The ElvenKing [A thranduil fanfiction]

Chapter 27

I found a comfortable spot under some of the low hanging branches while watching the open lands ahead of us. Charanthir took a stand next to me, arms crossed against his chest as he smiled down at me. His smile so big that it revealed some fine smile lines around the edges of his lips. I chuckled and shook my head before giving him a gentle push with my elbow. "Ready for tomorrow?" I asked and wiggled my eyebrows, before stealing a soft glance at Voronwë standing somewhere behind us.

Charanthir grinned and nodded eagerly. "It's the first time in years I've been able to get off duty for that night." He admitted and stole a glance at Voronwë as well. "Even for him as well." He gestured to Voronwë with a small move of his chin. "And I'm going to take full advantage of that. You can say what you will about our ill-tempered king, but he has excellent taste in wine." He chuckled before turning his attention back to the open lands ahead of us.

I had to hold a hand against my lips to stop myself from laughing. Unfortunately, he was right. Thranduil had always been great at choosing wine, and at a feast like Mereth-en-Gillith we would all get to take advantage of that. I felt nervous at the same time because it was the first time I would also participate in such a feast, let alone be near my companions in a whole new way. I still sometimes felt that I knew very little about them all. This would surely remedy that. Then Charnathir sighed deeply, reclaiming my attention. "Though I have a feeling that Alagos might have had a say in the matter." He pondered, revealing that he had also been suspicious.

I nodded in agreement. "I have a feeling he might have had a say in the matter. Though I am eternally grateful if he has. This might be just what we all needed after these last few weeks, still, my heart reaches out to those tasked with guarding the forest while we lucky ones get to participate in the feast." I wrapped my arms around myself before looking up at Charanthir at my side. He nodded as well. "I'm looking forwards to spending time with you two, without it having to involve the threat of spiders and such." I admitted.

Charanthir arched a brow at me, but his features softened as he put an arm around me. "You and me both." He chuckled and squeezed me into a half hug before placing his hand on top of my head, rustling my hair, which for once had been unbound. I gave him a determined shove before trying to correct the damage he had done. I twisted my hair into a lazy braid and secured it with a piece of leather string. Charanthir was still laughing at my side when I was done and I shot him a glare, telling him to be careful. I might retaliate.

Nothing more happened thereafter as the sun slowly began its decent. It was almost sunset when we were relieved and allowed to return to the kingdom. Nothing much worth mentioning had happened after that, and for once it had been wonderfully uneventful. A certain peace had fallen over the forest. I kept ahead of Charanthir and Voronwë the whole way back, but not once had I expected Charanthir to retaliate for what I had done to him.

After he had ruffled my hair, I had already begun plotting my revenge. Sometime during the hours following midday, I had managed to crawl unnoticed into the branches above the platform. There I had gathered sticks and leaves, a whole handful before I had hooked my legs around a branch, swung myself down to sprinkle the handful over his head. He had been picking leaves and sticks out of his hair for a while, to the great amusement of everyone else. I had hung upside down with the biggest smile I could muster when he reached for me, but I had been quicker and escaped out of his reach by simply climbing back onto the branch I had been hanging from.

It wasn't until we were almost back at the kingdom, he executed his revenge. I felt a hand on my back, the gentle push had me stagger before forcing me to jump down onto the ground, stumbling a few steps forwards. Charanthir stuck his tongue out at me before hurrying away. I frowned before picking up my speed. I ran below him, keeping an eye on where I put my feet but also where he was above me in the trees, skeptical that was all he plotted to do.