Thranduil / Reader (3) - part 2
You kept staring into Thranduil’s eyes. Those eyes were now intensely reaching deep into your soul and read you like an open book while he traced your neck and jaw with his fingertips. The moment was shattered when a servant came to ask if any of you wanted your glasses to be filled. You recoiled from the moment and stepped back. With a smile you answered that you had already your glass full and so had the Elf King. You asked the servant to arrange some music and make sure that everyone was enjoying their time tonight.
- You are a good ruler, my lady. Thranduil said. You sighed and fought the urge to drop your head. You did not want him to see you hesitant or weak.
- Good but not great. I wonder if I’ll ever have the courage to make the hard decisions…
- You are very young. You will accomplish greatness, just trust yourself more and remember that you do not have to stand alone. Accept help when help is offered. the Elf King spoke. He was worried that you were being too hard on yourself. His opinion of you had changed quite radically when he had seen you fighting; he had first thought that you were a foolish and arrogant girl but he had noticed that you were a persistent and strong lady.
- Hm… you commented and took a sip. You felt naked without your mask. You reached out your hand and gestured Thranduil to give it back but instead of giving it back he dropped it on the floor and stepped on it. The mask cracked and shattered into pieces.
- Why did you do that? you exclaimed.
- That mask has been your prison, my lady. You no longer need those shackles. Be free, embrace your life once more. Thranduil answered.
- You have no idea what you broke. That mask was my shield, my safeguard. I am not sure if I’m strong enough to cope without it. you answered and looked at the pieces with a sorrowful and confused look on your face. You excused yourself and left Thranduil standing next to the throne.
You did not dare to look anyone into eyes because this was the first time you were publicly presenting yourself with your face exposed. Thranduil noticed that your subjects did not even recognize you without the black veil that now was laying on the stone floor in pieces. You were not even wearing a crown; you had never felt worthy of the crown of your father and there had never been time to order the crown of your own to be forged.
Thranduil did not know if it was a spell that he had fallen under or what was that feeling that was growing inside him from the moment he had removed the mask. There had been a spark when he had seen you fighting but it had turned into a flame when he had seen your face. That flame was spreading like a wild forest fire after many weeks of extreme draught. He decided that he would not put out the fire even if it consumed him, unless you rejected him, but even in that case he would keep trying until there was nothing more to be done from his part.
Then there was music. Thranduil had not seen you for some time and now he wanted to dance with you. He moved gracefully through the crowds, it was easy for him because everybody automatically moved from his path, besides he was the tallest person in the entire hall anyway. He spotted the servant who had come to offer you wine and asked him where you had gone. He told the Elf King that he was not completely sure but he thought that he had seen you to go outside to keep guard.
You were sitting on the stairs at the front fort-wall, staring into the dark horizon when you heard footsteps approaching.
- What are you doing here all alone?
You heard Thranduil asking and as you were about to stand up, you felt a hand on your shoulder that prevented you from doing so. The tall elf sat next to you and handed you a glass. You chuckled and showed him that you had an entire bottle with you.
- Someone needs to keep an eye on the horizon. you answered and pointed at the moon that was lurking behind the clouds that sailed the night sky.
- Do you not believe that the danger is over? Thranduil asked. His tone was deep, soft and somewhat concerned. He would have wanted you to enjoy the evening as well because you were the main reason why the battle had been victorious but here you were, sitting all alone, keeping guard. He also wondered if it was the lack of mask that made you feel more comfortable away from your people. If so, it made him feel a bit guilty since he had been the one who had robbed your shelter.
- Is the danger ever completely over here? It is not and therefore I am keeping guard. The people need a night off, they need this celebration more than I do. you answered without shifting your gaze from the horizon.
- You care for them deeply, it is easy to see. he stated as he tried to figure you out.
- Whatever happens… Me and them, we are in it together. you commented and opened the bottle. You filled Thranduils glass first and then took a sip right from the bottle.
- Besides, the Elf King himself is keeping me company, could I ask for more? you chuckled. Thranduil laughed a little and then a long silence followed. It was however broken by the Elf King
- Have you thought about the future?
- Yes… I suppose we’ll start rebuilding. It is still summer, there is still time, although… the winter comes so early here up North. you answered hesitantly; it was obvious that there was something bothering you. It was visible due to your body language and expressions and Thranduil could hear it in your tone.
