"Your Majesty, I... it is not necessary... I would not wish to impose-" Tamuril stammered out as she spun around to face him.

"If it were an imposition." Thranduil cut her off smoothly, raising a hand slightly as he blinked dispassionately back at her. "Then I would not have bothered to open my mouth." He said simply, gaze lingering on her for a moment before he turned his attention to the space behind her, where Feren still stood. "Assist the lady, please."

Then he was gone and Tamuril turned back to Feren, doing her best to keep how stunned she was off her face, doubting that she managed it. She could already imagine just how awkward it would be, dancing around the way she had spoken to Thranduil the night before. She had forgotten her place, she already knew this. This was not like when he would visit Rivendell and bestow some off handed remark upon her that she might find herself returning. He was to be her King now, after all, since she had practically forced herself upon his realm... and she needed to begin acting like it.

"I'll help!" Nessa chimed in, smiling brightly between Feren and Tamuril. Feren offered Tamuril a mildly confused smile and gestured for her to follow as he made after Nessa. With a sigh, Tamuril forced one foot in front of the other and trailed behind them. She really didn't think that this was a job for three but she didn't linger on it.

Thranduil's tent was huge. Tamuril thought that it was larger than necessary but she didn't say it out loud. She reminded herself that she needed to do better about holding her tongue. She was irritable of late, yes, but that was hardly the fault of any of those around her.

"I believe that is you all set, my lady." Feren said, after helping set her bedroll out in the empty corner, smiling at her as if this were a most normal occurrence. Tamuril felt otherwise but she managed a little smile back at him, watching him take his leave. She kind of wanted to flee again, feeling like a lecture could be on its way to her this night.

Nessa gave her a sympathetic look, reaching out to take her hand briefly. "I'm sure he won't even want to talk that much." She said, aware somehow that Tamuril was worrying about disrespecting the King the previous night. "But... you know... if he does. Just..." She paused, looking at Tamuril as Tamuril stared back at her for a beat. "...be nice."

With those parting words of wisdom, Nessa was gone, leaving Tamuril blinking after her. She gritted her teeth and turned around, surveying the tent. It was much bigger than all the others and she supposed that made sense but she thought it was a little over the top. In the uncomfortable silence that fell over her as she stood there alone, Tamuril crept around the tent, exploring. She was just reaching out to inspect something on a little table when a sudden voice made her jump.

"You know, it is impolite to go looking through other people's belongings."

Thranduil.

How did he keep sneaking up on her like that?!

Tamuril spun around on the spot, an embarrassed heat rushing to her cheeks. "I..." She trailed off as she met his eyes and lowered her gaze, having the good grace to look sheepish.

He moved past her, round the other side of the table, and poured himself some wine from the carafe that was set up for him.

Tamuril shuffled away, moving awkwardly over to where she was to sleep for that night, wondering if she would be able to switch off at all with the King's presence so immediate.

"Would you like some?" Thranduil's deep voice followed her and when she turned he was watching her intently, one hand gesturing to the wine on the table.

She hesitated for a second, gaze flickering between Thranduil and the table and then she decided that some liquid courage might actually help so she nodded and trailed back over to him. She intended to fetch it herself but Thranduil had already reached out to pour some for her.

"Thank you." She managed, taking the offered drink from him. She raised it to her lips and had a sip, the drink warming her quite quickly.

"I, uh." Tamuril started to speak again, as Thranduil moved back around the table and over to a chair near to his own sleeping area, sitting down and lounging gracefully in the seat. He didn't speak, drinking his wine as he watched her with those intense eyes.

She did her best not to fidget as she continued, gripping the stem of the chalice in her hand like it was a lifeline. "I'm... I wanted to say sorry. About... last night. I..." She wanted to lower her gaze as his own was pinning her in place but she felt that would make her seem as if she didn't actually mean the words she was speaking. "I should not have spoken to you like that."

Another silence stretched between the both of them. Thranduil didn't take his eyes from Tamuril's, watching her squirm with an amusement that he kept well hidden. He made her suffer for a while more before he simply shrugged and set aside his goblet.

"It is forgiven." He ignored Tamuril's surprised expression as he waved a hand slightly, effectively ending the conversation.

His attention drifted elsewhere and Tamuril watched him for a second longer before she turned away, frowning softly, and padded over to where she was to sleep for the night. She couldn't tell whether or not she felt better for it but at least she had said it. Yet another silence followed in which she gulped down the rest of the wine and set the empty cup to the side.

The two of them didn't speak again and Tamuril eventually slipped into her bed and lay with her back to him, making herself as small and quiet as she could. She thought she felt eyes on her but she knew she was simply being paranoid so she did her best to just stay still and quiet, trying to drift off to sleep. She heard him move eventually, padding towards his own bed, where she heard some shuffling and then, once more, silence.

Tamuril was running through the grass surrounding Lórien, laughing wildly, fighting against her boots as they sunk beneath the proof of the previous nights blizzard. She could not walk atop the snow but the elf who was chasing her certainly could.

Haldir left barely a footprint behind him as he charged after her, his gentle laughter filling her with a happiness she couldn't even describe.

Arms caught her round the waist and she squealed, both of their laughter mingling together as Haldir lifted her off the ground and swung her around.

Once he set her down again, she turned to look up at him.

He leaned in to kiss her.

Then the image twisted and changed.

Darkness had fallen and she felt like she was stuck in a swamp, she was moving her legs but she was getting nowhere. A light in the distance suddenly began to spread, lighting up snapshots of the battlefield ahead of her.

Haldir was falling.

There was blood everywhere.

She was screaming but she could not move.

He was too far away.

She could not reach him.

Haldir hit the ground.

He went stll.

"Tamuril..." His voice echoed around her, suffocating her, pulling her down into the depths of despair once more. His warm eyes, now dead and unseeing, swam across her vision.

A different voice suddenly cut through the chaos, trying to reach her. "Tamuril."

She was still screaming.

"Tamuril."

Blood. Snow.

"Tamuril!" The voice came again, louder and more demanding, pulling her back with a rush.

Her eyes flew open and she gasped for breath. Her dream bled away, melting back into reality. When she fully refocused, Tamuril found herself staring into intense blue eyes that were all too familiar by this point.