An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Chapter 28 ~ all is well...sort of

Ringa began to get a ferocious appetite and began growing very quickly. By the third week of his keeping helke could not longer lift him but she did however have him under her control well. He did all that she asked and when she asked it. The king preferred ringa over melima, as the land dragon had beautiful scales that one angle seemed blue and at another seemed green. He did not however like the fact that his favourite spot seemed to be the king's side of the bed.
"Helke" the king sighed as he found helke in his chambers, playing tug of war with ringa with an old rope which had began to singe. Helke looked up but her smile fell when she saw the look on his face.
"What?" she asked worriedly, seeing the slight guilt on the king's face.
"Helke do you not agree that your dragon is becoming rather....large?" He asked looking at the 4 ft long land dragon.
"Yes" she replied slowly, stopping her game of tug of war.
"And do you not agree that larger creatures need large spaces to live in, such as outdoors?" He asked and helke scowled nervously "Do I keep my elk in my chambers?" He asked and she shook her head. "Now, as it is my chamber and I have allowed you to keep ringa, do you not think it if fair for me to ask him to stay outside?" He questioned and helke pouted.
"But-" helke began but she was interrupted by ringa letting out a hot breath of purple fire into the king's fireplace. Helke smiled up at the king but stopped when she saw he was not amused.
"What if he gets cold?" She asked as ringa settled by the fire.
"Helke he is a fire breather. He is quite able to warm himself now that he is grown. Helke he will become bigger" the king promised and helke looked at ringa afraid.
"How big?" She asked as she watched him.
"Some grow to 15ft long" he warned and helke tilted her head. Numbers meant nothing to her.
"Larger then that door" he gestured and her eyes widened.
"Please do as I ask helke" pleaded the king and helke stood.
"Alright" she sighed and looked over at ringa.
"Good girl" he praised but she moved before he could display any signs of affection.
"Where will he go?" She asked As she knelt down to scratch his chin.
"He may spend his last night in here but tomorrow he will go down to the stables tomorrow. Then his own hut will be built, how does that sound?" Asked the king, wanting to at least keep helke happy and she nodded.
Thranduil could tell that a new matureness had taken over helke. She was not as childish as she once was, although she still held some of those qualities.
"Come on ringa, melima!" called helke, intending to take them to the kitchens for dinner.
"Hello you two!" Welcomed valadhiel at the sight of helke and her pets "And what will the mistress be having" joked valadhiel as she reached to get ringa's plate of meat and a mix of seeds and fruit for melima.
"Something cold" smiled helke and valadhiel rolled her eyes playfully.
"What a gorgeous circlet, where did you get that?" She asked, noticing the silver headpiece on helke's forehead.
"The king gave it to me. It's suppose to help with the ice problem" she said as she sat at the table.
"And has it?" She asked as she put down melima's food.
"I guess" sighed helke as ringa began to swallow his food down whole. Land dragons were usually avoided by most people. They were dangerous and unpredictable. But of course helke wasn't like most people. She loved all animals, great and small. Even valadhiel kept her distance as she watched the great Beast slurp and gargle.
"Why the long face dear? She asked kindly as she set some cold broth on the table.
"The king wants ringa outside" helke sighed as she watched ringa eat noisily.
"I am not surprised. I am astonished he let you keep him" valadhiel laughed.
"He is not as bad as everyone thinks. He has a bit of a temper" helke added, referring to the king as she sipped her broth and Smiled.
"This is good" she complimented and valadhiel smiled. Suddenly the ginger haired elf from the starlight festival entered. She was about to speak when ringa caught her eye. Her eyes widened as she set an arrow, ready to fire.
"NO!!" Helke screeched as she got up. She stood in front of ringa as the dragon growled and snarled at tauriel. "Do not hurt him. He is mine" helke pleaded as she knelt down and itched behind the ground dragon's black horn.
"It is a land dragon?! It is a dangerous creature-" tauriel started.
"He is my friend" helke defended confidently as ringa burped, producing a small purpleish blue fireball making helke giggle. Tauriel eyed the creature suspiciously before turning to address valadhiel. "The guards will not be coming back until late so cooking preparations are to be set back two hours" she reported and valadhiel nodded.
"Thank you dear" she said warmly. Tauriel eyed helke's friend once more before leaving.
"Is she always in a bad mood?" Asked helke as she sat back down at the table.
"Not until she was put on double duty" valadhiel chuckled as helke ate.

