A/N: At last, our protagonists reunite, and Garren wakes up from his nap. Let me know what you think.

Also, on a sad note: I will have to decrease posting frequency to once every two weeks for a while. There are some good but time-consuming things happening in life right now. But there are only two more minor story arcs before the END of this piece, so please bear with me!

77 – Elven Nature

Elluin had just washed her bloodied hands and changed into a clean gown when Nidhair returned from his errand to the king. She turned to him in anticipation. His face, as usual, betrayed nothing but devoted professionalism.

"The king is still angry with you, my queen," the captain of her Silent Guard said gravely. "But I am to inform you that your husband will receive you with joy." He gave her an encouraging smile.

Returning it weakly, Elluin resisted the urge to ask him if he believed it. Looking around her instead, she observed Gwedhil in her usual rapid efficiency, overseeing the healers of Greenwood as they tended the slowly decreasing number of people receiving treatment for wounds or illness. The king had sent word through Cembeleg that these healers, along with the wounded and a significant host of soldiers, would remain for another week. The young townswoman Bronna was constantly running about among them, ensuring the proper distribution of healing supplies, along with food and water for the patients. She had a ready mind and a ready smile that made her particularly helpful.

Garren's cousin had taken over management of the chieftain's hall while he slept. A part of Elluin regretted leaving without a proper farewell, but she did not begrudge the new chieftain his rest. She knew he would need it.

Satisfied that the duties she had adopted before nightfall were now delegated to others, Elluin turned away from the bustle. As she expected, her five guards were close at hand, their easy stances as they gazed around belying their constant readiness for whatever their surroundings held.

That was the limitation of the Silent Guards; though Nidhair had done his best to protect her against her husband's wrath, they could not otherwise interfere to bring any hope to her relationship with Thranduil. It was just like the fateful expedition into the Dark Mountains many years ago at the end of the drought now several years past, when she and her company had narrowly escaped a lightning strike and the resulting fire. She had failed to foresee and plan for the terrifying possibilities, and had placed herself and many Elves in danger. He had not held her responsible for her misjudgment, then; he had embraced her in a grateful welcome. But now… she was the Elvenqueen, expected to act with more wisdom and more of a mind to her own safety, as it was directly tied to the safety of the realm.

Once more, she had shown her lack of foresight and wisdom. And six ellyn were dead because of it. Thranduil had every right to be angry, though Elluin's own guilt surpassed anything he felt, she was sure.

What would become of the two of them now? How long would it take for Thranduil to forgive her? Would he ever? Would she spend her nights in her dressing room, and her days in the shadows, avoiding the fiery glares of the crystal blue eyes she so adored? Would she become just another advisor to share the king's duties? And worst of all, would he close himself against her, shielding his heart and mind from her, breaking all parts of their relationship and resenting the permanent bond between their spirits?

Elluin felt her throat tighten at the thought, and fought to master her despair, taking comfort in the sound of singing from the healers working close by and the loose ring of watchful ellyn around her. There was still hope, after all, if Nidhair's words were true, and Thranduil would receive her with joy. But her husband was a good king, and would receive any of his subjects thus at the end of a battle.

She opened her moistened eyes with determination. There was no use in delaying. She would not be kept from her desire, regardless of how she would be welcomed. Her guards tensed almost imperceptibly as she took a steeling breath, hearing their signal to move. But the Elvenqueen had not moved two steps forward before Lord Derion intercepted her with a bow.

"May the stars shine on your path, my queen," he said. "I wish you all possible success with the delegation from Rhun."

"Thank you, Derion."

The Elf met her gaze solemnly. "The king has broadly told me his wishes for dealings with the chieftain regarding the battle. Is there anything else you would add, my queen?"

"Only that the people of Stony Bend are wearied by the unnecessary deaths they have suffered over the past several days," Elluin answered, trying her best to erase from her mind's eye the faces of the departed. "Speak gently with them. But I do not wish them to see the Elves as their only source of hope. Send messengers if Gwedhil says the stores of healing herbs are running low, but return to Greenwood rather than waiting for us to send more, unless they offer payment. We have our own realm to mind."

"That aligns with the king's own sentiments," Derion noted. "I shall do as you say. Now I dare to recommend that you hasten, my queen. I realize that you have not rested, but the kingdom has need of you."

Elluin nodded. "Then farewell, and return as swiftly as you may with the rest of our people."

