Adult-FanFiction.org : Lord of the Rings

Hearts of fire, souls of ice	By : Nuredhel Category: -Fourth Age to Modern times and beyond > Het - Male/Female Views: 2339 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, it belongs to Tolkien, and i do not earn any money from this work of fiction, it is solely written for entertainment and not for profit at all.I do not own Lord of the Rings, it belongs to Tolkien,

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Will she be saved? Will the others survive? Will the evil one be caught and punished? It seems that Poicano has some tricks up his sleeve and someone will get a nasty surprise.
Chapter eleven: Smoke and mirrors

The great black stallion rushed over the bridge and past the gate, panting it slid to a stop and some rather shocked stable boys came to grab the reins. The horse had problems catching his breath and its flanks were heaving, sweat made the black coat shine and foam had formed upon the chest. Thranduil had almost ridden the horse to death or rather, the horse had been willing to run itself to death, it knew what was at stake. The king jumped off the shivering animal and shouted an order. “Get the healers here, now! There are others following me and a guard and my son are wounded. And see to this poor horse.”
He grasped her in his arms and ran towards the healing ward, he was pale and elves were getting out of his way with startled gasps. He rushed through the doors and saw to his relief that Poicano had returned . The healer stared at him with surprise and then horror when he saw the unconscious elleth within his arms. “Poicano, she has used too much of her strength, and she has been uncovered in the sun!”
The healer just stared in shock “Oh Valar, I just heard of the note, I wish I could find the one responsible and cut off their…private parts.”
Thranduil clenched his teeth together. “I would say other more vital body parts. The note sent them to an island overrun by huge centipedes, my son and a guard are wounded, she may have saved them but it was too much for her.”
Poicano turned around. “Lumar, make sure that the others are ready when they arrive, we need antidote, use the one we have against spider venom and mix it thirty seventy with the black viper antidote. That should work against centipede bites.”
Thranduil frowned. “Are you sure? These were monsters, at least ten feet long.”
Poicano nodded. “Yes, the poison is perhaps more potent but still the same, it will work, I am rather sure. At least if they get here in time!”
He placed Nireariel on a table and pulled the cloak away from her, he moaned at the sight. Her skin was burned badly many places and she was shivering. “Damnation! She is not strong enough to fight this, not now! She is too brave for her own good that girl!”
Poicano shouted for other healers to come and help him and Thranduil sank to his knees next to the bed, he was whispering soothing words to her even though he was far from sure that she could hear him. Poicano grabbed some scissors, cut away her clothes and Thranduil had to look away. Her skin was so perfect where the fabric had covered it and angry and red where the sun had hit it. It was such an awful contrast. “Is she in pain?”
Poicano nodded. “Yes, very much I would guess. I am gonna give her something for it but not yet, I have to save her skin first.”
He got some bottles and jars from the other healers who started to cover parts of her body with sheets dunked with ice cold water from the underground river. Poicano started to smear the injured skin with ointments and she groaned and her body tossed around, Thranduil felt how tears were running down his cheeks, he felt so utterly helpless, so completely unable to do anything except being there for her. “How bad is it?”
Poicano sighed. “Bad, very bad. I can barely feel her fea, she has really drained almost all of her energy.”
Thranduil knew how serious that was, he was shivering and closed his eyes. “Is there anything I can do, please say that there is!”
Poicano looked a bit grim. “There is one thing you can do yes, but it is very dangerous. If she dies then you will be doomed too, she will pull your fea with her to the halls of Mandos. Are you bonded?”
He took a deep breath. “Almost, at least I have bonded myself to her, I am not afraid Poicano. If I die then be it, I will not and cannot live without her!”
Poicano took a deep breath. “Right, then you must do exactly what I say.”
He and the other healers lifted Nireariel off the table and placed her on a bed. Then he removed the wet sheets and they pushed the bed into a corner, put up a screen around it. Thranduil did not understand anything, Poicano sent him a somewhat wry grin. “And now my friend, strip!”
Thranduil just stared. “What?”
