Thranduil x Bard

Dinner or business?

Bard woke up after he heard a knock on the door.

"Yes, what is it?" He asked

"His Majesty has invited you to a meeting in 30 minutes, King of Dale."

"Okay, i will be ready by then."

"His Majesty has also ordered me to deliver some clothes for you."

"Clothes? Why clothes?"

"I do not know the reason, King of Dale. But i have clothes for you that are requested for the meeting."

"You can bring them in. I will be ready in 30 minutes."

The elf brought the clothes and then left. Bard on the other hand looked at the clothes and first he noticed that they were dark green and white. Then when he picked the clothes up he noticed how fancy they were. There was a white shirt with dark green details and white pants with green details. And then there was a dark green cloak that looked really beautiful. Then lastly Bard noticed a silver pin that was in the shape of an arrow.

Bard then quickly washed his face, changed his clothes and put his hair up.

Then soon he heard a knock on his door, a guard had come to take him to where ever he was meeting Thranduil.

Soon Bard was in front of a large door. The guard knocked on the door and soon he heard someone say come in. The guard opened the door for Bard and he stepped inside in to the large room.

Thranduil was sitting at a round table that looked ready for food to be served.

"Sit down Bard king of Dale." Thranduil spoke

"Ah yes." Bard sat down opposite to Thranduil and as soon as he did that a few elves came in the room and served them food.

They both had lamb with vegetables and a salad that had cheese. They also had wine, one bottle was for Bard and the other one for Thranduil.

Bard looked confused so Thranduil spoke. "This is elven wine, it is too strong for your kind."

He nodded. "Umm... I don't mean to offend you but weren't we suppose to discuss about our trading?"

"I have seen you fight in a war, but i still don't know much about you. I want to know what kind of man I would be doing business with and it is for him, although i guess that isn't much of an secret since Dale is only being re-build and it doesn't have much." Thranduil said taking a sip of his wine.

"...oh"

"But let me make on thing clear, I do not trust you even if you fought alongside with my people at the war." Thranduil said

"Yes, I understand. And even if I may not in a good position  to say this i don't trust you either. You were cold king and you don't trust any outsiders. But nevertheless I am grateful for the invite and I do hope that we can establish a great relationship between our kingdoms even if Dale might yet not be a mighty one."

"Cold king?" Thranduil asked with a smirk on his face. "You sure are the only king that i have come across who has the courage to say such things to me."

"And yet you don't deny it." Bard finally took a sip of his wine.

"Tell me Bard, the king of Dale, are you a man of your word?"

"I like to think i am. I always promised to bring food home and that is what i did. I promised to shoot the dragon with an arrow and that is what I did." Bard said kind of proudly

"Would you be able to keep your word if we start to make business?"

"If you ask for such things as gold or swords i would not be able to keep my word. But if you ask for things that are possible i can keep it." Bard said putting some food in his mouth.

"I see, well it isn't like we would need gold or swords."

They ate in the silence for a while, until Bard spoke up. "Your son Legolas-"

"I do suggest that we don't go there king of Dale." Thranduil said.

"If that is what you want." Bard drank the last of his wine. "If we are not going to discuss business more tonight I'd like to excuse myself." Bard didn't even wait for Thranduil to respond, he just got up and left.

"The new king sure has courage..." Thranduil said outloud.

To be continued...