The King's Heart (Thranduil Fanfiction)

Chapter 60

(Rhovanel)

Thranduil is waiting for me at the gate. He must have ran from the library to his room to the gate; his face is slightly red and I can see him shaking from here.

"What is wrong? You look like you've just run a kilometer at full speed," I comment. Thranduil smirks.

"I had to fetch a few things. And I wanted to see you walk down that hall in white." I feel heat rush to my cheeks. He holds his arm out to me, and I take it, then we are off.

Thranduil leads me across the bridge but we do not break into the trees. I have my daggers concealed in my dress, but only because anything could happen. We could be attacked by any number of things, and I wouldn't be caught unprepared.

We stroll along the tree line for a few more minutes until the gates are out of sight. Then we turn and head strait into the trees. A few more minutes pass before Thranduil thumps me on the shoulder.

"You're it!" he shouts, darting away. I keep walking until he finally caves and steps back over to me. "I should have known. I am sorry-" I punch his shoulder.

"You're it!" I laugh, throwing a handful of snow at him. It hits him in the chest and he gawks at me. Thranduil bends down to scoop up some snow of his own. "Oh, don't you dare," I giggle. He lets the snow fly. It breaks up in the air, but several pieces still hit me. The snow soaks into my dress and leaves a wet spot. Thranduil's chest is bearing much the same stain.

I laugh as the cold penetrates my body. I do not take any mind to my injury, nor do I feel any pain. I laugh and throw more snow at Thranduil, who starts ducking behind trees. Our little snow fight continues until we are both soaking wet and freezing.

"Follow me, I know the perfect place to warn up," Thranduil says, eyes sparkling. I laugh and walk with him deeper into the forest. Eventually, we come to an unfrozen waterfall.

"That is the most beautiful scene I have ever seen," I gasp. The water is crystal clear beneath a thin layer of frosty ice in the pool at the base of the fall. The pool is deep enough that the water seems endless and eternal. The trees around the fall are ice coated and shining. The sun glints off the ice, giving the impression that there are white fireflies floating in the crisp air.

The fall itself roars over its ledge, cascading into the pool below. The white churning water mellows out under the ice and becomes as still as a listening doe. I can see what looks like torch light behind the water, but that seems impossible. I turn to Thranduil.

"You planned this all didn't you?"

"Well, you threw the snow, but that turned into a clever excuse to come here. This is my favorite place in all of Greenwood, and it is even more breathtaking in the spring when the flowers are in bloom." He looks at the fall, eyes filling with tears. "I never had a chance to share this place with Legolas's mother."

I take his hand and press it in between my own. "She would have loved it as much as I do," I whisper, leaning on his shoulder. He wraps his hand around my waist and pulls me closer. I look up and he tilts his head down and presses his lips to mine.

I breathe him in. The faint smell of salty sweat lingers from our little fight. Otherwise, he smells of cedar and cookies. That must be from his lunch in the kitchen. I them feel his tongue glancing along my lips, begging to be let in. Then he parts them anyway, forcing his way in. I do not mind in the least; in fact, I press closer and let him take full control.

Thranduil closes his arms around my back and I wrap mine around his neck. Then he breaks away and lifts me up. I laugh and lean into his chest as he carries me to the fall.

"Now we can either swim through," Thranduil grins, "or I can carry you around to the secret entrance."

"I think it is a bit too cold to swim, but I like the mystery of a secret door." Thranduil smiles.

"Then the secret door it is," he laughs. We head back toward the waterfall. Thranduil sets me back on my feet and pushes at a rock. Eventually it moves, revealing a small lever underneath. Thranduil pulls it, and more rocks move to reveal a cozy cave with several lit torches and blankets.

Thranduil picks me up again and walks into the cave. The water is rushing in front of us, but it is not deafeningly loud as I would have expected.

"This is amazing. How ever did you find this place?" I ask. Thranduil shrugs, which shakes me around more than he expected. After apologizing ten times, Thranduil finally sets me down on the blankets and lays down with me.

"I was just walking in the woods one day and decided to go for a swim. So I did and then I wanted to see the other side of the fall and found this cave. I would come out here whenever I wanted to escape. I was never found, so this place is ours, and no one else's," Thranduil says, eyes fixed on the water.

I relax against the piles of bedding. Despite the stone floor, I am just as comfortable here than I would be in an expensive bed.

"You said there was some way to dry off here?" I ask, picking at my wet dress.

"There are a few things," Thranduil smirks while he steps behind a stone wall. Something makes me think he is not thinking what I am thinking.

Thranduil returns a few moments later with a bag in his hand. He sets it down between us and dumps the contents onto the blankets. There is a gold satin dress and a matching pair of shoes. When I move the dress to the side, a silver circlet is revealed, one more dazzling than any Lothlórien jewelry.

"These are beautiful, Thranduil," I gasp.

"I am glad you like them, they are yours," he says.

"How do you know they will fit?"

"I had them made specifically for you. It would be better if you did not ask when." I can see his cheeks turn bright pink, so I touch his face reassuringly. He places his hand over mine and leans in to kiss me. I push myself against him, deepening the embrace. Thranduil will have none of that, so he pushes me back down into the soft blankets and pillows, slowly tracing his hand from my shoulder to my hips. He gently reaches those tantalizing fingers to my ankle and then under the layers of my white gown. I smile and bite his bottom lip, a silent invitation to continue.

"Show me how well you know my curves, Thranduil Oropherion," I whisper I to his pointed ear as he undoes the back of the bodice and begins pushing the skirts above my head. I unclasp the shimmering tunic that hides a warrior's carved physique and the scars to match. I lose my breath a bit at the feeling of his fingers along my bare backside.

"I love you," he whispers into my hair. I smile and pull him down to me and continue to kiss him well into the night as we make love behind a waterfall.