"This is marvelous, Turiel," Elluin said with wonder. "How many others can understand what they say?" She poured a handful of grains on a low branch and watched, amused, as the pile was suddenly hidden in a flurry of feathered wings amid cheerful chirps.
"There are many among the Silvan families that have resided here longest," she answered, settling a strand of her hair that one of the eager birds had swept out of place in its flight over her head. "It is a wonder that none of them had thought to put it to use until now."
"It was a stroke of genius from a particularly resourceful elleth," came Elluin's honest compliment. She was hardly surprised that the grains had already disappeared. "What have they been telling you so far?"
"I have them trained now to tell me if they see Elves on patrol. They understand at last that things that go on two legs, like they do, are what interest me." Turiel smiled as she stroked a finger down the back of a lazy oriole that had whistled demandingly. "Yes, of course, you and your friends are by far more beautiful than any Elf in the forest," she cooed to it, appearing to answer its proud claim. Another whistle. Turiel turned to her companion. "I know it is your day of rest, but I wonder if I may shamelessly take advantage of my friend's new position to beg a favor?"
Elluin chucked. "Galion has made it clear that you are to have everything you need for this project," she said, anticipating the request. "I already have a few bags of grain set aside for your use. Shall we go retrieve them?"
The ellith continued chatting as they made their way down the ladder of the talan above the stables.
"The next step in the birds' training is, of course, for them to identify other beings that go on two legs," Turiel said, her unease showing through. "I will take them to visit our Dwarf blacksmiths soon, but then I shall need to introduce them somehow to Men… and, eventually, Orcs."
Elluin winced. "It seems ironic that we must go in search of those monsters, when the point of the system is for us to keep them from coming near us in the first place." She examined her heart then, surprised and pleased that she was able to speak of Orcs without so much as a shudder of disgust. She was once again grateful for the king's help in overcoming her fear after the attack.
"Hopefully, it will be long before we even have need of it," Turiel said, breaking through her companion's thoughts. "In the meantime, we can work on how they communicate quantities and locations."
"What, will you have them peck at maps?" Elluin jested. Turiel joined her friend's giggling. They were rounding the stables now and headed toward the soldiers' training yard. It was a busy area, with paths often crossing between soldiers, royal servants, and a wide range of craftsmen that received deliveries or commissions out of Galion's office.
Elluin caught a motion in the corner of her eye and turned toward it…and froze.
There was Thranduil, walking out of the training fields beside Captain Telior. He had obviously been sparring long — his skin glistened with perspiration, and his hair, light shirt, and breeches bore evidence of tussles in the dirt. He held his sheathed sword, Gaelung, loosely in one hand as he strolled in her direction. There was a lightness in his features as he conversed with his captain. Had Elluin been able to pay attention, she would have heard words of praise for the most promising new recruits.
But all that occupied her mind was the beauty of the creature who now came nearer to her with every step.
~.~.~
Thranduil sensed the obstacle in his path and looked up…and froze.
There was Elluin, standing before him. She was obviously on her day of rest, wearing a simple, airy, Silvan style dress instead of the more structured court gowns she usually wore in his presence. Her hair hung in aureate waves about her shoulders and down her back. He saw skin tinged with gold from all her time spent out in the sun, soft lips, gentle chin, and eyes… He was captivated.
The world seemed to fall away as their eyes met. In the other's gaze, they could see such a depth of love, delight, and longing. They wished to delve further into each other, to seek out all the hidden recesses of the spirit, occupy fully the heart, know entirely the mind, and possess the beautiful body of the other. And at that moment, this did not seem so unattainable — they appeared as an ordinary pair of Sindar Elves, enjoying the day, and falling in love. In this temporary, insulated space of enchantment, they could imagine a love unencumbered by responsibility, and how it might be to allow their hearts free rein. And in the fervent and breathless gaze of the other, each could detect the distant whisper of sadness for the restrictions placed on their desires.
Both of them were unaware of their surroundings for the space of several breaths. Elves in the vicinity had begun to notice the odd behavior of their king and the elleth, and stopped to stare curiously at them. The few Silvan Elves who had bothered to learn any of the history of the Sindar muttered references to Elu Thingol and Melian, trapped in mutual enchantment for years.
Those closest to the pair, however, were becoming uneasy, knowing full well that Thranduil and Elluin did not have the luxury of withdrawing from the world for as long as the eventual founders of Doriath did. Turiel and Captain Telior were now actively trying to break through to their companions. Eventually, Turiel's frantic whispers and nudging elbow reached Elluin's awareness. "Bow to the king, Elluin!"
She blinked, noticing that Thranduil had been obliged to do the same as Telior had dared to grip the king's arm as he called to him quietly in turn. Thranduil sucked in a breath as he came to his senses. He spared his captain a glance before gathering himself and resuming his walk. Elluin quickly lowered herself into a curtsy.
He closed the distance between them in a few long strides. "Good morning, my ladies," he said as he stopped before them.
"Good morning, my king," Elluin answered. Turiel, knowing her response was not particularly desired, remained silent with her head respectfully bowed. However, Thranduil was studying both of the ellith before him.
