Brightest Stars | Love of Royals: Book I

XXI: Surrounded

I stay with Thranduil for that night.  It's alright at first—I blissfully drop off to sleep with my head nestled against his shoulder, savouring the warmth and softness of his bed and feeling his calming presence beside me. However, as the hours pass, it takes a turn for the worse.

'The Southern border is surrounded.  When the sun is at its highest, we will be ready to attack.'

'What of the Star?'

'While the first division divert the guards, your company will climb the wall, find it and capture it.'

'Will it not be protected?'

'That should not be a problem for your soldiers.'

'What if the King is protecting it?'

'Then you destroy him, like the rest of them!'

I jolt awake, trembling with a cold sweat trickling down my back.  As my senses come back to me, I realise Thranduil is cradling me in his arms, his long hair falling over his shoulders and gleaming in the light of the dawn.

'Meleth nín,' he says softly, worry creasing his perfect face, 'were you dreaming?'

'Yes...' I breathe, 'just dreaming.  I'm alright, it's nothing to worry about.'

Thranduil raises an eyebrow doubtfully as he gently props me up against some pillows.  'You were in a terrible state.  I was woken by you murmuring strange words.  It sounded...' he says in disbelief, 'like Black Speech.'

'I told you, it's nothing to worry about,' I say dismissively, shivering in the cool morning air and promptly pulling the covers back over myself.

'Tell me what it was about.'  Leaning back against the pillows beside me, Thranduil stretches his arms and then wraps one around my shoulders.

'Well...' I begin tentatively, 'this is the second strange dream I've had recently.  The first one was a few days ago, and I saw Sauron talking to one of his commanders about capturing a Star.  He said something about me being more powerful than I thought.  And later that day, Avalor tried to...' I tail off, shuddering at the memory.

'Tried to what?' Thranduil frowns, then after a second or so, he realises.  'Oh, meleth, I'm sorry...'

I vainly attempt to block out the images of Avalor's crazed eyes hungering for my body, and the recollection of his groping hands. Thranduil holds me against him, running his hands up and down my back and kissing the top of my head. 'I wish I'd known,' he whispers sadly.

'He didn't get there, though,' I reply, 'at the last second, something came out of my hand. It was—it was a sort of light, but it was strong—strong enough to throw Avalor across the room. He ran away then, and I haven't seen him since.'

I turn to see Thranduil's reaction, and to my relief, he doesn't seem sceptical.  In fact, he's deadly serious. 'So you think the dream was trying to tell you about your power?'

'Yes.  And then just now, I dreamed that the orcs were surrounding the south of the kingdom.  They said they would attack when the sun was at its highest.  I heard a whole battle plan.'

'Why didn't you think this was something of concern?' Thranduil lifts me off his lap and prepares to get out of bed.  'I need to warn the guards immediately.'