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blankdblank · 3 years

Text

Ash Pt 3

Uses Paper Crowns by Alec Benjamin, song this series was inspired by.

...

Where the library once was your chosen bed back again you went to your new apartment and closed the door behind you for a private tour of the place. Each room was checked again until you paused at the sight of a servant who had come in to light your fires after having lit the King’s and Lord Glorfindel’s. They nodded their head to you and slipped out once they were through to move onto their next stop in this wing.

Once completely alone to your kitchen you went to find it empty of any supplies. From your side you lifted your bag and opened the top from where in a wiggle of your fingers above it all the pots, pans and dishes you had been using in your former prison flew out to their new homes. Next around each room in each of the empty candle holders you eased long thin fire crystals that with a gentle blow on the tip ignited with orbs of light to cast gentle glow into the apartment. All far more reasonable than wax candles that would eventually burn out, each able to last centuries without any wear if used properly. The study, once empty with what seemed to be a hundred shelves was filled with the books you had been reading and rereading, not all of the hundreds of thousands trapped inside the bag but as many as could fit that you would rotate out seasonally or however you would choose to.

The closet was next. Like a geyser the almost endless sea of colored clothes you had along with dress shoes and boots alike were arranged and sorted with care until at the end your hand landed on the warm white and grey fur blanket your mother had given you with black spots. In your fist it was pulled out and to your chest clung to in your body’s drop to fold around it to the start of the start of your tears. They couldn’t have known that was his plan you kept repeating to yourself. She couldn’t have wished that fate for you no matter the price. And now they would hear, if they were still alive, that your supposed kingdom was drowned and gone and their only child with it. That was, if you were their only child. She was still young and it wouldn’t have been impossible to have conceived that son he wanted, especially when there were ample funds to have afforded fertility potions if that was the reasoning as to why you were their one and only child.

A distant gong of a bell however snapped you from the pit of despair. And to your new bed you went in a sniffling half tear blind mess. To fling the blanket across the bed and to add your own pillow, a pair of handmade sock dog dolls and a stuffed crochet tan goat that you had been given by your grandmother before she had been forced out of the house for reasons you were never allowed to know. From your simple dress you changed into a pair of knee length pants and a loose tunic with hair braided back for a simple ease into the first actual bed you had slept on since before you were taken. That is if a pull down cot from a panel in the wall could be called a bed compared to this four poster canopied wonder. You never anticipated being a Queen, and what you had gotten was far from what you had been promised for.

Beyond soft this cloud of a bed melded around the body that sank into it and only lured out more tears to your plummet back into the constant pain the daily tasks had distracted you from wallowing in. The silence let it shriek and scream and berate you for your idiocy and failure to somehow not being enough to have not been treated that way. Somehow you made yourself a target and had gotten yourself locked away to that demon and now were living off the pity of a King and his people until you could earn your keep and place here. Beaten and bloody you woke again to the invisible scars and open wounds of that pain with glass lined eyelids opened to find this new place at least was not a dream. With a final stubborn tear to plummet over and from your nose to roll over the frozen trails its siblings had left on their way to make a wet spot on the pillow you had left nail marks in once again last night. Remorsefully over each tear your fingertips slid with golden glimmers stitching each one back together without a trace of the wound you had inflicted upon the lifeless thing.

“It has to end,” you muttered to yourself, every book you read and every world suffering thrived it always there was an end for its victims. Splashes of warm water were smoothed over your face with some salve from a small vial that you smoothed across your face to refresh your skin and eyelids to reduce puffiness and blotchiness to seem at least that you hadn’t spent the night weeping into your pillow. You had heard again that Dale would be open again for another Elven visit and had woken up accordingly to the earliest public meal available beforehand.

Without the folded skirt as the rest of those you had were lace over your black pants and the bottom of your sky blue tunic was a navy and black layered knee length skirt of overlaid embroidered strips that would help to disguise the wider hips and more pronounced backside and shape of your thighs that seemed to be more toned than the Elleths here. The obvious curvature of your bust could not be disguised but could be squished down a bit with your black vest with silver accents to keep from any possible risk of an unplanned reveal. Another way you stuck out almost making you wish that you had arrived more closer to the Dwarves in height as they were properly plump with most having thick voluminous hair closer in texture to yours. But comparisons aside even not common in shape to these tall silent people who had kindly taken you in seemed to simply accept you for your differences, or at least not let it be known to your face that they didn’t.

Over your necklace and rings you paused at your nightstand with bangs easing from behind your left ear across your face. You didn’t want to put them on again but would regret leaving them behind, so you simply closed your eyes and lifted them to secure it around your neck. In a shake of your head on your heel you turned and made for the front door collecting your bag as you went you shouldered to make your way out into the hall. Where across the closing door you eyed the new symbols etched into the wood underneath the panels of swans in a lake that were there at your tour. Later on you’d figure out what those symbols meant and two blind steps afterwards a chest was what stopped you. Half asleep the now stopped Prince with a sudden snap of wide eyes caught your flinch of a grin and apology filled step around the grass and tree scented body you had bumped into. Just a moment he lingered there then continued on to his apartment beside his father’s to bathe and sleep while you focused to not slam into anyone of the other silent giants in this kingdom on the way to your meal.

A paper crown

And a heart made of glass

A tattered gown

And her kingdom of ash

She walks alone

She can never look back

The story of a queen whose castle has fallen to the sea

Back and forth from shop to customer deliveries were taken with a few spare deliveries by nearby shops added on along the way to add to your purse. Queen or not the focus of the new citizen while Dwarves especially while not raising you to the level of public reverence as when Thror would join them yet not a one skimped on even a simple show of respect for your title in passing and upon accepting deliveries. No one questioned your work ethic and in each pass through the winding streets of Dale you crossed off a good deal of the city now to grow a map of sorts for it inside your mind. Strangers however from the Men in town had taken in tries to place themselves upon those pathways to stir up a sort of conversation. None more than the nameless to you Lord of Dale himself who to the amusement of those watching had been thwarted in convincing you to join them for lunch as you had accepted Grunnd’s offer to eat with him and his spouse and their children.

She'll make it out

But she's never the same

She's lookin' down

At the scars that remain

But you hold your ground

Though your kingdoms in flames

'Cause it's the story of a queen who's castle has fallen to the sea

Knowing there's no one who will be

A king that will come and save his queen

Small friendships. Tiny smiles. Friendly encounters. None of that did anything to hide the pain still in your eyes and the occasional caught brushes of fingers along the necklace or rings as good as a brand from the dead prison warden of a husband that stung more than one in passing deeply. No one could bear the lost distant gaze off to the ground that would come over you in moments of pause that spoke so loudly for them on the raging sea hidden in plain sight. And on the evenings you now traded deliveries to work in the Smith’s shop again each smoky sight of you paired to those distant gazes had people swear they could hear the sounds of those screams and flames that had torn through your now sunken home.

When all she needs

And all she wants

When all she finds

When all she is, and ever was

Is compromised

'Cause there's no one to love her when

You built your walls

Too high

And there's no one to love you when you build

Your walls

Too high

Right out of your daydreams the sight of the Prince snapped your mind in his place to the side of the Captain of the Guard who had headed the transport again silently beckoned you over to him and returned your respectful nod, “Your Majesty.”

Legolas responded, “Prince Legolas is an acceptable trade of names between us outside of friendship bonds both formally and cordially.”

“Right,” you said softly and his eyes scanned over your face.

“I came to ask how you are finding Greenwood as your home.”

“It is a very lovely kingdom. Thank you for-,”

A bit softer he stated in a try to be less formal sensing he was being misunderstood, “I was not seeking a reiteration of any gratitude upon your part. Merely, how are you finding your employment here rather? Do you find deliveries and errands a sustainable career for yourself so far? As we have an endless supply of fields open for you to explore, even our own guards should you wish it we would be grateful to train you to know our forest and how to defend it and yourself.”

“Oh, well, my parents were tradesmen, and I delivered things and did errands.” Gaining a nod from the Prince and Captain you glanced between, “I never knew anything else, for now it pays, I am not certain if it pays well, compared to others but it is what I know.”

Tauriel nodded her head and stated, “Should you ever become curious of a new profession you are free to ask at any time, there will always be someone available to train you personally as long as interest prevails it is how we live, a great many of us try at so many professions before we find our paths.”

Legolas chuckled and said, “We had a great many fires before Tauriel traded a blade for baking against her uncle’s trade.”

She grinned and held back his countless tries to find his own way and simply said, “And had our Prince pursued painting as he wished in childhood our palace walls would be a great deal more colorful. Though less tolerable for guests to stomach in regards to his preferred color palate.” That had you chuckle to yourself and glance away for a few others in passing to see an elusive smile full on that retracted when you caught their gaze and she said, “There is time.” At that they bowed their heads and turned to leave you to head off to bathe and ready for supper.

She's looking out

From the war that's inside

She's screaming out

'Cause no one survived

But when you're all alone

You wait and you hide

'Cause it's the story of a queen whose castle has fallen to the sea

Knowing, there's no one who will be

A king who will come and save his queen

A roll of thunder had your eyes raise from the pillow you woke up staring at in a tear from your nightmare on all fours. Hard pants left your lips and to another growl like roll of thunder you leapt from bed and raced out of your apartment through the halls past confused guards on watch until to a wall of rain across from the stables you halted and tried to catch your breath. Wide eyed the sight of the line of horses filing into the large building from the storm you had misinterpreted as a dragon attack each breath brought you back down to earth. However dripping wet from the rain Lord Glorfindel came into view with a cloak draped around his shoulders and chest completely aware of the lingering fear in your eyes that to the sight of the King in blackened ooze stained armor echoing pings to every rain drop that collided with it darted away in a sharp turn back to your room.