"You both share with me the burden of the fate of the Greenwood," he noted quietly. They dared to meet his gaze as he continued. "Turiel, you will strengthen the kingdom's defenses; and Elluin, you will strengthen the king." He smiled at her, and her eyes glittered. "I hope the burden does not prove heavy," Thranduil concluded, the statement meant for both of them, though his eyes were locked on Elluin's.
"A burden borne with joy has no weight, sire," Turiel said with an obvious amount of cheer.
Thranduil managed to shift his attention to her briefly, nodding to acknowledge the Silvan wisdom. "Then, joy to you." He looked again at Elluin, and was unable to resist taking her hand and placing a kiss on it. Seeing the elation in her eyes above her flushed cheeks, he was tempted not to let go, and bring her with him, to have her by his side for the rest of the day and forever after… Telior uncharacteristically shuffled on his feet beside him. Thranduil took the cue, and reluctantly released Elluin's hand and took a step away.
The ellith curtsied a farewell as the Elvenking walked back to the palace.
Turiel gripped her friend's arm, firmly leading her toward the entrance to the kitchens. "Elluin, what happened?" she whispered, eyes darting over the many eyes still following them curiously. "For a moment, I was afraid you were lost to us."
"I do not quite know," Elluin said distractedly, seeming still in a daze. "All our desires were laid bare between us."
"Not just between you, I fear. Now half the kingdom will know that the king's heart has been captured before the day's end."
Elluin turned widened eyes to her friend in realization.
"Why do you wish to keep your affections secret?" Turiel asked curiously. "It is not as if anyone would object, especially knowing that you are already a servant of the kingdom through your position."
The elleth hesitated to respond. "Stability," she murmured.
"You Sindar," Turiel suddenly snapped. "You overthink the things that, to anyone with sense, are the simplest."
Elluin stared at her.
"Trust me, Elluin," the elleth continued, "within a week, the Silvans of Greenwood will be expecting an announcement." She gave her companion a bright smile that Elluin was not convinced enough to return with as much fervor, but was grateful for, nonetheless.
~.~.~
"I beg you, Lady Raegdis, not to seek a direct audience for this," Galion said, becoming increasingly exasperated. He was unsure whether the fact that he had repeated similar conversations with many other council members by now was good or bad, for while it became easier each time, it was something he would have preferred to avoid altogether. "Please allow my clerk to draft a report with your findings to present to the king. I daresay that in any case the king would appreciate having the facts before him to reference as he makes his decision."
The elleth eyed him doubtfully. "I am certain the king would appreciate being approached directly on this matter."
"Of course, my lady," Galion answered quickly. "However, given the other demands on the king's time at present, perhaps he would give your ideas more careful consideration if he could select the moment in which to do so himself."
Raegdis, like the other court members, was too wise not to see that there was some other motive behind the steward's suggestion, and had an inkling about it already. She had overheard her maidservant in the hallway speaking with one of the guards, taking no care to be discreet with their conversation. The rumor was that the king and the housekeeper had fallen in love. Rather, she admitted to herself, it was a rumor among the Sindar court members, but taken as a fact among the Silvans.
Raegdis pursed her lips. "Very well," she conceded reluctantly. "Let the Elvenking have his time. But I insist that he see to this matter at his earliest convenience."
"You are most gracious, my lady," Galion said, hiding his relief beneath a bow. He waved a hand for his clerk to come forward and stepped back to leave the two to their tasks with the due formalities.
Walking once more towards his office, Galion reflected on his failures. He knew that court demands usually came in waves, but this did nothing to relieve his disappointment in his inability to grant Thranduil any respite over the past few days. Since the steward himself was awake to notice it, he knew that the king had slept little during this time. Preparations for winter snows, both for the Greenwood and its trade partners, required many hours of work from the king, as well as his mistress of the household.
Galion tried his best to keep the frustration off his face as he walked past bustling servants in the walkways. There were only so many tasks that he was able to take on himself and thereby spare the king… But in the event that the king could escape for a while, Galion was confident he would be able to manage. He had managed all of Elluin's duties before she was taken on, after all, and he could delegate any significant issue to the council.
He was nearing his office. Checking that the hallway he had entered was empty, he shook his head slightly, in disbelief that he thought himself capable of adopting the duties of both king and housekeeper. He could certainly do so for a little while — he was an excellent steward, after all. However, he knew himself to be less wise and foresighted than Thranduil regarding kingdom affairs, and less efficient and resourceful than Elluin in matters of the household.
Finally, he had reached his office door. At that moment, he picked up Elluin's voice coming from further down the hallway, where she was discussing the disposition of the palace store of herbs with Dinen and Gwedhil in one of the pantries.
"I need the chamomile leaves to be completely dry," Gwedhil remarked. "Otherwise, I cannot make a concentrated brew for my patients."
"Very well," Elluin answered easily, "we shall just have to wait a while."
Galion slipped into his office with a smile tugging at his lips. He realized with no small amount of happy anticipation that, perhaps, the Elvenking would not be patient enough to wait until he was certain he could be spared. The steward resolved to be ready to jump into the gap whenever the need arose.