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The Truth is out; strike the Deal

Chapter 12

Harlette stuttered an inaudible phrase, burped, and blushed garnet at her crude reaction.

'What a way to express yourself; I would expect no better answer from the lady you try to be,' Thranduil retorted mockingly, his glimmering eyes condescending.

'Run!' Bernard bellowed. Before they could even move, an arrow dug itself to the wall, an inch away from Harlette's head. She jerked back, her heart slamming inside her chest, her eyes fluttering from astonishment. She turned to meet Thranduil's sternly amused expression, a long bow between his strong hands.

She laughed at his face, 'Ha! Ha! You have a really bad aim!'

Both prisoners darted out the room. Thranduil lingered behind, raising a brow at that stupid and unexpected remark.

'He didn't try to kill you, you fool!' Bernard's growl boomed throughout the corridors.

They ran as fast at their legs could carry them.

They descended the great stone steps and rushed across the great hall. The gigantesque doors had been left agape, sun light pouring through the opening.

Reaching the outside, they hastily crossed the large bridge.

Harlette marveled at two beasts, left unattended, at the other end of that bridge. 'Look Bernard! We've got mounts waiting for us!' she let out, gliding towards the horse and the mule.

Bernard froze, and she gawped as her master fussed over the animals. 'Wait! Do you really think this is normal? Both beasts here, waiting for us?' she spoke quickly, and rolled her eyes as Harlette went towards the large mare, and tripped and hit the ground, cursing as she did.

Higher above their frames, unseen and sitting casually upon trees, were the Elven king and some of his guards, watching with pleasant amusement the two prisoners' feeble attempt of escape. 'Which mount will they choose?' Galion asked, a piece of lembas-bread in hand. 'The horse, most naturally!' was the confident reply. Thranduil smirked at that idea, 'We might be surprised…'

Harlette, glaring at the passive horse, tried to hook her foot in one of the stirrups. However, she slipped and fell to the ground, dragging the saddle down with her. Bernard fumed. 'We should go on foot! They will be expecting we take the horse!'

Harlette stopped trying to attack the steed anew with her weight. She had an idea. 'But they won't be expecting us to take the other one now, would they!?'

'What_'

Before the cat could counter that argument, she was violently hoisted up and squeezed under Harlette's arm as this one flung a leg over the mule's round back.

The mount did not move. 'Come on! Let's ride!' Harlette shouted. The mount still did not move. Bernard yawned, her mind already yielding to obvious facts: 'I'm sure it's expected. They know. And we are probably being watched…why bother with escape…'

'Stop being so negative Barney!' Harlette reprimanded and looked down at her mount. 'Come on! Ride, fly…How does this thing work?!'

'Shall I propose my services again?' a disembodied voice sprang from behind them.

The two fugitives slowly turned around to meet the Elven King-dressed anew in his robes and crown- and his guards, guards who tried in vain to stifle their laughter.

'Services? How much do you charge?' Harlette asked eyeing him lecherously. 'I've got the money, if you've got the time,' she waggled her brows suggestively just to slap her mouth shut, her eyes wide with shame.

The king took three long strides and was in front of the unmoving donkey. A hand placed on the passive mammal's forehead, he watched the tenacious woman who persisted to slap its rear, begging it to move.

'My patience is eternal,' warned the Elven king.

'So is mine!'

Suddenly, Harlette was lifted up from where she sat by Thranduil himself. 'Put me down!' she ordained. He did so, with little gentleness.

She puffed and brushed the dirt from her outfit.

Abruptly, he frowned and his eyes were frosted with anger. In one swift move he had pulled the red ribbon holding Harlette's braid together.

Before she could even think of reacting, his face had drawn so close to hers, she could see the blackened ire stirring within his pupils. She was very frightened.

'Do not ever lay your hands on this. Do not even look at it.'

With her shoulder-lengh hair now cascading in front of her remorseful face, Harlette stepped back, coughing as she did. 'I stole your clothes as well...I didn't know they were yours. I was cold, and I thought my escape would be successful.'

No one spoke.

Bernard raised her brows. Harlette blushed, she had not meant to admit her fault, but the truth had broken through her vow of silence.

'Tell me everything,' he invited. Before Harlette could process the information, her lips moved by themselves:

'I was alone for Valentine's day, so I decided to buy myself some sexy underwear,' she started and whirled around, her hands lifting her tunic, flaunting the lacy (and decomposing) bra. Her expression, however, was a desperate one, for she moved without her consent; everything happened so fast; a flow of actions she could not contain. Her mouth kept on, moving on its own: 'I was in my bedroom, admiring myself – because, mind you, I am greatly desired by men even though I never had a real date.'

'I have no doubt about that,' Thranduil added curtly, and Harlette glared daggers at him. 'Stop teasing me with your words; BE A MAN and do it with your hands!' and before she knew it, she had slapped her palms to her breasts, massaging them avidly. 'WHAT AM I DOING?!' she yelled, her eyes wide with terror.

