Enchantment of Sorrow

Chapter 12

THRANDUIL's eyes fluttered open, and were greeted first with bright light. Initially, he wondered if this was the passage to the heavens, until he felt the pains throughout his body.

His eyes focused and he realized he was in his chambers, and they were so well lit he thought it was day. He winced as he began to try to sit up hindered by a hand holding his own. He looked over, expecting to see Legolas but as he caught sight of him sitting asleep in a corner by a towering candle stand and torches all around. There were practically no shadows in the whole room. The only ones that remained were in corners and were minuscule at that.

His eyes widened in disbelief, then teared up when he looked upon the one holding his hand. You were there! You were asleep by his side covered in the blankets with one arm about his shoulders and the other entwined your fingers about his. Your head rested on the headboard, hair loose and falling out of a braid. Your clothes were still that of the human realm. He knew instinctively that you had just arrived, or had only been there for a day if that was the case.

Instead of sitting up he chose to try and stretch, though the muscles ached terribly and his wrists throbbed. He glanced down at them, seeing the carefully wrapped bandages. There were stitches as well. He could feel them. One thing was also very evident, the remnant of his wife was no where to be seen, and his mind was free. Untangled from the chaos her dark grasp held on him.

The small movements woke you however, and he heard you exclaim happily. This in turn woke his son, who rushed to his side and knelt by the bed. He regretted this however as you untangled yourself from about him and released his hand in favor of scooting down and gently embracing him.

He was not sure whom to look at first. His son was a heartwarming sight to behold, while the sight of you healed his very being. He pushed himself up with a grunt of pain and pulled you into his arms and looked at his son. He reached a hand out to him, and drew it gently across his cheek. Something he had not done since Legolas was a child.

"The evil that gripped my mind has been lifted. Forgive me." Thranduil said bowing his head.

"There is nothing to forgive." Legolas answered with a grateful smile. "I will go call the healers." He stood then and walked purposefully out.

Thranduil turned to you then, pulling you closer and looking down at you. "I thought you would not return." He seen you shake your head.

"I did not know time moved so differently between our worlds. I would have left the night..." he seen you momentarily hesitate and swallow, "my mother died if I had known."

He swallowed. "Time is relative to be honest. If it is turned back in one world, the other speeds up.I should have told you this I suppose."

"It is fine. I am here now, and I have no intention of leaving again." you said with conviction.

This gave him pause and he stared at you with questioning eyes. "You realize what that means? You will never be able to truly return. You will..." He gathered his bravado and spoke out loud the thing he had hidden from you the most. "You will no longer be human. You will become one of us."

He watched as you pulled your hair out of what was left of the braid, and let it fall, then tucked it behind your ears. You looked down at the blanket covering the bed before drawing your eyes up to his. He raised an eyebrow, realizing what the gestures meant. When had you began to change so much?

"You already understand that, I see."

You nodded at him, and he felt an immense relief wash over him. He pulled you into a tight embrace and smiled as he spoke. "No words can express my joy that you have returned." He closed his eyes feeling some amount of guilt and a great amount of relief and joy at your presence.

"There are many things I should have told you before you left, and still many I things that should be said." He pulled away from you, remembering his former wife... He had to tell you. He knew that. But how?

"Whatever they are, they can wait until you are well again. You lost a lot of blood. Why on earth did you do that? Why?" you demanded from him.

He looked away in thought. Closing his eyes, and remembering the torture of his very mind. "I just wanted it to end." He looked up at you then. "The pain, the suffering, the darkness."

He watched as you took his hand in yours and smiled. "I am here now, and we will find a way to challenge and defeat this darkness."

He sensed that there was a double meaning in those words. But he dared not guess at what. His brow furrowed and he began to ask you to elaborate when the healers came in and bowed.

"My lord, my lady..." He seen them eye you. One of them cleared their throat and replied, "Madam, perhaps you would like to freshen up a bit as we examine his lordship."

You took the hint, and slowly removed your hand from his. "Yes, of course." Thranduil watched as you slid out of the bed unto your feet and daintily crossed the room to the door.

He looked back at the healers seeing one look around, "Perhaps a few less candles and torches would be advisable my lord."

Thranduil began to open his mouth in protest when he heard you gasp and speak very authoritatively, "No, it would not be. I have my own remedy as well, sir, and it involves surrounding him with as much light as possible."

The healer turned with obvious annoyance. "What would you know of it? You have no knowledge of herbs and trees."

He watched as you drew yourself up to your full height and stood with an air of complete authority. "I know more about what afflicts him than any of you. The light remains."

"Your highness, rein in your..."

"Watch your tongue healer! Else you will lose it!" Thranduil roared at him. He turned to look at you and nodded, letting you know it was okay to leave. His eyes turned back to the healer and the elf stepped back, intimidated. "The lady is right... and she is to have more leave to give orders in this kingdom than you will ever have."

The healers' eyes narrowed at this in thought and perplexion. "Has this creature bewitched you?" One stepped forward.

Thranduil shot him a look of impatience and danger. The healer knew what that meant and stepped back. "I assure you, I was the only one who wove any spells. Now come here and do your damned job before I snap your necks."

Both jumped at the threat, and hurried forward. One listening to his heart, the other looking into his eyes. This went on for several minutes before they finally checked his dressings and changed them seeing the stitches were healing nicely.

Thranduil asked if they were finished at that, and when they said yes, he ordered them out. Which they did like mice running across a floor. Mice... a good comparison.

He shook his head and laid back down crossing his hands behind his head and laying on his hands. It hurt his damaged wrists but he did not care.

He took a deep breath and released it, trailing his eyes around the room. The broken furniture and mirrors had been repaired or replaced. All was clean and in it's place once more.

He felt her outside the doorway. The creature that was one time his wife. He did not look at her. He even smiled... He knew she would not step foot in that room for a long time.

A banquet like that of a wedding feast should be held. He closed his eyes, and before he fell into sleep he sent out a call to his people. The reply came quickly, "We are home. We are safe. We love you our king." A collective thought, which made him gain an insurmountable bit of inner strength. He drew his hands out from behind him and turned on his side away from the door. Falling into a quiet slumber as he had not known for years.