- To be honest… you continued after a long pause.
- I know the situation. Thranduil said suddenly and interrupted you midsentence.
- Your towns have been burned, the crops destroyed and I bet that the orcs have killed every animal that has been living in these lands. There is no way you will survive a winter here. he continued. His tone sounded cold and unconcerned in your ears and normally you would have gotten offended. This time however you knew that he was brutally right. You sighed and mumbled after you had taken another sip from the bottle
- I know.
- How did you plan to survive here? he asked. You stood up and walked a couple of steps down where the staircase spread in two directions, like the letter T. You put your hands to the railing that was made of stone. You muttered a few words in your own language and lighted a couple of blue flames that lit the outer courtyard. It was important to keep the courtyard well-lit so the enemy would not be able to sneak in the cover of the darkness.
- How? he asked again. You were frustrated because you did not have answers. Despite of that you turned around and sighed.
- I don’t know. I have been so focused on coping from a day to another… It is basically a miracle that we’re still alive here…
- Barely… Thranduil commented. He sounded almost arrogant but again you knew that he was right.
- Yes… barely. you scoffed.
- Why did you not call for help? he asked after a short silence.
- Call who exactly? you asked and spread your arms for a moment and then dropped them on your both sides.
- Mirkwood… We are allies, are we not? Thranduil asked. He sounded offended and he was clearly demanding for an explanation.
- I didn’t know that… No one told me. When the war started, everything fell apart and it was just chaos. Then the king died, soon after the queen had died and I was alone. Suddenly the fate of this realm was on my shoulders and there was no one to tell me how anything works. Can you imagine? you asked and closed your eyes to prevent the tears falling on your cheeks freely.
- My life used to be full of arts; music, poetry… beautiful things. I used to study and educate myself so one day, when the time came, if it came at all, I could be a wise queen… to this realm or some other. Or in case I never become a queen, I could have had a chance to do anything. To do great things… but instead of a peaceful life… you said and drew out your sword. Its blade reflected the blue lights that lit the yard.
- This is my life. you said and stared at the blade. You did not want to sound bitter but the truth was that you were tired of fighting and killing… You were tired of death that either came swiftly in the form of an enemy or slowly in the form of hunger and sickness.
- It is a great honor to defend ones people. Thranduil said. You made a “hm” sound and put the sword away.
- It is… But there is no future I can offer them. I am not sure if they know it or if they are expecting me to know all the answers… you said and turned your back to Thranduil. He stood up and walked behind you, put his hands on your shoulders and spoke with deep, soft voice
- Take your people and come to Mirkwood.
As he spoke, he drew random shapes on the skin that was not covered by the fabric with his fingertips. You tensed up at first but then you noticed that the Elf King was not going to hurt you, so you encouraged your mind and relaxed. You felt his feather-like touch on your skin as he traced your neck and collarbones; you knew that he was seducing you to trust him, to do as he wanted.
- You do not have to stand alone… Let me take care of you. Let me take you away from all this death. Life could be so much easier and more meaningful in my realm. Here you struggle, this is no life. he continued.
The kindness that he treated you with was really luring you to do anything he would ask. You were tired of fighting, you yearned to laugh again, to be alive again. He was no longer caressing you with his fingertips barely touching but now he was pulling you to lean on him as his arm rested on your chest and his large hand cupped your shoulder and his fingers massaged it with circular motion. You closed your eyes and let your head rest against his chest as you listened him talking to you, telling you how easy and bountiful your life could be.
- I would share my bed with you. I would share my throne… my life… I would give you everything you need, anything you want. I would make sure that you always have reasons to smile and I would never leave you alone. All you need to say is “yes” and all you need to do is to give me a chance… and a kiss…
His voice was sultry, deep, dark and dripping with temptation, sweet seduction, which was brutally broken when you heard marching footsteps in the darkness. You opened your eyes and said a few words in your own language. Then you slammed your palms to the railing. There was a thin, misty blue wall of light that spread outwards and illuminated everything in the outer courtyard for a moment as it hit every surface.
- Orcs! you exclaimed and pushed Thranduil away. He was about to draw his sword but he remembered that he had left it inside. You held your breath as you tried to grasp the seriousness of the situation; there were so many orcs that it looked like it had been a tsunami wave that dangerously approached the fortress.
- No one is ready to fight! Thranduil said and it was obvious that he was just as terrified about the situation as you were.
