45 - Junipers

The following days passed slowly for both Elluin and Thranduil, despite the demands of their station taking up most of their time. Despite Galion's best efforts to divert them, issues arose sporadically that required the king's attention. A package that arrived by messenger from Rivendell held letters for Thranduil from Elrond, for Anarrima from Celebrian, and for Ninniach from Arwen. Ninniach and Anarrima shared over dinner that their letters contained little besides new songs and reports on a few of Elrond's sons' more entertaining pranks.

Elrond's letter agreed with Thranduil's unfortunate conclusion that the Attack of the Unseen Army was indeed conducted by Sauron, manifesting again to plague the Free Peoples. But his words also encouraged his fellow ruler in acknowledging that the Attack and the force sent to Lorinand seemed to have been the most the Dark Lord was able to muster. Elrond also praised him for avoiding the trap of blaming the Dwarves and starting a war with Khazad-dum.

Thranduil was forced to sit through a long council meeting with his advisors, General Cembeleg, and some of the captains, reviewing possibilities for future attacks and how they could be prevented. This was mostly a banter session of idle speculation from various quarters that had very nearly caused the Elvenking to stomp out of the chamber in impotent rage. Fortunately, Cembeleg had cleared his throat before the breaking point occurred and suggested that the topic be turned to possible ways to increase patrols without spreading the soldiers too thin. It took another day of deliberation with a smaller group to devise new patrol routes and arrange the necessary assignments. It was tedious work, but Thranduil found it much more rewarding.

The following day, Maethon reluctantly informed the king that his housekeeper was unable to join him that afternoon. A spot of rot had been discovered in one of the store rooms, and Elluin was overseeing the salvage of remaining produce and the resealing of the walls while Galion was in conference with Lord Derion regarding options for trade agreements they would present to the king for approval.

Various other tasks called for the attention of either Thranduil or Elluin until another week had passed. During this time, the palace servants gave the Elvenking a wide berth. They sensed his ill mood, and sometimes its effect fell on them in snipped orders that revealed more than dissatisfaction with their performance.

At last, Thranduil could tolerate no more delay. He adjourned a morning council meeting early with a short command, blatantly ignoring the shocked looks on his advisors' faces as he gracefully stood and swept out of the room, entirely heedless of their hasty bows to his back. He marched toward the kitchens — a less familiar path for him. This path was primarily used by servants, and all appeared somewhat startled to see their king where he so clearly did not belong. However, no one was quite daring enough to stop him and ask what he wanted.

Dinen stared with wide eyes for a full heartbeat before she could recover from the sight of the king stepping into her domain. She scrambled to pat most of the nut flour off her hands and managed a convincing curtsy, the movement unfamiliar as she spent nearly all of every day in the kitchens, out of sight of the nobles.

"My king," she sputtered, noting the silence as everyone else in the kitchens suddenly stopped their activities and echoed her movements. "How may we be of service?"

"Dinen," he said without preamble, "where is the mistress of the household?"

The cook kept her gaze down, but Thranduil caught the pleased twinkle in her eyes before she immediately responded, "In her office. This way, sire." Dinen wasted no time in leading the way out of the back door and down a short stretch of the hallway. Her sharp looks at shocked oncoming servants were hardly needed for them to glide swiftly out of their path.

At last, Dinen stopped at a closed door and turned. "Here, my king," she said quietly. She left the decision of whether to enter up to him, deciding simply to curtsy and make her way quickly back to her kitchen.

Thranduil so rarely knocked on doors. Usually, they were opened for him by one of his subjects, or he felt within his rights to enter without knocking. Here, however, he hesitated. Would Elluin welcome his intrusion into her busy morning?

A sense of peace hinted at the edges of his awareness as Thranduil realized that she would welcome him regardless of what she was doing — regardless of anything else. He knocked.

"Come in," he heard Elluin call from within.

She jumped to her feet in surprise when she saw him, dropping the quill she was holding, and curtsied with a brief greeting — an automatic response from her decades as a palace servant. He simply smiled at her and shut the door behind him.

"I have been deprived of you for too long, Elluin," he declared. "If you do not consent to leave the palace with me now, I will pick you up and carry you out."

Elluin's surprise quickly faded and a smile came to her own lips. The sparkle in her eyes told Thranduil just how much she liked the idea of him carrying her in his arms. His grin broadened mischievously in response and he took a slow step closer. He leisurely brushed aside the few scrolls and parchments on the desk and bent to spread his hands over the polished wooden surface, leaning forward and bringing himself nearer to her.

"My lady, will you come to the trees with me?" he purred softly in a challenge.

He saw her shiver. Even though he knew exactly how she would respond, it gave him no less pleasure to hear the words.

"I will, my king." She boldly mirrored his movement, then, bringing her own face so close to his that he felt her breath on his skin and his heartbeat quickened. Then came her near whisper, "Allow me to assemble a basket for our midday meal."

