Brief adult language(very brief)
ThranduilPOV
There he stood. Road beaten rags covered in webs over his proud body. His eyes burnt in a blue fire of shame and rage.
Thorin Oakenshield, forced to kneel before me.
"Now what would Thorin Oakenshield be doing in my kingdom," I said.
"My company and I are journeying to the Iron Hills, it is a simple journey. It is also much easier to travel through your kingdom than around it," said Thorin as he rose from his knee.
"If you were making a simple journey then you wouldn't need to keep it a secret," I rose from my throne to circle him.
"The leader of the party that captured us didn't ask," He said confused.
"He asked Caldeon," Thorin tensed. "She said that she wouldn't betray her friends' trust," I paused behind him. "Apparently what she meant was that she wouldn't betray her father." Thorin whipped around to search for my motives in my eyes.
"How long has Caldeon of the blood of Deerdal been Caldeon of the line of Durin?" I asked with a sneer.
"Three weeks," he answered apprehensively.
"You choose the wrong time to adopt, seeing as I could use her," rage filled Thorin's eyes while a smirk covered my mouth.
"I swear to Mahal, if you touch h-."
"I can do what I please with her," I interrupted. "She is a prisoner."
"She is a child and my daughter," he pleaded, I made my way back to my throne.
"You dwarves refused to listen," I lowered myself onto my seat. "She is a prisoner." The fire in Thorin's eyes never faltered, but his posture slowly hunched is despair. "I have a proposition for you dwarf."
"What?" he growled, I noticed that his hands were balled in fists.
"It is quiet simple. You or one of your company members tells me your destination, and I release you, your company, and your child," his eyes showed a few horrible marks of hope."But. Until then you and Caldeon will be separated, I will give you the mercy of knowing her condition, but I can not promise it will be the truth." The hope died and he stayed silent. "What say you?"
"I say. Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul!" He ran to the throne with open hands to strangle me. Guards grabbed his arms and dragged him back to the dungeons. The last thing I heard from him was an angry shout."Leave her alone!" And still I had no sympathy in my cold heart.
"Bring me Caldeon," the guard bowed and left.
She was brought to me a few minutes later. She had been bathed and clothed. Her hair had been taken out of the thick braid and was brushed smooth down her back. A straight silver circlet was placed over her forehead. Hey face was calm as she entered the throne room, but her eyes were steely. The burgundy gown she wore flowed under her as she curtsied deeply.
"Caldeon," I said.
"Your grace."
"Legolas has told me that you refused to tell him about your destination."
"He tells the truth," she said proudly.
"Why?"
"Because Thorin had kept the destination a secret to many, I do not see how you would be an exception."
"And you seem to be a liar too, you keep it a secret because he is your father." I rose to walk up to her.
"Because I am loyal to him and he returns the loyalty tenfold," she said as if it were true.
"You know of the dragon sickness, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Madness runs in that family girl. Thorin Oakenshield will fall to it and that bond you call loyalty will snap in his hand like a twig," I said as I looked down at her.
The shimmer of her necklace caught my eye. I hooked a finger through the chain. I examined the Phoenix charm. It was known to many in this area of the world that Thorin made this as a token of love to Caldeon's ancestor. My hands moved up the chain to the clasp on the back of her neck. Goosebumps appeared on her skin where my cold hands grazed her flesh. I undid the clasp.
When I pulled way her eyes were closed and her breath was erratic. "Open your eyes." She did. They were like stones in a shallow pond of water. I made a great show of dropping the gold trinket over the side if the great platform we were on.
I walked back to her, her eyes stayed fixed on the place where her necklace fell. I pushed a lock of her golden hair behind her ear. Her claiming braid was revealed. Evenly braid strands of gold clasped with a silver bead etched with the endless knot of Durin. "Poor girl, even at your age you still don't know where your loyalties lie." I said as I rolled the bead.
I strode to the daïs at the base if the throne where a small knife was hidden in a camouflaged compartment. I walked up to her with the blade in hand, she took a step back only to step into the metal armor of a guard who held onto her shoulders tightly.
One hand found its way to the end of the braid attached to her neck, she shivered and craned her neck away, but it only gave me better access. She brought her hands up to push the blade away and the guard snatched them away with one hand and pinned them behind her back.
"It would be best if you didn't struggle. I don't want to hurt you," I commanded.
Tears started to run down her cheeks. She didn't fully sob, but one by one tears made shiny rivers on her cheeks. "Please stop," she begged, her voice was deceivingly steady but her eyes showed her pain.
