The Fairy of Middle Earth

Chapter 11: Terrible Discovery

Weeks had passed since the ride in the woods. She had been learning about living among the elves. Manners and how to speak properly. She even learned what being King meant to a point. Now she knew Thranduil was very important to his people.

The courtyard garden had become simply astounding. It was alive and flourishing . Filled with color . Butterflies and birds now frequented its flower beds and blossoming fruit trees. Ninnel was introducing her to books and the love of reading and Thranduil had the court minstrels play music in the corridor outside the royal chambers every day just for her.

They had grown close since she had come to stay with him. The court had noticed this strange change in their king. He was more at ease and smiled more frequently. He was even heard laughing a few times in the throne room. Rumors had begun to swirl around the halls of the fortress. The king was in love but none knew who the lucky Maiden was. He allowed these rumors to spread . Finding amusement in them and the silly guesses at who this woman was. Maybe they weren't rumors though. Maybe there was a lot of truth to them. Though the relationship between himself and the pixie had been nothing but friendly . Even if she did share his bed nothing had ever come of it except that they both were able to sleep through the night.

Legolas and Gimli had practically moved into the glittering caves. Legolas having become fascinated with the ancient cave paintings. Gimli with the caves themselves. Legolas was finding new paintings almost daily and was trying to document them by drawing them out in a book . They were telling a story. A dark and twisted story and he wanted to know how it ended.

"Laddy you best get down here. " Gimli called up to him . Legolas looked down at his friend .

" what is it? " Gimli looked slightly distressed." You just need to see it Laddy. "

Legloas would slide with ease down a rope. His silent steps following His friend.

" It didn't take much to push the wall down. I just wanted to see what was on the other side. When I looked in . They were there but I don't know what they are." Gimli stepped inside with his lantern held high as he could get it . Casting a warm glow over the new cavern he had found.

Legolas followed suit and stopped quickly . They were crumbling and decayed but having been mostly undisturbed they had somehow stayed intact. Legolas began to count . 10 , 15, he stopped at 20. Huddled in the darkness were strange corpses. The imprint of wings all around them. Their wings. The beings had wings like the drawings he was studying.

"what do you think they are Laddy?" Gimli asked and looked up to see Legolas' shocked face.

" Fairies." he said lowly " I had heard tales they once lived in middle earth but it was thought to be Myth I suppose when somethings been gone so very long that's what it becomes."

"THRANDUIL! " she would exclaim annoyed by his teasing. " you promised you would take me back to the forest last week. " she nudged at his thigh with both of her hands. He was lounging on a large sofa . She resting on cushions strewn about the floor before it.

" You said you would take me to the falls . You said there was a pool that they fed with water so clear that it looked shallow but was very deep . "

He chuckled a bit . " well it appears that I have told you so much about it that you don't need to go there now. " He peeked to her and it looked like her head was about to explode.

" Thranduil this is not fair. " she growled . " I have been a very good Pixie. I have done everything you said to do. "

He lay his arm over his eyes as he listened. " Now that is true You have done as you were told. " He sighs as if this was one of the hardest things he would ever do . He did enjoy teasing her. " Feh Fine. I will take you tomorrow. "

She squealed and leapt upon his. Straddling his thighs and poking at his stomach with little pointy fingers. " You really mean it? "

Uncovering his eyes and looking up at the bright excited face of His Fairy she nodded " yes I mean it . "

She would squirm happily . She had no idea what it did to him when she did things like this and he was not in a hurry to try and explain it. Though his hands did move to her hips and hold them still so she did not bring out a reaction from him she would not be prepared for.

"Can we picnic again?" she leans forward, small soft hands pressing to his chest as she looked deeply into his icy eyes.

" Of course but you must do as I say . If you disobey we will come right back here and the excursion will be over ."

Her lips lowered and pressed a soft kiss to the tip of his nose and as quickly as it happened she was jumping off him and running through the chambers out to the pillared corridor.

" Ninnel ... Ninnel " she called out happily . " Ninnel he said he was taking me to the falls tomorrow. "

Shaking his head and lay there staring at the ceiling. " She makes me feel so alive and exhausted at the same time."

With that he rose slowly and pushed cushions out of his way. His home was becoming a mess with her bouncing around. Strangely it did not bother him one bit. Perhaps his life needed a little chaos in the order. He could still hear her happily chattering away with Ninnel. He was so glad for her. He could at least provide someone to confide in that had grown to love her.

Even his seneschal had started to tolerate her antics. He had caught them sitting in the garden and Galion dutifully explaining one of the stories she was reading. He was as patient as he had been with Legolas when he was a child.

The rest of the days task would go by swiftly now. He had something to look forward to the next day. So everything he did seemed a bit lighter. He simply wished to go with her and not have to worry about something hanging in the Fortress.

Elthian entered the room and looked around slowly." My Lord this came for you. " He held out a message . "It was from Imladris. So I brought it quickly." Elthian was aware of the fae.

Thranduil trusted him completely when it came to things within his house. "Thank you Captain. Return to your duties. " Elthian just nodded to his King and stepped out . He turned in the corridor and headed for the door . In the Garden she sat with Ninnel. The sun warm as the folded laundry and chatted.

The circumstances were still not fully clear to him. He didn't need to know the details. He simply had to do obey his king and do his duty. Yet still she was a marvel to behold. Something pulled from a story. Made alive and sitting in the garden before him. He smiled a bit and turned down the hall quietly and left the chambers and went back to his post.