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
- 4
- 5
- 6
Nireariel starts to understand the truth of what’s going on, but will she accept it? Or will she be too fearful to see her role in this game of hearts and futures?
Peaceful chapter, no warnings needed.
Chapter Five: a game of hearts

Nireariel had never thought that dancing could be fun, but it was. When she managed to forget about the other elves around her it was if it was just the two of them there and even the more vigorous dances were no problem. It was odd, she felt as if she had been there with him forever, as she somehow knew him but how was that possible? And he was enjoying himself too, everybody could see that and many stared in utter disbelief at their usually cold king who were dancing with this incredible elleth. He was smiling and his eyes were shining, he looked younger somehow, more vigorous and alert.
The other Ellyn in the room felt a little hint of jealousy but many had gotten the picture the moment they saw Thranduil leave the throne and walk down towards the elleth and her father. Nobody would dare to approach her if the king was claiming her, they would just have to wait and see if he was serious or if he just found her fascinating just like the rest of them. Astar was watching her and he was dumbfounded by the sight, she was smiling and appeared to be relaxed and she was laughing too. She had been terrified just a few moments ago and now she was obviously forgetting everything about being nervous and just enjoyed herself. It was a wonderful sight and he could barely believe it. It was clear that their king somehow made her forget about her fear and he could see how many stared at her with obvious admiration. Maybe it didn’t matter that she was of seemingly lowly birth, she was truly unique.
Lendarion and the other counsellor were staring at the dancing couple with wide eyes, they had of course expected him to notice her but this was beyond their wildest hopes. Lendarion grinned to himself, perhaps this would have happened even without his interference but as of now he would do whatever he could to make sure that this spark he could see would grow into a full blown fire. Callorion was raising his eyebrows and he smiled. “I see that our king has forgotten that he thinks dancing is for children.”
Lendarion chuckled and emptied his glass of wine. “Yes, and furthermore he has forgotten about his worries. Is it not a glorious sight to behold?”
Callorion nodded, he could barely pull his gaze away from them, that elleth was gorgeous like none other and more than worthy of a king. But would she be able to capture his interest for the long run? “Is she more than just a very beautiful Hroa?”
Lendarion nodded. “I knew her father and I have heard of her mother too, a very skilled healer who unfortunately perished after the girl was born, she is perhaps timid and shy and very inexperienced but smart, she has got a good head on her shoulders.”
Callorion sighed. “I pray that you are right about that my friend, he’ll need a partner who is able to understand what he is going through, not just some pretty little thing who is interesting whilst in bed but a nuisance outside of it.”
Lendarion laughed. “Oh I promise you, she is so much more than that. Wait and see, before long we will have a new queen!”
Callorion frowned. “A queen? I thought you planned on just getting him a concubine?”
Lendarion nodded towards the couple. “Yes, initially, but look at them now! She is more than worthy of his hand don’t you think? I think she is a very promising candidate for the title of queen, imagine, perhaps there even is a chance of a our king becoming the father of more elflings? It would be wise considering the recklessness of the heir!”
Callorion scoffed. “Are you not getting a little ahead of yourself? They are just dancing! “
Lendarion grinned. “Yes, and when did our king last do that?”
Callorion made a grimace. “I don’t know?”
The dark haired elf nodded. “Exactly, I think there must have been almost an age since he last tried to do anything remotely close to dancing. So, either the world is going to end very soon or miracles do still happen and if they indeed do then I should be allowed to hope shouldn’t I? I pray we soon have a king who doesn’t snap at us or threaten to rip the heads of our shoulders should we dare to defy him in any way.”
Callorion just sighed. “I pray you are right mellon nin, it would be wonderful indeed. It would be a new start for us all.”
Lendarion just nodded and smirked before he got another glass of wine from a servant. “So watch and admire how the Valar are blessing us, believe me, she is a gift from Illuvatar himself.”
Callorion swallowed. “That she must be, and may they protect her, she is going to enter a lion’s cage unarmed.”
After a good while Nireariel felt almost out of breath, she had not been this active in a long time and although she did think it was great fun she was getting tired. Thranduil noticed that she had problems keeping up with the tempo of the dance now and he bowed to her and took her hand gently. “I think we both need a little breather don’t you think?”
She just nodded, grateful that he was so considerate, he took her hand and they walked towards a table with glasses and jugs of wine and fruit juice. “What would you like?”
Nireariel blushed. “Just juice thank you, I am not used to wine.”
