Shadow: Sorry for such a delay in the chapter update, I took a break from the computer for the past few days so that I could focus on my Smaug Costume after work. It's almost done and I am very excited. I only need to add spines to the tail and put together the wings and everything is done. the fangs came in the other day and they are so comfortable I hardly take them off. Anyway, I only own Elva, Isil, and Aerin. All other characters and plot belongs to Tolkien, New Line Cinemas, and Peter Jackson. Enjoy!


Chapter 7: The King of Elven Halls

The company was marched unceremoniously to the Halls of Thranduil. Elva made certain to keep Bofur and Ori close to herself, which was made difficult by the Elves spacing themselves between the Dwarves. Without Aerin there to corroborate her tale, there was no telling what the Elves might do. There was little love shared between the two races, and Mirkwood elves were no exception. Especially not Thranduil. The company was led deep into the palace and down into the jail cells. Each was searched once again before being roughly thrown into individual cells. The wolf woman was led away from the others much to Bofur's, and her own, protest.

"I will not be separated from my friends." She growled.

"You, and your leader, are to see my father." Legolas stated. "Your fates will be decided there."

"If our fates are to be decided by your father," Elva snapped. "Then we would waste less time if you simply kept us under lock and key."

The Elf prince frowned darkly as she and Thorin were led to the King's main hall. Thranduil was an Elf of regal bearing. He stood tall and proud, with golden hair which flowed down his back like a waterfall. On his head was a crown of branches and berries, the one he wore during the autumn months. His grey-blue eyes seemed to pierce into one's very soul. But it was harsh and cold, unlike the piercing gaze of Galadriel. For his was molded from war, and loss, and strife at the hands of Melkor during the War of Wrath. His father, and two thirds of his people, had been lost in the bloody and vicious battle. But Thranduil's wounds were not merely emotional, for the Great Dragons of the north had also cost him physical damage which he hid from the world with a spell of concealment. Because of that war he secluded his people, and himself, from the world around them. And Elva knew exactly how he felt. So she hoped she could make him see reason.

"Tell me, what is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror doing in my kingdom?" Thranduil questioned. "With a band of Dwarves, and a disgraced Maiar, to be exact."

"I do not see how any of that-"

"We are returning to Erebor." Elva interrupted Thorin before he could say anything detrimental.

She ignored the angered glare he shot her way. There was no use playing word games with Thranduil. Not only would it likely hinder their chances of being released, but it was likely he was already aware of what they were doing.

"Erebor?" The King raised a slender eyebrow in feigned interest. "And what interest would you have there?"

"It is time for the King Under the Mountain to return to his throne." The wolf woman answered. "Even here, in your secluded halls, you must have known the signs were revealing themselves. The time is at hand for it to be done."

"Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand." Thranduil stated. "A quest to reclaim a homeland, and slay a Dragon. I myself suspect a more prosaic motive. Attempted burglary, or something of that ilk."

"Aerin, please." Elva stretched out her mind, back to the halls of Imladris. Though she managed to find him already on his way. "I need your help."

"Elva?" Her brother asked in surprise. "What is it you need of me?"

"We are prisoners in Mirkwood," The wolf woman explained."and I fear Thranduil will not listen to reason."

"What does the king say?" Aerin questioned.

"He offers his help at a price." Elva replied.

"Thranduil's price will not be cheap." The owl man frowned. "What has he asked for."

"He desires what he claims to be rightfully his returned." She answered. "I know he speaks not of the Nauglamír for that was lost to all ages ago. But the Dwarves have crafted jewels which liken to it. And you know well the king's desire for riches, especially those that are silver and white. And Thorin is stubborn. He still bears in his heart the grudge when Thranduil would not risk the wrath of Smaug. There will be no compromise on either part here. The king will not listen to me, he needs to hear it from one he trusts."

"I am on my way." Aerin stated.

"May your wings carry you swiftly, brother mine." Elva nodded before retracting her mind once more, though she did not miss the swell of joy on his end with her old nickname for him.

"A favour for a favour." Thorin scoffed, turning away from Thranduil.

"You have my word." Thranduil stated honestly. "One king to another."

"Thorin, do not-"

"Silence, wolf." The Dwarf snapped at her.

"No, I shall not be silenced!" Elva growled. "Not by you, not by either of you." She turned to glare at the king who had opened his mouth to speak over her. "This petty feud your races have against each other grates upon my last nerve."

"I do not believe you are in the best position to take a side on these matters." Thranduil spoke up haughtily. "Especially not with the feud you have."

"You have no right to speak of that time, Elf." The wolf woman bared her teeth at him.

"No?" The king smiled. "You have entered my halls, my kingdom, and since it has been ordered you be detained should you ever step foot here, I do believe I may speak of it as I will."

Thorin furrowed his brow to look at Elva quizzically. Thranduil did not miss the confused glance. His smile widened.

"Oh, you have not told them?" He asked in wonder. "What would they think of it, I wonder."

