Thranduil / Reader (3)
Thranduil and a few of his guards were escorted to a fortress. They had been traveling with an army for a long way to see if the rumors were true. He had heard news that the great witch of the North had been defeated and her lands were overrun. The realm existed only a two-days-ride from his northern border so he had decided to amuse himself and see whether the rumor was indeed true.
He had heard that the orcs had killed her parents a long time ago and she had been forced to abandon her life as a lady and take the reigns over the army. He had also heard that she always wore a mask because, well there were three theories about that among the people; some said that her face was so badly disfigured that she wanted to hide it because of that. Some said that the witch possessed such rare beauty that anyone who stared upon her face for longer than a blink of an eye fell under her spell. The third theory was that she wanted to stay unknown because she liked to walk among her people unnoticed as well as travel through foreign lands unrecognized.
Those rumors or theories made Thranduil chuckle internally. First of all he did not believe that her beauty could be any greater than the beauty of his people, the elves. Secondly he could not understand why the ruler of the land would not like to be recognized so the only reason why she would cover her face from everyone must be that she is so ugly that showing her face would disgust anyone and even her own people would flee.
Now Thranduil, the king of Mirkwood, had entered her realm. He had seen burning houses and ruined towns, destroyed crops and plenty of orc-corpses gathered in large piles. Just when he and his companions had thought that the Northern people were dead they had been ambushed by the guards and escorted to the fortress. They left the elven army behind. The guards had spoken a language that the elf king had not been able to understand but he had gotten the message anyway; they were to follow the guards or…
Thranduil looked around him when he entered through a gateway that was always sealed with a door that had not been penetrated by the orc armies and other enemies. Then he finally saw the people who were clearly hungry and tired from the ongoing war. However they were safe within the walls of the fortress but it was only a matter of time when they would wither away and die from starvation.
The elves entered a great hall but before that they were asked to leave their weapons to the guards. Thranduil ordered his guards to leave their swords and bows behind but he himself kept his sword. He had hid it under his cloak and the guards did not bother to check him.
The hall was dimly lit with blue lights that looked like flames. They however were floating by themselves on the surfaces without candles or other devices. He saw the throne and someone sitting on it. When Thranduil walked further he noticed the person sitting on the throne raising her hand and the flames got bigger and the lighting in the hall got significantly brighter.
The person on the throne was you.
- Tell me, why are you trespassing my lands. you ordered. The sound of your voice echoed in the hall unnaturally. You were wearing a black mask that had no holes for eyes or even for your mouth. You were the witch after all and could see beyond such veil.
- Let me guess; you heard that the great witch of the North is dead and the throne is free for anyone to take.
Thranduil did not answer. His face remained as blank and emotionless as it had been the entire time.
- Tell me, if you had found the throne empty, would you had taken it? you asked and raised your head. Still the elven king did not answer.
- Speak! you ordered and stood up. You chuckled and walked closer.
- Do not tell me that you came here to help! It is too late now. you said and placed your hand over his heart. Suddenly you drew back. You had seen what was in his heart and in his mind.
- You expected to find me dead, you wanted to take my throne! you shouted and turned away as you walked to the throne and sat down.
- You are mistaken! he stated finally.
You laughed in return and your laughter echoed in the hall. Then your laughter died.
- Do not try to fool me, King Thranduil of the Elven Realm. You came here unannounced, uninvited. If I did the same in your petty forest, you would lock me up. So tell me, give me one good reason why I should not do the same?
Thranduil turned around and told his guards in elvish to follow him. Just before they got to the door, it slammed shut.
- You are at my mercy here and I did not give you a permission to leave. you stated. Thranduil was boiling with rage because you were not paying him any respect and he was not used to being disrespected. However the emotionless expression on his face did not break. He turned around and spoke
- I indeed came to see if the ruler of this realm was dead. I have heard the rumors and I thought that if it really was so I would gather the people and get them inside the elven borders before the orc army that is marching here as we speak attacks.
- You came here to steal the riches of my people! You planned to steal the people as well!
- What riches? I have seen none so far!
You stood up and the lights flames flashed as the wave of irritation washed over you.
- If you haven’t seen any, it does not mean there is none! you shouted.
A silence followed. You took a deep breath and calmed yourself down.
- A new orc army? you asked.
- Yes.
- How large?
- Very. You will not survive alone this time.
- You are underestimating me and my people.
- I have seen your people. They are starving and tired…
- Then I shall fight the orcs alone!
- You are more stubborn than a dwarf! Thranduil hissed. You knew exactly how the relationship between the dwarves and the elves was. You scoffed.
- You dare to insult m-
- Foolish little girl trying to act like a mighty ki-
-… me in my own court! You leave my father out from thi-
- I was not talking about your father!
- My father was a great king! He died for his people and now he will spend the eternity basking in the glory with great kings and queens who are my ancestors, I have the right to do the same!
- Then you shall die but there is no greatness in throwing away an immortal life for ones pride and death-wish.
- You have no right to have an opinion, Thranduil the Intruder, you do not know me!
