With You

Chapter 15

In the next few weeks, both Celebelen and Oropher finished their letters and sent them on the way with a small company. Celebelen was pleased to see that Clion, her old friend, had been chosen to lead the mission. She sent plenty of medicine and lembas in a care package she packed just for his company, which he accepted gratefully and cheerfully.

Taking into account his love's anxiety, Thranduil had stopped their training sessions. He chose instead to distract her with the wealth of books in the library. They took turns choosing stories to read aloud to each other, simply enjoying listening to the other's voice. She loved trying to make him laugh by doing funny voices, as she had remembered her father doing for her mother. His chuckles soothed her trembling heart.

It was many months later when Clion's company returned to the kingdom. When she met him at the gate, he seemed somewhat dazed. She anxiously asked him about any response from her parents. He held up a small silver cloth drawstring bag which she snatched quickly and tore open. Inside rested a perfect rose, perfectly preserved as if it had been plucked from its bush only hours before.

Tears filled her eyes as she pulled the red bloom from the bag. Thranduil stepped toward her, holding her elbows in his hands, asking anxiously, "What is it? What has happened?"

She almost choked on a suppressed sob while staring at it's beauty, as she squeaked out, "This is one of my mother's roses. There are none like them anywhere but in her garden. They... they will come."

Absorbing her words, he began to smile slowly. He wrapped his arms around her as she began to cry tears of joy. She held the rose gingerly and protectively to her chest in one hand while her free arm wrapped around him in return. He murmured sweet words of comfort to her, running his fingers through her hair, as he nodded to Clion and the others over her shoulder. He let her cling to him as she sobbed, briefly pausing his steady stream of comforting words to press a kiss to her temple.

When her cries subsided, she looked up at him with her tears still fresh on her face. Her voice was hoarse when she whispered in a small voice so only he could hear, "I was so frightened that I might have to marry without them here to witness it."

He leaned down to murmur in her ear, "But now, we will do this properly. They will come, my love. And we...." he drew back to smile at her widely, "we will be wed very soon."

With her eyes still shining with tears, she gave a shakey laugh and nodded in agreement.

As it turned out, a small piece of parchment was hidden in the bag, found by Thranduil as he examined the bag more closely. Written on it was a time and date, so he immediately went to Oropher to arrange a host to meet her parents at the docks. It was due to be quite the journey, as Elvenking Oropher had not left his kingdom in a very long time. Thranduil had explained that Oropher needn't come with them, but the old elf insisted.

They spent several days preparing for the journey. Thranduil could be found shouting orders to the captains of the guards, having them prepare the horses saddlebags full of anything they might need. It took him a long time to decide which mount would be hers, and what things to make sure he packed away for her. He personally prepared his elk, as this would be their first long journey together in a very long time.

Oropher had informed him that he would be required to wear his crown, as this was technically official Woodland Kingdom business. He secretly wanted to make a really good impression, so he took care to polish the silver circlet, taking care to make the white gem in the center gleam. He hardly wore it, but his father had brought the gem from Doriath and was quite proud of it, so he had conceded in wearing it without complaint this time.