- I am going to ask you a favor… Tell me that you’ll do it. you said and turned to face him. You knew exactly what you had to do but you also knew how dangerous it would be. You calmed down your mind until you were eerily calm and took his hands. Thranduil looked at you confused.
- I need you to close the front gate and not to let anyone in. Do you understand?
- What?
- Will you do it?
- Yes!
- Good! you shouted and let go of his hands. You ran down the stair followed by the elf and opened the gate.
- What? Wait, why? he hissed. You took his hands again and smiled. You were sad and tried to cover it with the smile, but there was no fear in your eyes.
- This gate can be closed only from inside. Promise me that you will close it.
- Of course, but…
- The other thing… I need you to promise that you will leave tomorrow and leave no one behind. Promise me that you will give my people the life that is worth of living, it is something I was never able to give them.
Thranduil looked completely surprised and confused again.
- Just, please, tell me that you’ll do it. you pleaded.
- Certainly, but…
- Good. you whispered and swallowed your tears. You put your hand on his cheek and smiled.
- I would have said “yes”. you said and then ran to the outer courtyard.
- What are you doing? Thranduil shouted but your only response was “close the gate, close it now!” So he did. Thranduil ran the stair up but he could see nothing. Even though the elves saw well even in the dark but now it was impossible to make any sense of what he saw. The orcs’ metallic armors and their weapons reflected the moonlight whenever the clouds revealed the pale sphere but the sky was almost completely clouded. Even the blue lights had faded away, he suspected that it was your tactic; to cover yourself with darkness and attack, but that was not the reason.
The reason was that you needed all your powers because what you were about to do had actually killed your father. You closed your eyes and listened to the growls and footsteps of the orcs. You were tired already because you had been fighting earlier already and you had not been sleeping for many days now. You had not been eating well for some time but there was no way to escape this.
Thranduil stared into the darkness. Soon he heard you screaming and saw a same kind of blue force field what he had seen in the morning during the battle. This time the force field was brighter and it was like a wave that did not spread into every direction but only forward, away from the fortress. The orcs screamed; the closest ones at first but then the last ones started to scream too, although their screams only echoed in the distance. After a moment there was nothing but a silence. Silence and darkness.
Thranduil called you by your name but you did not answer. He ran to the gate but remembered that you had told him not to open it. He tried to listen with his ear against the wooden door but he could only hear the sound of his own breathing and the music coming from the throne hall. He gave up and went inside. He told everybody to get their belongings ready because they would leave before noon tomorrow.
You had used all of your powers to crush the orcs. Then you had fallen to the ground and passed out. When the morning came Thranduil took his guards and opened the gate. They walked among the orc-corpses that were laying all around; they had literally died where they had been standing as their organs had been crushed.
- King Thranduil! a guard shouted and raised his hand. Thranduil ran to him and stopped when he saw you laying among the orcs face down. When he had recovered from the shock he ran to you and fell on his knees. He turned you on your back and removed your hair from your face. You were pale and your skin was cold. He put his hand on your heart and the other on your forehead as he recited an elvish spell. You were alive but just barely. He was relieved anyway; even “barely alive” was much better than “not alive at all”.
He carried your limp body to a carriage that the guards had found. He gathered the people and ordered them to take their belongings with them and asked a servant to take him to your chamber. There he gathered some of your belongings and then joined everyone at the yard.
You heard music in the distance. First it was just a faint echo somewhere in the darkness but then when you became more awake the music got louder. You realized that you were in a bed. The sheets were cool and soft, they felt heavenly against your skin. Finally you were fully awake and opened your eyes. The room was lit with a candle and it was apparent that it was evening or night. You raised your head and tried to sit up but your every muscle was stiff. “At least I’m alive” you thought and forced yourself to sit up.
Thranduil was sleeping in the armchair that was in the corner. He had started to sleep in it when the healer had noticed that you were showing signs of waking up. It had been approximately a week and half ago. Now he woke up and rushed to the bed to put some pillows behind your back. He sat on the edge of the bed and took your hand. It was not cold anymore and there was also a bit of color on your cheeks.
- Does it hurt? he asked. You tried to answer “no” but there was no sound coming out. Thranduil reached out to pour you a glass of water from a carafe that was on the table next to the bed. He helped you to drink. After clearing your throat you said “no” although it was more like a whisper because speaking hurt. Thranduil saw that your facial expression that told him that your throat was sore.
