Thranduil / Reader (1) - REWRITE - part 5
Thranduil was deeply upset due to the conversation he had just had with you in the kitchen. He stomped along the service corridors, slammed doors on his way, the sound echoing in the hallways and then, after finding his way out from the maze of hidden pathways, he steered himself towards the closest servant who was carrying a tray of full wineglasses. He immediately grabbed two glasses, emptied the first with just one long gulp and started sipping the second one, hoping that it would calm him down before anyone noticed that he had rejoined the party. The king was no longer in a party mood but he knew that he was expected to entertain the guests and the truth was he did not even want to retire early because it would have been like letting you win – if you did not know how to have fun, it did not mean that no one was allowed to have fun… and parties were fun.
The king couldn't understand why you were behaving this way in spite of everything he had done for you. Your actions were arrogant and rude, your attitude bad and uncooperative, generally very unpleasant indeed. Thranduil thought that you were ungrateful as well as stubborn beyond belief and the way you had behaved today in the party had been just plain childish. In his opinion he had given you everything you could have ever dreamed of but instead of being content and thankful, you had just spat at the king's face and embarrassed him by turning into a wall flower… or a mouse that tried to avoid being seen or heard.
Yes, the king's view of the events was very different from yours; he had expected you to take the stage and shine, to be the cheerful and engaging person he had once fallen in love with, but instead of doing so and being "yourself" you had just stayed quiet, showed no interest whatsoever in getting to know Thranduil's friends and associates and eventually you had escaped to the kitchen. That had been the most ridiculous part of it; you had rather spent the evening with the servants and maids than with the king who had invited you – personally. And your dress... oh yes... the sleeve had been partially torn apart, which meant that you really did not care about the precious gifts that the king had given to you. It meant that you did not really respect Thranduil either. "Such an arrogant girl" the king muttered into the wineglass and headed back to his friends. No, he was not in the mood for a party anymore but he decided to enjoy it anyway, even without you. “Perhaps I’ll enjoy it even more now” he muttered while furrowing his eyebrows and drowning his sorrows into the wineglass.
- Oh, Thranduil! There you are! the noblewoman said cheerfully and chuckled. "I was about to send a search party to look for you" she said and smiled at the king flirtatiously. The king smiled politely back and cleared his throat. The king found the noblewoman very attractive and he was flattered that such beautiful and elegant lady was offering him attention, so generously, unlike you. “At least someone cares” the king thought and tried his very best not to think about you so much. He decided to enjoy the light, innocent flirt, knowing that he would never take it any further – the king, after all, had made promises elsewhere, to you, although he did not know where you and he stood now… after the quarrel.
- That would have been very thoughtful of you, my Lady. the king commented and bowed just a little, just enough to make the lady feel appreciated but still maintaining a clear hierarchy in the relation.
- What can I say, I missed you. she stated cheerfully and motioned a servant who was carrying a wine carafe to approach the king and his courtiers and to fill their glasses.
- I am delighted to hear that someone did. Thranduil mumbled and extended his glass to the servant to be refilled.
- By the way, where is Lady (Y/N)? the noblewoman asked, trying to sound as concerned and interested as she possibly could but it was quite obvious that she did not exactly like you and she did not really care where you had gone. "I don't think I have seen her in ages" she commented and added "Did she get tired already and retired early?" The lady’s tone was polite but there was a slight undertone of scorn that she was unable to hide perfectly. It bothered and troubled the king a little – the lady’s bad attitude towards people with lower social status and unprivileged backgrounds, but this time he decided to ignore it.
- Yes. Thranduil stated and took a sip. The wine was pleasantly fresh and cool, it was sweet but not overly so and it made the king feel more relaxed. He noticed that he became less concerned about your well-being and more concerned about his own; was he having fun? If not, how could he change that?
- Some people just don't enjoy parties, I suppose. the lady stated casually and sighed as she shook her head. "Doesn't mean that we cannot have fun, does it?" she asked and laughed quite aloud. She had a beautiful laughter but this time it sounded just fake and overly theatrical, almost like she had been trying to convince the king to forget about you entirely.
