HEART OF A KING
Chapter 4 ~ Four days after the return from Mordor, late afternoon
Thranduil laid Romiël down on the bed gently and pulled a soft blanket over her. She was utterly exhausted after their sharing of song and the king was feeling rather fatigued himself.
And feeling guilty as well.
He had intended their first session to be very gentle, but once inside her mind, the pleasure of sharing song with someone again overrode his caution and he had blazed a trail into her psyche.
Romiël was a fascinating woman. Her mind was as deep and complex as the sea and she had a will to equal his own. She had been correct in her assessment that there had been much damage to her. But her strength and bravery were astounding. She would not crumble as Unilyn had.
"Thranduil?"
He paused, his hand on the door. Behind him, he heard Romiël struggle to sit up in the bed and he turned to face her.
"Thank you," she said quietly, "and stop feeling guilty."
He smiled a little ruefully at that and nodded. Without saying anything though, he stepped through the door and closed it gently behind him.
~ ~ ~
Romiël fell back in the bed with a thump. She was utterly drained, but more at peace with herself than she had been for centuries. True, Thranduil's fierce probing had stirred up a million demons that had been lurking at the back of her mind. But she had lived with those demons so long they were quite familiar to her.
What was not familiar to her was the feeling of unity and protection. She no longer faced those demons alone.
Letting out a soft sigh, Romiël allowed her eyelids to drift partially shut. Her champion would be back tomorrow. They would work together every day. It would be a long hard road, but Romiël was determined to get back her peace of mind, her confidence. The Dark Lord had stolen 700 years of her life. He would not steal another moment, not if she could help it.
She blinked lazily and just as her fatigued mind drifted off to sleep, a thrill of excitement swept through her. In her contact with Thranduil's mind she had realized something. He was just as attracted to her, as she was to him and he had made no effort to hide it.
With that delightful thought, she drifted off to sleep, sleeping so heavily that she did not wake when a servant brought her the evening meal, nor did she wake all of that night.
~ ~ ~
Thranduil stopped pacing the floor as the sun began to rise. He had not slept the entire night, had not even gone to bed. There had been no rest for his mind either as he relived over and over the way he had burned through Romiël's mind the day before like a forest fire.
"What was I thinking!?" he snarled at the wall. Not only had he gone much too fast for her delicate condition, but he had also shown her his attraction to her. He was a king and she but a commoner. He could have no feelings for her!
But what exactly was his interest in her anyway?
It was rare for his people to take a second love. Was he driven by blind desire then? Did lust cloud his mind so that he wished to take advantage of this helpless, yet willing she-Elf?
In frustration, he stepped out onto his balcony, resting strong hands upon the rail and looked out over the kingdom. Laughter drew his gaze downward and he saw his son and Alede walking on the path. They held hands and seemed completely at peace with each other. As they neared the Great Hall, Legolas drew the wizardess close for a kiss and then spoke softly in her ear. Whatever he said made Alede laugh and Thranduil watched them part company with a wistful expression on his face.
Legolas was not the least bit troubled by his betrothed's lack of nobility. On the contrary, rarely had there been a more loving couple.
Thranduil frowned. He was a very independent Elf and he would be the last to admit that he was lonely. But in truth, he felt isolated. The centuries since his wife's death had been long and difficult. He missed her companionship.
Is that what he sought in Romiël?
Staring at the steps that Alede had mounted, Thranduil briefly wished he could talk to her. He could not express himself to Legolas. He knew his son well enough to know that once Thranduil's interest in Romiël became apparent, there would be trouble. Legolas had been very close to his mother and no doubt would see Thranduil's actions as a betrayal of her memory.
"But a memory is a poor companion," Thranduil whispered.
But Alede . . . he recalled their conversation from the other day. Alede had a calm logical mind that he found soothing.
Not that I will ever tell her that, he thought with a wry grin.
He did not easily open up to people though, so speaking with Alede about a matter so close to his heart would be out of the question.
