THE FORGOTTEN

Mereth Heleg

Ice Festival

Author's note: The chapter in which – the elves go to Dale for an ice festival and Lothril has a time! …Alrighty, so this is MUCH closer to what I originally envisioned for chapter 25. Until it ran away from me and I got tricked by a bunch of elves into this chaos. Also, this is a whopping huge chapter. It's 42 pages. That makes it officially the longest single chapter in this series. And it's a heck of a good time!

"Have you asked her yet?" Thranduil asked one morning at breakfast.

"Asked me what?" Lothril asked, looking between Thranduil and Legolas.

"Not directly," Legolas answered his father then turned to Lothril and said, "Do you remember how I told you about the ice fishing festival in Dale?"

"I do."

"It starts in two days. Would you like to go?" Legolas asked.

For a second she almost looked serious as she thought it over but then she said, "You know what, yes. I would like to go."

"Good because I told both King Bard and King Thorin* to expect all three of us," Thranduil said with a little smirk.

She made a slightly disapproving face and said, "Hmm… this sounds uncomfortably official."

Thranduil laughed. "Worry not. It is only slightly official and mostly friendly. I have not had a chance to visit either king since they were crowned and this provides a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere in which to do so."

"Regardless, you will charm them all I am certain," Legolas said and leaned over and gave her a swift little kiss that showed he was utterly confident in his assertion. "And we truly will be spending most of our time enjoying the festivities, I promise."

After breakfast Lothril rapidly found out that this trip was simultaneously planned and last minute. Everything was packed and ready to go except for herself and even at that, Estelneth had everything she could possibly want for this trip set aside and ready to be put in her trunks at a moment's notice. Unlike the hunting trip, Estelneth was going to be accompanying her along with a couple other servants as well as a number of royal guards, amongst whom was Raithon. It was looking like it would be quite the entourage heading out from the Woodland Realm, as Legolas informed her that a number of lords and their wives would be going also, amongst whom would be some of her Gardeners Afield friends. This excited Lothril quite a bit and she started to think this might be quite fun after all. There were also going to be a handful of family members going who simply wanted to go and when Thranduil found out, he decided to include them in with the royal entourage. Which meant that Lothril would have not only Mindonith, Northriel, and Ethirwen to be with, but also Linnrien, Thalaves, and Cîlwen. Legolas also told her Emlinil, whose mare was having twins during the hunt, would be there and that he was certain the two of them would get along quite well.

The day also saw Lothril getting a crash course in proper etiquette for meeting and addressing other kings, princes, princesses, and so forth given her position as a lady. This was also when she learned that there was more than just a social aspect to court etiquette and manners and that a political aspect was included as well. As Thranduil was an essential part, and arguably most powerful king of the region, he and his received a certain measure of preference and deference. She as a daughter of Elrond and attached to Thranduil via Legolas was also likely to receive a measure of deference beyond what she might receive if she was a lady of Dale or Erebor. She fidgeted a little when Legolas told her that but bit her tongue. Whether she liked it or not, she was nobility soon to be royalty, she was important (even if she didn't feel particularly so in the political realm), and all of this simply came with the territory.

"You look nervous," Legolas said, interrupting his own explanation of how to address others of her own rank in the other kingdoms.

She frowned. She had been trying to hide it. "I am. I am almost more nervous about this than I was going to fight at Helm's Deep."

"For what it is worth, they are not orcs and we truly are on friendly terms with both kingdoms," he replied.

"I almost wish they were orcs… I think meeting the unknown is far more comforting with a sword in hand and I reckon me coming in with a drawn sword would not go over well," she said with a half frown.

Legolas admirably stifled a laugh and said, "No, it would not go over well. However, you will be with me the entire time and I will make sure to help you."

"Oh… I will be fine, I'm sure. I usually am. I just hate new social things. They make me nervous."

"Is that why you keep refusing to invite your friends over for a party or let me arrange one for you?" Legolas asked pointedly.

"Well… maybe…" she answered.

-⸙ -⸙ -

The next morning before dawn Estelneth awoke her to a quick but hearty breakfast in her own rooms and then dressed her in her finest winter clothes which were as elaborate as they were practical. Fortunately, it seemed she was going to be traveling in leggings and for visible layers, a long tunic and robe with a new, thick white fur lined cloak with a heavy green brocade on the outside over all. Lothril noted that Estelneth was already in her traveling clothes and had but to throw on her coat, hood, and gloves to be ready to head out. In less than half an hour, Lothril was ready and striding briskly out of her room, meeting Legolas just outside their corridor looking warm and princely in his winter garb.

"Good morning," he greeted and gave her a quick kiss. "Are you ready?"

"Estelneth says I am, so I must be," Lothril answered with a smile.

Legolas smiled. "Then so it must be for I have not known her to be wrong on such things yet."

"Thank you, my prince," Estelneth said with a bow even as they walked down the passageway.

They reached the gate to see the most spectacular display of organized chaos Lothril had ever seen. Lanterns and lights were everywhere and the minuial (morning twilight) air was clear and crisp and full of the smell of snow, horses, and burning lanterns and torches. There was a parade of sleighs and sledges bedecked with bells and garlands of pine and lanterns. The sledges all looked packed and ready to go with their gear and servants were busy securing the tarpaulins whilst other servants and attendants were mounting horses and falling into place in the procession. Meanwhile, Lothril saw her friends and the family members who were going either climbing into their respective sleighs or mounting horses, as fit their fancy. This whole scene seemed to be directed by Galion who was at the moment talking with Gladhrion as they went over a list. As the contents of each sledge were double checked, the tarpaulin was tied down and Galion sent it on its way.

"So, are we riding in a sleigh or on horseback?" Lothril asked Legolas.

"In a sleigh with Ada," Legolas answered.

"Speaking of, where is he?" Lothril said, looking about.

"Right behind you," Thranduil said as he walked up beside her. He was wearing his winter crown and some of the most decorative and elaborate robes she had seen on him yet.

"Hmm… it is cold out and this is official fun… eighteen yards of brocaded fabric?" Lothril teased, but quietly so it would not be overheard.

Thranduil smirked. "Nineteen. I like to show off when I visit the neighboring kingdoms. Are we ready to depart?"

"I believe so," Legolas answered with a smile.

He offered Lothril an arm and led her to the front of the procession and the largest sleigh which had a bench in the front for the driver and plush bench seats all around the back so it could seat many and everyone could see and talk to each other. There were neat piles of folded blankets on each bench as well as a picnic basket stowed under each seat. Thranduil had gotten in first then Legolas and Lothril and then the rest of the family that was coming, making the sleigh comfortably full with a party of nine. As soon as everyone was assembled and seated, Thranduil gave the order and off they went, other ready sleighs and riders following as the sun began to peak above the horizon.

The ride was a merry one and it seemed there was more than one song the elves would sing when they traveled like this that they would sing up and down the line of travelers. Lothril reckoned it was the musical version of 'the wave' at sports games, but as they went in a line, it would go down to the end of the caravan and then work its way back up to the front. As the sun rose above the trees, their road through the forest became bright and glittering despite the lacey canopy overhead; and she was ever so glad she was an elf now because otherwise the bright sun reflecting on the glittering snow would have been too dazzling to bear without sunglasses. As it was, she could take in the sight of it without a problem. They traveled almost the entire day and mostly through the trees and along the river, but there were places where their road ducked out of the forest for a little while and they were greeted by the cloudless bright blue sky and the half frozen river before turning back into the trees again.

The first time they did, Lothril looked over towards Thranduil and nearly gasped and then laughed because he was glittering and gleaming almost as much as the snow. Filegon had worked in enough silver thread to the shining fabrics and furs to make him look like a tinsel covered Christmas tree. It was breathtaking and made him look nigh onto majestic and otherworldly but then to have that offset by the lot of them, including Thranduil, singing a thoroughly ridiculous song about a squirrel - well, it severely undercut the majesty and awe. She was going to lean over and say something to Legolas about the humorous juxtaposition but when she turned to him she saw he was glimmering and glittering just as much and singing as merrily as anyone else, and perhaps it was her natural bias, but she found him even more breathtaking than his father.

When the song ended she opted to say with ósanwe, "I did not realize how much Filegon liked using silver and gold thread until I saw both you and your father in the sunlight just now. You look as if you are a green leaf cloaked in glittering ice and frost. And I must say I find it most handsome."

His smile widened ever so slightly as he replied, "I am flattered my winter queen finds me so, but you outshine me and I am very eager to draw you away the first chance I get."

Something in the tone of his thoughts made her look down at herself and she realized Filegon had gone just as crazy with her as he had the king and the prince. "Oh my… you all know how to do this too?!" The color had altered from the darker pine green it had looked inside in the dim light of early morning and candles and changed to a much lighter green in the sunshine, and it seemed to have no end gleaming and glittering threads in it. "I must look like I'm dipped in glitter."

Legolas nearly laughed aloud. "In this case the weave of the fabric reflects the light. So it looks darker green in dim light and lighter green in bright light. And you look - see it for yourself."

He gave her a long look and then she saw the recent memory come to mind and she closed her eyes so she wouldn't be distracted and could see it more clearly. Where shadows touched the fabric she could see it looked darker, but otherwise she looked like she was cloaked in lamb's ear leaf covered in a glittering hoar frost and trimmed with white fur and the snowy scarf and frosty winter broach Legolas had given her at Naur Thand Loss and the star circlet the twins had given her.

"Do not even dare to think it, Lothril!" Legolas' thoughts suddenly intruded on her own.

She looked at him with a raised brow. "Think what?"

"One self-deprecating thought about how you look. You look fair and perfect," he replied and took her gloved hand and gave it a squeeze.

-⸙ - ⸙-

Thranduil and Legolas took turns telling her where they were and how far they had gone and how much further there was to go.

"Where exactly does the festival take place?" Lothril asked, turning her attention back to the lake and the town.

"Along a stretch of shore between Lake-town and Dale but closer to Lake-town," Thranduil answered.

She nodded. The evening sky was clear and the pastel blaze from the sinking sun was reflecting beautifully in the glittering snow. Under the trees where their camp was and blue twilight settling in.

"It is a fair evening, is it not?" Legolas asked with ósanwe as he slid an arm around her shoulders.

"It is. I think I will take a walk once we stop," she answered in kind.

"May I join you?" He asked. He felt a measure of hesitation. "You may walk alone if you wish, but know a guard will be nearby shadowing you just to be safe."

She shuttered off some of her thoughts from him so she could weigh out what she would rather do before replying, "Can we both walk the rest of the way to camp?"

"We can at that," he answered. He tapped his father on the shoulder and said, "We shall see you at camp!" He stood and held out a hand to Lothril and before the driver could even be asked to stop, they had jumped over the edge of the sleigh and were walking towards the lake hand in hand.

They walked for a little while in silence, generally following the line of the shore until they reached a point where they would need to turn to keep in view of the others and there they stopped for a few minutes and Lothril looked out across the snow covered lake. The sky was gently turning from a rainbow to a soft purple that was fading to dark blue as stars began to come out.

"I always wanted to live somewhere with winters like this," Lothril said quietly. "It was too noisy with cars and trains and city lights growing up. Moving south to Ithilien is going to be difficult after winters like this."

"I think Ithilien will prove to have its own charms, but I will miss this too," he replied.

"Legolas, would you think me strange if I told you... Well, never mind," she said with a blush.

"No, speak it. I want to hear it," he coaxed with a smile. "Let me hear and judge if it is strange or not."

She pursed her lips... That elf! Standing there being so adorable and persuasive with that stupidly charming smile... "Ooh... No, never mind. I have changed my mind entirely."

"More's the pity for I wager it was another of your romantic notions and I would have loved it."

"And what makes you think that?" She asked, trying to keep her face and tone neutral.

"The fact that you are even asking that question tells me I am right. If your notion involved anything else, you would say you changed your mind or realized how silly it sounded and then tell me. You only get evasive over a very limited number of subjects and as I doubt you are trying to keep an unflattering opinion to yourself, trying to avoid bringing up something about your old world that would be difficult to explain here, or trying to hide feeling homesick, I conclude it must be a romantic notion."

She looks at him mouth agape and wide eyed with knit brows.

"Do not give me such looks!" He playfully scolded. "You asked and so I answered. That you chose to change your mind and not tell me your thoughts is one thing, but do not get vexed that I have guessed near the mark. And if you do not mind yourself I shall draw further conclusions you shall like even less!"

"Oh don't flatter yourself. I'm not half so vexed at you for guessing as I am at myself for being so easily read and so shocked you can read me. I have been an open book to you since we met," she said with a shake of her head and a self-deprecating smile taking her face.

