For the love of a Dragon (Thranduil fanfic)

Chapter 17

I drowsily made out voices somewhere in the room, groaning slightly at the sudden noise. My eyes were shut, and I meant to keep them that way until I felt something tickle my face and a head bury itself in my shoulder.

Groaning again, about to whack whoever was talking before I realised how heavy my arm felt, I tiredly opened my eyes, blinking a few times as the bright light settled. I saw light blonde hair clouding my vision and pushed it out of my face. Suddenly a face plastered with a glorious smile appeared right in my half-awake one. I went blank for a moment before I realised who it was staring me in the face, scanning me with those unmissable eyes. 

"Thranduil?" I mumbled hopefully, praying it was him. Praying he would tell me I wasn't dreaming. I was probably dreaming. There was no way I wasn't dead. 

But then he leaned his forehead on mine and his unmissable icy blue eyes locked mine. I smiled out of relief. He was here. Right here. For me. 

Tears leaked out of the corners of my eyes as I traced my fingers on the side of his face. "You're real," I whispered, just in case.

He smiled wider. "I'm real," he said. Then he placed his lips on mine.

It was that moment, that moment right there, which opened my eyes, which told me I was not dreaming. I was alive indeed. He was here. I was here. 

And we were living this moment together.

~~~~~~~~

It was time for me to transform. I was at the edge of the forest as the sun floated behind the hills, and the light began to fade from the sky. It was time.

I spread my arms, waiting to be lifted by smoke and watch myself transform into the beast I was.

But as I waited, nothing happened.

"What?" I looked to the sky. The sun had set. The light was gone. And yet here I was still standing as an Elleth on the ground.

I twisted my arms. They weren't wings. I wriggled my toes. They weren't talons. I let out a big breath. There was no fire.

What had happened to me?

A cold sense of fear began creeping up my body, consuming me as I wondered what was going on. I fell to my knees, frantically rubbing at my arms. "No," I whispered, confused. Did I do something wrong? Did I get the date wrong? No, it had been a fortnight since Legolas had climbed onto my back, a fortnight since I flew him over Mirkwood. The sun had set. I should be a Dragon now. I definitely should be a Dragon now.

In a fit of fear and confusion, I ran back to the palace, not even bothering to tend to the cuts I aquired on my face from the twisted branches.

~~~~~~~~~~

I ran into the library, bursting  the door open. "Thranduil?" I called desperately, hoping he was there. Sure enough, he was standing in the corner, a book in hand. At seeing my distress, he closed the book, with a look of dread in his eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~

I twiddled my fingers nervously. Thranduil had brought me here an hour ago, holding me close in his arms. There was a moment of calm when I was in his arms, but now he was gone again to fetch something. My mind was warped with fear and confusion. For the first time in hundreds of years, I had no idea what was happening with my curse. It never skipped a fortnight. Never. I shook my head nervously, my curls bouncing along worriedly.

"Celegwen," Thranduil said, coming into the room with a book in hand., his hair gently sweeping back over his shoulders from the wind of the door. "You need to see this."

He sat on the end of the bed as I shifted closer to him, peering over his shoulder. Placing the book between us. he pointed to a passage of writing on an old, yellowed page. "Tengwa," he instructed. I furrowed my eyebrows at his unusual solemnity and began to read.

Tucagwathiel was an ancient Maia, created at the beginning of time with the other Maiar. She was never good-willed - from the moment of her creation, she was different from the others. Wicked. Cruel. Soon, without Eru's permission, she slipped from Valinor into the realm of Middle Earth.

She took the form of a haggard old woman, preying on the weak, cursing them with their worst fear when they didn't do as she desired. When the curse had taken its course, or the victim did not conform to her will, she would drain the curse out of them and flee.

Tucagwathiel was angered that she was one of the weaker-powered Maiar; that she was not blessed with the same magnitude of power as Olorin, Eanwe and the others. She used the process of draining the curses and thus draining the life out of the victim to give her the power that she lusted.

The cursed Maia is known for her blood red eyes, and for her notorious taste for traumatising the victim with their own past. Countless souls have fallen from her evil will; but she has never been defeated, as no one is able to find her or track her movements unless she wills it.

Scholars cannot decide on whether she was corrupted by the first Dark Lord Morgoth, or if she was one of the creatures he created. Once defeated, like all Maiar, she will flee to Valinor, her soul cleansed of all evil.

Should the victim survive the encounter, which is extremely rare, their strength will wane significantly, as Tucagwathiel would have drained most of it from them. It is determined by their own strength whether or not they will survive the severe physical transition which will take place in their body.

It will take years to regain the strength that they lost. Time will only tell.

I snapped the book shut, my fingers quaking slightly. I looked at Thranduil wide-eyed. "Celegwen..." He trailed off. 

"I'm no longer...." I was speechless. It had been 2,400 years since I had been free. I didn't even know what it meant. The words wouldn't even form on my tongue.

Thranduil turned to face me, understanding, empathy, and something else I couldn't read swirling in his eyes. He clasped both my hands in his. "Celegwen," he said softly, yet clearly, articulating the words I couldn't. I swallowed.

"You are no longer a Dragon."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HOLY FRICKIN HOBBITS

INTENSENESS LOL

I'm sososososososososososososo sorry I haven't updated in so long when I promised I would! D: 

How'd ya like this chapter? I worked quite hard on it :) One more chapter!!!! This has been such a wild ride!!

I can't even BELIEVE that I got 20.7 FREAKADEAKING THOUSAND READS!!!!!! When I first started off on Wattpad a goal for me was to reach 20k reads. I never thought I ACTUALLY do it!!! 

I've gotten so much positive feedback and everytime the real world sucks I think of you guys and I smile :D

Thanks for sticking with me!!!! LOTR/TH fans WE SHALL NEVER DIE!!!!!

residenthobbit49 <3<3<3

Elvish Translations:

Tengwa=read