THE FORGOTTEN

I Mornechui Bangad

The Coffee Trade

Author's Note: The chapter in which – Lothril makes a trade agreement and Legolas goes fishing. …Re/reading in real time? Reckon about March 31st. This is another 'I didn't intend to write this chapter' chapter. I had zero intention to write this and then I was re-reading the Hobbit (for another fic I'm working on that will get published once I'm done writing it), and I realized coffee exists in Middle-earth and hobbits have it. Confustigate my forgetfulness! And then Thranduil mentioned traders were coming and…here we are! Also, elvish and ósanwe in italics.

"Lothril, meleth nîn," Legolas said as he came into the drawing room where she was sitting and reading with Thranduil after dinner. "Elior just invited me on a two day fishing trip. Do you mind if-?"

"Of course not! As long as you fry me up some fish when you get back," she replied with a flirty little smile.

"Certainly! We plan to leave before dawn tomorrow morning, so I shall go pack my gear. Shall I see you later?"

"Sure, unless you would rather not so you can head out earlier."

"I will see you later then," Legolas said definitively before giving her a kiss then heading out.

Thranduil did not look up from his book and minded his own business, but he also smiled ever so slightly.

As soon as he left, Lothril moved Thranduil's tea cup off the coffee table to the side table near him. Thranduil paused reading and watched her pull a notebook and pencil out from behind the couch cushion she was sitting on and whip out a large map and have it spread out on the table before he could ask what she was up to.

"Alright, Thran, I need a little help here," she said, settling down on the floor.

"With what?" he asked, peering over her shoulder into her notebook which was full of columns with a mix of words and figures. "Let me see that."

She handed over the notebook and he began going over it. "Well, the last two days I have been sneaking away to the records wing of the library and looking up old trade deals. Lord Himben has some fabulously detailed notes, but I would have been so lost without those summary pages! Anyway, I looked up the country of origin of a few things and then did my best to research the land and climate of those places and making my best guess, I think coffee most likely comes from Near Harad. So here is what I need help with – If cinnamon also comes from Near Harad and…" she got up next to him on the couch and pointed to a specific figure labeled 'cinnamon'. "This is what you are paying, I need to know if this is annually or per shipment?"

"Per shipment but we only receive it once a year, occasionally twice," he answered.

She thought a moment then said, "Okay, that makes sense, because as I was looking at the numbers, I reckoned it had to be an annual budget report, but I wasn't sure."

"If you look on the original, oh, I see you did copy it down here. This figure denotes the number of shipments, this however many units per shipment, this figure the price per unit, and this the annual total."

"I thought so," she said thoughtfully. "So, back home, the price of cinnamon per ounce is more expensive than coffee beans per ounce. I think it is about double at the shops back home, so…" She thrummed her fingers on her lap as she thought and stared at the map. "It has to be from a comparable place as the cinnamon. Coffee likes warm climates," she muttered to herself. "So it would be reasonable to expect to pay half of what we pay for cinnamon per pound, right?"

"If they are both coming from the same place, that is not an unreasonable thought. There are other factors to consider also, but I would reckon something close," he replied.

She gave a nod. "Alright then," she said as she began folding up the map.

"It seems to me you are quite ready to negotiate with the merchants tomorrow," Thranduil said approvingly.

She paused mid fold. "Not really. I still cannot bluff very well, I cannot haggle at all, and I still cannot tell when someone else is bluffing or not."

"I can help you with that," Thranduil said with a smile.

"Alright, but if we end up paying double what we should be for coffee, it's on your head!"

Thranduil laughed, "Nay, I do not think that will happen. Now, I have a question for you – how did you figure all of this out by yourself?"

She grinned as she finished folding the map and answered, "I have you to thank."

"Me?"

"Yes, you! At the ice festival when you gave Linnrien your purse, she bought whatever I looked twice at. Well, I've done a fair amount of shopping in my life, so it was not hard to reckon the leather hair pins were cheaper than the woven shawl but more expensive than a caramel apple. So I noticed what she paid with for each and started figuring out the currency. Then when I started looking at the ledgers, one of the court scribes was in there working, saw I looked stuck and asked me if I needed help and, well, a few questions later I had it all sorted out. That and I grew up in the family business and my mom kept the books, so I picked up a few things," she said, tucking the map into the notebook and then setting the notebook on the table.

"You are a very clever elleth, I see. Those budget reports are extensive and you barely knew how the currency works," Thranduil said.

She gave a short laugh. "Ha! Maybe, but I feel like I barely have a grasp on it. Sort of an overview through a mist. The only things I feel like I have properly figured out is that the kingdom is financially solvent."

"We are at that. But for only a day or two of study, that is no small feat."

She smiled a little. "Well… thank you."

"You do not take complements very well, do you?" he asked.