The healer nodded. “You heard me, out of that armor. You stink like an orc that has been dead for a week in the sun and all that goo is not going anywhere near her skin.”
Thranduil just swallowed and then he started to rip off his armor, shirt and jerkin and pants. In the end he was standing there in his soft underpants and the healer looked at him. “Still too dirty!”
He waved his hand at one of the servants. “Aradan, two buckets of water, now!”
Thranduil thought that he would be washed but no, the servant came with two buckets of water from the river and suddenly he was drenched. He gasped and sputtered and the water was ice cold. He could feel how his manhood almost disappeared, at least he would be no danger to her virtue like this. Poicano grabbed a towel and dried most of the blood and dirt off him. “Thank the gods that someone had the intelligence to send riders out to get me back here the minute they understood that the note was fake. I wasn’t too far away and I felt that I would be needed. “
He grabbed Thranduil by the shoulder and dragged him towards the bed. “Lay down next to her, she will need your body heat and she will need your energy.”
Thranduil blushed and swallowed, then he got rid of the wet underpants as well and got in bed. Poicano grabbed a thick blanket and placed it around them. “Now, concentrate on the bond you have started to build with her, complete it. If she feels the same way about you her fea will do the same, then, let her draw strength from you.”
Thranduil just nodded, he felt how cold she was and she was shivering still, he pulled her closer to his own body, then he closed his eyes and sought her fea. He could feel her, so afraid and alone and he embraced her and allowed his bond to become whole. “To thee I bind my fea, for now and for eternity, I am yours as you are mine”
Her soul’s voice came back to his mind, repeating the words and their souls became one. She was weak and hurt and afraid, but he had strength enough for them both, at least for the time being. He did not care how much of his light she consumed, he would give her his all if need be. Poicano saw that her breathing became deeper and her shivering stopped. This would perhaps end well after all.
Faicariel had been waiting in her room for several hours, she felt both a bit confused and worried. Had those worthless ellyn let her down? Had something befallen them? She was ready to get up and ask if anyone had seen them when one of the servants rushed by, the elleth looked very excited and Faicariel stopped her. “What is happening?”
The elleth had problems catching her breath. “The king just returned with the white lady, she was hurt! And now the rest of his warriors are returning, the prince and one of the guards are hurt too.”
Faicariel tried to remain cool but she could not. Oh no, the plan was blowing up in her face, she was doomed if nothing was done. Could they know about her? If her servants had been caught they soon would for sure. She knew that Thranduil disliked the idea of torture but if the case was extreme enough then he would probably use it nonetheless and her servants were cowards. She put on an expression of mild interest and followed the servant towards the courtyard.
She could see that the warriors carried two covered bodies, she saw that one of them wore the dark boots of the guard but the other body had a pair of light blue boots on and she knew that it was Linar. She did not see any sign of her other servants and took a deep breath of relief. If he had managed to escape she would be safe unless Linar had spoken before he died? She heard the men chat and she strained her hearing to hear everything. “The prince killed that damn bastard, well deserved!”
Faicariel swallowed, had he told them anything? She had to be careful now. She went back to her rooms and she tried frantically to come up with a plan. The elleth was alive? But she was wounded, then she had to be in the healing ward right? It should be easy to get rid of her once and for all then, and Faicariel would use her spells to make things right again, Mordor could have Linar and that other guy for all she cared. With that elleth out of the way she would have her chance. She just had to wait for the right moment to strike. Yes, that would be her plan. If Linar had spoken they would already have come for her and so she was safe. She sat down, tonight, tonight she would take matters into her own hands and make sure that she got what she wanted.
Thranduil was so deep in a trance Poicano didn’t dare to disturb him when Legolas and the guard was brought into the ward. Legolas was the worst off, he was trembling and actually frothing at the mouth and Poicano realized that this was no ordinary poison. Nireariel had removed it with her song but it had already caused serious damage and so he concentrated on the prince’s injuries while he left the guard to the other healers. He was also in deep trouble and Poicano knew that he would need months to recover. He cleaned the prince’s wound and gave him a huge dose of antidote and herbs which would counteract the effects of the poison. He also used some rather strong sedatives, the wounds were extremely painful and the wounded archer would need his strength to fight the damage done to his tissues.
