THE FORGOTTEN
I Mereth Faradrim : The Hunters Feast
Or
Eb Dû Lothril : Last Night Lothril
Author's note: The chapter in which – they go the hunters feast and Lothril loses track of how much mead she has had. … Any "Psych" fans amongst my readers? I drew some inspiration for this chapter from the "Last Night Gus" episode. And let me tell you, it took a lot of restraint to not call this chapter "Last Night Lothril". At least with tone and her remembering what happened. I also took inspiration from "Frasier" which would often have the craziest things happen and instead of show-don't-tell they would tell-don't-show and you would learn about it from the characters talking about it after the fact. I really hope I pulled it off as well as I think I did. Haha!
Being but the three of them and it not particularly mattering if the wagon kept up or not, they managed to make it back in a day, though they did arrive back in darkness. The next morning after breakfast Thranduil sent word to Iorthonor, who was somewhat responsible for planning the hunt in the first place, and let him know they had returned and were quite ready to celebrate as soon as things could be arranged. By lunch Iorthonor sent word that he he knew they had returned last night and that the feast would be that evening.
"Well, he sure works fast," Lothril commented.
Thranduil laughed. "I miss Iorthonor on the council. He was always very intuitive and would head off problems before they could become problems. When he announced he was stepping down I all but begged him to be my advisor but he refused so he could pursue his interests. Regardless though, he keeps his eye on things and will often send me word about what he sees and hears."
"What does he do?" Lothril asked.
"Makes beer, mead, and brandy," Thranduil answered.
As the feast was essentially a last hurrah for the hunt, and the last one of the year, the formalities were low and the expectations of a drunken sing along were high. When Lothril informed Estelneth that the hunting feast was that night, she smiled and asked, "Have you ever been to an end of hunt feast before?"
"No, I have not. This is my first," Lothril answered, getting odd vibes off the question.
"Ah, well I think you will find this a bit different. It is fun, but it will be different – and so is the dress," Estelneth replied before pulling out an outfit that was significantly different from anything she had worn yet. It was longer than a tunic but shorter than a dress, green and brown and of a material that moved and swayed easily. It had a very strong leaf motif in the lines of the outfit, including the leafy looking large sleeves. There were leggings with it and in an unusual turn, mottled bright colored scarves for her hair.
"What on earth…" Lothril started as she looked at it. "Filegon?"
Estelneth nodded. "Who else?"
She dressed and then Estelneth started braiding part of her hair into a crown around her head and wove in the scarves so it looked like all the bright colors were part of her hair. Lothril took a turn in the mirror and noted how well the outfit moved. This would surely look very fun dancing. She wore almost no jewelry though, except for her betrothal ring and a brooch.
When she met Legolas to go down to the feast she saw he was equally as festively dressed in greens and browns cut to remind one of leaves, but instead of bright scarves braided into his hair he had bright colored ribbons worked into his braids, and to her surprise, so did Thranduil. It was only the second or third time she had seen his hair braided and it was almost identical to how Legolas had his. His outfit was also very similar.
For whatever reason, she was finding this all a bit… abnormal… and the strange feeling she had had ever since Estelneth asked if she had been to an end of hunt feast before began to turn into full suspicion.
"Umm… what have I gotten myself into?" she asked as they started down the hall.
"What do you mean?" Thranduil asked, quite confused by the utterly random question.
Legolas could feel the discomfort rolling off of her in waves. Apparently her mental exercises hadn't gotten that far yet, or else this was intentional. "No, better question – why are you asking?" Legolas asked, looking at her and seeing uncertainty all but tattooed on her face.
She shook her head a little as she did when she was unsure of things. "Estelneth asked if I have ever been to one of these before and said they are fun but different. How different?"
"Aaah," Legolas said with a smile and a nod. "I get it now. Relax, meleth nin. This is fun and very informal."
"How fun?" she asked suspiciously.
Thranduil laughed. "Oh Lothril! You make me laugh! How fun… you are the only person, elf or mortal, I have ever met that could ask how fun something is and sound like you are dreading the prospect. It is fun, pen mell (dear one). That means you enjoy it, not hold it in suspicion."
"Yes, but what kind of fun?" she asked. "Polite quiet social fun or games, dancing, and music fun or crazy drunken revelry fun?"
"It is-" Legolas started.
"Do not tell her! She will find out soon enough," Thranduil said with a sly grin.
"You are mean, you know that?" Lothril said, glaring annoyed daggers at Thranduil.
He laughed. "So I have been told." He turned to Legolas and added, "She is adorable when she is annoyed like this."
"Mortal, eldar – your entire sex is impossibly annoying," she muttered.
"And yet you love us so," Thranduil teased and Legolas chuckled in response.
"Only out of madness. Incurable madness," Lothril replied, shaking her head and trying not to let on she wasn't quite as annoyed as she was feigning.
They both broke into laughter. She could be the silliest thing sometimes.