She shook her head a little. "Not really, though I try."

"Why not?"

"Oh, no! Not today. I have no desire to destroy another punching bag! It will not take Legolas that long to pack and we have plans."

Thranduil laughed. "Very well! But should you then leave now to prepare?"

"Hmm, maybe, but I do have a few questions to ask before we meet with the merchants."

"Legolas will be gone before breakfast, I have little doubt. Ask me then. If he is not gone by then, I will simply summon the merchants later in the morning."

She smiled. "Alright then. It is a bit early, but goodnight, Thran." She stood up with her notebook and was about to turn to go when Thranduil spoke.

"Wait, before you go, where did you get that map?" He asked.

"I copied it," she answered off handedly.

"You copied it?"

"Well, not exactly. I only copied places you get things from, and I was doing it quickly so it's a bit sloppy," she clarified.

"May I see it again?"

She pulled it out of the book and handed it to him. He unfolded it and looked it over. "Lothril, this is very good. How long did it take?"

"Oh, an hour. Maybe a little more. But if you look, you'll see the trees are all little loops and the mountains just triangles," she said, pointing to each item in turn.

"Lothril, I have used battle maps that are not this good. You have a talent for this."

"Really?!"

"If you ever feel like developing this talent further, I will introduce you to my map makers," Thranduil said.

She paused. "Do you really think it is good?"

"Yes, I do," Thranduil answered. "Especially for quick work."

She looked contemplative for a moment then said, "Hmm… I will have to think about it, but thank you. Anyway, goodnight again."

"Goodnight, pen mell, and have fun," he replied with a smile.

-⸙ - ⸙-

She had barely gotten the notebook shut in her nightstand when Legolas came in with all his gear for the morning.

"Oh, I did not expect to see you here. I was going to return to the drawing room," Legolas said as he arranged his stuff near the door.

"I had intended on staying there longer, but your father kicked me out and told me to have fun," she replied, trying to look nonchalant but he could see the little smile tugging mercilessly at the corner of her mouth.

"I see," he said as he came over to her. As soon as he got close, she slid her arms around his neck and he slid his around her waist. "What sounds fun to you?" he asked then gave her a kiss.

"Oh, you know I am horribly indecisive," she said and gave him a quick kiss. She paused then added, "I think perhaps you should decide as you are the one who is getting up to leave at dawn's first blush. And I will understand if you want to go to sleep."

"Oh, sleep is the last thing on my mind. This shall be our first day apart since we met. I shall need more of you to carry me through."

She laughed. "Oh goodness, you are besotted!"

"And you are not?"

"Oh, I am, but somehow I think I shall survive if... Well, I better not say," she teased.

"Oh Lothril, you claim to be a novice in the art of flirting, but you have mastered the art of teasing me!"

She grinned wide and looked terribly pleased with herself. "You say that now, but I have not yet begun to tease! I am still just figuring you out."

"Are you making progress?"

"Some."

"What have you figured out?"

"That is I do this," she lightly ran her fingers on her right hand gently up his neck from shoulder to ear, and grinned wide when he shuddered slightly. "You shudder. And if I do this," she buried her hands in his hair and gently combed her fingers through it, "your eyes roll back into your head. And if I do this," she said as she unbuttoned the top few buttons of his tunic and kissed the newly exposed skin as he gave an approving moaning hum in reply, "you do that."

"I think you are off to a good start," he said with a smile. "I am sorely tempted to ask you to keep exploring, but I am terribly curious to know what you left unsaid."

"No, no, it is about you. What do you want me to do?" she replied, letting her hands wander up his sides.

He gently grabbed her hands and held them between them. "Oh no, I know how you work! If I let you go first, you will have your way then claim you are tired and go to sleep before I can minister to you. Let me attend to your desires." He leaned down and kissed beneath her ear then whispered, "Pedo nin man anirog; man baur. (Tell me what you want; what you need.)"

She blushed slightly. "It is selfish."

"Perfect! I love it when you are selfish. I enjoy it. Tell me," he coaxed, kissing up her neck and slowly letting his hands rub her back.

"I selfishly want to mîbed nûr with you," she said quietly.

"That is selfish?"

"It is when one of the elves involved secretly plans on seducing the other into taking off his tunic so she can feast her eyes on his fair body and trace out the lines of his muscles."

"If that is selfish, I may demand you become the most selfish elf that ever lived," he said as he reached for the next button to be undone.

"Allow me the pleasure, melethron."

"As my queen wishes!"

-⸙ - ⸙-

"Melethril," he said quietly as he laid a hand on her. "I am going to head out soon."

"Soon?" she asked sleepily as she blinked and realized the only light in her room was from the low burning fire he had stirred up. "How long until the sun rises?"

"Perhaps an hour."

"Surely, Elior is not wanting to leave so early," she said, blinking again and trying to wake up properly.

He sat down beside her on the bed, half dressed. "He likes to get out early so we can catch fish for breakfast."

"Did you leave enough time for me to say good morning?" she asked as she reached up and drew him towards herself to kiss him.

"Oh, I did! Especially after last night," he said as he kissed her again.

"Last night was quite lovely," she replied then gave him another kiss.

"It was, indeed." Another few kisses and he got up. "I need to finish dressing now. Elior will be waiting for me."

"Mind if I watch?"

He grinned. "Not at all."

She watched him put on his under tunic and then the outer one, then he put on the over tunic. "As enjoyable as this is to watch, I think I will enjoy watching you undress more."

Legolas was halfway through closing his tunic when he balked and looked up surprised, with a small smile slowly forming on his face. "I believe I am going to enjoy liberated Lothril. Next thing I know, you will be telling me your îr!"

"Play your cards right and I will show you," she said flirtatiously.

He raised a brow as he finished closing his tunic. "So bold! I have never been so eager to return from a fishing trip with my cousin. When I return we shall see what we shall see."

"So we shall," she replied.

He finished dressing, put on his shoes, gave her a kiss and a soft goodbye and then headed out, grabbing his gear as he left.

As soon as he was gone she sighed a little and felt a little melancholy at the thought that she wouldn't see him again until tomorrow night. She felt a little silly about feeling melancholy, but decided it probably meant she was normal and therefore this was probably a good sign. This sorted, she promptly turned her attention to what she wanted to do now. It was stupidly early, but she was awake and didn't feel like falling back asleep, so she got up and began getting ready for the day. She knew the dress she was going to wear to meet with the merchants needed Estelneth's help to get it on, so she spent a bit of time half-dressed and playing her lute. She had a tune running through her head she was trying to work out, but was having trouble figuring out how to more than just pick out the melody. She could hear in her head the full song, but she was struggling to actually play it. When dawn's first light actually started to make an appearance, she rang for Estelneth who seemed ever so slightly not herself.

"Estelneth, you seem a little off this morning. Is anything wrong?"

"Wrong? No milady. I apologize for seeming not myself," Estelneth replied.

"No, no – it is fine. No need to apologize, I was just wondering if anything is wrong or upsetting you or something," Lothril replied. "You have that, 'I have-not-had-my-tea-yet' look about you."

"I have not, actually. Usually by the time you see me I have had a cup of tea, but you rang early today so I have not had any," Estelneth replied.

"Oh, well why don't we both have a cup? It is still early and I could certainly use one," Lothril said.

"Milady, I am on duty and-"

"You need a cup of tea and so do I. All I really need you to do this morning is do my hair and help fasten my outer dress," Lothril argued.

Estelneth deeply considered a protest, but decided she really wanted her tea and rang for some. As they sat in her room drinking tea and discussing how Lothril wanted her hair and the loose schedule for the day, Lothril was sure to mention that if she ever caught Estelneth before she finished her morning tea to bring it along with her. After a once over in the mirror and an amused thought about how she was going to negotiate a trade deal in a green dress with hints of lilac purple and gold and silver, and not a dark, boring business suit and heels, she headed to breakfast.

Going to breakfast alone was different. She hadn't done that once in the whole time she had been in Middle-earth. Fortunately, the walk to Thranduil's rooms was short enough that she didn't have time to pontificate on it too much. The door was open as usual and there sat Thranduil, flowery crown and all, looking resplendent in a rich spring green robe with leafy veins of silver and peaks and hints of violet and pale gold, reading over a piece of paper before looking up to see her.

"Good morning! You are up early," Thranduil said with a smile as he set the paper aside.

"Good morning," she returned as she sat down. "Legolas woke me up before he left so I have been up for a while."

"Oh, that is dreadfully early! I know what hour he and Elior like to set out," Thranduil commented. "Are you ready to meet with the merchants?"

"I think so. Now that I have a price point in my head, that makes me less nervous."

Thranduil gave a slight nod. "That is well. Let us have some breakfast then and after we can talk over everything."

"Sounds good."

Being earlier than usual, Breakfast was not waiting when Lothril arrived, so Thranduil rang for it and while they waited they chatted.

"So, is it plan or coincidence that we match today?" Lothril asked.

"Coincidence, I am sure. I wear this shade of green quite a bit this time of year and my banner is green, so I tend to wear it when meeting with people officially. That is probably the reason why Estelneth steered you towards that dress also. Though I see she was not shy with stars either," Thranduil replied.

"I imagine not. I did not pay attention to what ornaments she put in my braids, but it feels like a lot."

"If anduial stars could come to rest upon the river, A ribbon long and fair they'd be of brightly shining silver. But in the sky they dwell and shine upon the earth below, A net of light to grace us all and in fair tresses glow," he quoted.

"Ooh! I recognize that one!" she said excitedly as the servants came in with breakfast. Thranduil quietly directed them to set things on the table as there were only the two of them. "I read it in… Calad Laer*. And I take it to mean it is truly a ridiculous amount of stars in my hair."

Thranduil smiled. "Indeed, that is where it is from, but I shall not comment on the amount of stars in your hair except to say I think it looks very fair with your dark hair. Especially given the silvery hue to it."

"The difference between Elves and Men – my mom said my hair looks ashy but you described it as silvery."

"All due respect to your good mother, I am going to say she picked the wrong comparison. Ashes never glitter and glow, but your hair does."

"Especially when Estelneth sprinkles it with all the small white gems in the treasury," Lothril joked.

Thranduil laughed. "Oh pen mell, one day I will show you the treasury. I think I have more gems sitting on my nightstand than you do in your hair."

She studied his face a moment. "Are you serious?"

Thranduil nodded as he chewed his toast.

"But why?"

"To remind me of how fabulously wealthy I am," He answered plainly before sipping his tea.

Lothril almost dropped her jaw and her toast. "Are you serious?!"

Thranduil laughed. "No, not at all. I have them there because I am selecting some for a set of matching brooches I am having made for Gladhrion and Thalaves' five thousand, five hundred and fifty-fifth wedding anniversary."

As soon as they finished breakfast Thranduil had Lothril lay out her figures and ask her questions, the chief of which was how one goes about negotiating. He gave her the gist of it, but seeing she was overwhelmed at the prospect he added, "I will use ósanwe to help you."

-⸙ - ⸙-

Thranduil led her towards the throne room, but not to it. Instead of proceeding to the throne room, they went in two doors past it into a passage that started with a long flight of stairs that led to a long hallway that dead ended at a grand looking set of double doors which were opened for them by guards. Inside was a large, spacious room (though nothing so big as the throne room or the great hall), in which was a long table and chairs all around and windows that opened to the throne room and a large fireplace that had a low fire going in it.

"What is this room?" Lothril asked.

"It is a conference room we use for these sorts of things," Thranduil answered.

"Who all will be here?"

"Galion, the merchants, us, and a scribe," he answered. "I am going to let you go first, by the way, so you may leave and go about your day."

"Actually, I would appreciate it if I could watch things a little first. I suppose this is likely something I will need to know something about in Ithilien," she replied.

Thranduil smiled. "You are going to be a wonderful brethil (princess) to our people in Ithilien."

"Well, I am glad to have your vote of confidence."

Thranduil raised a brow.

"Not today either!"

"Have I mentioned I am persistent?"

Just then the doors opened and Galion entered carrying a book that reminded Lothril of an accounting ledger. He bowed to the king and lady and Thranduil bid him come over to the table so he could look over the final list. The king sat in his chair on the far end of the table from the door, Lothril on his left, Galion stood beside the king on the right.

"Look here, Lady Lothril," Thranduil said, sliding the open ledger towards her. "Galion has this laid out a little better for your purposes." Thranduil then began showing her select figures and explaining them a little further. It was a little easier to understand with how Galion laid it out, and she began to get a much clearer picture. They didn't get to study the ledger too long before a servant announced the merchants from Gondor had arrived.

"Send them in," Thranduil said, handing the ledge back to Galion to who took it and promptly sat down two chairs down from the king.

The doors opened and in came three very well dressed men of Gondor who were also accompanied by several men carrying a variety of chests and trunks.

Everyone bowed respectfully as they entered and then, with the king's leave, the servants began setting goods on the far end of the table while the talking began.

"Gentlemen, may I introduce you to Lady Lothril, daughter of Lord Elrond and betrothed of Prince Legolas. She shall be joining us today for some of our negotiations," Thranduil said.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Lothril," said one who was wearing black and insignia of the white tree. "I heard of your valor in battle, but sadly was unable to meet you in Minas Tirith."

"It is a pleasure to meet you also," Lothril replied with a small, polite bow.

"Your majesty, it is good to see you again and in days of peace," Hithaeron said.

"It is good to see you also, Lord Hithaeron, but I did not expect to see you after my visit to Gondor last year," Thranduil replied, teasing him slightly. "You know how I like word that you are coming."

Hithaeron looked slightly disturbed and glanced over at his companions before addressing the king. "King Elessar sent me on an errand to reaffirm our friendship and deliver messages, one of which is to Prince Legolas. Shall he be joining us?"

"No, he is away on private business," Thranduil answered. "However, any message you have for him may be safely given to myself or Lady Lothril."

Hithaeron nodded and handed Lothril two letters, one addressed to her and the other to Legolas, both sealed with wax bearing symbols of the white tree and seven stars.

"Lord Hithaeron, you look mildly upset," Thranduil said. He had known Hithaeron professionally for thirty years now. He wasn't one to look upset without good cause, and his light teasing was not such a cause.

"When we came north, we went to the Beornings before crossing the Forest Road and heading north to Erebor, but three of our company headed north to come to you and give you word of our coming. They ought to have beaten us here by a week. We were mildly concerned when we did not hear from them when we arrived late last evening, but supposed they may be either out or asleep. But if you had no word, then I fear they are lost in the forest."

"That is concerning because I have heard no word either and I ought to have heard of three men wandering lost," Thranduil replied. He called for a guard and ordered a search begun for the missing men. The lord was grateful for the unexpected aid from Thranduil.

There was a bit more polite talking as the merchants greeted the king and the lady also and finally they started talking business.

Lothril kept sneaking glances at Thranduil who was employing his poker face as they showed him all the new things they hoped he'd start importing. His face was completely unreadable, and hers was set in something congenial but neutral until they pulled out a woven sack. Lothril knew that smell.

"Do not let on how eager you are to have it," Thranduil said with ósanwe.

"Noted," she replied and did her best to keep her face neutral.

"Here is something that may be new to you," one of the merchants said. "Or at least we found no record of it. It's called coffee." He began to unlace the bag.

"Can I let on I know what it is?"

"Absolutely."

"Smells like a dark roast," Lothril said.

The merchant blinked and nearly dropped the sack in surprise. "It is."

"Do you have a medium roast with you or perhaps green beans I can roast myself?

The merchant had quickly gathered himself and was prepared to talk business. "We brought light and medium also, but only brought up dark. We so also have green coffee beans with us, if you prefer."

"I see," she replied evenly. "What is your price per pound?"

"Eight silver for green or six silver for already roasted," he said, sounding slightly less confident he had a minute ago when talking about sugar prices.

This was well beyond her calculations and even slightly beyond the price of cinnamon.

"He is giving you a high number. I wager he is trying to create new market in the north and make it very lucrative for himself, but you recognizing the roast has thrown him and caused him to tip his hand. He is doubtless giving you the same initial numbers he gave to Thorin and Bard," Thranduil said. "He is hoping if he quotes an outrageous price when he negotiates down that it is still high."

"What do I do?"

"Make him drive himself down a little."

Staring blankly for a couple seconds at the fellow was unnerving for him as she spoke with ósanwe to Thranduil, and her response was unexpected.

"Ha! If that's all the better you can do, I will buy a couple green beans off of you and start growing it myself."

The merchant suddenly looked slightly cocky and like he was trying not to be condescending when he replied, "Milady, the gardening skills of the elves are well known and revered, but the coffee plant-"

"Likes hot climates and extraordinary amounts of sun and is temperamental about rainfall," Lothril said confidently. "All conditions I am perfectly capable of creating here."

"Milady knows her coffee well, I see, and therefore I deem you have had it and wish to enjoy it with some frequency. Therefore, I think I could come down to six for green and four for roasted."

"No. Make him come down further," Thranduil said.

"King Thranduil, are your tea plants doing well this year?" Lothril asked.

"Very well. I expect I shall be able to do my first cutting soon," he answered.

Lothril gave a nod then said to the merchant, "Tea is not coffee, I well know, but I rather enjoy his majesty's blends and so if we cannot reach a better price, I am willing to pass on it until trade with Erebor and Dale picks up and the price comes down."

"That may have been too hard too-"

"Two silver for green and one for roasted, and that is a better deal than I gave to King Bard," the merchant said.

"I think he is telling the truth," Thranduil said. "If you want to dicker down halves or quarters you can, but this is close to your price point and I would be very fine with that."

Lothril quickly debated what she wished to do. "Well, that feels like retail, and as this is more or less a private purchase, I suppose I do not mind, but then again, the prince and I are both very influential figures in the kingdom and things we enjoy have a funny way of growing in popularity. I had been hoping to pay slightly less and receive a larger shipment by end of summer, but as it stands, I will purchase half of what you have brought at that price and reserve it for my private use for now," Lothril said, very matter of fact. "Actually, just half of the medium and dark. I will continue to serve my guests tea for now and wait for the price to come down to purchase more."

"We could come down a copper if you purchase the whole amount we have," the merchant said.

"Thranduil, what do you think?"

"I think if you pledge to buy more throughout the year you could get him down a copper and a half. I suspect he is highly interested in getting coffee into the realm."

"What would you do for me if I bought what you have and pledged to purchase the same amount twice more at least before the year ends? Because I am feeling a copper and a half," she said.

"If you purchase that amount, I can bring the price down to three and a half copper for roasted."

"Done," she said with a smile.

"Good job," Thranduil congratulated.

