An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Chapter 24 ~ May i have this dance?

She looked around nervously for a familiar face and the first one was galadriel. "Helke" she said in her soft voice "you look well, how do you feel?" She asked.
"I am fine thank you, and yourself?" She asked and galadriel nodded.
"In good health. You look wonderfully beautiful" galadriel smiled and helke bowed in thanks. Helke jumped as she felt a hand on the small of her back, nearing the top of her bum. She looked up to see thranduil looking down at her.
"You look like a goddess" he adored and she smiled. She looked him up and down and smiled. His crown proudly on his head with a rich black silk tunic on, around his frame a silver silk cape that brought out the sparkle in his eyes. Dark brown leggings and dark boots.
"You look dashing" she complimented and he smiled.
"I heard you had a small calamity with a witch?" Galadriel questioned making the king scowl.
"How do you know of that?" He broke in quickly. Galadriel said nothing but gave the king a look he despised. A look that said she knew better then him. She glided away smoothly and politely to another elf whom she had not seen for a long time.
"What happened to fayla?" Inquired helke.
"Do not worry yourself over her. She had to go" the king gave comfortingly. Soon all the elves were seated in the giant hall, the king obviously at the top of the table and helke on his right like always. Helke subtly took the kings hand underneath the table to settle her nerves. She was surprised however when he brought their Intwined hands out and rested them on the table, showing everybody how comfortable he was showing affection to the iceling. Her smile widened as he stroked her hand lightly with his thumb.
"Please, let the feast begin!" Called thranduil and elves began chattering loudly and clanking plates, all the noise starting to become to much for helke. She sank into her chair and squeezed the kings's hand nervously. The king of course noticed this as he began to talk to other higher elves and squeezed back comfortingly.
"And who is this?" Asked the older elf, looking at helke. Helke had not touched any of the feast yet, her stomach was not settled.
"Helke, the only iceling alive" boasted the king as helke's cheek flushed with the tiniest hint of colour.
"Ah, I see, it is an honour" the elf bowed his head and helke nodded in appreciation. "I hoped i would see one of your kind again. So tell me, How are you finding mirkwood?" He asked to helke.
"It is beautiful. The air and water is so clean. Everyone is welcoming to" she said, smiling to her king.
"I am glad to hear it. Some men would have taken a great advantage to you" the old elf said seriously.
"How?" Enquired helke. She had heard it been said so many times and yet did not know what they ment.
"Well, some men would have kept you as a sex-" but the king cleared his throat and glared at the other elf.
"I have not educated helke on such disgusting matters, nor will I ever intend to" he said firmly before eating a small mouthful. Helke dished herself up some meet and root which she had never seen before. She saw legolas across the table and waved a small but friendly wave which he returned. The other elf occupied himself by speaking to the one to his left whilst helke tried to subtly put some food into a napkin for the crow.
"Helke" the king warned as if she were a child
"He'll get hungry!" She argued.
"He's not even suppose to be in the palace, I do not recall giving you permission to keep him" he resorted and she pouted. He tried to look away but could not resist those big sad eyes that lured him in.
"He may stay here for a little while..." With that helke slipped some root into the napkin subtly and ate happily. "The hall looks wonderful" she said as she looked around the beautiful sparkling room.
"Not quite as wonderful as you" he complimented and her eyes sparkled with the lights. Helke soon brushed away any Nerves and dug into the great arrangement of foods and drink. Her eyes widened as an elleth filled her glass with a sweet, spiced wine and to helke's horror it looked like blood.
"What is this?" She asked, picking up the glass and turning to thranduil.
"It is wine" he stated as his own glass was filled. He lifted his hand when it was full enough and the elleth bowed and went round to other elves. Helke looked down at her glass and sniffed it skeptically.
"It is a sweet drink, do not have too much mind you" he added, half worried and half curious about what state helke would become when she was intoxicated. Helke took a big sip of the 'sweet' wine. To her sweet meant something like fruit or maybe even sugar. This was not what she was expecting. It burnt her throat as it went down and the bitter taste lingered. She wrinkled her nose and coughed into the napkin beside her before gulping down plenty of water.