Poicano was starting to finish off his work when the doors flew open and two guards came in, they were supporting a third one. The ellon was panting and he was wet with perspiration. “Where is the king? I need to warn him, we caught the second traitor and he told us who it is who started this mess.”
Poicano swallowed hard. “The king cannot be disturbed now but pray tell, who?”
The guard got a glass of wine and tossed it back like it was berry juice and he coughed and wheezed a little. “The one who sent them out into that bog was Faicariel, an elleth here at the court. A witch by the words of that second traitor. She wants Thranduil and she is set on killing Nireariel.”
Poicano clenched his teeth together. “Right, then she will be in for the surprise of a lifetime. Thank you for your effort, I will make sure that you are well rewarded and do not speak of this to anyone outside of this room. Go now and get some rest, you look utterly exhausted!”
Olos nodded and got up, he was staggering and his friends helped him out. Poicano stared at the wall, a conspiracy. He felt how rage and anger grew within him, this was a monster far worse than any overgrown bug, and he was aware of the danger they all were in. He assembled all of his healers and quickly he informed them of the things he now knew. If they were to put an end to this without further bloodshed they would have to think fast and act even faster. This elleth should never be allowed to get away from what she had done, she would have to face justice and Poicano knew that there only could be one punishment for what she had done.
The healer rushed to the gates and told the guards to keep them shut and let nobody in or out except the two guards bringing the prisoner. They would be there soon and he told them to make sure that the prisoner was brought straight down to the dungeons through the storage rooms, nobody should see that he arrived. Then he went to the captain of the guard. He was busy preparing for the funeral of the dead guard and in mourning but Poicano’s words had their impact on him. He seemed to be almost too filled with anger to constrain himself but he did not explode. Instead he followed Poicano’s order and gathered some of the warriors. This was not the kind of task they usually would get but they were up for it. They wanted to avenge their fallen comrade and they knew that his plan was a good one. It was risky yes, but there would be no doubt about where the guilt lay.
Ppicano ran back to the ward and he noticed that the other healers were busy once more, Lumar looked very nervous. “Poicano, the prince, it doesn’t seem as though he is responding to the medicine. He is getting worse!”
Poicano swore, he bit his lower lip. Thranduil would be heart-broken if his son died, he feared that not even Nireariels love would be able to save him. He swore and tried to think straight. “Keep him cool, give more anti venom and four drops of poppy flower oil. I will check how he is doing but first there is something I need to tend to.”
He turned around and went to the small enclosure where the king and Nireariel lay. He saw that she was breathing in an even rhythm and her skin did not look quite so red. Thranduil appeared to be almost asleep and he did not stir as Poicano touched him ever so gently. He was strong enough for them both, good. But she wasn’t out of the woods yet and he checked the burns carefully. If they were in luck there would be no sign of the damage at all. As all elves she healed fast and the light in her was so strong it helped speed up the process. She would survive, he was starting to get rather certain off that fact but the prince was a different case. He went over to the bed and saw that Legolas was almost green in color and his eyes had a sunken look which filled the healer with dread. Astar had arrived with the others but Poicano had not let him in and he had ordered the old warrior to bed due to severe fatigue and stress. He knew from Astars words that Legolas had been bitten by a different type of creature than Luin who was on the mend. That had to be the reason why the archer was in such a bad state.
He waved his hand. “Place two beds by the door, make sure that there are linen screens placed around them, there will be warriors arriving soon, place them in the beds and make them look as if they are ill or wounded. I want five others placed here too, make it look realistic. Think of it as a test or something.”
Lumar looked a bit confused. “What? Why?”
Poicano moaned to himself, Lumar was indeed not the sharpest tool in the surgeons kit, he was rather as dull as a spoon. “They will pretend to be patients, I fear that the bitch who is behind all of this will strike again and this is the best place.”
