An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Book 2: chapter 8~ the bear

Picture is of the bear that attacked Luca (it's also mor'du from brave :)

The next morning Luca awoke with a smile on his face for the first time for as long as he could remember. Vall was dressed in a long white nightgown and curled up in his protective arms. He looked down at her delicate ankles and reached down, removing the chain and anklet from her, confident she would stay.He moved a piece of hair from her face before getting up quietly and collecting some clothes them heading down to a river to wash. Vall had made a small bed for the little mouse yesterday out of some wool and grass which was now on the top shelf where the mouse was perched, snoozing. Luca felt all the small ligaments and bones in his back click as he stretched, breathing in the cold morning air. He knew it was a horrible thought but he was rather he had been able to take vall so easily. Did the king really not care about her? Or was she just another gem to add to his collection? Luca's fists balled at this idea as he headed down to the river. He himself had almost been taken as 'pretty thing' to sell had he not fought them. His own village wanting to sell him, the very people his mother had begged to look after him when she was gone. He had quickly learned that in this world you could only count on yourself. He dipped his toe into the running river and washed his hair and body quickly.

Suddenly he looked up. Something wasn't right. Then out of the corner out of his eye he saw something large and black. He dried and threw on some britches quickly before jumping to the other side of the bank to see what the creature was. A bear, and a dammed big one at that. It looked to be contemplating attacking Luca and his camp but Luca stood his ground. He had fought wild animals many times before only now he had no weaponry, just his bare hands and quick wit. He stood his ground as the animal locked eyes with him. He could feel himself shaking from adrenaline as the bear began to stalk towards him. Although he was a leader that did not mean he did not feel fear and anxiety for the safely of his people. The bear soon picked up pace, bounding towards him on all fours, his teeth showing.
Luca grabbed a large sturdy stick from the bank and dodged quickly as the bear took a great swipe with his paw. The stick was not as nimble as his sword as he swung it hitting the bear round the head but it would have to do. The bear seemed unfazed by the smack to the head and turned to lunge at Luca again. Luca let out a loud animalistic shout, thinking to scare the bear away but it only agitated the beast. It did however wake some of his people, including valladea who was still sleeping softly. Luca slammed his fist against the bear's face and sharp ice impaled the bear's eye, partly blinding him. The bear cried out as people were gasping in horror at the fighting with mine preparing daggers. The bear swiped his claws blindly at the air and slashed luca's strong chest, deeply wounding his. Luca was slammed against the ground, winding him. He attempted to get but the bear bared down on him, ready to rip his face off. It was then Luca heard a noise like no other he had heard before. He was not sure whether it was an animal or human. His head felt light from hitting it against the ground on his fall and the blood seeping out of the gashes.

Luca's people washed in awe as vall ran and leapt across the river bank to Luca and the bear. It was then she let out a loud, animalistic scream. The bear breathed heavily as vall locked eye with it. The bear turned to vall and huffed angrily at her. Luca tried to get up but fell down onto the grass, his head swimming with pain. Vall was shaking but she screamed a strange language that Luca had only ever heard once. Icelerin. It was language only a small amount of Icelers were able to speak and was known to be able to communicate with animals. The bear back away slowly, cowering away from vall's body. She screamed once more and threw herself forwards. The bear fled in the opposite direction, moaning and puffing. By now men were picking up the unconscious Luca and bringing him into his own caravan.

Vall stared at where the bear had been, unaware she had even spoken another language. She turned to face Luca's people and was met by mixed emotions. Some looked fearfully at her and held their children close. Others smiled at her in thanks for saving their leader. She climbed over the bank and people parted in awe and fear as she passed them, following Luca. She timidly walked up the stairs and peeped in to see women nervously talking and checking books. Vall ignored them and entered the caravan. The women went silent and watched as vall approached Luca with light footsteps. She knelt next to him on the floor, looking over his chest that had three deep gashes across the chest. Out of instinct she pressed her palm to the cuts, covering her hands in a pale pinky, shimmering layer of blood. He focused on the feeling of the cuts, the opening of the skin, the wetness of the blood. She closed her eyes and felt her palms becoming increasingly colder. She opened her eyes in fear of hurting him only to see tiny ice crystals almost stitching the wound close. Vall did not understand it but was both relieved that he was better.
The other women watched in awe and one passed her a bowl of hot water with crushed herbs in it and a flannel. If she had not been wearing the special anklet, the hot water would have scorched and hurt her skin, only now it felt pleasant against her skin. She gently wiped away the blood from Luca's chest and smiled at her work. If she was to say he had never been hurt, they would have have believed her.

The women left, giving vall and their leader privacy. Vall leaned her back against the wicker basket as she sat on the floor, giving Luca some space. The now orange mouse ran down from his Perch and sat on her shoulder, looking curiously at Luca.
"He will be okay" she assured him as she watched her....what was he to her? She was certainly her leader but yesterday she felt as though they had been slightly more. Or was she just being silly? At that moment Luca stirred quietly and groaned inwardly at the throbbing in his head. He looked down quickly, remembering the blood and pain. To his surprise all traces of his injury were gone
"You should lie down" vall said as Luca tried to get up, making him jump he had not even noticed that she was in the room!
"Valladea" he smiled fondly at her. "You are nursing me now are you?" He joked and she shrugged.
"I will do my best. What were you thinking, going out and trying to fight that bear? It would have killed you" he scolded.
"But it did not" he pointed out.
"It could have-"
"But that is not the outcome of the turn of the turn events" he pointed out teasingly. Vall only looked worriedly at him. "I want to protect my people-"
"You can't do that with your face ripped off-"
"And you" Luca said firmly. Vall tilted her head curiously. "I want to protect you vall" he said seriously. If vall could blush she would be. "Come here" he whispered. Vall put the mouse on the Wicker basket and shifted over so that she was closer to him. He made a small 'come here' motion with his hand. Helke leaned down and Luca caught her lips with his own in a soft kiss. He pulled away and looked up into her white eyes and she smiled. She leaned down and returned the kiss as she tucked her hair behind her ear and Luca reached up to stroke her cheek only to wince and grunt in pain. The wounds marks may have been gone but the pain still remained for him. Vall could not completely heal another Iceling (or part iceling as luca was) as she could others.
"Easy" she eased his head onto her lap gently.
"I can get up" he argued, feeling his pride deflating slightly.
"I know" vall giggled quietly as she stroked his black striped white hair.
"You are something special vall" he whispered, making vall smiled before he drifted into a well deserved sleep.