The Moth and the Flame (A Thranduil fanfic)

Chapter 9

"Evelyn..." He whispered, still holding the crying Princess in his arms. "Don't ever say that you're worthless, because it's not true. Don't ever think that you aren't beautiful, because you are. Don't ever feel disgusting, because you aren't. Just because you have a few marks, doesn't mean you aren't beautiful...scars, the scars that you bare mean one thing and one thing only....it means you've survived the terrible and that makes you strong. Do you understand??? Your soul is precious to this land and don't let you or anyone else think otherwise...." He whispered, trying is absolute best to comfort her. "I'm not going to give up on you."

Evelyn could feel Thranduil pull her closer to him. He meant what he said. No one has ever held her like this before. All these emotions that she had thought she'd lost, were all returning slowly.

The two of them separated quickly, hearing the loud horn of her father's army. The thundering hooves of the horses were getting louder and louder. And the yelling of the men became more clear by the second.

No." She whispered as if the very life of her was being sucked out of her. She went pale and she trembled with each passing moment.

Her father's men were near. She thought this palace was untraceable. It had been a secret for so long. Now they were coming. They were coming to rip her very heart out.

Slowly, they climbed the hill that blocked their vision from the cave that lead to the valley. Their were there. All of them on horse and had torches in their hands. And in the front, she could see her father riding side by side with King Oropher who sat tall upon his elk. He looked over at her father, it seemed like he was trying to stop Evelyn's father from doing whatever it was that he was going to do. But he stood down when he realized that her father wasn't stopping.

King Oropher's eyes diverted from her fathers and he looked out in the valley. It was already dark, too dark for he eyes of men to see, but for and elf, it was easy. His eyes locked with Evelyn's. He could see the fear in her eyes. Immediately he mouthed the words 'run'

Evelyn whirled around a fast as she could, grabbing Thranduil's arm and darting the opposite direction.

"What's going on!?" He asked as the sprinted towards the tree. Evelyn could barely hear him over the sound of her sobbing and heavy breathing.

"They've found me. They're going to destroy everything I have left of my mother or worse! They'll hunt down Featä!" She yelled, running to the trunk and began climbing. There was no time to waste. Evelyn would never forgive herself if Featä were to be killed.

"Featä!!!" She called, sobbing and of course Featä swooped down onto a branch closer to Evelyn. "Fly away!" She yelled, waving her arms "go while you still have a chance!" It was clear Featä wasn't following.

But the voices of her father's men were getting louder and louder.

"Go!!!" Evelyn yelled "fly away or you'll die!"

"I think I heard something!" One of the men shouted from the bottom of the tree. Evelyn was going to yell again for Featä to leave, but Thranduil rushed over to her and quickly placed his hand over her mouth. She looked over at the branch and Featä was gone. Evaelyn was relieved to know that her friend had a chance of escaping.

"Thranduil! Go! Go now through the back while you still have time!" She urged, but he wasn't budging

"I'm not going to leave you!" He said shaking her shoulders

The voices of the men grew close. And both Thranduil and Evelyn held took sharp intakes of breaths.

"This way!" She grabbed his wrist and the two of them scurried towards the back of the hut. There, they found and way back down. A rope hung from and branch. They could easily land of they swing down.