This chap is about 2,600 words. Thank you all reviewers, those that fav and follows. I'm going for a trip to Italy tomorrow so I won't write much before I am home again (not bringing my laptop), but for now there is this chapter.
R&R! Enjoy!
Chapter 7:
Calithilel woke up from feeling unusual warmth. Her eyes shot open and she stared right at another body. Shock filled her as she stared at the king in her bed – well, technically it was his – and she had to hold herself from shrinking away from him and falling off the bed. She was more covered than she had been, a thick blanket was now covering her, while the white sheet was missing. She narrowed her eyes while looking at him. But what could she do? She did not have her clothes, and she refused to wear a dress.
She snuck out of bed and made her way to the bathing room door. Carefully she opened it and hurried inside. She went straight for the closet and opened the doors. Of course, it had to be his clothes, she thought sourly. However, after looking some she found a white robe that she pulled over her head. Covered she went back into the room and tiptoed over to the other door. She glanced once at Thranduil but he seemed asleep. A small smile graced her lips and she tried to push the door open. It budged. She peeked out but there were no guards.
"Their first mistake," she whispered and stepped out. Then she ran.
She had no idea where she ran. Inside her she felt like a string wanted to drag her back towards Thranduil, but she would not have it. She did not pay much attention to where she ran and she certainly did not expect to run straight into a red-haired elleth.
"Oof." She fell to her butt and the other female did the same. For a moment the two just stared at each other. "Tauriel! I'm so sorry!" she then gushed, much without thinking. Crap! she then thought.
Tauriel's eyes narrowed. "You're supposed to be in the dungeons!" she accused. "How did you escape?!"
Both females were back standing, but Tauriel had weapons, Calithilel not. "Yes. The dungeons," Calithilel said slowly. She has not been informed that I was moved?
"How did you escape?" Tauriel asked again, drawing her sword and pointing it at her neck.
"Tauriel!"
Legolas' voice made Calithilel turn, not thinking of the blade pressed to her neck. She felt a sting, but ignored it.
"My lord, Legolas. This prisoner has escaped the dungeons."
"No, she has not escaped the dungeons. She was moved to my father's room. That is where she made her escape." His eyes narrowed while looking at Calithilel.
"He has no right to keep me in there!" Calithilel said angrily. "I refuse to share a room with him!"
"He told me you are mates," Legolas said with raised brows.
"How is that possible?" Tauriel gasped.
Calithilel shrugged. "Well, I don't like him, and I'm leaving."
Tauriel and Legolas' eyes drifted to her neck and they both winced. In reflex, she took to her neck and felt a lot of liquid. She moved her hand and saw all the blood. She swallowed. "Er, do you have any healers here that could stitch me up first?" she asked a bit hesitantly. "Before you lock me up again…" She started to feel dizzy. The robe she was wearing had soaked up a lot of blood and she wondered how much she had lost. How sharp had that blade even been? She briefly wondered about that while Legolas took to leading her. Her sight wavered and she stumbled, falling into him. "Sorry," she whispered. Her sight clouded briefly with black dots and she grunted with annoyance. She had to keep walking.
"Legolas, I think you should carry her," Tauriel suggested. "She is barely able to walk on."
Power and anger went through Calithilel and she knew Thranduil had awoken. She also knew he could feel her, even if it was a weak link between them. However, she knew he was approaching her, though still far away. It sounded like guards storming the place close to the area they were in, and Legolas sent Tauriel to inform them of what had occurred and where she was being led. She stumbled again and cursed. She took her hand to her neck. Her stress made her heart beat faster and to pump more blood through her system. She groaned and fell to her knees. "I cannot see," she moaned and tried to reach for anything in front of her.
Suddenly she felt Legolas through her emotions, through a different link of sorts. He was worried about her and tried to calm her down with his feelings.
My connection with souls, she realized. It did not only work on animals, but also people close to her, in a sense. Since Thranduil was her mate, and Legolas his son, it was natural for her to feel him, even if she was not his mother and did not know him well yet, or at least so she guessed.
"I will carry you," she heard Legolas whisper.
Frantic she held out both arms and he lifted her up. She heard an angry roar and shouts coming closer. She had no energy to open her eyes again or respond. She felt herself go limp in Legolas' arms, and then she simply floated.
When Calithilel awoke, she knew it had passed enough days. She briefly heard two elves talking about a recent escape from the dwarves, and that both Tauriel and Legolas had gone after them. It put questions towards their king, especially when it concerned both his son and the captain of the guard, both had defied his orders and gone after the dwarves, for the youngest had been badly wounded. At least within her heart she knew Kíli would be alright. She then tried to turn but could not even lift a finger. She groaned. She felt hands on her. Warm hands trying to calm her down. She drifted again.
The next time she awoke, she blinked. She could see clearly again and she was looking straight into familiar blue eyes. They were not as cold as they had been the last time she had looked into them, this time they shone with worry. She bit back any comments that might have wanted to escape her lips. Her lips barely parted.
"Do not speak. You need rest." His voice was not as cold as she had expected it to be and her eyes widened at the soft tone.
"Where…" she whispered.
He raised a brow. "Where you are?"
She nodded.
"In the healing wing." He looked away and towards the opening of the room. "Some of my guards found something belonging to you in the woods. Also they discovered that parts of the woods had healed, where it should have been sick."
Her eyes closed, but when she opened them she nearly burst out laughing, and she would have had it not been for her pain. Thranduil was holding one of her bras with a strange expression.
"Several of these were found in the bag. Something matching as well and I can only guess it is some sort of undergarment, but I've never seen anything like it."
She giggled, not able to help herself. A hand raised to her throat and she frowned.
"Do not strain yourself. The stitches might reopen."