To Lothril's surprise, they did not go down to the banquet hall, but rather outside to the dining hall that the outdoor workers and soldiers used and that Lothril ate lunches at after horse lessons when she first arrived. They entered and saw that a little over half of the hunting party had arrived already. The fire pit that went down the middle of it was nearly completely covered in roasting meats, pots of stews, roasting vegetables, and baking desserts in Dutch ovens. There was no announcement or fanfare to their arrival except people giving what Lothril kept calling in her head little half bows. She noticed most them were dressed more or less how she was – in something that wasn't quite hunting garb, but certainly not every day dress, mostly in greens and browns but with bright colors peeping out here and there and scarves or ribbons in their hair.
They were not in there a minute when Lothril saw Mindonith flying over to greet her with flaming red and yellow scarves and ribbons streaming out from her dark hair.
"Lothril! Friend Lothril! Oh how are you? I heard you revived back at camp, but you looked worrisome when you collapsed. Have you fully recovered?" Mindonith asked as she approached and taking her hands.
"I am fully recovered," Lothril answered with a smile. "It took a few days, but I am quite well now."
"Oh good! And Prince Legolas, it is good to see you looking sound and whole. You scared us all! I was afraid we had lost our prince," Mindonith said, turning her attention to Legolas.
"I am fully recovered also," he answered. "And thanks solely to my dearest Lothril. She brought me back from the brink and made me whole. I have only a scar left."
"That is all?! I should have thought that wound would take weeks! It was very deep," Mindonith said awestruck. "Lady Lothril, I must bow to your great skill and in gratefulness for saving our prince so fully." She gave a deep and polite bow.
"I would love to say I did it out of altruism and the good of the kingdom, but in truth, I acted out of pure selfishness. I have not had nearly enough time with him yet to surrender him to Mandos so easily."
Mindonith laughed. "I like your sense of humor!" Once her laughter subsided she looked around. "Where is the king? Did he come with you?"
"He is around here somewhere," Legolas answered. "He came down with us but left to go talk with someone as soon as we entered."
"Ah. And how is his wound healing?" Mindonith asked.
"He is fully healed also," Legolas answered. "Lothril saw to that also after she recovered a little."
Mindonith looked at her friend with respect and more than a little awe. "You must have skill as great as Lord Elrond's or better to effect such full recoveries in your patients so quickly."
"I wish that were true, but I am afraid it is less skill and more raw power. That is why I collapsed. It was nearly too much," Lothril answered.
"And modest too," Mindonith said with a smile. "Hold tight to her, Prince Legolas. A wife that can pull you back from the doorstep of Mandos is a rare gift even amongst our kind."
Legolas put his arm around Lothril and pulled her tight to his side. "I surely will."
Mindonith smiled wide and then others came up who wished to express their gladness to see the prince looking so well and commend and thank Lothril for healing him.
Just about the time Lothril was wondering when the feast would start a bell in the hall was rung and everyone sat down. With how the hall was set up, it seemed to Lothril anyway that there wasn't any particular place of importance or obvious head table. That they just so happened to sit in the middle of one of the tables seemed neither here nor there outside of that's where they had been standing and so that's where they sat. No sooner was the party all seated that Iorthonor stood.
"Friends! This year we celebrate not only the end of a very successful hunt-" this was met with cheers from the crowd. "but also the full and complete recovery of our injured king and prince!" This was met with even louder cheers. "And to honor Lady Lothril who saved the prince and healed them both!" This gained a very loud and long cheer.
Lothril smiled and gave just an appreciative nod, not really sure how one is supposed to respond to being cheered for. Especially in this setting. So far everything seemed very relaxed and informal, but this was the king and the prince of the realm, so that seemed a good deal more important and serious.
Without further commentary though, Iorthonor sat and immediately everyone began being served. Dinner conversation was a bit louder and revolved around swapping stories. Mindonith, who managed to sit beside Lothril, regaled her with tales about what happened after she collapsed and then the days after. It seemed they were very successful in the boar and the deer hunt and that besides what they brought back for this feast, the rest was given to the local villages.
As Lothril observed the room, it seemed everyone had started out in a merry mood and as things went along they were getting merrier. No one knew just yet that Gormes was basically exiled from court now, and until news officially broke, Lothril bit her tongue when she heard members of Gardeners Afield making cracks about whether or not they were drinking the proper amount of mead for a proper lady and perhaps they should invite Gormes on the next hunt to show them how to properly field dress a deer and drink mead like a lady.
Lothril was too engrossed in conversations to realize it, but the servants bustling around the center of the tables keeping plates full were also topping off her mead every time they passed just as they were for everyone else, which meant for once she had absolutely no idea how much she was actually drinking. Usually at feasts and parties so far, she would count how many times she refilled her cup and then cut herself off after two or three and switch to something like hot cider or tea. As it was though, even her slow sipping self was downing a fair amount of mead for once because her cup kept being refilled without her asking. By the time they started giving toasts, she was getting properly buzzed for once and started finding everything going on just delightfully fun and she was being uncharacteristically open and free with her thoughts; which fortunately were all merry and charitable. She was also talking far more than usual during such things and after a while Legolas started to notice how chatty she was being and grew terribly amused.
He tapped his father on the arm and leaned in and said in his ear, "I think Lothril has actually drunk a bit of mead tonight."
