I'll hold you once more. [LOTR FanFiction]

Chapter 6. Cruel

Tauriel came inside the room right after Legolas and me were done talking. She said that they had to go scouting. Legolas gave a kiss on my hand and left. My heart was beating fast as I just realized that I was in love with Thranduil, and an overwhelming feeling took over me, and all I wanna do was run to Thranduil and take him into my arms.

How could life be so unfair? I remember the moment Thranduil asked me to dance with him back at Rivendell. I remember how he smiled and how his eyes would glisten in the moonlight, how he just seemed at ease like he was showing the real Thranduil, not the King Thranduil. He must've asked me to dance for a reason. Then all my doubts start to fade as I focused on how Thranduil looked at me when he found out that I was marrying his son.

I knew that he felt the same way.

The prophecy said that I had to marry Legolas but it doesn't mean that I had to keep my feelings from Thranduil. After what seemed like an eternity a smile crept onto my face as I pushed myself off Legolas' bed and ran out the door and towards the direction of the throne room. It took me a while since I was too happy to focus on the direction I'm running to. As I whirled my head finding that one person who my heart truly desires even when the whole world is against it, even fate. 

I took off running through the hallway on my right, my gown trailing behind me, as I saw Thranduil walking, with his back facing me, my heart felt like leaping out my chest and running the rest of the way. "Thranduil!" I called out, he turned around and I admired how he turn around and his eyes were only on me. "Ye—" before he could say anything, I jumped and wrapped my arms around his neck catching him off guard.

He didn't hug me back but slowly his arms snaked around my waist. I pulled away and made sure I was standing not too close to him so people won't jump to conclusions. "I have something to say... And you don't have to say anything." I told him, he opened his mouth to say something but quickly closed it. "I lied... More like I can't do what I told you... I can't just simply forget about my feelings towards you... Thranduil... I know that this isn't the real you, the real you is the one who danced with me back in Rivendell. That day... that night, I can't get it out of my head I—" "Vanya, you need to stop." those were the words I didn't expect. It felt like my heart was being lifted heavenly when all of a sudden it just dropped to the ground. "You are getting betrothed to my son." he started saying but I had to interrupt him, "I am but it doesn't mean that I don't have feelings for—" "Enough Vanya! Stop fooling around, what you think is love you have for me is nothing but a mere admiration. Nothing more." he said as he turned around and walked.

"I'm not giving up."

I shouted at him. He stopped in his tracks but didn't turn around to face me, "Then you are just wasting your time." he said. "You don't know that." I shouted once more but he was already gone from my vision. "Because if I can't make you see what we have is real then I shall die trying." I said to myself.

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Hiding behind the throne wasn't my brightest of all ideas. Anyone who was walking from the distance could see me. But they knew better than to call me out, Thranduil was in a bad mood and I was here to find out why.

"Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand. A Quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a dragon. I myself, suspect a more prosaic motive. Attempted burglary, or something of that ilk." Thranduil's velvet voice filled the whole throne room. I tried peeking from behind the throne to see who he was talking to but there was no one. "You have found a way in. You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule. A King's jewel. The Arkenstone. It is precious to you beyond measure, I understand that. There are gems in the mountain that I too desire. White gems of pure starlight. I offer you my help." Thranduil added.

Arkenstone.

I've heard about that kind of stone from my father. I tried peeking once more and when I did I saw a dwarf. "I am listening." the dwarf stated. "I will let you go, if you but return what is mine." Thranduil said. So the dwarf stole from him? "A favor for a favor." the dwarf said. "You have my word. One king to another." Thranduil said, I then took another look and saw the dwarf completely he was short and built, with dark hair and a beard. Like most dwarves.

"I would not trust, Thranduil, the great King, to only his word. Till the end of all days be upon us!" the dwarf roared in anger he then pointed at Thranduil and I also flinch because it looked like he was also pointing at me, "You, lack all honor! I have seen how you treat your friends! We came to you once, starving, homeless; seeking your help. But you turned your back! You, turned away from the suffering of my people and the inferno that destroyed us!"

"ishkh khakfe andu null."

I also flinched and covered my mouth with my right hand, I knew that what the dwarf said would surely upset Thranduil. "Do not talk to me of dragon fire! I know it's wrath and ruin. I have faced the great serpents of the north." Thranduil said but the way he said it made it seem like he was in pain. He was facing the dwarf closely therefore, I cannot see what is happening. "I warned your grandfather of what his greed would summon, but he would not listen." Thranduil said as he walked up the steps making me quickly hide behind the throne once more. "You are just like him," Thranduil said as I heard the footsteps of the come and leave. "Stay here if you will, and rot. A hundred years is a mere blink in a life of an Elf. I'm patient. I can wait." he whispered the last part.

I then stormed out of my hiding spot which was up the stairs of the throne, trying my best not to fall off. "How could you let a person rot? What wrong did he ever do to you?" I scolded Thranduil his eyes widen when he saw that I was just behind his throne. "Were you eavesdropping?" he questioned but I ignored it and started ranting to him. "He might be a dwarf Thranduil, but still he is only trying to make his way home." "What is home if you can't protect it." Thranduil said as he stood up straight trying to act royal and formal at me.

"How could you be so cruel?" I asked. "Cruel? What makes you say that? I am only doing what is right." he argued. My anger felt like it was steaming and that the steam was coming out my ears. No matter how strong my feelings are for Thranduil, at this moment I wanted to strangle him. I hate Thranduil.

"You. Have. No. Right. To. Stop. Them!" I told him with each word as I poked his chest, but on my last poke I was too angry that I lost my balance and almost fell off the steps of the throne, and just when I thought that I would have to go to the healings again, Thranduil wrapped his arms around me and pulled me towards his chest. My breathing was heavy because as I peeked at what could have been the fall to my death it seemed unending. I gulped as my eyes stared at the black abyss. I turn around to look at Thranduil, I then was met with his face so close to mine. His electric blue eyes were staring at me, checking to see if I was alive and that everything was fine.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly.

As if all anger seemed to have faded away in a blink of my almost death.

"Yes." I sighed a reply.

No matter how much I say that I hate him, I will always love him.

And just like that Thranduil was able to turn my whole world around.