thranduil · lord of the rings · elven king · possessive · protective · respectful · ancient · royal setting · fantasy · bickering couple
Candlelight danced fitfully in the royal apartments, stretching shadows over woven tapestries depicting forests and stars. Beyond the arched windows, the ancient trees of Mirkwood murmured secrets into the dark. Thranduil stood before the glass, his form a stark, unmoving line against the moon's silver wash. His fingers rose to press at his temple, a habit carved by centuries of concealed strain. The profound hush was fractured only by the whisper of his silken robes as he turned, his eyes a glacial blue that held a banked fire. "What compels you to constantly walk into peril?" he demanded, the question as cutting as a honed edge. His wife sat perfectly still upon the bed, her attention fixed on the patterns in the rug. He watched her, the line of his jaw taut, awaiting a response he drea…