Thranduil grew wide eyed and grinned and leaned back so he could see around Legolas and get a look at Lothril. Indeed, she did seem merry! She and Mindonith had their heads together and were talking and then Mindonith must have said something funny because Lothril suddenly burst into loud laughter and Mindonith started laughing rather hard too.
"My word, she can have fun after all!" Thranduil replied with a grin. "Too bad we do not know how much it takes to get her here."
It was just then that Iorthonor stood and held aloft his cup and said in a loud and merry voice, "Friends! Friends! A toast! A toast to the good health of our king and our prince and their quick recovery!"
The room broke into a cheer and everyone drank to their health and recovery.
Then Belneth, who was on the other side of Mindonith stood and held up her cup and said, "Friends! Friends! A toast! A toast to Lady Lothril who saved our prince!"
The room cheered again and drank.
Legolas immediately stood and held up his cup towards Lothril and added, "And to her my deepest love, gratitude, and thanks!"
"Aww! You are so sweet! You are welcome, melethron!" Lothril replied as she stood and threw her arms around him and kissed him. Or it may be slightly more accurate to say lightly tackled him and would have knocked him off balance if Thranduil hadn't reached up pushed against his son's back so he didn't wind up with the pair of them in his lap.
The responded with a loud chorus of "Oooh!" before breaking into cheers and calling, "Mîbel den adui! Mîbel den adui! (Kiss him again! Kiss him again!)"
Lothril needed very little prompting and pulled him upright and into herself and into a second kiss that got louder cheers than the first. When she broke it off she was smiling and looking utterly mischievous and, to Legolas' utter shock, not entirely drunk. For a moment there he was convinced she had to be, but apparently all she really needed to cut loose was an excuse and a little extra mead.
"Aaah! Now there is what we have wanted to see! Our prince getting what he deserves!" cried one of the crowd.
"Indeed! Indeed! It was long overdue!" teased another.
"And the next show shall be longer yet in coming if you keep talking at me!" Lothril retorted with a grin as she plopped back down in her chair, dragging Legolas down with her onto her lap and him barely keeping his mead from spilling over.
"You are in a merry mood," Legolas said to her with a grin.
"And why should I not be? You are alive! We are surrounded by friends! And I have no idea how much mead I have had and furthermore, I care not!" she answered, her Sindarin taking on a Michigander accent as she went. "Just stop me when I start rambling in English."
The servants started coming around with desserts and Lothril kicked Legolas off her lap in favor of apple crisp. After that, in what space there was, dancing commenced which was all to music that was upbeat and had an air of wildness to it. There was also a game that went along with the dance which was sort of like musical chairs mixed with something comparable to swing dancing, but if you or your partner did not get a seat, you had to take a drink and you weren't eliminated, but another chair was.
Lothril awoke feeling groggy and with a mild aching in her head. How long had it been since she awoke with a headache? For the first time in a while she wished she hadn't told Estelneth to take mornings off. Ah, but it didn't matter. Her headache riddled self sat up and looked around the room with an odd feeling something was off. Almost absentmindedly she looked around. How wildly did she sleep? She felt like she had slept hard and soundly, but both her pillows looked used and the blankets were mussed across the bed. Usually the half she wasn't sleeping on looked virtually untouched. Something deep in the back of her mind seemed to think this all perfectly reasonable but she couldn't sort out why. Eh, it didn't really matter.
She got out of bed and dismissed all the dim feelings of offness and brushed her teeth and decided when Legolas came to pick her up she'd ask him to get some of his coffee and bring it to breakfast so she could kick her headache. Coffee usually did the trick as a human, she saw no reason it shouldn't now. Maybe it would clear some cobwebs too and make some sense of this morning… and last night… as she washed and brushed she started getting some dim and foggy scattered memories that she was trying to piece together into a sensible narrative. The more she went through the memories, the more she wondered if it wasn't a dream and her mead addled mind had decided to mix together actual memory and some mischievous what-ifs. If it had, it was making it hard for her to figure out which was which.
How much mead did she have anyway?
She came out of the bathroom to see Legolas wearing what passes as casual wear for an elf on a chill autumn morning, which was leggings, a tunic, and a soft and warm knee length robe. He was lounging on her bed, which he had made for her, and when he saw her he sat up on the edge of it and said, "Good morning!"
"Morning," she replied.
"I have not seen you look this groggy and tired in the morning since you were human," he commented casually. "Are you feeling alright?"
"I have a slight headache," she answered as she plopped down beside him and slumped her head on his shoulder. He reflexively put his arm around her. "And I had the weirdest dream last night… I dreamed we were at the hunter's feast and as we were playing that crazy dancing drinking game and after a few rounds someone asked me how I lit the fire so quickly while I tended you, so I started showing off a bit by making the fire pit start blazing and I was trying to miss the rest of the venison on the spit, but then I accidentally lit it on fire or something and everyone started cheering… then it got kind of blurry, but the next thing I remember we were dancing outside with a bunch of other people, there were some fires or torches or something… then one of us tripped and we were on the ground and I was on top of you and we started kissing… I vaguely remember cheering… then I woke up."