Two hallways later however Lord Glorfindel alongside the King both came into your path with eyes in search over your face for what the problem could be, both the source of the trail of water droplets from their former place in the rain. However the foot that came out from underneath the cloak had you point and say, “You have a foot,”

Lord Glorfindel answered, “Yes, Prince Estel, ward of Lord Elrond, has arrived with the young Lords Elladan and Elohrir from a visit to their grandfather Lord Celeborn in Lothlorien.”

King Thranduil however asked the burning question they yearned to know as the source of those tears that had broken free down your face to the drip of water from his head to his toe that his skin felt each one in their cold departure from where they had it him down to his feet. “Are you unwell?”

Haltingly you shook your head and raised your hands to the feel of the tears to wipe your cheeks, “Rain. Over a thousand years, no rain. Just, forgot, how loud it can be.”

You didn’t mention the dragon, but the both of them could see that there was more you weren’t saying. “There you are,” The voice turned your head and the soaking wet twins who looked you over nodded their heads in response to yours.

King Thranduil spoke the answer to their unasked question, “Boys, allow me to introduce Queen Jaqiearae.” To you he named the pair, “Princes Elladan and Ellohrir.”

Elladan, “Ah, Ada will be pleased to know you have discovered a title to go with such a stunning new arrival.”

“Ada?” you asked Thranduil whose eyes were still fixed upon you that almost made your breath hitch in notice of that.

Thranduil, “Ada means father.”

“Ah, interesting.” After another nod of your head you said to the King, “I am interrupting. Mind your puddle.” You said then walked around the King who bit the inside of his lip to keep from shouting at you to stop and merely turned when you were a good ten feet ahead to follow behind and ensure you made it back to your apartment on the way to his. An act that had the curious twins behind him in wonder for just what their father’s friend had expected from said curious stranger.

It wasn’t until you had gotten to the door of your apartment you had seen they had followed you and Thranduil in a few steps closer spoke again to steal another chance to say anything to ease any worries from the storm. “During rains like this we do not travel to Dale. Next week will be our next scheduled trip to Dale lest we risk wounding our horses or damaging our wagons.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Lord Glorfindel in a glance between you said to break the silence spoke up, “Sleep well Your Highness.”

“Good night,” you said after a sweeping glance over the group then through the door you opened behind you they watched you walk and close it behind you unable to think of what else to say to the puddle spreading King who simply turned for his apartment at the seal of the doors. In his absence the curiously smirking twins glanced between one another and the dripping Lord who carried the sleeping Prince to his nursery before heading for a bath and to change for the night.

When all she needs

When all she wants

And all she finds

When all she is, and ever was

Is compromised

'Cause there's no one to love her when

You built your walls

Too high

And there's no one to love you when you build

Your walls

Too high

Breakfasts came with more offers for work including more nonsensically cluttered rooms that fortunately for you the tasks took up a good chunk of your days that left your evenings post bath to simply relax. Most often you relaxed on a lounge that looked over a garden with a view of some Elk roaming through the trees in the light drizzle that to each distant rumble of thunder you stretched your tense legs, arms and back. Hints of soreness from the hard work named the following day as your day off to rest. A voice on your left however had you jump and look up to the apologetic messenger who bowed his head and stepped closer with the letter extended in hand. “Your Highness,” after a glance at the letter you accepted hold of it and he said, “A letter arrived for you by hawk.”

“Oh, thank you.” You said with a grin that he took as the sign to turn and return to his own rounds of delivering the arrived mail. When alone your eyes lowered to the letter with those same sigil from your apartment door with more across the flap above the wax seal on the back of the envelope with a symbol you had seen often in Dale but couldn’t name. Under the flap your nail eased to help break the seal to bring out the folded pages coated in a language you couldn’t understand. In a sigh you muttered, “Great…mystery letter…”

Onto your aching feet you stood and bit back the tension in your back and legs and strolled back into the Palace and curiously wandered the halls until you spotted the familiar face of Tauriel in the halls speaking to another guard. Softly in what seemed to be their move to break apart to move on about their days you approached and said, “Um, excuse me.”

With lips parted she took notice of you in the head bow of the other guard and bowed her head asking, “Yes, Your Highness?”

“I, got this letter, that I can’t read. Um, can you, read this language?”

In the pass off of the letter the guard said, “I will pass on your orders, Tauriel,” and slipped away with another bow of his head you returned with another flash of a grin as Tauriel accepted the letter she merely glanced at then returned to you parting your lips.

“I apologize, this is Dalion. King Thranduil would know what this says, few of our people read this tongue, usually those in Dale write in Silvan or Westron for our ease.”

You shifted the letter in your grip and turned with a shift of your outer sheer layer of your skirt on your dress that hung lower than the thick velvet sash accented layer to not trip on its shift to settle around your beaded slippers that matched the beaded off the shoulder top many an Elf stole glimpses of. Including the Seamstresses who went out of their way to get a glimpse of the new styles to draw inspiration from. Upon notice of your means to follow behind her Tauriel slowed to have you catch her pace and asked, “Is this your first letter?”

“Yes,” you said in a glance up at her. “Most I have received is a few slips of paper with addresses in Dale. Do you get a lot of letters from Dale?” her eyes shifted to meet yours, “Or is this a bad sign to get mail from Dale?”

That had the corner of her mouth quirk up, “I do not travel to Dale outside of wagon duties. However I do receive ample letters from my cousins who guard Lothlorien’s borders and a distant third cousin in Rivendell. Many from those who work in Dale receive letters from friends and co-workers. Were it bad news most often King Thranduil would receive that notice not you.”

“Right, then he would dish out punishments no doubt.”

Tauriel couldn’t help but chuckle, “Most likely were the subject about you there would be no punishments. A King cannot justly inflict punishment upon a Queen amongst our people. She must relent that she is in the wrong and pursue mediation herself with the King as a middle man of sorts until peace in jointly claimed.”

At the end of a winding path through the Palace you came to a stunning Throne Room where Thranduil was lounged in his throne sideways with his ankle propped on one knee listening to a series of Lords in a half circle taking note of his final orders on the issues they had brought to him including Lord Glorfindel and the twin brothers. The snap of the King’s eyes and his inch up at the sight of your approach with his hands moved from their taps together atop his lap to the arms of his throne. “Queen Jaqiearae, Tauriel, is something the matter?”

Tauriel once upon your arrival and stop a few feet from Lord Glorfindel’s side she joined the dispersing Lords in exiting the Throne Room that had his eyes scan over your gown as the remaining trio did to the shimmer of firelight off the beading work on it. After you stole a glance to her back on the way out you flashed him a grin and said, “Nothing is wrong, I got a letter, and Tauriel says it’s in, Dalion? And that you could translate it for me?”

Right out of his Throne in the slide of his foot off his knee he rose and strode down the steps with ease straight to the bottom with hand extended for the letter you offered to him. Light as possible he accepted the weight of the letter that on his palms with a thumb was unfolded with his eyes widening upon the opening scrawled upon the top of the page to a quickening of his breath. By the second stanza of what seemed to be a lengthy poem addressed to you his eyes flinched from the page to yours then down again in a clear of his throat. “To My Star Draped Madame,” The words had your brow tick up and he continued to read in a fight against his body’s urge to have his chest heave in frustration he couldn’t explain as the outpouring of adoration was being read aloud by himself.

Though in his intense focus to simply read the letter in its entirety the three Lords caught your own change of breath in the wave of your hands in a loss for words to make him stop. And it took the hop from you onto the second to last step and grip on his elbow to lean around his side to reach for the letter. The contact and fall of your hair onto his arm had him stop and mouth left open to look from you to the letter you folded the top page down asking, “All of it? All of it is this, poem? Who wrote this?!”

Thranduil shifted the pages to the back of the final page and read, “Lord Girion of Dale.”

“Who?” You asked that had his eyes fall on you again in a sharp inhale at the realization that you had no clue even who had written this or why they would have written it to begin with.

Lord Glorfindel stated, “Lord Girion is married with a grown son and a child on the way. How could he write this to Queen Jaqiearae?”

When you straightened up Thranduil’s body turned to face you partially in the drop of your hand off his arm, “Is there a response you wish to send to this?”

“Yes,” you said and from his stack Elohrir brought over a blank piece of parchment that Thranduil accepted with the writing plaque and quill filled for him that he readied to copy your words exactly. “Lord, whoever you said,” the words already had the corner of his mouth tick up in his dictation, “While I should find such,” your head tilted slightly in thought of words that had Glorfindel ease his fingers across his lips to hide the grin trying to split across his lips to Elladan’s clear chortle. “Flattery, complimentary, having received them from a married man with multiple children to whom I have no acquaintance with only will be met with questioning of character and distrust of intent of said flattery. I thank you for this insight upon your person and highly encourage you to direct those attentions upon the selfless woman who has bourn your children and is in dire need of such affections while time is precious and sleep is plentiful and free from the cries of an infant.” Thranduil lifted his gaze at your fingers tapping your forehead, “May your stanzas never outnumber precious moments and sentiments for the Esteemed Lady of Dale to whom you have sworn yourself upon your honor and good name.”

