Chapter 29- The Elven King
Grunts and groans were heard amoung the company as they were herded like cattle deeper into The kingdom of The Woodland Realm. The kingdom of Thranduil was a sight to behold. Thorin remembered being here once a long time ago with his grandfather the thought making his stomach knot up . The dwarves of Erebor and The Elves of Mirkwook were once allies but the day the dragon attacked the king refused them any help as Erebor burned and they were forced to flee for their lives. Thorin felt his eye's sting as the memories assulted him. He took a quick glance down at Philicia who hadn't moved in hours and he was getting worried that the poison would take it's toll on her small frame. Thorin looked up as his eyes beheld his enemys kingdom. Massive trees stretched to the roof and were bare of leaves as they vined and twisted their way around the stone walls. Lanterns had been hung in the trees adding a enchanting glow to the indoor fortress. All the bridges and stairways had been carved around the trees making everything hard to imagine it to exist. The dwarves were marched up a steep incline and up to a platform made entirely of wood save for the floor which was white marble. The dwarves were brought before the throne of the Elven King. The top of the throne room was composited of antlers as was the crown upon the kings head. He was dressed in a silver robe and sat upon The throne. "It has been countless years since you have been this far east Thorin, son of Thrain." The Elven King spoke with such power the company ceased their grumbling at once. They took in the sight before them as Legolas began conversing with his father. "For what reason would the great Thorin Oakenshield dare cross my borders?" Thranduil sneered at the Dwarven King."The woman in your arms... " Thorin stopped him instantly "She has been stung by a spider she needs help ,she is burning with fever." Suddenly two elves stood before Thorin and the alburn haired elleth spoke "Not to worry she will be fine I will take her to the healers." Tauriel reassured the dwarf. Thorin reluctantly gave Philicia over to the elf and watched as they carried her away. Finally Balin spoke diplomacy being his weapon." Great King, we never would have crossed your borders except the young lady is very sick we only meant to pass along it's edge but got lost and no provisions to sustain us." Balin said his voice calm. "That still does not answer my question why have you ventured East?" Thranduil demanded an explination. "It is interesting why the king in exile would come this close to Erebor, and with such raggady company." "State your point." Dwalin shouted. "It would seem that your companions are a motley bunch, take them to the dungons." Thranduil waved his hand and the elf guards binded their hands behind them and marched the company off the platform. "Not Oakenshield, The Dwarf King and I have much to discuss." Thorin glared at The Elven King as his memory recalled him atop the hill while Erebor burned. Old wounds were freshly opend as he glared at Thranduil."You need not fear for your company they wil be taken care of so long as they cause no trouble." Thranduil spoke his voice echoing in the fortress. "Now may perhaps you and I will have a long overdue talk." Thorin remained silent as the The Elven King stepped down from the Dais and began circling Thorin inspecting his disheveled apperance. "No matter even if you were to reveal your intentions I already know to what desolation they will bring. Some may even imagine that a nobel quest is at hand". Thranduil scanned his eye's over his kingdom. "I myself suspect a more prosaic motive. Attempted burglery or something of that ilk." The Elven King stopped in front of Thorin. He looked at Thorin and saw a mighty beast caught in a trap with no way of escape. "You have found a way in." Thorin did not budge even when Thranduil bore down on him using intimadation as his technique. "You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule, The Arkenstone." Thorin reacted to the this his head dropping slightly then rising up to meet the elf's face. Thranduil gave a smile knowing he had succeded making him squirm."It is precious to you beyond measure I understand that",but may perhaps you now have something even more precious." Thorin finally spoke. "Leave Lady Philicia out of this she has nothing to do with the ill will between us." "Yes perhaps you are right but none the less I will discover that for myself. However there are gems in the mountain I too desire. White gems made of pure starlight." Thranduil bowed his head ."I offer you my help ." I am listening." Thorin's deep voice echoed in the hollow throne room. "I will let you go if you return what is mine." Thorin turned away from Thranduil his fist in his mouth weighing the Elven Kings offer."A favour for a favour." He said his back turned to the Elven King. "You have my word one king to another." Thorins face contorted the rage building . "I would not trust Thranduil great king, to keep his word should the end of all days be upon us." Thorins booming voice echoing throughout the whole kingdom. Thorin whirled around his fist raised at The Elven King. "You, lack all honor . I have seen how you treat your friends. We came to you once,starving ,homeless, seeking your turned your back. You turned away from the suffering of my people. The onferno that nearly destroyed us. Imrid amrad ursu." The contempt spurned Thorins temper but he bit his tounge .Enough had been said already. Thranduil moves at lightening speed " Do not talk to me of Dragon Fire." The elf bent low his face scant inches from Thorins"I know it's wrath and ruin." Thranuils face twerked as in great pain and suddenly his left cheek appeared burned away down to the muscle. His left eye turning milky white as if blind. "I have...faced the great serpents of the north." Thranduil bent a bit before jerking his face away from Thorins the magic shielding the damage once more."I warned your grandfather of what his greed would summon, but he would not listen." Thranduil said stepping up to his throne once more."You are just like him." He waved his hand and two guards grabbed Thorin at the arms forced him down the steps treating The Dwarf king roughly."Stay here if you will and rot. A hundred year's is a mere blink in the life of an elf." Thranuil said plopping himself back down in his throne."I'm patient, I can wait." Thorin was dragged down to the lower levels and the dungons .The two elves shoved him in a cell and locked the door behind them. "Thorin!" Balin called from a near by cell."He offered you a deal didn't he?" Balin spoke apprehention in his tone. "Aye he did." Thorin called back. "I told him he could go Ish Kahkfe Ai'd Du Radnu. Him and all his kin." He hollered loudly for all to hear."Well that's that then." Balin stated astonished that their king would use that kind of sat down with his back against the wall worry over Philicia's condition driving him crazy. "Uncle?" He heard Kili call. "Are you alright?" His nephew was worried also. "Have you heard anything on Lady Philicia's Condition?"Fili shouted out also. "I have heard nothing."Thorin breathed tears stinging his eye's. "She is and will find a way to fight this. Besides I have heard that the elves are great healers." Oin the companies medical man reassured his king.
Philicia woke dizziness and nauesa overcoming her. She immediatly vomited up the bile that had been collecting in her stomach. Suddenly a soft voice was there wiping her mouth and offering her water to rince with. After his talk with Thorin ,Thranduil came to see how the young woman The Dwarven King had been carrying was getting along. He took in her apperance as she lay sleeping upon the soft mattress in the healers wing. Thranduil thought her very beautiful and he also took note of the lack of beard upon her face. Why would The company of Thorin Oakenshield be traveling with a human woman. Thranduil endeavered to find out. "Let me know the moment she awakes."He breathed and spun on his heel disappearing out the door. Philicia tried to open her eye's but they seemed heavier than normal. "All is well My Lady you are safe here." There was that soft voice again. Philicia reconized the elleth's voice "Tauriel."She croaked her mouth dryer than the Sahara Desert. Tauriels hand froze ."How you know me?" She asked as Philicia finally opend her eye's. "Where am I ,what happend, Thorin,where's Thorin and everyone else?" Philicia was frantic as she tried to sit up. She was overwhelmed as another wave of nausea hit her. "Oh Gawd" She groaned leaning into the basin in front of her. "I'm sorry she cried as she retched again. "Do not distress yourself that is only the lingering effects of the spiders venom." Tauriel informed her. Suddenly clarity returned to her . "There in the dungon's." She turned her eye's on Tauriel as she shook her head. "Do not worry they will be well cared for. You must rest for my king would like an audience with you as soon as you are well enough." Tauriel wondered just how much she was worth to The Dwarf King. "Thank you, for helping me." Philicia said respectfully. "Rest now ,I will bring you something for your stomach and some broth ". The she elf left her alone . Philicia fell back on the soft pillows her eye's taking in the room she was in. It had no windows just stone walls with everything else made of wood. All in all the room was beautifully done. Intricate designs of carvings in the wood were placed sparingly about the small space. Tauriel returned and after Philicia drank the concotion for her stomach slowly sipping the broth. Drousiness was setting in and before she succomed to it's effect she asked Tauriel if she would let her friends know that she was ok. Especially Thorin. "He's probably beside himself with worry." Philicia said groggily. "I will let them know you are safe." Philicia closed her eye's and sleep came quickly.
