Chapter 37
She stirred awake, the cool air hitting her body before her senses had fully registered her whereabouts, that is until she felt the arm wrapped tightly around her waist. The contact triggered her full awareness as she turned to find Thranduil wide awake and watching her.
"Good morning" Thranduil said softly, as though he did not wish to frighten her. He smirked as her pale face flushed red.
"G-good morning!" She squeaked out, turning her back to hide from him. Her eyes were wide open as she remembered every detail of the previous night, including the earlier hours when he had roused her from sleep to embark on another round of love making.
As though sensing the nature of her thoughts, Thranduil buried his face in the crook of her neck, caressing her naked hips under the sheets and kissed her shoulders slowly.
"You need not be shy, I have seen all of you. In truth, our time last night was not enough and I find myself wanting more" Thranduil said and he watched with amusement as Leanna turned back to him in alarm.
"You want to do it? Again?!" Leanna squeaked out, when she saw his face change she immediately clasped a hand over his mouth. His eyes however, were enough to convey his answer.
"Don't answer that!" Leanna said, already sensing what response he was going to give.
"What does this all mean? Now that..." She didn't complete the words but she knew he'd understand.
"You mean now that we've become intimate..." Thranduil said frankly, drawing her into his arms he continued. "...yes, this certainly changes things both for you and for us"
"How so?" She asked slightly confused at his cryptic words. Thranduil did not know what better way to phrase what he had to tell her so he stalled.
"In time you will understand, I only ask that you trust my intentions for now"
"And just what are your intentions?" Leanna looked at him squarely, trying to discern the truth from the elf's stunning eyes. Thranduil took her knuckles in his hand and kissed them while watching her.
"At the moment, to show you what real pleasure feels like" he brushed past her questions and drew her thigh over his hips, bending his head down to take her lips once more.
"
"
He had managed to leave her side for a moment and proceeded to call for a council meeting in the throne room. He was a bound ellon and could no more conceal this reality than the clouds could hide the sky.
He looked to his high councillor who began with the days proceedings as well as the progression of the festival.
Galion who had been very well aware of the king's marital status, remained calm and as rational as he could, not many things in the world could surprise him for there was hardly any news that garnered such a reaction from the aged elf.
However the news he received in the wake of his private summons by the king told him otherwise.
"To the final matter at hand, the king has declared his intentions to take a bondmate..." Galion trailed off as he glanced at the ellon casually sitting on his throne, undeterred by the murmuring that suddenly erupted in the throne room. News of this magnitude would reach the entire kingdom by midday.
"Valar be blessed, our king has found the one with which he will live out his days with, may we know this elleth and the house she comes from?" A council member, Lord Maglor spoke above the wave of noise in the air, the room falling silent as he addressed the king.
Thranduil looked to the ellon who had spoken and immediately knew who he was.
While he had had a series of trysts in recent times lady Athiniel being the most prominent, it was no secret that her father encouraged it, perhaps with the hope that he would one day be party to royal house of kingdom.
"She is none other than Lady Leanna of Dale and I have already taken her as my wife" Thranduil declared boldly, sitting in a rigid posture as he stared down the lords of the noble houses in the kingdom.
"Surely your majesty does not mean the mortal who is a guest for a short while? You would make her queen?" Lord Maglor spoke, aghast over the words of the king.
"I do not expect one who married by virtue of an arranged match to define the reality of matter created by a binding" Thranduil felt defensive over the topic of his wife and bit hard in reaction.
"Forgive Lord Maglor's lack of diplomacy your majesty, what he and I'm sure everyone one else here wishes to know is, if you are fully satisfied with the consequences of your decision" another ellon cut in quickly.
"It was decided before hand and therefore not within the premise of my control"
"Upon the Lady of Light's foresight abilities, it was made known to his majesty that the Valar had ordained their bond" Galion revealed.
"Regardless of her mortality?" Lord Maglor looked scandalised, looking around for support on his murmurings. Thranduil had grown tired of his theatrics and spoke again.
"If you wish for it Lord Maglor, I could send word to Lord Cirdan at the harbour to ferry you across to Aman, that way you'll be accorded the honour of questioning their decisions first hand" Thranduil stated loudly, to the hearing of all the members of the council.
"You need only ask" he finished. Silence filled the throne room as the council members looked amongst themselves as they wondered what to do about the matter before them.
"If I may, your majesty" They all turned to the high councillor who had remained quiet for most of the session spoke up finally. Thranduil gave his permission as he waited for the words of his adviser.
"It is indeed a troublesome matter we face, marriage to the king means that we inturn have a queen. It is not without good cause to feel unsettled over the matter" Galion paused looking over the agreeable expressions to his words. Noting he had their attention, he continued.
"However you fail to see an advantage to Lady Leanna's presence in our kingdom, a force as powerful as hers singlehandedly turning the tides of a battle is rivalled only by the ainur themselves"
"It has never been heard of nonetheless, that one of the edain with no claim to elven blood should possess full control over unbridled and raw magic" a councillor stepped forward in the crowd, bringing up his concerns.
"Yes, which makes Lady Leanna truly special, which is why Valar be blessed, we have the assurance of her support through her and his majesty's binding, or would you rather she befriend the newly instated nobility of Erebor?" Galion looked at the darkened faces of the elves present and knew his message had but home.
"How does the king intend to make this union known to the rest of kingdom?" Maglor asked, his tone bitter with displeasure. Thranduil smirked at the ellon and answered.
"A year from now as tradition states" Thranduil responded. Thranduil rose from his seat waving his hand through the air, a sign of dismissal. He was done with the council meetings for the day.
!
!
The entire kingdom had been in a uproar all week, rumours and half truths had been traversing from end of the palace to the farthest reaches of the forest.
