her husband. He caught her arm quickly.
"My love, I am so sorry. I should not have been so quick to distrust you." He looked at his feet, seeing as he could not bear to look into her eyes. In doing so, he missed the wide-eyed look of surprise on his partner's face. "You are very precious to me and I do not want to lose you," Thranduil murmured.
"What are you saying?" Astraia breathed. The Elven King had never really expressed any affection for her, besides a fond smile when she thought he found her amusing.
"Oh you nonsensical little elf, I am telling you that I love you and I do not wish to lose you to anyone. Not a homely hobbit, not an aging wizard, and not another of my kin. I will fight for you if I have to. You are mine now." With that, Thranduil drew his wife closer to him and wrapped his arms around her protectively.
"I must admit, I thought you incapable of loving me."
Astraia was tall for a she-elf, but she was still not nearly as tall as her male counterpart. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Then let me show you just how much I love you."
Her face turned as red as dragon's fire. "I beg your pardon, my king?" she breathed.
He said no more as he swept her up bridal style and carried her over to their bed.
Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey stood in front of the vast wooden doors that led to the chambers of the King and Queen of the Mirkwood. Bilbo raised his hand to knock, when Gandalf suddenly caught it with his staff. "What's the matter?" he whispered.
"I believe it would be best if we came back later," Gandalf drawled. When Bilbo didn't move, Gandalf gave him a knowing look. The Hobbit finally caught and let out an "Oh!" in surprise and embarrassment.