The ellon bowed and stood aside again, allowing Elluin and her guards to pick their way through the streets, becoming ever more crowded as the sunlight banished the worst of the terror of the previous night. Townspeople went about the business of inquiring after their friends and family, prepared to help, mourn, or rejoice as each visit merited. But as the Elvenqueen passed, most of them stopped and made way, a look of respect or awe on their faces. Elluin was certainly not renowned among the Elven healers, but she and her companions had saved a staggering amount of the townspeople from dying of the plague. Her presence guaranteed the aid of the Elvenking's soldiers in the battle against the invaders, and Greenwood's healers even now were assisting their wounded. Much was owed to the Elvenqueen. Some townspeople bowed or called out to her in thanks or farewell. She accepted these with a brief nod of her head, too eager to leave the place to slow her steps for conversation.

But after they had wound their way to the edge of the courtyard behind the gates of the settlement, she wavered. There was Thranduil, splendid in his billowing cloak, which failed to conceal the armor that shone brightly in the sunlight. The white jewels on the circlet about his head glittered like icicles in midwinter, and his features were beautiful and cold, as if chiseled lovingly from marble by an expert hand. Elluin's heart stuttered with love and regret. She had put this ellon's people in danger. She had caused their deaths.

The Elvenking had his gaze fixed on the Men building in another corner. His face, in profile to her, was grim and pensive. He would certainly have perceived her approach, but he did not yet turn his head. If he was avoiding her so blatantly, surely he must be furious…

By her side, Nidhair decisively continued forward, silently encouraging his queen to do the same. She followed with a moment's hesitation.

Elluin did not know if it was merely her own nerves, but it seemed to her that the whole of the courtyard fell silent as she closed the distance between them. Thranduil remained frozen until she halted an arm's length away from his shoulder. She was certain he heard her racing pulse.

They stood thus in silence for a long while. Then, to her surprise, he did not turn, but held out his hand to her, palm up. Elluin swallowed past the dryness in her throat and took it, then was gently pulled over to stand in front of him. She searched Thranduil's face, but it was unreadable, and he kept his eyes downcast.

He took her other hand also, and finally spoke, his voice quiet and serene. "I pledged to you my love and my loyalty, Elluin."

She had vowed the same to him. Did he believe her to have betrayed her loyalty to him with her actions? Tears welled in her eyes, and her throat constricted, preventing speech.

"That will never change," he continued. He finally met her gaze, and she was shocked to see tears there also, along with the memory of the previous night's desperation, and the love that had not wavered since he had first confessed it to her. He sighed the words, "I am overjoyed to have you safe with me again."

Her relief overcame her trepidation, and she was instantly caught in his embrace. She minded not at all that she was crushed between a cold metal breastplate and the vambraces at her back. What mattered was the strength of the arms that held her, and the familiar scent of her beloved as she buried her face into the crook of his neck.

Elluin tried with little success to turn her sobs into breaths. "Forgive me, Thranduil," she managed to whimper. "I am to blame. Six of our people—"

"Stop," he commanded evenly, his voice still quiet as he spoke close to her ear. "I forgive you."

She drew back reluctantly, wiping a hand over her cheeks, to look at him in question. In his face, she saw Thranduil's grief for the Elves they had lost, but also tender understanding.

"You are young and compassionate, Elluin," he said. "Your desire to meet the needs of others has driven you for decades. Yesterday, these Men with whom we have had many dealings were most in need of your help, and you found yourself in a position to give it. It would have been folly for me to expect you to do anything other than assist them."

Elluin stared at him incredulously, still battling to calm her breathing. He brushed his thumbs beneath her eyes and looked at her seriously.

"You acted in accordance with your nature, so I must forgive you. But I also now ask you, for both our sakes, never to leave our lands without me again."

"I swear it," she gasped, and threw her arms around him again, allowing the full force of his comfort to surround her. The two of them, at least, were alive and well. "I love you, Thranduil," she whispered into his shoulder. "Thank you for coming for me."

He gave a brief, grim laugh. "I could hardly do otherwise, Elluin. I love you."

They separated, and Elluin finally pulled out a handkerchief to dry her face properly. She dared a brief look around the courtyard after that. The Elven guards must have given the surrounding townspeople enough glares to discourage them from staring at the royals' undignified display, as most of them were minding their own business. But the glances they received was enough for her cheeks to color in embarrassment.

As if reading her thoughts, Thranduil suddenly commanded her attention by taking her hand and kissing it. Then, still holding it fast, calmly led her onward, gesturing to Cembeleg to give the order to mount. A soldier brought Elluin her horse, who had been safely stabled out of reach of the battle. She needed no assistance to mount, but Thranduil lifted her onto the stallion's back, anyway.

