The Black Queen of The North (A Thranduil Story)

Chapter Seven: Dragons

So I felt that I hadn't really given much thought to how Katterina actually looks and I felt terrible about it since she is the queen to my little made up race of people/angel kind of creatures . I know it might seem extremely cliche to make her very beautiful but I felt like to really fit into the elven setting she would kind of have to be beautiful and also she is part of the only royal family that the 'Sersies' have since they don't have multiple kings and queens like Tolkien's elves do, they have one royal family and many noble families. Also as we explore their religion later on you learn that she is a "reincarnated god" , it's a very complex situation but to give you the just of it she represents a physical rehash of one of her people's gods but she is obviously the female version. So all in all the above photo is what I would imagine her face to look like, then the hair to the left is what color her hair would be but obviously it is waist length and it is normally straight, she has a very slender figure since she has a very small frame and is very physically active, she is about 5'7 (quite a lot shorter than Thranduil) and her eyes are normally more dark grey than what they are blue. Oh yes and she has a lovely pair of ebony black wings that take up the length of her body ... Can't forget about those.

Thranduil's POV

My head is throbbing. I slowly try to open my eyes to place my surroundings but the moment the slivers of light spilling in through the curtains make contact with my eyes I regret my actions. I groan and sit forward. I begin to recall last nights antics, Katterina and I had spent much of the evening sharing embarrassing childhood tales and old battle stories but after all the bonding we decided to consume another two or so bottles of wine each and it got a little blurry from there. Legolas ... In my drunken state I had completely forgotten that I was supposed to put my son to bed. Leaping out of what I had now come to realize was actually my bed I sprinted forward and out the door. I flung open the door to his chambers and shear horror washed over me, he wasn't there. How could I have let this happen! They were right I was a terrible excuse for a father, all the gossip and idle talk was true I was just to blind to see it. "Now now Thranduil don't beat yourself up over something you don't know the half of." A calm, smug voice speaks from behind me. I turn abruptly, Katterina is standing in the doorway with Legolas at her side. "Ada!" Legolas shrieks and runs forward to hug me. "Katterina took me outside into the gardens and told me stories of her adventures and dragons!" He coos looking at her with utter adoration. "Oh did she now?" I questioned raising an eyebrow. "Yes! Oh Ada please may I go with her to see her horses!" Legolas pleads looking up at me with his large blue pools. "Legolas you shouldn't bother Katterina like this! She has a lot of important work to do!" I scold him, he should know better than to bother our guests like this. "I offered to take him." Katterina interjects breezily. I look up at her in slight confusion. She doesn't look nearly as tattered as I do, she has obviously had the opportunity to bathe and prepare herself for the day. She is wearing a simple but stunning black gown that has fine silver embroidery on the neckline and over it she is wearing a rather curious looking satin cloak. Her appearance is as usual immaculate. "See Ada I was not pestering her, she offered and I told her that I would have to ask your permission first." As I look down I see the excitement emanating off of him and there is no way I can deny him this. "I would not offer if I did not want to." Katterina looks at me and grins lazily. "I will agree but I have one condition." I answer the two of them. "And what is that Thranduil?" She questions with a smirk. "I would like to join you, but you will have to wait for me to get dressed into the appropriate attire." I sigh as Legolas hugs me thanking me repeatedly. "We will wait for you in the gardens." Katterina states taking Legolas's hand. "I will join you shortly." I turn to return to my chambers so that I can rectify the damage that was done to my appearance the night before.

