Bilbo is late and Ren has to marry Legolas.
So, this pretty much picks up in the middle of Chapter 26 of TYM.
There was a loud clanking of steel upon steel that woke him from his light cat-nap. His head rose and turned to look out of the dark cave he was sleeping in. Blearily blinking his eyes, he narrowed them against the harsh torchlight that was flooding into the cell.
The hinges on the door groaned heavily as it was opened and he raised his hand to shield some of the light so that his eyes could have time to adjust. He could faintly make out the forms of the elven guards who had unlocked his prison cell.
"What's going on?" He asked, his voice rough with disuse.
"The King requests your presence, as well as your Company's." One of the taller folk said, stepping closer to him to reach down and taking hold of his arm.
"Why?" The dwarf lord croaked, his eyes briefly flickering passed the elf when he heard the other cells being unlocked across the way. He watched as his nephews were hauled to their feet and pulled out into the larger cavern of the room, both blinking from the sharp light just like he had. However, he just then looked back to his guard, realizing he hadn't answered him. "Why does he wish to see us?!"
"That is none of your concern." He replied back, pulling harder on Thorin's arm.
"Oh, I am very certain that it is." The exiled dwarf yanked his arm out of his grasp, clamoring to his feet to push the elf away, sending him stumbling back into his companions.
The male guard, who was now fuming, only glanced at his companions before he growled and was stalking back towards him when a voice cut through the air, "Don't hurt him!"
All seemed to grow quiet in the prison just then and all heads slowly turned. The guard froze in place, lowering his fist from where he had it raised to strike the dwarf for his misbehavior. However, after a moment, he blinked a few times before he too looked back at the one who had spoken. "I was promised none of them would be hurt."
His eyes snapped up when he heard the voice again a second time, for he knew it all too well. And then the elven guards cleared a path, allowing him to gaze at the one who had spoken out and defended him.
He felt his breath leave him entirely as he stood there, mouth open slightly in shock as he gazed at what had to be the most lovely creature to have ever set foot in Middle-earth.
It was very similar to his dream the night before.
Again, she was clothed in a dress as white as freshly fallen snow, contrasting against her alabaster skin. The silky fabric of the dress was long, given that it stretched further into a short train that she currently had bunched up in her hands to keep it from getting dirty upon the dungeon floors. Her once wild and untamed mane fell in soft waves that reached down passed the middle of her back and almost to her rear, a sharp reminder of how long their journey to come this far had been given that it had barely reached the center of her back before. However, part of the top layers were pulled back and clasped with a small silver clip. And upon her brow sat an elegant, silver circlet, contrasting against her golden hair.
And just as she had been in his dream, she was even more stunning in person.
Her eyes easily found his, a sad glimmer in her sapphire irises as she shifted her hold on the extra fabric of her dress. More guards stood on either side of her.
However, the elves from before suddenly seized hold of his arms, causing him to snap out of the haze he was in. Shooting the female a quick glance, he then began to struggle against them, hoping his strength would win out and he could free himself. And yet, their hold remained on him. "Release me!"
"Thorin..." She said quietly, imploring him. He continued to struggle, grunting and writhing in the elves' grasps as he tried to fight against them. "Thorin!" When she spoke his name the second time, the dwarf stilled, his head slowly turning back to look away from his captors. "Thorin, please."
She was silently pleading him with her eyes when he met her gaze. And that was when had noticed.
Her eyes were slightly red and puffy, like she had been crying. Even now, as she stood there before him, her eyes looked slightly glassy with both fear and sadness of what she knew what was yet to come.
"Ren..." He began, his eyes leaving her form for a moment to watch as the Company was being led away, despite their lingering eyes on the she-elf as well as their protests. "What is going on?"
She opened her mouth to say something but the words died in her throat, her eyes welling with tears as she ducked her head.
"Princess Galaren!" A voice called, echoing down from the top of the stairwell that led down to the cavernous dungeons. Once again, everyone looked to see who had spoken and it was another guard. "King Thranduil and Prince Legolas are waiting for you. It is time."
One last short glance at her was all it took. And then, Thorin knew.
"No..." He breathed, his blood turning to ice in his veins as the very dream he had had before was coming true right before his very eyes. "Ren, no."
