42 - Letter from Lorinand

Maethon opened the door to the king's chambers when he heard the knock the following day. He could see the nervousness on Elluin's face as she stood before him. She had told him and Turiel the previous evening about what happened between her and Thranduil, and this was to be the first time she would see the king after establishing their courtship. Maethon gave her encouraging smile with a hand on her shoulder before he moved aside to admit her.

The king rose from his chair behind the desk as soon as he saw her. The movement was rushed enough to betray his own nerves. To anyone else, the Elvenking would have seemed in that moment somewhat vulnerable, with no royal robes or crown to mark his station — he was merely an ellon standing before an elleth. But his two companions knew better. Having royalty thrust upon him at such a young age, with all the accompanying expectations, had caused an undeniable regality to permeate his being. With a wave of his hand, Thranduil dismissed Maethon. The gentle click of the door as it shut gave the pair a sense that they had undeniably reached a point of transition that would determine the course of their future.

After a breathless moment, the king gestured for Elluin to take her usual seat in an armchair as he moved silently to pour them both a goblet of wine. Thranduil felt her gaze on him but could not bring himself to meet it until he had handed her one of the goblets and sat down himself. When he finally looked up, he was nearly overwhelmed by the emotions shining through her eyes. There was overpowering happiness, and such adoration that his heart clenched at the sight. Despite the faint uncertainty also present, she was entirely unsuccessful at suppressing a smile of simple delight. An answering smile came to his own face before he realized it.

"Thranduil, I am so happy to be here with you," Elluin confessed softly.

The king found himself reaching for her free hand and kissing it. "I am so happy you are here with me," he replied.

A mischievous glint now colored the elleth's gaze. "You are a little nervous," she observed.

"As are you," Thranduil answered with a smirk.

"This is new for both of us," Elluin said, sobering. "I was just a friend to you before. I am familiar with friendship."

"We will find our way together," Thranduil said, and took a sip of his wine. "I must ask, Elluin: how much are you able to abandon your duties to spend time with me? I would not like to regret appointing you as mistress of the household if it keeps you too occupied."

"There are only a few times in the morning that I am directly needed. The rest of my duties can be completed at any time of the day or night." She also took a sip of wine, then set her goblet on the table beside her.

"I would not wish you to sacrifice your rest for my sake," he said earnestly.

Elluin stared at him meaningfully for a moment. "I have long since resolved to take advantage of any opportunity you give me to be with you, be it day or night."

Thranduil met her steady gaze before comprehension dawned. His cheeks colored and he had to look away. "Lady, our association is young, yet, to be speaking thus."

"Forgive me," she said quickly. "It is not my intention to cause you distress. In fact, the opposite is true." Elluin reached over to take the king's hand gently. He could see in her eyes the complete trust she had in him. It was humbling and comforting. He squeezed her hand in return and resolved to be just as forthcoming with her as she had been with him.

"Now, my heart," Thranduil said, watching her eyes glitter at the endearment, "despite all the joy these past days have brought me, there is something that gives me cause to fear."

"Tell me."

"It appears that, whenever I am with you, I lose command over my words and actions."

Elluin furrowed her brows in thought. "I do not recall you ever acting rashly with me."

"There was the time I embraced you when you returned from the foraging expedition in the mountains," he recalled with a sheepish smile. "Other than that, it has been mostly words. In your presence, I tend to speak my thoughts unintentionally."

Elluin nodded slowly, thinking back to the times when he said things that were uncharacteristically forward. Uncertainty crept into her heart. "Thranduil, do you regret anything you said? Do you prefer to keep your thoughts from me?"

"No," Thranduil answered quickly, looking at her fondly, "not in the least. Sharing my heart and mind with you has brought me great measures of peace." He allowed himself to brush his thumb across her cheek. "But perhaps my advisors would not appreciate my less-than-courteous opinions during the more unpleasant council meetings," he smirked.

"Oh, I see!" Elluin giggled, thinking of the moods she had read from him in those situations. "By the stars, Thranduil, I can only imagine the things you would say if you were unable to restrain yourself!" Her mirth faltered. "But what is the remedy? Would you have me absent from official proceedings?"

