An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Book 2: chapter 12 ~ the painful truth

Vall looked over the smooth metal of the circlet and the way it intertwined. Galadirel watched as vall slowly lowered the circlet onto her head and it fit like a glove. As soon as the circlet met her head however she sobbed and let let out a very loud yelp of pain. It felt as though somebody with pushing a sword down the top of her head. Galadriel sharply looked at vall and concern crossed her features and she caught vall as she collapsed, unconscious. Both Luca and Thranduil heard the cry of pain from the Iceling and thranduil flew back up the stairs, worry clear on his features.
An elf guard with ice blonde hair had already picked vall up and was carrying her to the room she had occupied previously.
"She collapsed as soon as she placed it upon her head" Galadriel explained before thranduil had even drawn in the breath to ask what had happened.
"Why do you smile at her pain?" Demanded thranduil upon seeing the gentle smile that played upon galadirel's lips. "I believe our helke is returning to us" she looked at the circlet that now lay upon the floor. "The memories which fayla took had to be placed in an object that had a strong connection to helke" she explained and thranduil glared at the circlet. Two years. For two years it had sat in his draw taunting him without his knowledge.
"How long until she wakes?" Thranduil asked. He was anxious to see her. Hold her, kiss her again.
"That I do not know. But it would be best that she rests alone for now" Galadriel told him.

Meanwhile down in his cell Luca kicked the metal bars and begged the guard to tell him what was going on. He had heard helke's wail of pain and feared that Thranduil may have struck her to. His tooth still throbbed.
"Please! All I ask is that you tell me what has happened to her!" Begged Luca but the guard stayed silent. "Come on you ruddy woodland pixie!" Cursed Luca and sighed when the guard still did not answer. "Vall" he whispered to himself. "I hope you are okay" he murmured before sitting on the wooden bench in his cell.

Helke's eyes were shut and her breathing was soft as she lay on the soft bed in her room. She had no dreams or nightmares, only blackness whilst she rested. It was an hour later that she opened her eyes slowly to the sight of the icicle that was still stuck in the ceiling from hours before, although it had begun to melt now. She sat up and looked around. He stared at the bedpost as it all came back to her. Being taken by Fayla, waking up with Luca, her memories of Thranduil, mirkwood and even ringa. It was all coming back. She covered her mouth and gasped as tears flowed down her cheeks. She had betrayed thranduil. She had loved another. She now recalled the look of hurt and longing in his eyes as he passed the circlet onto her. Why had Luca taken her, Lied to her?
She scrambled up off the bed and wrenched open the door. She had to find thranduil, she had to show him that she remembered and still loved him.
"Thranduil?!!" She called down the halls but there came no reply. She ran left without even stopping to think, she just wanted to see her elven king.
At this time galadirel and thranduil were walking in the gardens but did not talk. There was a soft summer breeze that pushed their hair off of their shoulders but thranduil did not feel it.
"Your son, is he well?" Asked Galadriel politely as they walked but thranduil did not answer her. Legolas too had been saddened greatly by helke's disappearance but never once questioned helke's loyalty to his father. He missed seeing her walking round with her great land dragon, a constant smile gracing her features. Galadriel sighed softly but allowed the silence to remain.
Helke was still running when she suddenly crashed into a strong chested figure. The figure caught her before she fell and set her back on her feet. Helke looked up to see celeborn, galadirel's husband, his kind features reminding her greatly of the healer in mirkwood, anwa. She hugged his middle as tears continued to flow. She was sure by now thranduil had already left and that she would never see him again.
"You must be helke" celeborn said softly to Helke who in his eyes was still just a child. "My wife has told me much about you" he smiled and helke looked up. "Galadriel" he explained and Helke sniffled quietly.
"Thranduil" she croaked through her tears. "Is he gone?" She asked.
"He is out in the gardens with my wife. I will take you to him" celeborn comforted as he walked with Helke towards the gardens.
"My lord thranduil" called celeborn and thranduil turned to address his old friend. His eyes however fell instantly on helke who looked ashamed and shy. Everything else in the world was oblivious to the two as they looked at each other, their breathing soft.
Then helke ran.
She threw her arms around thranduil as she sobbed noisily into his chest. Helke was so tiny and light thranduil easily picked her up and held her closer to him. He could not believe it. Twice Helke had been taken from him with the consequences of never seeing her again yet here she was, in his arms sobbing into his blonde hair. Celeborn and Galadriel stood side by side as they watched the elven king and his Iceling reunited once more. As Thranduil held held her he kissed her deeply and she rested her hands on his shoulder then cupped his face as his tongue entered her mouth, tasting her again for the first time in two years. She moaned quietly, relishing at the taste of her lover as their tongues rubbed together, sending sparks down her spine.
"We see to have a re-occurring theme of keeping you here as a guest Helke" Galadriel said lightheartedly once they had pulled away and helke's feet were back on the ground. Helke looked round, tears still running down her cheeks.
"Thank you" she managed to hiccup out before burying her face into the king's silk clad chest. After helke had stopped crying and only hiccuped softly Galadriel spoke again.
"I think it would be wise for helke to remain inside for the time being, especially in this warm weather" Galadriel reminded, looking up at the sun. As helke turned to go inside Thranduil swept her up into his arms and carried her inside as helke petted his hair softly.
"Thranduil?" She asked quietly once thranduil had settled her down on a seat inside. Thranduil looked at her warmly. "Am I a bad person?" She asked as more cold tears came down her cheeks.
"Why would you be a bad person nin mel? You have done nothing wrong" He reminded her but still the tears came.
"I kissed another, I loved another" she wailed and the king pressed a finger to her lips.
"Shh, do not think of that now" he hushed as he looked at her tired eyes. "Think that soon you will be back within mirkwood lands. You will be safe with me" he reminded and pressed a kiss to her forehead. They shared one last kiss before thranduil pulled away to talk to Galadriel.
"Now that helke is helke again, do you still wish Luca to be set free?" Galadriel asked quietly and helke looked up, hearing their conversation. Thranduil's instincts told him that Luca should be put to death for him crimes.
"Please" helke said quietly from her seat. "Please do not kill him" helke begged. Thranduil looked round surprised.
"He took you, lied to you" he reminded.
"Nobody deserves death" helke corrected.
"So you wish for him to run free? For him to be free to take others captive?" Thranduil asked and helke stayed silent, looking down. She was no good at politics.
"Thranduil if I may advise-"
"No, you may not" thranduil snapped at Galadriel. He glanced at Galadriel before turning back to helke. "Helke" he began in a levelheaded voice. "Not all of the world is a kind place helke. I would have thought you had come to realise that by now" thranduil continued. Helke did not look at Thranduil, only to her feet.
"Thranduil. My old friend" celeborn ushered quietly. "Come" he nodded towards the door and the two elves left.
"Galadriel" asked helke quietly once she was sure thranduil was out of ear shot.
"Yes child?" She replied softly, smiling down at helke.
"Is it my fault that people keep taking me?" Helke was afraid of the answer.
"Of course not helke" Galadriel comforted but helke's gaze remained on her feet.
"When will I be allowed to go back to mirkwood?" Asked helke politely. Lothlorien was beautiful but mirkwood was familiar.
"Soon" Galadriel smiled. "But first I think it would be wise for you to speak again to Luca" said Galadriel softly. Helke looked up worriedly. "I will accompany you" Galadriel comforted and Helke nodded.