He chuckled and replied, "Well now you have thrown off my reckoning for I had deemed that face meant not only was your idea romantic but sexual in nature but if that face was directed at yourself then it was likely just something sweet." Her face took on a particularly rosy hue in the fading light and his brows slowly rose as he realized... "I was right!" He said as he dropped his voice to just barely over a whisper so he could not be overheard. "Oh meleth nin, I will not force the confidence but I will say I would love nothing more than to hear it even if you do not wish to pursue it. I want to hear such things, and you are getting better about sharing them, but very soon I will need to hear them if I am to please you."

"I know... It was just one of those it sounded better in my head sort of things and as I went to say it I realized it wasn't as good an idea as I thought it was. But as you have all but guessed it anyway - I was going to say would you think me strange if I told you I wanted to come back here alone with you next winter."

"What part of that is not a good idea?" Legolas asked, visibly confused.

"The camping in the freezing cold part. Those tents look well insulated and I know those stoves throw off a good deal of heat, but I dislike cold drafts when I am under my blankets," Lothril answered.

He turned her to face back the way they came and pointed back into the trees down the lakeshore a ways on the other side of the river. "Look carefully, do you see the cabin in the woods there? Look for the chimney and the roof."

She looked and well hidden in the trees and snow she made out a straight line of snow cutting off some tree trunks and then spied the chimney and the rest of the cabin came into focus. "I see it."

"That is mine. I built it for when I come fishing here for days at a time."

Lothril smiled involuntarily. "I see. But if you have that nice, cozy little cabin, why are you staying in a tent?"

"Because the court does not know I have that cozy little cabin, nor do they know where I go when I disappear to go fishing and I want to keep it that way. Most of them seem under the impression I go up river above those little falls I showed you, and I do, but very, very few people know of this place. And now you are one them."

"Any other secret places I should know about?"

He gave a mischievous grin. "All in good time."

She went to say something then paused and said, "You didn't... Did you…? You did, didn't you!"

"It is hard to say given you did not finish any of your sentences," he said with a smirk.

"Oh you know exactly what you did!" She

"And what did I do?"

"Another one of your double entendres," she answered with an accusatory look that was offset adorably by her trying not to smile.

"Melethril, I think you slipped into English as I did not understand that last word," he said.

"Actually, I think 'entendre' is French but that's beside the point. Double entendre means double speak and you sir, were doing exactly that!"

"Oh? And when did I do that?"

"Just now!"

"You started it," he insisted petulantly.

"I did not," she replied.

"You are the one who asked about my secret places," he answered with a roguish grin.

She grew wide eyed and covered her face with her hand. "My word I did..." She broke into a laugh. "Leave it to me to dumb into that."

Legolas balked and looked at her wide eyed and slightly incredulous. "That was not intentional?"

She shook her head. "Nope."

Legolas burst into laughter and pulled her into a tight hug. "O Lothril! Manen gin melon! (How I love you!)" After a minute his laughter subsided but still hugging Lothril he said, "We should head to camp. It will be dark soon."

They turned and walked along just next to the sleigh tracks and behind the last one with only a pair of guards riding along behind them. They were not far from the camp which was situated in a wood perhaps a ten minute walk from the shore if you were not in a hurry. The camp was up past a ridge in a wooded dell and set up already with smoke rising from the smoke stacks sticking out of all of the tents and particularly the kitchen tent.

"My word, what smells so good?" Lothril asked as they climbed the ridge.

Legolas sniffed the air. "Roast venison," he answered, sounding slightly disappointed. "Hopefully tomorrow it will be a fish fry."

"You are really quite the fish enthusiast, aren't you?" Lothril said.

He nodded. "For many years fish for supper was quite the treat because of where we lived in the forest. When we moved north and up near the forest river I was thrilled. Especially when Ada-da taught me how to fish and make lures. We would go fishing together regularly, he and I. Sometimes Ada would join us also."

"Is your father the enthusiast you are?"

"Not quite. He enjoys it quite a bit, but he likes hunting more," Legolas answered.

Lothril nodded. She did not mind either but she didn't envision herself doing either activity just for grins by herself. What would she like to do just for grins by herself?

"You look pensive."

She blinked and looked at him with a slight smile. "Do I? I was just thinking about hobbies."

"And for that you look so serious?" he teased lightly.

Her smile widened and she shook her head. "Don't you know me well enough by now to know that my face likes to be sad when I am not?"

"I do, but I would still like to know what you were thinking about hobbies."

"Truthfully – that you have fishing, your father hunting, and I have no idea what I have yet. I was taking stock of the things I like to do and trying to decide if I have alighted or not upon my own version of fishing," she answered.

He nodded and said, "Fair enough. Do you enjoy fishing?"

She chuckled, "Well I better, or I am going to be miserable all week. It is fun and I like doing it with you, but I do not think I would just choose to go fishing if I had nothing better to do."

"Well I am glad you like it that much."

"What is sort of vexing me though, is that back home I was waiting for a good snowfall to try snowshoeing because I have long thought that or cross country skiing might be more my style, but I came here before I got to try either. Now snowshoeing seems pointless as we are currently walking on top of the snow and not in it, and I doubt you all…"

She was about to say she doubted that elves ski, but before the words could form she saw a couple elves zip by on skis with poles in hand.

"What do you doubt?" Legolas asked, half guessing.

"Not much," she answered as they reached the top of the ridge and she got her first full glimpse of the camp. "Good grief! No wonder everyone else thinks elves are just dripping with magic!"

The camp in front of her was hung with strings of lights that were casting a pale glow on both the snow below and the snow in the branches above, creating almost a snow globe of soft light that surrounded the camp. Elves of course were everywhere, talking, singing, dancing, playing music, eating and drinking… it was a thorough party atmosphere under the quickly deepening twilight sky. The stars were starting to appear and this was very much noticed by the elves who were quick to start singing songs of starlight.

"What?" Legolas asked, thoroughly mystified as to what could have induced such a comment.

"Camp – just look at it!"

"It looks like camp."

"It looks like some magical enchanted forest with all the lights and singing."

"But it is the furthest thing from that."

"I know that and you know that, but there's no telling them that."

Just then Linnrien came running up to them with a merry smile and saying, "There you two are! Thranduil is insistent we not start anything until you arrived Lothril. He said he does not want you to miss a thing."

"Miss a thing?" Lothril repeated, slightly confused. She had been under the impression nothing began until tomorrow…

"Oh, I forgot to mention," Legolas said with a sneaky little grin, "this is also the first full moon of echuir*** (stirring) so we are celebrating today."

"You people and your moon feasts," she teased.

—⸙ —⸙ —

The next morning Lothril awoke to the blue light of early dawn. Her very first thought was how she may kiss Filegon when they got back because she could tell, the tent was not exactly warm despite the fact Estelneth had slept in it with her and both of them had taken turns stoking the fire all night, but she was. She was toasty warm and comfortable. Being so early, Lothril sat up and half expected to see Estelneth asleep still only to see her up and about with her clothes by the stove to warm and Estelneth quietly giving a servant orders for her ladyship's breakfast and to bring in more wood.

"My apologies, milady, if we woke you," Estelneth said upon turning around and seeing Lothril.

"No, you did not. I always wake up early camping. Though I dare say this is substantially fancier than any camping I did prior to coming here," Lothril replied.

Estelneth almost looked proud at that last part. "I have your clothes warming even now and I have ordered your breakfast which should arrive shortly. Did you sleep well? Were you warm enough?"

"Yes and quite warm, thank you. Do you happen to know when things start today?" Lothril asked.

"They are finishing set up even now and as the sun clears the tree tops the merchants and vendors will open their booths and shops. The official start will be one hour after the sun clears the tree tops and will be marked by King Bard of Dale giving a welcoming speech," Estelneth answered.

"Long or short speech?" Lothril asked.

"It tends to be short but he is newly crowned as of this past spring so I cannot say," she answered.

"Anything official for me today?" Lothril asked.

"Not until this evening. Messengers bearing invitations from King Bard arrived shortly after I woke up. He requests the presence of King Thranduil, the prince and his betrothed, and select lords and ladies for dinner this evening," Estelneth answered.

"Well, between you and Filegon I am sure I have just the perfect thing to wear."

Estelneth smiled. "Indeed, milady. This invitation is quite expected."

Lothril's breakfast came promptly while she was in the middle of getting dressed. She really wasn't accustomed to wearing such elaborate and gorgeous clothing while camping, and she had a nasty feeling she, in her tall boots, elaborately embroidered robes and white coat, star circlet, frosty pin, and silver scarf was going to stand out painfully with the other elves, never mind the humans. Just so she didn't feel like hiding in a snow drift, she asked Estelneth if she had a less ostentatious coat or cloak. The answer was no. She nodded and resigned herself to her fate.

She ate quickly and asked Estelneth if she could skip the elaborate braids. The answer was, "You can but then the king will send you back to your tent and order I fix them. I can however make it so your hair is all pulled back if that makes you feel better."

She left her tent and the morning twilight was slowly turning to full morning. Mostly servants were out and about but Lothril did see Mindonith leaving her tent and saying something to a servant who quickly bowed and hurried off.

"Mindonith! Good morning!" Lothril greeted with a smile and a wave.

"Good morning, friend Lothril! You are up early this morning," Mindonith returned.

"I am a bit excited I think," Lothril replied.

"As am I. I love the ice fishing festival! The Men come up with all sorts of interesting games and contests, and then of course there is the fishing and the feasts. Shall you be attending the feast tonight?" she asked.

"You mean the one with King Bard?"

"The very one."

"I will be there. As you know about it, I take it you are invited?" Lothril queried, hoping desperately the answer was yes.

"Oh indeed! All of us in Gardeners Afield plus our husbands are invited as a thank you for our aid after the war. As a lady and Northon a lord, we have been invited before for political reasons, but this time I was invited separately and the invitation mentioned our little club," Mindonith answered.

"Oh good! I think that shall make the evening all the more enjoyable for me," Lothril said with a smile. "Not that the king and the prince are not good company, but it will be nice knowing more than two people there."

"Speaking of our fair king and prince," Mindonith said and nodded towards the approaching pair.

Lothril turned her head to see Thranduil and Legolas approaching. Thranduil was looking surprisingly practical and almost utilitarian in an outfit that lacked any of the draping, flowing majesty he usually wore. The coat came to his knees, the sleeves were close tailored, and if one ignored the fact his grey leather boots were inlaid with silver, that his coat was jacquard, silver, and fur lined, and that he had shining white jewels on his collar (and ignored the fact he was wearing his wintry crown), one could almost say he looked plain. Legolas looked like her match today also wearing a white fur lined coat, but instead of the pastel sunset colored embroidery, his was a full spectrum of greens and instead of wearing a star upon his brow, he wore a silver circlet. In the time it took her to observe both outfits, she concluded there just had to be some sort of coordinated effort going on to have them all essentially matching.

"Good morning, Lothril meleth nin," Legolas said with a smile as he slipped his hand around her waist and kissed her temple. "Good morning, Lady Mindonith! How fare you both this morning?"

"Good morning, Legolas," Lothril said with a quiet little smile.

Mindonith bowed and said, "Good morning your highness, I fare quite well, thank you. Shall you be participating in the snow sculpture contest this year?"

"In truth, I am undecided," he answered.

"You should," said Lothril with a smile. "I would love to see your sculpting skills!"

"Then I shall," Legolas replied with a smile.

"Good morning Legolas, Lothril, Lady Mindonith," Thranduil greeted as he came up. Greetings were returned and he looked at Mindonith and asked, "Is your husband out and about yet this morning?"

"He should be out presently, your majesty," Mindonith answered.

"His shoulder is not still giving him trouble, is it?" Thranduil asked, looking concerned.

"Nay, it has healed and he is almost back to his full strength on that side. Rather he got to bed too late last night," Mindonith said with a smirk.

"I see," Thranduil said with a chuckle.

"If you have no more pressing business, I would ask if you are going to participate in the frozen fish fling again this year?"

"Absolutely! I am not losing to that dwarf again!" Thranduil answered, eyes gleaming and his voice having a shockingly determined and almost hard edge to it.

"The what?!" Lothril asked at almost the exact same time, not believing her ears, or the seriously fierce and competitive look on Thranduil's face. Nobody seemed to hear her though.

"It was a lucky throw," Mindonith said. "I have no doubt you will beat him this time."

"I wish it had been a him. The more I think about it, the more convinced I become it was a dwarf woman," Thranduil replied, looking almost vexed.

"Dwarf woman? So they do exist?" Mindonith asked.

"It is the beards," Legolas chimed in. "I have been told dwarf women have thinner and shorter beards."

"But… she was dressed like all the men," Mindonith said confused.

"I'm sorry, can we back up to the 'frozen fish fling' part?" Lothril interjected.

"It seems they do that when they leave their own halls," Legolas said in answer to Mindonith's comment.

"Then it was with certainty a dwarf woman," Thranduil said with a frown.

"Indeed it was. Gimli all but said as much when we were in Minas Tirith," Legolas confirmed.

"I knew it the moment the dwarves all started laughing when I lost," Thranduil said bitterly.

