An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Book 2: chater 10 ~ the search continues

"Brother, I do not know why you still search for her. She is long gone by now. It has been two years!" Rumil pointed out as haldir took his bow and strapped some arrows onto his back.

"I will not lose faith brother. She is still alive" haldir replied and left without another word. The morning air was warm and his breathe no longer came out in white puffs like it once did in winter. Every morning and every night haldir would go out and look for any sign of helke along (and sometimes even outside of) the boarders of lothlorien. He was confident helke was till out there somewhere and he could not, could not, rest until he knew she was safe again. That morning (like many before it) held no luck in finding helke. For all haldir knew she could be on the other side of middle earth. But he would do all he could for her.

That sunny day all of Lucy's people got up very early and began clearing their things out of their caravan and scrubbed the inside with water. Vall was awoken by Luca gently nipping at her soft flesh and groaned, trying to get under the blankets once more.

"Come on vall, I need to clean out" Luca gently nuzzled the back of vall's neck making her giggle.

"It's sunny outside" vall pointed out as she rolled onto her back.

"There's a forest nearby that will provide shade" he nodded in the direction of the forest. She sighed and nodded before getting up and beginning to get dressed. She pulled her hair to the side and plaited it, then wrapped it up in a bun to keep her shoulders cool. Some dresses had been made and Luca had bought a few for her so she no longer needed to borrow other people's. today she wore a simple long white full sleeved dress that had a long V at the back, showing her milky white back. like always she wore no shoes. Luca wrapped his arms around vall from the back, kissing the back of her head. Vall felt shy as she felt Luca's toned chest up against her bare back.

"You need to put a shirt on" she almost mewled, though she enjoyed the feeling of skin against skin.

"Who says?" Luca whispered, his lips ghosting over the shell of her ear. She sighed, closing her eyes and leaning back against luca's body. "Come on, let's get you to the forest without you tripping down the steps again" he teased as he handed her a bow and arrow before lifting her up side saddle.

"That was only once!" Giggled vall but allowed her lover to take her down the steps and through to the thick forest, hiding from the sun. "You think you can collect the healing roots I showed you before?" Asked Luca and vall nodded. "I will see you later love and remember, don't hesitate, just shoot" he looked at the bow before pressing a kiss to her lips and trudged back to his caravan.

"Don't hesitate, just shoot" helke whispered to herself as she walked deeper into the forest, all the time keeping her eye out for the dark green heeling roots. Suddenly a twig snapped and she heard quick footsteps. She quick notched an arrow before turning round and-

"Vally!" Called a high pitched voice and vall turned round to see it was only one of the children from luca's camp. She sighed and un-notched her arrow before crouching down and speaking softly to the child.

"You gave me a fright fauna" she said to the young boy.

"I'm sorry vally" he hugged her and she smiled.

"Fauna! Wait for me!" A younger female voice called. A young shy girl stopped a few paces away from vall and hid behind a tree.

"Don't be scared Lilly" hushed vall gently, putting down her bow and slowly approaching the tree Lilly hid behind. Lilly peeped out and vall smiled gently to her. Suddenly vall saw that a few other children peeped out from the trees and she giggled.

"Will you show us that thing vally?!" Asked fauna as val sat crossed legged on the floor with them.

"The thing?" She asked, confused as to what they meant.