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In the months after the rebuild had started to regain trust between the Kingdoms, King Thranduil had opened his library to any Dwarf who wished to visit, outwardly claiming to share their histories in hopes of dissolving the ignorance between their cultures, though his true reason having a more selfish desire masked in friendship with the Dwarves.
A certain pair of purple eyes had been tracking his movements through his life and that of his lineage, a mere seamstress in his town, one that would randomly appear and vanish again just as quickly, so when those eyes were spotted behind the bars of his prison he did everything in his power to keep you well within his sights, fueled his bottled rage when your group had escaped.
As the Dwarves and Elves healed he opened his Kingdom hoping to lead you back into his view again. The first Dwarf to jump on the offer was obviously Ori, who happily explored the library with Bilbo at his side, the Elf King noticed your dear friends and made sure their every comfort was seen to.
...
Ori, "You just have to go Jaqi."
You set down your latest stack of sorted papers into their new home in the new cabinet you had built enforcing your so called 'barbaric' filing system into the Dwarves world. Turning back to the smiling Dwarf as he held out his latest borrowed book showing it off as some incredibly rare treasure, which honestly, as one of the first books written from the First Age it really was, giving him a small smile, "Fine, I'll go."
He let out a happy hum as he gave you the directions to the library from the front gate before snapping into a long description of how it looked and offering a few suggestions of books to start with.
...
It was a cool sunny morning, taking advantage of one of the last few days before fall turned into summer you pulled on one of your nicer dresses, normally in pants and a loose shirt with a vest with boots up to your knees.
After spending an hour untangling your long black curly hair you pulled the top half back into a small braid securing it with a thin green ribbon matching your pale green layered lace dress with sleeves that went to your elbows. Flipping open your small chest you had made for your shoes, finding that Dori had finally fulfilled his promise to mend your worn shoes, leaving your chest empty, you rolled your head back as you pinched the bridge of your nose, closing your eyes as you let out a quick groan.
Dropping your arm and heading out the door, gaining more than a few curious stares from the Dwarves at your outfit, sticking your tongue out at the Princes who had noticed your dress as they slammed into a very large Dwarf from the Iron Hills, both quickly chuckling and apologizing before trying and failing to catch up to you.
..
The cool breeze hit your skin as you headed out through the open gate, crossing the cold grass in the field between Erebor and the Forest. Humming a quiet song to yourself as the Dwarves in guard all watched you walk off to the neighboring Kingdom alone, after a few small forced smiles from the guards at the front gate you headed through the long twisting directions Ori had given you.
Though halfway through you were stumped as your next direction was to take the bridge, and yet two were in front of you, the direction after being to turn at a specific statue you took the bridge that had a few scattered decorations rather than the bare one on your right. Your next five directions added to your confusion that was only worsened by the fact that you were entirely alone without any sight or sound of anyone. Wandering through your new maze you stumbled upon your last direction, a massive statue of an Elk, raising a curious eyebrow at how you'd managed to find your way to the proper place before slipping through the door.
Your eyes scanned the room, nowhere near as massive as Ori had claimed, whispering to yourself in Khuzdul, "For a Dwarf who lives in a mountain you'd think he'd know massive when he saw it...though it is bigger than the apartments in the Royal Wing." Your eyes falling to the scarce but comfortable looking large chairs scattered through the room all with massive blankets thrown over them making your eyebrows press together as you remembered Ori saying how clean, orderly and crowded it was.
The silent empty room around you nowhere near what he described, though the dark wooden shelves caught your eye as you noticed the Ancient Elvish texts across the bindings that Ori hadn't mentioned, most of the languages not even spoken outside of those Elves' bloodlines after the destruction of their former homes.
You smiled as you skimmed the titles in a language you'd ached for since you'd been forced to flee your ruined Kingdom, pausing on a title you'd never heard on the last row of shelves, your smile growing as you noticed it was a series, something truly rare for Elves. Mostly preferring in that age to keep their stories verbal so they could grow like their tree filled Kingdoms.
Your fingers tentatively reached out and gently slid the first of the books off of the shelf, cradling it carefully against your chest as you walked to the armchair closest to you, sliding the large blanket to the side as you curled your legs into the cushion. Laying the small leather bound book on your lap as you slid your fingers gently across the title in your old tongue, "Mighty Duil." (Mighty River)
Butterflies filled your stomach as bumps rose across your skin from your nerves at what you'd find inside, smiling again as you opened the book, examining the title page then flipping again eyeing the chapter titles and flipping again finding the start of your new Journey.
The book seemed to be akin to a diary, but written more as what they had wished had happened, working in the main character, Duil, through the problems under the watchful eyes of his Father and the thousands that surrounded him. His Father being a high ranking Elf so the Son had expectations to face but yearned for the ability to do more than be what his Father has expected of him, aspiring to heal his world. Building his way to being their masked hero, their first choice when the world fell around them.