The blade pressed against her skin and she shuddered. The blade was so sharp that a quick flick of my wrist was enough to cut off the braid. Caldeon lost her fight, her knees buckled and she collapsed.
I beckoned a guard forward and handed him the lock of hair,"Have this placed in front of Oakenshield's cell just out if his reach," I ordered. The guard left with a quick bow.
I looked down at the girl at my feet, her head was low and even though she wasn't crying I could hear her pitiful wet gasps. I bent down to capture her chin in my hand, tilting her head up I could see the sad anger woven in her face and eyes. "Tell me now, where do your loyalties lie?"
When I asked her this she ripped her head out of my grip."Most defently not with you," she spat with renewed vigor.
She turned her head when I went to stroke her cheek. "Wrong answer," I said warningly. I straighten and looked down at the small girl."Get up," I commanded. When she didn't get up quick enough I gestured to the guard to quicken her pace. He hooked his arms under her armpits and hulled her to her feet and she yelped.
I walked pass them to the steps that lead out of the throne room. The guard pushed Caldron forward and she stumbled to regain her footing. I lead them through the great palace until we reached an expanse of stairs that lead up.
At the top were a series of wooden doors with heavy locks on the door knobs. The guard unlocked the first door and shoved Caldeon inside. We were in the high towers ment to hold prisoners either too high in rank or not as great of a threat to be in the lower dungeons.
"Stay outside," I order the guard. I sat on the small cot. The rooms here were a lot cozier then the dungeons, there was a dresser, a mirror, a chair, a small study, and even a window (though it was barred). "You do realize why you are here?"
"To be a hostage against my father," she said bitterly as she sat in the chair.
"No," I said sarcasticly."You are a bargaining tool that I can use with your 'father'," I explained in mocking kindness.
"I don't see the difference," she said, she refused to make eye contact with me.
"What you think you are or what your father thinks you are doesn't bother me. All that matters is what I know you are, you are a prisoner. And that's why you are going to do what I say when I say it," I said in a more threatening tone.
"Or what?" she said smugly as she looked at me. "You won't hurt me."
"Are you so sure?" her defiance fell slowly from her face."And if not you then who else? Your company maybe? I can make them hurt and you know it. For you are all my prisoners and your fates lay in my hand," I said as a stood over her, her head was bowed.
"Why can't you leave me alone?" she said in quiet voice as she looked down again.
I leaned over her and made her look at me. "My dear girl," I pushed her hair away to reveal the shell of her ear.I whispered,"You are alone." I left her on the chair and had the door locked.
ThorinPOV
I struggled wildly against the guards, I needed to get to Caldeon, she needed me. "Leave her alone!" I yelled. The guards pushed my head down but my struggles just continued. I kicked out and hit one guard in the shin. He let me go with a shout.
I had only one thought on my mind, Caldeon. The remaining guard still had a hand on me, I writhed to get away from him, he brought his fist down on my temple. I was severely dazed and I lost my balance quickly. Reinforcement guards came to help restrain my arms with rope.
They dragged me down to the dungeons, I heard the company yell in alarm. The guards sliced the rope off my wrists then shoved me into my waiting cell.
"What happened?" I heard from Kili.
"They took Caldeon away. The god damn King of the tree shaggers is holding her hostage for information," I said as if I was swallowing poison, something that had to be done but one would rather spit it out. The company took a moment to soak in all the details. I sat deep in the corner of the cell with my head on the wall so I wouldn't have to look at them.
"She'll be fine," said Dwalin. "She's a tough lass."
"That she is. But Thranduil will do anything to get what he wants," I said in despair.
I sat in silence for a half hour until a guard came. I thought he was coming to take one of us to talk with Thranduil, but instead he stopped in front of my cell and placed something on the ground then left.
I rushed to the bars to see what it was. I eminently recognized Caldeon's yellow hair woven into a braid, the hair I wove. Rage filled my chest and I saw red. I reached through the bars desperately. I could only barely touch a single golden strand, I pulled back in frustration.
"What is it?!" Fili panicked.
"It's Caldeon's braid!" I yelled. Everyone who was sitting stood up in anger.
"The shity bastard!" said Dwalin, ever since I adopted her Dwalin had become very protective of Caldeon.
I kicked the cell doors and yelled at no one in particular,"Dammit what did you do to her?!" I kicked and shoved the iron bars until my shoulder and feet hurt.
"AAARRR!" I sunk down and hit my head against the bars. I let a few treacherous sobbing gasps escape my lips.
I let the elves take her. I let them take something precious from her. I deserve the humiliation of having my friends and enemies watch me sob.
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Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul= I spit in your grave or I shit on your grave.