After having been properly introduced to the king and being embarrassed by the fact I'd insulted him to his face I made my way to my chambers. Anira didn't speak to me but I bet she was dying to know all of the details of my encounter with Thranduil. My face remained red all the way up stairs but to distract myself I took the chance to study my new home. Mirkwood palace was located inside an enormous oak tree, it was quite dark on the inside and everything was made out of wood, not much light came through the windows and there were stairs everywhere.
My chamber was pretty different from the one I had in Rivendell. This one was dark despite the window which gave view to a small river and the mountains, I had a double bed with soft silk sheets, a small wooden chair and a small desk. I felt like a prisoner.
"Am I to dine with the king tonight?" I asked, hoping not to hear the dreaded answer.
Anira took a deep breath and her lips curved into a malicious smile. "Yes my lady, I have to start getting you ready."
I sighted but didn't respond, avoiding any conversation that could lead up as to why I felt so intimidated by the king.
"My lady come downstairs with me." Anira said after looking around the room.
"Why?" I asked confused.
"You don't have a bath here, I remember one of the other ladies telling me the bath's were on the bottom floor." Her smile grew even wider and I rolled my eyes, sat down on the bed and crossed my arms.
"Am I to share a bath with everyone else?" I asked childishly.
"The Sindarin baths are famous, even in Rivendell we have bathing rooms. Come on my lady it shall be fun." She pressed, her eyes gleamed hopefully and I'd come to consider her as a friend and I just couldn't bring myslef to say no to her.
"Fine." I responded and stood up reluctantly.
Anira wasn't joking when she said the Sindarin baths were really something. I thought Mirkwood palace was dull but the moment I saw the baths my mind changed completely. Before my eyes I saw four big thermal pools, the sunlight entered through a big stained glass windows making the whole place seem colorful and just out of this world, small waterfalls grazed the walls and exotic flowers decorated the room. Anira later explained that these were the baths used by the royal family and a few court members, the rest of elves used the bath on the lower floors. It was nearly empty, only a few elves here and there it was comforting but at the same time strange. I'd never been naked in front of a man before, well just Ganlas but I felt uncomfortable and out of base.
"I think I'd rather not take a bath. There's too many people." I muttered.
Anira laughed and placed a hand on my shoulder. "My lady you're beautiful. Besides once you get in the pool the water is too turbid for anyone to see anything." Her words were reassuring.
I stripped of my dirty and tattered dress and stepped inside the pool. The water felt amazing against my tense muscles, I rested my head on the edge and closed my eyes. I felt Anira sponge my body and brush out my hair, I was falling asleep when I felt Anira stop what she was doing. I opened my eyes and sat up only enough to keep my breasts hidden in the water.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"It's just he's so handsome." Anira sighted.
I followed he gaze confused, at first my heart dropped and my body went cold; I saw a tall blond haired elf and my first though was that it was Thranduil but when he turned around his face looked much younger and softer.
"Who is he?" I asked as I tried not to stare at him.
"That's the prince of Mirkwood, his name is Legolas." Anira whispered.
Legolas walked bare chested towards us, I tried to look away but his body seemed to have been built by the gods. "He's coming this way." I said nervously to Anira.
"I must go now my lady. I left the towel right here, meet me in your quarters in fifteen minutes." I didn't get the chance to respond before she was gone.
Legolas stepped inside the bath but he didn't say anything and neither did I. He simply smiled at me and I nervously smiled back. I rested my head against the edge and closed my eyes. Before I could start relaxing I fealt the water shift and a voice interrupted my alone time.
"I heard you got into some trouble today." It was Legolas, his voice was serious yet it was warmer and much nicer than his father's.
"Does everyone in Mirkwood know?" I asked as I opened my eyes only to stare at his smiling face.
"Yes, but don't worry you're not the first guest to be attacked. You're lucky my father found you." His smile grew wider and I assumed he knew about what I'd said to his father.
"If I only knew how to use a sword maybe I would've been able to deffend myself." I responded and stood up to get out of the bath. I was aware of my nakedness, that he probably was staring but I wanted to get out of the room so bad I didn't mind.
"See you at dinner then." Legolas shouted as I stepped away from him and went back to my room.
Back in the saftey of my room I let my towel drop and I walked over to my things. Anira wasn't here yet and I didn't have that much time before dinner. I decided to wear a simple blue lace dress, a starlight crystal necklace that my father had given me a long time ago and a silver tiara with a saphire hanging from the end to adorn my snow blond hair. I lay all of these items on my bed and sat down patiently waiting for Anira to arrive.
