Chapter 19

Sîr-e-Ndaedelos

Oropher sat at the head of the table; the two elves beside him were awkwardly silent. It was their fourth day of being like that, and the king had no idea what was happening. Most of the nights would be filled with glares and huffs, some muttering under the breath, and a little roll of eyes from the umber-haired minstrel. And when that happened, Oropher would turn to Thranduil, who would only growl in return. From those hostile nights, the King thought something came between the two young elves. He wanted to talk it over to Thranduil, but the moment every dinner was finished, the elf prince would immediately excuse himself. And Erynlith would follow, after bidding the King goodnight, and she would spare Thranduil another glare.

"Amusing, aren't they?" Oropher once told his dark-haired female Chief Counselor.

She glanced up from her written reports, humoring the King, and went back to her work. "Yes, they are, my lord."

Her ebony hair was neatly braided over her shoulder, and was simply adorned with a yellow flower that she found in the gardens. Slender fingers hurriedly worked her report, as her bright blue eyes occasionally looked up to look at the Sindarin elf.

"Do you think Thranduil might have liked her?" the King continued, completely unaware of the reason why he was there in the first place. They received a message from Elrond a few days after Erynlith arrived. It was no message of greetings, but instead, of warfare. Elrond mentioned the gathering of the armies in Lindon, and that the High King would muster all the elves soon.

"He might," she answered. "My lord, if the War breaks again, what should happen to Greenwood?" This counselor was more concerned of real events than the King's musings of his son's fondness to their guest. "Prince Thranduil should finish the architectural design of the planned northern fortress. If that fortress is finished before the War, perhaps our people could retreat there for safety."

"Of course, Celairis," King Oropher replied, giving her a thoughtful look. "I believe with Thranduil's spare time, he should be done with the plans by now. Will you fetch the thing for me? We should really begin fortifying the fortress. Send word to Raithon. He should prepare his Elven-guard for battle. The armory should be filled, and the forges be manned by the smiths."

"Should we really march to battle, my lord?" Celairis asked, standing up from the desk and piling her papers neatly. Warfare never interested her; it was too dangerous for their simple Silvan folk. And she was one of them, a native in Greenwood the Great, and taking Oropher as their King seemed like the best option they had. These Sindar knew warfare better than them.

"There is nothing else we can do." Suddenly, the King looked solemn. The light in his eyes dimmed, as though he was taken back years before he was monarch. Then, he looked at her and smiled weakly. "Please, fetch Thranduil's report about the fortress. We should begin our everlasting preparations."

Thranduil looked at his finished sketch. What he had imagined of the northern fortress, with the additional remarks from Raithon, the work was already done, and he was proud of it. He imagined the fortress to be delved deep underground, just like another Elven-city centuries ago, and the pillars were wooden, and the lamps hung on each. The interior was finished, although carelessly drawn, but he did not care anymore.

He was bored. To be more precise, he felt incomplete. For the past days, he tried to shift his attention elsewhere. He would run around the palace, thoroughly checking each significant place, and then visit Raithon in the outpost or Santien in the infirmary. Still, he felt incomplete, and he refused to admit why. Ever since the little argument and the almost disastrous outcome a few days ago, he had purposely avoided Erynlith. He was too upset to even think about it, how she tried to hurt him. He expected her to apologize, just as she apologized in Lórinand, because they both knew it was entirely her fault. But no; she did not apologize. Instead, she kept glaring and huffing, and on one occasion, bumped into him and spilled his wine on his precious blue robe. She didn't even apologize back then, and it was insulting for his part.

But even if he was angry at her, he could see the loneliness in Erynlith's eyes as well. She did not leave the palace since, seemingly contented on sulking inside her room. Her attendant and friend Amardís kept her company every once in a while. She occasionally visited Santien in the infirmary, when she had nothing better to do. Fortunately, the usually aloof healer welcomed her uninvited presence.