He chuckled as he straightened, finally allowing the happiness he had hoped for to spark into life in his heart. "Very well," he conceded.

A knock on the door sounded and it opened a crack, revealing a decidedly nervous-looking palace runner holding a tray of tea.

"No tea, thank you, Orlen," Elluin sang, waving a hand for the young elleth to make way. "If anyone asks, the king and I are investigating some sites for harvesting juniper berries." She nodded at Thranduil decisively, making him smile. On a whim, he took off his crown and his outer robe, setting them both on the chair in Elluin's office before extending his hand in an invitation for her to walk ahead.

Orlen merely stepped aside and bowed with wide eyes, and the pair made their way through the hallways. Elluin picked up a basket and gathered a few items from the various pantries and store rooms as they went, and soon, they escaped through one of the palace's side doors.

Winter had begun in earnest, now. While the evergreens and some of the more hardy shorter plants still boasted vitality, just a few withering leaves still clung to the boughs of most of the trees in the area.

"Do you have any particular destination in mind, Thranduil?" Elluin asked once they were out of earshot of the stone-faced guard by the door. She stopped to breathe deep, inviting the cool air into her lungs.

"No," the Elvenking responded, feeling equally invigorated by the company and walking in his open lands. He casually slipped Elluin's basket from her grasp to carry it himself. "Take me to whatever juniper tree you will."

Elluin gave him an elated smile that made his breath catch, and she held out her hand for him to take. It was warm against his skin, and he barely noticed that they were walking again until the rippling of the sun falling on his face through the boughs recalled his attention to their surroundings. He noticed they were heading north east, cutting diagonally toward the mountains. It seemed his companion knew where she wanted to go and he was content to let her lead him.

"How much time do we have?" Elluin asked eventually, a serene smile still on her face as she gazed admiringly at the bare branches going by above.

"I haven't given it any thought," Thranduil admitted. "I don't believe I have any pressing issues to attend to this afternoon. Lord Derion was scheduled to report to me on a few matters, but it can wait."

"Alas for this gown," the elleth said in mock despair. "I know just where to go, but I'm afraid our fine clothes may suffer for it."

"And where are we going, my heart?" asked the Elvenking lightly.

She pointed briefly ahead as she spoke. "Near the foot of the mountain, there is a rocky hill with such a stand of junipers as is not otherwise found in the Greenwood, as far as I know."

Thranduil squeezed her hand. "I know of it. Lead on."

They enjoyed the walk and the subtle crunch of brittle leaves beneath their feet for long moments, steadily and swiftly increasing their distance from the palace. The sounds of birds chirping to each other and other critters on their quests to gather food permeated the forest around them. At last they broke the silence, speaking reverently about their favorite parts of the season. Both looked forward to the snow that would cast a pure white blanket over the woodland, with only the hardiest of plants defiantly speckling the forest floor with radiant green — emeralds amid the drab brown and stark white of the forest in winter.

There came a pause again in which each inwardly reveled in the freedom of the Greenwood. But instead of continuing in companionable silence, Elluin began an old Silvan melody.

*When winter winds are piercing chill,

And through the hawthorn blows the gale,

With solemn feet I tread the hill,

That rises from the lonely vale.

Thranduil was, at first, content to listen. The elleth's voice drifted pleasantly around them, making the dreary surroundings seem more alive, as if the forest were transitioning into winter on purpose, for their pleasure.

O'er the bare upland, and away

Through the long reach of desert woods,

The embracing sunbeams chastely play,

And gladden these deep solitudes.

They had heard each other sing on many occasions, given the nature of Elves and of the Silvan customs in particular, but it had never before been only the two of them joined in song. Thranduil was unable to resist lifting his own voice to join Elluin's, blending a harmony with hers. A thrill ran through them both as the sound swept sweetly through their hearts.

Where, twisted round the barren oak,

The summer vine in beauty clung,

And summer winds the stillness broke,

The crystal icicle is hung.

~.~

Alas! how changed from the fair scene,

When birds sang out their mellow lay,

And winds were soft, and woods were green,

And the song ceased not with the day!

~.~

But still wild music is abroad,

Pale, desert woods! within your crowd;

And gathering winds, in hoarse accord,

Amid the vocal reeds pipe loud.

~.~

Chill airs and wintry winds! my ear

Has grown familiar with your song;

I hear it in the opening year,

I listen, and it cheers me long.

They were both reluctant to end the song, but soon shifted the focus of their sensations to the warmth between their hands, now clasped slightly tighter together and swinging idly as they walked.

Steadily, the ground rose and evergreens became more frequent. The sun had moved past its zenith by the time they came to the hill. Glancing at each other, eyes sparkling with muted excitement, they raced up the slope to end on the crest. Sighing, they finally released each other, turning in a circle to greet each of the dozens of juniper trees scattered proudly around them. After a moment, Elluin took an oiled cloth from the basket to spread on a spot of open ground. They sat shoulder to shoulder, and she began unloading some of the other contents, including half a dozen apples, a wine skin, beech nut cakes, and cold meats.