"Frozen. Fish. Fling. Can we please go back to that and explain it before I become convinced this is being hosted by Red Green and the Possum Lodge?" Lothril asked again.

Legolas laughed and Thranduil and Mindonith looked confused.

"I am sorry, melethril, I am afraid we have left you behind in this conversation," Legolas said.

"Red Green and the Possum Lodge?" Mindonith asked, looking terribly confused.

"It would be too hard to explain," Legolas said to the lady before returning his attention to Lothril. "The contest is just that. Who can fling a frozen fish the furthest."

Lothril stared at the three of them and realized he was being dead serious and that Thranduil was actually upset in that super competitive athlete way. "Frozen…fish…fling. I don't… Just…"

"What?" Thranduil asked, torn between confused and amused at the wide eyed, mouth agape, look on her face.

Lothril shook her head. "I don't even know… Dare I ask what else is played at this ice fest?"

"For main games there is also ice dragon where players throw snowballs at a dragon made out of dyed snow and ice and whoever hits the missing scale, which is colored black, wins. There is also an ice boat race, the ice sculpture contest, an ice fishing contest to see who can catch the most in a few hours, and several skiing and skating contests," Legolas answered.

"You should join in some of the games," Thranduil said encouragingly.

"Indeed, you should!" Mindonith said. "Northriel and Ethirwen both plan on doing the fish fling, ice dragon, and the fishing contest. Ethirwen and I will be entering the cross country skiing race and Northriel one or two of the ice skating competitions."

"I was planning on ice fishing at least," Lothril said, "But perhaps I will play ice dragon too. Sadly, I am not good enough at skating or skiing to entertain the idea of competing in either of those."

Shortly thereafter, Lord Northon, Mindonith's husband, joined them and soon after that so did several other Gardeners Afield and the family that came along and they all decided to head down to the lake for the start of the festivities.

As they walked, Lothril just kept turning over in her head the frozen fish fling… it was the singularly most hick redneck Yooper thing she had seen in possibly her whole life and yet… what else would a town on a lake do? For as equal parts hilarious and kind of gross as she found it, that all paled considerably when compared to the fact that Thranduil of all people, not only participated, but got competitive about it to the point that he got upset when he lost… and he lost to a dwarf woman… This was decidedly a string of incongruous and strange things that just simply refused to justify themselves into something sensible in her mind.

The morning was looking like it was going to be grey with flurries and no breeze to speak of. There was a raised platform on the snow covered shore that had steps leading up to it. It seemed that was the direction they were heading. Lothril had almost forgotten how deep the snow was until she saw some children playing off the cleared path.

"What do you say, Lothril? Shall you join me?" Thranduil asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Yes," she replied and then realized she just agreed to something and she had no idea what. She was about to ask what she just agreed to when Ethirwen asked her a question.

"Milady, shall you join in any other games?"

"Well, I was thinking the ice fishing contest and maybe ice dragon," Lothril answered. She turned her gaze away from her friend as they approached the festivities. It was certainly quite the sight!

Men, dwarves, and elves were everywhere talking, laughing, and generally moving towards a platform set up on the frozen lake. Everyone was wearing bright colored hoods and cloaks ranging from very rich looking to some that looked homespun but warm and still festive with some sort of adornment on it. She started to get a funny feeling though that the elves and dwarves used it to show off a bit.

The shore was covered in brightly colored booths and tents, many with bright colored hangings or flags. The booths and tents went three rows deep back from the shore and were all centered on a dock with a square platform on the end that had a podium set up on it along with banners of Lake-town, Dale, the Woodland Realm, and Erebor. All told, this didn't seem terribly different from a local winter festival back in Michigan... If it was held at the Renaissance festival grounds...

As Lothril looked around she got a strange feeling that borderlined absurdity as the full reality of her situation struck her in a new light. Here she was, little ol' her... She was an elf... Betrothed to a prince... Dressed up like an ice queen... At an ice festival... With elves, dwarves and regular humans everywhere... Walking next to an elven king... Who was upset he lost a frozen fish flinging contest to a dwarf woman last year... And this is now her normal...

"There is Gimli!" Legolas cried.

...And now she was being dragged towards a dwarf she was good friends with...

"Legolas! Lothril!" Gimli greeted cheerily as they approached. "How have you both fared since I saw you last?"

Lothril smiled but felt singularly uncomfortable trying to answer that question, given all that had happened. "Well enough. It has been an eventful winter and I am still trying to get my bearings," she answered.

"How have you been, friend Gimli?" Legolas asked. "You certainly seem well and your beard is longer than I remember."

"Very well!" Gimli answered, looking particularly pleased at the beard comment. "My people were busy all summer and autumn seeing to repairing Dale after the war and we have been busy since strengthening defenses should such a siege happen again. The timber sent to us by your king was a great help."

Legolas smiled. "I am glad to hear it. We plan to-" Legolas cut himself off when they heard the merry peal of bells and the sounding of a horn.

"What is that?" Lothril asked.

"That is the signal for all to gather for the opening speech of the festival," Gimli answered.

Lothril nodded. They started heading towards the dock with the podium and the crowd began to get thick. Legolas bid Gimli farewell for the moment and then led Lothril back to where his father was, which was on the dock near the shore talking with Kings Bard and Thorin. It looked like friendly conversation.

Before they could quite reach them however, King Bard made his way to the podium and King Thorin and King Thranduil had left the dock. Legolas and Lothril reached his father just as King Bard began to speak.

It was a short welcome speech that acknowledged friendship with both the Mountain and the Wood and their gratefulness to both and then a handful of comments Lothril categorized as "yours for a better tomorrow", and with that the festivities began and a band started playing off somewhere to their left something that distinctly reminded Lothril of a polka.

Gladhrion, Thalaves, Istelion, and Elior caught up with them and asked Thranduil something as Legolas turned to Lothril.

"Lothril, you have a strange look on your face," Legolas said with ósanwe. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I... I am having one of my odd days," she answered in kind.

He squeezed her hand and asked, "Is it a laughable odd day or a sad or overwhelming one?"

"I am not sure anything involving something called a 'frozen fish fling' is capable of being anything but laughable,"

she replied.

He smiled and kissed her cheek and said quietly in her ear, "Tell me if your day changes."

"Of course,"

she replied quietly. "So what is first on the agenda today?" She asked at normal volume.

As if in answer to her question, a man who had gone out into the dock with a cone said, "All participants for the frozen fish fling please come to the fish flag!"

"That is us, Lothril," Thranduil said as he held out a hand to her.

She managed to keep her congenial smile frozen in place even as she realized that this was what she had agreed to. She took Thranduil's hand and Legolas promised he'd be watching from the shore and they hurried off.

What she wanted to ask him was if he was actually as peeved as he seemed to be about the loss and if he was going to take this seriously. However that question answered itself without being asked.

"Now Lothril, there are certain techniques that will get your throw further distance. For instance..."

The entire four minutes walk to the blue flag with a big fish painted on it was spent with Thranduil imparting wisdom on the best ways to throw a fish and Lothril trying for all she was worth not to laugh. Oh was he about to be disappointed in her... She only got seriously competitive about exactly three things: Dutch Blitz, Uno, and air hockey. At some point during the walk Lothril realized several of her friends were going to be participating as well. She reckoned Mindonith had been practicing in the off season and was likely to take this as seriously as Thranduil seemed to be, but perhaps the others would just be doing this for giggles and she could let the ultra competitive ones enjoy their competition while she spent time with the (hopefully) less competitive.

They arrived and there were more than a few competitors including a dwarf with a less robust beard who smirked in Thranduil's direction as they walked up. That had to be who beat him last year! She bore a passing resemblance to Gimli... She turned her gaze towards the crowd which had some spectators sitting on long benches while others stood. She spotted Legolas and Gimli sitting beside each other talking and when Legolas saw her looking at them he waved as did Gimli. She waved back and so did the dwarf woman who looked like Gimli. Maybe it was his sister...

There was a short horn blast and the crowd of competitors grew quiet as the rules were explained and competitors were split between children and adults plus elflings over five feet.

"Adults and elflings over five foot?" Lothril repeated, looking at Thranduil.

"It is the only way to keep things relatively fair. By the time we reach that height we are substantially more coordinated than human children even though we are years away from full maturity," he answered.

She made a note to herself to look up later about how old those elflings would be.

The man continued with the instructions and it seemed fairly straightforward. Contestants would line up and they had to throw past a point marked by small flags in order to continue and then with each round of throws the shortest throw would get eliminated until they had a winner.

Simple enough.

While this was being explained Lothril noticed more than one contestant seemed to be warming up their throwing arm. She did her dead level best to avoid looking at any of her companions to see if they were as well. If they were, she would start laughing and there was no way on earth she was about to tell a bunch of super competitive elves she thought they were ridiculous. She knew from experience how well that went over with humans. She wasn't making that mistake again.

The children were to go first and a gaggle of children that looked between five and ten years old lined up to toss. Lothril watched distractedly as she didn't know any of these children though she did notice a few elflings in the mix. They were a bit more coordinated than all but the most athletic human children. Even so, a couple were eliminated rather quickly. But this wasn't as interesting to her as the reactions of the adults, particularly the elves. They all seemed quite delighted to be watching this. She even noticed elves giving treats to the particularly devastated players that were eliminated. She had even spotted Legolas briefly talking to and giving something to a particularly sad looking little one she reckoned was five or six. He had been so excited and tried his hardest and gotten eliminated right away. However, by the time he left Legolas he had stopped crying and looked comforted and determined.

Well, this confirmed he was good with children and not just her siblings. She frowned a little. Try though she might, she never was great with young kids...

It didn't take terribly long for a winner to be declared, and it was a human boy with an incredible arm.

After that the fish were cleared from the playing area and the adults lined up. This was apparently an insanely popular event as many she had thought were bystanders proved to be players. First the nobility were invited to step up which saw a good mix of elves, men, and dwarves of both sexes, all of which were finely dressed and gilded to one degree or another. Lothril was uncomfortably aware of the fact she was one of the more glittery contestants on the ice standing next to the tallest and arguably glitteriest one there. It was either Thranduil or King Thorin who had gold and silver plaited into his beard, was wearing a crown, and his clothes seemed to have gems for buttons which popped against his shining sapphire blue coat. Though, King Bard wasn't too far behind in the shimmer and glitter department, he had opted for darker and richer colors and furs and his buttons seemed to be gold. Plenty of shine, but when standing ten feet from someone a head taller who is silver from the neck down, well…

"Your majesties, highnesses, ladies, and lords -please ready your fish!" The man running the contest said with a deep bow at the end.

Lothril looked down at the fish she was given, wondered briefly what kind it was, and as the frozen eye stared blankly up at her she almost laughed. A line from the Scarlet Pimpernel that Sir Percy Blakely would say came to mind and seemed oh so stupidly appropriate - odds fish.

Odds fish, indeed.

"Toss!" Cried the man.

At his word nearly three dozen frozen fish went flying through the air and landed in a rapid series of flabby sounding smacks that almost sounded like applause.

She was about to lose her composure and was biting her lip so hard she was afraid it would bleed. A few human ladies and a couple older, grey haired lords were eliminated along with a white haired dwarf lord, and Ethirwen who had had the fish slip from her hand to early. She was ill pleased.

Lothril managed to keep it together, if only just, as they cleared the throwing line and the regular folk were allowed to throw. This was where Lothril realized some of these people had probably been doing this contest since they were hobbit sized as some of the grey haired men and women seemed to have a technique down that compensated for arthritic hands and frozen shoulders. Still, a good number of contestants were eliminated and once through the first round, round two began with the remaining nobility of the three kingdoms and the goal now being - don't be the shortest throw or shy of the line.

Lothril couldn't look at the fish, she definitely couldn't look at any of the other competitors, but especially Thranduil, Mindonith, or the dwarves. The dwarves were silently upping the game as after the first toss she had heard them make loud mention of any of their fish that went further than the others (particularly the elves), and the elves had clearly heard it. But with how dwarf voices seemed to carry, Lothril reckoned every creature within two miles heard it. Lothril suspected the goal was not don't be the shortest throw, it was now see who could throw furthest.

"Toss!"

Again came the short flabby applause of about two dozen fish smacking the ice. Again Lothril did her best not to laugh at the whole ridiculous, smelly thing. And it seemed her guess was right as the dwarves and elves sent their fishes soaring past the line and well past the bulk of the humans except for a few nobles in their prime and King Bard.

Lothril hadn't exactly been trying overly hard with this, in fact, after the first throw she had decided to just play around and had sent her second fish cartwheeling end over end, which was a mistake because it just looked so silly…

"You are doing well, Lothril," Thranduil said as they left the ice.

Oh sweet mercy, he was talking to her and she had to respond. With every last inch of will power she had she stuffed down the laugh that was desperate to escape and managed a nod and an even, "thanks" while staring dead ahead at the snow drift the wind had made as it cleared the ice. She could all but feel his eyes on her.