The door went up and nine warriors entered, they didn’t wear armor or uniforms but they carried their long elven knives and looked truly pissed off. Poicano pointed at the different beds. “Two by the door, look as sick as you can. Five others can take beds along the long wall underneath the windows and I want two in the small room where our majesty and Nireariel rests.”
The warriors just nodded and got into bed, they undressed and the healers went to work with placing bandages and such on them and the ellith took great joy in adding a little of their make up to make the ellyn look pale and sick. After just a short while it looked very convincing and Poicano had a sly grin on his mouth, he knew that this would work.
He went to Thranduil again, the two warriors had found chairs and sat there guarding him and Nireariel, they both had swords and Poicano nodded. “She is probably gonna show up when all others have gone to rest. Do not kill her unless you have to, I think the king will want to have a word with her, or two!”
The ellyn just nodded, there was dark flames blazing in their eyes and the healer knew that these fighters never hesitated or got confused. To them this would be a job they enjoyed doing. Poicano returned to the prince, they had given him several types of antidote and nothing seemed to work, Poicano knew that only his own will to live could save him now, they had run out of options. Nireariel was way too weak to heal anyone of yet and if she tried nothing would happen, she would be unable to change anything before she regained her strength. Poicano felt nervous, he had no idea of how that Faicariel bitch would make her move but he felt that he was right about his assumptions. She would try to kill Nireariel and that as fast as possible, he knew how others were thinking and in his mind that would be the only good solution. This elleth could be as vicious as any orc but she was no warrior, she would use subtle methods, not an open attack. He saw that Luin was sleeping now, he was getting better all the time and Poicano did not worry about that ellon any longer. Nireariel had done a great job with him.
He sent someone to Astar with some herbs which would allow him to sleep in spite of his aching muscles and he knew that it was wise to keep the old warrior away from these rooms now. The old flame of his heart had been rekindled and in his fury he could perhaps ruin Poicano’s plan. The healer knew that the warrior had fought like a madman in spite of his weakness and it was impressive and inspired awe. But then again, what parent would not fight to the very death to protect their child?
The two guards brought the prisoner back and they were ushered into the tunnels used for transporting supplies so that nobody saw them. The dungeons lay deep so the prisoner would not be able to warn Faicariel of her impending doom. The evening slowly changed to dusk and then the night fell. Thranduil woke up when it got dark outside, he felt dizzy and someone had stolen his muscles or at least that was what it felt like. Nireariel was laying there close to him and she appeared to be almost normal but she was not awake and she was still rather red and a bit feverish. He felt so relieved he could have cried but he got very nervous when the healer told him of Legolas condition. It did not improve at all, in fact it went the wrong way. The king was torn in half by his own emotions, he was relieved that Nireariel was going to make it after all but in despair because his son probably wouldn’t. Poicano sat by the bed and told him everything and Thranduil stared at the healer with huge eyes, he appeared to be almost ready to jump out of bed, strap on a sword and hunt the elleth down single handedly. Poicano calmed him down and explained how his plan would make sure that Faicariel would expose herself and the king agreed, He was just so angry and frightened he could barely talk. Poicano gave him some wine and told the guards to keep a watchful eye on the two of them. Then he told the other healers they could retire for the night except from two who were watching over the sick who lay there. It was always two healers present there and he had told the two what to do. He had made sure that they were ellith and not ellyn since they would seem less like a threat and both were armed.
Poicano hid himself behind a desk in a corner and everything went calm and quiet. Legolas was breathing very shallowly and Poicano knew that he probably wouldn’t see the light of a new day, but he swore that the one responsible would pay for that. Luin was doing great but he was not conscious yet and the warriors who pretended to be sick or injured just lay there and tried to pretend as well as they could. They weren’t exactly actors but they managed to look as if they were asleep.