It only took another moment for the rest of the company to prepare to move out. There was no fanfare to see the Elves off, but many of the people of Stony Bend stopped their tasks and watched them go, straining their eyes after them until they were out of sight. And even long after, their thoughts would stray back to when the Elvenqueen, beautiful beyond any mortal flesh, came to defeat the plague that had beset them, and when the Elvenking, shining and fierce, defeated the foreign army that had invaded their town.

~.~.~

Garren was startled awake by the whinnying of a horse. Sitting up in his cot, he took in his surroundings. He was in his father's room—and there his father still was, lying on his bed with his hands folded over his unmoving breast, his face peaceful in death. The grief hit Garren again, but now it was just a heavy ache, and not the stabbing pain it was before.

What had the Elf queen given him? As he rose and straightened his clothes, he also noticed the energy in his limbs, entirely unexpected after a night of battle. And he had only slept very few hours, if the slant of the sun through the window was any indication. A marvelous bit of Elf magic, that cordial, whatever it was.

He walked over to the window to look out onto the street. There was a cart stopped right in front of the hall, attached to a very uneasy horse. That was the whinnying that awoke him, he thought. The poor gelding's eyes were wide and he danced from side to side. A small group of men was trying to control him to no avail. He was just about to leave to join the effort when he noticed an Elf soldier stroll slowly over toward them. Garren watched as the horse began to calm. Garren was too far to hear, but he could see that the Elf bade the men step back, and came close enough to the horse to caress him, his mouth moving in what seemed like a song.

Curiosity overcame him. With one more glance at his father, Garren donned his coat and left the room, nodding at the people who acknowledged him as he went. The main hall was still full of people, but he saw more Elves now than before making the rounds among those of his people who were still recovering from the plague. His cousin was in one corner, conferring with the kitchen servants. Then she had taken over the management of the hall. Good.

Garren slipped out of the doors and blinked in the sunlight for a moment. When his eyes had adjusted, he saw the Elf leading the much calmer gelding away, and one of his men bringing another horse forward. It was a horse of Rhun, he surmised from the braids in its mane.

The man saluted him as he drew near. "Morning, Lord Garren," he said.

"Aldus," Garren greeted. "What have I missed?"

"Adney, lad!" the man yelled over his shoulder at a slim youth busy with a shovel. "Hitch up this horse while I talk to the chieftain."

Aldus stayed to make sure his order was heeded before he wiped his brow on his sleeve and joined Garren on the steps up to the hall. "Well, the Elf king left with his queen not long past."

"What? Back to the forest?" Garren barely contained his disappointment. He had hoped to speak more with the two people responsible for his town's survival.

"Aye, with most of their soldiers. Seems there was some news from home that spurred 'em. But all the healers stayed, and I'm glad of it, strange though they are to me. You remember that tussle we had with the Dunlendings when we were hunting down south a few years back?"

Garren nodded.

"Well, we've got three times as many wounded as then, but we're surviving much better with the help of the Elves, if you take my meaning."

"They have some sort of magic, no doubt of it," the chieftain said.

"Right you are, m'lord, and with more than just healing." Aldus looked again toward the Elf soldier who had led away the suffering horse. "They're a strange folk, to be sure. Now, don't mistake me, I'll be grateful for all their help 'til my last breath. My own lad there was knocking on death's own door before the Elf queen turned him 'round… But I won't be sorry to see them go back home once we're all patched up proper. There's something eerie about them, is all. Meaning no offense, m'lord—" he rushed to add.

"No, I understand, Aldus," Garren answered thoughtfully. "We may fight and hunt and harvest trees together, but I think that keeping our separate homes is best."

"Aye, that's the way of it, I think," the soldier said, stretching his arms. "The king left a lord of his down with the rest, to talk with you when you've a mind."

"Thank you. I will go shortly."

Aldus didn't seem in the least concerned about said Elf lord, gesturing instead to where Adney was working. "This cart is for the last of those who died of their wounds. We have the old chieftain's funeral planned for evening time, after we bury the others."

Garren was again taken by surprise. "Who planned the funeral?"

"Maiva," Aldus said dryly. "She's been running things out here since the Elf queen left."

The new chieftain grunted disapprovingly. "She's always liked being in charge."

"Aye, and she'll be parading her lass Bronna under your nose before long, I expect. Seems the Elf king turned her down as a bed warmer."

Garren willed away a blush and cleared his throat. "I suppose Maiva can keep at it, as long as she does it well and doesn't overstep. Anything else I should know?"

Aldus nodded. "A few of the elders are wondering when you'll call a meeting to talk about how to thank the Elf king for his help."

The mantle of leadership was fully on his shoulders, now. "Very well. Thank you, Aldus."

"Aye, m'lord. Adney, lad! Check that belt again. Looks near to slipping."