The Last Queen {Thranduil FanFiction}

5. Stolen

Thranduil felt his heart pound, a horrible cold sensation ran down his spine.  The orcish squeals were too close, they had to be within their home, the perimeter had been breached! He lunged out of bed, trailing on his leggings and grabbing the first thing that would cover him. He had no time to consider armour, his only motive was to get Lairiel and his daughter and find somewhere safe for them both.

Lairiel was already steps ahead of her husband - a mother's instincts stronger than any force in the world, and with her daughter not within easy reach, Lairiel shot like lightening through their quarters. Blood pounding in her ears and her breath coming in shallow gasps. She heard Thranduil shout to her, telling her to wait, but that was unimportant, her little one was in another room, beyond the solid walnut doors of their main living quarters...defenceless and terrified...waiting was not an option.

Lairiel reached the doors and without hesitation threw them back, what faced her shocked her to the core - she yelped in surprise.

A hideous blackened face, with dark  soulless eyes pounced at her, knocking her sideways. She landed hard on the stone floor, the air huffing from her lungs, the brutish orc sneered and mumbled something vile in black speech. He lifted his orc blade above him, ready to deliver his devastating blow. Lairiel's eyes widened in horror as she tried to find her breath and move out of harm's way.

"Lairiel," Thranduil shrieked , sliding under the orc and taking the full weight of the blow through his sword. The orc roared in defiance and flung his fist at the Elf King, catching his jaw. Thranduil ground his teeth, his temper flaring, he lifted his foot and drove into the orc's shin causing its leg to give out and stagger, allowing Thranduil just enough time to pull himself and his wife from the ground.

"Go Lairiel, get Ellenya! I will follow," he shouted urgently pushing her towards the door.

Lairiel staggered into the hallway, gripping her side and breathing heavily. There did not seem to be any other orc, so she threw herself down the hallway to her daughter's room. Reaching the entrance to Ellenya's bed chamber, she found the door was open? Lairiel frowned, she had closed it tight that evening, Ellenya hated her door being left open.

"Ellenya...it is okay it is Nana!" Lairiel called softly as she pushed into the room, but she was met with chilling silence.

Lairiel's eyes instinctually roamed her surroundings, and she sucked in a painful breath...Ellenya's bed was empty!!Her blankets strewn and tangled, a struggle had taken place evident in how callously items were knocked over, and a vase of flowers - the same ones they had picked together just a few days before - lay shattered on the floor.

Lairiel raced to the bedside, shaking her head violently she ripped apart the blankets, searching for what she knew was not there;

"No...Oh please no...not my baby," Lairiel choked, as her tears began to blind her.  Her heart seemed to split in two, it froze in her chest and it felt like to pushed nothing but splintering ice through her veins. Her elfling was not there, she knew this but she could not believe it as she violently shredded apart the bed, begging her daughter to answer her cries.

In her vain attempt at searching, Lairiel found a piece of fabric. It did not belong to the bed clothes, it was the sleeve of her daughters grey night gown - ripped. In the sight of the evidence Lairiel became undone.  A long, haunting, cry left her lips as she slumped against the bed frame, clutching the material in tight fists - they had stolen her! Her little star was in the hands of wickedness, and for a terrifying moment the Elf Queen felt all of her courage leave her...she had failed.

Lairiel did not hear Thranduil enter the room, she only felt him pull her roughly to face him. He was shaking her and speaking urgently, but she could not hear what he was saying, his voice came to her like muffled sound, through roaring water. All she had the strength to do was stare brokenly into nothingness, for that was what was left of her life without her child...utter emptiness.