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Thranduil stood next to his father, tugging at the collar of his jacket.
"Stand still." Oropher barked, earning a stern look from his wife about his tone, but she didn't say anything, just straightened the collar of his son's jacket.
"Why do I need to be here?" He didn't want to complain, but he would have preferred to spend his time having a conversation with Gil-galad or anyone else, for the matter. It was rare that he got to meet ellons of his own age, so he wanted to converse with them, not stand here and wait for another kingdom full of sooty elves to arrive.
"Because the people of Dornárorn* rarely attend feasts outside of their own kingdom, and having them arrive is a big honor. They will feel more appreciated if the full royal family is here to greet them." Oropher explained without looking at his son, keeping an eye on the doors.
"So shut up and stand straight."
"Oropher." Míriniell** scolded her husband gently, not approving of the harsh tone he used with their son.
"He has to learn that not all royal duties are pleasant; sometimes they take patience and long nerves. Something he seems to lack." Thranduil was insulted by his father's words, but didn't have time to dwell on them as a horn sounded and the guard at the doors announced the next visitors.
"The people of the kingdom of Dornárorn!"
The doors opened, and the king and queen entered, their gates soft and uninterrupted as they thanked the guard. Their frames were tall, their thin cloaks moving in the slight breeze that blew through the kingdom. Unlike most elves, their hair was done in an updo instead of letting it flow down straight. The king had a proud stance as he approached, looking around the hall with interest. As for the queen, she was smiling warmly, and Thranduil couldn't help but glance at his mother. The two seemed like they would get along well.
Their clothes, unlike anything Thranduil had seen before, were dark, a mixture of reds and black, the fabrics light and airy. As they approached the throne, Thranduil let his eyes slide from the rulers to the people behind them. They were dressed like their rulers, red apparent in their clothing as well, and surprisingly, some of the warriors seemed to have their hair cut short so it didn't even cover their ears. He let his eyes slide along the people back to the ruling couple, but before he could reach them again, something else caught his eye. His eyes stopped on you, the young woman standing directly behind the king and queen, and all of his thoughts seemed to seize.
He had never seen anyone such enchanting before in his life. Your bright eyes were looking around with interest, your arms folded against your stomach. You had the exact same hair as your father, but in any other sense, you were like your mother. You had her stance, your back straight and head held high, but somehow you managed not to look haughty. That could have been for that gentle smile on your lips, or just the aura that seemed to surround you, making you look eternal and easy to approach at the same time.
Elves usually preferred earthly colors in their clothing, but your kingdom was clearly an exception to the rule. Like everyone else in the kingdom, your gown was red, but it stood out because of its deep, fiery red color. The gems that rested in your golden crown looked like they were made of blood, the crimson standing out against the braids in your hair.
You shifted to stand next to your parents, still smiling, but a slight tinge of nervousness could be seen in your gestures.
"And our daughter, Y/N." The king and queen of Mirkwood just gave you polite nods as you curtsied, but the prince, Thranduil, gently grasped your hand and placed a kiss on your knuckles, making you flush bright red.
"A pleasure to meet you, princess."
"A-And you as well." You managed to squeak out, not sure why your heart was pounding, or your hands were shaking so. You had met plenty of charming young ellons in your day, but none of them had managed to cause you to lose yourself quite like this.
- -
The feast was in full swing, waiters carrying food and drinks around, the musicians pulling notes out of their instruments. Thranduil had snatched a beaker of wine from a passing waiter, and he was sipping it, trying to seem nonchalant as he looked around, keeping a tight eye on you. Thranduil couldn't help it, he just had to talk to you. Something was pulling him in, and he was helpless against it. He finally gave up to the urge and walked over, trying to control his nerves as he approached you.
"E-Excuse me." Your conversation with one of the guards of Mirkwood was interrupted when you heard someone clear their throat behind you. As you turned to see who it was, you met the ghostly blue eyes of the prince of Mirkwood. The guard you had been talking to gave him a short bow before excusing himself. Thranduil stepped closer, and you tilted your head, curious to hear what he had to say.
"I-I just wanted to say that you look very beautiful this evening, princess." Thranduil managed to stumble out, trying to will the blush on his cheeks to ease.
"O-Oh, thank you." You smiled at him, and Thranduil felt like he had been standing in a direct ray of sunlight as the warmth from your expression washed over him.
