The two captains walked around the halls of the palace, no longer caring who saw them. Everyone already had put two and two together and somewhat approved of their relationship. Some of the ellith though, was not very fond of the idea and would often throw glances at Lindethiel.

She paid them no mind. She could care less about what they thought about her. She was determined to live as she pleased and nothing was going to change her mind...or so she thought. Falsdir was talking but she couldn't hear him. The voice in her head kept repeating what she heard from the old guards and maids. Was Falasdir part of it somehow? He couldn't be. Maybe they meant the old captain. It was many years ago...but still.

"...don't you think?"

It took her a moment before she could process that he had just asked her a question. She turns to him and down to their clasped hands. When had that happened?

"Sure," she decides to answer before slowly prying her hands away. "Sorry, I just remembered something Mantheniel had asked me to check into. Her pregnancy is probably making her slightly paranoid."

There was evident hurt and confusion in his eyes, but Lindethiel knew he would not argue. He was always like that. His respect for her and her need for privacy has gone a long way. He nods, as if he understands.

"I suppose so," he says before smiling the briefest smiles. Lindethiel knew she had upset him and should try to apologize and explain, but for now, she needed a moment to think. Away from one of the reasons she had purposely extended her stay in the kingdom. Mantheniel was going to give birth soon and her pretense that she had stayed only for that was becoming a lie. She gives him what she hoped was a reassuring smile before just going and kissing him on the cheek. This surprises him.

"I'll see you at supper," she says and quickly dashes off, leaving him confused but at least slightly relieved.

---

Falasdir walked through the training grounds keeping an eye on the new recruits despite them not being under his responsibility anymore. It always helped to clear his mind, seeing young elves training with such determination for their kingdom. He wondered if all of them had always dreamed of serving this way, or perhaps they had been forced too. He sighs, leaning on the many pillars that made up most of the windows and entraces of the training grounds. He had a clear view of it all, and watched as soldiers trained with swords and bows. Each focused on their task.

He knew it was bad but he kind of missed the whole thrill of having something to hunt. To fight. To train and wake up for. Of course, those dark days have been over for a while now and perhaps he should not wish for them to be back.

The kingdom was at peace, but was he? He shook his head at the thought. Of course he was. He was in Mirkwood. Far from the place he had run from. He was one of the King and Queens closest friend. He also had Lindethiel. The thought of her now made him grow worried. She was definitely hiding something but perhaps he should not be overthinking. When they had agreed to whatever this relationship was, she had made him promise not to ask questions and that she would, in her own time, talk to him if there was any talking needed. Of course it seemed a foolish condition but he had been too happy then that he would have agreed to anything. To say he liked her was underrated.

But perhaps there was nothing to talk about. Nothing at all and he was just being worried for nothing. He proceeded to his quarters, for there was nothing more to do than wait until supper. When he entered his room he had a sudden urge to open the mere belongings he had come with when he had moved to Mirkwood. Had he not been stripped off his title, he and Thranduil would probably have a different relationship. He chuckled softly before taking out a small ornate chest he had kept under his drawers. It was wood, and its lock was made of copper shaped like a lion head. Half of the lions face had been smashed out because of what happened years ago, so the lock was pretty useless. Still, Falasdir had kept it.

He opened the box and found all the things still neatly packed inside. First was a necklace. His sister had owned it. All the females in their family had owned one. She had given it to him when she decided to do what she had done and left this kingdom. The thought of her still makes him sad for he knew she was driven to do those things. And he could not prevent it from happening.

He took the necklace out and set it aside. Next was a letter. The last letter he got from their mother. The paper was brown with old age and smelled too much of wood. He opened it and his mothers familiar cursive stares back at him. She had written to him not far after the wedding of his sister and Thranduil. Something about it had already felt odd but Falasdir was too busy being someone else to see what was happening. She had never sent him another letter after that and it took him months to find out why. He places the letter beside the necklace. The two things he treasures from his family. Under the letter was a small carved piece of marble. It had a greenish color but when hit by the light, it became almost blue. He picked it up, weighing it in his palm. It, too, had a lions head carved on it. It stared at him now and he wondered why he had even bothered to keep it. Inheritance. That was what they called this small piece of carved marble.

It was a symbol of who he was. If he had not given up their kingdom to stay with the known enemy. He could almost laugh then, how his father had pit him against Thranduil. By then, Falasdir was already too aware of what was going on in their kingdom to know which side he should be in.

He sighed, running a thumb across the base of the marble before a knock on his door made him drop it. It rolls on the ground and under the bed. He curses but proceeds to open the door first to find Lindethiel staring at him with an eyebrow raised.

"It's not like you to stay indoors on such a fine day?" She teases as he leans on the door frame, the smile on his lips effortless.

"I had nothing better to do," he says as she looks over his shoulder, noticing the box on the bed.

"So you decide to come to your room and open little trinket boxes?"

"That is no mere trinket box-" he explains but she shakes her head, hed smile contagious.

