She almost said it.

Walking in a hurry back to her room where no one would get to see how miserable she was, Faeryn cursed under her breath.

She almost let the words slip out of her mouth.

I'm afraid that I might be in love with you.

Almost.

Faeryn had no idea how would Thranduil looked at her if she had said it. Lord! She had no idea how look at herself if she had said it!

When Aerondess came, and Faeryn knew it was her cue to leave. That was supposed to be some kind of life saver, was it not?

Her hands were shaking without her realising it. The elleth quickly kept them busy by starting to play them with her hair. Faeryn picked up her pace, longing her own lair more than ever.

What was she even thinking? Loving a king? And a chance that he might love her back?

Slamming the wooden door, the green-eyed exhaled painfully. Faeryn felt as if she was being suffocated by an invisible force very slowly. She felt like vomiting, her mind was suddenly clouded in a daze, just by thinking about how careless and stupid she was for almost admitting the truth.

The elleth sat there as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Aerondess, the noble, the royal, the princess. Of course there would never be a chance for her.

It felt like yesterday. When there were just the two of them. Then, Faeryn's thoughts about the future was simple. She had thought what they had then was already more than enough. But only now, when another came, she knew she was wrong. Faeryn could see herself becoming greedy. She wanted more. So much more. His love.

She never knew what it was to fight for a love like this. Maybe it was because she had never been in one before, and Thranduil was her first. There were stories, told of jealousy, envy, lust, love, loss and pain. Which she could never understand. Faeryn did not believe that in order to love, there are so many things to be sacrificed.

How absurd. She had mumbled when she read them.

Lady Aerondess is the one. The is the Queen. Beautiful and nice. She is his perfect match. And I'll be... the family friend...

Somehow, the idea was not very intriguing. Not at all.

So lost in her own thoughts, Faeryn did not realise he had missed dinner. Her stomach grumbled in protest as it was neglected. The elleth sighed, finding herself too lazy to go to the kitchen or even at least, call a maid.

Faeryn wondered what was her father doing and wanted desperately to go and pour her heart out to him. But just as the thought came, the fight of that day came back like a tidal wave, making the maiden grimaced. She could not recall when was the last time Laebon and she had a real talk since that incident.

Then came a few slight knocks on the door. Unfamiliar ones. To her surprise, Faeryn could tell who was at her door just by hearing them knocking. Like how her adar would knock exactly 4 times very gently, Mireth would knock 3 times in a rush and Thranduil,... well, his was special. He would knock on her door an old lullaby, their favourite.

Dragging herself to the door, Faeryn opened the entrance to her chamber.

"Lady Aerondess?!"

The blue-eyed maiden smiled, her eyes shown, but said nothing. Faeryn understood it that she was waiting for an invitation to have access to the chamber. The elleth stepped aside, her head laid low with respect, remaining silent.

It was a moment where time stopped still and the night sank into an absolute void. Faeryn did not move from her spot at the door as she stared at the late night guest, baffling. Aerondess was standing where the moonlight shown the brightest through the small dome above the ceiling, looking mesmerizing as ever. The princess tilted her head to a side, the corner of her lips perked up into a beam.

"Hello, Faeryn." She sang.

"Miladay." Bowed Faeryn. She walked towards the table and started setting up the kettle, feeling a pair of sea blue eyes focusing on her every move.

"Is there anything I can help you with? Seeing you have come all the way here to pay me a visit." She asked solemnly with politeness.

Aerondess waltzed to the window, looking outside to the realm. Faeryn watched her.

"I remember the first time we met. You were a very special one." The princess finally said.

Faeryn nodded curtly. She did too, recall that day in the woods. Meeting Aerondess for the first time and all. She did not think much then. Who the blonde really was nor what was her purpose. Faeryn found an urge to scream, or to hit something hard, for she was fed up with herself, her naive self.

But what would I do? Even if I knew?

Nothing, probably.

She did not know she loved Thranduil then.

She would probably chase him around and tease him with it.

"I have been hearing a lot about you lately." The princess told her.

Calmly, the elleth replied. "I do hope they are all good things that you heard, my lady."

Aerondess again, beamed an knowing smile. Faeryn began to feel uneasy. She was never used to be looked at in such way. It made her feel like she had committed a horrible crime that could not be redeemed.

"They said you are close to the king." Aerondess carried on the conversation, playing with the fabric of her gown.

The green-eyed nodded. "We have known each other for many decades, my Lady."

Her heart began to drum dramatically. Was this the part where Aerondess would start to threaten her not to be near the Elvenking? Faeryn focused on the princess' facial expression but saw nothing. She asked herself if this is what royal families are like? Always hiding something, always have something hidden.

Aerondess' eyes narrowed, the look she gave was full of dissatisfaction. "Is it the fact that I am a princess that you are acting in such distant way towards me?"

Faeryn gulped. The poor maiden was not sure what was supposed to be the right answer. Was she scared? No, she was not. Was she being too cautious? Apparently, yes. "I am treating you with respect, my Lady. You are a royal guest of Woodland Realm and shall it be my duty to treat you as a noble friend of my king."

"You know I don't want that." The princess retorted, obviously displeased.

Aerondess left her spot as she narrowed down the gap between them both.

"Then what is it do you want? I dare ask." Faeryn questioned the noble one. She suddenly had a strange feeling about this matter alone. She was the one with a sharp mind, and her instinct was considered trustworthy. The elleth imagined something crawling inside her stomach as she found herself being judged by the pair of ocean-blue eyes.

"Let's be friends, shall we? We all know chances are that we'd be a family one day and it's always the best to make new friends. I like you Faeryn, and I know that Thranduil does, too."

Aerondess said ever so lightly, freely and naturally. The words flowed to Faeryn's ears like the Woodland's streams in the spring. But to the elleth, the real words, the real meaning of that sound was way too painful. Was that the princess agenda of this late night visit? Faeryn asked herself even thou she could be so sure of the truth.

A family friend. That was who she would become one day not too far. Faeryn bit back a sigh. Obviously, Aerondess was no fool. She was also an elleth - or a woman. Certainly, there were things that could not be hidden for long.

Faeryn found difficulty in breathing - the ability anyone could have taken for granted. She was stuck in her own thoughts as the tongue was tied into the deep of her throat, making not a sound at all. She wished she could say that Aerondess would expect an opponent, that they would have to fight for this love if they want it. And yet, the elleth could only wish. If there was one thing she knew, it was that there was this line between Thranduil's class and hers that could not be passed. The line that defined their status in this life.

"Of course,... my Lady." Faeryn muttered quietly, her eyes never left the princess' blue ones and her lips curled up into a smile. Broken and painful.

It was like lying to herself, well, it basically was, but  it was harder than anything she could ever imagine. Faeryn knew how to lie and could make it believable. But it struck her now, realising how difficult it was for having said so.

"Your friendship is my honour."

Aerondess clasped her hands together. The beauty's face brightened up as she rushed towards the black-haired and enveloped the elleth into an enthusiastic hug. Faeryn returned awkwardly the gesture, not so sure of what to do or say. Her mind was blank and all the sounds were simply faded into one dark, deep void of nothing.

The princess said something else. What was that? Faeryn asked herself but failed to recall. All she knew then, was when she woke up from the aching pain of her heart, she was alone, and the tea was soon cold out.