The Shadow (A Thranduil fic)

CHAPTER FIVE

THE SHADOW

CHAPTER FIVE

Thranduil took a long drink from his goblet. The dinner had gone well and so far it looked like Eleanor was being well received. Not to mention, she seemed to have undergone quite the transformation. When she walked through the door he almost couldn't believe it was her. Gone was the blood-spattered, battle torn warrioress and out had bloomed a delicate, shining flower. Though, he had to confess, he liked her either way. Even after three days and nights in the dungeon, he still admired the gleam of her silver hair. He'd always had a weakness for silver.

He felt a little guilty about her imprisonment but what was a mere three days to an elf? It was a snap of the fingers, no even quicker than that, it was the blink of an eye. And how how she had fought him. He could tell she was skilled but he hadn't expected so much, there was something about her ferocity that enticed him so much. Even now, seeing the thin fabric cling to her petite shoulders made his groin swell with desire. But, he was a king, mighty ruler of the woodland realm. He could push his sexual desires to the back of his mind and concentrate on the much more dangerous task at hand. Politics.

Eleanor sat towards the back of the room, rolling a singular grape between her fingers. For so many years she was used to sticking to the shadows and avoiding attention so when she was presented to all the fine noble men and women, by the king no less, she really did feel like a bit of a nervous wreck. And speaking of his royal highness, the king really was a most confusing matter to her. He was very handsome. Dashingly so, but that went without saying. What threw her off was that one minute he seemed to be acting an awful, manipulative brute and the next he was sending her off to a royal suite and singing her praises over a feast. Not that she was complaining, but it was a most confusing situation.

She would have considered it more had she not been quickly pulled out of her thoughts by a light tap on her back. Turning round to face the assailant she was nearly tackled out of her chair as she felt a pair of long arms embrace her and the scent of jasmine invade her nostrils.

"So it is true then, you really have returned to us."

"Alassiel, I am so happy so see you" Eleanor felt a genuine smile spread across her face as she took in the familiar face of her oldest friend.

"I thought I'd never see you again" Alassiel took her hand and squeezed in gently, her soft voice playing musically in Eleanor's ears.

"I'm sorry-" she began, looking down and pulling her hand away.

"Now, don't start that. Tell me, what is new with you?" Alassiel took a stand of her hair and wrapped it around her pale finger.

"Nothing is new with me" she replied quietly, mirroring her actions and playing with her own hair.

"Come on, you're telling me absolutely nothing has happened to you in the past 1000 years?" a mischievous grin spread across her face as she playfully grabbed Eleanor's shoulder.

"Ah, so it's been that long has it?" Eleanor returned the grin, any nervousness she had had about their reconciliation was soon washed away and for perhaps the first time since she'd been here she started to feel comfortable.

"Come Eleanor, now we're together again it feels as though it's been no time at all."

"Oh! I meant to say, thank you for lending me this dress. I really do appreciate it."

"Nonsense, I am simply returning it to you. I haven't worn it, not once. You look quite lovely by the way."

Eleanor was about to return the compliment when she noticed a sour look flash across her old friend's face at something approaching behind her.