"Lord Thranduil?" Celairis' voice rang by the doorway. He quickly stood up to admit her inside the room, but she seemed contented to be standing outside. "King Oropher has asked for your works. The planning should begin soon, and your layout of the northern fortress is needed." She sounded demanding, but her voice was soft and cordial. For some reason, Thranduil felt light with her, and he handed over the paper of his work.

"Will there be a council soon?" he asked her.

She shook her head, dark hair swaying as she did so. "I think there will be, and someone will notify you. Thank you for the design. Good night, my lord." Celairis bowed and left, not wanting to share more idle talk with the elf prince. She was far too busy, and the treatment of Thranduil to Erynlith was quite well-known in the palace. She wouldn't want to be caught up in that.

Sighing to himself, Thranduil grabbed his cloak and went outside. The night was chilly, and snow was coming in fast. He had no particular place in mind to wander off to, but he wanted to clear his mind from all the work. He had read Elrond's message, of the upcoming war, and it made him shudder. He had seen fights here and there, but never a big battle. During his lazy time in the library, he would worry about their victory.

At last, he decided to visit Raithon.

"Good evening, my lord," the guards greeted him when he reached the outpost.

Thranduil nodded and asked for his friend, but one guard told him that the captain had left with the minstrel. His eyebrow arched at that term, clearly convinced that Erynlith was no minstrel, and suddenly, he realized that his friend was actually with her. Nonetheless, he thanked the guard and went off to where Raithon and Erynlith had gone off to. It was not very far from the outpost, and was not hard to find.

What he found next was intriguing.

Erynlith held a bow in her hands, with Raithon behind her and guiding her aim. His arms were around her, lifting the bow a little, as he instructed something to her. She nodded and aimed again. Thranduil's eyes followed the released arrow, and it hit the edge of the target. His eyes went back to Erynlith again and saw the disappointed look in her eyes.

"Don't worry!" He heard Raithon say, walking off to fetch the spent arrow. "It's really hard on the first try. But I thought Thranduil said you hunted orcs before?"

She shrugged, slumping on the ground. "Lucky shot, I guess, tra-la."

"Well, you have potential," Raithon assured her. "Just remember not to close your eye when you aim, and consider the wind."

"Yes, will do, tra-lil-lay," Erynlith beamed and smiled at the captain.

Again, Thranduil's brow arched. It was the first time since their argument that he had seen her smile. He never knew Raithon and Erynlith were such good friends, but he wouldn't be surprised. Raithon was too friendly and warm with everyone, despite being Captain of the Guards. Perhaps it was his friendliness and Erynlith's sincerity that brought them together. He continued to watch from the shadows, contented of being unseen by them. He enjoyed watching them, especially when it was rare for Raithon to teach someone how to wield a bow. His guards did that kind of work to the inexperienced young guards.

When Thranduil yawned involuntarily, he knew the night had gotten into him, and he had to return to his chambers. He was reluctant to leave his hiding place, for a reason that he couldn't explain, but he spared one more glance at them. They were still training archery, with Erynlith learning things by each passing hour, and Raithon was patient with her learning. The target was filled with arrows, and the captain would always fetch them back.

"They'll be fine," Thranduil reassured himself and went back into the palace.

The next morning, or the fifth morning of their constant avoidance of each other, Erynlith did not join the King and his son for breakfast. Initially, Thranduil had thought she had overslept and gave it no further attention. But his father was insistent and would not start breakfast without her. Before he could send a butler to ask for her, Amardís arrived.

"My lord," she said worriedly, and Thranduil looked at her attentively. "I cannot find Lady Erynlith anywhere. She must have left the palace."

Instantly, Thranduil jolted up from his seat and sprinted out of the banquet halls. He gave no word to his father, which was quickly understood by him. As he left their sights, Amardís turned to the King. Oropher chuckled and sipped from his wine. His own little game was in motion. "Good acting, dear girl," he said victoriously.

