A liaison in the Great Greenwood

Chapter 54

  The draft breezed through the hidden hallway, sending shivers down Adlanniel's spine as she stopped near the concealed doorway to the Elvenking's chambers. Her mind felt muddled as she stood there, contemplating purpose for being where she was then.
Suddenly the door began to creak open, and there before her stood the tall frame of the Elvenking in the doorway, looking down at her displeased. He wore a loose silk gown over his leggings, and she could see some of the musculature of his chest through an opening. His hair hung loosely about his shoulders, and it almost seemed to shimmer from the Auburn lamp light that seeped from his room.
"I thought I had instructed you not to come here again." His eyes were that forbidding gray hue.
She curtsied politely and averted her gaze. "You had, aran vuin. But I wish to speak to you. It is important."
His eyes narrowed on her, digging into her very being, making her recoil slightly. "Then you could have sought me out elsewhere." He frowned.
"My apologies, I shall make my leave." She curtsied again and turned to make her way back down the halls. Regardless of his previous instructions, and the fact that she had indeed disregarded them, she could not help but still feel wounded from the way he chose to speak to her.
"Wait, Adlanniel..." He called her, then sighing as he moved aside from the door. "Come in."

"Now what could be so important that it required you to use the concealed door, I wonder?" He went to his small mahogany table that had a tea set laden upon it. Having already poured himself some wine, he poured her some herbal tea before setting it upon the table between them.
Her breath hitched as she tried to think of an appropriate answer. "I am just used to using that door..." She replied meekly, taking a sip of her tea to calm her sudden nervousness. She could have sworn she had seen a slight grin on his face then, but it was no sooner replaced by his steely expression. He rose an eyebrow at her and took another sip from his chalice.
"Now what was this important news you had to tell me?"
"I have decided to tell Legolas the truth when he returns, all of it." She said steadfastly as she placed her cup back onto the table.
"Have you?" Thranduil asked, seemingly unmoved.
"I have." She replied adamantly. "Before the wedding, before any of that. I do not want our marriage to be tarnished further by lies."
"There may be no marriage once the truth is revealed."
Why had she been so foolish not to have thought of that outcome beforehand?
"Well," She began, "If we are destined not to be married then so be it. At least he will know the truth and I will not be burdened by the lie anymore."
He scoffed at her then. "How naive you are..."
Her eyes widened as she glared at him then. "At least I am not a coward!"
"Tell him about my child then." Thranduil retorts. "Then we shall see how brave you are."

Adlanniel looked at him, mortified by his words.
"Why would you even suggest that I bring the children into the fray?" She shot at him angrily.
"Are you not the one that constantly reminds me of their innocence and that it must be protected at all costs? How could I possibly risk Legolas hating the child that was begotten from our affair?"
"How adorable." He sips his wine. "That now you begin to consider them."
"I have always been considering them!"
"Oh, of course." He began sarcastically. "Like the time when you were running to the war camp through the major part of my forest. How thoughtful of you."
"You know well I had to."
"And it had served well, to protect your silver-haired ellon from any harm. You are just a child, Adlanniel. A spoiled child who knew nothing in your life but comfort."
Tears of hurt burned at her eyes as she looked away from him. Her heart raced now with a fury she had not felt for quite some time.
"At least you did not die!" She bit at him.
"Thanks to your father." He added calmly.
"And a wisp is what gave you continued care here, that stayed by your bedside with every waking moment, that changed your bandaged so many times daily..." She spat sarcastically as she gritted her teeth.
"I was not asking for it. I have enough healers on my own to take care of me, their king."
So downtrodden she felt then she could not help but sob. How could he be so dismissive and cruel to her?
"I did it because I love you." Her voice quivered relentlessly.
"You love the pleasure I can give you." He corrects her. "You love spreading your legs for me like a wanton harlot."

She felt sick to the stomach at his words. Such a white rage filled every crevice of her being she lunged across the table to strike him.
"Rot in the abyss!" She wailed as she tried to connect a punch with him, yet he caught her wrist and pinned her to the sofa beside him.
"Is this what you really want?" He asked then. "To fight a war you cannot win and then we fuck senseless against the wall? Have you not had enough already?" He released her wrist then.
"I...I don't know!" She blurted out. "You twist everything! Is it not what you want?" She shouted angrily as she stood abruptly, moving away from him as if repulsed.
Thranduil emptied his chalice. "Not anymore."
Her mouth gaped as she glared at him, angry tears streaming down her face. Of course, that should be the correct answer.
"So I was just a pawn in your game..."
"We shall not discuss whose game it was, now shall we?" He asks without any emotion known on his face again.
"And why not?" She retorted.
Thranduil looks at her. "It was not me who was engaged and yet spread their legs to another."
"Yet you are still married, are you not? I would say that is a step up from my situation. Yet you still chose to stick yourself in me!"
He looks away. "Don't you dare speak about my wife."
"Then don't be a hypocrite Thranduil. She came to you. We both saw her. I know what her message entails. But can you hold up your end, because I am struggling with mine..." Adlanniel's voice was crestfallen.
"Without her message, you would not be considering telling Legolas anything at all!" He hisses. "What does that tell us, when it is my dead wife who had to speak some sense into us? I have chosen that I will heed her warning."

Defeated, she knew he was right; it spoke volumes of their character, that an apparition, one that may or may not have been real, had to bring them to their senses.
"Of course, you are right..."
"I am always right." He looks back at her. "And you should learn to hear what others tell you. Instead of chasing your visions and dreams you should learn to master them first. Instead of sneaking to my chambers you should learn to use the main entrance, for that matter. I should have kept a closer eye on you, just as your father had asked me to."
"I...I am sorry..." She sobbed as she looked down at the floor.
"Do you wish to know what he had told me when we agreed that you would move into my palace?" He looks down at her, almost bored.
She looks up at him, searching him for the answer. "What did my father say?"
Thranduil closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath. "She is but a child, he said. She needs a lot of shaping to grow properly." He looks back at her. "He gave me permission to punish you if necessary but I refused that idea as soon as he had told me."

She looks at him in disbelief. "What have I done so wrong that warrants my father to say I should be punished?" She almost says to herself.
"I guess he was able to foresee something." Thranduil pours himself one more glass of wine.
"Have you not punished me enough now Thranduil?" She weeps. "I have been trying to grow. But with all that has been happening, I have become so tangled."
"Punish you? My dear, I have not even started yet." He sipped his wine.
"So tell me then, how would you punish me?" She glares at him again.
"Why should I tell you?"
"Because you are meant to be the 'adult' here!" She snaps.
"You have to try harder than that."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Do I have to fuck you senseless for a straightforward answer then?" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"No." He answers plainly. "I have no such desires anymore."
"Your lies are as sweet as your Dorwinion wine."
He looked at her, sternly. "You disgust me, Adlanniel."
Her breath hitched once more at his use of words. How could he continue being so cruel? What had she done to deserve such sentiments?
"You are as repulsive as your scar!" She spat back at him, before she ran out of the room, back the way she had come.



Thranduil watched her leave with a solemn expression. When he was sure she could not see or hear him anymore, he placed the chalice back on the table and with a deep sigh, he closed his eyes. "I am sorry, my dear. I have no other choice. After having your own children, you will understand..." With that, he buried his head in his hands.



Sindarin - English
Aran vuin = beloved king
Ellon = elven male