I was deep in though, looking out the small window when the door creaked open. I looked back and saw a very red faced Anira. I stood up and didn't smile at her, in fact I was annoyed that she would leave me alone with Thranduil's son.
"My lady are you not ready yet?" She asked bewildered. I saw her walk to the bed, pick up the garments and then walked towards me to help me dress.
"You were supposed to be here a long time ago." I responded dryly.
"Don't be cross at me my lady, I just wanted you to get aquainted with Legolas. He would make a great suitor and Elrond would approve of him." Anira said. Once the words escaped her mouth she looked down at the floor and then back at me her face looked nervous. "I'm sorry my lady I shouldn't have said that."
"So this is what this Mirkwood visit was about. To marry me off so Elrond needn't worry about me any longer." I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. "It is up to me who I decide to marry and Elrond doesn't have a say in what I do! He is not my father." Tears started to flow from my eyes and I crumbled to the floor and cried. I missed my father, I missed my home, my brothers and my freedom.
Anira wrapped me in her arms and stroked my hair comfortingly. "It will be alright my lady, Lord Elrond is only looking out for you." I tried to respond but sobs blocked my throat and my capability of thinking. It had been almost a year since I'd lost everything and it had been a long time since I'd let myself grieve.
"I miss them Anira." I sobbed.
She didn't say anything, She just hugged me and comforted me. Then I saw the room was turning dark and the lamps lit on. "My, I have to get you ready you're alredy late." With that being said Anira dressed me in my blue gown, clasped my necklace on and then let my hair hang loose, she only did a small crown of fishtale braids and aplied some white powder below my puffy eyes. "You look lovely."
"That's what everyone says." I replied annoyed. "That doesn't mean it's true."
"But it is my lady. Now go upstairs, dinner was served half an hour ago." Anira ordered but before I left she gave me a small hug.
*
I opened the doors to the dinning hall and all eyes landed on me. The table was almost full except for one spot on the left side of Thranduil. My stomach turned into knots and my heart rate picked up fast. The room was filled with five council members, their wives, Legolas and Thranduil. I sat down and Thranduil's cold gaze landed upon me.
"First you insult me and then you make me wait on my dinner? We're not off to a good start Caladhiel elven princess of the north." He hissed and made a mockery out of my title.
I looked down to my empty plate but felt Thranduil's cold and infuriated gaze on me.
The food was served and it all was good. I glanced at Thranduil a few times and I noticed his harsh features were being soften by a small grin. I looked over at Legolas and he was staring at me as if he had something important to say.
"So tell us Caladhiel, how do you like Mirkwood." Thranduil asked his voice seemed monotone and bored. "Do you find it heartless and with a lack of empathy? Is this the house of a monster." His teasing words made me turn bright red and the council members laughed.
"It's fine." I replied as coldly as I could manage and I locked my eyes with those of the king.
"Father leave her alone." Legolas intervened, noticing the obvious tention between me and his father.
"I was only trying to make her feel at home." Thranduil replied and after came a cold fake laugh.
"You're not doing a good job at it." I whispered but Thanduil's ears were keen and he heard. His beautiful blue eyes locked on mine and a beautifully wicked grin grew on his lips.
"Don't test me Caladhiel, I can make a wise ally or a terrifying enemy." His lips were so close to my ear it made this threat intimate, he didn't touch me yet his proximity made me feel an undeniable electricity between us.
I remained silent as he drew back and continued drinking his wine and talking to his guests. Legolas shot me a smile which I gladly returned.
Dinner was over and as I made my way out I felt a hand take a hold of mine. I turned around and my eyes met a pair of soft blue ones; it was Legolas. I exhaled with relief.
"Excuse me for my father's behavior tonight, he's not nice to anyone." Legolas joked and I couldn't help but laugh. "Not even me." He added shyly.
"He scares me." I replied as we walked along the empty hallways.
"You and me both." Legolas responded, he touched my hand slightly but I drew it back.
"Glad to know, from now on I hope to go unnoticed by him" I said with an uneasy laugh.
Legolas laughed as well and we stopped right infront of my room. "He hardly ever dines with us, he's usually too busy."
"That's good to know." I sighted.
"I have a proposition for you Caladhiel." Legolas said.
I stared at him and he gave me a complacent smirk. "I'll train you in sword fight and bow. Just by looking at you I can tell you're a warrior." His voice was low and his face was awfully close to mine.
"Thank you!" I gasped and hugged him. Then I drew back and looked away.
"Meet me outside the palace before sunrise, my father can not know about this." He warned.
"I promise." I replied, then he left.