A/N Ya'll asked for a Kiss! So how about that night at the dance? XD

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The crowds.

The sea of perplexed faces; some clearly delighted, others scandalised, most seemingly merry - chalking the scene up to a good nights entertainment. It was good entertainment, and for the most part enjoyable. I never consciously intend on causing a scene...I just do. I see no point in hiding behind the fame my title brings. The people will talk regardless of how a royal behaves, and if they intend on talking I may at least give them something worth talking about. Valar knows what has been said in the past - both good and bad. I can already hear the voices on the air;

"Who is the elleth?" One asks.

"A servant girl I think...my sister tells me she literally appeared overnight in the King's court," his friend replies.

"Ack, it's just another maid the prince has taken a fancy too," another interjects, and I squirm uncomfortably.

"Maybe more than a fancy," the first chuckles again, "Did you see how they danced? I'd wager there is more between them than meets the eye."

"Strange little thing," the friend muses. "Young I'd imagine, not courtly, and certainly not usually befitting of his lordship's finicky tastes."

"Ah now," the first muses dreamily; "maybe his highness has learned beauty is fleeting and there is more substance to the common folk than these airy floozies, that pomp around in ridiculous dresses, with no earthly use to us."

"Or maybe the Prince has lost appeal to his peers, and his only hope is desperately throwing himself at a common maid!" The last, and obviously most cynical scoffs. "I mean look at him? And with his past he hasn't a hope! That elleth is either foolish and knows nothing of our Prince, or she is smart enough to seize an opportunity to better herself."

"Either way, good luck to her," the mutual friend sniggers; "I wouldn't entertain his highness for all the treasure in his vaults!"

The group of not so quiet elves erupt into fits of obnoxious laughter...much to my displeasure. My jaw twitches, and I automatically turn away from the fire pit. My eyes do not leave the path Clara took after Aradan, and I'm not overly concerned about his bruised ego - in fact I'm feeling rather smug. I consider ignoring the group of misinformed squires - after all what bearing do their opinions have on me - but I just can't leave things alone.

I make to cut an indirect path so as I pass by the sniggering idiots. It looks like I am simply taking a long awkward route after Clara, and for a few moments the youthful guards are blissfully unaware of my knowledge of their conversation. That is until I pause my step when I brush past them, and I'm amused when they all flounder and cough. Each of them bow deeply, and mumble their respects, so I reward them with a slight incline of my head and half-hearted attempt at looking them in the eye. I'm in no mood to terrify them, as much as I could, I find it cowardly to give mere elflings nightmares;

"Beautiful night is it not?" I muse aloud, and hold each of the three young ellyn in an appraising stare. I suppress a smirk at their confusion and continue my assessment; "The air is so quiet, you can just about hear every conversation on the breeze."

Each of their stupid mouths hang open in a mixture of horror and realisation, and I roll my eyes before tutting quietly. Really? How could they not know their voices carried? Youth - honestly it's a miracle that they even made it into the guard in the first place. I shall have to have a word with the accessors about tightening up training, these three will get themselves shot with their 'whispering'.

"I believe the armoury needs a good cleansing," I start casually and watch their faces fall. "It's an absolute disgrace, everything is disorganised, and the weapons need tending and catalogued. I expect you three to present yourselves there before first light, and do not be late...or nursing sore heads. Is that understood?"

"Yes my lord," the most cynical of the three hisses out, and scowls furiously at the ground. Whilst his friends nod vigorously in agreement, but shoot their opinionated friend unhappy daggers.

"Good," I snap and stride off but not before pausing and adding; "Excuse me while I go desperately throw myself at servant girls."

There is a great deal of mewing apologies and snivelling, but I just carry on my way. I have not the patience for gossiping commoners, and in fairness I cannot blame them. My colourful past does not exactly paint them a promising picture. So, I suppose I shall just have to shock them some more by not being so predictable. I also console myself with the knowledge that they shall not have much time to gossip whilst cleaning the armoury - it really is a disaster.

I admittedly skulk after Clara and my, probably rather peeved, friend. Well he has no one to blame but himself. Aradan should know better than to attempt to steal something of mine. Yet, I still slink guiltily through the shadows - I did after all hijack his evening. I would not blame him if he took a swing at me, and because I would rather not have to explain a black eye to my already suspicious father, I actively avoid crossing Aradan's path.

It's not the first time either of us has made a sport out of chasing an elleth. In our youth it was done the thing - who could win the affections of a fair maiden's heart first. It was a game solely built to feed our young egos. I would say I excelled at it, but truthfully I knew it was because I was a Prince. If a young common elleth was given the option of arriving to a banquet on my arm, as my honoured guest, over Aradan's, I can say with certainty she would pick me. Most ellith enjoy being fawned over, most love the luxury and the attention, most appreciate the elegance and the lure of entitlement...but Clara is not one of them.

