Thranduil squeezed Caerwyn tighter, "We both have to survive this , because I couldn't survive losing you again Starlight."
Caerwyn snuggled again Thranduil for a bit longer before standing and taking his hand and leading him to their room. "I'm still a bit miffed at you, but I'll let you sleep in the bed with me tonight."
Thranduil chuckled, " I am king yet I always seem to be a servant to your commands and whims."
Caerwyn grinned and pecked him on the cheek ,"A King is nothing without their Queen, darling."
Thranduil shook his head mystified at his wife as he followed her to their room, when the latch on their door clicked shut, Idwal stepped from the shadows.
"So this is it." He thought to himself, one final battle and then he would lose his best friend forever. Would a half-breed mutt like him be allowed to follow her to Valinor?
Idwal walked across the main room towards the bar against one wall and poured himself a glass of Rohirrim whiskey, tossing it back he relished the burn that seared his throat. He poured another glass swirling the amber colored liquid , much like his dark thoughts swirled around in his head.
The soft creak of the floorboard sounded behind him and he released the dagger hidden in his sleeve, the steel glinting in the moonlight that filtered through the windows.
He turned to stare at Adhelram who held the blade in place, a mere inch from his face. He lowered the dagger twirling it between his fingers, grinning, "You know, you could have killed me Spymaster." **
Idwal raised an eyebrow as he took a lazy sip of the whiskey , "If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be standing there, Princeling."
The grin slid from Adhelram's face, as he crossed the distance between them, "How did you know I was a prince?"
Idwal stepped closer, his breath warm on Adhelram's face, "I had my suspicions, but you just confirmed them."
Adhelram took a step back, heat coloring his face, "And what do you plan on doing with this information, Spymaster?"
Idwal shrugged and turned to pour himself a third glass of whiskey, "I haven't decided yet, but for now, just know I'm not the type to go running to the Queen-General with every tidbit of information. She trusts me to pass along what is vital and leaves me to deal with all the other...details."
Idwal poured another glass of whiskey and offered it to Adhelram, who took it gingerly, taking a sip, he pulled a face as it burned down his throat. Gagging he looked at Idwal in disgust, "Ugh, what is this? Orc Piss?"
Idwal let out a barking laugh , "I can understand the confusion, its whiskey made by our friends in Rohan."
Adhelram took a pitcher of water from the sideboard drinking straight from it to get the taste from his mouth. He glared at Idwal "How are you able to stand there and calmly drink that pig swill?"
Idwal shrugged, "I was raised on cheap ale and stale wine, this stuff is practically liquid gold. "
Adhelram took a step back towards Idwal, black smoke swirled in his hand as an illusion danced on his fingers, translucent figures made of the black smoke twirled around with in the illusion at a grand ball, Adhelram's deep voice spoke in soft tones, "When my father was king, we had the most extravagant parties, sweet wine pouring from fountains, gorgeous women in dresses made of silk that left little to the imagination. " The illusion faded from Adhelram's fingers, "I have tasted liquid gold, it nothing like what I just drank."
Idwal raised an eyebrow at him, "So that is your ability, summoning illusions?"
Adhelram shook his head, "That is a meer taste of my power, and it is in a much weakened state now. Just as Queen Caerwyn is of light and the purity of the stars, I am her direct opposite,yet equal, I draw my power from darkness, the vast emptiness of space."
Idwal chuckled darkly ," Just don't let King Thranduil catch you saying you are the Queen-General's equal, he'll take back what he said about you being a guest in this house, he is fiercely protective of Caerwyn."
"And my father is not that way without reason." Legolas's voice spoke from the shadows.
His white blonde hair glistened in the moonlight as he strode barefoot through the common room, his robe open enough to show the milky plains of his sinewy pectorals. His billowy sleep pants, whispering as he walked.
Adhelram poured himself a glass of water, sipping it " Oh, and what reason, does you father have to be a borderline abusive, overly protective ass?"
Idwal didn't even want to know where Legolas had stashed the long dagger as it flew across the room towards Adhelram. Who in turn easily caught it.
Adhelram frowned his voice coming out in an angry growl " What is with you Middle Earth men and your incessant need to throw daggers?! That is the SECOND time this evening!"
Legolas's eyes flicked over to Idwal who only gave him a grin and a tilt of his head.
Legolas took a step forward, "For the sake of the Queen who seems to trust you, I won't kill you where you stand for insulting my father's honor."
Adhelram raised an eyebrow , " You refer to her as the Queen and not your mother. Is she not your mother?"
Idwal made frantic motions behind Legolas's back to indicate to Adhelram he needed to shut up as he was broaching a very sore subject.
But Legolas ended up surprising them both as he took a glass of whiskey and took a sip, placing it on the sidebar he spoke in somber tones. " It is true that Caerwyn gave birth to me, but let's just say there is a very complicated family history and I'm not yet ready to refer to her as my mother."
Adhelram nodded knowingly , " Did she leave you in the care of governesses as she sought pleasures in the royal haram?"
Legolas spit out his drink and Idwal could help the laughter that poured out of him as tears of mirth ran down his face.
Adhelram stared back at them dryly, "What is the matter with my question? Are you not part of the royal haram Spymaster?"
It was Legolas's turn to laugh at this , "Caerwyn and Idwal could never be lovers, they have the same preference."
Adhelram raised an eyebrow, " I apologize...I didn't know that you..uh."
Idwal grinned and picked at his nails with another dagger , "Don't get your royal knickers in a knot, I no longer advertise the fact that I prefer the company of men, so you wouldn't have known."
"So then you and Prince Legolas?"
"What? NO. He's practically my nephew. Plus he's still heart broken from some she-elf from like a hundred years ago."
Legolas pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, the motion making him look very much like is father. " Look, there is no royal haram, I was not left in the care of governesses, our complicated family history is that I happen to be over a thousand years older than my mother."
"Oh." Was the only reply Adhelram managed to make.
A/N: Hey there my beautiful readers, I hope you enjoyed this kinda non plot related chapter of Idwal, Adhelram and Legolas kinda starting to get to know each other. I want to make them end up being good friends.
I'm like still planning things out and currently have scenes for like three different ways the story can go, hence the filler chapter. Though part of me wants as a bit of a side plot to make Idwal and Adhelram an item. What do y'all think? Should my two dark princes fall in love?
Anyway thank y'all for reading this far. I love all of you guys. As always please feel free to leave comments, I love to hear from readers.
** So this part of the scene actually took inspiration from a scene I wrote between Caerwyn and Thranduil in the version of Caerwyn's story I wrote directly before the version you all know. And since I'm nice, I'll copy and paste it in below. And since I'm really, really nice. I'll post this alternate version of the story in Middle Earth Medleys.
Caerwyn stormed down the halls and to her chambers. A small squeak of surprise was all she heard from her maids as she burst into her quarters. They had been around her long enough to know the look that was plastered on her face.
They quietly undid her intricate hair style and twisted it up into a bun and helped her out of her evening gown. She quickly pulled on her leather breeches and tunic. Strapping her swords to her back. She stormed out of her quarters making a beeline for the training grounds.
At this time of evening the training grounds were deserted. Just as she liked it. She rolled her shoulder blades and unsheathed her twin blades. And set about attacking the training dummies with the ferocity that spoke of her Gondorian heritage.
She sensed movement to her right and threw a dagger that was sheathed to her arm. There was the ringing of steel as the dagger was batted away by sword.
The Elven King emerged from the shadows , dressed now in simple yet elegant breeches and tunic. “You know, If I were a mortal man you would have killed me.”
Cae looked at him with a level gaze, “We both know, I knew you weren’t a mortal.”