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A liaison in the Great Greenwood	By : Azukiel Category: +Third Age > Het - Male/Female Views: 7953 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any copyright to the Tolkien/ Middle-Earth fandom, nor to any of his canon characters or languages. I do not make any money from this fanfiction. Original characters however, are my property.

Chapter List
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The room was dark when she entered, noticing that all of the curtains and shutters had been hastily closed. Scrolls, books and vials lay strewn on the marble floor; a small mahogany table had been toppled over in a rage. Looking about the room Gwendalyn saw the silhouette of her lady curled up on the bed, sobbing into her pillows. Gwendalyn stood but a short distance away and watched her sympathetically, knowing that her poor lady’s heart was so grievously burdened. Approaching cautiously she placed a gentle hand on Adlanniel’s arm.
      Adlanniel looked up at Gwendalyn with her swollen eyes, her expression pleading for an escape from the pain.
      Gwendalyn knew then that what had happened to her lady was not what she had expected at all. “What has happened, hiril vuin?” She asked gently.
      “Thranduil…” Her voice choked. “He was so horribly cruel…He said that I disgust him…”
      “Surely he did not mean it,” Said Gwendalyn, surprised.
      “He did!” Adlanniel began to bawl against her handmaiden’s arm. “What have I done to deserve being constantly treated like this? Like I am some plaything being disposed of?”
      “Perhaps he is trying to push you away again, using the same tactic he did the last time to make distance between you.” Gwendalyn offered as an explanation.
      “And yet he knows what had happened the last time…” Adlanniel muttered. “He knows it did not work and only sought to make things worse.”
      Gwendalyn sighed and tried to think of some other form of explanation. “I do not know, hiril vuin,” She said honestly. “I can only guess that it is a wall he builds up around himself to hide from his accountability.”
      “That is exactly what he is doing!” Adlanniel spat in anger. “Hiding behind his wall like a coward.”
      “I do not think it is because he is a coward…” Gwendalyn began cautiously. “But he fears the future outcome, he fears for both you and the prince getting inevitably stung by the thorns that this mess has created. And yet,” She continued. “This mess cannot be resolved without the light of the truth to shine upon it. He knows that, surely. As I am sure that he knows how hurt and angry the prince will be. I do not think that Aran Thranduil cares about how the prince will react towards him. I think Aran Thranduil is more concerned with the prince’s reaction towards you, and he fears that both you and he will still need each other even after the prince returns. I think that is his greatest fear actually. I think that he fears that no matter how far away the both of you are, you will both always need each other, like the weed that will not perish.”
       “That is the truth of it.” Adlanniel sobbed. “He could send me to the Halls of Mandos and I would still need his touch, and I fear as you said that when the prince returns I shall still want him.”
       “Aran Thranduil would never send you to the Halls of Mandos.” Gwendalyn looked saddened.
      “No, but I feel that he has sent my soul there.” Adlanniel averted her gaze. “To forever dwell in this sorrow. After what we have done we will be judged harshly by Mandos and will never be allowed to leave his halls.”
      “Do not say such things!” Gwendalyn said strongly, tears now flowing down her soft cheeks. “Mandos is true and fair, he will understand the situation greater than anyone on this plain and will judge accordingly. But the heavens forbid that either of you go ever there!”

