Chapter 14: Chapter XIV
Author's Announcement
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Further note,
I am also becoming busier, and stress is certainly adding to the fuel. Albeit I'd love to update any other day, I might have to reduce it to once a week, or if I'm lucky it'd be twice a week.
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When dark brown eyes met with silver starlight, Thranduil became frozen in place with eyes in disbelief - those eyes shook with pain and anguish - as Estelle captured the emotions that ran rampant within those silver gems and cosmic eyes.
As her hair cascaded down her back - raven and dark as the night skies - Estelle swore Thranduil sucked in a big breath as he hitched.
Absorbing Thranduil's reaction, Estelle couldn't understand, and neither did Thorin who wondered the reasons for invoking such intense expression. Until Thranduil recoiled - pulling away - as he took a moment to be away from them; from her, as he collected himself. Until the vulnerability he displayed was no more.
"Some may imagine a noble quest is at hand."
Returned the cold and unsympathetic attitude, as Thranduil spoke and walked around them - like a predator is to its prey - as he strode tall and mighty along the throne room which was his own.
"A quest to reclaim a homeland, and slay a dragon.
I, myself suspect a more prosaic motive - attempted burglary - or something of that ilk.
You have found a way in. You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule; the King's Jewel, the - Arken Stone - it is precious to you beyond measure.
I understand that.
There are gems in the mountain, I too desire, white gems of pure starlight. I offer you my help."
Thranduil ended, leaving it to the dwarf if he would finally speak, in which Thorin let a small smile slip - a mocking smile - as a hint of amusement at the games Thranduil played. "I am listening." He growled tiredly, as he considers what the elf; Thranduil on what exactly he meant.
"I will let you go, if you but return what is mine."
Estelle could sense that Thorin was over whatever Thranduil else had to say, as the Elven King loses the Dwarf's attention, who turned his back to Thranduil. "A favor for a favor." Thorin laid out what Thranduil set out to say as he further put a distance between himself and the Elven King.
Until an old wound was reopened when Thranduil said; "You have my word, one king to another."
From what Estelle had gathered, although no one had offered to explain. There was a history between them, but what she does not know. Bad blood was deep when she saw how Thorin took deeper breaths as she looked at his broad shoulders, as he continued to have his back faced to them.
"I would not trust, Thranduil; great King, on his word. Till the end of all days be upon us!"
What started as a whisper, became loud as anger came to fruition and declaration, as Thorin turned to face him. An elf in which he - and the dwarves of Erebor - once considered an ally, then not.
"You! Who lacked all honor!
I have seen how you treat your friends!
We came to you once, starving, homeless!
Seeking your help!"
Estelle and Thranduil looked taken aback by the dwarf's outburst, more so for Thranduil who looked terribly as well as evidently shocked. However, the old wounds were buried deep, as Thorin continued with more anger than ever.
"But you turned your back." Thorin gritted through his teeth with a wave of unconstraint anger.
"You! Turned away from the suffering of my people!
The Inferno that destroyed us - Ridm Ulm Rral Uol Surl!"
Then in an instant - like a snake that struck its prey - Thranduil got close to Thorin as their face were inches away before a hushed and angry tone voice shushed Thorin. "Do not talk to me of Dragon Fire! I know its wrath and ruin."
While Estelle watched on the sidelines - the sight bewildered her - as Thranduil revealed a scar that would be an act to display how he knew fair well about the inferno that Thorin described. When he figured Thorin had seen a fair enough sight - the scars that were a reminder of a Dragon's wrath - he pulled away and returned to where he was previously. By the woman's side.
"I have faced the great serpents of the North. I warned your grandfather of what his greed would summon. But he would not listen... You are just like him."
Then with a wave of a hand, the guards came crashing to Thorin as they seized him and dragged him to the cells as a calm outspoken voice started.
"Stay here if you will, and rot.
A hundred years is a mere blink in the life of an elf.
I am patient, I can wait."
The elf whispered the last line to himself, as the Elven King watched the guards take Thorin away who looked to the human - who both shared a glance - before he was shoved forward. Simply because both wondered why she; a mere human, held a speck of interest that caught Thranduil's attention.
"You."
A voice so smooth there wasn't a trace of harshness to them prior to when he spoke with Thorin, instead it was; sweet like honey, something that which were used affectionately. Estelle realized as she narrowed her cautious eyes to meet those glimmers of twinkling starlight.
"You are no man. A woman, you are - pretending to be - as you travel with dwarves and men. But you hide from them behind your secret. Tell me, do you trust the dwarves and the men?"
Estelle decided to hear whatever games Thranduil had to say, as she learned plenty based on Thorin's outbursts as he unraveled all there was to know about the Elven King. How words and honor meant nothing to him.
In her opinion, it was best to avoid any association with the elves that showed no regard or care among their allies; so much to the extent of treating their 'friends' poorly and holding little value about their oaths. Thranduil's 'hospitality' is but a farce joke, among other things; Oathbreakers, are not people who she'd be really keen to exchange conversation with or even engage.
Though, as a prisoner and their captor the Elven King, it would be wise to indulge him and avoid the elf's wrath.
"I do. They do not look like oathbreakers and dishonest men."
Her words cut deep and her tone stabbed, but her eyes pierced what any sword could not as he looked into the eye of the Elven King - staring right back at her - as he approached her slowly.
"Yet, you are dishonest. To those loyal and chivalrous dwarves and men." Thranduil stalks her as he circles like a predator once more, as he did to Thorin. He was cunning, and he was intelligent which spiked her guards up.
Until he dropped the charade and cunning words, as he stopped in front of her - catching her eyes - before he is simply taken aback by the sight. "You look just like her..." he muttered gently as he absorbed the scene in front; a woman whose hair was dark as the night skies - giving the stars the chance to shine bright by being under her shadows - he was awestruck.
Then those beautiful brown eyes, where Spring felt warm and during Winter a sense of comfort, it poked at him - it probe the dead heart within him - as he felt it beat loud and strong.
Since the death of Thranduil's wife, he has further dived deeper into isolating the elves of the Woodland Realm, as he already had with his father's much earlier death during the Last Alliance.
When struck by both tragedy and the pain and suffering too much to hold, he let his heart shrivel and die as the Elven King dined in luxury and distracts himself with the pleasure of immortal life. Both tragedy caused by wars that they had no involvement in. But were dragged to it regardless.
But love truly died when she did - Elariaeth - wife to Thranduil, and a loving mother to Legolas, died.
Now before him, stood a spitting image of Elariaeth - with hair as black as the empty night - and eyes as calm; a comfort that could relax the soul of whoever got lost in it.
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