Thranduil was livid.
Guards and servants hurriedly leapt out of his path as he stormed through the palace, narrowly avoiding the six feet five tower of rage as he strode past, tearing off his armour and throwing it piece by piece to the floor. Melderion hurried behind him, quickly gathering the discarded battle-wear.
"Where is she?" the King roared. "Where is that blasted elleth?!"
Silence was his answer as those within earshot ducked for cover.
He marched onwards, throwing doors open in his search for her. He took the stone steps two at a time as he bounded down them, Melderion hurrying to keep up with him. Rounding the corner, he spotted her sitting on a wooden bench behind a massive carved pillar with her head in her hands, and came to a stop.
"Leave," he hissed over his shoulder.
The faithful aide disappeared instantly.
Long strides carried him to her, where he gripped her arm and yanked her up from the seat. She cried out in pain as his fingers dug into the soft flesh of her upper arm.
"When did you become a member of my armies?" he demanded as he towered over her. "Who gave you the authority to take one of my horses and ride into battle?"
"N..no-one, my Lord," she stammered.
"Then why did I find you about to be slaughtered in the middle of a fight where you had no business being?!" he screamed. His body shook with anger. "How dare you assume that you are experienced enough to fight with my guards! Your place was not out in those woods!"
"I...I...I am sorry, my Lord," she gasped, terrified. "I only wanted to help-"
"If you want to help, then I suggest you stay out of my sight!" he barked, leaning down so only a few inches separated them.
She reeled back as far as his iron hold would allow, afraid of the fury that flashed in those ice blue eyes.
"My Lord, the patrol from the southern borders have returned," a voice said.
Thranduil glared at her for several seconds, before slowly turning his head to give the speaker a profile view.
"The replacement patrol have arrived at the borders safely," the servant went on after a moment's hesitation. "The captain wishes to give you his report when you are available."
He breathed deeply, turning back to Elu. "Inform him that I shall be with him just shortly," he said, not taking his eyes from her. "I shall deal with you later," he added to her, in a hiss that almost burned her ears.
His jaw clenched hard as he threw her arm aside, glaring at her as he spun on his heel and marched away. The flustered servant who had delivered his information lowered his head and trailed meekly behind the swirl of robes that stormed deeper into the palace.
Elu gasped a breath in, shaken to the core. She genuinely hadn't meant to anger him. She knew she was formidable with a bow, and knew that her experience and accuracy could be of use to the elves fighting for their lives and their kingdom.
But Thranduil saw it differently.
He obviously looked at it as a feeble female jumping into a situation where she was definitely not welcome, and somehow that had undermined him. His authority was still intact, his soldiers still looked upon him as their rightful King and leader – what damage had she done by showing up in the forest?
Unable to decipher his thoughts, she leaned back against the pillar, a heavy sadness washing over her.
"Elu."
Her head turned.
Legolas stood several feet away. "Are you well?" he asked.
She nodded with a weak smile. "Yes."
He inhaled deeply through his nose. "My father will calm down, given enough time," he told her. "He is furious about the attack. He objects to situations being forced upon him with no warning, no chance to prepare. Do not take his words to heart, Mellon. All shall be well."
"I doubt it," she said through a shaky laugh. "I have felt his ire consistently since my arrival, yet I have never borne witness to such...ferocity...such rage, such...belligerence."
The Prince sighed softly as he leaned back against the wall and crossed one ankle over the other, folding his arms. He studied the floor at his feet. "He keeps his thoughts closed to everyone around him," he said. "We have talked about this previously. Sometimes he has to crack, and this just happens to be one of those times. He is worried that harm befalls you."
She snorted. "I am sure he is," she said. "He wants to go through eternal life without ever having to set eyes upon me again. Perhaps I did the wrong thing in returning for Ealan. Perhaps I should have paid attention to my instinct and stayed away."
His eyebrows twitched slightly as he considered her words. "I do not think so. I feel that you have done the right thing. My father will come around, sooner or later. Trust me. Like I said before; he has problems within the Woodland realm that he must deal with."
She folded her hands together in front of her, her eyes downcast. "I truly think it would be best all round if I leave," she said.
Legolas's jaw dropped. Something was seriously wrong here, and he had to fix it. And fast. "But Ealan...he needs you," he protested. So did his father, but he'd been forbidden to mention the conversation between the two of them. "What would he do if you were not here?"
