Elluin had been slightly nervous about entering the king's chambers given how sour his mood was after the morning's council meeting. When she answered the summons and finally knocked on the Elvenking's door, however, Thranduil's mood had already improved somewhat. It improved even further when he saw her face.
"Well met, mistress of the house," he greeted her, gesturing toward the chair beside the one barely accommodating his own sprawling limbs. He noticed how her muted crimson gown made the blonde waves of her hair appear more golden.
"Good afternoon, my king," she answered with a smile as she curtsied before taking her seat. "I admit I am surprised to find you this merry after what I've heard of this morning's council meeting."
Thranduil groaned. "Let us not linger on such unpleasantness," he said, though the sparkle in his eyes betrayed his levity.
"Can anything be done, sire, to avoid the same in the future?" she asked curiously.
"I do not have the heart to stop my advisors' debates outright — in their own ways, they are trying to plan for the future of our realm." He sighed in resignation.
"I see. Lord Berenil always seemed to steer the council members away from such discourse," she said, a note of melancholy in her voice.
"He did," came the quiet reply.
Silence fell as the companions were lost in memories.
"I miss him," Elluin admitted after a while. "He used to visit my family often, sometimes with Lady Foriel. My mother makes a wild carrot and rosehip soup that she used to love. I hope they have carrots and rosehips in Valinor…"
Thranduil turned his gaze towards her, watching her eyes glimmer with unshed tears. Of all the things to wonder about of Valinor, he thought, how very like Elluin to think of someone else's favorite food.
"Lord Berenil left me her gowns," she said after another moment, finally meeting the king's gaze with a soft smile."
"That was generous," he said softly. "Perhaps he suspected that you would have need of court gowns." Thranduil's brow furrowed. "Now I am suspecting that he had more foresight than he ever admitted." He decided to abandon those thoughts before they could come to a conclusion.
Elluin's voice broke through his musing. "Sire, would you…" She seemed suddenly uncertain, looking down at her hands.
"What is it?" he probed gently. "Recall, I would have you speak to me as a friend."
"Well, often when I am heartsick for something or someone, I go in search of a waterfall coming down from the Dark Mountains. If it is large enough, I think the sound is similar enough to the sound of the ocean that I am reminded of Lindon, where I grew up," she explained. "It is a balm to my heart, recalling that piece of the home I left behind."
"And your request?" Thranduil felt his heart twinge in sadness at a suspicion, but kept his voice even. "Do you wish me to dismiss you so you can go to the mountains?"
Her eyes snapped up to his. "No, sire," she said quickly, but then hesitated. "I wondered if you would like to go with me. It is something I have enjoyed doing with my Silvan friends over the years. But I do not know if your obligations here would require you to avoid such an excursion, or if you would find it too frivolous an idea…"
"Do you know where exactly we could find such a waterfall in this season?" he surprised her by asking. "Their noise is not conducive to hunting or training so I have largely avoided them."
Elluin stared at him, seeing honest interest on the king's face. "Yes, sire," she finally answered. "The creek the palace uses for laundering flows down from one. It is most spectacular in the spring, but it is still delightfully loud now at the turn of autumn. If we walk at a good pace, we could even see it and reach home again before sunset." Hope was now shining in her eyes.
"I will go with you," he decided, smiling as her face lit up in joy.
"Good," she said with a happy rush of breath as she rose. "I will need but a moment to change into more suitable attire. Shall I send in a messenger, sire? Perhaps you wish to dictate which of your advisors will handle immediate issues."
He gestured his assent.
"Let us meet behind the laundry, then, my king," she suggested, contagious excitement radiating from her.
"I will see you shortly," Thranduil agreed.
~.~.~
Elluin enjoyed the freedom of movement granted by the shorter, wider Silvan style dress she borrowed from a kitchen servant, its cream and brown colors blending into the forest. Her worn brown boots drew her briskly toward the meeting place, a satchel swinging at her side carrying light provisions and a few emergency supplies.
Her heart thumped loudly when she caught sight of the king. His arms were crossed over his broad chest as he leaned with one shoulder against a tree. His gaze was relaxed and his eyes were closed, immersed in the sensation of the light afternoon breeze and the play of light and shadow across his face as the sun trickled through the dancing leaves. He still wore only his tunic and breeches, though he had changed into sturdier boots.
