An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Chapter 23 ~ threats and the festival of starlight

He awoke again mid way through the afternoon with a sudden thought. Fayla...
He got up as quietly as he could and dressed so not to disturb helke. As he passed the white crow he glared at it and it stared back at him. He strode down the corridors to the room which fayla had been trapped in for most of the night. He opened the door without warning and saw her siting politely, reading a book.
"And here he is! The great elven king" said fayla sarcastically, not looking up from her book.
"It is customary to rise to your feet when royalty enters" he said, grabbing the book and throwing it over his shoulder.
"I am sorry. But i See no one worthy of royalty here" she sneered, staying seated.
"Helke may have prevented me from taking your head before, but she is not here now? Is she?" He asked unsheathing his sword menacingly and fear flashed in fayla's eyes. Was he really going to just kill her?!
"This is how you repay me?" She asked in a sullen tone. "After warning you of the future AND bringing her back?"
"Do not try to fill my head with lies!" He demanded. He would not be mocked or out done in his land, his palace. To his suprise fayla did not resort to magic but grabbed a metal candle holder from the bedside and took a swing at the king, thranduil had much more experience in fighting so easily knocked fayla off of her feet and hit the candle holder away from her hands. Here fayla's hands began to fill with a green flame, the smell making thranduil feel lightheaded. He stepped back and stumbled slightly but regained his balance.
"Get out of my kingdom" he spat.
"I helped you!!!" She cried, her voice suddenly full of emotions. "All I ask is that I may talk to helke! Learn about her!" She begged.
"You will have nothing to do with her, I will not have you poisoning her young mind" he said smoothly but it was obvious he was angry.
"I did not know that the great king held no honour" she said, making thranduil grit his teeth.
"You know nothing of honour, you hide away and fester in the shadows. You eat all that passes by your mountain. Do not think I have not heard the stories of you" he revealed making her cheeks flush in anger.
"You will pay for this. You will not know when and you will not see it coming, but you WILL pay. In the most painful way" she whispered before leaving thranduil's land for good. Thranduil seethed his sword and told the guards to make sure that she left. He sat upon his throne with a stressed mind. He would not see it? Would not expect it? What on earth was she planning? He then remembered what she had said earlier.
"Helke will forget you and love another" did this tie into fayla? His gripped tightened on his staff but his thoughts were broken when he heard the doors open loudly and somebody struggling. He expected fayla to be in the guards arms but instead the guards pulled a mortal women through the doors roughly as she cried.
"Your majesty, this women was caught sneaking into one of your people's homes and stealing food" the guard reported and thranduil raised an eyebrow. The women was young, dressed almost in rags with a dirty face and hair. She disguised thranduil.
"Stealing for anyone in my kingdom is an unforgivable crime" he spoke cooly as she sobbed.
"Please! My town was left to burn after orcs attacked! I am with child!" She pleaded but fell upon deaf ears.
"That is none of my concern" he said coldly. He did not notice when the doors opened quietly for a second time and helke stepped in, dressed in a long white dress with flared sleeves. She quirked an eyebrow at the confusing scene before her.
"Please my lord" the young women begged. "I beg your forgiveness, I am desperate for some food, I have not eaten note drank in several days!" The king just looked upon her cooly until helke stepped out of the shadows and his eyes softened.
"Helke, come here please" he requested softly, outstretching his hand. Helke walked past the begging women slowly, looking down at her quickly before stepping up to thranduil's throne. Out of instinct she sat upon his lap and he shifted her so he could also see. "This young lady tried to steal from one of my people. But claims to be homeless and pregnant. Would you punish her?" He asked and she looked over at the women who had tears streaming down her eyes.
"What is pregnant?" She asked the king quietly.
"It means she has a baby in her womb" he explained as he gently touched helke's stomach. He knew helke would never be a mother, icelings could not be impregnated and helke did not have a mothering bone in her body.
"What would you usually do with thieves?" Helke asked, looking down at the women before them.
"Send them to the dungeons" thranduil said shortly and helke scowled.
"P-please" stuttered the women, catching helke's attention.
"I do not want her punished, she is desperate. She meant no harm" helke said the thranduil and he nodded although was surprised.
"Take her away, see that she is supplied with water and food. You will not be aloud to step foot in mirkwood again, do you understand?" Questioned the king and the young women nodded.
"Thank you, thank you" she said gratefully as she was lead away by the guards.
"Why did you ask me to make a decision?" Asked helke once they were alone.
"I wanted to see how you would handle the situation" he said truthfully.
"Am I aloud to go for a walk outside?" Asked helke and the king looked uneasy.
"I would much rather that you stay within the palace, where you will be safe" he said, reminding her of being captured by dwarves a few weeks before.
