p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""Lost traveler, you say."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"The king of Mirkwood smiles kindly down at you, but his gaze is ice. The guard hands him your knapsack, and your heart sinks. You had tried so hard to hide it from the guards before they cornered you deep in the forest. He casually loosens the drawstrings, and scatter the contents of your bag onto the stone floor. Emeralds, rubies, and diamonds clatter down the steps. You swallow hard./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;" "…I can explain-" The guards grab your arms and force you on your knees./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""You have quite the nerve, stealing from me." He reaches down and retrieves a glittering emerald. "Do you know what I do with thieves?"/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;" /p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""…Please," you murmur, your mouth dry with fear. "My master demanded them. I had no choice."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""Your master?" He strides from his throne and waves his guards away. He leans down to examine the golden collar around your neck. He flinches when he recognizes the symbols./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""…You serve a dragon?"/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""Smaug, my lord. He took me as a child. I have been in his service ever since."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""He has all the treasures of Erebor. What does he want with a sack-full of gems?"/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""…He is insatiable, my lord."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""And should you defy him?"/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"You shudder at his words. "The collar was forged in dragonfire. It will burn me alive, should he wish it."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"Thranduil absentmindedly touches his cheek. Then he trails his fingers slowly down the side of your face. You shiver involuntarily at his touch. He looks at you, his eyes slowly taking in the sight. /p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;" "Such a shame. Such beauty to be wasted by the flame of a dragon." He draws away from you. "Your plight with the dragon is none of my concern. But crimes have to be punished, and you have stolen from me. More than once, I'd imagine."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"Fear curdles your insides. "If I do not return by sundown, Smaug will ignite the collar."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"He raised his eyebrows. "And should you return empty-handed?"/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"You bite your lip. You recall the way Smaug has been eyeing you as of late, as if you were a delectable morsel. You are certain he may eat you out of disappointment. Thranduil sees your expression and laughs darkly. He runs a finger along your collar, his touch barely grazing your skin./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""I can remove this collar."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"Your eyes widen, and your heart skips a beat at his words. Your excitement is quickly replaced with fearful suspicion, as your realize the King of Mirkwood never gives anything away for free./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""…I have nothing to offer in return," you whisper. /p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""I would not say nothing."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"His long fingers trail down your neck, resting lightly at the hollow of your throat. You are suddenly very aware of how sensitive you are under his touch./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""Pledge your service to me, and I will remove your collar."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"His fingers caress your shoulders, down your arms. He sees the goosebumps on your flesh, and a dark smile creeps onto his lips./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""…I did not think my lord would have a need for a thief," you breathe./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""The lust for treasure is but one of many insatiable appetites. I will see to it that you satisfy mine."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"Your face flushes hot. Fear and heat and excitement pound through your veins all at once. /p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""I-have never- I mean- I'm unskilled-" You splutter./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""It is to be expected of one raised by a dragon. There is much to learn. I am patient."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"His words were both a threat and a promise. You lick your lips nervously. /p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""…For how long?"/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""A year for every gem you stole from me."/p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"Your heart races. There were more than a hundred gems in your knapsack. And he knows it./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"Slowly, you nod./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"He grins, the way a hunter grins when he has snared his prey. He steps behind you and pulls you against him, pressing you against his body. He is warm and firm, and you feel yourself melt in his embrace. Tilting your head to the side, he leans down and says something beautiful in elvish against the collar. There is a loud crack, and the collars snaps in half, clattering on the floor. He closes his palm around your neck, his lips a whisper away from your ear./p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;""You belong to me now," He breathes. /p
p style="max-width: 100%; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 20px; line-height: 30px;"A delicious shiver runs through you. Secretly, you smile. /p