A/n: I hope you've enjoyed your villain origin story lol
Warning: blood and death. Very long chapter if that's a warning?
~3000words
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The rains fell from the heavens with the strength of a hurricane. You thought it was fitting for the day you were about to endure.
Last night, Halbrand had revealed himself as the dark lord you already knew him to be. You felt stronger with him at your side. And yet... you could feel that something else percolating inside your body that you couldn't place. The night you'd spent with Halbrand felt unlike anything you'd ever experienced before. You yourself felt stronger, elevated, and strange, but powerful.
You looked down from the view out your barred window to your fingertips. They felt tingly and looking at them now you saw how they seemed to shimmer with a faint light. Like your skin was imbued with the aurora borealis. Whatever Halbrand had done last night, had bonded a part of his soul to you. You knew that the same power within him was now shared with you and you couldn't help the grin that spread across your face. For the first time you had power over your father and Sir Aemon. Today, they will know vengeance.
You would do their little song and dance of finding a suitor but you knew Halbrand had a plan of his own.
You walked over to you chamber doors. It would be about time for breakfast with your father. Opening the door, there stood Halbrand.
He turned and smiled when he saw you, "hmm—power looks good on you."
You looked down, still effected by his flirting, "I have you to thank for that, dear Halbrand. I feel...new."
Halbrand smirked harder as he wrapped an arm over your shoulder, " power is the best feeling in the world, precious. Just wait until you see what you can do."
You started to walk together down the hall, "I trust you have a plan for today?"
He nodded, speaking low so no one passing by could hear, "I do. But it does involve going along with what your father says for a time. When he demands that a suitor is chosen. Then we will strike. After that, we escape."
"And how do we do that?" That would be kind of hard to do especially when you're surrounded by guards during an even like this.
He winked, "Leave that to me, precious."
Breakfast was seemingly uneventful. Your father however, did notice you when you walked in the room which he never does.
"Daughter...you look...different." Your father said. He couldn't quite place it and he kept making glances at you during breakfast. Maybe it was just the fact that you held your head higher, walked with confidence for the first time, and there was also the fact that you just seemed to be glowing. Knowing something your father didn't was a reward on its own.
"Are you excited to find your suitor this evening?" You father spoke around a mouth full of food.
You glanced at Halbrand before speaking, "I've never been so excited, father."
That caught the king off guard, " you're serious?"
You looked at him then, "Deathly."
The king didn't say much after that.
•
You were ushered back to your room to prepare for the royal event. Your wardrobe had already been dropped off at your room and from the looks of things, hand picked dresses from your father. All of which were glittery and sparkly pink, modest, with a ball gown skirt. What once might have been a normal dress to wear around the palace, now put a sour taste in your mouth. Your father wanted to preserve your innocence and use it as a way to sell you to a man. What suitor didn't want a virgin?
You flicked through the dresses with a disgusted look, "Is there nothing else he sent? Something other than pink?" You asked one of the servant maids.
She shook her head, "no, princess, this was all your father had chosen."
You rolled your eyes, "of course it is." You walked over to your larger closet and opened the sliding doors.
"W-what are you doing, princess?" The servant asked with a tinge of worry in her voice.
"My father is no longer making decisions for me. I'll wear whatever dress I chose to the party and there will be no objections. If there are, I'll tell my father I caught you stealing my jewelry and then you can kiss your royal duties and luxuries goodbye." You looked back at the servants with a hard glare. The women quickly nodded their heads. They weren't really in a position to argue.
You walked around your closet until you found the perfect dress. This was sure to get your father riled up.
An all black dress that was both light and comfortable. Black tulle that covered your arms and the length of the dress. Just what your father wouldn't like and that was enough to make you fall in love with the dress. Plus, you thought Halbrand might like it too. That...Sauron might like it.
To say the servants were appalled at your choice of dress was an understatement. Their jaws dropped and they glanced at each other in worry. They were probably silently wondering if they were going to be fired for allowing you to walk out there in this atrocity. But they stayed quiet about their concerns and that was enough for you. They helped you with your hair and makeup and before long it was time to begin an absolutely unforgettable night.
