The Moth and the Flame (A Thranduil fanfic)

Chapter 12

Though Evelyn would go to sleep thinking fondly of her new home, she wouldn't dream about about it.

~dreaming~

I could hear him approach the door. He stood there for a moment. I could see his shadow from underneath the door. Slowly, he turned the knob and I held my breath. He walked around the room, looking for me. Everywhere accept under the bed. When he walked into the bathroom, I scooted out from underneath the bed, making my move towards the door. Freedom. Freedom. My mind repeated over and over. I was almost free.

But his cold hand caught my wrist and he spun me around to face him.

"There you are.." He sneered. I could smell his foul breath. I could also tell he had been drinking, for he reeked of alcohol.

"Please...let go!" I screamed. "You're hurting me!" His grip tightened

And just like that, he threw me onto the ground and I hit my head. I looked up and he approached me, thrusting his foot into my stomach. I gasped for air, all the wind had been knocked out of me. Trying to get away, I scooted underneath the bed. But I failed, only to be pulled out by my feet.

"You can't escape me!" He had his hand to my throat and I clawed for breath. My hands went to his, trying to pry them away from my neck.

"Please....let...." I was running out of air. I was dying. There was nothing left accept darkness.

~back to reality~

Thranduil jolted out of bed, hearing bloodcurdling screams coming from the other side of the halls. It was Evelyn. He quickly reached for his sword, then ran out of his room.

Approaching Evelyn's door, he tried opening it. Realizing it was locked he swung his sword at his door nob, breaking it off he door. Thranduil busted the doors open, revealing a rather distressed Evelyn.

"Evelyn!! What's going on!" He asked, scanning the room for a possible foe. And when he made sure that there was nobody there, he dropped his sword and walked over to Evelyn's bedside.

He wrapped her in his arms as she sobbed into his chest.

"Evelyn...please tell me..I cannot help you if I do not know what's wrong."

"I-I'm sor-sorry." She sobbed "It was only a night-nightmare. I didn't mean to wake you."

"Shhhh Evelyn...it's alright..." He said embracing her, pulling her closer. Thranduil could feel her trembles, he wanted to help her, to stop the shaking. "Do you want to talk about?" He asked "what happened?"

Thranduil pulled away and sat beside Evelyn. Both were lying side by side, looking at the ceiling.

"I had a dream. It was about my father. And he was beating me. I tried escaping, but he...he choked me to death. The pain felt so real." She said rubbing her throat

Thranduil took her hand hand in his and looked her straight in the eye.

"Evelyn, you're safe now. Nobody's going to hurt you here. Your father, he's-he's gone. You don't have to be afraid."

"I know, but the memory..." She said sliding up her sleeves and revealing the scars. "It still remains."

"I know it still remains, but scars do fade. It just takes time." She nodded

"I'm sorry for waking you.."

"It's...its quite alright.." He sounded sleepy "I'm sorry...for breaking your..door."

"It's fine..." Evelyn started to doze off too and soon, both of them drifted off to sleep....

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*