He poured her some in a rather huge glass and she discovered that she was indeed thirsty, she had been dancing for quite a while and her feet felt a bit tender. He smiled and nodded towards the doors leading out to a balcony. “The moon is up, would you join me for some fresh air?”
She put down the glass after she had emptied it, the cold juice felt just wonderful and she was getting her strength back immediately. “Of course my lord.”
They walked over to the balcony and Thranduil noticed that Legolas was staring at them with a weird crooked grin on his handsome face. The king felt like blushing but did not, it was nobody’s business what he was doing, he was no elfling damn it. The night was clear and cold and Nireariel stared at the stars, they were so beautiful and appeared to be so close she could reach out and touch them. Thranduil stared at them too. “I know what you are thinking my lady. I thought so too when I was younger, that I could touch the stars somehow.”
She tilted her head, it was hard to imagine him as very young, in fact it was almost impossible. He looked youthful as all elves do but he had the aura of an ancient creature. Still she felt as though he still had a part of his younger self stored away somewhere, as more than just a memory. He noticed that she had to be cold due to the thin dress and the cool air and so he grabbed a cloak someone had left there and placed it around her shoulders. She looked down and thanked him with a barely audible voice.
“Tell me, how is it that you have lived in the woods with your father for so long? You could most certainly have moved if you had wanted to?”
She swallowed. “I could, but I dared not. I have not met many others than my family and our neighbors and then it is my condition. I cannot stay outside in the sunlight, it burns me.”
He touched a lock of hair which had come off her braids, it was as soft as the finest silk and so shiny he could barely believe it. “Is there nothing that can be done about it?”
She shook her head, the compassion in his voice made her feel so weird. She wanted to be strong for him, to tell him that it was alright, that she could cope. “No, my father has tried to find both a cure and remedies to protect me, but to no prevail. I am what I am, forever I guess.”
He heard the sadness in her voice and could catch a glimpse of a tear running down her perfect skin, it made him gasp. “Nireariel, please don’t tell me that someone has been mean to you because of your condition? That would be…heartless!”
She tried not to answer but she felt like she had to. “When I was a child, the other children…they were often cruel, they thought I was a freak”
Thranduil felt how her words made him shiver, how they cut into him. He gently caught her chin with his hand and lifted her face towards his. ”Forget their harsh words my lady, for they bore no truth, only a lack of understanding. You are most definitely not a freak but a gift of Illuvatar himself. Who else could have created something as lovely as you?”
Nireariel felt how her cheeks and ears burned with embarrassment. “You are flattering me my lord, I am not that lovely, just an elleth with a hope of becoming a healer one day.”
He shook his head. “How can you think so little of yourself? Believe me, I have seen a lot and I have never seen anything like you, you are so rare, so precious.”
She was a bit confused by his words, they sounded so sincere and serious, she felt a bit nervous cause she had no idea of what he was thinking and feeling. “I bet you say that to all the ellith”
She tried to joke but he shook his head and his eyes were very serious. “No, I have never said that to anyone my lady, believe me. I have never had a cause to use those words. “
She frowned. “Not even to your wife?”
He cringed, his eyes closed for a second and she could see the pain within him, it made her gasp and her eyes became filled with a warmth unlike anything he ever had seen. It was as if she removed every dark thought, every hurt and sorrow and gave him hope in return. “No, not even to her. I am sure you know that our marriage was far from happy, in fact it was almost like living in a war zone most of the time.”
Nireariel had to giggle and he grinned and felt like he had been blessed somehow by that sound. “I have heard that much yes, but why were you so unhappy together?”
He sighed, there was a couch placed on the balcony and he took her by the hand, sat down with her beside him. “We were both bitter, angry. We hated the fact that we both were being forced into this union and wanted to rebel against it and unfortunately the only one we could use to vent our rage was each other. We were both too stubborn and head strong and too convinced of our own right to follow our own convictions. Neither of us were able to back down, even a tiny bit. That was our undoing I fear.”
Nireariel had to nod. “In the village where I lived there was a couple too who were like that, they were arguing and fighting and they always tried to hurt the other in every possible way. It was painful to watch, you must have suffered a lot.”
He stared at her, she was wise beyond her years. “Well, I was also to blame you know, I could at least have tried to get along with her. The only good thing which came from that marriage was my son and the fact that we managed to raise him was almost a miracle I think. My counsellors feared that I would murder her one day!”