"I see you are focused. Good. I will leave you to it," Thranduil said approvingly as he briefly clapped a hand on her shoulder and strode ahead.

She barely had herself calmed when-

"Toss!"

Smack-sm-sma-smack-smack! went a dozen fish.

Oh this wasn't fair… at least Thranduil thought she was taking this ridiculous game seriously…

With all her will she managed to calm down and when it was their turn to throw again, she was able to head out into the ice with naught but a pleasant smile to show for her amusement.

"Toss!"

She had tried to do an honest throw for distance. Instead it cartwheeled through the air again and smacked into another fish mid air, sending it bouncing off of hers and flying off at a funny angle before falling splat on the ice and hers dropping almost at once at a sharp angle and taking out another that had a lower arch on the way down, all three of them short and to the applause of a dozen other frozen fish.

She honestly wasn't sure whose fish has collided with hers. All she knew is that the dwarves were all loud again. It didn't quite register what the elves around her were saying until she heard Gladhrion say very quietly next to her in a teasing voice, "There is always next year, Thrand. And the odds of colliding with another fish are always decent."

"Odds fish!" Lothril blurted out, but quietly to herself.

"You are such an elfling, Gladhrion," Thranduil replied at the same time.

Lothril started to lose it and giggled all the way over to where Legolas was sitting and when she went to sit down she missed the bench entirely and wound up in the snow. This was punctuated by the flabby applause of fish smacking on the ice.

It was said for many years after that every ice festival you could hear elvish laughter echoing across the lake during the frozen fish fling.

It took Lothril a solid five minutes to calm down enough to pick herself up out of the snow and when she did she brushed herself off and sat down beside Legolas, laughing all the while.

"Ridiculous! The whole game is gloriously ridiculous!" She cried as she wiped away tears of laughter.

—⸙— ⸙—

After the fish fling the ice sculpting began and participants had until the morning of the last day to complete it. Each participant had to supply their own tools and it was not at all surprising to Lothril to see a variety of craftsmen with tool belts and work aprons full of tools approaching their designated ice blocks. Lothril asked Legolas a couple times what he was going to carve but he just smiled and wouldn't tell her.

The bell rang to signal they could begin and immediately the air on that edge of the lake was filled with the clink, tink, and crack of hammers and chisels on ice. Lothril watched for a while she sipped on mulled cider. She tried to guess what he was doing but it was hard to tell at this point. She felt Thranduil approaching and froze. She had been avoiding him since the fish fling contest reckoning she would give him time to cool off if he was upset she knocked him out.

"Ah, there you are!" Thranduil said as he approached.

She turned around as she took a sip of cider because she really wasn't sure what face she should make.

"I must thank you for knocking out the dwarf woman and King Thorin," Thranduil said with a smile as he walked up.

"King Thorin? I thought I knocked yours out."

"No, that was Gladhrion who knocked mine out. King Thorin's hit yours which fell into the dwarf woman's. The dwarves were so demoralized after that they all fell short the next round, which you surely would have noticed if you hadn't been laughing your fool head off."

Legolas' chiseling paused a moment but neither one noticed.

"Be happy I kept it together until I was knocked out. That is doubtlessly one of the most ridiculous things I have ever done," she replied with a shake of her head and a sip of cider.

Thranduil laughed. "Just give it a few centuries. You will be amazed at what you do."

Legolas continued chipping away with a smile on his face.

"What is he making?" Thranduil asked Lothril.

"No idea. He is refusing to say," she answered.

"He can be a bit dramatic like that," Thranduil replied.

"I got it from you," Legolas said as he worked away.

Thranduil smirked and replied, "I have no idea what you are talking about. Now, if it is agreeable to all parties, I should like to show Lothril around a little."

"It is fine with me. I shall take a while."

"I would like to see the sights," Lothril said.

Thranduil offered her his arm and off they went.

The elven king was not exactly a common sight in kingdom of Dale and the Lonely Mountain so whenever he did show up, it wasn't surprising that he got stares. And then of course, showing up gleaming in silver head to foot… if she hadn't been convinced of it before, she certainly was now - he had a vain streak a mile wide. Meanwhile, she would have been happy to change into something completely non-descript and blend into the scenery. Instead she was slightly less ostentatious but still sticking out compared to virtually everyone she walked past.

And then they ran into Filegon.

"Your majesty, milady," Filegon said with a bow. "I was dearly hoping I would run into Lady Lothril."

"Oh? Why is that?" Lothril asked, curiosity highly piqued.

"I have come across one of the most exquisite fabrics that I have seen in a long time and I have asked for it to be set aside until you have had a chance to see it, milady," Filegon answered.

"Ooh! Well I'm certainly curious to see it."

"King Thranduil, may I steal away Lady Lothril for a few minutes?"

"You may," Thranduil said, relinquishing her arm. "I shall be about and checking on the progress of Legolas' sculpture periodically."

Lothril nodded and Filegon whisked her away.

"This must be one astounding piece of fabric for you to be this excited over it on your day off," Lothril commented as they went along.

"Megorel loves it so much, she has declared even if you dislike it, she will buy a measure for herself. And this is hardly my day off. There are two big festivals here which draw craftsmen from as far south as the Beornings. The summer one draws merchants from Gondor. In any event this is often one of my best purchasing days of the year."

The tent he wanted was just past the booth selling some sort of pastry thing that looked lovely but three things stopped her from stopping Filegon. First, she couldn't read the sign because it was written in the common tongue and if there was one thing she had figured out in the last year in Middle-earth, it was that appearances of baked goods could be very deceiving. Second, she was not carrying any money, and third, she still had no solid idea of how money worked around here.

They entered the tent to find Megorel talking to the merchant who seemed to be delighted to have an elf of the same trade to talk to. Filegon entered and asked, "Does she speak elvish?"

"Not a word of it," Megorel replied.

"My good lady," Filegon said to the merchant, "may I introduce to you Lady Lothril daughter of Lord Elrond of Rivendell. It is for her that I wish to purchase your fine fabric."

The merchant woman bowed and said, "It is an honor to meet you, milady. Here is the fabric in question. It is undyed so you may make it any color you wish." She pulled out a bolt of fabric in question and set it upon the table before her.

"May I feel it?" Lothril asked.

"Please do! And note the way it stretches in all directions," the merchant said.

Lothril took off her gloves and Megorel promptly took them from her and Lothril unwound about a yard of it. "Oh, it is soft!"

"And note how it catches the light in here," Filegon said.

"You ought to see it out in the sunlight," the merchant said with a smile as she picked up the bolt and came around the table and brought it outside. "See how it captures the daylight even on a dull day like today and has a gentle sheen to it? It looks even lovelier once it is dyed."

"This is nice. Very nice," Lothril said with a smile, half imagining what colors she would like to see it in.

"Let us go back inside and you can see how it stretches," the merchant said.

They went back in and as Lothril played around with how much it stretched, which Lothril found fairly impressive given spandex and lycra didn't exist here, she said to Filegon, "This is very nice, Filegon. I am a little puzzled though why you felt the need to bring me over here. I am not complaining, just a little confused."

"Now that we have discussed designs I am starting to select fabrics for your haib irui and I am ever so glad you decided to talk with me before this," he answered in a low voice.

Megorel was now distracting the merchant by asking to see a few other fabrics while they made up their minds.

"Ah, I see! Which one were you thinking?" Lothril asked.

"I am thinking one or both of the longer ones," he answered.

Her eyes widened in excitement. "Decidedly the longer ones! Oh, I think this will look most fair and be lovely to wear!"

"Indeed, milady. We can discuss colors when we return. And as soon as possible." He turned to the merchant and said, "I will take all of it."

"A-all of it?" the merchant repeated, wide eyed.

"Every last scrap," Filegon replied with a smile.

Lothril asked if there was anything else he wanted her to look at and he said no so she left with instructions to feel free to find her again if there was anything else he wanted her to look at.

After leaving she wandered around a bit before heading back down to the lake where the ice sculptures were starting to take shape, including Legolas'. Only, Lothril couldn't quite make out what it was yet.

"Can I get a clue?" she asked.

"No," Legolas answered with a grin. "You will see in time."

"You are a bit of a brat, you know that?"

He flashed her an impish grin as he continued to work away on the sculpture.

-⸙ - ⸙-

Late that afternoon found her back at the camp with Filegon and Estelneth in her tent.

"Really Filegon? Really? I am going to be stared at all night!"

"That is quite the point," Filegon said.

"Surely the point of this banquet is not for me to be stared at."

"Milady, I regret to inform you that the entire point of this feast is for the royalty and nobility and of the three kingdoms to show off their finest clothes and jewels. If there is a secondary point, it would be everyone getting mildly to moderately drunk," Filegon answered.

Lothril looked mildly horrified as she forced a smile. "Oh wonderful… Just so I know who to talk to later, whose idea was this dress?"

"It was a collaborative effort between the king, the prince, and myself," Filegon answered.

"Well that certainly explains everything. Thanks."

"You are most welcome," Filegon said with a bow and a cheeky smile. "And if you would stop trying to hide, we would include you in designing these things."

Lothril glared at the dress hanging up and waiting for her and said, "Alright, Estelneth. Help me into this."

Estelneth moved the screen into place and helped Lothril change.

"What do I even do with this?!" Lothril said as Estelneth laced up the dress.

"Wear it with a charming smile," Filegon replied.

Estelneth bit her lip so she wouldn't laugh. She loved Queen Lauríel and they had been friends, so far as their respective positions allowed, but Lady Lothril was proving to be a lot of fun and it was getting progressively harder to keep a straight face as Lothril started getting more relaxed around her. Of course Filegon with his cheeky wit didn't help.

Lothril came out from behind the screen and looked in the mirror and shook her head. The under layer of the dress was icy blue shimmering velvet and the over layer was a silver lace that looked like snow and hoarfrost and was studded by tiny white gems. The sleeves were huge and the lining was white silk. With it was a silver belt that was silver and gem studded. It was not particularly bright in her tent, but she was glittering like fresh snow on a bright winter day. The neckline was also quite low and so wide that it barely covered the edge of her shoulders. The silver lace came up just an inch over the top of the icy blue and for as much as Lothril liked the effect, it was undoubtedly the shiniest and the most sparkly she had been yet.

"Estelneth, do I want to know what my hair looks like?"

"No, milady," Estelneth replied, admirably hiding her amused smile.

Lothril sighed.

Legolas came in with a wide grin wearing his green cloak he wore the day before and bearing a box. "You look lovely!"

"You take that box out of here this minute, Legolas Greenleaf!" Lothril demanded, pointing to the door.

He grinned and came in and gave her a quick little kiss. "And good evening to you too, Lothril." He turned to Filegon and said, "Thank you Filegon, she looks lovely. You are dismissed."

Filegon smiled, bowed, and with a 'you are very welcome, your highness', left.

"If you pardon me, Prince Legolas, I have some errands to do," Estelneth said and politely bowed and left.

Lothril glared at Legolas and said, "This dress is absolutely-"

"Stunning, fair, and lovely on you," Legolas finished then gave her another kiss.

"Ridiculous. Filegon said I have you, your father, and him to blame for this… this… glittering sparkly nonsense."

"If this dress is glittering sparkly nonsense, you are going to adore what is in this box," Legolas said cheekily as he opened it and showed it to her. Inside was a necklace that was a silver lace of white gems.

Her face went from frustrated and annoyed to soft and admiring in a flash. She gingerly lifted it up. "Alright, I confess – I'm a sucker for white gems in a necklace and for as much as I want to call this ostentatious… it's gorgeous."

"Let me put it on you," Legolas said with a smile. He took the necklace and draped it carefully around her neck and clasped it.

She turned to face the mirror and beheld the over all effect of her dress and necklace. She was clothed in shimmering ice and glittering frost that was creeping up from the ground and around her neck hung a lace of ice and snow reaching down to meet it but leaving just a couple inches bare between. And suddenly the elaborate braids and net of gems in her hair seemed appropriate.

"This is ridiculously ostentatious... But to my unending frustration you three have managed to tap into my vanity and now I like this stupid dress," Lothril groused. "And wipe that smug smile off your face!"

He took off his cloak and draped it over a chair.

"Oh look, we match again," she said deadpanned.

He came up behind her, smile and all, and wrapped his arms around her from behind. He kissed her neck and said, "Of course we do! And I know you have not had a minute alone today and that today has been more than a little much for you. I think you did not realize you volunteered for the fish fling contest."

"Nope! I was about to ask what I agreed to when Ethirwen asked her question.

"I thought so. You seemed to have fun anyway."

"I still don't know what to make of that whole thing."

He smiled. "You will settle it all in your mind later, I am sure. But for now, I came early for you so you can have a few minutes to unwind before we head to the feast. I am sorry to say it will be a long night."

She smiled a little and said, "That is very sweet of you but I am afraid if I try unwinding now I may snap like a dry twig." She paused then asked, "Filegon said the point of this whole feast is for everyone to show off and get mildly to moderately drunk. How sarcastic and facetious was he being?"

"The dwarves have been attempting to drink Ada under the table ever since Thorin Oakenshield reclaimed Erebor."

She looked like she was melting in his arms as she covered her face with her hands. "Of course. Now I get to either make a fool of myself or come across as the biggest uptight killjoy since Gormes in front of three kingdoms. Peachy."

"You are very much having an odd day," Legolas said, taking her hand and sitting her down on her bed before joining her. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to his side. "I promise, you at your most teetotaling Baptist could not possibly come across as uptight and joyless as Gormes. When I first met you, you were skittish, self-conscious, and slightly awkward, but you opened yourself up to having fun and new experiences. I do not think in the entire time I have known Gormes I have seen her genuinely smile and I think the only time I have seen her enjoy herself was when she was gossiping."

"Well, that is some consolation," Lothril replied with a half smile.

"You know, you truly look fair in that dress. Very fair," he said softly as he tightened his arm around her and kissed her temple. "I love seeing you in white gems and I am very happy you have decided you like this dress because I love you in it."

"But why?! It is... It is..."

"Do not say ostentatious. You are about to be with kings, princes, princesses, and nobles," he reminded.

"Too low and too tight."

He raised a brow. "I think you mean fair and fitted."

"Well yes, but you said I could not say 'ostentatious' and that was the only thing I could come up with," she admitted with a crooked little smile.

"Well if that is your only objection, I will kindly remind you again that you are about to go to a feast with three kingdoms worth of royalty and nobility. You shall blend right in." He paused a moment then added, "Would you do me a favor?"

"Sure, what do you need?"

"You to come to my tent tonight when we return. I want to show you how lovely I think you look in that dress."

-⸙— ⸙-

Evening was settling in when King Thranduil, Prince Legolas, and Lady Lothril arrived by sleigh to the bridge leading to Lake-town. It was lined with torches and guards of the town were dotted down the bridge, and Thranduil's royal guard accompanied them as they headed into the town. Lothril couldn't decide if she thought the elven guards were standard or if this was more showing off.

Lake-town was very much beyond the realm of anything she had ever seen before. Under moonlight and starlight, the ice and the odd snowdrift around the pylons and quays made it almost easy to forget this was a town on the water; until one caught a glimpse of broken ice or saw a boat sitting up on the ice. The place they were heading towards was a great hall that was near the middle of town. She could tell because the dwarves were also heading there, also surrounded by guards. They seemed to glint and glow in the moonlight and lamplight. This made her feel substantially better about being bedecked in white gems and silver threads. What she did not realize though was that she, and even her entire party, was glimmering as if clothed in stars and that starlight seemed to be captured by them and making the air shimmer with it.

They approached the great hall and Lothril could see it was decked out for a party even before the doors opened to reveal a room gilded and full of light and music and merry voices. They went inside and Lothril gathered that the arrival of the royalty was one of the last things to occur as the hall seemed mostly full and she realized all the lords and ladies that had accompanied them were already there and it looked like King Bard was already there too, though not quite settled yet. The dwarves had beaten the elves to the stairs and so King Thorin and his entourage entered first to an announcement and accompanying bows. The doors didn't quite have time to close before the elves got up the stairs and Lothril was again a little unsure what to do with her face. Smile big? Look serious? She already knew she would look sad or like a deer in headlights if she wasn't careful, so she decided fixing a small pleasant smile in place was probably safest choice as she was certain 'regal and majestic' were not in her facial repertoire. She sneaked a glance at Thranduil who looked regal, royal, majestic, and slightly aloof. Legolas looked regal, majestic, and proud; and she recognized it as his proud to be showing her off look. She just hoped she didn't look silly next to them.

As it was, she looked ethereal and sweet and the collective gasp that was heard when they entered belonged primarily to her. Thranduil knew it, Legolas knew it, and Lothril convinced herself it had to be for the other two. They took their seats to the right of King Bard and after a short speech in which he thanked both the Wood and the Mountain for their aid and friendship, the feast began.

Being at King Bard's table, Lothril was seated by the end with Legolas on her left. The tables were set up in a U shape though, and so there was a small gap for servants to pass through, but otherwise Mindonith was seated on the end closest to her so they could talk fairly conveniently. Most of the several course meal was spent pleasantly with her talking to Mindonith and Legolas and catching snatches of other conversations around the room. The majority of the talk revolved around the events of the day and what contests were coming up and what had happened in previous years. Eventually her conversation turned to her social calendar.

"Milady, we are having a dance next week and we would love it if you and the prince would attend. It is a smaller party with around a dozen couples and we sincerely hope you can attend," Mindonith said.

Legolas thought he might have to nudge her, figuratively and literally, to get her to accept, but to his surprise and delight she turned to him and asked, "Do we have anything that would conflict with that?"

"No, not a thing," he answered with a smile.

"Excellent! We shall be there!" Lothril said, seemingly genuinely excited.

And she was. She was not given long though to think about what she might wear to said dance before a low, "Ooooh!" broke out from the dwarves.

"Begun already I see. The dwarves must be mad you knocked out their king and the winner from last year," Mindonith said to Lothril.

"What do you mean?" Lothril asked.

"Usually the drinking game does not start until after dessert but today it has started before it," Mindonith answered. "That only tends to happen when someone is upset. They were beaten during the fish fling."

"That fish fling contest is really that big of a deal?" Lothril asked.

"Oh yes! They have been holding this contest for a hundred and fifty years and it has become one of the biggest parts of this festival. The only thing that rivals it is the ice fishing contest," Mindonith answered with a grin.

Lothril leaned forward a little to see what was going on, but the game came to her in the form of a servant carrying a large tray laden with mugs of beer. As soon as Legolas got his he took a drink and so Lothril reckoned there wasn't a formal start to this game and took a tentative taste sip and made a face that both Legolas and Mindonith laughed at. "Oh! Uuugh! I am out," Lothril said, hastily setting down her beer and reaching for the mead she had been sipping on.

"You do not like beer?" Mindonith asked.

Lothril shook her head as she swallowed. "You can ask Legolas, I am ridiculously fussy about wine and beer. I am sure this is nice, but I do not care for it."

"Bring us another!" King Bard exclaimed and immediately a servant showed up with another tray that the king instructed him to sit down in front of him on the table. Bard, Thorin, and Thranduil all got a mug and all three threw them back and reached for another.

"Oh brother..." Lothril muttered under her breath and into her wine cup. Why on earth anyone would want to chug this stuff voluntarily for fun was beyond her reckoning. However, as the general opinion of the hall seemed to think this was good fun, she kept her opinions to herself. It didn't take too terribly long for the whole hall to go from smelling like food and fire to smelling like beer, and given how enclosed the space was, it soon became a bit much for her, so she quietly slipped out and threw her cloak on with one of the guards following her. "Is that you Thinhen?"

"It is, milady," he replied as he stationed himself beside her just outside the door.

She leaned against the wall and looked up at the stars. "It smells so much nicer out here! And the cool air feels nice after that stuffy hall."

"It is nicer out here," Thinhen agreed.

"For the life of me I do not know how you are not melting in that armor in there," she said, turning her head to talk to him.

"It is a bit warm at that, but after all these centuries, I am accustomed to it," he answered.

Just then a young couple walked by on the boardwalk below the stairs, perfectly oblivious to the elves at the top of the stair. They were hand in hand and talking in hushed voices. The moon and stars shone above, the ice glinted and glittered softly below, and the lights of the town cast a faint reddish gold glow on the wooden walkways of the town.

"Young love is always a joy to behold," Thinhen commented quietly. "And you and the prince are bringing much joy to the kingdom, you know."

"I am both pleased and humbled to know that," Lothril replied with a smile.

"We have been without our queen for a while now and she was much loved. I think everyone is quite prepared to embrace you as our princess."

Lothril was about to reply when the door began to open and Thinhen stood at attention.

"There you are!"Legolas said with a smile as he spotted Lothril. "How you managed to sneak out without my noticing is beyond me."

"Elven magic," Lothril replied with a grin.

Legolas gave Thinhen a small little hand signal and Thinhen immediately went down the stairs and took a position at the bottom of them facing outwards.

Legolas took her hands in his. "Are you fine?" He asked quietly.

"I am. It was just starting to smell too much like beer in there for me."

"Then you best not return for it shall be smelling like beer the rest of the night."

Lothril frowned. "Well, I suppose there is nothing for it," she said, looking at the doors and moving to return inside.

"We could go back to camp."

"No really I..." she was going to say go back inside but the look on his face... One of these days she would figure out a name for it. "Let's go back to camp."

"Thinhen, summon the sleigh and if my father asks where we are tell them we returned to camp," Legolas said to the guard, who quickly bowed and hurried off.

"You have been distracting me all night, my winter queen," he said in a low voice in her ear.

"I just had to tell you that," she said with a shake of her head. "You are never going to give that up are you?"

"Never! You are my queen and I am your adoring lover." He gave her a kiss then added, "Let us start heading to the shore."

By the time they reached the bridge the sleigh was waiting for them at the end of the dock, its lanterns lit and shining. He helped her inside and off they went. The ride back was not more than ten minutes and when they arrived back he helped her out and led her to his tent. It was not terribly late yet, so she did not object.

As soon as they were inside and the lanterns lit and fire in his stove stoked, he sat beside her on his bed and said, "You said you wish to follow our traditions, did you not?"

"I did," she answered slowly. "Why do you ask?"

"Because traditionally this is about the time we would start exchanging more intimate and personal songs and compliments," he said. He wasn't entirely sure what he thought her reaction would be, but he hadn't quite expected what it was.

"Such as?" she asked with a flirty little grin.

He smiled. Unexpected but he could play that game. "I might tell you how fair I find your figure in that dress. How the icy blue makes your lips look oh so kissably pink. I could even tell you how desirable I find all your lines and curves to be and how much I love seeing them when we swim together. I might tell you that seeing you in that dress sets my heart afire. Seeing you clad in dresses that reflect, even if dimly, your beauty and radiance makes me eager for the day I can show my love to you."

"Hmm... I think I like the sound of that."

"Then let me start now! I love seeing you in this dress for it reflects the light and brilliance of your fëa. I love how it shows off your shoulders as well and the lace- I love how it looks like frost against your pale skin; skin I want to touch... To kiss..." he said as he reached an arm around her and let his fingers lightly skim the top of her shoulders between the dress and the necklace before he unclasped it and gingerly removed it from her neck, setting it aside. "I very much want to kiss you in this dress. Sevin i dhâf gîn an gi mibed sí? (Do I have your permission to kiss you here?)" he asked as he softly traced the top ridge of her shoulders and then slowly trailed down onto her chest.

"Mibo nin (kiss me)," Lothril replied.

-⸙ - ⸙-

Thranduil saw Thinhen return inside and alone Thranduil made eye contact with him and used ósanwe to ask from across the crowded hall, "Where are Legolas and Lothril?"

"They returned to camp, your majesty," he answered.

Thranduil smiled rather wide. The beer was clearly starting to get to him. "Gentlefolk, I believe I shall give you all a minute to catch up. Servant! Fetch me more bread and butter!"

Bard the Second was already starting to slur a little and being of a similar temperament, though not quite so grave, as his namesake Bard the Dragon-slayer, he decided to bow out while he could still see straight. "King Thranduil, King Thorin, I am out. Have my servants wake me when you are done," Bard said just before leaving his chair and lying down behind it.

"It is down to you and me then, elf," Thorin Stonehelm said, sounding just a little sloshed.

"Good luck to you dwarf. None of you have beaten me yet," Thranduil replied with a smirk.

Thorin smiled. "A shortcoming I wish to remedy."

Every last elf in the place snickered at the dwarf saying "shortcoming."

"If only you had the height to do so," Thranduil replied before downing another beer. "And you are now four behind, but I shall wait for you to catch up."

Thorin was about to take umbrage except he realized the elven king was correct and he was four beers behind. That would never do. He quickly tried to catch up as Thranduil very casually buttered this absolutely lovely raisin bread and asked the servant to fetch for him a copy of the recipe. He reckoned it would be amazing with some cinnamon swirled in. As soon as Thorin the third caught up, Thranduil brushed off his hands and resumed drinking. However, being nearly a dozen beers in and this being not a weak beer combined with Thorin not having had time to leisurely nosh on bread and butter while waiting for anyone to catch up, it only took two more for Thorin to pass out on the table, leaving Thranduil sitting up at the high table alone, casually sipping another beer and eating raisin bread.

Thranduil smirked and said to his folk, "Seventy-seven years and counting!"

The elves cheered as well as all the humans and dwarves who were too sloshed to either understand or care.

Thranduil called for servants to come tend Bard and Thorin. With some amusement he watched the servants peel their respective monarchs off the floor and table. Just about the time he began debating whether or not he wanted more bread, a servant showed up with the recipe and he decided against it. He then told the musicians to keep playing before summoning Thinhen to himself.