Thranduil chuckled to himself and he stated, “The Lady of Dale is very esteemed.”

That had you let out a breathe, “Oh that’s good, I thought beloved might be a stretch. No one said anything about any Lady of Dale in all my time there,” you said moving closer to watch him write the same runes for your title and name that in an offer of the quill you signed, ‘Q J.P.Pear’ in a style and unknown runes that had the King eyeing in apparent awe. Between the twins an envelope was fashioned and addressed to Lord Girion that was folded around the letter they used a nearby torch to heat the wax Thranduil used his own seal he drew from his pocket that bird from the branches above swooped down to carry off to Dale.

“Thank you,” you said in a sheepish glance to the King whose eyes scanned over you with a hint of a smirk on his lips for how you had responded to this issue. “I don’t know if he does this often, or if I did something,”

Lord Glorfindel spoke, “You did nothing. Even Lady Luthien had admirers but none would have dared to dishonor their spouse who is with child or had birthed their children. He is wrong in this you share no blame.”

You nodded and stepped down the steps and said, “Well, I will leave you to your business.”

To your back he replied, “Upon your consideration of your own crest,” he said and you turned to look back at him, “Our Smiths will craft you your own seal.”

“This was my first letter,”

“All the same,” he replied, “A seal is required as a Noble for a great many reasons.” You nodded and he returned the nod the others parroted and gained one from you in the turn to head back to your room to go put the letter away and lay down at the headache brewing from this nonsensical letter.

You had no clue who this Lord was. Why he had imagined to have been just in sending the letter at all. All of this weighed on the past with your former husband’s words that convinced your parents to ship you off to spike into the forefront of your conscious again.

There is no one

Who is strong enough

To save your love

There's no fairytale

“Rabbit door, turtle door, badger door,” you had strolled past your own apartment doors and turned down the given hall and were in search of the apartment you had been asked to clean for the day. Elves had been shuffling the task around as the usual maid was still recovering from her birth and bonding with her baby boy that you barely could see a toe on in the flow of Elves that took turns to greet and swoon over the first child born in what you were told was centuries since Tauriel’s younger cousins a few years younger than her had been birthed.

“Ah,” you said upon reaching the doors and let yourself in having been told that it would be empty at this time of day. “Agh,” you muttered to the first boot by the door in what seemed to be a trail of clothes and belongings and crumpled up balls of parchment between shredded squares of scribble coated parchment silenced with their secrets unless pieced back together again. Swipes of your fingers gathered the paper and boots that hovered behind your hunched self in the task of gathering wraps, long robes and shawls upon your bent arm to pin to your chest. You didn’t expect this and had worn a dress at the promise that you wouldn’t need to scrub the floors merely to tidy up a bit. Now with the material pinned to your thighs small kicks helped to keep your skirt and the lengthy clothes from tripping you.

A pass beyond the kitchen had the scrub brush lift up to begin washing the dishes left there itself and towards the bedroom you went. “What?” You squeaked in eying the giant hot spring in the middle of the flower like apartment kept warm by that and the lit fires in a few of the rooms you had passed. Against the edge of it a pile of clothes laid that you wagged a finger and they floated behind you.

A bedroom was found, though not the one you had expected, across a massive fur coated bed there was a lump from a little boy slept mostly hidden except for half his face by a nap conquered game of hide and seek. “Hell of a nursery,” you murmured and walked on towards the open closet where the largest pile of clothes was found yet. The job was clear, tidy up and set any clothing that seemed to be damaged or stained in the bins you had brought along the wall outside the front door when you were done and the laundry staff on duty today would pick them up on their rounds.

From the jumble in your arms each piece was hovered and inspected with sleeves raising themselves and the robes to turn around them flew off to where you sent them. Wraps elegantly folded themselves again to line the shelves they were meant for and pants from the pile yet to be worn folded and hung themselves back up on their usual hangars. Robes went this way and that with a few tongue clicking missing buttons to spoil a few garments explained now as to why they had been cast on the floor. Quite easily the task was done and boots bounced themselves home again for a grin at mastering the defiant mess.

A study came next with papers all over the floor that to the mess of runes you couldn’t decipher you simply organized the piles a bit so at least someone could stroll between what seemed to be a floor based filing system of nonsense without knocking them over. A splash however turned your head and your heart race spiked in wonder if the child had gone for a swim unsupervised. Over the papers while the books on the shelves straightened their toppled selves you hopped and strode into the bedroom with skirt in hand.

Wide eyed however the naked man exiting the hot spring with towel bunched to ruffle through telling dripping white locks that had you turn and call the clothes bins to you. The motion wasn’t missed by the stunned King who lowered the towel to hang in front of his chest and down to his upper thigh at enough to hide the family jewels but little else of his silhouette that watched a body with a bin on a shoulder to block sight of him on its way to the door. Unable to help it a smirk eased out across his lips in recognition of the telling unique style to the gown the Queen amongst his people who was gone with the click of a distant door and not a word of parting thanks to the bin between you.

When all she needs

When all she wants

When all she finds

When all she is, and ever was

Is compromised

'Cause there's no one to love her

You built your walls too high

And there's no one to love you when you trap yourself inside

Pt 4

All –

@himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @aspiringtranslator, @thegreyberet, @patanghill17, @jesgisborne, @curvestrology, @alishlieb, @jogregor, @armitageadoration, @fizzyxcustard, @lilith15000, @marvels-ghost, @catthefearless, @imjusthereforthereads, @c-s-stars, @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore, @mariannetora, @shes-a-killer-kween, @ggbbhehe4455

Hobbit/LotR – @abiwim, @jotink78, @pastelhexmaniac

X Thranduil - @evyiione, @sweetlytenacious25, @tigereyesf, @pastelhexmaniac, @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore

x Ash - @fandomsstolemylife00, @lilith15000, @devilishminx328

#New Kingdom #New Rules #New Friends #Nightmares #Rain Storm #Thranduil #Glorfindel #Elladan and Elohrir #the Hobbit #Lord Girion #The Poem #Tauriel #Legolas

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blankdblank · 3 years

Text

Ash Pt 4

Three days. It was odd, since you had gotten that letter it did not go unnoticed the clear avoidance of the King or others surrounding him that only one of the guards on watch in the Throne Room had clarified it was the letter that the King was requested to read. Most commonly taken as hurt feelings for receiving such words from Lord Girion that opened up a can of worms on feelings from your deceased husband. The stubborn few however had taken the reclusive habit as the fact that it was King Thranduil who had read those words to you and had himself grown agitated by them that caused imaginations to run wild. He had been noticed to stare after the newest arrival unlike with others before.

Far from uncommon the King would cut his routes to his wing by passing through the public areas but since that letter he was deliberately going out of his way to pass through them with obvious glances to where you most commonly sat. As he did with any other new arrival until they seemed to have settled, which could take up to years on rare occasion. Even paths to the library and the stables came up empty and had him zig zagging through his kingdom to the point his own feet were getting sore. His frustration was evident and it wasn’t until his huffs echoed those of another he would freeze to find himself in front of another abandoned wing with dust and dirt coated sheets flying off of hidden treasures to be rearranged.

These rooms hadn’t been touched since their arrival here, not since the destruction of Amon Lanc and those treasures by someone who did not bear the painful memories to prevent moving them each item was shifted, cleaned and re-housed to a location beyond the heap that it all was assembled in. Three days. Each room better than the last with those who explored them afterwards awed and oddly at peace for these treasures to be on full display for all again as if they were brand new again. Tiny things to you that meant the world to these similarly displaced Elves who were forced to this last keep from their former oasis.

Still from his father’s former games room you had fixed the day prior he turned to the throb of his feet and back from the tense hours of tries to discover you and relented a nice long soak would aid in his recovery better than anything else and then he could return refreshed to the tracking game you had initiated. Clothes and boots covered the floor on the way to the hot spring that steadily the King lowered into with a relieved grimace from the heat melting away his aches right away. To a deep sigh his eyes eased shut in his recline against the built in bench steps and remained so while the water worked its magic on his tension until the crack of his front door open then shut again not long after. Hushed giggles and tiny footsteps had him smile knowing just who had snuck into his apartment and rather loudly he groaned and stretched his arms over his head with smile split wide to Prince Estel now frozen post gasp. The giggles continued however in his relax back into the water with quick steps to his bed that with quiet grunts and huffs the boy gave away his hiding place for the again close eyed King.

He meant to get out soon to join the boy in his game however those questions had begun their loop again. His new citizen again flooded his mind. Usually there was little issue compared to yours, imprisoned for over a thousand years by the man who had given his word to protect and cherish you now had clearly left still bleeding wounds. One of which he worried that letter may have tripped across. It was unbelievable how Lord Girion had written to you and treated his wife in the process of flattering you to what ends Thranduil didn’t know. Just widowed even as a prisoner there was little reason for anyone to rush ever broaching the topic of wooing you, it was almost enough to make him ride to Dale and throttle the Man who dared to threaten your healing so selfishly. True some of those lines were quite accurate, though paled in comparison to the prose his own skilled poets could and had been drafting for sharing upon a much later date and all in a respectfully platonic way out of respect for the new Queen.