When Halbrand saw you, he all but froze in his place. You had mistook his speechlessness for dislike but he was very quick to shut down those thoughts. He told you that you were already looking like a true queen and that he was honored to rule beside you.
Your father on the other hand, could not have had a more adverse reaction. The moment you stepped in the throne room all eyes were on you. Their jaws did also drop like Halbrand's but the look in their eyes was one of abhorrence. Men and women clad in colorful clothes littered the throne room. Both young and old, some proudly displayed their skill badges on their robes. The best glare came from your father as he looked upon you like you'd killed his favorite dog...if he even liked dogs.
To not cause a scene, your father played as if your dress had been chosen all along. He quickly resumed the festivities and the music.
You stepped up to him and he pulled you to the side, away from Halbrand, "What, in the name of the Valar, are you playing at?!" His whisper yell didn't go as unnoticed as he'd hoped by the council standing beside him. "What is this funeral attire you're wearing?!"
You scoffed, "oh there will certainly be a death today—hopefully multiple," you eyed Sir Aemon who stood beside the king," Now if you excuse me, father, I have terrible excuses for suitors that I mustn't keep waiting. I want to get this over with."
With that, you turned and headed for the line of suitors that had been formed. You started with the first one. And elderly man. Even though it made your stomach uneasy you danced and conversed with him and every other possible suitor. Some of them seemed like nice men, but others were nasty and driven by their own ambition. You longed to be back in Halbrand's arms, dancing the night away with him instead. You'd felt his eyes on you the entire night. He stood near the king's throne, watching you with the faintest of smiles on his face. Even though you acted interested in each of the suitors, he knew your loyalty lie with him and him alone. He liked know that you were his and no one else's.
As far as stares go, after each suitor you went through you casted an innocent smile your father's way. He remained emotionless but you could see the cogs trying to turn in his head; trying to figure out your game. You wanted him to see you jumping through the hoops. Wanted him to see how good and innocent you were. How you always had been.
When the final dance finished with the last suitor. King Claudius ordered everyone to pause their movements and silenced the music. All of the dancing and the fire from the braziers had made the room quite hot. Sweat beaded many men's foreheads.
"Mine daughter has had a chance to dance with and know the many wonderful men in this room. The time has come for a suitor to be named. As king and...more importantly as a father it is my duty to ensure that the princess gets only the best of you."
Your brows furrowed you did not like where he was going with this and shared a look with Halbrand as you stood before your father.
Your father continued, " That being said I have chosen who I feel meets all of the requirements. I've chosen him because I feel it beneficial that they have known each other for a time. I name, Sir Aemon, as the suitor for my daughter!" He cheered and raised a glass. A roar followed from the crowd in cheer and happiness at the news. All you could do was stare at Halbrand in shock and hurt. Getting to pick your own suitor had been an illusion. He'd had Sir Aemon picked from the beginning. The devilish smirk on Aemon's face only confirmed that.
Halbrand clenched his jaw in anger. He held up his hand, "Wait wait wait! I need you all to listen for a moment!"
The crowd quieted and the king looked at him in confusion, "What is it, Sir Halbrand?"
Halbrand stepped down from the steps, away from the king and towards you, "By that same notion of having been acquainted with princess, y/n, I have a proposition. You only want the best for her do you not? Sir Aemon is captain of the king's guard sure. But he is not a king."
Your father scoffed, "and you are?"
"I am."
The king shook his head, "I think I would have heard of you before. You've been knighted in my palace for months yet you've said nothing of this."
Halbrand smirked, "Oh you have heard of me. But you don't know that I belong to it. I am king of the south lands of Middle Earth."
The king and the crowd bellowed with laughter at that. That caused your blood to boil by itself. You offered Halbrand a comforting hand on his arm. He winked at you in return. He must know what he's doing; this must be part of his plan.
The king spoke after wheezing with laughter, "silly boy! There is no king of the south lands".
It was you who laughed now, "Oh but there is. A dark lord who deals in fire and blood. He wages a growing war so that we may structure and shape this world for a better one!"
Your father curled his lip at your words, "What on earth are you saying?!"