You quickly worked through the first three books, slipping from serious to terrifying with dashes of humor in the interactions with his Father, as you started the fourth book your eyes went cloudy for a moment as your body let out a quiet hum as your head unwillingly dipped for a moment. You jerked your head back up as you shivered at your sudden drowsiness, feeling a tightening in your stomach your signal that it would start growling soon. Regret filled you at not bringing your bag with snacks in it, mainly at the insistence from Ori that the several servants that had tended to him brought a round of snacks every half hour for him to keep up his energy as he poured through the stacks of books.
You gently closed the book as you shivered again, feeling another wave of exhaustion taking over you, forcing yourself onto your feet, brushing your hair back before pinching the bridge of your nose again as you cradled the book again. The cold marble floor making your entire body chill causing you to turn to your only option, mumbling softly, "I suppose they wouldn't mind if I borrowed this too, I'll bring it back tomorrow with the book."
The incredibly soft yet thick massive burnt orange blanket with a shiny silver covered in embroidered green vines stretching on the opposite side felt heavy, and somehow still warm, against your cold skin as you pulled it around you. Wrapping yourself in a little cocoon making sure not to let it touch the floor, fighting another head droop as you headed for the door again, the closer you got you'd started to finally hear the first traces of life since you'd left the gates.
...
Earlier that day...
The King gracefully glided through the empty halls from his Rooms to the large meeting room on the main floor nearly twenty floors below him, quietly humming to himself as his mind wandered to you. As his boots finally reached the last step of his last flight of stairs he'd heard the front gates open in the distance signaling the first Dwarf visitors for the day. His humming pausing as he heard his Guards straightening up as they heard his footsteps approaching, rounding the last corner and he froze.
His pulse spiked as bumps rose and slid across his entire body as he spotted you in your dress, the startled deer of a King quickly pressed a finger to his lips to silence the guard that was going to announce him to you. Not wishing to startle you or force you into such a formal interaction, hoping to casually find you later in the library. His head turned to follow your path through the long hallway as he took in every detail of your body in your dress, one you'd obviously spent possibly days making yourself, admiring the extra care you'd put into your appearance during our visit making a small smile firm across his face. He took a silent step forward from behind the corner as he watched you, confirming you'd taken the proper turn before taking in a deep breath to settle himself before heading to the guard and informing him to make sure the fires were lit in the library and you were given enough food and anything else you'd need while you were here.
Giving a quick nod as he finished the small list he'd mentally prepared weeks prior before turning and heading off for his meeting. As it ended he made sure to check with the same guard on how you were being cared for, his mouth dropping open as he told the King, "We haven't been able to find her since she turned that corner." Pointing at the end of the Hall.
The King took in a deep breath as a small surge of panic struck him for your safety, "Find her." As he headed down the hallway taking the turn himself and starting his own search, hoping you'd just made a new friend or lost track of time admiring a decoration along the way, knowing full well how his winding Kingdom could leave you trapped for a very long time.
For half an hour nearly every inch of the Kingdom had been searched and the guards at the gate had confirmed that you hadn't left, certain of it as you were the only visitor to arrive that day and the guards in watch hadn't switched yet. The King let out a loud groan as he headed to his room to throw something, rounding the last corner as a lone servant came out of the Prince's room after leaving fresh towels, bowing to the King and flinching back up as a supposedly hidden door behind the massive Elk statue. The King placed himself between the shocked Elleth and the supposed intruder, sliding his hand along his leg for his hidden dagger, pausing as he caught a mess of black curls wrapped tightly in one of his wraps making his smile return as he saw you turn and pull the door shut with your foot letting out a grumble as it didn't shut completely and slid back open a crack.
He took a few steps closer to you noting your drooping eyes and head as you tried to turn back the way you'd came but noticed the massive Elf blocking your path unable to focus on his facial features to recognize who it was.
He bowed his head to you slightly and spoke out in his calm velvety voice, "Are you alright?"
You gave a quick nod as your eyes dropped shut again, "Yes, just tired, I hope they won't mind if I borrowed this blanket thing, I'll bring it back tomorrow with the book."
Trying to stagger your way around the King, rolling your ankle as your body tried to collapse into sleep, letting out another grumble as he caught you saying, "There's no way you can make it back to Erebor, you're staying here tonight."
You shook your head making his smile grow again as he watched your hair curl around your face, "No, the King into said we could only visit the library."
He fought back a chuckle, lifting his finger to his lips to keep the servant silent as he pulled his face into a more serious one, "Well I will personally speak to the King myself, I know he will understand. We can't have you wandering out alone and collapsing in the forest, it's gotten quite cold outside. Let's find you a bed."
