Part 2 (of part two) requested by the darlings fluffyfoxella, theambernightingale, and Gabr1ella-Chan! Thanks so much, to all of you!!

Type: One shot

Pairing: We have here a love triangle situation involving Thranduil, Legolas, and a Female (Elleth!) Reader

Notes: This is the ending to 'Double Affections' that ends with Thranduil winning the reader's heart. The ending with her falling for Legolas is two chapters back.

Translations: 'Gi melin, nín mell.' = 'I love you, my beloved.' ; 'Gi melin eithro, nín uiveleth' = 'I love you also, my eternal love.'

Hope you like!

Eliza frowns as she draws her throwing knives. Of course, they've made it out of this trap only to fall into another with their true enemies. She manages to crawl on top of the driftwood as the river rushes her along, but slips off when the barrels carrying her companions become trapped by a gate. She, quite an excellent swimmer, makes her way as quickly as she can to the lowest point on the stone platform nearby and heaves herself up onto it. Her wet hair swings in front of her eyes and distracts her as she pulls the lever to let the barrels through. She does not see the orc's arrow flying directly at her heart until a moment too late. She twists desperately and gives a shout of pain as it pierces completely through her left shoulder. She falls on her knees, her right hand instinctively clutching her other arm below the wound, and closes her eyes as the pain overtakes her.

"Eliza!" comes a cry from one of her companions as he drifts away- Dori, from the sound of it- and she calls back, "Just go! Leave me!" She listens to her friends' cries as they float away, unable to help her even if they wanted to, as she scoots herself to lean against one of the stone walls of the bridge. The fight around her has ventured farther downstream by now. She opens her eyes and braces herself as she breaks the arrow in half. She bites her tongue and tastes blood, but ignores the minor wound and draws the blackened arrow out of her shoulder from either side. She leans her head back against the stone wall, panting quietly as her vision swims with pain. Someone familiar approaches her but she passes out before she can tell who.

She dreams of Thranduil and Legolas and the brief time spent with them in Mirkwood. Her memories resurface, but each are slightly different, with Legolas always stepping back and watching another elleth in the shadows. That moment always fades out into the next memory, and so on and so forth, until Eliza feels an echo of pain in her left arm and truly awakens. She blinks against the dim lamplight, examining her surroundings carefully. This is not the stone bridge on where she last remembered being. Her left arm aches like nobody's business and she gives an almost involuntary groan as she tries to move it and fails. She cannot control it, but she can feel the numbed pain.

"Athelais," comes a familiar voice from the doorway, "or Kingsfoil, in common tongue. It will heal your arm remarkably quickly." Eliza turns her head and observes Thranduil standing there, only a silhouette in her eyes from the low light. He tilts his head at her and she sees he is crossing his arms, his eyes shining like steel from the shadows. Eliza turns her head back to face the ceiling and wonders how long she's been unconscious. "You knew I had to leave," she says calmly, listening to him take a few steps toward her, his elegant leather slippers so quiet no ear but that of an elf's would be able to hear his approach. "I did know, yes," he replies, drawing over a stool and sitting beside the bed she lays on, "though now I am not so sure of it."

Eliza examines the features of his face for a moment or two. He looks dreary, as though he's had little sleep, and his eyes are less bright than she last remembers. "How long was I incapacitated?" "Two weeks." Eliza gives a start and her eyes widen. Two weeks! Such a long time. Her heart begins to ache. She could never catch up to the Company now. Thranduil sees the distress in her gaze and gives a long, quiet sigh. "I must remain here, then?" she questions the king of the woodland realm and he nods after a few seconds. "I would not stop you leaving," he admits, casting his gaze away, "although I must tell you of yesterday's happenings." "Go on, please." "Your companions have reached the Lonely Mountain. Laketown has been destroyed by the wicked dragon Smaug, who was then killed by a common man who formerly resided there."

