The King's Heart (Thranduil Fanfiction)

Chapter 49

(Thranduil)

The execution will commence shortly. I hired a dwarf to do the dirty work. I have no desire to publicly decapitate one of my kin. Annoneth is leading the traitor onto the platform now and the dwarf is sharpening his axe.

There are dozens gathered around for this gruesome event. I imagine that most of them are only here to listen to Rivornor's dying decree. It will be a speech for the ages according to the guards.

"Does the traitor care to make a statement to the cause of his actions or any sort of decree?" I ask as a formality.

"I do, Lord Thranduil," Rivornor calls. I wave him to go on. He steps toward the gathered elves. Annoneth yanks against his already tight lead, causing him to jerk back. I chuckle ever so quietly.

After Rivornor regains whatever composure he has left, he refaces the crowd.

"Elves of the Woodland Realm, this garish ceremony is the last proof I shall be able to offer you as proof of Thranduil's tyranny. He is murdering the only elf that dares to question his actions, be warned! If you speak out alone, you will be silenced like me. Stand up and speak out together against this evil!"

"That is enough. I might be incline to agree with you if had not been the cause of all suffering in this kingdom!" Annoneth calls, shoving Rivornor to his knees. Many of the elves are nodding in agreement with Annoneth, others are calling for Rivornor's head. No one has bought his tyrannical tirade. The dwarf looks up at me, axe in hand. I nod, and Annoneth shoves Rivornor against the block.

Rivornor smiles, actually smiles. Then it dawns on me.

"Get down!" I scream from my platform. Annoneth hits the ground as an arrow lodges itself in the tree behind her. The dwarf executioner is not so lucky. He falls from the platform with an arrow in his back. Rivornor stands and jumps from the block, arms still bound at his sides. I leap after him and Annoneth soon falls into step beside me. I pull the bow from my back and load an arrow.

I can faintly see footsteps in the snow, and I assume it was a man that freed Rivornor. I track them to a small clearing where they simply stop. There are no branches low enough nearby for the assailant to have made his escape that way. Annoneth is walking in circles with her bow raised to the trees. I search the ground, hoping there is some indication as to the direction of the man.

Just as I am about to call it off, a man leaps from hole beneath a tree and tackles me. Annoneth kicks him off before I lose my head, but twenty men surround us.

"The king has decided to grace us with his presence, lads!" calls a tall human. His hair is dark and greasy with disassembled ringlets.

"Whom do I have the pleasure of gracing?" I growl. The men laugh. One elf steps forward; he has dark hair and an unnaturally pale face. His eyes are light and his face is long.

"You are gracing the makers of your ruin, King Thranduil," the elf declares; this draws cheers from the men. "Bring the boy in!"

The tall man with greasy hair darts into the group of men and returns with a small child with pale hair in his arms.

"Ada!" Legolas screams before he is gagged.

"Release my son before you all lose your heads," I say. Annoneth's ears perk at my tone. I do not believe I have ever been so icy calm, not like this.

The man holding Legolas laughs and the others join him shortly. Then he draws a small knife and presses it to Legolas's throat. The inching Annoneth and I had been doing ceases when we see that silver flash against Legolas's green tunic.

"You have two options. The first: you lead us to the elleth you have been harboring, or the second: we kill your son," the elf says.

"Who are you to threaten me?" I ask.

"I am the only elf that could have out-done all of Lothlórien, Greenwood, and Rivendell. I am Umon."