Legolas grinned. "I almost hate to tell you this, but that was not a dream and you have forgotten quite a bit of it."
"What now?"
"Oh, you were far more drunk than I thought, it seems," he said. "Let me fill in some blanks for you. We were at the hunter's feast and do you remember everything leading up to when the dancing game started?"
She thought back. "Yes, a little. Mostly we were eating and talking."
He nodded. "Shortly after the dancing started, we started that game and you started getting so carried away with dancing that we kept losing, but then the game slowly came to an end because as we danced you kept singing and started enchanting the whole hall. The air was practically throbbing with it. I did not know you know so much Quenya."
"Quenya? Well, I did learn some in Valinor but it was largely songs Finrod taught me. What did I sing?" she replied.
"It was a song about starlight and steadfastness, but my Quenya is not very good so I did not understand it all and I have not asked Ada how much he understood. It was rousing though and everyone was weeping and ready to follow you wherever you lead them and calling you their princess. Once your song ended everyone was hanging on your every word and asking you how you saved me and what arts you possess and how you lit the fire so quickly for they all saw it blaze suddenly, and that is when you showed them and accidentally lit the venison on fire. The servants put it out quickly, by the way, so it was only lightly charred on the outside," Legolas said. "After that, someone, I am not sure who, started singing some ballad they had written about the great love between us and how it was your love and might that saved me and you started to weep because you thought it was so beautiful and everyone started dancing, but the hall being so small, we all moved outside and fires and torches were lit, which you clearly remember. Then the minstrels, seeing how much you enjoyed the love ballad, began singing love ballads which went right to your head for you started dancing and kissing me at the same time which led you to tripping and landing on top of me and you forgetting the fact we were surrounded by friends began kissing me quite seriously. After a few minutes I rolled us over and picked you up, which is when the cheering started and it grew louder when you started kissing me as I held you and I carried you off to bed."
As he spoke, the memories started coming back to her in bits and pieces and she started stringing it all together. "I remember some of this… I invited you to bed, didn't I?" she asked.
"Yes, you did."
She looked down at her pajama clad self and asked half to herself, "How did I end up in my pajamas?"
"You changed yourself," he answered. "For someone who was properly drunk for the first time, you had an amazing amount of coordination and presence of mind still. You just lacked inhibition. I must say, it was fascinating to watch."
"Please tell me I did not make a complete fool of myself," she groaned.
"No more so than anyone else. Everyone was in love with you by the end of the night," he said. "Less a fool than many others actually," he amended. "Mindonith had her husband pinned against a corner for a long while and was half the reason we all started dancing outside. Last I saw, his outer tunic was on the floor and Teithon and Ethirwen were laughing and trying to pull them apart and convince them to go back to their bedroom."
"Really?! I do not remember that at all."
"That is because you had your face buried in my neck kissing it while we danced and were using ósanwe to tell me how much you loved me. Which, by the by, if your lips were unlocked by mead, your mind was even more so and I have every intention in the world of making every last one of things you thought a reality," he replied, his grin turning mischievous.
Her eyes grew wide. "Now I do remember vividly what I was thinking, I just did not realize I was sharing it with you."
"Oh, you were," he said before giving her a kiss on the cheek. "And I absolutely loved it! Every last second of it, you elleth melui, írui (lovely, desirable elleth)."
"So…" she said slowly as she pieced together returning memories, "I remember you bringing me back here and putting me on the bed, then you promised you would be right back and I went and changed and you returned in a robe and your pajamas. I remember us both getting into bed… Did I really…Did I really take your shirt off?"
He nodded. "You did."
"And then did I really start rubbing all over your chest?"
He nodded again. "And it was very pleasurable."
"Please tell me I did not start naming, tracing, and kissing all the muscle groups in your torso and singing about my thoughts and feelings towards them… Please…"
"Repeatedly and in two languages. Though, 'moaned' may be a more accurate description," he answered, looking pleased and almost proud.
"You were not upset, were you?"
"Upset? By having the love of my life all but singing how desirable she finds my body while practically worshipping me? I would have to be mad to be upset by that!"
"Well, that was not quite the word I wanted. I have a headache," she grumbled, her ears almost red as she quickly replayed the memories. "You were okay with me all but ripping your shirt off?"
"I certainly was last night," he smiled.
"What about this morning when we are both properly sober?"
He raised a brow with a grin. "Are you looking to continue last night this morning before breakfast?"
"No, but last night me was clearly uninhibited and this morning me is second guessing things," she replied. She hated conflicting feelings on a headache… she had very much enjoyed last night when it was still last night, but now that she was quite sober and not used to being uninhibited and it felt weird. Or maybe that was the headache?
"Well you need not second guess yourself. I was and am quite okay with it. All of it! To be perfectly honest, I loved hearing every want, need, desire, and praise that came into your head and feeling you act upon them, well most of them. I would be happy to repeat last night frequently."
"Noted," she said calmly. 'Danged if I don't want to right now but for this headache,' she thought dryly. "Sooo… after a party like that… is your father sleeping it off or do we still go join him for breakfast?" Lothril asked.