Poicano was starting to get a bit nervous, it was past midnight and nothing yet. Thranduil lay next to Nireariel with his arm around her, he was ready to fight for her if he had to and he knew that there would be no way back now. He had bonded himself to her, forever. He could not regret that, and he just prayed that his son would make it. He wanted to wring the neck of that bitch and do it slowly too but first things first. They had to catch her! Nireariel was moaning in her sleep and she no longer needed his help, she was safe now as long as she didn’t use any powers again. She was so soft and warm and beautiful and he wanted to stay there in the bed with her forever, he had never felt such love before. He wanted to caress her but knew that it would be a bad idea. First of all, two of his best guards were just a couple of feet away and second of all, if he touched her now he would most certainly be unable to stop. He was buck naked damn it and she was too. If he was to take her it should most certainly not be with an audience!
Outside a few night birds sang, a fox barked and some squirrels seemed to have quite a quarrel for some reason. Poicano knew that the palace had entered the silent hour when hardly anyone was up and about. If anything was to happen it would happen now, She would probably prefer not to be seen by anyone. Then there was a knock on the door and everybody stared at each other for a short second, they were ready. The warriors pretended to be asleep and the two healers were walking back and forth with their normal calm expressions. Poicano was still hiding behind the desk, he wasn’t supposed to be there and if she saw him she would probably suspect that something was wrong. His legs were developing a severe cramp by now and he felt his heart hammering in his chest, he was really nervous. She was mad enough to try to kill someone by sending them on a suicidal mission and he did not for a second doubt that she was dangerous. The question was how dangerous!
The door opened and things took a change for the worse, she wasn’t alone. Poicano could see through a small hole in the desk and the elleth had a servant girl with her, obviously frightened and confused and Faicariel was sending the healers a rather trembling smile. The girl clenched her hand and blood was dripping through a handkerchief. “I am sorry to disturb you at this time of the day but this poor servant was unfortunate enough to cut her hand while helping me moving a glass table.”
The two healers nodded to each other and started tending to the poor girl. “What happened?”
The girl shivered. “I was going to lift the corner but the glass plate broke all of a sudden and I cut myself, rather badly.”
They got to work and Faicariel was standing there watching, she was taking a look at the room, a corner was sealed off by a movable screen and she guessed that this was where that darn albino was kept. She had to have something to divert the attention of the healers and the idea of using the servant was a brilliant one. She had cracked the glass before she asked the stupid little tart to help her move the table and surely enough, the servant cut herself. Now they would give that little servant their full attention and she would have time to do what she had come for. She walked towards the screen and pretended as if she was trying to take a look out of the window at the end of the room. It was dark outside and nothing to see except some distant stars. She saw that the healers were very busy and so she moved a little further down the room. There were some ellyn asleep there and she could see that the prince lay in a bed closer to the entrance. He appeared to be close to death. She grinned to herself, so the heir was dying? It did not matter, she would give the king a new heir, one who would be loyal to her and one day she would be the ruler of this place. Her eyes were shining and she thought of how sweet it would be to hear her name mentioned together with the kings.
Faicariel was hopelessly spoiled and probably a wee bit insane too and even though she was rather intelligent her brain had perhaps gotten a bit pushed into the wrong direction when her brother died some years earlier and her father turned his back on her, convinced that his family line was ended and that a daughter never would bring grandness to their name. She walked calmly towards the screen and from her gown she pulled a long knife. She was shivering in anticipation and her grin wide and very wicked, if anyone had seen the sheen in her eyes they would have been terrified, they shone with a strange almost red light and perhaps it really was Faicariels desire for power which could be seen and perhaps the long arms of someone else far older and more sinister had managed to reach the very heart of the kings stronghold through her fea.
She took a deep breath and pulled the linen aside, walked into the small room. The two guards had heard her coming and they hid behind a second screen placed along the wall, she did not see that the wall was double and the light was placed so that no shadows would reveal they were there. She gasped, the king was there. He lay in bed with that horrible slut and he appeared to be asleep. Faicariel almost growled, she could see that he had to be naked and although the sight was rather wondrous to behold she hissed. So this bitch had already gotten a taste of what she should have had? Faicariel was fuming with rage and hatred and she lifted the knife and leaped forward. The pale slut wouldn’t even know what had hit her!
