I Am My Own (Reader x Thranduil)

Chapter 14

The evening sun had now set far below the horizon leaving the hanging lanterns sprinkled throughout the garden to shine bright. The air clung to my lungs due to the humidity that no doubt came from the rain earlier today and I had to huff every once in a while to get a full breath. I guess Glorfindel took it as a sign that the silence we had been sharing was beginning to bore me so he began to talk about more of his travels, to which I was greatly jealous of.

"You're very lucky," I said, "You're doing what you love and still making a difference in this world. That's something very rarely achieved."

"Well, I can't say it's always the wondrous and carefree adventure I often give the impression of," he chuckled.

I looked off into the trees, thinking of all the other places I could be rather than here and thinking back to the times I had played in the garden as a child, pretending to be an adventurer.

"I never wanted to be here."

I cast my head to the ground and tried to avoid the shock that was in Glorfindel's eyes. I made my way over to a wooden bench and sat down underneath a tree who's red blooms were beginning to close under the night sky. Glorfindel followed and took a seat on my left.

I twisted my betrothal ring.

"But here is where you are," he said straightly.

I looked up into his blue eyes that shown just as bright in the lowly lit scenery as they did in full daylight.

"I was never meant to be here, Glorfindel. If only you knew the whole story, then you might understand how out of place I really am," I huffed, "I mean, all my life I knew one day I would see far off lands and visit the sea. I just knew I would fight in wars and truly dedicate my life to a worthy cause, like you do."

I felt the tears begin crawl up my throat before forcing them back down with deep breath so I could continue.

"And now I'm trapped. Soon to marry a prince I had only truly met days ago. More than likely, I'll never leave Greenwood. I'll become a healer like my mother, only being useful to those with a stiff neck or sore ankle."

Glorfindel shifted in his seat so that his body faced me.

"After meeting you (Y/N), I have no doubt in my mind that you will make a difference in this world. You're kind, attentive, and direct. And I can even tell you're headstrong by the way you gave Thranduil a bit of lip before you came and talked to me."

My cheeks flushed. I didn't know he had seen that.

"But most importantly, you have heart. From the way you talk, I can tell you care dearly about helping others. Not only is that a characteristic of an admirable queen, but also one of a noble warrior."

My lips began to tug into a smile.

"You must talk this way to all the elleths," I joked.

He huffed with a grin and allowed his eyes to roam the garden.

"Only when it's with an elleth I know will make Thrandy jealous."

My mouth gaped open at his confession and I laughed with him. As our laughs suppressed we sat quietly, listening to the crickets chirping in the distance.

"He really cares for you," he said not looking at me.

I waited, at first confused by what he said, for him to continue.

"He's never really been interested in anything to do with romance before. For him, his sense of duty and purpose was most important."

"What about Valori?"