Land of Loss and Love; Thranduil Love Story (On Hold)

Negotiations

"Please..."

Some civil part of my brain gasped through the lust. He was asking because he cared, he wanted me to be sure. I wanted him. I wanted him bad, but did I want him here? Did I want our first time against a pole in the woods? The answer was no, of course not.

Thranduil was still frozen against me, both of us panting. "No. Not like this." I wanted our first time done properly, romantically. In his bed, when we have all the time in the world.

He seemed to understand, probably thinking the same thing I was. He placed a gentle kiss on my lips, hands roaming slowly back to proper places

I chased my fingers along his chin. "Are you still hungry?" He nodded against my face. I stroked a strand of his hair, not wanting to part from him.

Taking my hand he led me back to the table, but instead of sitting down he simply reached for the wine decanter. I took another pastry, biting in to the delcious sweet dough as he took a long swig from his goblet. "We have much to go over, Istildir will be waiting."

"Right."

He downed the rest of the wine, calming himself, before taking my hand again. I grabbed another pastry before he began leading the way back to the kingdom.

~*^-^*~

I held his shaking hand in mine, relishing in the thought of being able to shake his cool composure. It took all I had not to trail my thumb along his palm, who knew how much control he had, I wanted to see how easy it would be to shatter it, to see him let loose once more and pin me again.

I breathed in a lungful of air, a lousy attempt to cool myself down. As we made our way to the library noticed that I started to know which turns to take and identifiying what some rooms were. I was finally learning this place. My pace quickened to an almost speed walk, startling some passerbys as I flew along.

The huge carved door to the library loomed above me. I had made it here without guidance. My face split into a smile and the urge to run around the kingdom built up inside me.

A cough behind me interrupted my mental victory, and I turned to Thranduil's questioning brows. I felt bad running through the halls for a split second before realizing that he wasn't even out of breath.

"I found my way here by myself."

He smiled. "I hope this does not mean that I will have to hunt you down in my own kingdom."

"Are you saying you don't have spies all over this place reporting to you?"

He chuckled, pushing open the great doors with little effort. I wouldn't forget that he hadn't denied the accusation. I trailed down the steps behind him, smirking at his back.

Istildir stood at one of the larger tables, the same map we had studied together laid out before him. Multiple scrolls and papers were spread out covering that surface of the table, where an ellon I didn't recognize was leaning over, observing them diligently while he talked. He wore similar attire to the guards with a chest plate, shoulder pads, and vambraces. A thick strap went across his large chest, larger than most of the elves I had met, and on his back a massive broadsword reached out. But what struck me the most was his blond hair that fell on the side of his face, a color I had only seen on Thranduil and his son.

I suddenly felt underdressed at a business meeting.

He stood up at Thranduil's presence and I blinked in surprise; he was the same height as Thranduil, maybe an inch shorter if I was being generous, but his features, though fair, were rougher and more masculine, calming the fear of any relation with the elf by my side. If his broader chest and thick jaw weren't enough, his mossy green eyes matched no other, reminding me of a foggy grey forest.

"Anweldaer. Head of my guard." Thranduil's words pulled me out of my stare. The ellon nodded at his name, regaining a formal posture when I realized he had been in a tense one before.

"My king." His voice matched his looks, deep and rough, not enchanting like Thranduil's baratone symphony, but sure and commanding. He looked at me then, those green grey eyes finding mine. "Aeolus. It is a gift to finally meet you."

I nodded, putting a welcoming smile on my lips. "And you. I am eager to learn more about this kingdom and its functions." Another nod.

Istildir looked calm and sensible, but there was a change in him of assurance and priority, as if this persons presence commanded attention. But he didn't look afraid or worried, his attitude calmed my nerves a bit, and when he looked to me, the small smile he gave filled me with confidence.

"My lord, there is much to cover in the time given-"

"Does it really take a month to plan?" The question blurted out of me. The three of them looked to me, not with annoyance, but also not with understanding. Istildir and Thranduil seemed content with letting Anweldaer answer.

"It is necessary. You must consider all responsibilities. How many guards will be needed. How many horses. How much food for all to eat? If we have too much, it will spoil and we will have wasted good resources. If we have too little, the people will not have the strength they need."

I nodded in the silence after, feeling like a scolded child. "I understand. You are right. I have been thinking selfishly, but I want to learn. I want to understand the... Responsibilities."

He simply nodded, looking back down at the map. I took my attention to the same, staring it down. "So what is first on planning a journey?"

"The route is always first, the fastest route-"

"And safest," Anweldaer spoke up. "The spiders have not receded. Yes we have destroyed their former holding place but they still dwell in the forest, death following them." The memory of my first encounter came forward. How long ago had that been?

Thranduil's face was drawn tight. "Very well. I give you lea to (handle the situation/do what needs to be done/ straight murdle the bitches, etc..)

Anweldaer nodded, moving on. He placed his finger of the map in the heart of Mirkwood far in the northern east corner or the kingdom itself. "The most considered route is through here." I followed his finger along a thin dotted line leading from the kingdom cutting straight through the forest.

I recognized it as the path Gandalf had meant for us to take, the elven road, on our first journey, and the one we had taken on our leave out. I had entered this forest with a large group of companions, I had stood at the end of it, where we had begun, saying goodbye to Bilbo and Gandalf, us few of the remaining party. I swallowed down the edging sadness.

" We will move along the borders of the forest," Eying his finger's movement as it skimmed the edge of the trees, a small marking of a house. Beorn's home. "We will continue following the boarder until we come to the forest road where we will cross the rive and continue south (~continuing description~ figure out the route later)

"Very good." Thranduil's voice rumbled beside me. "We will meet with (~manager of food distribution~ find name) so we may plan."

Nods or agreement and they started talking among themselves.

This is all the farther I have written down. I have the bullet points for the whole story, its just... writing it. But at least I didn't leave a cliffhanger while I'm still planning. New character yay! More to come! Yay! ~exhausted whoope~ No one ever told me owning a house at 25 all by yourself would be so much stress. but I'm getting back into it :D