"Very well" she sighed getting off his lap but he pulled her back down.
"Do not be so grumpy" he whispered and gently nibbled on her ear making her giggle and writhe. "Tonight is the starlight festival, would you be happy with someone helping you to get ready?" He asked and she turned to look at him. "Who?" She enquired and he smiled.
"An old friend.....Anerin?" He asked and her face lit up.
"The elleth from before?" She confirmed and he nodded.
"Oh please! I have not spoken to her for such a long time!" She bounced happily.
"I have already arranged it" he said and her smile widened. She pressed a passionate kiss to his lips and he returned the kiss.
"You are my world" she said before getting off his lap and running down the steps gracefully.

Anerin was already waiting for helke in her and the king's room and smiled when she entered. Helke ran and hugged her happily.
"How have you been young iceling?! I have not seen you for so long" she chuckled.
"I am splendid, the king treats me so well" she smiled.
"I am here to help you get ready, shall we start? I think your dress shall be dropped into the room soon" she said and helke tilted her head.
"My dress?" She questioned.
"Yes, the starlight feast is a rather big occasion, all the elves of mirkwood gather together in the dining hall and all feast" she announced happily. Anerin ran a bath for helke and allowed her to wash in natural soaps in peace. Just before going into the bathroom the big wooden door from before caught her eye. "anerin?" she questioned. "What is behind that door?" She asked, pointing to the locked door.
"I do not know helke. It's best that you keep quiet though" she said.
The bath was blissfully cold and helke enjoyed plunging into it backwards, allowing the freezing water to cover her ears and face. Anerin gave her a large soft towel to dry in and wrapped her long white hair up in another smaller towel. Helke wrapped a robe around her but quickly swapped in for the kings's large silver, silk robe.
"It is comfortable" helke defended as she sat at the seat infront of the mirror.
"Oh! And who's this?!" Anerin asked, jumping as the white crow hoped around the two females feet and cawed quietly for attention.
"I have not thought of a name for him yet. I found the poor thing outside of the window" she like explained, picking up the bird and setting him on the dresser where it watched the females.
"He's beautiful" Anerin smiled and the bird ruffled his feathers proudly. Helke smiled and stroked his chest as Anerin tried helke's hair with the towel. She brushed through it and began plating it elaborately, taking in small strands at a time. Helke watched the concentration of anerin's face as she plated her hair.
"Where did you learn to plait like that?" Asked helke as Anerin was mid way down her hair. "My mother" she replied sweetly and tied the end of the plait of with a white leather strip. Several small pieces of hair were plated back and joined into another plait that sat on top of her hair. She smiled widely as she looked at the plait "it's beautiful" she praied and Anerin smiled softly.
"I am glad you like it" suddenly the door opened and a shy, young elleth stepped in.
"Lady helke's dress" she said timidly as she handed over some folded material to Anerin.
"Thank you dear. Anerin thanked as she took helke's clothes. Helke's jaw almost dropped when Anerin straightened out the dress. It was a long, shimmering light blue and white dress with almost opaque sleeves and an off the shoulder cut. Anerin helped helke slip it on and it fit like a second skin, it trailed when helke walked and seemed to go in at the right places. She felt comfortable And delicate in it,truly worthy of an elf king.
"And the finishing touch" Anerin smiled and helke turned around. Anerin gently placed a silver intertwined circlet ontop of helke's head and helke could not hide her smile.
"A beautiful sight" Anerin smiled, now you must come with me to another room, the king must not see you until the feast" Anerin explained the old tradition as she dragged helke out of the room. Helke had to sit in a spare room until the sun began to set and the moon began to grace the sky. Tonight the stars appeared clearer but she supposed it WAS the starlight feast.
"We only celebrate it every few hundred years" Anerin said as she fussed over helke's hair and dress. "Well, it is time. I'm afraid you'll have to stay here" Anerin said kindly to the bird on helke's lap.
"By sweetie, I'll see you later" she said and kissed the bird head before being lead out by Anerin. As Anerin walked down the halls with helke they saw a few young kitchen elleths walking back with wide smiles.
"Why are you girls grinning?" Asked Anerin suspiciously.
"Lord elrond is here and the lady of light" one piped up and Anerin raised her eyebrows.
"Lady of light?" Helke questioned to Anerin.
"Lady galadriel of lothlorien" Anerin explained and helke nodded.
"She helped me when I was...." But helke trailed off at the memories of being chained up and forced to walk like an animal.
"Now dear, don't look sad, you are here to enjoy yourself and feast" Anerin encouraged and a small smile appeared on helke's lips. The doors opened and all fell silent as helke stepped in nervously and felt all eyes in the hall fall on her....