Galion bowed to both Thranduil and Elluin before taking his seat beside the elleth in front of the Elvenking's desk. Though the steward kept his face professionally blank, he made no attempt to hide the joy in his eyes. Immediately, he observed how relaxed the king was, lounged comfortably in his chair with a smile threatening to pull at the corners of his lips. And Elluin, nearly completely recovered from those terrifying days before the king's return, had regained most of the hopefulness and brightness he had always known her to possess. This was, furthermore, the first time he had seen them both together except in passing since they had been reunited. Seeing the matching silver bands on their fingers elated him.

They exchanged greetings before Thranduil, as was his wont, came straight to the point. "Galion, we wish to be married once the leaves have changed."

"So soon?" he said, though he had heard the rumors. He was more curious to have the fact confirmed than alarmed at the short notice.

"Yes. Can it be done?"

"Certainly, sire. We can begin preparations right after next week's Summer Festival." Galion opened a ledger book and set it respectfully before the king. Over a few pages, he had listed options regarding all manner of preparations for the ceremony. "If the royal couple would just indicate a few decisions here, we should have everything prepared in plenty of time. Though, Lady Elluin, I am afraid I left a few spaces open for you in particular. I was unsure what forest bounty would be most plentiful or desired for use in decoration or the menu."

Elluin gifted him with a radiant smile that warmed his heart. "We knew you would be two steps ahead, my lord," she praised.

Galion's at first returned her smile, but then sobered, turning back to Thranduil.

"There is one matter, sire, regarding which I was not bold enough to presume," he said, only daring to reveal the smallest trace of hesitation and refusing to give any light whatsoever to the sorrow he had so much practice burying. "Lady Elluin's parents will be attending, of course, but…the king must select a representative to perform the duties that usually fall to the father of the groom."

Galion braced himself for a frown of displeasure, but instead raised his gaze to see Thranduil studying his hands, folded on his lap, with a thoughtful expression. The silence lasted for several moments, and the steward realized gratefully that Thranduil was willingly sharing this moment of uncertainty with him and Elluin.

"I have not yet decided," the Elvenking announced eventually, his voice carefully even.

"Of course, my king," Galion replied quickly, not wishing to cause the king further discomfort. Diplomatically, he turned a few pages in the ledger. "You will note, sire, that plans have been made for the expansion of the royal talan to include a dressing room for the Elvenqueen. Construction can begin as soon as the king deigns to take up residence in the guest chambers we've prepared, and should be completed well in advance of the ceremony."

At Thranduil's agreement, Galion then turned a more enthusiastic face to Elluin. "We must also discuss the lady's personal staff. I have a list of candidates for the positions of clerk and body servant for your review, though I was uncertain how many of each the king would permit to enter the household, or what the lady's preferences are. Personally, I would recommend two body servants and two clerks."

Galion did not wait for their decision, wishing them to discuss it in private. Instead, he plowed ahead. "I have taken the liberty of arranging for a midday meal with the council members, who have requested a meeting with the king at the earliest convenience."

"Is there a problem?" Thranduil demanded.

Galion pursed his lips briefly before responding. "I believe there was some objection in response to the rumors that the traditional betrothal period would not be observed."

As he suspected, Elluin had paled when he glanced over. She was not ready to hear that she could again be forced to endure undue separation from her would-be bond-mate. Galion floundered to say something that would prevent her despair, even as Thranduil reached a hand across his desk to take hers.

"The mealtime meeting," the steward said decisively, "will allow the king to explain how this measure was approved by the lady's family and will provide more rapid benefits to the realm. No doubt the council members support these reasons." He boldly gave Elluin an encouraging nod.

She visibly willed herself to believe him, and gave him a small answering nod.

"Now, my lady," Galion continued, "I have tentatively arranged for interviews this afternoon with your potential staff. If you feel you need more time to recover, this can be postponed. I shall confirm with you after the midday meal."

"Very well," she said absently.

Looking at the king, Galion knew he wished to reassure the elleth privately. They certainly had enough other things to discuss, as well. The steward cleared his throat politely. "Sire, if there is nothing further, I shall await your summons, or else join you at the midday meeting."

"Thank you, Galion, for all your excellent service," Thranduil added honestly.

"It is my privilege, sire," he said, and bowed himself out.

~.~.~

Once the door shut, Thranduil wasted no time in beckoning Elluin to him, surprising her by pulling her onto his lap. She did not resist, and readily returned his embrace when he wrapped his arms around her.

