The King's Heart (Thranduil Fanfiction)

Chapter 11

(Miniel)

I ran away from Thranduil's room as fast as I could. I darted past servants and scholars and nearly knocked a guard over: one that was a head taller than I and likely weighed double. I could not stop to apologize to him, so I continued undaunted to my room.

I was trying to get there before the guard woke from his dreams. I saw that I had time yet, no one had bothered to wake the peaceful watchman.

I slipped through the door silently, closing it behind me. I barely made a sound, but I heard the guard startle, but he just sounded confused, not at all suspecting I had ever left.

I walked over to the bed and found a cream colored dress over the freshly made sheets. Someone had been in here while I was gone. My mind flooded with questions, but I did not have time to dwell on them. I had an important meeting in a mater of minutes.

I quickly slipped the robe off and stepped into the bathroom. There was a tub there and a small basin of cool water. I splashed some water on my face and ran a bit of it through my hair. I slipped a dressing gown on before the cream colored dress. The dress covered my feet and the neckline cut down just past my collarbone. It fit nicely, but with movement so restricted, I would not be able to effectively defend myself should the need arise. I haven't worn two dresses over the course of one week in so long.

"Miniel? Are you ready?" There was that voice again: kind and smooth and deep. I felt a chill run down my back, but quickly scolded myself. He is a king and I am an outcast.

"Yes, yes I am on my way out," I answered, slipping on the brown shoes that had been placed at the door.

As I stepped out the door, I tripped over my dress. I felt myself falling, but then a pair of huge hands caught my sides. They were strong, holding me mid fall for a moment before gently pushing me back up. My eyes made their way up with my body, falling on his chest before his face. He was dressed exquisitely, a brown trousers covered by a silver tunic and a shimmering cloak that was blue on the inside and the same silver as his tunic on the outside. There was a broach at the base of his neck. It reminded me of antlers, several pairs crossing each other. There was a white gem set in the middle, one that seemed to pulse like a heartbeat. Then I noticed him staring at me. It was not the sympathetic looks I received this morning, but one full of harshness and ice. But his eyes were so gorgeous, stormy blue with lightning striking behind them. His face was not soft like mine; it was hard as a rock, with high cheekbones and a pointy nose. His lips were thin, his eyebrows thick. His golden hair was perfectly strait and fell around his shoulders and the tips of his pointy ears were just barely visible.

"What are you staring at?" he growled. How quickly his mood changes.

"Nothing, my lord, thank you for catching me," I begin. "Where are the council chambers?"

"There has been a change in plans. You are only presenting your plan to me, in the throne room. I will be the only one to decide what to do." He was already walking away from me. I was unsure if he meant for me to follow him or not, so I stood still for a moment. When he realized that I was not at his side, he turned abruptly.

"This cannot wait all day!" he thundered. I ran to catch up with him as best I could in this stupid restrictive dress. We walked swiftly through the cavernous halls. I have not been in this part of the woodland realm since Oropher was king. The halls have been carved to look like trees, more so than they had been a centuries ago.

I thought about the marvels of this cave until we came to the throne. At least it had not changed much. Thranduil climbed the steps to the throne itself. I waited on the platform just below it while he sat and crossed his legs. He cleared his throat at me, signaling that I was free to speak.

"King Thranduil, you face a threat you are unprepared to handle. An orc army is upon your front gates through no fault of your own, but they gather none the less.
They seek to overrun your kingdom and control its riches and position. This forest is a critical passage, a gateway if you will, to the wild and Erebor. These orcs will attack your realm in a matter of weeks, and by that time you will be greatly out numbered and you will have no choice but to surrender or be responsible for the slaughter of your kin." The king pinched the bridge of his nose at the last statement, clearly disturbed by the whole matter.

"I suggest that you grant me forty of your best warriors, if not your stealthiest. I will train them in my methods for as long as I can and we will send two to each camp, they attack twice in one week and the orc numbers are greatly reduced so you can split your army and wipe out all the camps at once." I thought my plan was rather brilliant. It had practically no flaws, unless the Warriors were all killed on the first night. But that shouldn't happen if I train then.

"And you truly believe that this is the best course of action?" Thranduil asked after a long period of silence.

"I do."

"Then make it so."