Chapter 11

****Thranduil's POV*****

I was sitting on my throne as the people of my court buzzed about having pointless conversations. Suddenly, my son Legolas bursts through the doors carrying an unconscious maiden.

Her brown hair was in a matted braid and she was covered in dirt. Her armor was elfish but she was no elf

"Father! My men found her on the great northern road half dead and badly wounded" he said approaching me.

He laid her at my feet and her head turned to the side revealing freckles on an alabaster complexion.

"I could not abandon one so helpless" he said rising to his feet.

"Your kindness does you credit, my son"

I declared "have her brought to a guest-chamber, healed, and fed because she looks as if she would need it" I ordered and two attendants took her from the throne room.

"Thank you father, but she is not the only thing we found she had a very rare companion who is quite loyal to the woman" Legolas whispered in my ear.

"Bring in the dragon!" he shouted.

Dragon! How beautifully dangerous. What would a girl like her be doing with a dragon?

His men pushed open the large stone doors and in walks a dragon covered in emerald scales and smoke coming from its nostrils, his razor-sharp talons clicking against the floor.

I ran down to meet him, he was as frail as his rider, but still very dangerous. Her saddle was still on his back along with their belongings

I must have him as my most prized treasure, but if the old magic is true the dragon will only do the will of the rider...she must stay also.

I bowed and then laid a hand on his muzzle.

With the ability to speak to animals I asked him this.

"Who are you? Who is your rider?"

"Water" a raspy voice pleaded

The dragon blinked his copper-colored eyes and he lay down on the floor at my feet.

"Bring some water for this beast" I ordered and a few servants scurried off doing my biding. "..And tell me when the rider is healthy enough for me to speak with her. Tauriel I want you take over the squadron and continue with patrol and head north" I ordered

"Yes Milord" the elf lieutenant said before bowing and walking away

I turned to my son and pulled him aside.

"Legolas do you know what this creature could do for us" I whispered

"Dragons are fierce fighters and very loyal" Legolas said running his fingers over the wood shaft of his bow.

"Yes, but what they love most of all is gold, if we can convince her and the dragon to help us take the lonely mountain we will have all the gold in Erebor" I said as I schemed up a plan.

We will be the wealthiest people in all of middle earth.

"Ada, Smaug will not give up his treasure without a fight" my son said

"Yes, but we gave a dragon!" I said and smiled mischievously.

It had been many days since she first arrived and still not awoken, I was losing my patience. I sent Legolas to keep an eye on her and to attend to her when she wakes up. But until then I was contented by examining her dragon in my throne room.

Unexpectedly a guard burst into the room as I was stroking his wings.

"A band on rouge dwarfs have attacked a group of Innocent elves" he shouted "we have captured them and they have been thrown in the dungeon"

How dare they attack my people, those filthy animals!

"Bring them to me for questioning and move the dragon out of here!" I shouted angrily

"Yes Sir" he said as he rushed towards the dungeons.

He was back dragging a pack of chained up thirteen dwarfs. They were young, old, and heavily armed. The leader of the group stood at the front. His pale blue eyes and black hair made up His face that was unmistakable.

"Thorin Oakenshield! How low must have you sunken as to attack my people. Why did you and your folk three times try to attack my people at their merrymaking?" I asked slamming my fist down.

"We did not attack them," answered Thorin; "we came to beg, because we were starving."

"PAH! And what were you doing in the forest since you claim that you did not attack my people" I asked angrily

"Looking for food and drink, because we were starving." Thorin replied mockingly

"But what brought you into the forest at all?" I asked again angrily.

At that Thorin shut his mouth and would not say another word. If that's how he wanted it then it will cost him.

"Very well! Take him away and keep him safe, until he feels inclined to tell the truth, even if he waits a hundred years.'" I demanded.

"Wait! Stop!" cried a young dwarf who made his way to the front of the group.

The hall was silent; he was carrying a piece of the dragon's harness that had been left on the floor.

"Where did you get this? WHERE!" he shouted.

He looked like an odd dwarf to me for he had little to no beard and he carried a bow.

"Of what importance is it to you" I said raising an eyebrow. What would he want with my dragon?