- No, it doesn't. the king commented and scanned the crowd, still hoping that he would see you. He hoped that you would come to your senses and join the party, represent proudly alongside the king and then accept his proposal when the right time came and he got around to asking your hand in marriage. However it was painfully obvious that you were too stubborn as well as entitled to grant the king this one night of glory and splendor and therefore he had no reason to waste any further thoughts on you tonight. You had made your decision and now the king would make his. He would also draw conclusions from your behavior and frankly the picture that was forming in his mind was not the prettiest; this night should have been your celebrated triumph but it turned out to be your bitter demise.
- I have a feeling that this is going to be a night to remember! the lady stated enthusiastically and exclaimed "A toast!" Thranduil raised his glass and listened silently while the lady went on and on, rambled about raising a toast for all these wonderful people in the party, flattered the king with such grandiose words that it was nearly ridiculous and finally subtly mocked the ones who had already retired or had been unable to attend. "We do not need them anyway" she said smugly and emptied her glass. The king rolled his eyes when the lady was not looking and then emptied his glass as well. He did not exactly appreciate the lady's tone but then again, she had a point; if someone was too rude to honor the host by showing up or retired early just because they wanted to offend the king, then they were not worthy of the king's attention anyway.
- Oh! Brother! the lady exclaimed and waved her hand at an elf who was dressed in fine clothes and shared currently a conversation with another nobleman. These elves happened to be the guards who had harassed you tonight and called you names ever since that first time you had tried to deliver the flowers to the king, yes these assholes were the ones who had called you a peasant whore and had made it their business to kick your self-esteem down to the ground for good. The elf waved back and started to make way through the crowd towards his sister, sometimes even shoving people with his elbows if the people on the way were moving too slowly due to their long dresses and robes. The other guard followed the brother. It was their night off and since they were also high elves, they usually attended fine gatherings like this one. It was a perfect place to make new contacts and to hear gossips that could be used in one’s favor later. Yes, attending celebrations and parties was very beneficial indeed especially because when people got drunk, they started to share secrets… and these secrets could be used against them later, as leverage or even blackmail, whenever one needed a favor from the certain people.
- What a magnificent party! the guard exclaimed and bowed. "King Thranduil, good evening, my Lord" he said and ordered a servant to bring him a glass of wine. His gesture was quite vulgar and offensive and it mirrored his attitudes towards the servants perfectly.
- Where is your glass, brother? the lady asked curiously and smirked; she had seen her brother handing the empty glass to you earlier and then followed you with her gaze as you had disappeared from the party into the service corridor. The event had amused her greatly and it was taking every bit of restraint not to burst into laughter now. It was quite risky to ask such question in the presence of the king, knowing that her brother was not the sharpest tool in the box, but the lady liked to brag and therefore she couldn't help herself.
- I gave my glass to a peasant earlier. the elf stated, rolled his eyes and added "I told her to get back to the kitchen because this fine party is not a place for people like her." His tone was smug and it was obvious that he was making fun of this person, whoever she had been. Thranduil was currently having a debate with one of his counselors about whether the elven villages close to the borders of the realm needed further protection from the crown or not; the evil was leaving the forest, even the spiders were dying because of it but there were still many orcs escaping from Mordor and heading further north in hopes of finding a safe place to continue being typical orcs – dangerous and disgusting. In the king's opinion it was too early to lower the defenses while the counselor thought that the king was wasting precious resources by protecting the commoners who had decided to live near the border – not the king’s fault. However despite the heated verbal argument the king was still paying attention to the other people in the circle even though it seemed like he wasn't.
- The peasant even stated that the king was going to propose to her! the other guard said and they both, the guards, started to laugh. The noblewoman jolted the guard with her elbow and gestured him to shut up because the king was now staring at them and looked somewhat confused now; the debate had ended when the guards had burst into laughter and the king's focus had shifted instantly – it entirely on them once more.
- She said... what? the king asked, sharpened the look in his eyes and scanned the guards’ expressions mercilessly. The truth was that the king did not know what the guards and the lady had been talking about but he wanted them to think that he did because then it was more likely that someone got nervous and spilled the beans.