"Do not dare speak of it!" Elva growled. "That is between myself and the Valar. And this quest is to wash that slate clean."

"Is slaying a Dragon really the way you are to wash the blood off of your hands?" Thranduil chuckled.

"What is he talking about, wolf?" Thorin frowned.

"So, this companion of yours, one who has slept with you, eaten with you, and traveled hundreds of miles with you," The Elven king looked to Thorin. "never told you what she is?"

"The Wizard introduced her as a friend of his." The Dwarf glanced distrustingly at Elva. "So I asked no questions."

"For I am." She insisted. "As I am your friend, Thorin. Yours, and Ori's and Bofur's, and everyone else as well. I would not change that for anything is this wide world."

"Not even to go back to that dreaded day," Thranduil asked. "All the way back to stop yourself from murdering your sister?"

"No, be silent!" The wolf woman snapped, though it was too late.

Thorin stared at her in shock and horror. Elva refused to look at him. Instead she glared at the Elven King in anger. She clenched her fists to stop them from shaking so badly. Thranduil simply tilted his head with a smirk on his face. He was daring her to do something. This was his kingdom, she was playing this game under his rules.

"You dared to hide a guilt like that? Thorin whispered harshly. "I should not have allowed you to come with us and put my people under such danger. You have been unpredictable since the beginning, and now you have put Bofur under your spell. This will-"

"I will not be judged by you, Thorin, son of Thrain." Elva rose to her full height and cast her cool gaze on the Dwarf. "Not when you do not understand my full story. I was once a Maiar, powerful and of high standing. I served under your creator for many centuries. My brother, Aerin, served under the most powerful of the Valar, Manwë along with Olorin, whom you know to be Gandalf, and my sister served under Yavanna along with the Istari Aiwendil. Though you met him under the name of Radagast. We all were once very close in our companionship. Until another servant of Mahal began to notice me. His name was Mairon, and he was handsome and kind. Or so I had believed.

But he served a dark master in secret, Morgoth; for his true name is no longer spoken of on Arda. And as time passed, Mairon began to taint my heart and mind. He turned me against the Valar, and my family. And under his influence I murdered my sister. So the Valar punished my actions and stripped me of my title and power. I was banished from Valinor to never return. And for a millenia I allowed my anger and hatred towards Mairon, the Valar, and myself fester in my heart. I built walls around it to stop anyone from entering again. Then Olorin found me hidden away from the world in Fangorn, for the Valar had decided to give me another chance. If I could learn to allow myself to let love enter my heart again the Valar would restore my status. Olorin believed this quest would be what I needed. So he brought me to you all. I was against it from the beginning. I wanted nothing to do with any of you, all I wanted was to get it over with and go back to my solitude.

And then that infernal, floppy-hatted Dwarf managed to find his way past the barriers I had so carefully constructed. And the rest of you began to find your way down that path as well. Even if it took me a long time to realize that. I do not require you to believe me. Nor do I require your unrequited trust either. All I ask is that you do not judge me without knowing me, and my story."

Thorin lowered his eyes and walked away. Elva watched him warily. She did not wish to lose the relationship they had started to form. It was very rocky, and had been difficult to get over the first obstacles. But it had been worth the climb so far.

"So you have finally ceased running from your past, then?" Thranduil questioned. "And what of your brother, is he aware of this grand change?"

"Yes, and he wishes me all the luck in the world." Elva replied coolly to the Elven king. Thorin looked up at her at her use of words. She knew they would get some reaction from him.

"And what of that sister of yours, then?" Thranduil pressed, hoping for something to gain the upperhand. "Does that stop her from being dead?"

"In fact, it does." The wolf woman gave him a sharp smile. "For if the Valar deem me worthy of reinstatement, then Isil returns to her duties as well."

"Your fates are intertwined." The king nodded. "And if you should fail?"

"I do not see where that is your concern." Elva frowned.

"It is if you and your Dwarven friends are to pass through my kingdom." Thranduil purred.

"If I fail," Elva gritted her teeth. "Then I will become mortal and never return to Valinor. But Isil would be returned to her state of life no matter what happened to me. Now, I still do not see what any of this has to do with our right to go through Mirkwood."

"Because your fearless leader needs to see how trustworthy you are." Thranduil waved his hand. "Or, untrustworthy, rather. One who would murder her own sister. But you can trust my words to you, Thorin. So what say you, do we have an agreement?"


I really like Thranduil. He has such a hard past, and Lee Pace played him beautifully. I wish Peter Jackson had shown off that he has more than just a hard side, because he was known to be a party king. They had the feast during the time the Dwarves were imprisoned. Jackson called it Mereth Nuin Giliath (Literally translated "Feast Under Stars) since there was no canonical mention of a specific feast in the book. But the Mirkwood Elves were well known for partying and drinking. So I was sad there was not much of that in the movie. Oh well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. We'll see what Thorin decides next chapter.

Namárië