"Do you think we've slipped your guards?" Elluin asked.

Thranduil had been studying her face in profile beside him as she worked, entranced by the way the sun made her hair shine golden, but at her question he slowly scanned their surroundings. Wordlessly, he picked up one of the apples and threw it forcefully into the canopy of a tree thirty yards off. The apple never fell. He repeated the action four more times, sending each apple flying in a different direction.

"I suppose not," Elluin concluded with a chuckle, marveling that despite her sharp eyes, she was unable to find the hidden guards.

"Did you bring this many apples just to share with them?" Thranduil asked.

Elluin shrugged contentedly. "I guessed they would be missing their midday meal, as well."

The Elvenking's eyes were soft as he smiled at her. Suddenly, she was pressing a cake into his hand and he realized he had been lost in his admiring thoughts.

"Lady, you quite disarm me," he said, obediently taking a bite.

"I would hope that you never feel the need to be guarded with me," she replied, earnestness coloring her tone.

"I know I can trust you."

The confession assured them both, and they ate in silence for a while.

"The juniper berries are not ripe yet," Elluin observed.

"How long do you think it will be until they are ready for harvest, mistress?"

"Another three nights of frost, I think." She took a modest swig out of the wine skin before passing it to her companion. "My king, I believe you have been staring at me."

Happiness shone from Thranduil's eyes. "I find it difficult to suppress the urge, for you are beautiful. And, at the moment, I have no reason to look away."

A blush stole onto her cheeks.

"Ah, so I affect you, too," Thranduil said with a triumphant smile, reaching out to smooth a thumb briefly over her reddened skin.

"Immensely," she admitted immediately. "But I have had years of practice in hiding it."

The sun was comfortably warm despite the season, now that afternoon was established. As Thranduil watched Elluin close her lips around a piece of food, he found himself warming, as well. The sudden desire to know what those lips felt like blossomed unbidden inside him, and he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to take steady breaths. It was not seemly to be thinking thus, he berated himself. He was only just starting to woo her. To his dismay, the subtle change in his demeanor did not go unnoticed.

"Thranduil, what is it?"

Sometimes he was rather impressed with how well she read him. He could feel his cheeks coloring, and he turned his head away and closed his eyes. "Nothing," he said, too quickly to be convincing. But then he felt Elluin's hand close over his, where it lay on his knee, right next to her own. His eyes snapped back to her even as he grasped her fingers tightly in response.

"Tell me,' she urged softly.

His gaze dropped automatically to her lips again, and it took the space of several uneasy breaths before he could look up to meet her eyes, where realization dawned. She brought herself closer, such a slight movement as to be barely perceptible — a shy invitation.

He shifted, sitting in front of her to face her directly. "You said once that you would welcome anything that comes from me," Thranduil murmured, feeling certain Elluin could hardly hear his voice over the rapid thumping of his heart.

"Yes," she breathed, her eyes betraying hopeful anticipation. Moisture began to form between their hands, pressed together almost too firmly for comfort. He noted the quickening rise and fall of her chest.

"May I kiss you?" he asked. He was dimly surprised that he was able to form the words around the sound of his blood rushing in his ears, yet glad, unwilling to take for granted the response he believed she would give.

Seeming unable to speak, Elluin swallowed, and nodded, already drawing nearer.

Thranduil closed the final distance between them almost hesitantly, fearing another loss of control, but tempted enough to take the risk. He pressed his lips against hers gently, and despite anticipating it, was shocked by their warmth and softness. It was a long moment before he could bring himself to draw back again. He studied Elluin's flushed face, noting how she had not moved away, and her eyes were bright when they opened to look at him, silently requesting more.

He brought his free hand up, trailing his calloused fingertips along the silky skin of her jaw, dropping below her ear and disappearing into her hair, pulling gently on the back of her neck to draw her into another, deeper kiss. The pressure parted their lips, and they began a slow exploration that seemed completely at odds with their racing pulses, testing their own movements against the other's in a lazy rhythm. Thranduil could taste the wine lingering on her tongue and felt himself drunk.

Finally feeling too breathless to continue, Thranduil withdrew his lips and rested his forehead against Elluin's as they recovered, caressing her neck with his thumb.

"Thranduil," Elluin whispered eventually.

He opened his eyes, but hers were still closed.

"Yes, my heart?" he managed past the clenching low in his stomach, the effect of his thrill and elation.

"We have enough food to last us another day." Now she met his gaze and she gave him a dazzling smile. "Can I kiss you until it runs out?"

He chuckled. "Nothing would please me more."

* Adapted from a selection of stanzas from the poem "Woods in Winter" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow