Aspect had changed to wolf and ran a shortcut, to get to Thranduil before Thorin. She stopped in front of his throne before she changed back to human. "Thranduil!," she said loud. "I want to sit guard in the prison the next days, or maybe weeks." She lit up with a bright smile.
"And why should a light, not even near to buff, girl like you sit and watch dwarves, who may be shorter than you, but has over twice the strength as you?," Thranduil asked uninterested.
"Because I am half wolf, they will never see it coming! Oh come on Thranduil, you have tried learning me the wife-stuff! You have not thought about the more soldier stuff, have you?," Aspect asked.
"You will get one chance, Aspect, and one chance only. If you ruin it, then you are back to the knitting," Thranduil commanded.
"Thank you so much!," Aspect said in delight, and was ready to run off when she saw Thorin and some guards approach.
"Come up here, Aspect. I want you to stay here for a little. Let me learn you a valuable lesson about dwarves," Thranduil said confident, nodding to the stairs in front of him. Aspect walked reluctantly up the stairs, before sitting down in front of Thranduil. She got her white wolf-ears out before sniffing into the air. A faint smell of honey and tea lurked up her nostrils, but was almost drowned and destroyed by the smell of dirt and death.
Thranduil stepped down from his throne, when he saw his guards bringing Thorin forward. Thorin didn't care about Thranduil. The first thing that caught his attention was Aspect, sitting at the top of the stairs. He sent her a death-stare. Aspect put her pointy finger over her lips, motioning hushing. "She is stunning, is she not?," Thranduil said, motioning proudly towards Aspect, who quickly acted normal, giving him a small smile.
"Yeah, beautiful," Thorin murmured sarcastic. Thranduil walked around Thorin, standing with his back against him, looking out at his kingdom. Thorin and Aspect's eyes met.
"This is a misunderstanding," Aspect mouthed towards Thorin. "Please act normal, and I will explain." But Thorin didn't look like he understood it. Then suddenly Thranduil started talking.
"Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand. A quest to reclaim a homeland... And slay a dragon," he declared loud and mighty. "I myself suspect a more prosaic motive. Attempted burglary, or something of that ilk." Thranduil turned towards Thorin, facing him. "You have found a way in. You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule." Thranduil backed away from Thorin, still facing him. "The King's Jewel. The Arkenstone. It is precious to you beyond measure. I understand that." Thranduil got a smirk on his face, talking slowly and majestically, taking breaks between every sentence. "There are gems in the mountain that I too desire. White gems of pure starlight, just like Aspect's beautiful hair." Thranduil turned to Aspect, dragging a hand gracefully trough her hair, smiling proudly.
Aspect moved slightly away. "Can I please leave, Thranduil?," she asked politely.
"No, stay, my dear," Thranduil said, turning back to Thorin. "I offer you my help." Thranduil bowed his head.
"I am listening," Thorin answered with a smirk.
"I will let you go," Thranduil took a long break. "If you return what is mine."
"A favor for a favor," Thorin said, turning away from Thranduil.
"You have my word," Thranduil answered quickly. "One king to another."
Thorin was quiet for a little while. "I would not trust Thranduil, the great king, to honor his word. Should the end of all daysbe upon us!," Thorin got louder and louder. He suddenly turned, pointing angrily at Thranduil. "You, who lack all honor! I have seen how you treat your friends. We came to you once, starving, homeless, seeking your help. But you turned your back! You turned away from the suffering of my people, and the inferno that destroyed us!"
Thranduil suddenly leaned down, getting close to Thorin's face. "Do not talk to me of dragon fire. I know, its wrath and ruin," Thranduil suddenly stopped, making scars appear on his face. Aspect, who had never seen Thranduil that angry, or his scars, pushed herself closer to his throne, away from him in fear. "I have faced the great serpents of the North." Thranduil backed away from Thorin as his scars disappeared. He slowly started walking up the stairs to his throne. "I warned your grandfather of what his greed would summon. But he would not listen. You are just like him." Thranduil gave the guards a sign, and they took a good grip on Thorin. "Stay here if you will, and rot. A hundred years is a mere blink in the life of an Elf. I am patient. I can wait." Thorin got dragged away as Thranduil talked.
"Never will I trust an elf like you, nor your wolf-friend ever again!," Thorin yelled. Aspect moved away from Thranduil's throne. He sat down at it, looking at Aspect.
"What does he mean?," Thranduil asked superficial.
Aspect played dumb. "That he will not believe a word you say, ever," she replied, looking away.
"But also 'my wolf-friend'," Thranduil said suspiciously. "Have you met Thorin before?" Aspect stood up.
"No, I have not," she turned to Thranduil and said, eyes flickering of light green lights and ears moving slightly as the lie slipped out from her mouth. She turned away and slithered down the stairs. "My guard is starting." She hid her ears.
"Aspect, stop," Thranduil said, and in that exact moment two guards grabbed her arms, lifted her up and turned her around. "Tell me how you know Thorin. Your ears always move when you lie, no matter if they are human or not."
"I- I do not know him well. I just met them on the way," Aspect started, trying to control her ears. "I heard about their journey and..." Her eyes flickered of green light.
"Aspect! The truth," Thranduil repeated bossily.
"The truth," Aspect started before she took a deep breath. "The truth is that Gandalf the Grey set out on this journey with them, and they ended up right outside of Beorn's farm. I saw them from afar, running away from Beorn, towards his farm. Me, knowing I cannot take on Beorn alone, kept my distance, and when no one saw me, I came running here to tell you." A light flicker of light and movement of ears occurred, but not enough for Thranduil to notice.
