h1 class="title" style="font: -apple-system-headline; font-weight: normal; -webkit-hyphens: manual; max-width: 100%;"You Build Me Up And Then I Fall Apart, a hobbit fanfic | FanFiction/h1
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""My father desires an audience with you, my lady. Please, come with me." Legolas's words broke me from my daydream. I looked up swiftly to see the young blond prince smiling airily at me. He reached for my hand and I placed it in his. "Forgive me, Legolas. I seem to have lost my manners."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"He shook his head. "You could never be impolite, my lady."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"I smiled modestly, but my heart was heavy with wonder. "Why does your father wish to see me? I am but a lowly Silvan elf."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"Legolas shot me an astonishing look. "Why would you think that, Sulwyn? He speaks of nothing but you as of late. I cannot pluck you from his thoughts."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"He turned fully to face me, an unsettled expression seizing his features. "I shouldn't be telling you this, my lady. It's not my place. You deserve to hear the truth from my father."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"He sighed and continued to lead me down a path until we reached a bridge. At the end of the bridge were guards patrolling the entrance to the halls of Thranduil's palace./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""Open the gates!" Legolas commanded. The guards did as they were told and we filed inside quickly. I gasped in surprise as I took in the view around me. There was a complex labyrinth of staircases leading to numerous corridors and passages. "This way, my lady." Legolas's voice interrupted my bewilderment at the sight./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"As we climbed the stairs I spotted several iron cells alongside the steps. There were small men in the cells except two men, taller than the others. One man had long bushy black hair and a matching black beard. The other had dark blond hair and a beard./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"We forged ahead through the infinite maze of stairs until finally reaching the throne room, which I calculated to be in the center of the Mirkwood fortress./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""Who were those men in the cells?" I whispered softly to Legolas./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""Shhhhh!" He warned. "My father does not like speaking of the dwarves."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"I couldn't believe my ears. This was not the King of Mirkwood that I knew. "Why is he imprisoning them? They are living souls just as much as he." I protested, raising my voice./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""Because they are impudent, disgusting creatures. Their "King under the mountain" as he calls himself is truly vile. His greed will be his downfall...just like his grandfather." King Thranduil's silky voice echoed off the walls of the grandiose vestibule./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"I whirled around hastily to see the blond elf King traipsing up behind me, his icy blue eyes catching mine. "Ahhhhh...my lady, Sulwyn. Your beauty grows with each passing day." He smiled brilliantly at me./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""Thank you." I returned a dazzling smile of my own, then my thoughts exchanged to Thorin and his company. "But please, let them go. I cannot bear to see you like this, Thranduil. This is not the King of Mirkwood that I know. Not the cruel, terrible ruler I see before me. He has taken the place of the wonderful, benevolent king I love."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"Thranduil spun to face me, aghast. "I beg your pardon, my lady? I cannot release them. They have insulted me beyond words after I offered them help to conquer the dragon Smaug and reclaim their homeland." He closed the distance between us, moving toward me until we were inches apart. "You were not brought here to speak of them. You are here to speak to me. I delight in your presence greatly. Can you not comprehend that?"/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""I understand, my king but I cannot and will not stay here and watch this. Even if they've refused your help, it is unjust to confine them. This is extremely unlike you. Please don't do this." I urged./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"Thranduil sighed. "You were not here to witness Thorin Oakenshield's arrogance before me. I lost my temper, and I acted in rage. Perhaps I was too impulsive." He reached out for my hand and put it in his. "As irrelevant as these things are, please forgive me for my actions. I did not mean any harm toward you in making these decisions. I have many things to tell you that outweigh the repugnance between me and the dwarves."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"I looked into his momentarily gentle eyes. "You have my attention."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""My father desires an audience with you, my lady. Please, come with me." Legolas's words broke me from my daydream. I looked up swiftly to see the young blond prince smiling airily at me. He reached for my hand and I placed it in his. "Forgive me, Legolas. I seem to have lost my manners."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"He shook his head. "You could never be impolite, my lady."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"I smiled modestly, but my heart was heavy with wonder. "Why does your father wish to see me? I am but a lowly Silvan elf."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"Legolas shot me an astonishing look. "Why would you think that, Sulwyn? He speaks of nothing but you as of late. I cannot pluck you from his thoughts."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"He turned fully to face me, an unsettled expression seizing his features. "I shouldn't be telling you this, my lady. It's not my place. You deserve to hear the truth from my father."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"He sighed and continued to lead me down a path until we reached a bridge. At the end of the bridge were guards patrolling the entrance to the halls of Thranduil's palace./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""Open the gates!" Legolas commanded. The guards did as they were told and we filed inside quickly. I gasped in surprise as I took in the view around me. There was a complex labyrinth of staircases leading to numerous corridors and passages. "This way, my lady." Legolas's voice interrupted my bewilderment at the sight./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"As we climbed the stairs I spotted several iron cells alongside the steps. There were small men in the cells except two men, taller than the others. One man had long bushy black hair and a matching black beard. The other had dark blond hair and a beard./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"We forged ahead through the infinite maze of stairs until finally reaching the throne room, which I calculated to be in the center of the Mirkwood fortress./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""Who were those men in the cells?" I whispered softly to Legolas./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""Shhhhh!" He warned. "My father does not like speaking of the dwarves."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"I couldn't believe my ears. This was not the King of Mirkwood that I knew. "Why is he imprisoning them? They are living souls just as much as he." I protested, raising my voice./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""Because they are impudent, disgusting creatures. Their "King under the mountain" as he calls himself is truly vile. His greed will be his downfall...just like his grandfather." King Thranduil's silky voice echoed off the walls of the grandiose vestibule./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"I whirled around hastily to see the blond elf King traipsing up behind me, his icy blue eyes catching mine. "Ahhhhh...my lady, Sulwyn. Your beauty grows with each passing day." He smiled brilliantly at me./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""Thank you." I returned a dazzling smile of my own, then my thoughts exchanged to Thorin and his company. "But please, let them go. I cannot bear to see you like this, Thranduil. This is not the King of Mirkwood that I know. Not the cruel, terrible ruler I see before me. He has taken the place of the wonderful, benevolent king I love."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"Thranduil spun to face me, aghast. "I beg your pardon, my lady? I cannot release them. They have insulted me beyond words after I offered them help to conquer the dragon Smaug and reclaim their homeland." He closed the distance between us, moving toward me until we were inches apart. "You were not brought here to speak of them. You are here to speak to me. I delight in your presence greatly. Can you not comprehend that?"/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;""I understand, my king but I cannot and will not stay here and watch this. Even if they've refused your help, it is unjust to confine them. This is extremely unlike you. Please don't do this." I urged./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"Thranduil sighed. "You were not here to witness Thorin Oakenshield's arrogance before me. I lost my temper, and I acted in rage. Perhaps I was too impulsive." He reached out for my hand and put it in his. "As irrelevant as these things are, please forgive me for my actions. I did not mean any harm toward you in making these decisions. I have many things to tell you that outweigh the repugnance between me and the dwarves."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px;"I looked into his momentarily gentle eyes. "You have my attention."/p