Somehow, Thranduil knew exactly where to search for her. When he passed the outpost, and the guards told him that Erynlith had been there, he had no doubt anymore. His bow and sword were with him in case something bad happened. He ran through the trees and jumped over bushes. In no time, he arrived in the same river bank as before. He found Erynlith kneeling on the edge, looking down at her lost dagger. The other one was still embedded on the tree trunk.

"You…" Erynlith hissed at the sight of Thranduil. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" He countered, walking towards her. "Breakfast is ready. The King is waiting."

"And my dagger has been waiting for five days." She snorted. "It's about time for you fetching it, tra-la."

Thranduil blinked at her. She was still trying to press that matter? But it had been five days; he had no time to argue with her now. Slowly, he discarded his outer silver robe and allowed it to pool at his feet. Next, he removed his inner tunic and boots. Erynlith gaped, her cheeks quickly flushing light red at the sight of the elf prince.

"W-What are you d-d-d-oing?!"

He smirked as he tossed his boots aside. What he wore now was only his dark trousers. His skin was warm against the sunlight, but he thought a little swim shouldn't hurt. "Doing you a favor," he answered coolly. He offered a hand to her. "Want to join me for a swim, little one?"

She slapped his hand away. "Not in your life! Get going, tra-lo."

He laughed and dove into the water. The loud splash soaked Erynlith, but she kept sitting on the edge. Thranduil was an adept swimmer, and retaking a dagger back should be no problem to him. There he saw it. The blade was gleaming bright amidst the rocks, and he reached out to grab it. The currents were strong enough to wash him away, but he kept his hold firm on a boulder. Not long after, he emerged at the middle of the river, holding up the white dagger.

"Is this what you are looking for?" He crooned, tucking a lock of his golden hair behind his ear. He was smirking now; the days of hostility to each other were long gone. He waved the dagger back and forth. "Come and get it…"

Erynlith threw a pebble at him. "Thranduil! I have no time for your games! Give that back right now!"

"Why don't you get it instead?" He simpered. His companion clamped her mouth shut in defeat. Then, realization dawned to him. There was always a reason why she did not pursue the dagger even it was easy to do so. He was a fool for not realizing it too early. He smirked at her, now knowing one of her many secrets.

"You can't swim, can you?"

She did not answer.

"I thought as much."

He laughed and swam back towards the edge. He saw Erynlith was ready to retrieve the dagger from him. His mind instantly thought of something mischievous, and he kept his sly smile hidden. When he reached the banks and was about to pull himself out, he grabbed Erynlith by the shoulder and pulled her back into the water with him. In that precise moment, Thranduil swam back into the deeper part of the river, with Erynlith gasping for air beside him.

"THRANDUIL!"

Her voice screaming his name was music to his ears. She desperately clung onto his arms and neck, one arm draped over his shoulder in fear of drowning. Underneath the water, her legs were wrapped around his waist as she kept her head out of the water. But Thranduil was only laughing at her. His left arm was carefully snaked around her waist to ensure her firm position on him.

"Bring me back to shore right now! Thranduil!"

"No." Thranduil continued to laugh. "Stop squirming or we'll both drown!"

But she continued thrashing around, the water splashed on their faces, and he kept his balance still. His friend, however, was panicking beside him. She was trying to get away from him, but as the same time, trying not to drown. It was a silly turn of events for both of them.

"Stop it!" Erynlith screamed, her legs now kicking and her arms wrapped around his neck tightly. "Bring me back now or you'll regret it, Thranduil! Stop it!"

He pretended to loosen his grip around her waist, and instantly, she slipped from his body. She quickly grabbed his shoulder back and clung onto him, now shivering from the cold waters. She pounded his shoulder and shouted in his ears, still demanding to be brought back into the shore. But he was enjoying his time with her, in the middle of a rushing river, and his grip on a nearby boulder was still firm. The dagger dangled on his right hand, while the left supported Erynlith's weight beside him.

"First, tell me how sorry you are."

"What?!" She glared yet again despite her compromising situation.

