The Last Queen {Thranduil FanFiction}

13. Fade

Four thousand Years ago...

Prince Thranduil sat tapping his boot incessantly on the leg of a wooden table, becoming increasingly frustrated with the long winded meeting with the King, his various advisors, care-takers, and guards. He twisted in his seat and kept his eyes trained on the rays of light casting into the King's study. From his reckoning it was late in the afternoon of a muggy summers day.

On this day Thranduil's mind was miles away, something that did not go unnoticed by his Father, King Oropher, who glared disapprovingly at his son's blatant lack of interest in today's proceedings.

"Thranduil, what is your decision?" The King asked with a hint of annoyance - after all the events of today's general meeting should be of utmost importance to his son.

Thranduil responded with a barely audible, "Hmm?" before realising the entire room was silent, waiting for him to answer. The prince quickly swivelled in his seat and planted his hands firmly on the table - and casting his eyes over the elven entourage - tried to look even remotely interested;

"My decision? Well, as it stands presently there is a lot to consider, I am not quite sure I have all the facts to really come to a secure decision. I would forward the motion to abandon talks for the rest of the day and resume tomorrow, late morning, would that be agreeable Adar?"

King Oropher's eyebrows rose shockingly high as he regarded his son, who smirked and reclined back on his chair with the aura of a smug youth. The other elves glanced at each other in bewilderment and then cautiously at the King. Oropher trained his features into a mask of calm, and shuffled the papers on his desk before answering his son;

"Yes there is much to consider my son, alas you must be weary from so much weighted discussion, that it would only be fair for today's meeting to go to recess?"

Thranduil nodded solemnly; internally thanking his lucky stars he had smoothly covered his tracks and saved himself from embarrassment, but Oropher continued on his assessment;

"However it concerns me son, that you find the decision between suckling pig or wild salmon particularly taxing?" Oropher grinned wickedly, as the other members of the council stifled their sniggering, Thranduil paled and felt his jaw slacken, a very unbecoming sight, in which Oropher took great delight.

"Thranduil, honestly it would be better to have left you day dreaming in your chambers this day for all the use you are! My dear friends, this is the symptoms of blind love, it renders a mature ellon giddy and blind to all else," The King roared with laughter, as Thranduil felt his skin glow scarlet, the prince dropped his face in his hands and shook his head, managing to let out a defeated chuckle at himself.

"Forgive me Adar I am, as you say, not myself," The prince apologised, "I gather now the question earlier was in response to what you wish to have served at my wedding feast?"

This gained a nod from Oropher, who gestured to an auburn haired elleth, no doubt in charge of the hospitality side of the much anticipated event, who stood waiting patiently for the woodland prince to respond. Thranduil leant back on his chair and smiled playfully;

"Serve both, in fact we should have goose too and the finest wine should be flowing freely all day and night, no expense spared," Thranduil hopped up from his seat and gripped the elleth by the arm spinning her around, "Do whatever you like, be creative and spontaneous. I want the most grandeur and decadent feast ever seen! So much so that our travelling guests will proclaim there was none like it."

The flustered elleth pulled away from the delirious prince and bowed, giving her thanks and making quickly for the exit. Thranduil turned to face his Father and smirked, the king was turning a funny colour of red at the thought of the level of expense his son was going to cause him.