"There are some benefits to being king, you know," he said into her neck. "I do tend to be obeyed. We will be wed in the autumn."

"You cannot ignore the wishes of the council," she noted, settling her cheek against his hair.

"They will see it is in the best interest of the realm not to hinder us," Thranduil insisted. "Thus, whatever objections they present would be irrelevant. In any case," he said, pulling slightly away to meet her gaze earnestly and run a thumb across her cheek, "there is nothing they can do to dissuade me."

Elluin sighed and shut her eyes, once more battling inwardly with whether to take Thranduil at his word as she so desired. Conceding to herself that the truth would be revealed at the council meeting, she decided instead simply to enjoy the sensation of Thranduil's body enveloping hers for a few moments.

Her eyes were still shut in relaxation when she spoke again, melancholy coloring her curiosity. "So, who will you ask to represent your parents at the wedding?"

Now it was Thranduil who sighed. "I do not know… I had considered Celeborn, as he is my closest surviving male relative, albeit only a distant cousin. But then, my father abandoned Amon Lanc in order to avoid Celeborn and his wife's 'meddling,' as he put it, from across the Anduin. I feel it would be disrespectful to my father's memory to choose him. And as for the council members…" He smirked. "It would feel strange to have anyone younger than myself in such a role. Derion is nearly of an age with me. And Galion, however much I appreciate his service and loyalty these many years, I regret to say that I barely know him outside of his role."

"Lord Berenil would have been the perfect candidate," Elluin reflected with a sad smile.

"Indeed," Thranduil agreed sorrowfully. "I believe I will miss him just as much as I will my father at the ceremony." Then he frowned. "There is Cembeleg," he mused. "He was one of the captains of the guard in Doriath, like my father was. Cembeleg took it upon himself to train all of Menegroth's elflings that wished to learn weaponscraft, so he has been a mentor to me since my childhood. But…" He turned a disheartened gaze to Elluin. "Does it not bode ill for the realm if our war leader stands to give the blessing over our union?"

"Why should it?" she countered soothingly. "Oropher was a war leader, also. Would he not have blessed it, were he here?"

Thranduil's eyes became distant, and Elluin knew his memories traveled back over the three hundred-odd years since he was made king. "Much would have been different, were my father still alive."

"Do you ever regret it?" Elluin pondered quietly. "Joining the War of the Last Alliance?"

The pain in his eyes was old and familiar.

"No," Thranduil answered with more certainty than she expected. Anger entered his tone as he continued. "The only thing I regret about that War is that the Enemy's defeat was not absolute. We suffered the loss of two thirds of the Silvan soldiers of Greenwood and Lorinand, and each of the Elvenkings then reigning in Middle Earth, to say nothing of the others… All for naught."

"That is not so," Elluin protested. "You know as well as I that the victory did yield some fruit, at least. Who can say whether the cost was worth so many lives? But the Free Peoples regained their sovereignty, and the Dark Lord's power was depleted."

Thranduil's arms tightened around her. "I wish there were more I could do to protect you, my heart," he growled mournfully into her shoulder. "For it will not be forever."

A smile crept onto Elluin's face. "Then build me a fortress and lock me inside," she said whimsically. "And distract me from my want of the trees with gifts, and songs, and children."

Thranduil returned her smile at the image. "As my lady wishes," he said, and kissed her deeply.

~.~.~

When the guards opened the doors to the minor dining hall for Thranduil and Elluin to enter, it was immediately apparent that they had interrupted some kind of argument between the council members already seated there. The atmosphere was tense and quiet once they abruptly rose in greeting, and no one dared to meet the king's sharp gaze as he marched steadily to the head of the table with Elluin, less confident but still graceful, on his arm. He came to a stop at his destination, and waited a moment before pointedly looking at Lord Derion, who occupied the seat to his right.

"I should, perhaps, have been more explicit in my expectations," Thranduil said, his voice icy and carrying remarkably across the space in the silence. "Lady Elluin is to be accorded the honors due to her as my betrothed."

Derion blinked, dazed for a moment, before coming to his senses and scrambling away with a muttered apology to move to an empty space further down the table. Thranduil helped a blushing Elluin into the newly vacant chair before sitting himself, and waving permission for the rest of the gathered party to follow suit. The servants stationed around the room quickly set to work filling goblets and setting full plates before them. They retreated soon enough, and an anticipatory silence pervaded the space.