"I am sorry." She sniffed her nose, her eyes no longer daring to meet his own. "I had no choice." A few tears fell and rolled down her soft cheeks and the dwarf, should he be able to move, would have crossed the room and wiped them away after taking her into his arms.
"No choice?" His tone was full of quiet disbelief, for he found that he was almost too shocked to properly argue. "What was the other choice you could have taken?"
She said nothing, instead choosing to glance up the stairwell after the last of the Company disappeared. For a moment she wondered where Bilbo had gone off to but knew he was still somewhere in the Elvenking's halls, no doubt still searching for a way for them to escape.
Allowing her eyes to fall back on the dwarf, she calmly took a few steps forward until she was only standing a few feet away from him.
"Release him." She spoke, her tone sharp suddenly.
The three guards simply exchanged confused looks while still keeping a hold of the exiled dwarf. "My lady-"
"Do as I say and release him." Ren turned her gaze on them and they were all shocked to see how suddenly biting she was, how clear the aggression shown in her eyes. "Or do you wish to go against the wishes of the one who will soon be your princess and one day, your queen, hm?"
Looking at each other one final time, they did as she asked and released their tight hold on the dwarf.
"Take three steps back and turn away." She gave them another command and they slowly but surely complied with this demand as well. This offered them the most privacy they could possibly have at the moment, though she knew it wouldn't last long.
For a long beat, they just stood there, calmly gazing at the other before it was Thorin who reached out first. Raising his hands, he gently cupped her cheeks, his thumbs wiping away what remained of the tears. When he was finished, he simply lowered his arms back to his sides, never breaking eye contact with her. He hoped his eyes so clearly conveyed his true feelings for her. And much to his amazement, he imagined he thought he saw similar emotions in her own eyes.
How perfect would it had been for her to love him back.
It was her turn to move then and she stepped forward, her own hands raising to lightly take hold of his bearded cheeks. The very tips of her fingers lightly brushed his braids and she was leaning in, her soft lips pressing to his forehead.
Eyes sliding closed, his larger hands closed around her wrists as a state of bliss washed over him.
After removing her lips, she simply tilted her head down so that she could rest her forehead against his own, her own eyes shut as she relished in their brief moment together. His hands then fell so that they could wrap around her waist, drawing her closer to him. Her own arms circled around his neck and the two of them embraced.
They drew back after a long moment of comfortable silence between the two of them, Thorin moving a stray strand of hair that had fallen into her face so that it rested with its siblings.
"I am sorry, too, Galaren." He rumbled, his own eyes sad as the elves suddenly turned back around and took hold of him.
They then led him up the stairs after the rest of the dwarves, leaving Ren alone with her own guards. And once the dark haired dwarf was gone, she could only sigh as she steeled herself for what was to come. For she knew she could certainly need courage for it.
Harp music filled the air as she quietly walked down the isle, her eyes trained down upon the clump of flowers that she held in her hands; a mixture of light pink roses and some tiny white flowers that she didn't know the name of.
Feeling so many eyes upon her, she glanced up and only looked ahead to find that Legolas was waiting for her at the end. Behind him stood Thranduil, looking smug as ever as he had his hands clasped behind his back, his crown of branches upon his head. However, she was very aware of the large audience who stood on either side of the walkway.
The Prince of Mirkwood was dressed regally in a long silver tunic, a hopeful and excited gleam in his eyes that the she-elf didn't hold in her own. Instead, hers held dread.
She walked slowly, her boots soft upon the floor as she crushed the delicate rose petals sprinkled along the isle ahead of her, the flowers the same color as the ones she held in her hands.
Her eyes flickered away from the two elves and the priest before her to the company of dwarves that was stationed on the left side of the room. All thirteen of them stood, their hands bound with rope as they all watched on with remorse in their eyes, a hefty number of guards surrounding them as they stood on the left side of the room; on the bride's side of the room.
Thorin stood at the very front, Fili and Kili behind him, respectively, with the rest of their troops lingering behind, all of them silent with solemn looks upon their faces as if silently pleading her to stop, to not do it.
Briefly glancing at the dwarf lord, she allowed her eyes to fall away from him, knowing that if she looked at him for too long that her heart would absolutely shatter. Nonetheless, she could feel his eyes upon her as she proceeded passed them until she climbed the three steps at the front of the room to stand beside Legolas above the rest of the crowd.
