𝐋𝐄𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐂𝐄 | 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨

dragon slumber [thranduil]

Sweat rolling on his icy skin, the King awoke in shock. Thranduil sat up quickly, breathing so heavily he swore the heartbeat in his chest would burst through the skin. Turning to the slumbered female elf next to him, you, he sighed.

Rising from the bed, the Elvenking approached his balcony. The summer night was hot, and only draped in a sheet, you lay sleeping as he walked past the ajar doors.

Resting upon he balcony ledge, a concrete & vine entranced one, Thranduil placed his chin within the clutch of one hand. Although he was awake, the nightmare was too real.

The breeze shifted. 'My love? Are you alright?' you asked him quietly, not to disturb the guard elves below.

'Yes. My Queen, rest easy- I assure you. I wanted to... admire the night.' he lied. Then again, this August twilight was particularly entrancing.

Even though you hadn't placed a hand on him, he could sense it. 'Don't.' he uttered.

'Look at me, Thranduil.'

'I won't.'

'Look at me!'

'Enough!' he raised his voice as the scar brandished itself across his cheek, fading once he groaned and realised his aggressiveness.

Your two hands that were ready to embrace him flinched away.

He took them in his own. 'I'm sorry.'

'Why didn't you tell me the nightmares were back?' you provoked him to answer, to which he did not. A whip of wind made him shiver. 'The Serpents of the North cannot hurt you again in this life, my love. Come.'

Leading him inside, the chamber was significantly warmer; you set him down on the bed and cupped his face for a moment, eyeing up the now vanished wound. God, you hated waking up to see his realisation that it was visible, how he'd run to the bathroom to hide himself away.

Brushing a fingertip across many books, you searched for a childhood tale that would set him sound asleep. There. He was watching his Queen so intently, how she cared for him. How she loved him, oh, so very dearly.

Perched on the bed, you curled close to him and he found comfort in your touch, the heat of your body against his cold & pasty skin. 'The Tale of Elves.' you began the book. His head rested on your shoulder, drearily scanning the words you spoke to him and not a hair on his head was out of place.

'By the time the King had returned, celebrations had begun. All the gems of the finest starlight were saved & too, how the King and his beloved Queen could rule their kingdom. Together- hand in hand.' recited you. It was a beautiful book.

Shutting the hard cover slowly, you moved your head a little too quickly and he shifted in his dream. Thranduil looked so peaceful now, so content. By the way, your storytelling had indeed worked & sent the poor elf to sleep, and now you too could rest easy.

'Of all the tales in Middle Earth, the one you & I shall write is by far my favourite.' you whispered, lips grazing across his forehead. A small grin crept gingerly onto his subconscious face, making you laugh lowly.

He did not wake again from the nightmares, nor did he ever plan to let his Queen sleep again without a story.