Beauty and the Beast | Thranduil x Reader

Chapter 32

When Thranduil had reappeared from the treeline beyond the halls with you in his arms, the relief that fell over the waiting elves was so palpable you could have reached out and touched it. He gently set you back on your feet once you were safely over the threshold, still feeling protective despite the danger being over. The doors were shut, the bodies of the men who had fallen within these halls already disposed of in Thranduil's absence.

Myleth had come rushing over through the crowd, pulling you into an embrace so tight that it made you wince slightly, however you didn't say anything. You had last seen her in the great hall for the feast and you had hoped that she (and everyone else, of course) was safe and well.

"Oh, I was so worried when I heard!" She cried, pulling back a little to look at you. Your hair was a mess, the beautiful dress she'd put you in for the festival dirty and slightly torn from catching in brambles, and the red mark on your cheek made her frown. "Oh, dear. Come with me, I'll have you all fixed up in no time."

"Actually." Thranduil's voice said from behind her, turning from where Legolas and Tauriel stood with Galion and Elros, all discussing the extent of the attack on the realm, damage and loss and such. No elvish blood had been spilled, thankfully, not that Thranduil thought a hundred human men armed with rusty swords and axes would be much of a match for his people. Still, he had to admit, there had been a few decent fighters amongst those from your village.

"I shall be tending to her this eve, Myleth." Thranduil continued, reaching past her and taking your hand in his own, leaving no room for discussion as he turned and led you away through the crowd and down the hall. He called something in Elvish over his shoulder and Legolas and Tauriel immediately began moving together back towards the gates and out into the night.

"What did you say to them?" You wondered, turning back from where you'd glanced over your shoulder. You had hoped to talk to Tauriel, who you had heard apologising to Thranduil for letting you get taken. None of it had been her fault and you hoped everybody knew that.

"They are going to your village." Thranduil said, leading you around a corner and towards the stairs that led to his own private rooms. "To release your father from his misfortune and then return here with him."

Though he wasn't looking at you directly, Thranduil could see you from the corner of his eye. You turned your gaze upwards, fixing on him in surprise, touched that he would even have remembered your father was in trouble, let alone have him ordered to be brought back here, where you now felt he would be safest. You held his hand just that little bit tighter and his mouth twitched as a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

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Never had you truly looked around Thranduil's actual bedroom before, and you had been inside only a couple of times so when you realised that was where he had taken you, you were immediately filled with curiosity, looking around as if you would discover all sorts of secrets about him. He led you towards a large chair that stood beside a desk and you sat down, watching him with interest.

Your fear had leveled by now, washed away by the feeling of safety you'd felt the second Thranduil had stepped out into that clearing. Your anger, however, was still bubbling beneath the surface, though dimly. It had nowhere to go but you still could not quite believe this had happened, that they had rushed in here like that with weapons in hand, attacking the elves for no good reason.

They didn't care about you, you knew that already, and while you'd thought that they might have listened if you'd told them the reality of the situation... it became clear they were only trying to get you back because Vermund had told them to.