(Imagine you are captured by Thranduil only to test his patience. Yet, you find there is something between you that you have never seen before.)
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This is a Skyrim/The Hobbit imagine! (Ofc I own none of the characters and Skyrim lore). But you don't need to know Skyrim to enjoy!
Your character can be whoever you chose them to be <3
Thanks for reading and voting !
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You kept your head low and your movement to a minimum. This wasn't the first set of prison bars you had seen in your lifetime.
You couldn't hear much from the echoey abyss of the Elven halls aside from the odd shuffle of boots and disapproving hums of Elven guards as they glanced at you when they walked past your cell. They saw you nothing more than a "sewer rat" an "outcast".
I would rather a swarm of skeevers attack me than be gawked at by them.
You resisted the urge to roll your eyes. Every ounce of your energy had to be preserved to keep your body warm. You had been stripped of your armour and left in your rags. The small sounds of water droplets absorbed by the rocks kept the chill running up your spine. You were too drained to use your magic either: so very drained and so very hungry. Without your armour you felt so bare, so light. You didn't like it.
In fact, you decided that the first thing you would do when you got out of here, because you repeated to yourself that you were definitely getting out of here, was buy the supplies you needed to enhance your boots. A fur trimming or a new soul would do perfectly. Really, even in a situation like this I'm still thinking of something so mundane.
But that's what your travels had taught you, to appreciate the small things, because they could be taken away so quickly.
A sudden clanging of metal alerted you to look up. A young elf clashed the top of his dagger onto the bars. "Come, the king wishes to see you."
You tried your best not to sigh. I think I'll buy a riverside hut and stay there for the rest of my years, that way I won't have to deal with kings anymore.
Rising, the guard opened the gate and kept his dagger awfully close to you. "I don't bite." You said.
The guard said nothing but simply sneered and then grabbed you by the cloth on your shoulder, pushing you up the swerving halls of the prison.
Classy, I like it.
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"And why do I find you, (y/n), a prisoner in my halls?" Thranduil spoke steady, his chin raised and his eyes looked down upon you. You didn't even want to imagine what you looked like in your rags compared to the brilliant, weaving halls around you that only emphasised the great elegance of the Elven king.
It reminded you of the ancient architecture back in your own land. But this was so much more magical.
Your mind flashed back to your difficulties in the Mirkwood forest. "It appears you have a spider problem." You said simply.
"Something that should not be your concern if you had not been trespassing in my kingdom." Thranduil's eyes held yours, or did yours hold his?
"I have experience with spiders. Especially the giant kind. I'm sure I could help resolve your problem. The talking was a surprise but I can work with it." Not that you could understand what the spiders had been saying to one another, but clearly their communication was good enough for them all to agree to charge on you out of no where and wrap you in one of their webs. That was before the elves arrived, your own enchanted bow snapped in half by the spider's fangs. You tried not to frown at that image. God you'd loved that bow.
"Are you really so dumb as to not answer for your self, girl." Owch. "Either state the reason you have entered my kingdom uninvited or go back to rotting in your cell." A roughness had entered his voice now.
A sudden dull ache entered your side and you adjusted yourself to ignore the bruises on your hips. You didn't appreciate being captured, you had more important things to do. And you were getting tired.
Elves had not always been the kindest to you in your own world and apparently not here either.
You focused your mind. "Your highness, as I'm sure you're well aware there is a great threat approaching. A dragon, by the name of Smaug."
A certain fire seemed to hit his features then. "And what would you know of this?"
"I know that Thorin will most likely awaken this dragon and I'm almost certain that you have already had dealing with these dwarves on their travels. As they did not accompany me in the cell you so kindly provided me, I can only assume that they somehow escaped." You searched his cold eyes, trying to find an answer for yourself.
"The dwarves are not your concern." His voice was harsh. If it hadn't been for your years of communicating with people of all backgrounds, races and magicks, you may not have noticed his great effort to keep his composer. But you knew how to talk to those of a higher power. Sometimes getting under their skin was the first step.
"Maybe not." You agreed understandingly. "But on my travels to the mountain I must admit I lost my way. My horse," (which you secretly concealed that you had stolen from the nearest village under the cover of night), "became unfortunately startled by what I can only describe as a werewolf howl. Alas, I found myself here. I assure you it was not my intention to trespass, your highness. Your kingdom is your own, and do not wish to abuse its sanctity." The fire seemed to have burned out a little but he did not speak so you took it as your cue to continue.