"My clothes?" she asked, still not able to raise her voice higher.
"They are in place in your bag."
She breathed out.
He arose and she stared at him. In a way she did not want him to go, but at once as the thought passed she pushed it away and closed her eyes. He told her to rest and then he left, leaving her with her own thoughts. For how long would she be trapped to this bed?
The answer came sooner than she thought, for already the second day, one of the healers and Taenil came to help her up and out of the bed. They followed her to all too familiar quarters and she tried to stop and wrestle her way from the two, but she was still healing and a bit weak and she ended up glaring at the two elves when they left her in Thranduil's room. With a sigh she sat down on the bed, feeling too weak to do much else. Anger coursed through her and she stood with determination. How dared they? The feeling of dizziness made her sway and she felt herself fall back towards the bed. She grunted upon impact. The wound was close to being almost completely healed, although, it was a day or two left.
Her eyes landed on her backpack and she turned on the bed. Carefully she stretched her left arm towards it and took hold. She went through it with surprise. The Vala had given her more of her own underwear that she was comfortable with using. She giggled to herself when remembering the first time she discovered she had a part of her own clothes with her and the seamstress' curiosity on the garment in Lórien. Hurriedly she managed to wriggle her way out of the gown she wore. She strapped on her favorite bra and then with surprise she found her nightdress. The first one she made after arriving in Middle-earth. A soft smile graced her lips while she pulled it over her head. One of the arms were a tiny bit longer then the other, but that was the charm. It was her first after all and she did not have heart to part with it. She lowered the backpack back to the floor and closed it tight. "He better not go through my stuff again," she muttered and lifted her legs so she could cover them under the blanket.
She wondered what she could do and how to make her escape. First of all she had to get better, that was priority. But when her wound was healed she had to make sure that she kept a clear head. She knew how she could escape, the question was a bit more like how would she manage it? She would have to play a little nicer to Thranduil. The thought made her gag. That man knew how to get under her skin! Well, elf would be the correct term, she reminded herself. She crept more under the covers and stared at the roof. It was no point in being too difficult when she needed this rest. She closed her eyes.
Thranduil stormed through the castle towards his quarters. The female, Silver as he only knew her by, had been moved to his room and he was determined to learn more about her. The sudden fear of losing her had caught up to him after she had been wounded, and so easily too. He did not know he could feel such fear again, but losing his former wife did not compare to losing Silver. She was his second chance and he never imagined to feel such a strong connection. Stronger than ever and they were not even mated.
He carefully opened the door and looked inside with caution. She was asleep and he felt himself breathe out unexpectedly. He stepped inside and closer to the bed. Her light shone brightly while her chest rose and fell steadily. Just two days past her light had almost dimmed out, and now he watched while her light only grew in brightness as she slept. Yes, she was healing well and he would have to be on guard around her. She was sneaky, but at the same time he could not blame her. One part of him wanted to keep her close and out of harm's way forever. Another part of him knew she could take care of herself just fine and that she would get more angry with him if he tried to keep her locked up. It was a step he would have to take, and whether he was ready or not was not an option. He could simply not lose her.
Sitting beside her only made him more curious about her. She was something indeed, but yet a stranger. He had not known he would ever share a part of himself with her, but when she was on the verge of dying, he shared a bit of his light with her. It had helped, more than he expected, but he wondered what the consequences would be. After all, he could already feel the bond between them growing stronger.
He had to protect her. That was his strongest desire as of now. Ever since she had ended up in the healing quarters, he had mostly stayed by her side. He had a lot of time to think, but most of the time he was only present with his mind cleared. He was unsure of what to do with Legolas. He would always worry for his son, but as of now, the elleth on his bed was his biggest worry. He knew Legolas could care for himself. What about this Silver? She had proved herself capable enough, so how did she manage to get so easily hurt? A silly mistake had Legolas called it. But he had felt such rage over his mate being hurt that the strong emotion almost was overwhelming. He felt his chest tighten a little. It was not for a king to cry or feel the need to cry like he was now, but yet he sat with misty eyes. He did not shed any tears for he knew she was safe and out of danger.
He stretched out a hand and took her right one in his. A tiny part of him was amused that she had chosen to lay down on his usual side, while another one a little annoyed. He squeezed her hand lightly and let go. Arising from his position he suddenly felt angry. Angry that she could stir up such a mess of emotions within him. Though at the same time he could not truly be angry with her. No, he was angry with himself. For he had let this happen. He had let himself feel open to this new elleth in his life. He had shared a part of himself with her. So who was she to come and change how things were? Why did she test his patience?
"She has a strong free will, Thranduil." the voice inside his head startled him. It was so faint that he was not completely sure if he had heard right. It was without doubt a male voice. A powerful one.
He opened the door and looked one last time behind himself before shaking his head. She was not his former wife. She had been sweet, kind, fierce when needed, but also opposed him at times, and he had loved her greatly. This elleth was determined to fight him for some reason and he wanted to figure out why. She was almost hostile in her ways towards him, while at other times he could almost feel the concern she had for him. That underneath it all she did care for him.
Strong free will, he thought over once more while sitting on his throne. She was of another world. Different upbringing than the elves, though she had learned the ways of the elves. For one to have lived with the Lady Galadriel though, and not being able to speak with the dwarves. Yes, he had noticed her lack of understanding and he wondered why that was. There was simply so many questions to be answered but so little time. It was only a matter of time now that the dragon would awake and he had to keep his people safe as well as his second chance of a one. How could he convince her to stay without sounding forceful?
Thranduil did not notice the quiet warning in the back of his head from Manwë, and maybe he should have tried to listen to him, for the elleth in his room had a task to complete.
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- Moonlight Starlove