Love Evermore

Chapter 18

Authors note: Tristan is Hilarious and a charecter that surprises me and Thranduil all the time. Now lets see what Loriel and Tristan can do. Legolas will be absent for a little while. This seperation and hold on the relationship is needed because if she can't heal their relationship will never be able to go where it needs to. Thranduil is the same with his relationship to his children and his mate.

I rise I rise.

Thranduil sat with the small elf boy in his view. He had hounded his advisors away and had taken up most of his time the past week. They had taken walks into the woods and had practiced swords and archery. The boy was somewhat hopeless against him. The competition eased his mind though.

His nights were filled with the boys soft chatter at dinner. And the boy always found his way to sleep at his side. His loneliness he had to admit was lessened by the little one.

'I miss my children and wife ceaselessly I pray Legolas is alright. Where would he have gone?'

"No sad thoughts Mister king. Now smile. . ." the boys expectant face was incouragable.

"A real smile. Think of something happy. Like when Aven was born or oh I got it when something amazing happend between you and Loriel!" he said after Thranduils failure.

They tried for minutes more until the boy grasped his hand and shoved emotion inside his head.

"This is true happiness." the boy poured emotion in from the memory of seeing his mother beside him asleep for the first time.

" This is the joy of me helping you." he gave him another dose of his emotion he found at being able to get his kingly friend out of his study.

" This is empathy." the care the boy had for his emotions was empathy.

Tristan withdrew himself from his mental and physical contact and stared at him.

"I see. You know what amazes me is how I didn't realize who your grandmother was. How easily you slip into my mind is amazing and annoying." he said after a time.

"You can't live selfishly Mister king. If you do you will lose everyone around you. So on to the next task in our quest." he jumped down and pulled Thranduil from the room.

The next hours was filled with Tristan taking the king around and telling him to ask after his subjects. To wonder if they were alright. How their lives were going. Thranduil admitted as he lay down and felt the small boy beside him that he felt more clearly his emotions. He was able to smile a little more. Every time it seemed he showed a true emotion the boy hugged him.

'Little one what are you doing to me?' he wondered silently about the small one next to him.

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Meanwhile in the mountains. . .

Loriel smiled as she saw Elaine beating upon the swords metal. She was teaching her the joy of creation. The joy of seeing something weak become strong.

Her brother in law was her tutor. Kariel was continuing the lessons to further the girls education. Loriel was teaching her the fine art of being a lady. And lastly but not least an old wise woman was teaching  her the beauty of wisedom.

Seeing Galadriel dressed simply and plainly was a sight not often seen and enjoyed. She was helping the girl express how she felt after they viewed a memory. Elaine would tell how she experienced it in her eyes. Galadriel would tell her how she saw it.

She was improving slowly. Alas it was still an improvement. She was seeing that although she had gone through those horrors some of the things she felt were untrue. If someone called her a whore it didn't make it so. If she was getting beaten and someone screamed it was her fault it didn't make it so.

'Progression is happening here. Thranduil I wonder if you are seeing to yourself?' she thought sadly.

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Elaine hammered at the steel of the sword. She revealed in making.g this weak metal strong. the similarites of fire and beatings making a sword and person stronger wasn't lost on her. She felt a kinship with the metal.

She felt as if she could breath the air clearly once more. At days end she looked forward to talking with Loriel about things. Only last night they had discussed how much Loriel missed Thranduil.

She could understand why he said what he did to her. She in that state wasn't fit to be near anyone who cared deeply for her. She had to heal to be better as a person and a mother.

She worried often about him though. Tristan would be alright the boy was mature and had a good head. Legolas after Galadriel told of his falling out with his father.

'Gimli keep him safe.' she silently prayed.

Only a cantankerous dwarf could keep a Elven prince on his toes. Hopefully.