"Well first, you get dressed and then we go join Ada for breakfast. He has likely been awake for a while and waiting for us, but you have no need to rush," Legolas answered.
Lothril nodded, gave Legolas a quick kiss then hopped off the bed and went into her large closet to go get dressed. She picked something simple and cozy so she didn't need any help getting it on and decided to heck with her hair, she would just wear it down. She came out of her closet wearing a simple green velvet dress and no jewelry but her betrothal ring, her hair down and loose and brushed.
Legolas got up and came to her and asked, "Shall we go, melethril?"
"Yes. Oh, and let's stop by your room and get your coffee. I need some for my headache, if you are willing to spare it."
"Gladly," he said before kissing her temple.
They arrived at breakfast to find Thranduil sitting at the table sipping tea and reading a book, everything laid out ready to be made and waiting for his children. As soon as they came in he put in his bookmark and set the book down on the table and smiled. "Good morning, dears. Sleep well?"
"Exceedingly," Legolas grinned before he turned to the fire and put on the pot of coffee as well as the rest of the things for breakfast.
Lothril sat and said, "I slept well, but I have a slight headache."
Thranduil poured her a cup of water and set it down in front of her. "Drink plenty of water. I am surprised it is only a slight headache."
"She can remember everything too," Legolas said over his shoulder. "Though it did take her a minute."
Thranduil looked thoroughly impressed. "I would have thought last night would be a blur after the game, but apparently you have been cutting yourself off very early this whole time."
"Yes, well…" Lothril trailed off. "I am not looking to do that again though."
"Pity," Thranduil teased. "You were quite fun."
Lothril's face suddenly snapped into wide eyed mild horror as she quickly combed through her memories to see if there was anything else that happened that she had forgotten about. "What did I do?"
"I said you were fun, not foolish," Thranduil said. "Relax. If anyone was foolish, it was the ones who decided to start a drinking game after you left. By the time I left, they were all asleep and scattered around the tables. They are probably still there. You two at least had sense enough to leave while you could still walk in a straight line."
"Well, I shall certainly live the rest of my long life with that consolation. Never mind me knocking your son over twice and kissing him like a love struck fool in front of twenty some odd people," she said, shaking her head and closing her eyes before taking a sip of water.
"Do not fret over it. That was not the most wanton display of affection ever seen at one of these feasts. It was not even the most unbridled one last night," Thranduil said.
"Legolas told me about Mindonith and her husband," she said.
"They were not the only ones. You just missed the others because you were preoccupied," Thranduil said with a smirk. "Belneth and Orthellion were under one of the tables when I finally left and I am not entirely sure who was up in one of the trees, but I now know his pet name is egasig laich and hers is hach culvelyávë*." (sweet tasting little mouth and pumpkin rear-end)
Legolas and Lothril both burst into laughter.
"Now that is a consolation!" Lothril chuckled. "Are you likely to get a report on them later, Legolas?" Lothril asked.
"Not likely," Legolas replied over his shoulder as the laughter faded from his voice.
"If anything, it would be one from the palace guards and it would come across my desk. However, I am doubtful we shall learn who it was from them," Thranduil added.
"Here is your coffee, meleth nin," Legolas said, placing a cup in front of her and then bending over and kissing her full on the lips.
At least he had the decency to say what he did through a kiss and not out loud. He might have been discreet and looked completely relaxed and normal afterwards, but Lothril was wide eyed and her ears pink tipped.
"I think I shall work on breakfast now," Thranduil said with a smirk as he got up.
Lothril gave the smallest little slow shake of her head before taking a slurping sip of coffee as Legolas sat and started pouring his coffee, grinning.
"You are really just reveling in last night, are you not?" Lothril said with ósanwe as she quietly sipped her coffee and tried to keep her face neutral.
"Deeply and thoroughly. Tell me you did not enjoy it," he returned as he took a sip of his.
"I did, but given that kiss you just gave me I think you are actively plotting how soon we can recreate it," she replied.
"And you are not?"
"My head still hurts."
"Fair. Would you be opposed?"
"No, but I might need a bit of mead to help me along. Maybe not as much as last night though…"
He flashed her an almost wicked smile over his tea cup. "Perhaps it would make it easier, but I wager I could coax you into it without so much as a drop."
Thranduil was obviously oblivious to the content of the silent mental conversation being had, but a quick glance over his shoulder to ask a question told him they were having one and he changed his mind. Especially after noting the look on Legolas' face. If they are making plans for later, far be it for him to interrupt. He decided to just make a judgement call and do fried apple slices. He hadn't had them in a while and he had the cinnamon and some nutmeg up here anyway.
By the time he finished making breakfast, though at this point it would be more properly called late brunch, Lothril had lost that 'I have a headache' look and audible conversation had ensued about maybe making some caramel apples and things they could put on the caramel to give it different flavors.
When he sat down Lothril asked, "What are your plans for today?"
"I have a few things I am working on so I shall see to those," he answered.
"Anything interesting?" she asked before taking a bite.
