Archive of Our Own

"Tauriel", you called upon her. Even if her eyes already had shifted from Legolas upon hearing your return to the party. "The foul beasts and their nest have been cleared". You didn't even need to pull the reins to urge your companion to stop when you needed to sit down.

"I thought you only said you would hunt the ones having stirred trouble upon us", the Wood-elf questioned as you tossed the reins over your stallions head, collecting them in one hand before turning to face her.

"I did, but they had already run so far it would have been for nought if not taking the whole nest with them". Your red-haired companion could not but tip her head forwards and close her eyes, lips trying not to tug upwards in the edges.

"I need to say, as the head of this guard, that you should keep to your word of honour. Albeit-", Tauriel looked upwards again, trying her best not to lose her firmness all too bad when a few elves still had not dispersed as the rest around you. However, the softening of her voice as she continued was inevitable. "-I, as a friend, know that you would have finalised this quest no matter what I ordered, merely seeing how it is your will guiding you to not take a loss that could be prevented".

"Or more so a King that would have my head", you muttered low enough none of the other guards could hear, knowing your comment would not sit right with them compared to your companions. "Oh, I am a fool. He will possibly find something either way".

The chuckle did not come from Tauirel this time, regarding she did a great job in quelling her amusement. It came from Legolas. "Ever thought it may be fate blessing you upon hearing the words of hope you utter", the ribbing remark merely made you roll your eyes at the Sindarin Elf.

"Not as much a blessing as a curse", you huffed.

And as if the Valar actually heard your statements as clearly as your two companions. A voice called upon your attention. However, it was not solely your head that turned when your name filled the air. Both Tauriel and Legolas' did as well.

Now coming to stand at your sides was one of the heavily armed guards. One of those that protected a few chosen places of this kingdom. If merely guessing from your positioning, reasonably close to the border. You would have thought one of those guards had come to speak with you about whatever on their thought. However, seeing the gold inlacing the intricacy of the shield they carried, that was not the case. This was one of the guards from the Kings throne chamber.

"The King has requested your presence", at times you wondered if the Elven King's character was contagious. Although, if you too would need to stand and listen to Thranduil day in and out, his temper would infect you. So, you held no grudge towards the guard's clipped request upon the King's demand.

"Tell him I'll be there", Tauriel reached forth, offering to lead Séilfa to the enclosure he shared with the other horses. Bur, you simply shook your head, turning and starting to walk yourself. "The King will understand. If not, he will simply have to". As if knowing what you said and that it meant you cared more for your mustang than to appease Thranduil by letting go of anything to come, Séilfa snorted pressing, his head against your shoulder.

You heard no commotion around you, just an exchange of words and then footsteps coming closer. Glancing over your shoulder, you noticed how Tauriel and the guard were heading further into the grounds towards the centre of the realm while Legolas was nearing you with his own mare in tow.

"You are not making it easy for my father to like you", you looked forth once the golden-haired elf settled into the same step as you, his white horse held on his left side so he could walk beside you.

"He does not make it easy to receive his likings either".

"Perhaps it would not hurt trying". You turned to look at Legolas when feeling his eyes shift to you.

"Try what?" One of your eyebrows arched. "Offering him the belief that he has a reason to be so hostile when I never think I have given the King a cause?" He opened his mouth, though it appeared he realised you indeed had a point. Thranduil, no matter what you had done to evoke his dislike -according to him- did not really have a reason to be so resentful towards you.

You were a skilful guard, on the likes of both Tauriel and Legolas. Losing was never an option for you. Thus you always strived to be better, fight harder. Apart from veering off track from the Silvan elf's command once or twice, merely to finish a mess you may or may not have started, you never disobeyed the words from the Woodland Realm's ruler.

You may have come to stretch the boundaries and his patience for finishing a task before answering to his words this last season. Although, that was not to forgo the unavoidable. Merely to complete a task you knew you could get reprimanded for rather than just whatever the King wanted to speak to you about initially.

"You are what my father does not like", the out of a blue comment made you huff.

"Wonderful way to put it", you replied, but the Prince of Mirkwood simply shook his head.

"I do not mean it that way", Legolas patted the coat of his white steed to calm it when it started to tug in the reins upon the sight of the pasture and herd. "I mean that you are sacrificial, have a sharp tongue and is strong-willed".

"Nothing but praise in hose words, my Prince", you shot him a smile, one your companion could not help but smile and shake his head at. Not solely from how you facetiously used his title as few others dared, even when alone with him.

"You are not like most".

"Indeed not".

