Almost all the leaves had fallen from the trees, only the evergreen remained. The view was different from my balcony. I missed the setting sun and the beautiful coloring the forest would take. Thranduil's bedchamber, facing east, was cold at this time of the year. The first rays would barely heat up my skin as I breathed the morning air.

The night starling's songs were not gracing my ears with their melodies nowadays. They had fled the cold coming down from the plains. It was as silent as death, only the cracking of the branches giving a somber feel to the autumn gloom. I heard the king steer in bed behind me, his uneven breathing signaling that he was awake. The room was barely lit. I couldn't turn as I knew I'd be staring straight into his open eyes. Thranduil's room isn't like mine. He does not have an inner garden to stroll into. His balcony is suspended very high in the air, with no staircase to lead someone out, I have no place to run. It is most likely the reason why he has ordered me back to his chambers when the girls left with Legolas. He knew I would try to evade him even more now that I didn't have the elfling to look after.

Nathaniel has been set free. Apparently. I wouldn't know since I am not allowed outside of the inner keep anymore. I haven't heard from him since that night when we tried going back home. Greenwood has never been my home, never felt like one. The great plains are my home, where my people are, where life makes sense and happiness resides.

"It is barely morning Eveena, you should come back to bed for a little while longer." His tone was even, his voice deep. It was not an order, it was phrased as a request. But he and I both knew it was disguised as such. I let my hand linger on the balcony a little longer and finally left my adobe to join him once again in the heated cover of the bed. I did not close the windows or the curtains behind me as a way to let the freshness of the air engulf itself in the room. It was not as cold as my home, but winter was certainly settling in.

The bed was warm; a contrast with how I felt in our relationship. He pulled me into his arms gently. I did not resist him. He kissed my forehead and relaxed against my body, letting sleep take him once more. I did not fall asleep for a few minutes, I was busy with my thoughts. Our first letter came last night from Legolas and the girls. It would seem they are enjoying themselves a lot in Lorien. Reading them brought me happiness. It would seem that Thranduil also felt much the same. He sent them away to have me all to himself once again. I know that now. It felt like he was punishing me back then, that is how he presented it to me, maybe he wanted me to feel punished. But his reasons were selfish. He was afraid. The situation with Nathaniel scared him. He felt threatened.

That is why I am not allowed out of the inner keep anymore. He doesn't want me to see him again. I wouldn't have put it past him to have the Ellon executed anyway, even after I agreed to our little bargain. But he may feel cruel to me sometimes, Thranduil is still a good king to all his subjects.

I miss them. Cassidy and Nathaniel. I miss our spring and summer together by the meadow. I miss being no one, carefree and relaxed. I feel stressed out now most of the time. It is tiring. I thought back on our last time the three of us together and let sleep take me once more.

XXXXXXXX

Eveena was still sleeping when breakfast came in. Thranduil was enjoying his food and looking at the paperwork Adrahan had brought him a few minutes ago. The food reserves for the winter were not as plentiful as they should have been. This years' crops did not produce as much as wanted, from too much rain and lack of sun. The grains managed fine but the vegetables did not as much. There will be less variety and rations would have to be implemented. A frown adorned the king's face while analyzing the data from the cellar. This was not something he wanted his people to face.

He considered trading. But trading with whom. The people from Laketown had nothing to offer in quantity except fish, and Thranduil's men already fished in the same water. Obviously, the dwarves from Erebor would be a last-result option as Thranduil was not a fan of Dwarves. No, he would turn himself to Rhûn. They would be able to trade wine for spices and plenty of exotic fruits. This would do. It is a longer trade route but it would be a great way to establish some relations in the east, after all elves are less and less present in this part of the world nowadays.

He called softly for Adrahan to come into the chambers. Opening the door very slowly, his second's head appeared slowly in the half-open door.

"Yes my lord?" Thranduil's hand motioned for him to join him at the breakfast table, which the Ellon complied. Speaking in hushed voices, he shared his thoughts with his captain.