"No," he said, pondering the conversation with his aunt about Thingol and Melian. "To put it bluntly, I believe this tendency should dissipate once we are wed. My heart seems compelled to be in unison with yours, bringing my thoughts out to share with you unbidden. Unifying our spirits through a bond would, I imagine, negate the need to speak aloud that which our spirits already know."

Elluin pursed her lips but could not keep the hopeful gleam from her eyes. "Then…we should wed soon?"

Thranduil smiled indulgently. "I have been instructed to wait until we have established a stronger relationship before I officially ask for your hand in marriage."

"Ah," she said with an answering smile, recognizing her father's influence. She resumed her reflection. "Well, Thranduil, you did not say anything untoward when we were dealing with the Dwarves."

"This is true. If memory serves, I had given you and your father leave to speak in my stead."

"That would not be a sustainable solution," Elluin said. "I cannot be your voice on the council."

"I doubt there would be any terrible consequences if you did," Thranduil remarked, to her surprise. "But it would be strange for the mistress of the household suddenly to take over. And if, for some reason, I were to disagree with something you said as my representative, it would not be seemly for me to interrupt and gainsay you. I would prefer for the two of us to be of the same mind, and present ourselves thus to our people."

Elluin's heart warmed at his vision of the two of them united before the kingdom. "You know, I do not recall you ever saying anything out of place during council meetings while I was attending as a servant, either," she observed.

Thranduil thought another moment. "No, indeed… It has only ever happened when we were alone together. And a few times with your parents, speaking informally."

Elluin gave a satisfied nod. "Then, I do not believe there is much to fear, after all."

Thranduil conceded with some relief. "Very well, then. I wonder if I could presume upon you to begin attending some council meetings, as housekeeper, alongside Galion?" Thranduil ventured. "It would serve both to help my advisors become accustomed to seeing you there, and to give you the opportunity to participate officially instead of simply listening as a servant."

"I should be glad to," she answered, fighting down the nervousness that rose in her belly at the prospect.

"I had thought that we should wait to announce our relationship until our betrothal, for the sake of stability," Thranduil said, worry clouding his expression. "You are so dear to me. I do not wish you to think I lack regard for our bond by not proclaiming my love for you publicly yet."

Elluin squeezed his hand. "I appreciate that you are trying to protect my heart. But you are wise to protect the kingdom's stability. I agree that a gradual transition would be best."

Thranduil huffed with a wry smile. "If I had been anything other than a king, we could have pursued a bond with much fewer complications. We could marry when we wished," he noted, taking her hand in both of his. "But since you will be obliged to take on a position in court, I am afraid there are many additional steps to navigate."

"Just as long as I can be by your side," she said. Elluin's serene smile washed over him, and he felt he could drown in her adoring gaze.

He nearly did drown. He found himself leaning closer to her, the feel of her hand in his spreading through him until it seemed that all of him was enveloped in warmth, pulsing along with her heartbeat, whispering of the possibility of euphoria…

A knock on the door dazed them both momentarily. Thranduil reluctantly withdrew from the elleth, now looking demurely at the floor, and felt the mantle of his station descend again upon his shoulders.

"Enter," he called.

The regret on Maethon's face was obvious when he scuttled through the door with a bow, studiously avoiding directly looking at the pair.

"Please forgive me, my king," he said. "A messenger has arrived from Lorinand bearing a letter from King Amroth and the lords thought it prudent for you to see it immediately, sire."

Thranduil managed to suppress a sigh as he held out his hand to receive it. He waved Maethon out easily with a brief thanks and the servant wasted no time in abandoning the room again.

Elluin stood as Thranduil broke the seal. "I shall go," she murmured.

This caught the Elvenking's attention. He pinned her with a conflicted gaze. "Elluin, I find it less easy now to command you to my will, as I had done previously. I do not wish to place my desires above your own."

"It is my desire to please you," she said easily, "and to serve your kingdom. I know your commands are not trivial. I thought you would bid me leave so that you may give your full attention to this letter."

"Please stay," he said, his voice measured but his eyes pleading.

Elluin sat down again immediately, recognizing his desire to begin sharing his time, even while performing his duties, with her. "With pleasure," she said with a smile.

Thranduil took her hand, his expression still serious. "You must make your wishes known to me, as well."

"Very well, Thranduil," she answered with a solemn nod. Then her lips quirked. "I wish you to read the letter."

