Beauty and the Beast | Thranduil x Reader

Chapter 30

"They have killed one of our own!" Vermund hollered from on high, pointing down at the dead body of the baker. "They have declared war!" Never mind the fact that he had riled all of these men up and brought them before the gates for no other reason but to attack. Never mind the fact that it was technically his fault the baker was dead. "Fight, men! Fight!"

Thranduil was completely rattled, not that it showed. He had more self control than that. However, the sight of humans in his realm, uninvited and armed, sent a rage through his blood that could not be quelled by mere talking.

The one who was yelling seemed to be in charge and Thranduil could already tell that this man had absolutely no honour in him. Using one of his own as a human shield! He was no better than an orc and Thranduil was disgusted.

"Tauriel!" He barked as the angry cries from the townsfolk behind him grew into a roar. "Get her out of sight."

As his soldiers had surrounded their distracted king, moving between him and the group of armed men, Thranduil had taken you by the hand and all but dragged you towards his captain of the guard, who was standing beside Legolas. You had not noticed either of them in the commotion that had taken over when the humans approached.

"Thranduil!" You cried out, but he spared you no more than a glance before turning towards his son as Tauriel pulled you away back inside.

Thranduil and Legolas had followed but they veered off a different way, towards a staircase so they could ascend to wherever Vermund was. Your eyes never left Thranduil as he thundered up the stairs with a group of his people, pausing at the top for just a millisecond to seek you out in the crowd below. Satisfied you would be safe, Thranduil turned once more and disappeared from sight.

Tauriel pulled you towards a set of stairs that led down instead of up. You could hear the fighting outside at the gates and your heart was hammering in your chest. What was happening?! This wasn't right, none of this was supposed to happen. Why was Vermund inside? What was he doing? You turned your frantic attention fully back to Tauriel, realising she had taken you down into the wine cellar.

"I'm sorry." You found yourself saying to her, peering anxiously at the stairs you had both just descended.

Tauriel turned to look at you, her beautiful eyes full of confusion. "For what, my lady?"

"That you have been relegated to babysitting me instead of defending your own home from intruders." You muttered, wringing your hands in frustration. "Intruders that I seem to have brought here." She is the Captain of the guard! You thought. This must feel so beneath her.

Tauriel moved so that she was standing in front of you, lifting her hands to your upper arms to hold you in place. You blinked back at her. "Do not apologise." She said firmly. "It is my honour."

At your disbelieving expression, she gripped your arms a little more tightly. "My lady, if the King has chosen me to guard you... be assured that you are very important to him. That he thinks you very precious indeed. He would have no harm come to you and he knows that I shall let none."

You didn't realise you were crying until Tauriel reached up and swiped away your tears. You thought back to the festival, mere hours ago. Dancing with Thranduil, him sweeping the two of you away from the party to be alone, the mirror, the kiss... you knew Thranduil was a great warrior, you had seen it and you had read many things in the history books in the library over your time here. You knew he was no real match for mere mortals... but still you worried. Vermund was here and he did not play fair. You had seen rage in his eyes when he had shouted down from that balcony... he had the look of a man who would do anything.