Everlong

67

As often the way with Liruliniel, she could only bottle emotions and feelings up for so long before it all came out. So, of course, Thranduil was not surprised in the slightest when she pulled away from his chest eventually, she looked up at him with tear tracked cheeks and just commenced talking, really quickly. He stood there, hands on her shoulders and looking at her. There was no point him even trying to intervene, she was going to run out of steam eventually, and when she did, he'd speak then.

"I had so many things which I wanted, no I needed to say and I cannot properly think of how to say anything!" Liruliniel exclaimed, frustrated with herself when all she had done was cry, ramble and not make sense. And Thranduil, patient as ever and just standing there calm and listening had said nothing. She wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands, Thranduil frowned a little, that just made soot smear on her face. His silence was worrying her, and she blinked large eyes up at him. "You're angry with me, aren't you? I am sorry! I am so sorry..."

He cupped her face, his hands feeling rather cool against her warm cheeks, even under the grime he could see they were flushed from her tears. Her eyes shut and she let out a quiet noise when he brushed his thumbs under her eyes, he removed any traces of tears and made her look up at him. "I am not angry with you."

"Furious?"

Thranduil raised an eyebrow, "No." He didn't think he'd ever be that angry with her, ever. Liruliniel looked lost, her eyes looking his expression over before just looking awkwardly away. "You honestly believed that I would just shout at you?" He couldn't help but smirk, truthfully he could understand why she would think that way. But no, no, he was more relieved to see her present than, well, he didn't know where.

"I'm not sure...I am even unsure whether you believed me still alive." Liruliniel admitted, her hands coming to rest where her head was just resting.

Thranduil skimmed his hands back to her shoulders before turning away and shaking his head. There was a small table in the room with glasses and a jug present. "I knew you were not dead. However, I did not know where you would be. I honestly thought you would be with the dwarves. Does that mean that I am not irked slightly with how you went? Am I not a little bothered by what you have got up to? Yes, I am, but I am not angry with you, despite of what I've just said. But I think addressing these issues, so sudden after returning to each other, can wait. If only for a few moments." Thranduil admitted, speaking his thoughts out loud for the first time. He had mused this many times, but had no one to speak to about it. Filling the glasses up, he returned to her and held it out to her. She looked hesitant, "What?"

"I haven't eaten for like two, maybe three days...maybe more? I can't remember." Liruliniel admitted, she couldn't remember eating anything in Esgaroth with Bard and his family. Perhaps her last meal was before she left Mirkwood, it must've been. That seemed so long ago. She just didn't think drinking wine on an empty stomach was a sound idea.

Thranduil's reaction was one of silent shock, he retracted his hand and placed the glasses back on the table. With a hand on her shoulder, he guided her out of the tent. The guards on the door looked at her slowly, they had heard her but hadn't seen her. But Liruliniel merely smiled at them hesitantly before following Thranduil's lead. Though he paused in the middle of a stride when a voice was calling out again, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as the same little girl from earlier came charging over.

Liruliniel knelt down and tilted her head, "You promised to tell me how the talk with the dwarves went!" Liruliniel blinked rapidly, she wasn't expecting that, that much was for sure. Yet the unnamed girl stomped a foot, continued clutching her doll to her chest and almost pouted at Liruliniel.

"I almost got thrown out by the King, I think. The talk did not go well, Tilda. I had an argument, and I don't like arguing, especially with friends. I am sorry I didn't come find you, but I was tired." Liruliniel said calmly with a smile as she stood back up, "I am trying to find something to eat, what are you doing?" She asked with a tilted head as Tilda rocked on her heels with a thoughtful look.