~~O~~
Mirialia silently read the books that have been piled up on her small table. Thranduil gave her a task to learn the Sindarin language. He said it will be difficult for her if Westron was the only language she knew, so he assigned a teacher for her. Day and night she studied, with only a few hours of sleep.
The elf spent half of her day teaching her the basic and most common words and phrases. There was a time when Tauriel visited her, she could not even look in her eyes.
~~
"Why did you do it?" Tauriel asked with a cold voice. "Out of all the people in this kingdom, it was the king you betray."
"I know." Mirialia answered. "And I learned from it, that's why I'm here. Facing the consequences."
"So you let him escape and chose to suffer under his punishment?" the Silvan elf questioned her decision.
There was a short silence before Mirialia was able to answer.
"I'm used to it, Tauriel. I am so...used to it. Everywhere I look when I was in the ship, I'm seeing punishment." she explained. "Malbim is one of the kindest person I have ever met. And I can't stand seeing him in the dungeon. It's the least that I can do for him. If someone you truly care is suffering right in front of you, will you not go to him? Will you do nothing?"
Mirialia sat down on her bed, looking at her hands. "I know him more than King Thranduil does. And when he said that there is no good in him, he is wrong."
Tauriel kneel before her and held her hand. "Mellon, there's a story behind every person. Trust and honesty is important to Thranduil. Living for thousands of years, he can tell if someone is lying to him or not. Others can easily hide their true nature, so he is just being cautious."
~~
She sighed and closed the book she was reading. Standing up, Mirialia glanced at the window when Tauriel entered the room once more.
"The king requires your presence in the library. I think he would like to know how you've been doing in your study." she said.
Mirialia nodded.
The two walked towards the library, followed by two elf guards. "Just remember all that you have learned." Tauriel whispered.
"Yes." the other answered.
"Good. Then, there should be no problem." the elf reassured her.
~~O~~
Mirialia took a deep breath as they entered the library, they saw Thranduil sitting on a chair. His left leg crossed on top of the other. He was wearing his favorite silver tunic, the one he always wore when he was at the throne room during a meeting. The two bowed to him.
"Stay here, please." Mirialia whispered.
"You can leave us, Tauriel." Thranduil said.
The elf obeyed and bowed, looking at her as she left the room.
Mirialia bit her lower lip, she was alone again with the Elvenking. Flipping a page of the book in front of him, he looked at her and spoke.
"Tauriel is not your bodyguard." Thranduil said blankly. "Sit down."
Mirialia only saw one chair that was placed a few feet across his, so she had no choice but to sit there. She slightly moved the chair away from him and sat down.
"Am I a horrid creature?" The king questioned her action, but Mirialia said nothing.
Thranduil turned his attention to the opened book laying in front of him. "I believe the teacher taught you well."
"Yes." she said.
"Let's start with the basics. I will say it in Sindarin, you will tell me what it means. Are we clear?"
"Yes, my lord."
Thranduil lazily flipped another page on the book.
" Êl síla erin lû e-govaned vîn."
" A star shines on the hour of our meeting."
" Gi nathlam hí."
" You are welcome here."
"Pedin edhellen."
"I speak Elvish."
"Losto vae."
"Sleep well."
"Agoreg vae." Thranduil commented.
"Peditham hi sui vellyn?"
"May we speak as friends now?"
"Odulen an edraith anlen."
"I'm here to save you."
The king paused for a moment.
"Gi melin."
"I-"
Mirialia held her tongue upon hearing the words. She definitely knew what it means but she could not say it.
Thranduil fixed his stare on her, waiting for an answer. "What does it mean?"
The Elvenking finally stood up from his chair and slowly paced behind her.
"I love you." he said softly. "That's what it means. Why is it so hard to say?"
"I know what it means, my lord." Mirialia replied.
"Is that so? Then say it." Thranduil told her.
Mirialia slowly stood up and turned to face him, but no words came out from her.
"You felt something that night."
"What?" she asked.
He glanced over his shoulder, "When I kissed you, what did you feel?"
His question caught her off guard, her heart pounded fast.
She kept silent, trying to think of an answer. "I think the King drank too much wine that night to do such a foolish act, he should-"
"Don't," Thranduil interrupted. "tell me what to do."
He turned to face her. He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head slightly.
"It's like you've been blown apart." He said in a teasing way. "That's how you felt."
Mirialia was taken aback by his word. As if her emotions were fully open for him to read.
"I never felt anything at all." She was desperately trying to break away from the conversation.
"You are not a clever liar, Mirialia. Perhaps, I should do that act again so you will be reminded of the feeling you constantly deny-" Thranduil teased.
"Stop it!" She exclaimed.
He grinned widely while looking at her. "I understand that."
When he left her alone at the library. Mirialia finally calmed herself and sat back down.
She did not know what to think after hearing his words. But with what everything Tauriel said to her, she just couldn't do anything.
"I'll just have to endure it." she whispered.
"Thranduil." a voice spoke in his mind.
"What?" he replied.
"Don't play with her heart." the voice said.
"I am not."
"She suffered long enough from her former lord. Don't let her feel that way again." his friend told him.
"I cannot stay mad at her for too long, can I? How I despise this feeling that I adore this woman, even if she committed a grave mistake. How I despise... that I just cannot let her go." Thranduil confessed.
"She is guilty of her actions and accepted your punishment. She did everything you told her to do."
Leaning at the rail of his balcony, he held a small cup of Dorwinion wine.
"There is one thing I am waiting for her to do."
~~O~~
Credits to dreamingfifi for the Sindarin phrases.
Thank you for reading!