Heavy limbs sunk within the snow covered forest floor, the small flakes above continued to drift downwards in a slow, meandering path; there was no breeze as such, at least not a constant one. Every so often one would try and stir, an attempt to muster up to bring on blizzard like conditions, yet all it amounted to was a pathetic whisper of a chill which took snowflakes with it and then died down just as those flakes landed against the ground. It was continuous though, the snow, it wasn't letting up nor was it seemingly going to stop at all today.
Raising equally heavy eyelids, sea coloured eyes looked hollowly downwards, reaching out from underneath her cloak, Liruliniel brushed flakes away before spotting the perfectly white flowers suddenly spring up. She had been sitting here for a while, the cold naturally did not affect her like those she shared her home with, but even still her cheeks were gathering a rosy tint. She imagined the same tint was on the tip of her nose and ears too, each time she blew out, a small plume appeared. She wasn't cold, she had layered up so she wouldn't get a possible lecture. Sniffing quietly, she tilted her head from underneath the hood of her cloak, she looked over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes before looking upwards.
The boughs of the tree were sparse, the whole woodland was sparse, foliage either withered with the cold snap, or it hardened up. Already she saw the effects the season was having, a few chirps around her alerted her to birds attempting to forage for some form of food. A blackbird was hopping about around her now, and up in the empty branches were a couple of finches. Hearing a certain twittering noise, she couldn't help but roll her eyes slowly. There was even a lark somewhere nearby.
Shaking her head, she brushed snow from her lap, it had clearly landed upon her hood and now was free to float downwards. Her fingers were slightly red from the chill in the air, but it wasn't painful. She hadn't lost feeling in them and she continued to clean snow away from the flowers. It was fruitless, of course. No sooner would she clear them would snow land on them again and cover them away. But it was the thought, the maintenance that counted. Even as she cleared them she saw the barren soil underneath, the forest had only just gone into winter and already everything seemed bleaker.
Liruliniel could hear the low whisperings on the wind, along with within the kingdom and palace complex behind her. Something, no, someone was coming. It caused her to frown, they didn't exactly like visitors here. Seldom took any in, any lost travellers were watched from afar, if they got into trouble they did not help. But this was something else. Liruliniel couldn't discern if it was good or bad. She placed a hand to her heart and tilted her head in thought, she didn't feel malice. There was no feeling of smothering darkness, her heart didn't feel like it was in a vice being slowly squeezed and her eyesight didn't have encroaching shadows at the sides.
Simply put, whatever this oncoming thing, person, was she felt no ill will. Narrowing her eyes in thought, she looked upwards again. "I could find you some scraps, if you want?" She asked, the blackbird looking down at her simply tilted its head. She sighed and patted her knees, "I will see what I can do. Life is hard enough, and I fear you may reside in the wrong forest to have a plentiful and peaceful winter. Hang tight, my friend, I will return." Liruliniel said while sweeping her cloak out from underneath her feet when she stood. She pushed her hood down as soon as she walked inside, much like the outside, the canopy which made up the majority of the roof was void.
Not all the trees however lost their leaves, the trees here were old and definitely hardy. But the younger ones shed their leaves and regrew them with the warmer weather. The snow which drifted and fell downwards ultimately landed within the river and was swept away. Everything about the kingdom was designed and worked around nature, specifically the nature that it resided within and around. It would get the most sunlight coming through on spring days, and summer too. The walkways and connecting corridors and platforms would avoid the snow in the winter because of where they were placed underneath and around the hardier trees which kept their leaves.
Liruliniel's trip to get bread scraps was short lived, she watched the small birds flutter and peck at what she offered before she turned and walked elsewhere. She was alone and enjoying the silence. She was half tempted to go hunt out Anameleth, but somehow Liruliniel didn't feel like having her more energetic friend around herself. Unfortunately there was a current void in company which could only be filled with one being, and he...was still in a meeting with someone who remained a mystery. Although, some speculated about just who it was and why they were here. Nothing concrete had been presented to anyone, and Liruliniel was sure out of everyone those more higher up would hear first. That was just how things worked.
Walking out of another doorway she looked at the snowy bridge before her. With a smile she pulled her hood back up and walked onwards. She brushed snow away and leaned her arms against the wooden railing there. She peered down at the blue waters still churning below her. The river was a constant, it didn't seem to change much regardless of the season they were all in. Liruliniel leaned her head against her hand with a pout, she couldn't help but look around herself in thought. Others were out here too, some younger elves were playing around whereas some couples merely strolled together enjoying the snow and the effect it had on their home. It made everything shimmer with this cool glint that reflected rays of light, it made things look crystalline and precious. Liruliniel smiled slightly and shook her head, their forest was precious, and the snow and the diamond effects that it bought made everything seem even more delicate. Winter was always precarious, it bought danger and a charm which was sad but beautiful.
