An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Chapter 16 ~ age is a strange thing

Sorry I haven't updated for a while! Been in hospital for a little so updates might be irregular but I'll try!! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

The next day anwa awoke early to check on the iceling to find her sound asleep. He smiled and shook his head softly as he shut the door behind him softly, allowing helke to sleep on. He busied himself reading through books that contained any information on icelings until he heard a crash for helke's room. He hurried over and opened the door to see her in the floor, the small bedside table pulled over onto the floor.

"I'm sorry" she squeaked when he looked in. "I tried to get up" she started and anwa chuckled.

"You must stay I'm bed and rest little iceling" he said as he picked helke up and settled her on the bed and picked up the bedside table.

"I am bored" she complained and anwa chuckled again. He left the room momentarily then came back with a stack of books, all about healing. She looked at them curiously as he set them down on the bedside table. "Here" he said, handing her the first book about healing with jems. She opened the first page and read through it silently. He was waiting for a reactions but nothing really came. She just read on page, after page.

"How long will she have to stay here?" Asked a voice behind anwa and he turned to see amalda standing unhappily in his way.

"Until she is fully recovered" he quipped, pushing past her as amalda glared at the door, as if she was trying to burn it down.

Over the next few days both helke and the king made good recovery's but neither one spoke to or saw each other. Helke was not well enough to walk to the king and thranduil was weary about frightening her, so the two kept their distances. over these days helke had taken a great interest in healing, reading every book on the subject that was written in man's language and assign frequent questions to anwa. Anwa had acted as a father to helke, more then a healer. He hushed her softly when she awoke in pain or discomfort and was extremely patient with her. He was even considering training her to heal herself. Icelings had great amount of healing powers but required years and years of training and practice to use them.

"I want to be able to help people" said helke as anwa talked to her about healing.

"It will take years for you to master, with lots of patience" he warned.

"I have both those!" She argued and anwa chuckled.

"You cannot keep still for 5 minutes young helke, you are not patient" he chuckled and she blushed.

"I am fidgety! I have not got out of this bed for 5 days!" She moaned dramatically making anwa laugh.

"Please my I just TRY walking" she pleaded but anwa shook his head.

"I will not risk your injury getting worse, let it heal. Then you will have all the time in the world to leap and bound about' he chortled. "Now tell me, what must you do when treating a patient?" He quizzed.

"Make sure that they are warm" she answered and he nodded,

"Very good, what is the name of the elvish healing stone?" He asked.

"elessar" she groaned boredly. For she had read almost every book within Anna's grasp. Anwa chuckled and said "maybe soon when you are fully recovered we can start your training. With the king's permission of course" he added. At the word 'king' helke's body flushed. It felt very strange not to be around the king. She missed him terribly, the feel of his soft golden hair, the smell of pine on is body.

"I know you miss him helke but I think that it is best you two do take a break from each other, for you to do different things. So far you have only been cooped up" said anwa and helke knew he was right.

"How long will this take to heal?" She asked, looking down at the broken leg.

"With your iceling powers...a few more days and you shall be as right as rain" he said and she groaned.

"shall I see if I can fetch you more books?" anwa said. But As he rose from sitting next to helke of a stool there was a knock at the door.

"Come in" called anwa and amalda peeped in. "Prince Legolas wishes to visit the iceling" she said politely. "Certainly, I shall leave you two alone, I must go book hunting" Anwa chuckled and left the elvish prince and helke alone.

Legolas couldn't help but feel that helke's injury and suffering was his fault. Had he not tried anything he would still be comfortably in the kings's halls. Most females would have swooned to have a prince visit the, but helke was not like 'most females' so she was less happy to see him.

"Helke-" Legolas started but helke gave him no time to explain.

"Why are you here legolas?" She asked and the prince noticed her tone was cold.

"I-I merely feel bad for what happened. I brought you these" and he produced a beautiful arrangement of elvish flowers. Helke tilted her head as she looked at them, admiring each one's singular beauty. He set them in a jar next to her bed and sat on the stool where anwa had been just a few minutes ago.

"Helke I am truly sorry. I do not know what came over me, I am fully aware that you love my father and are faithful to him" he apologised and felt a weigh lift from his shoulders.

"Well. I am glad that we are on better terms now" said helke lightly and the prince smiled.

"I am so sorry about your leg, how long will it be until you are recovered?" Legolas asked.

"A few days, it hasn't been that bad really. It only really hurt when I fell" she said and legolas wasn't sure if he should have felt better or worse.

"Legolas?" She enquired quietly and he looked up at her.

"When are you to be crowned king?" She asked and legolas laughed.

"In a very very long time, either when my father steps down or if he is killed in battle" he explained and helke frowned.

"But won't he die from old age?" She asked and legolas blinked in surprise.

"Helke....elves live for ever, just like icelings" he said and helke's eyes widened.

"Icelings live forever?!!" She asked, sitting up and legolas chuckled. This bit of information hadn't been in any if the books that helke had read.

"You will see the changes in the world, they are fascinating" legolas said and something dawned on helke.

"Legolas" she started slowly. "How old are you?" She asked.

"I am 1023 years old" he said plainly and helke's eyes widened.

"How old is your father?" She asked slowly and legolas thought for a minute.

"My father....about 5080 why do you ask?" He said. His tone was as if he was speaking in a plain conversation with a plain topic.

"I am only a few months" she said and legolas burst out laughing.

"Hel-helke" he wheezed from laughing. "It does not quite work like that" he explained. "Icelings are born almost fully mature, there are no 'little ones' of your kind. It takes around 100 years for an iceling to become an iceler. If you were an elf you would probably be....about 4000 I think" he guessed and helke's eyes widened again.

"You are so old" she remarked, trying not to be rude.

"And I still look great" legolas joked and the two laughed...