Queen. The word kept repeating in his head. Since the first time he’d seen you, that was the one word he would have chosen to describe your status. He had seen that regality before, he had served Kings and Queens orders from his family shop and had seen them downcast when overthrown. He almost had stared and had been caught staring since to the sight of a Queen on her knees, battered and bloody prepared to breathe and regain it all on their own the best they could. You were a Queen, even without experience on ruling he knew by your kind ease alone and bolstering courage that there would be a great many willing to risk it all to follow you anywhere. And if he had to a second keep could be formulated to be built for your own rule, or at the worst a reclamation of Amon Lanc, as futile as that might seem had you wished him to gift it to you.

Sharply he shook his head and dunked fully under the water to drown out the thoughts that circled back to those rings and necklace he loathed on you. He had caught himself, nightly inspecting his treasury and gems available, stops that had drawn the recently revived Celebrimbor, another acquaintance from his youth who was the last person to wash ashore, to his side with parchment in hand to think up a design more befitting someone of your heart. Those rings weren’t gifted out of love and the telling lack of shimmer or shine from the clear stones on that necklace left much to be desired. They could do better. You deserved better. Something fit for a Queen.

Up he rose from the water when his lungs ached to expand and in a turn he climbed from the spring chuckling internally to the sight of his missing clothes he took as part of the game Estel was playing at the time he had been forced to wait. The towel snatched up was lifted to ruffle his hair in a pause to the confusing sight of the boy clearly asleep on his bed where he had gone to hide. Something that moved however turned his head and there he saw a hoisted up bin on the shoulder of an Elleth with the other propped on her hip. No one remained in his rooms when he bathed, it was unspoken respect amongst their people unless a Healer had been sent for or Legolas required council from him, even then few aside from Lord Glorfindel or Lord Celeborn would care to intrude on his soaking time. The latter however knew that was how they could trap him to force his audience on a topic he had drug his heels on.

A glint of light off the beaded top to the one of a kind gown had in the lower of his towel to his chest had him remain silent in hopes that it had been the water you had heard to have sent you scurrying. Unable to help it he felt himself smirk at the latest of what would have been odd circumstance to meet in his manner of undress, though past the bed he strode curious of what you had been tasked here to do. His study was where you had come from and seemed to be little changed except for his books that he bit his lip to keep from chuckling in wonder at what languages you could read or if his collection had stumped you as Dalion had. To his closet he went with recollection of your fluent Common tongue and Silvan with even bits of Gondolin’s tongue from a few who had once lived there that refused to learn the common Silvan here he had caught echoes of in passing that had him wonder as to how you knew their tongues but not their lands.

Stunned a moment he froze just to stare at all of his things now re-organized out of his usual way that somehow made more sense than his former layout. A knock on his front door turned his head and inside he moved easing the door shut nearly all the way to the sound of the door opening to finish drying and pull on a fresh selection of clothes. “Ada?” Legolas’ voice sounded then was followed by Glorfindel’s who said in a relieved sigh, “Here he is.” That had him turn and call off the search the twins were embarking upon to the Prince going to stretch out across the bed near to his young friend he would gladly steal a nap with while his father carried on dressing to continue his day.

“I take it our little one has been scaring up a storm through the Palace in his nap here?” Thranduil asked from the closet halfway dressed with towel raised to exit the closet tussling his hair in the towel to find the chuckle worthy sight of his own son asleep next to the boy on the bed he turned from to continue dressing now that he felt his hair was suitably dry.

By the time he had his new robe on over his tunic Glorfindel had rejoined them and asked, “Off hunting again?”

“I will find the Queen and will see how she is handling the letter. We have yet to have received a response.”

Glorfindel chuckled, “My guess would be something abundant with furs or woven goods and food once he sees how his gift had been taken. The response was quite honorable he surely cannot hold a grudge even if his intent was innocent.”

Thranduil stated, “He will adjust and any gift uneven with the slight will be sent back by myself.”

Shakily a breath left you in the pass of another pillar on your way to the usual hiding spot, the pastures by the stables. “How long was he in there?” You asked yourself in a murmur to the feel of bending grass under your beaded slippers with arms rising to cross over your chest in the warmth of the sunlight that fell over you.

A brush however tossed at you snapped your mind from the memory of the wet naked body of the King strolling out of the hot spring. With hands around the wooden body of the brush you eyed the mare in a smirk and a question of, “This your way of saying to make myself useful?” in her move closer and abrupt scoffing turn in front of you. Softly to yourself you lifted the brush to begin the demanded pampering session for the mare that aloofly waited until you were through then trotted off. Once you put the brush up from where they had clearly taken it from inside you strolled through the palace very aware of the clench of your belly towards the kitchens.

Inside the sea of heavenly scents you stepped and looked around to the Elves at work who started to take notice of your entrance. Two of the Elves who had hoped to get try outs approached you with hopeful glints in their eyes asking, “May we help you, Your Highness?”

From a large pot of corn being boiled your eyes shifted to a bag of flour being brought out to the bread station, “I, um, I know it’s close to dinner,”

The taller of the two assured you, “Our services are free to your request at any time. How may we help you?”

When your eyes shifted to them you asked, “Could you show me how to make those rolls, with the honey butter on them?” They both smiled and motioned you to the sinks to wash up with them, leaving your rings on the designated stand there everyone left their rings and bracelets in colored pegs and cubbies to be taken to the counter where they showed you everything you would need. Carefully you rolled up the sleeves on your gown and couldn’t help but smile through the process that the duo grinned as they guided you through each step as you shared that your history with trying for bread either ended up raw or burned in the three times you had tried it as a kid. Inside the orb you stuck mainly to potatoes and sturdy vegetables as they were the easiest to not ruin. Every step more joyful than the next up to the giggle worthy task of kneading the dough.

“Kitchens,” the word had been echoed from the King to Lord Celebrimbor who had been huffing about not having achieved a moment to size you for gifts yet. Though a hands on activity had the returned Lord smiling from ear to ear from the chance that you had been separated from those guilt ridden rings. In the shadows at one door the King stood in wait with a lean against the doorway with eyes fixed on your giggling self with view of Celebrimbor who crept to the jewelry stand shushing those along the way. His path was far from unnoticed and was almost announced by one cook in the lift of your engagement ring only to see the ring sizer in his free hand that once the expanding set of rings he twisted until it fit snugly inside the ring he slipped off. Then got a closer look at the clearly flawed techniques used to craft it or the thin wedding band coated in the same dim excuses for diamonds far beneath what you were worthy of.

Only the emerald could be worth something as even the metal would never have been chosen for any person to court and would only be taken as an insult and even the stone was laced with a sort of enchantment that had the Lord concerned for how it was effecting you. Right away he put it back and turned to head for his workshop to get started on a replacement to hurl that pitiful thing into the fires of the forges to get that enchantment far away from you. Alone still the King stood in watch of the lesson, from the rest of the dough to let it rise where you were taken over to help with making the noodles for tonight’s supper that once flattened out were shaped into butterfly shapes you filled trays that were set aside to dry before being cooked.

The first round of rolls that you had rolled into balls and slid into the oven and coated with the topping another Elleth who had agreed to teach you revealed the ratio of honey and butter and showed you how to brush it on with a smile to the widening of yours. Just proud of actually pulling the task off once the topping had melted perfectly across the tops of the rolls you glanced at the Elf who said, “This dozen is for you,” that parted your lips and the other nodded saying, “Always tradition, first dozen go to the baker. Give it a taste, enjoy the fruits of lesson.”

Off the wooden tray you lifted the one on the edge you raised to sniff the marvel in the bubble of bliss of this moment every Elf around you had felt before on a successful first round of bread making which can make even the most skilled baker get stuck or agitated from a deflating singed bun or loaf. From the wall however the King stole the chance to come over to the move of the other rolls into a basket for you. His sudden approach had him and others grin at your toss of the roll in your hand at his face out of shock that he caught. “Thank you,” he said ignoring the slight others might take of having something thrown at their face to the offer of the basket you timidly accepted another roll from in the curl of the basket into your stomach. “Would you care for a stroll, Queen Jaqi?”

The encouraging grins on the faces of the duo had you nod and turn to fetch your rings that in the walk back to his side you slid them back onto your finger for the quiet walk to the open garden pathway that he was certain you had yet to see. All the while taking small bits off the roll he was nibbling on, once on the cobbled opening he said, “This roll is sublime, thank you. I was out for a snack truly.”

“Oh, yes, well, I suppose being naked can be rather strenuous on the appetite.” That had his head turn in a glance at you through your glance at a tree to hide your moment of internal screams from his attention only to divert the conversation, “Do you make bread?”

“Not often,” he replied in your glance up at him where to the faint blush on your cheeks he realized he might not have gone unnoticed as he had previously assumed.

“I’ve only tried a few times myself. Always raw in the middle or scorched and when I try to give it a few minutes they turn black as soon as I turn my back somehow. Quite puzzling.”

“Did you see me? After my bath? I noticed you had taken the shift to tidy my rooms, thank you for that. I have not quite seen it arranged so before.”

“I thought it was the boy, the water, I came out of the study, thought it was him, not, you or I’d have stayed in the study.”