"He is a grown ellon," she said, her words containing a slight bite. "I have devoted my life to raising him, being there for him, doing everything for him. He has become too dependent on me. It is time I made some choices for myself."
Baby blue eyes watched her as she twisted her fingers. "I think that you should consider allowing the dust to settle before making your final choice," he said after a pause. "I know that there are many here who would miss you if you were to leave us."
"But I shall be leaving one day either way, will I not? What difference would it make whether it was right away or in a week's time, a month's time, next season?"
"Perhaps more than you might think. You may be making a rash decision while not in the correct frame of mind," he told her. "I would strongly suggest you give it some time before making your final decision."
She nodded slowly.
He could tell her mind was already thinking ahead. Sighing softly, he leaned his weight off the wall and straightened his stance. "I am going to tend to my duties," he said quietly. "I trust I shall see yourself and Ealon this night?"
"Yes. We will quite probably take our meal in the great Hall with everyone else," she replied.
He gave her a slight bow which she returned, and walked through the hallways. The thought ran through his mind that he needed to speak with his father, and quickly, before he did any more damage.
*****
Hours passed.
Thranduil made the decision to stay away from Elu, knowing deep inside himself that he needed the space to regain his usual sense of calm. He was furious that she'd turned up in the woods, but knew that she'd had a helping hand in their reasonably swift victory. It didn't matter that she'd saved the lives of many of his guards, even his; he was more concerned that she'd come close to losing her own.
He promised himself he'd put this point across, without losing his temper or pushing her further away. The fear in her eyes had struck a nerve – she'd been genuinely scared of him, and that was more than he had been aiming for in his attempt at pushing her away.
Sending a guard to summons her, he sat on his throne and eyed Aileron, who was pointlessly droning on and on about the orc attack. He wasn't telling him anything that he didn't already know, and he found the edges of his temper slowly beginning to fray.
He lifted his chin as the elleth in question made her way along the curved walkway, followed by the guard. She'd changed, and wore a simple white dress which hugged her figure and flared elegantly at her bare feet. One eyebrow twitched; the only sign of his slight amusement at her reluctance to wear anything on her feet.
Aileron stopped, noticing his King's attention had wandered, and looked over his shoulder. He turned back towards the throne with a grin. "Splendid," he said. "This is perfect timing, my Lord."
Ice blue eyes flicked back to him, but nothing was said.
Elu advanced towards the raised dais. Her face remained neutral, but her eyes held an emotionally detached look.
Thranduil opened his mouth, but the annoying captain beat him to it.
"My Lord...if I may," he said, drawing his arm behind him with a flourish towards her. "I have something for which I seek your permission and approval."
Elu looked from a distant point to him with a look of vague surprise.
"I have summoned Lady Elu before me for a reason," Thranduil said. "However, say what you wish to say so that I can conduct the business I have at hand."
The captain grinned wider. "As you know, my Lord, Lady Elu and myself worked rather closely for some time at her home village," he said.
"And?"
"I myself felt a deep connection with her. I seek your permission to court her, with a view to marry her."
Elu's jaw dropped.
What??
Thranduil's jaw clenched. "And what does Lady Elu say regarding this proposal?"
She hesitated, being at a complete loss for words. "I...I had no idea the Captain was thinking such things," she stammered.
"I would be looking at securing a home for us not far from her own village," Aileron continued. "I can provide well for her, and I know I can make her happy."
She blinked.
A long silence hung in the vast cavernous space.
"No."
The captain gasped. "But my Lord-"
"I will not allow it," Thranduil said. His voice was cold. "It is out of the question."
Elu breathed an inaudible sigh of relief. The proposition had taken her completely by surprise. She'd spoken with Aileron often while working, but had no idea he'd been thinking towards a future with her. Nothing he'd said had even hinted at his inner thoughts and intentions. Her heart certainly didn't lie with him.
It lay with the ruler who sat on the throne.
The ruler who's eyes glittered menacingly as he stared down at the two of them.
"I...I..." Aileron stuttered. "May I ask your reasoning, my Lord?" His cheeks were red.
The King leaned forwards with an evil look in his gaze. "Seeing as I have known the pleasures of her body first, it would not be a true union," he said softly.
She almost dropped.
He had known what?!?
The captain whirled around to face her with a look of complete horror. "You have been intimate with the King??" he demanded.