She almost reached the bed, but then all of a sudden hands which felt like an iron vice clamped tight around her wrists and she let out a loud yelp and stared at the faces of two of the kings guards. Did he have his bodyguards with him even when he slept with someone?!
Faicariel was too stunned to speak but she did growl and tried to kick the guards rather viciously. They evaded her easily and one grasped her by her neck, the grip was so hard she realized that this ellon was so strong he could crush her neck like it was a twig. And then the king got up from the bed and she stared at him with wide eyes. He had been awake the whole time and she yelled curses.
Thranduil stared at the elleth, she looked more or less crazy and he shook his head and tried to remain in control of himself. He wanted more than anything else to take the sword of one of the guards and cut this creature in half but it wasn’t the way. “So, this is the one who tried to send my betrothed and her father to their deaths, and caused my son to be mortally wounded and also the death of a poor young guard.”
Faicariel tried to spit at him and he struck her across her face, rather hard. It felt very satisfying to see how her lip split and blood started running down her chin. She looked more like an orc than an elf there and then. The other warriors had jumped out of bed and they helped tie her up, she stared at them with eyes wide as dinner plates and disbelief written all over her face.
Thranduil sent her a very dark glance. “One of your accomplices have survived, and he spoke or more accurately he sung like a lark in summer. We knew of you young lady and we were prepared as you can see. You will never see yourself on any throne, the only raised platform you will encounter will be the executioners block “
Faicariel yelled obscenities and tried to get free but the ropes were tight. Poicano had gotten to his feet and he walked forth, a bit proud of what he had accomplished. He had saved Nireariel and maybe the king too. The healers were finishing stitching up the hand of the poor servant girl and now they turned their attention to the prince. Thranduil had tied a sheet around his waist and managed to look majestic even wearing that. “He is slipping away sire, I am afraid it is just a matter of time now.”
Thranduil turned around and stared at Faicariel. “By the Valar, you shall not be allowed to draw breath for one second more than him, so pray that he may live forever!”
His voice was but a snarl and Faicariel started to realize what would happen, she started to scream and curse and the guards quickly gagged her.
Thranduil sat down next to his son, he was barely breathing and his skin was almost translucent, everybody knew that he was as good as dead. Thranduil gasped and tears were running down his face. “Ion nin, forgive me, I should have been there, I should have saved you. This should never have happened, not like this, not you my little leaf.”
Poicano could see how Legolas heart used longer time between each heartbeat, how his body was shutting down. Thranduil sobbed and the rest of the elves assembled there were silent, they were already mourning their crown prince.
It was then they heard a voice from the back of the room, Poicano turned around in shock and saw Nireariel stand in the opening in the screen. She was naked and her hair flowed behind her along the floors, she seemed even paler than usual and she was barely able to stand. Poicano rushed towards her. “No, you cannot be up, you are too weak!”
She stared at him as if she didn’t understand what he was saying. “The voice, it is calling his name and I can hear it, the dark angel is ready to collect Poicano.”
Thranduil got on his feet. “You cannot heal my son Nireariel, you will die too, and then I will perish with you. No!”
She just stared at them, as if they weren’t there. “There is another solution, another choice. “
Thranduil went deathly pale. “Oh no, don’t you dare, don’t do the same foolish thing as your mother!”
Nireariel smiled at him, a very gentle smile. “I would never leave you and you know it, no, but death for a life”
She turned around, very slowly. Her grace and strange dignity in that moment left everybody unable to speak. “There is someone else here who may pass through the gates instead, one far more deserving of that fate.”
She stared at Faicariel who hadn’t got a clue of what the elleth spoke off. Poicano took a deep breath, he knew he was going to see something he probably shouldn’t and yet he could not look away. All of a sudden the room became filled with shadows, fleeting like smoke through the air, the very temperature dropped several degrees and Nireariels eyes were glowing with bright white light. Faicariel started to scream in fear but Nireariel did not even look at her. A dark tall figure appeared next to the bed and Nireariel raised her hand. “Stop, he is not yours, not this time, not ever!”
The dark figure seemed to bow. “Daughter of Eru, you know the rules, who else should I bring before the throne of Mandos? Someone it has to be!”