Your conversation picked up quickly, and before the two of you knew it, you had been talking for most of the evening. Thranduil noted that you seemed to enjoy the wine you were drinking, but you rarely sipped at it, as did he. There was just so much to talk about, and the evening was only so long.
To Thranduil's great disappointment, in the middle of a deep conversation about the history of relations between elves and dwarves, his father called his name. He ignored it at first, not wanting to abandon the conversation, but when another call sounded, louder this time, he knew he had to go.
"Go. I am not going anywhere." You assured him when you saw his hesitant look, and he smiled at you.
"I will return as soon as I can, princess." Your cheeks reddened, but you smiled softly.
"We have been talking for most of the night. I think it is only appropriate that you call me Y/N."
"Then I insist that you call me Thranduil." He responded just as his father called his name for the third time.
"Very well, Thranduil. But you should go see what he wants." He did just that, hastily making his way across the hall.
"What is it, father?"Thranduil arrived next to his father, still annoyed that he had been pulled away from you. He resisted the urge to glance over his shoulder towards where you were standing and forced his eyes to settle on his father.
"Somewhere better to be?" The king quirked a brow at his son's unusual behavior. Usually, being called to his parents was a relief to him as he didn't like making small talk with other elves.
"Y-No." Thranduil changed his mind in the middle of the sentence, deciding that he did not want his parents to know what was happening in the hall between you and him. The attraction was clearly there, and he was eager to get back and to get to know you more. But unfortunately, when he lost to his urge to glance at you, his mother followed the line of his sight and saw that it was fixed on you.
"You've taken a shine to princess Y/N?" Before Thranduil could say anything to confirm or deny his mother's words, she was already beaming.
"Oh, this is just perfect!" His mother squealed and immediately went to fussing over the few strands of his hair that had escaped from behind his crown. Thranduil tried to escape the prodding hands of his mother but wasn't successful. So he had to surrender and let his mother tame the few strands that she deemed unruly.
"Now, go and show her around the kingdom. You won't get any talking done if you are here, being stared at by everybody." She ushered him after fixing his hair, and Thranduil had to admit in his mind that his mother had a point.
"Would you like me to show you around the kingdom?" We could talk without all the ruckus around us?" Thranduil suggested hesitantly, and you beamed at him.
"Of course, I am dying to see more of this kingdom." Thranduil offered you his arm before he could overthink it, and you weaved your arms through it as he led you out of the hall. Both your parents and his parents were beaming, sharing happy glances. The evening was going better than none of them could have ever wished for.
Thranduil led you out of the kingdom and into one of the hidden gardens the kingdom held. Most of the flowers were closed as it was night already, but you were still enchanted. You had told him that your kingdom was near an active volcano, so not many plants grew around it; it was mostly covered in rock.
"I have never seen so many trees before." Your eyes were wide with awe as you took in the scenery around you. Thranduil gestured for you to head up the white marble stairs on your right, and you did. As you disappeared into the curve of the spiraling staircase, he hurried over to the nearby rose bush and picked the largest bloom he could find. Its colors were so bright and warm, yellows, reds, and oranges battling it over. It reminded him of you. His fiery princess.
As you reached the platform on the stone structure, you let out a gasp of delight. The trees reached almost as far as your eyes could see, and they were green up to their highest branches.
"I didn't know there could be so much green." Your voice was breathless, and Thranduil smiled.
"It must be so different from what you are used to." He replied gently, and you nodded furiously, reaching out to brush your fingers against one of the leaves of a nearby tree.
"The air is so fresh and light. I think I could stay up here forever." You sighed, pressing your elbow to the railing and resting your hands on it, settling against the cool stone to gaze into the forest.
Thranduil didn't have the heart to pull your attention away from the scenery, so he just set the rose atop your hand as you changed positions, now leaning only on one elbow. Your eyes slipped to it as the coolness seeped into your skin, and a gasp of delight left you.
"Thranduil." You leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek as a thank you, but as he turned to face you, you missed, and your lips landed on his instead. You stilled, but Thranduil wasn't about to let the opportunity slip by and kissed you. You responded immediately and wrapped your arms around his shoulders. The kiss you fell into was endless, and neither of you wanted it to stop.