My Wildest Dream (A Middle Earth Fan-fiction)

Fuming

Thranduil

I walk briskly down the stairway, fuming quietly to myself. Who did Galion think he was, anyway? He had no right to arrange some...apology dinner for me with Erulasse. She was in the wrong, not I. It would only give my father more leverage against my marriage to Thiel, too, if I dined with another woman.

Scowling, my foot hits the bottom step and then I turn abruptly at the sound of running feet. Galion. Blasted elf can't stay out of my way for five minutes.

"My Lord!" he nearly trips over himself coming down the stairs and I pause. Elves are coordinated creatures by nature; it takes a lot for us to lose our footing. Even Galion has the sense not to run that fast, unless...

"What is it?" I snap sharply. Something had to be drastically wrong.

Galion heaves for breath for an instant, and then looks me dead in the eyes. "Nelion and Erulasse, my Lord. They were attacked by Orcs, and the band is loose in the forest now."

"Send out a patrol to exterminate them." I say coolly, thinking suddenly of Thiel. Erulasse was her best friend; if she was hurt, how would Thiel react? And what would that do to the arranged 'us' that barely exists as it is?

Galion looks startled. "My--my Lord? You are not leading them?"

"No." I say, looking sternly at the butler. "Seeing as someone promised my presence to Erulasse, I suppose I have to visit her anyway."

Galion blushes in embarrassment, and I shake my head at him. He jumps suddenly, as if remembering his duty, and scrambles off to carry my orders to the Guard. Then, satisfied that the message is on its way, I sweep off to the healing wing.

The scene that greets my eyes is far from expected. Nelion is sitting cross-legged on a cot with Bregolien, a healer trainee, standing over him while he swallows what looks to be a particularly nasty cupful of medicine.

Separated by a curtain, Erulasse is lying on the other bed, but appears uninjured. "Will you stop!"

Eleniel puts her hands on her hips and makes a face. "Erulasse, really! That cut was poisoned, give it a minute for the antidote to kick in."

"I feel fine." she waved her hand carelessly in the air and sat up.

Eleniel pushed her back down gently. "Ten more minutes. Stay there." Then, she notices me hovering in the doorway and sighs in relief. "Oh, my Lord!" A quick curtsey. "Entertain her for a bit, would you?"

Eleniel dodges the curtain and I hear her conversing with Bregolien quietly, while I take her place at Erulasse's bedside. The elleth glares at me. "Don't even think about trying to keep me here."

"It appears we'll have to cancel our dinner," I observe, trying to change the subject. I must, however, have appeared too happy at that prospect, because she scowls at me, and, before I can react, swings herself entirely out of bed and stands. "See? I'm fine."

I watch, unimpressed, as her eyes lose focus and she sways on her feet. I know all too well the feeling of dizziness after rising too quickly from a hospital bed.

She stumbles forward and trips, dazed. I reach out instinctively and seize her around the waist, halting her fall. Erulasse looks at me with a gaze still altered by pain medication, and leans her entire body weight against me for support. I'm not one for hanging on elleths, but I'm honestly afraid of the damage she'll do herself if I dare to to let go of her waist.

"Next time," I say dryly, "Do what the healers tell you, hmm?"

As I recall from my months-long stay in these rooms, a healthy dose of water usually clears the drugs out of an elf's system fairly quickly. I awkwardly reach behind myself for a glass and hold it to her lips, because her hands have latched rather tightly around my forearms.

Within minutes of her drinking the liquid, her blue eyes regain their focus and she lets me go quickly, hastily dropping into a curtsey. "My apologies, Prince Thranduil. I believe Eleniel may have been overenthusiastic in mixing the athelas."

I raise my eyebrows, remembering her unfocused eyes and her grip on my arms. "Just a bit."

"Well, since in the end we did establish that I am fine, I'll see you at dinner? In the dining hall...or--"

I roll my eyes. "No. Galion had the...brilliant idea to arrange our meal in my sitting room. Come to my rooms, he'll let you in. About the only thing he's good for." I mutter in frustration.

Erulasse must have caught that last bit, because she bursts out laughing, and, as much to my surprise as anyone's, I find myself smiling back.