I doubt it matters to her who she mingles with, so long as they show her respect. I reckon she cannot tell the difference between finely made gowns and poor substitutes, just as long as she feels confident in them. I know jewels and wealth are not a priority to her, for she seems utterly joyous with her meagre lot. She is not concerned with appearance, and puts stock in rolling around in the dirt with a child than preening her hair.

There is nothing I have in my possession that would interest her. What she wants is not physical, for I imagine the very same elleth would stubbornly go without, than accept my aid. I sense, and maybe I'm just foolishly hoping, but I sense that what she wants is not that different from what I want. I crave the peace of a family, and the love of a true mate, one that does not care if I'm a Prince or Pauper. Just another soul that I can run to, and find comfort in, and maybe even strength. I've been alone for so long that I have forgotten what it is like to be able to turn to someone dear to me for solace. Yet I find myself turning to Clara, looking for approval or encouragement. Maybe it is the insecurities from these scars, or maybe it's how she makes me feel good about myself, that has me chasing after her opinions like they are the only ones that matter. Either way it's her I want, and now I think she is willing to let me catch her. Or maybe it's the other way around? Although being 'caught' implies a level of resistance...I could not resist her even if wanted to. I would happily hand myself over to her in chains...I am a fool...but I do not care.

I loiter under the shadow of a pillar, barely listening to the apologetic exchange between Aradan and she. My heart beats too loudly in my own ears to allow me to hear anything else. My mind races ahead of me, elaborately painting a desired picture in my head. One in which I boldly swoop in and brazenly kiss her, with no hint of shame or shyness. My body, on the other hand, has quite forgotten how to work. My palms are clammy, my chest burns, my mouth suddenly dries up, and with it all coherent words flitter from my mind...I cannot do this.

Coward!

I can do this...maybe I should wait? She is distracted...it's maybe not a good time.

COWARD!

Fine...well for the love of the Valar would you think of something to say...anything...anything at all Thranduil...any coherent words-

"How much trouble are you in?"

THAT is your grand romantic opening? Well great, now you have just added to her guilt - guilt which you caused! Oh Eru how do you salvage this?

"Heaps and heaps."

Oh good grief she answered, and she is laughing. A little grimly of course, but you are not in trouble. Fix this...fix it now...

"I can hit him for you if you want, threaten him a little?"

Bravo...you idiot!

"No it is quite alright," she replies breezily and turns her knowing stare on me. "I think though he might hit you."

"Yes well I probably deserve that,"

No I do not - he started it! Stop stalling and seize the opportunity, you are not going to get another one.

"We both do," She sighs regrettably and shakes her messy golden curls, making my heart lurch for her unnecessary guilt. She absently bites her lip in indecision, and I shiver as I imagine doing the same - biting that full bottom lip - I nearly groan in anticipation. Valar help me! I cannot think of anything else.

"You do realise we are playing with fire here?" She questions me, her voice concerned and uneasy. I automatically snap back my attention, her worry is unnecessary, I am well aware of what I am doing and I do not regret it.

"I know," I murmur quietly and step closer - so close now I can feel the heat of her body as it trembles at my approach - yet like before she does not run; "But I do not see it that way."

"How do you see it?" Her question is barely audible, her nervousness apparent, but it gives me courage to know she struggles just as much as I.

"I see this as a gift, a second chance, and you?"

Now...do it now...are you incompetent? Show her what she means to you!

Her eyes are wide, huge grey saucers, that are actually quite comical to perceive. She is so young...how young? Is this wrong? Are they right...am I taking advantage of an impressionable girl?

Not so impressionable, she has no problem putting you in your place...she is waiting, and you are dithering...kiss her!

Involuntarily, or perhaps instinctually, my hand sweeps the loose strands of her soft hair from her face. Her eyes close, her spidery eyelashes  fluttering invitingly, and her lips part ever so seductively. That familiar twist intensifies in the pit of my stomach, and I reach for her. 

For a moment I cradle her cheek, and feel her fea pulse with its powerful light. It feels like looking into the sun for a moment too long,  like she blinds and burns me...only it is not entirely unpleasant. No, it is far from unpleasant, it's intoxicating! I find that once I become accustomed to the young vibrancy of her spirit it isn't so distracting, and I can make sense of her...and when I feel her fea unconsciously pull towards mine, I find that courage I was desperately seeking only moments before. So when her eyes open again, I am certain of my reaction;

"I should have let this happen that day in the woods," I murmur, my lips not a hairs breadth from hers, and I am entirely fixated on them, "but then I was not sure what you really wanted, I still cannot be certain?"