"That is no task for a captain," she says and grabs his hand before he could respond. She pulls him with her as he manages to close the door behind him. He would have to clean it up later. For now, Lindethiel was in a good mood and so was he. He should get used to her constant mood swings, but somehow it was her unpredictability that got his attention anyway.

They dashed down the halls, scaring some of the elven maids who still looked at Lindethiel like they could not believe what she was doing. Or who she was holding. Falasdir gave them all soft smiles, enough to lessen their irritability towards the 'brazen' woman in front of him. She always made life interesting.

They reached the open courtyard where some of the merchants and visitors from around their borders have set up their tents for they will stay the night before travelling. Thranduil had allowed this since Mantheniel had gotten pregnant. His need to protect seemd to magnify and he wanted to make sure no one would travel at night. It is simply not a risk he would like to take.

They walked through the small camp. The air was filled with laughter or all kinds of races. Men, dwarves and even elves.

"Where are we going?" He finally asked her. She was leading him still, not saying a word but throws him a well known look of hers. He kept quiet after that.

They stopped at a small tent by the far back and Falasdir was surprised to see the queen there. No guards posted or following her. What was she doing here? In front of the queen stood a woman whoss hood covered the view of her face from him. He bows towards the queen.

"I brought him," Lindethiel says, smiling like she had fun dragging him here without giving him a clue to what it was about. Mantheniel beams at the sight of him as she gestures for him to step closer. Falasdir stares at the stranger before his queen, who still kept her face hidden.

"How may I be of service, my queen?" He asks, bowing slightly much to Mantheniel scowl. Mantheniel shakes her head and reaches out a hand towards him, which he accepts without question.

"This is him," Mantheniel says. "The Godfather of the child. Perhaps you can read his fortune as well." This time, Falsdir scowls. This woman was a fortune teller? A scammer more like.

"Really, Mantheniel there is no-" he begins before the woman slowly lifts her hood and Falasdir had a moment of pause seeing as this woman was blind.

"Oh come on," Mantheniel insists, placing his hand on top of the blind womans. Lindethiel watches from the corner, her expression unreadable.

"It is quite fun and I want to know if you will be a good Godfather to our daughter," she says happily. Something about it didn't sit well with him but he had no choice but to do what the queen asks of him so he stood perfectly straight and waited for his fortune to be told.

The blind woman was silent, her fingers tracing his hand like she was reading right off from it. Then she spoke, her voice too raspy and dry for someone who looked as young as her.

"Yes, he would be a good Godfather, in fact your daughter will lean on to him for most of the duration of her teenage life," she starts. "She will see him as one of the pillars that carry this kingdom. Along with you, your husband and your son, the prince."

Then she pauses, a wrinkle in her forehead before her head snaps to the side like she had just heard something.

"The blood of your family has been tainted," she begins again. "If you do not claim what you were destined to be, the life you have left behind will crumble and all those who wait for you will die. What you were born to be you cannot run from, my lord."

Falasdir pulls his hands away from her, afraid he might actually be shaking. He clasped his hands behind him as he stared at the blind woman before him as she said, "A lion does not back down from a fight to rule a land he wishes to be his."

He bowed then as he looked back at Mantheniel who was obviously surprised but stared at him with confusion. He cannot blame her, for she has no idea what the fortune teller had meant. At least she did not know all of it. He turned to find Lindethiel gone. Only an empty space is left where she had stood. And somehow that bothered him the most.

--

Falasdir escorted the queen back to the palace where she was, no doubt, being hunted down by her own husband. They found Thranduil near the doors that lead to the dining area, scolding the maids and asking them where his wife was and that they should be more mindful for their queen was carrying the princess. He still had his bouts of anger making the younger staff members of the kingdom jump in his presence. The older ones though, merely look at him with respect and amusement.

"Oh hush your scolding I am right here," Mantheniel says as Thranduil turned to her. Relief washed over his face as he saw that Mantheniel was in act being escorted.

"You were not at the table," he tells her now as they both enter the dining area, followed by Falasdir. Somehow, today was full of surprises. Legolas was seated on his chair a wooden toy in his hand. He stands as the king and queen enter who look at him with matching expressions of surprise. Legolas rubs the back of his head sheepishly.

"I heard it was dinner time and I had wanted to eat with you tonight," he says and Mantheniel practically beams with delight. Making Falasdir forget what had happened earlier before. He was busy watching Mantheniel excitedly tell Legolas what he should eat first he had not realized Thranduil was standing too close to him.

"A letter has arrived," the king proceeded to say, his eyes trained on his wife. Falasdir kept his expression as stoic. "Your father has gone missing."

Falasdir fists turn cold at his sides. His nails practically digging through the flesh.

"I did not read it, but had it delivered to your room," the king says now, his voice betraying his emotion. Of course he would care about Falasdir. Thranduil was also the only one who knew. Who understood. Falasdir gives him a brief nod before excusing himself.

Today was definitely not one of the boring days.