"It is your fault why we never talked to each other for days, why we purposely ignored and annoyed each other for five days. I want you to apologize for spilling my wine on my shirt, for bumping on me several times in the hallways, and for almost hurting me with your dagger." His voice was teasing but somehow demanding. "I want you to apologize for all that. Then, I might reconsider of sparing your life from drowning. And how can you not know how to swim?"

"Shut up!" Erynlith cried and Thranduil loosened his grip around her waist once more. In an instant, she clung onto his neck tighter, her face burying at the crook of his neck. "Fine, fine, I am sorry! I am sorry for acting such an undignified elf for a few days! I am sorry about your precious robe, okay? Now, please, bring me back to shore!"

Thranduil laughed and brushed his lips against her forehead, reassuring her. Slowly, he swam back to shore and lifted her up. Erynlith collapsed on the ground, gasping and panting, as Thranduil pulled himself out of the water and sat beside her. He dropped the dagger and squeezed the water out of his pale golden hair. He was smiling down at her as she coughed and glared at him.

"I hate you…" She mumbled, collapsing again on the ground.

"I know," he simply said and went back to fetch his dry clothing. Then, he slumped back on the ground beside her, as though basking in the warm sunlight. "You will feel terrible if you wear those soaked tunic and trousers, you know…"

She scoffed. "Doesn't matter, the prince was too mischievous today."

"Tell me about it."

And in that haughty comment, Erynlith pulled out one of her boots and threw it at him. Thranduil evaded it, and the boot flew across the field and out of their sight.

"Ah, look what you've done!" She looked at Thranduil accusingly. "Get it back!"

"What?" He sounded dejected. "Go get it yourself this time! I already got your dagger so go get your stupid boot!"

"Fine!" Erynlith stomped away, feeling silly for having only one boot on. The other flew behind the thick bushes, and it was such a hassle to go after it. She hoped the prince was in a good mood to get it back as well. But he was not, and she was forced fetch it. She began to occupy herself with a little hum. "Stupid, stupid Thranduil…"

When Erynlith reached the bushes, she crouched and searched for her missing boot. She looked under thick thorny bushes, between rocks and grasses, but there was none. She muttered a curse in Elvish and continued searching; it would be shameful if she returned empty-handed. And Thranduil would once again tease her about it. She had had enough of his antics and wished for him to act more maturely. She was not that mischievous back in Rivendell anyway.

A low growl stopped her from her crawl, and warily, she looked up. Not far away from her, a Warg was sniffing on her boot, its saliva trickling from its opened jaw. She gulped and backed away, only to hit something else. It was soft… and warm, fearfully warm.

Next Chapter: Erynlith and Thranduil in action, and some moment between them... probably.

Author's Notes: I tried updating chapters last night but won't let me log in. Were there any problems in the site? Some party I missed? Anyway! I hope you enjoy this little mischief by the river, courtesy of Thranduil. No, really; if he began stripping off of his clothes in front of me, I would faint on the spot. I would not be able to handle such Elvish beauty. (*¬*)

*Yavanna and SunStar - Thank you for leaving reviews on the first three chapters. It is very nice to meet you, and I like that your name starts with "Yavanna". Gotta love The Silmarillion!

*Wunderkind4006 - Thank you for the long review! I am glad you appreciate the story and the characters. As for Oropher's characterization, I do believe that, as a father, he has natural warmth and love for Thranduil. And I have never seen him and Thranduil as a cold characters; not before The Hobbit film trilogy came out, where Thranduil was portrayed as a very cold character.

*KrystylSky - Women's minds are indeed traps, even for a woman like me. LOL.

*Oriana5 - Yes, they should! Someone has to make a move. But who? Hmm.

*Asmodeus Black - Yes, Thranduil can really be a jerk sometimes. Thank you for the review!

*DeLacus - Really good to have you back! I also missed Erynlith's singsong, so I'll add some more in the upcoming chapters. Thank you for the review!

For your reading pleasure~