Nireariel looked a bit worried, she bit her lower lip. “And now, where has that rage gone?”
He had to be honest with her, he could not lie for it would be cowardly and unwise. “Into hibernation I think since I do no longer need to protect myself from her vicious tongue and accusations, it is in the past.”
She stared at the moon, it was rising above the trees and it looked so big and bright, she smiled at it, the light shone in her eyes like they were gems and he felt his entire fea shiver with the realization of who she really was. “The past is like a wild animal chasing us ahead towards the future, driving us headlong into possible danger.”
He stared at her again, her words rang in his mind like the wisdom of the Valar themselves. “So what must we do to escape it? This beast that are at our heels?”
She turned towards him, her smile so gentle and soft and her eyes so soft and wise. She could not be just an elleth, she had to be a Valar in disguise, or perhaps the soul of an elf who had lived for a very long time reincarnated into a new hroa. “Turn around and face it, break the spell of what was to be able to see what will be. Only then can we be free”
He gently took her hand and planted a feathery kiss upon it. “My lady, you are as wise as the lady of light herself, are you sure you are of elf kind and not one of the Valar themselves?”
His voice did shiver a bit and she could see that he really thought that she was something out of the ordinary. She blushed once more and felt more aware of his presence than before, and in a whole new way. She was all alone on a balcony in the moonlight with an ellon and not just any ellon. He was after all the king of this realm and his power absolute. She should have been worried and questioned his intentions but she could not. She felt safe there with him, why she did not know. “I am just me my lord, nothing more than that.”
He shook his head. “My lady, you are never just anything, you are more than you believe that you are, so much more!”
She tilted her head, her face strangely naked in the moonlight, her emotions right at the surface of her eyes. “Like what? I am just beginning to learn how to heal, and I have barely seen any place except from my home and this palace. I am like a child lost in the woods, there are so many paths to tread and I do not know which one to choose.”
He was in awe of her ability to express herself, she appeared to be more skilled at this than the most high born of ladies. “For one you are almost poetic and you describe your emotions so well, I admire that.”
She had to look down. “You do?”
He nodded, felt almost eager to learn more about her. “Yes, there are so many who don’t really speak when I am near, they just say something which to me sounds like blabbering. I guess they are so nervous they don’t realize what it really is that they are saying.”
She giggled again and he dared to push himself a little closer to her, put his arm around her shoulder as if to keep her warm. She did not seem to mind and he felt so relieved. “Have you got an example?”
He smiled and relaxed, leaned back towards the back of the couch. “Yes, some years ago I was negotiating a trading deal with some merchants from the coast. The leader was so darn nervous he was stuttering and he just continued to say the same lines over and over again, I bet he didn’t even know it himself. If it had not been rather serious it would have been a bit funny.”
She smiled, he noticed how soft her lips looked, pale pink and inviting and he desperately wanted to kiss her but he knew he couldn’t. He would go too far if he did, he would frighten her or insult her and he didn’t want her to believe that he only was after her body. But he needed her, he knew that now. He needed her like a fish needs water to breathe and he knew that without her he would have no future. She was his one, the other half of him. How could he make her see this without causing her alarm or fear? He would have to ask Astar for permission to court her and he knew that there only was one solution to this and that was marriage. It was almost unheard of among elves to remarry if their spouse died but his marriage had been an arranged one, based on politics and not love. It had not been a true marriage in the eyes of the people and he knew that if he was to wed again it would be out of love.
Would she agree on that? Would she love him? The idea of her not sharing his feelings turned his soul to ice and made him shiver, he had to convince her of his true intentions, of the nature of their bond. “You said you hadn’t seen much of the world?”
She nodded. “No, I haven’t. I cannot travel in daylight and my father could not afford a horse, I have read a lot though and that has kept me occupied but there is so much I would like to see.”
Thranduil made a quick plan. “If you allow me I would be honored to show you more of the area around the palace, there are many beautiful spots with rare and precious species of both herbs and flowers.”
She looked a bit insecure, as if she really didn’t believe what he was saying. “Do you have time for that?”
He nodded eagerly. “Yes, tomorrow night the moon is full, there will be light enough. Have you learned how to ride a horse?”
She shook her head, blushed. Yet another thing everybody took for granted which she could not. “No, I haven’t. “
He petted her hand gently. “Then I will let you sit up with me, I have an old steed steady and calm enough to carry us both. “
She bit her lower lip. “I do not know if my father will allow it, I mean, is it regarded as decent for an elleth to take a ride with an ellon like that?”