"Then why were you running away from the wrong path? Why did Legolas find you in the forest? And why have you not told me anything?," Thranduil inquired.
"It is a long time since last I walked these paths and among these trees, a lot has changed! And I would not known better, would I? A young, stupid girl," Aspect answered with a small laugh. "And to answer the last question; have I not told you? I must have forgotten! So much have happened the last days, I must have forgotten when I got injured!" Thranduil nodded. The guards let her go.
"Your guard begins now. I will have someone check in on you every other hour. One chance, Aspect," Thranduil said, waving his hand in a 'get away'-motion. Aspect turned and walked towards the prisons.
Legolas sat down by the prisons, looking at Aspect with a small smile when she came down the stairs. "I am taking over," she said, nodding to Legolas.
"I can keep you company, if you want to," Legolas said, not standing up from the chair.
"No, no. I will be fine," Aspect said, faking a smile. She could feel the stares from the dwarves. They judged her. They thought she had betrayed them. They hated her. "No problem, Legolas. Go and get some rest." Legolas slowly stood up and stepped close to her.
"Meet me at my room when you are finished for the night," he whispered, before he tried to kiss her. Aspect turned her face away, making his lips hit her cheek. Aspect only nodded slightly before Legolas stepped up the stairs.
"I think it is time for an explanation from me," Aspect said low, but loud enough for all the dwarves to hear. "This was my home, many many years ago." The dwarves gasped and started to mumble low. "But, I ran away. I did not feel like home, but Thranduil wants me to - therefore he tries all he can to make me feel like it. I can tell you all the story later, but first we need to get you out of here."
"And why should we trust you?," Thorin asked angry.
"Because I am, in fact, your only hope, if not Bilbo finds his way around here. The problem is that Thranduil does not let me have the key, and I only have one chance. If I blow it, I am in deep trouble, just like you." The dwarves all murmured in agreement, that it was safe to trust Aspect this time, since she was their only hope to get out - and she couldn't actually make the situation any worse for them.
*
Aspect lightly knocked on Legolas' door. It was way pass midnight, and her guard was finished many hours before, but she just hadn't gotten herself to visit Legolas' room earlier. The dwarves had lost all of their life and glow that Aspect had gotten to know when they stayed at Beorn's farm. They all looked so lifeless and sad.
Aspect had hoped that the light knock couldn't be heard. She had hoped Legolas was sound asleep, but suddenly the door opened in front of her. There stood Legolas with a big, bright smile on his face. "Aspect," he said delighted. Aspect felt he towered over her more than usual, almost in a scary way. "Finally you are here." He grabbed her hand, slightly pulling her closer to him.
"I just came here to say goodnight," Aspect said, without looking him in the eyes. She regretted coming there in the first place - she had nothing to do there and she should have went straight to her own room.
"Oh come on, you have time to stay here for a little," Legolas said, leaning against the doorframe. "I have not waited up at you for nothing." He moved so Aspect got a sight into his room. His fireplace was lit, and a bottle of wine with a glass, plus a book lay on a table besides a chair in front of it.
"I should be going. I need to sleep - I got a long day of guarding tomorrow," Aspect said, ready to turn around and rush to her room, but Legolas grabbed her closer.
"Tell me what is wrong, Aspect," he suddenly said. "Tell me what is in that great, beautiful mind of yours." Legolas was visibly drunk, as he smiled at her, moving back and forth like a weird, cringe slow-dance. "I just want to have you here, Aspect," Legolas said, to state his point.
Aspect felt bad for the dwarves. She felt bad for Fili, who she happily had gotten to talk to and explained everything to the evening right before this weird night and situation. "I-," Aspect stuttered, but she got shut off by Legolas' sudden outburst.
"Oh come on Aspect, screw this," he said, as he suddenly swept her off the floor, lifting her into the room as he closed the door with his foot behind them. He lay her down in his bed, jumping in it besides her. "Now," he said. "I have done the biggest job for you - getting in bed. Now you can stay here with me for the night." He smiled satisfied. Aspect looked surprised at him, but didn't resist. She understood that she could use this for her own advantage.
"You are right," she said, smiling to him as she turned over on her side, facing him.
"So, talk to me. How did your guard go? What are occupying your mind?," Legolas asked excited. Aspect laughed a light laugh. "Oh come on Aspect, I just want you the best." He grabbed her arm careful, and started stroking it with his fingers.
"My guard went well," Aspect started, smiling by the thought of at least knowing where the dwarves were, and that they were safe. "I am just thinking about... Just about how Thranduil talked to the dwarf-king. I think it was not fair, but Thranduil was so angry - I did not have the courage to tell him."
"How, do you mean? We have always had feuds with dwarves," Legolas said, not surprised at all.
"I mean, a favor for a favor is a good deal, but the way Thranduil presented it and how he reacted when Thorin said no was wrong. I think he should let them go - they need to get back to their home," Aspect said, but Legolas broke her off.
"That also means waking up a dragon, Aspect. There is many reasons why my dad reacted the way he did, and I think he had good reasons to do that," Legolas said, a bit irritated.
"No, that was wrong. But you will not understand the feeling the dwarves are feeling anyway - you have always felt the feeling of belonging somewhere. I understand why they want to risk everything to get back home - where they feel at home and like they belong," Aspect shot back. Tears started swelling up in her eyes. "I would have done the same too," she whispered. She turned away from Legolas, who had just realized what he had done.
He moved closer, wrapping his arms around her. "Aspect I am sorry," he said, lightly kissing her head. "I am so, so sorry I did not mean to hurt you."
"I just want the best for them. They deserve a home too," Aspect said, as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"I understand," Legolas said, stroking her hair.