"Thinhen, I was not paying strict attention, did Lothril leave first?"

"She did, my king," he answered.

"How did she seem when she went out?"

"Mostly just glad to get away from the smell of beer. She was even going to return inside, I think until Prince Legolas suggested they return to camp," Thinhen answered.

Thranduil smiled wide. Good son! He had been a little worried, especially when Legolas went out too. "Excellent! Someone run ahead and summon the sleigh. I am heading back now also."

Just then one of the human nobles stood and made his way to the center back of the hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen," declared the tall, lanky fellow, "I beg your attention please for I have an announcement!" Everyone who still could turned their attention to the man who had a stupidly pleased drunk smile on his face. As soon as he saw he had the room's attention, he declared, "Goodnight!" and immediately turned around and bent over and dropped his pants and mooned the entire hall before drunkenly prancing out the doors.

"Well then!" Thranduil said before bursting into giggles. He made his way out of the hall, guards in tow. He looked as majestic and poised leaving as he did coming in, save now he had a very cheery look on his face.

He hummed a little as he walked back towards the dock that connected the town and the shore. It was a lovely night! Stars were out, people all over town were throwing parties with kith and kin, and the quiet winter air was swirled with the sounds of merrymaking and the smells of cooking fires.

Maybe it was all the beer, maybe it was the night, but Thranduil realized that for the first time since Lauríel had sailed he was, in fact, genuinely and deeply happy. He still missed Lauríel of course, but this was one of those nights he could almost feel her presence. And it had been a very fun day. He had spent the whole day with family and friends, his son and his soon-daughter had a lovely night too and were probably up a tree somewhere kissing and singing songs to each other, his kingdom was at peace – Middle-earth was at peace… It was just a good night.

He sang and hummed all the way back to camp, the driver joining in when he sang. Once back, he could see that there was merrymaking here too and it made him gladder than he already was. He saw Gladhrion and the better part of the family out by one of the fires singing and he immediately joined them.

"Did you win, oh cousin?" Gladhrion asked.

"Yes! I did!" Thranduil replied with a laugh. "Seventy-seven years and counting! You would think the Men and Dwarves would take the hint, but I suppose the former do not live long enough and the latter are too stubborn." He laughed again. "Have you seen my son and his beloved?"

"They returned a little while ago and went into his tent," Elior answered. "Truly, I do not know why they insist on waiting until the autumn colors turn to wed. With the way they both are, I would have supposed they would want to marry the moment Midsummer comes."

Thranduil waved a dismissive hand. "Do not look to me for an explanation of those two. They are a matched set and yet they insist on waiting even after Lord Elrond arrives. I would have let them wave tradition if they so wished, but they both insisted."

"Well we know it is not lack of passion," Elior commented.

"Indeed not," added Gladhrion. "You should have seen your son when they returned."

Thranduil chuckled. "Oh? And how did Lothril look?"

"Her hood was up and she was turned away from us," Gladhrion answered.

Thranduil chuckled again. "Well I am glad you told me so I did not go into his tent."

Meanwhile inside Legolas' tent, she was sitting on his lap and he had one arm wrapped around her and was softly tracing patterns on her exposed shoulder and upper chest with his other hand and leaving a slow trail of kisses up and down her neck to the edge of her shoulder he had exposed while giving her compliments.

"You who are fairest in my eyes, let me delight in you.
Upon my lips you are soft as velvet and smooth as silk.
How I love to feel it! So soft and warm!
You are a delight to my senses.
Your lips are sweeter than wine and stronger by far.
The perfume of your hair and skin is more enchanting than wildflowers in full bloom.
The lines of your body delight my eyes
and your curves my hands as I take pleasure in feeling you."

"Do you truly?" she asked, letting him tilt her head so he could kiss a particular spot on her neck. She loved him kissing it and he loved doing so because she would always melt just a little more and yield herself a little further to his touch.

"It is one of my greatest pleasures in life. Especially when I touch you here," he said as he slid his hand across her rib cage. "And here," he said as he brought his hand to her waist. "And decidedly here," he added as he brought his fingers trailing down from her collar bone to the frosty lace of her dress and teased the skin along the edge of it. "You are tensing up, Lothril. Should I stop?" he asked, removing his hands from her immediately as he asked.

"No… I just… " she gave a frustrated sigh. "I disconnected again."

"Do you want me to continue?"

"I do," she said decisively.

"Are you comfortable with what I am doing?" he asked, whispering the words before kissing behind her ear, continuing on with tracing patterns on her skin.

"I am," she answered, sounding a little forced relaxed.

"Are we well within our established rules?"

"We are."

Are you enjoying this?"

"I am." This time she sounded like she was genuinely relaxing into his ministrations.

"Hmm…" he hummed thoughtfully for a moment even as he gently tilted her head again so he could kiss her neck better. "Remember, you are allowed to enjoy this, meleth nin. You are supposed to enjoy this. Give in to the pleasure, melethril. Enjoy it. Express your enjoyment however you wish."

"I do not want to be heard," she said self-consciously.

"With all the music and singing, no one will hear your quiet moans and sighs," he reassured before kissing the curve of her neck and softly running his fingertips over a particular part of her upper chest just an inch or two below her collar bone that seemed a little extra sensitive.

She let out a long, low sigh.

He felt the tension begin to leave her. "That is better," he whispered in her ear. He kissed her cheek then added in a quiet voice, "It has been several weeks you know since you last tensed up like that. You are getting better about letting yourself enjoy this. It used to be nearly every time we kissed more than twice." He let his hand on her waist slide up onto her rib cage as he let the hand that was tracing patterns just below her collar bone lower until his fingertips were teasing the edge of the silvery lace again and she gave a shuddering sigh of pleasure. "I love the sound of your sighs and moans. They please me to no end because they speak to me of your pleasure. And I love how this feels," he said, rubbing his hand slowly up and down her side. "Next time we swim together, if you will allow me, I want to enjoy the warmth of your skin there."

She smiled. "Mmm… and I want you to. I want to enjoy you."

From somewhere outside the tent came the sound of laughter, which wasn't odd given all the merrymaking going on, but something about it made Lothril pause and tilt her ear towards the door to listen.

"Was that… was that your father… giggling?" she asked, knit browed and looking rather confused.

Legolas paused mid kiss and lifted his head and replied, "Yes, that is most certainly my father."

"He has a giggle?"

"Only when he is mildly drunk," he replied.

Lothril burst into full-fledged laughter. "Oh but of course he does! What a day! Frozen fish flinging and a giggling drunk Thranduil! Legolas, I love you to bits, but I have officially hit my weird limit for the day and I shall now go to bed. Good night, Mellothon!" With that she gave him a long, slow, deep kiss and didn't stop until she felt his pulse pounding under her hand which was gently cupping his jaw and neck, and then with a wicked little grin on her face she left him looking borderline stupefied as she muttered, "Odds fish!" to herself as she walked out of his tent.

-⸙ - ⸙-

She awoke the next morning to Estelneth bustling about her tent again.

"Do you sleep?" Lothril asked, sitting up with a stretch.

Estelneth smiled. "I actually went to bed early last night and did not wake when you came in. Did you enjoy the opening feast?"

"I did… right up until the whole hall smelled like beer, then I ducked out. Thankfully the smell did not get to me before dessert," Lothril answered. She got out of bed and saw breakfast already sitting on her table so she sat down to it. "What is on today's agenda? Anything?"

"The king shall be meeting with King Bard today, but that meeting is optional for you. Otherwise, the day is yours," Estelneth answered.

"Oh good!" Lothril said with a smile as she reached for her tea.

She dressed again in virtually the same outfit as yesterday but with a different tunic, and headed out into the clear, bright morning only to run into Legolas who was heading towards her tent.

She smiled at him. "Good morni-"

"Is Estelneth still in there?" Legolas asked, his voice and face surprisingly intense.

"Not anymore," Estelneth answered as she hurried out of the tent.

Before Lothril could even utter a word, Legolas took her hand, pulled her into her tent, and the moment the tent door shut he kissed her and how! She somehow managed to gasp through her nose as the barrage of his feelings slammed into her. Somewhere between feeling his emotions and the feel of lips on hers, his fingers buried to the knuckles in her hair, and his other arm wrapped around her, pulling her to himself she forgot herself and started moaning softly the kiss despite the fact she was terribly confused as to why he was kissing her like that… but somehow that didn't seem very important at the moment.

"Turnabout is fair play," he said, breaking the kiss. With an inviting and teasing little smirk of a smile he left her in the tent.

She stared at the closed door for a moment with knit brows and her head tilted slightly until she remembered – her goodnight kiss last night. Turnabout is fair play… very well then. She hadn't meant to start something, but she was more than happy to play along. She left the tent and found him talking with a group of elves. He turned and greeted her like that was the first time he had seen her that morning and she would have been tempted to doubt herself except she could still taste his kiss and he had a mischievous glint in his eyes.

They headed down to the lake and he broke off to go work on his ice sculpture along with Istelion, Cîlwen, and Thalaves who were also sculpting something in ice while she went off with Mindonith, Gladhrion, Elior, Ethirwen, and Emlinil to play ice dragon. As it turned out, ice dragon was less of a competition game and more of a carnival game. As they approached it though, Lothril found herself very impressed. The sculpture, she was told, was one quarter scale, which still made it a rather massive ice sculpture, and the fact that they had somehow figured out how to dye it red and yellow amazed her. Each player was only given one shot at it, so Lothril wasn't at all surprised she didn't win. Emlinil, Elior, and Mindonith did though and for their good work they were given what looked to Lothril like a large, puffy sugar cookie with a raspberry jam filling. She wandered around with an assortment of friends and Legolas' family, looking at booths and in tents and playing the odd game until around midday when she returned to see how Legolas' sculpture was coming along.

Istelion was sculpting Cerin Amroth. Cîlwen was sculpting a swan landing on water. Thalaves was sculpting two people dancing, and Legolas… Lothril could not figure it out still. On one side he had a tall curved bit of ice that he left about an inch or so thick. The top was rounded in three humps and there were four rounded straight ribs or stalks or pillars, she couldn't decide what they were exactly, except that they seemed to frame the curved piece and then break it into thirds. Coming away from the curved piece on what Lothril reckoned was the back of whatever it was, it was square and level and plain but rounded the corner of the ice block back towards where she was standing and had been cut into a stair step. Then there was a wide flat surface across the bottom with an elaborate pattern etched into it and a large hunk of roughly shaped ice in the middle, and little ridged rises on the other side that went up perhaps two inches into a fan shape that matched the curve across from it. Legolas was very carefully working away on the tall curved piece, etching a diamond pattern into it.

"Are you ever going to tell me what this thing is?" Lothril asked.

"Can you not guess?" Legolas asked, flashing her a smile as he worked away.

Clearly this was something he thought she should recognize… so that narrowed things down a bit, but still… though, something about it did seem familiar…

"Come back in two hours and I will be mostly done," he added. "If you do not guess it then I will tell you."

"Hmm… well, as the ice boat races are about to start and if the flags are any indication, they will be going past here, so I think I will stay right here and watch them and watch you," Lothril replied.

"You do not wish to sit with the crowds?" he asked, glancing up at her briefly while he brushed away some ice shavings.

"It is not that quite so much as-"

"Lothril! Lothril! There you are!" cried Linnrien.

"Come with us and leave him to his carving! You are missing the festival!" Mindonith said as she came up and grabbed Lothril by the hand.

"Have fun!" Legolas said with a grin as he watched Lothril being dragged away.

Mindonith and Linnrien pulled her away towards the second row of booths where Ethirwen was waiting and wanted to show Lothril this lovely leather hair pin that looked like a green leaf with a pin that looked like a silver lothil.

"Is this not perfect for you? And then there is this one that looks like a lothil bloom and the pin like the stalk and leaves," Ethirwen said, showing her each pin in turn.

"Oh! Those are both so pretty!" Lothril said with a smile, picking up the leaf one and examining it. "They are both perfect!" And just as she decided that she indeed did seriously want both of them, her complete and utter lack of coin and understanding of the local monetary system came back to her. "I think though I will pass..." she trailed off because just then a long, thin hand wearing rings with white gems and stones reached past her and handed coins to the vendor.

"You shall do no such thing, pen mell," Thranduil said and then handed Linnrien his purse. "Get whatever you like." He looked at Linnrien and added with osanwe, "Whatever you do, do not let her talk herself out of anything she genuinely likes and above all, do not let on if something is expensive or not or she shall make me look stingy."

Linnrien's eyes twinkled merrily and she gave a slight nod. She herself had been on the receiving end of Thranduil's doting before and she knew full well it was never about the money. She had watched him go out of his way with equal vigor to see she had her favorite dessert on her birthday as he did to make sure she and Elior were well taken care of when they were first married.

