Land of Loss and Love; Thranduil Love Story (On Hold)

Returning to Normal... Or Not.

     I turned back to the forest, my gaze on the autumn leaves creating a crumbly ensemble beneath my feet. Quickly, I wiped away the tears at my eye. I didn't want to leave Bilbo, nor Gandalf. They were two people I understood, I didn't have to try to read their reactions or decode what they were thinking(well, Gandalf sometimes). Most of the time I knew exactly how they felt. Unlike a certain elf king that I had decided to stay with. But perhaps it was the challenge that I stayed for.

     "Would you prefer to be alone in your mourning?" His voice started me and I jumped.

     "I can't even think of him without him appearing." I mumbled.

     "What was that?"

     "Nothing." I quickly responded, out of the corner of my eye I saw a guard appear on either side of the path, trying to be respectful yet still be in sight. "I was not mourning... well I was... sort of. I was actually contemplating my sanity on my decision to stay in your company."

     "Are you stating that I am one not to be around?" I couldn't tell if his voice was playful or serious, it was so hard to tell. And hard to be playful when there were eyes watching.

     "Depends on what mood you're in. But if I must be honest-"

     "I encourage it."

     "Then I must admit that I find you very hard to be around." I swear the temperature dropped, and I glanced up to see him staring off in the distance. His eyes were slitted which in this situation I would have to take as either really concentrating or angry/sulking and trying to mask it. I went with the latter.

     Instead of smoothing over whatever I did to insult him, I gazed at what is to be my home for a few... well for as long as I stayed here. The forest was less frightening than I remembered. The pastel leaves danced above me, casting the mid afternoon sun down on the rustling ground, the sun painting a splatter pattern across the acres of forest and casting a warm glow on my skin. But on Thranduil it made him shine like a star, and not in that marketed music video way. He radiated light on his pale gorgeous skin, as if lit up from the inside, his hair a silken waterfall that I yearned to touch. He wore a pale red robe and although I knew logic said that because it drapped behind him that the fabric should be tattered and filthy, it followed him loyaly untouched by the dankness of nature, as unlogical and pristine as he was. 

     Looking at him was hard when all I could think of was the kiss we shared. He still hadn't spoken, and as we strolled past a knobbly tree, it's branches stretching out to catch the scattering light above us, I bent down and picked up one of its fallen leaves. As fast as I could, I hopped and flung my arm upward pressing the skritchy leaf onto the top of the elfs head. And as perfectly as I could have wished it, the little leaf stuck onto the silken strands and rested comfortably.

     Thranduil whipped his head towards me, an astonished look on his face, the light pink and orange paper-thin leaf fluttered but didn't move. And I couldn't stop myself, I bursted out laughing, bending over from the unstoppable force. When I felt the laughter ebb away, I looked up once more at his confused face and saw the leaf crooked and awkward, ruining his perfection, and another round of laughter hit me. I couldn't walk anymore and instead we stood still as I tried to get my breath back. On either side of him I heard one of the guards snicker, which only made me laugh harder.

     "I'm sorry... I-I..." The breath it took to talk left me and when it started to ebb away I decided to take a step forward, and as the world seemed to hate me, I instead fell backwards. Thranduil caught me, his arm strong on my back, a throbbing pain sprang from where he touched me and I winced but ignored it. I was having too much fun. His arms holding me brought back last night, the ways he held me and comforted me, which reminded me of the kiss which made me blush and look down. The laughter turned to a chuckle and as I regained my footing I watched him take the leaf off of his head and gaze at it, one eyebrow raised.

     I touched my mouth, my lips were strained and the muscles hurt. I hadn't laughed so much in a long time, so long that my face didn't remember the feeling.

     An elf came up to us, and it was only when they were a few feet away could I tell that they were male. "My Lord, dinner is ready."

     We should've been back to the kingdom by now but my endeavor apparently took longer than I had expected. Thranduil nodded, and we began our way forward again. With me beside him, I walked with a bounce in my step.

    So as not a anger anyone or to think I'm dumb, I figure that Aeolus has no idea what an Elleth or Ellon is so unfortunately I'll be putting them as male and female elves, it is more work than I need to do, but for realistic purposes I'll do it. Eventually though she'll learn the names and I won't need to struggle so much. Thanks for reading! Comment on anything you feel :)