"Not to your liking?" The king chuckled as he sipped his own glass and set it on the table.
"It it vile" she spluttered as she tried to rid the taste from her mouth. The king smiled at her as he watched her continue eat without any worries, occasionally slipping food into the napkin on her lap. Some elves began to chat to her but she often stuttered with nerves and the king could tell that ideally she would like to be left alone.
"The king is treating you well?" He heard an elf ask her and she nodded polietly.
"He is very good to me, I am very lucky" she replied
"Yes I can tell he feeds you well" the elf chuckled.
"Excuse me?!" Asked helke, wondering what on earth he ment.
"I did not mean you are fat! No! I meant you have a very nice figure" at this the king cleared his throat and the elf looked up nervously at the king to meet his icy glare.
"Excuse me" said the elf polietly before he jumped up and almost ran the opposite direction as helke giggled.
It was becoming clearer to the king now that helke was the main attraction of the starlight festival. Everyone looking and whispering as helke ate and drank. She was currently eating her way through a giant strawberry, covering her lips and hands in the sticky red juices.
"Helke, darling" the king said half kindly, half amused. Helke looked up and he chuckled. He handed her the napkin and tapped his lips. She wiped off the majority of the juice but some still remained on her upper lip. Thranduil took her chin and kissed her upper lip, using his tongue to lick off the remaining juice. Helke gave a sort of squeak and pressed her lips to his in return as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. She gasped and opened her mouth wider, giving him space to roam around her mouth. Helke pulled away embarrassed at the heated kiss they had shared in public and continued to pick at her food. The king gave a satisfied smirk as he knew everyone in hall now knew to whom she belonged to.
Soon the food was cleared away and the dancing began. Helke was still not very good at dancing or keeping with the music. Helke watched as legolas went onto the dance floor with a beautiful ginger haired elleth.
"Who is that? That legolas is dancing with?" Helke asked thranduil and the king looked out.
"That is tauriel, second in command of my guards" he explained as he kept his hand on the small of her back.
"She is beautiful" helke sighed as she watched legolas and tauriel dance and smile. Suddenly lord elrond appeared by helke's side and politely bowed.
"I wonder if I may steal you from your king for a dance?" He asked helke as the music stopped and the orchestra changed their sheets. Helke looked at thranduil and he nodded and she nodded at elrond.
"Okay" she said quietly as took lord elrond's hand and he lead her onto the dance floor.
"Mane mart" he said to elrond as he and helke went onto the dance floor.
"So you are settling into mirkwood?" Asked elrond as they began a slow waltz with her hand in his and her other on his shoulder whilst his rested on her waist.
"Yes, it is beautiful here" she said as concentrated on not stepping on elrond's feet.
"I have known your king for a very long time you know, but this is the first time I have seen him relaxed since his wife died" confessed elrond as thranduil lead Galadriel onto the dance floor elegantly.
"What was his wife like?" She asked, hoping SOMEONE would give her an answer.
"She was very gentle elleth, beautiful female. Kind to everyone around her" he replied in a saddened tone.
"What happened to her" helke asked.
"She was attacked by orcs as they passed through mirkwood forest. She was playing with legolas at the time" he said sadly.
"So legolas is lucky to be alive as well?" Helke asked and elrond nodded.
"Indeed he is. I think it was hard for thranduil to raise legolas by himself. But he did a marvellous job" elrond praised as he looked over at legolas and tauriel who were sipping wine and laughing.
"I love the king" helke suddenly said and there was sadness in her voice. "Is this wrong?" She asked, afraid of the answer.
"No helke" elrond chuckled softly. "Not at all. I think you came at the right time" he said as the music ended. Helke hugged elrond like a small child would and elrond smiled, squeezing her back gently.
"Off you go" he said kindly and helke ran gracefully to the king who welcomed her back to him with a kiss.
"Hello again helke" said galadriel smoothly but warmly.
"Hello" helke replied quietly, slipping her hand under the kings coat and resting her forehead on his collar bone. Even galadriel had to admit it was a cute sight.
"I am going outside for some air" helke said and the king nodded pressing a gently kiss to the top of her head before helke ran out elegantly, like some sort of dancer.
