You're on your knees as Thranduil slaps you across the face. Tears in your eyes, you gasp. "I will ask you again, why did you kill that guard? One of your own recruits?" Thranduil demands. You look up at your king. "For the last time, I didn't kill him." You cry. He sighs and waves his hand. "Take her to the dungeons. We'll continue this tomorrow. Give her no food or water." He orders. Two guards take your arms and start dragging you away. "Please, hir nín [My lord], you have to believe me!" You exclaim. He turns away from you, shaking his head. You sniff and try to blink past the tears. Two days ago, a guard was found with a specially marked arrow in his back. You, the captain of the guard, weren't even a suspect until a maid was cleaning your room this morning and spotted a quiver of the specially marked arrows under your bed. They'd been planted, of course, by the real killer, but no one believes you. And you fear they never will.
"Y/N!" A voice whispers harshly. You open your eyes and look at your visitor. "Legolas!" You exclaim, sitting up. You rush to the cell door. "I just came back from patrol. I heard what happened. It's not true, is it?" He asks. "No, of course not! The killer planted that quiver in my room." You answer quietly. Legolas reaches through the bars and cups your face. You lean into his hand. "My father has been torturing you..." He murmurs, brushing his thumb over your cheek bone. Your eyes never leave his. "I'm so sorry, Y/N." He says, frowning. You sigh. "You have to prove my innocence, Legolas. Someone's framed me and you've got to find out who. Thranduil will not stop torturing me until I confess." You state. You bite your lip with tears in your eyes. "Legolas, I'm frightened." You whisper, a small cry in your voice. "I know, Y/N. I will find this murderer, and I will prove your innocence." He says firmly. "I promise." He adds. You smile a little and nod. "Okay." You whisper.
For the next few days, Legolas plays detective and starts interrogating Elves around the Woodland Realm. So far, he's come up empty. As he heads to the throne room one evening, he passes by a guard's quarters. Legolas stops walking when he sees the man sitting in a chair, holding an arrow. He carefully looks through the half-open door and watches the guard. "She's a fool. She's played right into my game. They all have." The guard, Zenith, mutters, twisting the arrow in his hands. Legolas catches the special designs on the arrow and he clenches jaw. "I'll get my revenge once Y/N is dead." Zenith says quietly. He giggles gleefully, clutching the arrow to his chest. Eyebrows drawn, Legolas runs off to the dungeons to see you. "Y/N, I've found him. I've found the man who's framed you." He says. You run to the door and wrap your fingers around the bars. "Who?" You ask eagerly. "It's a guard, Zenith." Legolas answers. "Zenith?" You question. "Wait. He was the second candidate you were going to choose for the captain of the guard!" You exclaim. Legolas nods. "And if I rightly remember so, he was very bitter that I chose you for that position." He reminds. "You think he's doing this for revenge?" You ask, your eyebrows inching up your forehead. "I believe so." He answers. "I must go tell my father before he tortures you anymore. We'll get Zenith behind bars." Legolas says, starting to walk off. "Legolas!" You exclaim. He stops and looks back at you. "Thank you." You say, smiling. He smiles back and then keeps on walking.
"King Thranduil requests you in his throne room." The guard says, opening up your cell door. "Oh, thank goodness." You mutter under your breath. "I can finally get back to my duties." You sigh, walking out of your cell. The guard looks at you unsurely. Your eyebrows draw. "What?" You ask. He shakes his head and grabs your arm, ushering you to the throne room. As soon as you get to the room, fear drops into your stomach. You see a stock set up. "Hir nín [My lord], what's going on? Didn't Legolas talk to you about Zenith?" You ask. "He did. I just chose not to believe him." Thranduil states. "What? Why not?" You ask incredulously. "It has come to my attention that my son has grown quite fond of you. His loyalty with you lies deep. Perhaps deeper than me. Which is why he'd do anything to prove your innocence. Even blame a guard. You're guilty. You know it as do I. And I will make you confess. No matter what the cost." He replies coldly. Your eyes widen. "Put her in the stock!" He commands to his guards. "N-no!" You gasp as they pull you to the stocks. "You will know the true meaning of pain, Y/N." Thranduil says. "Please. Please." You beg as they put you in the stock. You watch as a guard gets out a whip. "Wha..." You breathe in horror. "I'm sorry, Y/N, but you leave me with no choice." Thranduil says, as the guard bring the whip down on your back.
Your piercing screams echo throughout the Woodland Realm. Tears pour from your face and you weep violently. "Why did you kill the guard?" Thranduil demands. "I-I... Didn't... K-kill him..." You sob. "Liar!" He shouts. The whip cracks down on your back and you scream, the pain ripping down your bloodied back. "Father! What is going on here?!" Legolas yells, running into the throne room. "This doesn't concern you, Legolas. Go back to patrolling Mirkwood." Thranduil answers calmly. "Have you been beating her?" Legolas asks angrily. "I'm doing only what needs to be done." Thranduil replies. "I told you who the real killer is!" Legolas exclaims. Thranduil ignores him and raises his hand to signal the guard to whip you again. As the guard brings the whip down, Legolas races over to you and holds his arm out across your back. The whip winds itself around Legolas's arm and he gasps, wincing. "Legolas!" Thranduil scolds. "Father, the real killer is Zenith." Legolas grits out. "Guards, you can bring him in now!" He shouts, ripping the whip off his arm. The guards bring in Zenith. Legolas walks over to them and unsheaths his dagger. "To refuse that you killed that guard only insures your death." He states coldly, holding the dagger at Zenith's throat. "Did you or did you not kill the guard and frame Y/N?" Legolas asks. "I did. And I don't regret a single second." Zenith hisses. "But why? Why did you kill an innocent guard and pin it on your captain?" Legolas asks. "I did it because I deserved to be captain of the guard. Not Y/N! I knew that if people believed she committed the murder, they'd let me become captain. It's my rightful place!" Zenith screams. "All of this because you wanted revenge? Because you're selfish?" You ask, shaking your head. "You deserved every bit of the torture you got... And more!" He shouts. "I almost tortured Y/N to death..." Thranduil breathes in horror. "Guards, release her!" He commands. "And take Zenith to the dungeons." He adds. The guards drag away Zenith, and another guard releases you from the stock. You limply fall to your knees in pain. Legolas races over to you. "Y/N." He whispers. "Thank you." You say quietly. He helps you stand and you lean on him. "Y/N, I'm so sorry, truly, I am." Thranduil apologizes remorsefully. You nod. "I will do everything I can to make it up to you." He says. "Well, right now, I think it'd be best to get her to a healer." Legolas says. He picks you up into his arms and takes you out of the room. "Thank you for proving my innocence, Legolas." You murmur. "I'm so sorry my father beat you so badly, Y/N." He replies. "He just did what he thought was right." You reply, laying your head on his shoulder. "It's still terrible, regardless of what he thought was right." Legolas says, kissing your head. "At least I have you to protect me." You say quietly. Legolas stares down at you and kisses your lips gently. "Forever and always, Y/N. Forever and always." He whispers.
[THE END] I hope you liked it!