Eliza can't help a smile from growing on her face. "They made it, you say?" "Yes." It's then that Eliza notices the hardness in Thranduil's gaze, and the way he holds his chin low. "Something troubles you," she remarks and he glances away again, but she lays her good hand on his on his knee and he looks back at her. "Legolas has gone. He went after Tauriel, who left to follow your Company. He loves her all too much... I warned him not to go, but he did not listen." Eliza's heart falls into turmoil. Her dreams, those enhanced memories, start to make sense. That was why Legolas was so obviously flirty- he wanted to make this other elleth jealous! And it was why Thranduil did not at all seem bothered by his son's advances, it was because he could tell she did not mean all that to him. Eliza lets out a gentle sigh of relief. "Oh, my," is all she can manage to say for a long, tense moment.

Thranduil opens his mouth as if to say something, but then closes it again, his gaze turning to the window. Eliza realizes that his face is much clearer and that the light in the room has slowly but steadily grown brighter and more natural. It must be getting close to sunrise. She puzzles over what Thranduil's plan must be now, knowing that he yearned for certain jewels in the depths of Erebor and wasn't at all likely to just leave them be in the clutches of his estranged ally, Thorin. "Thranduil..." she murmurs, an idea suddenly coming to her, and he looks back down at her, his right hand coming to rest gently on hers, which in turn still rests upon his left on his knee. "I wish to go with you." His eyes twinkle and she sees a glimmer of a smile on his face. Her heart leaps, but he shakes his head fondly and replies, "Oh, my dear Eliza. Always so quick to guess my next move. I wish you could go with me as well, but it cannot be. We leave tomorrow morning and you must stay here for at least another week before you are healed."

And so Eliza did wait a week. She knew she would not be able to convince the elven king to let her rise from her bed in the royal hospital before said time was up, and so she was patient, remembering over and over the soft kiss he left on her cheek before he was gone that next morning. Her left arm steadily healed and by the end of the seventh day she could use it just as she would normally and with only the slightest aching. That evening, she set out for the Lonely Mountain in the distance on the fastest horse she could commandeer from the stables. The journey took much shorter than she expected and she actually caught up with Thranduil and his party within three days' time, just after they had set up camp by the ruins of Dale, which now housed the survivors from Laketown. She worried at the way all the elven soldiers were dressed as if for war as she dismounted and made straight for the largest tent, assuming she would find the object of her distant love inside.

Correct are her thoughts, she realizes, as she lifted the flap and stepped inside to find Thranduil looking at her with the opposite of a surprised gaze, contrary to the startled looks of a Laketown man with dark hair, a familiar wizard, and a friend of a hobbit. After a lovely reunion with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf, she greets Thranduil with a small bow, and when she rises, she sees the love shining through the coolness of his gaze. He pretends not to be glad to see her, but Eliza can easily tell he's faking his calm apathy. She joins the discussion in the tent and almost weeps when Bilbo tells her of all that's happened since leaving her in Mirkwood, and how just this night he crept out from the Mountain to give Thranduil and Bard (the Laketown man) the one thing Thorin treasures most in order to secure their bargains with the king.

An hour later, Bilbo leaves, accompanied by Gandalf, and Bard also gives his farewell, eager to return to his people and his children. The moment the flap falls behind Bard, Thranduil immediately sweeps Eliza into a strong hug and kisses the top of her head, murmuring how he's missed her so. This act is rather unlike the king, but that said, she has quite the effect on him, and so she does not find it as odd as she might have a month ago when they first met. "I missed you as well," she says and leans back a little, still in his embrace as she shoots him a shy smirk, "although it has only been a week, your majesty." He sighs and kisses her forehead, responding in a stern tone, "I know, though aren't I allowed to miss the one I love, no matter the period of separation?" His admission makes Eliza blush, although she's known it since he left her a week ago with that kiss on her cheek.

"You are certainly allowed that," she replies, her smirk fading into a genuine, adoring smile, "just as I am allowed to kiss the one I love once we are reunited, no matter how long we have been apart." And she does just that, planting her lips on his in a strong yet gentle and tender kiss. He, of course, responds to the loving gesture, and they only break apart once the need for air grows a little too great. She leans her head against his shoulder and breaths in his soft scent of oak sap, elk fur, and the faintest hint of dandelion as she catches her breath. "Gi melin, nín mell." She smiles into the fur collar of his robes and murmurs back, "Gi melin eithro, nín uiveleth," and all is right with her world for that brief, precious moment.