"Thank you for the food" helke thanked when her and all her pets were finished. "Oh melima you didn't eat your cranberries!" Helke scolded the bird almost like a mother and it hoped away defiantly.
"Rebellious thing" she chuckled and valadhiel smiled.
"Goodbye" called helke as she left and patted her thigh and ringa and melima followed her. Helke did look strange, walking down the halls with a bird on her shoulder and a land dragon following closely behind her. She returned to the kings chamber with a full stomach but sleepy body. She washed and change into a silk nightgown for bed. Melima perched on his branch by the side of her bed whilst ringa jumped up on his kings side and rested his head on helke's leg protectively. Helke placed her hand over ringa's head and scratched the rough skin comfortingly before drifting off to sleep.

By the time the king entered everyone in his halls were asleep. He sighed deeply when he saw the great dragon asleep on his side of the bed. He leaned over and shook the creature gently, trying to wake it without scaring it. He tried lifting it but even he found the beast difficult to move. He sighed and stepped back, trying to think of another idea without waking helke. Helke moaned in her sleep and turned over, waking the dragon instantly. The dragon's tail immediately went up when it saw the outline of the king, the shadows covering his face. Ringa's eyes glowed menacingly and he growled lowly, waking helke just as the king drew his sword, preparing for the worse.
"What's going on?" She questioned, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "Mel, why do you have your sword drawn?" She asked, fear clear in her eyes.
"I feared ringa did not recognise me and would attack" he explained, sheeting his sword as the dragon relaxed and bounded over to the king. Ringa sat and looked up at the king happily.
"Off" thranduil commanded, pointing to the floor. Ringa merely groaned and lay down, looking at the cold floor. "Off" he commanded again but ringa rolled onto his back, mocking the king. The king became angry and shouted loudly at the creature, scaring helke and making ringa slump to the ground shyly.
"You did not need to shout" helke commented as she slipped out of bed to sooth the nervous land dragon.
"I will NOT be mocked by anyone! Especially a damned PET!" The king bellowed as helke cringed.
"Please" he begged "stop shouting" she begged as sharp ice collected around her and ringa, spreading to the bed. The king looked at her table to see the circlet neatly placed there. He took a deep breath to calm and compose himself as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Helke" he muttered and she looked up, afraid. "I am sorry that I shouted. I should not have. But unless that dragon learns to obey me as well as you then that is the way it will be" he concluded.
"Fine" helke said, a tone of ice Intwined with her voice. "So he is to sleep on the stone floor on his last night of staying here?" Asked helke as the king unclasped his tunic and sighed.
"He may come back up once I am settled, I merely wanted a place to sleep in my own bed. That is not too much to ask is it helke?" Questioned the king and helke shook her head. "I feel you are becoming slightly defiant to your king helke." The king admitted as he slipped into his luxurious bed" But I do not doubt that you are going through a phase" he allowed generously as she also slipped into the bed.
"I am sorry I made you feel that way, I will be more obedient in future" helke (half) promised but it made the king content. "Come on ringa" helke whispered to the dragon but it stayed on the ground, afraid to anger the king again. "He is afraid" helke pouted disappointedly.
"En ta n'uma maure an toi gorga ringa" the king spoke in elvish and the dragon's small ears pricked up.
"What did you say to him?" Asked helke as rings jumped up and settled at helke's feet.
"I told him to not be afraid" the king translated
"Why did you do that?" Asked helke in a soft voice.
"People have begin to think I have gone soft because of your damned pets!" He confessed and she pouted. " I will not shout anymore helke I promise. But please, Do well to obey me? At least in public?" And she nodded. He lay down with his arm over her body, pulling her close.
"I love you" he whispered into her ear, making her smile and fall asleep happily.