Your Hands Are Cold

Prying

Weeks have passed since Thranduil’s confession, he told me we would have to keep our relationship, whatever it was, a secret. Whenever Maerwen or Faelwen happened to pass by as I exited his chambers at the break of dawn, I would simply tell them that Thranduil requested my appearance that morning to tell me he urgently needed a set of robes. I assume they never became suspicious of anything, because the two are always busy doing something. As for my post as the king’s personal seamstress, I would keep my job, unless he decides to take me as his queen, which I hope he would not.

I regret thinking that Maerwen and Faelwen would not suspect. One early morning after I met with Thranduil in his chambers, the two elves dragged me to the storage rooms for a small interrogation.

“Why have you been going to the king’s chambers so early in the morning?” asked Faelwen curiously. The two girls awaited my response, but I simply laughed.

“You know how urgent he can be, and how he requests for his staff’s appearance at such early mornings,”

“So, there isn’t anything strange going on between you and the king?” asked Maerwen.

“Why would there ever be?” I said, with a wide grin on my lips. I made sure I would not confess my secret, no matter how much these two elves get to me.

“Well,” continued Faelwen. “It’s just that once you exit his chambers, you wear the same clothes as the day before. That’s a little odd. To us, anyways,”

“Maerwen, Faelwen, it’s silly of you to suspect something has happened between me and Thranduil, when in truth, nothing has happened. I wouldn’t want your curiosity to get into your minds too much, considering how much work you have to do. Well then, shall I return to my chambers or do you two have any more questions?”

Maerwen, and Faelwen looked at each other and replied in unison, “Yes, we do,”

I groaned, and left the storage rooms in a hurry. It would be wise if I avoid them and their prying questions for the rest of the day, I said to myself.

As I returned to my chambers, Thranduil had been waiting, and sat on my chair. On the bed lay a bouquet of flowers along with an enlarged version of the drawing of my parents and me. I had not know he was in my room when I entered, and when I caught him in my sight as I gazed at the mirror to undress myself and change into my night robes, I gasped quite loudly.