An iceling in mirkwood ~ thranduil love story

Chapter 10 ~ betrayal?

The dwarves tugged on the chains that encircled helke barbarically, tugging her forwards to walk faster. They wanted to get out of mirkwood forest and soon as possible. Her feet were bruised and cut and she could feel them throbbing as she walked. "Please, just let me rest" she pleaded but they pulled harder still and she squeaked. She wondered if the king was looking for her, if he had noticed if she was gone.

"He's not coming for yeh" said the black bearded dwarf, reading the icelings expression. "You were just a pretty object to him" he snarled. Helke scowled and stamped on the floor. Sharp Ice jetted out and the dwarf flew back into a tree close by. The ginger bearded dwarf tightened the chains, treating her like a misbehaving mule she she squealed in pain. He pulled her roughly and she tripped, muck and mud staining her perfect white hair and dress.

"Get up" the white bearded one snarled as he grabbed her by her Snow White locks and tugged her up. Helke walked pathetically with the dwarves, finally feeling exhausted and the chains began cutting off her powers. She panted from the exposure to the sun and wished she was still with the king who would bring her in and pamper her. She let cold tears slip as she realised she had brought the kidnapping on by her own actions. "Hurry up!" One of the dwarves called as he cracked a whip on her back. She cried out as she felt the leather of the whip hit her soft unmarked back.

"Let that be a reminder yee" said one and they all cackled. She closed her eyes tightly as she stepped foot outside of mirkwood for the first time. Mirkwood had been her home (although only a short while), legolas and the kitchen elleth being her only friends and thranduil had been her love. And she was sure she would never see any of them again...

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"I'm sorry your father, I'm afraid we have not seen a glimpse of helke or the dwarves. We fear that they may have left mirkwood. If we could overstep the boarder now we may be able to catch up with them" reported legolas as he stood in front of his father. Sending warriors out over the mirkwood border was not something that thranduil was fond of. Legolas watched as his father thought hard.

"We shall search the forest for longer, if there is still no trace than maybe leaving the border will be taken into consideration" said thranduil finally.

"But father, we've checked everywhere the forest has to offer. They must be outside the border. You must let us look!" Begged legolas. He had grown attached to the beautiful creature and did not want to see her be harmed by dirty dwarves.

"Do you go against me?!" Questioned thranduil angrily as he rose from his throne.

"You love her" legolas stated as he held his father's menacing stare. "I can tell by the way you watch her. But if you really loved her you would not think twice about sending your men out of mirkwood. Who knows what those dwarves have already done to her" said Legolas angrily and he stormed out.

Not more than an hour later Half of thranuil's men were sent outside of mirkwood border to search for the iceling and thranduil was beginning to contemplate searching for her himself.

He had become restless and anxious, knowing his helke was not safe and protected. He worried himself into a headache as he thought about her walking in the sun for hours on end with no water to cool her down. That thought was the last straw. He picked up his sword and set it upon his hip and strode out.

His people were not surprised to see that the king was going out to the forest. He had often guarded his kingdom himself, taking shifts for warriors that had worked hard.

"Anything?" Asked the king anxiously as he gripped his bow and strapped the arrows to his chest.

"Nothing you highness" said a guard, bowing in respect. Thranduil sighed heavily and stepped into the forest, instantly recognising the musty smell of the trees. "They are diseased" he said softly, touching the bark of one of the ancient trees. He ventured out into the forest on guard, looking round as took soft steps. He needed to find her, he was worried sick to his stomach.

He picked up his pace through the forest as memories came back to him in flashes

"THRANDUIL!! Help!" He closed his eyes and breathed In deeply as he remembered how his wife had cried for him as an orc impaled her with their sword. How the blood had run down her white dress. How he held her close as she fell to the ground dead. How him and his son Spend the night together.

He didn't want to lose someone else to greed. He dug his fingernails into his palms and felt them cut into the soft skin.

He was still searching when it was dark and the air was becoming colder. "Ada" said a voice behind the king. He turned around quickly, and saw legolas walking towards him looking tired.

"She's not here Ada. We have to get back. We'll look tomorow" he said.

That night thranduil could not sleep properly. He felt strangely hot without helke's cool body under the sheets with him. Her unusual squeaks in her sleep and occasional nuzzles. He got up and went down to the stables, half expecting her to be there, smiling and stroking the elk's fur like usual. But of course she was not, he did not know where she was, what state she was in or even if she was still alive.

"Why" he asked quietly as he watched his elk and her calf sleep soundly together. "Why was she so adventurous?"

Meanwhile.....

Helke stumbled as she followed the dwarves infront, She was close to collapsing with little water and exposure to the sun without any type of shade but was now thankful for the darkness which surrounded her.

"We should rest here tonight. Tie her here" said the dwarve gruffly as he set down his rucksack. They were in a field of tall grass with the occasional tree scattered around. The dwarf bound the chain around the tree and hammered it into place.

"Please" said helke hoarsely, desperate for any type of drink. The ginger elf grabbed a small pouch of water and put it clumsily to the iceling lips. Helke gulped down as much as she could but the majority of it went onto her breasts and shoulders.

"We walk a full day tomorow. No stopping" he said getting close in helke face and she could smell staleness upon his breath. She closed her eyes tightly and lay down as the dwarves cooked sausages and joked. Suddenly a lush green leaf floated by, riding on the soft breeze and helke caught it with her bounce hands. It reminded her of the kings's crown, with winding ivy and green leaves. She allowed tears to slip down her face as she embraced her death. She would die a horrible and painful death, alone and unloved. Did the king ever love her? Where the dwarves right? Was she just a pretty item that the king liked to set on his arm, just to say that she was his? She gripped the grass angrily as she thought of this, and could no suppress the sense that the king had betrayed her. She had even slept within the same bed...curled up to him...

She closed her eyes and allowed and uncomfortable sleep to consume her, knowing tomorrow would be agonising.