Burn Again

Chapter Thirteen

"There is much that I wish for," Thranduil said. "Many things. Yet I do not know how I should be pursuing them."

Elu lifted her eyes from watching him rub slow circles on her hands with his thumbs to meet his. "In what way?" she asked.

He sighed softly. "I no longer know what is required; what is expected of me," he admitted in a low voice. "Many thousands of years have passed since I last began a relationship; a bonding; a courtship. I fear that I have forgotten what is regarded as proper and what is expected."

She blinked in mild surprise. "If it will set your mind at ease, it has been a very long time since an ellon tried to capture my attention. And it was not that memorable an event, believe me." Her mouth curved upwards in a reassuring smile. "So I would assume that you have nothing to worry about in regards to your courting abilities."

His ice blue eyes softened as he gazed at her. "I only wish to make you feel cherished," he said. "The way I treated you previously was wrong, and I must attempt to somehow make amends for the-"

She silenced him by leaning towards him and touching her mouth to his. He stiffened briefly, before relaxing and responding to her kiss.

"You have nothing to make amends for," she whispered as she put a hair's breadth in between them. "Things were...complicated, unexplained, misunderstood. Neither of us were fully aware of what was happening. There is no shame in that; no need for apologies or regrets."

Sadness filled his eyes. "I have one regret," he said. "I regret having put you in a situation where you were almost slaughtered because of words I had said. I did not think for one second that Aileron would act in such ways. I can only be eternally grateful that Melderion saw his brother and cousin leave with you."

She nodded, closing her eyes briefly. "I had no idea he had even been having thoughts of being with me," she said. "That came right out of the blue." She opened her eyes again. "I thought you had come to carry out my execution yourself."

The sadness in his eyes turned swiftly to pain. "No," he whispered brokenly. "I was horrified to find you in such a situation. Utterly shocked...and furious."

"But I am alright," she reminded him with a gentle smile. "How is Taralorn and her baby? I have missed them."

His face lit up with a dazzling smile. "They are both well," he replied. "And speaking of the foal, I wish for you to have him."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"Yes...he is my gift to you," he told her. Both hands still held hers in his warm grasp. "I wish for you to have him. You gave him life when he was born. He is rightfully yours, my love."

"But...but you are the one who delivered him," she said. "And I have no gift for you. I have no means-"

"Your smile is my gift," he interrupted. "Your well-being. Your safety. Your happiness. Your presence."

She leaned her head against his again. "I love you," she murmered.

His lips touched her cheek in a tender kiss. "And I love you too," he replied. "And I shall prove this to you, many times over. But first, I will see to arranging for your own rooms. You will not be spending any further time cooped up in the healing rooms. You will have your own private rooms – close to mine, if that is acceptable."

She laughed. "Of course it is! Why would it not be? And I do not need rooms; one room for me to sleep will be sufficient."

He snorted in disgust. "Indeed it will not be. I will not have the lady that I love bundled away in some...some cell-like room! I will not hear of it." His eyes met hers. "I would much rather you shared my rooms, but the time is not yet right," he whispered. "I will not hurry you, or push you in any way."