Feigning Diamonds (A Thranduil Fanfic)

Chapter 15: Amethyst

"You sparkle with larceny." -Wilson Mizner

***

"Your father didn't have a secret laboratory behind one of these shelves did he?" Thranduil asks tiredly. It had been another hard day of research with no results.

Idriel almost scoffs. "Those kinds of things disgusted him. He thought it was silly to make a room only he could enjoy."

"That's an odd view."

She shrugs. "My head is pounding from all these symbols. I'll be right back."

Thranduil slams the book he was scanning shut as she leaves and puts it back in its correct place on the shelf. Thranduil had promised Idriel they would spend all day today researching since they got a break yesterday, and he regrets it. None of her father's books have anything even remotely relevant as to what they're looking for. There are no mentioning of spells, charms, curses, voodoos, black magic, nothing. It's all history and recipes for ailments and journals and maps.

Night has fallen, and Thranduil wonders back to a week ago when Idriel had come to him for help. That's all it'd been--a week. They hadn't even lasted a week before they gave in. Thranduil doesn't know if this is sad or heartwarming.

Idriel comes back inside the library carrying a glass of dark wine and two glasses.

"Are we taking a break?" he asks.

Idriel pulls the cork out with a pop! "I say we're done for the day."

"I promised we would research all day."

"And now it's night." Idriel hands him a glass. "Just relax. We'll figure this out in time; I'm sure of it." Taking her crown off and setting it on a window ledge, Idriel sits beside Thranduil on the leather sofa, kissing him lightly.

"We didn't even last a week," Thranduil says wryly, voicing his thoughts.

"I thought we'd be able to go longer," Idriel admits.

Thranduil sips his wine. "I did, too. You're just too tempting."

She smirks. "I've been told that."

"How much longer do you think Aeldyn has?" Thranduil doesn't mean to change the mood, he's just concerned.

Idriel frowns. "It's not falling at an alarming rate. I'd say a few weeks before everything falls apart." She laughs slightly. "But then again, haven't they already?"

Thranduil moves her hair out of her face. "Don't be so negative. I know you're worried, but we'll fix this."

Idriel just sips her wine in small amounts. Thranduil is pouring himself another glass before she is halfway done. She realizes that this problem is stressing him out a lot--possibly more than it's stressing her out. Is there something wrong with that? Why would someone who has a whole kingdom waiting for him miles away be so troubled by someone else's?

Suspicion rises in Idriel slowly throughout the night. They stay in the library and drink the alcohol, emptying the bottle successfully. Thranduil's cheeks are rosy and his eyes are unfocused, while Idriel's thoughts have kept her sober.

"Can I ask you something?" she asks after moments of no talking.

"Mhmm."

She has to try not to laugh at him. He appears to be only slightly tipsy, but Idriel knows that there are three people who are always honest: children, angry people, and drunks.

"Why are you helping me?"

Thranduil blinks slowly at her and furrows his eyebrows as if she asked him why his hair is blond. He stares at her like she's a complete idiot.

"Because I love you...?" He doesn't say it like he is questioning himself, but as if he's testing her, wondering why she doesn't know that.

"But why would you want to help me with this? You have your own kingdom to fret over."

Thranduil pauses. "Wait, don't you love me?"

"Of course I do." Idriel waits for him to answer, wondering if he forgot the question.

"I'm helping you because I want to."

Idriel just frowns. She feels like there's more to it.

"Why do you think I'm helping you?" Thranduil slurs.

"Honestly?" she asks quietly. He gazes at her with wide, childlike eyes. "Sometimes I feel like you're only helping me to fail."

As if someone has slapped him, Thranduil's attention is more direct and less drunken. "What?"

"I feel like you know how I can fix Aeldyn but you're not telling me because you want Aeldyn and Mirkwood to reunite."

"So you think I'm doing this for myself rather than you?" He almost sounds angry. "Idriel, I would not be wasting my time here if it weren't for you."

Now it's Idriel's turn to get angry. "You're only doing this for me? Do you even care about my kingdom?"

"Yes!"

"But you just said this was a waste of your time!"

"It isn't! I want to help you solve this!"

Idriel laughs amusedly. "You know what? I think you're just here for me. I'm sure of it. You have me back like you planned, and now you're thinking you're in the clear. No, I still remember what you did to me, don't think I've forgotten!"

"Idriel, don't go back to my mistakes!" Thranduil says. "You know I feel extremely guilty for them and that I'm sorry!"

Idriel is pacing rapidly and shaking her head, fighting tears and the déjà vu feeling that's creeping inside her. "It all fits. You're doing this to my kingdom. You want to destroy my happiness so that I'll come crawling back to you to find it again."

"Idriel! That's absurd!"

"It's not! I walked out on you, and I know you've wanted me back ever since! This is the perfect way to get me back! Just pretend that her kingdom is falling apart, she'll come to you for help because she knows you best, you'll pretend to be reluctant but do it anyways! You probably hired Eranthe to tell me all those lies about my dad; this was all you, and I fell for it!"

Thranduil is speechless. "I cannot believe you think that of me. I know I can be selfish, but I love you! I would never do such a thing to someone I love. I don't know what's happening here, but I've been trying to help. And because I tried to help, I had to let my son go. You blame me for falsehoods, but you're the only one who did real damage here."

And this is the perfect example of their relationship, Thranduil realizes. It's like a tempest--calm, then an uncontrollable storm that can only pass with time. It's like a time bomb frozen at one second that will either detonate or shut down depending on which wire is cut.

"Until I know this is not you, leave me alone," Idriel snaps.

"And how will you know? Apparently my word is not enough!"

"Give me time to think!"

"Very well," he says with venom. "Allow me to reenact something for you." Thranduil leaves the library raging with anger. The door slams at the same time all the glass in the room shatters.