"It belonged to a friend! How did you get this!" he shouted at me

"We found the Dragon in the wood, we found him starving in the shadows" I said

His countenance sank when I said this.

"And the rider..." Thorin said pushing ahead of the boy.

What puzzled me even more was that Thorin looked genuinely worried.

"Rider? Describe him!" I said.

"You mean "Her". She has curly brown hair, green eyes like emeralds and as fierce as any elf warrior!" Thorin said snarling.

Oh, so they did know the girl. Well, they will not have her or the dragon.

"Oh, That Girl, well we found her also but...the Attercops had gotten to her first. They had practically made a meal of her before we got there. The poison was too potent, she did not last the night. I am truly sorry for your loss, she was very beautiful" I said smiling on the inside, Thorin looked furious that is what I had planned for.

"YOU LIAR" Thorin roared as the guards locked them in Chains.

"Oh but I am afraid she is Master Dwarf. Take them away!" I ordered

The dwarfs shouted insults in their foul languages as they were dragged away, but I paid no mind. The Dragon and the girl were mine.

***Morena's POV***

My entire Body ached. The light in my room was dim and I could make out a figure sitting by my bed.

Why was I in a bed? I had fallen into the forest and passed out.

Was this a dream? I was lying on a large feather bed of elfish design. I was wearing a white elfish dress with silver beading and I was clean. Was I dreaming of Rivendell? But I am actually unconscious on the forest floor.

It strained my body to sit up; my ribs ached as did my legs.

"You're awake!" announced the person at my bed side as he lit a lamp.

He had golden blonde hair with crystal blue eyes and pale skin. He was an elf like everything else in the room.

"Am I Dead" I asked

He just laughed.

"No, you are not dead. You are in the house of King Thranduil Greenleaf. I am his son, Prince Legolas Greenleaf. I am to be at your service" he said kindly smiling and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You remind me of someone, a friend" I said thinking of Fíli and Kíli, how they always said "at your service".

"who are you miss?" he said playing with the string if his bow.

"My name is Morena Sevenstreams of the late city of Coren, but recently I have lived in the valley of Imladris. I have business in the city of Lake Town for Lord Elrond" I said flatly as I fiddled with edge of my blanket.

I knew Thorin hated elves; he would not want them to know his plan.

"Well, Miss Morena i do not doubt your story, but would you like to see your dragon? If you are feeling well enough?" he said pulling a lantern of the wall.

I stood up quickly, but I quickly wished I hadn't. I started falling over but Legolas caught me in his arms.

"Steady now, If you take my arm I will help you along" he said holding out his hand.

I took his hand and I had to lean most of my weight on his body. I felt so weak.

As we walked through the lantern lit corridors he told me stories of his people, and the further we walked the more reliant I became on the prince. Eventually, he had to slip his arm around my waist to keep me steady.

"We had to keep your dragon in the dungeon because it was the only place big enough and so he would not startle anyone." he said as we neared a gated corridor. "Also, I believe you are wearing silken slippers and the floor down there is very dirty. What kind of elf would I be if I did not offer to carry you" he said with a playful smirk.

I could feel heat rising in my face. I had known him for an hour and he is already offering to hold me.

"You are too kind my prince; the dirt will surely come out." I said stepping past him and picking up my skirts

The corridor was poorly lit and lanterns were scarce and there were many passages lined with cells.

"You do not have many prisoners" I observed as we walked.

"Yes, our people are very peaceful, but recently captured a group of rouge dwarves who attacked my people!" he said.

Dwarves! It must be them! My friends were rotting in jail.

"Dwarves! I have never seen a real living dwarf before, would you mind showing me" I said wrapping my arm around his.

"Uh yeah, but what about your dragon?" he asked looking rather puzzled at my sudden interest in dwarves.

"Oh well, yes but my dragon can wait, he is immortal after all." I said with a sweet smile.

"I will take you down there, but I doubt you can manage the stairs." he said raising an eyebrow.

"You may carry me not because I want you to, but because I fear falling." I said proudly as he scooped me up in a way that a groom would carry a bride.

"Put your arms around my neck, it's safer" he said chuckling.

I obliged him silently.

I am being carried bridal style in the arms of an elvish prince; this was not going to go over well with the dwarves!