Dragging a chair over to the rail, he sat down to consider the matter. What would Alede say, he wondered, trying to imagine the kind of question she would ask?
Closing his eyes, Thranduil smiled ruefully. Alede would be direct.
*How do you feel about Romiël?*
How did he feel about her? True, he was attracted to her. But why exactly? It was obvious that she had been beautiful at one time and her body shapely. She was so emaciated and ravaged by her time in Mordor now, that that beauty was not immediately apparent. If it was lust that drove him, there were far more attractive and healthy women right here in Eryn Culhallas that would quite eagerly share his bed.
So was it companionship that he sought? But again that made no sense. Romiël was quite damaged by her experience in Mordor and would not be capable of any kind of true relationship for many months. Thranduil had worked with enough prisoners of Orcs to know that they depended upon their healers with an almost childlike need. It would be a long time before Romiël was ready for the give and take of a healthy relationship.
Which left only one conclusion.
Thranduil was attracted to her mind. Even before he had plunged into her song, he had sensed her strength, her will to survive. She was a fighter, just like he was.
To finally know someone with a spirit as fierce as his own was more than compelling.
It was intoxicating.
~ ~ ~
Thranduil strode briskly into Romiël's room after she bid him enter.
"What is wrong?" she asked immediately.
"Nothing," he said quickly, but he refused to sit down when she gestured. "All is well. How do you feel this morning? I fatigued you yesterday and I apologize. I think we had best continue tomorrow. You can rest today . . ."
"No," Romiël said, shaking her head. "We will continue today, if you please. I know you felt guilty for . . ."
Thranduil turned impatiently. "That is beside the matter. It is important that we build your strength gradually."
Romiël gaped at him. "Are you abandoning me?" she whispered. But then just as suddenly, she knew that was not correct. "No," she said decisively, pushing aside the insecurities learned in Mordor. "You would not abandon me. But you are troubled . . ." She gazed up at him speculatively, trying to pierce through that regal mask that he wore as armor.
"You are much too perceptive," Thranduil said after an uncomfortable pause.
She reached out a hand and touched his arm. "Not necessarily. But you forget. Our . . . song yesterday went both ways. While you were investigating my mind, I in turn was learning the map of yours . . ."
Thranduil looked up.
"You are embarrassed for being attracted to a commoner, are you not?" Romiël said with a defiant tip of her chin.
Thranduil made an inarticulate protest, but Romiël cut him off.
"Do not deny it. I am well acquainted with the prejudices of Elvin nobility." She fixed him with a critical eye, belaying the argument she sensed coming. "But, I will overlook your bias, for we are equally flawed. Only one of the Valar would be willing to put up with your temperament. And I am hardly one of the Valar."
"That you are certainly not," Thranduil said with some heat.
But Romiël ignored his sharp tone as a surge of her old confidence shot through her.
"When I am well," she said with a slight curve of her well shaped lips, "I will show you why I won not only the heart of countless Elves and a man, but the admiration of our clan's Lord as well. And now," she ignored the thunderstruck look on Thranduil's face, flipping her hair off of her shoulders coquettishly, "shall we begin?"
~ ~ ~
A/N: lol! Well, it looks like Romiël won that one. :) Does Thranduil stand a chance? Find out in chapter 5! :D
I apologize for the sporadic nature of the updates on this story. My muse is still happily vacationing in the Caribbean and I'm having trouble getting her to settle down and concentrate on Elves. (She seems to have developed an interest in a certain pirate . . ;) )
I'd also like to thank you for the wonderful comments on "Elvin Friend". The timing was perfect since I had just received *another* rejection slip in the mail *sniff* :( so I definitely needed something to boost my spirits.
I am sorry for any mistakes in "Elvin Friend". The decision to post it was purely spontaneous (in the middle of the night after my clever hubby found a way to get us onto the internet using stone knives, bear skins and a modem from the 16th century :D ) and I completely forgot that it was not yet beta read. Sorry!
