۶ Disgust

Noira's POV

This time, the soft blanket felt rough under my palms, as I was unconsciously stroking it. I was sitting at the end of my bed, and was glaring at the wall blankly. There was not a single thought in my mind, I just tried not to forget to breathe. With every inhalation, my lungs hurt as much as I was crying. But I was not. I guess, I was in a state, I could not believe what happened. If I was thinking a little more, I could believe, nothing happened at all, it was just in my head.

With a sudden movement, I jumped, and left the chamber automatically. It was better asking some questions now, than really go insane in the next moment.

My silent steps led down to the well-known lowest floor. It looked like everybody was busy for the fest, nobody cared, I entered the well guarded area, and reached the dungeons. I glimpsed at the leaving Tauriel, and in another situation, I would have been curious, what she has done here, but now, I just continued my way, and took a look into every cage, searching for the little guests. Somehow, I was sure, they were still alive. Soon, a strange voice hit my ears. Someone was speaking in a language, I'v never heard. I stepped to the little cell, and looked down to the dwarves. They were quite angry, when I appeared. Not all of them. The handsome one was sitting and smiling at a simple stone. Another one shook his shaggy head.

'Will all of the elleths in this cursed place visit us tonight?'

I didn't answer, since didn't understand, what he was talking about. When I found the one, I saw arguing with the king, I realized, he has been staring at my ears already.

'You are not from here' he stated.

'I am not' I agreed. 'That's why I think, you would help me'

'And how could a dwarf help an elleth in this beautiful part of the Mirkwood Realm?' he asked calmly. He thought I was playing a game with him.

'Tell me how you meant all those things, you've said to King Thranduil' He made a little smile for this, grabbed the grid, and leaned forward. I expected him to whisper, but his voice was proud and brave.

'Perhaps, you don't know your own king, elleth? You were not here, when your kin showed its back to mine? Wherever you were, you better open your famous elven eyes, for once! You're living in the cage of a monster! Don't let him mislead you with that pretty face, while in the inside, he is rotting!' he hissed.

I slightly shivered, as recalled that face in my mind again. After looking around, I leaned closer too.

'Why have you said, that you would never trust in his word? I have to know!' I whispered. He took a meaningful look at me. Then, another short man stepped to me with red hair and beard. His face was round, and I found it very kind.

'There was an alliance once, a long time ago. Between dwarves, elves and men' he started 'But when it was time to keep our word, this ellon on the throne...' he pointed up '... the unworthy son of the great King Oropher betrayed us. Once, our home got place in the great mountains, what gave protection and riches to our people for a very long time. But on that dark day, we ran out of luck. Dragonfire made us flee and leave everything behind. Then we asked for help from the Mirkwood Elves, and when we glimpsed at the army in golden armor on the hill, it looked like, there was still hope, and we could defeat the beast, that attacked us' he made a false smile.

'But your king dared to turn back, his army followed him, and they had never come back to us. We had to run, without any food or protection from the bitter cold.'

'Who hasn't died from fire, those died of starvation some days later' the noble one finished quietly. 'Women, children, elders, most of my kin. That's why I would not trust in your king's word, little elleth. Even if he was still trying to make cheap deals after all this time. Like one king to another...' he laughed. My eyes widened.

'You say, you are the king of the dwarves?'

Sound of steps were coming from the stairs, so I jumped back from the cell immediately. When I looked at Aleros at the entrance, after a deep breath, I started off with manly steps, not looking at him. And it worked. He didn't stop me.

.

Running up, I planned to take some deep breaths on the fresh air in the garden. I could not accept easily, I was so naive all this time. There was a hundred kind ellons here, and I was thinking of the one, who... Who just...

As I run next to the throne room, let out a sigh for nothing happened. Unfortunately, some steps later, a familiar deep voice stopped me.

'We need to talk'

Damn.

I did not turn back, avoiding the nearing conversation, but the ellon stepped in front of me simply. Before I could control myself, I immediately got the same feeling I had when I've seen his damaged face not so long ago. I was shivering from fear. Fear of the unknown. He caught the moment, when I unconsciously lifted my look at his cheek, and turned his head away. I could actually not choose between being afraid of the ellon, I have not known even a bit, or being mad at him for all the things he has done. Now, I just wanted to run, far away from him.

