𝐋𝐄𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐄 | 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨

just a meer servant [thranduil]

'Come in.' said Thranduil bleakly.

'My King, I have brought the wine as requested.' you chirped happily as always. The dark circles beneath his eyes were vibrant as ever and you saw the blank look on his face when he snatched the goblet from your hand.

He needn't say another word, for you knew it was time to go. Yet, you couldn't help but crack a joke while you were there; you'd never been as serious as the other Woodland Elves, your mother fround upon it, and alas after the constant stares of disgust from the more uptight elves, you simply remained yourself- as jolly and sweet as ever.

But you were a servant, and nothing more.

Thranduil slowly looked up, as though he knew you were about to speak instead of leaving. 'An elf walked into a bar. The dwarf laughed and walked under it.'

His ocean-blue eyes drifted wearily from side to side, finding no amusement in your humour.

'Because dwarves are so sh...' you gave up, 'Goodnight.' you politely left, hands fumbling before you in an awkward disposition. With every remaining joyous fiber in your being, you tried to see his smirky grin again. How you missed it.

         Nights passed and again he had requested goblets of wine & crackers (you threw in a little cheese too) and stepped gingerly to his chambers. Your knuckles tapped on the oak door.

After his reply, you were able to step inside and admire the mess that was before you; the tangled bedsheets around his body, contracting little warmth, how he slumped at the foot of the bed or even how he stared at the floor.

Tilting your head in dismay, you began tending to the books that were speckled across his floor. They were placed in their rightful spots and his bed was made after you convinced him to get dressed. Thranduil downed the wine and sent you on your way.

But not before you could make another joke. 'Why is Gandalf so unhappy at work?' you egged him on.

This time, he didn't even look at you. Was it worth finishing the joke? Probably not, but you did it anyway. 'Because he can't get the staff.' you sighed instead of laughed, just so he wouldn't get entirely mad at you.

Days passed whilst you slaved away, bringing the King his wine and short amount of food and being on your way. Your jokes didn't cheer him up in the slightest- for not everyone can understand such humour- and little did he know that the moment you stepped outside his room, your back fell against the door in sadness, as you missed the dear old Thranduil. You cried and cried and cried some more, but no one heard the sobs.

          It was simple this time; you took Thranduil his drink, his food and preferred not to dwell in his melancholic ways. He took the wine with his ring caressed fingers just before the tray you held was dropped into one hand only. He was taken back. You bid him adieu and went on your merry way.

'No joke today, elfling?' he mumbled from the lows of his throat.

'Well, I know others do not find such joy as I in them, you being one of them, my King. I shalln't tell another, for I have no more to tell.'

Thranduil stood for the first time in a while. 'What a pity.'

'Indeed.' you sighed too.

'Who else knows how you cry when you leave this room?'

Your cheeks felt rosy, your head a little swishy and your hands gained a tremble. 'N-no one, I did not think even you knew, my King.'

Thranduil took some steps towards you. 'You do not know how I too sit against the door, listening...'

'...Listening?'

'Yes. Listening to see if your heartbeat is as pure as the one you have when you enter this room. If it sounds as raptured, but the one I have heard does not. In this very moment however, it sounds as though you have inhaled the world's amount of...butterflies.'

'Butterflies, my King?' you uttered, the rosiness of your cheeks heating up.

He let his hand find a way to yours, bringing them up together so you could see how each of your fingers interlocked so perfectly. How his slender, delicately soft hands wrapped around yours.

'The ones that you feel in this very moment, that I feel too.'