- No-nothing, my Lord. the guard stated and then started complimenting on the king's robe which was enough to distract Thranduil from the previous topic due to slight intoxication; he was a little bit tipsy from those many glasses of wine he had consumed after leaving the kitchen.
- Have you completely lost it? Are you stupid, brother? the lady asked the guard when the king was not paying attention to them. She grabbed her brother's arm and dragged him few steps further away from the group of elves as well as the king to have a private chat with him.
- I thought it was what you wanted me to do. the brother stated with a barely audible tone, turning to talk directly to his sister to avoid anyone else hearing this secretive conversation. The sister started to laugh theatrically, pretending that her brother had just told her a joke because the king shifted his gaze from the other guests to her and then, after the king had shifted his attention elsewhere once more, she hissed
- Yes. I wanted you to get rid of her but I do not want the king know about it.
- Oh, I'm sorry. the brother stated with a sarcastic tone and rolled his eyes as he folded his arms defiantly, nearly spilling the wine on his fancy, festive tunic. "How about you'll get your hands dirty the next time, huh?" he hissed back and glared at his ungrateful sister. "All these years, ever since the king met the peasant..." he spoke with a low, threatening tone, inhaled slowly, held his breath as he bottled his frustration and then exhaled. "...I've done everything I possibly can to break her. I even watched the spiders killing her parents" he said and then asked mockingly "What have you done, sister?"
- Do not speak of those things aloud. the lady hissed, keeping an eye on the king constantly.
- Oh no, I am getting tired of your orders, sister. the elf stated and groaned into the wineglass when he noticed that the glass was empty and the front of his tunic had a red stain right next to the collar.
- Now tell me… he said and after a brief pause asked with a mocking tone “…What have you done to secure the marriage between you and the king?"
- I arranged the death of his wife, remember? she smirked victoriously and then added "All you had to do was to burn the peasant’s house and make sure that she does not get out." The lady smiled at the king who was staring back at her with a suspicious expression on his face. "The storm was a perfect cover up..." she stated, shifted her gaze from the king to her brother and stated "...But you failed such simple task."
- And you have failed to make the king fall in love with you! the brother exclaimed, causing everyone, standing close enough to hear this loud statement over chatter and music, to turn their heads to the siblings and to stare at them with curious looks on their faces. The king was one of those people.
- What I meant... the brother started and continued but when he tried to talk, his voice died away and whatever words came out, they were nothing but meaningless mumble that made no sense and couldn't be understood. The king had such effect on people who tried to be dishonest or play games with him and when the king had his eyes on someone like that, they knew that they were in deep trouble.
- Excuse my brother, Thranduil, please. He is drunk. the lady said and told the brother and the other guard to get lost. The elves bowed and then quickly disappeared into the surrounding crowd.
- What was that about? Thranduil asked with a confused, yet deeply suspicious tone.
- Nothing. the lady answered and chuckled casually.
- I heard you and your brother talking about my late wife, spiders and the fire in the village. the king stated, staring deep into the lady's soul as he tried to read her expressions and body language. However the lady was nearly as old as Thranduil, she had been brought up in the court and therefore she had learned to conceal her true feelings perfectly. She knew how to play games without ever getting caught.
- You must have misheard, my Lord... the lady said and then added softly "...Thranduil."
- I demand to know. the king stated, grabbed the lady's arm, careful not to hurt her, and escorted her out into the garden, to a nearby gazebo. "Now, you tell me everything" he demanded assertively. The lady hesitated for a moment, clearly somewhat shocked about the king's actions but she managed to shake it off and placed her hand on Thranduil's arm softly. She massaged the muscles of his upper arm in a very seductive and relaxing way and then stated with a soft, innocent tone
- Oh, you must know by now, Thranduil...
- Know what? the king asked, the feeling of her hand stroking his arm through the sleeve of his fine robe distracting his thoughts constantly. The lady had noticed it and moved her arm from his arm to his chest, tracing the collar of his robe and sometimes even allowing her fingertips brush the king's neck and throat softly. Thranduil was intoxicated from this flattering attention but he soon recoiled from his thoughts, stepped backwards and made a subtle gesture that ordered the lady to keep her distance. The lady sighed and tried to hide her disappointment, but she couldn’t stop herself from rolling her eyes and sighing.