He answered her smile with his own and did as she said.

"Amroth had an attack in the west of Lorinand, on the same night we did," he summarized after a moment, and kept reading as Elluin's spine straightened. "Apparently it was a band of Men with bows and they kept themselves distant. They attempted to disguise themselves as Dwarves and used arrows of Dwarvish make… I suppose we should be glad that they did not have another sorcerer with borrowed power. It gives me some peace that only one group could be concealed." Another pause. "It took Amroth a while to recognize the subterfuge, it seems. He had been prepared to march on the Doors of Durin, but Celeborn and Galadriel advised a more thorough investigation."

A breath of relief escaped from Elluin. "And as you surmised, if the dark plan had succeeded, it would have meant war between the Dwarves of the Misty Mountains and the woodland kingdoms, for Amroth would certainly have requested our aid."

"Yes, and of course, we would have gone." Thranduil's eyes grew distant. "Amroth was born in Lorinand and raised among the Silvans, and I find he is much like them in nature. Perhaps too much so, as he is at times less wise than should be expected of the Sindar."

"It is fortunate, then, that Celeborn and Galadriel have made their home there again."

"Indeed…" He resumed reading. Thranduil's eyebrows had been furrowed in concentration, but now his face broke into a smile. "A message for you," he said with some surprise. "Amroth writes: 'Lady Galadriel wishes to tell the elleth of the Sindar who came to Rivendell with you as a servant, that she has planted the mallorn tree seeds in the heart of our realm and that they have sprouted. Your guess is as good as mine, Thranduil, of why the lady felt this information so important to convey. But I did promise that the message would be delivered, so I am obliged to request that you summon her at once.' Elluin, are you acquainted with Lady Galadriel?"

Elluin chuckled with delight. "She came to me in the gardens one afternoon in Rivendell. I was too struck by her presence to say much, but apparently we share a love of yellow flowers. She said she had the seeds for a tree that bears golden blooms, and invited me to see them once they were grown."

Thranduil's smile widened. "Perhaps the king and queen of Greenwood will visit Lorinand a few years hence."

"That would be lovely," she said, but for both of them, their enthusiasm was more for developing their relationship than traveling to the woods in the south.

Thranduil reluctantly brought his eyes back to the letter. After another moment, he started laughing. "He asks if I have discovered the meaning of Lord Cirdan's prophecy."

"He knew about the prophecy?"

"Yes… Amroth and I were joined by Glorfindel one morning, who compelled me to share it. I shall have to tell Amroth that at least one part has been made clear. For I have found the sapphire to heal my heart." He kissed her hand as she beamed at him.

Thranduil shook his head with a chuckle. "Elf lord reborn or no, Glorfindel seems much more mischievous to me than is proper for an emissary of the Valar."

"If the reports are true, he is nothing compared to the sons of Elrond," Elluin added with humor.

The afternoon passed amiably as they shared more of their separate experiences in Rivendell, marveling at how much had changed between them in just a few months — a blink of an eye in the context of their Elven lifespans.

"In truth, Elluin," Thranduil said with a regretful tone as evening fell, "I have been so blind. That night that I heard you singing in the garden… I should have recognized you then as the keeper of my heart."

"I was a coward," Elluin confessed unhappily. "I should have long since told you my feelings."

Thranduil considered for a moment. "Let us not waste much thought on speculation about the possible past. I am grateful in my present joy, and would rather think about our likely future."

"I agree," the elleth conceded, her smile fading into a serious expression. "Now, I am obliged to point out that, if the likely future is for Greenwood to have a queen, it would require a significant expenditure of resources — the employment of additional servants, and a royal wardrobe…"

Thranduil cocked his head at her, keeping his face neutral, though his eyes glittered in amusement. "Very well, mistress of the household, what is your command?"

"That would depend on how the king would prefer to spend the kingdom's resources. Are we to request more tributes from the villages to cover the costs, or remove from that which we now spend? Shall we dedicate more land to planting flax for linen, or simply designate a portion of our normal production to it and have less for other purposes? Or will we trade for the additional linen, perhaps from the Northmen who live on the plains to the east of our realm?"

Thranduil smiled as he became more accustomed to her using the word 'we' to include herself in decision-making for the realm. It sparked hope in his heart as he realized that his burdens would soon be more meaningfully shared with another.