"She is becoming more confident" Galadriel acknowledged.
"Indeed she is" the king smiled at the door which helke had just gone through. "Although, I have a burden on my mind" the king confessed and Galadriel turned to him.
"The threats of which fayla spoke" Galadriel read his mind.
"Yes" the king sighed.
"I am afraid I cannot help you" galadriel confessed. "A powerful spell surrounds everything to do with that threat, meaning I do not know how it will turn out" galadriel said and the king looked down unimpressed.
"So what am i to do? Just wait it out?!" He asked and some elves looked round and the king composed himself.
"I am afraid that is all you are able to do for now" Galadriel admitted and the king scowled. He swept away from her agitatedly and went off to look for helke. The first place he checked was his chambers in which he only received a loud caw in the face by Helke's white crow. He shut the door and and looked around his halls curious as to where his helke had got to.

Helke had let her feet go wherever they pleased and had lead her to the kings's throne room. It was lit by the amber glowing lights which Legolas had told her where a type of living rock which glowed. Her hand glided over the polished wood of the king's throne upon the steps. She looked around and sat down slowly. It was certainly high up and could see why he felt so powerful in the seat. She had never really admired the view when sat upon his lap. She remembered and afternoon not too long ago when she spent all day sleeping on his lap, vaguely remembering his fingers threading though her hair every now and then.
She had spent so long thinking she had no realised that the king had entered and had been watching her with a small smile.
"You look wonderful your majesty" he chuckled in a silky voice making her jump up.
"I'm sorry- I didn't mean to-" she started, thinking she had maybe offended the king as he glided up the steps.
"Shh" he soothed smoothly, pressing a long finger to her lips. From the throne room the beautiful music that still being played could be heard. Thranduil pressed a kiss to helke's lips as helke slid her hands up to his wide shoulders. The kings arms wrapped securely around helke waist and guided her to the throne, making her straddle him as he sat upon their thrones, their lips never leaving each others. His tongue slid into her mouth and rubbed against hers as he held the back of her head with one hand and her waist with the other. She moaned quietly and played with the tips of his ears, making him shudder throughout his body.
"We should get back" she said quietly, worrying that someone would notice their leave.
"I am the king helke, I may do as I wish" he boasted and captured her lips with his again. As helke began to undo the kings's large broach from his neck thranduil stopped her.
"I so not yearn for release tonight my little elk, only your love" he whispered and helke smiled, overjoyed that she in herself was good enough for the king. The kiss was sweet and gentle, a protective kind of love. Thranduil set helke on her feet before rising from the throne and guiding her down the steps politely.
"May I have this dance?" He asked and helke could not hide her wide smile as she nodded. There was a pause in the music and as it started up again the king took helke's arm in one hand and placed the over on her lower back whilst she put her hand into his and the other on his chest. They glided around the softly lit throne room slowly and alone as helke rested her head on thranduil's collar bone.
"I have lived a thousand lifetimes and have never found anyone like you my little elk. I must be blessed to have you" he complimented and helke smiled widely. "I look forward to spending a lifetime with you" he whispered as they waltzed. The natural sent of the king and his gentle touch had a calming affect on helke and she soon began to feel sleepy. Even through her fatigue she kept up with the kings's steps, never once tripping or treading on his feet. She didn't expect to be raised into the air quickly by the king when there was a heightened volume and pitch in the music. She squeaked and held onto both his shoulders as he lifted her up and set her back on her feet quickly and repositioned his arms, dancing on as if nothing had happened. The chuckled at her wide-eyed expression as they danced on and she hoped she would not be lifted up again.
Once the music stopped helke wrapped her arm around thranduil under his cloak, beginning to feel like she may fall asleep at any minute, thranduil took off his cloak and draped it over helke's shoulders before whisking her off her feet and carrying her to their room bridal style. By the time he had arrived the helke had already fallen asleep, her nose nuzzled into the crook of his neck. He lay her down on the bed and pulled the covers over her. He waited until he was sure she was in a deep sleep and left her alone in peace to dream the night away....

*mane mart means good luck in elvish