As soon as Luca saw Helke his face was met with relief. "Vall! I heard you cry, are you okay?" He asked. The look on his face told him that she was not as fond of him as she once had been. "You remember, don't you?" He asked sheepishly.
"How could you?!" Asked Helke unbelievably.
"He was treating you as a pet!"
"He loved me" countered helke. "And I loved him, very much. And I still do" she said angrily. "I do not understand why" helke whispered to him, getting closer to the metal bars.
"My mother was an Iceler. Just like you. Her name was kirla, fayla knew her" he began "she was enslaved by a man. She spent most of her life in misery before my father broke her free and married her" she explained. "I did not wish for anyone to go through what my mother experienced. When I heard from fayla what the king was doing to you....." Luca trailed off. "I can see now that those may have been lies however" he shuffled uncomfortably.
"Only now?" Helke asked, ice in her tone. "The king wishes for you to be executed. I do not however" helke admitted and Luca looked up in surprise. "Luca I have watched you guide and protect your people. You are a good person deep down" she smiled faintly. "I would be happy to let you free, if you promise me that you will never do harm towards a person again" Helke begged. Luca looked at Galadriel then Helke but did not say a word.
"Luca" Galadriel said softly. "Do you except helke's proposal?" She asked. Luca did not reply and Helke sighed softly. She was about to say something but Galadriel placed a hand in her shoulder and lead her upstairs.
"I do not understand-"
"All things come to those who wait" Galadriel smiled wisely but Helke sighed and looked out the window.
"I already miss him" Helke confessed.
"Luca?" Questioned Galadriel, a little taken back.
"Thranduil" she laughed and Galadriel smiled.
"He will be on his way soon, I am sure" the two females continued chatting as they looked out at the setting sun and soon realised that Helke and the king would be staying over night.
"May I go down to the stables m'lady? I miss laure awfully" requested Helke and Galadriel nodded gently. She lead Helke down to the large, grand stables and smiled as helke ran up to laure.
"Hello girl, did you miss me?" She asked and laure snuffled at Helke affectionately. "I missed you two, look at you! you've grown" she giggled as laure snuffled her hair, blowing hot air down her neck.
"I thought I may find you here" came a voice Helke recognised as her love's. she looked to the doorway and saw Thranduil and celeborn standing there. Helke continued to stroke laure's nose as thranduil came up to her and watched.
"The night is growing old Helke dear, I think it is time you and I retire for the night" he suggested and Helke nodded (though a little hesitantly). Thranduil only nodded to Galadriel but grinned like a school boy at celeborn who returned it, they looked like they had caused some mischief of some sort.
"Goodnight" Helke said politely before being lead away by thranduil, his arm around her comfortably. They strolled back to the room Helke had been given at a slow pace, enjoying each other's company though they did not say a word. Upon entering helke's room thranduil drew a bath as helke sat on the bed though he noticed that she sat rather sadly.
"Helke, nin mel. What is the matter? Are you not happy to be reunited with me?" Asked Thranduil as he sat in front of her, tucking some hair behind her ears.
"Of course I do! More than anything" Helke smiled gently at thranduil. "I just worry...about what is to become of Luca" helke bit her lip but thranduil sighed irritably.
"Take your mind off of him Helke, please" thranduil requested and helke nodded though did not truly have that intent. After a hot bath the king changed into some robes lent to him by celeborn and settled in the soft bed where helke was already sleeping. It sent joy and warmth into his heart to feel her with him again after he had been so certain she was dead. All he knew at that moment was complete and utter love in his heart for Helke...