"Of interest to me, but I am not sure how interesting anyone else would find it," Thranduil answered. The truth was, he was going to spend the day working on their bed, but as he wanted it to be a surprise, at least for her… "Why? Are you looking for something to do?"
Lothril shook her head. "No, just curious."
"Good, because if you were looking for an occupation, I was going to have words with my son," Thranduil teased.
Thranduil was in his woodshop which was down near the river level. He had gone down after breakfast and instead of changing into his usual work clothes, he simply stripped down to his under tunic and leggings and threw on the leather apron he usually wore for when he was staining. He wasn't staining just yet, but would keep him from getting covered in wood shavings.
After seeing her redecorated bedroom, he decided to take a slightly different approach with the carvings on the bed. He decided instead of a solid carved footboard, he would make the footboard instead look like it was curving branches of trees that laced together in the middle, leaving gaps and holes through which firelight could dance. The headboard was going to be a same motif, but in the middle there being a prominent leaf and lothil against a solid circle… or possibly a diamond shape. He wasn't sure yet and had sketches of both ideas sitting out on this work top.
He was smack in the middle of carving out the outlines of his designs when Gladhrion came in, making the little bell above his workshop door ring as he entered. Thranduil glanced up to see it was his cousin with a covered tray and said, "Hello Gladhrion."
"Hello Thranduil. I brought you lunch," Gladhrion said. "Where should I set it?"
"On that small table there," Thranduil said, nodding towards a small little table and chair next to his work table.
"What are you working on? It looks… huge," Gladhrion asked.
Thranduil grinned as he kept following the pencil line he was carving. "This is going to be the footboard for the bed I am making for Legolas and Lothril. And it is a surprise, so do not say anything to either of them. Legolas figured out I am making him a bed, but he does not know any of the particulars, and Lothril knows nothing."
"My lips are sealed," Gladhrion replied. "If that is the footboard, dare I ask what the headboard looks like?"
"I have not started on it yet, but the pieces for it are over there against the wall," Thranduil said.
"Goodness sakes, Thrand! How big is this bed going to be?" Gladhrion asked.
"About the same size as mine," Thranduil answered.
"Will it even fit their bedroom?" Gladhrion teased.
"Mine did when we were in there," Thranduil replied with a grin, glancing up briefly. "My offer to make you one still stands, cousin. Simply say the word!"
"Somehow, my wife and I have managed to survive this long without a bed the size of a small house, but thank you for offering," Gladhrion joked. "Truly, I cannot fathom what you two were doing that required one that size."
"Required? I never said we required the space. Rather once we had it, we found uses for it," Thranduil replied without looking up. "What is for lunch today?"
"Beef stew, herb bread, cheese, and spiced peaches," Gladhrion answered. "And hold a moment – do you really think your proper son and his reserved and demure betrothed are going to have any clue what to do with something this ridiculously big?"
Thranduil smirked as he kept working. Clearly those two were fooling at least some of the family. "They will figure it out." He finished the line he was working on and put down his tools and brushed off his hands. "Should I assume you already ate?"
"I did. I brought this down afterwards. We thought for a little while you and Legolas and Lothril were eating in your rooms until one of the servants mentioned you were not there," Gladhrion replied.
Thranduil stopped what he was doing and looked at his cousin. "They did not show up at all for lunch?"
"Not at all," Gladhrion answered.
Thranduil's smirk broadened. Perhaps his son was acting on that grin he noticed at breakfast. He put his tool back in its place and brushed off his hands. "You may have already eaten, but would you care to join me as I do?"
"I would but we are expecting a large shipment of wine to come in today or tomorrow along with a whole barge worth of fish and then we are sending out a large amount of timber to Dale and Erebor. The king tends to get ill-tempered if his wine crates smell of fish. He can be so fussy like that and we would hate to have him in a bad mood. Especially after he was rumored to be out drinking and dancing all night," Gladhrion teased.
Thranduil chuckled and shook his head. "You are such an ass. Get out of here before my wine does smells of fish or you shan't get any."
"Your wish is my command, your majesty," Gladhrion answered with an insolent grin and an exaggerated bow. He left the workshop with Thranduil's chuckle chasing him.
That Gladhrion… He was never anything but business and respectful in front of others and never anything but a cheeky little brat when they were alone. He would not even be quite that bad in front of his wife. And he would not change it for the world. It helped keep him humble.
Thranduil carefully brushed off his apron and hung it on the peg before sitting down to eat. Eating alone was a little bit of a novelty that he enjoyed on those occasions when it happened. The stew was excellent, as always, and the kitchens knew he adored soups and stews so they sneaked them into the menu regularly during the colder months. When he was about halfway through his bowl, he picked it up along with a hunk of bread so he could sop up some broth as he looked at the footboard on his worktop. He stood there and stared at the footboard, mulling over how he wanted to stain it and making a couple little artistic decisions when a knock came at the workshop door.
Of course he had just taken a big bite of broth soaked bread. He went to the door and opened it a crack, still holding his bowl, and saw it was Galion, so he gestured him to come in.