- I am in love with you. the lady stated and shifted her gaze away from the king. She turned to face the garden and pretended to cry a little. The king swallowed as he stared at the lady's back and listened to her sobbing, not really sure what he was supposed to do in this situation.
- I am sorry if I have misled you, my Lady. It has been unintentional... the king began, paused and then, just as he was about to continue, the lady turned around and stated
- Don't you see? I am your perfect match! I enjoy the parties, appreciate the gifts... I am graceful and sophisticated.
- Yes, yes you are... but... I... the king stammered and then stated "I... love someone else."
- You mean her? Lady (Y/N)? the lady scoffed, folded her arms and turned to face the king once more. However her expression changed completely, almost instantly, from annoyed to sorrowful and emphatic when she stated "But it is obvious that she does not love you." Thranduil turned his gaze away, her words hitting him like sharp daggers while she continued by speaking softly "She does not admire and respect you like I do." She took a deep breath and then added "(Y/N) does not deserve your affections, she does not deserve you."
- You might be right, my Lady. the king admitted but then continued firmly "But I do not tolerate any kind of meddling." The lady was just about to say something when the king gestured her to shut up and continued talking himself. "I know something is going on with you and your brother" he stated, turned away and walked out from the gazebo to the direction of the door that led into the large ball room. "Plotting against the queen of this realm is a serious crime..." he said and then added "...And make no mistake, my Lady, criminals shall be punished, regardless of their titles."
- She's not the queen yet... the lady mumbled at the king's back, turned around to stare into the dark garden and added "...And she'll never be."
The lady leaned to the railing and felt the smooth, cool wooden surface with her fingertips, followed the fine and carefully detailed engravings as she chuckled to herself. If the king thought that it was over, he was greatly mistaken because this was when the real game began. The lady started planning various ways she could get rid of you, to make you disappear or to make your death look like an accident. She had to take action immediately because the king was referring to you as the queen, which meant that Thranduil was serious about marrying you.
Now, to go through with any kind of plan, sinister in nature, the lady knew that a certain level of stealth and grace was necessary. She did not know if you knew that one of the guards was actually her brother but she decided that it was safer to assume that it had come up than to blindly trust that you were indeed unaware of that detail. After all, you had been staring at the lady with a certain expression on your face and therefore it was better to play the game thinking that her brother had blurted it out and revealed this relation to you.
It meant that the lady couldn't pretend to be your friend, which then meant that if she invited you to a stroll in the forest, you most likely would decline the invitation or demand a third person to join because you were not stupid. “Unlike my brother” she scoffed and shook her head. Oh no, you were smart, it was obvious since you had been able to sweep the king off his feet and you had also managed to arrange yourself to live in the court, starting as a mere servant and then somehow getting a promotion. The lady assumed that this was just a game for you too and until now you had played successfully, very skillfully indeed and if you had not been her opponent, a rival... and a peasant... the lady would have complimented you for such tactical and well planned moves, hell, she might have even congratulated you! That was how impressed she would have been... if, and only if, you had been on her side... but now... you were the enemy, the woman who was going to ruin the lady's plans of becoming the queen of Mirkwood.
The truth was that the lady had been a close, trusted friend of the king's late wife... or that was what everyone had assumed but actually the lady had plotted against the wife and her elaborate schemes and plans had eventually caused the wife's death. The lady had arranged Legolas to be kidnapped by the orcs and then run to the queen sobbing that the little prince had wandered off and gotten taken by some nasty creature. She had begged that the queen wouldn't tell Thranduil about it because she was afraid to be banished for such careless actions… and because the queen had known that her husband sometimes had a quick temper, especially when the matter concerned his own family and Thranduil had been a young and somewhat reckless elf at the time, the queen had decided to handle it by herself.
She had taken her horse and ridden to Gundabad where the orcs had taken Legolas. What the lady had not told her was that there had been more orcs than just one and this ambush had claimed the queen's life. The lady's plan had been to get both, the queen and the crown prince, killed at the same time but the plan had failed due to the queen's brave actions and willingness to protect her child with her own life. The queen had killed the orcs, kept Legolas safe until Thranduil had arrived with a group of the most trusted and skillful warriors, just in time to see life leaving the queen's body.
