The silence in the Greenwood halls made Emyra frown, the one thing she had always loved about the palace was how lively it was, while now, barely a soul muttered a word as if they were afraid to.
Emyra moved to the Gardens where she was planning on spending her day, but stopped at the entrance to see Thranduil sitting on what she still referred to as "Their favorite bench". Emyra noticed the book set delicately on his lap and was hesitant to disturb him. She carefully moved and sat on the other side of the bench, Thranduil looked over at her with raised eyebrows.
"If you came here, expecting me to talk to you about how I am feeling, you are very mistaken, Emyra Amrunelen." Emyra looked down at her hands, no one had referred to her by her full name in years. Amrunelen, translated meant morningstar, and Emyra Morningstar is not a name heard often but one known well.
"I wasn't looking for you at all." Emyra replied looking back at him. "I just wanted to spend time in the Gardens, and you happened to be here."
"An odd coincidence then?" Thranduil looked back down at his book.
"Yes, I suppose so." Emyra replied, she watched as Thranduil closed his book, he stood up looking over at her.
"I have things to do, Emyra." Emyra's stomach twisted, he had said that to her before, she simply nodded.
"I know." She smiled softly at him watching as he disappeared again, she let out a shaky sigh, standing, she walked around the Garden's for what seemed like hours.
~*~
Emyra handed her horses reins to the elf who offered to take the Mare, her red hair looked more brown as she was drenched with rain. Her black dress violently pulled against her legs in the rough wind.
It had been decided almost ten years before that Emyra would take up permanent residence in Greenwood, for what her father had said was Diplomatic reason's, it was always politics with him. Her family had visited her every three months, but her recent visit to her home was the first in years, Her father had passed on, and her brother had been crowned the King.
Thranduil had called an urgent meeting which is why Emyra had left her home in haste, she moved to her chambers to change into a colored dress as Thranduil did not know the reason of her trip home and she wanted to keep it that way.
The world of Politics however, had always been something Emyra was not particularly interested in. In her opinion the entire concept existed solely on boring people half to death, and then providing an excuse to finish the job. Emyra simply dealt with it, it was one of her duties to her Kingdom and to Thranduil's, Politics in itself was just a battlefield, just one fought with their words and wit, rather than sword and arrow. It was tedious and Emyra had no patience for it.
She walked into the room, and everyone but Thranduil stood greeting her before sitting back down, Emyra took her usual seat at the other end of the table, she was staring right at Thranduil and he was staring right at her. She wasn't exactly presentable for court, she looked like a drown rat, her red hair almost looked brown and was matted from riding in the storm, all she really wanted to do was clean up and go to bed.
When the meeting on how the growing evil threatened all Kingdoms in middle earth was over; Emyra waited for everyone to leave as she always did, when everyone had left Emyra and Thranduil stood at the same time. Thranduil walked over to her.
"I apologize for cutting your visit home short, but there were pressing matters."
"I understand." Emyra replied. "Politics." Thranduil chuckled slightly, she had always hated politics. Thranduil gently picked up a piece of Emyra's now dry hair, her stomach twisted again.
"Emyra...Why have you stayed so long?" Thranduil questioned looking her in the eyes. "Its been almost twelve years."
"I worry about you." Was her only reply, and it was a true reply, she went to add the part about how her Father made her rejoin the council even though she never officially left, but before she could say another word Thranduil's lips were against hers, his arm wrapped around her waist and she was pressed against his lean body.
When their kiss broke, Emyra looked up at Thranduil, her cheeks were flushed and her breathing labored. He looked as if he was going to say something but instead kissed her again.
"I'm tired of pretending." He whispered to her. "All we have done, for the past so many years is pretend, pretending we aren't hurting one another, pretending we are simply friends." Emyra looked up at him. "I do not want to pretend anymore."
"Nor do I."