“I apologize,” he said and you turned your head to catch his gaze, “Had I known anyone other than the sleeping Prince Estel was there I should have made my presence known and covered myself. I had no intentions of making you uncomfortable.”

“Well you were the one who was naked when I stormed in,” The corner of his mouth quirked up at your eyes darting to his again from the path, “How did you get it?” His brow ticked up and you pointed to his side, “You, have a scar, almost looked like a chain.”

“It was,” he answered rather coldly then retracted in your glance away to answer in a more understanding tone that perhaps you were concerned he had been taken prisoner one before like you had. Others knew not to ask, where you had no knowledge who all he had lost and the weight added in the gain of that scar and the others he bore. “Our people fought in a decades long battle where we tried to break the walls and Black Gates of Mordor. A last stand of good against the evil spreading in our world. There was a dragon, others had tried to cast it in iron nets woven from chains. It broke and I was thrown from my people and then watched them vanish in the flames that beast let loose before it was brought down.”

“Oh,” you said in another glance up at him to find his puzzling gaze still on you in a try to hide his pain.

“Many within these walls know the source of my scars, the day I became King, fear not you have not troubled me in asking. Merely a wound that is painful to name.”

“I have the feeling I may upset a great deal of people with obvious questions.”

“Ask any questions you desire. We will do our best to educate you in all matters of interest to you. Our people and histories while rife with pain have many a fine tale we enjoy sharing once those grim reminders are named.”

One more bite and you finished off your roll to his stolen glance over your jeweled ear cover that had him ask, “Do your people often adorn their ears?”

That turned your head and after you swallowed you said, “Sort of, depends on the person. For me these are for records that were in my bag that were spoken or sung in other languages and these are enchanted to help me understand other languages and be able to speak them.” His lips parted, “I sort of soak the languages in as I speak them and eventually I can understand and speak it without them.”

“That does explain quite a bit, to find those who are able to speak Gondolin within these lands outside of a select few is quite an ordeal and you have mastered it flawlessly. It is no wonder that Ringwe has been in a brighter mood of late. I presume they do not aid in written word?”

“No, that magic is beyond my strengths at the moment.”

“Ma-,” the familiar whip of air around the head of an arrow turned his head in the direction of the word, “Ada!”

Wide eyed the King in two steps was around you and placed himself between you and the arrow with a clear flashback to when his son was first learning archery and had accidentally shot him before in a stroll through this same garden others rarely used. His eyes fixed on his wide eyed son who had been helping Prince Estel with his tiny bow he had dropped to cover his mouth as for who had walked in the way of the target landing area the arrow was meant to slide to a stop after its fall on the cobbled walkway. The sudden glimmer of a barrier of mist, that seemed like if you were under the water and peered up at the surface, reflections of light and darker waves that lapped across the dome that covered from above his head to his waist.

Open mouthed the King eyed the barrier that held the arrow in place until its sudden vanish that let the arrow fall to the ground, his eyes however shifted to his son with finger and arm extended behind him, with wide eyes as he called out, “Ada!”

Thranduil turned his head to catch your glowing eyes roll backwards in the buckle of your knees and with an outstretched arm he scooped your limp torso into his side careful to take hold of your basket and guided with a shift of his bicep your head rolled into his chest and not away to prevent strain on your neck. Right away the Princes raced over and Legolas took hold of the basket to let his father guide your legs up onto his other arm to the appearance of Lord Glorfindel seemingly out of nowhere.

Estel, “Do we need a healer? I can run fast!”

Thranduil said in a glance over your face as he felt the clear pulse of energy within yourself resettling to calm. “No, it would appear Queen Jaqiearae is merely in need to rest a time.”

To your apartment he carried you with attention shifting to the hand against his stomach for a drowsy shift of fingers against the buttons there. He hadn’t been there since the tour and did hope that you wouldn’t take this as in intrusion upon your privacy to let themselves in. The doors opened with Legolas and Glorfindel leading the way, past the empty rooms with a pause at a lace weaving loom that was working a lengthy piece together on its own. After a moment he moved onwards to the bedroom where a glance over the additions had him grin at the curious fur pattern on the blanket you had added to it and the pillows. Estel from the bench at the foot of your bed he climbed onto then from rushed to the pillows to help ease the top blanket back his focus shifted from the other blankets to the stuffed animals he smiled in lifting to inspect.

“Green leaf,” he said turning to show the trio off to Legolas who smirked in accepting one for a closer look. Thranduil to your waist ensured you were covered and took the basket he settled on the bedside table on his path to your closet curious of what else you had tucked away to wear. Without touch he got a good look at all that he could see and then made his way to your other rooms to see what else you may have added to the apartment already. The study was where he found additions aside from the self weaving lace loom now with a panel that floated up to a body model that pinned itself up to join the second piece that would one day be a vest of top to another stunning dress. Just the number of books had his head swiveling to take in the various appearances and runes down the spines he couldn’t read.

A forest green book was eased off the shelf and with a grin he admired the forest scene etched into the front cover that he opened and began to flip through a few pages until he found an image then began to flip ahead to the next image. A pattern he continued ignorant of the glowing letters on the spine of the book that upon a picture of a tiger he slammed the book shut to the roar the moving creature gave off. The noise had his head turn to Glorfindel and Legolas who entered the doorway and he said in a show of the book, “Magic book, apparently.” Gently he eased the book back into its place and the trio got to choosing their own books they admired the covers of and stole a few glimpses inside.

Legolas, “Ada, what tongue is this?”

Thranduil answered turning over his own book in hand, “I do not know. Queen Jaqiearae was just informing me of her enchanted ear covers that allow her to understand and speak any tongue heard by her. Though written word is not affected the same. There must be several languages here, some of these runes are quite opposing in composition and overall shape.”

Word had most certainly gotten around and while others ate in the public kitchens supplies for a helping all your own were being gathered to be brought to you in your rooms to be prepped there and ready hopefully when you had woken. The sitting room was made use of with the only available seating other than your own bed that they spoke on ways to make you feel more comfortable now that the kingdom knew you were also at least part Maiar. Radagast’s name was mentioned as far as an invitation to the celebration at the end of the month to have a friend with magic in common nearby as Mithrandir was hard to locate a majority of the time and Saruman was harder to get out of his tower than a badger from its den.

A tap on your nose was what had woken you. And into focus came the boy who knelt open mouthed at the opal like swirl of colors in you eyes that darkened back to their normal silver flecked purple eyes. “I shot you,” he said and you couldn’t help but grin at him.

“Not really.”

“I like your dogs and goat,” he said scooping all three up in his palms to show you as if he’d been afraid to be caught with them.

“Thank you, my grandparents gave me them.”

“Are you better? Supper is almost done.” He pointed to your left, “I didn’t eat your rolls.”

In a reach over you grabbed one of the still warm rolls you lifted and offered to him. With a wide smile he set down your stuffies and accepted the roll he took a big bite out of it as you managed to prop yourself up to test your strength and then wiggled yourself upright. Groggily you managed to push the covers down and exhaled in the effort just that took and in a turn you reached for a roll that you took a lazy bite from. The slowed movements of your body had the boy ask, “Are you tired?”

Slowly a half blink with one eyelid moving slower than the other your head eased to the side in an awkward tilt through a hard swallow to empty your mouth to say, “I need my bag.” Right away his head turned and on his knees he swiveled until he spotted the bag that was on the bench at the foot of the bed he scrambled to grab and bring back to you only to find your body had collapsed to its side.

“Here,” he said opening the bag he settled on the bed in front of your trembling empty hand barely able to rise off the bed that dipped into the bag and retracted from it with a silver tin with gems around a painted mural in the center of the lid and around the sides of the oval marvel. A small latch was undone with a press of your thumb that lifted the lid to reveal a tin of what looked to be candies inside. In a sloppy pinch one of the caramel colored ones that in a blur of the room and muffle of a shout from the boy who was more than alarmed by your behavior. That shout had brought with it all three of the Lords who encircled you with a bodiless hand that helped to scoop the candy between your lips. That once upon your tongue melted into an elixir that dripped down your throat to the struggling groan that had hands cup your cheeks in wide eyed panic to the sight of a trail of black ooze from the corner of your mouth. Sharp inhales came in the snap of your eyes, now dark grey with golden veins that receded in four deep chested coughs held back behind what seemed to be your lips glued shut.

Around you their faces came into focus and in the split of your lips they saw the dark receding of ooze source of the trail one of the hands had wiped away they watched you seemed to inhale back down your throat and say, “Sorry, got up too fast.”

Glorfindel said with narrowed eyes, “That was no moment of feeling faint.”

“No,” you said to a tear that escaped from the corner of your eye, “Since I was taken, my magic, I cannot use above an amount of magic. Or I pass out and stay asleep for however long it takes to wear off the sleep.”

Thranduil asked, “These candies? This is the antidote of this sleep?”

“Partly.” You said and wet your lips and in the sign that you were trying to get up their hands helped you to do so and hold you upright, “Still tired, but I can perk up with something to eat. Probably will sleep in tomorrow, can’t help it. The candies are a hardened tonic to reverse the body binding part of my sleep.”

Thranduil asked in a pained voice, “Is there no cure?”

Unsteadily you shook your head and lifted your roll again, now slightly squished that you took another bite from after saying, “Haven’t found a curse like it. He did it.”