She didn't hear much of what the elven priest had to say, for her ears were filled with the rapid beating of her own heart. She didn't know how much time had passed as she stared down unseeingly at the flowers in her palms. And then she suddenly broke from the fear induced haze in her mind when she heard her name be spoken, "Do you Legolas, son of Thranduil the Elvenking, Prince of the Greenwood, promise to honor, protect, and cherish Lady Galaren?"
"I do." Her heart thudded painfully in her chest, her eyes once again becoming misty despite the fact that she would not let Thranduil see her in tears.
Raising her gaze, she found that the aforementioned elf was watching her, a small but smug smirk upon his face as he stood proudly behind his son. The priest then turned to her.
"And do you, Galaren, daughter of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel, Prince of Lorien, promise to honor, serve, and cherish Lord Legolas?"
Serve. The word struck a chord in her, one that made a spark of anger come to life inside of her. Her eyebrow twitched in something akin to annoyance. Not protect. Serve.
Turning her head, her eyes almost instinctively flickered to the dark haired dwarf who stood in her peripheral vision. What a sight he made standing there, hands bound, mouth slightly open as if he wished to speak, his blue eyes full of unconcealed heartbreak as he mentally prepared himself for what was to come.
Oh, she loved him. With every fiber of her being. And that was why she was doing what was asked of her. Because she loved him.
Eyes fluttering closed, she turned away from Thorin, her fists clenching tightly around the bouquet of flowers in her hands as she focused on keeping her voice level, "I... I do."
There was almost a collective grumble of disapproval from the Company yet they made no other sounds out of respect for Ren. Then the next thing she knew, the priest said something and suddenly, lips were pressing themselves to her own and yet she made no movement to return the affectionate blessing of the young prince.
Instead, she was turned, her eyes hollow as her hand was grasped and raised into the air for all those there to see, another set of fingers wrapped around her own as those invited to the gathering clapped.
It's because you love him. She reminded herself as she stared blankly at the ground.
Almost instantly, she was being swept away, the rest of the night a blur to her as she mindlessly ate the food before her, drank what wine was offered to her, and was lead across the dance floor by the others, her mind miles away from such a torturous place. And before she really knew what was happening, the festivities were drawing to a close without her saying much more than a few words as she was lead off to her new chambers by the elf that was proclaimed as her new husband.
It was when they were alone that she finally woke up.
As the door to the prince's chambers closed, followed by an audible click of a lock bolted into place, she blinked back into herself, her body filling with life once more.
"Galaren." She allowed her eyes to raise so that she was looking at the other blond. He took a few steps closer to her, his cheeks lightly tinged pink as if he were embarrassed. "I wish for you to know that if you do not wish to... consummate... our union on this night, for I know that you did not wish to wed so soon, I understand." He offered her a shy smile but it quickly dissolved from his face as he turned his back to her. "I will not force myself upon you."
Something metallic shimmered out of the corner of her eye and she was ever so slightly turning her head, having found a silver pitcher that sat atop one of the finely carved dressers in the room.
"Thank you, my lord." Ren replied quietly, her eyes on the object the entire time. It was late at night, she knew. The guards had no doubt drank enough wine to put them into an alcohol induced unconsciousness for the night, leaving the halls free and unguarded. She knew the way back to the prison and only one person ultimately stood in her path.
Feet silent on the stone flooring, she allowed the hunter in her to bleed through as she crossed the room so that she could take the pitcher into hand, "And Legolas..." Picking it up, she also found that it was heavy with water but would no doubt still serve its purpose. "I am sorry."
"Sorry?" He raised his head from where he had been unlacing his tunic in preparation to sleep. "For wha-"
He never got to finish as the she-elf struck him hard in the back of the head, water flying out of the sturdy pitcher to splash onto the chamber's floors. And she stood there for a moment, no remorse on her face as she gazed down at the elf that was now her unconscious husband.
Protect. She mentally scoffed, her lip curling slightly in a snarl. You should have had me vow to protect you. "I hope I served you well, my lord."
And with that, she placed the pitcher back in its original place and was moving to the door, unlocking it and throwing it open before bolting out into the hall, her head on a continuous swivel for any guards who still lingered.