Lothril gave him a look to which he replied with an impish grin before he gave her a kiss quite intentionally catching the corner of her mouth before he said, "Have fun, pen mell."

Oooooh that elf! Every time she really wanted to be annoyed with him he would do something to make it impossible. Including taking advantage of her ability to feel others emotions with a kiss. It is, in fact, very hard to be annoyed with someone when you know beyond all doubt they are doing something out of sheer love and generosity because they care for you deeply. As it was, she was simultaneously touched and wanting to throw a snowball at him. She thought better of the snowball.

At sunset Legolas saw Lothril returning and looking quite the sight. She was wearing a wrap that looked like it woven of autumn colors and she had two hair pins on her scarf and a leaf shaped cloak pin on her wrap. Under one arm were a pair of beautifully painted wooden ducks and in the other hand she held a caramel apple she was munching on. He quickly went to meet her.

"I take it by your smile you had a good time," he said, carefully taking the ducks from her.

She nodded as she finished chewing and then swallowed her bite of caramel apple and replied, "Quite!"

"I must know - what on earth are you doing with a pair of wooden decoy ducks? Are you taking up duck hunting?"

"Oh…Is that what they are? Well I am not opposed to trying duck hunting, but I just got them because they remind me of the ones my gran had. Do you remember the ones she had in her living room?"

"I do, and I ought to have guessed it was something like that and that you hadn't just decided to take up duck hunting as you do not have a duck call."

With her recently liberated hand she reached into her pocket, pulled out something that looked like a duck bill, and blew into it producing a nearly perfect duck quack then flashed him a big grin. "I couldn't resist. It looks like a duck bill and I just love ducks!"

He laughed. "Well, if you are done quacking, I have something to show you."

"Oh, your sculpture! Is it done?" she asked excitedly as she stuffed the duck call back into her pocket.

"I shall add a few finishing touches tomorrow, but yes, it is essentially done." He led her over to it and told her to sit in the snow to get the full effect.

She sat and as the setting sun came through the ice window she realized - this was the ballroom from her palace from her day dreams as a girl. And in the middle were a frosty ice Legolas and ice Lothril dancing with a long train on her cloak. The diamond carvings in the icy glass caught the light of the setting sun and made it look the windows had golden panes. The golden sunlight caught the carvings on the floor also and made it look like it too was veined in gold, just like her daydreams.

"I never dreamed such a thing was possible… it was…" she reached out and gently touched the ice sculpture. "To touch a daydream…" she looked at Legolas. "To touch a dream…" she reached out for his hand which he gladly gave her. She stood up and said quietly, "Let's go back to camp now."

"If you like."

They made the snowy trek back to camp, Lothril setting a quick pace, and as soon as they were back, she pulled him into the nearest tent, which happened to be his, hastily took the ducks from him and set them haphazardly on the table before quickly removing her wrap and scarf and then took his head in her hands and kissed him.

"That was the sweetest and loveliest thing I have ever been given! I have no words-" she cut herself off and gave him string of kisses, each getting stronger and more passionate than the one prior.

By heaven, he could get drunk off of her being aggressive like that.

She pushed him back into a chair, not breaking the kiss as she crawled onto his lap only to hear a quiet hiss and feel a slight wince. "Oh no! Did I hurt you? I am so sorry!" she said as she immediately jumped off his lap.

"No, no, you merely hit a scar. It still bothers me from time to time, especially if it is cold out," he said dismissively.

"A scar? Where? How did I miss it?"

"You missed it because I always draw you to my left side and it is always covered, but as you have entrusted me with yours, I will show you mine," he replied and stood up and began stripping down until he was only in his tunic and leggings. He pulled up the hem of the tunic so it was out of the way and undid the top couple of buttons on his leggings and then pulled them down a little on his right side. It was a nasty looking vaguely round shaped white and pink scar just two inches below the waist of his pants.

"What on earth is that from?" Lothril asked, kneeling down to get a closer look. She reached out to touch it then stopped. "May I?"

"If you want."

She traced it out with her fingers and then pressed her hand to it softly. "The healers did a good job. The scarring tells me it was a poisonous wound to begin with, but I can find no trace left of it."

Legolas looked impressed. "Elrond will be proud of you if you tell him you discerned that, for you are right. It was poisoned."

She removed her hand and he offered his hand to help her stand. "By what?"

He answered as he started dressing again. "Spiders. Six, no seven years ago now, we suffered a rash of attacks from spiders drawing far too close to our borders. We had several elves taken by them and we had to rescue them, though sadly some died before we could. Father was livid, as were we all, and we launched a large campaign to eradicate them. We knew the Necromancer had returned and that true eradication would be impossible, but we hoped to beat them back and reduce their numbers to such a degree that it would be years before they dared come within a mile of our borders. We sent out many scouts to survey the nests and then assigned numbers enough to overwhelm them and destroy them. All was going well until we came upon a nest that we had initially thought was small, but come to find out, spiders fleeing us from other nests were all congregating there and creating a net of webs to ensnare us. We did not learn this though until we attacked and spiders began coming out everywhere. I called the retreat and was trying to aid a small group of our soldiers that were being fenced in. I and Raven cut through to them and helped them escape, but at the last moment both of us were overwhelmed and taken.

"Father said I was only missing four days, all told, but it seemed like weeks. The spider's poison makes you very disoriented and sick feeling. Raven at some point managed to get to a small knife he had concealed and cut himself free and when he went to cut me down, I could see behind him spiders coming and ordered him to run to my father and effect a rescue. The soldiers whom we helped, had already returned to the palace to report our capture and father was almost to us. In the meantime, they stung me several times and always right there because when they caught me, they turned me upside down and my chainmail shirt fell and left my side exposed there."

"You survived four days upside down?"

"It was close. I managed to cut myself down twice during the daytime when they are more inactive, but then between the poison and falling that far and hitting my head – the first time I passed out and awoke at evening to find them hauling me back up into a tree. The second time was after Raven escaped and I made it to the ground safely enough but felt so disoriented and dizzy that I kept falling over and was easily recaptured. That time though they poisoned me again and then left me lying on a branch, I think. My memories became very muddled after that and I remember nothing clearly until I awoke one morning in a bed in my garden with Ada and Taraves both looking down at me and the sun shining down upon me."

Her browns knit together in confusion. "In your garden? And how were you rescued?"

"Ada told me as soon as he received word I was missing he immediately assembled a great number of soldiers and with himself at the head, went out to the last known location of soldiers I was commanding. There he found a sick Raven being tended while he protested that he needed to go to the king right away. Ada went to him immediately and Raven told him all the news, including where to find me, even as the other commanders were drawing up plans on how to rescue me should the king not arrive in time. Of course none of them had reckoned he would come with the force he did and so Ada took one look at the map of where I was, asked all those who had been there the number of spiders, and within the hour had a battle plan in place and was marching towards me. I vaguely remember hearing my father's voice and the sound of him issuing orders, and I remember him calling my name like he saw me and was trying to get my attention. He said he started heading towards me and the spiders figured out I was the prize to be won and so they all began congregating around me. I have heard it said he looked like a white flame tearing through the spiders and leaving a trail of dead in his wake. My face was only partially covered and I do remember seeing light in the darkness, but I had so much poison in me at that point that distinguishing anything was hard. I do remember seeing his face go from one of cold wrath to heartbroken as he was not sure if I yet lived until I managed to blink. I think I remember him cutting me down and his voice was muffled to me, so I did not understand him.

"After that I was brought directly to a tent where Taraves had been brought to tend to me and then we were transported back with all speed. Taraves told me after I awoke that even though they had done their best to remove the poison, I was not doing well until some ray of sunshine fell upon me and then I began to turn better, and so she deemed I needed light and as much of it as I could get. Ada ordered a bed be set up in my garden in the clearest spot. And so I was laid outside in the light in a bed, barely covered, and spent a whole day and a night there until I awoke the next morning to find Ada and Taraves looking down at me. And now all that is left is that scar and it occasionally smarting a little if it is rubbed just right."

"Oh, that is horrible! I cannot imagine being captured by spiders for four days!" Lothril said with a shudder. "But if that is all the worse you are for the encounter, I reckon you got off fairly lucky."

"I was left with a little more than that. Since then there are certain sounds and smells I cannot abide. For a couple years I had to remove myself from hunting spiders because I became more of a liability than an asset, but I have reached a point where I can overcome the fear before it takes me. That is one of the reasons I was so concerned about hurting you. I understand how a little thing can take your mind back into darkness."

She nodded. "Aah... It all makes sense. But why didn't you tell me sooner?"

He finished buttoning his last button. "Truthfully, I do not think much about it. It has ceased disrupting my life and is now little more than a minor inconvenience."

"Any other injuries I should know about?" she asked.

"None come to mind, but if they do I will tell you," he replied.

She didn't say anything but nodded and gave him a kiss which for the first second was chaste enough but then quickly changed until both of them had their hearts pounding in their chests.

⸙-⸙

Thranduil was strolling through camp when Linnrien caught up with him. "Uncle Thranduil!" she cried.

He turned around and came a couple steps closer to her. "How was shopping?"

"Oh – have you not seen them?" Linnrien replied.

"Nay, I have not."

"Then I shall let your purse tell the tale," Linnrien said as she handed him back his purse. "She chose out one of the prettiest shawls I have seen in years and I am certain if she had a clue to the price, she would have choked."

"I take it then it is in her possession," Thranduil said with a pleased look.

Linnrien smiled and was about to reply when suddenly there was a wild peal of laughter as Lothril went flying through the edge of camp and glancing behind her as Legolas chased after with a huge grin on his face, laughter not far from his lips, the pair of them disappearing into a thick knot of pine, some guards moving to follow them out of camp.

Thranduil gave a specific whistle and the guards immediately came to him. "Give them the widest possible perimeter. You hear and see nothing and are not seen or heard."

"Understood," they replied and left, silently disappearing into the trees.

"That son of yours is absolutely besotted with her," Linnrien said with a grin.

"Indeed he is, and so am I. She is easy to fall in love with. For months I wondered how it was Elrond could adopt her so quickly, but I understand it now."

Linnrien nodded. "She is. I would have her for a sister. She is a bit shy and reserved, but then… well, obviously she has her playful side."

Thranduil smiled. Yes, she certainly seemed to… and after their first midnight conversation, he had become silently dedicated to helping her develop it. Which meant he very much needed to be sure that bed was ready by the time they got married and he was falling behind schedule.

⸙-⸙

Lothril ran into the little knot of pine trees to find it was actually a finger of a small pine wood that was maybe three acres, all told. She moved in deep and then through a small little clearing and then ducked under the low branches of some pines on the far side of it. Their heavy snow laden boughs bent low to the deep snow and she found a little pocket and dove in there and laid down, staring up the smooth trunk as Legolas followed her in.

"This is a cozy little place you have found," Legolas said as he crawled in beside her and then leaned over her and kissed her.

When he broke the kiss she smiled and said, "Do you remember those pines near my parent's driveway? In winter when I got tired but was not ready to go inside, I would crawl under those pines and lay there just like this, staring up through the boughs." She breathed deeply through her nose. "Aaah! A familiar scent!"

"Do you miss your home?" Legolas asked, taking one of her hands in his as he settled down beside her, propping his head up on his other hand.

"A little now and then, but… I like it better here. I can breathe here. Back home I, well I would have been honest with you about everything, but I can guarantee you, I would feel like I could not fully tell you how I feel about you and how you make me feel."

"How do I make you feel?" he asked, his eyes all but burning with starlight.

She grinned. "Like I have had too much wine. You send fire through my veins that settles low in my belly."

"I like the sound of that," he replied with a smile. "Do you feel that way now?"

She blushed slightly. "I do."

"And how would you like me to tend this fire?" he asked before leaning down to kiss her.

"I wish I could tell you."

He studied her face very carefully and decided to take a gamble. He undid the top few clasps of her coat and then of her tunic until his fingers could reach skin. His progress was slow because he held her hand in one of his as the other worked, and he moved very slowly and watched her face carefully lest she become distressed and he be the cause of it. So far though… He reached skin and delicately traced the sliver of exposed skin as he kissed her until she felt like she was melting. "Do you like this?"

She nodded with a smile teasing the corners of her mouth.

"Does it make the fire in your belly grow?"

She blushed again but nodded and whispered, "It does."

"Your telling me that makes mine burn hotter as well. So does seeing you enjoy my touch. Your fire ignites mine and gladly do I burn."

She reached up and pulled down his head to kiss him again. He moaned into the kiss and the next thing he knew she was on top and broke the kiss and whispered in his ear, "Turnabout is fair play." And with a gleeful cackle ran off at full speed towards the camp.

"Oh that elleth!" Legolas muttered with a smile, trying to catch his breath before he got up and bolted after her.

Back at camp, everyone was sitting around the fire and talking and singing and suddenly out of nowhere, Lothril appeared beside Thranduil, grinning wide and looking like an elfling up to nothing but mischief.