You glanced around noticing the two guards who had escorted you from your cell and the other four in the room, two by the kings throne and another two by the door. That wasn't to mention the other two you knew stood on the opposite side of the large wooden entrance and the, around fifteen, you had seen on your way up to the throne room. Outnumbered was an understatement.
That's when you noticed something, a sort of shift in your being that radiated when you turned back to stare at the harsh face of Thranduil. This was new.
You took a step forward ignoring the shift of the guards beside you. You couldn't help it. You held his steady gaze, your brows creased. "You have faced dragon fire too."
The sharpness of his eyes only confirmed your theory. It was as if you could sense someone who too had been marked by a dragon.
"Watch your tongue." He finally snapped.
But you took another step forward, entranced by whatever connected you in this moment. "It was the weakest you've ever felt. As if there was nothing and no-one in this world that could save you from the great reality that such a beast could inhabit such a beautiful land."
He rose instantly. "I said watch your tongue!"
"You were afraid, weren't you? So very afraid. All you could see was fire-"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" The whole hall echoed with rage. All formalities you had learnt with jarls and courtesans had vanished in that rush of something unexplainable. You almost felt foolish, but you had seen too many remarkable things to ignore that feeling that rushed under your skin.
You thought that was it then. Your death warrant was probably already signed. But you tried not to seem surprised when Thranduil dismissed his guards.
"But, my King-" one started.
"I said you are dismissed!" His anger bubbling in the air, the guards gave each other an uncertain glance before hesitantly leaving. The she-elf with red hair by the side of his throne gave you a warning stare as she passed before you heard the door close behind you.
Silence once again creeped in the air and you turned to see Thranduil fall back onto his throne, his head placed against his hand that rested in the chair as he closed his eyes as if in thought. Or as if he were trying to manage a pain.
Before you could speak he raised his head, standing. Each sudden step down from his throne echoed violently. His long cloak snapping behind. You didn't move. You held his eyes until he stood extremely close before you and watched in awe and horror as his beautifully pristine skin melted into burned flesh. You had been right.
You didn't know why but you placed your hand out touch his face but instead, still wary, you simply let your hand hover as you somewhat traced the burns in the air, afraid they were still too fresh to touch. "How?" You whispered.
He didn't let his face cover as if he too had felt what you did. "The great serpents of the North." His voice was weak. You didn't quite know where that anger had gone but you understood that maybe he was just so very tired of hiding his pain. You'd lived a lonely life yourself, wandering away from your own burdens. A king of such a powerful kind would not have had the luxury to run like you did.
Moving your hand away, you stood back. He seemed taken aback at first. You lifted the sleeve of your long tunic to reveal the raw skin on your arms. You gave a sad smile as you gazed at the permanent memory. "It was one of the worst ones I had ever faced. They called him Alduin. I literally walked among the dead for a moment before I killed him." You tried not to give a small chuckle. You had seen so many insane things.
When you looked back up you saw Thranduil's brow had creased and his gaze had softened. You'd never expected to see a soft emotion from such a king.
You didn't know if he wanted to show sympathy or if he even cared at all, so you chose not to find out. "I have faced all kinds of the creatures" you continued, "and I assure you, not all of them are the violent kind. Some truly are wise and live a life of peace. However, I have felt powerless and drained and so awfully tired. They teach you that the world is more scary than you could have known."
He kept his gaze on you his face still scarred and it was so beautiful. You took a breath. "I decided to go to the mountain when I heard from my own land that such a dragon existed. I know how to fight them. I know how to communicate with them. And I know how to take their power and use it as my own. But that doesn't take away how much I fear having to fight them. And how much I still see cities burn and fall to ash. Even ones as great as the elves would design."
Thranduil was silent before he took a step back, letting what only you could assume was Elven magic, return his face to the mask he wore. "I have never know of your kind." He said, trying to regain his demeanour but failing in a hushed whisper.
"I hadn't either, if that helps." You said with a smile. "It took me a near execution and a very long walk up a mountain to some old men to find out what I was." Your smile remained.
His lips twitched up softly. "It seems we have more in common than I thought, (y/n)."
You bowed your head slightly. "It seems we do."
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That was so fun to write lol