"Most would say that it is remarkable how you can be in the King's guard with such little respect for him". 'I wonder that too' was about to slip from your lips. But you caught the words before they managed to linger in the air, veering the conversation off track.

"Is it something you too wonder?" You couldn't help that your smile quirked just in the edges, turning into a smirk at the quick way his watchful blue eyes snapped to you.

Upon seeing your humoured look on him, Legolas calmed when knowing you had not taken ill, nor truly believed he thought the words he said was legitimate. "No. Thus, I know you personally".

"Good, then I do not need to explain to you I heed to his orders out of respect to a King, whereas Thranduil as a person and your father has no respect from me and neither will he until he show me some".

Albeit talking with possibly the greatest disrespect in the kingdom about his father, Legolas simply laughed at you. Mostly because he found your attitude refreshing. Not so stiff and seemingly forced to like someone only because they were a majesty.

"Then let your stallion roam and head to the sole one you do have respect for out of the two", he said as you reached the area other horses already grazed in.

"Maybe I shall", you chuckled along with him as you both slipped the reins of your equines heads, not needing to lead them further as they already knew the grounds better than you and happily trotted away.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

As the heavily armed guards -one of them being who'd sought you out earlier- parted, you entered the immense hall in the kingdom's heart. Light from afar, as well as hanging above, you litup the vast expanse of the space. However, these were not the things you concentrated on. Your eyes were perched upon who'd spotted you the second you walked into the hall.

Simultaneously as Thranduil rose from his throne and headed down the stairs. You walked across the trail leading to the ground that his sign of authority was bestowed upon. Concerning your way of travel was longer than his, the moment you reached him, he'd already stopped in the centre of the circular platform, crossed his arms and let jewelled fingers tap his rope clad bicep.

"You made me wait".

"What was it you called on me for?" You brushed past his comment about you arriving much later than the guard who had meant to bring you with him, knowing it had no significance to the original intention of speaking with you. Something made even more apparent when neither he dwelled too long by it.

"You endangered the task". You withstood the urge to roll your eyes as you had done when speaking to Legolas now a few sets of minutes earlier. Knowing it would simply sour the King's mode even more. But it was not merely because he found something to comment on this time, like so many previously. It was what he decided was the fault.

You had been ordered to fend off the spiders slowly creeping into the borders of your lands, destroy their nest as well. However, what none of you had been prepared for was how fast those foul creatures had infested the forest. Quickly you realised you were outnumbered even if being a whole patrol sent out. Thus it had shifted from being a mission of extinction to a battle of survival.

Legolas and Tauriel had the support they needed. Even you did by your sister and brothers in arms. However, there had been a duo that did not. You had spotted them in the edge of your vision, fighting six of those spawns. None, apart from you, seemed to have spotted them. Hence, the decision had been easy.

Without as much as a second thought, you made your way to the trees to easier reach your companions. Regarding how your path on the ground was blocked with a field of spiders

You reached the two guards that barely fended for themselves. Helping them escape death by a hair's breadth. Although, not without any sort of urgency still remaining when not the spiders crawled in equally as big masses around you. One of them had been scratched by the foul creatures strong leg, the other slightly worse, having been bitten and venom quickly tiring them. You'd shouted for Tuariel, knowing the position from anything from Dol Guldur worked quicker than any other known. Upon seeing what happened, she'd called for a retreat.

"I would not-"

"But you did", he cut you off. Those blue eyes he shared with Legolas-but for some reason, was even more profound- narrowing. "All of you could have fallen for those creatures because of your acts". Your jaw clenched. He was wrong.

"No, solely I could have". That was when Thranduil cocked his head, arms falling from being enlaced with one another.

"You are interpreting this wrong". Your brows furrowed as the Sindarin elf said this, gaze following him as he now walked to the side, eyeing the land of his kingdom. "You think I speak of your acts of saving the two guards by leaving your closed ranks. Offering a sore spot for those spawns of Dol Guldur to break you up".

Indeed. You thought Thranduil would condemn you for not letting your brother in arms fall victims to the spiders on account of not protecting people that very well did well on their own. But upon his words of you being wrong, as well as he now looked back at you, lips pressing into a thin line, you knew what he thought of. Still, it seemed the King wanted to make you confess what he thought was the fault.

"You offered to stay at the back of the retreating group. Ending up not only fending off those spawns following you but also chasing those who escaped to their nest". Thranduil's tone was one you only could curtly tip your head at before answering.

"I did".

"The order was to retreat".