"Where on earth did you come from?" Thranduil asked, quite surprised to see her so suddenly.

"Just there," she said, tossing a look back towards the trees. "So, what are we up to?"

"We were just talking about-"

"Dang it!" she muttered.

Thranduil turned to look as Legolas appeared from out of the trees and jogging towards her with that look on his face she couldn't quite name. It wasn't predatory… what was the fun, mischievous version of that? She couldn't puzzle long though because he was approaching quickly and she was trying to decide if he would try something in front of everyone or not.

"Good evening, meleth," Legolas said congenially as he strolled up.

"Good evening," she returned.

Thranduil watched their overly casual conversation about the fine evening weather. Clearly they were playing some sort of game and him not ordering Galion to "lose" Lothril's tent was a mistake. Perhaps he should remind Legolas he was willing to let them marry as soon as Elrond arrives… Regardless, he had a funny feeling that with whatever their little game was, his son would be aided by a dance and as he liked making mischief as much as the next elfling, he called for a song.

"Lothril, may I have this dance?" Legolas asked with a smile.

She couldn't think of a good excuse to say no and oh this song! The music was all but begging her to dance to it, and then his face! That inviting smile! She took his hand and he pulled her into a clear space between two of the fires.

"Are you enjoying our little game?" Legolas asked quietly in her ear before spinning her.

"Quite!" She replied with a smile as she resumed his other hand.

He smiled and let the hand on her waist slide up ever so slightly. As they danced he drew her slowly and steadily away from the fires. The song ended and he kissed her until he felt her arms wrap around him. He smiled and as another song started up they began dancing again and he led her further and further away from the merry making until they were early at their tents at which point he spun her, dipped her, then kissed her until he pulld her upright again and then waited until she pulled away, which was not a short time later.

"Shall we return to the merry making?" she asked.

"Not just yet," he replied. He drew her in and kissed her until he heard a soft moan.

They returned to the merrymaking and had a lovely time for some hours until Legolas drew her away to the edge of camp.

"So, do we continue this game perpetually or do we call it or do we just drop it for a while until we feel like playing again?" Lothril asked.

"Whatever you like, meleth nin," he answered with a soft smile.

"Then I vote we call it as is and start a new round another day," Lothril said.

"Are we going to keep score?" Legolas asked.

"No, I think not. I am not nearly competitive enough to care and I will surely forget the score," she answered.

"You are not saying that because I am up by one, are you?" he teased.

Her brow furrowed. "No… I was."

"Ah, but you have forgotten - I kissed you three times while we danced and away from the crowds and until you were all but melted in my hand. Do you still wish to call it?"

"You… oh. I guess you did," she said then gave a short laugh. "Ah well. I am happy to quit still. I hope we play again soon though."

He kissed her. "So we shall."

-⸙ - ⸙-

The next morning dawned bright and cheery with the snow sparkling on the trees in the early light. Legolas had left very early to put on a few finishing touches to his sculpture and Thranduil had left early also to have breakfast with King Bard and King Thorin. Thus, Lothril walked down to the festivities with Mindonith, Linnrien, Ethirwen, and Emlinil. All of them were going to join in the ice fishing contest and were carrying gear accordingly, including Lothril who had insisted to Estelneth and all the servants who had practically begged to carry it for her that she was perfectly capable and she wanted them to all cheer her on and bring her mulled wine every so often. As it had been explained to her, they were all going to break themselves into teams of three or four and the competition was going to begin in an hour or so.

The lake was already being dotted with teams that were setting up chairs, benches, buckets, and in some cases ice fishing shanties or tents.

Legolas met her near the shore dressed in green and brown.

"Good morning, meleth nin," he said sweetly and gave her a swift little kiss. "Are you ready for the ice fishing contest?"

"I have no idea," she replied. "This is the first fishing contest I have done."

"Who all is on your team?" he asked.

Lothril turned to Mindonith and asked, "Who else did you get for our team?"

"Emlinil and Linnrien," Mindonith answered.

"Yeah, so I hope you are ready to lose, prince!" Lothril teased.

Legolas just grinned and said, "I am not worried."

"Who is on your team Prince Legolas?" Emlinil asked.

"My father, Elior, and Gladhrion," he answered.

"Do not worry, friends," Linnrien said with a smile. "My cousin and husband may boast of their fishing skills, but I taught Elior how to fish."

"We shall see," Legolas said.

"Legolas! No consorting with the enemy, no matter how besotted you are with one of them!" teased Elior as he came up to Legolas and grabbed his arm to pull him away.

"And you are not?" Legolas shot back as his cousin pulled him away.

"Not on the day of the fishing contest!" Elior replied.

"Oh Elior," Linnrien said with a soft flirty voice.

Elior immediately stopped and turned to his wife, dragging Legolas with him. "Yes, ro-vell (dearest)?"

She came up to him to kiss him when Legolas pulled him back and said, "No consorting with the enemy, no matter how married you are to one of them!"

Elior stopped short and gasped. "You sneaky bess! Trying to tempt your own husband into treachery! For shame!"

Everyone burst into laughter and the two groups split up and went out onto the lake. Lothril was carrying the auger and was wondering just how deep the ice was. It had been very cold that winter, so she guessed fairly thick. She looked out at all the groups on the ice and saw Legolas and his team were not terribly far off from them. It looked like it was going to be Legolas, Elior, Gladhrion, and Thranduil. Oh, this ought to be fun! Not much further away, but off in another direction was Gimli and two other dwarves. She watched as Gimli came striding up to Legolas who greeted his friend.

"Start boring here, Lothril," said Linnrien, drawing her attention back.

Lothril nodded and got the auger into position and started cutting into the ice, all the while keeping an ear tuned to the private game Gimli was proposing. A few minutes later the ellith had themselves all set and were simply awaiting the starting horn.

"I must say, I am glad you have that green coat, Lothril," Mindonith said. "After I asked you I fretted all night I would get on Filegon's bad side if you ruined your beautiful white coat."

Lothril gave a short chuckle. "To be honest, I was worried about that too until Estelneth pulled this out this morning. I swear I have no idea how she packed so much into one trunk!"

"Oh! Look, the man is approaching the platform!" Emlinil said.

The horn sounded and the tournament began. Lothril honestly hadn't been sure what she thought it was going to be like, but the word 'intense' hadn't crossed her mind. As it was though, the air was thick with it. Somewhere off a ways someone caught a fish and a cheer went up. And after that it seemed like everyone was getting anxious to catch a fish. Two more teams caught a fish before their line showed activity and Linnrien reeled in a fish. Everyone cheered and Lothril didn't miss Elior and Legolas looking over in a mix of wild envy and mild shock before Thranduil called for their focus and Gladhrion reached for a net.

All told, Lothril wouldn't call ice fishing a high excitement, thrills a minute event, but having that many people out on the ice certainly made things interesting. However, as time carried on, one started to get the feeling that certain teams knew they hadn't caught nearly enough to be competitive and so started to either relax or pack up. Cooking fires started along the shore and a mix of elves, dwarves, and men readied themselves to start cooking a huge batch of fish.

"How are we doing?" Lothril asked, seeing a team of dwarves and men heading back to shore with a string of fish.

"Quite well, I think," Mindonith said as she looked into the barrel they had fish in.

"I do not hope to win, but if we beat Elior, I shall be quite satisfied," Linnrien said as she reeled in another. "We have a bet and I want to win it."

The horn sounded again and everyone began laying out their fish to be counted. While waiting for one of the official counters to come by, Elior and Legolas came up to the ladies and Elior said, "I sincerely hope you are not disappointed wife, but we have caught sixteen fish."

"Nay, my husband, I am not disappointed at all for we have caught twenty," Linnrien replied as all four of them smiled at Elior and Legolas.

"Twenty!" Elior cried.

Legolas even looked a bit impressed.

"Twenty. Count them and weep, Elior!" Linnrien said smugly.

Lothril leaned over to Mindonith and asked in her ear, "I know we beat them, but is twenty a good catch for this contest?"

"Quite good," Mindonith answered in Lothril's ear.

Lothril's smile broadened. She felt rather proud of them.

One of the official counters came by, counted their fish, then said, "I congratulate you on a good catch, but the fisherman there out caught you by one."

They looked at where the counter was pointing and it seemed to Lothril they looked like the sort that had been fishing that lake their whole lives.

"At least you did not win the competition or I would be in a good deal of trouble," Eliot said with a grin.

"Ah well, maybe next year!" Linnrien teased.

Not long after the air became full of the smell of cooking fish. Lothril had to grin at Legolas who looked please as could be that he was getting a fish fry.

"Alright, now that you have had your fish, I want to go take a last look at your ice sculpture," Lothril said.

"Gladly," he replied.

As they headed over to it she asked, "Is there a closing ceremony or feast or anything? I forgot to ask Estelneth this morning."

"Nothing official or formal. The fish fry is it and it will go for hours and there will be music and dancing soon,' he answered.

"So if I disappeared for a while, no one would really notice?"

" I would notice," Legolas said. "Unless I disappeared with you."

"Then… I would definitely like to disappear for a few hours with you," she said quietly but with a little smile.

They arrived at the ice sculptures and Lothril asked, "Did you win?"

"I did not, nor did I expect to," he answered.

"Oh. Who did?"

Legolas pointed to a sculpture and Lothril gasped. It was a scale model of Lake-town that was raised on icy pylons above a perfectly smooth frozen lake.

"Oh my word… who made this?" Lothril asked, gaping as she looked at the ridiculously detailed ice model. She could even see the steps leading up to the hall where the feast had been the first night.

"Dori of the company that reclaimed Erebor," Legolas answered.

"This is unbelievable."

He is a singular talent," Legolas said.

She looked at it a little while more before slowly walking by the rest, stopping to appreciate one or two of the other more elaborate ones before coming back to her castle.

"Of all the things you have given me, this is going to be my favorite for a very, very long time. I still cannot believe I am looking at one of my daydreams! Thank you."

Legolas smiled. "You are very welcome, melethril nin. To see your face light up so made me glad I decided upon it."

"Out of curiosity, what else were you thinking?"

"I thought of carving you but then decided you would be ill pleased at that. This though, not even Ada could guess it besides two people dancing," he answered.

She smiled. "This is perfect." She looked around and seeing they were relatively alone she said quietly, "Thank you for playing that game with me yesterday. I reach-" she stopped abruptly as some elves started coming their direction.

"Let us take a walk," Legolas suggested.

They walked back generally towards camp and slowly and as most everyone was down by the shore, they rained their conversation.

"Tell me what you were about to say."

"Plainly, I still reach points where I freeze up and others where I get skittish again despite my desires. That game allows me to teach those points but instead of stopping our fun just turn it into another direction until I can resume."

"I noticed that and I wondered if that would not be the result."

She looked down at the snow and then up at him as she said, "I hope soon I will not need to do that. I like having fun and being silly with you, but that… I want…" she turned bright red.

"You need not say it. I know, meleth nin."

She have a slow shake of her head. "I want to say it. I want to be able to yield to you fully without hesitation. I… I desire you Legolas. And I want my eventual full surrender to that desire to be without me getting in my own way."

He stopped walking and gently pulled her to a stop and took both of her gloved hands in his. "I want that for you too. I will do whatever I can to help you towards that end. Elrond shall be coming in spring. I want you to talk with him again and I will be there also. I think you have made excellent progress but I also think there are things that yet need his counsel and wisdom."

She nodded. "I quite agree. If naught else, I simply need assurance I am on the right path still and that I have not changed into some sort of degenerate."

"That you most certainly have not!" Legolas said definitively. "That is your past speaking and whispering lies and doubt in your mind. We are still within tradition and well within decency even in our most heated moments. I love you too much to allow that." He kissed her.

"And so you do. If naught else, I truly must learn to trust you and your character."

"You do. But the lies and doubt have had most of your life to take root. Trust takes time and the truth takes root slowly like a tree, not quickly like a weed."

She pulled his hands so he came closer and she kissed him. "I cannot wait until tomorrow night."

"Why is that?"

"Because we will be home and I will be able to thank you for the ice sculpture, the game, and your infinite patience and love properly."

Legolas looked at her with a raised brow and a smile.

A/N: *This would be King Bard II and King Thorin III Stonehelm. Not the Bard and Thorin of the Hobbit.
***February 9th/ 12th of Echuir. Echuir being the month or season, if you like, between Rhîw (winter) and Ethuil (spring). Oh, and the ice dragon prize of a jam stuffed sugar cookie – I have no idea if that's even possible, but if it is, that would be amazing. …And in case nobody noticed, I have gone fishing like two or three times and never ice fishing despite the fact I grew up near a lake that would be dotted with ice shanties all winter. I think I could write what I know about fishing on one page. Despite the fact I've watched maaaany long hours of outdoor hunting/fishing shows, I just never paid much attention. And despite the fact I know several anglers, absolutely none of them ice fish!