An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Chapter 21 ~ the white crow

"Stop!" Called helke as a green glow began to emit from fayla's hands. "Please, do not fight" she begged and she gently lowered thranduil's sword, stepping between the witch and elf. If looks could kill the two would have already been dead but both backed down with the white haired beauty between them.
"I should have you locked in the dungeons-"
"You mean give her a room" helke butted in and thranduil looked down at her surprised. "She did help me"
"She cut open your wrist!"
"I did what I had to!"
"Please.....mel" she remembered the elvish word. The king felt a strange warm glow when he heard her speak his language.
"Very well" he sighed as he sheathed his sword. "But I will keep a very close eye on you" he promised. He swept out of the room with fayla behind, leaving helke alone in the big room. She looked at the bed where she had been sleeping for so long. She did not understand. One minute she was talking to anwa, the next everyone was looking down at her as if she were dead! She curiously picked up the king's crown and placed it on her head. Unknown to her thranduil was watching her silently, a small smile pulling at his lips. It slipped down her smaller head and he chuckled, making her jump.
"You scared me" she complained as she took off the crown.
"You looked wonderful" he teased and she blushed as she put the crown down on the dresser.
"I will have to get you something to wear to show your importance" he promised quietly as he stared at her in the mirror.
"You don't need to" she replied gratefully as she stood up. "Let me brush your hair?" She asked gently and he sat down on the wooden seat in front of the mirror. She took the mahogany handled brush and began to run the bristles through his long blonde hair.
"Should I not be the one pampering you? As you have just awoken?" He asked and she shook her head. "You are the king" she explained.
"And what does that make you?" He asked and she looked deeply into his blue eyes.
"An iceling" she confirmed. She did not want to be royalty, she just wanted to be loved. The king smiled internally at her answer as she continued to softly brush his hair. She began to try and braid is hair but failed as it began knotted.
"Sit and I will show you" the king said as the stood and threaded the knot out of his hair. Helke sat down timidly and thranduil gently took her up soft hair. He knew how to braid from showing legolas when he was younger, although he could not remember the last time he had had a braid in his own hair. He seemed to do it out of muscular memory more than anything as he had done it before thinking. He tied the hair together cleverly and stood back to admire his work. She turned in the seat and smiled as she glimpsed at the back of her hair. All the front parts had been collected so they no longer fell into her face. "It's beautiful" she beamed as she turned back round.
"Are you hungry?" He asked, feeling his own hunger rising.
"No" helke shook her head, looking up obediently at the king.
"No? Very well than. If you do not mind I am quite tierd and would like to retire for the night" he said politely.
"You want to to go bed?" Helke translated and thranduil chuckled, nodding.
helke slipped into bed with the king and felt his arm around her waist immediately, pulling her to him. She turned to him and he pressed a warm kiss to her lips.
"I wish I could be warm like you" she confessed longingly.
"But then you would not be an iceling" he reminded and she shook her head.
"I wish I was not an iceling. I cause so much pain and fear. I am such a complicated creature" she admitted sadly looking away.
"Do not speak like that" thranduil commanded. "You are a beautiful creature, I would not have you any other way" he ended firmly.
"You are good to me" she sighed as she nuzzled into his strong chest.
"Because I love you" but helke was already asleep, softly breathing and curled up into the king's frame.
It felt as though she had been asleep for 5 minutes when she heard a loud tapping on the window and was surprised it hadn't awoke the king. She got up slowly and went out to the full sized window. Tapping on the window was a small, white bird which looked like (from the drawings she had seen) a crow.
"What's wrong sweetie?" She asked quietly as she opened the window and allowed the bird to hop in. She noticed as it hoped that it's left wing was bent and crippled.
"Oh you poor thing" she cooed quietly and she knelt down on the ground.
"Helke my love what are you doing?" Asked the king who was sat up in bed.
"It's hurt" she stated and the king sighed. He lit a few candles which lit the room and was surprised when a white baby crow cawed pathetically.
"Where did you come from?" He asked demandingly to the animal.