The trio simply watched you gradually work back to some semblance of normal in finishing off that roll and a second Legolas handed to you in hopes to quicken the healing along to Estel closing the tin he returned to your bag. Upon news of the supper being ready they helped you to the meal, through which Thranduil assured you Radagast was on his way to meet you and could assist you or call upon Mithrandir or Saruman if necessary to find a way to heal you of this illness.

Ample thanks were given to the cook who gladly shared they would add this recipe to the list of dishes to teach you upon a later date then left with a wide smile at the hopes they had impressed a few points upon their favor to be your personal cook. Afterwards however Legolas had led the rush to get you to call it an early night and joined the others with Estel on his hip upon their victorious exit to your choice of sleeping clothes to do just that.

Two days each time you were seen in passing their eyes traveled over you as if to take in any signs of weariness. Signs that after a late breakfast prepped by a second undercook who helped to see you off to a series of task in the Palace as you had missed the ride to Dale that day. Tasks were minimal in subtle agreements through the Palace to not exert you ended by evening strolls through the forest the speckled mare who even seemed to be against urging you to run or so much as speed walk, even going so far as to physically stop you by standing sideways in front of you to keep you from strain. Huffs and groans from you were common until a third day when you were able to sneak onto the first wagon to Dale the next day for a chance to be taken as healthy once again.

An early day however was called at the market having to close for a family celebration that had you with hold of your coin purse to check on what goodies you might be able to afford with each of your few paydays. A bundle of juicy grapes and exactly four pears you strolled to the front gates of the city where one of the guards eyed the cloth bag you held open in the bend of your arm with a smile and a grape between your fingers giving it an amused squeeze. Right up at noticing the audience you flashed him a grin and said, “We could never afford grapes as a child.”

Amusedly he chuckled to himself and watched the second guard who now was on the ground at your side to help you back onto the wagon turned around at the roll in of clouds to give off a slight drizzle soon enough that had brought the available Elves in Dale to head back before the rains could grow if they would at all. The grape was added back to the sack and you lifted a pear that the woman at the stall helped you to choose the best ones that you gave a curious sniff to it. The action had the friendly Elleth who was visiting a friend that worked in the Elvish markets who agreed to help you assemble an ample helping of fruit upon your return and would gladly show you just how to prepare each for snacking and the best way to keep them fresh to enjoy them to their fullest and not have to eat them at once.

Full tours of the markets were given in Greenwood where you were assured that King Thranduil had settled an account for your leisure upon declaration of your title named upon Lord Glorfindel’s arrival at your side in one of their daily trips along your paths. A lesson on jams had come next in the gathering of a full supply of food to be used for the lunch cooking lesson from another undercook to grant the cook time to ready the supplies in your kitchen. The twin Lords however upon realizing you had made a heaping amount had invited themselves as the others were busy in aligning themselves with the incoming arrival of Lords and family members from both Rivendell and Lothlorien.

Pt 5

All –

Hobbit/LotR – @abiwim, @jotink78, @pastelhexmaniac

X Thranduil - @evyiione, @sweetlytenacious25, @tigereyesf, @pastelhexmaniac, @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore

x Ash - @fandomsstolemylife00, @lilith15000, @devilishminx328

#Thranduil #Celebrimbor #Legolas #Estel #Elladan and Elohrir #Arrows and Consequences #The Curse #Marketplace

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blankdblank · 3 years

Text

Ash Pt 12

Side to side in front of the floor length mirror in the Seamstress’ tailoring room you twisted and eyed the deep silver over the torso and bright yellow resembling the leaves in fall in the leaf shaped scales that coated your arms, shoulders and upper chest and back. “What do you think?” Glorfindel asked from the doorway behind you adjusting the glove on his hand in your turn around to look the ruby red and grey armored robe he was donning underneath and additional chest plate and arm braces. “Outside of our forests the trees of the wild are still brightly colored for those that still have their leaves. New buds should be sprouting on each of the flowering trees we pass as well. If you were puzzled about the color.”

“I was curious, I would stick out in seas of green and brown.” You said in a brush of your long braid over your back while the feathered decoration hung freely opposite the chin length side swept portion of curls tucked behind your left ear decorated with small braids and gem beads to help keep them from your face the whole ride. “It is a beautiful color.”

“Yes it is,” he said and gestured his hand to the side that signaled your reach for your bag that was shouldered on the way to the door in a hopping trot off the platform to cross the floor and join the noisy hall with what seemed to be hundreds readying to depart. “Quite stunning on you and I do not doubt that you will certainly stand out at King Thranduil’s side. Nolwe is being dressed by him and will await you at the gates. Are you nervous?” he asked to the fidget of your fingers on the strap of your bag draped across your chest.

“How could I not be. Last time I was out of the forest a dragon came for Dale. No telling what my luck will draw out on a two week trek.”

“You are quite safe with your luck, which is very much the more pleasurable alternative to ours in our old age we have encountered many more foes than a dragon and always when we are in small numbers. Today we are departing with hundreds. Pay no mind to threats. Pathways to Imladris are quite protected.”

“So who are you bunking with?” You asked to try and calm yourself down and had him chuckle at the odd question. “Four beds in my tent apparently.”

“I am sharing with Elrond’s children as usual. The tents are quite spacious if you are concerned on space.”

“I tend to roll,” you said and he chuckled again.

“We all do. Pay no mind to that. And there are rest sights along the way set up for relief and also bathing quite often so there will be little discomfort there and no threat of an audience while cleaning. We always divide for privacy. Though I cannot promise the waters will be very warm, it is still the cups of spring yet.”

“I am accustomed to cold water.”

“I imagine another memory of your childhood home.” That had you giggle as he chuckled along to the clear humorous note on your slightly grim past of which Legolas had clearly shared more of what he had learned off your ride alone. While in each step your hands smoothed over the mid thigh length flaps that hung over your black pants and matched the grey of your tall boots you had chosen for the travel. Surrounded fully by more and more brightly colored bodies in various states of armored layers they felt comfortable to travel in.

“Good news,” you heard upon reach of the field of readied horses and covered wagons where Thranduil approached with letter in hand in a step from Nolwe’s side a few feet from Tuo who was speaking to his son about his first trip from the forest. “You have received a response from King Thror.”

“Oh, that’s good. I mean we’re leaving, but that’s good so quick a response?”

Lowly he chuckled and broke the seal to your agreeing nod and stepped to your side in Glorfindel’s smirk laced path away to his own waiting steed while you took notice of the yellow and silver robe that matched yours the King was wearing underneath his deep silver cloak contrasting the polished mithril chest plate and arm braces. “King Thror thanks you for the offer of aid in cleansing Moria but wishes to inform you this is a matter he must consult the remainder of his clans in other lands and their Lords who would also profit from the reclamation. Which will take time, however he is writing to warn the matter could take some months in deliberation to weigh the differences in sway to either decision. He hopes, should it take long, that your kind offer, on top of what you have already gifted to them in aid against the Fire Drake that strove to take their home, that time may not encourage a revocation of said offer. And that the offer is not imagined to be anything less than remarkably selfless and one of a foundation of steadfast friendship they will never forget.”

“Is this about that stone? They need permission?”

To himself he chuckled as he folded the letter he placed into his pocket under the end of his robe and offered you a hand to guide you to Nolwe. “Not permission, reinforcements and time to ready his people and kin who would wish to return and to whom he would grant regency to rule in his stead once it is reclaimed.”

Up onto the knot he shifted your hand and helped you up onto Nolwe’s saddle, once secured there his hands rose to ensure the reins were folded safely in your hands and around Nolwe’s head he strolled to her other side awaiting Tuo’s step closer. Gently his hand patted your knee after a check that the stirrups were at a proper length for your comfort, “It is a good sign. Surely by month’s end they will have all agreed and be locked in deliberations as for how to plan who will travel and what jobs they will return to. There will be ample need of the month that mint will have charge of the mines.”

Legolas in burnt orange and golden scaled armor strolled past to his own white steed while saying, “I cannot imagine they will be able to find for a suitable window of time to settle upon a worthy gift for the Dragon let alone this offer.”

“I don’t need a gift.” That had him simply chuckle along with his father who stroked Tuo’s cheek in his approach ready to let the King on his back. “I don’t, Dew Drop when we get to Rivendell you have to write them and say I don’t need a gift.”

In a glance back at you he said in a playful retort to take up the chance to try his own nickname now you have publicly given named his, “Well my Darling Starlight, that is not how the world works. They will decide and send a gift once possible.” Into the stirrup his foot moved and you simply huffed for another chuckle worthy moment in his climb up onto the saddle he settled into. Once in the moment possible his hands were on the reins and he guided Tuo closer to Nolwe, a move aided by the nearly half a foot the Elk had on her to alleviate his antlers being in the way, “You may not need gifts but you however do deserve them. Dwarves give fine gifts, including furs, perhaps several blankets or a fur shawl could be hinted if that would be suitable?”

“You are determined to make this difficult aren’t you?”

Again he chuckled and in a reach over raised your hand to press a kiss to your knuckles, “I was about to ask you the same thing. For now, I believe you are ready for an adventure.” Easing your hand back to the other to take hold of the reins under the momentary pat his hands gave yours through an adoring smile that ended in a head nod and his turn forward for Tuo’s advance to his verbal utterance that had you glance down to Nolwe in her step forward knowing full well you hadn’t learned the verbal cues just yet.