He felt a need to roll his eyes. “You think of a chaperone right? I will bring some of my guards, I am sure your father will be satisfied with that. “
She blushed. “Well then so, I would be honored my lord”
He smiled widely and kissed her hand once more, she did notice that there were quite a few elves gathering around the doors now, they were apparently chatting away but in reality they were trying to see what was going on out there. There would be gossip tonight, a lot of it too but somehow she didn’t care. She had enjoyed a most wonderful evening and she was grateful for his attention and kindness towards her. She felt a little exited too, the woods around the palace were so different from the one she was used too and she was dying to see more of it. He got on his feet, he did not want to leave her behind but he knew that he had to, he had spent too much time with her already and he could not just claim that he was being polite, not after this. Everybody would know that he had taken an interest in her and he knew that it would change everything. “Then I will see you by the stables at nightfall tomorrow?”
She nodded. “If my father agrees?”
He tried to look confident and calm. “I will speak to him, do not worry.”
She just nodded and lowered her head and he sent her one last smile before he entered the hall once more. He could see that Astar and Legolas were chatting in a corner and he walked towards the warrior and his son. They were discussing horses and both were rather eager too. They were obviously debating whether or not the breeds of Rohan were the best horses ever and Thranduil had to grin. Astar had forgotten about his worries and looked as if he was really enjoying himself and he had also met quite a few old friends among the guards. He had been updated on the things which had happened there since he left the guard and he was relieved to see that none there regarded him as a cripple in spite of his limp and weakened body. He bowed his head to the king and Thranduil suddenly felt nervous. This was after all Nireariels father and if he wanted to he could put this whole thing to a stop before it even had started. “I have a question. “
Astar nodded. “Yes my lord?”
Thranduil tried to remain relaxed and calm but it was not easy. “I wondered if I have your permission to show your daughter the woods tomorrow night? I assure you she will be perfectly safe, I will bring guards along and we will not venture far from the palace.”
Astar sighed but only to himself, he had seen it coming. But who was he to place obstacles in the path of destiny? If the king wanted to spend more time with his daughter then be it. He nodded slowly. “I give you my permission but remember, she is very precious to me and if I hear just one word from her indicating that something impropriate has been said or done I am warning you, there will be hell to pay, got it?”
Thranduil almost backed away, he understood that Astar was very protective towards his daughter. “I heard you, do not worry.”
Astar just grinned but there was something rather dark within his eyes. Thranduil knew that Astar was as persistent as a badger and that he was the type of ellon to fight to the very end if need be, he was not a person you would want as an enemy. He would have to make sure that he didn’t cross any lines.
The party lasted well into the night and Nireariel went to bed rather early, she had a strange feeling of expectation fluttering around inside of her. Astar went to bed rather late, he had been talking with the captain of the guard and reawakened old memories and it had lifted his spirit a lot to see that the other soldiers there welcomed him as a long lost brother.
Nireariel woke up and had an aching head, she felt rather terrible and had no idea of why since she hadn’t been drinking any wine. It had to be all the stress that finally had gotten the best of her and so she got up, ate some and went to the baths to cool down a little She felt a lot better whence she had bathed and she got on some clean clothes and went to the healing ward ready to start the day’s work. At first she did not notice anything out of the ordinary, she wasn’t so accustomed to the routines yet that she could sense if anything was different than the day before. The healers were busy with their work, there were always someone in need of a little help and they spent much of that morning stitching up the hand of a young ellon who had managed to cut himself rather terribly on a broken wine glass. It wasn’t until after the small lunch break that she noticed something rather weird. It was as if some of the others there feared to look her in the eye, they tried to avoid her. Others on the other hand were obviously being more friendly towards her than before and she started to become more and more confused. She was trying to stack some bandages when the head of the healing ward, Poicano, came walking by and stopped by her. He smiled but the smile was a bit sad. “I guess you have noticed that the others are acting up by now. There are rumors flying everywhere, like bats in a dark cave.”
Nireariel frowned, she swallowed and stared at the old healer. “Rumors?”
The healer nodded. “The king spent much time with you last night, too much time for it to be a coincidence.”
She bit her lower lip. “He was just being kind. “
Poicano shook his head. “You are a very pure soul my friend, and naïve. The king would never spend that much time with an elleth just to be kind! You are stunning Nireariel, so beautiful that none other here can even dream of comparing themselves with you. By now everybody knows that the king has unofficially claimed you, that he wants you to keep him company.”