This was how an Elvenking should be, she thought — peaceful among his trees.
He turned to look at her as she approached, a smile appearing on his face. "Lady Elluin, if it were not for your fair hair, I would have mistaken you for a Silvan. You look quite at home." He subconsciously held out a hand to receive her.
"Glad I am to hear it, sire," she answered as she slipped her hand into his, "for this is my home, now."
Thranduil basked in the deep, glittering blue of her adoring eyes for a brief moment before taking an audible breath and releasing her hand. "Lead on, lady," he invited.
She happily complied. "Sire, I do not suspect any danger, but I brought no weapons," she said tentatively as they walked.
"There are six guards trailing us," he said easily. "I doubt I would ever be able to escape unnoticed from the palace."
"Just as well," Elluin conceded. "It is good to be prepared. But would they not prefer to be closer to you, my king?"
"Naturally," Thranduil admitted. "But for now, they would only come at need." The two companions separately resolved to enjoy this illusion of freedom and privacy.
They chatted easily as they went. Elluin pointed out the places where she and the other servants had run across obstacles while foraging for the palace. She admitted that she had once slipped on ice and caught herself by grabbing onto a tree branch, only to be buried under the snow dropped from its disturbed branches.
Thranduil surprised himself by sharing his own tales of mishaps while on training excursions. He did not expect that he would so easily reveal his past mistakes to anyone, however trivial; and yet, he realized he felt no discomfort in doing so with Elluin. He wondered at how much he trusted her with his vulnerabilities, but allowed the sensation to mingle with the other pleasant ones around him. It warmed him just as much as the sunshine, and calmed him like the rustling of the leaves.
Their laughter rang out frequently through the forest, though quickly dampened by the sounds of the birds and rustling leaves. Soon enough, the quiet bubbling of the creek they were following gave way to the louder rush of a more vigorous flow. Water-loving plants had blocked their view as they approached. They swished through ferns and were bathed in the scent of the cardinal flowers that reached nearly to their chests before their destination came into view. The falls were as wide as two men were tall, falling from a height above the canopy of trees that grew nearby.
They admired the view for a few moments before Elluin led the way closer to the cascade. She found a relatively flat area amid the reeds and grasses. Without preamble, she lay down on her back with a sigh, closing her eyes.
Thranduil stared for the space of a breath before slowly moving to join her. As soon as he closed his eyes, he found the appeal. The plants below them were more yielding than the sands of the beach, but cushioned the body just as lovingly. The soft whisper of the breeze wafting through them right by his ears alternated for dominance with the roaring of the waterfall, resembling the oscillating crash of ocean waves and hiss of sea foam. Birdsong in the treetops could never be mistaken for the cry of seagulls, but the notes still pierced through the din in a way that was reminiscent enough. Droplets of mist occasionally landed on his cheeks, like sea spray. Thranduil released a contented sigh and allowed himself to be carried into yet another happy illusion.
The companions quite lost track of time as they succumbed to the sensations. Elluin finally opened her eyes when the sunlight no longer warmed her skin. The sun was quickly sinking to the horizon, obscured by the trees, and the afternoon breeze was dying down. She quietly turned her head to find the king with his eyes still closed, lying beside her. Her breath hitched in elation to see him so serene and she was loath to disturb him. But night would not be far behind and they were far from home.
Elluin sighed as she sat up, knowing Thranduil would hear her, and reached for the satchel she brought. "My spirit is refreshed," she murmured.
Thranduil blinked and reluctantly rose to sitting as well. "Remarkable," he said softly. "I had not realized how much I missed the sound of the ocean."
"Of course, it does not compare to the real thing, but I find that memories compensate where reality lacks," Elluin mused as she pulled a pair of apples from the satchel. When she looked at him, she found his face just a foot away from hers, a soft smile on his lips. It took her a moment to recover her thoughts, and she numbly held one of the apples out to him. "I believe we've missed dinner," she said apologetically.
"We should probably walk as we eat," Thranduil said sensibly, taking note of the advancing evening. He helped Elluin up by her free hand and they started the winding way back.