[Legolas] In every grain of sand, is the story of the earth.

Chapter 14

The word seemed to echo in the otherwise silent tent and I wrestled with myself whether I wound listen to him or not. I was at the exit, I could slip through and vanish in to the army of elves before Thranduil could even stand from his throne. It was an option that was becoming increasingly appealing however something inside me told me to stay and listen to what he had to say. Releasing a breath I didn't realise I had been holding, I lowered my hand to my side slowly before turning around to face him with decisive movements. From my demeanor it was evident I was only staying due to sheer curiosity and that I would leave whenever I saw fit. To prove this point, I remained by the exit however allowed my attention to be captured entirely by the eleven king.

"My lord?" Both my curiosity and amusement at the situation leaked in to my tone however I made a point not to act upon them any further. It was he who asked me to stay so I would find out what possessed him to do so. The sleeves of my faded red dress bunched at my elbows as I crossed my arms over my chest. The garment was not something I would normally wear, in fact, a human from Laketown had provided me with it when my own clothes were ruined by ash and debris. I was thankful for the women's kindness but the bold colour attracted more attention that I felt comfortable with, I would definitely have to change before the battle. I didn't want to stand out any more than necessary, it would make me too easy of a target.

Unlike before, I embraced the silence that fell upon the tent, watching the King with inquisitive eyes. I told myself I would not buckle under his gaze, that I would wait for him to speak. If he was trying to make me feel uncomfortable, it was working however I wouldn't allow him to know that. Once again I shifted my weight as a sign of impatience, I had more important matters to attend to. I couldn't just stand around in the King's tent while he scrutinized me, I had humans to tend to. Who would they turn to while I was occupied? Alfrid? I sincerely hoped not, especially since he was still doing whatever he could to steal away their remaining wealth. My being here wasn't doing anyone any good, especially with the King still not speaking to me.

"Will my son see reason?" The words came out strained as a look of pain appeared on his face, giving an indication of all the years he had experienced. To say I was taken aback by his question would have been an understatement let alone the fact he spoke to me like I was a human being and not just some dirt on his boot. I couldn't help but falter for a moment before finally finding my voice.

"I could not say but what I do know is if you push him, he will rebel against you and resent you for it. You interfering will only push him closer to her, you must leave him be my Lord." My words came out with a wisdom beyond my years and I couldn't help sympathise with him in some way. While I didn't agree with him on many levels, the fact that he wants what was best for his son did ring true...after all, isn't that what all parent's want for their children.

Unfortunately it seemed that my words weren't the reply the King was looking for. Once again a look of rage contorted his features, leaving him looking more human than ever. I prepared myself to take the brunt of his anger, it wasn't like I was a stranger to his rage. Taking a moment to compose myself, I calmed my heart and suppressed my emotions to prevent myself from doing something I would regret, like shouting back at the arrogant King.  Despite my efforts, I could not stop my eyes from widening slightly as he rose from his throne slowly, with considered movements and a grace that could probably put me to shame. Despite my unease, I remained motionless, shifting my weight from one foot to the other in an attempt to feign boredom.

It took all my resolve to keep up the façade as the elven King began walking towards me, every step seeming to restrict the air from my lungs. Despite this, I forced my face to remain a mask of indifference as he came to a stop directly in front of me, his larger frame looming over mine menacingly. Not a word was exchanged between us, the King merely glaring at me as if I were dung stuck to his boot. I was quickly becoming angered by both his presence and his actions. My fists tightened at my sides, my knuckles itching to connect with his face regardless of who he was. Just as my patience had ran out completely, I became somewhat stunned as the King began leaning towards me slowly, only stopping when his face came to rest directly beside my ear. Unlike before, he wasted no time and almost immediately his cold voice penetrated my being.