For the love of a Dragon (Thranduil fanfic)

Chapter 9

Thranduil P.O.V

I paced back and forth around throne room, anxiety nibbling away at my mind. I had sent away the guards, in case any of them started asking questions. I feared that something as little as a word could trigger an explosion of emotions. Then I stopped, and reconsidered. 

Why did I need Celegwen so?

Why did I love her?

I had only known her for a few weeks. Every time I was near her, I felt different. Like I used to; a thousand years before everything went wrong. I stomped my foot angrily against a stair. I should have told her. I should have told her everything.

Now she was gone. Illuvatar only knew what Durion and the Orcs were doing to her right now. Torturing her? Mutilating her? Killing her?

The sound of her scream in my mind pierced my heart like a sword. I couldn't take it anymore. My mind was made up. 

I was going to go after Celegwen.

"Tauriel!" I called.

The young red haired elleth came running. "Yes my lord?" she said, bowing. 

"I will be leaving for a few days. I am leaving Legolas in charge of the throne. You will take his place in the guard," I instructed. 

"Yes my lord," she replied. I briskly walked past her. "Will Durion be taking my place in the Guard while you're gone?" 

I stopped in my tracks. 

"Do not speak his name," I said darkly. "Find somebody else to take your place."

I grabbed my sword and replaced my robes with armour, my fingers flying over the buckles and straps subconsciously. When I was done, I peered at myself in the mirror, stroking the steel finishing. The last time I had worn this armour was when that Dragon had almost taken my life. I shivered at the memory. I hoped Celegwen would never share the same fate.

I went to the stables and mounted my Elk. "Mellon nin," I said, ruffling the fur in between her antlers. I kicked her side gently and we were off. 

"Hold on Celegwen," I said in the wind. "I'm coming."

Celegwen P.O.V

"Get off me!" I screamed, trying to wrench my arms out of the Orcs' grip. It was the wee hours of the morning, and they had dragged me out of my hanging prison to what looked to be a courtyard from a nightmare. Ominous statues loomed in every corner and skeletons littered the black brick floor. This entire place was an incarnation of pure evil.

The Orcs tied my arms around a post, despite my efforts to break free. Durion walked up to me, with that goddamned smirk plastered on his face. He had something in his hand. He was holding the handle, and the rest trailed on the ground. My eyes widened.

 "A whip?!" I whispered, shaking with fear. He smirked. "WHY? NO! STOP!" He ignored my protests and stalked behind me. 

"WAIT! I-" 

I was cut off by a sharp, searing pain lashing across my back. I screamed in pain. My back was frozen in shock and I felt warm, sticky blood spurt out from my back and soak my shirt.

"Why are you-" I screamed again as another lash sliced the vulnerable skin. The tears started to fall from my eyes as I struggled in the rope. 

"Go on. We must continue until the beast reveals itself," I heard Durion tell the Orc general. Three more lashes came to my back before he untied me from the post, kicking me to the floor. 

"Oomph!" I grunted as my face took the blow. "What are you-ah!" I choked as he kicked my throat. 

He bent down to grab it but I grabbed his wrists. "Why are you doing this to me?!" I croaked, struggling to keep hold of his grappling hands, but to no avail. They finally got to my throat. Squeezing tightly, he hoisted me up, the muscles in his arms bulging. I wheezed as my feet dangled in the air. 

"The darkness will always win," he whispered, bringing my face closer to his. I gasped as he squeezed my throat tighter, and as the words he said made sense. "Yes, my dear Celegwen. He has returned. Angering and unleashing the fire inside you is the first step. And when he strikes, your dear little King and his son will die," he hissed. 

Anger burnt in my eyes. "The darkness will never reign," I gasped. "And you still haven't answered my question!"

His eyes turned black with anger. With swift and mighty force, he smashed my body hard on to the rock floor, my bloody back taking most of the blow. I wailed as something cracked underneath me. He knelt down and grabbed my face in his hand. "What you feel for the King is a mere dream," he hissed. 

My heart shattered. 

I...I loved the King. 

There, I admitted it. Admitted it when it was too late.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, trying to hide my heartbreak. I groaned as he punched my stomach. "Don't bother denying it," he said. "You will never see him or his beloved realm again. He will die in the flames of war, and you will be the one to kill him, raamalooke."

I stopped struggling. "What did you say?" I whispered darkly. 

But before he could repeat it, I flipped him over so I was on top of him and punched him hard in the nose, making it bleed. "If you ever think I would harm him," I said as I slapped him across the cheek. I gripped is throat tightly. 

"You refused to love me!" he coughed. 

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Excuse me?" 

"Soon there'll be no one to love but me!" he yelled angrily. I stood up, heart flaming, and kicked him in the groin. He groaned in pain. I started to walk away, but he grabbed me from behind and shoved me into my cage. "You will regret this," he said in a low voice, before shutting the cage door.

My back stung from the whipping and the rest of my body stung from where Durion had beaten me, my hair sticky with blood. I started sobbing uncontrollably. I had only cried like this 1000 years ago, when my father died. I cried harder. I would probably never see Thranduil again.

"Oh Thranduil," I sobbed. "I love you."

Awww.....so sad!!

BUT THEY ADMITTED THEIR LOVE!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!

This is so weird to be reading through three years later OMG

residenthobbit49 <3

Elvish Translations!

mellon nin=my friend