- Do not try to talk. he said and smiled as he squeezed your hand. You looked around and it was obvious that you could not recognize the place.
- You are in Mirkwood. I did as you asked me to. Everyone is safe and I assure that their lives are worth of living. he continued with a graceful smile on his face.
- Thank you. you whispered.
- Why do you thank me? It was you who confronted the whole army, I only did what you asked me to do, which was the least that I could had done. the Elf King answered.
- You owed me nothing, there was not obligation. you whispered and rubbed your throat.
- Shush, do not strain yourself. We will talk in the morning. he said and helped you to lay down. He bent down and pressed a kiss on your forehead before he returned to the armchair.
- You can go, you kno-
- Shush, sleep. he said and smiled. He blew off the candle and took a comfortable sitting position. You fell asleep immediately and it did not take long for Thranduil to do the same. He was relieved that you had gained consciousness and the danger was over.
Then suddenly it was morning. You woke up and glanced at the armchair. It was empty but when you turned your head you saw the tall elf standing by the window looking out.
- Morning. you said. The elf turned and opened the curtains. The sunlight poured into the room and blinded you momentarily. When you had recovered from the sudden blindness you could not help admiring the sight that you were allowed to stare so openly; the Elf King basking in the sunlight that made his hair sparkle and the fabric of his clothes shine elegantly.
- There is a sight I have not seen before. you commented and sat up. You inhaled slowly and then tried to stand up. Thranduil saw what you tried to do and came to help you. He put his arm under your arm and behind your back.
- Why does it feel like I had not been standing for mo-… oh! you said when you turned to see the view from the window. All you saw was snow covered trees that were sparkling in the bright sunlight. Thranduil helped you to walk out to the balcony. He rubbed your arms because you were shivering.
- It’s winter. you mumbled, clearly puzzled by the notion.
- Actually, it is early spring. You were unconscious almost 8 months. Thranduil said and monitored your expressions. He was worried that the news shocked you but you stayed surprisingly calm no matter what.
- 8 months… you repeated, not quite sure if you believed it or not. There however was no other choice than to believe it since the garden was covered with snow and you could actually smell spring in the wind.
- How did you know that you were able to defeat that orc-army? Thranduil asked. He was curious about your powers especially now when you had saved everyone as well as sacrificed yourself for everybody else.
- I had seen my father doing it. you answered. You rather not discussed it further but somehow you felt obliged to answer any questions the Elf King wanted you to answer. You after all were in his realm and your people were taken care of as well.
- Really? he asked curiously.
- Yes… although he did not survive to brag about it. you stated jokingly. You did not want to sound too serious and it was obvious that Thranduil would not like the truth anyway.
- What! You knew you could had died! he exclaimed. He was shocked to learn that you had known the risks and still gone through with it. You did not comment. What was there to comment anyway?
- Do you understand what kind of risk you took? he asked or more like stated.
You did not say anything, just kept staring at the garden that was sparkling in the sunshine, covered with white snow.
- You have nothing to say? he asked. Thranduil wanted to know what you had been thinking. How could you have been so selfish, did you have a death wish or were you just insane?
You could not deal with it right now so you stepped away from him. The whole situation was a bit too much; you did not know the king, in your books you had just met him and you had no idea where this attraction that he had towards you came from. You certainly had not done anything to lead him on. Or had you? Oh, it was all so hazy!
It was also getting cold because you had removed yourself from the kings reach. You rubbed your own arms a couple of times but then stopped because the king kept staring at you.
- I am not cold, if that’s what you’re… thinking. you stated casually and supported yourself to the railing. The snow stung your palms and you fought the need to keep yourself warm. Thranduil was not affected by the cold at all, well, he was an elf, which irritated you greatly at the moment.
- You still owe me that kiss. he said. You felt your life force slipping away from you but you had to do something to cover it therefore you mumbled “arrogant… annoyingly charming… I cannot do this right now” to yourself and walked down the stairs that led from the balcony to the garden. The stairs were slippery and the ice burned your feet since you were not wearing shoes.
- Where are you going? Thranduil asked from the balcony. He was at the same time amused and irritated about your erratic behavior that made no sense. You turned around to look at his direction. One glance and then you took the first step on the snow. With the seventh step you sank knee-deep into the snow. You tried to move forward or backwards but there was no strength left to lift your feet. It was too early for you to be fooling around so childishly but you just had had to get away from the palace as well as the king for a moment.
