An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Chapter 3 ~ his past

Through the door Anerin stepped in shyly. Helke sat straight up quickly. "I do hope you can forgive me for my earlier behaviour" said Anerin quietly. "It has been so long since an iceling walked these lands, I had nearly forgotten what they looked like" she laughed quietly.

"It is okay. I understand" said helke nodding and smiling as best she could.

" the kind must have taken a liking to you to have you in his chambers" said Anerin as she admired the grand room. "Please do not whisper a word to anyone. I am not suppose to be here, I just wanted to see you" she explained.

"I will not tell" helke started "if you do something for me". Anerin only nodded, a questioning look of her face. Helke produced the old leather bound book again but said nothing.

"Ah" said Anerin, reading the young icelings mind. "You have read about skazi?" She said as she sat by helke's side. "A most monsterous procedure" she scowled, shaking her head.

"W-what's going to happen to me?" Helke asked, trying not to cry.

"Oh my dear! You do not think that we would do this to you do you?! Oh heavens no! Many of our bravest males went out and fought for the freedom of your people" she explained. "It was more like a war against greed itself than of the dwarves" she continued in a low voice.

"So the king-?"

"I do not yet know why the king wished to keep you here. But I am certain it is not for this ghastly ceremony" she said firmly.

Footsteps could suddenly be heard coming towards the door along the corridor. The two female held their breathe until the footsteps faded away.

Anerin let out her breathe and said "my, that was close. Now I must go. Come and find me in the kitchens tomorrow if you can" said Anerin before getting up and scurrying out nimbly.

Helke was left alone on the grand bed for the second time that night and was starting to feel uneasy. For a palace there wasn't a lot of hustle and bustle. Either that or everyone as frightened of her. That was probably more likely. Or maybe the king had told his servants not to talk to her. She laid back on the bed as she thought about all the possibilities as to why the halls were so quiet.

Sudden two voices broke through her thought.

"You cannot keep her in you chambers! She has only been her a day or two. Rumours will spread" said a voice that helke recognised as the elf's that had saved her from the forest.

"Do you dare to question me? Your king and father?!" Asked another voice. Thranduil's voice.

Helke suddenly scrambled into the silk sheets of the bed just as the door was opened. She steadied her breath as best as she could as she heard light footsteps on the stone floor of the room. She felt the book being picked up off of the bed and being placed back In their places on the oak bookshelf as she pretended to be asleep. She opened one eye as she heard a door within the room shut and water begin to run. 'He's probably taking a bath' she thought as she sat up. She couldn't help but begin to feel nosey again and slowly slid out of the bed and looked around cabinets and bookshelves.

As she looked on a desk she hadn't noticed before she found an old looking hand draw picture in a frame of vines and leaves. She picked up the drawing and studied it. It appeared to be the king, standing next to a beautiful women (or elleth she supposed from the pointed ears) who was holding a baby wrapped in blankets. She had not seen this women around the palace and scowled. If she was so close to the king to share a photo with him then surely she would be upset that she was sleeping in the same room as him?

Oblivious to her the king had come out of his bath and was now dressed in a tunic for bed. He watched her as she studied the picture of him, his wife and his son before she had been murdered by orcs when they had tried to raid mirkwood. "My wife and son" he said simply making the iceling jump. She almost dropped the picture belfore the king caught it and glared at her. "She was attacked by orcs" he said as she set it back down on the wooden desk.

"I'm sorry" she said, not because she was sorry but because that was what she thought she should say.

"It happened a while ago" the king continued as he walked away from the desk. "I see you were reading" he said as he traced the spines of some of the books on his bookcase.

"Only a little bit" she lied as she twisted her fingers nervously.

"Find anything....interesting?" He asked smoothly as he turned around. Helke shook her head silently, then thought that was rude so nodded, them became confused.

The king chuckled and said " I see past your exterior" whilst slowly coming closer to her. "You are frightened" he said leaning down and staring into her eyes. "And lost" he added. Helke looked away from the kings blueish-green eyes shyly stepping away.

"You shall sleep in my bed tonight, I have much work. I doubt I shall need it" he said as he looked absentmindedly to his large, inviting bed.

"T-thank you m'lord" she said blushing, not sure what else to say as she felt ice begin to appear on her hand.

"Call if you require any assistance" he said shortly, not noticing the ice and swept out of the room wordlessly.

Helke stood still for a few second before collapsing underneath the covers of her bed and falling into a deep sleep...