Trapped (Thranduil FanFiction)

Chapter 7

All of a sudden I heard a shrieking sound which pierced right through my ears. I shut my eyes and took deep breaths and when I opened them up again I saw something that made my blood chill. Spiders, big, monstrous looking spiders and they were out for blood. I saw them looming in the trees above me; which meant they hadn't spotted me yet. I walked below their nests as quietly as I could when a twig snapped from under me. I shot my head upwards and the inevitable happened; the bigger spider shrieked as if commanding her sisters to come down to the ground and hunt me. My horse neighed and stood on its two legs; then it bolted as fast as lightning. I was alone and at the mercy of the horrendous spiders. 

One by one they came on to the ground each one bigger than the last. My heart was thumping so hard it was the only thing I heard; making me dizzy and unable to stand my ground. I was being surrounded and with each step of their furry legs I could smell death in their breaths. With shaky hands I took a firm grip of my sword and wielded it. I started swinging it back and forth unskillfully; I wasn't used to such close combat, my weapon of choice was always the spear which meant I didn't have the need to get too close to the enemy or I'd use the bow but never the sword. 

The biggest spider lunged towards me and pinned me to the ground. With an unsteady movement of my hand I wielded the sword upwards impaling the spider's body. The creature shrieked and thrashed violently until it finally died. The other spiders where now mad, I'd killed one of their sisters and I was as good as dead. As one of the smaller spiders approached me I tried to retrieve my sword but it was stuck inside the dead spider. I pulled with all of my strength but I wasn't able to get it out. The smaller spider was closer and then just as it was prepared to strike a sword flew directly between her eyes finishing with her life.

I whirled around and a flash of silver blond hair appeared before my eyes. I turned back around and before me stood an elf like no other I'd ever seen. He was tall, well built, with strong arms, defined broad shoulders and a poise and way of carrying himself like no other. His face remained cold as stone, when his piercing blue eyes landed upon me I stood still and a chill ran through my body. 

"Are you just going to stand there or will you help me fight this menace?" His voice was deep and filled with irony. I tried to look for words to respond but I was unable. I tried pulling out my sword once more and miraculously it came out swiftly.

I started fighting off the rest of the spiders but compared to this elf I was making a fool of myself. He was using two swords and moved them so fast it was imposible for my eyes to catch his movements. The only thing I did notice was that every time he swiftly moved his arm a spider fell dead at his feet. 

After he intervened the fight didn't last much longer. I'd managed to kill one spider and harm half a spider while he'd finished all of them off. I felt like an idiot and that was an unusual feeling. 

"Where you mad?" He asked as he drew away his swords and walked towards me, with his face stern. His voice was calm yet I could sense he wanted to smile. 

"I got lost." I replied looking down at the floor.

"Is it really that hard to follow a path?" The irony in his voice made me feel much more like a fool. 

"My horse began to lag behind then all of a sudden I was by myself!" I screamed. I took a deep breath and looked up at my savior; a smirk played on his lips making his mysterious yet alluring face even more mysterious and alluring. "I'm sorry." I whispered. 

"Don't be." He responded. "I'm guessing you're headed to the palace, I'll take you."

I shot him a little smile and huffed. "I can manage on my own." I answered proudly.

"Sure you can, that's why you were about to be eaten by those harmless spiders." His smirk became a smile and he started walking forward. "It's almost sundown, this forest gets filled with all sorts of nasty creatures." He teased. 

I inmediatelly started walking behind him, not daring to say a word. 

We walked in silence for a few minutes and I took my time to study him. He wasn't wearing and armor, but a golden cape, pants, tall boots and a normal shirt, his head was adorned by a silver tiara, his hair was silver blond and dropped straight to the middle of his back, his face was serious and his piercing blue eyes seemed troubled. 

"What's your name?" I finally asked. 

"What's yours?" He replied.

"I'm Caladhiel elven princess of the North." I responded proudly. 

He looked at me seeming unmoved by my title. In fact he seemed bored. "Good for you." Was all he said.

"Aren't you going to tell me your name?" I pressed and smiled at him playfully to see if I could get but a smirk out of him.

"You'll learn soon enough." His face remained hard as stone and I decided to drop the subject. 

"Is the king of Mirkwood as cruel and ambitious like everybody says?" I asked. 

"What does everybody say?" He replied. 

I rolled my eyes at him and tried not to look at him for too long. "Well that he didn't help the dwarves when Erebor was attacked. That to me seems like a heartless thing to do and I'm scared to meet him. I had enough troubles with Elrond, but Thranduil seems like he's a cruel man uncapable of any sort of empathy." The words slipped out of my mouth carelessly and I inmediately covered it with my hands. 

"Is that so?" He asked.

"I shouldn't have said that, you probably like your king." I tried to make things right but the damage was already done, even though this mysterious man seemed amussed. 

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We walked in silence until we reached an enormous oak illuminated by the setting sun. Its magnificent green doors opened as soon as they saw us. In a matter of seconds we were surrounded by people but I didn't recognize anyone. Then I turned around and saw Anira who rushed my way and embraced me tight,

"We were so worried my lady!" She exclaimed and hugged me tightly. 

"If it weren't for him I'd be dead." I pointed out towards my savior who was surrounded by guards and servants. 

"Did the king save you?" She asked. 

My stomach dropped and I felt my cheeks turn scarlet. "What? You're not telling me..." I was suddenly interrupted by a deep, irony filled voice.

"King Thranduil at your service." He said from behind me. 

I turned around and met his eyes; they were filled with amusment yet they looked hurt. I'd just told the King of the Woodland Realm he was a souless man incapable of loving or feeling any empathy what so ever.