You raised your head and looked at the blue sky, you heard the kings steps as he came down the stairs. He walked effortlessly next to you without sinking into the snow, because the freaking elves never did, and stopped to stand next to you.
- Stuck? he asked casually.
- No… you stated defiantly and looked at the king who was now even taller than he usually was. He did not return to your stare but you could see that he was amused.
- Yes… you mumbled.
- What was that? he asked curiously.
- Yes! you exclaimed.
- Would you like me to help you? he asked, his tone was just as casual as it had been.
- I don’t know… Feel free to decide yourself. If you rather have me freezing to death then by all means leave me here… but I know that I will make a terrible decoration for this… garden.
Thranduil laughed. His laughter was deep and loud. You had never heard him laughing that openly and it made you want to join him in the laughter but you resisted.
- Why do you insist saving me? Why are you so attracted to me? You do not even know me. you asked after the Elf King had stopped laughing.
- I have learned much about you from your people during these 8 months. he answered. His tone was kind and friendly. It was still very confusing for you to hear him talking with such warmness to you when he looked always so intimidating and assertive.
- I bet they have told you everything, every embarrassing detail… you mumbled. Then you continued
- But even before. You were ready to share your throne and bed with me…
- And I still am. Thranduil answered.
- Why? you asked with a confused tone. You could not understand him at all.
- Maybe I have fallen under the spell of your beauty… he stated with a smile on his face.
- There is no spell… no enchantment… no magic… you stated.
- Are you certain? he asked playfully.
- I am! I am well aware when I put spells on people and when I do not. Let me assure you that I have not used my powers against you, King Thranduil. you stated. You were slightly offended by the statement he had given. The elf smiled. He was relieved to hear that there had been no spells because it meant that whatever he was feeling for you was actually real.
- And it insults me that you assume that I would actually use spells to cause attraction… or… affection. If I had put a spell on you, you wouldn’t even be questioning your feelings, besides since when I’ve used my… powers for such tricks anyway… Yeah, maybe once or twice I tried but it was useless... you mumbled. The more you spoke, the quieter your voice became until you were just mumbling to yourself. Thranduil heard you anyway.
- So you’re not attracted to me in any way? he asked. It was obvious that he tried to cover the fact that he was disappointed and hurt.
- Hey, I never said that! It’s just all very confusing at the moment. And I’m cold… and ridiculous. Yes, there! I admit it. I am behaving in the most ridiculous way that… Argh! you groaned and tried to free your legs from the snow. You recited some spells in your own language but you were still too weak for magic because magic always required energy.
- Can you just help me, please? you pleaded. You felt completely defeated by your surroundings and your lack of strength. You after all were supposed to be this mighty witch who stood alone against the harsh environment of the North and the enemies as well. Thranduil offered you his and which you took without further hesitations. He helped you to stand on the snow in front of him.
- Are you ready to go inside now? he asked. You nodded. He took your hand and lifted it to his lips. He looked deep into your eyes when he pressed his lips on your knuckles. His lips felt almost burning hot against your freezing cold skin. He looked worried and when he took one step, which you followed, the snow gave in again and this time your sudden fall made the elf to lose his balance.
You fell on your back onto the snow and the king fell on top of you. You burst in to laughter because the king looked so shocked of what had happened. He was frantically searching for signs that could help him to decide whether you were alright or not but soon the look on his face softened and he realized that you had not gotten hurt in any way.
You stared at the beautiful elf after you had calmed down. The snow was freezing your skin but then again you were absorbing warmth from Thranduil. You were actually quite comfortable there. The elf was about to get up when you said
- Don’t…
You smiled and removed a bit of snow from his hair. He looked at you slightly confused.
- Let’s stay for a moment… you whispered and traced his charming features with your fingertips. You could see that he was old; not because he would had looked old, because he did not, but the look in his eyes told you that he had seen a lot. There was wisdom that was only reachable through living thousands of years. You pressed your hand on his heart and closed your eyes. You felt the loneliness he had been living with for a long time but you felt also the goodness and the kindness that were hiding behind the cold surface.