Halbrand looked at you and gently tucked some hair behind your ear with a smile in front of everyone. You gazed into him fondly. He answered darkly, "Over the last millennium I've gone by many names. The dark lord, Mairon, Annatar, Sauron,...Halbrand."
A gasp echoed through the crowd. Whispers passed through them if it could be true. Many had a growing fear in their bellies at this confession and made for the exits. Halbrand held up his hands and slammed the doors closed with his power. The fire braziers acted as if they'd been doused in oil. Their fires raged louder and more violently.
Halbrand spoke with a voice that was deeper and unlike the one you'd grown accustomed to, "No one leaves. I wasn't finished."
The crowd of terrified men and women could do nothing but stare and listen to him.
Halbrand turned to the king again, "I wouldn't keep your daughter as a princess but I would make her a queen. A queen that is beautiful and as terrible as the dawn. I would make her a queen of the world and we would not share power!
You take your mark and assail the king. Unable to hold back any longer. Now was the time to attack and show your strength.
"I've wanted to do this for so long," you voiced as you held a knife at his throat.
"No this isn't you! This devil has turned you against me!"
"You're wrong! This has always been dormant inside me. This is merely the product of your negligence, father. You locked me away and abused me. You turned me into this! Now, because of you, history will never know me as a woman but as a monster!"In one quick motion the knife slit the skin of his neck open. Blood came gushing like a river over your arms, chest, and face. Seeing the old fool writhe and choke on his own blood was it's own reward. Then you looked up at Sir Amon. His eyes become wide as saucers as he tries to run. Halbrand saw to it that he did not escape. He reappears before him like magic. And landed punch after punch; sending Aemon on the floor. Halbrand was brutal in his killing but Aemon had deserved it and you loved watching Halbrand in the act. He cut off the dangly bits between Aemon's legs before stuffing it down his throat where he choked to death. A fitting death you thought.
All of the people were panicking and watching in terror at the murders that had just taken place before them. The guards did nothing as the fire braziers held them at bay.
You stepped up to Halbrand and placed your hands on his chest, "We need to get out of here."
Halbrand wrapped an arm over your shoulders, holding you to him, "I agree. Come dawn, Numenor will be underwater. A great drowning awaits them."
You looked out the nearest window. The world was dark as a terrible storm continued to rage on.
"How do we get out?"
Halbrand looked down at you with your chin between his fingers, a smile playing on his face, "I told you that dragons are hard to come by. But there is one they still answer to."
The red haired man closed his eyes and whispered words in a different language. They were dark and foul on the air. The ground beneath you began to rumble and the walls began to crack. The crowd cried in fear.
Then there was a fierce thunder on the wind. You followed the sound and peered out the window. The already windy storm outside became even stronger, making it howl on the palace. Lightning followed a set path in the sky. Through the dark clouds, the lightening revealed a silhouette. A large beast, with a two very large wings. A roar unlike any other you'd ever heard met your ears. Chills enveloped your body at the marvelous sight.
"He's here." Halbrand whispered in your ear.
Without warning the ceiling crashed in. Halbrand shielding you with his body from the rubble. Many people in the room were not so fortunate and were immediately crushed to death.
The rain came pouring in and soaked everything in sight. Looking passed Halbrand your eyes went wide. A large black fire drake looked over the people. It's eyes were entirely made of fire, and the heat on his breath was melting the flesh of the remaining crowd of people, yet you and Halbrand were unaffected.
And then it spoke. A large forked tongue peeking out as it did so, "Massster. I've come for you."
Halbrand reached a hand up and pet the beast on its nose, "We fly to Middle Earth, Son of Ancalagon the Black. The new king and Queen have much work to do."
The dragon gave a little bow of his head and Halbrand helped you climb onto its back, followed by Halbrand sitting behind you.
The dragon took off from the palace and took to the skies. The rain pelted your face. You'd never felt more alive or more free than you did right now. All you could to was lift your arms up, feel the wind and smile.
All felt right in the world now. Right here, with Sauron was where you were meant to be.
Now come the days of the king and queen of fire.
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