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"Will you show me again?" I hear Legolas's voice ask in astonishment. "If you would like me to." Katterina laughs, as I round the corner I watch as Katterina takes Legolas's hand and he closes his eyes. He gasps and his facial expression changes to that of complete awe and amazement. Katterina lets go of his hand and he opens his eyes. "So that was what they really looked like?" He queries. "Yes, well the ones that I have encountered." She answers him from her haunched over position in front of him. His facial expression is priceless, Katterina begins to laugh and then tickles him, this is followed by fits of giggles and laughter. I am still slightly confused by the earlier event but choose to ignore the matter until I can ask Katterina about it privately. "Well look at the two of you." I remark, they are both lying on the thick, green grass engaging in a tickle war of sorts. Katterina surrenders and Legolas raises to his feet in victory, I offer Katterina my hand and she takes it. "Your son is quite the little warrior." She ruffles Legolas's hair and smiles down at him. She meets my gaze, her sterling eyes to not carry as much age as the usually do, I assume this is a result of Legolas's youthful presence. "Shall we?" She asks breaking the silence. "Of course." I answer a little embarrassed. "You should show Ada the dragons Katterina, I am sure he will also find them very beautiful." Legolas says taking her hand again. "If he would like to see them then I will show him them little leaf." Katterina answers calmly smiling at me. "Legolas how did you get to bed last night?" I ask nervously. "Katterina's friend Verowene let me stay with him for a while and I fell asleep there and then Katterina came and took me to bed after she had helped you to bed." He answered in a matter-of-fact tone, as if I should have known this information. "Oh..." I murmur. "Vero loves children, if you are not careful he will steal this one away! That is if I don't steal him first!" Katterina breaks the tension by grabbing Legolas's little nose causing him to giggle. "Here we are, these are my guard's horses." Katterina says entering the stables which we have now approached. "This is Belladryth, my brothers horse, she is breed from our royal families blood line of horses. Each member of my family is assigned a horse which has been breed from this specific bloodline. It is a important tradition within my family." Her tone is very respectful and proud. "Where is your horse then?" Legolas asked inquisitively. "My horse that has been breed for me stands in my fathers stables, I only ride her when I am home and with my family. Her name is Nicolleta." Katerina is smiling but I can tell that it is a sore topic for her. "So then where is your mount?" I ask hoping to keep Legolas from prying at the previous topic. "Right here." She replies with a smirk. She walks further down the hallway of the stables till she reaches a stable close to the very end of the hallway. She takes a halter that was hanging from the wall next to the stable and she enters the stable.
When she emerges from the stable again she is leading an exceptionally large and wild looking stallion. He is black as night with grey spider web type markings on his legs. His mane is very long and comes down past his neck, touching his chest. He truly is magnificent. He looks at my son and I with curious light hazel eyes. Katerina stops just in front of us. "I am going to need you to introduce yourself to him Legolas. Just put your hand out so that he can pick up your scent." I watch as Legolas carefully stretches his hand out and allows the beast before him to smell his palm. The creature then turns to Katterina who nods approvingly. "He wants you to do the same Thranduil." Katterina says looking up at me. I feel rather uncomfortable but do as I am told to avoid upsetting the animal. "May I stroke him?" Legolas inquires. "Yes but be very careful, he is rather protective of me." Katterina chuckles. She speaks to the horse in her melodic language, I assume she is reassuring him. "His name is Karon." She states simply, allowing Legolas to come forward and touch him. Legolas seemed memorized by the creature and could not take his eyes off of Karon. "Now Legolas you told me that you had never seen a live dragon with your own eyes?" Katterina's tone was laced with mischief. "No, I haven't ever seen one?" Legolas looks at her questioningly. Katterina smirks and leans into Karon whispering something to him. She steps back. The horse steps forward but as his hoof strikes the floor his very structure begins to change. I can not believe my eyes. The animal before me was not a horse but a ... dare I say it? It was a dragon. It was nothing like the fire drakes that I had encounter, he was a fair amount smaller but never the less a dragon. Legolas stares at the creature breathlessly, his little jaw dropped in awe of the beast. "Is that... Is he... But how?" He is utterly amazed by what has unfolded before him and to be completely honest so am I. "How is this even possible?" I murmur under my breath. The creature twists its head and nuzzles close to Katterina, she chuckles and rubs the creatures head approvingly. "He is a wild spirit. His soul does not take one shape, he is a soul so pure that his being transcends one form. He can take up the form of any wild creature. He is a spirit guide. A God of the wilderness if you will and therefore he can take up the shape of any wild animal as his very essence is that of the wilderness." Katterina explains this with such burning passion and respect that I bow my head to the creature. I am speechless when the creature reciprocates the action. "He can sense your fae. He knows he is in the presence of the King of the Woodland Realm." In all my long years I have never witnessed something of this caliber. "I truly have no words for this." I may sound like an idiot but it is the truth. Katterina laughs, "You don't need words to speak to him, you need only look into his eyes and he will speak to you. You are the king of the woodland people, he regards you with much respect as you look after much that is his, forgive my use of the term "his" I just do not know how else to really describe it." She speaks as if she is his voice. "How do you know that is how he feels?" I ask. "Karon and I have been joined for so long it is almost as though we can read one another's minds." She laughs. "It is a matter of one fae speaking to another." She says effortlessly. She looks at Karon and he shudders easily back into his before form. "This has been the best day!" Legolas shrieks. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He wails as he tackles Katterina, he embraces her as tightly as his little arms will allow. "You are more than welcome little one." Katterina says beaming down at him. Legolas lets go of Katterina and allows her to walk Karon back to his stable. "Ada is this not the best day of your life?" Legolas coos coming to stand at my side. I kneel down and embrace him. "Any day that you are this happy is a wonderful day little leaf." It has been too long since he was last this happy and he is so deserving of this happiness.