Thranduil's lips pushed up into a vibrant leer. Bernard's mouth dropped open. 'You…you have given her a truth serum!' the cat accused, shoving herself between Thranduil and his victim.

Thranduil smirked. 'Carry on. Tell me everything,'

And Harlette did:

'The mirror started to glow. I put my hand through it because I thought it was cool. I fell and fell through darkness and I landed in your ugly ass thing you so proudly call Realm. I got chased after by your spiders and I was lost, and I was cold and naked and I ran and ran, till you and your guards saved me_'

'I almost regret having done so. If only I had known,'

'The mighty king spoke in his usual low, dark and luring voice…' Harlette narrated, like the true romantic novelist that she was. She slapped both hands upon her mouth, yet again. Now THIS was too much!

'I know not how you managed to give me this so-called Serum of Truth, but I command you to stop its effects at once! I am not your puppet! King or no king, you have no right to penetrate my core so deeply!' Harlette shouted with vehemence. Thranduil raised a brow at her curious choice of words.

'You command me?' he let out, remaining calm, immobile, straight and proud.

'Don't be so condescending. If it weren't for your shiny army, your magical powers, your knowledge of the terrain …'

…TWO HOURS LATER…

'…, your height, strength, and this serum of truth, you would have absolutely NO chances of beating me. Indeed, I believe am the superior one here, since I have engaged into this battle of wits completely unprepared and literally exposed. Ain't that just right, Bernard?' she finished proudly. The mentioned one chose to remain silent.

Harlette hemmed. 'So indeed, I command you, to stop..to ...to stop, stop...' she stammered helplessly as she watched him. 'Stop being so damn attractive!' she finished, just to fling her arms in the air with a gush of outrage.

'I could grant you your freedom back.' he proposed at last. Harlette beamed.

'But would you, feeble young mortal, be able to survive within my woods? It would be in your best interest to remain here a while longer, to rest -for you are unwell- and maybe you might recover the memories-as well as the manners- which you seem to have lost.'

Harlette coughed profusely, and her voice rasped. 'I'm not unwell and I need no rest; I will be perfectly fine in the forest as I will hunt for food_'

'Hunt for food? You amuse me.'

'I can hunt, I'm sure!'

With condensation marking his every feature, Thranduil studied her up and down, arms crossed over his chest. 'I will strike a deal with you,' he began. 'You shall be taken to the forest. You will catch your meal. If you manage, you will have proven the existence of your ability to survive within these woods, and I will let you go. If you come to fail this test, you will remain here a while longer, till you recover your strength and memory.'

'Why would you be doing us any favors?' the cat asked suspiciously.

'I do not recall ever mentioning you in this deal, Bernard. But I suppose friendship tends to bring fates together. So the deal concerns you as well.'

Bernard nodded, appreciating very little the idea of hunting.

'You clearly have no business with the spiders, but I had greater suspicion than faith in your words. I maltreated you, even though you had spoken truly. Allowing both of you to rest for a couple of days is the least I can do. And you, Bernard, are wisest, and I would feel guilty if you would come to perish in your journey due to Harlette's foolishness. Unfortunately, your destiny seems entwined with hers.'

Harlette opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out; she was outraged.

Bernard shrugged and sat, relief washing over her furry body; o yes! The king was wise.

'If I may, I wouldn't mind staying here a while longer, at least till our health allows us to travel. But I must follow my master's decision,' Bernard concluded. Thranduil nodded understandingly. Harlette watched Bernard, the cat and then Thranduil, the Elven king.

'Indeed! She goes where I go!' she exclaimed, nodding profusely. 'And we will go, without needing to pass your ridiculous test! Anyway, hunting?! What are you expecting? I can't just hunt «like this»!'

Harlette's outburst earned her inquisitive stares. 'I mean: I can't hunt «like this», on demand, with all of you watching me and expecting me to catch something! I need a boost of adrenaline and luck! It might take days before I catch something!'

Laugher shot from all around her. Even Bernard laughed. Thranduil remained serious.

'Either, you accept the challenge: you win, you may go. You lose, you stay till your health is recovered. Or, you refuse the challenge: follow your will and take your leave...but I would wish for my clothes in return, the ones you have so ruthlessly stolen.' he proffered a hand towards her, expectantly.

The guards around her whistled suggestively.

Harlette glared at him and backed away. 'Fine. I accept the challenge, but after I eat something.'

Sputtered laughter from every corner bullied her will to remain proud.

'Indeed, you must be hungry...'

Harlette nodded, for she was ravenous.

'All the more reason for your hunting to be effective. Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll starve.'

OOOoooooo yeah….Thranduil has spoken! What will happen now…. Will Harlette manage? ;)