Lord of the Rings x-Reader // Legolas, Thranduil, Boromir, Aragorn

2. Sent to Middle-earth (Legolas) - Part 2

Sent to Middle-earth – Part 2(3): The Elvenking's Palace

As you already knew, King Thranduil's palace was delved underground, but it was a lot larger than you had thought. You went over a bridge and through tall, ornate gates, coming into a vast hall. Smooth pillars held up the ceiling far above, and the floor consisted of pinkish stone tiles. The air smelled fresh; not at all cellar-like as one might think.

A grand staircase took you down deeper into the hill, and in all directions extended corridors with many doors. The central corridor was wide and almost resembled a street. Wax candles in niches along the wall spread a cosy light.

The corridor ended in front of another set of double doors, which were finer than those that had taken you into the hill. They looked to be made of copper, perhaps even gold – in this light it was hard to tell – and were decorated with a pattern of ivy leaves. Two guards bowed for Legolas and politely opened the doors.

You realized he had taken you directly to the throne room, and felt both honored and nervous. The Elvenking seemed like a scary elf!

The spacious hall inside was full of elvish courtiers, speaking to one another in subdued voices. In the centre of the room, a high throne with a pair of enormous antlers drew your attention, and even more so the elf seated there. He looked majestic and proud – and exceedingly handsome, with silver blonde hair reaching well below his shoulders and a crown of autumn leaves and berries on his head. His ageless face had a somewhat bored expression, but when Legolas and you entered, his dark eyebrows shot up in surprise.

You hobbled forward on your crude crutches, feeling very conscious about your simple garb and messy hair, still with some remaining tendrils of spider silk attached. When you stopped below the throne, you bowed awkwardly, the best you could do with your damaged hip.

"Greetings, My Lord." Legolas bowed a lot more eloquently. It surprised you that he would speak and act so formally in front of his own father, but perhaps this was the norm for royalty.

"Legolas." The king acknowledged him with a nod. "Your mission was successful?"

"It was. We destroyed three nearby nests, and killed all spiders in the area. However, the southern outskirts are a lost case – they are too infested by now."

The king sighed. "I fear you are right."

"Anything new happened in my absence? How is the prisoner?"

He frowned. "Still complaining and wailing incessantly, to the extent where his guards had to take him outside. At least up in a tree they only have to listen to him at a distance. How typical of that meddlesome wizard to place him in our care."

The Elvenking still had not even looked at you, and you were beginning to feel like the third wheel.

"My company and I can relieve them," said Legolas. "If you have time later, may I have a private word?"