Thranduil sat back, the faintest hint of a wicked smile tugging at one corner of his lips.
"Well? Have you?"
She swallowed. This was one hell of a predicament.
If she said yes to throw him off, she would forever be known as an elleth with no morals; a slut. If she said no, she was going head to head against the King, accusing him of being a liar.
Neither option bode well for her.
Angry eyes darted between her and Thranduil. "I cannot believe my ears," he gasped. "How could you? I thought that we could have a future together! We get on so well with one another, yet you neglected to tell me that you were disrobing at every opportunity for someone!"
Her cheeks burned in shame.
Thranduil's smirk grew as he watched her discomfort. "Safe to say, this request has been denied," he drawled lazily. "I believe there is no more room for discussion. My word is final on the matter."
Aileron glared up at him, his chest heaving as he fought with his anger. "Of course, my Lord," he said through gritted teeth. He turned and marched away without looking at Elu.
Thranduil waved the guard over. "Escort Lady Elu back to whatever she was doing," he said. He felt no need to berate her for the earlier events in the forest, knowing that he'd humiliated her and reminded her exactly what his position was and how much power he wielded.
Her head lowered as she silently followed the guard back along the walkway.
His eyes followed her, taking in the slump of her shoulders, and he pursed his mouth. Maybe he'd taken it a little too far. But he wasn't one to back down and retract his words, and this would be no exception. The matter was over and done with.
*****
Aileron chopped viciously at the offending branch which hung low before him. He kicked it aside and strode through the edge of the woods. Peace wouldn't come to him, and his rage was growing rapidly. How dare she laugh and joke with him while they'd been working, only for her to be sleeping with the King? Another ellon perhaps he could have handled better, but to be upstaged by the monarch? That was completely different. There was no way he could argue his point or fight for her, even if he did think she was worth it after sullying herself with another male.
His eyes lifted from the forest floor as the rustling of leaves and branches caught his attention. His mood slowly began to lift as his brother and his cousin appeared from the undergrowth.
*****
Elu threw the book she'd been reading aside and leapt to her feet. Fury pounded through her veins as she stormed out of the library, with several heads turning to watch her leave. She couldn't – wouldn't – let the matter go. Thranduil had no right to say what he did, and he had no right to refuse his permission for her to court or marry anyone. He didn't own her. She was his subject, but nothing more.
Storming along the dark underground hallways, she searched for the object of her rage, finally catching sight of him through the open door of his private study.
"My Lord, I request a word," she said stiffly, positioning herself in the doorway.
He looked up at her in surprise. "My, my...this is a day for requests," he said. "And to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"
She stepped further into the room. "I think you know," she said. Her voice wavered slightly with both anger and nerves. "I refer to the meeting not two hours ago."
The faintest flicker of a smirk flashed over his mouth, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. "You wish to dispute my decision?" he asked.
"I wish to dispute your reasoning!" she snapped.
"Remember to whom you speak," he reminded her coldly.
Her temper was at the point where she no longer cared for airs and graces. "You have ruined my reputation," she said. "The words that you uttered were unfathomable lies!"
He snorted. "What do I care about your reputation?" he demanded. "I could not care less about what others think of you." A deliberate lie.
"Perhaps I do!" she retorted. "If I had denied your allegations, I would have been calling you a liar!"
"A fate punishable by a long spell in the dungeons," he said, sliding her a sideways glance. "I trust your common sense told you not to go against me."
She bristled. "No-one will ever look at me," she hissed. "All will think that I have loose morals, if any morals at all! How could you do that to me? What have I ever done to you that is so wrong?"
"You are here within my palace, are you not?" he replied snidely.
"You were just handed a chance to be rid of me!" Her voice had risen, and she was bordering on shouting. She didn't care. "Aileron said he intended to acquire a home out with the palace! You stopped that, none other!"
"Perhaps I do not think that you would be suitable for one of my captains!" he shouted, slamming the book he'd held down onto the desk. "Perhaps I do not think that you have the correct breeding!"
Her mouth opened in horror. "Your hatred runs so deep," she whispered. "So, so deep. I have never known a hatred as such! And I risk my freedom and possibly my life when I say that it is completely unjustified!"
"So you may think," he snapped, turning away from her.
"So I ask you once more – what have I done to wrong you?" she persisted, unwilling to bear her suffering any longer.
He whirled back round, so fast, she jumped. "You desecrate the memory of my dead wife!" he roared.