For in over seven thousand years, the king would be taking his bondmate and while many had heard of her, most of the kingdom had not the privilege to set their sights on the woman that had captured their kings heart.
Leanna trudged through the forest, going farther away from the palace grounds as she could. The festival of Mereth nuin Gilliath still held and the festivities were as lively as could be. However she had grown weary of all the buzz concerning her.
She was not stupid nor clueless, she had heard the whispers and murmurs and decided to ignore it all for now. she would speak to Thranduil when they were alone.
Even at that moment, she felt the brush of his presence in her mind, caressing her, assuring of her of his dedication to her, he was more than attentive of late and it took some getting used to on her part.
She smiled softly as he brushed her mind again, making it known to her that he was present even though his physical body was still off at the celebrations.
"How could he do this to me Ada?? After everything I've done for him?!"" A muffled voiced cried out and Leanna stilled in place, hoping she had not intruded in a private moment. She turned to leave when the next words stole her breath away.
"He brings a mortal and not only does he humiliate me before the entire kingdom, he binds with her!"
"It is not as you think my dearest, it was not his choice to do so. They say by Lady Galadriel's proclamation that the Valar had been set on the match for some reason, it is merely a word from a meddling elleth and nothing more"
"So what becomes of me now?" The voice sobs pitifully and Leanna can only guess it to be the lady Athiniel.
"You must bid your time and be patient, the girl will die soon and with his strength, King Thranduil is sure to survive it after all, this is not his desire. You must be patient and ready to sieze the chance at once"
"But Ada-"
"-you must have faith dearest, if we are to succeed in this"
Leanna did not wait to hear more, did not want to hear more. She ran to the gates of the castle and stood by a tree, struggling to maintain her composure. She would not give any one anymore reason to tear away at her character. Breathing deeply, she walked passed the guards with her face devoid of warmth and ignored all greetings directed towards her.
Reaching the door to her own chambers, she ignored the calls to her name and entered her room, turning in time to see Feran running towards her before she shut the door in complete silence.
And in this silence, she fell apart, piece by piece. She felt the alarm from Thranduil in her mind and knew that wherever he was, he would make his way to her. Good, there were questions that needed answering.
Thranduil did not give any sign of urgency as he departed from the group of nobles he was discussing court affairs with and moved immediately to the castle grounds. He glanced toward Gwuineth who quickly received the silent command, following in suit as they made their way to Leanna's chambers.
On getting to her room, they found Feran already there, knocking persistently and pleading to enter.
"What has happened?" Thranduil demanded immediately, his mind ablaze with worry as he waited for his captain to speak.
"Well?!" He ordered once again.
"My Lord, it is the lady. She...heard a conversation in the forest grounds that has upset her greatly" Feran bowed in greeting and finished hesitantly. Thranduil with a menacing glare stepped closer, not satisfied with the information he had received.
"It concerns the matter of your binding, and...and the Valars participation in it" Feran said quietly. Gwuineth gasped as the distraught ellon finished, she looked with a worried gaze to Leanna's door and turned to Thranduil who stood stock still.
"And the conversation took place between?" Thranduil cocked an eyebrow, a tell that told Feran whomever was responsible for this situation would pay heavily. He swallowed and responded, the desire for Lady Leanna's vindication growing stronger.
"Lord Maglor had said so in an attempt to console his daughter" Thranduil nodded and said nothing more.
He stood before the doors of her chambers and opened it quietly.
!
!
Leanna stood by the window, deathly silent and still, almost like a wraith that had yet to pass from the world. Blinked slowly as she watched the people below, laughing and moving beneath her cold her eyes.
"Meleth what is-"
"Did you know they say i am your mistress? That you hide me from the full view of the kingdom because you are ashamed of me, of your affection for me" she smirked " some even say I ensnared you under a spell with my magic"
"They will come to know you properly in time and all these misunderstanding will be as though it never was" Thranduil said, slowly reaching out his hand to her in a gesture of assurance. But Leanna turned to him, her tear stained cheeks causing him to pause in his steps as she spoke.
"Is it true? Lady Galadriel's words...did the Valar decide this match?" Leanna asked quietly, she only wanted to know the truth and nothing more.
"At the time it was not-"
"-it is true? Either it is, or it is not" Leanna cut in, sensing a crafty response being woven by him.
"Yes" Thranduil answered slowly. His face contorting in pain as he felt the despair through their bond.
"So, you knew all this time, and said nothing...I should've known, I shouldn't have let my hopes grow. Thinking that things would be much different, oh how a fool I've been..." A tear slid down to her chin as she looked at him fully.
"I could only say, after I had made certain of it, it would not be fair to you if I had spoken too soon, nothing was certain at the time"
"And so you took pleasure in my ignorance and not only used it to your advantage, when were you going to tell me? This evening, a month, two years hence? Would you have bothered for me to know anyhow?" Leanna whispered brokenly.
"Leanna I did not mean-"
"Get out" she said quietly, unable to look at him.
"You got what you wanted all this time, did you not?" Leanna looked up to meet his shocked eyes, her gaze cold as ice. "...you've finally won" she said, turning away from him as she spoke her final words.
"However victorious you may feel, it is a hollow one, for though we are bound together by the whim of another, it is clear that you and I are nothing more than strangers".
The admission of those words hurt her far greater than she anticipated. She was unable to breathe as her chest burgeoned in pain. Whether it was from him or her, it made no difference.
She had been betrayed, no rather she had been deceived from the start and as result she was the laughing stock to all who knew of the matter.
She had made many mistakes since her awakening in this world, however she would make certain never to be made the fool again. And yet, as she heard the door open and close quietly, her shoulders shook in the thick silence of her empty room. The hurt she felt was unbearable.