They worked out details of how much and when she wanted subsequent shipments of what roasts and then Thranduil told her quietly she may leave and that she ought to celebrate her very successful negotiation. After she left and negotiations finished, the merchants were given an invitation to stay until their companions were found. They thanked him and said they would stay a fortnight, but could not do more as they had appointments in other places in the way back home and couldn't tarry any longer. Thranduil pledged if they were not found in a fortnight, that he would send word to Minas Tirith as soon as there was news.

That evening at dinner, Thranduil congratulated her heartily and ordered a very rich dessert to celebrate as he reckoned she simply wandered back to her room and read. He hadn't been too far off. She went to the bakery first and got a couple doughnuts before heading to Legolas' room, pilfering enough coffee to make herself a cup (and feeling zero guilt about it because twenty five pounds of medium and dark roast were being delivered to the pantry that very minute, and then making a pour over cup in her room with a tea strainer and some scrap muslin she had trimmed down for this very purpose. Then she sat and read a book about gardening and made notes about what she wanted to plant where and next to what.

-⸙ - ⸙-

Legolas returned a few hours sooner than expected in the early afternoon the next day. He and Elior had made an excellent catch which was promptly dropped off at the kitchen with instructions for fried fish for dinner. The moment that errand was done, he practically ran out of the kitchen, Elior snickering after him.

He quickly dumped his things in his room and asked Alphon to put them away as he threw off his clothes, threw on a clean outfit then dashed out the door to find Lothril wearing her amethyst robe and heading towards the stairs.

"Lothril!" He called.

She turned and came back towards him. "You are back early! I did not expect you till later. I was just about to go to the pool, but I can change-"

He kissed her. "We came back early because we saw a storm rolling in. But do not change. I will change and go swimming with you."

Just then there was a crash of thunder that they actually heard faintly.

"Oof! That sounds like it is right on top of us," Lothril said.

"Order the lights lit for the pool and I will go change," Legolas said before quickly kissing her again. He half turned to go and turned back to kiss her again. "I missed you!"

She smiled. "I would say I missed you too, but that always sounds so cheesy and cliché," she teased before drawing his head down to hers and kissing him for several seconds. "Eh, I will say it anyway. I missed you too." With that she sauntered back towards her room to ask a servant to go light the lights in the pool room.

He watched her walk away. "Hain cû luicaran… Mmm!" (Those amethyst/purple curves) As soon as she was in her room he darted back into his room to be greeted by a slightly surprised Alphon who had barely finished tidying up the whirlwind he had left not three minutes ago. He went straight to his closet, found his swimming clothes, changed and was out the door without aid in less than two minutes.

Alphon watched in silence as his prince flew out the door, shook his head slightly and laughed quietly under his breath.

-⸙ - ⸙-

They didn't actually swim, but that hadn't been Lothril's intent in the first place. She had been going to soak in the hot spring and let her brain just drift a little after spending the last few days studying the kingdom's budget and then how to organize a garden and what sort of plants like what kinds of soil. To be fair, they did soak. Lothril asked how the fishing was knowing full well that would give her a solid twenty minutes of fishing stories before she would have to come up with anything properly intelligent to say.

Unfortunately the fishing trip was excellent and the one that got away wasn't very big and they were going to toss it back anyway if it hadn't broke free on its own. At the end of his story he asked, "Did you miss me?"

"I did," she answered, as she shifted from leaning back against the edge of the pool to leaning against Legolas.

He slid an arm around her and asked, "What did you do while I was gone?"

"Oh, research. Loads of it."

"Researching what?"

"Gardening stuff. What plants do well together, what needs sun or shade, and so forth," she answered. "Did you do anything besides fish?"

"Elior and I talked a good deal, as we usually do."

"What about?"

"All sorts of things, mostly personal ones. He is one of my dearest and closest friends and confidants."

Lothril smiled. "That is nice."

"It is. And for as much as I tell you everything and I want you to tell me everything, I do hope you find a friend you can confide in outside of me," he said.

"Well, I am rather comfortable talking to Linnrien and Mindonith. And your Aunt Cîlwen... I can't say if we are close, but I do suspect I could ask or say anything to her and it would go no further than her. And not surprise or shock her either."

"Aunt Cîlwen is a safe confidant. She helped me quite a bit in dealing with Nane sailing. "

"So what did you and Elior talk about?" she asked.

"Oh, he asked how you and I are doing -"

"Please don't tell me he thinks we act like an old married couple too!"

"No, not at all. He was wondering how you are adjusting and if you were feeling homesick. He said he was worried what with you being absent from meals and such so much lately. But never fear, I told him about your gardening project and his worries were abated."

"Oh good! That is a pleasant change of pace… er, opinion," she replied with a smile. "And in case anyone else asks, I do miss my family, but I am not homesick. This is home now and I am perfectly happy."