"It was". Despite nails pressing as firmly into your hands intertwined behind your back, you could not stop yourself from continuing to speak. "I fail to see why you called me here, my King. I saved to men in your guard, as well did I complete the task you set for us. I have possibly not-"

"What if your decision of going after those creatures set the rest in danger? You did not know if they were being followed after your withdrawal. Thus, you only went after the creatures you saw", his voice was stern, ringing an octave lower but louder in general. "I expect discipline in my guard. A Captain's order is to be followed. Youacted out of line".

You had been able to hold yourself together until that point. When hearing what sounded but nothing else than personal distaste and not the caution of a King. "Tauriel gave me permission to hunt those-"

"But she did not approve of going to their nest". Thranduil turned his body to face you, nothing but tension twisting his features.

"That was a means to an end".

"One that could have costed your lives”.

"Then step out there yourself, Thranduil. Watch what you would do in my stead. I am sure you would act the same as soon as you set a foot outside of these halls", your voice did not carry your words in the same overly calm fashion as his. And even if you wanted to accentuate your words by motioning your hand to the land beyond the safety inside the realms walls, you remained perfectly still with your arms. "Out there, there is no correct way of acting. Whatever gives you, maybe only your companions, the highest chance of survival is the path you follow. I chose to do what I did today to not let anyone else in this realm run the risk of being hurt, or worse, killed by those creatures".

"Dismissed!" His voice was an echo, a heavy contrast to the curt flick of his wrist from where he had started, momentarily stopped, to ascend the stairs. You had a thousand more things you wanted to say, but the command of your King made you grit your teeth and silence yourself.

You locked your gaze with his during the curt nod and slight bow you gave him. Not breaking it afore sharply turning on your heel and heading out the same way you came.

The doors were already opening when you still had a great distance to them. And despite what your brain told you, that it would be evident from how you quickened your step to reach them sooner, something Thranduil would not miss from how you felt his eyes bore into you, that you were not upset but offended. You did just that. Agitated by his nerve of saying... you exhaled harshly through your nose, a noise the elf still gazing at you could not hear. More so, the ones ahead of you.

But it was not solely the guard, rather the very Prince you had spent some time with beforehand. You had not expected to see him again, both of you having duties of your own to fill the remaining hours of daylight with. Although, there he stood, very much noticing both your sound of frustration and the frown souring your facial expression.

"What-"

"The usual", Legolas had not been able to ask the question of what had gone down this time afore you gave him your answer. Indicating Thranduil had berated your efforts of being a soldier levelled with his son and the Captain of his guard as he always did.

"I will speak to him", he said as you passed, apparently about to see his father as well. Though his consolation did little to ease your frustration.

"He has not and will not change his mind no matter the amount you try to convince him otherwise", was all you left Legolas with as you continued down the hall.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

The sun and moon had switched positions four times now, meaning it was four days since you met with Thranduil. Albeit still letting out the occasional huff of annoyance, your temper had settled. Predominantly, because you had not seen a glimpse of either the elf himself. Or anyone who could care to talk about your interaction with him. In other words, the Prince of Mirkwood.

It was nothing against Legolas, but occasionally, things could not be solved by talking about them. Stowing in your own bitterness until it lost its meaning was sometimes better. No matter what others said. And concerning your time awake had been filled with work for the guard and other things. You had not been given much time to let your mind stray. Simply kept busy thinking about new matters constantly.

It had done you good. In fact... so good that you had worked through all your duties, other than your few daily ones. Which had not meant to be done until a lunar cycle had passed. Hence, you had a lot of free time to do as you pleased.

As usual -when having even the sparest of moments to yourself- you did not linger inside the kingdoms innermost walls. Instead, you ventured outside.

The day was beautiful as it only was in the summer. Lush leaves are highlighted even more by the sun from above. The trees peaks waving just slightly in the warm wind. The wheater granting you permission to change out of the attire you wore most of the days to for once feel the softness of a robe.

There was not much as the like of gardens in the elven kingdom in Mirkwood. Instead, there was the backside of the palace where plateaux, as well as the restricted blossoming of groves, existed. Any sort of trees from the pretty cherry blossom, fruit giving ones and even striped birch. The grounds war so unlike those outside the kingdom's walls, despite them both being entirely wild. However, that was not all.

The river running beneath the halls revealed itself as a waterfall until soon turning into a more powerful stream. Later it turned into a flood, wild and twisting like a snake, continuing all the way to the Long lake. To see, not even the lake itself, merely the powerful stream leading to it, you needed to go beyond the border where guards vigilantly watched for any threats. The one that to you still war nothing more than a glimpse in the distance.

You could hear the cascade of water, albeit did not see it from how you were strolling down the hilled side a few days past had walked up from. There was no other reason you were here then to meet Séilfa. And, upon entering the enclosure -that was still big enough it could be called wilderness- you whistled the tone you always did to catch the attention of your stallion.