You let out a sigh as you slumped against his chest as he held you up making his smile grow again after he let out a quiet chuckle before turning to the servant and saying softly, "Would you kindly inform the guards downstairs I have located my guest and that she'll be staying the night." She quickly nodded and went to inform them of your message.
He leaned down for a moment lifting you, now with your head against his shoulder as he held you and your massive cocoon securely in his arms as he carried you to a guest room across from his.
His smile growing as you'd nuzzled your head against his cheek gently pressing your lips against his cheek as you mumbled something in a language he didn't understand making the bumps rise across his body again. He slid one of his hands off of your back to open the door, slipping inside carefully trying not to jostle you as he crossed the large suite to the large bed. Laying you down gently, trying to contain his smile as he heard you grumble from the loss of his firm grip around you, his eyes slid over the wrap searching for a way to free you only to find the book you'd mentioned sticking out of a fold. He gently pried it out of your hand and held back his chuckle as you'd found his book he'd written as a child, gently setting it down on the small table next to the bed and pulling the blankets up over you and your cocoon.
Pulling back upright again he glanced down at you with a large smile, finding himself unable to find the will to leave your side, letting out a sigh as he turned to see the chair beside the wall, grabbing his book and settling in, quietly promising himself he'd only stay for a few minutes. As he finished the first page his eyes slid to you as he heard you let out a quiet hum as you rolled into your stomach snuggling your face into the large pillow, he felt his smile growing again as he watched you in awe as your skin glowed in the moon and starlight pouring through the large window. Eyeing the light as it shined across the curls in your hair, feeling his heart warm up at he small smile that slid across your lips in your sleep as your breathing deepened.
Before he had realized it the sun was rising and he was still memorizing you as you hummed in your sleep, an old familiar tune that he'd been humming himself since he was a child, one he'd heard from you the first time he'd seen you. His pulse spiked as he realized your breathing had quickened and your humming had stopped, his face relaxing as he tried to straighten up and dart out until you'd let out a grumble as your face scrunched up.
He relaxed back into the chair flipping open the book in his lap to a random page, as his eyes darted to your face again watching as you stretched your legs and your eyes opened, blinking a few times. Your eyes focused bringing the Elf King into view, showing his soft smile to you as he sat in the chair beside your bed, he closed the book and set it on the table next to him, "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
You gave him a nervous smile, "Good morning Your Majesty, I slept very well." You squirmed a bit to loosen the wrap as you sat up and freed your arms giving him another glance before dropping your eyes to your lap, "I am sorry about taking up one of your rooms, I should have left sooner."
His chuckle made you freeze drawing your eyes back to his now large smile, "It is no problem at all, you're welcome anytime. I am curious what you thought of the library where you found this." Gently tapping the cover to the book you'd borrowed as he kept his smile and gaze on you.
Your smile grew as you said, "It's incredible, I haven't seen books in my language since I left home, I'm surprised that Ori hadn't mentioned it, and his description was shockingly off, it's nowhere near as massive as he said."
He let out another chuckle as he leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees, "That is because you somehow found your way into my private library."
Your mouth dropped open a bit as your face went blank in shock and embarrassment, "Oh."
He let out another quick chuckle, "Which you're welcome to anytime as well, next time I'll be sure to light the fire and lay out food for you as well during your stay. I am sorry about the cold, I noticed you'd curled up in my wrap as you ran into me."
"That was you?" You slid your hand across your face, mumbling, "Oh that's embarrassing."
His chuckle making you look back at him again, "It was refreshing not to be spoken to as a King, and the servant bringing our towels got a chuckle out of it as well."
You shifted from side to side as you pulled out his wrap from around you and pulled it into your lap, "Sorry about borrowing this, if I'd known it..."
Your sentence broke as he gently placed his hand on yours making you meet his kind gaze again, "It's not a problem, please stop apologizing, you've done nothing wrong. You're welcome to what you want during your stays here, within reason of course." Giving your hand a gentle squeeze before pulling his hand back, "Besides, you just looked so adorable curled up in it."
You smiled and let out a quiet chuckle which broke as a knock sounded on the door which opened as the King called out to come in, The Prince walked in with a small group of servants who had brought you breakfast. The King gently helped you out of bed, admiring your dress much closer this time, able to brush his fingers across the material as he helped you to your feet. Shooting his son a thankful smile as you all sat down for breakfast, making sure to escort you back to Erebor himself after changing his shirt for their meeting that day, sure to hand you the book you'd picked out before you left.
Giving you a large smile as he headed to the meeting room as you headed back up to your room where you could let out your pent up groans and squeals from your time with the King. Each time after the King would greet you and personally escort you back to his library where'd you'd both spend several hours reading and snacking together before he'd have you escorted back, always silently hoping you'd slump against the chair you'd claimed in an exhausted pile, hoping to be able to hold you again with possibly another chance at your lips grazing across his cheek.