This was to be Lord Berenil's final evening spent with the king before the final preparations for his journey to the Undying Lands would demand his time. Despite the melancholy atmosphere between them, the advisor noticed the unmistakable peace in Thranduil's demeanor.
"It appears that my impending absence has not worried you overmuch, my king," Berenil ventured at the end of the meal. "You seem at ease. I am glad of it."
"Do I?" Thranduil asked, a smile making its way onto his face as his introspection confirmed Berenil's words. "The weather has been fine," he said vaguely.
Berenil hummed thoughtfully. "I hear you have employed a mistress of the house," he said.
"Yes," Thranduil said around a sip of wine, deliberately ignoring his suspicion that his advisor was a
ware of the connection between his relaxed state and the lady in question. "Lady Elluin has just started in her new position, but I believe she will be an asset to the household."
"No doubt of it," the older ellon answered with a solemn nod. "And dare I say, not only to the household."
Thranduil paused as he set down his goblet and tried not to look surprised as he realized Berenil had seen through him.
The advisor smiled knowingly, then his face became somber. He leaned nearer to Thranduil and allowed all the love and pride he felt for the younger ellon to shine through his eyes.
"Our time of fellowship on the Hither Shores has come to an end, my king," Berenil said, the gravity of his words settling around the two like a heavy cloak. "As you know, my heart can no longer find peace here. I have already told you of my confidence in leaving Greenwood the Great to your care. Allow me but one more opportunity to advise you."
"Berenil, so many of your words are etched into my mind forever, as they have shaped me and my reign into what we are now. I know there will be times in the future when I will wonder what you would say and wish there was more you could have taught me. Say what you will, I will heed it." Thranduil's eyes shone with controlled emotion.
"Hear me, then," Berenil said, meeting Thranduil's gaze with equal feeling. "Take the offerings of joy you find in your life, young king. You and the kingdom will be the better for it. Though, I suspect you have already discovered this."
Thranduil's gaze dropped as a small smile crept onto his lips. "Just recently," he admitted.
"Now, I will not presume to guess at the future," the advisor continued, "and I know your heart has not yet decided. But perhaps one day, if I had stayed, you would have asked me whether Elluin would make a good queen."
Thranduil looked sharply up at his companion. Berenil was right — he was not in love with Elluin. However, he could not deny that their association thus far had brought him joy, and he resolved to follow his dearest counselor's advice and allow himself to continue building their relationship. Thranduil acknowledged with some trepidation that it was possible that he could grow to return her love through it. He suddenly realized the repercussions of his heart's possible decisions on the kingdom.
"And what would you say?" Thranduil asked after a long moment.
"I would say that Elluin is more than worthy to be called the Elvenqueen."
Thranduil realized with some surprise how relieved he felt at Berenil's words. "Thank you, Berenil, for everything." He rose to embrace his companion. "I will miss you," he said softly into his shoulder.
"And I you, my dear boy."
~.~.~
Many days later, Elluin's fingers tapped each sack, box, and jar as she whispered the counts to herself in the cool storage room. The sound of quickly approaching feet interrupted her thoughts and she turned in time to see Sulros skidding to a stop by the door. It took him a moment to overcome his surprise at seeing her, then he looked at her with uncertainty.
"Oh, well met, Lady Elluin," he said, hesitating before he stepped further in.
"Come now, Sulros, I am the same person I have always been," she said, turning back to her work. "No need for awkwardness."
He gave a resigned sigh, walking up to a shelf beside her. "I admit that when they told me of your new position, I felt nothing but fear."
"What?" she asked in surprise. "Why?"
"Even as a servant, you were constantly suggesting more things for us to do," he said as his eyes twinkled with mirth. "Now, with your new authority, your suggestions have turned into commands!"
He joined her merry laughter.
"Fear not," she said when their mirth subsided. "I do not have authority over the king's body servants."
"For which I am beyond grateful," he said with mock severity, earning another chuckle from Elluin.
"Is there something you needed?" she asked.
Sulros selected a jar from the shelf and held it up for her to see. "The council has not yet concluded, and from what I can tell, the king is already in a mood. Whatever it is they are debating, he seems most unsatisfied. For the sake of my own skin in the wake of his wrath, I will have his favorite, plum preserves and warm walnut bread, ready with his midday meal."
"I admire your instincts of self-preservation," she joked.
He grinned at her. "I am hopeful that he will allow me to escape and dismiss me for the afternoon," he said. "If he does not go to the garrison to release his frustrations through his sword, he will likely take a respite in his chambers."
As they exchanged farewells and Sulros hurried back out, Elluin allowed a spark of hope into her heart. She had not seen the king in over a week, since the afternoon they spent together on her first day as housekeeper. If he had no official duties for the afternoon, perhaps he would choose to summon her… Or perhaps he would be too distracted by his displeasure to think of his housekeeper. Even if he did think of her, what could she do to help?