It seems like the easiest thing in the world to graze my lips with hers...so very simple. She freezes, as I expected, but I feel her fea excitedly roam around the edges of mine...I know she wants this, she just seems oblivious to her own spirit, but I forget she is healing just as much as I am. So, I playfully nudge her nose with mine, in the hope she feels my desire too. It does the trick, and in the passing of the briefest moment her lips form around mine...and it is more than I could have imagined.

I barely contain my deliriously triumphant grin when she pulls away and giggles. Such a sweet feminine sound, her cheeks flushed in her excitement, and her body still trembling nervously...I wish to still it, to feel it against mine. I cannot discipline myself, as I reach for her again. Only this time I want more...I want so much more.

Pulling her against me, I fearlessly take command again, surprising myself at my forwardness. Her lips are gentle, and warm against my scarred and misshapen mouth. Her body is full and  soft, there is no power behind her slender arms nor any hardness about her. Those gossipers were not wrong, she is the farthest thing from what I am used to sampling. She is no athletic and demanding elleth - no, she is so much better than that. Her touch is caring, her embrace comforting, the deep curves of her body are more feminine than I am accustomed to. She is just an elleth, just a shapely little maiden...and it is driving me to distraction!

I have to will my hands not to stray, to not get carried away in my excitement. So instead I wrestle with my strength. I could overpower her easily...that is until she reminds me who is truly in control. 

Her hand clasps my face and I feel the heat of it burn through the deadness of the faux flesh. Suddenly she is just as bold and confident as I had been seconds earlier. I practically gasp when her tongue slides across my marred lip, parting it expertly...I can barely contain myself. I gather her closer, deepening the kiss as she has commanded, and let go.

I give in, to every want and need I have wrestled over since she appeared in my life. Her spirit glows brightly and I get lost in the comfort of its healing threads of light. I forget decorum, I forget the time or the place, I forget about all the little insignificant worries that have stopped me from doing this sooner. For once, in what feels like an eternity in the dark, I don't feel lost or uncertain. This feels right, this feels like it should...like love...or at least the beginnings of something deep rooted and defining.

"You cannot know how long I have waited for this," I sigh breathlessly, as I end our passionate embrace and lean against her for support. "I was just too much of a coward."

"I agree with you," she gasps and giggles, drawing another kiss from me, which I give without hesitation, for she honestly commands me. "You are a coward."

I frown at her assessment of my failings, but it is only in jest and she knows it. Drawn in by her bright eyes, and the teasing in her voice, I push the very limits of my own control. She will learn there are consequences to her actions, that I do not back down from a challenge.

My eyes flit to the exposed skin of her chest, and the delicate bone that protrudes invitingly at her neck. Ducking down I kiss it lightly, suppressing a smirk at the sudden acceleration of heart...it is beating almost as fast as mine. Steadily I peel back the fabric of her collar, and kiss a line up her neck and across her jaw, pausing just shy of the tips of her delicate ears.

A heat slices through me, like a white hot flame, it almost breaks my control. The knot in my gut tightens and pulls, and I become acutely aware that it is building. It is her fea, it is echoing my desires...I should stop...I must stop!

"Am I a coward now?" I whisper in her ear, feeling her shiver underneath my hands.

"Nope!" She yelps and I chuckle. I believe I have made my point.

Pulling away I plant a kiss on her brow, and work on gaining back some control over my own body.

She surrenders happily into my embrace. Melting into my arms just as I had wanted her to, oblivious to the carnage she has let loose in my heart. She doesn't exercise control over her wants and desires, she doesn't attempt to guard her spirit from mine...it's like she doesn't know how? If I had of wanted to I could have taken advantage of her naivety...but she trusts me. She trusts me to hold her, and guide her...how could I ever abuse such trust?  She belongs here, with me, and I to her. I vow to the Valar themselves that I will shield her from the evil that I have seen. With me she will be safe, for she gives me purpose again, she makes me feel whole...and I have not felt that in such a painfully long time.

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Thank you everyone! Oh my goodness, so much love! Feeling very welcome! Where would I be without you guys?

So the Song;

"The Lumineers - Ho, Hey!"

That first verse, totally one of the inspirations for the Thranduil/Clara characters in this story. I love the poetry of that song...just adore.

"So show me family
All the blood that I would bleed
I don't know where I belong
I don't know where I went wrong
But I can write a song"

Any scenes you really want to see please comment or message me and I'll do my very best to write them up for you.