Tauriel captain of the guard made her way down to the cells where the dwarves were. She stopped in front of The Dwarf Kings cell. He was sitting with his back against the wall in a deep sleep. "Thorin Oakenshield." Tauriel called to him. Thorin woke with a jerk and glared at the female elf. "What do you want?" He asked her rather gruffly. "I have come to inform you that your Lady is doing fine we extracted all the venom from her body. She is weak but will be recovered within a few day's."Thorin bowed his head gracefully." My thanks. "He said before closing his eye's again. Tauriel thought since she was down here she might as well see if their needs were being met. She got a lot of I'm hungry to I need the necessary to let us out of here. Balin hollered at the company. "These are no orc dungons these are the dungons of the Woodland realm. Nooine leaves here but by order of the king." Tauriel didn't necessarly agree with Thranduil holding the dwarves prisioner but she kept silent about it. She passed by the cell where the young dwarf was being held,.The one that was called Kili. Kili was sitting near the bars when he saw the beautiful elf. He was turning the stone his mother gave him over in his hand. "What do you have, in your hand?" She suddenly stopped. "A rune stone. No one but a dwarf may look upon it or they will be forever, cursed." He shoved the stone at her. Tauriel backed away with trepidation. "Or not." Kili chuckled." It just a talisman. My mother gave it to me so I would remember my promise." Kili turned the stone over again his fingers caressing the letters. "And what would that be?" Tauriel asked the near beardless dwarf. "To return to her. She thinks I am reckless." "And are you"? Tauriel asked the handsome dwarf."Nah" He answered tossing the stone in the air. He went to catch it and missed the stone passing throught the bars. Tauriel caught it and picked it up examining the writing. "Must be quite a party your having up there?" Kili asked keeping his eye's on the auburn haired elleth. "It is the feast of starlight." Woodelves love best the light of the star's." Tauriel smiled at him as he hung onher every word. "I always thought it was a cold light remote and far away," Kili's soft voice stunned her. "It is memory,pure and simple,like your promise." Tauriel gave the stone back to Kili and for the rest of the evening they talked about the fire moon he had seen over Dunland once. "I need to go."Tauriel said rising up and giving Kili a warm smile. "Tell your king I will take him to see his Lady once she is better." With that she left him alone with his thoughts. Suddenly he saw Bilbo. Bilbo went straight to Thorin "I have a plan to get you all out of here I need to do some more digging around but I think this will work." He told Thorin . So after a while all was quiet in The woodland realm the dwarves bedding down for the night. All except Thorin who sat in his cell as silent tears ran down his face. Balin's cell being next to Thorins heard him sniffle. "Thorin laddie, she will be alright." Balin reassured him but he knew deep inside Thorins heart was breaking. "I can not help but to express concern for her." Thorin quietly called back. "I never got a chance to really love her not the way I wanted to." Balin listend as Thorin vented his pain and rage. Rage at the Elven King for locking them up and rage at the injustices of life that had always befallen him." I cannot lose her Balin. I can not live without her." Thorin hung his head worry and grief taking it's toll on him. Three days went by and Philicia finally felling better was summoned to the Throne room King Thranuil wanted to speak to her. She was bathed and dressed in a gown of pastel violet and flowing to her feet the sheer fabric swishing around her ankles as she moved. "What does the king want to talk with me about?" Philicia asked the two guards escorting her."That will not be for me to know,My Lady." The elf answered her. Philicia was led up to the marble platform and left standing there as Thranduil glared at her. He looked as he did in the movie long blond hair piercing blue eyes and dressed in silver robes with rings adorning his long fingers. The Elven king finally spoke."It apppears my healers have been sucessful at drawing out the poison." He glared at her. "I am not sure how to address you properly, I mean no disrespect. I am just uncertain." Philicia tucked her left ankle behind her right one and gave Thranduil a graceful curtesy. " Your Magesty first of all I want to say thank you, for saving my life." The King stared at the stunning creature before him who showed such grace and beauty even he was taken aback. "Why are you traveling with the dwarves?" He asked changing his tone to a softer sound. "It is a very long story." She answered him. "I am patient." He said to her stepping down from the deis. "Tell me why a human girl would be of interest to Thorin Oakenshield?" He pressed on. "If I could possibly get some water and a place to sit down I will tell you everything." Thranduil reached for her hand and led her to a table in the corner . He pulled out a chair for her and then seated himself. "Thank you for your kindness." She gave the elf a warm smile. There was a picher of water and fresh fruit set on the table Thranduil noticing how her eyes went to the fruit he gestured for to partake. She reached for a pear and bit into it chewing slowly before placing it down in the plate. "What do you want to know Sir. I will answer all that I can." Philicia was raised to be respectful to important people and this Elven King was very inportant. "My name is Philicia Anderson I am from Woodland Hills California." She started. "I have never hears of such place." Thranduil said to her thinking he was being deceived he stood up in anger. Philicia watched his eye's grow larger the ice blue staring at her with discontent. "No, you would not have cause it is not in your world." Thranduil's face contorted as he weighed her word's. "Do explain Lady Philicia?" He said tapping his fingers on the table. "Have you any proof of this?" Philicia flded her hands in her lap. "When the dwarves were captured one of them was carrying