This would be the same, many years from now, this sight would still be the same; she could see it, perhaps not in a vision or physically but she could. She sniffed, would she still be here? Would any of them all still be here? She rubbed her chest again, something panged within her, this was a pit stop, this world, these lands. But she was sure the winter would still look beautiful in those long awaiting years. Winter was melancholic and she couldn't help but reminisce and think, even if those thoughts were deep. It was just what happened, she guessed. Like in spring and summer when one would think of new comings, new beginnings and a bright future.
Liruliniel frowned, what did that make winter? Dark evenings and mornings and a dark horizon where anything could appear unseen and unheard and be here before it's too late. Liruliniel straightened up and looked to the side, she hadn't heard the footsteps it was merely coincidence to look up at the same time that Thranduil had seemingly appeared. Like most of their kin, neither sunk into the snow and could walk the surface with no troubles at all. Unlike her, he didn't seem to be wrapped up, not that she was expecting him to be. His wintery attire just made him appear more ethereal within the current surroundings, he seemed paler too, his hair silvery and glowing within the winter light as his eyes seemed sharper, keener in the grey light of the day.
He had gone for his meeting hesitantly, and Liruliniel hadn't exactly rushed to get ready to go out for a walk. She was half tempted to stay in the warm until he returned, but it was clear to her that he didn't know when he'd be free. He didn't look displeased that he had been informed that she was out here, yet he seemed as stoic as ever as he looked at her. Liruliniel sighed and kept a hand on the wooden rail and turned to look at him with a smile. "At least I stuck to the inner kingdom!" She exclaimed jokingly, those who were walking about out here regarded their king being present with wary looks. It wasn't that Thranduil didn't go for walks around their home, just it wasn't something he was prone to doing.
Her words caused his eyes to narrow, Liruliniel's smile slipped. Letting go of the rail she walked towards him. The bridges which connected different parts of their home together were lengthy. He was already standing about halfway and remained there as she soon stopped before him. Wriggling her hand out from her cloak, she simply held it out to him with an innocent look. A moment passed before Thranduil's longer fingers wrapped around hers and their hands hung in the small space between them. He wasn't openly affectionate, but this was the most she was ever expecting from him when around others, and that was fine with her. Sometimes the smallest gesture was the biggest, and she had always found herself comforted by holding his hand and hoped it bought some relief to him. Because he truly needed relief, Liruliniel did not understand why he looked so perplexed.
"What is it?" She asked quietly, stepping forwards and turning to lean against the wooden rail where he was. She brushed snow away with her spare hand before leaning her arm on it, their linked hands soon joined her arm. Though she ended up cradling his hand in between both of hers. Somehow wanting to protect his skin from being against the cold and damp wood, it was a bit ridiculous, but that's what she did.
Thranduil looked towards the raging water, the sound coming from the crashing waves both loud yet comforting. He used to just lay awake at times listening to the static noise and it sometimes lulling him to sleep. Shutting his eyes, he sighed. "Our messenger brings uncertain news."
"Uncertain how?" Liruliniel turned her face to look at his profile from underneath her hood.
Thranduil's eyes slowly opened and he looked at their hands, he felt a conflict which he thought he had come to terms with many, many years ago. "King Voronwë is to visit." The air grew distinctly icier, Thranduil looked to Liruliniel as her wide eyes stared long and hard at the river. She was processing this silently, though not peacefully. "Liruliniel, he knows you exist, but he does not know about us." Thranduil admitted, the messenger had been quite honest, some of his frank words had rubbed Thranduil up the wrong way. It pained him not to act rather decisively and protectively over some of the choice words used in part about and over Liruliniel. All in all, there was no amusement or fondness there. Thranduil had never mused over ever having contact with Vanadessë's family again. He had met them seldom few times, contact was barely existent. He didn't and couldn't even recall a letter consoling him when she was killed.
Liruliniel opened and shut her mouth a few times before blinking and slipping her hand from his. "They will hate me. They see this as a small slice of what remains of what Vanadessë had."
"But you have already renounced any claim." Thranduil said, not pleased still by her decision although he still understood why she did it even more so now.