Take care and I'll see you next time. ~ :D Nebride
Chapter 4 ~ Four days after the return from Mordor, late afternoon
Thranduil laid Romiël down on the bed gently and pulled a soft blanket over her. She was utterly exhausted after their sharing of song and the king was feeling rather fatigued himself.
And feeling guilty as well.
He had intended their first session to be very gentle, but once inside her mind, the pleasure of sharing song with someone again overrode his caution and he had blazed a trail into her psyche.
Romiël was a fascinating woman. Her mind was as deep and complex as the sea and she had a will to equal his own. She had been correct in her assessment that there had been much damage to her. But her strength and bravery were astounding. She would not crumble as Unilyn had.
"Thranduil?"
He paused, his hand on the door. Behind him, he heard Romiël struggle to sit up in the bed and he turned to face her.
"Thank you," she said quietly, "and stop feeling guilty."
He smiled a little ruefully at that and nodded. Without saying anything though, he stepped through the door and closed it gently behind him.
~ ~ ~
Romiël fell back in the bed with a thump. She was utterly drained, but more at peace with herself than she had been for centuries. True, Thranduil's fierce probing had stirred up a million demons that had been lurking at the back of her mind. But she had lived with those demons so long they were quite familiar to her.
What was not familiar to her was the feeling of unity and protection. She no longer faced those demons alone.
Letting out a soft sigh, Romiël allowed her eyelids to drift partially shut. Her champion would be back tomorrow. They would work together every day. It would be a long hard road, but Romiël was determined to get back her peace of mind, her confidence. The Dark Lord had stolen 700 years of her life. He would not steal another moment, not if she could help it.
She blinked lazily and just as her fatigued mind drifted off to sleep, a thrill of excitement swept through her. In her contact with Thranduil's mind she had realized something. He was just as attracted to her, as she was to him and he had made no effort to hide it.
With that delightful thought, she drifted off to sleep, sleeping so heavily that she did not wake when a servant brought her the evening meal, nor did she wake all of that night.
~ ~ ~
Thranduil stopped pacing the floor as the sun began to rise. He had not slept the entire night, had not even gone to bed. There had been no rest for his mind either as he relived over and over the way he had burned through Romiël's mind the day before like a forest fire.
"What was I thinking!?" he snarled at the wall. Not only had he gone much too fast for her delicate condition, but he had also shown her his attraction to her. He was a king and she but a commoner. He could have no feelings for her!
But what exactly was his interest in her anyway?
It was rare for his people to take a second love. Was he driven by blind desire then? Did lust cloud his mind so that he wished to take advantage of this helpless, yet willing she-Elf?
In frustration, he stepped out onto his balcony, resting strong hands upon the rail and looked out over the kingdom. Laughter drew his gaze downward and he saw his son and Alede walking on the path. They held hands and seemed completely at peace with each other. As they neared the Great Hall, Legolas drew the wizardess close for a kiss and then spoke softly in her ear. Whatever he said made Alede laugh and Thranduil watched them part company with a wistful expression on his face.
Legolas was not the least bit troubled by his betrothed's lack of nobility. On the contrary, rarely had there been a more loving couple.
Thranduil frowned. He was a very independent Elf and he would be the last to admit that he was lonely. But in truth, he felt isolated. The centuries since his wife's death had been long and difficult. He missed her companionship.
Is that what he sought in Romiël?
Staring at the steps that Alede had mounted, Thranduil briefly wished he could talk to her. He could not express himself to Legolas. He knew his son well enough to know that once Thranduil's interest in Romiël became apparent, there would be trouble. Legolas had been very close to his mother and no doubt would see Thranduil's actions as a betrayal of her memory.
"But a memory is a poor companion," Thranduil whispered.
But Alede . . . he recalled their conversation from the other day. Alede had a calm logical mind that he found soothing.
Not that I will ever tell her that, he thought with a wry grin.
He did not easily open up to people though, so speaking with Alede about a matter so close to his heart would be out of the question.
