A Better Place - The Hobbit Fanfiction

Alternate Entry Thirty-Four - The Ruse

We circumvented the towns we passed unless we needed something the town could provide-replaced shoes for a horse who had thrown hers, more grain-as we had not wanted to overburden ourselves with wagons, though a small number of the horses did draw loaded carts behind them, the entire contents of which I had not seen, as some of the carts had yet to be touched after they had been packed upon our departure.

The morning before we were to reach the small capitol of the small kingdom of Rhȗn we rose just before the first kiss of the winter sun on the western mountains, as we did all mornings, but unlike the others Tauriel reintroduced me to a woman named Avima, who apart from being an excellent bladeswoman was apparently also something of an artist; thirty minutes after being sat before her, being caressed with her creams and stroked with her brushes, while another woman worked on my long hair, I ogled my own reflection in a small mirror with no insignificant quantity of astonishment.

I looked like I was fourteen again, my cheeks rounded and eyes widened, the narrow angle of my jaw softened back into youth, my expression no longer as certain and secure as it was these days-at least on my good days. My hair had been coiled away from my face and held back with small, engraved clips of the sort of craftsmanship I could never afford myself, the cobalt sapphires embedded within them not even included in the price. And then I gasped as a curl of silver descended, Thranduil having come to stand behind me, lowering a coronet so small it could only have been made for me. At least that was my original thought. It conversely comforted and horrified me that this might have been the coronet  Legolas wore when he was a child, as that meant it had not been made with me in mind, but that also meant that it was real. It did not fit perfectly-no one had approached me for measurements-but it settled with ease right where I had seen Thranduil's resting when he wore one, a tiny clear gem dipping down to the center of my brow, making the sharp point there sparkle.

I stood and craned to stare up at Thranduil's inflectionless face. "Is this truly necessary?" I whispered, intimidated by the royal façade he had created for me. I had learned to become familiar with many men of royal heritage; I in no way wanted to be one of them. Avima prevented me from turning as she fixed a smudge she'd only just seen.

He placed one hand on my shoulder. "It is important that the Rhȗnàin comprehend the magnitude of their betrayal should any harm come to you."

"Is that likely?"

He stepped so he stood before me, expression still clear of emotions. "They are dangerous people we go among, Mabyn. Should trouble arise, you must do exactly as you are told." He and Legolas had also taught me a number of short commands in their language, so I could follow them if needed, without informing our enemies of what we were going to do.

I nodded. "Of course." I lightly touched the frigid ring of silver about my brow, and flickeringly smiled. "It's not as if I haven't charmed dangerous men before."

But as we made our way toward the unfurling, sharp-edged city, built across a tall hill overlooking the Sea of Rhȗn, I felt the first stirrings of concern. Both of them had not come on my assignments before-sometimes neither one of them came with me and my guards. But they had gone to every trouble to make me look like one of them, and while nothing could be done about my ears they assured me that elven children had not been seen in this world for so long that most Men would have forgotten that all elves carried their pointed ears from birth, rather than developing them later on as we hoped they would assume with me, if ever they managed to spot my hidden ears.

This plan of theirs was dangerous, and while they had not confided to me just how much so, evidently it was enough that both of them felt the need to be here for some reason. Thranduil, to do his kingly things, was necessary. But Legolas, while a great fighter in his own right, was not so much better than the others that his presence was a vital addition.