An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Chapter 17 ~ something is wrong with helke

The week after legolas visited helke the king decided it was his turn to face the iceling. The healers bowed lowly in respect as he passed through the halls where he had come many times to visit soldiers injured from battle.

"Your majesty" said anwa, bowing lowly but keeping his eyes on the great elven king. "You are here to see the iceling that is so fond of you,correct?" he said, reading the expressions of guilt and a strange loneliness. The king looked down at anwa (for he stood a few inches taller than the healing elf) and nodded very slowly once. "She is just through here" be said, leading the king over to helke's room (which was now a mess) and left him alone. The king opened the door to see the beck of helke, sat on the floor and her long white hair touching the floorboards. He stepped in silently and smiled when he heard her trying to read elvish.

"Men I sul-sulka" she said slowly and the king read over her shoulder. "Mii poi- pokie"

"It is pronounced pokia" he said softly. With these few softly spoken words helke shot up, the book falling from her lap with a crash and gasping loudly. She stepped away from the king quickly and fell over a pile of book, frost shooting out around her. The king was surprised to say the least about helke's reaction, after all not too long ago the two had slept very comfortably in each others arms.

"Y-your majesty" she stuttered, getting up and stepping around the books.

"You have never once been given reason to call me that and I do not expect you to start now" the king commanded and helke looked down.

"My dear helke" he said quietly, stepping forwards and placing a tender hand upon the iceling's head. He felt an ache in his heart when he saw her flinch and clear ice spread out from around her feet.

"I apologise deeply for what I did to you earlier. I meant not to strike you and I had no reason to." He said quietly and scowled sadly when she did not respond. "Helke please" he said, trying to look at her but she looked down silently, playing with the end of her sleeves nervously. He sighed deeply as he pulled her into him, enveloping her in warmth. "You are so precious to me" he sighed as he kissed the top of her head. For the first time ever helke felt uncomfortable in the king's arms and did not feel the need to hug him back.

"You have a bad temper" stated helke and the king pulled away to look at her. "I fear you because of it" she said strongly looking into his eyes. The king stared at helke with worried eyes, his lips slightly parted, as if trying to figure out what to say.

"Helke, please. You know I mean no harm to come to you" he almost pleaded.

"And yet you struck me" she stated and he heard something change in her voice. It was cold, uncaring. Nothing like the helke you knew.

"Helke please lie down-" he started, fearing she may be sick but she interjected.

"So you can pleasure yourself? I don't think so" she said in a voice a little more than a harsh whisper. The king looked at her suspiciously as she looked back up at him, not breaking the contact between his blue eyes and her white ones. He raised his head and stepped out to anwa.

"Your highness, you look troubled" said anwa, picking up the kings's troubled look at once.

"Helke...how has she been? Has she been...how do I say? Out of character?" He asked and anwa looked confused.

"No my lord. She has been perfectly fine, wonderful company" anwa said, scowling. Suddenly sharp ice jetted out from inside of the door, piercing it's way through. The king opened the door and stepped through carefully around the ice. He stepped forwards and examined the look in helke's eyes.

"What do you feel?" He asked suddenly when he saw her eyes too had turned cold. The smile which helke gave the king was most unpleasant and made the king feel on edge. His eyes shifted to the window and saw the sun blaring through the window.

"You haven't business here" she said smoothly and thranduil scowled.

"THIS is my kingdom." He reminded sternly and she raised an eyebrow. Suddenly her whole expression dropped, replaced by a blank look.

"Helke?" He asked quietly, reaching out to touch her but as he did hard, cold black ice began to cascade slowly down from the roots of her hair, covering her whole body in a thin layer of the dark, ominous ice and she collapsed into his arms.