An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Chapter 11 ~ lothlorien

The next morning helke was awoken by pure bliss. The dwarves threw a bucket of water over her to wake her and she finally felt the headache easing. She stood unsteadily as they yanked on her chains and she stumbled after them as they continued to walk through the long grass. The sun seemed to mock helke as it rose higher into the sky and became hotter and hotter throughout the day.

"Keep up iceling" the black bearded dwarf spat angrily as he yanked the chains that had begin to rub against helke's soft pale skin causing them to become raw and painful.

As the sun beated down on the helke the three dwarves stopped to examine a map.

"We should pass through this forest. We do not want the iceling dying before the skazi" said the ginger bearded one, pointing to the southern forest.

"Are you mad?!" They grey bearded one asked, his accent thick. "They say a witch lives in those woods! She would ensnare us and take what is ours!" He argued, referring to helke

"Surely you don't believe those old folk tales?! Are ye scared?" The third taunted and the ginger one scowled.

"I am not scared! So be it! We will pass through the forest!" He argued and trudged on.

They pulled on her chains and headed to a thick forest which had a sense of foreboding surrounding it.

As she stumbled through the thorns and vines helke heard a voice as clear as day which the other 3 appeared to have not.

"You are in great pain my dear" said the voice and helke looked around. It was a rather soft voice and helke was sure it belonged to a female. "I am sorry you had to endure so much suffering. The king should have kept you safe" the voice continued .

Suddenly arrows were surrounding her and the dwarves, elves pointing them.

"I told you!" The ginger haired one called.

A tall blonde elf which helke suspected to be a guard of some sort stepped forward and looked the dwarves up and down, a stoney expression on his face. This was haldir "What business do three dwarves and a-" haldir fell short when he saw the facial bone structure and white eyes and hair of helke, seeng she was neither elf nor man. He looked down angrily at the chains that enclosed around her. "An iceling" he said quietly. He had never seen one before, but had heard tales of their ancient beauty. He was sure they were extinct.

Helke looked up at the mention of her specie but exhaustion was beginning to take it's toll. She felt her eyes beginning to droop and her legs become weak.

"Take these....filth to the dungeons" said haldir angrily when he pieced together why three dwarves were in the company of an iceling. Angry they wanted to take such beauty from the earth so quickly, just when she had been given life.

Three elves escorted the dwarves away as they kicked and shouted dwarfish profanities at them.

"And you" said haldir softly but bolted forwards to catch helke as her eyes rolled back and she collapsed on the floor.

"Water!!" Called haldir to his men. "Get me water now!!". Rumil came forwards seconds later with a leather sack of water. Haldir emptied the pouch onto helke's face and scowled when it had no effect.

"She must be taken to lady galadriel quickly, rumil I leave you in charge" haldir said to his brother and rumil nodded. Haldir picked helke up swiftly and ran off towards galadriel.

Galadriel was of course expecting helke and was not surprised when his march warden rushed to her, the iceling In his arms.

"She needs a room and plenty of water, she may survive yet" said galadriel calmly, watching helke's soft, shallow Breathing. "Take her to a guest room, see to it she is kept OUT of the sun, she must have plenty of water" she said cooly and haldir nodded, whisking her off to a room.

He climbed up some light marble steps and placed her and a bed softly, pulling the curtains over. Before he left he studied her, concentrating hard. He couldn't under stand where she had come from or why she had been allowed into the dwarves grip in the first place. He shut the door behind him and went back down to lady galadriel.

"m'lady" he said bowing in respect as she turned to face him. "I am sorry to bother you, but I do not understand. An iceling?" He asked, shaking his head softly in confusion.

"She was bore not too long ago, in the lands of mirkwood" she explained. "I sense she had a strong connection with the king. Love maybe? Although I feel her love for him has faltered" She said softly. "But she is safe for now. I shall alert king thranduil that we have her safely here, I presume that he is most worried about her" she said looking out into the distance. And she presumed right.

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The king sat upon his throne, eyes closed and a deep scowl of his features. He had let a few tears slip over the past hour put had decomposed himself. He blamed himself for whatever pain helke was in now. He should have kept her close to him at all times. He knew how valuable she was to others but she did not understand. She thought all people were humane and kind. He suddenly opened his blue-green eyes when he heard a voice within his head.

"She is safe for now" said a soothing female voice. He looked around, sure he was going mad from loss of sleep and stress.

"Galadriel" he said quietly, closing his eyes again.

"She is safe within lothlorien. Come to her" said the voice before it went away completely. Thranduil sheathed his sword to his hip and stormed down the stone steps of his throne.

"Father?" Asked Legolas confused when he saw his father storming off, a determined look on his face.

"I know where helke is, I must travel to lothlorien. I leave you in charge Legolas" Said the king seriously and legolas nodded.

"Thank you father. Do you not require any assistant?" Called legolas but his father had already gone.

Thranduil hurried down to the stabled and strapped up his elk.

"I am sorry little one, I will be taking your mother away for a short time" said thranduil softly to the playful calf which stumbled after his mother as he locked the stable door. He smiled sadly as he remember how fond helke was of him. The elk knelt down for the king and he got on her back. The king set a fast trotting pace as he ventured out into the forest, his sights set firmly on lothlorien, to find helke and bring her back safely.