Thranduil took his sword and in a blink of an eye you felt the blade on your throat.
- I could give you the death right now, Fool, if that is what you desire! he hissed and stared at the black mask that covered all your expressions and features. He was very much lured to reveal your face and you knew it. You tilted your head back as you raised your hand and pushed the sword further away from your neck with your two fingers.
- When will they be here? you asked. Thranduil put his sword away and stepped further away from the throne.
- Tomorrow morning. he answered. He had brought an elven army that was waiting just outside the city. You sighed and leaned back. If he had seen the look on your face, he would most likely felt sorry for you because you would had looked helpless, you were shedding a few tears even. He noticed a tear rolling down on your neck but he said nothing.
- I suppose it would be courteous of me to offer you some dinner. you said and stood up. You spoke in your own language to the servants who then arranged a dinner for Thranduil and his guards. The elven army had brought their own food since no one had really expected anyone to be alive in the Northern realm.
Thranduil followed the servants and glanced at you once before leaving the hall. The dinner was not plentiful. It was clear that you and your people were hanging on a thread to survive. However Thranduil did not complain like he would had surely done back in his palace.
You went to your chamber and took the mask away. You only took it off in your own privacy. You washed your face and then stared at yourself in the mirror. Why did you wear the mask? Well, your people had been fighting the war for so long and somehow the life you were forced to live felt less personal when you hid behind it; the blank, black mask. Besides you were not that skilled to hide your emotions. Thranduil wore a mask too but his mask was the blank look on his face that did not crack. You aimed to the same result but instead of blank expression you had an actual mask. The bonus point was that the enemy feared you more when you wore a mask; it made you look brutal and merciless, unpredictable, like your soldiers who always wore red during the battles to cover the possible blood that was dripping from the cuts.
You did not sleep. There was no way you could had slept. You washed yourself with cold water and then started to focus your mind to the forthcoming battle. You had the elven army by your side but you were too proud to rely on them.
When the night turned into a new morning you were ready; you were wearing your armor and your mask. You had sharpened your sword and your mind was clear. You met the elves on the courtyard and then rode to the battle. As you got nearer to the orcs you could hear their footsteps and a shadow darkened your mind. You had exchanged only a few words with Thranduil. There was nothing to be said really so you only spoke to your own army that had gotten quite small in numbers.
The orcs attacked and the battle began. There were elves and orcs and your people fighting. The orcs died one by one and you were on your way to the victory when you got stranded away from the others and found yourself surrounded by orcs. You dropped your sword and as the orcs were running from every direction to attack you fell on your knees and slammed your palms to the ground.
Thranduil saw you doing this and he was sure that you had just given up but after you had slammed your palms to the ground there was a blue flash, or a circular force field that spread from you outwards and knocked every orc down within 20 meters. The orcs that had been the closest to you died as their armors chest plates smashed inwards and crushed their organs.
You lifted your head and saw the orcs dead around you. The ones that were not dead yet were unconscious. You got your sword and stood up. Then you walked to the orcs that did not look quite dead enough and sliced their throats. The orcs that had seen you doing that fled away but unfortunately they ran to the direction of Thranduil who was already fighting dozen of orcs himself. You ran to him and started to fight with your sword side by side with the elf king. When the orcs were dead he nodded at you to which you replied with a nod.
You ordered the wounded to be taken care of after the battle was entirely over and it had been made sure that the orcs were indeed dead. Your head was spinning because you had been using your powers to fight the orcs many times during the battle. You closed your eyes and tried to calm your mind. All the voices and noises jut echoed in your head.
- Are you alright? you heard Thranduil asking from further distance. You shook the distortion off and answered him that you were fine. There had been only few casualties fortunately and some light bruises, none of the elves had died, no surprise there.
You returned to the fortress and informed that the danger was finally over, for a moment at least. It was time to be merry and celebrate.
You changed your clothes from the armor to a festive gown and returned to the throne hall that was now filled with relieved people. Thranduil approached the throne on which you were sitting on. You stood up as he offered you a goblet that was filled with wine.
- Come, drink with me. Raise a toast for the victorious battle and the new alliance between our people. he said. You chuckled.
- I shall raise a toast with you but…
- Take the mask off. he said with a seductive smile on his face.
- Why do you wish to see my face? Is it because you have heard the speculations about the reasons why I am wearing it? It is, isn’t it? Oh… it must puzzle your mind so.
He chuckled and gave you his wine chalice. Then he put his hands on your shoulders that were exposed by the open neckline and slid them slowly to the back of your head. Your heart was beating rapidly as he opened the knots that held the mask firmly on its place. When they were opened he pulled the mask away and exposed your face that had you had kept hidden for longer than you could remember. He explored your features with his eyes for a time that felt like a half an eternity even though it must had been only a minute or two, there was no way of telling because you were mesmerized by his charming smile. You stared directly into his eyes as he ran his fingers down from your eyebrow down to your chin with a slow, feather-like motion. As he reached your chin his fingers accidentally brushed your lips...
...Or maybe it was no accident after all.