What a friend would do, Elluin answered herself. She could do that. Resolutely, she quelled the niggling sadness that she could do no more.
~.~.~
It had been yet another council meeting in which the Elvenking's advisors had just been speaking in circles. This morning's debate centered around whether another contract should be drafted with the Dwarves for them to provide a more consistent supply of raw metal to Greenwood. However, as Thranduil had pointed out, the kingdom had no blacksmiths yet to work this metal, and their need for it was similarly limited. Yet the arguments had continued, speculating on whether continued relations with the Dwarves would be possible and what potential benefits there could be. At last, just before noon, Thranduil abruptly rose, bid his advisors a good day, and left. He could not stand to sit there any longer if there would be no practical benefit.
He was still seething when he arrived in his chambers. Sulros had met him there with a very cheerful greeting, wary of his king's mood and compensating by moving even more quickly about him as he removed his formal robes and circlet and ushered him to a comfortable chair. Thranduil's sour expression lightened when he was handed a plate with plum preserves and walnut bread. When he looked suspiciously at his servant, Sulros simply grinned at him.
"Can I get you anything else, sire?"
"Sulros, you seem eager indeed to counteract the effects of this morning's abysmal meeting," Thranduil said evenly.
"As Lady Elluin put it, sire, I owe it to my instincts of self-preservation," the servant answered, daring to tease.
Thranduil smiled in response. "Then, yes," he said. "Inform Galion that I shall have the lady Elluin attend to me this afternoon. I would have words with her regarding the ideas she puts in my servant's head."
Sulros recognized the jest. "Very good, sire. I request permission to unjustly blame said lady for the additional idea that I should be dismissed for the afternoon."
Thranduil chuckled. "I do not believe Elluin would have anyone shirking their duties," he said with a stern glance at Sulros. "But I will require nothing from you while she is with me. I shall see you tomorrow."
~.~.~
"Good morning, Lady Elluin," Galion muttered, still somewhat distracted by the document in his hand.
"Good morning, Lord Galion," she responded, taking a seat when he waved a hand in invitation. She decided to withhold her comment that it was nearly noon.
He took only a moment more before finally looking up. "Have you prepared the reports?"
"Yes, here," she said, handing him a stack of ledgers and a few loose documents. It had been over a week since she started her new position and Galion now felt she could be trusted with performing the inventories herself. A space had even been prepared for her in a room near Galion's office that also contained a desk where she could work.
"I noticed that our stock of cloth has increased, both wool and linen," Elluin mentioned as Galion reviewed the numbers. "Lord Berenil's idea to bring heather from the grasslands and use our hay fields to plant additional flax instead has succeeded."
He hummed in agreement. "Do you think we will have a surplus come winter?" he asked, flipping slowly through the ledgers.
"Not of linen," she said, her face turning grim. "We used much of it to replenish our stock of bandages after the Attack of the Unseen Army. But I do not believe there will be a lack, especially if we can substitute wool where necessary."
Galion nodded and ran his finger along a line of figures. Suddenly he looked up at her with a raised brow. "Have you not completed the stock of summer harvests?"
"No," Elluin answered smoothly. "I sent a group of servants to gather additional mushrooms since I spotted a full cluster this morning on my way here. I told them they may also find bilberries close to the Laughing Creek, since we have had good rain. I will review the final figures once they return and Dinen takes what she needs for this evening's meal."
"Ah. Very good," Galion said, satisfied. He sat back in his chair with a pensive smile. "Now I find myself in a peculiar position," he confessed. "I have no responsibilities this afternoon."
Elluin answered his smile. "How long has it been, truly, since you have had such a liberty?"
He pursed his lips as he calculated, Elluin's surprise mounting with each passing moment at how far back he needed to think. "About a hundred years," he said at last, blinking at the realization.
"By the stars, my lord, that is abominable," she muttered. She decided not to add that it was longer than she had yet been alive.
Galion's smile returned. "It is entirely my own fault for not thinking to engage a mistress of the house sooner. I have the king to thank for the suggestion, and you, my lady, for accepting the responsibility."
"I consider it a privilege," she said. "And I am very happy that you also benefit from the arrangement. What will you do?"
"Do you know, I have yet to decide," he said, eyes wandering the ceiling. "It has been long since I've thought of what activities would appeal to me in leisure. Perhaps I shall spend the whole rest of the day deciding, so that I shall know what to do next time."
"Discovering one's own mind is a worthy pastime," Elluin agreed.
Galion's eyes glittered as they dropped back to her face, though his manner remained formal. "While I am away this afternoon, the king has requested that you attend to him. Know that I may be called back to attend to any issues that arise."
"Of course, my lord," she said, doing her best to hide her enthusiasm.
"That will be all, Lady Elluin."