"And if we trade," she continued, "will it be for the raw flax, spools of spun thread, or the woven cloth? Will we overburden our spinners, weavers, or seamstresses? And what would we give the traders in return? The tanners are likely near completing the new sheaths, bracers, and other leather accessories for the recruits that will soon be inducted into official service as soldiers. Perhaps they can make some goods that the Men would want. Or would they wish for some of our forest harvests? Or hunting rights?"

Thranduil could no longer restrain his soft laughter, silencing his companion. "My heart, I see you are taking your duties very seriously." His smile faded as Elluin's expression remained expectantly serious.

He contemplated for another moment before saying, "It appears that either we will have a long betrothal or we will have to be forthcoming about our intentions to the council members that would take part in the deliberations and oversee such arrangements."

Elluin sat back in her chair and took a sip of wine as she thought. She set her goblet down decisively and leaned toward the king again. "Perhaps we should wait to inform the council until our courtship is better established, and then seek their opinion on how much time would be needed for the preparations, once the course of action is decided, before establishing a date for the wedding."

"This displeases me," Thranduil said abruptly. "I would prefer not to have the council dictate when we wed. It is a personal matter."

"It is a personal matter," she agreed with a soft smile. "I have given my heart to you. But you are also the Elvenking of Greenwood. Your heart belongs to the people, also. I may occupy some of your time and your thoughts, but so do your people. When we wed, it will not be only Thranduil gaining a wife, but Greenwood gaining a queen. And if Eru blesses us with children, they would not be ours alone, but heirs in service to the realm. We belong to the people."

Thranduil tried not to frown. It was yet another obligation of kingship he would need to endure. "You know how…isolated I have truly been since coming to Greenwood, some thousands of years past," he said. "It is true, I love this realm and its people, and receive their love in return. I treasure it, though it is limited in its depth." His gaze pierced Elluin's as he took her hand. His eyes shone with sincerity as he studied hers, delighting silently in their hopeful innocence. "You see past the king to the ellon, and with you alone I would share my spirit. You are my heart, beloved lady. And while I serve my kingdom gladly, my love and affection belong first and foremost to you."

Elluin beamed at him and dared to reach out her other hand to touch his cheek, enchanted by the firm smoothness.

Thranduil almost drew back in surprise. Elluin nearly withdrew her hand again in response, thinking it made him uncomfortable. But he quickly recovered and pressed her hand back against his skin, closing his eyes and leaning into the caress.

"I was a child the last time someone touched me thus," he said quietly.

"You are certainly no longer a child," Elluin noted, a dreamy quality to her tone.

Another knock on the door.

Thranduil allowed a frustrated sigh to escape and Elluin fought to suppress a frown.

"Alas, you are correct, my heart." He straightened, hands placed again on the arms of his chair. "Enter," he called.

Maethon stepped in again with a bow, looking grimly displeased. "Again I ask your forgiveness, sire," he said sincerely. "The council is eager to know the implications of the letter."

"Are they convened?" the Elvenking asked, rising.

"Yes, my king," Maethon answered, taking the cue to help him prepare.

Thranduil held his arms up for the robe his servant hurried to drape over his shoulders, watching Elluin start moving toward the door. "Elluin…"

She turned to him again.

The dynamic was strained. Maethon did his best to make himself invisible, deliberately ignoring his king and his friend as he busied himself with his normal duties. But he could feel Thranduil's uncomfortable gaze fall on him.

"Don't mind me, sire," Maethon mumbled, eyes and fingers occupied with straightening the sash around the king's waist. He did briefly glance up, then, to see Thranduil give him a small smile. With a nod, Maethon returned to his work.

"Elluin," Thranduil finally continued, "I will call for you again as soon as I may."

"Yes, my king," she said, maintaining the formal address. But her eyes and voice were warm, betraying her affection. She left with a curtsy.

A/N: Hi, all! I am dismayed to announce that updates will now be occurring once weekly instead of twice a week, at least for a while. I have been posting faster than I can write! Nine more chapters in the works currently, but there are some holes still to be filled in, and I do like to take my time editing. Please continue to let me know your thoughts. Perhaps you'd like to share where you think the story will go next?