a black bag in it is all the proof you will need. If someone could bring it to me I will show you." Thranduil shouted some words in elvish and a guard scurried down to where the holding room was. "You asked me earlier why I am traveling with the dwarves Your Magesty?" Philicia met his eyes. "Yes,why are you?" Thranduil askedcintrigued by ther beautiful daughter of man. "I came to this world four months ago, Thorin found me face down in the mud and he took care of me. I was injured. He took me to Bag End and then I set out with them on this quest." Philicia told him all that had transpired since leaving The Shire. "We have been set upon by trolls ,acosted by goblins been through a thunder battle and , and oh my gosh I met Lord Elrond of Rivendell!" Thranduil's eyebrows raised up a little at the mention of Lord Elrond. She also told him about the wargs and how they were carried to safety on the backs of giant eagles. "It was exillerating like riding in an airplane with a seat next to the window." Thranduil looked at her funny and then her black bag was placed at the kings side on the floor."Is this the item you requested." He asked . "Yes,thank you." So Philicia pulled out her purse and her cell King got up and came to stand over her shoulder. There was a flash of light and a chiming sound as the phone powered up. "What is that device?" He asked his face shocked. "This is called a cellular phone it allowes me to talk to someone over a great distance." She showed the king how to operate the phone. "What a remarkable machine." He breathed. "If you think this is interesting wait till you see my laptop." Philicia laughed as she reached into her bag pulling out the black case that held her was in awe as she showed him photos of her world. "Incredible!" He gasped. "And see, this is where am from. This is the skyline of Los Angeles. And this is my parents, my house, and my world." Thranduil was rendered speechless as he continued to listen. "And what kind of weapons do you protect yourself with?" The king questioned her further."In my world Your Magesty we have weapons of such mass destruction they can burn someones shadow in the side of a building." Philicia showed him the Atomic Bomb and what it could do. His face went paler as photos came up of people suffering from radiation sickness and it's effects. "You see that is why you must let them go. They must reach the mountain to open the door. In my world all this is a story. Thorins quest the dragon ,even this. You all are fictional characters in a book." She was near tears as she pleaded with the Elven King. "So you have knowledge of future events?" He had finally asked the main question. "Yes." Came out in a wisper a tears leaked from her eye's. "And tell me how does Thorin Oakenshields nobel quest end?" Thranduil sat silently waiting for her answer. Philicia took a gasping breath trying to remain in control of her emotions. "He dies Your Magesty." She then told him of how Gandalf the Grey had showed up in the theatre that fateful evening and how she was brought here and the meeting with Lady Galadriel in Rivendell. "She said I was brought here to save their lives and also because of how much I love Thorin". Thranduil eyed her with curiosity. "So, does The Dwarven King return your fellings?" He asked her. "Yes,he does." Philicia met his eye's then. Eyes that held pain and suffering in them. " Have you ever loved anyone so much it hurt inside?" Thranduil immediatly thought of his wife who was tragically taken from him so long ago now. "I am sorry I did not mean to pry." Philicia spoke softly. "My wife was very dear to me I loved her very much." Thranduil quietly said altho his face showed grief beyond measure. "I am so very sorry, my heart goes out to you and Legolas. You did not deserve this." She wispered sympathy in her tone. Thranduil wondered what this beautiful young woman saw in a scruffy Dwarf King. "So why Thorin Oakenshield?" He asked. "I don't know, all I do know is I loved him in my world and I love him in this one also." Philicia rose up from her chair and just stood there her body shaking. Thranduil noticed and asked for a cloak which he placed upon her shoulders." Thank you." She said turning her teary eyes up to meet his. "Please, you must let them go or all this will be gone."Thranduil eyed her with discern. "Explain."Was all he said. "Do you remember the stories of Saron The Dark Lord in Mordor? He is not dead his spirit lives on and he controls the evil in this world." Thranduil raised his eyebrows in anticipation. "He wants to use the dragon to destroy anyone that opposes him. KIng Thranduil he will burn Middle Earth to ashes if the dwarves don't retake Erebor. They must, cause the dragon will be killed and then the dwarves will have Erebor back and then Saron can not take it from them and use it for his advantage. I understand why you did not help them you were afraid. You were afraid that the dragon would burn Mirkwood also." The Elven King nodded, a loss for word's. "But you could have at least offered them food and shelter." Thranduil was silent for a moment. 'And how does The Dwarf Die?" He asked sympathetically as Philicias eye's filled with tears again. "On Ravenhill." Philicia said gasping for breath . She went on to tell him about what would happen sixty years from now and the quest to destroy the ring of power. "Please let them go,please." Philicia reached up and placed her palm over Thranduil's heart. The Elven King stood there ramrod strait as she pleaded with him."You had a great love once and you know how it hurt to lose her don't make anyone else have to suffer that kind of pain." With that she broke, great sobs coming from deep inside. She fell to her knees at Thranduil's feet and held on to his robe. "Don't do this please or all is lost. I speak the truth you know... you know this, please let them go." The Elven King deceided at that moment that this remarkable young woman had a point and tomorrow morning he would go down to to the dungons himself and set them free. Philicia had promised him she would find a way to get the necklace that belonged to his beloved wife and she had won his trust and friendship.