Liruliniel pushed her hood down and frowned up at him. Her pale skin and fiery hair seemed to be accentuated by the glowing white of the snow around them, her eyes looked fiercely up at him. Liruliniel was being deadly serious as she stared up at him with unblinking eyes. "They will hate you too." She waved a hand at him with a sad smile, "Thranduil...Vanadessë's father is going to despise you for moving on, the same goes for me for being the one to apparently take her place. Let us be honest, our kind are not known typically for being with more than one other. It is like the swan, they tend to have one partner for their entire life. If that partner dies, they could die of heartbreak. It is possible for them to have another partner, but would that bond be as strong as the first? It is unknown."
"Did you just compare me to a swan?"
Liruliniel laughed and nodded, "Well...you are elegant like one. But that was not my point, and you know it."
Despite the smirk on his face, Thranduil couldn't help but have it slightly tinted with sadness. "I understood what you were trying to say."
Liruliniel reached up and patted him on the shoulder, Thranduil frowned down at her as she just patted him again. Raising an eyebrow down at her didn't deter her, not that he was surprised. He just sighed and hung his head slightly, she smiled. "My dear, I do not mind pretending to just you know...be the exiled Princess I am for the sake of pretence. It will pain him to think you have moved on to find happiness, after his daughter. It may cause problems."
"I am aware to that." He didn't want a fight, an argument or physically anything else. "You can stop lying. You mind, a lot."
Liruliniel shrugged and looked sadly away from him. She leaned against the rail with both arms and looked up at the sky, a sad smile appeared on her face as her eyes watched a small flock of sparrows go soaring past. "It hurts. But I would rather pretend, to feign ignorance than to upset my friend's father. Has he even met Legolas?"
"No."
Liruliniel pulled a face and mouthed the word, Thranduil just frowned at her. "Well I never...this is going to be awkward. Maybe I'll leave for this visit, I can always go visit relatives. I hear Lórien is lovely this time of year!"
"You're not going anywhere." Thranduil said decisively, her shoulders slumped and she pouted. "I can hear you," she was muttering under her breath how unfair this was, she didn't like awkward situations, and she definitely didn't want to meet Vanadessë's father.
Liruliniel shook her head, "I will stay, like I would leave." Shutting her eyes she smiled lightly again. "I will take to the background again, because this is another one of those times where I simply cannot compete with Vanadessë. And that's how this visit will have to be, what it must be like. I do not wish to have an angered father here, nor do I wish for Legolas to meet his grandfather in such an awkward way, where he may be seething over how this kingdom has moved on from his daughter, and her short reign." Liruliniel said while smiling as it seemed some of the bread from earlier was still around and a small lark went flying off with a large chunk with eager sparrows flying after it.
"You shouldn't have to do that." Thranduil stated while looking at her, his eyes slightly wide with surprise over what she had actually said. She looked at him confused, blinking she waved a hand nonchalantly in the air as if that would dispel this whole conversation. "And I would prefer you not to as well. Swans who do manage to find another partner, would surely cherish their second chance to be loved, to be together with another more so, would they not? Would they not also do anything within their power to make things work; wouldn't take things for granted, more guarded and more logical over everything."
Liruliniel smiled up at him, "I'm not a swan." She laughed, yet sighed understanding what he was saying. "I will always be by your side, have been since...well, seemingly since the beginning and I will be until we come to meet our end. But I do not wish to anger a visiting King, Thranduil. And I am sure you do not either, he is family. Perhaps not to you, but he is to Legolas."
Brushing snow away, Thranduil leaned down beside her. He didn't seem to care about the dampness of the wood sinking into the frosty blues and whites of his tunic sleeves. He looked at the river and then sidelong at her, "He can be angry, but not at you. That I will not stand." After all, he did make a move towards her first to show his true feelings and intentions, poor Liruliniel didn't. She seemed fine to continue being long suffering, and he was having enough of that. There was no need or reason for her to be, least of all to someone who had been passed for years. Voronwë could be angry at Thranduil, curse him until the end of time for him finding love again, but Thranduil would not have Voronwë pushing that anger at Liruliniel.
Liruliniel held out her hand again, "Here's to an awkward situation we'd rather both avoid."
Thranduil reached up and placed her smaller hand between his this time. "Hm." He merely hummed and nodded, both remained in silence for a few moments. The songs of winter birds could be heard, along with the chatter of elves which were still out and about here.
"Why is he visiting now?"
