Gandalf's Apprentice

Chapter Sixteen: Mirkwood

***Leandra's POV***

Legolas carried me to where we heard fighting, the dwarves were being attacked by spiders, I shuddered at the thought. He set me down before leaping into the fray.

I growled and forced myself to stand, as much weight as I could bear on my good leg. I heard Thorin shout, he was about to be attacked from behind, preoccupied with a spider in front of him...I swallowed my fear and acted...stupidly.

I ran between him and the giant spider, forgetting my pain...the spider turned its head and bit into my right thigh with its fangs. I held back my screams, drawing my sword and plunging it into the spider's head.

It let go when it died. I already felt the venom, Thorin dispatched his frontal attacker and turned to me just as I collapsed.

He caught me before I hit the ground. "What-..." He froze when he saw the blood pouring from my right leg, staining my turquoise battle dress.

The spiders were soon dead and I was convulsing in pain. My body felt like it was on fire. "You! Elves! Help her!" Thorin shouted.

Legolas ran over had a look of horror on his face. "Why did she try to save you-" I cut him off with a pained whimper. The venom may kill me, I felt that much.

"T-thorin..." I whimpered and grilled his arm. "I h-had to...I'm-...I'm not s-sorry, fluffy." I chuckled through gritted teeth, a pained smile on my face.

"Leandra, you fool! You shouldn't have done that..." Thorin's expression was filled with only pain, "Help her. Do what you will with me, but do not let her die," Thorin demanded as Legolas ripped the skirt of my dress, tying a turnicate over my leather pant leg to ebb the bleeding.

Legolas scooped me up and I cried out in pain. "Tauriel, imprison them, take Oakenshield to my father, then tell him that I'm taking the Lothlorien Princess to the royal healer." Legolas said curtly before turning and walking quickly towards his kingdom with me in his arms.

Legolas carried me through the gates of Mirkwood and I was fading. "Hold on, my Lady, we're almost there." He whispered and I blacked out...

***

When I woke up again, I was in a warm bed. I snapped and sat up. I looked all around the room, my anxiety was crippling. "Legolas...? Legolas!?" I called and got out of bed.

I wore a cream silk gown with very thin lace sleeves. There was a matching cape set over the edge of the bed. I put it on and found some white flats, I slipped them on. My tiara was still on my head, but my hair was down, like Galadriel's. I wanted my things back.

Guards walked into the room and I froze. "My Lady, King Thranduil and Prince Legolas wish to see you at the throne, immediately." The one on the left ordered.

I groaned. "Great, can I get an escort? I've never been here in my life," I asked.

"That's what we're here for, your majesty," they bowed and turned, I followed them out.

***

I stood before Thranduil, I wore a poker face as he was just staring at me. "Your dwarves are in the dungeon, I have already presented them with a deal. I want my white gems." He said regally.

I nodded. "I know. Because they were made for your wife, but she never got the chance to wear them. So instead of moving on and appreciating what she actually left you- a son- you've become cold, Thranduil Orpherion. You ignore the gift she left behind because of the pain you feel, I understand...both of my parents died in front of me. You also have posttraumatic stress disorder from your experience with the serpents of the north. You fear dragon fire, that is why you left the dwarves to their own...and you are afraid now because I know everything. Even how you raise your eyebrows when you're either shocked or outraged, though I imagine it's both right now." I said bluntly...I'm not afraid of him.

"The White Gems of Lasgalen are not worth the blood of anyone because they are simply a thing, an item. If you believe they are worth killing for, then you are more greedy than any dwarf I have ever met and my best friend is Thorin Oakenshield," I sassed him and he was stunned.

"Do you even realize what you've done to your son? Imagine how he feels. He never even knew his mother, the one who loved him more than anything- more than life itself. You've done little if nothing to help him. You're making him into you. You have permanent damage in the heart of your family, yet you focus on shiny objects in a mountain that will only make you feel worse." I explained and he was silent.

"Let me go to the mountain, I'll kill the damn dragon and get your jewels. I have to go alone, if Thorin enters that mountain he will be wrought with Dragon Sickness, his nephews will get it too. They are my friends and if I do not do this now...then there will be no defense against what's coming. We have much more to discuss, your majesty." I said more quietly so the dwarves wouldn't hear me in the dungeons below.

"You would lie to them?" Legolas asked.

"They are my family, I will never lie to them. I will tell Thorin the truth, then go to the mountain alone, even if he hated me. I must do this." I pleaded.

Thranduil let out a breath that he had been holding. "Such character is...rare in someone so young, my Lady. You have the gift of foresight, do you not?" He asked.

"Yes, your Highness. I do...but I've been hiding it from everyone...they don't need to know." I said with shame in my voice.

Thranduil sighed. "I suppose we should find a place more suited to discussing private matters. Come, Legolas, Leandra. There is much to be done." He glided down from his throne and passed us.

"Holy shit, I out-sassed Thranduil," I thought as we walked...