However, she only got a few steps before she was nearly tripping, the fabric of her dress overwhelmingly long as it tangled around her legs. So, she bent down and without a single shred of mercy, tore at the white skirt, ripping the silky fabric until it was just brushing her calves, her leather boots now in plain sight as the shirt was shortened so much.
Tossing the dress fabric behind her, she then continued on her journey, determination blazing in her eyes as she stormed through Thranduil's stronghold. She also tore the clasp from her hair, carelessly discarding it before the circlet followed, the silver clanging against the wall she threw it against.
She was born a rebel again.
Consequences could be easily met, for she had already served plenty of them in her life. But a deadline to get to the Lonely Mountain could not be. No, she had all the time in the world to fulfill whatever punishments Thranduil lay upon her or better yet escape. The dwarves did not.
That was what she reminded herself every time her feet beat against the ground, her arms pumping as she ran through the fortress.
"Ren!" She heard her name called and the woman skidded to a stop, having recognized the familiar voice. Her eyes scanned the empty corridor but she found that she was alone. That is, until a hobbit suddenly appeared before her out of thin air. "What are you doing?!"
"Freeing the dwarves." She told him, slightly out of breath, her eyes flickering nervously about as if they would be caught any moment, brushing off the strange occurrence of how he suddenly appeared. "We don't have much time."
The halfling didn't speak but instead nodded his head and the two took off, Bilbo running as quickly as he could next to the long legged she-elf as she jogged beside him. He explained his idea for an escape plan to her as they went and Ren only nodded along, finding the idea to be rather promising and slightly ironic, at least, when it came to Thranduil and his love for wine.
It didn't take them long to get the prison, praise the Valar, they didn't encounter any guards. And no alarms had yet to be raised.
Thorin slowly raised his head from where it had been bowed, frantic footsteps pulling him from the endless string of his brooding and self-loathing thoughts. How he could have saved her from this fate. He would most undoubtedly never see her again if the Elvenking had anything to do about it. How they most certainly wouldn't make it to Erebor given their state of imprisonment with no hope of escape.
The footsteps drew closer but he could hardly care. That is, until the very center of his thoughts came sliding to a stop just outside his cell door.
"Galaren?"
"Come on." She panted, one hand wrapping around one of the cold bars locking him in as she took a moment to catch her breath. "You need to get out of here."
"What are you doing here?" He asked, quickly rising from his seat against the stone wall, his eyes quickly raking over her form and widening when they found the odd state she was in. Hair wild and free, eyes blazing like blue fire, and dressed in what appeared to be her tattered wedding gown that barely fell passed her knees. She looked a right mess but nonetheless a beautiful one.
"Breaking you out of prison." She replied, her head turning once she heard the hobbit returning, the prison keys held aloft in his hands, having stolen them off the unconscious warden who had fallen asleep with a bottle of wine in his hand. He immediately set to work, starting on the cell closest to him which was Bofur and Bombur's.
"How did you manage to get away from..." The dwarf asked her through the bars, causing her to turn back around to face him. He however found that he was going to be having difficulties saying the next few words, "... from your husband?" They tasted bitter in his mouth.
Her face went completely devoid of all emotion, suddenly looking very serious. "I may or may not have hit him over the head with a blunt object."
The dwarf felt his heart stop beating in his chest for a moment, "You hit the Prince?"
Her eyebrow twitched. "Only a little."
"Did you kill him?!"
"Of course not, no." Her tone was very dry and a flash of annoyance darted across her features. "I'm not that merciless."
"Thranduil will be furious."
"I imagine so." She replied, glancing back to find that Bilbo had almost all the cells open already, allowing the dwarves to file out into the large chamber. "I did just hit his son over the head with a solid silver pitcher full of water. On our wedding night."
"A tremendous way to start off your union." Thorin grumbled just as Bilbo came down to stand beside them, the keys in his hands as he looked up at the she-elf with wide eyes that were sparkling with excitement.
He handed her the keys, "I'll start leading the dwarves down."
In return she nodded and for a moment, fumbled with the keys, the Company hastily following behind the burglar as she struggled to find the right one to unlock his cell.
"Why did you marry the prince?" His rumbling voice stole her attention back for a moment, causing her to pause in her work, having just found the correct key but she hadn't inserted it into the lock.
