Walking Between Dreams

Chapter 4

Grand pillars of oak that were etched with crisscross patterns stood on both sides of a towering two-door entrance that had two more towers on both side. Pale gray stone that lined the entrance demonstrated the erosion of time, it gently caught the shadow of the elves as we approached the door. Legolas called out in a intricate language and the doors opened to reveal an even larger room that had complex patterns decorating the floor that resembled a tapestry. Enormous tree trunks held up the ceiling as the branches weaved in and out of the it. Multiple elves dressed in traditional woodland elven guard uniform stared at my out of this world attire. One of them even felt the material of my jacket as I walked by.

We took a sharp right from there and through a hallway that had light green leaves and moss growing on the walls. Five guards, Tauriel, Legolas, and the dwarves crowded into an expansive throne room with King Thranduil sitting on his throne. 

The wooden throne was stacked on steps that were a light brown. Forest leaves in reds and browns decorated the throne in a peacock feather pattern that gave the room more color. As my eyes laid upon the king I noted how his blond hair did not reflect any light as if something tragic happened ages ago. Silky looking, earthy toned robes flared from his cloth shoes with his crown being an elegant tiara of sorts that glinted like stars. The king's facial expression became inquisitive as I entered after all of the dwarves. With a swish of the king's hand all of the elves were dismissed except for Tauriel and Legolas.

"What are you dwarves and this girl doing here on my lands." demanded the king as he shifted on his throne.

I inquired, "To be clear I am not here with the dwarves. I was captured with them but that was purely a mistake."

"I do not believe you human girl," challenged the king with an emphasis on human in way to insult me.

Thorin piped in, "I have never seen this girl before in my life. She was never apart of my company."

"I have other things to be doing than traveling with dwarves-" I began.

The king snapped, "Quiet you ignorant fool! Speak only when spoken too!"

I bit my lip and listened to his speech. Thranduil harped on how the dwarves should not be on his land and how they are enemies as he walked down from his wooden throne. He would not stop talking for what seemed like a decade.

Legolas and Tauriel shifted in the corner where they stood with the vastness of the room engulfing them. Multiple stairways entered and exited the room with nature in every aspect. Birds were able to fly in through the cracks of the roof with a cold breeze picking up from the outside.

Finally he looked at me and asked, "Where are you from, girl?"

"I am from a place far away. Maybe some would say from the outside." I responded impatiently.

"Watch your tongue as you speak to me. I do believe that you are conspiring with these dwarves to infiltrate my kingdom. I will be sentencing you to hundred years in the dungeons along with these creatons." the king informed me with a whoosh of his cloak.

As Tauriel grabbed my wrist and guided me out when a question crossed my mind, "Are you really from Doriath?"

The only response I got was a glare from both kings. I struggled against her iron grip and was dragged down never ending stairs with the remaining dwarves behind me. They created heavy steps that could wake up the dead as torches illuminated the chilling staircase. When we got to the dungeon the guards were already put into place in front of the cells. The closet guard roughly gripped my shoulder and pushed me down to one of the last cells. I resisted being pushed in but was trapped when I heard the door slam close.

I sat down in a corner with mice scurrying by, facing the bars. My head gently hit a stone, cracked wall and I watched a spider make a web.

---

"Who are you really?" questioned a gruff voice from outside the cell that distracted me from the spider. The door swung open with a creak and a older looking dwarf entered. The dark blue tunic moved with his deep breaths and reflected the blueness in his eyes

"As I mentioned I am Mia from the outside world." I retorted with my patience running thin as paper.

"Do you mean from outside of Middle Earth," theorized the gruff voiced dwarf, "To be honest that does not really matter. What matters is were you following us?"

"I have better things to be doing than stalking dwarves," I answered as I leaned against the iron bars and saw a glimpse of a dwarf who resembled Balin. His long white beard curled from between the bars, they spoke loud enough for me to hear whispers about a hobbit.

"Such as...," the dwarf pushed.

"Minding my own business," I answered and sat down on the musky floor. "I am looking for something that I have lost; it meant a great deal to me.".

"What do you know about loss?" sneered the dwarf with his gray strands in a mixture of black hair illuminated from the dim torches.

"Enough."

"You haven't seen anyone die, have you? You haven't seen death." raised the voice of a self pitying creature.

"I've seen enough death to last me five life times and I have lost loved ones like anyone else. To sum it up we all have suffered."

"You make it sound like you have seen some kind of conflict. Please prevent yourself from being dramatic." sarcastically countered the dwarf.

"Because I have."

I settled down on the chilling, damp floor allowing myself to feel tired. I closed my eyes when I fell silent and rested for a bit as the dwarf paced.