Thuranduil's Heartless Obsession.

Chapter 9

Authors not: Can't sleep and its raining here in small town KY. Here's the next chapter. I hope everything is progressing nicely. Any questions comments or anything constructive just comment and let me know.Enjoy:)

Scars

Her eyes lingered on him helplessly. She was happy that it seemed he was avoiding looking at her. She very much enjoyed watching the play of muscle that accompanied his smallest movement. He was something she could gaze at and always find something new and facinating.

She knew outwardly he seemed perfect. Every inch of skin seemlessly flawless. She saw his scars. She saw through his illusion. She saw him for what he truly was.

Elves admired beauty, they could gaze at the stars endlessly. She found it was the imperfections and scars that made him truly beautiful.

Long ago if she recalled correctly he had faced the dreaded serpents of the north. Dragon fire he had seen. The illusioned scar on the left side of his face bespoke of it. If she looked closely she could see it.

His scar was a testament of his skill as a warrior. It was not something to be thought of as disgusting. He was obviously ashamed of it. She wondered what pain it caused him.

'Maybe he will allow me to heal him' she thought.

She sipped on the wine and turned her though else where for a time. She was glad to see Lord Eomer and Lady Eowyn in attendance. She had helped heal the lady after her battle with the witch king. Her blood had nullified any lingering magic. Aragon had done the rest.

She was glad to see smiles replace the once solemn faces of her friends. She took a moment to wonder if they would even consider her a friend.

'Most likely not'

Conversation was something she rarely engaged in normally. She didn't mind she would much rather sit back and watch anyway. After a thousand years of talking nothing much else in the domain of small talk and social conversation interested her.

Her eyes through the coarse of dinner haplessly found him once more. She let her eyes take in his scar through the illusion he had carefully created. Horrendous though it was it in no way detracted from his beauty. His cheek was missing and his left eye appeared milky.

It was like her eyes trying to see through water. After a while of studying she let her eyes rest and simply looked at the illusion. If only to save herself from a head ache.

He seemed just as uninterested as she did. Though she wanted to she didnt allow herself to engage him with conversation. She had only ever saw him as he was on the outside. She had only at one time saw a peak inside of him.

'Yeah then he shot you in the chest with an arrow. Wake up woman!' She berated herself.

"Loriel?" She looked up quickly to see Eomer looking at her expectantly as was the whole table.

"I apologize I wasn't listening." she felt heat rise to her cheeks.

"I was wondering about your thoughts to recieving a horse as a way of showing my gratitude for your help." He reiterated.

"Ah that would be a very moving gesture and one I would not take lightly. Though animals will not bear me as a rider. It is a part of my curse. The thought though is enough. If I was given a horse I would think it would be a sad waste because it would never be allowed to ride such a magnificent creature." she hoped they would not take offence.

"Besides that she is much too humble to ask for anything anyway." Gandalf added.

Laughter erupted and the matter of gift giving was dropped. She noted Thranduil staring at her as he ate. She had no food upon her plate. She only had a glass and a pitcher of wine.

"Strange there are not many queens I know of that are humble. Are you as humble as they say lady loriel?" his voice resonated over the chatter.

'actually engaging in conversation with me I wonder why he's planning'

"Yes actually I am. Though I will be honest when it come to certain things" she sipped her wine.

"I can see that. You sparred well today it has been a while since I have been so .. . entertained."

"Yes it was engaging. I rather enjoyed it as well." she was taking bigger drinks from her glass.

" I do apologize for ruining your gown. It isn't too damaged I hope?"  with that her eyes darted to Gandalfs who gave her no help in the matter.

"No my lord it was given to me by Aragon. I normally don't wear dresses."

"Ah I see. though I am also curious as to how your skills are with a bow." his gaze managed to catch hers.

" My skills with a bow are as good as my skills with a sword." she answered simply. She wished he would look away.

"Perhaps you will join me at the range tomorrow? It has been a while since I had an equal."

" That sounds great." she sighed in relief when his eyes finally left hers.

She excused herself after finishing her glass of wine. She bid them all good night. She rose and made her way to her room. Glad to see her bath waiting.

'hopefully Kariel will turn up. Perhaps spending some time with her will help ease my mind.' she thought as she sank into the warm water fingers widely running over the scar on her chest.

Scars were memories etched into the flesh. Lessons hard learned and hardly ever repeated. She had scars of her own. Did they make someone ugly? Not really. At least not to her mind they didn't.

A knock resounded through the room. She smiled glad to see her sister did in fact show up.

"Come in." She called.

She looked up at the masculine sound of breath sharply sucked in.

'oh shit. . . ' she sank deeper into the water as she took in Thranduil's stormy expression.