Unusual Little One

Chapter Three: Something new.

The kingdom of Mirkwood buzzed with it's usual life, as the residents got to work on their daily duties.  Thranduil sat at the dining table, enjoying his breakfast, consisting of berries and other fruits from Mirkwood.  His mind was on the duties of a king, but every so often the human child would pop into his head. Thranduil was going to send a guard off with her to the human settlement, she would be better off their, part of him worried for her safety.  She would have to travel out of Mirkwood and the Orc's that had attacked them were still roaming around, he had to remind himself the child would be better off with her own kind. His kingdom was no place for a child of man. His mind was now set,  he decided to send Tauriel with the little human. Tauriel had some sort of relationship already with the residents of Dale, and her skills were no match for lowly Orc's.  

"Excuse me, my king"  an Elf woman called out from the doorway.  Thranduil looked up from his food to see the maid he had placed in charge of looking after the human. 
"Speak" Thranduil ordered, he could tell by her face something was right, thinking that she had wandered off again.
"Well, the child of man, she won't settle should I call the healers?" The maid asked.  Thranduil was about to say yes to her question, but he decided to check on her himself.  He stood up swiftly, and with long strides he made his way to where the child was.  

The little girl was sitting in the make-shift crib crying, the maid claimed she had done everything that she could think of, but nothing seemed to work.  However when the bright eyes caught a glimpse of the king, the child stopped crying. She reached up for him, practically begging for him to hold her again.  The human had really taken a liking to Thranduil, perhaps because he was the first she had contact with after her family left her, Thranduil only speculated. He hadn't given her any other reason to be so attached, at least he didn't intenionally do so.  

Thranduil ordered the maid to leave the room, he didn;t want anyone to witness him as he scooped up the little one, holding her in his arms. 
"Is it my crown you want again?" he asked sternly, almost sounding like a father scolding their child.  He of course knew the child wouldn't reply, he doubted she even understood him. He was after all speaking in his native tongue.  The child made no effort to reach for his crown. 
"If not my crown then what?"
"My lord, I think she just wants you" a voice called, Thranduil had forgotten he had sent for Tauriel.  He turned back to the child in his arms, she was content just being held by him.  
"Obsured, Tauriel, I am placing her in your hands, take her to Dale, someone there will take her" Thranduil's tone was cold, he was putting it on, he knew that, maybe it was to convince himself that he didn't care for the small fragile thing in his arms.  
"Of course, My Lord" 

Thranduil held out the child for Tauriel to take.  Once in Tauriels arms, the little one became restless, though she didn't cry, she grasped at the air between her and Thranduil, she wanted to go back to him.
"It seems the child really does like you my Lord" Tauriel pointed out, holding a little tighter.  
Thranduil expression gave nothing away, but deep inside, he was really considering keeping the child, raising her.  He knew the best option for her though was the be with her own kind, he had told himself this already, but then why did he feel so 'wrong' sending her away? He couldn't place these emotions, not only was this child human, he only met her last night, how could he possible care for her in such a short time?, though looking back, he loved Legolas the moment Thranduil laid eyes on him, but Legolas was him and his wife's flesh and blood.  He thought about what his wife would do in this situation, she was so caring, so open to people, would she want to keep her?.
"Do you think I should take on a human child?" Thranduil asked harshly, he was genuinely wanting her opinion on the matter, but he made it sound more like the idea was outrageous. 
"I think the child is best of with the one who will love her and care for her" Tauriel said.
"And I am sure she will find that with her own kind" Thranduil continued.  
"Perhaps" Tauriel said.  Thranduil couldn't bring himself to order Tauriel to go.  Was he attached to this child because Legolas was gone?. Was he using her as a replacement.  'No' no one could ever place his only son, that he was certain of. His eyes drifted down to the Squirm child, she was still reaching out for Thranduil, and now boarding on tears.  Tauriel, tried to soothe the baby, speaking softly to her. The child looked up to Tauriel listening to her words, but it didn't stop her wanting Thranduil.
"Are all the children of men this needy?" he asked mostly to himself.
"She may be young, but children even of man are observant, this one may have sensed her family's pain and fear, you would have been the first one she came in contact afterwards"  Tauriel speculated, 
"Hand her over" Thranduil ordered.  He held out his arms again, take back the little one. Before ordering Tauriel to leave him.  He needed to think about it properly, it was a big responsibility after all, taking on a child, raising a human amongst elves, though he had heard rumours of a boy being raised in Rivendell, Lord Elrond himself, the boy that Legolas was in search for.  Maybe the child in his arms would do okay here, he thought.