Trees for miles stretched and in a stagger beside Tuo, Nolwe trotted in a steady pace with head forward in your glance back to the wagon and rider packed trail behind you. Radagast bubbling with animated chuckles caught up to your side on his rabbit pulled sled and said, “Have a fine journey Queen Jaqiearae. Once you are through feel free to visit my forest of Fangorn anytime, you are always welcome!” Forward his sled raced in your thanks. And then your eyes widened to what you saw as a vast field open and faintly lit to the rising colors of a misty dawn under a hidden archway you passed into an unknown open.

“Whoa,” you muttered to yourself and drew Thranduil’s eye to your glance around.

Once there was room Legolas rode forward to your side and pointed off in the distance to where Radagast was headed, “Fangorn Forest is farther South, beyond Lothlorien which you will catch a hint of once we cross Anduin River.”

“There’s a river out here?”

Thranduil chuckled and said, “We won’t reach that until morning after our breakfast.”

“If it takes a day to get to the river how long to cross it?”

Legolas chuckled out in response, “Just an hour there is a bridge.”

“An hour,” it already took hours to leave the forest after having left after midnight.

Thranduil said, “Just beyond those hills we will reach near midday is a rest area where we will stop for lunch. If you grow tired at all we can move you to the nearest wagon to rest.”

“I should be fine. I could probably outlast you on lack of sleep.”

That had him chuckle and state, “We shall not be testing that theory.”

True enough the hills came. With sight of empty stables hours past a lonely looking cottage and carefully down you were helped to the ground to join others to the doorway in the side of the hill. Through which you smirked in inspecting the internal woven halls to toilets and baths that thanks to Hobbit connections through the years are now safer and hidden under hills along the way between kingdoms.

Back out again once through you stepped and with a look around followed the glint of white blonde hair to find where Thranduil had set up a stool for you beside his at the chosen lunch spot for a cool lunch of fruits and prepped sandwiches and jams on scones for the in between meals.

Eager shifts of the horses and Elk lured the lot of you to clean up and a second chance to help you up was stolen in a brief press of lips to the side of your temple. “I bet by the time we reach the city you’ll be tired of helping me up.”

“Bold lie, who might have given you that impression?” Lord Celeborn asked on his way to his own wagon where he rode with his wife and children on this first leg of the trip.

Elrond answered in a smirk on his own way past, “It is an honor to assist our Ones onto their steeds each and every time. No matter how frequent. A much approved form of affection to tend to the simplest of matters.”

Into the saddle you settled and watched Estel being carried back to the wagons to ride with the twins muttering about the day he could be big enough to ride his own pony with everyone else. You glanced to Thranduil who said through a smirk, “The final distance he rides with one of us out of the wagon. Do not let him fool you. We grant him ample freedoms. Each of our youths are the same. Legolas mastered his own fair share of guilt trips in his time as did I.” That had you giggle to yourself in his climb onto his own saddle to ready the path ahead for the brightly adorned riders.

“Get some rest Nolwe,” you said in a stroke of her head once she was undressed. And softer you added, “I’m sure Dew Drop’s mom misses you very much.” Softly she leaned into another stroke of her face while the eyes of the King and Prince flinched off of you once their stunned stare at the comment ended to your adding, “Such strong legs, ran all day without slowing down, even with me on your back.”

To which Thranduil cut in, “You are nowhere near as heavy as you imagine yourself to be. I could carry you all day and in a few years I would imagine Estel could as well.”

“He’s barely to my knee,” you retorted stirring up chuckles from the men around you in Nolwe’s stroll off for her dinner that left you to take up the stool Thranduil settled out for you beside his again. Fires were lit by the cooks as groups of guards set up watch while the other chosen people in each sleeping group began to assemble the tents. “Should I-,?” you pointed to Legolas in the process of unfolding the supplies of the tent you would share and Thranduil shook his head and settled on the stool beside yours with a scoop of his hand around yours resting atop your knee.

“No, even I have tried to intervene before and have been cast off. Little leaf and Tauriel have a longstanding race for this task.”

Estel however popped up in front of you and with his hands on your knees asked, “Queen Pear? Can we have another story?” His eyes grew wider and before you knew it all the other children had crowded around you for a chuckle worthy reach into your bag to bring out the book that Thranduil released your hand to allow you to open and flip through the book to the tale you had left off at.

Just one story and the meal was served out in dishes that once cleared Thranduil took hold of your bowl and stated, “I will wash these, to grant you time to change.”

You nodded then stood as he did only to ask, “What do you wear? Should it be a just pop your boots on ready to go in the morning? Or..?”

Adoringly his smile bled out and he answered, “Sleep however you are comfortable. Though I sleep in my pants and a tunic when on travels.”

“Simply astonishing,” you teased on your way to the tent drawing a chuckle from him that had him shake his head to his confused but smirking friends around him as to what the joke could mean between you.

Out of your outer robe and boots you sat atop the fainting couch molded cot closest to you to remove your socks as well then stand again. Both socks were tucked back into your bag and near the trunk along the outer wall to keep from stealing someone else’s chosen spot. Barefoot with your comfy tunic and the same pants on display out again you stepped through the front flap where you spotted your sleeping group all in line in wait for a sign that it was safe for them to enter. “Comfortable?” Thranduil asked and you nodded, “Good, were you to change your mind later simply inform us and we will step out. We shall remove our traveling layers and boots as well.”

Legolas said, “You are welcome inside, we will not remove much else beyond our socks.”

Through the flap that Thranduil opened for you again you stepped in and to the side for them to enter. Estel hurried to his favorite spot and Legolas smirked to himself in a move to take up the spot beside him to grant you and his father the other two side by side cots.

Atop your newly designated cot just beyond the wash basin but before a tall chair that was an apparent travel version of Thranduil’s Throne you lowered to sit. Slightly intrigued by the difference of the feel of this cot. The original you had sat on opposite his father’s was now claimed by Legolas was less giving while this one seemed to have an added layer of cushioning and a spare fur blanket folded across the foot of this traveling bed. Clearly it was meant to wean you into long traveling trips and by the trio of pillows Thranduil pulled from the trunk now you had two pillows and he chose the smallest of the three and began to lay his outer layers atop the trunk.

Between the two sets of cots Estel hopped out of his boots and left a line of dropped things in his ready for bed while Legolas opposite the entrance flap wall of tarps from the table there poured himself a glass of water and took a sip mid unbutton of his outer robe. Once through with his drink he passed the remainder to Estel in his trot over to claim a drink himself that enabled the elder Prince to pick up the abandoned clothes the boy returned in a thunk of the empty cup back onto the table to help him gather to plop at the foot of his own cot. Promptly the boy hurried to clamber himself into sleep, with Legolas in his own cot right behind once the boy was properly covered and cuddled up with a pillow.

“Do you require another pillow?” Thranduil asked and your eyes flinched to him in his lower of the chest plate he’d just removed.

“No,” you said and shifted on the cot to unfold the fur to stretch out across the lounge framed cot.

Your eyes however shifted to Estel in his wiggle onto his side to say, “Don’t forget your dogs,”

With a grin you said, “I don’t really need them here,” then added to his reluctant nod from your cut off of his try to ask for one you said, “But you can borrow one if you like.” You said in a rise to your feet to head to the trunk with your things, into the bag you reached and brought out the one he had cuddled with before and took it over to the boy who smiled and hugged it to his chest in your smooth of the blanket over him again. “Sweet dreams.”

A yawn was your response, Legolas however chuckled in asking, “Are you certain we cannot fetch you something.”

“No thank you. If I drink anything else I’ll wake up halfway through the night and no doubt get lost.”

Thranduil, “There are guards on watch who would not allow that.” His eyes followed you back to your cot where you again stretched out and laid back covering the fur that once his robe was removed he moved to help you straighten to your shoulders. All the same still for a moment he lingered there above you and just ever so gently brushed a stray bit of curls behind your ear that had folded up to lay across your brow then simply stepped back to lower and stretch out across his own cot.

His fumble with the folded blanket however was not so graceful, as it had a fold in the middle he ended up kicking apart on its tangle around his foot. The whole thing a telling common place routine and irritant to him. At least until he heard your hushed giggle you tried to muffle in a dip of your lips underneath the fur bunched under your chin, then he simply relented and gave the blanket a good fling upwards to let it fall across his body and right the tangle on its own in his own low chuckle to himself.

Hours was what you could have guessed you lay there unable to sleep, while Thranduil amusingly timed you at just a hair under ten minutes until he heard the clear sign that he could turn his head and see that you had indeed fallen asleep.

Legolas did this on purpose. It was shared and well known you slept alone for over a thousand years. But one day if the momentous wedding was ever to come that would have to change. And his son surely planned to have you on the cot just five inches from his. So close yet with an invisible barrier of honor he would not cross it. No matter how badly he wished to be able to roll over and drape his arms around you and nestle you into his chest again to let you know even in sleep he would shield you with himself if he had to for protection. Even just to fix that same stubborn strand of curls that had seemed to use your sleep to bunch up and cover part of your face again he would wait and endure the taunt of that one zigzag of your face that he couldn’t adore and etch into his mind of this first chance to sleep beside you. Legolas had to have known he wouldn’t be able to sleep had you been placed anywhere else, he would be up all night pacing across the rug coated floor of this tent just to see that you were sleeping soundly.