Dragging a chair over to the rail, he sat down to consider the matter. What would Alede say, he wondered, trying to imagine the kind of question she would ask?
Closing his eyes, Thranduil smiled ruefully. Alede would be direct.
*How do you feel about Romiël?*
How did he feel about her? True, he was attracted to her. But why exactly? It was obvious that she had been beautiful at one time and her body shapely. She was so emaciated and ravaged by her time in Mordor now, that that beauty was not immediately apparent. If it was lust that drove him, there were far more attractive and healthy women right here in Eryn Culhallas that would quite eagerly share his bed.
So was it companionship that he sought? But again that made no sense. Romiël was quite damaged by her experience in Mordor and would not be capable of any kind of true relationship for many months. Thranduil had worked with enough prisoners of Orcs to know that they depended upon their healers with an almost childlike need. It would be a long time before Romiël was ready for the give and take of a healthy relationship.
Which left only one conclusion.
Thranduil was attracted to her mind. Even before he had plunged into her song, he had sensed her strength, her will to survive. She was a fighter, just like he was.
To finally know someone with a spirit as fierce as his own was more than compelling.
It was intoxicating.
~ ~ ~
Thranduil strode briskly into Romiël's room after she bid him enter.
"What is wrong?" she asked immediately.
"Nothing," he said quickly, but he refused to sit down when she gestured. "All is well. How do you feel this morning? I fatigued you yesterday and I apologize. I think we had best continue tomorrow. You can rest today . . ."
"No," Romiël said, shaking her head. "We will continue today, if you please. I know you felt guilty for . . ."
Thranduil turned impatiently. "That is beside the matter. It is important that we build your strength gradually."
Romiël gaped at him. "Are you abandoning me?" she whispered. But then just as suddenly, she knew that was not correct. "No," she said decisively, pushing aside the insecurities learned in Mordor. "You would not abandon me. But you are troubled . . ." She gazed up at him speculatively, trying to pierce through that regal mask that he wore as armor.
"You are much too perceptive," Thranduil said after an uncomfortable pause.
She reached out a hand and touched his arm. "Not necessarily. But you forget. Our . . . song yesterday went both ways. While you were investigating my mind, I in turn was learning the map of yours . . ."
Thranduil looked up.
"You are embarrassed for being attracted to a commoner, are you not?" Romiël said with a defiant tip of her chin.
Thranduil made an inarticulate protest, but Romiël cut him off.
"Do not deny it. I am well acquainted with the prejudices of Elvin nobility." She fixed him with a critical eye, belaying the argument she sensed coming. "But, I will overlook your bias, for we are equally flawed. Only one of the Valar would be willing to put up with your temperament. And I am hardly one of the Valar."
"That you are certainly not," Thranduil said with some heat.
But Romiël ignored his sharp tone as a surge of her old confidence shot through her.
"When I am well," she said with a slight curve of her well shaped lips, "I will show you why I won not only the heart of countless Elves and a man, but the admiration of our clan's Lord as well. And now," she ignored the thunderstruck look on Thranduil's face, flipping her hair off of her shoulders coquettishly, "shall we begin?"
~ ~ ~
A/N: lol! Well, it looks like Romiël won that one. :) Does Thranduil stand a chance? Find out in chapter 5! :D
I apologize for the sporadic nature of the updates on this story. My muse is still happily vacationing in the Caribbean and I'm having trouble getting her to settle down and concentrate on Elves. (She seems to have developed an interest in a certain pirate . . ;) )
I'd also like to thank you for the wonderful comments on "Elvin Friend". The timing was perfect since I had just received *another* rejection slip in the mail *sniff* :( so I definitely needed something to boost my spirits.
I am sorry for any mistakes in "Elvin Friend". The decision to post it was purely spontaneous (in the middle of the night after my clever hubby found a way to get us onto the internet using stone knives, bear skins and a modem from the 16th century :D ) and I completely forgot that it was not yet beta read. Sorry!
Take care and I'll see you next time. ~ :D Nebride