"Like I told you, I had no choice." She replied quietly, her thumb running over the steel key in her palm, warmed the touch of the hobbit moments ago.
"There is always another choice." The dwarf told her, reaching out through the bars to grasp her wrist, drawing her eyes once more. "And I wish to know the other one that Thranduil offered you..."
Ren looked at him for a long moment, "He said if I didn't marry Legolas, he would kill you. All of you." She blinked, her hand tightening to a fist in his grasp as she felt rage for the Elvenking boil in her gut. "And I could not have that happen. But, allowing you to sit here in this prison while you rot is like killing you."
With a renewed determination, she shoved the key into the lock and turned it.
The she-elf was then pulling the door open, only to move out of the way so that Thorin could join her back outside as well.
"This way." She took hold of his hand before he could really react, pulling him behind her as she led him in the direction where the rest of his group had disappeared.
"Where are we going?" He asked as they hurried down the numerous stairs in their path, seemingly going deeper into the heart of the Mirkwood fortress.
"The wine cellar." Ren replied, her eyes straight ahead.
However, when they came to a three way fork of halls, they stopped. With a furrowed brow, the dwarf turned to look at her. "Do you know how to get there?"
"No." Pulling him along again, she went down the hall to the right. "I'm just following the noise." Turning her head for once, she offered him a small curl of her lips. "You know, you dwarves are a loud bunch."
"I would imagine that you would know that by now." He jested back, earning him a small smile from her.
They jogged for another few minutes, going down various pathways and staircases until the woman decided to speak again, "They're just around that corner up ahead and down the stairs." She gave him a forewarning despite that even know, Thorin could hear them himself. And her words were true.
They were a rather noisy group.
Suddenly, she was releasing his hand, her fingers sliding out of his own pair. This caused him to look over at her and she took a step back and away from him. He felt worry wash over him when he saw the soft frown upon her face, "Ren?"
"Go." She told him, her eyes full of sorrow as she continued to back away from him. "Go now, while you still have a chance. I'm afraid that this is where our paths split."
"What?" He breathed, disbelief evident on his features.
"Thranduil will be too busy dealing with me to send someone after you." She explained, pausing in the hallway just a few feet away from him.
"No... No..." The dwarf muttered, swallowing thickly as he blinked rapidly, trying to comprehend what she was saying. That she was staying behind. Sacrificing herself so that they could escape. Then, with a new determination, he took a few steps closer, once again taking her hands into his. "Come with us. Come with me."
She didn't say anything for a long moment, though her bottom lip quivered once and her eyes began to glass over slightly.
"There have been no guards. All of them are probably too drunk from your wedding that they cannot stop us." He pleaded with her, stating any information that he could that would sway her to travel with them. "You cannot stay here. Thranduil will... He will..." He began but found that he could not finish his thought.
Ren just gave him a small smile, "He would not dare hurt me." She told him earnestly. "Lest he feel the wrath of both Lothlorien and Rivendell."
"He will find other ways to punish you."
"Keeping you locked away while Durin's Day passes is a punishment in itself. Knowing that you have escaped safely and reclaimed Erebor will make my stay here all the more bearable. And I won't be here for long, Haldir returned home and no doubt took news of my capture with him." She sent the dwarf lord another small smile, her lips curling up more than they had all night. "My mother despises Thranduil and certainly won't leave me here to stay. My marriage to Legolas will be cut short as long as..." She trailed off her cheeks flushing slightly.
"As long as what?" He narrowed his eyes slightly, wondering what she was getting at.
She blushed a brighter red. "As long as we don't-" She coughed awkwardly. "Consummate the union."
The air between them was awkward for a few moments as Thorin understood what she was saying. And then he himself flushed a little.
There was suddenly the shouting behind them, causing both of them to look back down the hall. It was still distant, luckily, but it didn't fail to make their hearts speed up, their minds both distracted from their previous conversation.
"Go." She warned him, taking hold of his shoulders and urging him towards the corner of the hall.
Instead of doing as she asked, he turned back towards her, shrugging out from underneath her hands realizing that this would perhaps be the last time he ever saw her. Between trying to defeat Smaug and the chance that Thranduil would somehow manage to keep her prisoner for the rest of her days, this could be their last meeting.
