The ElvenKing [A thranduil fanfiction]

Chapter 9

Greenwood T.A 2048

           For such a diminutive task as guarding the forest, it amazed me how Rüdhon was able to keep himself, and everyone else, busy throughout the day. With the constantly growing tasks being bestowed upon me, the days had basically swallowed the other. High winter had come to an end, nonetheless the season still clung to the lands, not yet ready to fully let go.

I knew I would miss the sight of snow, and the biting cold, keeping me awake during the night whenever I had a nightshift. Even the crisp the air when patrolling the forest, but I welcomed Spring and the change to the scenery. Taking in the sight of the white snow covering the bare trees around me one last time, knowing deep down that it would soon be the last time. I slowly uncurled to my feet when the sun began to rise above the trees, ending the night and beginning another day.

Adlanna yawned loudly behind me. I jolted because I had been lost in the silence around us. However, her yawn was contagious, and I yawned as well, not because I felt particularly tired but because I was bored. An emotion reflected in Adlanna. She groaned loudly when pushing away from the tree she had been leaned against, her patience running thin. Her eye roll, when stretching lightly, was a welcomed laugh, and we spent a few seconds just laughing quietly.

It had been our turn to do the night watch. Rüdhon had assigned us to the southern watchtower, where he and Charanthir, where on the eastern tower. Voronwë had been the lucky one and had the night off. Apparently, he had other duties to attend to, like he so often did. His brother Agenor, his twin evidently, was in the council, counseling our king. I had not yet met him and had only heard rumors about him. His mood sometimes fouler than Thranduil's when things or plans went askew.

Barely an hour after sunrise, Rüdhon appeared again. He jumped down onto the platform right next to me and seemed disappointed with my lack of response. I arched a brow at him, not surprised by his sudden appearance at all. "I heard you from a mile away, you're so noisy even Ûtridien would have been able to shoot you before you came close." I defended with a small shrug to his clear disappointment.

Adlanna grinned behind us in response to the expression Rüdhon carried when straightening up. He had hit the platform in a controlled crouch, his gracefulness sometimes amazed me.  "Ouch—" Rüdhon held a hand to his chest, overexaggerating the hurt he felt at my words. Then he groaned in disappointment, and I hit him in annoyance. Rüdhon laughed and rubbed the spot. "Those ears of yours—well, Alagos and his company will be here soon. You two may return to the kingdom."

Adlanna didn't need to hear that twice. She jumped down onto another branch and vanished into the forest, in the direction of the kingdom. "Not wasting any time?" I groaned after her. Rüdhon chuckled at my choice of words, but also because I lingered, not really in the mood to hurry back. I was sore and exhausted, but this was the first time I had seen him in days.

"I still remember when that was you." Rüdhon remarked and pointed after Adlanna. I arched a brow at him before slapping his hand away. "Ouch—what is with you today. Hitting me was uncalled for." He winced and shook his hand as if it had hurt him. He always had something clever to say, annoying me on purpose. My frown made his smile widen into a grin, but he said nothing else.