You woke the next morning, a smile on your face and your lips still tingling from every kiss you'd shared with Thranduil after the feast. After the first kiss, the two of you stayed in the empty garden, dancing to the music that carried from the feast and sneaking more kisses. Thranduil had completely shed the aloof exterior he wore around everyone else. He was vibrant, happy and caring. When the sun began to rise, you parted from one another reluctantly. You fell asleep the instant your head hit the pillow, not even imagining what was happening in your little village just outside the forest.

Calilmal's POV

Finally, Calilmal broke through the trees. He ran the rest of the way to the village and went in search of his brother. He found him drinking alone in the tavern. "Well, if it isn't my traitor brother. The one who stole the woman I loved from me. Ran away with her. What brings you here?" he hiccupped and Calilmal could tell he was drunk. "Cellyn, please. Y/N needs you!" Cellyn laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Why should she need me when she has you?" he spat.

Calilmal sighed and tried to get Cellyn to see reason. "Cellyn, I did not steal Y/N. She is my friend nothing more. She's been taken prisoner by the Elvenking and she needs to be rescued!" Cellyn immediately sobered up. "You were in the forest? Why wasn't she with you?!" he cried as he grabbed his brother by the collar and dragged him from the tavern. "She was!" Calilmal quickly explained what happened after the two of you left the village all those weeks before. When he finished, Cellyn sighed and asked, "So you really were not trying to take Y/N from me?"

Calilmal groaned loudly. "That is what you drew from everything I just told you? No, I do not fancy Y/N that way, in fact, I do not fancy ANY woman that way! Now stop yelling at me and go rescue her!" Cellyn let go of Calilmal and took a deep breath. It was still early in the day, he could get to you by nightfall if he left now. Calilmal watched the gears turning in his brother's head. "Go to Genyc and inform him about what has happened and that I am going after his daughter." Calilmal nodded and did what he was told, hoping that Cellyn could get to you before you got hurt.

Your POV

You were in the throne room, sharing the book you found in the library that day with Thranduil. Elebridith was in the corner, watching with a smile on her face. In the space of a day, things in the palace had already began changing. Thranduil was not as quick to anger, so his people were happier. You were laughing at something he said when you heard the commotion. One of the guards burst in, a frantic look on his face. He shouted something in Elvish, causing Thranduil to bolt up from his throne and gently push you behind him.

The guard fell forward a moment later, his blood pooling on the floor of the throne room. You looked over Thranduil's shoulder and saw the cause. "Cellyn? What are you doing here?" you asked, gripping onto Thranduil's arm. There was Cellyn holding a bow, arrow knocked. He had somehow managed to sneak in. "I have come to rescue you," he said, triumphantly. You sidestepped so you were no longer hidden behind Thranduil. "Rescue me? I do not need to be rescued. I am happy here," you told him.

Cellyn looked between you and the Elvenking and scoffed. "You cannot possibly be happy with this monster." You crossed your arms over your chest in anger. "He is no monster, Cellyn! He is a kind and compassionate ruler who only wants what is best for his own people!" You were determined to defend Thranduil with everything you had. You glanced up at him and he smiled down at you. You looked back at Cellyn just as he moved to aim his arrow at Thranduil.

"What spell do you have her under, you beast?!" he cried, his voice nearly rising an octave. You fought the urge to roll your eyes and opened your mouth to speak, but Thranduil beat you to it," Y/N is under no spell. She chose to stay in her friend's place and she chooses to stay now. I gave her the opportunity to leave and she refused. Perhaps it is you she cannot be happy with." His voice was even and smooth and you could see Cellyn's face contorting in anger.

You knew Cellyn's temper, so it came of no surprise when the man let out an inhuman scream and loosed the arrow that was aimed straight at Thranduil. Without thinking, you jumped in front of Thranduil just as the arrow hit. You felt the tip pierce your stomach and you cried out in pain. Cellyn's face was a mask of shock as you fell backward in Thranduil's arms. By this time, the rest of the elven guard had entered the room. "Take him to the dungeons and let him rot there!" Thranduil screamed, cradling you in his arms.

As soon as the throne room was clear again, Thranduil scooped you up and began the trek to the healing chambers, whispering soothing words to you the whole way. "Please, you cannot die, Melamin. I need you," he whispered so only you would hear. Your breaths were coming out in gasps but you panted out, "Amin mela lle, Thranduil." As soon as the words were out of your mouth, you closed your eyes, falling asleep from blood loss.

Thranduil's POV

Thranduil raced to the healers as quickly as possible with you in his arms. He laid you down and went to work healing you himself. He would not let anyone else near you. He wanted, no he needed to be the one to heal you so when you woke, he could respond to the last thing you said to him. He had to. He had to tell you that you had awoken feelings in him he'd only felt once before, when he was a young elf. He needed to tell you that he loved you too. He could never live with himself if you died before he could tell you.

Thranduil worked all night, barring everyone else from the room. It was just after dawn when the king had done all he could do. Now, it was up to you whether you woke or not. Thranduil stayed vigilantly by your side for weeks until you finally opened your eyes. Unlike the last time, this time when your eyes opened and met his, you smiled. "I thought you lost to me," Thranduil whispered, grabbing your hand with both of his." You chuckled dryly and replied, "Well that would never do." He squeezed your hands tighter before leaning in to kiss your cheek and whisper, " Amin mela lle, Y/N." You smiled again and answered, "I love you too, my king."

*Melamin = my love

*Amin mela lle = I love you