The King of Starlight and Lullabies (Thranduil x OC fanfic)

Chapter 5- Dinner

Caledra sprinted through the halls, breathing heavily. By the Valar, what have I gotten myself into? Her heart was still beating fast from suspenseful atmosphere in the throne room and her mouth was dry.

Racing down the stairs and all the way to the dungeon, Caledra practically crashed into Auric and a set of guards. News sure did travel fast around here, never mind when it involves the king, Caledra thought a little bitterly, realizing they were somehow already aware of Auric's pardon. The guards, still seeming weary of the two, disbanded slowly, returning to their stations as Auric greeted Caledra with grateful eyes.

"Caledra, I cannot begin to express my gratitude to you; you are truly the best friend anyone could ask for," Auric began, opening his arms as he hugged her firmly.

"How much do you know?" Caledra asked softly as they parted, a deep furrow in her eyebrows.

"Nothing besides that I am pardoned. What happened?"

"I..." Caledra began, trailing off.

I was forced to grovel at the Kings feet for mercy. I had no other option but to submit to his twisted request. I had to resort to doing the lowest thing I've ever done. I'm now forced to do whatever crosses his foul mind like a loyal dog.

She cleared her throat, "I'm to be his personal servant."

Auric's eyes widened, mouth opening slightly as he scratched his head in thought. "That's... That's not too bad actually. Compared to exile or time down here," he said, gesturing to the cells around him, "I'm fairly impressed you were able to convince him of that, honestly."

Caledra squeezed the bridge of her nose, at that moment wanting nothing more than to just be alone. She loved Auric, she truly did. He was like a brother to her, and she did all of this for him. And she knew he was only thinking out loud, trying to rationalize the situation and make herself feel better. But honestly, after all she had been through that day, she was tired and nothing was going to make her feel better.

Sensing this, Auric soon departed, promising to visit each other soon. Caledra sighed as she watched his form hurry towards the way to the docks, knowing someday when her punishment was over, sparing him from a fate such as banishment was far worth it.

However, as of right now, she was still fuming over the fact that she was now practically blackmailed into being enslaved. As she paced the walkways, unsure of what exactly to do until dinner, she thought back of all that happened that day. Her entire life had changed in mere hours. Her brain still hadn't processed it all completely. Oh, and the King. She could practically feel her body tense up just thinking about him, her temper flaring. How she was going to last even a full day with him was something she couldn't even imagine.

Beginning to smell the aroma of food being made and feeling her stomach growl, Caledra dutifully began to make her way to the banquet hall, where the king and the prince dined. Caledra felt herself grow anxious when she thought of prince Legolas being there as well. She had heard nothing but praises about him, and the being seen in such a pathetic state in front of him made her practically wish for banishment.

She halted outside the door, realizing she was there. Taking a deep breath, she opened it, stepping inside to be greeted by the scent of wonderfully made food. It reminded her of the party, and she felt her stomach grumble at the thought of the taste.

The room was massive. She had never been inside of it, as technically this was part of the Kings palace, although occasional feasts were held there. The room was adorned with elvish trinkets and art, likely to be worth more than anything she had ever seen before. A great table seeming to be crafted out of the very wood and roots that weaved in and out of the floor sat in the middle of the room. All varieties of food lined it, leading all the way to the end where he sat.

Head raised slightly and tilted at her, he slowly sipped on a glass of wine, making no movement to even signify that he acknowledged her presence. Caledra pursed her lips, licking them before beginning to walk over to where he sat.

He raised his hand to her, coldly amused eyes stopping her where she stood. "You dare walk before your king without bowing? How arrogant."

Gritting her teeth and giving a rigid bow, Caledra hesitantly approached him. He gave her no further indication of what to do to her immense frustration. He continued to eat, gazing at the crackling hearth next to them. Nothing but the sound of the fire and silverware filled the hall, and Caledra was struck with the fact that they were the only two ones in there. No guards, no one.

She tentatively edged towards a chair, only to receive a harsh glare from him. I guess I'm not sitting. She thought to herself, staring at all the empty seats with a small frown on her face. Bastard.

Thranduil cleared his throat, breaking her chain of thought as he raised his now empty wine glass expectantly, eyeing her emotionlessly. Spotting the bottle to her right, she slowly reached for it and filled the glass halfway, placing the bottle down again as he continued to ignore her presence, gazing into the fire again.

She then became aware of how hungry she actually was, and her mouth began watering as she eyed the food hungrily. There was so much, and in no way could she imagine him eating all of it. She didn't dare ask for any however, knowing already all she would receive would be some snide comment and an icy glare.

Whether it was the growling of her stomach or simple deduction, Thranduil eventually faced her. "Are you hungry, nín mûl?"

Caledra nodded eagerly, hopeful and hungry. Soon servants were scurrying in and out of the room fast, but to her dismay, rather than bring her her own food they were simply taking away the uneaten food, leaving nothing but the wine and Thranduil's used plate.

Caledra stood confused, unsure of what he was thinking as he smirked at her quite like he had done in the throne room, sipping his wine as he eyed her like a cat toying with a mouse. Caledra got a sinking feeling in her chest as he pushed his plate forward, beckoning for her. She stepped forward, dumbfounded as she stared at him and the dish. Oh no. She thought as he continued to smirk, seeming to enjoy every minute of her distress. He does not expect me to eat his scraps.

There was enough leftover food on the plate to fill her surely, but it was just so wrong. To be forced to eat food scraps like some sort of mutt.

She pushed the plate back towards him, choosing to save whatever dignity she had left. He chuckled at this, that damnable smirk still plastered onto his perfect face, making her want to punch him.

"Your prideful fire will run out eventually," he said, finishing his wine. "And I will be the one to extinguish it,"

"I'd like to see you try," Caledra replied crossly, almost on instinct.

He laughed at this, something she didn't expect. As much as she hated to admit it, his laugh was just as alluring as his voice. However, beneath it she could sense the thick mockery aimed at her. "It has hardly been a day and I already have you shaking from my very gaze. I have broken twigs stronger than you."

"You know, you really are-" Caledra began before he rose quickly, standing directly in front of her, making her voice crack and stop before she insulted him. He loomed over her as she averted her eyes to the ground, only to have her head forced back up to stare into his face by his long fingers. Bending his head down low, they were mere inches apart, and Caledra felt her heart pick up from more than just intimidation and fear.

He was just so flawless, his face, his voice. Everything about him beckoned her, stirring her senses. Physically, he was the image of perfection. And staring into those eyes so close now made her knees weak. She hated him for making her feel this way despite how he had treated her in the past few hours alone.

"It seems you lack all basic training," he whispered causing her to shiver as his free hand pushed a few stray hairs out of her face. She let out a shaky breath, wishing for nothing more than for him to release her from this emotionally-conflicting grasp of his. "I will have to teach you myself, nín mûl..."