The Fairy of Middle Earth

Chapter 5: Into the Light

Ninnel was looking worse for wear. Ever since the fae had come she had not slept much. She watched over the girl, who barely ate and barely slept. When she did sleep she was plagued by terrible night terrors. She stood in the doorway looking worriedly at the fae. She was crouched in a corner of the room. Slender arms wrapped around her slender legs. Hugging herself and rocking back and forth. Her head lay on her knees. Ninnel shook her head and backed away from the door and turned towards the king's bedroom.

She could hear Galion speaking to him within. She sighs and waits a respectable distance away in the corridor. She could hear Galion's voice rise, " Yes My Lord", she then watched as he walked from the bedroom. His glance towards her was well noted. The King was in a mood . No doubt he had not slept well in the previous days either. She would take a deep breath and exhale slowly before lifting her head and walking towards her king's door.

She looked inside and she saw him, dressed in silver and green. He was adjusting his tunic in the mirror. " Yes Ninnel?" His Icy gaze lifted looking at her in the reflection of the mirror.

Ninnel was a lovely elleth. Tall and slender with gentle features. Her brown hair held a red hue in the light. Her eyes a darker shade of blue than most. She looked exhausted. Even the flesh under those blue eyes had darkened. "My Lord," she began, "The girl," she paused and sighed. "The girl is not doing well. She barely eats, she barely sleeps and as you are aware when she does she is terrorized by nightmares. "

Thranduil listened and even paused his preening in the mirror. He watched Ninnel's reflection, He knew this woman better than really any other in his realm. He was now beginning to be concerned for her as well.

"The upper chambers are nearly ready. In fact, one could live within them now comfortably. The Fae, " Ninnel trailed off, her eyes lowering to look at her hands. "The Fae is diminishing My Lord. There is little light left in her eyes. Even her flesh turns grey. She needs sunlight and fresh air. The royal garden above should provide that as well as protection. " She looked back up and blinked, stepping back, Thranduil had moved . He was right there, just feet away . His gaze held a twinge of worry she hadn't noticed before.

"Take her then, to the upper chambers. I will have my rooms moved as well. Get her settled and hopefully a change of scenery will help." He fell silent then and walked past her and out into the corridor.

"Yes My Lord," she called softly . Actually a bit surprised at how easy that had been. Stepping into the corridor she could hear him giving orders for the move. She turned and hurried to get Juniper.

The Fae had grown quite weak in the days since she had come to Greenwood. She could barely walk Ninnel practically carried her up the corridors and steps. She was surprisingly light and Ninnel had very little trouble. She pushed the great oak doors open. Their finally carved surfaces gleaming , freshly polished and free of the years of grime that had shrouded the carved figures for centuries.

The feel of these chambers was immediately different. In the middle was a courtyard that once held a magnificent garden. The Garden now needed a lot of work but the center fountain had been repaired and bubbled happily. The calming sound of flowing water was mixed with sunlight and the breeze washed over them both.

Surrounding the courtyard was a hall lined with ornate pillars. Off the hall were many different rooms. Some for sleeping. Some for reading or eating. Ninnel gently lowered the fae on a stone bench where she could see the fountain. "There now wee one. I am going to go check on your room and the bath." She barely made a whimper in acknowledgement to Ninnel and sat with her head hanging down and her arms loose at her sides.

The breeze was cool but smelled of sunshine. Her dulled gaze lifting to look out on a sun drenched fountain. She wanted to feel that sun on her skin . She managed to push herself up, wincing at the stiffness of her body. She staggered a few steps and hit a pillar rather hard . Pressing against it to stay upright. Pushing herself off the cold stone surface, she staggered several more steps until the sun's warm rays bathed her in light. She would fall then, collapsing to the ground with a whimper.

Undaunted she crawled further into the light . Feeling a bit stronger with each passing moment. Pushing herself up onto her knees she pushed the gauzy dress from her shoulders and it billowed down her body into a pool around her thighs.

Ninnel could see the bench empty but it only took a second to find the girl. Kneeling in the courtyard, now nude . The sun washing away the grey pallor from her flesh. Her face lifted as her head fell back . The light soaking into her flesh her eyes closed as the warmth just filled her to the core. Ninnel's hand drifted to her lips. The fae's wings which had been small and a bit shriveled against her back began to grow. Golden in hue . Luminescent and sheer. She spread them out gloriously in the light. Ninnel was stuck on the spot staring at the sight before her .

Thranduil had made his way to the upper chambers, the great doors were open and a fresh breeze billowed into the corridor. He was stopped in his tracks the moment he turned to enter. There in the rays of the sun knelt the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Pale flesh had turned golden. Silver hair now sparkled with streaks of gold . Even looking on her back as he was simply taken by beauty. Wings of gold and silver lifting and spreading out fluttered softly her hair spilling down between in waves of gold The ends dancing just above the curves of her hips . Slender arms lifting up to embrace the sun. He drank in every inch of her, down to where her knees met the ground. Radiating from where her body touched dry brown grass that had once grown between stepping stones was a circle of green. the grasses springing to life from a merest touch of her flesh.

Ninnel stepped from the pillared hall and out to the fae. Kneeling down with her, Thranduil could see Ninnel's sweet smile and was suddenly envious that she was caressing the cheek of the fae.

He watched as Ninnel rose up and helped the Fae to stand. Naked and beautiful. Her wings lowering down to fold against her back. The curve of her hips, the gentle swell of her perfect backside as she moved away.

He walked into the chambers finally, moving towards where the gauzy dress lay surrounded by now vivid green grass. With 2 fingers he lifted the dress and brought it to his nose. Breathing in deeply the scent of wild flowers and earth. The corners of his mouth twitched a bit and lifted .

The moments she had spent in the sun seemed to make the fae stronger. His eyes finally drifting down to the stone path. The way she had taken to get into the sun and where she had rested was green. Little steps taken leaving behind cheery patches of life renewed. Her scent wafts from the cloth of the dress. Surrounding him again. He breathed in deeply as if it were the finest perfume and he could not get enough of it.

With a grin he carried the dress off with him. Entering the corridor and heading down to his office. The dress seemed to be carelessly tossed on one of the high backed chairs. Yet it's placement was not random. He found himself wanting the perfume to linger in the air around him.

He sat now at his desk. It had been a very long time since these rooms had been used. He had memories as a child of playing here and later he had memories of Tauriel and Legolas when they were younger. Running through the garden and laughing. It was high time these walls heard laughter again.

His attention turned to the sounds coming from down the corridor. Ninnel speaking with the fae, as she cleaned her up. "I told him you needed sun and fresh air. Let's get you ready to go back out in it. Just this time please stay clothed. The King can not afford unseemly rumors. Even if everything is innocent."

He then heard a voice he had not heard in weeks. "Why are clothes so important?" She managed to ask.

"Far too many elves will attach your nudity to the King being lecherous. It's not a good title to have sweet pixie. It means he is touching you in ways only husbands should touch wives." Ninnel gently explained but the look in her eyes said she did not understand.

"I will keep my dress on." Juniper answered. Not understanding why it was important but knowing it was necessary.

The corners of his lips curled a little. She really was learning about living with others. She really was brand new. He began to shuffle through papers on his desk when he heard them moving along the corridor and back to the garden. He would only look up as the passed and then thankfully where she chooses to sit is well within his line of sight.

Ninnel fetched a blanket and some cushions for her to sit on . She then left the fae to bask in the sunlight and Thranduil could not look away as she glowed golden. Yet the look on her face was one of loneliness and grief. He wished to see her smile.