'There are...' he started quietly, because we were not alone in the hall. 'There are several things you don't know about me, since you know nearly nothing about my past. As I know nothing about yours. I will answer your questions-'

'That's not a good time to get to know each other... more. It was enough for me, and what you know about my past is also more, than enough! You would never get that gift! And you're wrong! I've heard a lot about you!' I hissed. His look hardened. 'And I'm not sure, I have any questions' I finally straightened and saw, as he froze. Slowly, his face went to a frightening dark shade of red. I stepped one back, but he grabbed my arms.

'You've visited that dwarf' he stated with disgust. I just nodded.

'He told me how you left them, when they were in need. He told me how you betrayed the alliance, and let his kin starve. I visited him, yes. And?' I asked, and felt his grab tightening. Those blue eyes were literally black from anger.

'You'd like to join him instead?' he hissed. I tried to leave him, but he was much stronger.

'Instead of who?!' I asked back, making him freeze again. I wanted to hit him! It was unbearable, he did not let go of me! It was just a minute later, when I finally gave it up, and stopped fighting. That was the moment, he lowered his hands slowly.

'Noira... Truths can be different. From my perspective-'

He was still speaking, when I suddenly started to run and left him there in midsentece.

'Where do you think you're going?' he asked irritated.

'I've no idea!' that was true. 'But that's none of your business!'

'Come back, now!' he shouted and every single soul fell silent in the great hall. However, I didn't even slow down, just ran out of the castle.

'Don't dare to enter the woods, Noira, I warn you!' he roared. Well, even if I didn't plan it earlier, after this, I entered. Without any weapon. It would be his sin, if I ended up in the stomach of a spider.

How the hell could he do that with them?! Letting them die, when he could save them all? And now he is speaking about different versions of truth!

I was deep in the forest, and was thinking of the cruelty and selfishness of the man, I thought, I could maybe love. Then suddenly, something grabbed me from behind, and the soil disappeared from under my feet.

'What the...' I skipped a breath, but then, glimpsed at the familiar silver hair in front of me.

'You?!Put me down, immediately!' I yelled to the king, who was walking back to the castle with long steps. Nothing happened.

'If you won't put me down, I swear my heels will break that pretty nose of yours!'

'Dare you' he hissed angrily. Since I didn't plan to break his face actually, I chose to hang there on his back without a sound for the rest of our way, with crossed arms.

We entered the gates like this, went up on the stairs, and met some elven servants, as a gratis. They thought, we were comic, if I could read their reactions correctly upside down. Thranduil pushed the doors of my room, threw me onto the bed roughly, and simply turned back. I ran after him.

'You are childish!' I shouted, but he stepped out and slapped the doors noisly.

'You really think, this door can stop me?' I continued, and the doors opened a little. I jumped back.

'No' I saw his red face through the gap 'But that twenty guards on its sides surely will.' With this, he slapped them again.

'Monster!' was the last thing I wanted him to know. There was no response this time, and soon I heard his footsteps, as he was leaving. I sat down onto a chair, and looked into the small mirror. My face went snow white, as I thought. A ghost would have been envious. I could hear the sounds of the first guest and the hundreds of busy servants from the window. I have forgot something.

After an hour of sitting in silence, the doors opened. For my surprise, Freya stepped in, holding a huge silver thing in her arms.

'Your dress for the Starlight Fest, my lady. We have to hurry a little' she added and made a little smirk. Yes, I knew... She had to hurry all the time, when she had any business with me. But I became a prisoner again. My cell was just bigger. Why did she bring that thing? Didn't they know about it?

'Freya, I am really sorry, but...' she turned to me again with big eyes. I remembered how happy she was, when I told her, we could walk together to the entrance. I felt guilty, when I realised, she braided her hair, and took a little blue flower into it. I let out a deep sigh.

'I mean, I am sorry for we are late again. Now, help me with this' I grabbed the dress, and tried to think about a way, I could slip out of here.

To a party, I did not even want to go to.