"Now," Thranduil said authoritatively, his annoyance with the situation very thinly veiled in his eyes as he pegged each assembled Elf in the room before continuing, "I hereby confirm that Elluin has granted me the honor of agreeing to be my wife." He shot her a brief but happy smile, which she shyly returned. "I furthermore confirm that we are planning the wedding for this autumn, a few months hence, as soon as the leaves change. I have heard rumors that our plan to forego the customary year's betrothal period has been a source of distress among my council. Who wishes to begin with the criticism?"

Many faces paled. Galion's, however, did not. "My king," he said, a smile growing as he spoke, "allow me to be the first among your advisors to offer my most heartfelt congratulations to you and your honorable lady." He stood to bow to both him and Elluin, who graciously bowed their heads in thanks.

Lady Raegdis shifted in her seat. "I am also very happy for you, sire. There is no doubt that Lady Elluin will make an excellent queen." There was honest fondness in her face as she spoke, and she raised her wine to them in salute, but then she turned with a more grim expression to the king. "There is, however unfortunately, the burden of your rank to consider beyond the usual customs, sire. To plan a royal wedding—"

"All in hand," Thranduil interrupted easily, gesturing fluidly to his steward, "under Galion's direction."

Galion nodded solemnly to the lady in confirmation when she snapped her head to him in surprise.

"Very well," she said. "And the royal invitations—"

Captain Telior spoke up, then. "Messengers have been dispatched to Rivendell. The court of Lorinand should have knowledge of the plan by now, as the king sent messenger birds with the news yesterday. However, there will not be time for the Elves of Belfalas or Mithlond to send envoys, so no invitations have been issued."

"A wedding announcement will suffice in their cases," Thranduil cut in. "Our families have no ties in Belfalas, and few ties to Mithlond—only Lord Cirdan and the Sindar among his court. And I suspect that Cirdan knew precisely what fate awaited Elluin when she left him, decades ago though it was." He shared a secret smile with Elluin, both remembering the prophecy.

Raegdis was unable to suppress an exasperated huff of breath. "My king, this period is essential for the families of the pair to integrate—"

"What family have I?" Thranduil interrupted again, the sharpness of his tone making most of the assembled Elves flinch. Noticing the astonished looks, he sighed and continued more gently. "The Lady Anarrima is the only close family I have left on these shores. And the Lady Elluin has only her parents. We have our families' blessing to wed. It was, indeed, Master Soronume who suggested the earlier date. There is no reason to delay."

Raegdis eventually dropped her gaze to the table.

Lord Derion cleared his throat. "If I may be so bold as to inquire," he started, genuine worry overpowering his hesitation, "—Lady Elluin, will you be well enough by that time to make a healthy bond? You were gravely unwell mere days ago."

Elluin squeezed Thranduil's hand before he could give an outburst of offended outrage. While his muscles tensed in response, he accepted her lead.

"I thank you for your concern, Lord Derion," Elluin answered honestly, favoring him with a small smile. "Mistress Gwedhil confirmed I am mending quickly. I assure you, the earlier wedding date will aid in my recovery, not hinder it."

Though most of the council members did not understand the reason for this, they were too polite to ask.

Thranduil cast another look about the room. "I trust it is clear to you all that I am unwilling to entertain any objections to our plan for a wedding this autumn; however, I will give you all this final opportunity to voice them before considering the matter decided, so that we may announce it to the people at the Summer Festival next week."

Silence fell once more across the space and lasted several moments as resignation, and then satisfaction, grew on the faces of the assembled Elves. At last, Galion raised his goblet. "Hail King Thranduil and Elluin, future Queen of Greenwood the Great! May you reign long together in peace and plenty."

"Hail!" The chorus of Elven voices filled the room.

After everyone had taken a sip, Elluin gestured for them all to continue their meal. To Thranduil's delight, they all immediately complied. She soon drew the lords into conversation about some of the more important events that had taken place during Thranduil's absence. Studying the interactions as the meal progressed, Thranduil had never felt so hopeful about the future of the realm.

At one point, while Galion was giving a monologue about preparations for the Summer Festival, Thranduil leaned over to Elluin. "You are magnificent. Did you know that?" he muttered, quietly enough for only her to hear.

She beamed at him and answered just as quietly, "I certainly must be, to merit the attention of such an Elf as you."

Thranduil raised an amused brow at her and for the rest of the meal, he could not quite erase the hint of a joyful smile from his face.