Impurities

Chapter Sixteen: Unrelated

The Elvin King finished another letter and slid it across the table where Annawrete was sitting. Since the woman had returned to being his helper, Thranduil was finally catching up. Now able to read and respond to the petitions that had been awaiting him, Annawrete was assigned to proofread for errors. He trusted her careful eye to find his mistakes. After a moment, Thranduil looked up from a new letter he had started and caught a glimpse of Annawrete concentrating intensely. As she read and re-read his letter, he noticed the way she was biting down on her lip. "Do not hesitate to correct me if you think I am wrong", he broke her focus by saying. She shot her head up, startled. She was not just proofreading, but trying to memorize his penmanship.

This was a forgery which she had to master. It would open many, so many doors for her and Ezra. "No error", she began, "It's just---I don't agree with your rejection". She had to say something. Thranduil outstretched his hand for the letter and took it from her. Looking at it, he saw that it was the one for Lake-Town. Mirkwood already traded with them twice a year, and now they were requesting additional trading windows. "Apart from once before winter and again mid summer, we need no other ties to Bard's people", Thranduil defended his cause.

Annawrete knew nothing about Bard, his people, or their village, but she could make a valid arguement against her king because she knew of their exchanges. "Should Lake-Town take offense your rejection, they could break the two ties that we have already", she explained. "We have very few lands which we trade with. They, I am sure, have many", with certain things she was very smart. "Forty percent of our wood is imported from other forests, because you believe in limiting the use of our ancient ones. Are you prepared to lose part of that forty percent?" She was persuasive.
Thranduil ripped the letter. Completely, he tore it up before Annawrete, then laid a fresh page before himself. As he took his quill to the parchment, Annawrete bit her lip to keep from smiling. Coming over to stand behind him, the king allowed her to watch over his shoulder as he wrote a new letter.

A few hours passed and Annawrete had spent them with the king in his study. Her position somehow went from standing behind him, to beside him, to in front of him on his lap. It was more rather his knees, but it was still unusual. She was watching him write and if he wrote something she did not agree with, he would stop and they would debate it. She did not win every time, but he valued her opinion.

"Let me refill it for you", Annawrete said when the king reached for his glass and found it empty. He allowed her to get up from his knees to go do so. She had just barely reached the center of the room when Tauriel came in. The elleth disregarded her, thinking less of her for quitting the guards. "My king, we have apprehended a woman in our forests. She refuses to cooperate and tell us her reason for trespassing", the guard captain informed. Hearing that another human had been found in his forests led Thranduil to get up and follow Tauriel to where she was being held. Forgotten there in the middle of the room, Annawrete slowly returned to the King's desk and sat in his chair. Laying a fresh page on the table, she picked up his ink quill and began to duplicate his calligraphy.

Ezra had no idea what to expect as he was being pulled towards the king's throne room. However, he was not expecting to arrive simultaneously with Stella. His eyes flared at her for half a second. What are you doing here. She had a light smirk resting on her lips as she returned his glance. The guards took them in to stand before Thranduil. It was clear that the elves were associating the two humans, and rightfully so for they were the same in character.

"You're a bitch", Ezra said to Stella when they were left to his room. How the two managed to convince the elves that they were married was not an easy task. The smirk on her lips returned, "That doesnt change the fact you're wanting sex". He was already taking off his clothes. "Bitch", he said again. She laughed at him but fell silent when she saw his bandages underneath, "Philipp really wanted to kill you...". The mention of Philipp made Ezra clench his fists. "He was going to and all of you were going to let him", he said. Stella held her arm in guilt, "What do you expect from a band of thieves? Every man or woman for themselves". That hurt Ezra, but he wouldn't show it.

"You have a plot here?" She asked casually after Ezra slipped into her. He found it annoying that she attempted to converse with him now. Even so he tolerated her. She was the closest to a friend or family member he would ever have. "This girl---", he grunted and thrusts, "She's close with the king". Stella closed her eyes as he used her, "And you haven't---," she gripped his back, "Fallen in love with her?" She was always jealous.

"Ezra!" Annawrete squealed as she ran in through the door. She was overjoyed with the accomplishment she held in her hand. However, she slowed to a stop when she saw the sleeping woman beside him. She was wearing his shirt. Annawrete's brow furrowed in hurt confusion. Ezra grabbed the paper from her. "This is my sister", he lied. Annawrete took in Stella's features relieved, meanwhile he looked over the pardon she had forged in Thranduil's writing and made official with his stamp. He was now free to go about without an escort.