The Moth & The Flame

Chapter 03 - Gilded Cage

Tensions grow between Thranduil and Tauriel but not the way he would have preferred. After keeping her confined within the luxurious guest room near his personal chambers, supposedly to give her time to think and reflect, Thranduil finds a very angry Tauriel on his first visit to her in a couple of months. Much more accustomed to members of the fairer sex being more eager for his attentions, he responds in typical Thranduil fashion by taunting her with the knowledge of her personal exploits with Legolas. While they deny it to themselves, their feelings for each other continue to grow.

*******************************************

"It has been a month." Galion said quietly as he poured a cup of spiced apple tea and handed it to the king. "How long do you intend to torment her?" He added, arching a brow.

"Is that what I'm doing?" Thranduil smiled sweetly from behind guarded eyes as he accepted the cup. "She simply needs time."

"Time for what?" Galion pressed, seating himself opposite him as the king looked away from him to gaze into the hearth.

The only sound was the soft crackling of the logs in the enormous hearth as Galion studied him from over the rim of his cup. The kings' expression was now guarded and unreadable, even to him who had known him for most of his life. Their losses had been heavy during the battle in the shadows of the Lonely Mountain. Galion knew this weighed heavy on the kings' mind and heart. While Tauriels' departure had angered him, it was the absence of his only child that brought him the most pain.

"Or is it you who needs the time?" Galion ventured as the silence stretched too long between them, a slow smile curling his lips as his soft green eyes narrowed slightly.

"Whatever do you mean?" Thranduil asked, tilting his head as he looked at him innocently.

"She is young and grows more frustrated by the day." Galion told him, pausing to take a sip of his tea. "Tauriel has never been known for her patience."

"Neither is she known for understanding her place." Thranduil replied casually, yet there was an odd look in his sapphire eyes as he turned to look at his longtime friend and personal servant.

"And what place is that?" Galion chuckled, although he already knew the answer recognizing the slight curl of the kings' lips.

"Patience is a virtue." The king replied, turning his attention back to the dancing flames in the hearth.

~*~

"Why will you not answer my questions?" Tauriel demanded more than asked. Her dark green eyes flashed angrily as she swung to face Eluandúnië, the only one of the kings' personal guards that treated her with some degree of politeness.

"You know as well as I do, the king does not explain himself." He replied, his tone far more calm than he felt as he watched her turn away from him.

"For what purpose has he dragged me back here?! Only to ignore me!!" She continued to question him, folding her arms beneath her breasts as she paced the length of the sitting room. "Have I not suffered enough?!"

Tears stung the backs of her eyes as she paced, stubbornly she blinked them away. Refusing to give him the pleasure of reporting her weakness to Aldalómë, it would only get back to the king. Alone for the most part, with only her thoughts and memories to keep her company, she neither wanted or needed his pity and longed for the freedom of the forest. Striding purposefully toward the bed chamber, Tauriel felt the tears leak down her cheeks as the memory of Kili overwhelmed her. The pain of her loss was only intensified when Legolas abandoned her. Slamming the door behind her, she threw herself onto the bed, burying her face in the soft pillow as she let them flow freely.