Thranduil looked at her with a small smile, minute, just simply the turning of the corner of his lips yet he slowly raised his eyebrows, "I thought you'd ask sooner."
"Kind of got distracted."
"Yes, I can tell." Her priorities got slightly mixed, though intentions were good. "His kingdom is in plight. Goblins have come to inhabit the mountainside which he resides near. They do not have the numbers to fend them off or defend their home."
"He and his kin aren't moving in, are they?!" Liruliniel couldn't help but exclaim with wide eyes. She swiped a hand over her forehead, that would truly be mortifyingly awkward!
Thranduil's head slowly turned, his eyes widened from merely even dwelling over that subject. Both looked at each other with the mixed feelings of apprehension, fear, worry and shock. Regaining his composure, Thranduil looked away and to the sky. "No." The relieved sigh from Liruliniel was loud and Thranduil smiled slowly. "He is merely passing through, they intend to sail."
"That is sad." No matter the blurted out words, she felt saddened, but also...it was a bit of a paradox. Would that eventually happen to them here?
Thranduil nodded, he agreed. "He visited, long ago with Vanadessë. You were in Imladris, I remember first meeting him well because of how imposing he was. You thought my father was bad? Well, fathers defensively guarding their daughters is something else entirely to be fearful of." Liruliniel laughed, the thought of Thranduil being scared of someone's father was amusing. Thranduil shot her an icy look, she merely grinned. "My father kept him at arm's length, which I found odd seems it was his idea we were to be wed. Their kingdom was in trouble long before Vanadessë and I were married. My father feared for constant handouts and aid to be sent. Her kingdom was weak, ours was not. Do I believe the same shall happen now? I would not be wholly surprised. You know what it is like to leave a home behind that you do not wish to, more than anyone, Liruliniel."
"We cannot defend our own borders plus send relief to theirs."
"Their kingdom is lost, Liruliniel. It would be pointless, a lost cause." Thranduil said, he had sent out for information and got hesitant, yet bad news back.
"Do you think he will try to persuade you to allow himself and his kin to stay?" Liruliniel asked hesitantly.
Thranduil's expression turned stormy, his eyes narrowed and he looked slowly at her. "A place cannot have two Kings; that is a power struggle, and history has shown it does not end well. He has no place here. Am I saddened he feels sailing is the only course of action he can take? Perhaps. It is hard to tell, due to never having contact."
Liruliniel hummed and rubbed her chin in thought. "I get the feeling he didn't contact often, because he didn't like you."
Thranduil rolled his eyes, "Of course he didn't. I married his daughter. A father is the first and will forever until the end be the one constant love. No man perhaps can ever be right for them. It is a strong bond that, and no one would be able to compete."
Thranduil found himself frowning again, he even let out a low sigh when Liruliniel's hand was patting him slightly patronisingly again. "My father liked you. Just to let you know, if he was still alive, I do not think he would mind this and I think you may be one that he would trust explicitly to look after me. Also helps that you were my brother's best friend."
"That's biased reasons then." Thranduil said, removing her hand from his arm, she couldn't even be bothered to reach up to his shoulder.
Liruliniel laughed and nodded, "Family members are weird. So...when are the guests meant to be arriving?"
"Within the week."
"United front?"
"Wouldn't have it any other way. No more hiding, no more taking to the background thinking that is what you are meant to do, Liruliniel. At any other time, perhaps. If you and I were merely still skirting around each other than yes, you could do that. But as it is? No. There is no other place that you belong, other than by my side."
Liruliniel smiled, she leaned to the side and leaned against him. Thranduil tensed a little, just because of that fact that others were present witnessing. "Relax. I do not think any here can rightly judge anymore. I believe all everyone wants is for you to be happy, Thranduil. And do you know what would make me happy right now?" She peered up at him, he shook his head slowly. Liruliniel smiled and shot away from him, she grasped onto his hand and started tugging backwards as she backtracked. "Having a walk like you said we would!" She beamed at him as he tilted his head slightly as he was trailing along with her.
"I did, didn't I?"
"Yes!" Liruliniel exclaimed with a smile. Thranduil's expression softened, he got his hand free and turned her around. He stepped beside her and slipped his hand back into hers, they continued across the bridge, the snow barely crunching underneath their boots as they lapsed back into comfortable silence.
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(A/N: I've been procrastinating over this chapter for like...three days, sorry. I am hoping to get the visit out of the way and like, try and steamroll ahead to the DoS. I am missing some livid dwarves, just saying.)