She just gazed at him for a long moment, evidently thinking the same thing, and it was as if the two of them moved at once.
They simply clung to each other, his arms wrapping around her waist while her own were like a vice around his neck. One hand rose and slowly began to stroke his thick mane, the first time she had ever properly touched it. Beneath her palm it was velvety soft and for a moment, it felt so intimate; touching a dwarf's hair.
"Keep an eye on everyone for me, will you?" She told him, a few tears slipping down her cheeks as her emotion bled through. He nodded. "Especially Bilbo. He's rather small and is deserving of both your protection and friendship." He nodded again, choosing to remain silent as he simply basked in this short final moment between them. "Be careful of Smaug."
"You make it sound like such a small task." He smiled against her shoulder, his voice slightly muffled by her dress. He shifted his grip upon her so that he could lean back and instead gaze on her face, her elbows still being held in his hands.
"One day, we will see each other again, Thorin Oakenshield." She promised him, her hand gently cupping his cheek as her eyes continued to shine in the low torchlight.
"I will come for you." He said in return, his words nothing but the truth and he gripped her slightly harder, as if trying to make his point clear as day. "I can promise you that."
Allowing her words to finally sink in, her heart warmed at the thought of him having affections for her. She leaned forward and gently pressed her lips to his forehead, like she did every time she had to resist the urge to kiss him on the lips.
Thorin's breath caught in his throat at the contact and yet, he couldn't help but feel disappointed. For if this was their last moment together, he did not want it to be like this. To be left with no memory of her. "I do not wish for you to kiss me there."
His voice had not trembled in the slightest and was the absolute clearest it had ever been as he said those words.
She slowly drew back, both hands still lightly holding onto his face. Her sapphire eyes were wide with astonishment as she gazed down slightly at him. Unconsciously, she wet her own lips, her eyes briefly flickering down to his own pair that loomed only inches away.
And he was leaning in, brushing his mouth against hers ever so slightly, testing. They mingled like that for a moment, simply breathing each other in as their noses brushed before Ren dipped her head slightly and gently kissed him. Thorin responded in turn, pressingly eagerly back into the soft caress.
They remained like that until what felt like an eternity passed of bliss had passed, kissing and silently expressing all the emotions they both held in their hearts. And then the footsteps and shouting were drawing nearer, just a few staircases away and down the hall.
Drawing back from each other, the two held each other's gaze for a moment, their eyes hazy as their eyelids sat half idled in awe. Oh, they had been so silly to have ignored it; to let the game persist when they should have simply settled it when they first began to feel something stronger than friendship.
"You must go." Ren breathed, her warm breath fanning over his face.
"I cannot leave you now." The dwarf replied, his own tone just as breathy as her own had been, his head dipping in slightly to brush his nose against hers once more, only wanting to stay like they were until the end of time.
"There will be war." She murmured, his arm circling back around her to pull her closer to him once again.
"Then I will have it." One corner of his mouth curled upwards slightly, his free hand raising so that he could gently brush his knuckles along the smooth plane of her cheek. "I will have war for you."
"No, you will not." She told him though her words did not hold the stubbornness that she had hoped they would have had. "I will not have you risking your life over my freedom." Movement caught her eye and she turned her head, the shouting and footsteps on the last stairwell and she saw one elf turning the far corner. "Now, go!"
She stepped out of his arms, both their eyes wide with fear and worry. Thorin, however, managed to snag her hand before it completely slipped from his grasp.
"Until we meet again, my lady." She turned her head to look at him once more and, maintaining eye contact the entire time, he brought her hand to his lips and pressed a tender kiss upon her flesh. And then he was gone, turning to flee around the corner, leaving the she-elf in his wake, along with his heart that he had so freely given to her.
"Farewell, Thorin, meleth e-gûr nîn." She whispered, raising her hand in a small wave though she only held her hand aloft, as if grasping at the very essence that he left behind, knowing that she now had the strength and courage to withstand the punishments that she was sure were to come.
Meleth e-gûr nîn: (Sindarin) Love of my heart
Finally got this AU request done! Was a rather sad one in my opinion! Anyway, thanks again for reading/reviewing/following/favoriting! You guys light up my life and make writing so worth while!
Love,
Blue
P.S. Keep sending me AUs and request ideas!