Calm The Fire

06

Slowly but surely, they parted ways. They still held each other though as their gazes were still locked onto the other, the only sounds present in the hall now were the quiet breaths which they were trying to regain. "That was...truly something," Náriel commented at last finding her voice again. Thorin nodded slowly, he wholly agreed with her. "A slightly unexpected something." She whispered and leaned her head back against his shoulder.

"I think I can safely say I'm glad we were not interrupted this time."

"Oh, how awkward that would have been!" Náriel commented. "But I am glad too." She said quieter then before. Feeling a weight press against her head, she shut her eyes. She was comfortable in his arms with him leaning his head against hers. "Can you escort me back to my room?" Náriel asked quietly sounding rather sleepy.

"Of course," he replied as she took a step back and left the warmth of his arms. Reaching down, she held onto his hand as they both exited the hall. They walked in silence along the corridors, when Náriel's room loomed closer their paces slowed. Náriel seemed to look around expecting someone to jump out, Thorin after all didn't know of Aranhi's guard duty.

She was relieved to see he wasn't present. "Thank you, again for tonight." She said while placing her other hand over the one she was already holding.

"You're welcome," Thorin replied while giving her hand a firm squeeze. Taking a slow step forward he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. Náriel let out a happy sounding sigh, when he pulled away she rather sneakily pressed her lips against his then took a step back towards the door before he could respond.

She inclined her head and opened the door, she took a step back and smiled up at him. "Good night, my Prince."

"Good night, my Princess." He said while Náriel slowly shut the door. Looking at the closed door for a few more moments, he turned and walked towards his own room.

As smoothly as the evening seemed to go for the pair, little did they know that their actions were being surveyed from a safe distance. Glandur, another guard to the Elvenking, had been roped into trying to find the Princess when she had disappeared from her room. Glandur mentally cursed at Aranhi for falling for such a thing as he did. Was escorting the Princess to the kitchen and back again such a hard task, really? Regardless if it was hard or not, Glandur had been pulled into the search. Aranhi had been scolded lightly like some naughty child and then quickly sent on his way to find her too.

Before all being sent out on a quiet search, it was made clear of the Elvenking's hesitance towards Náriel spending time with Thorin. So, for this reason, Glandur stood looking through from the outside, slapping a hand to his forehead when he had found where exactly the Princess had gone to. More importantly; who she was with. When he spied them dancing, simply dancing, he had turned on his heels and walked off. He left more or less after the two dwarves who were providing the music had left.

Keeping to the shadows, he had made his steady way back to Thranduil's chambers to inform him of what he saw. Upon entering, he was glanced at by three surrounding guards, Aranhi being one of them. "What news do you have?" Thranduil asked flatly, he shifted simply in the high backed chair he was sitting in. In his hand he held a full glass of wine which he swished about every so often as if it'd suddenly change colour or consistency.

Glandur stood from his bow, "My Lord," he started, Thranduil's eyes looked up at him slowly. "The Princess was with the dwarf-Prince, as you thought. They were in the Great Hall."

Rolling his eyes, Thranduil lifted the glass to his lips. "Foolish girl," he muttered under his breath before slowly drinking.

Aranhi stepped beside Glandur, "Are you aware that they spent most of yesterday together?"