The Quest

The Quest: Chapter 37

           

King Thranduil walked around the quarters Legolas and Alannah shared, taking in what was once just his son's room. The scent in the air had changed, instead of his son's usual scent of grass and trees the smell of daisies seemed to mingle with the aroma. He wasn't quite sure why he was there to begin with, but something drew him to it. Their bed had already been made and their curtains drawn tight in their absence. The king could feel the love and romance in the atmosphere of the room, nights full of lovemaking and laughing obvious. A great sadness fell over the king when he realized the last time he had sensed those things for himself.  A pile of unopened wedding gifts still covered the table in the middle of the large room, the couple obviously not having had the time to open them before leaving for an extended stay in Minas Tirith.

He sauntered over to their armoire to find it almost empty save for a few bits of clothing here and there. Their absence suddenly felt daunting to the king who was already contemplating on how to ask them to return. He sighed as he closed the armoire and walked out of their room, ensuring the door was locked before descending the stairs.

The throne room was empty save for the few guards the king always had stationed within and he placed himself back on the throne to tend to the rest of the days duties. Little was needed of him that day as he enjoyed several jugs of his favorite Dorwinian wine, occasionally sitting down his glass when it needed to be refilled. Without him having to command the hand servant, his goblet was instantly replenished with the crimson drink. He smirked as he brought it to his lips, satisfied as he began to feel its calming effects.

"I will retire for the remainder of the evening. Do not disturb me." The king ordered as he stepped down from his throne. His guards bowed deeply to him as he walked passed, their loyalty to their king unwavering.

Alone in his quarters after having changed into his night robes, the king poured himself yet another goblet full of wine and sat down on the edge of his bed. It was just as large as the one Legolas and Alannah now shared, having been meant for two sleeping bodies instead of one. He took a deep breath and pulled the box out from beneath his bed, sitting it beside him and carefully opening it up. The necklace shown brightly as it always did, except just slightly less since he gifted the largest gem to Alannah at the wedding ceremony. Gently he traced his finger over the precious gems, remembering how they were returned in a box from Erebor that was mysteriously left at the corner of his kingdom shortly after Legolas returned from Gondor.

It was at this time ever night when the king would feel an overwhelming sense of loneliness, but there was something different about this night where his loneliness seemed even more pronounced. He quickly finished his wine and let the goblet drop to the floor before reclining into the bed, turning on his side to look at the spot that had lay vacant for many years. Shakily, he reached his hand out to touch the hem of her pillow only to draw it back as if the soft silk pillow case caused him physical pain.

"Elarinya, I miss you meleth nin." Thranduil whispered. A few tears fell from his eyes, staining his pillow as they had done many times. His mind drifted back to her memory, that seemed to fade little by little as the long centuries passed. Her long blonde hair, peaceful blue eyes and her soft fair skin was still easy to make out. However, it was her voice and the way it seemed to soothe the most troubled of souls was ever fading.

Thranduil gently moved closer to her pillow and deeply inhaled, the faintest scent of roses and moss bringing back her memory in full force. Many nights they had made love in that very bed and just the thought of it was enough to arouse him. He allowed his hand to travel beneath his robes and stroke his hardness while he kept his eyes tightly shut, thinking of nothing but her. It had been so long since he felt his wife's tender touch and he tried to replicate it one soft stroke at a time. His head sunk into the pillows as he felt himself getting closer to the brink of climax. After a moment he stopped, withdrawing his hand and not allowing himself to finish...never allowing himself to finish. He pushed himself to sit on the bed and look around the empty room, the solitude closing in around him. He slammed the box of gems shut and began to weep once again at the realization of his aloneness, yearning even more so that he could be with his wife just one more time.