"I want you to give the emissary my orders. We are to establish a trading route with Rhûn. We will need more than we currently have to be sure we lack for nothing this winter. With all the Avari's coming in, the more people to feed will become an issue." Nodding his captain found the plan quite satisfactory.

"And what should we trade?"

"We have plenty of wine, and mead as well. Let's start with this. We are, after all, the best wine producers in Middle Earth. Surely the lords of the East will desire what we have to offer. Lets trade this for vegetables, fruits, spices, anything our people would need to make dishes as elaborate as what we are used to. I do not want them to feel that the refugees from the Great Plains are a burden on our people."

"You want them to get along well I suppose. And yes cutting in everyone's plate will upset them. A healthy and serene relationship will therefore be a little more difficult to establish."

"Precisely."

Adrahan leaned toward his King while keeping an eye over the bedroom to make sure that Eveena was asleep. The sound of her breathing indicated as such. The king nodded for him to say what was on his mind.

"Is the queen aware of those refugees coming in?"

"No." The response was short lived. Adrahan understood that his king would not elaborate why he was keeping her in the dark but he offered his captain some additional information.

"The Avari thinks Eveena invited them here. I tricked her handwriting and sent word through Nathaniel to the Great Plains. He is not aware either that it is my doing. I do not want anyone to know." A little confused, Adrahan shook his head.

"But why not tell her then, her people are suffering North, you are welcoming them here, all is well."

"It will worry her. She will want to ride North in haste. She will do exactly as she did a few weeks ago and try to leave in the middle of the night, with no escort and without my permission."

"Indeed. You know her quite well it seems."

"She is my wife, I know how she thinks and how she does things. As much as it displeases me, she is irrational and hasty. She thinks only ahead and not around. She will have to learn and be more patient and strategic with what she is doing. It is unfit of a Queen to act as such. Legolas is still young. If something were to happen to me, he would rely on her and on you. I need her to be better." Silence fell on the two men. A comfortable one where they shared drinks and food, both pondering on the next actions to come. Thranduil's thoughts were focused on his trades and Adrahan on the Avari's presence in Greenwood.

"Also, I'm thinking we should establish a larger production of mead. Please send word to our Brewing Master that I'd like to see him in my study this afternoon."

"What about the Avari situation my lord?"

"I need to think more about this and what actions to take. For now, make sure the ones coming in have shelter, food, and ideally find them an occupation to earn a living. They are not used to living in the forest. Find some youngsters to teach them how to travel from tree to tree, teach them how to harvest the forest so they do not get intoxicated from mushrooms or berries."

"You know some have started requests to see the Queen."

"Yes I am aware. But keep them occupied and in the meantime I will decide what will be done regarding this situation." Thranduil handed the paperwork to Adrahan to take with him on his way out. The conversation he was about to have with Eveena would hardly be for outside ears to hear.

He did not steer her and waited patiently for her to join him when she rose. Eveena, wearing only a night robe came through from the chambers to find a fire roaring and the King seated at the breakfast table looking out through the bay window. It was well into morning, a time Thranduil would have already been in his study normally. But in the past weeks, he lingered in the room until she was dressed for the day.

She walked to the table, with his piercing gaze following her every move. She hated this. She preferred his temper flying, then she knew what to expect. This silent version of him was somewhat lost on her, she knew nothing of this man in front of her and could not anticipate anything. It made her wary. He motioned for her to sit. When she did he rose to his feet and paced the bay window. It was always a power play with him. First he remained seated in his armchair when she came in and now he walked around her, towering over her the instant he had a chance. He was always in control of every situation, always knowing how to draw her to him, how to manipulate her.

"How are you? Did you have trouble sleeping?" What a simple question this morning. So unlike the Thranduil from before she thought. He kept walking aimlessly with his hand crossed behind his back.

"I am well." Short and placid. He followed through, she would soon learn what he was expecting of her.

"What are your plans for the day?"