The lady had been furious; Legolas had survived and it meant that since the king now had an heir, he did not necessarily need to remarry. Besides, Thranduil had sunken so deep into his grief that he had had no interest to look at any ladies in the court in a romantic way. He had never blamed the lady for his wife's death, although Legolas had been in the lady's care at the time of the kidnapping – the king had always assumed that the lady had gotten surprised and she had been lucky to even stay alive. However the king had been slightly suspicious and therefore he had arranged a new babysitter for Legolas. Thranduil had also become more possessive over his son, but ironically, at the same time he had become unable to show affection towards the baby because Legolas had reminded the king of his late wife.
Time had passed and the king had started to heal. The lady had noticed this too and therefore she had stepped back into the limelight from the sidelines and found her way back to the king's inner circle. However then, six hundred years ago, the king had suddenly met another lady, you, and it had been clear from the first day when the king had returned to the palace, that the king's attention had been captured by someone in the small village. The lady had sent her spies to find out who this new opponent was and then told her brother that there was a filthy peasant who was about to ruin their plans for good.
Her brother had always felt very entitled and proud of his noble, better blood so it had not been difficult to convince him to make you see how little and insignificant you were. The lady had known that it was risky to arrange anyone's death under the king's suspicious eyes so she had hoped that it would be enough to just break your spirit and stop the budding romance before it even really started. You had been very resilient at first but as the years had slipped away, it had gotten obvious that your self-esteem was crumbling down, all according to the lady's plan. All she had needed was one final blow and then she had crushed you like a cockroach.
Then one night in the middle of the winter the king had returned from the village, depressed and disappointed, he had stormed through the entire palace and slammed doors on his way to his private courters where he had gotten terribly drunk all by himself. The lady had halted her plans because she had guessed that something had changed and therefore the king was drifting away from you, giving her an opportunity to sweep him off his feet. However it had not been as easy as she had hoped because the king had still longed to share the rest of his immortal life with you… and therefore you she had decided to get rid of you as soon as possible.
The spider attack had not been arranged by the lady but her brother could have stopped the spiders if he had raised the alarm or stormed to defend the weaponless elves. He however had just climbed to a nearby tree and watched the spiders in awe as they had killed your parents. When he had made sure that there had been nothing that could have been done to save them, he had run to the village and summoned the king's soldiers, led by Legolas who had grown up to be a respected and well-liked elf and a talented, admired as well as intelligent warrior.
The spider attack had been a blessing and a curse; it had really hurt you and made you weaker but at the same time it had reawaken the king’s feelings towards you – now the king had wanted you to move to her palace, which obviously couldn’t be tolerated and that had been the moment when the lady had told her brother to burn the cottages down into ashes as soon as the next storm arrived to Mirkwood. The brother, knowing how much there had been at stake, had willingly complied with the sister’s ambitious plan and so it had happened that a storm had come and the brother had sneaked out in the cover of the night to set a fire to the cottage. He had even blocked the door of the bigger cottage, assuming that you lived there, but what had saved you was your fondness towards your tiny hut that was located next to the bigger one… the hut that the brother had ignored completely.
Then… an alarm… and Legolas, the thorn in the lady’s side, had rushed in to save you and the king had demanded you to move to the palace and this time you had had no good reason to refuse his offer… “Well played” the lady chuckled and sank her nails into the delicately engraved railing. So you had moved in and somehow arranged yourself to get closer to the king, step by step… until he had invited you to the party and decided to propose to you. Yes, burning down your cottage had been an utter failure!
The lady left the gazebo and headed deeper into the garden. She sneaked out from an opening in the thick hedge-fence that separated the garden from the forest and continued deeper into the darkness. She had come up with a perfect way to get rid of you without actually getting her hands dirty… well, too dirty at least… and she knew that the king would never figure it out… oh no, it would remain as a mystery… an unfortunate accident that just happened to happen to you.
Poisonous snakes in your bed - you will be dead by the sunrise.