      Adlanniel looked up at the younger elleth, studying the sadness in her face that she had caused the poor girl. She felt terribly guilty for Gwendalyn having stumbled into the fray and having fallen victim to its talons.
    “Forgive me, Gwendalyn, for you having become involved with this whole catastrophe.”
      “Well it is I who stumbled upon you, that was not your fault.”
      “Oh but it is! We should not have been so brash as to join in the stables where we could be, and obviously were, found out.”
      Gwendalyn averted her gaze then. “It would not have been the first time…” She mutters.
      “What do you mean?” Adlanniel’s face paled as she stared in shock at her handmaiden.
      “Not with Aran Thranduil, hiril vuin….but with you and the prince. When I have come to attend to you in the mornings or the evenings and you have both been...preoccupied.”
      Adlanniel flushed bright crimson, words escaping her.
      “I have always knocked…” Gwendalyn continued, “But as there was never an answer I thought it safe to enter as I assumed you would still be sleeping as sometimes you are. I do apologise hiril vuin, it were only a few times.”
      “Well I hope you disregarded what you saw.”Adlanniel narrowed her gaze.
      “I tried…” Gwendalyn replied meekly.
      “Tried?” Adlanniel rose an eyebrow before sighing. “As my handmaiden, you are always coming and going from my chambers. It was bound to happen eventually I guess.”
      The younger elleth blushed. “It was sweet and beautiful and full of passion and love, things that I’ve always hoped to have.” She blurted out before quickly covering her mouth, her eyes wide with embarrassment.
       “You lingered?” Adlanniel asked, trying not to laugh now in embarrassment.
       “I tried not to…” Gwendalyn admitted. “But I was intrigued.”
       “I think more than intrigued.” Adlanniel teased, trying to be more lighthearted despite the situation.
      “Regardless,” Gwendalyn began nervously. “Between you and Prince Legolas was a distinct and unmistakable love. But with the king, it was merely lust and nothing more.”
    “And you know the difference between lust and love now do you?” Adlanniel hissed bitterly.
      Gwendalyn’s eyes revealed the hurt within them then. “I understand more than what you give me credit for.” She murmured.
      Adlanniel’s expression soften and became contrite. “I know you do my dear friend, and I am sorry. I should not have said that. I guess that I am just jealous that your love with Melethril is untainted and pure, and mine is so marred due to my own design and greed.”
      “Well we are going to untangle this web, hiril vuin. Slowly, but surely. There will be a lot of heartache and anger along the way, but in the end all will be healed.”
      “I hope so…”
      “Even Queen Silveth said that only with the truth can the light return.”
      Adlanniel nodded sadly. “You are right, as was she.”

      “Now,” Gwendalyn began, trying to sound more lighthearted. “Shall I fix you a bath and something to eat?” She went over to the curtains and began to open them, streams of purple light filtering in.
      “Perhaps later, my friend. I would actually like to be alone to think a while.”
    Gwendalyn looked to her lady for a long while before nodding. “As long as you do not close these curtains again.”
      “I won’t.” Adlanniel assured.
      “Very well, I will leave you. But if you need me, you know where I am. I will always be at hand.”
      “And I thank you for always being there for me Gwendalyn. You are a true gift as a friend.”
      Gwendalyn smiled and gave a nod of appreciation. “As are you, hiril vuin.” And with that she made her leave.

      As Adlanniel once more sat upon her bed, her mind began to drift into thought; clouded thoughts of what were and what possibly could come to be.
    Though by cruel fate, Gwendalyn now knew of their dark and wanton affair. Though she had vowed to protect their secret and had promised to help her lady untangle the mess, Adlanniel could not help but wonder what the younger elleth truly felt. Perhaps Gwendalyn felt disgusted by the whole situation, and only alleged to be supportive in order to save face. Even if that were not the case, would she be able to keep up the ruse of not knowing? Would she be able to keep hiding it or would one day it get too burdensome for her as well? Adlanniel fretted then about whether or not Gwendalyn would tell someone - most notably Melethril. Yet perhaps she were simply thinking too much upon it. Her and Gwendalyn were like sisters, they could trust one another indefinitely. Nevertheless, what if rumors did spread and Legolas were to find out from such rumors? He would surely be even more aggrieved than if she were to tell him directly. Either way, he would suffer for their discretion. ‘Poor Gwendalyn…’ Adlanniel wept, wiping her eyes with her sleeves. She felt such a guilt that her beloved friend had mistakingly fallen into the web. She then wondered about her family back in the valley; what would they think if they were to find out? How could she possibly face their inevitable scorn?

    Suddenly the loud blast of a horn resonated through the palace, signifying an unexpected arrival. Adlanniel perked up for the horn was familiar. It sounded once again and for certain she knew. Her heart began to race with anticipation as she gathered herself and rushed out of her room to go to the palace’s main courtyard to meet the visitor. All previous worries seemed to breeze away with the wind that swept through her hair as she ran through the marble corridors. Yet her chambers were far from the main courtyard, and due to her pregnancy she was rendered utterly spent by the time she reached it. Alas the courtyard was already beginning to empty once she arrived, and the guest was no where to be seen. Though she knew that they would be with the king and so, despite her own sentiments, she went to seek him out once more.
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A liaison in the Great Greenwood