Nireariels voice was very clear, very calm and almost indifferent. “That elleth, she has committed terrible crimes and her heart has been infested with darkness and madness alike. Take her, she is the sacrifice I offer thee”
The dark figure moved closer to Faicariel, she screamed like mad although it was muffled by the gag. The dark mass of swirling shadows appeared to bow down, as if to take a good look at the elleth, then it straightened itself up again. “Your offer is valid and accepted daughter of Eru, the price will be paid and I am pleased.”
A hand shot through the flowing veils of darkness and it appeared to disappear into Faicariels chest. The elleth screamed once more, a terrible ear splitting shriek and then the hand disappeared and she fell to the floor, dead as a rock. The dark figure dissolved and the light returned to the room. Nireariel stood there with the expression of a general who just have lead his army to victory and Poicano was holding onto a table, his legs could not carry him. The warriors were panting and sweating with fear and Thranduil was pale and shivering but he stood straight, he hadn’t even blinked and the healer knew that their king was brave indeed. Nireariel smiled softly. “It is done then!”
Thranduil rushed forth and grabbed her, pulled her close to him and wrapped the sheet around her too, he did not want everybody there to see her nakedness. It was bad enough that his guards had admired her perfect body. Then they heard a cough and turned around once more, Legolas had opened his eyes and even as they watched his color seemed to return and he healed before their very eyes. Thranduil let out a mighty sigh of relief and grabbed his son’s hand. “How are you feeling?”
Legolas coughed once more, his eyes were out of focus and he was shivering. “Like shit ada, I feel like I have been run over by an army of dwarves wearing spiked lead slippers!”
Thranduil started to laugh, he bent over and laughed so hard he became teary eyed and the others laughed too, Nireariel just stood there and Poicano offered her his cloak with an expression of utter awe in his eyes. She nodded and accepted gracefully.
Thranduil stayed by his sons side until it became certain that he would be alright again in just a couple of days. Luin awakened the day after and was yelling for food and Astar was so pissed off at Poicano for having drugged him to sleep through it all he probably never would fully forgive the healer for the incident. Astar was beside himself with relief, his daughter had survived and after just a few days her skin was back to normal again and she was perfectly healthy. Legolas was given a very serious order to stay indoors for at least a week to regain his strength and already the next night he broke it and went out hunting with his friends. Thranduil was furious but could only shake his head at his son’s stubbornness. After all, he was his father’s son.
Faicariels body was burned without ceremony on the place where they emptied the privies in spring, a suitable final resting place for someone that deranged. A guard told them that she had paid him to deliver the note she had made to appear as if it was from Poicano, he had not known what was written on it and had thought that is was a simple practical joke or something. He was innocent so he wasn’t punished.
Idrion was interrogated and confessed to having murdered two other elves because of a quarrel over the ownership of a very valuable old sword. Linar had embezzled enough money from the royal vaults to finance an army and the money were found rather fast to Thranduils relief. Idrion was not executed but he was banished from the elven realms for all eternity and he was branded as a murderer. They never saw him again and Faicariel had had no other accomplices. Her name would never be mentioned again and if there was justice in this world she would spend eternity scrubbing the floors of Mandos vast halls.
One week later Thranduil officially declared his betrothal to Nireariel and to his surprise the news was welcomed by almost everybody. They had all heard of her skills and powers and to them she was their white lady, their angel of light. How could they not be happy for their king when he now had someone like her by his side. With two such strong souls to rule them their realm would remain strong as ever. The wedding was set to happen in spring the next year and preparations were kicked into action. Nireariel feared that she would make a fool of herself but she soon realized that her naïve ways were one of the reasons why the other elves there loved her. She was not some haughty lady of high birth, her father was a silvan like the others there and she was one of them, and now she was to marry their king. In the months to come she became someone everybody loved dearly and even the ones who had been in doubt in the beginning was starting to thaw. The only thing she worried about was how the heck she was going to get just the right dress for her wedding?
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Hearts of fire, souls of ice