Secrets Within [Thranduil fanfic]

Sickness lies upon us

Many years had passed since that day on the battlefield where so many had perished so peace could be restored to middle earth. Prince Thranduil had since been crowned King and Lanneth had been promoted to his personal guard. It was both a blessing and a curse for the dark haired elleth who still loved Thranduil from a far. She watched him marry another and have a child with the fair haired Queen but then the Queen died and everything about Thranduil changed. He closed himself and his kingdom off from the outside world mostly, and he became cruel and cold. Lanneth felt that she could do no right in the eyes of her beloved King and she was sure that she was not the only one who felt the way. For years a sickness had been creeping into the forest of Greenwood and rumor had it that the outside world now referred to it Mirkwoood.

Autumn was in the air and the King had sent Lanneth out with a group of hunters to once more take out a nest of spiders. Between the Orcs starting to creep back in and the spiders it felt like a never ending battle. The spiders were destroyed but the hunting party was covered in blood and caked in mud. It was a hard time trying to clear the nest out for the spiders had become more cunning and bolder than they used to be. As Lanneth and her party approached the gate to the Kings fortress Lanneth was summoned to the Kings Throne room. She quickly made her way there, quite aware of the fact that she was sweaty, bloody, and caked in mud. Lanneth approached the King with caution and bowed her head to him. He sat gracefully upon his throne and her heart once again skipped a beat as she looked upon her fair haired King. "Lanneth..." her named rolled off his tongue with easy and she could have melted on the spot for she loved the way he said her name. "What news do you bring of the spider infestation?" Lanneth steadied her breath before speaking, "They grow bolder my King. We have taken out three nest this week to the east and the south." He stood abruptly and she could already tell he was not happy.

"The east?" He spat in anger, "The east was supposed to be taken care of last week on my orders!" If it had been anyone other than Lanneth they would have flinched at the words coming from the King. Lanneth simply stared ahead and when she went to open her mouth up to reply the King put his hand up. Clearly he wasn't in the mood for any reasons or "excuses" so Lanneth quickly shut her mouth and stared blankly at the King. She stood ridged as the King swept down the stand and stood shoulder to shoulder with her. "I would figure someone like you would be better at following orders. You are dismissed for the rest of your day Lanneth, go to your room." She turned on her heel and left the Throne room fuming. How dare he talk to me as if I am a child! We are the same age! She pushed the door open to her bed chambers and walked swiftly in slamming the doors behind her. She let her fist fly into the wall out of anger and frustration. He no longer appreciated all that she did for him, she used to be his best friend, his confidant, a loyal friend always and now he treated her like a lowly piece of dirt. She wouldn't admit that it hurt, hurting means you have emotions and Lanneth had long since convinced herself that she had no feelings left. She felt like she could explode and she wasn't sure why but she knew she had to get the hell out of this place. She whipped open the door and ran towards the gates leaving her bed chamber doors wide open. The guards looked at her but upon seeing the look on her dirty face the quickly opened the gates to let her out. She stormed out into the night all the pent up feelings about to come bubbling to the surface.

Lanneth just kept moving, she didn't stop until she was deep in the forest and far away from the damn King and his damn fortress of solitude. She heard the sounds of the sick forest, the moans and groans of the trees and dark whispers in the night. Suddenly a tingling feeling started on her finger tips as she thought of the King and his words. Anger was fueled by frustration unleashed itself in the form of powerful magic. She let out a scream as she threw her head back, eyes closed and her arms stretched out to the side as a burst of energy shot out from her palms. When she opened her eyes the trees around her were splintered and broke, what few spiders there were near her were dark puddles on the ground. She could feel the magic still tingling upon her finger tips as she spun around to head back to the fortress. She had always known she had magic but had never really tested how strong it was per request of her parents. This though.....this was something new...something powerful....but unchecked magic is a dangerous thing especially when you know very little about the magic you poses. As she neared the gates the guards quickly opened it for her and just behind the gate stood a very angry Thranduil who looked like he was dress to go out in the woods. She stared at it only tipping her head slightly in his direction before starting to move towards her room. Thranduil easily caught her arm and stopped her from walking past him, "We need to talk Lanneth." While his voice was soft she could easily pick up the anger in the words and without letting her go he steered her in the direction of her room.

He let go of her arm once they were inside her room and the door was shut. Lanneth was not sure what to make of the situation considering the king had never been in her chambers before. He looked at her before pointing at the wall with the hole in it, "Would you care to explain to me why you are destroying my palace?" Lanneth grounded her teeth together, whatever had woken up inside of her had also changed how she acted and spoke. With a boldness not ever shown before she held her head eye and gazed at the king darkly. "I was angry with you for not listening to me! I did in fact carry out your orders and then some! If you had not noticed these spiders keep coming back! If you would just let us kill them at the source then we would not have to constantly go back to the same spots to kill them! You think you are keeping us safe inside this fortress when in fact all you are doing is crippling us because you are blinded by your own fear from so long ago! You are not the only one who suffered a loss that day at the hands of evil!" Her chest heaved as she finished her at the King.

He moved quicker than she had time to react and before she knew it he had her pinned up against the wall with a small dagger pressed against her throat. His eyes burned with fury and his words were laced with venom, "Remember who you are speaking to lowly she-elf! I am not some lowly guard but the King! You would do best to remember that as I will not tolerate being talked to in such a manner!" Lanneth could feel a small trickle of blood creep down her neck as she stared at the King taking in just how close he was to her. She could smell him and he smelled like trees and the earth after a fresh fall of rain. It was so tempting to run her hands up his chest to his face and brush the few strands of hair that had fallen forward. Instead Lanneth pushed those temptation aside and kept her hands firmly at her sides. She leaned into his blade and at that exact moment she could have sworn she her a voice whisper softly, use me, summon me, I am magic and I am powerful and together we can take him easily. She looked her king dead in the eye and said, "If you're going to kill me just do it, or do you not even have a backbone for that anymore?" She watched him take a step back surprised by her words and sheathed his dagger before the back of his hand connect with the side of her face sending her sprawling to the floor. "Continue to disrespect me and I shall have you thrown in a cell. I expect you to straighten up by tomorrow." With those last cold words the King swept out of the room his cloak billowing behind him as he slammed the door. Lanneth held her cheek for the longest time before she crawled into her bathroom to take a bath. She sunk beneath the warm water trying to comprehend all that had happened today ignoring the pain her wounds were causing her due to the warm water lapping at them. After she cleaned herself up Lanneth fell into her bed exhausted.