Hope and Memory[Thorin Oakenshield Love Story]

[Chapter Twenty Seven]

The two of them were pushed up the steps. Thorin was cursing under his breath and struggling any way possible with this elf, while the woman remained calm and didn't bother to try and fight an elf. They were brought to another set of steps and as the walked up the last step they came to a throne room, with an elf sitting in a chair.

The elf stood up and walked gracefully down the steps from his throne and walked to the middle of the platform. He was quite beautiful, as were all elves. His guards cut the ropes that were tied around their wrist. The elf's pulled the woman to the side, while there King questioned the dwarf. Freya rubbed her wrist, trying to get the feeling to come back and glanced at the elf.

" Some may imagine that a noble quest is at hand. A quest to reclaim a homeland and slay a dragon." The king stated, Thorin was a bit surprise this knowledge had reached his ears. " I myself suspect a more prosaic motive. Attempted burglary. Or something of that ilk." The elf pressed as he came around Thorin to look at him face to face. Freya watched as the two of them glared at each other.

" You have found a way in." The king guessed. Thorin still didn't say anything and his silence had only proved the elf that he was right. You seek that which would bestow upon you the right to rule." He continued as he wandered back towards his throne, still looking the prince." The King's Jewel: The Arkenstone." The dwarf stared at the ground, knowing the elf was right, but still wouldn't admit to it. " It is precious to you beyond measure." Thorin looked at the woman and then slowly back at the blonde elf. " I understand that. There are gems in the mountain that I, too, desire. White gems of pure starlight." The prince knew exactly what the elf was talking about. " I offer you my help."

Thorin chuckles. " I am listening.

" I will let you go. If you but return what is mine." The elf offered. Thorin turned and walked.

" A favor for a favor." Thorin grumbled as he smirked, still not looking at the elf and lets out a sigh.

" You have my word. One king to another."

" I would not trust Thranduil. The great King. To honor his word. Should the end of all days be upon us!" Thorin snarled and the elf looked infuriated. " You, who lack all honor! I have seen how you treat your friends." Thorin continued as he marched towards Thranduil. " We came to you once, starving, homeless, seeking your help. But you turned your back! You turned away from the suffering of my people and the inferno that destroyed us." Thorin snapped and uttered something in dwarvish  and Thranduil came right up in his face.

" Do not talk to me of dragon fire. I know it's wrath and ruin." Thranduil growled when his face distorted, making the woman gasp. " I have faced the great serpents of the North!" Thorin continued to glare at the king. " I warned your grandfather of what his greed would summon. But he would not listen. You are just like him. " Thorin looked at Thranduil, feeling infuriated. " I am curious to know what the woman that is travelling with a bunch of dwarves, thinks of this offer." Thranduil pressed, looking at the hobbit and then back to the dwarf with a smirk.

" She'll never agree to anything you say!" Thorin snapped, annoyed he would even dare bring the woman into this. Freya had to think for a second, would she make a deal with this elf, in exchange for there freedom? Did she really want to spend the rest of her life stuck in Mirkwood.

" Are you sure about that?" Thranduil stated, looking at the woman and with a wave of his hand two guards grabbed Thorin by both his arms. " Stay here if you will and rot." The king snapped.

" Thranduil, don't you dare hurt her!" Thorin yelled, struggling against the two elf guards.

" Be gone with him. A hundred years is a mere blink in the life of an elf. I'm patient. I can wait." Freya watched as the prince was being dragged back to the cells and she was left with the elf king.

" You'll have to forgive Thorin, sometimes his anger gets the best of him." The woman suddenly spoke.

" Yes, though he seems quite protective of you. Very odd to see a dwarf show any sign of compassion to another that's not their kin. Their a greedy, selfish race." The elf stated, wanting to coax this woman to his side.

"Not all of them." Freya pressed. The king gave her a sly grin.

" You care about these dwarves, do you?"

" Yes, I care for them all, very much. I have been through a lot with these dwarves and I would die for them, as they would for me." The woman pressed. The elf smirked at her and remembered the way the dwarf prince had continuously looked at this young woman and tried another approach.

" Do you honestly think you can save the King under the mountain from the madness that's growing within him? Dwarves are incapable of love except for there love of gold. If you continue down this path with them, it will be your death." The king pressed.

" Well, if it's one thing I've learned in my time with these dwarves, is to never underestimate them." She snarled.

" I am sorry, I'm forgetting my manners. Can I offer you anything? Water, food, clean clothing?" As much as the woman wanted to be out of these clothes and this webbing that covered her from head to toe. Something told her these elves didn't accommodate anyone's needs unless they offered them something of the same value in return.

" You are very kind your highness, but I'm going to have to say no." The elf king was surprised the Halfling had declined, he was sure she wouldn't refuse. Footsteps were heard coming up the steps behind her. She turned around to see it was the blonde elf that had led the troupe when they were captured. She over heard an elf referring to him as 'Legolas' and he went and joined the kings side.

" You are right my son, she is defiantly not a dwarf." The elf king stated, standing there and the two of them couldn't figure out what she was. " What are you? And where do you come from?"

" I'm a hobbit, from the Shire."

" A hobbit? And do you have a name?"

Freya turned to the elven prince and that is when he noticed under the dry spider blood the fresh wound across her face that was still in its early healing stages. " Freya Brandybuck."

" Where did you get that" Legolas asked, pointing to her face. Her hand touched her wound, fear creeping into her as she thought about the beast that had given it to her. The elven king stepped toward the woman.

" That is the mark of the White Warg of Azog the Defiler." The king uttered. Freya felt a chill go through her as she heard the name. " And how is it, you survived this brutal attack. No one with a wound that deep would be alive right now."

All of this was not news to her. She knew she shouldn't even be standing here right now." Does it matter."

" Your scared. Scared the beast will come after you again and you should be. I can protect you. I can set you and your friends free, all I ask is that you convince your leader to return what is rightfully mine."

The hobbit glared at the king. " I am sorry, but the answer is still no." Freya stated. Thranduil face fell, knowing he lost his chance to convince her and felt there was no more reason to keep her in his presence.

" Very well then, rot here like the rest of them" The king waved his hand and two guards approached her on both sides and took her by the arms tightly and started dragging her back to where the others were held captive.