*****
Hugging her knees tightly to her chest, she wiped her tears away.
Her mood was low after the confrontation in Thranduil's study. He'd roared his final words at her and barged past her, knocking her aside in his rage. She'd stood there for several moments, stunned and shocked. Not knowing what he referred to, she had no way of reasoning what he'd said. She'd eventually moved, fleeing back to the shared room she slept in.
Bustling in the hall drew her attention, and she looked up to see two guards in the doorway.
"The King has ordered you to accompany us," one of them said.
"For what reason?" she asked.
"That remains the concern of the King," he replied.
She reluctantly eased herself off her bed and followed them out into the corridor. The two of them walked shoulder to shoulder in front of her, united in a wall of stony silence. Her feet dragged as she walked. Every bit of fight in her had been drained by the day's events.
An unseen pair of dark grey eyes watched the trio as they passed.
The guards led her outside to the courtyard, where one of them left to return with two horses. Both bounded up onto them, and the one who'd spoken grabbed her and hoisted her up in front of him. A kick to the horses' flanks, and they took off at a gallop through the gates.
Miles of woodlands passed as they hurtled through the forest. Elu was terrified; she didn't know where they had been told to take her. She hoped inwardly that Thranduil had ordered them to return her to her village, but she was sure they were travelling in the wrong direction.
They eventually came to a stop, and both guards dismounted. Rough hands dragged her down from the horse, tearing the shoulder of her dress in the process. She wriggled and yelled at the manhandling, and was rewarded with a swift punch across her left cheekbone.
"Silence, whore!" the second guard shouted.
She cried out in pain and fear as the one holding her dragged her forwards and threw her away from him. Her head reeled back as he punched her again.
"The King has ordered your execution," the other ellon told her as he withdrew his sword.
"Why?" she pleaded. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"You have dishonoured him, and insulted him," he replied. The one who had struck her grabbed her wrists and tied them tightly behind her back. "No-one insults the King. It is a fate that is punishable by death. That is the law."
She shook her head, blinded by her tears. "I did not insult or dishonour him!" she cried. "Please, you must believe me!"
"We carry out the orders of the King himself," he replied.
The guard finished tying her hands and stepped away. The one who had spoken moved behind her and pushed her to her knees. He gripped her hair, forcing her head back.
Elu's heart thumped rapidly, so loud she could hear it as her eyes desperately searched the forest around her.
Thump-thump, thump-thump.
Sunlight streamed in through gaps in the treetops and lit up patches of the ground. Bright plants and flowers thrived under the warm light, and she realised she would never be able to appreciate their beauty again.
Thump-thump, thump-thump.
The cold steel of the blade touched her throat, and she swallowed. Her vision was blurred as her tears flowed fast, and she couldn't focus on anything.
The sweet song of birds reached her ears, and the thought entered her mind that if she was going to die, she could at least perhaps find some peace in the knowledge that nature was trying to make her final seconds a little more pleasant.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
Thump-thump, thump-thump.
Her heartbeat was getting louder, pounding faster and harder.
Thump-thump, thump-thump.
Her heartbroken eyes lifted as the greenery several yards away parted and the biggest, blackest stallion she'd ever seen crashed out of the trees. The animal was in full gallop, but pulled to a controlled halt a few feet away from her. He reared up on his hind legs before dropping back down onto all four hooves, prancing sideways in impatience.
In her state of distress, she slowly became aware that the animal carried a rider. A rider with long blonde hair. A rider whose ice blue eyes held hers as he dismounted and thudded to the forest floor.
She gasped and panted for breath as he slowly approached.
His eyes moved to the guard standing behind her, still holding onto her hair. "The task that you are about to do – I will have you tell me what it is," his deep voice said.
"We are carrying out your command, my Lord," replied the guard who stood a little to the side.
"And my command was?" He turned his head towards him.
"The elleth's execution, my Lord, for disrespecting you and dishonouring you," he answered.
"And you do not think that if someone dishonoured me and I ordered their execution, that I would be more than capable of carrying it out myself?" he asked.
Elu's heart continued to hammer in her chest, and the urge to be sick was violently overwhelming. He hadn't come to witness her death. He'd come to ensure he did it himself.
Thranduil's eyes met hers as he whipped his sword out.
She squeezed her eyes closed, and the last thing she heard was the almost silent whoosh as it sliced through the air.