An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Book 2: chapter 7- exucution and budding romance

The next day at the crack of dawn amalda was awoken and taken away by guards. Legolas had been one of the last to hear about amalda's punishment as he had been on watch the previous evening. Upon hearing the news of his father's cold hearted punishment he rushed straight to thranduil's room.
"Father?!" He called, knocking loudly then bursting in. Thranduil looked upon his son with eyes that held no love. No love, no shame, no fear. There was no emotion.
"I have just heard from another guard that this morning amalda is to be punished for crimes against the court. Is this true?" He asked, hoping it was a silly rumour.
"It is" thranduil stated blandly.
"Father. Please. I know you miss helke, and I know that you fear for her, but please don't let her absence turn you into merciless king" legolas begged.
"Do not talk to me like you know my pain. Never have you loved anyone then had them ripped from your grasp. You were too young to even remember your mother" thranduil said and his voice held a poisonous tone. "Amalda showed no mercy to helke and because of her helke could be dead."
"But father-"
" lau legolas" snapped thranduil and legolas's eyes fell to the floor. "Leave me" growled thranduil and legolas did so but not before slamming the doors behind himself. Thranduil looked at himself in the mirror and for once in a long time saw the changes in himself. "What have you done to me, helke?" He asked himself in the mirror. He stared at himself with dull blue eyes a second longer before straightening out and sweeping out of the room.

The execution was swift and private and thranduil had watched with his own eyes as amalda's body slumped down on the floor, lifeless. He had received no word back from other elvish kingdoms, other than that they would help thranduil find helke. After amalda's execution he returned back to his study, the king spent as little time as was possible in his own room and the throne room. As he looked over his desk he found the hand sketched picture of helke he had asked one of the most talented elves of is kingdom to draw. She was looking over her shoulder with a soft smile, one that thranduil could remember so much. He touched her sketched face gently, hoping that she was still alive and well. But anger and sadness burnt in his chest as he looked at the picture. Had she ran away? If not who had taken her? Why had they taken her? Without thinking thranduil hovered the sketch over a nearby candle. The flames licked at the paper and caught quickly. The paper disintegrated into a tiny white pile of ash. In thranduil's eyes helke was no more.....

It was the day of amalda's execution that Luca was taking valladea to an old market he often bought supplies from. There she found all sorts of magical and non magical object, all fascinating to her. There was blue birds that sang beautiful tunes, flowers that changed colours and potions, pots and jars. As she walked by a stall she noticed a leathery looking creature with a long tail and arrow shaped head. It's scaled we're green and it had mean little eyes. In the back of her head it reminded valladea of something she had seen before and she had the feeling she had been very close to it. She slowly got closer before Luca called to her.
"Valladea?!" She looked up. "Come on, if I lose you I may never find you again" he joked but valladea gulped. He hooked his arm around vall's and lead her down the cobbled street. "Ah, here we go" Luca stopped at a stall and valladea felt sick when she saw what was for sale. Parts of animals encased in bottles with strange names written on labels.
"Ah Luca!" The man behind the stall seemed to recognise Luca as a regular customer. "The usual?" He asked and Luca nodded wordlessly. Luca was too occupied by looking at vall and admiring how beautiful she looked today. The sun was covered by clouds but vall still seemed to shine in her own perfect way. Her white, long hair was braided back with flowers intertwined into it. She wore a long white dress which was crocheted very finely. On her ankle was the anklet Luca had 'given her'. He was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
"Luca" the gentleman brought him out of his thoughts. Luca looked round to see the man grinning at him. "Is she yours?" He asked.
"Sort of" Luca replied, paying the man three gold coins.
"Sort of?" He inquired. He had known Luca for a long time and never before had he seen him so transfixed by a single women, or any women! It was true he had had a few ladies in his caravan in the late hours thanks to his good looks but never had he felt his eyes watch someone so intensely.
"It's quite complicated" Luca sighed. "I'll see you later. Thank you" Luca nodded at the gentleman and searched around for vall. He scowled when he saw she was kneeling in the corner, facing a corner. He quickly went over to her and stopped by her side quietly.
"Valladea?" He asked softly "are you okay?". He looked down to see her palm outstretched and a small mouse climbing onto her soft pale palm.
"What is it?" She asked,straightening up. It was only now that Luca could see this was no ordinary mouse.
"It's a mouse" he stated. This was not like any mouse she had seen in books or on the side of the road.
"It's blue" she stated.
"Probably had a go at those flowers back there" Luca chuckled, nodding back to the colour changing flowers. "Poor little fellow" Luca scratched the mouse's ear as the mouse began to turn a pretty violet colour. It ran up valladea's arm and perched on her shoulder, nuzzling into her neck as she giggled. Luca smiled at her then a stall to his left caught his eye.
"Come on" he linked arms with her and pulled her softly to the side. There he bought two large drinks. To valladea it tasted of warm spice and was sweet. It also reminded her of something she had drank before, maybe in a past life? She continued to admire the stalls as she walked down the streets, drink in hand and mouse on shoulder.
It was later on in the evening when there were fireworks that Luca sat helke down on a large green slope that many others were sat on, ready for the fireworks.
"Have you ever seen fireworks before vall?" Asked Luca and valladea shook her head, stroking the little mouse. "They are beautiful, though they do make a rather alarming noise at first" Luca warned lightheartedly but vall gave him a nervous look. He only chuckled softly as this. Out of the corner of his eye Luca looked at vall as she admired the stars.
"Vall-"
"Look!" Gasped valladea as a firework shot up into the sky, flying higher and higher. It went off with a bang, making vall jump slightly but smiled at the pretty colours. Luca smiled and lay back against the slope, also admiring the sight.

The fireworks went on long into the night and even after people stayed around, lighting lanterns and talking merrily.
"Vall?" He said at last when had finished her drink and allowed her new mousey friend to drink the remains. Valladea only looked over her shoulder at him, smiling softly. Luca's words were caught in his throat. Not only was vall beautiful she held a kindness that Luca found extremely rare in the world. It was a selfless and loving kindness. She tilted her head, waiting for Luca to speak.
"I just wanted to say- well in a respectful way-" Luca sighed, hanging his head. "I think You look very beautiful. And you are a very kind person" he confessed finally. Dread and disappointment filled his stomach when he heard her get up. He did not dare to look at the disgust on her face. He was filled with delight however when she sat comfortably next to him, budging up closely and smiling softly. Luca stripped off his coat and put it around her shoulders wordlessly. Helke rested her head on his shoulder softly and the two were content.
That night Luca slept comfortably with Lucy's arms around her, keeping her safe as the king had once done. His face was nuzzled into the back of her head, basking in the softness of her hair and sweet smell. He pressed a kiss to her head before settling down for the night...