An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Book 2: chapter 1 ~ edge of the forest

The king peeped into his room and smiled to see helke playing fondly on the floor with ringa in a game of tug of war. She let laughed when ringa let go of the rope to cough up some embers and grabbed the rope again. He closed the door and walked contently to his throne room. Had he have known it would have been the last time he would see helke for years he would have spent more time with her, but he knew nothing of what the future held. His mind was rest as he leant back against the wood on his grand throne, dressed in golden and silver silks, his crown adorned with green leaves. He now of course thought of fayla's threat as nothing but empty after 20 years no still no news of trouble. But this was fayla's plan. For him to relax and lower his guard so that he would not be prepared. With one leg crossed over the other and staff in hands the king let a small smirk slip from his features. He was the happiest he had been in years. Helke was safe and happy, legolas was moving up in the ranks and all was well in his kingdom....
Fayla stood on the edge of her cave and looked out to mirkwood, it would take about a day to get there by foot as she no longer had her horse....hunger had overcome her on a cold night.... She sat out on the journey, her crow on one shoulder and dark wooden staff in the other. "Fly onwards and tell me where there are guards" she requested of the bird. It cawed once before flying off her shoulder and on towards mirkwood forest and fayla carried on alone. Although she had grown older over the 20 years she had grown stronger, preserving her magic for this day. She hated summer, almost as much as she hated thranduil. It was too hot for her in all her black clothing. She loved it when She could move, unseen in the shadows, become one with the night. She looked distastefully at some flowers down by the ground and as she passed muttered a spell. All along the path she was walking the brightly coloured flowers began to wither and eventually died within seconds.
"Much better" she smiled and continued on her way. Not 30 minutes later her crow flew back and she held out her arm for it to rest on.
"Well?" She asked. It cawed and she smirked. "Not guarded you say? A fool of a king if I ever knew one. But the palace will be guarded it always is....but no matter". Fayla did not need a horse. Did not need to walk. She lifted her hands and a green glow began to flow out and she stepped into the glowing mist.
At once she was transported into the healing tower of mirkwood. At that moment amalda was coming out of a patent's room and gasped when she saw fayla.
"Amalda" fayla smiled almost kindly. "It is time" she said and amalda nodded, though her face held shock." Be gone now, look out for me" fayla requested to her bird and it flew off. "You are still helping? Are you not?" Asked fayla threateningly and amalda nodded worriedly.
"Y-yes of course" answered amalda shakily.
"Then go and get her" fayla commanded as if amalda were stupid. Amalda nodded and ran off to fetch helke. Fayla could not go wondering round the kings's halls after she had been banned but in the healing tower she was safe. Amalda walked quickly with her head down. She hated helke. Hated how pure and innocent, how beautiful and perfect she was and she wanted her out of mirkwood. How better them to help fayla? Fayla only wanted to hurt the king and see to it that helke was placed in a more appropriate home, one where she could not be caged up like a pretty bird.
Amalda knocked softly on the door and forced a fake smile onto her lips when she saw helke. Helke looked up as amalda entered.
"Hello" helke said plainly, looking down again at ringa. Helke was not fond of fayla after she had called her an 'ice witch' when she had accidentally hurt the king.
"There is someone who wants to see you" amalda reported sweetly. Helke looked behind amalda and scowled. "She is in the healing tower, she cannot enter the halls" she explained, hoping helke would not ask why.
"Okay" helke nodded and got up. As she walked to the door ringa followed.
"He cannot come!" Amalda panicked and helke looked suspiciously at amalda. "Your guest is shy, afraid of fire" amalda lied and helke nodded.
"Sorry ringa, I will return soon. I promise" she crouched down and scratched behind ringa's horn. The land dragon huffed disappointedly but climbed onto the bed to snooze. Helke followed fayla through the halls and amalda thought of nothing when a young kitchen elleth walked by and bowed to helke but it would be her downfall.
"Just up here" said amalda as she climbed the tower with helke. Amalda opened the white door for helke and helke stepped in. Fayla was facing away from the window, staring in disgust at the laughing elves, playing in the summer air. She turned around and smiled and helke.

"Fayla!" Exclaimed helke happily. She had wanted to talk to the witch that had saved her for so long but never heard for, her since she had left.
"Helke" fayla smiled and her eyes drifted up to her circlet. "You look beautiful" she complimented, looking helke up and down. Helke was wearing a long, traditional elf style blue dress and her circlet placed on her head. Fayla was not admiring helke but searching for something...something special. The circlet.....
My...how pretty!" She said happily. "May I...?" She asked and helke nodded. She took off the circlet and headed it to fayla but fayla smirked menacingly.
"I have so much to talk to you about-""
"You will be better off somewhere else" fayla said sympathetically and helke looked confused.
"Sorry?" She asked but fayla began to Chant a strange language, her hand circling the circlet in her hand.
"What are you doing?!" Asked helke and tried to take the Circlet back but felt suddenly dizzy, like someone was pulling her head fiercely.
Fayla was taking away all thoughts, memories and feelings about the king. She took them and ensnared them in the twisting metal of the circlet. Memories had to go somewhere, they could not just dissipate into thin air. Helke collapsed onto the bed and fayla stopped her chanting.
"I know a better place" she whispered to helke. Fayla smirked as she would put the circlet in the kings's draw. The answer to his heartbreak would be right under his nose....and he would never know It...
Suddenly the door opened slightly and fayla looked up. At the door was amalda who had agreed to help fayla get helke out of mirkwood for selfish gain. "There is a back passage we can use but we must hurry" she whispered in a hushed voice. The two females picked helke up between them and carried her out of a secret back passage. Helke was small and light so it was easy for them to carry her and lift her onto Amanda's horse when they finally reached the end of the passage.
"Remember, meet him at the edge of the forest, he will not enter any further" fayla reminded amalda and the elleth nodded.
"Thank you" thanked amalda and she lead the horse on, helke slung over her saddle. Amalda lead for horse through the creaking forest, further then she had ever gone in her life to the very edge of mirkwood forest. It was there that she found him.

(The picture is of helke's Circelet) hope you enjoyed the beginning of book 2 guys! Any feedback very much appreciated ;) thanks for reading <3