You opened your eyes and smiled. Thranduil shifted himself a little so he could support his weight and caress your face at the same time. His touch was kind and soft, he was just barely touching you at first but then the caresses got more intense, although he was still gentle. His thumb stroked your lips, which made you to open your mouth slightly as you let out a sigh after you had first closed your eyes. Thranduil took this as a sign that you wanted him to kiss you so he leaned closer.
- Wait… you said suddenly and opened your eyes. The elf drew back slightly and whispered “something wrong?” You hesitated a moment and then answered
- I have never kissed anyone…
He looked at you curiously and wondered how that was even possible. You after all possessed such a rare beauty that he had never believed to encounter.
- So please do not get disappointed… if I’m horrib-
- Shush… he said and leaned closer again. You closed your eyes and soon felt his nose touching yours, his hand caressed your neck and jaw as he moved to brush your cheek with his lips. Slowly he got nearer to the corner of your mouth and that’s where he pressed a kiss at first. You smiled and lifted your hand to feel the warm skin of his neck under the collar of his robe. Your hand was cold and made him shiver slightly but he was just pleased that you dared to touch him.
The finally after prolonging the moment for a long time and letting the anticipation grow so great that there was no way to hold back anymore, he finally pressed his lips onto yours and stole your first kiss. The kiss was over too soon for your liking and you pulled him to kiss you again. This time your mouth was slightly open and so was his. He explored your lips with his and you did the same. He shifted himself again and slid his arm behind your back. This caused him to put some of his weight on you but you actually enjoyed it because it gave you certainty that he was really there. You wrapped your arms behind his back and pulled him closer. The kiss intensified but stayed modest at all times. When he finally released your lips you were completely lost for words as well as breath. You felt him smiling against your mouth and before he drew back he still pressed one last kiss on your lips.
Your head was spinning. Thranduil helped you up and whispered into your ear
- Definitely no disappointment…
He removed the snow from your hair and shoulders. He slid his hands behind your back and pulled you closer. This time he buried his face into your hair and searched for a proper spot to kiss. He found that from under your ear where the skin was cold from snow. He blew some warm air on to your neck, which sent shivers that spread all over like a wave.
- Thank you for granting me the honor of the first kiss… he whispered. Then he pressed his mouth against the skin and kissed it intensely. You might have felt his tongue touching the skin as well but you were not sure. You moaned softly and felt your heart racing as your mind started wondering what else the handsome elf could do to you, how skillful lover he must be since even his kiss was enough to make your feet weak and turn your brain into mush.
- Maybe… If I’m fortunate enough, I shall have the last kiss as well… and all the ones in between. he spoke between the kisses.
- You must be hungry. he mumbled against your skin.
- What? you asked as you recoiled from your thoughts. Your thoughts were all about him and he knew it although he was graceful enough not to point it out.
- Come, let’s get you some breakfast. he said after he had abandoned your neck. He helped you back into the palace. You glanced at the bed and no bed had ever looked as inviting before. Your strength had been drained by the cold and staying up for so long. You really had to take it easy for a few days.
- I think I will skip the breakfast and get some sleep. I feel quite… beaten. you said.
- Are you not hungry? Thranduil asked with surprised voice.
- I am, I am… but I feel like am going to pass out any second. you said and crawled on the bed lazily until you were able to hug a pillow.
- Do you wish me to stay? he asked, wishing that you would say “yes”.
- Don’t you have some important state-matters to deal with? you asked and smiled against the pillow.
- Not today. he said and tucked you in with graceful motion.
- Then you could stay… you mumbled. You were on the verge of falling asleep.
- I will get the ch-
- No-no-no-no-no… No chairs, come on. you mumbled and tapped the free space next to you. Thranduil chuckled and walked to the far side of the bed, sat on the edge, took his boots off and lay down. Your eyes were closed but your felt the mattress shift slightly when the elf sat and lay down. You smiled and opened your eyes, you took a deep breath and as you exhaled you allowed your body to relax completely. Thranduil put his arm around you and kissed your forehead as he pulled you to sleep in his arms.
You were happier than you had ever been before. You had dreamed about achieving such happiness but never really believed to reach it. In the kings arms you felt safe and warm, powerful and respected. For the first time in a very long time you felt certain about the future and your heart felt light. Even though you were tired and weak still, you could sense your strength and will to live building up inside of you and it was a clear sign for you that your place was to rule Mirkwood side by side with the elven king until the time ran out and the world stopped existing.