You were lucky today, regarding how you soon heard the familiar whinny coming from one of the groves and did not need . A few seconds later, you also spot your chestnut colour horse trotting towards you from the treeline. Not able to not break into a smile as Séilfa whips his head while his ears flicker forwards.

"Hey there", you greet him as he comes to a halt in front of you, though not until he is given the apple you had picked on the way does he properly welcome your presence.

The russet steed with his black mane and white irregular star on his forehead had truly smitten you ever since you stumbled upon him. He had not been like other horses, easily ridden and fooled by bribes to do as one wanted. But with you, he had become manageable, quickly more than that. Trust was built between the two of you. So much he had been crowned your own horse by everyone in the guard. Seeing how none other was let upon his back.

And that was why you so often came and dwelled in his presence those times you were free of duties. Like now.

However, as you stood there cooing at the mustang and the animal playfully nipping towards your face, something you chuckled at before the both of you calmed and Séilfa let you pet his muzzle, you did not notice the person who had spotted you.

"So that one is yours?" You were broken from the spell of your companion snuggling into your palm by not only the voice but how your stallion instantly jerked his head upwards. And though you were not the sole one looking towards where the voice came from, you were the single one whose eyes narrowed upon spotting Thranduil.

You did not know of why he was here, walking so casually in none of his excessive royal garments, merely a tunic as most of the guards -like yourself- wore when not on patrol. Your mood was souring because he did inflict upon a time where you had thought you could be alone. And the words he had announced himself with did not make it any better.

"I have never spoken of your companion with such tone. I request for you to do the same". There was no reason you could fault the magnificent elk Thranduil had the honour of calling his companion and roamed even more unrestricted than any of your horses. But that did not matter. You are protective over your mustang, especially when the judgment was so clear against the horse you had gone back to petting. And it seemed Séilfa felt it as well or at least was not comfortable with the new person who has joined you. Hence, his ears flickered back and forth continuously while angling his head the way the King was coming closer.

He did not say anything about your remark, but you thought you spotted a nod -which it could not possibly be, you told yourself- in your peripheral. Moving so you would not let your mind play any other tricks, you now stod at Séilfa's side, combing through his mane.

"Will I be introduced, or is that something I have to do myself?"

Eyes shifting to Thranduil, your head tilted somewhat. "I may be one of your guards, but I am not a servant". You replied shortly, the tall elf moving the same way as previously. Now when facing him, you saw that he had nodded earlier. However, it was not a pure nod of understanding. The action had a slight tilt at the end. Changing the meaning of it so drastically. So much you did not know what to make of it.

Even if you have never seen his head tilted any way but upwards. A nod would have looked more natural than this. Whatever this altered gesture of his head truly was meant to represent, it looked... uncharacteristic. Immensely so.

You were only grateful that the King's gaze was not set upon you to witness that the narrow of your brow had turned into one of confusion. Instead, it was upon your stallion. The rust coloured horse cared little for you managing the waterfall braid you started to work his mane into. All his focus is on Thranduil.

The elf extended his hand, but instead of muzzling his palms as he had done with yours -or even sniffing it- Séilfa simply snorted at the attempt before forcing you to take a few steps backwards to not get crushed by him as he moved away. You bit back a chuckle. However, the smile tugging your lips was not as easy to fend off.

"Attitude, like her owner".

"Like his owner", you corrected Thranduil, eyes averting for just a second to glance up at him before shifting back to the mane you simply held for a moment afore continuing.

"How did he become yours?" You felt a twitch in your brow as you stared at your braiding hands.

"He was a general horse but ended up not being ridden by anyone. He is rather opinionated".

"I did notice", he said, but for some reason, it did not feel like a reprimand against your companion this time around. It simply sounded like a reflection and agreement to what you had said.

"It is hard not to". You finished the braid you had done, but without a tie and the urgency of your colt to escape the presence of somebody that Séilfa did not favour disabling you to do a makeshift knot of grass, you let go of your creation. It held up for now. But by nightfall, it would have fallen out of place.

You were not aggrieved by the fact. What you were unhappy with, however, was how you were left with the King alone.

"I have not seen you in this environment". You kept silent rather than voice what rested upon your tongue. You have never endeavoured to go further than your throne to witness it.

"Neither have I", you settled on replying. Trying to maim your bitterness better than the last time you two were in each other's presence.

"Yet it seems we are here for the same reasons". You glanced at Thranduil through the corner of your eye, not moving any further when you noticed his eyes were set upon your retreating companion.