"I cannot tell you how utterly joyful I am to hear that," he replied with a smile.

After a little while she declared she needed to get out and let her hair dry.

They dried off and were chatting casually as they headed back and Legolas noticed a particular little smile that barely moved her lips but lit up her eyes.

"I see that smile of yours that I love best. Tell me what causes it to grace your fair face."

The smile on her lips broadened. "Your words from the night before you left came to mind just now."

"I meant each and every one of them, you know."

"I do know, and I must say ever since you started complimenting me so heavily on my looks, I am afraid I have grown quite vain and that I am enjoying it probably more than I should. Although, I am more convinced than ever that you must be farsighted and that your near vision is blurred if you really think me as fair as all that," she teased as they descended the stairs.

"That does it. Come with me," Legolas said, almost looking serious as he took her hand and pulled her the rest of the way down the stairs, across the hall, and into her bedroom. He sat her down on the bed, lit as many lights as he could find and reckoned the brightest spot to be found was beside the foot of her bed and just out from under the chandelier. He grabbed the free standing mirror from her closet and set it up there.

"No! You are not…" she started.

"Oh yes, I most certainly am and I warned you I would," he said with a grin as he pulled her off the bed and stood her in front of the mirror before ducking his head down to ply her neck with a series of kisses trailing up and down from shoulder to ear until he felt her shudder and give a sigh. "That is better. Now what is this nonsense about my humble melethril being vain?" he all but purred in her ear. "Is it vain to believe the truth? Is it vain to enjoy a gift given to you? I am only telling you the truth, melethril nîn, and I mean for you to enjoy it. You have been making less of yourself for too long. It is time to see yourself clearly and I would show you that."

As he spoke he gently pulled her slowly drying hair over one shoulder so he could have unobstructed access to her neck and ear and let his breath ghost over her skin. The reward for his efforts was the quietest little "Mmmm" that hummed in her throat and a tiny little smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. He saw it in the mirror and kissed her cheek.

"That is better. Now where shall I begin? The crown of your head and the soft curtain of shadow and moonlight that falls from it," he said as he gently caressed her hair down from the crown of her head to over her shoulder, "or perhaps I should resume from where I left off with last night?" He began slowly trailing his hands down from her shoulders to her hands.

"Hmm, as you have already covered my hair, face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, and fingers I think perhaps you should start with where you left off the other night. I am very curious to see where you go from here," she answered, sounding a little mischievous.

"Where do you think I will go?" he asked, a nearly wicked grin on his face and a raised brow as he looked at her in the mirror.

"I do not know, that is why I am curious to see," she replied, her ears turning light pink.

He shook his head and gave a kiss below her ear before whispering in it, "I think you have a guess and do not want to say it."

"You are imagining things."

"Your pink ears and face tell me otherwise," he replied in a low voice, letting his hands move from covering hers to move her hair to the other shoulder and then resting his hands on her waist. "Tell me what you are thinking." He began a string of kisses on the other side of his neck starting from her ears down to the curve of her neck into her shoulder.

"No! And mostly because I think I am wrong, but I cannot decide what the right answer would be," she said, sounding far too coherent for his liking.

"Tell me," he coaxed, using his softest voice. "I want to hear even your wrong guesses."

"No, I think not," she replied playfully.

He caught the impish look on her face before she had a chance to change it. He grinned back at her in the mirror and said, "Weigh things carefully, meleth nîn. You are not the first I have tried to draw answers from and I can be merciless."

Lothril raised a brow and said, "Do your worst."

Without a word he lowered his lips to her cheek and began a long, slow series of kisses that trailed to the back of her ear, then down her neck, and down her shoulder as he brought his left hand up to gently tease and play with her neck and hair and let the thumb on his other hand start drawing little circles on her waist. He felt her breath shudder but he didn't let that distract him. He slowly worked his way back up to her neck then her jaw then her lips and he slowly turned so he was facing her and gave her a series of very long, very slow kisses as he let the hand that had been teasing the side of her neck slide around to the back of her neck and begin trailing up and down her back in lazy little circles. She gave that ever so quiet little moan. …almost… He left her lips and began kissing behind her ear again and muttering sweet words and compliments to her between kisses while lightly teasing the back of her neck with the softest of touches that he knew would unravel her if he kept at it long enough.

He wanted her pliable and yielding though, not melted and mindless, hence his methodically changing up what he did every so often. One pleasant sensation after another to keep her feeling relaxed, pleasured, and just a little bit mindless. After quite some time of this, long enough that her hair felt more dry than wet, though it was still damp in places, he decided to test his progress.

"You look so lovely when you are enjoying yourself. Are you enjoying this?"

All he got was a nod and a very distracted sounding 'uh-huh'.