Nireariel gasped, she had not even considered that thought. “You have got to be kidding me?!”
Poicano shook his head. “I know a lot of ellyn here who would love to make your acquaintance but they fear to do it now, because of him. Everybody is wondering what he means by it, if he really is interested in more than your beauty. “
She had problems breathing and had to lean up against the wall. “This is…this is rather…a bit much!”
He smiled, a very gentle smile. “Do not worry my friend, he is a very honorable person and would never dream of doing anything inappropriate, but mind you that there are ellith here who now are feeling a bit hostile against you. There are a lot of people here who have been playing their own games for years, trying to gain the kings attention and affection. If you were to end up in his bed then be sure that some will dislike it and dislike it a lot. Just so you are warned”
Nireariel felt how she trembled. “I thought he was just friendly, that he pitied me.”
Poicano sighed. “Oh he is friendly towards you, and yes he does pity you but I think I can swear by the Valar themselves that he also has a deep interest in you that has sprung both from his heart and from his loins if you catch my drift?”
Nireariel blushed deeply, she hid her mouth with her hand. “Oh by the Gods, I…I would never…Oh no!”
Poicano turned his head around, saw that there were nobody watching or listening, he leaned towards her and whispered. “Nireariel, I know that you are a very good elleth, that your heart is filled with the purest of light. I have seen it, how your very presence here lifts everyone’s spirit and almost washes away any dark thoughts. The king has lived in darkness for a long time now, and he has suffered. I do strongly believe that you have been placed here by the Valar, to save his soul from fading. Please, find it in your heart to help him, in any way possible. You would be doing both him and the entire realm a great favor. “
She could not meet his gaze, had to look down. “But...if you are right and he…fancies me, I cannot…I am a pure maiden, I can’t just let him…you know?!”’
Poicano signed and petted her shoulder. “Nobody would ask you to go that far, you must always think of your reputation my dear. All that is needed is that you are there for him, be his friend, the one he knows he can trust. That is all I ask of you Nireariel, I have watched him slowly dig his own grave and although he is an excellent leader and king his fea is weakening. I know you are strong, so please, lend him some of that strength.”
She swallowed hard. “I shall see what I can do. “
Poicano petted her hand in a fatherly manner. “That is excellent mellon nin, show him that there is yet joy in this world, help him forget his worries. “
He nodded and left and Nireariel was left leaning back against the wall with a heap of bandages in her arms. He liked her? That was in fact something she liked to hear but did he desire her? That was something all-together different and she had to close her eyes and calm down. The very idea of the king wanting her in a more carnal way made her heart bounce, both with a strange excitement and fear. Oh Poicano was right, if he really was interested in her as a lover more than a friend then she would get enemies, lots of them. She wasn’t dumb and she knew that the court was almost a sort of battleground where everybody fought for a place closer to the king. If she suddenly became his favorite she would have to play her cards well to avoid problems. She thought of just turning her back to him and telling him that he should stay away from her but she found that she couldn’t. She knew that Poicano was right, she could do him a great favor, and help everybody else there at the same time. She had to proceed and perhaps the Valar really had something to do with this. She could just pray that they were protecting her and standing by her.
That evening she laid down to rest a little before she was to meet him by the stables and she found that sleep was impossible to find. She remembered the evening they had shared, his words, his kindness and she knew that it had been genuine.
But the thought of what else he might feel made her uneasy, she had no experience with ellyn and the things she did know about such matters were strictly biological. After all, she wanted to be a healer so she did know all she had to know about the birds and the bees so to speak. What she didn’t know anything about was her own feelings, and how to handle them. And she had no idea of what to do if he did make an attempt to be alone with her. She didn’t want to be impolite and she did not want to disappoint him neither. But she did absolutely not want their relationship to move ahead too fast or move into dangerous waters. The idea of him wanting to lay with her made her shiver to the bone, she could not give him that, not without ruining her own future. She had to keep him at bay if he started to show that kind of interest in her. She was just nobody, and as his mistress she would be just a whore, nothing more than that. She could be his friend and perhaps even love him with all of her heart but she could never let him have her body. If she did she would betray her father’s trust and name and also her own. She closed her eyes and sighed once more. Life had suddenly become very complicated in deed.
- 4
- 5
- 6
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Hearts of fire, souls of ice