Galion, who could see he was actively chewing went ahead and spoke. "King Thranduil, the kitchen is wondering if you plan on taking dinner with your family this evening and if they should plan on Prince Legolas and Lady Lothril joining them. As he bed was unslept in and no one has seen him since yesterday we are wondering if he is on one of his fishing trips with the lady."
Legolas' bed was unslept in? Oh-ho! That was certainly newsworthy. Thranduil didn't so much as bat an eyelash though and swallowed. "As I was not at lunch, I did not ask anyone's dinner plans, however if everyone wants to eat together, I will join them, and do let me know what the consensus is. Legolas and Lothril are not on a fishing trip. I had breakfast with them and they did not indicate any plans of going anywhere, so I am going to assume they shall appear for dinner. If they do not, I would expect for them to request it to be sent up to one or other of their rooms later."
"Do you know where the prince and the lady may be?" Galion asked.
"I do not. We parted company after breakfast and I have been down here since," Thranduil answered.
"Would you like me to attempt locating them before dinner and asking their plans?" Galion asked.
"The prince and his betrothed are to be left alone, is that understood?" Thranduil replied.
"I understand, your majesty. I shall pass the word along. Are there any exceptions?"
"Unless you suspect they are lost or injured – no. I expect though they are quite well and simply being reclusive," Thranduil said.
"Understood, your highness," Galion said.
Dinner found Thranduil in the dining room a little early, soon joined by Gladhrion and his wife Thalaves and Cîlwen and Istelion, and soon after that Elior and Linnrien.
"Shall Legolas and Lothril be joining us?" Elior asked.
"I do not know," Thranduil said nonchalantly. "But they know what time dinner is and so if they wish to be late or not join us, that is their choice and I have no intention of waiting for them."
"That is fine with me," Elior said with a half grin. If his cousin wished to go around alone with his betrothed and skipping dinner, it was no skin off of his nose… though he was certainly going to rib him about it later.
They were about ten minutes into dinner when the couple in question arrived. They came in holding hands and Legolas completely neutral and Lothril looking like she wasn't sure how she felt. Her mouth was pressed into a hard line, she was blushing slightly. For a moment when they first walked in Thranduil thought maybe she was vexed, but then as they sat down, the hard line of her mouth cracked into a hint of a smile as she glanced up at Legolas. No, she wasn't vexed… Their midnight conversation came to mind and Thranduil began to suspect it was going to be a process for her to get properly comfortable with… well, herself. Then again, he imagined it would be for anyone if they were born and raised in a world where kissing between courting couples was a borderline scandalous activity. Such nonsense…
"Well, well, well – look who has shown up late to dinner," Elior teased, earning him a raised brow and a half frown from Linnrien, which he ignored. "And without so much as a spider or goblin to blame for it."
"Oh, I am sure our cousin has a very good reason for his tardiness," Gladhrion replied with a smirk.
"I have an excellent one," Legolas replied neutrally as he filled his plate and fell silent.
When no answer seemed forthcoming Elior asked, "And that would be?"
"None of your business," Legolas answered with a slight little grin.
"Well, if our chatty cousin is being so taciturn, I suppose it is pointless to ask his reticent betrothed," Gladhrion commented idly.
"Quite," Lothril answered before taking a bite and looking unbothered by the inquiry.
"Now that our resident ellonig (little male elves) have gotten that out of the way," Cîlwen said, "When is our next music night?"
Discussion immediately ensued and the topic changed decidedly away from the tardy relatives as everyone rapidly decided the next one should be before the end of the week as long as most everyone else was free. After dinner and dessert everyone decided a game or two of cards sounded fun so went to the large game room and set up the table to accommodate everyone and Thranduil had a servant bring up drinks.
Outside of Uno, Dutch Blitz, and the odd game of Euchre, Lothril had never played cards for much. Even so, this game seemed like it was more or less along the same vein as poker. Come to find out, Lothril couldn't bluff, but as for the first few hands she didn't know exactly what she was doing, her face wound up being incredibly misleading. Thranduil could keep his face absolutely neutral and bluff his way out of anything, though Gladhrion and Legolas would give him a run for his money. Cîlwen though could be an ice queen and could mom-stare most of the table into folding.
After a few games, Lothril folded and declared she was done for the night and went to bed. After another game Legolas called it a night also and headed straight to his bedroom where he changed for bed, donned a robe, then went straight to Lothril's room through a connecting servant's passage.
Lothril heard his knock and mentally bade him enter. "I must say I did not expect to see you here."
"Did you not? Even after I told you this morning I desire to recreate last night?" he replied, grinning wide, his eyes all but smoldering as he looked at her.
She shrugged a little. "I expected it more after breakfast but then when you suggested we go riding I thought maybe you changed your mind. Then when after our ride you seemed content to simply play the harp for me, I became convinced of it. Even so, I am glad your cousins though did not press for an explanation as to why we were late to supper. Trying to explain exactly how I got soot smeared on my face was more than I was willing to explain at the moment."