"He was outside" helke explained, softly stroking it's head. It hoped over and nuzzled into her hand and she smiled widely.
"Can I-"
"Helke he is a wild animal" thranduil said firmly knowing what she was about to ask.
"But he likes me" she smiled as the crow hoped into her hand sat down, ready to rest.
"He may rest here tonight. Tomorrow he will be set free" the king negotiated.
"But his wing" helke frowned, looking at it's bent wing.
"Will heal by itself" he promised. He allowed the bird to nestle at the foot of the bed for the night but when he awoke in the morning found it had traveled up and was sharing helke's pillow.
"You have to go" said the king as he outstretched his hand and the crow hoped into it trustingly. The king quickly paced over to the window and put the bird outside and shut the doors. He watched as the bird cawed pitifully and was knocked over by a strong gust of wind. Helke awoke when she heard the caw and rushed over to the window. She looked up at thranduil sadly before he gave her an annoyed look.
"I am not sharing you" he stated and she giggled, leaning against him.
"You will not be sharing me" she promised. At that moment it began raining heavy and the bird looked sadly up at helke and her king.
"Please" she begged "what if that were me seeking help when I had broken my leg? And somebody shut me out in the rain to freeze?" She pleaded. The king looked down at her then out at the rare white bird. She grabbed a blanket as the king opened the doors and the bird hoped into helke's blanketed arms. Once she straightened up it cawed loudly in the king's face, feeling betrayed.
"Aw, it's okay" she said over adoringly and sat on the bed. "What should we do about his wing?" She asked as she sat on the bed with him in her arms.
"It will heal by itself. Now, do you want breakfast with everybody else?" The king questioned and helke tilted her head in confusion.
"Everyone else?" She inquired.
"Yes, before you came he I often ate with the guards in the hall in the morning before their duty" he explained and she beamed.
"Let's go!" She exclaimed happily, almost running through the door.
"Helke! Leave the bird!" He called but helke was gone.
Everyone bowed to thranduil as he entered with helke as she held the small bird close to her. He sat at the head of the great table and she sat at his left, legolas on his left.
"What do you have there helke?" Legolas asked curiously as helke sat down with the bundle of blankets in her arms. She opened the blanket to reveal the white crow huddled down shyly.
"My, they're quite rare birds. They don't often approach people. They represent purity and good luck. You should be honoured helke" legolas congratulated and helke smiled down at the bird, the king however did not. Helke picked at the greens set on the table but longed for some meat that contained a good amount of iron. Almost as if he had read her thoughts the king signalled over a maid and whispered in elvish and she nodded. Helke looked at him suspiciously but continued to shift the greens on her plate, her new pet in her lap, poking his head out every now and then curiously. The same maid arrived a few minutes after and set a plate of dark shredded meat in front of helke, bowed low and left. Helke looked at the king, almost asking for permission and he nodded. He took her fork and ate chunks of the meat.
"Slow down, you will choke" legolas warned as he watched helke scoff. She looked up embarrassed to see many of the others elves staring at her, the females not too kindly. The king sense her unease when she shrank into her seat nervously. He threaded his hand into her hair and scratched her scalp lightly and soothingly. She closed her ryes and savoured the affection, smiled and relaxed again. The bird poked his head out of the blankets and snapped his beak at the sight of the meat. Helke picked some up with her fingers and allowed him to eat it out of the palm of her hand slowly. The king looked down unimpressed but legolas seemed to be fascinated. He hoped up onto the table before she could stop him and hoped over to legolas's plate. It looked from the plate to the elf and legolas chuckled "sorry, I do not have any meat" he laughed and the crow cawed, heading back to helke. It hoped up her arm and stood on her shoulder, blending into her white hair.
"And what if he pecks your ear off?" Questioned the king and helke looked up afraid.
"He won't do that" she convinced herself as she stroked his head gently.
"I think it is time we retire back to our rooms" he said politely.
"But I am not done-"
"I am" he said firmly and left in long strides,leaving helke alone....