Feigning Diamonds (A Thranduil Fanfic)

Chapter 14: Pyrite

"No pressure, no diamonds." -Thomas Carlyle

***

"Idriel, dear, you need to sit down for a moment."

"I cannot."

"Yes, you can. I know how hard you are working; trust me, you need to take it easy."

Idriel slams the book about ancient runes shut. "This isn't your kingdom. Yours is miles away and flourishing while mine suffers more every minute. How could I possibly 'take it easy'?"

Thranduil sighs. Idriel has been in the library for days now, almost a whole week, and they were getting nowhere. Idriel convinced Thranduil that her father wasn't the type to write things down because of his excellent memory, so she gave up on the notion that the spell they needed to fix Aeldyn was on a piece of parchment.

"I am sorry, but I hate to see you work yourself to the limit. I know you care, but please just take today off? Do something with me instead--something to get your mind off things. Tomorrow, I promise we'll tear this room apart."

Idriel considers his offer. Thranduil notices that she is digging her thumbnail into her right ring finger and takes her hands in his to stop her. Doing that had been a habit ever since she was little. She would do it when she was nervous or impatient or just plain bored. He was surprised the crescent indent it left wasn't permanent.

"Fine," Idriel says, "but know that nothing you can do will take my mind off this."

"Nothing?"

She shakes her head.

Thranduil kisses her so deeply then that she almost stumbles backwards, but Thranduil keeps her upright by gripping her waist. Pulling away, he whispers three words: "I challenge that."

***

"When was the last time you were in the field hunting something trivial like spiders?" Idriel and Thranduil decided to pass the time hunting a nest of spiders.

Thranduil hums at her question. "How old am I again?"

Idriel laughs, then grows serious, drawing her bow as an arachnid comes into view. Thranduil has his sword, but chooses to let her do most of the work. It is she who needs her mind to go astray, not him.

Her arrow flies and hits the spider right in the mouth, killing it instantly.

They continue this activity, scaling trees for better shots. After some time, the nest is demolished, or the spiders have grown wise and stayed away. Either way, it was growing dark, and they did not want to be out after moonrise.

"That was relaxing," Idriel admits. "Thank you for convincing me to take a day off."

"The day isn't over," Thranduil points out. "I still have something in mind for us."

Idriel glances at him suspiciously, but follows him back to the crippling castle. She tries to ignore the small cracks forming in the grand doors.

Before following Thranduil inside, she asks the guards for an update about the orcs.

"They have stayed away," one says. "No one has seen any since the battle."

Idriel nods in thanks and finds Thranduil residing in her garden. It is modestly small. Rose bushes bearing multicolor roses line the glass walls, tulips, daffodils, and pansies grow in one patch, vegetables in another, and at the very back is a massive apple tree. Its branches had to be enchanted to grow outside the glass because they would not stop getting longer. The trunk is wide enough for approximately seven people to hold hands around, and the apples that grow on it are green, red, gold, or all three colors depending on the season.

Thranduil is admiring the tree. His crown blends in with it, the extensions looking like they belong on the tree as baby branches. His crown appears at home compared to Idriel's diadem of glass, which resembles the cage entrapping it.

"This is one of the things I envy of your kingdom," he says when Idriel stops beside him, gazing as he is.

"It would fit in better at Mirkwood," Idriel agrees. She smiles at him. "But it's mine."

"And rightfully so," he responds. "Beautiful things should live together."

"In that case, it could live with either of us."

Thranduil grins and walks around the perimeter of the tree. Idriel watches him, amused by his fascination.

"I have pets, too." Thranduil gives her a puzzling look. Idriel waves him over to where she is and points upwards. At the top of the tree, there are three lights. The longer they watch, the more the lights appear throughout the tree. Eventually, every leaf and branch is illuminated. "Fireflies."

Idriel takes in Thranduil's expression and feels her heart contract. He's gazing at the tree with such wonder. This expression was how he looked at everything when he was younger because the world was wonderful to him, every last bit. She hates to admit that after she left, he lost that glow, the want to see everything, the desire for the unknown.

Idriel takes his hand in hers, and he moves his eyes to her. The expression is back for now, and she hopes it will stay.

The longer Thranduil stares at Idriel, the more he realizes something. He used to believe that only things that were crafted could be intrinsic, but Idriel belongs here by her very nature, and by here he means by his side. The fireflies reflect in her diamond eyes and give them zeal.

He kisses her because that's where he belongs by nature, making her happy and making her feel loved. The love is in the air so much, Thranduil is afraid it will attract the fireflies and that they would whisk them away. That wouldn't be so bad, he thinks as he pulls away slowly.

Thranduil speaks his mind then, something he usually doesn't do, but this needs to be said.

"You are a masterpiece."