So you may have gotten it explained why he was here, to visit his horned friend. But the new question was why he lingered like this in your presence. Few times, if ever, did you exchange words outside his halls. And when thinking about it, you may never even have seen the King outside it apart from when he watched over his guard's training periodically. So why did he engage in any type of conversation with you now? One that was not filled with even one purely negative comment so far.

"Legolas spoke to me", now, without being able to use your companion as a distraction, you could not hide behind an aimless task. Thus, Thranduil saw just how you reacted to his comment when you turned towards him with a narrowed brow.

Never. That was how many times the King had made any mention of speaking to Legolas. If you were not as close to the Prince as you were and he explicitly said he talked to his father, neither would you have known about it. So, for that information to not come from him but Thranduil was something that took you off guard.

Despite your shock and the question of what they talked about remained absent because of it, the King continued speaking.

"He spoke of you".

"What about?" You sounded harsh, perhaps because you already knew what Legolas had said to his father. He had told you, after all. But it was not solely because of that. You could not understand why the elven King told you anything of what he was. And the switch was something ostensibly unnatural.

"Mostly about your actions, defending them. But he mentioned something else as well". His eyes locked with yours, but... you could not read what was going on in them. They were always expressive, even if his features remained stoic and indifferent. Whereas now, you could not make sense of what you witnessed.

"Legolas cited you respect me as nothing but a King". Valar curse you, Greenleaf. You would have muttered it aloud if not Thranduil had stood beside you, now also turning towards you. "Is that true?"

"Yes, my King", you knew you did not need to elaborate. Thus if Legolas had told his father this much. He already knew the rest of your sentence -therefore reasoning- as well. Still, it seemed your clarification that his son had not conjured the words out of thin air came as... somewhat of a surprise. At least seeing from how his eyebrows raised while giving you a near bottomless nod compared to earlier. An understanding one.

Albeit silence was what you thought would follow and his presence to leave you, none of that happened. His eyes merely flickered -yet another thing you had never seen- for a few seconds afore settling to meet your gaze once more as he spoke.

"I never foresaw I would tell you any of this. Not until I saw you today". Despite having argued with Thranduil before -when agitation laced his voice while his frame could become even more intimidating from his powerful gestures- never had you been as jittery as now. Especially not when he continued speaking. "I had not even given it a thought, not when remarking Legolas have drawn the similarities unconsciously. Not until now".

"Similarities of what?"

"You remind me of my late wife".

The mother of Legolas? The women he said his father would not answer any questions about as if she had not existed? Yes, those had been the words coming out of Thranduil's mouth.

Your lips opened and closed thus... what could you say to that? Nothing, at least you did not need to say anything, concerning how Thranduil seemingly had anticipated your response or lack thereof.

"You are clearly not the same person, but you have some of her attributes". Sacrificial, a sharp tongue and strong-willed, Legolas words from two days prior echoed in your mind. You had never met his mother, thus despite being a few hundred years older than him, you had not settled in Mirkwood as of after her death. But maybe he saw similarities between the two of you even though not even taking any notice he did.

Legolas was not an elfing when she passed. Hence he would have memories of her. And, maybe that was also why he thought you did not make it easy for his father to like you because you acted on the same instinct as her.

You had heard how she passed. It had been in the fortress of Gundabad after the wars waged upon the ancient land of Angmar. There had been nothing after her death. No grave. No words. No memory. Legolas had once told you he almost believed his father was angry at her. Thus, she had not died by his side. It had been by leaving it to protect her people, taking their stead to face death.

It was easier to forget than forgive, the Prince of Mirkwood had said when reflecting over his father's loathe towards the matter.  He must have been right, you thought, if anger was the reason Thranduil repressed everything about his wife, then so would it be awakened if you threatened and even acted on the same basis as she once did. 

But why would he even think about you that much it roused feelings buried so deep inside? What did it mean when he told you about this...? About something that not even his son had in all the years of her passing?

"I hope you will respect me as more than a King, one day". As he said this, it clicked. It clicked why you were on his mind for possibly longer than your physical stay in his throne hall.

He may not see you as the same as his late wife, but could it possibly be that you awoke the same feelings? Maybe not as intense at the moment or that it ever would be, but the same which she once had. Could you truthfully rouse something that the elven King fought long and hard for to remain dormant?

"Only if you respect me", you found yourself unable to answer with anything else than the same exact words you had whilst speaking to Legolas. Mind too far away, even if you were looking into his eyes.

"I have found that I already do", out of everything he had said, this was what made your eyes widen. But out of all the times you did seek any kind of further comment from him, Thranduil commenced walking away while what he just said was left hanging in the air.'