Moonbeam

Chapter Six

Tara wandered slowly along the stone floor, her feet making no noise. She stopped in the middle of the room, looking up at the delicate carvings in the roof above her. Leaves and twisted vines covered the surface, seeming to come alive as she gazed up at them.

She remembered this room.

Her eyes moved to the suit of armour which stood in the corner, and she automatically felt herself drawn to it. A finger traced lightly down the polished steel as she gazed at it in wonder.

"I seem to recall a certain scamp thinking it would be funny to hide herself inside that armour," a deep voice said behind her.

She turned, and found Thranduil in the open doorway, his hands behind his back.

He smiled, entering the room. "One of the scribes came in here for something, and almost threw himself from the window when you moved."

She grinned, remembering the scenario he spoke about. "Yes...but I managed to get myself stuck, and could not get out."

"Legolas flew into the council room, crying about how the armour had eaten you," he said. "I had to physically lift you out of it before your mother heard about it."

She laughed. "I do not know how you tolerated us," she said.

"The honey in my boots was not the most pleasant experience," he said dryly. "To this day, my son still threatens to do it again."

Struggling to keep a straight face, she regarded him with innocent eyes. "And you would willingly re-introduce us, knowing what we are capable of?"

A subtle lift of his eyebrows was his silent reply.

"Does...does Legolas know about the letter my mother left you?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes," he replied. "I could not withhold something like that from him. I did not inform him at the time, as he was far too young to deal with something like that. I waited until he was an adult before showing it to him."

She took a deep breath as she turned to look out of the window, folding her arms across her abdomen.

"You will not experience any hostility from him," he said quietly. "His anger and upset at your disappearance turned to mourning once he was aware of the truth. I have no doubt he will be overjoyed at discovering you are alive."

"Why am I still worried?" she wondered aloud.

"A long time has passed, with many lies and emotions along the way," he answered. "It stands to reason that you shall feel some apprehension. But I assure you – it is fruitless. You are worrying over nothing."

"I wish I had your confidence," she muttered.

"Have you given any thought as to how long you wish to remain here?" he asked suddenly, surprising her.

"I...no, I have not," she stammered. "I did not come here with the intention of staying, truth be told."

He smirked. "I understand. However, I find myself unwilling to encourage you to leave. Would you consider staying for some time?"

She hesitated, unsure of how to respond.

"Perhaps you should wait until you have been reacquainted with my son before you decide," he said, seeing her uncertainty. "Walk with me. It is getting close to when he should be arriving."

Feeling the butterflies in her stomach fluttering furiously, she followed him out of the room, where they walked down to the outer courtyard. The air was still pleasantly warm, and she took in a deep breath.