"I am just glad we got it all off. I would not have guessed it would be that much easier to remove from your hands than your face. Then again, I have never had a squirrel fall down my chimney, land in my fireplace, and then catapult itself at me while lightly smoking from singed fur and covered in ashes," Legolas replied with a slight shake of his head, brows knit.
Lothril shook her head. "The weirdest stuff happens to me! It is not like I invite it! I was just sitting there! By the by, do you suppose they fixed the grate on the chimney by now?" she asked, staring warily at the fireplace.
"I am certain. I made it clear it was a priority," Legolas assured.
She shuddered. "Good. Because I never want to have a smoking sooty squirrel in my room ever again! That was ridiculous!"
"Perfectly understandable," Legolas said as he wrapped his arms around her and drew her into a hug.
She buried her face in his shoulder and he felt her shoulders shaking. At first he thought with tears until she pulled back and laughed, "That poor, stupid squirrel though! It looked so confused! At least we were able to shoo it out the window quickly enough! Even if we did tell everyone what happened, do you reckon any of them would have believed us?"
Legolas chuckled, "Not a chance."
She grinned as she settled her head back against his shoulder. "Let them think we were being mischievous this afternoon. It will keep them from suspecting us tonight."
Legolas took that as an invitation and began rubbing soft circles into her back with his hands. "Shall Estelneth be coming in the morning?"
"Not until after breakfast," she answered. "And you are welcome to try, but as I know what you are trying to do, it probably won't work."
"Why not?" he asked in a voice that sounded more like a purr than anything else.
"Well… because I am shy… and sober… and…" she struggled to get the words out as Legolas buried one hand in her hair and gently massaged her scalp. That last "and" had faded into a soft sigh.
"That matters little," Legolas purred. "And I do not truly care if we recreate last night or not, so long as you enjoy yourself."
"What did I do to deserve such a wonderful ellon as you?" she muttered as she turned her head to put a soft kiss on his neck.
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A/N: I never do this, but I am doing it here. Here is a bonus scene I REALLY wanted to show you guys but I really didn't want to shift the focus in the chapter just then and spoil the next scene. I'm also doing it here because there's a story. So when writing this chapter I was trying to come up with a pet name/term of endearment that sounded plausible but is also the sort you wouldn't want your significant other just using in public because it's slightly embarrassing. I remembered an episode of the original "Full House" where everyone forgot Gibbler's birthday so they are last minute scrambling to throw her a party and DJ's boyfriend sorta just stumbles into the whole thing and hands her flowers he had gotten for DJ; and on the card he addresses DJ as "sugar lips" and Gibbler of course, reads the card aloud. Perfect! Except there's no Sindarin word for "sugar" so I decided to go with "egasig laich", sweet tasting little mouth. Not mortifyingly embarrassing, but if the king and a bunch of fellow lords are your coworkers, that is not a name you want floating around. Alright, so several weeks later I am up waaaaaay too late and a friend of mine is sending me translated descriptions from this fic she's reading and this house maid is described as having an apple face and a pumpkin rear-end. Well, my friend said she couldn't imagine how "pumpkin-ass" is complimentary and I just found it hilarious beyond words. So forty-five minutes later I am all but crying with laughter and well decided I need to work this into my story somehow, I've got it rendered into elvish (a mix of Quenya and Sindarin) and I remembered this chapter and Lord Egasig Laich and decided his wife needed to be Lady Pumpkin-ass. About five minutes after that, my friend speculates how Thranduil would have reacted to learning that one of the lords and his wife affectionately call each other Sweet Mouth and Pumpkin-ass and… this snippet is born. Enjoy!
It had been a little less than an hour since Lothril had bowled over Legolas as they danced and started making out with him smack in the middle of the torch lit palace grounds. Legolas had been sober enough to roll over with her and pick her up and haul her into the palace with an accompanying cheer chasing them from the other revelers. Thranduil was enjoying watching the others dance, but the longer things went, the less dancing there was and more kissing and feeling. The more sober ones were rushing back into the palace to find their own beds, the less sober didn't care.
Thranduil, not having his wife handy to steal away into their garden for some fun of their own, decided it was time to call it a night, take a bath, and let the current amount of alcohol in his system carry him off to sleep. Maybe with the help of a little more... He sauntered back in to the hall to refill his large mug, making vague and amused note of the fact he had to step over a couple that was half under the table and snoring and judging by how their legs were entwined, passed out either right in the middle or just after having their fun. He smirked, had a servant fill his mug, and back outside he went
He was walking past one of the few trees that had limbs low enough to climb when he heard drunken giggling nearby. Disinterested in walking into someone, he stopped and looked around and as he did he heard an elleth say, "Come, my little sweet mouth! Let me have another taste!"
"Your wish is my command, pumpkin-ass!" came the reply of presumably her husband.
Thranduil realized suddenly they were above him in the tree and it was all he could do to stifle a laugh as he hurried his steps a little bit before he had time to recognize who Sweet Mouth and Pumpkin-ass were. As soon as he was out of sight he laughed aloud and thanked the stars he and Lauriel never let themselves get drunk enough to use their pet names in public like that. And he had a funny suspicion come next counsel session, he'd figure out who Sweet Mouth is.