his exception

chapter twelve: rage

 Tauriel pulled at her friends arm as she pushed Maethel to the side of the room. "What of you and Thorin?" she smirked. Her friends cheeks flushed betraying what she had now come to think of as a childish crush,  "There is nothing, we are but friends"

"Ha your blushing, and I see the way he looks at you"

"Ok this conversation is over" Maethel hurried away. Little did anyone know, but she snuck her way back to the prison cells. She didn't like parties as she was very easily bored. Maybe she also wanted to see her new dwarf friend though she never admitted it to herself.

...

Maethel looked at his binds, and how they clung so tightly to his arms, cutting into the skin, if she loosened them but an inch, it could do no harm, her elven guards would not let him get far, she had resolved herself. As she loosened his binds, Thorin took his chance, pulling free, but he had forgotten his feet were tied in his haste, and he collapsed in a heap upon the floor. Seeing his annoyance Maethel tried to hold back her laughter, as his fall had been a sight, as he tripped upon his own feet, all grace forgotten as he met the floor.

Finally Maethel stopped laughing and Thorin stood up, in his cell, his grip upon her wrists tightened through the bars, "If I had the energy I would take you where you stand, by far you are the most remarkable beauty among your people, but I need food, and rest to recover myself, I know escape is not possible with the guards so close, but surely you could sneak food, and water to me and my company, the hospitality of the elves is lacking..and your friend Tauriel seems to have traitored your own kind, and good nature siding with my nephew.." The princess chuckled lightly to herself.

"It's easy to love but love always has consequences and if you aren't ready for those consequences you are not ready to love yet." Maethel's kind eyes searching Thorins face for some response. "Love, it is a dangerous concept, one I have no wish to conceive" Thorin's answer spoke of sadness, Maethel's eyes brimmed with tears. "I will get you some food, and we shall speak again of this mountain, and its treasures"

Maethel left the cells, saddened by the treatment the dwarves were receiving. She had half a mind to storm up to her father and slap his face, of course she would never get that close as there was the party going on, but the thought satisfied her for now. The wicked thought sustained her as she crept up to the food store, all her hopes dashed by the sight of throngs of guards, she would never manage to evade them all, and she sighed heavily. "Maethel what troubles you?" She heard someone say from behind her. Maethel turned to see her friend Alfreda. "Alfreda, they are not feeding the dwarves, or giving them water, please help them, I know this is not your doing"

Alfreda was genuinely shocked, she had been assured they would not be ill-treated, her naive nature made her feel foolish, taking them upon their word. "I will speak to my father.. though I know he will do nothing.. If he doesn't do that. I have my own plan." Maethel looked into her friends eyes. "And what's that?" Alfreda asked as she put some pots and pans into a nearby cupboard. "Ohh it's nothing, I probably won't do it."

Maethel ran as fast as she could hiding the goodies she now lugged along with her, she had to be careful to not spill the water. Slowly she found her way back to Thorin and the others. When she revealed the food, and water Thorins eyes widened "how did you get all of this?" He questioned. "A friend aided me, I will see too it all dwarves are treated with basic decency at the least." Thorin grumbled. "Do not doubt my friends good nature, her naive nature leads her astray at times, but this was not her doing"

Thorin looked up at her after feasting upon all Maethel had brought, he drank the water with desperate gulps, appreciating each drop, groaning as the cool water soothed his throat. His deep groan stirred a sense of something within Maethel, as his eyes met hers, the tension was palpable. Her heart began to strain in her chest, as his blue eyes caught her in a tense stare. She wished to look away but found she could not. She did not know love. She had never been in love, was this love? "Maethel!" A voice shouted from the top of the stairs. It was this moment that she realised she had been staring. She turned and looked up to see her brother. 

"Ada, wants to speak to you.. in his study." Legolas then glared at Thorin until his sister stood up and made her way up the stairs.

...

Finally Maethel opened the door to her father's study. "I thought you were at the party?" She questioned as she looked around. Her father's back was turned to her but she could feel that something was not right. "I could say the same about you.." He turned around and Maethel immediately looked down. When she looked up her father's rage was still aflame, she hung her head. "You will look at me!" He boomed. She couldn't bring herself to lift her head, she heard his footsteps, he seized his daughters face and forced her to look at him. "I suppose I should be thankful you had the decency to confess" Maethel looked confused at her father.

" I-I-I.."

Maethel lost her words, she literally couldn't form a sentence, she was so shocked that her father was this angry with her, she knew he would act in this way and yet she seemed truly shocked. She knew she had been spending so much of her time that evening with the Dwarves, no one knew except for Tauriel and her brother. She knew her friend, she then turned to her brother. Legolas was standing leaned against the door not too far away. She glared at him before her father spoke again, no lighter than before.

"I'm disappointed in you Maethel" the king of Mirkwood said, "you are my daughter and you betrayed my trust." 

"Why?" Maethel had retorted, "just because I am friends with a couple of dwarves? Father, when are you going to understand that they are my friends! I care about them as much as I care about you and our people! Why can't I just be myself?!" Her father's ears pricked up and he plunged forward. "Because you are a threat to our kingdom! This... friendship of yours with these dwarves will cause your ruin! Don't you remember what happened to your mother?! Haven't you learned everything from our loss?! How dare you choose them over your king. Your father." he hissed. Maethel was genuinely sorry, not that that would count for anything, he was so incensed by her betrayal that he called her silence before she even began to explain. A tear fell down her cheek and she felt goosebumps forming on her ivory skin. Legolas noticed though he said nothing.

"Mother was a hero! She ran into the battle against a dragon while you cowered behind safety ! She saved dozen of dwarfs' life!" Maethel spat as she wiped her eyes. "And caused the death of many our best warriors! Your mother was a brave woman, but she was stubborn and reckless! And you are just like her! You can't even follow a simple order. I can't let you risk our people safety because of your stubbornness." Maethel paled when she heard these words. There was silence. "You don't mean... you banish me?"

"I do."

Tears blurred Maethel's vision and she felt herself shaking. "But... But this is my home! I have always lived here! I am its princess. You cannot do that!"

"I'm the king of Mirkwood; he said with a fearful tone, I have ALL the rights to do it!"

"You banish me... just because I'm different from the others?" Maethel looked up at him with tears in her eyes. The features of her father seemed to soften a bit. "If I banish you, this is only for the sake of my people. You can say goodbye to Legolas, but then you will have to leave us once and for all. This is my duty as a king."   

When he finally turned to her his flash of rage had given way to a pained look, that Maethel found harder to take than his rage, she wanted him to beat the insolence out of her, anything but this, as tears strained his cheeks, her heart broke. "You're doing this out of spite of your hate for dwarves.. I know you do not mean this father.." Maethel cried and there was more silence as she looked over at her brother who stayed silent. Maethel felt compelled to speak, but he pressed his hand to her mouth shaking his head. He released her from his grip, and asked her to leave; she would not leave him like this, knowing it was her doing. "No I will not leave you this way, tell me what I can do to make it right, father."

"Excuse me, I am no longer that to you, I am your king refer to me as such"

"I am sorry my king, please let me make amends" Maethel cried as she watched the gentle Thranduil fade, and become the colder, darker King of Mirkwood. "I want nothing to do with you." He spat. Maethel looked shocked like she couldn't believe what was going on. She looked over at her brother who looked guilty. Tears continued to flow as she raced out of the throne room and towards her room.

She now understands why storms are named after people.