Sharply however in the blur of time his eyes clenched shut in the deep inhale and turn of your body as if to evade being caught staring should your eyes open. Yet the tap by his foot had his eyes open. And to a grin inducing sight he lifted his head to find you now mostly on your belly with arms tucked around the largest pillow and in a lower of his gaze to find what touched his foot he saw your leg out of your blanket and foot now settled beside his lower leg. Somehow in the turn you went from center of your cot to the very edge and that five inch gap was nothing to your new comfy position now partially across his cot as well. Straight up he sat and in timid glances your way took hold of your leg to lift it just enough to ease the slide of his blanket from underneath it that he settled atop the intruder to ensure at least that even if it kicked him later the barefoot now bridging the gap between you would be warm come morning.

It was just simple contact. Exactly what he seemed to need as in the bend of toes against his leg his eyes shut to your content sigh that your slumbering move had stretched you as far as possible underneath his warm fur he drifted off to sleep and hoped that come morning his slumbering self wouldn’t have pulled your cot closer to enhance the chance of snuggling even more. The very last thought in his head however was one of debate on his lack of a kiss goodnight and if he should try to mend that with a tender kiss good morning.

An unexpected push on his leg however had his eyes blink open to find that to the sound of the first woken to ready the meal from the silent dawn had lured a grumble of a plea for more hours of sleep from the disheveled and comfy fur coated heap on the cot beside him. Unable to help it he chuckled to the sight of the nose and flash of forehead that your same unruly curls, while still tucked back into a braid had loosened and pooled across the face it would appear he was not allowed to wake up to.

Another grumble came, though this time from Estel in his knee top rise with blanket sliding off his back to the rub of his eyes. Again you nestled more into the pillow as the boy seemed to spring to life and with stuffed dog in hand raced over towards the foot of your cots where he froze in stare at the leg blocking his way. Smalls hands patted the leg that stirred a deep inhale from the body attached to it and in a quick dip under the leg from having seen the pale blue eyes on him the boy dipped and hurried to crawl then climb onto the cot with the smiling father of his best friend. Right on top of his chest Estel moved to sit and he said, “You have lost room on your cot.”

“It would appear I have. Not much however. Sleep well?”

Estel nodded his head to Legolas’ literal stretch and collapse off of his cot that woke him and stirred his rise to come and join the younger Prince on his father’s cot. Seated right on his free side with a lean into the chest accustomed to supporting the weight of both bodies for the usual morning chat until given the all clear the meal was underway and the other Lords’ families were awake, as they usually woke the earliest and got earfuls for not having woken the others who begrudgingly took such awakenings. “Perhaps we should get you a bigger cot, Ada. It would appear you are now supporting four.”

Thranduil simply chuckled and said, “Plenty of room.”

Legolas, “Well, one thing for certain, at least our Queen will be well rested for today’s ride. Just beginning the rougher rides.”

“What about muffin pies?” you mumbled through a waking sigh that lured out grins from the men who got to watch your rise from your warm nest to blink the trio into focus. Conversation came to bridge the time from waking to when the food would be ready. And upon notice of what exactly your foot kept pressing against from his cot to yours your leg tucked and you sat up with legs crossed to continue the talk until you could apologize.

The call to eat did come and after the men respectfully stepped behind the diagonally hung tapestry in the back of the tent you now saw as a changing spot for them the each swap out their tunics then tugged on new socks and their boots you were alone with Thranduil.

Across the tent he moved to your side and when you rose he was at your side and right away stole his chance. Just as he had imagined it, a bit more than he had dared before, with palm to your cheek and arm draped around your back into his chest for the rather romantic kiss. As if he hadn’t seen you for days his lips and body melted around yours, perhaps a bit too much for just a few moments behind a tapestry to count for a parting. But the curl of fingers into the tunic at his sides in the break for air gave warning to the slight shift of your head to claim a second kiss of your own. Warning murmurs from outside found him in a shift back with arm loosening its hold to prevent others from finding the pair of you alone in such a state of embrace that would surely rush things along.

Sweetly in a low hum a breath from your lips he spoke, “Take up as much room on my cot as you require.”

“I,” you cracked out only to have the rest of your sentence die in the next kiss he used to break it.

“As much. I will let you change,” the continued hold on his tunic however lured him back again only to freeze in his try to pull back when the fingertips once locked in his tunic rose to glide along his neck towards his ears.

Barely above a whisper he gasped and his hands rose to cradle yours in their pull away, “Sorry,”

“No, no,” he said and drew the cradled hands into his chest with a press of his lips to each. Again he stepped forward to calm you in another kiss and hum, “I will let you change,” he repeated and as if you had pouted or pled again he leaned in for a final chuckle laced kiss he broke in a whisper, “They will come looking if I don’t leave now.” He said more in a plea to himself to release your hands in a reluctant glide of freed fingers and stepped away with kind grin while he coaxed himself out or the tent before he could ruin things.

Not to his waiting friends but towards the hidden baths he went to lock himself in a stall to simply breathe and refocus upon the plan. He had to focus on patience. The plan that now had him burning with lightning coursing underneath his skin to each touch and every kiss. One good morning kiss, one. That was what he promised himself and now he had gone and drawn you flush up against himself and now that his heartbeat had felt yours his chest had begun to ache since his step away. That look in your eyes however once you had touched him, that had him gasp, that silent question if you could be so bold and be allowed to touch him back. Painfully he had to stop, they would have come in, surely they would have seen what he had started at this impossible time. Everyone would wait for you, no matter how long you wished to have been alone but you didn’t deserve that gossip, those stares once you did leave the tent to restart the trek onwards. And possibly never dare to steal a moment again. No, he would wait for Rivendell, there you could drag him about to your whims and keep him wherever you wished for however long and spend the whole time in his arms if you so desired.

Cold and clear the water from the wash basin was used to wet your face to calm you down. The temperature not helping the tingle of those fingers that had you shake them once done with the towel used to dab your face and chin dry left back on its stand. This was madness. “It was just a kiss.” You muttered to yourself, “Then another, then another,” you didn’t get it. “Why couldn’t I stop?” you asked in the path to your bag to fetch a new shirt as it dawned on you. The proof having been from so many epics with great romances laced within them, lust. “Oh no,” you said tugging off your tunic that to the bumps rising across your skin had a second pulled on over your neck with an arm rapidly pushed through to the end of the sleeve, “I’m lusting after Dew Drop.”

The other arm was next and to your pitifully withheld groan outside Arwen and her brothers paused to hear you mutter, “And he knows! He has to know! He’s got a kid, full grown kid for Merlin’s sake.” Now you were pacing and the audience outside your tent had their parents and grandparents watching from near the fire wondering for what they were listening in on. “We’re sharing a tent with his kid and another kid and I’m just over here lusting away-!” Sharp and clear what sounded to be half of a squeak and a gasp reminiscent of a pained yelp from a small animal had everyone, including the now returned Thranduil along with the two Princes who’d followed him and brought him back from the hidden baths, now frozen to look at the tent.

Arwen asked, “Queen Jaqiearae? Are you alright?”

Through a pained tuck of your leg to your chest to grip the throbbing toes in question you replied, “I’m fine. Just my foot.”

Elladan, “Do you require a Healer?”

“No, just walked into the trunk. I’m fine.”

Ellohrir, “Should you change your mind we are a shriek away,” his sister patted the back of her hand on his chest to silence his internal chuckle of amusement and the trio walked to the waiting group where his chuckles could no longer be contained.

Arwen rolled her eyes and Celeborn asked, “You were listening to the Queen’s tent?”

Arwen answered, “She was speaking to herself, softly in a language we couldn’t understand.”

Elladan, “Then she ran into her trunk it seems.”

Legolas, “Perhaps a morning itinerary, or a debate on clothes. This is her first trek.”

Thranduil sighed and said, “Either way perhaps we should think up a travel game for when boredom might strike.”

Right away Ellohrir’s mouth shut to his parents and grandparents saying at once, “No copper petal.” That had the twin huff and take his seat for the game that always ended up near to fist fight level arguments over the detail heightened game of scavenging the oldest quotes possible from tales mentioned.

Thranduil, “Perhaps her second trip we will then entertain a brawl worthy game to not frighten the young Queen from traveling again amongst us.”

Promptly once your foot stopped throbbing socks and boots were added again and once a vest was added over your loose low dipping tunic with the last button and tie secured out you went to sneak a trip through the crowd that pretended it hadn’t heard your mystery of a conversation towards the hidden baths. Though by the time you joined them the group had all seated themselves and watched you step over your designated stool to settle down beside the King who chuckled as you said, “Apparently trunks don’t have to move for me to run into them.”

Pt 13

All –

@sherala007, @mariannetora, @jesgisborne, @knitastically, @catthefearless, @theincaprincess, ggbbhehe4455, @lilith15000,

Not nsfw(smut) - @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore

Ash - @devilishminx328, @fandomsstolemylife00, @lilith15000

#Thranduil x OC #Traveling #Tent Mates #Glorfindel #Legolas #Estel #Thranduil #Elrond #Celeborn #Arwen #Elladan and Elohrir

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