An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Chapter 27 - Snow

A few weeks later ---->
Thranduil had given up on telling helke she could not keep the bird as she did so anyway, calling it melima, meaning Loveable in elvish. Winter was beginning to tide over rather quickly and helke's mood changed with it. Whilst other elves where becoming colder, wrapping up more helke couldn't wait to be outside barefooted in the cold. Thranduil would often had to catch her before she ran out in her nightgown. She had more energy then the king had ever seen.
She awoke one morning when the sun was rising and got up quickly and looked out the window. When she saw what was outside however she gasped in horror.
"Thranduil!" She squeaked as she climbed on top of the king a little roughly.
"Oomph. What on earth is wrong sweetheart?" He questioned, putting his hands on her hips to steady her after getting his breath knocked out of him.
"There's something wrong outside!" She exclaimed worriedly. The king scowled and sat up. Never before had there been anything wrong in his kingdom. He lifted helke off with ease and set her on the bed gently. He got up and went to the window and peered outside. The sight that met him made him chuckle softly. Outside everything was covered in a thick layer of white snow. "Helke, come here darling" he said soothingly and she did so timidly. "This is snow" he explained, gesturing to the outside.
"Why is it all...white?" She questioned.
"It is ice, made of thousands of snowflakes" he explained and she looked at him skeptically. "I speak only the truth" he chuckled. Helke dressed into a long blue and silver dress and as always abandoned the shoes. She did not feel the cold like others did. It did not make her flesh painfully numb, it made her tingly and exited and full of energy.
Thranduil dressed in a black tunic and blue velvet coat. The two skipped breakfast and thranduil decided to show helke what snow was. He had to coax her out, holding her hand and showing her it was nothing to be afraid of. He let his boots into the foot deep snow as he held her hand, stepping out from the halls. She stepped out timidly, her bare feet sinking into the white softness. A wide smile graced her lips when she left a tingle up her body. She knelt in it and laughed, enjoying the refreshing feeling it gave her. The king watched from near the entrance of the castle as helke ran and danced in the shin deep snow.
"Helke sweetheart" thranduil called, seeing helke was drenched in freezing snow, her dress sticking to her skin. "I think it is time for you to change" he chuckled, looking her up and down. He had no problem with the clingyness of her dress but did not want others to see all of her either. She pouted and begged for some more time. "After you eat" he promised, feeling as though he was talking to a young legolas again. Helke changed into a dark blue dress and took melima into the dining hall with her and fed him pieces of meat. thranduil was sure that by now the birds wing had healed and that it was now only faking being ill. But it made helke happy so said nothing.
"Aren't you a good boy?" She cooed as she stroked the top of his head with her index finger. All the time the king watched helke he couldn't help but turn over what fayla had said, about helke loving another. She was so loyal to him how could she ever betray him? By now the bird had settled on her lap with a full belly, intending to snooze the rest of the snowy day.

Helke spent the rest of the day running about in the snow, the king in his study watching her from the window. As it became dark she actually became tierd and trudged in, soaked to the bone and yawning. She stripped, had a cold bath then changed into a long, white silk nightgown with bell sleeves. There was a quite knock on the door and helke called a friendly "come in!" To whoever it was. The young elleth who she had not seen before peeped in nervously.
"Absenen, esselya ná helke?" She asked but helke stared at her blankly.
"I only speak a small amount of elvish" helke said and the elleth looked even more nervous.
"You are helke?" She asked and helke nodded. "valadhiel would like to know if you were like anything to eat or drink m'lady?!" She asked politely. Helke had met valadhiel quiet a few times. She was the tall elleth that ran the kitchens and often allowed helke to help out.
"I would rather like a glass of spiced juice? Cold please" helke requested and the young elleth nodded and scurried out. Helke sat on the kings bed and rested her head against the mountain of pillows. She looked down when she heard a sweet cawing sound from the floor and found melima wanting to get up.
"Hiya sweetie" she cooed as she bent down and picked up the bird. She set him on her lap and stroked his head as he settled down on his owners lap. She knew that thranduil had a late night ahead of him following the talk of a traitor soldier in his lands.
As helke lay on the bed she began to wonder what happened to fayla, the witch that helped her. She never did get to talk to her, let alone say goodbye. She just...left.
Soon there was another knock at the door and melima cawed very loudly. Helke called another "come in" and the same elleth came in with a tray, a single silver goblet on it.
"Your drink m'lady" she said respectfully but as she entered helke noticed that she was shaking. Helke got up to take the drink but before she could the tray slipped out of the elleth's grip and everything crashed to the floor, drink and all. The elleth (who's name was almare) covered her mouth with her hands as tears of embarrassment slid down her cheeks.
"I am so sorry m'lady" she cried as she bent down to pick everything up.
"It is okay. No harm done" helke comforted gently.
"I will get a rag and clean everything up" almare promised as she picked everything up and ran out. She came back moments later and began cleaning the juice off of the floor.
"You do not have to be so nervous, I will not shout or anything like that" helke soothed once the cleaning was done.
"Please do not tell the king"
"Tell me what?" Behind the two girls the king stood cooly, leaning against his doorframe. He stared at almare with calm but demanding eyes, making her shake even more.
"P-please my lord" she stuttered under his gaze.
"She accidentally dropped a drink. She did no harm and cleared it up" helke butted it, coming in front of the terrified elleth to face the king. Almare was surprised at the courage that helke displayed to the king.
"If that is true then you have nothing to fear. We all make mistakes. You are free to go" said the king and almare nodded and bowed in thanks then ran out quickly.
"You are back earlier then I expected" she stated as she sat on the bed and melima hoped up to her.
"And that is such a bad thing?" He asked, leaning down so their faces were inches apart.
"Maybe not" she smiled and pressed her cold lips to his warm ones. They kept their kiss connected as the king lay helke down on the bed but there was soon another knock at the door.
"Will I never be left in peace?! Come in!" Called the king as he stood up.
"My lord, the traitor wishes to speak to you" a guard reported and the king sighed.
"Very well" he sighed and looked down at a slightly disappointed helke. "Another time" he promised and she smiled as he kissed her gently. He removed his crown, giving his face a relaxed look, and set it on the dressed.
"I think I will go to sleep" helke decided as she stood yawning.
"I will hopefully be joining you soon. Sleep well my love" thranduil pressed a kiss to her forehead before leaving. Helke settled down into bed with melima by her side.