The King of Starlight and Lullabies (Thranduil x OC fanfic)

Chapter 18- Prisoner

It's a bit early, but he never said a specific time I needed to be back by. This is the evening right? What qualifies as evening anyway? Caledra thought absentmindedly, making her way slowly through the kingdom. It seemed like it was ages ago when she had helped the dwarves escape, although it was no more than a day. And now the hours dragged by at a painfully slow pace, her meeting with the King still fresh in her mind.

Had I not sent you away that night I would have undoubtedly done something deeply regrettable. The King's words floated through her thoughts. She had been thinking about them since he said them, wondering what he would have done. As usual he had been as unresponsive as ever to her questions, and it was starting to wear her down. There was no way she could keep living with so many questions left unanswered. Why wasn't she put away for treason? What would he have done all those nights ago? Why was she presumably working underneath him again? Why he wouldn't he answer any questions somehow became a question in itself at some point.

She followed the trail that led to the throne room, her thoughts bouncing question to question as she did so. She was just about to turn into the room when she heard voices inside.

"...Such is the nature of evil. Out there in the vast ignorance of the world, it festers and spreads. A shadow that grows in the dark. A sleepless malice as black as the oncoming wall of night. So it ever was, so will it always be. In time, all foul things come forth."

Caledra ducked down suddenly, biting her lip as she angled her body away from the room, out of sight from those within. Her heart was beating extremely fast upon seeing the occupants within the room. Thranduil who had been speaking was circling a hunched over figure in the middle, silken robe trailing on the ground behind him. Holding a knife to the assumed prisoner's throat was Legolas, and in front of them standing at attention was the captain of the guard. The female elf was eyeing the figure suspiciously, hand on her hip, hovering over a not-so-concealed weapon. She strained to see the face of the unknown prisoner but was unable to do so.

"You were tracking a company of 13 Dwarves. Why?" Legolas said, pressing his knife closer to the prisoner as it tried to twist out of his grip. Caledra contained a gasp, her heartbeat now completely out of control. An orc. They were interrogating an orc. Although her head told her she should probably get out of there before being spotted, she couldn't make her feet move. Her curiosity got the better of her and she felt a thrill of excitement as the orc answered.

"Not 13. Not anymore." He cackled, causing her to sit up rigidly with fear. "The young one, the black-haired archer we stuck him with a Morgul shaft." He spluttered, looking straight at the captain of the guard. "The poison's in his blood. He'll be choking on it soon."

Caledra felt her hand cover her mouth instinctively, blood draining from her face at the memory of the dwarf that had assisted her on the bridge getting shot with the arrow. This is because I wasn't a more competent fighter... He's going to die because I was pathetic... Oddly enough however the comment seemed to be directed at the captain specifically and Caledra could visibly see the elf pale as the spoke. "Answer the question, filth." She said sharply. The orc tried to break free of Legolas's grip again, shaking as he yelled. The captain revealed her blade in a flash, light flickering off the metal as she eyed the orc venomously.

"I would not antagonize her," Legolas said darkly to the orc, eyeing the captain as she continued.

"You like killing things, orc?" She said slowly, the anger she had been hiding beginning to show. "You like death? Then let me give it to you." She said lunging, arm outstretched as she took the dagger to the orc. Caledra watched in awe, her mouth open as she watched. I wish I could be as strong as that. She thought, remembering how pathetic she had been when she was attempting to assist the dwarves. She watched the knife and the moment before she would have plunged it into his chest, a loud voice sounded from behind.