Thranduil x Bard

Talk

Bard was sitting near a fire, it was starting to get late and he knew he should be sleeping soon. But for some reason he couldn't.

It had been two weeks since Bard got back to Dale and earlier today he met with the new king of Erebor, Dáin. He had also helped to rebuilt Dales buildings and so he was tired. But something kept him awake. He had been feeling down these past days and had again been thinking the last time he saw Thranduil.

Bard didn't know what was wrong with him and why he was feeling the way he did. Was it because Thranduil was a man or was it because it had been the first time since his wife that he had kissed someone on the lips, but he couldn't answer his own question.

While thinking he stared at the fire not noticing Legolas who walked to the fire sitting down opposite of Bard.

"Bard? You have been sitting here for a while, shouldn't you be sleeping?"

Bard looked up from the fire. "Ah, Legolas, I apologize for not noticing you."

"I figured when you didn't respond to me walking towards you."

"My apologizes, It is just that I have been feeling a bit under lately." Bard said.

"Yes, so I have noticed. You have been like this since we left Mirkwood. Did something happend?Does it have something to do with my father?" Legolas asked carefully.

Bard sighed. "Yes, it apparently has something to do with you father."

"What happened that day when we left the throne room? What did he say?" Legolas asked with worry in his eyes.

"No it is not that he said anything. It is that what he did, what we did..." Bard said looking away.

"Then what did two you do?" Legolas asked raising his eyebrows.

Bard got up from his seat and moved closer to Legolas so that he didn't  have to speak so loudly even when there wasn't anybody else. He took a deep breath. "Thranduil kissed me after you left. And I guess what makes it worse is that I eventually kissed him back. Now, i have had this kind of heavy feeling in my chest. It feels a little like guilt but not completely, I am not sure what is wrong with me..." Bard buried his face in his hands.

Legolas was quiet for a while before opening his mouth to speak. "Well I certainly was not expecting you to say that."

"It is bad isn't it?" Bard sounded defeated.

"Well, not necessary. Among elves there are some who prefer the same gender. And I know some think that elves only marry once, but that isn't necessary true. Some of us find a new partner after the passing of their previous one. It is true no king has ever had a male partner but as Thranduil already has me, he doesn't need a another heir thus another female partner."

"But I am a human, a human king..." Bard said.

"Look, to me this all seems a little funny." Legolas said smiling.

Bard shot him a glare. "This is not funny Legolas."

"Well the fact that he kissed you is not funny but the fact that you do not even know what you are feeling and yet, you are already looking for an excuse not to be with him. To me it seems you might have some feelings for him even if you are not ready to admit it." 

"Feelings? How come I could have feelings for him? And I also know he does not have feelings for me." Bard shook his head.

"I think he does. The day the spiders attacked you saved him, didn't you?"

"Yes... I did." Bard admitted.

"Right, and has he given something to you other than clothes?"

"Well, he did." Bard nodded

"What did he give you?" Legolas asked.

Bards hand went to his pocked and when he pulled it out he had a piece of Thranduil's crown.

Legolas's eyes widened as he saw the piece. "Is that a piece of his crown?"

"Yes, it is."

"Well, I think he does have feelings for you. He gave you a precious gift, something like that is given as a courting gift and he gave it knowing you wouldn't know what it meant."

"But why would he give me this if I didn't know what it meant?" Bard asked.

"Well, it think he wanted it to be only his knowledge."

"Right..."

"Just think about it Bard. And If you are worried about the fact that you are a king remember that you have a son who can take your place as a king soon."

"Yes, I suppose he is almost all grown up."

"Yes, he his. And now that we have figured some things out we can both go to sleep." Legolas got up and Bard followed him in silence. When talking to Legolas many things came to light for him and he was thankful for that. But he still did not know what to do about all this and that left him a bit uneasy.

To be continued...