Beauty and the Beast | Thranduil x Reader

Chapter 29

The journey through the forest had been hard going for the large band of humans who had joined Vermund on his trek through Mirkwood. None had entered here before, save for Vermund and Oeric nearly two weeks past with your father, and many were feeling anxious. However, when Vermund said something was happening, everybody simply fell in line. He had the control and he liked to keep it that way. He was not used to people not falling at his feet to do his bidding, thus he was growing more and more frustrated by you and your refusal to wed him. Who would turn down him?! Only a fool!

Vermund was strong, good looking, and rich as far as your village went. What more could you possibly need? Vermund had decided that you were simply shy. That you were nervous about living up to his standards and about pleasing him as a wife and a lover. He would have to rid you of such idiocies because it was costing him a lot of time... once he finally found you, of course.

He wondered if he would truly find you within this Elf King's halls. Elves had a long legend in your village of being vicious beings who stole into human settlements and carried off maidens and children. Their dark elven magic was said to bewitch and destroy entire villages and crops. They brought misfortune and death. They would curse and kill and if these beasts had you in their grasp, Vermund would not let it slide. You were, after all, his. Rescuing you would no doubt earn him extra favour with you, too... and your crazy father. Though if he could convince you the old man needed to stay in that cell then he would.

He found himself beginning to hope that you were being held prisoner by this elvish monarch. What a prize it would be - to return home victorious with the stolen wealth of the dead Elf King in his possession...

...and you, obviously.

He hacked his way through the undergrowth of the forest with his sword, cutting away with complete abandon, caring not for the life of the trees and plants around him.

"This way, men!" He called over his shoulder. "Hurry! And stay close. This forest is evil." Vermund's narrowed gaze was fixed upon the path beneath his feet as he moved, doing his best to ignore the suffocating weight of the very air in this place as he trudged on.

It had taken them since before dawn to finally come upon the realm of the elves. Vermund had expected to have been set upon from the trees above as they had come closer to a grand entrance that could only be where the elves lived. They had found the place by sending a few scouts ahead to check the area. The men had come back to tell him that the gates were ahead. That they would soon be upon the halls of the Elvenking.

He stepped forward into a crouch and peered through the bushes, Oeric by his side, and scanned the area. Vermund was an incredibly skilled hunter and a very proficient fighter. Oeric was alright and the men behind them could defend their own, he supposed, but they were more used to farming and shoeing horses. Still, they were the only army Vermund had, and they could keep the rest of the elves distracted while Vermund made straight for the king. He didn't really care whether or not the rest of the people he'd brought with him ended up dead. So long as Vermund claimed what was his own, he would be satisfied.

"Alright, men." He muttered, standing up and unsheathing his sword. "You know what to do. Onwards." He sent them ahead of him, charging through the trees, which is when Feren and the rest finally noticed the humans approaching, weapons in hand, and knew why they had come.

Vermund had grabbed Oeric by the collar before rounding up a group of others and gestured for them to follow him instead. "This way, lads." He muttered, turning and picking his way through the trees. "Follow me."

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Thranduil had turned away from you, back towards Feren. "How many?" He asked, snapping back into focus as he strode across the floor.