Jewel In The Palace(Lord Of The Rings Fanfiction)

Hidden Love

~~O~~

"No."

A sudden pain grasps at his heart, a mixture of anguish and sorrow rises in his throat.

He cared for her too much as it was, but simply caring would not be enough. He wanted to give her what she truly needed to live; to be truly happy. Certainly she deserved all that and more.

The half-elf standing before him does not have a trace of greed within her. Had no need of jewelry or expensive gifts or far reaching lands and power over its people. It seemed to him that all she needed in life was a field of wildflowers and the knowledge that she pleased him. She needed company and people. She would soon need a real family. She needed...love.

He knew he could offer her that.

But why do I suffer as well, being a king of such power.

He was suffering.

They were suffering.

Why?

The question left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"You will stay here." Thranduil noted sharply. He has to admit, that sounds harsher than he intended. But the response he got was just as harsh.

"Please...my lord..." She choked out, her voice was breaking. "I no longer want to stay here."

She did not know what she was asking for exactly, what she wanted. She just wanted to run away, run away from him.

"You are requesting to live in Rohan, choose the land of Men over my kingdom?" Thranduil asked. He was trying very hard to hide the pain that has been thrown back at him. "And for what reason?"

Mirialia lowered her gaze, tears started to fall from her eyes. "I am tired, my lord. I am so tired." She tried to voice out her reason. "My heart is so tired."

"Pointless." Thranduil said coldly. "This is a pointless choice you are making."

He protected her. He provided for her. He saved her again and again. Though, he never really expressed his real affection for her, he knew deep inside what he truly feels for this woman.

"It is because of me, is it not?" His sudden question caught Mirialia off guard. Her heart pounding faster than before.

"No." was the only word she could manage to say.

He pushed against her mind suddenly, entering and breaking her mental barriers to read her. She sensed and felt it, as Thranduil explore her thoughts, seeing all the secrets that she had been hiding, and the love that she has been avoiding. "No. Stop it, please!" She cried out, her hands on her ears.

"You are lying to me." He narrowed his eyes.

Thranduil could not recall a single instance of any fatherly affection towards her, even when she had been a mere nine hundred years of age, and he a thousands of years old elf who defied all concept of time. It was all very straightforward.

He had been attracted to her. Deep inside, he felt drawn to her in some extremely intangible, yet undeniable way. It was the sheer strangeness of her that had initially captured his attention.

"Why are you denying it?" He asked.

Good question.

~~O~~

This was not at all fair. He could read her feelings like an open book with his senses while she had no such advantage. Mirialia desperately needed to change the subject to help her get her mind under control.

"My lord..." She pleaded.

"Answer me." He commanded.

Gathering the courage that was left in her, she tried to answer him. "You are my king, and you will always be my king." The sight of her pain tore at him. "But I cannot be with you." She sobbed. "I cannot love you."

She said it. He finally heard it. Though, it's the other way around.

"I will no longer love you."

Denial was simpler.

She tore her gaze away from him, with tears in her eyes she headed for the door. Fate was cruel, so cruel to have played thus with her, to have shown her a love that she could never have.

He was out of reach.

It was the only conclusion she could draw. For so many reasons...

She could forget him. Yes, it will be difficult, but she could.

Forget.

~~O~~

Rejection left one feeling cold, he discovered. The pain was caught inside, unable to escape. He suddenly trapped her in his arms.

"No." He breathed over her shoulder. "Do not leave me."

Mirialia moved to untangle herself from him, to get out of the room and hide in her own until she had to leave. She tried hard to struggle, but his arms tightened even more around her.

"Let me go." Her heart beating painfully in her chest. "Let me go." She cried.

"You will not leave me." Thranduil pulled her back against his chest. "You will love me."

His hoarse voice next to her ear made her tense up against him.

"I will make you love me."

Never had he felt such love, such adoration, such attraction. She eased the burden on his soul, brought light in his world. And she was his, he thought with a pang of possessiveness, as Mirialia silently cried in his arms. She deserved more than anything a mere mortal could offer her. Perhaps this is the best way then, he said to himself.

Enough peripheral reasons.

There is no denying it.

He loved her.

~~O~~

Morning came too soon for Mirialia when she woke up, her eyes snapping open. She stared at the ceiling silently, trying to recall where she was and what had happened. Her body felt heavy and tired, her muscles sore. She did not know how long she had been sleeping, or since when. Sitting up slowly and painstakingly, she looked around the room. She was brought back to her chamber.

Spending days in her room to rest had been fulfilling for a few days, but with far between visits from Tauriel and Calen, and less from her host. Thus, she had decided to start indulging in one of her pastimes, visiting her favorite place. Slowing down her movement, she came to stop in front of the tree. She was about to lie down, when she heard a gallop of a horse. Mirialia turned around as it drew closer. She was surprised to find a figure shining in a bright white light approaching her. But she did not feel afraid; in fact the light was comforting. The figure slowly walked towards her, revealing its true form.

He was tall and straight; his hair was of shining gold, his face was fair and young and fearless and full of joy. His eyes were bright and keen.

He stood in front of her, his fingers lightly brushed her cheek. "Do you know my name, young one?" He asked gently. A sweet smile formed on his lips.

It was the first time she had seen him, this elf. But for some unknown reason, she could not figure out why, she knew his name.

Though feeling exhausted, both body and mind, she was able to utter his name.

"Glor...fin...del.."

~~O~~

Thank you for reading!