The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings -oneshots II

Fiery - Thranduil

Warnings: Thranduil's father is a bit of an asshole, but nothing else
Word count: 2088
Other: -
Requested: by lemonchxld

Thranduil isn't usually interested in the balls and meetings Mirkwood hosts, but this time he is happy that his father insisted on his presence as a princess of another kingdom catches his attention.

Thranduil stood next to his father, tugging at the collar of his jacket.
"Stand still." Oropher barked, earning a stern look from his wife about his tone, but she didn't say anything, just straightened the collar of his son's jacket.
"Why do I need to be here?" He didn't want to complain, but he would have preferred to spend his time having a conversation with Gil-galad or anyone else for the matter. It was rare that he got to meet ellons of his own age, so he wanted to converse with them, not stand here and wait for another kingdom full of sooty elves to arrive.
"Because the people of Dornárorn* rarely attend feasts outside of their own kingdom, and having them arrive is a big honor. They will feel more appreciated if the full royal family is here to greet them." Oropher explained without looking at his son, keeping an eye on the doors.
"So shut up and stand straight."
"Oropher." Míriniell** scolded her husband gently, not approving of the harsh tone he used with their son.
"He has to learn that not all royal duties are pleasant, sometimes they take patience and long nerves. Something he seems to lack." Thranduil was insulted by his father's words but didn't have time to dwell on them as a horn sounded and the guard at the doors announced the next visitors.
"The people of the kingdom of Dornárorn!"

The doors opened and the king and queen entered, their gates soft and uninterrupted as they thanked the guard. Their frames were tall, their thin cloaks moving in the slight breeze that blew through the kingdom. Unlike most elves, their hair was done in an updo instead of letting it flow down straight. The king had a proud stance as he approached, looking around the hall with interest. As for the queen, she was smiling warmly and Legolas couldn't help but glance at his mother. The two seemed like they would get along well. Their clothes, unlike anything Legolas had seen before, were dark, a mixture of reds and black, the fabrics light and airy. As they approached the throne, Thranduil let his eyes slide from the rulers to the people behind them. They were dressed like their rulers, red apparent in their clothing as well, and surprisingly some of the warriors seemed to have their hair cut short so it didn't even cover their ears. He let his eyes slide along the people back to the ruling couple, but before he could reach them again, something else caught his eye. His eyes stopped on you, the young woman standing directly behind the king and queen, and all of his thoughts seemed to seize.

He had never seen anyone such enchanting before in his life. Your bright eyes were looking around in interest, your arms folded against your stomach. You had the exact same hair as your father, but in any other sense, you were like your mother.  You had her stance, your back straight and head held high, but somehow you managed not to look haughty. That could have been for that gentle smile on your lips, or just the aura that seemed to surround you, making you look eternal and easy to approach at the same time.

Elves usually preferred earthly colors in their clothing, but your kingdom was clearly an exception to the rule. Like everyone else in the kingdom, your gown was red, but it stood out by its deep, fiery red color. The gems that rested in your golden crown looked like they were made of blood, the crimson standing out against the braids in your hair.

You shifted to stand next to your parents, still smiling but a slight tinge of nervousness could be seen in your gestures.
"And our daughter, Y/N." The king and queen of Mirkwood just gave you polite nods as you curtsied, but the prince, Thranduil, gently grasped your hand and placed a kiss onto your knuckles, making you flush bright red.
"A pleasure to meet you, princess.
"A-And you as well." You managed to squeak out, not sure why your heart was pounding or your hands were shaking so. You had met plenty of charming young ellons in your day, but none of them had managed to cause you to lose yourself like this.