Beauty and the Beast | Thranduil x Reader

Chapter 20

Legolas was beyond intrigued at the situation he had walked back in on. He hadn't expected you and his father to be quite as close as you looked when he returned from patrol. He wondered just how much he had missed and found himself almost wishing he could have been here to witness such a miracle as his father befriending the human he had been so utterly annoyed to see Legolas doing the same with.

It was most amusing, as was your expression, as he watched you squirm under his gaze while you stumbled over your words, telling him how his father had explained some things and invited you to spend time with him and such. You left out a few details, not wanting to let go of every one of your little moments with Thranduil, like some of the things that he had said in the queen's garden or the way he had looked when he showed you his burns again. Some things were just for you and he alone, as much as you weren't fully sure yet just why you wanted to hold these moments so close.

Legolas listened with rapt attention, stealing some of the lunch that was still sitting out on the table waiting for the room to empty so the servants could clean up. He couldn't help feeling just the slightest bit smug about the whole thing. He had known that if his father just gave it a chance, he would see that there was so much more to you and that there was so much more to the world beyond their borders that was not all bad. There was good out there that could shine brighter than even the intensity with which his father focused on the evil. It was not as black and white as the king always seemed to believe.

"I daresay you have been busy." He chuckled, watching your face flush once more. "I should thank you. I feel your company has distracted my father from what would have been a terrible amount of strain due to my late return." He chose his words carefully because he knew his fear for Legolas' safety would have come out as anger and Valar help the poor servants who would have found themselves on the end of that.

You smiled a little, shrugging in response as you set your now empty cup back down on the table. "I do not need such gratitude, my prince. As I was told not so long ago... the king is not quite as bad as he might appear."

Legolas smiled back, a playful glint in his eyes. "If you are able to call said king by his given name, I must insist that you do the same for me."

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You spent the rest of the day wandering the halls, much more acquainted with the winding corridors of the Woodland Realm than you had been when you first arrived. You loved the architecture of the place, it was absolutely beautiful. As much as you missed roaming free outside, not being confined to one space was manageable and you were starting to feel as if you could deal with it. As if you could see out the rest of your days here as well as could be expected.

A moment later, you saw Tauriel walking towards you from her room, having rested enough to feel able to resume her daily activities. She would be expected later to go to the king and give him an update of the conditions in the forest but he was currently in a meeting and she had some time. She made a beeline for you when she noticed you, smiling, and you returned it. You liked Tauriel. Despite not having spent quite as much time with her as you had others, she had been nothing but kind.

"Not in the library today?" She inquired, falling into step beside you.

You shook your head, smirking just slightly as it seemed that was now what you were known for. You had always been that girl with the books but it felt a lot better here than it had in your village. There was no derision in anybody's eyes here when they looked at you or brought it up. "I will be later, don't worry." You chuckled. "I just felt like a walk."

"Do you mind if I join for a little?" Tauriel asked and you shook your head quickly because of course you didn't.

Truthfully, you had never really had many friends before. Maybe one or two girls back in your village but it never lasted for very long. The whispering about you would always prove too much for them sooner or later. Being associated with you as a friend didn't seem to be a good thing and so you would always find yourself alone. Well, not alone, not truly. You had your books, after all. And your father. But still... somehow here, in this place where you had started out nothing but a prisoner, you felt that you had friends. Myleth felt like a friend, Legolas felt like a friend. Even Thranduil himself was now starting to feel like a friend.