Perfect. "That is good, for I am enjoying this also. You have the loveliest neck… and ears… and mouth… and tongue," he said as he separated each part with a kiss to it. Her only reply was a very pleased sounding hum. "And that is to say nothing of the way your neck curves so pleasingly to your shoulder… and how fair your shoulders are when revealed so," he added as he placed kisses at the curve of her neck and then a trailing line down the top of her shoulder and just past the curve of it as he undid the top few closures on her cover up so it was loose and let him kiss her bare shoulders. "Ach bain athan eno pend muig n'ammos gîn."

Her eyes, which had been half closed in a pleasure addled dreamy way suddenly grew a little wider and the small little smile on her face grew a touch wider. "So I was right!" she muttered, sounding pleased with herself and half dreamy still.

Mission accomplished and she was completely unaware she had slipped. Well, no sense in wasting her in this state… He hummed in agreement and continued. "I love the soft and gentle slope of them. I loved how they look when you wear a thin tunic. I look forward to the day when I can see them unveiled."

She reached her hand up towards the clasp and as soon as he realized what she was doing, he quickly but gently took her hand away from it and lowered it.

"Not yet, melethril," he said softly.

"I am willing," she insisted.

"But I am not. As I told you after the battle at Pelannor, that is view I wish to savor on our wedding night," he replied before giving a soft kiss to her neck beneath her ear.

"I do not ask this to argue, I ask this because I am curious – why then and not now, especially as we are permitted such?" she asked still sounding relaxed though not quite as much as a minute ago.

"Do you truly want to know?"

"I do want to know," she said, and turned her head to look at him.

"There are a few reasons. I do not want a sense of urgency or haste when I finally see you fully unveiled. We will have as many hours, days, or weeks as we want of us being alone together with no obligation to do anything or go anywhere after our wedding feast, which means we will not need hurry and we can take however long we want or need. I plan on taking a very, very long time exploring all your beautiful, intimate places, and once I start, I have no intention of stopping. To do it now would have to stop myself short of fulfilling my desires for you," he answered. "Another reason akin to the first and perhaps the more important one – you are too dear and precious for me to be quick and hasty with you. You deserve my utmost respect and honor, especially since that ogron (wicked person) dishonored you as she did. You deserve my patience and respect and therefore I will wait until our wedding night. I know you are willing, and that you trust me with yourself thrills me, but there are many other pleasures we will enjoy beforehand. You deserve better than how you have been treated and I will treat you with the honor and respect you deserve."

She looked thoughtful at that. "Why is that one of the sexiest things I have ever heard?"

"Because you were used and fed lies; hideously ugly lies. But I speak to you the truth and you are starting to see the beauty of the truth. You are dear, precious, and beautiful to me and I greatly desire for you to see yourself as I see you," he said, resuming his soft touch. "I want you to see your beauty and your worth."

"If I tell you I see it, will you stop?"

"I will give you more."

-⸙ - ⸙-

They made it in time for dinner, but only just. Given it was Legolas' and Elior's catch on the menu, the assembled were slightly limited. As soon as Thranduil saw the look Legolas' face he raised a brow.

"What new thing did you scheme for supper tonight?" he asked his son.

"You shall see," Legolas replied with a smile.

The servant set down his plate and Lothril immediately cried, "Fish and chips! Yes!"

"Chips?" Thranduil repeated. "Dare I ask?"

"They are deep fried potato slices, well, wedges in this case," Lothril answered as her plate was set down. She grabbed a fry first and took a bite, eyes closing and smile forming in delight as she sank back in her chair as she chewed. "Aah! I hadn't realized how much I missed these! And it explains the beer with dinner and the malt vinegar on the table. You were taking notes, weren't you, Legolas?"

"Copious notes," he replied as the rest of the table tried theirs.

Thranduil tried one and immediately asked, "Do they ever serve meatloaf with chips where you are from?"

For a split second Lothril nearly corrected him to say 'fries' then concluded it just wasn't worth it and answered, "You can. People serve meatloaf with baked potatoes or f- chips. We are rather flexible that way."

Thranduil looked at the nearest servant and said, "Tell the kitchen I want meatloaf and chips tomorrow."

And so they did, to the utter and complete amusement of Lothril who was doing her best not to laugh her head off at the borderline obscene moaning of Thranduil over a dinner of meatloaf, fries, and a wine whose label bafflingly read, "Rû-sommor**".

-⸙ - ⸙-

A/N: *Calad Laer – It can mean Summer Light or Long Narrative Poems (about) Light. The elves are punny like that whenever they can get away with it.
**Rû-sommor – duck horn (as in trumpet). Why? Because one day I stumbled onto a wine with the label "Duckhorn" on a grocery store website and the store claimed it pairs well with meatloaf… and they had it listed for like $100/bottle… I got a good laugh, showed it to a friend who also got a good laugh and here we are.