"I want to go riding." Her response came fast. How unconventional he thought. She used to never want to leave her rooms, and now she is up and about, wanting to explore the land she so often refused to Legolas. Well…

"That will not be possible." How surprising she thought sarcastically. He does not want me to leave the inner keep now, keeping a close eye on me at all times.

"I see." Was Eveena's short response, not really knowing how to keep this conversation going, as it seems it was going nowhere.

"You know the rules, Eveena, the rules you agreed to."

"I did not agree to be your prisoner Thranduil." He ignored her comment as he stopped his pacing. He turned toward her and stood for some time, bending over quite slightly to look straight into her eyes.

"Are you with child." She turned her gaze back to her plate. So that was his expectation all along with this small talk.

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Perhaps we should call for a healer. To make sure you are healthy. It has been some weeks now and still nothing."

She sighted. "Like I said, you can forsake me and take another wife. I will not become pregnant again and we both know it." She turned her gaze back to her husband and waited for his reaction.

"I'll call for a healer."

"Thranduil please do not. I do not wish to be examined like some broodmare." He could see the despair in her eyes. Although that may have swung him, the importance of this deal made it impossible.

"You know the rules, Eveena, you agreed to them." Still the emphasis on the rules. Always the rules with him. I slapped my palms on the table and got up in haste. I walked up to him, to be toe to toe, my finger poking his chest.

"NO! I did it to save Nathaniel because you would have executed him! We both know that! Do NOT deny it! This plan of yours, it is ridiculous. I am DONE with this and I am DONE with YOU! Leave me alone, why can you not do that?"

"YOU ARE MY WIFE!"

"Exactly! I am NOT your SLAVE! You are treating me as such! It has gone on for far too long." He grabbed her hand that was poking his chest and twisted her wrist. She raised her other hand to slap him but he intercepted it first, catching her second wrist in his grip.

"Are you done?" He asked, authoritarian.

"I am not!"

"Then please keep going." But with her hand restricted, the fire burning inside her was slowly dying. She huffed and tried to release her wrists from his vicious grip. He did not let go. His gaze kept piercing hers as in defiance.

"I will not release you. I will not forsake you. I will not take your rejection while you gave your favor to some commoner. I will keep you prisoner here if I have to, but know this Eveena, I do not want to. All of this isn't highly ideal for me or for you. I need you to be a Queen. I need you to be a mother. I need you to be a wife. You are hardly any of those. I have been patient with you Eveena, I still am. But my patience is running thin. The children are away, so we can have space for every difficult conversation that needs to happen. Too much was left unsaid. What is wrong, why are you so unhappy in our marriage?"

"I am unhappy because you treat me like your toy and like your servant." He was silent so Eveena kept going. "You treat me like an annoyance to your life. What I want, my dreams, my way of life, my culture, my personality, every little part of me is irrelevant to you. I AM irrelevant to you. It's like you did not even want me from the start, like I was a replacement that could not be as good as the original. Well I am NOT her! I am me and I will not apologize for being different. I am Avari, you know this. We ride the Great Plains, freedom is who we are and you have caged me here, in our marriage, with you, with your rules and expectations."

"You are the Queen of our people Eveena, this comes with expectations."

"Then what are they?! Would you list them to me once and for all and stop changing the rules to your whims?!" That did silence him once again.

"One day you want this, one day you want something else! What do YOU want Thranduil? What can I give you that would ever satisfy you?!"

"I do not want my wife to run around alone with an Ellon. For once that is simple."

"Agreed! I will not run around alone with an Ellon except for Legolas and you. What else?!" For the first time in their marriage, Thranduil was at a lost for words. He did not really think about what exactly he wanted as clearly as she was asking. He released her hand and she took a step back. Realising this would be the end of the conversation for today, she turned around and went to change. She put on her riding gear and joined him back in the lounge. Noticing her attire, he raised an eyebrow.

"I am going riding." she announced, as if he had not just forbidden her a few minutes ago.

"When you are done with your list of expectations, you let me know!" She turned around in one swift motion and left the room. A small smile played at the corner of his lips.