The ElvenKing [A thranduil fanfiction]

Chapter 30

Greenwood T.H 2058

         I had almost fallen asleep more than a few times already during the last few hours, nodding off because the exhaustion had hit me hard, but each time Thranduil felt me falling asleep, he shifted at my side forcing me out of sleeps grasp. I knew it was intentionally because it would do neither of us any good if we slept here, the cold winter air had slowly been creeping in over us.

When I shivered for the fourth time, Thranduil tucked the corner of his robe around me, providing me with another layer of protection against the cool winter air. The warmth it provided only made sleeps grasp that much tighter. The music had all but dimmed to a soft vibration, none danced any longer and most were also sprawled around on the ground watching the stars before dawn would swallow them.

I took a deep inhale the fifth time I almost nodded off and turned around to my back. Thranduil arched a brow at my sudden movement but allowed me to lean against him. The hand that had previously been on my hip shifted up to the side of my head where a finger started to follow the arch of my ear, the movement repetitive and the touch extremely gentle. I smiled and took him in from the corner of my right ear because his attention had been wholly on me and not on the stars above us. Their light had dimmed but the sky had darkened before dawn would come.

Thranduil's fingers kept following the arch of my ear, repeating the motion mindlessly as the other hand rested on his stomach. It moved up and down in the same rhythm as his breathing. Then a yawn disturbed the silence that had fallen between us. I jolted in surprise, and Thranduil lowered his hand from my ear as I turned my head in the direction of the sound only to see Charanthir were stretching after he had rolled off Voronwë. They had been lying close together, like Thranduil and I, the whole evening after they had showed their affection to the others.

I chuckled softly when he sat up and stretched his arms over his head as well. The motion drawn out and slow before he ran both hands through his messy hair, raking the fingers against his scalp as another yawn escaped him. Voronwë offered him a small smile before sitting up as well. They shared a short look before Charanthir stood up and reached his hands down to Voronwë, who didn't hesitate to take them. Charanthir helped him stand before they bid everyone goodnight and left together.

We all watched them saunter towards the kingdom, Charanthir had wrapped an arm around Voronwë's shoulders as they quickly exited the clearing, vanishing out of our sight. Another yawn escaped me before I sat up as well and rubbed my eyes, I was exhausted and desired nothing more than get back to my soft bed, and its warmth. I stretched my arms over my head as well before turning to Thranduil who was still lying behind me. He seemed comfortable when I shot him a look, seeking any sign of him being tired as well, but there were none. Which annoyed me just a little.

Thranduil's eyes were fixed on me nonetheless, and they were more attentive than I had ever seen them before. I offered him a smile when he finally sat up. My smile widened when he moved and I shifted around to face him, in the process tugging my legs underneath me. Thranduil lifted his left knee and rested his arm atop it while watching me. The other hand he lifted to my face, fingers brushing against my cheek before he chuckled softly. "I told you to rest this morning because you wouldn't get much sleep tonight." He shot me a mischievous look.